This bar is awesome, though it probably has a lot to do with it brewing its own beer. Okay, some…read morehome brews are pretty bad, but in the case with this bar they were nothing short of awesome. While it wasn't all that busy when I was here, that probably had a lot to do with when I actually visited (the late afternoon), however, the atmosphere was great, and the beers were nothing short of fantastic.

There is a sea of change in the once staid Neutral Bay where the only appropriate watering hole was…read morethe institution otherwise known as The Oaks. A local weekend night use to start at this institution followed by a local restaurant then return to the Oaks and when it closed the night owls would search for possum, the Pickled Possum that is. Grosvenor Street has opened with new bars White Hart, The Pony, Firefly and drinks can be enjoyed at Blue Plate, Eno Pizzeria and Garden Brassiere. Honey Rider gives a welcome alternative and on the evening we visit we are surprised to find that it is not jammed to the walls with people who only consider a quick drink then move on. The bar is beautifully fitted out with quirky bits and pieces to admire. This includs upside down hanging pots, a wine/cocktail list contained within an old Australian Ballet programmes and beautiful antique lights. Pizzas are available for a light snack We order a gin and tonic and sink back into our warm surroundings and find the music is so pleasant. It is nice finally to have somewhere for the local crowd to hang out that is gratefully absent of the pretentiously formal.

Great spot for breakfast; nice vibe, good coffees, tasty food and high chairs…read more We headed up here for an early breakfast in winter on a Monday morning. We had our 10 month old in tow and it was surprisingly great. We ordered 2 coffees, plus the avocado with tomato and fetta and just eggs on toast. Prices are reasonable (approx $12 a meal) and the service was lovely. Lots of delicious looking pastries and sweets and the coffee was good. For an out of the way spot in NB, there was a steady takeaway coffee crowd so we weren't the only ones that liked it. That they have high chairs is a massive win in our book and makes breakfast so much easier with a little guy. For winter, there are quite a few tables inside which is nice.

The best gin bar in Sydney as far as I'm concerned. The flights are amazing, the cocktails…read moredelicious, and the staff actually know what they're talking about. Haven't eaten here but the food looked wonderful too. Cafe during the day and gin bar at night - perfect plan!

Mate what can i say best meal ever i need meat so Karma at the bar gave me a special order that was…read morenot on the menu beef ribs for two .. my wife ate one i ate the other 3. Thank you Karma for the best service ever

A great find in Crows Nest, great service, a good wine list at reasonable prices. The salmon dish…read morewas amazing and live music on Sunday afternoon makes this a good choice for a Sunday session. Transport at door and a great ambience makes this a must see if in the area.

5 stars on the view and atmosphere of this restaurant. However I have had a few issues here…read more The first time me and my friend came across it it was a week night and we had not made a booking. However a seat was found for us and although it was not next to the window overlooking the harbour, those were booked, it was totally understandable and our spot was still nice. We ordered a paella for two which was large and very nice and high quality. We also ordered cocktails which were very nice and of the average, expensive cocktail price. They were presented nicely and seemed quite strong which I like; money's worth. We ordered a dessert which was delicious and plated very well. As it's such an expensive restaurant the desserts seem to be all small but very rich. Upon such a good meal I booked again for a future date. A week prior to the event I rang up to confirm my reservation next to the window. After a long long phone call and an employee raising their voice to the fact that someone had already reserved the table and trying to secure me a different spot, we came to the agreement someone had spelt my name wrong on the reservation sheet. Expecting this to be fixed, I showed up to The Deck early to my booking so I enjoyed a few cocktails at the bar. Me and my friend made our way to dinner only to be told the table was reserved by someone else. The worker did not speak perfect English and had some difficulty pronouncing my name thus thinking the one on the sheet was different. It took a long time to settle the problem, she left for a period of time and came back and eventually I was able to show her that it was my name spelt slightly wrong. We sat down half an hour late to dinner and I was pretty annoyed but I still got my seat so it was okay. We were first waited on by a young woman on what seemed to be her first shift so I didn't mind that she was a little slow to use her equipment and needed assistance. However the main waiter we had seemed slightly rude and bored. He treated an elder couple next to us very well and spoke to them politely and made general conversation with them. However me and my friend are both only 18 and while we were polite and respectable he treated us in a complete different matter, with a monotone voice and not looking up from recording our stuff. For such a nice place I expected better and equal service. We had to get up and walk to the bar to ask for second servings of wine as no one came to serve us. The food was very nice quality though, we were both satisfied and too full for any dessert. The menu is very minimal and it was going through go changes when we came so only a few selections were available. While on the costly side it's a nice place to treat yourself.

A favourite place for enjoying a glass of wine and food to share whilst watching the ferries go by…read moreon the Harbour. Whilst located just inside the entrance of Lunar Park, it has a strict adults only policy so is a lovely spot to escape the noise and hustle of the Park. We stumbled upon it by accident and now go back on a regular basis. Have yet to eat in the restaurant because the bar has a good selection of snacks to share at reasonably prices. My favourites are the Tapas plate and pulled pork sandwich.

Came here for lunch with a friend on a weekday. I had the Cauliflower Enchilada $18 (green peas,…read moredried tomato, red pepper sauce, mozzarella) it was really nice. My friend had the Mexican Fried Chicken Burger and he said that it was very yummy. We sat in the outdoor area. It was plenty of room between the table and it felt covid safe. Friendly service. Will definitely come back to try more items on the menu.

What can I say except I loved this place. The moment you walk up the stairs you are greeted by…read morelovely staff. For anyone wanting catch ups with an old friend or a few drinks with snacks that place is perfect. The food: these are the best sweet potato fries I have ever had!!!! The enchiladas was tasting and large and I even got to take my leftovers home. The menu is only a page long but there is a lot of variety. Which adds to why this place is so great. It's modern Mexican American food for everyone. Great music, great vibe, great cocktails, great service.

The Pickled Possum. Could you get a more ocker name? I'm sure the alliteration was merely…read morecoincidental. The Possum has been a Military Road mainstay for years. It's a late-night karaoke joint, the place to go when all other places to go are shut and you're too drunk to go home or know better. It's packed with a motley crew of young and old, mainly old, and the damn place bangs. The husband and wife team behind the bar (at least I think it's a husband and wife team) are slow as molasses and scoop ice into your drink from a small esky atop the bar. It works. You don't come here to pick up, look good, or do anything other than caterwaul on the stage to shitty '80s power ballads and bad '90s RnB while the crowd in front of you sways put of time and spills beer on each other. Never go away, Pickled Possum. There is quite literally no other lace like you and never will be.

I've been to the Pickled Possum 3-4 times over the years and constantly question why I ever go…read moreback. Their song list sits on 2 pieces of old A4 paper so expect to hear the same songs over and over again. The sound system is horrendous so you won't hear anyone's voices unless you're 2 metres from the stage. The 'DJ' who has english as a 3rd or 4th language is without charisma. Also as a bar it only serves bottled beer and if you're there first they won't let you sing until your group has bought enough drinks. Try anywhere else.

I used to frequent this place when we lived in Sydney and I am pleased to say it has continued to…read moredeliver good experience to this day. Many of the restaurants and bars that opened in this area shut down but not this one. Good choice of drinks including craft beers, cocktails and wine. Food here is also quite decent and they have a tapas menu plus other bigger items as well. Service is very friendly and quick and prices are also quite ok. The bar has a lovely ambience and well suited to a romantic evening out. I love coming here and will more than likely return :-)

Hey beauty when the mood gets you down, your bottom lip's near dragging on the ground...then get…read moreyourself down to Firefly and grab yourself a Splice of Heaven beer inspired by Australia's other favourite ice cream (and possibly Dave Dobbyn but I'm not sure what he tastes like). They also have a Holdin Hay Time beer, both by Moon Dog. What a delight for a Friday night after a tough day at work. Firefly is one of the original Sydney small bars, from back when we were still referring to them as Wine Bars (what dorks we were) and it has been consistently good, outliving places along this strip like White Hart and Blue Plate. The food is share style with generous servings and the drinks list is impressive. I recommend the salt and pepper squid, pork sliders, zucchini chips. They say you should get 3 plates for two people, 5 plates for 3. This formula will leave you uncomfortably full. You can book ahead and they do have time limits on the tables but we were over and nobody seemed to care so they obviously manage their system well. It can get hot inside in the warmer months so a table outside is recommended. Now if you excuse me I'm going to get back to singing the unofficial New Zealand anthem and reminiscing about those beers.

One of my faves pre movie at the Orpheum up the road. The gnocchi is always amazing and the happy…read morehour is great. Amazing wine list and service is exceptional on all occasions. Great vibe and sensational tunes. Overall a great experience. A must visit

My new local....a bit on the fancy side to be a local but it works! In the back is the more sit…read moredown dining and in the front is a more bar-like atmosphere. Perfect! And besides tall tables, and some wooden round tables/barrels..you can also sit right at the bar and have a straight view into the bustle of the kitchen. Definitely a place to go to with friends, family, by yourself or pre-movie (Orpheum is a few doors down). Really friendly service by guys that know their wine. Not the cheapest of places and a fancy menu for Military Road, but the atmosphere pays off. Even better, they know serve brunch and the Parmesan Truffle Scrambled eggs are to die for. Everyone at the table had them but one who had the poached eggs on toast and said "i don't regret my decision." Well that was unanimous, none of us regretted our brunch decisions. They had awesome looking smoothies and a section for 'hair of the dog' which I enjoyed. I've mainly eaten off the bar menu and have enjoyed a healthy portion of cured meats and cheeses (delicious cheese), the pumpkin nachos (really, really good. try them if they are still on the menu), and the house-made gnocchi. Give it a try....just don't sit in my seat. :)

(Last visited May 9, 2023.) Hanging out in Sydney on the 2nd half of my honeymoon! My wife and I…read morejust completed the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb (expensive, but 100% worth it) so now it's time to get back to partying! So we walked north across the bridge into a district called Kirribilli after we found The Botanist on Yelp. Here's how it went! Atmosphere/Appearance: Set a little off the main strip downstairs from the bridge's main street is this gem perched right on the corner. It's so cute, cozy and quaint. It looks a little small on the outside, but once you're in the door and downstairs it opens up quite a bit. You're transported into what felt like, an Italian, wine bar! The lighting was dim, the noise level was moderate, the people were friendly and there was such a chic ambiance here. I really enjoyed it. We merely stopped in for a drink since we had dinner reservations later, but this was a great place to stop. Service: We sat in the bar area of course and the bartender took excellent care of us. No complaints here. Food/Drinks: I had their S'Mores Espresso Martini which was so beautiful, well-balanced, a bit sweet, chocolatey and not very strong, but it was cool. It came with a gorgeous and super-tasty piece of chocolate that was so perfect. Value: Like any downtown big city cocktail bar, nothing is going to be cheap. My martini was $23.00 AUS which translates to $14.55. They do have full-service dinner here which looked very interesting and delicious, but maybe next time! In conclusion, I really enjoyed my time here and would come back, but I'd try something stronger next time. Cheers!

Share platters is what you'll find, which I think is perfect. It blends beautifully with the casual…read moreatmosphere, alongside with their scrumptious cocktails... Full review: purplecuriosity.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/the-botanist/

Well look-y there Mosman, you finally have yourself a small bar! And while the Tarzan-meets-Mowgli…read moreAmazonian decor threw me for a loop in the daylight, once the sun set and the safari lamps lit up, the entire vibe of the venue felt like one large Ngorongoro Crater camp out. With booze. The menu mimicked some of the African themes, and I can personally vouch for the wild boar sausages with onions and spicy mustard (sorry Pumba), but it was really the three pages of cocktails that seemed to be the focus of the evening. The wine list was also respectable. And even though I was overcharged (by two mojitos - mine were faux-jitos), it's still a spot I'd recommend swinging by if you're in the area. In fact, grab those two lost mojitos - tell them Laura already picked them up for you.

I walked past here about 5 times wondering why I couldn't find it - on the 6th time I saw the…read moreblacked out window with the message written on it (see photos). They had a fire, noooo!! Was so keen to try this bar out. The good news is they'll be re-opening just as soon as they can, at which point I'm making a bee line.