Rosie Campbell’s

Rosie Campbell’s has a great vibe. I came on a Friday night and was able to score a table near the bar. They do table service so my friend and I were able to chat the night away, without having to make trips to the bar to get drinks. We shared the tasting platter which had jerk chicken wings, corn fritters, crumbed braised beef balls, and crispy squid. We also had some pork dumplings. Every dish was well cooked and delicious. Staff regularly came around to check that we had enough water, and to see if we wanted to order more drinks or food. We didn’t try any cocktails, but it’s a Jamaican inspired rum bar so I suspect the cocktails would be good. I also topped up my good karma jar the night I was there, handing in to the bar staff a woman’s handbag that she had accidentally left hanging on the back of the toilet door.

What used to be the old Bentley is now a cool Carribbean restaurant with fancy cocktails and a cool menu. We came here at 8pm on Easter Sunday and it was absolutely packed! They were definitely short staffed and their dirty dishes/​glassware was stacked way up at the bar. Our waitress was most likely on her own, and the bartender made his way out of the bar to hand-​deliver the cocktails.
We had some hot rum and the Hurricane, which were delicious. Lots of items sold out, such as their daiquiri special and the cured kingfish which I was disappointed about!
Had the soft shell crab burger instead. Not a clean eat, and I’m not usually in love with deep fried? But I could taste lots of crab between mouthfuls and it was delicious.
Unfortunately, the ribs was more of a miss. The marinade was a bit over bearing and cranked all the way up to the max! A bit difficult to eat. But all in all, great experience and will definitely be back.

It’s been a long, long time since dancing on the pool tables in what used to be the Bentley Bar. This venue has had a few different revisions, but recently opened Rosie Campbell’s has got my vote!
A friend booked the bench table for a group of 15 give or take, as in true Sydney fashion she really had no idea who was actually going to show up. We ordered some share menu items, as well as a few went for the jerk chicken burgers and crab burgers, along with Carabbean style cocktails (some served in coconut shells) and Red Stripe beer (Notting Hill Carnival flashbacks mun!),
Staff were flexible, attentive and friendly. Food was delicious and substantial, and the reggaeish music selection was authentic and original. Well done!

With an interesting cocktail menu (which is the standout after the décor) this is a good place for a casual dinner out.
The menu is easy — think burgers with a Caribbean feel — crab, jerk chicken (that was a little underwhelming).
The starters/​share plates were the best part of the food menu. The lightly fried squid with a dipping sauce was tasty and cooked perfectly.
The service was good but the door staff were a little rude so it set our expectations low. However the staff inside, and our server in particular, made up for that bad start.

Is Caribbean food having a ‘moment’ in Surry Hills? Not Quite Nigella tells me that Jonkanoo has opened up a few blocks down on Crown Street towards Cleveland. Queenies is only a few blocks away on Riley Street. And now Rosie Campbell’s, opening where Chow Bar and Eating House was (which I loved) and before that the Bentley Bar (which I really loved).
What I really wanted to try were their Jamaican patties, since there was a Jamaican patty shop near my elementary school in Vancouver and it’s a foodstuff that’s wired into my brain since childhood. But they were out on the day, and paying $ 7 for a patty instead of $ 2 may have weirded me out.
I had instead slow-​cooked ribs, served with a coleslaw and fries, and my pal D had a soft-​shell crab burger. And coffee. I thought the service was fantastic; and they were trying hard to please and be nice. I found my food fine, but not special. Sauce a little heavy on the coleslaw. D. thought his soft-​shell crab was nice but wasn’t sure whether he liked the concept of it in a burger. $ 50 for the two of us for lunch was perhaps a bit pricy. A sunny winter afternoon in Sydney; the décor trying to evoke a Caribbean beachside shack: it was a bit surreal. In the very tough and competitive market of Surry Hills, it will be interesting to see how their mellow vibe attracts customers.

Preview night for something that’s going to be obviously freak’n fabulous! Glad I came tonight because waiting in line will be the only thing that turns me away from here! The owner seems to be a really nice guy, fully into its his concept! If the menu is anything like the preview, Rosie’s is going to rock n roll the hills! Didn’t get to work the bar as it was limited to the night. Can’t imagine it will be anything less than the kitchen! Interested to see the pricing though, hopefully not banking on the duel ‘single’ income set! It would be great to go out and have more than one bottle of wine with meal that you don’t have to top up once you get home!