Woollahra Hotel

I’ve been to this pub twice now and I have to say that I love the rooftop deck. The first time I came here I accidentally discovered it after deciding for some reason to have a look upstairs, and the minute I laid eyes on it I was hooked. In fact they have the restaurant upstairs as well (though the beer garden is one of the smoking areas, so unfortunately you can’t eat out there, or at least that was the case when I came here last time). Okay, the pub probably isn’t one of the best pubs that I’ve been to, but upon discovering the area upstairs my opinion of the place jumped dramatically. Okay, I generally don’t find myself around here all that often, but this is certainly a pub that I would actively seek out if for some reason I come down here again.

This is a nice spot to have a drink with friends. They handled our large group of friends well. I did not get food but other people in my group did, and they seemed to like it. The upstairs has a nice seating area.

There’s something for every age at this sprawling corner institution. Fine dining in Bistro Moncur, upstairs for low key dining, an indoor courtyard with DJ beats on Sundays, and an outdoor terrace. Get your grog (and cheese) to go from Moncur Cellars. What more could Woollahra possibly need? Hit the front bar on Sundays and watch the 50 plus crowd in full swing. They’ll black the place out with heavy curtains so you can pretend it’s late enough to dance… speaking of which, make sure you bring your dancing shoes because there’ll be plenty of opportunity to bust a few moves. Live jazz funk and soul gets some serious groove happening from 6 to 10pm. Head here Thursdays if you’re after school night shenanigans with live classic hits from 7 to 11pm. No need to go all expensive in the French restaurant when you can choose from 10 inch pizzas, a long list of mains and extensive starters from the bar menu. Here’s a teaser from each… organic chicken, avocado, iceberg salad with pistachio nuts ($ 15); Rodriguez chorizo, taleggio, roasted onion and salsa verde pizza ($ 21); and crisp skinned ocean trout with roast tomato, basil and olive sauce with radiccio, potato and fennel salad ($ 25).

If you’re looking to unwind after a hard day’s work or have an intimate dinner with some friends, the Woollahra Hotel is exactly where you need to go. This hotel offers a great dining experience at its Bistro Moncur where the décor is light but chic and the food is fantastic. Their French Onion Soufflé Gratin is absolutely mouth-​watering. The Woollahra Bar is more chic and stylish, a place where you can enjoy some after work drinks or pre-​dinner entertainment. The Back bar is more of an old school pub where the regulars gather to watch a game or catch up with each other over a pint of beer. Definitely recommended!

The Woollahra Hotel on Queen Street is a nice local pub about two blocks down from the Paddington end of Oxford Street. It’s a nice spot for a quiet drink in the down stairs bar or you may prefer to head up to the Terrace Bar and grab something to eat.
You’d assume the food is good as the famous Bistro Moncur is part of the pub although if you can’t afford a meal from there then the terrace is your best bet. Not only is it a nice place to sit and have a chat with friends but head there on a Sunday and listen to some local tunes.
Head to Woollahra Hotel for a drink and if you want to treat yourself with something to eat check out the Terrace Bar or you may really splash out and head over to Bistro Moncur!

Woollahra Bar is attached to the fine dinging establishment Bistro Moncur, but don’t think that you can’t get a good pub meal here. Wander upstairs to ‘Moncur Terrace’ and you’ll find a hidden gem. The terrace is tastefully done with the outdoor area in particular a lovely place to sit on a balmy night. The feel is modern, minimalist and chic. On Tuesdays there is a $ 12 steak special (choice of sauce, comes with chips). Honestly, it isn’t the best steak I have ever had in my life but it makes for a cheap and cheerful night out.

Moncur Terrace is the cheaper, more casual and younger sister to the Woollahra Hotel’s much-​loved fine diner, Bistro Moncur. Informal and relatively new it might be, but the economical factor is pretty much non-​existent. The food is delicious and lives up to quality bistro standards, but considering the basic surrounds and take-​a-​number meal delivery set-​up, it seems a little pricey to me.
I came in one Wednesday night with a friend from work to test out their ‘foodie trivia’ event. They had only just started up these questionnaire nights, so it was a small crowd of us by the main bar area. The MC paced the quiz well, allowing time for a sip of wine here and there and a moment to ponder answers with team members. The three rounds were punctuated by ‘tasting’ questions — patrons were asked to write down the ingredients in a little shot glass of cocktail and later in a spoonful of an unnamed sauce (which turned out to be an Amaretto Sours and Romesco sauce, in case you were wondering).
Meanwhile, we shared a pan-​fried ocean trout dish at $ 25, followed by a chocolate parfait for dessert. When you factor in a couple of glasses of wine, it wasn’t exactly a cheap night out. That said, our fourth place prize in the trivia stakes provided a six-​pack of boutique beer. I’ve every intention of making a return trip to relive the culinary glory.