09/03/08

Friendly owners, great atmosphere, unique beers and wines

by LeBrasseur

Knew the owners from their upper east side spot, Ship of Fools, but The Australian is head and shoulders better than that bar! Amazing menu (can be expensive, but the appetizer tasting platter is a great deal and includes my favorite snapper/crab cigars and the sticky prawns!), excellent beer selection, top-notch wines (not your regular bar vino selection, that's for sure) friendly staff, and always plenty of aussie AND american sports. They always put on the baseball game I request! In fact, I just might head over there tonight. Only thing I don't like is the location.

04/16/08

Good location, not australian

by sunilg

I'm Australian and I went there hoping the bar would have an australian feel to it being owned by a previous manly rugby league player but instead of showing cricket they were showing college football. They have Aussie beer and food but for the Australian feel I would head somewhere else.

01/26/08

Great Food,Good Beer

by jenny35

What a great place for some good Aussie tucker. Staff are friendly, quick to get a beer, food is sensational. What more could you ask for.

• Pros: Food

01/25/08

The best mix of people

by guest9823

I've finally found an after-work/ upscale sports bar that I love. It's sophisticated, lively, and unpretentious. The vibe is spot-on. It's always brimming with people, and what a mix of patrons they are. From the midtown afterwork crowd, to the fashion crowd, and of course sports lovers of all stripes. The owners are unbelievably friendly and attentive! No matter how busy they are, they always stop to say hello, and they always find you a table. And the food!--who would think you'd find gourmet-level cuisine at a bar. You must, must, must try the nori-wrapped, wasabi chicken casaer. I literally get cravings for this dish.

• Pros: The vibe, the food, the people
• Cons: none

01/19/08

Great ambiance, good food, pleasant staff

by drink_club1

Yes, we did eat kangaroo. At $14, the small skewers of Kangaroo Satay turned were about $3 a bite. Not bad, but more the thrill of munching on the critters, than the actual taste. The other food was good, but not outstanding. The ambiance was terrific. The maitre'd and staff let us move furniture... no, they moved it for us! The waitress was Jennette on the spot. Fellow diners put up with our constant intrusions. It's a great place to meet people, or go with a large group. The main guys are Aussie, but the service is more attentive than you'd get there. It is, however, just as friendly. --Drink Club NYC is a roving group of NYC drinkers

• Pros: great service, friendly atmosphere, good food
• Cons: Kangaroo meat was expensive

12/02/07

Good Times... Aussie Style

by wrldtrvlr78

I walked by The Australian with a group of friends one Saturday evening and decided to drop in for a quick drink and a small bite. We were pleasantly surprised by the friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere. We took the bartenders word for it and ordered the Aussie beer Blue Tongue. GREAT BEER! While waiting for our second round we scoped out the menu. Interesting collection of items....the tasting platter was incredible; a true variety of flavors. The side of marinated mushrooms was a great treat- but there could've been more to the order. Good thing we saved room for the dessert- it was the best part of the meal! We shared the Ginger Creme Brulee. I'm about to make a really bold statement...it was probably the best creme brulee (ginger or not) I've had in recent memory. After a few more Blue Tongues we were off to the next pub!

• Pros: Dessert, atmosphere
• Cons: really boisterous atmosphere.

11/11/07

Really awesome experience! Great place!

by sheils45

This place is fun from the second you walk in. The staff are really friendly and welcoming - excellent service. The Aussie beer selection is fantastic and the food is unbelievable! Definitely get the salt and pepper calamari. The meat pies are extraordinary!

The atmosphere captures the Aussie laid-back style. This is now a favorite!

• Pros: excellent food, great service, fun place
• Cons: none

Midtown is no longer a proverbial desert outback for Aussie-styled fun.

by Aaron Barker

Coopers Red and kangaroo skewers catch a rogue wave into midtown at this Aussie-themed gastropub. The Australian has all the down under drink staples you'd expect like James Boag's and Barossa Valley Shiraz, plus a full menu of comfort food, from meat pies to burgers with fresh beets and fried eggs. A formal sit-down area with white tablecloth banquettes anchors the back area, but rugby and cricket fans may prefer to nosh at the long, wooden bar, which is well-stocked with flatscreen TVs tuned to various global sports matches.

Hits: A diamond in the midtown rough, it's a welcome break from the area's glut of Irish pubs.

Misses: It may seem to lack the personality of some of downtown Manhattan's other down under haunts.