Review Love Tilly Devine - Sydney

I took my boyfriend there to celebrate his birthday on Friday night and we had a great night! A little bit of wait for food, but the combination of light pinot noir and very helpful waitresses made up for it. I would recommend this restaurant for sure. Thank you team!

This is the cutest little bar around. I don’t really want to rave too much about it because I want it to stay a secret but if you do manage to go you will love the location, the food and the drinks. Both the wine list and beer selection were fabulous. We shared a meat and cheese board before hopping on to our dinner spot. A perfect place to meet friends and share good times.10/10

Myself and a group of girlfriends really enjoyed our Saturday evening here. The ambience and vibe is fantastic. The staff were very attentive and knowledgeable, had a fantastic bottle of wine on their recommendation and ended up ordering a couple more. Can't wait to return.

Went for a Saturday night dinner. Had the set menu which tasted great but I was really underwhelmed with the servings. Not enough food. Just order what you want from the menu and would probably work out cheaper and more food. However the server was great and brought some extra food. Great venue and nice vibe.

Torn about whether the food, wine, staff, or music selection was the best thing about my partner and I's date night at Love, Tilly Devine. So I guess all 3 have to be tied as exceptional. Great spot, can't wait to come back.

Wonderful little gem of a place, fantastic friendly service and wine knowledge incredible food and more ***** importantly allergies were not an issue for them at all **** all food was speedily modified to suit my celiac and dairy free requirements and the food was actually AMAZING!!! easily one of the best meals I have had all year! I will be back for seconds of the Ceviche :)

Food is great in general. The duck pasta was divine, However, we were only allowed to have set menu (which I understand as it makes it easier for the kitchen). However on adding up the cost of individual dishes per the a la carte menu , they add up to less than what they have charged us for the set menu offered. As I have also requested to swap out the ceviche dish since I can't have that now, my husband also had to swap his out even though he can have ceviche. The replaced dish was cos lettuce that has the sour flavour needed for the meal but it was much cheaper as a a replacement. Bread was nice, but the dollop of butter was quite little for 4 slices of bread. All in all, nice food just that a bit more can be done for the customer I would think.

The dishes were good though they never served the pippies that were ordered so felt like something was missing. The wine list is extensive, listing a variety of regions and flavours. Would recommend the burrata and pate with focaccia!

So all up, this was a pretty good meal. But I have to admit that I have some mixed feelings about Tilly Devine. Or rather, I have one main gripe, and it’s how tiny the portions were. I know things in Sydney don’t come cheap, but given that there was no other food available to order, I’d expect to be at least adequately fed by the feed-me menu, even if it’s just padded out with carbs. And whilst the richness of the meal was enough to tide me over for the time being, I ended up needing more food a couple hours later. I’m still definitely keen to come back to try their a la carte menu (which is currently only available between 4-6pm); at least that way I can order as much food as I need.

Cancelled my booking the day before

Cosy little bar with friendly staff. Hidden away in an alley way. Had a couple drinks, would definitely recommend this bar for wine lovers!

Absolutely loved this place! It's hidden in an alley but so busy, we had to wait about 15 mins to be let in. The bartender also cooks meals in the main bar area, and recommended a delicious wine for us! We also ordered a Brie cheese which came with peach slices and bread. It was such a good cheese! We then had to order dessert, which was like a chocolate mousse type thing with toasted pepitas. I usually do not like chocolate mousse but I absolutely loved this dessert. Will return!

I love a good wine bar and Sydney just doesn’t have nearly enough! Although one of its first is still one of its best.<br/><br/>Named after infamous Darlinghurst resident Tilly Devine, this wine bar tucked away in a laneway doesn’t really have a lot in common with the 1920s sly grog queen. It’s warm and inviting, with low ceilings, red bricks, hanging plants and date night tables for two.<br/><br/>There’s a 300-strong wine list, which is just plain dangerous. Lucky the staff are wine educated and happy to educate others on all things wine.

What a fabulous place to have an intimate gathering. This little bar is tucked away in an alleyway off Crown Street, and has a great vibe and quality cocktail food to accompany drinks.

Cute bar down a small laneway that is a little hard to find. The place is very dark inside and perhaps more suited to winter evenings than bright summer nights. Extensive wine list with a huge choice and good range in prices to suit every budget. <br/><br/>The food menu is very small but if just wanting some cheese and wine this is the spot. We shared the pasta Rotolo of the day which was a bit disappointing. The prosciutto and melon was fantastic. <br/><br/>Would recommend for drinks and a cheese course after dinner somewhere else.

Awesome bar with a very intimate atmosphere. The wine list is incredible and the staff were more than attentive and really knew their stuff!!

Cute little bar that's hidden on crown lane. Friendly staff and good wines but pricey and limited food menu. We had their olives, breads with cured meats and cauliflower gratin which was tasty but it would have been nice to try some of their pates which was on the menu.<br/><br/>Still, I'm glad I got to try this bar which I have heard of many times! It got very busy on a Friday night so get in early to score a table!

A lovely wine bar to have a low key drink in! Good luck finding the place as it is a bit of a trek but it's worth it if you're a wine lover. <br/>The service is really good, I had a lovely conversation about organic wine with the bar tender which was fantastic. I ordered a vodka soda which was good, my friend ordered a rose which was amazing because it wasn't quite like a fruity rose and had a touch of sourness to it which was brilliant.<br/>The ambience was great even on a sunday night!<br/>I highly recommend if you love a good wine and to relax with some good music.

The name says it all, we "Love, Tilly Devine". Definitely the place to be if you're looking for a truly unique wine experience. They have an extensive list of boutique, natural wines, great seasonal varieties and service is always friendly and attentive.

Gorgeous, tucked-away little place. It's super cosy and plays rad old-school tunes. I'd like to see a more extensive by-the-glass menu, but overall it's great.

We found this spot after a recommendation from a friend.  It's tucked down a side alley in Darlinghurst, almost blink and  you miss it.  Once you are in, it is a gorgeous, moodily lit den that is perfect for dinner with friends or even a relaxing drink.  There is no pretense and yet it oozes with coolness.  The wine was great and the food was even better.  The staff were friendly. and we had a terrific time.  Definitely heading back again soon.

TLDR - Fantastic wine menu, delicious little dishes to accompany the wine. Prices feel reasonable for the place. Highly recommended.<br/><br/>So first and foremost. The wines available are humorously explained (at least to me), and should allow anyone not quite familiar to pick out something they want to drink. The list is extensive and most styles are catered for, even some lovely alternate varietals and styles.<br/><br/>Food is well priced and of very high quality whilst still being simple and small. If you missed dinner you could find some thing to fill you up. Why not match some wines with your food and settle die for a lovely evening.

I'm such a wine lover and I had one of the most delicious Tempranillo Rose's here. It's small so I prefer to go earlier when it's easier to get a table and you can hog the waiters to brain pick their recommendations. Service has been sound on all occasions.

LTD was the first time I visited a wine bar, the first time I splashed out $75 on a bottle of wine, the first time I was given a wine glass bigger than my face and had to hold it by two hands.  These days I know my wines Australia or International much better and easily order wines over $100. But I still remember that night with 5 friends we stumbled across and were intrigued by it's name LTD.  Lovely ambience and friendly staff, I wonder if they still serve with that massive wine glass?

Large range of very good wines. Great atmosphere. Nice hidden spot. Rather small, but charming. Had the cheese platter and it was very good. Would recommend.

With the help of google maps, I navigated my way into a small lane where this little gem is hidden. It's a cute lil place that's perfect for catching up with small groups of friends. I went here for a girl pal's birthday pre-drinks. We didn't order food, only drinks. The wine list is impressive with a good variety (though bit on the pricey side). Staff were friendly and service was good. Would consider visiting again. :)

Fabulous wine bar in a great location . Industrial vibe , great atmosphere and good music. Extensive wine list, something for every palate .  The staff know their wine and are happy to give advice / have a chat .

YOU WILL FIND NOTHING DIVINE HERE! HAVE TO READ!!!!!. I am not one to ever write a review for any reason, but in this instance I am compelled to advise people to expect appalling service, an overwhelming feeling that anything you ask for is too hard from staff and the absolutely disgusting attitude from the "chef".<br/><br/>Friday 29/05/15 a work function was organised at Love Tilly Divine. 22 of us paid $45 per person and were advised that canapés would be served at 6:30pm. The remaining guests were arriving from 8pm onwards for drinks. Thus ensuring all paying guests would get fed. I arrived at 6:35pm to a cosy little bar filled with, to what looked like happy customers, enjoying the great atmosphere and wine. <br/><br/>After walking in saying my hello's I decided to buy a drink. Only if I knew!!!!! I approached the bar and was immediately confronted by a waitress who was aggravated that I had the audacity to ask to buy a drink from the "bar". Heaven forbid I buy a drink from a wine bar!!! The waitress said "we are not set up as a cash bar and this is walkway so can you please go back upstairs". I was shocked and confused. I told her that I wanted to buy a drink. The waitress continued to say (with utter distain), "that's not what has been organized by your function. You can put your money on the function bar tab and order a glass of wine. So I need you to clear the space because we need to get by". <br/> <br/>I explained I only wanted one drink as I was driving and she still forced me away from the bar! Disgraceful!!!!!<br/><br/>After I was finally able to order and pay for my (one) drink I realized it was 7:30pm and the food was (not only) an hour late, it was actually only just being made by staff. I knew this because you can see into the bar where the food is made. So obviously no food prep had happened prior to our function start time. By 8pm we were all starving and our first serving was brought out. 8:30pm our second, 9pm our third 9:30pm our 4th and 10:30pm (4 hours later). Because of the lateness of the service there were now 35 people in the room. Can you determine who paid and who hadn't? NO! Was there enough food to go around? NO! Was there enough food even if there were only 22 people in attendance???? NO!!!<br/><br/>Although we were all staving and attacked the little food that was coming out on trays when it did, all seemed to be in good spirits and relaxed. <br/><br/>10:30pm hits and our Wagu burgers are served. I take a bite and all I can taste is raw mince. I ask a colleague and she agrees that she also has the taste of raw meat. I approach the bar and chef to let him know that the burgers seemed raw and I was immediately "TOLD" by the chef in the most defensive manner "they are NOT RAW. THIS IS WAGU, GOOD QUALITY MEAT AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE SERVED PINK". The waitress behind the bar was trying to calm him down. I felt so uncomfortable and as though I was an idiot, that I picked up my things and walked out". I know what pink is and I know what raw is. I wonder if you had lights to see the food you were cooking you could have seen that it was RAW you idiot! <br/><br/>I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS VENUE AGAIN. EVER! and I will ensure everyone I know and their friends never go! If you cant cater for a large group DONT TAKE OUR MONEY. If you feel as though you have the right to treat your customers with a superiority complex, you will soon find yourselves out of business. <br/><br/>WASTE OF MONEY AND MASSIVE BUNCH OF SELF ABSORBED WANKERS!

Love Tilly Devine located in Darlinghurst (NSW) is a neat spot for that second date, or a catch up with a small group of friends...

an absolutely devine wine bar (see what I did there? ;) ). Situated in a laneway (very Melbourne) the vibe is calm and relaxed and the wine list amazing. They have a bit of a focus on natural and minimal-intervention wines and I was like a kid in a candy-store trying to decide what I wanted to drink. Just lovely and pleasantly peaceful for pre-dinner drinks on a weekday. They also have a fab looking food.

The duck liver pate with pickled onions ($14) here is definitely the lowest of contenders so far. The pate lacked any sweetness or saltiness, did the chef forget the spices? There was faaaaaaar to little of the pickled onions and the baguette was borderline stale.

The service was very swift, with the bartender giving us menus and bringing us the daily-changing food menu, which made us all the more excited to try everything. Being in a wine bar, I ordered the trio of cheeses. I was disappointed upon asking the bartender which of his wines would go best with the cheese, to which he responded ‘red… or maybe Chardonnay’.

You’ll remember the first time you visit Love, Tilly Devine. It starts when you head down a dodgy alley and around the corner to a stripped brick frontage that looks like a page straight out of Sydney history. You’ll find yourself saying ‘wow’ or ‘cool’. This wine bar is both. Navigating the wine menu is almost as difficult as finding the place, so don’t be shy to ask for help. While you’re deciding on a wine, take a look at the food menu which, unlike a lot of other small bars, seems to find the right balancing act in both portion sizes and taste: oysters, cheese plates, mixed salamis. Not a meal, but more an experience. You don’t have to limit your indulgence to night time either – the place opens at 4pm on Sundays and is a great way to warm up in winter or hang out on an easy Sunday afternoon.<br/>

Love, Tilly Devine is perfect for a catch up with friends in twos or a small group. The food and the wine are swoon-worthy; and the service is top notch. If you want somewhere to scope out your next date, don’t bother – this is not the place to pick up.

Love Tilly Devine is a friendly place well worth the effort of finding. The wine leads the way but is well supported by the high quality seasonal food. I'm sure I'll be back.

The crab bruschetta was addictive, the crab meat was beautifully soft in contrast to the crunch of fresh fennel and fragrance of torn parsley.

The little wine bar is nicely furnished with rustic features, intimate corners that you can nestle in with a glass of good quality wine.

Oh isn't' it lovely when you are pleasantly surprised. This little gem has been tucked away in a back ally of Darlinghurst for quite some months now. I have tried many times to go but finally I got there and after all the build up it was such a pleasure. The food highlight for me was the artichoke crostini and that gorgeous fresh ricotta cheese. Ah simple, perfection, I love.

The vino is the most adventurous you’ll find outside of a three hat restaurant, minus the price-tag. We tried some newbie’s including the 2003 Rippon Osteiner from Central Otago

Orange wine and pre dinner eats.. I was thrilled to find this little bar open at 5pm on a weekday for a cheeky pre-dinner drink. I thoroughly enjoyed a glass of orange wine (made by some "chilled out dude called Patrick" from the Yarra Valley) and enjoyed a lovely little duck paté. The staff were so welcoming and offered me some complementary roasted winter vegetables so I couldn't resist staying for another drop. Great organic wines on the menu and a talented chef making great bar treats.

Great wine, outstanding service. A good place to take friends you want to impress. Didn't eat here, just came for the wine.

Seriously, if I'm going to pay so much at least pour me a decent quantity of wine! Love the atmosphere and setting but need a bit more money in my purse for this place!

Very bad service. I love small bars that serve great wine and food but that does not redeem this venue. Unfortunately my last visit here left such a bad impression that I felt compelled to write a review. Firstly the wait staff were so preoccupied with themselves to do their jobs properly. Our first choice of wine was not available so I asked for something similar. We were just arrogantly directed to the section of the reds under pinot. This lack of service is not commensurate with the price of the wine charged the rough surrounds. No love here.

Another Ludicrously Over-Priced Sydney Bar. If money has no value to you then this is the place for you. <br/>We came for a quick Friday night drink for the first time last night. After trying to locate a reasonably priced bottle of wine, (many were over $100), the server gave an almost disapproving vibe when our choice was made around the $50 mark. We ordered a salami plate for $16 and were advised to order bread as none came with the meat. One slice of bread arrived cut in half with a tiny ramekin of olives on the side. My friend ordered a beer to start which was an awkward process in itself as the server seemed pretty arrogant about their selection of beers and could not really be bothered saying which ones they had. The server brought three wine glasses for two people then proceeded to pour himself a taste of our wine (was this to check for corking? who knows!)<br/>Our bill was $91 for what seemed like very very little. Who knows where these prices come from, certainly not their overheads having a location in an rubbish - littered alleyway. I guess that's Sydney for you.

Went here last night for a private function. Food was amazing. Love the feel of the place too.

Shame about the douch bag guy who has a massive superiority complex, this could be an awesome wine bar. Would love to return but unfortunately when I ask on entering if there's a table and the response is "I don't know, is there? " these guys love themselves too much to cater to anyone but tossers.

Amazing. Fantastic wine list! Finger food is very good too.<br/>Super expensive though!

Great wine bar. Always crowded and you may have to queue to get in but once there a great lively atmosphere.<br/>Superb wines from a really extensive list. An expensive hobby to come very often but doable as a naughty occasional treat.<br/>Of the bar snacks, the duck pate deserves a special mention. Yum.

Very cool wine bar tucked away so you can hardly find it. Very luck to be attached to a bottle shop so wine list is great. Nice feel too.

Wine List. Wine list is not for the faint hearted, this list can be intimidating even for the seasoned wine-o. The space does seem a little cramped pushing the whole intimate seating thing a bit far. The staff were friendly and on the ball, my glass stayed full and the cheeseboard was worth a try.

Bring it on..... Love till Devine proves you dont need to offload a wad of cash to provide a great product. <br/>Yes, the place has an interior filled with a mish mash of styles & yes, it is hard to find (only adding to it's appeal in my eyes) but the owners obviously had a vision, and it works.<br/>The ambience is intimate, the music (played on vinyl by the chef) is great, the staff are knowledgeable, the food is simple, clean & complements the fantastic wines.

Devine?. This place needs to be completely reworked.<br/>Caught up with a friend for a drink on thursday night.<br/> As the friendly yet, slightly irritating door girl/host guides u to your table, u are looked at with irritation by the surrounding tables as for a second, they thought they were going to have some space. (HA, FAT CHANCE.)<br/><br/>The staff are irritating and overbearing (we don't need to be asked how our drink is going) we need a cool place to catch up with a friend.(DO NOT BRING A FIRST DATE HERE.)<br/>Any atmosphere is crushed by the fact u are sitting 2 inches from the other patrons, and some are dining too, so its even weirder as food is flopped on the table an inch from your arm pit.)<br/>The contemporary feature wall at the back, is out of place with the rustic vibe of the venue, not to mention the staff's sense of urgency(which rubs off onto the clientle) it is very unwelcoming.<br/>The staff's casual clothing also seem out of place, considering they go to the effort of announcing the wines life story as it is being poured, and briefed on the food as it is delivered (Just Saying.)<br/>To be honest, it feels they are cashing in on the name and tale of Tilly Devine, yet have done no research on the period or person. I was not stepping into an old world venue with an emphasis on experience of atmosphere.<br/>After the group of 6 to our side left, I left my awkard face-to-face seat to sit next to my friend on the bench and was abruptly told to move 30 sec later, as the next table was being set up. Half my bum cheek will be on their seat!<br/> Atmosphere and comfort is sacrificed so the owners can make themselves more money. (Squeezing more people in for awkward, elbow nudging eye contact with strangers.) <br/>I didn't finish my $14 glass of Rose, we got the cheq and left.<br/> What a shame!<br/>For such a small venue, the menu should be ditched and keep it a drinking hole.

'un' before love. Really not worth going. Even though the space is cramped which adds to its charm, the staff don't seem to know howt o deal with this and instead are rude and unaccommodating. The wines by the glass are dreadfully overpriced. The Wine Library gets my vote. <br/><br/>Full review with pictures here:<br/><br/>http://themodeleats.tumblr.com/post/4250406188/un-love-tilley-devine

Nice addition to the Sydney wine bar scene; all food designed to be eaten with the wine - so not a large selection but perfectly adequate considering the wine! It's always good going to a place where the staff are knowledgeable about their products and can pronounce it correctly!

Would never go back, beware. I had drinks and food on Thursday night, what a truly disappointed and underwhelmed. <br/><br/>1st of all, out of the 6 bottles of wine we ordered 2 were corked. Which happens and I am fine with. My issue was the rudeness of the staff, the wine was clearly corked and to get the bottles changed was like trying to achieve world peace. <br/><br/>2nd, we arrived in the afternoon and left at 830. My group of 3 were asked quite rudely to move 3 times. I understand the place is small but if you are seated it is not appropriate to be moved, especially in the tone and manner which was directed to us. Set your bar up properly to begin with and there will be no issues<br/><br/>3rd, the food, which from all descriptions was suppose to be a highlight. Clearly not. This place publicises that there chef is ex Seans Panaroma, all I can say it must have been a long time since he worked there. The food was small, overpriced, boring and very unoriginal.<br/><br/>In conclusion, the service was the worst part of the experience, albeit closely followed up by the food.

Shuts at midnight.

Great place, friendly staff!. I don't normally get on the internet to praise bars and the like, however, this place is a revelation. <br/><br/>It's great to see a real wine bar, with a wine list longer then the food menu. The staff are really friendly and have an amazing knowledge of their product, we turned up during what seemed to be a really busy period (from what I hear they have plenty of busy periods), but they were really nice about it and took our name and let us know about a pub around the corner where we could get a drink. <br/><br/>We got a call about 10 minutes later letting us know there was a table waiting for us, we had to finish our drinks at the pub, but the lovely lady on the door told us not to worry, that we should relax and finish our drinks and the table would be waiting.<br/><br/>Once we got in, we were given a cozy table in the corner, it was great, so much warmth. <br/><br/>The food was excellent, a perfect accompaniment to the great cab franc recommended by one of the owners (the one with the nerdy glasses?). <br/><br/>I really loved the pate, so tasty I'm salivating just typing this. <br/><br/>I will totally be back. I have been letting all my friends know about this place, however judging from the reviews I've seen I'm not the only one. <br/><br/>And on a side note, the music was awesome!

SHOCKING. Three of us went there at 9pm - last night (Sat 19 Nov) was told it would be a 15mins wait - just leave a number - we agreed and were surprised it would only be 15mins. So much so I reconfirmed with the maître de before we left. Found ourselves another bar in the meantime.... 1 hour later.. still no call. Went back to the maître de asking if we could have a table now given an hour had passed - she just said - NO - no apology, no explanation... NOTHING... just NO. There were empty tables- which we pointed out to maître de but still all we got was NO. WE WERE IN SHOCK! after respecting their process, coming back and to get that lack of service and RUDENESS... we are still in SHOCK! So we headed over to BERTA and as always had a WONDERFUL experience.. we bitched about them all night with BERTA staff and guests! I'll be putting the word out. Not a good start to a new space. SERVICE IS EVERYTHING!~!! AND THEY HAVE NON OF IT. Hope the owner gets the message and get's rid of the door bitch!