Top Modern Australian restaurants in Wollongong, Australia

This review is just for the bar section, since I was only there for a drink and bar food... the full review will come later. But I loved the bar set up, and the views from the balcony overlooking the beach are amazing! They have an excellent Happy Hour (5-6pm) with $6 local beers & wines PLUS $12 cocktails! And the cocktails were well made and the perfect way to see in the evening. They also have a nice variety of $10 Antipasti bar food... the Chicken Liver Pate went perfectly with the Wood Fired Pita Bread (bought separately). This Happy Hour is on every day until the end of 2024... so I'll certainly be back as the weather continues to warm up! 🍸😋👌

This place is in a fabulous location! Great for afternoon drinks and chill. The food is good and the service is fine. It's expensive for what it is though and there are plenty of fabulous places in Wollongong to eat/drink so here it really is about the view.

Good view restaurant, I was recommended the calamari plate by the waiter. This is very fresh, soft and delicious. I like the sauce of this food. Everything is the best. Must try when visiting Wollongong

Very beautiful view so nice and a ice cream truck near by. Watch out when you get the choc and peanut ice cream the seagulls will be all over you 😆😆 (the lady warns you). Definitely check out steamers down the way they are also the closest toilets underneath

Steamers Bar & Grill Wollongong: A Mixed Bag

Pros:
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* Stunning Location: The panoramic view near the lighthouse is a major drawcard, offering beautiful vistas both indoors and outdoors.
* Impressive Wine Selection: The vast array of wines available is a rarity and a delight for wine enthusiasts.

Cons:
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* Lackluster Service: Unfortunately, the service seems to fall short of expectations, which can significantly impact the overall dining experience.
* Room for Improvement in Food: While the caramelized garlic bread was enjoyable, it could have been even better with a bit more warmth. The wood-fired king prawns were disappointing due to their dryness and lack of accompanying dressings.
Recommendations:
* Try the Oysters: The hot baked oysters were a standout dish and worth trying.
* Explore the Wine List: Given the impressive selection, take the time to explore the wine menu and find something that suits your taste.

Overall:
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Steamers Bar & Grill offers a beautiful setting and a wide range of wines. However, the subpar service and inconsistent food quality detract from the overall experience. If you're willing to overlook these issues and appreciate the scenic location, it might be worth a visit.

We organised a small birthday party there and received a great service.
Food was really good and so is the ambience- so cool n beautiful.
Loved their calamari & garlic bread, it was so unique.

We had a lovely dinner at Steamers.

We were a little disappointed by the crab option as it was more a pasta cooked in crab rather than lovely crab meat. But it was still delicious.

The service and atmosphere are professional, friendly, attentive, and receptive. Our server had no troubles helping us, and it lead to a great night. They were great at asking about drinks and made some extra money there.

Every time I've been to Steamers has been a lovely experience with friendly staff and great food. Our dinner was lovely and dessert lovely with lots of flavour and complexity.

Will visit again.

Had a family dinner there about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Restaurant was quite empty when we first arrived but was filled to the brim when we were finished with our meal. Our server Josh was fantastic, friendly, good with children & overall made our night.
We had some share olives, calamari & sourdough to start off. Olives were a highlight as it was heated up with some herbs, brought out more flavours. Calamari was cooked to perfection & the sauce was divine. For mains, we had the Goat Hot Pot, Pork Belly & Moroccan lamb. All was very lovely. Kids meal was very nice too.. Portion of the pasta could be slightly bigger than what was offered. Fish & chips was very nice. Ice cream that came with kids meal was huge. Drinks list was endless. Deco of the restaurant was quite interesting.
We’ll be returning soon to try out other items on the menu!

Exceptional food. The Rookie set menu was more than substantial, very full (in a good way). The sashimi was the standout for sure, also the duck and potatoes. Loved the wine options, and the staff were delightful. Only feedback would be towards the atmosphere. Slightly louder music, slightly dimmer lights (maybe more candles), and that door needs fixing (it slams shut every time someone enters). Didn’t really upset our experience, but worth noting. Thanks for having us 🥰

Melt in your mouth experience. Everything exceptional flavoursome. We loved the black pepper beef, the fish, cripsy eggplant. Need to come back to try everything on the menu!

Welcome to Rookie, Wollongong's culinary wonderland that'll have your taste buds doing the happy dance! Chef Sam is like a flavor wizard, conjuring up dishes so incredible, I'm convinced they're from another dimension of deliciousness.

Seriously, when it comes to accommodating, Chef Sam deserves a gold medal. I'm talking about a gold medal in food diplomacy! No matter what dietary quirks or cravings you have, Sam whips up culinary masterpieces to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.

And let's talk about Griffin, the waiter extraordinaire! This guy's accommodating skills are off the charts! He's like a culinary genie, granting your every wish with a smile. With his expert guidance, our meal became an unforgettable adventure, filled with laughter, joy, and some epic foodie discoveries.

The whole Rookie team knows how to create an atmosphere that's so cozy and inviting; you'll feel like you're dining at your favorite aunt's house (if your aunt happened to be a gourmet chef!). The passion for hospitality and top-notch service make you feel like a VIP.

So, if you're in Wollongong and you haven't been to Rookie yet, you're seriously missing out! It's a gastronomic paradise where Chef Sam's incredible dishes and Griffin's accommodating magic will sweep you off your feet. Prepare yourself for a dining experience that'll leave you raving to all your friends and planning your next visit before you've even finished dessert. Cheers to Rookie - the place where food dreams come true!

Absolutely loved spending date night there.
Their set menu is vast and covers various dishes with a generous portion size.

Very impressed by this place. In an unassuming old house on the main street, the interior is whitewashed with black chairs. Very cosy interior. As to the food, we had a set 5-course menu and every dish was excellent. Sashimi and crispy skin pork were the highlights. Some of the dishes are pretty spicy if that's an issue for you, although I'm sure they could modify that. Highly recommended and will eat here again. It's not cheap but the quality is worth the price in my view.

Pretty damn hard to fault. Cosy ambiance in a renovated old home. Service staff super friendly, in fact I'd seen them before at Debutant and they remembered me and my drinking preference (rum). Asian vibes were definitely prominent but in a way my western palate really enjoyed. The pork and fish salad was ridiculous. The caramel and fresh herbs. Omg.

It was fine. Service was pretty slow even though we came at the tail end of the evening as the final seating. No-one asked us about drinks until quite well in. Menu wasn't marked particularly well for gluten free, menu items were out and the substitutions weren't ideal. The decor was pretty drab.

All things that would be totally redeemable or endearing at a place that wasn't trying to hit the white tablecloth demographic and at $60 mains. Those restaurants are held to a higher standard and Rookie was very mediocre.

The dessert though was a surprising dark horse. Yuzu curd with coconut Panna Cotta is amazing.

Had high expectations reading all these good reviews but honestly the food was disappointing. We ordered the Banquet Menu 1 and I hate to say it but the food was not well flavoured, the dishes were not cohesive and it was definitely not worth the price we paid. Although it is fine dining restaurant, a $110 per person banquet menu should serve portion sizes for 2 people… not just 1. Please keep this in mind and spend your money elsewhere.