Coogee Pavilion Ground Floor

Nice large beer garden. Very shady during the day and a lovely spot to sit with the views and sea breeze.

I’ve been sitting on this all afternoon, debating whether to write it, but I’ve always tried to be honest in my reviews and this experience has stayed with me. My mum is visiting from Melbourne after we lost my dad in February. She hasn’t had much chance to explore Sydney, so I wanted to take her somewhere special and uplifting. My husband suggested Coogee Pavilion, thinking the ocean breeze would do wonders. It was a weekday, so parking was easy. We didn’t have a booking, but the two groups ahead of us were seated without one. When we reached the front, the female host asked whether we wanted casual dining or the restaurant. As we hadn’t been before, I asked what the difference was and was told “not much,” and suggested we look for a table in the casual area ourselves. By this point the line behind us had grown, so I asked what would happen if there were no tables available. I was told we could return to the line, which didn’t feel particularly helpful, so I asked for a table in the restaurant instead. We were then taken to a very small bar area near the oysters, with little space and not set like a proper table. When I asked where the bathroom was, I was vaguely pointed “back there,” which turned out to be incorrect. At this point, I started to feel like an inconvenience. When I sat down, my arm was resting on clean pizza trays due to the lack of space. My mum even commented that she felt like she’d been tucked away out of sight, which was quite upsetting given the reason for our visit. I asked another staff member if this was a usual seating area, and she kindly acknowledged it wasn’t and offered to find someone to help. Shortly after, the host returned and explained the empty tables we could see were reserved, though they remained empty for the duration of our visit. She mentioned she could move us to a table “at the front,” which I assumed meant somewhere with natural light, but I must have misunderstood as we were instead moved to the next table along, which was better. From there, the host didn’t return. The staff who brought out food and assisted with the bill were lovely, but by that stage, the overall experience had already been impacted. Under different circumstances, I would have left, but I didn’t want to make a scene with my mum there. Unfortunately, the service overshadowed what could have been a really special outing. I’m not sure what led to the initial treatment, and perhaps there was a misunderstanding, but it left us feeling unwelcome. It’s not somewhere I would choose to return to.

Located at 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee, New South Wales, Australia 🇦🇺 The Coogee Pavilion is an iconic landmark in Coogee. Popular with both tourists and locals. On the weekends and public holidays, especially at night, it can get very crowded. The view over the beach are absolutely stunning. There’s ample seating both inside and outside. Personally for me, it’s really lovely to sit outside, enjoy a meal and just watch the scenery. We usually come on weekdays because it’s nice to come when it’s not so crowded, but the atmosphere when it’s busy is fantastic. It’s designed really nicely, a great atmosphere with the games situated around, not just for kids. The giraffe is a great touch. It’s accessible for people with mobility issues and plenty of toilet 🚻 facilities. There’s steps and lift 🛗 access to the upper floors. The staff are generally good and professional but maybe someone should tell them to smile a little more. The menu has a a great selection of different meals and drinks. I usually love the pizza 🍕. I would definitely recommend a visit. It’s definitely worth it. Thumbs up! 👍👍

Very Bug ans interesting place to enjoy a drink on your own or with family and friends. Many eating areas and a roof top bar and outside area. Amazing view on the Coogee Beach. Food good and plenty of it and all types of soft, alcoholic drinks and moc tails. Friendly and professional staff during the week lots of space don't rush this one take your time to enjoy

Absolutely love the atmosphere at Coogee Pavilion. Such a cool vibe, beautiful location and amazing energy. The food is honestly at a 5-star restaurant level, every dish was delicious and beautifully presented. The only room for improvement is the timing of the meals, as not all the dishes came out together. But honestly, the quality of the food makes the wait completely worth it. Definitely one of my favourite spots in Sydney.