Hackney Hotel

Had dinner with a group of 8 here. The hotel itself is lovely. Obviously renovated in recent history, it looked great.
There also seemed to be plenty of staff around.
Despite this, the service was just ok, not great.
I ordered a wagyu burger as the hotel won the best burger award for just that — from the menu:
AWARD WINNING WAGYU BURGER $ 19
2 x 100g Wagyu beef patties, pickles, double cheddar, tomato, mixed leaves, mustard, relish, aioli and steak house chips
+ ADD A SIDE TO YOUR BURGER:
choose from: chilli cheese fries, sweet corn, onion rings or slaw
Now, after reading a Unilocal review about how great the chilli cheese fries are, I thought I’d get those. Not wanting to have the fries that come with the burger and those, I asked if I can just swap out the steak house chips for the fires and get the onion rings as a side — that was a no go… So I asked for the chilli cheese fries as my side.
Food came in an appropriate time, but we were left waiting an extra 5 minutes for one of the meals. One of the sides we ordered was also incorrect, but our new waitress disputed that, but took it to the kitchen to be changed. A manager then brought the correct side and apologised for the incorrect side as apparently they had just changed the menu and the chef had mixed it up.
Our final meal finally arrived — the food all looked fantastic! Visually great.
My burger didn’t come with chips and fries, just fries… The chilli cheese fries had nowhere near enough topping, most fires were just fries. Very disappointing. Those that did have topping were nice though.
The ‘award winning’ burger was ²⁄₁₀. The 2 patties were super thin and cooked well done. The meat was super bland and could have used S&P. As a whole it wasn’t good.
All other meals got rave reviews though! I picked the wrong thing. Hate that.
Had my burger been great, it would have been 4 stars, such a shame and when everyone else raves about theirs, makes it twice as bad…

The renovations are magnificent, the front bar was pleasant and warm on a cold day and the staff were fantastic and friendly. Sadly the food choices let it down. Every selection was duper sized, huge with a price point to match. There is nothing at all for someone who wants light, it was all hearty. The prices are pretty high we paid $ 19 for a strong bow and sav Blanc. I won’t be returning. It certainly doesn’t live up to the hype

Maybe I should be added to the panel that decides the ‘best pub burger’ because I certainly wouldn’t have awarded it to the Hackney.
Certainly not the worst burger I’ve ever had but far from the best — and yes, this is a ‘pub burger’ but I’m sure I’ve had better pub burgers elsewhere. Mind you though, we were dining in their ‘front bar’ which they have done up as a burger themed venue named ‘burger land’ in the wake of their victory — talk about capitalising on a win… so anyhow, you’d think that these burgers would be somewhat impressive…
The Wagyu was the one that won the award so my partner ordered that and I looked in awe at the impressive and extensive menu before settling on the Spaniard — a chorizo and pork pattie with caramelized onions, roasted capsicum, some garnish and… potato crisps?! All burgers are served with a side of chunky chips and a pint of coopers, for the price of $ 19. Now, just to be picky, as someone who often doesn’t drink alcohol with a meal this seems like a raw deal — perhaps they should charge a lower price for the burger and have the beer as a discounted add on?
But onto the burgers… they were okay! The wagyu burger was good, substantial and tasty but — and I’m not saying it was dry, it just wasn’t as juicy as I would expect the ‘best pub burger’ to be. The Spaniard was good too — but not amazing and I’m not entirely sold on the crisps in the burger, which weren’t so crispy by the time they hit my plate. The accompanying chips were also okay, could have been a bit crisper for my liking. I asked for sauce to go with them and the super helpful waiter also offered aioli which I thought was really awesome of him, but unfortunately I’m pretty sure the rather bland ‘aioli’ was actually just mayonnaise.
A fine experience, but nothing to write home about.

OMG Get in my belly. Possibly the best burger I’ve ever eaten. My wife had the wagyu burger which was also delicious. Service and price was pretty good to. We would definitely bring mates here for another burger any time.

OH MY GOD. CHILI CHEESE FRIES.
I really have only 3 words to say… Chili Cheese Fries. C’mon peeps if you order nothing else just get these tasty little treats. So good! Just picture Homer Simpson drooling right now. :)
I haven’t been to the Hackney in awhile, and I was really impressed by the new renovations. Adelaide hotel’s have been improving there designs & décor for years, and the Hackney’s new renovations have taken this old hotel and given it a new «modern» lease on life.
So, after glancing over the menu I noticed that the Hackney was the winner of the «2013 Pub Burger of the Year», pretty big call but I needed to try it. Well, I have to say that the burger was ok, if you like the Mcdonald’s style patty, but if you are looking for an American style burger this really isn’t it. The added extra that made this dish though, was the Chili Cheese Fries. I seriously dream about these things. :) Additionally the little touch that made me laugh, was the little flag that asked you to upload a photo of your burger on Instagram. I kindly obliged!
Overall the venue and staff were good, prices were reasonable, food was great and because of those chili cheese fries I will be back! :)

Went for weekday lunch to The Hackney. Wanted to try the Pork Belly Burger which was on the big sign above the bar, but they just changed the menu apparently so no longer avail. Instead had the new Beef Rib Burger which was amazing. Pretty messy as it had coleslaw in it too, but tasty as. Others had lamb burger, wagyu burger and beef schnitzel which by all reports were quality as well. Smallish schnitzel though. Only disappointment was the chilli cheese fries we ordered — the «fries» were the same as the steakhouse chips served with the burgers, and lack of cheese on them as well. Not sure if this is normal or if the kitchen had just run out of fries. Agree with other review on here — one of the bar staff has real attitude. But overall great pub fare, will definitely go back just for the burgers.

I’ve recently attended the Hackney for a conference and so my review is assessing the popular and historic pub on this specific aspect.
The function room has been renovated and is very pretty and airy. However, the roof is entirely clear? glass and this meant that mid morning and afternoon conference attendees got blinded by the harsh sunlight coming through. It was to the point I had to put on my sunglasses in order to be able to actually see the presenter and read their PowerPoint slides! I am pleased to say the? glass must be UV protected as I didn’t get sunburnt, thank goodness!
Food was nice (though some dishes were much nicer than others) but the coffee kept running out. Staff were friendly and attentive on Day 1 but not Day 2 (of 2), we waited over an hour for chilled water to be refilled despite asking politely (and concurrently dealing with being blinded!).
The Hackney, please do something about the roof before Summer returns — I would not want to be in that function room then! It was very cold despite heating in the current Autumn climate, and the sunlight will be even worse in Summer.
My only other constructive feedback would be about wheelchair accessibility. One of my colleagues is wheelchair bound and the function room doors are not automatic. This meant that to take the rather round about trip to the toilets he had to get assistance each time. A push button opening/​closing feature could be very handy.
In summary: the function room in its current state would be fine for a party, engagement etc but not a professional workshop or conference.

18÷1÷2012
Okay, this will be one of my favourite reviews so far, because it will forever hold a special moment with some special people in my life.
All in all, a truly wonderful and happy night! Free champagne, drinks at the bar, drunken breakdancing, stripteasing, and MC Tin Tin AKA Timbaland ripping the mic up for some original karaōke at the end of the night! So hilarious, I had to join in, too! Not only that, but getting to talk with some Adelaide’s finest athletes. This party is the bomb. Definitely my favorite engagement party so far… oooh yea… What makes it even more special is that it was my best friend J-Bob’s engagement party. Boy, time goes so fast. It seems like only yesterday when we were running around playing soccer as little kids.
Even the bartenders were cool, and chatted to us when everyone finished drinking, when they were finally closing the bar around midnight.
It just wouldn’t feel right if I said I needed more. Spending a great night with some of the coolest people in Adelaide, together in a cool place like the Hackney Hotel. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s not where you are that matters, it’s who you know and who you’re with that makes the night!
And J-Bob’s speech?! Memorable. (It’s going to go down in history as one of my favourite best friend speeches ever).
Just make sure you organise a ride home, as a lot of your friends would have been drinking all night.

I’ve encountered many arseholes with animal-​like behavior in bars over the years, but never actually come face to face (so to speak) with an elephant’s butt — until now. All is forgiven however — as an animal lover l welcomed this sight with humour and respect. Respect for an animal’s arse you ask? So glad you did. It’s opportunity for me to share with you the delight to be had in observing the paintings, yes paintings, that quirk up the walls of Zubar, at the Hackney Hotel.
So with the Adelaide Zoo across the road, we’re across Zubar’s name. The local artist responsible for the elephant derrière has also furnished this pub with the wise, watchful gaze of a giraffe, and procession of zebras. Her work encapsulates these animals’ features beautifully.
Some patrons may however prefer to focus on the finer features of Zubar’s sports screens, pool tables and beer garden. Along with happy hours they all aim to please who’s who at the Zu.

The Hackney used to sponsor my soccer team when I played for the Adelaide Uni Blacks, and so too it was home to post game rituals. For various reasons, this pub then also went on to become a weekly hang out for my friends and I. Therefore I have a soft spot for the Hackney, and I must say it caters well for many differing moments.
I would highly recommend the newly extended beer garden on a beautiful sunny day. Or in contrast making the most of a $ 11.90 feed with beverage on a Friday night whilst listening to a (at times too loud) DJ. Then again the Zubar is perfect for watching the footy, playing a game of pool or sipping cocktails by the lounge.
The family approved dining area provides a tasty selection of food that extend far beyond your typical pub meal. This also makes the Hackney a great location for celebrations, with various function rooms on offer.
Summed up, the Hackney Hotel is an all-​rounder. Whatever your need may be, this place will deliver and exhibit a raw authenticity that makes it feel like everyone’s favourite local.

Yet another of my old locals that I haven’t been drunk at enough! Isn’t it funny how my star rating seems to be consistent with the level of ‘pissed maggot’ I have acheived?! Something to think about!
I used to head to the Hackney with my parents and Grandma for the odd Sunday Lunch, and used to be happy as clam to get my fruit cup and serving of Lasagne!
Much has happened since those relatively innocent days, and the Hackney has joined the looooong list of pubs that have hat multi million dollar make overs. I do like the front bar, though it is a bit of a ‘wood’ over load. Usually this would be a good thing, but Iike the dark wood of an Irish pub as opposed to the light wood of a Sizzler.
The dining area is also quite nice and there are a number of seperate bar areas if one doesn’t quite suit your mood.