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Hours
Sun
7:30 am - 5:00 pm
Mon
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Tue
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Wed
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Thu
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Fri
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Sat
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Cafe, Australian, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Does this restaurant offer highchairs for toddlers?
Details
About
The rocks cafe The Rocks Cafe is one of The Rocks' favourite icons. It offers a truly European dining experience just opposite the MCA on George Street. The Cafe spans two floors and combines the best of modern Australian architecture with a traditional bohemian feel that adds genuine warmth which is echoed by the friendly staff. The Cafe is open seven days a week from 8am to late at night so you can enjoy the breakfast, lunch or dinner. The menus are updated regularly and are complimented by the daily specials where our Chief Chef exercises his flair. Just around the corner from Circular Quay it's very central to the CBD and the financial district for lunch or after work dinner with friends or colleagues. The Rocks Cafe is the perfect for an intimate meal or large corporate bookings can be hosted upstairs and made private if required. Our wine list features wine from the best Australian wine producing regions and our staff are fully trained to help you in any way
CUISINES
Cafe, Australian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
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4.0
1,385 reviews
Excellent
663
Very good
491
Average
145
Poor
46
Terrible
40
JC1LondonEngland
East Sussex648 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
This is a very popular restaurant and there were long queues which says something We managed to get a seat outside so we could eat and watch the world go by which was good. Not an extensive menu but still plenty to choose from. Food was good Service was good considering how busy they were. Only quibble is the 15% service charge they automatically add to the bill.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo H
Swindon182 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
Popped in here for lunch after doing the bridge climb over the Harbour Bridge.
We were given a table upstairs (stairs we're quite steep and narrow - not for those unstable on their feet) which was very cool and had a nice view from the window.
Menu was varied and reasonably priced, with a good selection of drinks and side dishes to complement the mains.
I had kangaroo fillet which was served medium-rare with wilted spinach, creamy mash potato and a red wine jus - all was delicious and perfectly cooked. Portion size was very good as well.
My friends had a shepherds pie which was also very flavoursome and well cooked.
Overall we would happily return if we'd had more time in Sydney.
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Festina Lente
Switzerland16 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
The Rocks Cafe is a small cafe/restaurant in two floors in a cute and old building of english style. The food is nothing special but the prices are quite reasonable for a place with this location. The service though was a pleasant surprise. Our waiter let me try out a soft drink before ordering it since I didn't know the taste of it. And I got half a glass! Very nice gesture.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennie Friendly
2 contributions
Jan 2020 • friends
I visited the Rocks Cafe this morning with a friend and we both ordered the avocado toast and a coffee. I told our server I was vegan and gluten free so asked if I could substitute the egg and feta for mushrooms and spinach which she said was fine and my friend did the same.
When it came time to pay I was told substitutions weren’t allowed and that instead I would have to pay for extras on top of the full price, meaning our full bill came to almost $70.
This is an outrageous price for two avocado toasts and two coffees.
I should have been told at the time of order that making any substitution would be an additional cost and I feel extremely strongly that an additional charge should not be incurred due to dietary requirements.
At the time of paying I pointed out then that these were substitutions, not additions and the member of staff said there was nothing she could do.
A real shame after having been excited to visit and the loss of a repeat customer for them.
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jasonpQ6764RS
Richland1 contribution
Jan 2020 • none
Excellent lunch and dinner. We liked it so much for lunch we came back for dinner and it was great for us both times. The whole team is very accommodating. We have 2 kids and right now my wife has dietary constraints (dairy and soy) and the chef and whole team were so accommodating. I had fish/chips which were excellent , my wife had the chicken burger which she loved, the garlic aioli was great as well as tartar sauce, kids enjoyed fish and chips, spaghetti, and schnitzel. Milkshakes were Australian (not thick) and very good. All around everything was good and heard multiple people on the way out say out loud they liked the place - we were on first floor in a booth. All and all this was definitely a five star for giving us excellent food even with allergy considerations and location was great too. Thank you guys for being a bright spot on our trip.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert H
Gastonia25 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Food was great! Small,intimate ,relaxing environment. The coffee & homemade deserts were amazing! Main courses of a pasta dish was very tasty. The manager was very engaging & took time to explain how they selected their coffee & even offered me a sample! Wait staff friendly & efficient.Great find!
Written 10 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NSWhighlandscritic
Sydney8 contributions
Nov 2020 • couples
We have been sitting here for an hour to get breakfast and still no food. Every table is frustrated and looking at there watches. One poor family with three young children have been waiting even longer. It is always a bad sign when you have to wait to be served after 20 minutes and I had to go into the restaurant to ask. We Should have left when we had the chance. The food looks ok if you want to wait over one hour to be served. Good luck future customers
Written 21 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Berkshire roamer
Reading258 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
This place is not pretentious but offers good quality food in historic surroundings served by pleasant, friendly staff. We ate here twice during our stay in Sydney, the fish and chips on our first visit being so good we came back again. It is convenient for Circular Quay in the buzzy Rocks district of old Sydney.
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
simoneventura61
Sydney117 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
We visited this place on Friday night. It's a small two storey cafe which was very busy and we were lucky to get a table. It may be wise to book before you go. They serve classic meals such as fish and chips and classic Shepard pie. They also have stir fry and burgers. They are fully licensed and have a very good desert menu we had pecan pie with vanilla bean icream which was beautiful. The classic shepards pie brought back memories of my childhood when potatoes were a norm in every meal. They will also cater for GF and Vegetarians.
Worth the visit the food was very nice and tasty. The staff were friendly. I would go back next time I visit the Rocks.
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alienpilot
Irving985 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
We were wandering around to find a good place to eat for dinner after our flight in from DFW and decided on this place. What a find! We both ordered the stir fry (one beef one shrimp) and the house salad with a nice bottle of pinot noir.
Service was friendly and attentive. Ambiance was very cool. NOT a chain restaurant, small and cozy inside (they have a second floor) with some outdoor seating. Very pleasant. Unhurried atmosphere.
Food was outstanding! Shrimp and beef in the stir fry cooked absolutely perfectly. Veggies fresh, tasty and cooked spot on! Salad very fresh.
They know there food here. If you come through town again, this will be a definite stop on our list again. In fact, we may just go to breakfast here tomorrow morning to check out there benedicts!
GO HERE!
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andre_Kolodochka
Epping82 contributions
Apr 2021 • none
My wife and I visited The Rocks Cafe early April while staying 2 mins walking distance away at Four Seasons. We ordered ricotta hotcakes for me and poached eggs for the better half. Hotcakes were ok but the coffee was very nice.
The staff is very friendly and helpful.
Options to sit either inside if it's cold or on a closed-off street outside. We came at around 8am and it was quiet, relaxing and not busy.
Written 2 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blondie
City Beach14 contributions
Mar 2023 • couples
Had a late breakfast here over the Pride weekend - ordered a long mac topped up. Mac not topped is apparently how it goes in this cafe? Coffee turned up quickly and was finished half an hour before breakfast arrived. Ordered the bacon and egg burger with potato gems for breakfast. My partner asked for well cooked bacon- what turned up was two bacon and egg burgers with not a potato gem in sight and my partner had a well cooked egg and soft undercooked bacon. Queried the bacon cooking and lack of potato gems to be told ‘sorry they well-cooked the egg not the bacon’ and apparently potato gems had run out. Would be good service to advise patrons of this before it arrived at the table. No offer to remedy situation however in which case it would have taken another half an hour. Very disappointing breakfast….topped off by a 10% surcharge because it was a weekend. Plenty of other places to go to that would be better.
Written 4 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
macksonthemove
33 contributions
Dec 2019 • none
All other restaurants that we visited blasted customers with over the top loud music. We appreciated the quieter ambience and found that we were able to relax and enjoy our meals. We had a dinner and a breakfast there and both meals were superb. Enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere, great service, and delicious food.
Written 31 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ferdi
Sydney156 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Walked around at the Rock area, saw very irresistible cakes on display, so i decided to come and have some dessert and coffee.
Piccolo to start with, it was great!
Black Forest individuate cake, hmmm... not to my liking, too much cream, not enough sponge cake layer, and it’s kinda dry .
This cake was missing a punch! Even though it is garnished with glazed cherries, nit enough sour cherry flavour in the cake it self.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian T
London8105 contributions
Mar 2023 • friends
This cafe is located in the heart of one of Sydney’s major tourist precincts, The Rocks. We last visited this cafe in 2018, and my review then noted that ‘… it rocks’. And it still rocks. We had breakfast twice here on our most recent trip to Sydney, and were not disappointed with any aspect of our meals.
There’s some choice for breakfast in The Rocks, and we’ve actually eaten at a good many of them. But it’s The Rocks Cafe which continues to get our vote.
On our first visit (late February 2023) our party of three enjoyed the following: the Rocks Cafe Organic Granola with Greek style yoghurt, fresh strawberries and berry compote ($20); the Corn Fritters with poached egg, avocado and roasted tomato ($25); and the Bacon and Egg Roll with hash brown. All meals were substantial, fresh, and very tasty; the corn fritters were particularly delicious. Our coffees were also excellent - a flat white and a three-shot long black (Americano). The breakfast menu is very comprehensive with a good variety of dishes. Those with specific dietary requirements will find ample choices. We returned a couple of days later (early March 2023) for another leisurely breakfast, again sitting outside. On this occasion both in our party of two ordered the corn fritters. As per our previous visit a few days earlier, they were delicious.
Service was cheerful and attentive, without being unobtrusive. The cafe was very busy, but service was prompt. We sat outside under the umbrellas, but there is booth-style seating inside. The bathrooms were clean and fresh.
This is a great restaurant for breakfast. We shall seek it out on our next visit to Sydney.
Written 2 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kassem Kazal
Thank you so much for the kind words! We look forward to having you back yet another time
Written 25 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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The Rocks
The first residents of the Rocks were convicts and sailors from the old nation. As the oldest neighbourhood in the city, the area's cobblestone streets host more than 100 heritage sites and buildings, including the oldest house in Sydney, Camden Cottage, which was built in 1816. Taste a “midi “ or a “schooner” of beer and dine “al fresco” on the waterfront at some of the oldest pubs in Sydney. The weekend markets at the Rocks are where you can find local artists' hand-made souvenirs, organic food and designer jewelry in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. To enjoy some of the best Australian and international contemporary art, the MCA museum is open every day and select evenings. At the end of a long day of sightseeing, be sure to save energy to dance the night away at the area's many late night entertainment venues.
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