Surf Rock Hotel

1.6 Not Recommended

Food  1      Drinks  1      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  2     

We know that lunch is rubbish at this place, but at least the breakfast used to be edible. You'd think that if the food was so bad we wouldn't go back, but the location is absolutely perfect. It's one of the few dining places in the world where you are right smack bang on the beach. But after our breakfast last week I don't think we can go back. We ordered the pancakes and the Deck breakfast. The pancakes were from one of those god awful pre-mix things. They were Huge but totally ordinary.

My Deck breakfast, sausage, bacon, the usual was Awful. The bread was supposed to be sourdough, but it was fluffy and crunchy at the same time, not chewy and unctuous like proper sourdough. The hash browns naturally were out of a packet, the sausages were dreadful, etc, etc. I could go on but I can't be bothered.

The food here is simply not acceptable and I really wish the owners would read these reviews and respond and Do something about it. This is one of my favourite breakfast spots in the world and I don't want to lose it. PS even the coffee was worse than ordinary.

May 23, 2012 

1.2 Not Recommended

Food  1      Drinks  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Very appalling service and bad food. Lunch took more than 45 minutes to arrive on a less than busy day. When it finally arrived it left us more than underwhelmed: it was cold, bland and very fatty. The interior could use a massive overhaul or at least a decent clean up. Such a shame for such a prime location.

May 15, 2012 

1.4 Not Recommended

Food  2      Drinks  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Totally agree with Jamie M and mmmmyum below. Food less than ordinary, staff couldn't give a rat's and every surface is absolutely filthy. A disappointing waste of my time and money.

May 07, 2012 

1.2 Not Recommended

Food  1      Drinks  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

We have been a few times for brekkie & every time we give it another chance we leave regretting that we went there. The staff look unhappy, the food is terrible, just slop!
The place is dirty, its a shame because the location is very nice, but it could do with a 100% renovation including the pub! What a mess.

Feb 12, 2012 

2 Not Recommended

Food  1      Drinks  2      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

Went to The Deck beach cafe for brunch today. Pretty unpleasant experience all round.

The menu is pretty basic, no bad thing in a beach cafe but it seems that the chef is too. All we ordered was Aussie burger, lamb burger and chicken and sweet potato salad. Really quite bad, all of them.

You'd think these items were so bog-standard that they would not be hard to put up. The cheese on the Aussie burger was so notably awful that I have included a picture (a slab of processed cheese that would stop your heart - they have better cheese in maccers. It has dry bits around the edges and everything). The chicken and sweet potato salad had one nice piece of chicken and a couple of fatty bits - in total. Both burger's garnishes were very tired.

The coffee was also quite bad which is largely inexcusable in Sydney. And it's crying out for an all day breakfast element to the menu.

The whole place is filthy, a day of effort and cleaning would make a massive difference (crazy idea, I know). But The Deck is attached to the Collaroy Beach Hotel which is also badly run down and in serious need of a good clean and paint. (The Collaroy Beach Hotel looks as though someone had a vague idea to make it a bit trendy/edgy and ran out of money about a third of the way through).

The staff mostly seemed pretty uninterested, not a surprise given the less than inspiring surroundings.

The thing is, it's not a hard cafe/restaurant concept to get right. They have the location (surprisingly, one of the only cafes right on the sand on the Northern Beaches) all they need to make a significant difference is to clean and paint the place, motivate the staff and replace the cook with someone that likes food.

The problem, I suspect, is that it's one of the only places on the sand so they're never short of punters. Unfortunately, we probably will go back as it's right on the sand so kids can play while adults sit and moan about the filth and disappointing food.

I didn't complain, though, as I doubt anything would have been perceived as sub-standard or wrong. You have to have standards in the first place for that to be something to complain about. Disapointing.

Jan 08, 2012 

8.6 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Drinks  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  8     

We went to the Surf Rock Hotel the other night. Started with drinks, including dolphin-infused vodka, and baby mouse liqueur (imported from japan!), both of which were delicious. We had dinner after, but there was a limited menu consisting of two choices for each entree and main.

The entrees we shared, which were the "steamed baby elephant" and the "Greg and Walter special salad with a roll". Both were incredible. The elephant meat melted in our mouths, and we loved the Greg and Walter special salad, which was served with a lovely, creamy A.S.S sauce (which is is one of the Terrey Hills brewery's famous sauces). We couldn't decide between the mains, which were "raw fresh river dolphin sushi" or the "rare wombat steak", so we ordered half each.

The wombat was so tender, perfectly cooked. The raw river dolphin (imported from japan) sushi was good, although I found it to be a bit raw and undercooked. However, that was made up for by the incredible service. Our waitress even gave us another roll! Overall, I recommend this place to anyone looking for a lovely beach atmosphere and good food!

Jan 05, 2012 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Drinks  1      Ambience  5      Service  4      Value  3     

Black tea and dry toast please! Order this and you can’t go wrong cos their chef is shameless for the other crap he/she serves up. Pity cos the venue has got real potential for being a premium breakfast spot. Its built on the beach but looks a little tired and could do with a spruce up and a new chef? I sensed it was not going to live up to my expectation, but my appetite got the better of me and I paid the price. I think that’s what hurts most that I actually paid them for what was supposed to be french toast a side of bacon and sausage. The french toast was hard and dry, it tasted like card board (yes I have now eaten cardboard to back up this comparison) it had a caramelised banana that left a foul bitter after taste in my mouth, the sausage was raw and when I advised the waitress she politely replied “the sausages were pre- cooked and that is why they may be a little cold”, I dont think she heard what I actually said. Moving along, coffee aficionardos beware - bad coffee also served here (Inexcusable given the number of coffee schools in Sydney). If however you are invited by friends new to the area, order black tea and dry toast and enjoy the company and the view.

Oct 28, 2011 

6.6 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  8      Service  4      Value  7     

Amazing location. We ate at Deck right on the beach. We ordered at the bar as soon as we got there. Service was supper slow, but when our meals did come out we had the Moroccan lamb burger and Medium Rare Steak to come out. The meals looked average and steak was rare. Shame. Deck has alot of potential. Hopefully by Summer this place improves!

Oct 24, 2011 

7.6 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  9     

I have to disagree with some previous reviews. I had lunch there last week and the food was great as well as the service. I had a Salt and Pepper calamari salad that was really fresh and tasty. The service was good and attentive. I was also lucky enough to see a whale splashing around off the beach.

Such an amazing locatyion right on the beach. Perfect for the kids to play around right on the sand in front of you and give you some time off for a few minutes to have a wine and enjoy the meal. The only real improvement I'd like to see would be some healthier kids meal options. Strongly recommended on a nice sunny day!

Jul 18, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Drinks  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

A sensational spot. What a disappointment. The place has gone down hill. Bar staff would be better off at Mcdonalds. Order a steak, took them 3 times to get it right, not hard to cook a blue steak. Don't waste your time or cash, recommend the service club next door.

Jul 09, 2011