Review Socal - Neutral Bay

Absolute delight. My Mexican wife is always a bit skeptical about places serving tacos while being American themed. But we had no bad surprises with the excellent food. Before we ventured into cocktail heaven and simply enjoyed being. Relaxed atmosphere, great decor, friendly service - 100% recommended.

So much to love about this place. Staff are amazing. Attentive, there when you need them and always with just the perfect attitude. Vibe is spot on. Lots of energy but you can still hear each other talk. And best fish taco I have ever eaten. Can't believe I hadn't been here sooner.

Great place to experience some Californian style Mexican cuisine. Service is quick and friendly, quick to make you feel cosy and at home. While the interior really felt like sol cal, it was the outdoor courtyard that really made our experience awesome. Food is classic Sol Cal food with favourites like Fish Tacos, but i reccomend trying other stuff like their wings. Wings had the right sense if crispness and the queso sauce hit the nail on the head. Had a Mezcal Margherita, which really complimented the seafood tacos. Our server, the girl with the pigtails wearing the blues shirt was really attentive. Really good staff member and deserves some sort of bonus. Price was reasonable and would come here again. Bookings recommended as this place was packed.

Dined here a few times but tried the new menu this week and it was incredible. Beef Short Rib, artichoke taco & the whole Snapper were the winners! The staff are amazing and cant do enough for you. The vibe was cosy and lively! We can't wait to go back and try even more of the delicious cocktails.

The extended family had a great time celebrating three birthdays at SoCal for lunch on Sunday. The service was fantastic being very friendly and helpful. They managed to fit all 14 of us on a long table on the terrace outside and under cover. Our casual meal was great with either the fish taco or jerk chicken getting the vote for best dish.

The bottomless Rose lunch was so so delicious, we enjoyed everything that was brought out and the rose sangria was amazing. The service was by far the best, our sangria jug got refilled before we would think to ask and the staff were flexible with dietary requirements etc. There was no pressure to leave either, we ended up staying for more food and drinks. Great atmosphere, great food and great staff. Thank you!

Fresh food, Excellent service. A nice place to hang out. The jerk chicken and the fish tacos hit the spot!

Went to SoCal last Sunday after a friend recommendation, however the experience was quite disappointing. Even though the look of the space is fun and exciting at the beginning, the food was pretty average, and the size of the servings, specially for the “shared plates” was incredibly tiny The guacamole and chips dish, the amount of guacamole would even fill half of the small bowl in each was served, quite sad experience and not planning to come back here We were a group of 5, ordered 6 tacos and 4 more dishes and ended up having to go to a place down the road after to grab some more food

My girlfriends organised my hen party lunch here last weekend. We had the bottomless lunch. The service was fantastic, the wine and sangria was kept topped up at all times. Our waiter was attentive and helpful. Couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon �

Very obnoxious staff. Firstly we ordered the Margarita/Tommy cocktail at $18 each. When drinks arrived, it was only 3/4 full of a small tumbler glass. I then realised it was actually 80% ice! Was literally in the middle of eating my shoestring fries when a girl with long dark hair was in my face aggressively asking me ‘Are you done there?’ I stopped mid-chip and said ‘What?’ She repeated her question in my face and I replied ‘Does it look like I’m done?’ She turned and walked away with a smirk!? WTF!? I tried to explain my disappointment at staff but they all appeared not to even comprehend why I was upset! Sad.

The hot sauce on the table might have been the best part of the meal at #socalneutralbay! The chicken sliders weren't special, the croquettes were tasteless (no chorizo!), a way overlooked (burnt) quesadilla, jerked chicken salad without any jerk on the chicken and accompanied with some pretty bland risotto type rice. Oh.. and $3 worth of tortilla chips and a spoonful of guac for $10 (wtf?!). Lucky we were drinking beer and they couldn't screw that up. The table next to us was unhappy with their cocktails however I was close enough to hear why. Thankfully there are so many other good Mexican places in Sydney I don't need to worry about going back any time soon.

Lovely margarita, but the $20 snack menu was a joke, we went home hungry and cooked a pizza!!

Such a fun afternoon doing the bottomless rosè lunch. We were a group of 17 and felt really well looked after ! I think it would be nice to have at least 2 taco’s instead of 1 and substitute the jerk salad or the ceviche. Aside from that we all loved it �

Friday night's are the best!) The DJ is awesome and the cocktails are to die for especially the Margaritas and the staff are so nice.

Today I had the most amazing experience. This is the first time I have had a restaurant be so caring about my bad allergy. Thank you to all your staff and the chef's for caring so much!!!!!

Awesome place, amazing food, very good cocktails, friendly staffs and excelent customer service. Ps. the best falafel I have ever had:)))

Excellent location awesome atmosphere and great service. Great food up until the meat dishes which were good without being great. Recommended for a night out on the beers.

Fantastic vibe, great food, friendly staff and good service .. A great place to go and have with a group of friends or a couple looking for not just a meal but some atmosphere! I'll be back very soon!

The best joint in neutral bay! Friendly staff and awesome management!

Very well priced on a Tuesday night and the food was great along with the wine

Why can't they pay attention to my order? Order a dry martini with olive - get lemon juice with a twist! Or a beer but don't want the lime and salt / comes with it anyway. Guess the young clientele easy pleased and happily ripped off!

Went to SoCal for a family birthday lunch. We all had a really great day. Yummy food which was beautifully presented... we went for the banquet....and wonderful service provided by a team of very friendly and helpful staff. Great experience. Thanks guys.

Great food, great spot! Even though there are plenty of food options around, So Cal have carved out a niche for those who want it. Appropriate for dates and/or friendly catch-ups. The pink lighting outside is fun, but not good for those who like taking photos of their food for Instagram. Will definitely go back!

Great staff and great food. Had my birthday dinner and the guy and girl who waited on us were so amazing!!! definitely will go back.

Always a fun place to start or start and stay. Great staff, great cocktails and, of course,really great atmosphere! A go to for us!!!

such accomodating staff and the food is incredible. always make it a point to drop in when i'm in the area

It’s Neutral Bay’s newest series of monthly comedy event nights.  The Funny Flamingo launched 29th July in partnership with LaughMob.  Edge 96.1 alum, Sean Michaels was MC for the night with a line up of comedy star power:. Harry Jun (Sydney Fringe). Jake Howie (NZ/ UK). Nat Demeana (Comedy Zone/ Triple j)

The ambience and fit out is the highlight of this place! Visited on a Saturday night and they had great live music. The ‘Violet Beauregard’ cocktail was divine, unlike any cocktail I have tried before. The food was pretty good but a bit on the pricey side for the portion sizes. The waiter was also a bit pushy for us to order the banquet as we were a group of 7 (which we didn’t want) and also pushed to order dessert. Other than that would, probably visit again for the music and cocktails.

The service was friendly and efficient, and the food came out quickly despite the place being packed.<br/><br/>The tacos and quesadilla we ordered were delicious, especially the fish taco! We also ordered the Helado Domingo dessert of the month, which was definitely the highlight!!! Absolutely must try before it goes away.<br/><br/>Definitely on my list of one of the top Mexican joints in Sydney.

The ppl were very friendly. They mentioned that the food are generally all for share and 3 dishes are sufficient for two people. Their black corn chips was delicious. And we also enjoyed beef briskets, wings and tacos. Their Hawaiian beer was my favourite-tasted very special and fruity!<br/>It’s too dark so I wasn’t able to take pictures of the nice food. I recommend this restaurant.

It takes a lot to get me over the Bridge. Actually, I lie. The promise of fun, colourful cocktails and yummy food, and I’m there. SoCal has all this in spades, and very much worth a jaunt to the North Shore.

First time dining here, food was delicious. The kingfish ceviche was amazing as was the broccolini with miso. Cocktails equally as good. Gets very busy so best book.<br/>The chairs are a little uncomfortable, the blue ones feel like you are sitting in a high chair. Service friendly and attentive.

Good Mexican place to go to with your friends. A little bit on the expensive side but the food is pretty good. Cocktails are quality too, definitely give it a go.

Go for the margaritas and also try the beef cheek donut it is beyond amazing! Service is always great and the menu changes often to suit the season.

Socal ticks all the boxes. The venue is beautiful, great menu, food is so tasty, cocktails are amazing and the vibe is great. But the MAIN reason we go back every time is for the exceptional service. Upon arrival, we are greeted by the biggest smile and treated like VIP's by Cocheene and all the staff. Our favourite table is made available for us and we are waited on with class and sophistication every time, we are spoiled with menu suggestions and fast service. We just love it and can't wait for our next visit everytime. Safe to say, we highly recommend Socal.

Been here many times now and can report the food and service has been consistently good. A fun place to come after a long day at the office, for date night or just to hang out with friends. Can get a little loud inside but can usually be heard out the back on the rooftop terrace. A cool Southern Californian vibe with many popular dishes such as snapper ceviche, jerk chicken, slow cooked lamb, smoked pork belly, tacos and quesadillas. So fun; you'll want to come back again and again. Big on cocktails too!

Follow my insta @burgersnbikinis for more food pics!<br/><br/>Super trendy bar and eatery serving up delicious Mexican fare. Has a cool outdoor terrace too, a trendy place a drink and feed. <br/><br/>Had the guac and chips. The crispy pork belly in a lovely purée topped with caramelised Brussel sprouts. And an amazing chicken quesadilla. <br/><br/>Great food and good vibes here.

Awesome place for dinner. Menu had so many tasty options for gluten free people, very helpful if you're Coeliac. The aesthetic of the place is amazing, and the customer service was some of the best I've ever had. The tapioca cheese bread was so good, especially for someone who's used to eating poorly made gluten free bread at restaurants. Also highly recommend the spicy chicken wings & the margaritas.

Great place for a chilled out Sunday session with friends. Lots of share plate options to nibble on whilst drinking. Our group had croquettes (very tasty but you only get 4 for the price), jerk banana prawns (loved the refreshing mango avocado salad it was served with), enchilada (good but nothing special), smoked brisket (a little on dry side), corn chips with guacamole and salsa (liked the chips they used, crunchier than usual Dorito type chips).

SoCal is a super hip venue, with some funky beats in the background and very cool staff. Food is awesome and super tasty, with loads of herbs and seasoning to pack in some flavour.  Service of drinks is super efficient, the service of food can be a little slow.

Lets start with the negative and head positive.<br/><br/>The name is So,Cal, there's two thing that must not be mess up, tortilla chips and fish tacos, they managed to stuff both of these up.<br/>Chips: For $10 these things shouldn't be stale, lukewarm, and drenched in salt.  They shouldn't be corn chips either, they should be a tortilla chips, you get better chips out of food trucks in so-cal.  It's like getting some Macca's fries with some fish and chips.  Now they've decided to go for a subtle guacamole dip, and they pulled off subtle guacamole like a champion.  The salsa however, was a complete loss.  It's a tomato base salsa, and there's nothing but tomato in there, there's no jalapeno's or anything with crunch, fair enough, they don't want it spicy, but in that case it needs to be off-set with onion and garlic, maybe cilantro if you feel that way, but it needs to be something better than a tin can of crushed tomatoes.<br/><br/>Next up, Baja fish tacos, the fish is not a minor piece of this taco, so it needs to be fresh, light, and playing on the flavor of the fish.  Instead it was drowned in a strange cream sauce, it wasn't a plain mayo, and lacked a distinctive taste, and the fish was overpowered with conflicting flavors, primarily the cream.  The texture of the dish was mush through and through, that's not great, the fish should have texture, pineapple salsa has texture, onions aren't mushy, and it's a baja fish taco, it should probably have lime in there somewhere, not a requirement, but whatever this was, it doesn't evoke the baja fish taco name in any way.  Nothing's going to make this taco as-is not mediocre, but calling it a baja fish taco is doing more harm than good.<br/><br/>The steak was not memorable, it had a good taste, and wasn't too dry, good texture.<br/><br/>The special, a squid taco was fantastic, I wish I had just had 3 or 4 of these rather than the others.  Every complaint about the baja taco was answered in this one.   Their was texture, it wasn't like eating baby food, the squid played a center roll and the flavors complemented it.  I don't know how they get this and the guacamole so right and the baja and chips so wrong.  It's so inconsistent.<br/><br/>Their cocktails were a strong point, they were quite tasty.<br/><br/>While they got some things right, bad chips resign good guac to the quality of the chips.  Taco #1 on the menu was unmemorable, and baja tacos that just aren't cannot be made up for with good booze and and a fantastic special.  I can't recommend the place for these reasons.

Cocktails, tacos and share plates - socal is perfect. The vibe is bright and airy and the menu has an awesome selection of Mexican and share plates including sweet potato fries, sautée prawns, soft shell crab and spicy wings to name a few. You cannot come here without ordering a cocktail with tequila in it. Go for the spicy senorita. Most certainly coming back to visit this gem of a bar in neutral bay.

Unfortunately we were absolutely disappointed - we came to celebrate 2 birthdays with 6 people. The service was mediocre at best... it started out great but after our initial order for drinks was taken we had to ask them to replenish them more than once. The food wasn't very enjoyable..... service was so slow and when our tacos arrived after 40 minutes they were cold. When we brought this to the attention of managers it could have been an opportunity to rectify however they were dismissive and without any compensation. Will never return.

LOVED the ambience, and staff were extremely attentive from the moment we entered, giving a little intro about the place and explaining the menu. Throughout the meal it did get a bit too much but nonetheless friendly staff.<br/><br/>They have both an indoors and “outdoors” area, and if there are seats available I recommend trying to sit out the back. Set up to give off great vibes with awesome music, it makes for an all round enjoyable meal.<br/><br/>Corn chips to start are great, comes with guac and salsa, and all in decent servings. Then I highly recommend the California roll slider because it’s amazing. Regret not ordering another one. Made up of prawn, crab, cucumber, wasabi avocado, seaweed mayo, although I didn’t really notice the crab, the wasabi makes all the difference as it was refreshing and added a needed kick. Fish tacos were also enjoyed but it could have done with more of the salsa as it was barely noticeable. I preferred the slider.<br/><br/>The tofu mushrooms salad turned out to be a great choice as it was light but still satisfying with juicy mushrooms and plenty of lentils. Have to add the tofu was too salty though. Brisket took a while to come out and finally came when we were pretty much done with everything else. It was dry and slightly overcooked but the slaw, pickles, and house-made BBQ sauce made up for it.

Great atmosphere, good food. Our favorites were the soft shell crab salad and the chicken chipotle taco. We also tried a couple of dishes that we were not impressed by: pan fried snapper and the fish taco. Overall, we had a good experience

We had a sad experience here on Saturday night unfortunately. The food would have gotten a 2.5/5 but the service was shit and the wait at the bar was at least 15 min. Seriously bar guys - people that arrived after me got served first! You really need to be aware of your surroundings.

SoCal s tucked away on Young Street, just off Military Road in Neutral Bay.  The interior is incredibly vibrant, lively yet casual, with a variety of seating on offer. It's undoubtedly a popular spot and it's easy to see why - accessible and palatable drinks, solid food options and a festive atmosphere. The smoked old fashioned is a must, the espresso martinis are a popular choice and you can't go wrong with a classic margarita.The service, while friendly, is perhaps not as attentive as what it could be. After waiting a considerable amount of time to order more food and cocktails, we eventually gave up and left. While SoCal has a lot of character, it lacks some of the charm and warmth of other small bars.

One of the worst customer service experiences I have had. I would had ignored the terrible customer service if the food had been great but merely average and mostly dry. <br/><br/>Customer Service: <br/>- Waitress was so rude to all the women and was very nice to all the men in our group of 6 <br/>- When I asked for more menus, waitress then told us no <br/>- I asked why, she said we had to order from the fixed banquet menu (I've been to SoCal couple of times before and knew that wasn't the case)<br/>- I asked her to check and confirm if that was the case<br/>- She then returned with more menus and said that it was ok to order from the regular menu but to only order small dishes as they were very busy and that other people are waiting (there was only our table and 3 other tables occupied inside and outside)<br/>- When it was time to pay the bill we asked if we could split the check (I know know we are terrible people) <br/>- Waitress said yes but to pay at the bar, We went to the bar - Bartender then told us that we had to settle the bill with the waitress that served us, we returned to the waitress then she told us the bartender was wrong and to go to the bar...<br/>- Once again we returned to the bar then the bartender said no she is wrong and went and got the waitress, she then took us to the counter to sort out the bill.<br/>- When the waitress split the bill she asked us how much we would like to pay each, which I replied with the dishes I wanted to pay for, she then asked how much in total.... I asked her how much was it... she then told me to go calculate it out and come back... which then I asked for a calculator she pointed to my bag and said could you use your phone.

Found the food to be quite clean & not heavy. The salted caramel martini is a must try. Can get very busy on the weekend but luckily scored a table quite quickly in their walk in section.

A cool spot in Neutral Bay, an upstairs indoor/outdoor restaurant. Service was fantastic, with some great recommendations from the staff. Thoroughly enjoyable! Brisket was a standout, melt in your mouth amazingness.

Alex our server was awesome, we had a great time, the food was wonderful and the prices were reasonable, we will definitely return. We ordered the Roulette Baja Fish Tacos, chips with salsa and margaritas

A cool spot in Neutral Bay, an upstairs indoor/outdoor restaurant. Service was fantastic, with some great recommendations from the staff. Thoroughly enjoyable! Brisket was a standout, melt in your mouth amazingness.

As part of our Spring celebrations, Mr. A and I had a long, lazy lunch at So Cal, a Mexican restaurant located on a rooftop in Neutral Bay that opened around a year ago. The street entrance is easy to miss – the restaurant is hidden up a flight of dark, narrow stairs.  The decor emulates a rustic but very casual Mexican bar and restaurant.  There is a dark inside area (not so nice) and also an outdoor rooftop area (no views to be seen as it is only on the 2nd floor and is in the middle of a commercial block).

You can walk past this place and not even know it's there.... and packed! It's one of those hidden gems on the lower north shore and is a great spot to catch up with friends after work / on the weekend. As the name suggests, their menu is pretty emblematic of what you'd find all over Southern California. There's a little Mexican feel but nothing over the top. They also smoke their own meat which is always a plus! Great staff and service and I'm always wanting to go back!

Long time coming getting to SoCal despite living within walking distance for a few years awhile back.<br/>Warm Sunday afternoon was always going to suit the mood, particularly when supplemented with a couple of Corona's. <br/>Dishes of choice for this first visit were the lamb salad, sweet potato chips and fish skewers. I'm not big on fish when eating out but no level of disappointment with this plate. I guess it's hard to mess up the chips but it is still managed often enough to create doubt and go the plain fried option; no such issue here, and my oh my, the lamb salad. Very tempted to order it again straight away it was that good. Slow roasted with a smokey crust it was cooked to perfection and seriously delicious. One of those for sure next time. SoCal has a great outdoor rooftop space that adds to the casual and relaxed vibe with staff in a similar mood. Pretty ideal combination for a Sydney summer eatery.

The night started off with a kind reminder that we needed to get out by 815pm. A reminder that was mentioned several times throughout the evening. After getting pressure to order from the banquet menu because and I quote 'it's easier for them if we do' we decided on a selection of tacos, which after many visits to LA were average at best. The icing on the cake was the dripping aircon that as the waitress and manager both explained 'was a result of simple science due to hot and cold meeting and creating condensation' and could not be helped #shruggedshoulders. This company owns The Butler which I love however it appears SoCal is more the bratty little brother of the two and not somewhere I'd go again. Run by a pack of 5yr old twits with shit customer service and the dire need to service their aircon rather than give their customers (who were builders) a bullshit science lesson - I recommend skipping this place.

So Cal, as the name suggests, offer a little of Southern California on Sydney's north shore. The venue is buzzing with an outdoor courtyard packed with diners on a warm summer's night. After trying out their signature cocktails, we started on the scallop ceviche. I love a good ceviche and this was no different - fresh and zesty, though the flavours were a little muted.

As soon as you enter you will feel so welcome, you just don't want to leave. The food is well presented and the ceviche and tacos we ordered were delicious! Will be going again for sure!

If it's Friday or Saturday definitely call ahead, I called on a Monday for a Friday booking at 6:30 and they couldn't fit us in until 7:45. The girls at the door (top of the stairs) were fantastic, they were very excited, complimenting and attentive. She walked us to our table and the first thing I noticed was that it is virtually impossible to read the menu, whoever thought that dim lighting and an ocean blue menu with black writing on it was a good idea needs to goooo. I had to get my phone light out to read the menu. The waitress said they were getting new menus soon, haven't been back in a while so not sure if this has happened yet. We ordered cocktails and guacamole for our table. The Rumdog Millionaire and Morgan Freemans last wish cocktails were amazing. The array of cocktails is ridiculous so many to choose from and they were all very nice. It's a great venue for a girls night after work on a Friday, some cocktails and snacks and music you can't really go wrong. The only downside apart from the 'make me feel blind menu' was that our waitress would come over every 20 minutes MAX and ask us how our cocktails were or how the food is going, when we are still on the same drinks and half of us had our mouth full. It was quite intrusive at times having to tell them everything was fine when I had guacamole and corn chips stuffed in my face.

Here's a tip; if you are worried about parking just drive into the carpark under the nearby Coles; it was free to midnight on a Saturday, which I thought was a good deal.<br/><br/>SoCal was packed and buzzing at 8pm so it was just as well we booked a table. First up, full marks to the staff for cheerful and attentive service; nothing was too much trouble and everything was prompt despite the packed tables all around.<br/><br/>Mains are around $20 or a little more and are meant to be shared.  Our group of four included one who was on a vegan diet for a month so we ordered a few more salads that I might normally eat, plus pork and beef tacos and a pulled chicken salad. The drinks menu was extensive and I enjoyed a gin and watermelon cocktail plus a red wine or two.<br/><br/>Food was enjoyable without a wow factor but at a tad over $50 a head we were happy with the value to quality ratio.<br/><br/>Another tip; call in to the Oaks for a cleansing ale before you go home.

Top tip: memorize your waiter immediately. Having arrived late, I left SoCal still confused about who worked there and who was a customer making it near impossible to order food or a drink. The food was lovely, particularly the fish tacos. Pretty much your standard mexican lots of great choices, but nothing surprising. The drinks and in particular the cocktails looked delicious, although the elusive waiter never materialized for me to be able to try one. Give it a try and enjoy the tacos!

S O C A L<br/>Very disappointing Tex Mex at Socal. I've never been to a Mexican restaurant where I was still hungry! Pretty bland and very small serving. ✌ @foodiesguidetosydney

Cool little Mexican joint off the main road in Neutral Bay. Go up some dark stairs and it opens up into the restaurant with an outdoor area that feels like summer. <br/><br/>Pretty nifty cockails including a salted caramel espresso martini. <br/><br/>There are a lot of options to choose from the food menu and it took us a while to decide. I ordered the Baja fish tacos and decided with a friend who ordered the Steak tacos that we would swap 2 so we could get a variety. $20 for 4 tacos. Taste wise it was ok. I preferred the steak more. Also got to try the brisket and it was tasty but a bit dry. <br/><br/>I noticed a few other people got the ribs and they looked pretty good but messy! Huh! <br/><br/>Dessert was ordered and we tried the churros with chocolate dipping sauce - Churros was nice and warm with lots of sugar but not at all sweet which is a good thing the sauce was there. <br/><br/>Overall, ok first time visit.

SoCal is the one of the rare few late night venues in the North Shore (that make a good drink!) Make a booking if you are going as it can get pretty packed and crazy. Sometimes if you are lucky you can grab a table if you wait at the bar. The food is pretty good. My favourite Tuna dish was taken off the menu ages ago :( The steak is delish with Chimmichurri as is the snapper ceviche. And you can't go wrong with the guacamole and corn chips. Definitely worth a visit. Just be mindful service can be a bit slow.

The steak tacos are great and the corn is amazing. Wasn't a fan of the ribs, corn chips or hot wings so felt it was a bit hit and miss. <br/>Great vibe, awesome attentive staff, fab cocktail menu. It's got more hits than misses. I'll be back

I had no idea this place existed so close to where I live. A great upstairs hideaway with good ambience & nice outdoor area. We went on a Wednesday night and the main floor area was fully booked but we still managed a seat. Food was great particularly the prawns. Only critique is you don't get enough guacamole with the corn chips. Looking forward to returning.

Slightly more refined Mexican food to go with the cocktail bar. On offer is some delicious wings and stacks of Mexican favourites like empanadas etc. the Espresso Martini is also a highlight, topped of with honeycomb

The staff were friendly, great place for dinner and drinks with a group of friends in a lively atmosphere. I've been many times and haven't been disappointed yet!

The food was OK but not spectacular. Better than Mrs Peaches in Newtown but that's not saying much.<br/><br/>Check http://www.thefoodantiblog.com.au/antiblog/socal for poorly lit photos

Great spot, perfect for a quickly before the city! Awesome atmosphere and super drinks. Loving the Mexican vibe, wicked beats and tasty tapas!

We were informed that we could walk in and put our names down for a table; the wait would be about  30 minutes and we could grab a drink at the bar to pass the time. What we didn't expect was to wait 25 minutes at the bar for a below average cocktail.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to wait for a cocktail, and can appreciate the time and skill it would take to create some of their drinks. What we didn't understand is why the bartender would watch another group approach from behind us, pick up a menu and 'umm' and 'ahh' about what to order, and then ignore us as they had a chat about what he would recommend. After they settled on ordering the house gin -Wow, really? An $8 drink?- the bartender decided to serve customers from the other end of the bar.<br/><br/>I'm sure many would say the bar staff here are trendy and hip however this came off more as pretentious as we watched them stop serving to chat with one another and throw various utensils across the bar (for absolutely no reason besides it looked cool, I guess).  One bartender decided to actually climb on top of the bar/counter to reach something on a shelf. While I suppose this was necessary, surely he could have used a ladder? We weren't too impressed considering they cut fruit on the same surface.<br/><br/>In the end we didn't even finish our $18 drinks before we left for somewhere else. It was crammed, noisy and frankly the quality of the drinks wasn't enough to persuade us to even attempt lining up at the bar again.

Sensational cocktails, cool bar staff, Great service, DJ's on weekends & a menu that fits the SoCal name. Easy place to hang out for a few beers that turns into many.

A touch of Southern California cool hits the burgeoning bar scene in Neutral Bay.

Southern Californian themed restaurant and bar with the very simple and obvious name of SoCal has joined the ranks, and what an addition it is to the north shore food scene. I had the opportunity to represent For Food’s Sake at the first ever SoCal Sydney Social. The event was an intimate Cali-inspired sit down dinner hosted by Head Chef Zac Smart and Bar Manager Joe Worthington. The dishes were skilfully paired with matching beverages, and Zac and Joe talked through each dish and drink to us salivating food bloggers throughout the night. The restaurant itself is larger than I expected, with a large inside seating area that is very dimly lit as well as an outdoor heated terrace. All the staff at SoCal were extremely helpful and aided in an

On practically every table, the service staff placed a large bowl of corn chips with generous sides of dip. Gourmet Gumbo thought this was an incredible way to start the festivities as she is a huge fan of all things avocado. This guacamole was sublime as the chefs chopped up little bits of red onion into the avocado dip, usually these flavours are only prominent in the tomato salsa. This innovative touch deserves two thumbs up!

Mexican food is one of my favourite cuisines and by the look of it, they seem to nail it on the head! The slow cooked meat in these tacos and the cheesy goodness of quesadillas in three different flavours appeals to everyone’s tastes!

It’s difficult to taste the salted caramel but the strength of the espresso shines to give a little kick (a real wake-me-up),  while the beautiful chocolate honeycomb crumble provides a lovely sweet finish. The honeycomb dissolves in the cocktail and you can rub the the chocolate pieces over your tongue for a rich creamy cocoa finish to the drink. It’s beautiful. So we decide to call it a night, we have had such enjoyable time and actually feel like a bit of California has landed in Sydney….

For a Southern Californian-style restaurant, SoCal in Neutral Bay is the perfect spot to hang if you’re looking for a casual bar with a sunny rooftop that invites enjoyable nibbles and drink offerings that take inspiration from Mexico...

The food and drinks menus are a clever blend of modern Australian and ‘CaliMex’. Things like southern fried chicken with quinoa and black bean salad, mini empanadas and seared salmon with zucchini, coriander and walnuts.

The brains behind SoCal are Hamish Watts and Ben Carroll from Applejack Hospitality, SoCal came about when they returned from an eating, drinking and surfing trip in California, it oozes the southern California surf vibe and theme.  Cali inspired decor  the "outdoor" seating The delicious food and drinks menu here is extensive and is a reflection of what can be found along HWY101. Head Chef Zac Smart sure lives up to his name, delivering an electic mix of share foods menu. Make sure you bring a few more friends!  I'm not much of a drinker, but there is a extensive choice when it comes to wines and se

From the team behind The Botanist in Kirribilli and Bondi Hardware comes SoCal, short for “So California”. So it should be no surprise that the menu is a mixture of Mexican and American classics like Mac & Cheese. There’s also a very tempting cocktail menu and we succumbed. Its a pleasant bar space, but there is also a fun outdoor beachy white balcony, which would be great to cordon off for a party.  How would I describe our night here? Relaxed, and casual, a place where you can have a few drinks, chill with friends, and snack have or a full meal. The food is overall enjoyable, but not necessarily of the innovative/blow your mind variety.  Sharing with a few friends, you can eat more than your fair share for $30-$40 per head, and I think that is about the right price point for the standard. The staff were really warm and enthusiastic, and keen to get our feedback on dishes. We start off with some guacamole and salsa, and a side of Tater Tots.  The guac I’d say is just standard, but com

The Botanist had a feel of an inner city bar. Hipster-clothed barmen, seasonal sharing plates that were always impeccably presented, and a laid back, friendly vibe about the place. It is said that SoCal – short for Southern California – came into being after a trip by the guys to that exact location, and they then decided that they

It’s a cosy and fun setting and the chilled out atmosphere, combined with funky unique music and funny bar tenders makes for an awesome hang out spot!

Overall too dark, decent food but not overly impressive. Better than Mrs Peaches. 

. This was SoCal Sydney ‘s first anniversary party, and after the many reviews I had read of its modern American menu, extensive cocktail list, and bright summery courtyard, I knew I had to put in the effort to go!

SoCal Neutral Bay launches with a great evening of drinks and canapes and showcases the intimate and fun vibe that goes with its “southern california” beach bar theme. Hamish and Ben (them of The Botanist Kirribilli and Bondi Hardware) created this beach/surf themed bar with a nice leafy outdoor complete with plastic flamingos, colourful shack lights and a pacifico mural. We dug the botanist and its no surprise then that we dig SoCal. Ben and Hamish from Applejack at the launch of their latest venture. SOCAL REPUBLIC. Bit of a grungey mural, loads vibey A look at their bar. The fitout here is designed by Luchetti Krelle (Seiobo, Ananas, HinkyDinks, Sake) Their bar book. The inside tables have a tiled top and is quite sturdy which if you scroll down….. The outside courtyard is open air, gets ample daylight and a suitably beachy in feel when the sun is up. Very bright and airy. Loads of greens and patrons today Nothing mo californian than plastic flamingos On the street side, you have se

SoCal is the relaxed Southern Californian surf influenced place that has rapidly become very popular in Neutral Bay. If you like comfort food in laid back surroundings with subdued lighting and great music playing then head up the staircase!

SoCal is a cool little Californian style bar, located north of the bridge in Neutral Bay. SoCal is part of the Applejack Hospitality group, the people behind bars like The Botanist and Bondi Hardware, and recently celebrated it's first birthday in style. SoCal Summery cocktails - Margarita & Garden party The margarita was a a refreshing blend of Reposado tequila, Cointreau, lime, and a dash of sugar and half salt rim.  The Garden Party was a lovely floral mix of blueberry infused Tanqueray gin, elderflower liqueur, spiced blueberry syrup, rhubarb bitters and basil.  Sriracha chicken quesadillas  There was no shortage of tempting offers of food, including moreish corn chips and guacamole; flank steak and chimmichurri skewers, and spiced eggplant tostadas which went down very well with the cocktails.  Happy 1st birthday, SoCal!  missklicious and guest attended SoCal's birthday bash thanks to Pendulum Communications. Images are courtesy of La Tessa Photography

SoCal is owned by Hamish Watts and Ben Carroll from Applejack Hospitality, the same company that also managed The Botanist at Kirribilli and Bondi Hardware at Bondi Beach.

The salsas/guacamole are served in tiny jars and it’s hard to squeeze the corn chip through the opening, but I find it easier to just use my fork to scoop the sides. It’s great to nibble on and super tasty if you get all three sides on as the tomatoes, corn and guacamole all complement each other beautifully. Crab & Sopressatta Tostadas – $20 Next are s

Led Emmett, the General Manager of SoCal , provides an expert introduction to the liquid aspects of The Golden State . With my lips still tingling from a Chica Chipotle ($17) that teamed chipotle-infused reposado tequila with Mezcal, lime, agave and a chipotle salt rim, Led introduced me to his list. It’s heavy, as you’d hope, in Californian wines. While these imports don’t land cheaply enough to make the by-the-glass list, they are worth a look. A man after my own heart, Led categorises pinot noir between feminine and “ smells like my bedroom after sex ”...

When SoCal opened in Neutral Bay late last year, it was really one of the first all-out themed bars to hit the lower north shore. Decked out in a Southern Californian beach style with bearded and floral-shirted hipster staff at every turn, SoCal has certainly hit a chord with the themed-bar-starved locals, who flock to the upstairs and half outdoor bar and restaurant through the week and especially on weekends. Cocktail samples at SoCal, Young Street, Neutral Bay I'd been to SoCal once before for a quick margarita in warmer times, enjoying the casual outdoor terrace vibe amid some very dressy groups of girls. The venue's fitout and music does well in transporting people to another place, far away from the thoroughfare that is Military Road. As does a fun cocktail list which we sampled parts of at a recent SoCal Social event. Misbehaving foams were the name of the game with a fun, flirty and citrusy orange-red tequila cocktail by bar manager Joe Worthington. Crab and sopressatta tostada

Great food, drinks and atmosphere. Ventured to socal last friday night and was not dissapointed. Greeted by excellent staff and enjoyed a few cocktails and beers. Definitely one of the Garden Party cocktails in Sydney! The chicken breast dish was delicious and loved the californian/mexican vibe. It was busy all night with friendly faces and overall had a very enjoyable night. A great find tucked away in residental neutral bay. 9/10

Tequila and amazing chicken!!! whats not to love!?. Went to SoCal last weekend with some mates for some drinks and food before a big night out, ended up staying much later than anticipated thanks to the awesome cocktail list! I made my way through their selection of different margaritas (tommys, classic, frozen, from memory) all while munching on some awesome chicken dish and quesadillas. The girls were quick to get to us when we needed refills and the giants behind the bar cracked jokes and shook cocktails in equal measure! <br/>Would definitely recommend for either a big night out or just for dinner and drinks!

A great night had by all!. We had an amazing night at this venue, it almost felt like home! I am from California have been getting a tad homesick but the hospitality from the staff here was so great, everyone was smiling and helpful... it made our night that much better being around folk who seemed genuinely interested in what they were doing! It was a super busy evening and we hadn't made a booking but we arrived early and were put on the wait list . By the time we had finished a cocktail or two we were seated outside in the garden and it had the best vibe we didn't notice at first but there was even a DJ set up by the bar! We had a really fun night, great people inside the venue, super friendly staff the food was so tasty and the cocktails were addictive - You have to try the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini!! <br/><br/>Will be back for some more MexiCali vibes stat!

Great food and top service. Only just recently found this little gem. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves great food, good music and top service! We had the fish tacos, snapper ceviche and the sliders. All were delicious and came out really quickly. Finished off with some churros and their famous salted caramel espresso martini! Very impressed with this joint, would definitely recommend you go and check it out.

Best Mexican on the Lower North Shore. If you like margaritas and good food then this is place to enjoy it. I went with 4 friends on a Friday night. It was pretty busy but the host was really attentive and found us a table with out having to wait too long. We were served by a young blonde girl. She was really lovely and had clearly been well trained. She knew the menu and was really helpfully when we asked her to recommend some good cocktails. The food was AMAZING! The steak tacos were to die for and the quesadillas were perfection. The boys behind the bar were like artists when it came to making the cocktails and they are a bit of eye candy too. Would definitely recommend if your looking for a fun and affordable night out with your friends!

Great vibe. So Cal has a unique fresh summery vibe to it and really stands out as something different this side of the bridge . A fantastic cocktail menu and a even better range of tequilas. The outdoor terrace is a great place for a frozen margarita or 10. So Cal has a really cool relaxed vibe to it and the staff are always friendly and helpful (not bad on the eyes either). Food is great and have very generous proportion sizes. Im a regular and i have honestly never had a bad experience here. Really fun relaxed vibe -exactly what this side of the bridge needs!

Great atmosphere, quality food and drink. Second to none service. I've been into SoCal a few times now both mid-week and on busy weekends. I've been served by different members of staff every time and they couldn't do more to make you feel more welcome and to make sure you and your guests are having a fantastic evening. The food is prepared beautifully and cooked to perfection and the cocktails are crafted taste and aesthetics clearly in mind. Top marks

Great venue, good times!. Ive been going to SoCal for a few months now ever since a friend of mine took me there. I love the food, the awesome cocktails and the staff are so welcoming and friendly, they really make an effort. The only time i ever had a slightly bad time was when i had to wait a little bit to get a table but they were busy and when we sat down the incredibly tasty Steak Taco's and top notch Frozen Margaritas put a big smile on all our faces. I recommend it to anyone looking for some good times, great food, amazing cocktails.

Bad service. We have been waiting almost for 1 1/2 hours standing near the bar as staff kept saying we are next in line to get a table! However we noticed that the staff was giving tables to their friends that walk in and not the people that have been waiting for hours....

Poor service. Waited over an hour to get a table, told us that we are next in line, then gave the next available table to some friends that walked in. The excuse was 'oh I'm trying to find a nice table for you guys seriously after waiting for an hour we would have liked any table you have. I'm a local and go there often. But never again.

Noisy and overpriced. I had high hopes for this place but we found it far too noisy for a dinner reservation and overpriced on the whole. Plus two of us had the air conditioning dripping on us all night, and the toilet seat had broken off. The idea is there, but it needs some work.

We had a well below average dinner. The snapper ceviche was very smelly and tasted strange (clearly not fresh) The air conditioning system was dripping water on my shoulder and table. They forgot to order our lamb ribs and offered us free churros to compensate but they were also over cooked on the outside and still dough on the inside. The tacos were pretty good. The prices are very high and for the experience was way too high. I wouldn't bother coming back.

Bad for big groups. The place is great for food and drinks if your just with a small group ! However for big groups 10+ do not go ! They charge you $25 just for being a big group and also it's $42 per head for the set menu ! Which as students is pretty much crazy and stupid. Considering the normal menu is affordable it just seems unreasonable that just because you were in a group there were all these extra expenses! <br/><br/>Don't they work by the policy the more the merrier ! Definitely unlikely I'll be going again

Went for a work function and was surprised at how much food and drink we had and how well priced it was. The food is fresh with influnces of Californian /Mexican .. Staff were very attentive and friendly. And the venue is great for groups or couples. Next time I would love to sit outdoors on a nice summers night. Strongly recommend

A Mexican-type place in Neutral Bay that is actually OPEN!. Discovered this place after trying to eat at Mexicano around the corner. Mexicano doesn't open until 6pm and we weren't interested in waiting around for an hour. The we saw the SoCal sign. Walking up a seriously steep set of stairs, what a brilliant surprise. Great, lively decor that was quite reminsiscent of LA or San Diego. Great back open-air patio. We were seated immediately without reservation. Steep prices on Margaritas, too, taking out the ice you get about 120 ml of "drink" But the jalapeño margarita is delicious, although you only get three sips. The food is another story, though. Reasonably priced but GENEROUS. We ordered just three share plates: shrimp and crab puffs, deep fried calamari special and an enchilda special. Lots of puffs, great squid and huge enchilada dish. We were STUFFED after the enchiladas. Beautiful flavours. It gets quite loud as various over-dressed real-estate types flood in after work, so an early weekend reservation is advisable. We were so happy Mexicano was closed and we discovered this gem.

Wouldn't bother. World's most miserable, stuck-up hostess greeted us on arrival, and the food didn't compensate. Awful all-round. No winners here.

Ordered 5 things and 4 were OUTSTANDING!. BBQ Corn - Brilliant!<br/>Corn Chips - yummy yummy yummy - great portion size<br/>SLOW ROAST LAMB SHOULDER - drool-worthy! incredible<br/>SPICY WINGS - nom nom nom nom, spicy, crispy, so tasty<br/>Baja Fish Tacos - so ordinary, very unappealing<br/><br/>Staff were 5/10 - no urgency, not polite<br/>Atmosphere 9/10 - really great feel

Sweet place, sweet vibe, had a great night here last week as part of a slightly larger group with no booking and we're tended to brilliantly by a male waiter and male manager. Made us feel very welcome and the food was great, the BBQ ribs are some of the best I've ever had. We were the last table in the place! They just couldn't get rid of us!! Be back for sure!

Great Place. Love this place has a great atmosphere, tasty food and delicious cocktails :)

Noisy and overcrowded. We went there last night. It was so overcrowded you couldn't move and there were empty food plates everywhere and chicken wings all over the floor. They didn't provide any napkins or plates with the chicken wing buckets, how are you supposed to wipe your hands and what do you do with them.<br/><br/>It was very easy to get a drink which was surpizing to say how busy it was and that they serve cocktails too so that was impressive. The bar staff were also very nice and obviously efficient. The restaurant had a feeling of being disorganised and over crowded and in the outside section it was so noisy you had to shout and you couldn't even squeeze between the tables.<br/><br/>The food was good.

We went to SoCal with high expectations and were unfortunately very disappointed.<br/><br/>Firstly, the girl at the door showed us to our seats and proceeded to take our drink orders, which she then forgot to pass onto the bar staff.<br/><br/>Our waitress then served the people next to us who had arrived after we had.<br/><br/>The tacos were very disappointing - very sloppy and dripped everywhere and we could barely bite into the tortilla it was so overcooked.<br/><br/>Overall the evening was very overpriced for what it was.

Dissapointing. I went into so cal with high expectations from good word of mouth. Food was great, just your classic mexican but little pricey. Bar staff were great. I was a little deterred by a manager I believe, who had brown hair and was kind of on the larger side, who seemed to have a bad attitude and wasn't great with the customers. This really brought down the night, as we were hesitant to ask for more drinks etc. because he didn't seem interested whatsoever..

The venue is great with a nice courtyard area out the back - would be perfect on a sunny day. Friends and I had a few cocktails and some food - I personally didn't love any of the cocktails I had, however one of my friends raved about the salted caramel espresso martini. The food was hit and miss as well - some nice, some average. Service was friendly but very slow.<br/>Overall an enjoyable night, but relatively expensive for what you get!

Not bad, not amazing. Socal is a pretty cool spot. Cocktail list is well constructed but beers could probably take on more of a Californian slant if that's what they are going for. Although the food is disappointing and overpriced, you probably need to take this place as it is, a bar pretending to be a restaurant so they can trade off the 2am licence of the previous venue. And for those of you who are so happy that something like this has finally opened North of the Bridge, maybe stop going out south of the Bridge and get out more on the Northside. Military Road (and side streets) now has heaps of cool bars all the way from Neutral Bay to Cremorne and even into Mosman!

So Cool. Thanks for a top night! Staff, service, food were all off the charts. This is a common theme for the boys of Bondi Hardware and The Botanist. Make sure you get to this restaurant before it has a waiting list! Yew!

YES. One word guys..yes! Ticks all my boxes. Food, cocktails, pretty ladies and handsome men. I would write an essay on this place but I will leave it simply by saying 'yes'. Keep it up SoCal you have my tick of approval

Cali Love

How great that a place like this has finally opened like this over this side of the bridge. Staff were friendly, food really tasty and just a nice feel to the place.. See you again soon SoCal

Went there for Sunday lunch. Loved the food esp raw fish with passion fruit. Lots of style and good friendly service. Will go again.

Awesome experience, we sat in the sunny courtyard, loved it. Food, drinks, staff and venue amazing. Recommend it to all.

Surprised. I've been to Neutral Bay a few times and hated it. There's been very little in the way of interesting places to go. Got dragged back over the weekend to SoCal and was pleasantly surprised.<br/>Garden courtyard, good food and a few cocktails made for a great Sunday.<br/>Staff are friendly too which helps.

Disappointing. Was really looking forward to visiting SoCal, believing that the North Shore was finally getting a taste of what the East has had for years. The chilli dogs are simply awful, it's a mini cheerio/frankfurt from a supermarket deli in a dinner roll - yuck! And the tatter totts are potato gems (!!) which comes with chipolte mayo, the only slight highlight. The chicken quesadillas were nice but nothing to rave about and not even on par with the cheapo (but tasty) El Loco. Overall the experience doesn't leave a good taste in your mouth (pardon the pun!). You are essentially paying decent money for kids/80's party food that you can make at home for a quarter of the price. Good to visit if you're just after a drink, or are drunk because then you won't really notice the taste of the food. Staff were friendly but not really interested to hear any negatives. Won't be revisiting which is so disappointing when we're crying out for these types of venues in the North.

We checked this place out on Sunday and loved it! Such a cool fit out and great vibe... Going again for sure..

My wife and I went to socal on Friday night and were surprised at the size of the venue!. The neautral bay area has a winner here!. The fit out is a very cool. A dj playing some nice house music which isn't too loud so you can't have a conversation. The cocktails are very good. We also enjoyed some potato tots with chipotle mayonnaise and pork quesadillas which were great!. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu.The floor and bar staff were all busy being the opening night but the service was prompt and friendly!.

SoCal. The atmosphere was great, but the food wasnt. The best thing on the menu were the chips and dip and potato gems. The 'Chili Dogs' were just hotdogs in dinner rolls.

Amazing. Went on Sat night and was expecting a few teething problems from the kitchen but it all ran smoothly. The Scotch fillet was done perfectly with a great chimichuri that wasn't too overpowering. Tried a few sides and all were great. Staff were friendly (and as expected, hot). I can't fault this at all. Ambience is awesome, the cocktail menu (although we only sampled two) looked good too. Neutral Bay/Cremorne/Crowie/Kirribilli is starting to tighten-up as a small bar/restaurant market but this place stands out. The outdoor patio area is going to be great over the summer.

Ambience of this new funky fresh restaurant is awesome. I felt so welcome due to the attentive floor staff and managers. <br/><br/>The bar tenders are always up for small talk and always have a smile upon their faces. The cocktail list is innovative and tastes amazing. <br/><br/>The food has a twist of Mexican on "SoCal" (Southern California) food. I love the way the mini hotdogs are served, they look like typical cliché dogs. So Cute! The raw section is phenomenal, it's so fresh and vibrant. My favourite is the Fish Tacos. So simple yet so flavoursome. Snapper was definitely a great choice.<br/><br/>Overall, I think this new north shore small bar and restaurant will be incredibly successful. A huge congratulations to the owners, you've done well!!

Though the space is great and staff are friendly we found the food disappointed. Very overpriced for what you get - we were three adults and it was $100 for lunch without drinks. The dishes were okay but no real standouts with tiny portions.

I wanted So Cal to be amazing as it is only 5mins from my house, but alas, it disappoints. The food was standard at best, our favourite dish was the side of Tater Tots which have come straight from a 'Birds Eye' frozen bag. <br/><br/>The expresso martinis were tasty however after 3 rounds and a cocktail jug our whole table was feeling rather sober. Maybe the 25minute wait for our rounds had something to do with it. <br/><br/>Also, bathrooms- they are seriously massive once you get inside one, why not put a couple more stalls. Personally I don't think you should have a cue at 8pm...