The Dry Dock Public House and Dining Room

The restaurant manager, Tammy, provided exceptional service. She was able to seat us earlier than our reservation. The waiter's service was impeccable, and the food was prepared by highly skilled chefs. Overall, it was a perfect experience.

First time here and the food did not disappoint! Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious, and the service was exceptional. The only downside was that it was quite noisy since it was a full house and they squeezed in as many tables as possible (which is common in Australia). Apart from that, everything was definitely a 10/10.

It’s a slick operation at the Dry Dock Pub, in the U.K. we would describe this as a high end Gastro pub. Service was great, wine list more on par with a fine dining restaurant. We would have liked to have been offered a choice of accompaniments for some of the dishes. For me tartare sauce just doesn’t go with seafood especially things like bugs, prawns lobster, fried fish yes, but it’s way too creamy & acidic for the delicate flavour of Balmain bug meat. Some sort of dip was required but not a mayo based one, perhaps a light caper, butter & chive sauce or something Asian. The skin on the NZ market fish was way too salty, spoiling the taste of the fish, an of the sea saltiness would have been much better. The lamb dish was perfect, the pork terrine absolutely yummy although again the mostly beige pickles were way too vinegary, a lighter sweeter pickling liquid might have helped. Although for me a tart fruit/sour plum jam/chutney would have better complemented and elevated the terrine.

What a delight to try this fabulous restaurant. Service and food was 5/5 and a real treat. Cocktails were great also. Our waiter Fred was knowledgeable and passionate about the food and service and looked after us so well. The whole experience was perfect. Can’t wait to return.

Finally, the true old-school gastro-pub is back! The Dry Dock in Balmain nails it, polished vibe, stunningly designed venue with four separate but seamless areas, and a classic menu done brilliantly with top produce. The place was absolutely pumping on our visit, yet the service stayed calm and on point throughout. There was something for everyone and every dish a hit. Honestly, every suburb needs a Dry Dock. We dined in the Dining Room and are looking forward to trying the other three areas. It is the best pub experience in Sydney right now! Lucky Balmain!