Come for the pork pie; reconsider the sausage roll: Our verdict on the reborn Observer Hotel

The Observer Hotel, a fixture of The Rocks since 1849, has been through a lot (you’ve got to respect a pub that’s survived both a plague and a pandemic). But here it is, open for business once again after a painstaking three-year renovation by the Barrelhouse Group (also responsible for The Barbershop and Duke of Clarence bars in the CBD and Hickson House Distilling Co.), taking it from classic boozer to cosy Britpub.

The front bar area is now far more open, and the pressed metal feature walls and ceiling have been painted a deep sage. There are several framed watercolours, oils and prints, mostly of sea vessels. It’s here you’ll find casual seating on bentwood chairs and stools, low-hanging tables crying out for cards or dominoes and higher tables if you’re digging into the food menu.

Sadly, they’re out of the roast chicken roll and the flathead and chips on my visit, but they do have the rump steak. Perfectly rosy all the way through with a nice char on the outside, smothered in butter and served with skin-on chips featuring the perfect amount of crunch. There’s a whole menu of luxury cuts, too, including a 100-day-aged T-bone I’m quite keen to return for.

The pork and fennel sausage roll and mushroom Diane pie both spend a little more time in the oven than I’d like, and back up my rule of never ordering pastry at the pub past 6pm. Better luck with the ploughman’s platter with hunks of thick-cut salty ham, English-style pork pie (complete with hot water crust pastry), bitey cheddar, bread and butter, and massive pickle spears. Pop a couple of these on the table and whittle away the afternoon working through the drinks list.

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If you want to catch the bar team at their most friendly and energetic on a weekend, it’s best you visit at daytime. Sunday evening sees the team on their last legs after a couple of days of busy trade. And while they’re giving it their best, I get the feeling their best was probably some hours ago.

Still, they make an excellent Old Fashioned (bourbon, bitters, sugar syrup, stirred down in a super frosty glass) and straight-up daiquiri (rum, lime juice, sugar syrup). This is a pub that takes its cocktail making seriously, with proper pours at reasonable prices. The most expensive cocktails on the menu are $24, which feels almost unheard of in 2026.

The bar itself is stocked with excellent whisky (hello, Springbank single malt, I’ll be coming back for a nip of you once I work out how to sell one of my kidneys). On tap: Young Henrys Newtowner and the bitter, creamy Duke of Clarence seasonal cask ale. This being The Rocks, there’s also Heineken and Kilkenny.

Do the charming brass QR codes on each of the tables make it easier to order? Well, I’m sure they do when they’re working, which, according to one of the bar staff, is about 25 per cent of the time.

The foot traffic is constant. There are your blokes hunting in packs and couples on dates, but I also spy several solo diners enjoying a steak out the back in the Watermans dining room. Here, it’s all about Persian rugs, low lighting and Jersey caramel-coloured walls. I’d call it more subdued, but then there’s a sea turtle shell hanging alongside a shelf of leather-bound books.

This is pub as a social house. It’s instant company for lonely travellers. It’s a place to grab something to eat, or perhaps just an ultra-quick drink. A place to switch off and engage, where you won’t be rushed out after a 90-minute seating allocation and $400 drinks bill. Consider this your sign.

Three other British and Irish-style pubs to try

PJ O’Brien’s, CBD

Home of one of the better-poured pints of Guinness in the city. Try it for yourself, perhaps with the pie of the day and chips. The pub is also an annual supporter of the Irish film festival and has a broad range of whisky.

57 King Street, Sydney, pjobriens.com.au

The Lord Dudley, Woollahra

A crowd favourite featuring an original solid wood bar, booth seating, a roaring fire in the cooler months, a whisky lounge and a solid menu of pub classics including lamb’s fry, a Sunday roast, and bangers and mash.

236 Jersey Road, Woollahra, lorddudley.com.au

The Gopher, Manly

There’s nothing like hopping out of the surf and into a cold beer (there’s a mix of local and international drops here, including Scottish lager, Tennent’s) and a pulled beef-stuffed Yorkshire pudding.

40 The Corso, Manly, gophermanly.com.au

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.