Harbour View Hotel

This hotel used to be a few metres to the east of where it now stands, however some bright spark decided that they would build a whopping great big bridge so they ended up having to move the hotel, brick by brick, to accommodate it. So, even though it is called the ‘Harbourview Hotel’ it doesn’t actually have a great view of the harbour anymore namely because of this stupid bridge. Still, I quite like this place (though it isn’t one of the best that I’ve been to) as it tends to be quiet, not really all that crowded, and the seating out the front is quite pleasant. Like many of the pubs in the area they have a small VIP room (which I never visit) and some rather interesting things, such as a bunch of weird coins stuck to the wall. It’s one of those pubs that I like to stop by if I am passing, however there are much better pubs in the area.

The Circular Quay/​The Rocks precinct is always busy on a Sunday afternoon. Many of the other pubs around the area are busy and loud. Sometimes you need a quiet chilled place to relax, enjoy a pint and read a book.
The Harbour View Hotel is it. Nearly underneath the bridge, it is set amongst the Terace houses of Dawes Point, just around the corner from the rocks. It’s nothing flash, A nice modern cocktail bar is upstairs, with a restaurant and function room below. Downstairs is classic pub with a bar and often live music.
Sit outside on the Footpath and watch the world go by, as you read the paper and enjoy a pint. For me it’s a perfect place to relax on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

This pub is a weird one… It feels a little dis-​jointed downstairs, with a pool room and tiny pokie area on the left and a bar-​come-​library on the right. Yes, books!!!
Harbour View does have good, and importantly different, live music — though I’ve only heard it on a Sunday arvo. It reminds me of Dave Brubeck’s cool jazz. The perfect accompaniment to your cold beer.
However, it’s not until you head upstairs that the real magic happens. The balcony on a Sydney summer day is just an ace spot to chill and have a few with friends. The view of the Harbour Bridge is an interesting one. It’s more of a look at the underbelly, and the people partaking of the BridgeClimb (the office of which is just around the corner from the pub). It is quite cosy and people do reserve tables on the balcony so be prepared for that. There’s also inside dining options on this level.

«Expect nothing» is my usual motto when eating at an old pub in The Rocks, and the Harbour View did not disappoint.
Sure, I’d drank here on numerous occasions. I knew the rooftop bar would yield excellent views of the never ending construction under the Harbour Bridge. I knew I’d be drinking schooners of Squire branded beer (no pints on the rooftop).
I was also vaguely aware they sold food. They are a pub/​restaurant after all. I just wasn’t sure what to expect of it.
I ordered the chicken club after debating with the bar keep whether I wanted that or the burger. The sandwich won out simply because we decided it would be less filling and I had dinner plans.
For being marketed as a club, I didn’t receive what I expected. The chicken was served as an American style chicken salad, with a few tiny bits of chicken smothered in mayo. The mesclun mentioned on the menu was actually iceberg, and the sandwich was served on a deli roll. Overall, it was pretty good — better than I was expecting, but I wouldn’t call it a club. The chips were crunchy and seasoned perfectly. If I’m in need of a last minute lunch spot, I’d be okay eating here again.

I try not to give negative reviews, however I was pretty disappointed by this place.
Came here for a work function for a Friday lunch. We were greeted by grubby stairs which looked like they had never been cleaned since the place had been built. We filled the restaurant/​eating area on the top floor.
I had the lamb souvlaki as entrée which came out cold. However the mushroom on which it sat on was warm!!! The dish wasn’t bad, but neither was it memorable.
For main, I had the 300 gram steak which was served medium to well done depending on which part of the steak you were eating. The cow must have had a heart attack, given the amount of fat were on the pieces of steak!
The service was frazzled, and unorganised. Not sure how much of this can be put down to the fact that they were catering for a large group. We had to practically walk up to the wait staff to get their attention.
The up side was the wonderful view of the bridge and also the roof top/​open air bar which is a great place to sit on a nice day and watch and wave on the bridge climbers.
Great place for a drink, but maybe might pass on the food.

Tucked under the bridge, this is a good pub with many different areas throughout. We had booked a table on St Paddys Day which was quite busy, but on the third floor we had some space and a good balance of atmosphere.
I had a 300gm ribeye with pepper sauce, it was well cooked and came with some tasty sides of fries and a tomato flavored vegetable side.
Good value for money so central to Sydney.

Spotted the Harbour View on our way down from climbing the famous ‘Coathanger’. Patrons were basking in the sun on the balcony on a glorious Sydney winter’s day, they waved to us and we waved back in our exuberance, adrenalin still flowing after ‘the Climb’! Slightly parched and peckish after nearly 2 hours of wind swept excitement surveying Sydney from an iconic structure we thought «that is the place to be» for beer, hot chips and immediate reminiscing about what we had just done. A short walk from Bridgeclimb HQ the Hotel blends in superbly with its historic surroundings in The Rocks. We quickly bypassed the ground floor public bar and clamboured immediately up 2 flights of stairs (employing our new found climbing skills) to the ‘snipers’ bar we had spotted from the bridge. We were surprised to find an abundance of available seating given the prime location offering close up views of the Bridge and the Harbour. A rum, bottle of blonde and a bowl of chips with gravy was about what you’d expect to pay at $ 20 or thereabouts. The food on surrounding tables looked enticing but for us it was all about the location and stretching out the magic of the bridge climb we’d just experienced before heading home to Brisvegas. Oh — the chips were crunchy, the gravy tasty & the drinks cold

So this little hotel was once located where the foot of the Sydney bridge is now. The neighborhood complained when it was gonna be shut down for the bridge that they lobbied to have it moved and relocated almost to replication to where it stands today.
Now, the pub food here is good, as good as most other good places can be in Sydney. The story of the place is better but on a warm winter day (which is your average summer day in San Francisco) sitting on the roof patio is quite nice.

The food here was great, you dont have to sit in the restaurant section, we ate on the top floor balcony and we had lovely, cheaper food and an awesome view! The downstairs bar was completely empty — it was about 9pm on a Saturday night so wouldnt be keen to sit in there but the view from the top balony was lovely and we got to see all the bridge walkers going up and coming down from their walks!

Old pub fetish #63: The Harbour View.
You kind of forget this places exists, tucked as it is on the lee side of the Harbour Bridge a short walk from The Rocks and its more heralded contemporaries The Glenmore and The Oz. Look up as you approach to spy the chain gangs of bridge climbers in their prison jumpsuits shuffling and clanking their way along the gargantuan support beams and into the pylons to begin their ascent of our most recognisable icon outside of Dame Edna Everidge’s rhinestoned spectacles.
The thing that got me in? All the old battlers nursing schooeys on the tables out front. Weathered men in socks and knee high shorts gumming the rims of beer glasses that look probably contain Reschs Real or Tooheys Old or something similarly daggy and anachronistic, proper old beers for the barflys and pub jockeys of yesteryear. These dudes are a dying breed. That’s not just a saying, they are quite literally dying off because they’re A) really old and B) raging alcoholics. Anyway, these guys are great.
Move up a level to the bistro and the outdoor balcony, this is where the Harbour View is shaking its money maker, what with the vista and and the sea breeze and all. The resturant offers classic gastropub food like roo fillet, steak and potato, beef pie, fish and chips etc, you know the drill. The bar menu is more appealing, it’s cheaper and more inventive and has 1kg mussel pots for $ 18, bargain. The crowd is younger and hipper, which is a shame for people like me that prefer the old diggers and weirdos who’ve been beaten down by life and see pubs as their last refuge and sanctuary, the only places left that they can understand in a brave new world of technology and progress.

Get your self up onto the balcony and order a schooner of 150 lashes, thank me next time. This joint is perfect just out of the grasp of the tourist traps along George in the Rocks, You are elevated alongside the Sydney Harbour Coat Hanger, watch with Joy the tired an elated Sydney Bridge climbers returning to base camp, enjoy the glisten of water reflecting sunlight into your beautiful eyes as you decide its time for a bag of crisps and maybe a quick wee.
As night settles the flaming torches are lit and the bridge climbers have headlamps turned on, the trains rumble overhead and you’ll feel like you are in a movie.
Tell them Den sent you, as I very rarely make it down here and they have no idea who I a, m and you’ll get a strange look.

Picture this. You are at the Aroma coffee festival, and sick of the crowds, you’ve had more than enough coffee, and you and you friends are starving…
This is exactly how I found the Harbour View Hotel last time. Close enough to the Rocks to be convenient, and far enough away that the hordes of people decided to go else where, this place was extremely useful.
While I was happy demolishing the harbour burger, I would have been so much happier if it had an egg on it. Still, having a juicy burger that gets served with fries (rather than trying to charge extra) got a big tick from me.

The Harbour View Hotel just under one of the Harbour Bridge pillars is a great place to enjoy a drink and catch up with friends.
There is a nice old school area down stairs that has the odd live band, so if you’re in need of a dance then this is the area for you in this place.
Upstairs is broken up into a few rooms which are generally booked out for private functions. If not, then it’s a nice quiet place for a drink. If it is booked out and you are desperate to see you, I guess you can either sneak in or just book it for another time!
But my favourite place is the balcony. It looks a lot newer and different to the other area’s which isn’t meant to sound as a negative for downstairs but when you have the Harbour Bridge in spitting distance (don’t spit!) it always makes you feel good.
You’re that close to those doing the Bridgeclimb that you’ll often see groups walk by and it would be rude not to wave. In fact why not even do the Bridgeclimb. As long as you haven’t had a drink!