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The Dolphin Hotel

3.4 (23 reviews)
Open • 10:00 am - 11:59 pm

The Dolphin Hotel Photos

THE DOLPHIN HOTEL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Loud
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - The Dolphin Hotel

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Reviews With Photos

Morgan C.

I tend to see this place as the slightly rougher sister of the Clock just down the road, but in reality, the Dolphin isn't actually that bad! The foods half decent and on the few occasions I've been there, it's never been overly packed so no long lines for drinks. They also have a big screen so not a bad spot to watch any big games. With so many drinking establishments in the area, it's difficult to choose between them (and if you had a drink in every one of them, you'd be quite ill), but this is a decent place to come if you're not trying to show off in one of the fancier places in Surry Hills.

Make your own salad on a plate
Amelia J.

The recent renovations give the illusion this place is very nice, however everything seems to be covered in a thick plastic - that is the entire bench seating and the stools, so it's gross to sit on if you're wearing shorts or a dress. It doesn't have good AC in all areas so it gets pretty hot on a typical summer day. The prices of food and drink here are outrageously expensive. A Cesar salad was one of the cheapest items, at $18 and came on a plate, in giant chunks of cos lettuce and an overcooked egg and NO PARMESAN. you basically had the put the salad together yourself which was super difficult on a plate. It was gross anyway, tasted so salty, and I love salt! One of the other funny menu items was a 'bowl of chips' which came in a paper bag on a PLATE!! The pizzas were about $25, and looked very average for the prices. The worst pricing was the $5 I was charged for a soda water!!! Of all the options on crown st, id give this one a miss. The only bonus was it was nice and close to gelato Messina.

Eat S.

Wow! I cannot believe how kind is Luke and the Team at the Dolphin Hotel. This venue is the kind of place to meet friends, take a date or--as I've recently witnessed--find your next true love hehe. It must be something in the water? It might be something off the wine list? It's definitely Sydney's best chicken schnitzel and mash--it's OMG addiction delicious. But if it's not all that, it's a place that's warm in winter and designed to make people happy. So grateful I found this place :)

jacinta s.

The Dolphin is multi-leveled hotel and great for watching sport matches of any kind. It wouldn't ever be my choice for a normal Friday or Saturday to go have a drink with friends, however it is competent for a Grand Final. There are so many different areas to choose from and we found a little nook to watch one of the many big screens. We ordered some food and I was actually shocked at how good it is. The starters we got were Lamb Koftas with a minted yoghurt which were absolutely divine! Calamari had essential crisp and moist fish. They were really light too and not greasy. Then we got a Prosciutto wrapped Lamb Shoulder with wilted spinach finished with Bordelaise Sauce. It is so yummy! Pub food has really stepped up recently as this pub will attest. The prices are very good too with the sharing plates at $8 or $9 and the mains are $26. So if you have a GF to watch, head on down to The Dolphin and you will have a cracking time.

The Dolphin Hotel on busy Crown Street is a popular little place for people looking for a drink or meal. Actually it's not that little and is split over two levels but it always seems quite difficult to find a table. Maybe it's just me. There's a couple of tables to sit outside on the footpath, tables galore on the street level area and even an upstairs bar with a balcony. Why do I find it so hard to find a spot, I still don't know! There's a couple of pool tables downstairs and a poker machine lounge if you're feeling lucky. I manage to find a table and there's grazing plates and mains and an all day menu to choose from but out of the corner of my eye I see a sign, 'Bloody Mary Sunday - $9'. We have a winner!

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9 years ago

Amazing interior design. Great atmosphere. Affordable drinks. Funny and friendly staff.

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Review Highlights - The Dolphin Hotel

“The problem with Surry Hills is that there are so many really cool pubs here that it can be difficult, if not impossible, to actually settle on just one.”

Mentioned in 4 reviews

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PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro - Front of the hotel

PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro

2.8(9 reviews)
1.4 km•Sydney
•$$

The Criterion, post PJs renos, is a standard faux-Irish pub slap bang in the middle of the city…read more(close to Town Hall). Being close to where I used to work, I'd frequent this place quite a bit, and before it was a PJs it was a mates fave city pub so we'd catch up over a few here from time to time. There's a pretty good mix of people in the street-level bar, and PJs have converted it into more of a sports bar so there are plenty of screens for the sports nuts to check out their favourite teams prospects. PJs typically have pretty good fare. In winter they have two absolute cracking dishes. The Guiness Pie with mushy peas, and their signature lamb shanks which is totally unctuous. Why such a modest score? Price kills the place. It's not one of the cheaper places to get a beer as someone incorrectly states in their tips, it's easily one of the most expensive places to get a beer. You're paying over the top prices for domestic tap beer. A cheap beer is $5 for a Coopers Pale Ale, which you can get on the same street about 200m up the road... Also... As much as I enjoy a good pokie section, this one ain't good. And by that I mean the clientelle. It brings in the undesireable types, and sours what is otherwise a sweet pub. The snug, the downstairs den, has a great looking bar, and "snug" seating, but it's kinda pointless down there. It doesn't feel snug, it feels stuffy and claustrophobic - and the bar has never been manned when I've been down there. Now, if they moved the pokies to the snug, and then opened up the entire bar at the street-level to include the room vacated by the pokie section, you'd have something. But why would they do that when they can get by with what they have.

I went for lunch here not too long ago and it was a great Irish pub. Rich Mahogany wood and a wide…read moreselection of beer on tap, with food selections that you'd find in most other Irish pubs. Being in the city, it can get quite busy very quickly and is a decently sized basement multi-storied pub. TV screens are usually are usually playing Fox sports or something similar. I order the Parmy, just to be on the the safe side. I wasn't too game to try the Pie which is supposed to be one of the best (as judged by Irish people I work with) around. The food is carefully prepared and you can tell the produce is quality and they've cooked it properly which some pubs sometimes struggle to do consistently... The chips were the standout side, crisp and crunchy! Definitely will be trying the stew or pie, that is if I'm brave enough to.

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PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro - Guinness stew pie thing. SO MUCH YUM!

Guinness stew pie thing. SO MUCH YUM!

PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro

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Strawberry Hills Hotel - Honey BBQ Glazed Pork Ribs

Strawberry Hills Hotel

3.5(26 reviews)
0.6 km•Surry Hills
•$$

Fun bar in Sydney head up the stairs to the semi open rooftop bar. Good food and drinks.read more

In spite of the name, this is actually not a hotel. Hotel has a double meaning in Australia as I…read morehave learned. It can be a place of lodging, but also many pubs use it as well as it relates to past liquor laws. Using the term "hotel" as a way to skirt liquor licensing regulations. Strawberry Hills is a nice Aussie pub just down the street from Central Railway Station. It looks a little divey on the outside, but the 2nd floor interior is quite nice and stylish and even has free Wi-Fi. This is a good spot to get a drink and quality pub food at a reasonable price in Sydney. If you are dining upstairs, you order your food and drinks at the counter. If you are dining in, the staff then brings the food to your table when it is ready. While they do have a wine menu, there isn't one for the large assortment of beers and cider on tap. If you are not sure what to order, I would list the types of beer and cider that you like to find one that suits you. As for the food, there is a regular menu consisting of pub food and a late night menu of different pizzas. The pricing here is quite reasonable as most mains (name for entree in Australia) are under $20. Had a Sunday night dinner here and opted for the slow cooked lamb shoulder ($18) with a pint of Bulmers cider ($7). I chose lamb because it is harder to find this meat on menus in the US, whereas in Australia it seems to be a standard offering. The lamb was terrific as the meat was fall off the bone tender. There was a bit of fat and gristle on the lamb, but I was okay with this since this helped to accentuate the meat's flavor. The accompanying roasted vegetables and red wine jus were also delicious and complimented the lamb. As for the cider, it was my first time trying Bulmers and I really liked it. It has a very crisp and refreshing taste that paired well with my meal. Enjoyed my meal at Strawberry Hills. The food and drinks here are good and value for your money. I like the ambiance of this pub too as it is modern, yet is casual enough to be a local drinking hole that you frequent regularly.

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Strawberry Hills Hotel - Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries

Strawberry Hills Hotel
Strawberry Hills Hotel - Cheesy Garlic Loaf

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Cheesy Garlic Loaf

Surry Hills Hotel

Surry Hills Hotel

2.7(3 reviews)
0.7 km•Surry Hills
•$$

There is one reason, and one reason only that it is ok to go to Triple Ace. And that's when you're…read morewaiting for a table at the nearby and constantly busy Spice I Am or House Thai restaurants. It is open 24 hours a day. It is decked out with noisy pokie machines with offensive flashing lights. But most importantly, it is both a bar and bottle shop in one. The staff won't bat an eyelid if you saunter into to buy a bottle of wine from behind the bar, have one glass and screw the cap back on (this is a cork-free zone, of course) then wander off with it under your arm - a big no-no in fellow Sydney pubs. I criticise, yet, shamefully, have enjoyed the exceptional convenience of TAB on so many occasions when said diner's staff have informed it will be at least thirty minutes before dinner time. Thankfully, their drink-and-takeaway policy is perfectly located next to these two delicious BYO joints.

I can't believe that I landed up here not once, not twice, but three times. As a pub it is a pretty…read moredull and boring place, more like an excuse for a pokies room and a sports bar than a trendy inner-city establishment. I guess the first two times I landed up here was simply to check it out (and also because it was open), but the third time was simply to come here purely so I could write my Yelp review. Anyway, as a pub it is pretty dull, though generally quiet, and open late. It also have a bottle shop out the front, which is a bonuse, but I'd probably recommend avoiding it,

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Surry Hills Hotel
Surry Hills Hotel
Surry Hills Hotel

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Star Hotel - Go Liverpool!

Star Hotel

3.3(3 reviews)
1.2 km•Haymarket

Star Hotel is located in Sydney, Australia, offering great drinks in an awesome environment…read more We ended up coming through after walking streets for hours exploring and seeing the beautiful city of Sydney. We came in for drinks and were seated right away. We went ahead and ordered draft Stella's, and our drinks came out in no time. The beer was fresh and crisp as could be and was served in a nice glass. They had security up front and ensured anyone who entered wasn't overly intoxicated. They had a bunch of TVs playing sports, but the majority was horse racing. Overall, it was a great place to dive in for some drinks in a safe environment just to chill and kick back and talk to friends!

When one has this crazy goal of trying to have a drink in as many different pubs as possible one…read moreends up visiting some absolute shockers. Okay, this probably wouldn't be the worse of the worse, or even incredibly bad, but it is certainly one of those pubs that now that I have had a beer at I won't be returning to in a hurry - or at all - unless of course I have no other option (though since it is in the middle of Sydney, that isn't much of a problem). Still, if you want to watch sports then it isn't a bad pub, though when I was here it was packed full of people all watching the soccer, thus relegating to to sitting in front of a pokie machine with my beer (and they aren't the best of places to sit with a beer trying to read a book). Maybe I'm being a little harsh on this place, but then again maybe I'm not.

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Star Hotel - Stella Artois

Stella Artois

Star Hotel
Star Hotel

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Handpicked Cellar Door - Sensory Tasting Bar

Handpicked Cellar Door

4.6(7 reviews)
1.1 km•Chippendale
•$$$

I came here for a glass of wine after having a catch up dinner with my friend and her wife at…read moreKensington Street Social down the road. Well, I thought I was going to have a glass but I ended up getting a tasting flight because it was so tempting. They offer wine by the glass, bottle, flight or you can do a tasting at the bar. It was a brilliant experience. The staff were really nice - pleasant, knowledgeable on product offerings and really relaxed. I got the 'come to the dark side' flight, which was all reds. I asked her to pour me a little less because I was driving and it comes out around 2 glasses in total. I asked her to pour me half of each and pour a full one of 'the best one.' After a long deliberation (she told me) she poured the shiraz as the full glass. I had always thought I didn't like shiraz. Well I was wrong - now I do! I will always remember that this was the place that taught me. My friend ordered a different flight that had whites and reds, and also a cheese pairing for the flight - they match each cheese to a wine. I tried all of hers and all her cheeses. Really liked the majority even though bubbles and certain types of white aren't as much my jam. Really great place and good value for money. A nice, classy experience without being intimidating or pretentious. I'd love to come back here again - and next time I'd make sure I wasn't driving. IT'S ON!!

If you don't have time to go out to wine country this place makes up for it. They pick out great…read morewines from multiple countries as well as many from all regions of Australia. They have generous pours and a large cheese selection to go with. It is a great space and if you are going to spice alley you could always pick up a bottle and take it with. They have lots of bottles under 25 aud to pick from. I went with a red wine flight and enjoyed most of them!

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Handpicked Cellar Door - The Experience Room - Open for Bookings/Functions/Wine Tastings

The Experience Room - Open for Bookings/Functions/Wine Tastings

Handpicked Cellar Door - Wine, Cheese and Charcuterie in the Wine Lounge

Wine, Cheese and Charcuterie in the Wine Lounge

Handpicked Cellar Door - No 2 tasting.

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No 2 tasting.

The Dolphin Hotel - sportsbars - Updated October 2026

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