Review Rose Of Australia Hotel - Sydney

House of Palms hosted a flower crown workshop at the Rose of Australia for a hen's party of 14 people and it was fabulous. The staff were accommodating, the atmosphere was great and the decor was cool. The function was upstairs at the front of the venue and it was the perfect space. Would highly recommend this venue for a function

Tacos are the best in the business. Kitchen is amazing, what an iconic spot to come have dinner with a gorgeous menu and cocktails to back it up. Big shout out to the kitchen and bar staff.

Wow, food has really gone downhill, we ordered the chicken schnitzel and what arrived wouldn't rate in a soup kitchen, commercially battered chicken with no flavour above the oil it had soaked up and with a tough skin. Really disappointed. $24 for the experience.

The lobster tacos was the stand out dish for me. Great drinks and lively ambience. Excellent customer service. The waitress was really nice and was helping us find seats as the venue was quite packed. It’s quite nice to sit upstairs.

Awesome service.... better than many restaurants. Great selection of alcohol on tap, cocktails and nice food. Great ambience.

I haven’t eaten here for a few years but can confirm the food was awful then and still is. $23 for this very sad lamb roll and didn’t even come with fries.

The tiniest, overpriced schnitzel in Sydney. This is what you get at the Rose for TWENTY FOUR bucks …. Pretty much daylight robbery, very underwhelming, oily and not tasty at all :-( have a drink here, but choose somewhere else to eat!

Nathan is a bloody legend. Meals are always delicious. One of the best pubs in Sydney

Cute bar with many levels. Getting a pasta at a bar can be a gamble but was pleasantly surprised! The cocktail jugs were also yummy and easy to drink

The Rose looks really nice but over several casual visits and a party here, I've never seen decent service.  Forgotten orders, shortening party time.  It also must have the most expensive beer in Erskineville - 20% more than a place up the road.

This place is Great, It is actually my Local. Ive had many things on the Menu From the Pork Abomination to the Ribs. <br/>Pork Abomination - Chips with Slow Cooked Pork, bbq sauce, sour cream & onion. This dish is def not the most healthy but it is one of the tastiest on the menu. It is huge size wise as i can never finish it and the toppings of sauce, cream, onion and pork are VERY generous.Pulled Beef Nachos - Pulled Beef, Sour Cream, Cheese, Tomato Salsa & Guac. Another large dish which was pretty reasonable in price too but i wouldn't say it lives up to some of the others on the menu. I probably wont order this one again but it wasn't bad taste wise. <br/>Tacos - Chicken & Beef Soft shell tacos. Available at 2 for $10 or 3 for $15 there are five types of tacos to choose from. Tuna, Barramundi, Chicken, Beef & Veg. I have only had the Chicken and beef tacos and they were great flavour wise. Not the best tacos i've ever had but still pretty tasty! <br/>Rump Steak - 250g Rump steak. The meal was pretty good and comes with an option of one five sides(i opted for chips) The chips and Rump were both very well cooked(medium rare)and it was one of the better steaks i've had recently. Good serving size<br/>Ribs - Two choice of ribs avail but i opted for the Twice Cooked Old School Sticky Ribs. Amazing Marinade and lives up to its name. I opted for a half size and with the accompanying sides of chips and colesaw it was incredibly filling. All were made well and the ribs almost fell off the bone. Standard pricing for a pub and lots of seating inside. It is a very busy pub though so if you want a outside table(dog friendly) id arrive relatively early. You can also reserve tables for big events and order food platters but thats a different story <br/>Def worth a visit

This place is such a gem. I love the decor and setting in every room. Definitely insta worthy. The bread was warm. My favourite. But not sure if it’s because it was part of an event catering.

Chicken breast is very good . A good place to eat and it feels comfortable here . Service is very nice and environment is also very friendly.

The food was absolutely incredible. Cooked fast and perfectly. The place was packed out so definitely try booking a week before but omg so worth sitting outside in the freezing cold. Can't fault it.

A swish renovation has seen the Rose emerge as an exciting new function venue. Admittedly, it had been years since I'd stepped through the doors of this Erskineville institution but despite it looking all shiny and new, there's the same easygoing vibe. A great spot to meet for drinks.

Attending the "Hello Howard" launch for Howard's Cantina & Cocktail Bar at the Rose of Australia in Erskineville was truly an amazingly visual an appetising experience. Rose of Australia is a beautiful pub with so much to see. As you enter, you see the lovely bar, stools covered in black and white "cow hide", giant corks for tables and  comfy lounges to sit back in and absorb this ever so picturesque establishment.

The Rose of Australia has been the social hub of Erskineville for decades; its art deco heritage is infused with contemporary charm bringing a new feel to the classic. Under the ownership of the Leach Family, the pub is re-launching its top floor into Howard’s Cantina and Cocktail Bar in commemoration of the late Howard Leach who bought the landmark hotel 21 years ago and was a stalwart of the local community.

The Rose is a neat little pub perched on Swanson street only a short distance from the station, flaunting some modern character. It hosts more than several little corners and divisions throughout the building, from low-level lounge areas, bright & formal dining spots, tall tables, to street seating if that's your thing. What I most love is that it sports a pretty good range on the menu and they offer up really good value in this respect. <br/><br/>Whilst the place is pretty shiny, there's a fairly easygoing vibe between revelers and staff. That said, there is one barman here who's penchant for talking in riddles gets in the way of making an order for wine. <br/><br/>The champagne poached lobster roll ($14) is fluffy and light and the accompaniments are nurturing to the lobster. The candied bacon barely overpowers it let alone stands out. Order your choice of side salad in this one. The chicken wings ($12) are crispy but a little bit oily. The serving is generous and is topped with a lightly pickled & crisp cabbage to cut through. <br/><br/>You can mix and match the tacos ($10/$14). The lime chicken with spinach and chipotle aioli is mild and simple. The cauliflower is most substantial in terms of flavour and its quite the hearty little tortilla, now my favourite. The chicken schnitzel ($19) is thick and tender, and pretty uncommon in terms of pub schnitty. Served with the usual suspects as one would expect.

Howard’s Cantina and Cocktail Bar is located above the Rose of Australia Hotel. Historically, this iconic venue in Erskenville has been there almost as long as the town itself – 1874! Since then it has been a popular venue amongst Sydneysiders to visit for a drink or bite to eat. It has undergone a number of renovations including the newest venture – Howard’s Cantina and Cocktail Bar. The Cantina itself is in keeping with the eclectic style of the area.  The new cocktail drink menu has launched and the Cantina opens from Thursday May 11.

I found the staff weren't very friendly. I had a beef burger and felt ill after. It's another pub charging high prices for food that isn't great.

Again, another one listed as Newtown when it is literally 50m from Erskineville Station? Great drinks venue with different versatile spaces both indoors and out for any kind of meet or night out. All the usual gaming and sports screening and as a member you are priivy to special promotions, events and discounts. My local!!! Xxx

Potentially a nice venue but the staff are rude, arrogant and ignorant. Not child friendly at all even though we called ahead and it was during the day for food. Will never step foot here again. Our party of 30 left because of the staff.

Had the pork ribs here. It was the driest, most unpleasant piece of meat I have eaten. It was lathered with so much sauce that all I could taste was the sauce. Please take this off the menu, seriously. I was very upset with my meal, like extremely upset.<br/>Had massive food envy cause friends' steak and parma looked great. The vibe and atmosphere was also nice.

Exceptional staff, friendly vibe, great food, awesome drinks menu. Table service and recommendations are an unexpected and pleasant addition. <br/><br/>One of the best gastro-pubs in the inner city and inner west of Sydney offering and delivering an impressive array of modern Aus/American food fare. <br/><br/>The Midnight Cuban sandwich is a game changer, possibly the best in town. Onion rings are mouth watering, ribs are perfectly prepared and glazed, burgers are generous and well designed.

This pub is great. Good choice of wines and consistently good food. Burgers are juicy to the point of being messy, steaks cooked exactly how you ask, tacos are cheap cheerful and tasty at $9 for 2 and you can't go past the Cuban sandwich. The best. I hope they never take this off the menu. Minus one point for these guys only because of their beers. Carlton, blonde. No thanks. Give me a James Squire, Boags or Superdry any day.

Staff are patronising and rude. After being treated like an inconvenience when ordering drinks for our first round and trying to forgive and forget we ordered dinner. <br/>I thought to live on the edge and order the bypass burger (2 x 100g patties and a whole lot of other goodness). It was delivered with one patty. Upon returning it to the bar because it was missing one of two said patties and management acknowledging and agreeing she happily returned the burger to the kitchen. Within less than 5 minuets my burger was returned. 1 inch taller and suddenly had two patties and I was also told that the second patty was always there, just hiding in the cheese. <br/>I accept mistakes but being patronised I will not have. It was my first time back to the pub after horrible service back when the front bar had carpet, and now will remain, finally my last.<br/>Burger was good but not what I'm bothered by

Believe it or not, this place has a 300 gram t-bone steak on the menu every day. Most pubs don't have a steak deal this good on their special deal days. The steak comes with an amazing choice of sides and sauces, and was fantastic. The service is also excellent and it is a cool pub, too. If I lived closer to it, it could become my local. I'll be going back !!!

Perhaps Sydney's best pub $10 T-bone with beer fries. Add some beans and you've got a great meal. Ribs vary from excellent to terrible depending on the day....sometimes they're lacking much meat. Service upstairs in restaurant is better. Downstairs its bar service. Sunday and Monday upstairs restaurant closed but downstairs serves food. Book on Friday and Saturday.

We have lived in Erskineville for a few years however have never ventured into the Rose. It has undergone an extensive refit in the past couple of years and the end result is pretty pleasing. It still maintains that original pub feel but without the lashings of stainless steel that pollutes modern bars these days.<br/><br/>The bistro menu is pretty good though not the best for gluten free dining. They do have an abundance of ikea high chairs which made feeding my daughter very easy. The "Italian Job" aka chicken parmigiana I had was very tasty and if this reflects the tea of the menu then that makes another good edition to the Erko dining scene.<br/><br/>Sadly there were a few downsides. Pram access is a bit difficult and compared to the Erko up the road, bar service was not the best. That being said now there is no smoking laws in place I am looking forward to a summer drink in the Alfresco section on Erskineville road.

Laid back bar. Great rooftop which can be hired for private functions without a package/minimum spend. It's a great place but the only thing that let's it down is the staff. They're a bit hot and cold.

The staff are super friendly and the food is excellent, though i miss the pizzas and the lamb rump that used to be on the menu. Lots of nooks and crannies to hang out in, depending on your mood. My partner and I always share the full rack of sticky ribs, they are way better than the usual rib places and great value. Good food specials too, always worth checkin out.

Something has changed and not just the outdoor furniture! Best customer service ever !!! Lovely afternoon drink with my friend. Warm heaters. thanks and love the changes!!!! X

I have been coming here for 3 years. Something has changed and not just the outdoor furniture! Best customer service ever !!! Lovely afternoon drink with my friend. Warm heaters. thanks and love the changes!!!! X

Lucky locals to have this place nearby. I honestly don't understand the negative reviews on this place. My sister works right nearby so we come here often and with pleasure. The food is excellent and comes in large portions, the drinks are varied but cheap, the pub looks great with a welcoming ambience and the staff are as friendly as they come. <br/><br/>This is a local business you feel good supporting. Give it a chance.

Bad ribs. I never do this, infact it's the first review I've ever written because I feel compelled to write it. We were very disappointed with the food here. The ribs were dry and burnt and absolutely drowning in heinous salty Vegemite sauce. I love ribs and it broke my heart to experience this travesty. Avoid! tried to scape off the sauce but here was too much.

'mediocre' is a compliment. we should have been able to gauge from the bar staffs poor little faces that we shouldn't have bothered! the fries (actually steak chips), although tipped from a packet were probably the only palatable thing on our plates... because we were starvated... I feel sorry for this place.

Hard to love anymore.... Let me start by saying I have always loved the Rose Of Australia hotel. It’s been my local for many years and I have celebrated many events with friends and family there. But beyond the history that has been so dear to me, my old friend is making it hard for me to love her anymore. <br/><br/>Like many older ladies with some spare cash and a need to entice t attractive and wealthy, a facelift was always on the cards. And wow, what a facelift. The renovations have fundamentally changed old Rosie into a younger, hip and fun hotel. Different themes and feels around the place make it a little more gastro-pub and family friendly diner than the old Aussie pub of yore... And this is not a bad thing. While in my opinion the open ceilings work and rough unfinished work doesn’t quite work for me, I do thing all this is an improvement and a suitable enticement for the locals. <br/><br/>It is just such a shame that the food does not hold up to the same standards. For a while now, the quality menu and food prep has been going down hill. The low point for me was an over cooked steak served with stale, cold fries. (How does this garbage get out of the kitchen?) ...Yes .. i could have sent it back but I shouldn’t have to. Nor should I have to wait while this is being fixed while my friends get to eat their meals. <br/><br/>With all the money spent of making this old girl such a rare beauty ... the management team need to take a hard look at their kitchen. With the prices charged (and frankly the decor lift that engenders a better experience) the kind of experience that the cooks give (they’re not chefs at the moment) mean that this is just an overdressed pub with cheap jugs of beer.

The atmosphere is pretty awesome since the renos, awesome vibe inside and out. The food is well prices for pub food and the $10 t-bone is worth a mention. It's a pub, yet service is sometimes offered and meals are brought out to you. $10 jugs of the month all day every day! read a lot of bad on here, however I'm confused as to what the fuss is, it's a pub and it offers what a pub is surposed to offer...

My partner received her meal of off rock fish and prawns. The scent alone was hard to digest so she took it back. The manager was extremely rude when she asked to change her meal and said he didn't believe there was anything wrong with it and that she simply didn't like what she had ordered. How about you eat it and get back to us with how you are feeling in around four hours. Everyone else's meals were lack lustre and I would see no reason to go back to this place when there are so many nice pubs sans losers with an attitude problem in the area.

Total shocker. Poor service, long wait for drinks and food all over done. Owner couldn't care less. He was doing a favor allowing us to paying expensive prices for such quality food and hospitality.<br/>Jb<br/><br/><br/>-----16 Aug, 2014-----<br/><br/>Total shocker. Poor service, long wait for drinks and food all over done. Owner couldn't care less. He was doing a favor allowing us to paying expensive prices for such quality food and hospitality.

The new Reno is great ..food has improved " but still average " the only dessert is a waffle!!! it had to be the worst dessert i have ever eaten ...Come on chefs . My 2 yr old refused to eat it . Please change it

Love the new look and the vibe. This pub it going to be special and that is why I started to go there. I found the Rose and staff amazing. Even the owner on more than one occasion was very accommodating. Until!! I ordered my meal from the bar when the manager (yes it was state of origin) took my order. Winding his fingers for me to hurry up and order!! was a little bit of a concern but, OK? I then asked if I could get salt, pepper and tomato sauce, too save the wait staff, as it was busy. He then looked at me a said no as he was to busy. He told me to ask the wait staff. OK! So I sat down waited for my meal, and when it arrived I asked for Salt, pepper and tomato sauce to the wait staff. I said that I had already asked at the bar and if he could bring me salt, pepper tomato sauce? Simple right? I waited and waited. The steak went cold. 10/15 minuets went by. That's ok, they are cool ill just get it refunded. I asked the wait staff if I could get a refund on the steak? she said she will check. Very rudely the manager came out and said what was wrong? I told him the story. He abruptly told that he had specifically said for me to ask the wait staff, and I said that I did. Long story short after refunding my money he then proceeded to to tell me off like a five year child, that I had to understand that it was busy and that he would never give me this refund if it wasn't a busy night. Sorry but the staffing issues is not my problem. I started going there most night and ordering a meal. Maybe its time not only to change the decor and vibe? I understand that the Rose is changing its mind set? Just because an up and coming successful pub, is under a little pressure doesn't mean that on the busy nights it has to it game! He could have just passed me the salt and pepper from the start! Ridiculous, it sits behind the bar.

Refurb is beautiful. Service was super friendly and the meals were all delicious. Superior pub food. Yum!!

As a local I was really excited about the Rose's big renovation and the new space is great. Food is ok. However the service was laughably bad, to the point where I considered walking out. Waitresses are surly and rude, and the way one of them treated an Asian guy in front of me was incredibly embarrassing (speaking to him like he was a halfwit when his English was better than her's!). a shame because this could have been my local.

Great atmosphere. I love having a drink at the Rose. The staff are fantastic. There's a new menu so don't take notice of the old reviews on this site. I had a fantastic burger there. It's pub food, but good quality and good value.

What a shame the food has gone right down. Lunch today was a Caesar slad that very much tasted like store bought dressing and a beef and Guinness pie that again looked bought in not home made, and mash potato complete with lumps. A shame because the bar service is still really friendly, but don't need to come back for a lunch here again.

Stroppy. Bad attitude from barman who placed my drinks in front of me and stood just glaring.I asked him how much the drinks were and he got stroppy went to the till and came back and could hardly repress his anger.<br/><br/>I was of the impression that when you serve somebody you place the drinks down and then say the price of the drinks to the customer.The guy was totally out of order with his attitude.

Terrible food. Really disappointed as I was looking forward to eating there. If you feel the need to eat food at a pub in this area you will be better of going to the Erko.

Not happy. Our table was over an air conditioning unit that vibrated constantly. Poor service, forgot items, gave the wrong bill. BBQ ribs not fit for consumption. Salad drowning in dressing. Left the place still hungry.

Great monster meat challenge, highly recommend it for $33

We waited quite a while for our steaks and when they finally arrived my medium steak was ok around the edges but completely uncooked in the middle.  For a decent looking restaurant that seems to specialise in steaks I didn't think it necessary to check before starting but soon found it going from medium rare to rare to uncooked.  I can tolerate rare if I have to and considering we'd waited so long for our meal I wanted to be courteous to my partner and not make a fuss.  After making as best a go I could it was too late to bother sending back a half-eaten steak.<br/><br/>Restaurants always say you should've sent a steak back if it's undercooked but it still feels embarrassing to send a partially eaten steak back for further cooking.  I don't even know how that works with health and safety regulations!  At the end of the day you expect a good restaurant to get it right first time and every time.  I know other restaurants that can but The Rose of Australia restaurant clearly couldn't.  I can understand if they get it a little bit wrong but to get an uncooked steak when you requested medium is pretty bad.  The waitress wasn't very apologetic about the delay or poor cooking. I definitely won't be returning.

OK, just had the worst steak ever. It was so tough I had to cut it in tiny pieces and that was medium rare. Sad part is the taste was great Service, well that was worse then the steak. This place has lost touch with the community

Good food, great wine menu and awesome staff in the upstairs restaurant. However, friday nights with the local talentless noise contraption downstairs, some may call a band, deserves a total FAIL - Never again. Ask to be seated away from the terrace area or don't bother.

If you want to eat, ensure it's away from the racket (talent less bands - interrupting tea upstairs). Additionally, don't order the ice cream, mine was off last time.

No way. Just awful, the great chef has left here some time ago and it shows. All the staff are backpackers and everything about this place is just bad.

All in all just over priced. No more than 2.1 out of 7.