We thought this was a fantastic experience. The trip here on the ferry from Circular Quay was lovely. The Bay itself is very nice on a good day. The restaurant is located beautifully right on the water. I’d always worried that the restaurant might be overrated. I shouldn’t have worried. We had the hot and cold seafood platter for two which was superb. We had an excellent time with our friends. It’s not a cheap experience but it is a very very good one. Full marks from us.
After hearing some bad feedback from friends I was pleasantly surprised with how good our day was at Doyle’s on the beech. The food was amazing and fresh the service was just right. There is nothing negative to say really. Prices were high but for the food quality and the view it seemed pretty on point to me. Will be back for special occasions.
Really nice restaurant! Came here with my bestie and both of us had a really good time. We sat outside and enjoyed the nice view. The food and wine were amazing, and we were impressed by the friendly service. Gonna come again!
Renee @thehappyorganicgirlau
+4
Fantastic location on the beach at Watson’s Bay! Perfectly cooked seafood, that’s fresh and delicious although quite expensive for the serving size. The steak was incredible, so tender. Wine list is extensive and had some great drops too!
I was happy to find out that we were seated next to the window with the lovely view of the beachside. I felt that the restaurant was elegant and I loved how there was a bucket filled with ice next to our table to put our drinks in. The service was quite fast and the food was good. It was a bit expensive, and I found that the fish and chips was good but nothing amazing. Oysters were nice and fresh but the garlic prawns were my favourite.
The shrimp pasta was really good and flavored! The fish n ships were average good and I think although the dishes are pp, it can be shared since it's well served.
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Despite maintaining a simple exterior that probably plays to its appeal as a local seafood shack, Doyle’s is more of a restaurant reserved for family-friendly special occasions, such as a long awaited reunion/gathering, a treat on a family vacation, or a dad congratulating his daughter on her first job after graduation.
Their signature dish, the cold seafood platter, with a whole lobster, bugs, mussels, fresh prawns, house smoked salmon & fresh oysters, is one of the freshest I ever had. The lobster was fleshy and the oysters were briny. Nothing compliments the fresh seafood better than a touch of lemon and the cool summer breeze with a hint of salt in the air.
We also had the Doyle’s Fisherman Paella with saffron rice to balance out the cold seafood platter. It’s a lot more soupy than the traditional Spanish paella, and the strong tomato-based sauce takes a little away from the taste of the seafood, but it was very satisfying with the rice.
Although it’s definitely pricey, Doyle’s have pretty generous servings. Both the seafood platter ($194) and the paella ($90) were for 2 but by the end of the meal all four of us could not move a single finger. We paired the meal with white wine and it was in general a great experience.
I loved the food. Everything was so good and fresh. Service was also excellent. The staff were all friendly and accommodating. This particular branch offered a very wonderful view so that’s a thumbs up for ambience. The only downside is that the food can be a bit pricey. There are a lot of cheaper alternatives that would satisfy your tummy just as much!
Lovely place to sit and watch the boats, view across to Sydney. Fish was sensational, our table had snapper, John Dory and barramundi, all beautifully cooked, but the chips were a big disappointment, very dry, the wrong potatoes, I couldn’t even eat them which is unusual for me. Dessert - fantastic, especially the chocolate brûlée, best ever.
We went to Doyle’s for lunch as a treat. The staff were lovely and the view is gorgeous. I couldn’t dream of a better and nicely appointed beach side venue. However the prices are extreme for what amounts to fish and chips. We were disappointed to see the same quality coming out of the Doyle’s fisherman’s she’s for 30 dollars less per serve. Great experience but probably overrated.
Dine by the beach, pretty amazing view. Had salt and pepper calamari and frozen Margarita, which was pretty good. Would be amazing during sunset.
Super friendly wait staff who went above and beyond for us. Even on a rainy day it was a nice meal. Food portion was a tad small, we ordered the biggest platter and only got two prawns. Still enjoyable and would go back.
This seafood restaurant is right next to the beach and a min walk away from the wharf. Great atmosphere and friendly staffs, yet the price tags are nice too... Tried the seafood platter entree, it's a great combination of seafood and their homemade salmon creamy sauce is amazing!!!
Im not a seafood eater, but the food here is exceptional. The staff are all very knowledgeable and efficient. The calamari i had was so tender and tasty, it was absolutely beautiful. Of course the view definetly adds to the atmosphere. If you enjoy seafood, then you must head to doyles.
The hot and cold platter is AMAZING! View and service are good too. Watson's bay's way better than fish market in seafood. Really nice place for weekend, will come again
Been comibg here for over 15 years , still perfect , nice atmosphere , breathtaking views , amazing seafood highly recommend thanks for a great time
I dinned here with my husband for mother's day. I was given a complimentary Champaign which was lovely. The location was beautiful. We ordered the Seafood paella $75 for 2. The food was yum. The only criticism I have is the waitress wasn't keen on her job.
I actually really liked the food and location. Tried their fish and chips, seafood pie, oyesters, salt and pepper squid and seafood platter. I do think the dishes are over priced. ($45 for fish and chips) Also this place can get very crowded and service can be real slow.
I hadn't been to Doyle's in a long time. I'm happy to report that it was better than I remember it being and perfect for a long birthday lunch for my mother's 70th. Communication with management prior to the day was excellent and they were very helpful. No glitches at all. We weren't rushed at all and we were there relaxing for four hours in total. Service was good. Really enjoyed my food. Great afternoon. Oh and delicious coffee, too!
Hospitality at this joint was 1st class. The food amazing and the staff exceptional. I had the tuna kingfish with wasabi smash and it was exquisite. Quite tasty. Good wine list, won't get hurt.
Every summer we come to Doyles, every summer we order the hot and cold seafood platter ($172), and every summer we fail to finish the platter shared between the two of us. It has almost become our annual tradition to tackle the sizable platter and so far in the battle of man vs food, food 3 and man 0.
I love this place --> im a very big fan of the Doyle's on the outside (casual dining)
Pros
- Amazing quality food
- fresh seafood
- decent size portions
- beautiful view and sunsets
Cons
- pricey for casual food
The location is very nice,great view, I ate the seafood plate,it was a bit expensive and the plate wasn't so big, i will be there again, I hope to find a seafood plate a bit bigger than last time
This restaurant is Amazing !!
Great location especially on a sunny afternoon the restaurant is located in prime position on Watson bay
the service was impeccable,
the food was so divine and also original every thing we ordered and we order a few things was perfectly cooked and so tasty the pricing is accordingly but worth it all:) it's approximately 100$pp with wine
highly recommended
Had the clam chowder and fish & chips. The chowder wasn't served with bread so you'll need to order a side if you want it. Service is impeccable as I'm with a child and they'll try their best to provide the best to entertain the child. Even the children meal is value in money. Served with any drink of choice and mains plus dessert. What can I complain more with a beautiful view
Cannot fault Doyle's on the Beach, unless I say that there was way too much food to eat! The Bass Strait Tasmanian Scallops were the highlight for sure, and definitely one of the best entrees I've ever had! Awesome view of the beach, amazingly friendly staff, and hand caught local fish. The restaurant was established in 1885, and has continued on a great legacy, with hopefully many more years to come. Flavours were sensational and next time I'm in Sydney I will definitely be back!
On a recent trip to Sydney we decided to have lunch at Doyles on the beach to see whether the reputation was deserved - we weren't disappointed. Four great meals, served promptly, terrific service and a world class location. Priced as you'd expect, but well worth it for a special lunch.
Ordered fish for dinner for 2, the fish were fresh, well cooked / seasoned and pretty tasty. My whole baked snapper and the salad on top, was a pretty good combo, i was able to finish a big fish although I'm normally not a big fish eater. In comparison to the baked fish with steamed fish, this was a little dry.
Nice place, facing the bay...it was nice seeing the lovely sunset while dinning at this place.
Waiters were friendly.
One downside is that the food was so expensive, price was like those fancy restaurants in city. For such experience food, but the cutlery 🍴 was old and cheap.
Serving seafood on the beach of Watson Bay for 5 generations since 1885, Doyles has become an icon to locals and visitors. Maybe it has become a bit touristy, and maybe the prices are a bit touristy, but I would hardly call 3 branches a “franchise”. Must be doing something right to last ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE YEARS!
Perfect location , awesome view of the downtown Sydney and waterfront - what else you need for a fantastic outing by boat and dinner afterwards . Good wine selection and surprisingly for vegetarian like me, there were options - not an easy task considering that this place is famous for fresh sea foods . My colleagues liked the sea food but my review is limited to veg options. For starter - I ordered rocket leaves salad with Parmesan cheese and for main course it was delicious pasta . Go for this place if you are tired of CBD , Sydney and need to get away from the concrete jungle . One thing to note - the public ferry do not go to this place and last private boat is at 7.30 pm . So if you finish your dinner after that , you will need a land/water taxi . Restaurent staff can help you in arranging the transport .
We were lucky to be seated on the beach with that amazing view - very hard to beat that. Four of us shared the cold seafood platter and Paella for 2. The dishes complemented one another very well. The seafood was simply prepared, allowing the fresh flavours to shine. Loved it all, but especially the Balmain bugs - a novelty for me! We were celebrating a birthday and the experience matched our expectations.
Definitely worth for a day trip to Watson bay. It's a bit pricey but the food was good. Saefood a must! Try their home brewed beer. Beautiful view of the harbour.
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I don't think you can have any better seafood lunch at anywhere else in Sydney than here. The restaurant has perfectly relaxing outdoor seating overlooking the Watson's bay vista, eating great food under the perfect Sydney weather. What else can you possibly ask for?
Came in for boozy lunch with my dining buddy ordered dozen of pacific and Sydney rock oysters, dover tasmania mussels, garlic prawns and seared tuna steak. First of all, every single Oyster was perfectly fresh and delicious. Mussels were cooked in beautiful creamy white wine sauce with a hint of smoky aroma it was just incredibly scrumptious. We ordered sourdough bread to accompany this dish and it was warm and fresh, perfectly soft inside and crunch outside. Garlic prawn was peppery with full of flavor with a good chili note, definitely one of the best garlic prawns I have had. By this point I was extremely satisfied with the food and the service. Last dish was seared tuna with wasabi mash potato. This dish was okay; I would have liked it better if it was a little less seared. All in all amazing lunch, really well priced food and drinks. This place is no doubt one of the perfect spot to dine on a beautiful Sydney summer day.
Absolutely stunning. If you ever visit Sydney this place is a must. With amazing views of the water and surrounding points, Doyle's offered us nothing short of perfection. The seafood selection was divine and the seafood pie looked amazing. I will be back for certain.
First time at Doyle's and if we lived in Sydney it would be hard to keep us away. What a spectacular restaurant right on the water. We had the seafood selection and the seafood pie and both were divine. The cocktails were very fitting to the meals and the location, and how can you fault the view!! The service was super friendly and we didn't wait long for the food. For a seafood restaurant the prices seemed about right and definitely recommend catching the ferry over as a great way to start and end the meal.
I really think the picture says it all. $152 for a seafood platter including lobster, prawns two ways, crab, beautiful barramundi, salt and pepper calamari, mussels, oysters, and chips. Beautiful setting looking out over the water, and great seating areas. The staff are very professional and were really friendly. It's a must-do in Sydney. Make a day of it and catch the ferry, the go walking up to the cliffs; the lookouts are amazing.
On a cold wintery day, we headed to Watson’s Bay, nostalgic for summer weather and a scrumptious selection of seafood at Doyle’s on the Beach! We opted for two mains rather than starters, and got the Doyle’s Selection, which included portions of blue swimmer crab, in house smoked salmon, salt & pepper calamari, natural oyster and golden fried fish fillet with a stuffed jumbo prawn and chips. This was a great pick, as we got to try a bit of every piece of seafood on offer, and it led us to discover what we enjoyed and what wasn’t so good. My highlight was the blue swimmer crab, which was fresh and lightly cooked, and so delicious, but I felt quite inelegant using the implements and eventually my hands to get to the tender meat!
What more can be said about a place that's synonymous with seafood. Add to that the best view of Sydney skyline and you have the best place to eat seafood in Sydney. One might have had better seafood elsewhere, I surely have, but its the whole experience that beats other places. We ordered Seafood Platter and few drinks. Lobster was sweet & juicy. Oysters were fresh. Smoked salmon was to die for. All in all the best seafood experience, I would recommend it to others.
Great location on Bay with wonderful Sydney views. Limited menu. Fish certainly well cooked albeit plain. Expensive fifties family fare. Wine list basic. We had a pleasant lunch.
Best spot for Aussie Seafood. This is one place we try to get to every time we travel to Sydney. The original site where Australia's first seafood restaurant opened in 1885. Overlooking the magnificent panorama of Sydney Harbour on the foreshore of Watsons Bay. There is both indoor and outdoor dining and plenty of great Aussie seafood. Visitors to Australia for the first time should take in one of the country's best lunchtime dining spots.
My fav is the fresh Lobster Salad
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We ordered the hot and cold platter for $152. It was a good platter overall, but not as perfect as one would hope. The fried fish was moist and flaky, whole lobster mornay was decent for 2 to share, the calamari was tender and not the frozen kind that you tend to find on seafood platters. What i didnt enjoy were the stuffed prawns, as i felt it had a weird mushy texture. For the cold seafood, the fresh oysters were good and I thoroughly enjoyed the smoked trout fillets. The mussels and bugs were disappointingly tiny and there were only 2 fresh prawns. The serving size of the cold seafood was a let down. The sauce that came with the platter had a curry flavour to it, nice, but confusing when eaten with the seafood. So we asked for some tartare instead, but didnt understand why they didn't provide us with both on the platter.
Wine list is decent and at relatively reasonable prices. It is best to come for lunch, or for an early dinner as the sun is setting, to really enjoy the view. Atmosphere for dinner is quiet, with the calm beach as a backdrop. Service needs to be improved though. I dislike going to a restaurant, and having to continuously look around to try to make eye contact with staff to place orders and ask questions. It just shows a lack of system and attention. They were friendly, but not observant enough. We paid a little over $200 for 2 and although it was still a pleasant dining experience, there was really no wow factor that would encourage us to make the trek out there again.
Upon arrival at Watsons Bay, they were greeted by a beautiful and idyllic beach scene. There are two main restaurants at Watsons Bay: Doyle’s on the Beach and the Beach Club. Doyle’s also has a takeaway branch which looks like a restaurant, but is really a place to sit down after making takeaway purchases.
We had heard that Doyles On The Beach were running a winter special - $26.50 gets you the Fisherman's Chowder, Fish & Chips, and a glass of wine, or a lager or soft drink. We thought that was a good deal so we trundled along to Watsons Bay on what was possibly the coldest night in Sydney this year! The wind was howling and brought the temperature down a few notches, but all that was remedied once we arrived at Doyles as they had the heaters going and were lovely and warm. We both had the Fishermans' Chowder, which was lovely on a cold winter's night. I'm not entirely sure what it contained, as I would imagine this is a closely guarded secret, but there were clearly little bits of fish, and probably a mussel and a prawn or two in there. It was very nice. Next came the fish and chips. We'd see this come out to another table so we knew what to expect, but still, I have to wonder how they make a profit when the portion is so wonderfully large. The batter was light, the sauce yummy, and the
Amazing... AMAZING. Nothing negative to say!! It was absolutely amazing, right on the beach, our table was at the front and the views are incredible - all our food was tasty and fresh, entree was Devine, that was salmon, and the mixed Seaford plate LOVELY!! Then we shared the paella for 2, it was a lot of food, and sooooo good, I cannot rate it highly enough!! Wine is reasonably priced but you cannot take you own wine.... Staff were fabulous!!! It was 100% fabulous!!!
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What a refreshing change. If I'd've gone by some of the reviews on here I wouldn't have tapped on at Circular Quay. You know it's pricey because you've checked the website. Or haven't you? Oops. Anyway, the 8 course degustation with wine at Altitude is expensive. Doyles does exactly what it says on the tin; seafood, view, relax. We booked for a Wednesday lunch and were met promptly by the maitre d' who showed us to the front row centre seats, an oyster shells toss from the lapping of the bay. Our busy but very helpful waiting staff met our beverage needs, Croser for the good lady and the Fishermans lager, just to knock the top off a bit of a thirst. Sydney Rock oysters and the Scallops did not disappoint as a great appetiser. The house Chardonnay again, not bad. My John Dory was massive but not as tricky as my wife's expert pathology work on her whole Snapper, which was very impressive. Too much Silent Witness methinks. A great spot, great menu, awesome service. A big thanks for making our afternoon special. We were even offered a shadier table to finish off the wine whilst casting aspersions on the parenting skills of some beach goers. Hurrah!! Cheers. We'll be back.
Great location, great service, loved the stuffed prawns, great value drinks, fantastic lunch. Thanks.
Impressive Platter. Spent an enjoyable afternoon at Doyle's chomping through a massive seafood platter full of goodies including a whole lobster mornay. The seafood was cooked just right and was super fresh and succulent above a mound of good old fashioned cut chips. Great service overlooking the magnificent Watsons Bay. What more to ask?
Gorgeous location and fabulous seafood. Doyle's selection plate is a great choice as it gives you cooked and fresh seafood at a reasonable price, the 'own jumbo prawns' are amazing!
Been here on 2 very busy ocassions, Valentines Day and Mother's Day and both times were very well looked after, excellent views and totally amazing views
Good location, not too bad service. Was a little sceptical after reading all the bad reviews. I guess the trick is to go with lower expectations, and be surprised (pleasantly), than the other way round.
Must have when one's in Watson's Bay! The shop is very visible as it is located exactly at the ferry terminal. The seafood chowder has a lot of stuff inside which is already cooked beyond recognition but we reckon they are mostly fish. Not too tasty though. We like the calamari rings mainly because they are very easy to eat!
This was supposed to be a special birthday celebration so our expectations were high. We were greeted warmly and I was wished a sincere Happy Birthday. We were given a corner table with amazing views. Service was prompt, efficient and friendly. The wait staff obviously know their job. We ordered the hot and cold seafood platter which arrived within 10 minutes! It looked and smelt incredible. The hot plate consisted of deep fried calamari, flathead fillets, jumbo prawns, two kinds of scallops and a huge plate of hand cut chips. This was served with a delicious curry mayonnaise. After demolishing all but the chips, we attacked the cold plate - 4 large prawns, a whole blue swimmer crab, 4 mussels, 4 oysters natural, and a huge slice of house-smoked salmon. Wow! We could not fault and of the food. It was fresh, tasty and tender. My only suggestion - reduce the chips and serve with a garden salad.
Best seafood restaurant in the entire of Sydney!
Great service, the food was amazing.
Great experiences with friends and family although it is a special occasion restaurant not just an every day lunch.
Sensational location, We were seated right on the water, staff were friendly, except they didn’t offer us water, we just drank a bottle of white wine instead… hahaha! We ordered the hot and cold seafood platter, the presentation was great, The hot plate consisted of deep fried calamari, flathead fillets, jumbo prawns, two kinds of scallops and a plate of chips, The platter was absolutely delicious, I would recommend that they reduce the chips and add a salad which would be a better combination.
Managed to get a table inside next to a heater. Went for the traditional fish and chips which was, as we expected, excellent. Can't beat beer battered chips. 😋
Shame the service let them down on two counts - had to ask to be supplied with utensils and the table next to us took at least 15 minutes to be cleared.
Spectacular city skyline views with fresh seafood plates and easy going drinks. Right by the beach, Doyle’s has maybe the best spot in all of Sydney.
MW Digital Storytelling
+5
We enjoyed a seafood lunch at Doyles on the Beach Restaurant and then a stroll along the serene beach front. The seafood was superb with an accompanying white wine. The staff were friendly and our lunch was a pleasure. We are eager to return.
After lunch we enjoyed a walk to South Head lighthouse lookout, Camp Cove beach and then enjoyed a cool drink at Watson’s Bay Hotel beer garden while we waited for the ferry back to Circular Quay in Sydney — overall a great little adventure highly recommended.
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