Golden Barley Hotel

7.6 Recommended

Food  8      Drinks  8      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  7     

This pub never lets me down. The staff are great and the owners are the nicest publicans in Sydney. Out the back of the pub is a Malaysian style restaurant which has been there for years and still pushes out good, tasty meals. It's family friendly due to a beer garden which has been nurtured and loved by its owners like a family backyard and is just such a pleasant place to hang out.

Oct 29, 2011 

6 Average

Food  6      Drinks  8      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  6     

Have been going here on and off over the years as it is a perfect place for a Sunday feed if you have kids. The area out the back is perfect for them to run around while the dads have a beer.

The menu is either Asian or Western and this time I stupidly decided to go the western side and ordered a fish burger. When it was served up it was a triangle fillet straight out of a cardboard box and what made it look even worse was the fact it was in a round hamburger bun with the pointy end sticking out one side and the flat end out the other. They did give me my money back, but did claim that no one else had ever complained. I would guess I am the first one to ever order one then.

The kids menu is only $5 and does a decent burger and chips but my only gripe is they won't do a kids size serving of any noodle or rice dishes so if the 10 year old feels like noodles you have to go with an adult serving. In all other visits here I have only ever had noodles or curries and all have been very good. The interior is nothing flash, but they do have the footy on the TV’s and if you can jag a table outside on a nice day even better.

This is a very cheap and cheerful type of place and if you just stick to the Asian portion of the menu you should be ok.

Aug 16, 2011 

5.4 Average

Food  4      Drinks  8      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  7     

If you have children then its really the only place around where they can have a meal and you can have a glass of decent wine. There is definitely a gap in the market in the inner west for childfriendly venues that don't cost a bomb- the Five Dock RSL and this place are probably the only two that are genuine in their desire to accomodate families.That being said, I think its very good value for the kids meals, the wine available from the bar is good, but the adult food leaves a lot to be desired. The western style food is consistently burnt or greasy, and the Asian food has several times given me really bad stomach trouble. I now don't eat there, just go there in groups when we have children. I guess there is no incentive to improve because they are always packed but seems like they are missing out on a potential goldmine.

Jul 06, 2011 

6.6 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  8     

With ambience not on the menu in the bistro dining area, it seems that value for money is. All previous observations regarding cafeterias hit the money but in my experience a plate full of ambience is not going to fill an empty belly. The outdoor area off the bistro-teria shares the same lack of style furniture although the flourishing vegetation sure puts the garden into beer garden.

The management are Malay, and the offerings are split into two menus, Asian/ Malay and the other typical bog standard clichéd pub tucker. Most mains hover in the $10-$14 range for the Asian menu and up to $17 for t-bone with chips and salad or vegies with a choice of mushroom, pepper, diane, or (I love this) – brown gravy sauce. Credit where credit due for calling a spade a spade.

Chicken/prawn/bean curd laska for me and a penne pasta with bacon, chilli and nepolitana dressing for my better half. The servings are quite generous which many expect from pub food. The combo laska had all the right flavours, and one could not argue about the amount of bean curd, it tripled my yearly intake in one session. Four king prawns, actually probably more earls given their size, and shredded chicken completed the protein mix. Personally I prefer laska chicken in bite chunks but at $13 the bang for bucka factor won through.

Madame enjoyed her $12 pasta, commenting the very generous amount of bacon involved and that it had been trimmed of subcutaneous fatty substances. The fact that it was close to closing on a Sunday may have had a bit to do with the amount of bacon.

A year ago on a Saturday arvo I had had the salt and pepper squid here and it left much to be desired. I’m glad we went back, as a quiet Sunday evening, value for money, flavoursome dinner it worked. I will go back again. Service is order at the counter and be buzzed, had to wipe our own table. On the way out visited the main bar and put a buck on the last harness race at Launceston and won $3.50. What that has to do with food I’m not sure, but everyone likes to talk up a win.

Feb 26, 2010 

6.8 Recommended

Food  6      Drinks  6      Ambience  5      Service  8      Value  9     

Food is not great it offers basic Malay/Thai/ and pub food. No pizza on the menu which is a great disappointment. Nachos are good though. The outdoor beer garden is a nice relaxing setting, however, the indoor area is basic foodcourt style. But its good to make it your local.

Feb 07, 2010 

6 Average

Food  6      Drinks  6      Ambience  5      Service  7      Value  6     

The dining area out the back certainly looks like a hospital cafeteria. Tiled floors, metal chairs and tables. I think pubs should stick to wooden furniture. The food was ok, but with a lot of pubs in the inner west offering similar meals in nicer surroundings, I probably would not return.

Jan 08, 2010 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

Good grub. Lovely outdoor area, more suitable for families as there are many running around, indoor area is a bit hospital cafeteria looking I agree.

Nov 28, 2009 

8.4 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Drinks  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Great if there are not too many kids about (if eating or smoking in the garden area). Great food, nice to have so much room outside. Super quick service from the kitchen with lovely food coming out of there consistantly!
Try the Roti Khani!

May 18, 2009 

6 Average

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  2      Service  7      Value  7     

The Pub looks good, the beer garden is nice, but the eating area looks like a uni cafeteria. I don't agree that kids should be allowed in pubs and usually there are several running amok ruining any chance of a peaceful beer and a feed.

Aug 29, 2008 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

We went along for the Monday night footy, and had a bite to eat. Ordered a beef rendang and a curry dish from the specials board. Both were really quite good, the Rendang being the standout, meat nice & tender and the sauce thick & complex in flavour, right amount of heat. Don't expect huge serves, they were just right, both served with steamed rice.

The menu looked quite complex, with the focus on Asian dishes. There were Thai, Malay, burger, steak and schnitzel options. Nice, clean, bright well-presented pub. And, the two curries came to $20.50, which ain't too bad these days!!

Aug 19, 2008