Burke & Wills

Not sure what kangaroo is supposed to taste like, but all I know was the Roo burger was great! As well as the fries and sauce on the side and the oysters. The dinning area in the back is a great place for a date and the staff is very helpful and friendly.

Kangaroo burger was good… just good. Duck breast was really delicious. Very small portions. Dessert was the best! Would maybe come back.

Eh, it’s okay. The salad we got only looked pretty, but wasn’t as appetizing. But the roasted barramundi hit the spot. Haven’t had a fish dish in so long that was actually cooked perfectly.
I had a gin cocktail called «Help Is On The Way», which was probably one of the strongest drinks I’ve had in awhile. But it was really good and I’m starting to get into gin drinks now.
Not many menu options to choose from, but I feel like they had more delicious sounding appetizers than actual entreès.

My best friend lives on the UWS and this is hands down her favorite happy hour haunt. It is also a place she goes to showboat and regularly impress friends new to the UWS lol. Understandably so, It’s become mine as well in this neck of the woods. And upstairs at The Manhattan Cricket Club, one of my all time favorite speakeasy experiences in Manhattan.
Reasons:
–great happy hour deal! 2 for 1 drinks. Anything on the menu. (Cash only but u can do a tab and pay at the end)
–fair drink prices on an extensive cocktail/​spirits/​whiskey/​wine list
–plentiful variety on the food menu. Hello, raw bar (my happy place)
–beautifully designed and ambiance is always awesome here
–DJ during happy hour who spins mix of soul, jazz, r&b, funk
-*****THE BEST PART: THE MANHATTAN CRICKET CLUB *****located behind a discreet door that leads to upstairs. THE SPEAKEASY SIDE OF THIS PLACE. so beautiful, old school decadence, I love it up there, you are transported back in time and era. See for yourself
–casual downstairs but dressy at the cricket club upstairs, so place doubles as great happy hour spot and great date night
–ample spacious seating in the back for better dining experience, if the narrow front bar is too crowded.

Interesting cuisine, good yet strong drinks and great service made this a perfect double date spot! Love the touches of Australian fare in the menu and drinks and the décor feels cozy yet modern. Frequently there’s live music that you can enjoy for free while you sip on your drink.
Cocktails here are great! I haven’t eaten here (yet) but plan to soon. The Dark N’ Stormy was very good, ginger-​y without being overbearing and pleasantly strong. The Help is On Its Way (gin, hibiscus, lemon and some bubbles) was freshly and not overly sweet — I could easily imagine drinking a few of these as it’s refreshing and light. The bartenders are friendly as are the waitstaff and they were more than happy to just serve us drinks and leave my friends and me to sit and chat.
It’s a little loud when there’s live performances, so typically I ask for a table in the back or sit towards the back of the bar.

We were very impressed with how they handled a misprinted menu item on the prefix
Wait staff was terrific
Had the Cavetti with medley of mushrooms, friend had the salmon. Both were delicious
We both had the soft shell crab appetizer also YUM
Definitely will come back again

Fantastic beautiful little place, excellent accommodating and intimate service, feels incredibly personable. Waiters are helpful and generous. Even with me being difficult, they still accommodated. When I said were on a rush, food came out instantly, albeit the bread took some time to come. Great modern Aussie fare with an excellent raw bar. The Roo Loin is fantastic and the Coddled Egg with asparagus and prociutto was surprisingly hefty and delicious. New Australian cuisine is basically an excuse to use multiple European cuisines on traditional Australian ingredients, and that shines through here. The lamb had clear Greek influences from the savoury yogurt creams, along with Italian influences coming from the roasted red pepper purée.
So surprisingly good I had to Unilocal about it.

They accommodated a last minute reservation change. the ambiance was fantastic — with a back area reminiscent of a green house– perfect for a sunny Brunch. The front of house was a bit darker and ‘moodier’ — perfect for a first date.
Food was delicious and service was incredible. I would recommend this place to anyone for any occasion. I’ll be coming back for sure.

Great food and atmosphere except the service could definitely be better. We came for lunch and despite being the only table there, the service was very slow. The staff were friendly and pleasant, but not sure why they never came to check on us and took forever bringing out our food.
Chicken is fantastic. Slow, but fantastic.

First Australian restaurant for both my boyfriend and I, so we were quite excited. Interestingly, unlike another diner, I happened to like the décor of the restaurant. Little photo frames everywhere, all about something relating to Australia (at least from my seat, that’s what it looked like lol). The high glass ceiling must look fabulous when the sun is coming in or even maybe during a great sunset.
Our cocktails were delicious, and hit the spot after a day of work.
As I didn’t have the courage to try an entire burger of kangaroo, I got the mixed mushroom pasta and he got the roo burger. Both were tasty and I got to try a bit of the roo burger and I did like it, but don’t know if I would have been able to handle the burger to be honest.
At the end, we got a dessert, passion fruit crème brûlée, but the wrong passion fruit dessert (with berries and a meringue) came out, which was fine. We still ate it happily, but our really nice waiter (so sorry, I forgot the name…) told us he took it off our bill. I hope he doesn’t get anything taken off his pay or anything!
Overall, it was a really enjoyable evening, and definitely worth a trip back.

LOVE everything about this restaurant and would give 6 stars if I could. Definitely want to go back, and have exactly the food and experience I had last night.
The ambiance is wonderful, dimly lit, warm, cozy and classy. My first time at an Australian restaurant and the accents /​couple Australian employees, nice.
Everyone was so friendly. Evan the server was top top, above and beyond with service. He was attentive, knowledgable about the dishes and what to recommend. Great personality, a little witty. He recommended a perfect off the menu Mezcel cocktail when I said what I liked which was amazing, and when my friend was asking for a wine he brought over two to taste before ordering.
The food was mouthwatering outstanding — everything we had and shared: I especially liked the pairing of two entrees and appetizers in one dish:
Small plates:
— Fantastic bread roll; also a dish with oil, butter and salt. So good.
— kangaroo– I was concerned about the visual of a cute jumping roo my first time having this but did all right; it was wonderful, flavored with a perfect sauce. Hedgehog mushrooms and brussel leaves complimented.
— grilled octopus and braised pork loin– what a unique and absolutely delectable pairing. Chorizo and white beans a fabulous compliment. The short rib was melt in your mouth good, and the octopus was cooked and flavored just right.
Large plates:
— Duck breast and confit legs, cooked perfectly, outstanding. Amazingly flavored, delicious.
— Filet, braised short rib. Another first but the marrow while not something I’d tried was outstanding with the filet and, the short rib was another tender melt in your mouth experience.
To cap off the perfect meal, Evan had someone give us a back hallway entrance to the upstairs speak easy for after dinner drinks. Apparently you get priority seating at the speak easy if you’ve dined at the restaurant.
I absolutely loved this restaurant, the entire experience and highly recommend.

Disappointing and overpriced. I had a $ 19 kangaroo burger, which was ok, but you’re paying more for novelty than quality. The fries and harissa aioli that came with were quite good, but that was the high point of the meal. The Brussels sprouts were bitter and soggy and even the warm chocolate cake was just average. Neither of my friends liked their meals – in fact, my mediocre entrée was the best thing any of us ordered. Aside from the burger, portions were small.
The wine list looked ok for bottles, but was limited for glasses. The beer list is terrible. I said to my friend walking in that I really hoped they had Australian beer aside from Fosters. Technically, yes, but it’s…Coopers. Meh. Cocktails were fine but not amazing, which surprised me at a place with a speakeasy style bar upstairs.
They have insufficient bathrooms for the number of customers and are also fond of putting candles in places where they seem to be trying to set diners on fire – like one that you had reach over to get at the paper towels.
Aside from serving kangaroo, about the only Australian thing about the place is cheesy theme-​y décor. I liked the space overall, but could have done without a triumphant portrait of Captain Cook looking down on me while I was eating.

One of the pleasant surprises in the Upper West. Burke & Wills is tucked in a town house on 79^th street. Take couple of steps down from sidewalk to the entrance. Upon entry you will be greeted by a long bar area and a small DJ booth. They have some of the best deals for Happy Hour so don’t miss that.
Main dining room is in the back in a conservatory type room with glass ceiling. You leave the crowds and noise levels of the bar in to this relaxed area with decorations focused on Australian Cricket personalities, teams, paraphernalia, etc. They created an atmosphere which does a good job of transforming you to a far away land.
Had to try the Roo Loin and the Rack of Lamb. Both were very good. Besides those also tried the Pork Belly, Scallops, Duck Breast and Roasted Chicken with pleasant experiences.
Servers and manager did a great job of welcoming us and making sure we enjoyed our meal.
There is a secret door with stairs leading upstairs to the Manhattan Cricket Club on the way to the rear dining room. You can check with the host about having pre or post dinner drinks but we were told reservations are required for most times due to the popularity of this venue.
Overall you can’t go wrong with Burke & Wills either in the mood for Happy Hour by the front bar or something different but something very tasty in the rear dining room. Enjoy.

The Akubra-​donning maitre’d gave a loud «g’day mate!» as he balanced a wheat stalk out the side of his mouth and gave a slight tap to his slouchy hat and gestured for us to sit around the campfire to sing to his rendition of Waltzing Matilda. Damper bread fresh from the outback was served with expertly spun Billy tea, as we managed our best to sit and chitchat while swatting away all the flies, mosquitos, spiders and the occasional snake who would overstay his welcome. If only my wildest dreams could come true.
A pretty and young lass politely took off our coats as we walked in, and gestured for us to follow her into the dimly lit corridor, past the bar area that seated swanky cocktail aficionados, past the adjacent huge, black pin-​cushioned door that was accompanied by a serious looking bodyguard (we were later informed that this is the exclusive Manhattan Cricket Club, to which a membership was required for entry), and finally into the enchanted dining room that embellished high-​ceiling decorated walls with memorabilia from Australia — vintage posters, sketches of cattlemen, native plants, places and more. A subtle reminder that this cuisine stands out from the usual Italian, Indian or American restaurants you would find along this Upper West Side block.
While we were perusing the extensive Aussie wine menu, we were nibbling on the complimentary warm bread basket and couldn’t help but embrace the great atmosphere, upbeat jazz playing in the background, cheerful chatter among the patrons, a lively large group were seated next to us with one burly man in particular enjoying the «F.N.Q» cocktail — a concoction of gin and hibiscus despite it being served in a «girly-​looking» flute champagne glass (with his permission, we laughed).
Appetizers came around, scallops cooked and seasoned beautifully, golden crust on the outer edges, with a buttery soft and supple texture on the inside that melts on the inside of the mouth. You can’t help but roll your eyes into the back of your head and let out a slight moan with every bite.
The other appetizer was their parsnip soup with white chocolate and truffle, an unusual combination but balanced so proportionally — the bitterness of the parsnip was offset by the sweetness of the white chocolate, with the pungency of the truffle not overpowering the overall flavor of the dish, beautifully garnished with micro herbs and sliced truffle.
The whole point of deep-​diving into the journey of unfamiliar cuisine territory is to try the country of origin’s delicacies. Burke & Will’s cater to the needs of homesick expats and have, to my delight, included in their menu, the much publicized «Roo Burger». A kangaroo meat patty wedged between two delicious slices of bread, and accompanied with peppery arugula, cooked medium rare as per chef’s recommendations. The patty was so superbly spiced and tenderized that you could overlook the gaminess that you would ordinarily find with the naturally lean meat of this athletic Aussie animal. The other main was the branzino, crispy skinned filet sitting on a fluffy bed of butternut squash purée, garnished with frisbee and roasted baby carrots that could’ve used a little more olive oil and time under the salamander.
Dessert came around, classic brownie wedges shoved into an adffogato and powdered fried donuts served with Nutella and caramel dips. At this point, the delicious Shiraz (red wine) from the vineyards of Barossa Valley (South Australia) had passed the stage of «just one glass» to «let’s try this ale too!», so our vision had become somewhat corrupted, our tastebuds, however, were still in tact. The donuts could have used a little less flour in their yeast, and the temperature of the deep fryer could have been a lowered a few degrees.
A minor complaint in what was otherwise a beautiful dining experience. Every patron will arrive and leave with their own preferences for what they enjoyed about this Upper West Side gem, for most, it would be the memorable kangaroo burger, for others, it would be in retrospect for having ordered too many of those F.N.Q cocktails, but for me personally, being tucked away in a dimly-​lit room, sitting at a candlelit table surrounded by walls decorated with artifacts and images of my childhood and more, it was nice to feel a home away from home.

Ate here on Friday night with my wife.
The greeting and service were 6 Star!
The food was very good. We obviously tried the Kangaroo burger and loin as well as the lamb stew.
All very good but the service and the warm feel of the place could allow them to serve much worse food and me still go back.
When I tell you the warm greeting was amazing. The warm greeting was amazing.
When I tell you our server was great. Our server was GREAT!
The only minor annoyance is how narrow the place is but I am just glad they decided to build it despite that one small short coming.
Employees seemed happy and all the customers seemed very satisfied.
Great job all around here!

If you’d like to receive great food, amazing customer service and a phenomenal overall experience come by.
Yes, you will pay more, it’s the upper West Side but what you get at Burke and Wills is a relaxing oasis in the stress festival that is the UWS. I’ve been in several times, and have been extended libations of all types. Always with a smile, never with an attitude, this is one of the few bars in NYC where I felt completely at home, as I did when I lived in Ireland almost 20 years ago. It feels more like a pub than a high-​end restaurant.
I first got to know owner, Tim Harris at the now-​closed Sunburnt Calf, how I miss the pork belly sliders! In any case, it’s high end food at it’s best. The drinks are phenomenal, the food is top notch, and the deserts are great.
Tim comes from a small town in Australia and has been in hospitality for nearly his entire life. It shows in everything he does. I have never had a negative experience period. His staff is incredibly accommodating and goes out of their way to take care of you. Give them a shot, you won’t be sorry!

Amazing and unique restaurant with a great ambiance. The menus is creative and everything was delicious. I thought the ribeye was very tasty and cooked to perfection but was a little on the tough side (like it wasn’t prime) that is my only knock. I would still get it again. The donuts for dessert were delicious. Service was good.

Never in a million years would I have found this place had my wife not been looking for varied food offerings for our most recent trip to NYC.
The entrance to the restaurant is marked, but the door itself is not. Take the one on the right.
Walking in you’re greeted by a long hallway with a bar on the left. Being guided to the dining area in the back, you’re essentially sitting in a subterranean greenhouse. Very cozy and quaint. Service was attentive and impeccable. The offered pastries were delicious, the bloody marys were excellent.
My wife had the Nutella and candied walnut french toast. It was a dessert lovers dream. I had the kangaroo pie (think chicken pot pie) floater. The floater option meant that it was lovingly placed in a pool of «mushy peas». Think of the peas as a thick bright green pea soup.
The serving size was perfect. What a great little spot. Next time we are in town, we will be back.

1^st timer and boy oh boy was the roo burger magnificent… served med rare with think fries.
East coast oysters were served fresh.
Ill be back again!!! Our mixologist was superb i believe his name was steve. Sweet as pie and accommodating cant even define him.

Came to Burke and Wills for dinner around 8 pm on a Friday night. Initially, I was concerned as the place was dark, cramped, noisy and absolutely stuffed full of people drinking at and around the bar. Quickly, however, we were whisked off to a secret back room that was completely the opposite of their bar up front — it was quiet, peaceful, beautiful and elegant! Such a surprise!
The staff were friendly, genuine and attentive and service was perfectly timed. The mezcal cocktail was lovely and so was our food. Favorites of the night were 1) cured hamachi 2) short rib. Both were exceptional. The Arctic char was also very delicious and came in the most wonderful broth. My least favorite was the kangaroo loin just because it was slightly overcooked but the flavors were still very nice. These were all appetizers so I cannot comment on the main dishes but portions were filling and we had no room left for dessert! Can’t wait to return.

$ 1 oysters from 5−7pm, drinks are buy 1 get the 2^nd free. cash only
The bar area and the little booths are super cute, great place to hang out before/​after dinner
The oysters are very fresh, small to medium sized
My friends and husband really enjoyed the dark and stormy and the old fashioned.
I like the Paul Hogan non-​alcoholic drink over the Kylie Minogue
The $ 5 bar plates are also good food to pick at
The Kangaroo burger was ok. Didn’t taste like anything special, i think I’d rather have a beef burger. It was a red lean burger, but kind of tasteless. Maybe the kangaroo steak would be better
There’s also a cute little DJ booth
Upstairs is the Manhattan Cricket club. I’ve yet to see it, but you can make appointment or ask the hostess if theres any room

I popped my ‘roo cherry here (i.e. ate kangaroo for the first time), and because I’m such a food slut, I had to have it two ways – the Roo Burger… and the Kangaroo Loin (the sex jokes just write themselves). It actually tasted like a less flavorful form of beef, but whatevs, it’s the experience that counts, right?
Actually, ‘roo aside, the food here is stellar. The Burrata appetizer with Burgandy snails, butternut squash and basil seeds is insanely delicious, and the accompaniments to the aforementioned Loin – sweet potato, bok choy and pomegranate reduction – were very well made. The Farrotto aas my favorite: a simple, flavorful concoction of mushrooms and herbs.
Besides the pretty décor, I have to champion the amazing service. We definitely overstayed our welcome on a busy Friday night, and rather than get passive-​aggressive, the staff simply asked us if we’d like to extend our evening at the bar upstairs. Sure, we replied sheepishly. That sheepishness turned to astonishment when we discovered that this «bar» was really a gorgeous, brick-​walled, library-​esque speakeasy – complete with cheeky bartender, delicious cocktails and upscale clientele.
The moral of the story is: You do not need to spend $ 2,000 to fly to Aussieland to try kangaroo. Go to Burke and Wills instead. Save that $ 2K to visit Middle Earth instead. I mean, New Zealand.

What a charming Australian experience!
The best happy hour in the neighborhood. $ 1 oysters, 2 for 1 cocktails, and delicious small plates.
Ambience and décor is beautiful. Staff is lovely. Be sure to check out the sexy speakeasy lounge upstairs!
Will definitely be coming back for more!

The food is on point. I went with my girlfriend. We had the black kale salad, the roo burger, the duck, and some wine. It was our second time coming so we knew what to expect on that front – great food arranged well.
3-​stars for service though. We were ordering enough food for 3 people. We like to try things. I asked the waitress if they could cut the burger in half to make it easier to share. She smiled, laughed, and said no they can’t do that. I honestly thought it was a joke like «haha such a simple request, of course we can do that!» Nope. She comes back with an uncut burger. K. Laughing and smiling like it’s a joke is not how you handle that. Perhaps an «I’m sorry, but the chef cares a great deal about presentation, but you can cut it after it comes out.» Ridiculous.
Could be one bad egg but that’s what we got.

Burke & Wills is a cool Australian restaurant in the UWS. I actually mentioned it to my Australian boyfriend, who started laughing — Burke & Wills are two actual explorers in Australian history, kindof like America’s Lewis and Clark. Except instead of making nation-​changing discoveries, they foolishly believed there was water in the middle of Australia and died on their expedition… so a little more of a cautionary (but somehow funny) tale.
Anyway, I visited here often in the lead-​up to my first Australian expedition. The manager was always around, and the bartenders are all friendly. The food is really good — a favorite on the bar snacks menu that I always get is foie gras butter. Yum.
You can also get a ‘roo burger (yes, kangaroo), complete with beet (or beetroot, as they say in Oz) and an egg. And at brunch, an Australian iced coffee, which is expresso, milk, and ice cream. Lol.
They have a great happy hour with $ 1 oysters and 2-​for-​1 drinks (at the bar, cash only) every day, including Saturday and Sunday (5−7pm)! Lastly, upstairs is a semi-​secret bar called the Manhattan Cricket Club (that’s got its own Unilocal page).
All around a cool place to come for any meal, any reason.

This was my first Australian food/​restaurant experience and I was very pleased.
I wanted to try multiple dishes, so their ‘Small Plates’ section of the menu was perfect.
Rotisserie Beet Salad ($ 11) with goat cheese fritters and walnut pesto. This was a fabulous salad and I loved the fritters! Really great flavors going on; I wish there was so much more.
Kangaroo Loin ($ 19) with sweet potato purée, bok choy, and pomegranate reduction. My first time having kangaroo and it was nice. I liked the temperature of the meat as it was rare/​medium rare and tender. All the accompaniments were delicious.
Lamb Crépinette ($ 15) with cauliflower purée, roasted rainbow cauliflower, capers, and lamb jus. A crépinette is similar to sausage, but wrapped in caul fat instead of casing. Although not one of my favorite food preparations, it was still tasty and I loved the purée.
The dishes were a home run and service was wonderful.

Rarely do I ever give four stars but this place is close to a five! Went there last night with friends and had an awesome time.
Happy hour was 2 drinks for the price of one per person. Great deal of you like drinking their array of cocktails. The bartender was really busy but he was crushing drinks and getting them out at a good amount of time. Know what you want! Do be those guys who are indecisive on picking a drink when the bar is packed and the bartender won’t have time to chit-​chat.
I got the Sydney Sour, if you like bourbon get this! We got a table for four in the back room. Really nice décor and music. Everything just seemed to flow right. It was our first time here and I wanted to try a new place. Glad I picked it! The food was on point. I ordered an app with octopus and pork belly. The pork belly was slightly over cooked but it was fine. The octopus was perfect! Great flavors all around.
I ordered the roo burger and I was questioning it bc I never had kangaroo but gotta try new things! And it was delicious, orders it med. perfectly cooked and perfectly oozing with flavor not dry at all. The steak fries were a nice addition.
Dessert was amazing! The brownie topped with powdered sugar served with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnished with blueberries and raspberries. All too good! The server was great, this place is great and I’ll be back!

From outside, you would never imagine how cute this restaurant is. I love they have the glass ceiling in the dining room. A great place for a date.
I had grilled octopus as appetizer. It was so good I wish the portion was bigger… I had the prawn for entrée, the sauce had this tingly taste to it which kind of burn my throat whenever I ate it. It’s not the spicy kind of burning, I am not a fan of it.
I think their food can be better. However, the décor itself is wonderful!

GUH. I was really torn between giving this place 3 or 4 stars. The two girls I went with were not fans and would not come back here. I wouldn’t rush to come back here, but I can’t say my experience was poor. I have been wanting to try this place for so long, I’ve never had Australian cuisine before. I anticipated so much from this place that I think I was a bit disappointed, but overall had a good experience.
Sorry about the quality of my pictures. I couldn’t turn on flash or anything… not exactly the kind of place where people take kindly to someone snapping pics of food with bright flash!
We came during restaurant week, and I must say, the menu was pretty impressive. We did not make a reservation, so we had to wait upstairs in the lounge which wasn’t a problem. Side note: This place is very very close to the train, so, easy to find. After waiting an hour, we were finally seated. The dining room is beautiful — great mood lighting, dark colors, interesting décor, high ceiling with glass roof, a bit on the «stuffy and sophisticated» side. For a drink, I ordered their Bushfire margarita. It was definitely difficult to get down at first… very funky aftertaste, but got better. For a small plate, I ordered the kangaroo loin. At first I was nervous because I find kangaroos to be extremely cute, but then I remember they punch and kick people and I felt OK with eating it. The kangaroo was absolutely PERFECT, I’d dare say it was better than a steak for sure. Extremely juicy and flavorful! The corn and broccoli rabe complimented the small dish perfectly. Very, very good. For dinner I got the Australian lamb duo. I know that overcooking lamb is a sin, so I got medium-​rare. It came out very red (obviously) but tasted perfect. I hated whatever else came on my plate, some kind of disgusting mushroom that literally tasted like dirt. My best friend got the duck breast which neither of us were fans of, and we normally love duck. Despite being very full, we ordered dessert. All three of us ordered the Affogato with a shot of Frangelico and LOVED it. It was amazing and we have been raving to people since we had it. It’s Kahlua gelato with a brownie and side of espresso (and we had the side of Fran) then you pour both in, mix it up, and eat. DELISH. Server was very helpful, bold, patient, and fun.
My two friends did not like their meal (minus dessert, loved that) I greatly enjoyed my meal, but would not run back here anytime soon. I really want to give this 3.5 stars. Good date night spot!

A reservation was easily made at Burke & Wills for a party of 6. We were seated promptly in the beautiful dining room in the back — high ceilings and great mood lighting. This place would be an excellent choice for a date. The noise level isn’t too high, but not too quiet at the same time.
Service — our waiter definitely gave off a standoffish vibe and didn’t seem all that friendly. That’s the only downside. However, I did receive a free plate of bok choy for some reason, in addition to my french fries (though I just wanted a substitution) — thanks!
We started off with some littleneck clams which were fairly fresh and delicious.
For my entrée, I had to have the ‘roo burger, of course. They were out of the kangaroo loin dish due to a large party the night before — bad planning on their part, especially for the people who come here looking to try kangaroo meat and not in a burger. The burger was juicy and cooked medium rare, just like I like it. The «chips» or «fries» were thick cut and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside — the best! The bok choy was good as well, though an interesting side for an Australian restaurant to have (do they eat bok choy, a Chinese vegetable, often?) Their menu doesn’t seem to have this choice anymore anyways.
Overall a good spot for a dinner, though not on the cheaper side (especially for a burger). Expect to pay $ 30-​$ 50 per person here. Probably my second favorite Australian place after The Thirsty Koala in Astoria.

3.5 stars.
Went for Restaurant Week lunch.
Octopus: Rubbery and overcooked. I also can never relate to anyone attempting to ruin seafood with bacon.
Tuna crudo: Tasteless but still somehow overpowered by the shiso. This dish screams for some acid.
Salmon in watermelon gazpacho: Weird and bold concept. At first the hot and cold contrast between the salmon and soup was discomforting, but after a few bites I started to dig the flavor combination. Salmon itself is more cooked than I’d like but the skin is very crispy.
Roo burger: I’ve had this burger before and I thought the chef recommends to have it cooked medium rare. Today the waiter didn’t ask how we’d like it and it came out well done. The buns are toasted so it sounded really crunchy as my friend was eating it. To me this burger has too much going on: tomato jam, pickled onions, arugula. But that’s the Aussie way so I’m not complaining. Fries are thick cut triple fried. Super good and comes with harissa mayo.
Cheese plate: 3 cheeses with fig and honey. (No cracker/​toast) Dammit I hated the pecorino. It was so chalky and flavorless. But the other two cheeses were great and I really appreciate having this option in lieu of dessert.
Beignets: Hot, soft, doughy goodness with dulce de leche and nutella. 5 stars.
Overall restaurant week is a good deal but they also offer Sunday suppers for $ 30 which includes a glass of wine. The dishes here are bold and creative so this place definitely brings excitement to this neighborhood. Even though some are poorly executed in my opinion, I would come here over neighborhood post yoga brunch/​hot single date spots any day.

I’m just going to put this out there loud and proud. This is by far the best place for happy hour, drinks, ambiance and service on the Upper Best Side. Happy hour lasts until 8 PM giving you more than enough time to scoot out of work and get here and it’s 2 for 1 cocktails (drinks go for around $ 13.00). Also, the cocktails are not mediocre. They’re not making you crap just because they’re giving you a deal, which is the best part. The bartenders are making you amazing cocktails that would go for $ 15.00+ anywhere else per drink.
It doesn’t end there. Happy hour also consists of $ 1.00 oysters but all of the bar snacks I’ve ordered have been delish.
Quick but important notes that I wish someone had told me. Happy Hour is only AT THE BAR so make sure to get there early and CASH ONLY. Don’t expect a bar seat after 7:00 PM!
The bartenders are extremely friendly and know their stuff. Really trendy too so they fit with the whole vibe of the place.

Argghhh I’m so bummed! I really wanted to try Kangaroo, but it isn’t offered on their brunch menu. It’s offered in two places on their other menus, so I really had trouble understanding why it wasn’t a brunch option. I mean, get real — how many people who go to an Australian restaurant would want to try ‘roo? Ninety per cent? I sure would have been one of them.
Anyway, despite the missing Loin of Kangaroo I was hoping to try, we had a terrific lunchtime meal here on Saturday. We sat in the Atrium room behind the bar and it was a gorgeous space.
Our server was terrific, pleasant, efficient, and quick with the water glasses.
The music they played was stellar — a great mix of Steely Dan, the Stones, the Clash, Talking Heads, and yes… Men At Work.
Our lunch choices were a «Burger with the lot», a French Toast, and for me a «salad with the lot» a very nice $ 17 dish of scrumptious rotisserie chicken, kale, carrots, feta cheese, olives, beets, and hard boiled egg wedges. The beets were a star of the plate– just bursting with flavor.
There are probably a bazillion food choices in Manhattan, and this one ended up being a very solid choice for us. Even if I didn’t get a chance to see what kangaroo tastes like…
Take it away boys…
«Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover»
(Men At Work — Land Down Under Lyrics by Ron Strykert and Colin Hay.