Review Sailors' Rest - Geelong

We sat in the beer garden on a very humid and hot day. It was lovely. Had the salt and pepper squid with chips. It was delicious! And the Cascade ginger beer with a lemon slice on ice was spot on. I would like to commend the wait and service staff for their outstanding and quick service. It hadn't been 5 minutes when both drinks and food were in front of us. Loved our lunch meal. Thank you

We went for brunch and unlike other places they were serving lunch all day. The layout of the place was nice and cozy. The outdoor sitting was quite nice too with the view of the ocean. We had full breakfast and jack sparrow(something new). Service was friendly Overall, happy with the experience. Would defiantly recommend.

Great food place in Geelong. Have been here couple of times and enjoyed the food every time. The location is great, right next to the waterfront. Ambience is really nice and they have ample seating space offering both indoor and outdoor seating. We ordered marinara spaghetti which was good but a bit on the spicier side, satay vegetable curry with rice, bruschetta, grilled prawns, calamari rings and bowl of chips. All of the dishes were fresh and hot and enjoyable. Would definitely recommend.

After a trip on the Geelong Fairy, we were ready for lunch. Very happy with the prompt service. Order taken and food delivered in a timely manner. Fish and chips was very generous portion especially the chips. I had the Wagyu burger as it was the only option. Long time since a normal hamburger was available. The Wagyu was very tasty. All the food looked delicious. Good that breakfast is available in the afternoon.

Nice place with a good menu. Big plus is that they add some fruits and veggies to the children's dishes, but why only the standard chicken nuggets and fish fingers? Would be nice to offer kids some more exciting things. The pumpkin salad (without cheese) was yummy, albeit a bit small. All in all, a nice place.

Had lunch in the outside area, great friendly service. The setup with the music meant even though we were next to the busy road you could barely hear the traffic. Very comfortable. Wedges yum. But the best part about this place was the kids nuggets plate!!! Nuggets + chips + carrot, celery apple cucumber and stawberry. Ive never seen a meal like this for kids but wish there was more of it!!!!

My wife and I had a day in Leopold we stopped at Sailors Rest for a late lunch on the way home. Served by Ben and another young waitress both had exceptional customer service skills made us feel welcome and at home even though they were close to closing time for lunches we picked a great table ordered food and a beer and in less than 5 minutes food was delivered! Fantastic meal, great service, beautiful water views it was perfect definitely 10/10 and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for everything it was flawless Ben even bought me out some extra tomato sauce 👌

Great location, great coffee, great food and fantastic service! We came in for lunch and settled in for a few hours. Credit to Charlotte who was so friendly and really genuine about the delicious items on the menu. Sticky date pudding to die for!!

Always high quality yummy food with great atmosphere. We enjoy eating in outside area best and love to take our dogs very dog friendly which makes it ideal place for brunch! coffees great with enticing good menu and wine list for anytime of day or nite :)

We enjoyed our meal here so much that we returned for breakfast the next day. Both dinner and breakfast were exceptional. The meals are quite large and the young lady serving us was extremely helpful and attentive. I highly recommend this establishment. Also the view and position for people watching is fabulous.

First visit to Sailor's Rest yesterday when we visited Geelong - overwhelming impressed with the incredible warm, professional customer service & sensationally fresh, delicious food, particularly on such a busy day. The place is huge & was full of people & yet still the service was quick, the customer service excellent & the food 'to die for'! Congratulations, we'll be recommending Sailors' Rest at every opportunity.

We wanted a small lunch so we decided to share the Fisherman's Basket between the two of us. Wow, it was only for one person but it was a struggle to finish it and it was really enjoyable. The battered fish in particular was very nice and it was only $36, so a great price too. Iced coffee was also good. Great service, great food and a lovely place to eat outside overlooking the waterfront :)

We have had many meals at Sailors Rest and never had s bad experience or bad meal. Servic and staff always excellent and food yummy.Can highly recommend.🤗

Amazing service, food and location. Would definitely go there again. My 8month old loved the food and there was plenty of space for a high chair. Great value and portion size. A well deserved review for sure.

My friend and I both had a very pleasant lunch here yesterday. The service was excellent and staff friendly, we both had calamari on an Asian coleslaw which was absolutely delicious. I would go as far as saying it was the best calamari I've eaten and there was a substantial amount making it great value. Been here a few times and not been disappointed yet.

Great place, have been here a few times and never had a bad experience. Beautiful day, great food, great service. Waiter was able to interpret my sign language while I had a mouthful of food - top effort! �

This was our first visit to Sailors's Rest and it won't be our last. You could either sit outside or in but as we were having a catch up with friends opted to sit inside as was quieter. The menu had such a great selection it was hard to choose from. Everything was reasonably priced and the staff were very efficient and friendly. If in Geelong give this restaurant a try you won't be disappointed. The size of the meals are good.

One of the best casual eating in Geelong . Food always fantastic � Team are always over the top helpful and service is amazing Very relaxed . ����� Love this place

i wouldn't normally write a review on Face book but in this instance I would like to highly recommend this recently refurbished establishment with its fantastic staff and most excellent menu. It was a most enjoyable luncheon; my wife and I thoroughly enjoying our meals together with the fantastic assortment of wines available. well done Sailors Rest !! keep up the great work!

A Tuesday night 6pm. 6 people in dining area. Dining by myself and Waiter quick to get drink and take order, suggesting a garlic bread too. Declined the suggestion. 40 minutes later I am still waiting for my meal. Don't think they understand that on the quieter nights, service should be top notch. Maybe give this a miss on the midweek other nights i have been here on a weekend and the place is good.

Ordered the smoked salmon breakfast and I added 2 sausages - think these were the biggest sausages I have ever been served as breakfast - great avocado smash Poached eggs how they should be - nice and runny Great quick service but didn’t hover - asked if we were happy and then left us alone My sister ordered an iced coffee - nice large glass and plenty of ice cream Not local to Geelong but would visit again

Great food excellent location with fabulous staff .... recommend to everyone

Loved the food, coffee was amazing too but my cappuccino was tiny and had I known I would have ordered the larger one which to me is the regular size you get at most other places. It was great being told that they were busy (NY day) and there would be a half hour wait on meals and 10 min wait on coffee. It's better getting the head ups from the beginning. I would definitely go back again.

Was ok, a little disappointed that there was no sugar free coke (for diabetics). Diet Coke is not a suitable substitute. And then when asked to make a special request the waitress said they weren't able to, but when the manager intervened, they were able to. Waitress was too ( no, no, no can't attitude). However food was good and plentiful, atmosphere was also enjoyable and pricing average. Would I go back? Yes.

Wonderful service and great food and great coffee! Fabulous place for a get together with friends and family!

Fantastic Food....a drive of 90 minutes was so worth it. The venue is aesthetically pleasing, the space and the ambiance was perfect and despite it being soooo busy we were never waiting for food or drinks. So many staff and the food was so fresh the fish must have been swimming that morning.<br/>Great portions tonnes of flavour and a great lunch all around.<br/>We started with trio of bread, onto Fisherman’s basket and Cajun wrap with an array of drinks. $150 for two and left full and happy.<br/>Geelong has some great food houses and this is one of the best.

Great relaxed vibe opposite the water... enjoyed the beers and atmosphere

Seriously good coffee and service, plus great view 😁

Great service from the team and great food, highly recommended .I had the fish and chips , really nice quality and good size serve. A burger as addition to the menu would be awesome.

Food was average, service was average, owner is rude! They don’t split bills but they won’t tell you and then when you go to pay, the owner will swear at you and mock you like you’re a child. Shame because they’re reasonably priced for local offerings and have great views of the waterfront. Definitely a must if you’re new to the area or a tourist just for the ocean view.

Great place, fast and friendly service.<br/>The place is near the waterfront so you can go for a nice stroll along the water.<br/>The menu had a wide variety items and also classics. Spanish Vol au vents were delicious.

While staying in Geelong for the weekend, we walked along the waterfront and popped in here without a booking on a Saturday night. Very busy and all tables booked except for window seats which was fine. The service from all three servers was very friendly, professional and helpful. I had the chicken breast with broccoli, and house chips (which replace the polenta chips) which was tender and juicy. My partner had the Chicken Parma which he reports was ok. There was too much thick, rich tomato sauce and was quite tasteless. The ambience was noisy but had a good feel to it. Prices were as expected along the waterfront but were quite good. I would recommend this restaurant and they only lost one star because of the Parma. We would return.

Only new to Geelong area and have to say.. sailors rest has an awesome atmosphere and really down to earth staff! One of the best Parmas I’ve had in a looong time! Will definitely go back- and even enquire about having our wedding there!!

Lovely setting. Glad I read the good reviews and chose to have our Lunch here. We were after good seafood and were very pleased with the seafood risotto (gluten-free version of the spaghetti) and the calamari. Definitely a high end pub food feel. Will be back when driving through Geelong again on a summers day 🌞

Wow ... what a view !!! <br/><br/>Spent a lazy Sunday afternoon here on the rooftop deck. We had a few grazing dishes coupled with some drinks. Lovely, relaxed atmosphere, great service and the food was delicious!! Perfect location in Geelong to soak up some sun and enjoy the weather! We will be back

Love the new roof top bar . I can’t wait to go back. Yummy bar menu and great ambience.Met friends out front later and great food there too . My favourite restaurant on out beautiful waterfront.Thankyou .

Had lunch at this beautiful place on Sunday. Enjoyed the place which are located in Geelong CBD near the beach. Food were awesome, perfect grilled temperature of salmon avocado bowl. Chilli burger was juicy. Highly recommend this place to eat and chill if you’re in Geelong.

what a great spot, very central and where all the fun is.  fast friendly service and very affordable.<br/><br/>Doing a lot of work to the place, definitely worth a visit, going to be awesome

Excellent, recommend the Jack Sparrow. Great hot chocolate and Mocha, nice place to eat at, great outdoors area for warmer times of year.<br/><br/>I’ve been coming here for a while and the food is always great.

Was all good.. and come out quick.. and had breakfast and lunch menu going.. and good price. I reccomend. #geelongwaterfront. I had the burger.. bun and Pattie delish.. and hot crispy chips.

Honestly, this place was very underwhelming. I expected from the reviews something to be amazed at - but it was overpriced. The interior decor is quite cheap with cheap seats, and the service also was not amazing. The meals were literally around $20 each and were presented lacking flavour and any sort of decoration. It is so much just your standard cafe, that should be sitting around a 2.8 rating.

Amazing! We were looking for good seafood after a long drive home from the Twelve Apostles and the Sailor’s Rest did not disappoint. We had the Salmon, the Marinara and a few other dishes among our family of 7 and they were all spectacular.

I made my way here from Melbourne and the telstra lines were down so asked if I could use their WiFi to contact my friend who I was meeting. I was told it’s not for customers. I was stuck in an unfamiliar place with no way of contacting my friend then, I was charged $8.50 for an orange juice! $8.50.... that is crazy! Not a great service at all and extremely overpriced!

Absolutely divine! I ordered a mocha which was by far the best mocha I've ever had! The wait staff were prompt, friendly and had a sense of humour, they asked how the meal was and showed a general interest in their restaurant. The Jack Sparrow dish was rich in flavour and my brunch companion was jealous he didn't order the same thing!

The service was really poor to start with waited 40 minutes to order once we asked to order. The food came out very quickly and things then improved. The salt n pepper calamari was superb and the plum sauce was Devine. The fish n chips were really good as well served with a good size chips. We sat outside and it was beautiful.

Great all-day breakfast in Geelong. I chose the vegetarian breakfast and added halloumi. It was affordable, and the quantity enough to satisfy me. Staff are very friendly, too. Thumbs up!

We were having a really good breakfast here and it was our first trip to came Geelong. We had Full breakfast, Eggs Benedict with smoke salmon and Burger so delicious! Really nice services, Thanks :)

Great food. Very obliging with dietary requirements. Excellent soy coffee. The standout for me was the impeccable service. Super warm and friendly and also thoughtful. Had a lovely time.

Hi!<br/><br/>We have eaten here a few times, usually for a weekend breakfast or lunch. So on this occasion dinner at Sailor's Rest was a classic parma and chips.<br/><br/>Pub grub classics and done well. This night was for a birthday and the service was great and very efficient for 18 people.<br/><br/>*Kid friendly, for those interested.<br/><br/>Reasonably priced, good menu options and drinks to match.

I walked past this place many times looking at the menu thinking it was to pricey for the area.Things seemed to have changed and they seem to have expanded out to the street scape.Played it safe and got a hand crumbed Breast Parmi, and I was very happy with the result, the meals were as described , they did not talk it up. the Viet.. Roll was also nice. Service was friendly and they have a rather nice range of beer and wine. The  cake/ dessert fridge was impressive and catered for dietaries. Great place to sit outside. on a warm day. Over heard the owner interview a potential staff member quizzing him about their knowledge of red and white wines and getting them to name some. Impressive interview questions.

The New Year started well. Looking for a place to have brunch on New Year’s Day was always going to be a bit of a struggle. There was a little bit of a wait for our food surcharges for being a public holiday however this was expected. The customer service was brilliant and sitting outside with the beautiful whether topped the experience. We could not fault the breakfast, a bit on the pricier side but overall good experience!

Great location near the waterfront, nice atmosphere, attentive staff and good food. There’s a wide variety of choices in their menu and a glass case full of desserts. Perfect place to people watch and relax.<br/><br/>Update: went in for breaky 2 days in a row and ordered roughly the same things. Coffee is still good but the food has been cooked and seasoned differently. The first time bacon was crisp and cooked just right, second time it was burnt and chewy. Hash brown was also bland the second time around. Minus points for inconsistency of food

Underwhelming. Decided to stop at Sailors' Rest for dinner on our way back to Melbourne, bad decision. <br/><br/>Firstly, we were expected to fetch our own water.. which to me seemed strange for this type of place...<br/><br/>The restaurant is set out nicely, the menu looked good but pricey so we expected something nice. <br/><br/>As soon as my meal came out, I was dissapointed. Serving was tiny and the meal was nothing special. We all agreed the food was lacking in flavour. <br/><br/>This place seems to be suffering an identity crisis.

Arrived and it was quite busy! But the staff were able to get a table for us. The service was fast and the food was even better. I got the pancakes with Nutella, banana & cream. The picture is a bit deceiving but I couldn't finish it...... Breakfast never defeats me but this time it did. It was a delicious combination 😊

Generous quality meals for a reasonable price. Drinks were a little more expensive but nothing too outrageous, and the wine was lovely. Beautiful location. Service was quick and really friendly. Had a lovely dinner and will certainly come back!

I came here this morning excited to have my usual eggs Benedict with spinach, I usually have a hashbrown instead of the English muffin and a side of avo. When I placed my order I was told “we aren’t currently serving hash browns because they have none made up” what cafe doesn’t have hash browns for a Sunday morning breakfast? Feeling depleted I ordered the veggie breakfast. When my food arrived it looked quite depressing. If you’re going to serve small amounts of food, serve it on a smaller plate. The eggs were lovely as always, the tomato was ok, mushrooms were bland. The toast was crispy yet cold and then the smashed avocado was literally just a quarter of an avocado smashed. But you could tell it had been done either the night before or that morning and sat in the fridge because some chunks were slightly frozen and icy. Being a regular customer who drives all the way to Geelong from maribyrnong for my favourite Sunday morning breakfast I was disappointed with my latest visit to Sailors’ Rest.

Coffee bland. Food bland, large servings but not pleasent to eat. Should have turned around when we saw the coles salt and pepper on the table.<br/>

Always lots of variety on the menu - generally can never choose what to have - and it does change slightly from visit to visit. Good mix of inside, outside dining - my pick of the waterfront restaurants.

My favourite seafood restaurant in Geelong. Their seafood is fresh and incredibly delicious. I particularly enjoyed their Fisherman's basket and their teriyaki salmon with the noodle salad. Good service and the ambience is also quite pleasant and warm.

Super busy with very friendly, efficient service. Food was amazing and atmosphere was great.<br/>We are not from the area but will be back to make a day of it.<br/>

We were both very satisfied and the portions were both plenty. Only criticisms were personal wishes/preferences for additions etc. Seafood platter and spaghetti in olive oil

A decent variety on the menu, seats where you're able to get a view of the waterfront, what more can one ask for you may ask?<br/>Erm... better service?<br/>But other than that, would consider coming back to try more on the menu.

Attended Geelong for a mid week lunch visit down the Foreshore.<br/>I've never eaten in Geelong so I walked until I found Sailors Rest which has a lot of customers dining on the deck in the sunshine.<br/><br/>The feel of this cafe is one you'd expect to see beach or bay side. <br/><br/>Review of the menu, stock standard. Could tell from reading the menu that the breakfast options would be sub par. I ordered the breakfast burger anyway and a coffee.<br/><br/>Coffee came out weak AF, tasted like I was drinking a warm cup of milk. The waiter I told was attentive and replaced it with a strong one even though I told him I'd be happy with just pouring in a extra espresso. <br/><br/>I don't know much for Geelong Coffee but Melbournians are hard to please in the coffee department, I'll leave it at that.<br/><br/>Breaky burger. The concept was there but a brioche bun that was doughy and a potato hash brown made it just way too heavy and lacked flavor as the oil from the hash brown took over. I took the hash brown out which allowed for the egg and bacon flavors to rear their head. <br/><br/>Service = excellent<br/>Food = mediocre <br/>Coffee = terrible <br/>

Had a light lunch here on a recent visit to Geelong . Located on the waterfront , with great views over Port Phillip Bay , this historic building has both internal and outside seating .<br/><br/>We had a Caesar Salad & Salt & Pepper Calamari which were both very nice and reasonably priced <br/><br/>The service was also very good and the meals came out very quickly<br/><br/>Their Breakfast menu also looked interesting. If your in Geelong and exploring the fabulous waterfront precinct, Sailors rest is well worth a try .

I have been here in the past and have loved the food ALL the time! We had lunch here on a Tuesday and the place was busy from breakfast patrons. I had the marinara and chose spaghetti for pasta. I was not disappointed. I am quite pleased with a place that keeps its quality of service and food over the years. All I could say is, WELL DONE GUYS and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. Will definitely keep up patronage here.

The view here is excellent - the patio looks out across the bay and esplanade. However the food leaves a lot to be desired. Very bland and unimaginative. Coffee was weak and tasteless. Slow service.

Great location and setting, good strong coffee. We had the jack sparrow, a kind of ozified breakfast taco, with ground beef and poached eggs on sourdough. And also some fried potato cubes. Each ingredient tasted ok, however, it lacked some elements, I think it needs some guacamole or salsa and definitely some cheese to take the edge and sameness off the ground beef. On the other hand, you can order grilled Atlantic salmon as an extra here, they are awesome!

We ordered 5 parmi, which was not great by the way, one of the chicken in parmi was half cooked. Lamb was good and the fish plater had very good quantity .

Beverage order - incorrect ( beverage types/ sizes / order) <br/>Food order - still waiting for it to arrive <br/>So far I am far from impressed. I am super surprised that smoking is still allowed in the outside area. Waiters need to be trained in sequence of service and floor plan layout. I would suggest that you reduce the number of tables so that the kitchen and bar can complete orders in an efficient time. I will not be returning.

Hardly ever do you go to a place where you simply can not complain. Went for breakfast. This would have to be either the best or one of the best I have ever been. Cooked well with fine and generous ingredients. Rindless bacon, well cooked eggs, quality sausages and yummy hash brown. Only one score is fair;)

After having a scroll through Zomato for a place to have brunch in Geelong, Euan and I came about Sailors' Rest. The first thing I noticed was the large interior and exterior to the restaurant that overlooked onto the ocean. The place was very packed already though it was only about 10:30am, which is a good indicator for it's popularity.

Good!! Mushrooms are wonderful!!!<br/>We have chosen hot chocolate, full brunch and the parke one.<br/>Taste good! Only one is less vegetables.<br/>Service is good and friendly.<br/>Price is a little bit high.

Very disappointed. Given the Zomato rating we expected more. My Tuna salad was made of tinned tuna. And not the expensive kind. He had a $20 burger. The chips arrived in a paper cup, the squishy roll from the supermarket, the dish of sauce out of a bottle and the meat patty..... well the less said about that the better. We decided to forgo the tea when the ladies at the table next to us had theirs arrive. Teapot full of hot water and 2 cups with teabags on the side! <br/>Except for the prices and the view over Corio Bay, we could have been eating in a food court. <br/>Very underwhelming and we won't be back.

Good coffee and cake, a real shame they don't do scones anymore they were delicious, good outdoor smoking area too, much better for summer. Can't wait till then

Delightful little restaurant on Geelong's waterfront. The Sailor's Rest is beautifully situated and is warm and inviting. I ordered fillet steak with mushroom sauce. This would have to be one of the FEW times I have ordered steak somewhere and it has been cool PERFECTLY. I ordered medium rare and it was so juicy and tender. I love this place and will definitely be back. The prices were really reasonable and the service was outstanding.

Enjoyed breakfast here this morning. Beautiful spot just back from the waterfront. Service was brilliant considering the early morning rush with several waiters tag teaming our table. I had the full breakfast which was fantastic. Their hash browns are like massive rosti's, probably the best has brown I've ever eaten.

Had crumbled calamari which was just ok. The service is good and the food came with some salad that I appreciate. I am not big eater and could not finish it all, but some other foods have smaller portions.

Staff are friendly, and the location is fantastic. I think a tad over priced for the quality of the food, I had the seafood marinara and although it was delicious, the scallops certainly weren't the delicious large meaty Australian ones, but I loved that they allowed me to switch the sauce with no trouble and enjoyed my meal.

Got a lovely table in the sun on a windy morning, the outdoor screens are a great idea. Staff were friendly and attentive throughout. I had the Vegetarian Breakfast with added avocado, fresh OJ and a coffee. Food was just bland, produce didn't taste good quality and avocado was under ripe. Coffee was average.

Great ambiance sat on the outdoor area. Excellent food and service. One of the better places in Geelong. Plus right on the waterfront. Would highly recommend.

Amazing food.. Friendly staff and good food portioning.. Love this place.. One of favourite places for dinner in Geelong waterfront.. Would definitely recommend..

Great breakfast, coffee and service in a prime waterfront location with stunning views. It's been years since I've come across house made hash browns and SR made it worth tge wait. Go there!

Not the best hot chocolate. End of day and an art class. Dropped in with friends for a coffee etc and yes, probably nearing pack up time. But I was charged $6 for a squirt of chocolate syrup inside a paper cup and some lukewarm milk. No cocoa sprinklings. No creme. No tinkle of cutlery and China mugs. No real cocoa. No elegance at all. Delivered to my table with a takeaway lid. One of my companions said she never ordered hot chocolate there but in fact all of us got the same takeaway treatment .. Coffee drinkers alike. For 6 bucks I expect some effort. Just a hot chocolate you say? Maybe worth googling the top ten hot chocolates in Melbourne for some ideas. All that said. The staff were lovely.

Beautifully situated on the waterfront I stopped in for dinner while in town for work. I enjoyed the delicious fan fried salmon with tomatoes, roast potato and baby spinach. Healthy and fantastic. Plus the service was ridiculously prompt. Bravo to the team, great experience thank you.

What we ordered was average as we wanted something light, so, it was like any other nachos, like any other salad, although it was quite fresh. Somewhere we'd be happy to return to so as to try something more substantial. Also, the service was good.

Fantastic people watching spot and great vistas of the harbour.<br/>The outside dining area just screams out to attention seekers, modelling new fashion based purchases.<br/>The wait times can creep upon annoyance, it was approximately, 25mins to receive a Wagyu Beef Burger.<br/>'Wagyu' is quite the fluff term that doesn't actually remark upon the strict quality control of meat that other geographic locations adhere to.<br/>But then marbling isn't that noticeable on minced meat. <br/>Touché.<br/><br/>Save ya pennies, get a Whopper.

I will continue to always order the seafood marinara in the garlic chilli Olive oil it is amazing. Had to ask for extra of the Olive oil chilli sauce it was to die for. I don't like prawns but with the sauce on them I liked prawns that day :)

Very decent place to have brunch at and the food was really tasty. It is literally a mixture between breakfast and lunch and the proportion of the meals were worth the money we spent. Customer service was great and were really attentive to all our needs. The girl who served out big table of 12 was very helpful and did a fine job as a waitress. Thank you again and will come from Melbourne soon in the near future.

Came here for breakfast new years day... they were super busy and under the pump. All 4 breakfasts were brought out very promptly and we all cleared our plates. Will definitely be back for another breakfast.

Whenever I come into Sailors' Rest I always leave with a smile on my face. The food is delicious and always cooked perfectly but it's the customer service of the staff that keep me coming back. This place has some of the nicest staff I've ever seen - always happy to assist and always polite and look like they actually want to be there. There are a lot of restaurants that serve lovely meals but not all of them can boast that they have top quality food AND service. Can't wait for my next visit :)

Yes, you are allowed to indulge, and endlessly stare at the gorgeous and serene waterfront scenery when in Geelong, and I know just the perfect place. <br/><br/>Dropped by Geelong with friends last week on our way to Great Ocean Road. They heard about Sailors’ Rest and thought it’d be the perfect chance to give it a try. Though the price is on the steep side, the large food portions, the quaint and cosy restaurant ambience, and the friendly service staff make up for it. Not to mention, there was a range of amazing looking dessert displayed at the counter! I don’t think you need anymore convincing, do you?

Overpriced for the quality of the meals and service. I had a very disappointing seafood paella - it came out overly seasoned, and excessively buttery/oily, probably more suited to a risotto, as it resembles nothing like a paella other than the saffron.<br/>Drinks and cake/dessert perhaps, but anything else I'm not sure about. Our experience was, in general, rather poor. We ate in the dark at 6.30pm where no additional lighting was provided. The menu, with its unchanged (assuming a few years considering the state) and dark background, therefore provided little assistance. In the end we resorted to the light provided by our mobile phones to be able to read and actually identify what it was we were eating. The waiter never came back to ask about drinks or anything else either. In summary: overrated, overly expensive, low quality, staff/management lacking attention to detail and enthusiasm, atmosphere lacking character. It seems like the business is just 'going through the motions' - unfortunate...

Love seating out doors on Sunday afternoon enjoy a few beer and snacks. Service is excellent and great to have self serve water. Will visit again

Worst service. Went for lunch on a quiet day. Probably only had about 5 tables with people. Sat down and waited 10 mins at least for menus. Meals were average and plain and took another 25 mins to get to our table. Asked for bbq sauce and that never came. I had to get up and ask at the bar. My recommendation is don't go here unless you want overpriced bland food that will take ages

Always good. Been here a few times now always good. Bacon and eggs, great cake selection enjoyed it.

Over priced cheap food and bad service.. Ordered a short black whilst not very busy. .. That somehow took 15 minutes to make and was delivered to the table cold. <br/>My partner customized her meal; by removing at least half of what would have been on the plate according to the menu, and yet this "upstanding" business is happily charging the full price for what the meal would have originally been if it had not been halved. <br/>My recommendation: this place is a waste of money and time.

Shame shame shame What a s.... Shame shame shame <br/>What a shame that your allowance of smoking in your alfresco area ruined what was otherwise a lovely lunch with great food and coffee - I feel sick

Awsome breakfast to keep you going.. Was travelling and had a great breakfast at sailors rest. Seemed popular considering all the tables full but despite that we ordered and got our food quickly. Found the wait staff a little young and unprofessional but the food was brilliant. The Jack sparrow dish is a must have if you're hungry and got a full day ahead of you. The daily special freshly made juice smoothies were so refreshing on a warm morning as well.

Great food, great scenery. Had breakfast here on 24th December. <br/><br/>Partner had the Jack Sparrow which I quite liked, but he found a bit too heavy for breakfast. I had the salmon which was delicious. <br/><br/>Great view of the ocean and very relaxed atmosphere.

Thank you. I have no clue why people complain. I think they have a new management...we went for dinner on 29th October. 5 adults and my 5yr old. the staff was so friendly. we ate steak, paella, special chicken, plus the seafood marinara.<br/>1. all the food came in 15 mins of ordering. and hot<br/>2. the portions were massive...the paella had so much seafood! and the squid melted in our mouths<br/>3. we were not rushed to finish,...in fact we were the last table to leave<br/>4. they are very child friendly...<br/>5. great location especially on a sunny day!<br/><br/>will definitely go there again<br/>MumNick

Bad form and management. While the food and wait staff were excellent, it was very disappointing when we paid the bill that an extra cost of $6 was added for ordering a number of breakfast sides rather than an advertised breakfast. The extra cost was not advised of in the menu or by staff and what I had ordered came to more than many of the breakfasts while adding the $6 meant it came to much more than even the big breakfast. The manager handled this very poorly, admitting that they did not advise of it and he arrogantly did not see the problem with it. He then took $5 from the tip jar and told me to take it, while waving it in my face. I advised I had issue with this as it was not the wait staff's fault but rather a poor business decision and when I asked it be reimbursed to our credit card he then told me not to haggle over a dollar. I felt affronted by his attitude and was offered no alternative but to take the money. Having managed a cafe myself, I found his dealing with a customer and particularly his regard for his staff to be greatly lacking any integrity. I would not go back just because of the $6 but due to the managers disregard for his customers and particularly staff.

Excellent service. Always great service here. Fantastic for for coffee and cake of a couple of drinks. Mains a bit over priced and simple however you get very large serves.<br/>For me it is a great cafe with consistently good coffee and nice cakes.

Carl & Carl jnr. The coffee was good!!from there all downhill!<br/>Carl jnr had pancakes that were a bit doughy, on the table was maple flavoured syrup I think for $15 pancakes you would expect pure Canadian<br/>The eggs Benidict was light on holandaise, and the smoked salmon was a little tired!! <br/>Would give a miss next time!' <br/>Carl jnr says<br/>The service was very good and friendly but the real maple syrup would of been nice !!

Great location. We had breakfast here and were happy with our meals

Amazing Service and food pretty good. Made a trip down to Geelong, lots of lovely looking places on the waterfront and this was one of them, unfortunately it was dark so we missed out on the view which would have been amazing, we still sat on the enclosed balcony on a very cold night and it was warm and comfortable, the staff were amazing, friendly, lovely and happy to please. We ordered 2 x burgers, 1 x calamari and a steak. The food was pretty good not amazing but still pretty good, our main complaint was the sauce on the steak (pepper) it was very bland and well below averages. This place also had an amazing range of cakes, the waitress said they do lots of cake and coffee business as well, would be keen to go back and try as the cakes looked really good. Overall was happy with night but would love to see the food of a bit higher standard.

Below average food, above average price.. My first and only visit here was for a late breakfast with a friend. There were perhaps 3 tables occupied including ours, so it was quiet and service was quite quick. I ordered bacon and eggs with hash brown, a classic breakfast. While the hash brown (house-made, I believe) was delicious, the eggs and bacon were visibly burnt. The service was acceptable and the view/general ambiance was lovely, however the high prices for sub-par food was disappointing. Perhaps this was a once off, but why would I chance it again when I know I can get an amazing breakfast elsewhere?

Great service food was very good. My daughter has food allergies and no request was an issue for them.I know where I'm going to eat next time I'm in Geelong

Best breakfast with wonderful service, and a lovely view. Well priced and highly recommend the freshly squeezed organge juice

Dinner has gone downhill. We hadn't been here in a few years, and expecting the great food we were used to, we were very disappointed. Very average menu with expensive prices. We both chose the seafood basket which stood out the most. Unfortunately while it looked good, there was just too much greasy food, with no salad to refresh us. I struggled to get through half, such a waste of good seafood. <br/>We won't return until the quality gets back to the way it used to be.

Perfect pancakes and fresh orange juice. Called into the Sailors Rest for breakfast on a Sunday morning. <br/>The service was attentive but not intrusive, the fresh organic juice was smooth and the pancakes we had were light and delishish. The coffee was average. But I'll definitely drop by when we are next in Geelong.

This used to be my favourite place to eat in Geelong. They had the best seafood, especially calamari - huge portions with lots of chips and salad, filling up the whole plate. About feb of this year it started going down hill so I stopped going. I returned a few months ago to find it had lifted it's game - but not for long! I am not sure if there is new management or management has just decided to take a different direction with this place but I won't be back. The food is now sub par, the portions have gotten a lot smaller and the food has changed and the menu now resembles dishes that could easily be found at any other cafe/restaurant in Geelong. What a waste of a beautiful building and location. Will not be back until it starts improving again.

Best place on the waterfront. Wandering on a Sunday at midday it was hard to find a civilized place that serves breakfast after 11.59am ! Bingo. This place is lovely, attentive staff, fast professional service, great food and coffee. Serve breaky until 3pm. We had 2 lots of the big breaky, eggs golden, cooked perfectly, eggs Benedict with house made hollandaise, great Bircher muesli and fresh squeezed OJ. Highly recommended, we will be back.

We had dinner and it is the best risotto I have eaten! Good service and price, lovely place to eat.

Coffee was cold, breakfast took over 40 minutes to arrive. Won't be back

Lovely place, nice ambiance. Food is average but will be back due to the vibrant settings of the cafe

Lovely covered al fresco area with heating, awesome burger with chilli mayo to spice it all up. Great!

Busy little spot for locals and visitors. Had to wait less then 5 minuets for a table. Venue was warm on a cold winters morning. Staff were polite and friendly and attentive . We waited no longer than 5 minuets for breakfast two big breakfast . Followed by our coffees . My partner felt his was a little bland and asked for a relish or sauce. I was happy with mine . I did feel it was a little pricy over $20 for breakfast . But was enjoyable