I was looking for a new meet up spot in Surry Hills and saw The Wanderer offered craft beer on tap. It was a bit more of a walk from Central than I was looking for, especially with the freezing temperatures we've been having, but eventually I saw the candle light flickering its way onto the sidewalk and I knew I had found something worthwhile.
My first visit was on a Wednesday, just for a few drinks before dinner. They only have 3 taps, which on both my visits had a Murray's Golden, a Murray's Pale, and an English Bitter. The bar is long and narrow, and dimly lit. There's a funky room out back with some larger tables that can be hired out for a private function, but is otherwise fair game for patrons. I overheard the barkeep telling a patron that the room is wired so you can hook up your iPod, etc. I'll have to keep that place in mind next time I'm booking a casual function.
I couldn't help looking at everyone's food as I walked by (curse of a Yelper). Almost everyone was eating what looked like authentic American style chicken wings. For that very reason, I found myself back at The Wanderer a mere 9 days later. I had made a booking, which had been lost. As compensation, we were given a round of beer while the bar keep found and cleared a table. I'm more than okay with that. It was an unexpected and unnecessary gesture, which was greatly appreciated and demonstrated a level of customer service you don't often see these days.
Complimentary popcorn followed soon after we were seated. We didn't have to wait long for our wings & sweet potato skins. The wings were good- close to what I'd get back home (vinegar based, unbreaded, & baked for those aficionados), but could have done with a bit more time on the oven to crisp them up.
The sweet potato consisted of thinly sliced sweet potato served in a bucket with sour cream and bacon. I can see why the menu lists it as the bartender's favourite.
Overall, the food was pretty good, but it's the atmosphere, friendly staff, and customer service that makes this place memorable for me. In any event, I accomplished my goal of finding another meet up spot in Surry Hills. read more