Papi Chulo

Cool venue (standard Merivale), great spot (Manly wharf) and a pretty location for food or drinks with a group (this place can get pretty noisy on a Friday night).
It’s just toooo bad the set menu was really stupid. I went here with a group of 10 people and the set menu was chosen for us by the leaders of our group (bridal party, not a cult). This will set you back $ 55 for about 8 plates and while it seems pretty good this is not ideal for sharing. I mean who shares a whole cauliflower? Why aren’t any of the dishes being brought out with serving utensils? (hint — serving up a thinly sliced salad with a fork takes a really long time). Also, HOW are you meant to share ONE sausage between 3 – 4 people? Why is there one weird round slice of pork belly on this sharing platter? How come a huge cookie with 1 scoop of ice cream came out at the end? Did that waitress just ask one of the boys on my table if she could have a piece of his gum?
The food was actually pretty tasty with some interesting flavours but honestly, I felt like a 5 year old kid designed that set menu. There also wasn’t a substitute for the BBQ platter for my vegetarian friend, she was just told by staff to eat more of the salad stuff… If I’m ever in Manly again (not likely) I may go back to try the A la Carte but won’t be rushing to do so.

It’s no doubt the location of Papi Chulo won me over from the beginning. As it’s located right by Manly Wharf, the atmosphere is quite relaxed but their modern décor gives it a touch of class and refinement. The food is typically American BBQ with an added sophistication to each of their dishes. It is great for small groups to share, not to mention the cocktails are a must. Owned by Merivale, you can expect it to be a little on the expensive side, but the high quality is maintained.

Location — fantastic
Food — Clean, thought-​provoking, tasteful
Service — Can’t fault it. Welcoming, forgiving, warm
Ambiance — Casual, laid back, social, good music, not pretentious
A nice ferry trip across the harbour for a laid back Sunday evening dinner
Booked a table for 4 adults here on Sunday night but after bumping into a friend, we arrived at the restaurant and asked if we could make it 5. I felt bad but the staff made me feel like it was not a problem. We ordered the $ 65 set menu which gave us everything we wanted to try on the small plates menu (pea guac, cauliflower –amazing, prawns — delicious! and crunchy chicken wings), plus a BBQ platter. In all honestly, we were full by the time we had the small plates and forgot about the BBQ platter. Although tasty (especially the pulled pork — not so much the porchetta), it would not have been missed. Even the American on our table enjoyed the pulled pork and brisket.
The icing on the cake was the strawberry cheeseQuake dessert though, a fresh and zingy strawberry granita, with the sweet texture of meringue, the caramelised almond crunch and of course, the cheesecake. So good!
We stayed past close but the staff were really nice about it, and it was so nice to see the staff having a night cap together to end the shift.
A great place to go if you want the atmosphere of Sydney harbour with a casual but chic atmosphere and good food. Great for out of towners!

Ideal location right on Manly Wharf. The service is great and the food is fresh and wholesome. We went for lunch, arrived just before the rush and got a table straight away. It can get a bit loud but adds to the experience. Will be back!

We were fortunate enough to have a dear friend that lives in Manly and we got to sup with her here at Papi Chulo. She gave me three restaurant choices and after looking at the menus I chose here. I chose well :)
We had the pea guacamole and chips for a starter and a bottle of Melbec. Thumbs up!
All of or entrees were very good. The service was very very good. In fact they were ever so accommodating for me as I was in a mobile scooter (having recently had surgery).
Knowing that we haven’t seen each other in 6 years and that we were celebrating this reunion they even gave us complimentary desserts. Wow, and those desserts were over the top fantastic.
The location, right on the wharf is very convenient to the ferry (which was our transportation that evening.
We highly recommend this venue!

Great meat place — didn’t order it but saw lots of people order the bbq meat platter with ribs, brisket, pulled pork and more… Serious food envy…
The short beef rib with bread and sauce was excellent, especially with a corn on the cob and salad to accompany. Sofi had the king prawns that were huge and came with an amazing sauce (kind of piri piri thousand island) that I stole for myself mwah mwah mwah…
Milkshake was really bad — icy and lacking flavour. Stuck to the diet coke and left it. Only thing that let down an otherwise great meal. Definitely will come again.

We dined at Papi Chulo a while ago now.
Food:
Food was good (the value was reasonable. you have to expect to pay a premium for the environment/​location). I recall the fish dish shared, we delicious.
Service:
Attentive and professional
Atmosphere:
Theme was different, location in Manly wonderful. Only downside for me, was the noise. Papi Chulo should decide if they are going to be a bar or restaurant … the music was so loud, it was difficult to have a conversation with friends sitting at the same table!

This place is a great location, and has really cool décor and a buzzing atmosphere.
It can be hard to get a table on the weekend, and the place is usually completely packed by 7pm.
I’ve been here twice, once when it had only just opened. The beef burger was amazing, and the chicken wings were juicy and delicious.
However, I went again recently and had the fish burger, which tasted like a giant fish finger inside a Coles bread roll. The chicken wings, which I had loved the first time, were tiny and dry, with barely any meat on them. It was like eating a chewy piece of rubber wedged between two toothpicks. Really disappointing. The whole dining experience left me wondering if their head chef had taken a holiday, and had perhaps pre-​made all the meals and frozen them, so all they had to do was re-​heat. Also, the pickled vegetables tasted like tinned peas.
The service was good, and the view is lovely, if you can see past all the overly-​eager diners.
Inconsistency is a word I would use for this place, as I’ve been when it was great, and I’ve been when it was very mediocre.

Just finished a fab birthday dinner here on Manly Wharf. Having always been a die hard Hugo’s fan it was quite a stretch out of our comfort zone to try a new place in the area!
But it’s safe to say we weren’t disappointed. The first hurdle came with my 10 year old cousin (v fussy) but that was no problem! A cheeseburger and curly fries were momentarily whipped out to her as we kept browsing the menu.
The menu seemed a little daunting on its face — with 11 of us we were unsure of what or how much to order. However, the waitress was incredibly helpful giving us a few recommendations and while ordering just letting us know of a few more things we may want. The food was delish! And whenever we thought we were running low on something (or were just being greedy) it wasn’t a problem– the service was so quick that it didn’t matter if you ordered a couple more plates mid meal.
I loved the atmosphere, it obviously helps that it is placed on one of the nicest venues in Manly but the interior was great, the staff were super helpful (although as my dad mentioned they weren’t quite filling the wine glasses up fast enough — but that’s neither here nor there) I would say however that it is reasonably pricey so I was happy to be heading there with my parents!
With the sharing style of food it’s great for groups but I would also think of it as a fun first date kind of idea with quite hands on interactive foods

The food is small in quantity, big on price. For example — $ 86 for a barbeque platter with enough food for two people, or one hungry guy! The only thing more wounding about this barbeque platter than the price was the fact that the meat was just «meh.»
Our waiter seemed bored rigid when we asked questions about drinks and food and didn’t seem to possess even the most basic information. To be fair, he might not have been able to hear us above the ambient noise of the restaurant. We ordered and started our meal, which was so small we thought we would order more. Our waiter was nowhere to be found, turns out he had gone home and no one thought to cover his tables.
Great location, disappointing everything else.

You know, I’m always give a fair review for food.
I wish I can give more than 3 stars but very hard for me to justify the result after.
I’m not saying the food is bad, however I think something missing from the BBQ platter that tried.
Well the pull pork is just nice, can’t pass the mark of being more than that.
It was slow cook, season just well, however the sauce is lacking something, sauce just not enough flavour to tickle your tastebud.
Mapple black pepper pork bellies, not just there yet.
Lacking of sweetness that you well aware from Canadian mapple syrup that I know, trust me… I know my Canadian mapple syrup!
Lamb ribs is done to the justice, fall of the bones and all the good sticky sauce that glazed that meat… Soooooooooo yummy.
Eventhough lamb is not my favourite proteins, I give this dish two thumbs up
The brisket is braised nicely, again just not enough flavour to lift up the dish.
Papa ice tea… Just like tea you brewed at home with out sugar… So blend, no flavour… I mean what the hell, not nice! And paying $ 9 for that… Not happy!
Just because dessert, calm down my crankiness, i’ll give this place 3 stars.
Both dessert will cost you $ 14 each, but those mango surprise was amazing, sago mango pearl and fresh mango with meringue and coconut sorbet.
If you have sweet tooth like me, the chocolate cookies also delight, served with vanilla malt ice cream and macademia brittle, will leave you speechless!

Awesome location at the Manly ferry terminal, with most tables looking out onto the harbour.
Ostensibly South American barbecue themed, but with interesting twists. For instance my wife had san choy bow, but with blackened pork end chunks in a fiery pepper sauce to wrap up in her lettuce leaves. I had some of their fantastic saucy beef brisket in a burger (with an egg and lots of other delicious bits).
Cool, white interior. It’s big but popular, and gets crowded fast. Trendy but fun, and absolutely delicious.

We visited on a Monday so it was quiet. Great location by the wharf. Friendly personable staff. Loved the calamari, burger & curly fries. Not a fan of the wings. not much meat on and didn’t like the hot sauce. no flavour just heat. Very small portions for the price but yes — you’re paying for location.

Some Manly friends of ours brought us to this new, trendy spot right on Manly wharf for a fun Thursday night meal. Being a bit of a BBQ connoisseur, I was excited to check it out especially since Sydney doesn’t have a lot of American barbecue (yet). Papa Chulo’s is on the right path.
The ambiance right on the waterfront is fantastic — windows that open up to give the indoor/​outdoor vibe as well as a relaxed yet trendy atmosphere inside. It’s mostly hightop tables with bar stools, so ideal for meeting with a group over drinks.
We ordered a number of things to share: BBQ platter, calamari salad, roast chicken, grilled moreton bay bugs, coleslaw, chips. Overall food was quite good. It was my first time having lamb ribs which were smaller and leaner than the traditional pork (or beef) ribs. Out of these the bugs were probably my favorite (surprisingly enough).
In short —
Ambiance: 5 stars
Food: 3.5 stars
Service: 4 stars

Come early or don’t come at all… seriously the queue is ridiculous.
Came here on Saturday before it opened for lunch and there was already a queue. Was lucky enough to get a table for 3 but we were limited to 75 minutes because there was a wedding party or something.
Anyway, the menu has some good ol’ Murican favorites.
I got the Cheeseburger and the other two guys got the BBQ Platter.
Food came out relatively quickly and I have to say the burger is definitely one of the better ones I’ve had in Sydney, but not quite in the upper echelon. $ 18 is a little pricey too without any chips but it was pretty close to something you could get in ‘Murica in a typical restaurant… so if you’re homesick or want a try, give it a shot.
Onto the BBQ… that wagyu brisket and the pork belly is PHENOMENAL. Pork belly isn’t really American BBQ, but those two were tender, juicy, and oh so tasty. The pulled pork was pretty good as were the lamb ribs, but the pork belly and wagyu brisket stood out. Bonus… you can make pulled pork sliders. I didn’t really bother with the pickled veggies that came with the platter except for the pickles.
The biggest gripe for this place is how ridiculously priced it is which takes this rating down. $ 86 for a BBQ Platter that serves 2−4…are you KIDDING ME?!? Maybe 4 children… but it will only serve 2 men MAX. Next time I would just order the 300g brisket or pork belly on its own… seems like more value.

This is a very nice restaurant located on Manly Wharf. The service was absolutely excellent! I ordered the fish sandwich, and although it was a tad spicy, it was quite delicious. I also enjoyed the Parmesan grilled corn and curly fries. I’m still a fan of the corn served at Ms. G’s, but this is a nice runner up. Sis and I shared a basket of fries. There were still plenty left over.
The food was great, prices were reasonable, and they truly appreciate your patronage here. I’m a sucker for great customer service, and Papi Chulo nails it!
I’ll definitely return.

Okay so after avoiding this super crowded place for many weekends, we decided to be smarter cookies and go in on a weekday and see what the fuss was all about. And sure enough we were seated within minutes by the window taking in the stellar views and wafting smells of barbecue. The food is excellent with a good section of the menu focusing on slow pit roasted barbecue, the kinds I had only had in Texas before! So I had their chilly mud crab (not for a first date or faint hearted), the waiter warned us that it is hot, and boy we weren’t disappointed were we. The crab was perfectly cooked with hot green chilli sauce on it, though I do admit at the end of the meal my white dress wasn’t so white anymore! Next on were the spare ribs which were spit roasted kinds and just fell off the bone with a nice sticky glaze on them simply delicious… Washed it down with one of their Mexican beers and minty cocktails and the week looked sunshiny bright already :). It’s a little on the pricy side but that’s expected with the location and they only take bookings for groups of 8 or more on weekends, so it’s better to reach early to avoid a long wait.

If its got Dan Hong’s name on it, you know its going to be good. This was my mindset walking into Papi Chulo, and that’s exactly what it was — good.
There were 10 of us altogether and we wound up splitting a vast amount of food. There were empanadas (good, veggie only, sadly no meat option), chicken wings (good, nice spicy «comeback sauce» on the side), hot chips (good), Vietnamese coleslaw (good), and a couple BBQ platters containing pork ribs (good), wagyu brisket (good), chopped pork (good), and pork belly (you guessed it — good).
So why only three stars? Partly because it was missing something to take it to the next level — to elevate the food beyond «good backyard BBQ» — beyond something I could make myself. And partly because of the reservation system.
Papi Chulo (and most other Merivale restaurants) will only take bookings for groups of 8 or more. When I called up, I was told we could have a sitting at either 6 or 8.45 as those were the set times. Fine, I took the late booking. In true Merivale style I was asked to sign a booking form threatening a $ 500 cancellation fee (if less than 24 hours notice was given) as well as a fee for any reduced numbers on the day. Granted, when I queried the per-​head reduction penalty I was told it wasn’t usually charged if they got a heads up the day of.
When I had the final numbers tallied two days prior to the booking, I sent an email confirming numbers. I also received a phone call the day prior to confirm numbers again. Fine. They’re diligent.
Roughly one hour before our booking I received a phone call telling me that they had messed up. The person who made my booking (and I guess the two people that had confirmed it) failed to realise the kitchen closes at 9pm on Sundays. After all the communications and confirmations, I received a call at 7.45 pm to tell me my party (due to arrive at 8.45) would only have 15 minutes to order if we couldn’t get there sooner. Thankfully we had all met for a few predinner drinks and were able to scramble to arrive at 8.15ish, but it was a bit of an ironic inconvenience coming from a company with such strict cancellation and booking policies.
Overall I can’t see myself planning another Manly trip just to eat here again, but there’s a few items on the menu I’d still like to try if I’m in the neighbourhood (I’m looking at you, wagyu brisket sandwich.)

Very nicely done! Awesome view up the Harbour. Excellent staff.
I had the ribs. Wanted to try out their smoker that had been mentioned in a paper review. Very very good!
Adding reviews from fellow diners, the squid salad was divine, the chevit and prawns were outstanding! So there you go I’ll be back.

This is Merivale’s latest restaurant that just opened at Manly Wharf (right between Wharf Bar and Max Brenner) facing the water. It’s a beautiful spot.
We had the chicken wings (cajun spicy sauce served on the side) half rack of ribs and curly fries, split between two and that was plenty. You get an (optional) bib for the ribs, which was cute and makes for silly photo ops. I would love to try more of the menu here. They had some BBQ options (ribs, pork belly, brisket) and then salads /​shared plates plus sides.
Very friendly staff, and fairly well organised considering they just opened. I would definitely hit it up again next time I’m in Manly.