So I've been here twice since my last review so will do some catching up. On the visit in 2015, they made me an excellent blood and sand. Basically its equal parts brown spirit, oj, vermouth and cherry heering. If a bartender knows it, you know they are old school. to start I had the Crudo of Yellow Fin Tuna, Hiramasa Kingfish and Ocean Trout with Finger Limes, Fresh Horseradish and Olive Oil. It was fresh and tasty. I went grass fed fillet for my main with brussel sprouts, chips and roast pumpkin. It was excellent as usual. More recently, they brought back a variation on my wife's favorite starter ever, a black truffle omelette on toast. This time it was a small tart of runny scrambled eggs with a generous serving of black truffle on top. While it couldnt beat the original, it was fantastic. It was even better with their Smoked Cherry Manhattan cocktail. The fillet was great as always with some chips, brussel sprouts and the potato/cabbage gratin. To finish, I had the chocolate and honey mousse which was incredibly rich and delicious. I am never disappointed here and always look forward to a visit read more

Fun day downtown Sydney ~ booked lunch for Rockpool after getting shut out for the BurgerPalooza event on the weekend. Striking Art Deco design with film noir photos on the walls, really well done! The main dining are white tablecloths, dark woods very proper, however we were on the hunt for a burger, therefore into the bar we were ushered Same type of decor and the RIEDEL Wine glass chandelier is spectacular to see, and sets the ambiance perfectly. We ordered cocktails, all were delightful and 2 grass fed & 1 wagyu burgers, chips & onion rings~ The burgers were worth having! The meat cooked perfectly to our choices, nice brioche bun. Not the BEST burger I've ever had, however well worth the trip. This country does know how to make chips (French fries) tho!!! Quite good & crisp and always HOT!!! Onion rings were good, quite large and cooked perfectly till crunchy~ Very happy to return and dine on the main room, maybe next trip for that wish. read more

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This place is hard to get a table at so I decided to sit at the bar. Service was very attentive and the bartenders are quite nice and know the menu very well. The reason I am giving it a 3 star is because the ceviche I ordered for appetizer was drenched in olive oil and came out with a lot of tomatoes rather actual ceviche. Ceviche normally does not have a lot of anything but fish. Secondly my nonalcoholic kambucha drink was alright, I think you use a supplier from Bondi beach and the tonic didn't taste anything amazing but kudos for getting a concentration that is solely sold at your bar. read more

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Why do I always feel like I'm in the wrong when I say a "fancy restaurant" was disappointing? It's like once your meals costs over a certain amount suddenly you're not allowed to say its not good.... well you know what I'm going to say it. Rockpool, you were The restaurant decor itself is stunning. It reminded me alot of New York, super high ceilings and immaculate design. The waiter was super attentive and very helpful.... Here's my disappointment - as a vegetarian there weren't many options. I was super excited to see Macaroni and Cheese on the starter menu - YES PLEASE! Only to discover the the Macaroni and Cheese had bacon in it - booo - a bit of warning could have been nice and come on - can't you let the vegeterians have something good? Next mains - one choice - thats right - one.... and it was Lentil and Ricotta Eggplant Moussaka - good but bit great, I found everything to be overpriced and the sizes small. I would also ask Neil Perry to consider creating more vegetarian options for those of us wanting the famous Rockpool experience.... I was deeply looking forward to eating here and left feeling disappointed.... read more

Rockpool Bar & Grill - Probably the best part was the decor - Steakhouses Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Fine dining Steakhouse Menu printed daily with a great selection of Red and white meat to choose from. Vegetarian options as well. Rockpool has and extensive wine menu and the waiter new his wine - helping in selecting a perfect bottle or two. My steak was cooked perfectly and I ordered it medium rear. The selection of side dishes, beans, potato fries and broccoli are well suited with a side of hot English mustard. Perfect for wining and dinning a client or special loved one. I dine at Rock pool regularly - the service and food is consistently good. If you are not wanting to dine in the main part of the restaurant the side wine bar is an experience in its self. Amazing service- wine selection and great share plates - must try the Wagyu Burger hmmm yum. read more

Beautiful classy place. Great service. Unbelievably extensive wine list. I had the prawn and silver trevally ceviche, with wood grilled corn and sweet potato. It was absolute perfect, a great representation of Australian freshness. My main of South Australian King George whiting, a very representative fish in Australia, was good not awesome. John Dory is listed on the website menu and was my plan for my main, but it was not on the restaurant menu. Bummer. This restaurant is right in the middle of the business district and no doubt a regular stop of the business lunch crowd. Don't let that deter you. It does have an old school clubby atmosphere, but it's still a great restaurant. Our wine was from a famous wine maker who also supplies a "Rockpool only" selection. The chardonnay, which of course we can't buy anywhere else, was terrific. read more

Bottom Line: I've never been to the restaurant, but I'm not sure I ever will knowing you can get the best burger in Sydney straight from the bar. We'd heard that Rockpool's claim to fame was the Wagyu Burger, and sure enough - the tables on either side of us had ordered two Wagyu Burgers and Chips. We followed suit and were not disappointed. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly made this burger so amazing. The meat was perfectly cooked and flavorful. The mixture of different types of onions - caramelized, red - was perfect. The sauce - was BBQ flavored, but not overpowering. Mmm...the whole thing was just perfect! The chips were memorable as well. Super thick, crisp and salty. Next time I want to try the onion rings, but the the chips were a perfect choice. We were feeling rather gluttonous last night and ordered two desserts - the Chocolate Jaffa Mousse Cake and the Warm Rhubarb, Strawberry & Almond Pudding. The Mousse cake was yummy, but the Pudding (which was our lovely waiter's reco) was out of this world. Would definitely order this again. Despite being two hats in the Good Food Guide, the bar menu was not astronomical. In fact, besides our splurge on a Californian bottle of Cab Sauv, the most expensive thing was actually the desserts ($25 each!). The Wagyu Burger is manageable at $24 and the Hand Cut Chips were $12. Ooh! Be sure to also take a glance at the House Rules inside the drink menu - pretty funny! read more

WARNING: THIS IS A BURGER ONLY REVIEW Look, I am reading what you are saying people, Rockpool is the shit. HOWEVER, this review is purely based on the Burger alone. And this lady has high standards when it comes to burgers - especially at $24 a pop. I have dreamt about the Rockpool burger for years, putting it off while I slutted my tastebuds around Sydney at almost every burger joint, enjoying the guilty pleasure that only a burger can bring. (Now, I have put a lot of burgers in my mouth, so I am pretty much an expert burger taster.) So when I finally got the opportunity to try Rockpool today, I brought my highly tuned palette and braced myself. First bite and the best way to describe the Rockpool burger is like having sex with a movie star - when you'd rather go a pornstar. The meat was incredible, probably the best meat I have ever tasted in a burger - medium rare pink, juicy and delicious. The toppings were classic: brioche bun, picked red onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles. Classic. Movie star for sure. HOWEVER, I prefer the gritty, saucy, downright dirty burger with cheese oozing and sauce flowing down the slides: Mary's, Bar Luca, Burgers by Josh-style burgers that you certainly wouldn't introduce to your mother. Thats the porn star burger. So conclusion. Rockpool, you are one classy lady, but I prefer a lady in the street and a freak in the sheets.... read more

I'm not sure how you would find this place if you weren't looking for it, and that's part of the charm for sure. Tucked into what looks like an older office building is this art deco gem with what must be thousands of wine glasses hanging over the bar and throughout the restaurant. I enjoyed everything I ate. The 60-day dry aged filet was prepared simply and plated in what tasted like a light truffle oil, which was great. Nothing terribly fancy, really, just a delicious steak. Fat chips, creamed peas, fried calamari, squid with pork belly, oysters, and more. The menu is fairly extensive and I'd like to come back to try some of the more unique offerings. Top it all off with the praline mousse, which was potentially a top-10 dessert in my life. read more

Was here last night for dinner with a small group and loved it. Service was very friendly, efficient and professional. Our waiter knew the menu , offered the specials and could make confident recommendations which is a skill being lost by a lot of restaurants and cafes these days. Hating to sound like an old biddy but back in my days in hospitality - this was a requirement and when I meet hospitality staff that displays these skills ticks the boxes for me. Rockpool has a huge food and wine menu to cater fo everybody, although personally I hate having too many choices on the food menu because I either spend too long trying to make a decision or I become one of those customers that waiters come up to and still not ready to order because I'm too busy talking and it would take me longer to get through the food menu. Last night, i ordered the slow cooked egg (which appears several times in different dishes), served on a brioche toast with bone marrow and red wine jus - YUMMO. For mains I had the Farmgate Duck with figs, this dish would have been really enjoyable, the roasted figs was the perfect accompaniment apart from my duck being slightly undercooked - no it wasn't just pink, it was definitely under. For dessert, I had the Blackforest trifle inspired by The Fat duck's BFG - delicious. No need for me to put in my self proclaimed foody opinion on this. I can't fault it. All in all, wonderful evening. Good food, great service and ambience. read more

Melbourne is my primary stomping ground, but I've had the opportunity for a few business trips to Sydney lately, as well as a personal trip, and being the "foodie" that I am, and general fan of the talented work of Neil Perry's chefs, I had to give Rockpool Bar and Grill a shot in Sydney, to see if it was as fantastic as the Melbourne experience. Now, those of you who know The Rockpool Group will be familiar with his flagship Rockpool on George, which is an entirely different experience to Bar and Grill, but both need to be experienced if you truly enjoy not just fine dining, but even finer service. Allow me to explain. About a month ago I visited Rockpool Bar and Grill during an overnight trip to Sydney. It was my first time visiting the Hunter Street location, and I had no reservation. It was the start of dinner service and the place fills up fast, so I knew it was a bit of a longshot. I explained I was only in town for the night, and was a huge fan and really wanted to try this location out. They managed to find a table for me, but I only had 90 minutes, then they needed the table for a reservation. Fair enough, and even though that was a bit shorter than a meal at Rockpool deserves, I truly enjoyed every part of the meal. I chatted a bit with the sommelier, as well as the French waiter. Great meal, great visit. That's not what this review is about. This review is about my second visit to Rockpool Bar and Grill, a month later, just a few days ago. Again, no reservation, just walked in, pled my case and they said sure, they could get me a table (no mention of time limit!). As I was perusing the wine list, the sommelier wandered by, asked if I needed any help, had any questions. Then he looked at my face...and said: "Scott, isn't it?" Wait, what? Yes, you got that right readers. The sommelier, to whom I had introduced myself a month ago, during my one and only visit to this venue REMEMBERED MY NAME. Not only that, but, for my second glass of wine he brought out something that was so new it wasn't yet on the menu, that they were still trialling (Li Veli Primonero Salento IGT from Puglia -- superb! Leathery, but soft, like the inside of a belt, delicious). And not only that, but the French waiter *also* recognised me and remembered that I enjoyed cognac and armagnac. I'm talking a lot about the service and the drink, but I think that these are critical components of a dining experience. You want to want to return. The staff at Rockpool Bar and Grill Sydney excel at this every bit as much as my friends at the Melbourne location. The meal: Fantastic. I had the spanner crab and asparagus frittata as a starter, and the full blood Wagyu sirloin for the main. Since my wife wasn't there, I had the cauliflower gratin as a side -- she hates cauliflower. I like it. The whole experience was fantastic, but I can't stress enough how stupendous the service is. It gets VERY busy in the Sydney location in a different way to Melbourne (I sense it is a lot of people who have dinner and then leave the city) so I do recommend making reservations. And yes, the decor is stunning, the location ideal...if you haven't visited yet, start planning! read more

Rockpool is a good steakhouse in Sydney's CBD, with a menu showcasing cuts of meat from various countries / farms. Unless you are some kind of meat expert, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at first glance, particularly as the dishes are pricey (a lot of pressure to make the right decision). Fortunately the waiters are helpful in making those choices and the sides / appetizers are all delicious so you can't go wrong there. My favorite dish of the night was actually the creamed corn side - make sure this is part of your order! Overall, it was a good experience, but felt the cost was a bit high for the meal I had. read more

Best. meal. of. my. life. Set in an exquisite art deco building, Rockpool Bar & Grill delivers. Impeccable service, extensive wine list, and food completely blows you away. To start we tried a few oysters and the cured kingfish. The oysters were gorgeous with a light clean salt taste and the mignonette was a perfect accompaniment. The cured kingfish was delicate, fresh, and citrusy. Very nice. For the mains we had the pork loin special and the mussels stew. The pork loin was interesting as it came with the loin, fat, and salted skin layer. It was moist and succulent. My mussels stew with a saffron broth was the best thing I've ever eaten. A little spicy, a little floral, and delicious seafood. I never wanted it to end. For dessert we had the pavlova which was a miracle piece of meringue. It's amazing how light and glossy the meringue inside was while offering a sticky/crunchy exterior. The passionfruit was heavenly a top the cloud of meringue. read more

We met here with a friend from Singapore. Their wine bar is lovely and dinner mains were excellent. I'd skip entrees, as none of the ones we had were particularly nice. Service is great, even the new waitress we had was still excellent. Somellier suggestions were quite good - aimed at high/med/low pricing structures around what we had requested. They really have got the service down to a fine art. The surrounds are fantastic. It's like an art deco set straight out of the great gatsby (or Bioshock). Worth going just for the scenery of Sydney from the 20s. read more

Amazing !! The place is great ans the food is so good ! Great advices from the staff. My husband ordered the wagyu beef and i hate fish. Plates were both delicious. Étant français une serveuse française est venue nous conseiller sur les plats et accompagnements qui sont à commander à part ainsi que sur le vin. Un pur délice ! Du début à la fin. read more

Four stars for the benefit of the doubt as there is no 3.5 stars which is what this should be. Rockpool has reinvented itself more times than Madonna, Now, it has split into two concepts. Haute cuisine with an extravagant 10 course tasting menu with an extravagant $250 per person bill at anopther location. Rockpool Bar and Grill features an ala carte menu with more choices than Justin Beiber's date book, and a neighborhood phone book sized wine list. The atmosphere is chic, adult, elegant and with no pretentious haughty food snob waiters barely able to conceal a snear as you order. It is a lovely place with no rock loop to compete with. No tatted, pierced half naked 20 somethings mad texting each other across the table. The servers are cool, professional, efficient, enthusiastic, pleasant, and helpful with out humping your leg like a puppy when you order the Calamari Fritti with Romesco. And let's talk about that calamari. Hmmm....the calamari was fork tender as it should be. In less deft hands it can be nothing more than squid flavored chewing gum, but this dish lacked the expected calamari fritti-ness that beckoned from the menu. It should have the same crunch as walking on fresh snow. Alas, no crunch. Just a pleasant little snack to pair with the brilliant house concocted cocktails. The Spanish Harlem, a riff on a whiskey sour, was perfect amd it better be at a hefty $24 per guzzle. The Romaine Heart with Fresh Anchovy and Green Goddess Dressing quelled that voice in my head from my sainted Mum urging me to eat my vegetables. Who wants to disappoint their Mum? In the end it was just fancy bunny food but the onion rings to go with it were steller and crunchy enough to disturb the diners at the next table several feet away. I moved on to the lamb. (not in the biblical sense) but at $52 it should have been a religious experience. It wasn't. Maybe it was because the menu desription was misleading. Lamb Chops and Cutlets. Oooh baby....primo lamb from the land-o-lamb, two ways. Wrong. Four small grilled chops my cousin could have done on the Weber. Yup, just four, slightly fatty, slightly tough little lonely lamb chops, bleating for a bed of polenta, ratatouille, or charred rocket. This is not rocket science, its just something basic that a high end destination restaurant should do without being asked. The seemingly pedestrain English Steak and Guiness pie surrounded by Mushy Peas was magisterial. A large light flakey pot pie vessel holding tender beef into which the waiter poured a carafe of beautifully rich sauce with Guiness and pan drippings. I sent the plate back cleaner than if a hungry Schnauzer licked it. Hey, a hungry Schnauzer did lick it. Me. Dessert: The Strawberry, Raspberry, Bombe was the bomb. Fun and different it was sweet, tart, toothy and wonderful. The Black Forest Trifle however, was so fogettable I can barely remember it as I write this review. Finally, exhausted and happily full I reviewed the bill. Yes, it was expensive. I expected it to be. Too expensive for what was served though. Plus they add 1.86% if you use a credit card. Really? Really chickenshit. Do that at a food truck. There were some home runs and some foul balls here. Maybe if Master Perry was on site (he rarely is) it would harken back to the days of the first Rockpool at the Rocks which really rocked instead of this place which may end up on the rocks. read more

Loved it. Love it. After a few days of dining and fine dining in Sydney, the first place I would return with unbridled enthusiasm would be Rockpool Bar and Grill. The restaurant decor strikes a beautiful balance of classic steakhouse with modern ambiance. The steaks are cooked perfectly. Medium rare and rare steaks we ordered came out perfectly. In addition to an excellent steak, the Mac and cheese is out of this world. (I started to avoid it because I didn't want some bland old mac n cheese, glad I didn't). It is a smoky BBQ flavoured plate of deliciousness. The service is simply stellar. You can tell they take a lot of pride in their work. The sommelier-Justin was very helpful with the lengthy wine list. Even if you are full, order the Lemington's for dessert. They are four bite-sized squares of soul satisfying sweetness. read more

Walking through the doors to this establishment felt like walking through the Chrysler Building in NY. Such an amazing fit out, the grandest interior I've ever seen in a restaurant. My partner and I came here for his birthday on a Tues night and there was not a single table empty (thankfully I pre-booked). The roast king prawns as a starter couldn't have been more perfect, there was no dominant flavour to hide the true flavour of the prawn. A must try is the side order of "mac and cheese" - yes thats right, mac and cheese! The vegetables with oil and lemon was the perfect accompaniment to the meat dishes. My partner said his rangers valley ribeye fillet was the tastiest he's ever had (and thats a big call for such a huge meat eater). You cannot leave this restaurant without trying the passionfruit pavlova, How on earth do they make a pavlova sky high and with just the right amount of sweetness, amazing! Word of warning though, it is very easy to over indulge in dishes, we literally rolled out of RB&G, I suppose you haven't had a great meal until your top jean button is undone. read more

Poor quality meal and experience, based upon the price. If you enjoy steak, visit a different restaurant. The cocktails were unbalanced, salads were bland, meat was not prepared properly and the sides had zero flavor. Terrible overall experience. Do not waste your time, if on vacation. read more

Oh my dear lord, I am nervous that I've popped my Rockpool Waygu burger cherry now-- no turning back now! I'd been hearing a lot about the burger and was pumped to hear that my team would be taking an outing to Rockpool to celebrate a great quarter (yep, they're good people). This burger is unreal- the meat practically melts in your mouth and is perfectly complemented by the chutney, bacon, gruyere, and pickle that accompanies it. They serve fresh tomato slices and lettuce on the side, but there just simply isn't room (or a need) to put those on the burger. The hot chips are a letdown (too squishy on the inside) but the onion rings would be reason alone for me to commit my first born to Rockpool's chef. Lightly breaded and with red onion instead of the traditional white that you see-- I'd recommend a basket for every two people unless you want fights and death glares over the last few. Since it was a company tab we also opted to go all out and order dessert. I'd highly recommend both the shortbread and the doughnuts (I told you, we went allllll out), although the shortbread comes slightly ahead in my book. Don't make the mistake and have meetings planned for the rest of the afternoon-- you'll be in a food coma when you leave! read more

I always wanted to try this place, and it we decided to go here for our anniversary. I loved service and good so much Very professional staff here and well presented good and wine We tried steak with some vegetables it was cooked to perfection Lovely atmosphere by Art Deco of the blinding, something special about it I love to go back again for special occasions read more

The Rockpool bar & Grill was a lovely place to eat. We had the Silk Handkerchief Pasta with Hand Pounded Pesto, Cherry Tomato and Ricotta as an appetizer which I highly recommend. It was very flavorful and delicious. For the main course, both my husband and I had steak. Both steaks were good, but not the best steak we found in Sydney (I'd give the steaks 4 stars). Our side item was potatoes, also good but nothing to write home about. For dessert we had rhubarb which I would also highly recommend! The perfect amount of sweetness and a great way to finish dinner. The service was excellent! The atmosphere is quite nice, a good mix between comfortable and formal. I would recommend this place for the pasta and dessert we had, but it wouldn't be my top recommendation for steak. read more

Nice and classy restaurant in the center of Sydney. It is quite an institution where you will eat very nice meat or fish from the grill. Service is quite nice. Expensive but worth it read more

Rockpool Bar & Grill - Steakhouses Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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I had a quick business lunch here, the steak was perfectly cooked, ambiance was great and the paired wine was exactly what I wanted. It's hard to fault Neil Perry's restaurants, he knows how to source great produce and prepare them well. I'll have to spend some quality time here next visit to Sydney. read more

We ate lunch on a Monday and the place was pumping. A popular among business groups it appeared. We shared the scallop special and a crab pasta. The scallops were devine and the pasta was cooked to perfection. We both had the grass fed fillet steak with grilled greens and fat chips for sides. I usually have steak cooked medium however a note on the menu recommended medium rare for aged steaks so I did what I was told. Obviously resting the meat is key as I had no trouble with the steak cooked this way! The sides were delicious too! read more

Five stars for the abalone dish (perfectly cooked) and the dessert sampler. Everything else was over salted, fried or cheesed. Why does "roasted cauliflower" need to be drowned in cheese? WHY? I would have liked to be warned about the cheese ahead of time. I love cheese, but there was so much on the cauliflower that you mostly taste cheese instead of cauliflower. Crunchy cheese anyone? I would come back only for the dessert sampler which was $7 per person and had a piece of each: chocolate mint, passion fruit truffle, chocolate macadamia bark, salted butter caramel, and passion fruit marshmallow. Definitely worth a try! Don't order the waygu short ribs. That's just wrong. You can get better Korean short ribs than this and it doesn't have to be waygu. Don't buy into the hype. If you are going to eat waygu, get their steaks. Unfortunately, they only have dry aged steaks so if you don't like the taste of dry aged meat then you are out of luck. read more

***UPDATE Dec 2011*** These guys are on the edge of a downgrade in my books. My latest meal there for lunch with a colleague was exceptionally disappointing. My $69 grain fed fillet steak was sliced into segments, some of which had then been flipped on their side to cook through as it was underdone to my request!! I am afraid this is an abomination - if I wanted my steak cubed and grilled I would have done it myself. If your chef's can't tell when a steak is done, Neil, fire their ass! ============== Gotta love the Art Deco building - it just drips of self indulgence and reminds me of New York. So do the steaks, although I have to say I have been there a number of times and I can't categorically say every one has been a winner (otherwise it would be 5 stars). Hard to fault this place, the steak selection is stupendous, the wine list stellar, and the service is... generally pretty good. Sometimes the place is a bit full and service can be a bit spotty. I am however a terrible fuss-pot with service in fine dining or in this case expensive restaurants, because peeps you wont be getting your 19.95 steak here, I can tell you. Expect to drop 50 bucks on a good steak, and the fries can be counted in single digits. although they are divine. If I am dropping serious cash on a meal and great wine I expect to be served diligently, and for the most part this is true, but my observations are that it does depend on where your table is. The bar is fantastic, the martinis truly top of the line in Sydney, worth going early just to have a cocktail. Highly recommended for carnivores and wine lovers. read more

Wagyu burger. Wagyu burger. Wagyu burger. Drinks and chips were also good, but really: wagyu burger. read more

Not a burger person but the burgers here were amazing! Probably the best burgers I've ever had - super juicy and delicious. I shared a cheeseburger as well as the wagyu burger - the wagyu was definitely juicier and more special, but even the cheeseburger was definitely a cut (or more) above others. I sat at the bar area which is a little bit more casual. Get a side of fries too, with the wagyu beef gravy... you won't regret it!! read more

I came here with my sister and mother and we left somewhat satisfied. For starters we got the Sautéed Prawns in Garlic with Farro, Green Olives and Pistachios and Charcoal Roast Squid and Pork Belly. The Prawn dish was a big let down and in my opinion was a perfect reflection of fusion flavors gone wrong (it had a very confused taste). However, the Squid and Pork dish was delicious and was one of the highlights of the meal. For main dishes we ordered the Spanner Crab with Semolina Noodle, Sauteed Abalone Maltagliati Pasta and Seared King Prawns with Goats Cheese Tortellini. None were outstanding and each had their own flaws. The Spanner Crab with Semolina Noodle was the best out of the main dishes but beware it is spicy. The Abalone Pasta was a solid choice but was way too salty. The Prawns and cheese tortellini was frankly disgusting. I rarely ever use such harsh words but the tortellini (filled with Goat cheese) was soo salty and overpowering that we ate the prawns but most of the tortellini untouched. I understand how the title of the dish should have clued us in on this but I have eaten cheese tortellinis in other restaurants that tasted a lot better (A Tavola etc). For dessert we ordered the Coconut Bombe because it was probably one of the only titles that was appealing on the menu (I hate ordering tarts or sorbets etc cause I don't think they are worth the 20 dollars + price tag). The dish wasn't that sweet so that was a plus but it was forgettable. Overall, it was a solid dining experience but not one I would want to repeat. (I understand they are more well known for their steaks and I have tried them but I just wanted to try the other items) read more

Mind the House Rules, or else: aka eat your Po' Boy in peace. It's better that way after all, as each spicytasteycrunchyslippery mouth full will confirm. Also, listening to staff recommendations hasn't led me astray but has led me deliciousness. read more

Yummy in my tummy. We've ordered a couple of different steaks from here and they've all been phenomenal. Don't feel embarrassed about asking for lots of sauces when they bring them out. Try them all! My favourites are the bearnaise and the harissa. In terms of sides, I would recommend the potatoes with rosemary; the mac and cheese (which comes in a massive serve so just get the small unless you're in a big group); the mixed mushrooms; and the green bean salad with anchovy, chilli and lemon dressing. Yum. Drooling right now. If you're keen to have entrees or pasta, I'd recommend the prawns, the quail and the duck ragu pappardelle. read more

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The first time you enter the Rockpool Bar and Grill you can't fail to be impressed by the architecture. It's an imposing space. Designed so potential insurance customers of our grandparents' generation would be impressed by its institutional solidity and reassuring expense. That obviously didn't work though, because a mere seventy years into the thousand year vision, the insurance brand is forgotten, buried under a dozen mergers and buy outs, and the place sells steaks. It's still special though. That somewhat ironic history informs your meal - strike that - your Dining Experience. There are many special places to eat in Sydney, but this one will remind you of your place in time. That's rare and worth cherishing. The cocktail bar is a surprise bonus and makes this a great place to choose if your dining companions might be late. Just hang out and try to exercise your self-control. The cocktails are good and you could end up plastered before your dinner even starts. I don't need to tell you about the food and wine do I? You won't leave disappointed, take that for granted. There was a very long gap between entree and main, which wasn't managed. This didn't impress me with the service and denied this review it's fifth star, but it was probably a glitch. One of my favourites. read more

It's the best wine list in town? At a 'burger joint'? Love it! As I learned from a great friend, and all-around person, back in New York City, great wine is to be enjoyed with anything and everything. She and her late husband were famous for pairing a vintage Grange, or limited Bordeaux with a dish as simple as french fries. The flavors can blend, and if it's a dish you like why not pair it with a wine you like?! Thanks for helping to make this okay for us, Rockpool. They've also got one of the best sommeliers around. It just gets better. The burgers are fantastic, and not uber expensive. I do sometimes think that our palates are broken down here. Maccas has moved in and makes us think that soybean is beef. Ick. This is the real deal, aged waygu. It is a fancy restaurant, but sneak to the right upon entry and sit at the bar. It's dark and luxurious. The service is impeccable. Asking about a cocktail brought an intricate response that only someone who really enjoyed working there would give. Same with asking about the burgers. Detailed description of what to expect; homemade pickles, dry-aged beef, delicious beetroot. We could taste it before we were served. Also, grab the drink called the Fonzarelli. If you've seen "Happy Days" you'll know to whom this refers, and anything topped with champagne is a friend of mine. read more

The quail salad was yummy and if I hadn't been at a corporate dinner I would have taken to the bones. The place is known for steak and seafood but I highly recommend the veal - so moist and tender Passed on dessert but the pavlova looked spectacular!! read more

Business dinner with colleagues. Lovely restaurant decor, full restaurant but slow service for a Tuesday night which was difficult to understand - there seemed to be a lot of wait staff but we had to wave people down for absolutely everything. Each time I asked for a drink it took at least 20 minutes and a reminder. Apparently the bartender was new but a gin and tonic and a glass of chardonnay - really? I almost went up to the bar to make it myself. The restaurant is too dark - maybe that is cool and trendy but it was still daylight outside. I couldn't even see clearly the food that was on the table. The food itself was nice enough and well presented but the bread they served hands down was the smallest slide of sourdough I have ever had. I want to like this restaurant but just thought it was slightly disorganised and waiting so long between drinks (and having to remind the waiter for another drink or glass of wine) is simply unacceptable for a restaurant of this calibre. read more

We arrived a few minutes early for our reservation so we got a drink at the bar. I had a Final Straw, it was delicious, I could have drank those all night. We were sat shortly after getting our drinks. At first our server was very attentive. The he totally disappeared and we didn't see him for the rest of the night. The sommelier was wonderful and the wine list is amazing. I had the lamb and it was perfect, my husband had the steak and that was also perfect. I love the subtle snark on the menu about how ordering a steak anything other than medium rare is a waste (THANK YOU) The brussel sprouts are worth an order. We ordered tea at the end, (probably because I ate so much I needed some help). It came in a very adorable glass pot. We made the reservation a while in advance for a Monday night, but I think it was totally worth it. read more

Went twice in two years, then twice in a week. Whoops! This place knows service. Amazing fit out in an old art deco building, reminds me a lot of grand hyatt stylings. Food has never disappointed here, wine is great and cocktails better. Good for a special occasion in the restaurant, but if you want a late easy dinner, go sit at the bar and hit up the bar snacks, they are yummmmm! read more

Could not fault anything, everything was decadent and delicious First class service Beautifully presented dishes and cocktails Very expensive, but people go there for the amazing food and service Private rooms available upstairs for 21sts etc. If you want to impress someone, take them here! Wide range of food available for all different preferences Would love to revisit this restaurant again- if and I when it can be afforded! What an experience! read more

Wonderful wait staff in the bar, tasty drinks and impeccable food. I was dining late on a Friday after a day of work. Ht the bar since I was solo and felt weird about dining alone in he main area. The bar was lively and hip. The bartender was very friendly, attentive and quick to serve. I did got realize that you could order off the main menu, a real regret in retrospect, and went with a minute steak and onion rings. They were real however. Beware, the steaks can run a bit expensive. Overall, had a good time and nice discussion with an Aussie couple on their third or fourth date. Memorable and recommended. read more