Hotel Harry

The Verdict

Hotel Harry has always been one of those pubs that feels very stitched into the DNA of Surry Hills.

On any given night, you'd be likely to start with a schooner and end somewhere around the dancefloor, a DJ booth or a late-night pub feed you didn't bet on staying for. Now, after a major rehaul, the 1912-built local is stepping back into the spotlight with a fresh look and a sharper point of view in design and menu items.

The reboot comes courtesy of hospitality heavyweights The Point Group, who have already run the pub for more than a decade. Inside, the building's old pub charm is still intact but the layout has been tightened and reworked so each space feels its own. There's a buzzing bistro anchored by an open kitchen, a lounge built for long lunches and late cocktails, a sunny terrace, plus street seating for prime people-watching.

Food is obviously a serious part of the new Harry's identity with the kitchen running a trifecta of big gun toys like a rotisserie, a live-fire grill and a proper Italian pizza oven. These guys pave the way for a menu decked out in flame-licked king prawns, hulking steaks designed for sharing and rotisserie meats with all the trimmings.

Behind the bar, drinks lean heavily in your staple classics and few a specially-crafted cocktails you can knock-back quite easily, although we'd suggest hitting anything here with a rum blend—you won't be disappointed.

One of our favourite additions is a lovingly restored vintage Sansui SP-7500X (music nerds unite), originall produced back in Japan's golden era of hi-fi sound and music culture.

Image credit: Supplied