The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel

Great location! Great beers. Highly recommend. The place is quite busy and has limited seating for walk-in’s. I would suggest to reserve a table before going to get a chance to sit in the atmosphere of the brewery. All beers are named in relation to sailing (pretty neat).

Epic historic venue! Great location in the heart of The Rocks. Great beer and ok pub food. Only thing missing is music!! It lacks atmosphere because of no music. Live would be great but anything would help. Had amazing service though from a bar tender Matt! Made our night. Must visit and take a group of friends.

My grandfather loves this spot. Everytime he goes to Sydney, he makes sure to always come here. So on my walk today, I decided to stop here for chips. And no wonder my grandfather goes here. They are amazing! Even though it’s just a bowl of chips, it’s so good! When I was done, a young lad took my bowl and was so polite, and he deserves a raise. Would come again!

(March 2006) Very well located, 4min walk from the main tourist strip in the Rocks. Beautifully presented pub with sandstone walls and an almost oily shearing shed floor. Competant staff, mixed crowd, no dickheads. Nice food on the bar and restaurant selections. 7 house brews on tap plus 5 more commercial offerings.

OK, it pains me to leave a poor review at a pub I’ve been drinking at for 20+ years, but this was a bad experience. And it was basic hospitality service failures that a duty manager should know better to manage/ avoid. It’s December, yes it’s the stupid Christmas lunch season. Silly me to go to my regular in December. Don’t worry - I’m not coming back until Autumn after today’s experience. So if you have a Christmas lunch crowd in, serve them, and then ask them to move away from the bar. Guys leaning against the bar drinking are blocking the way for other patrons. Regular patrons. These Christmas lunch guys will likely never visit your pub again. The pub has a large floorspace, inside and out - get the event manager to move them into one of those areas. So I’m enjoying my lunch outside and decide if like a second pint. I fight my way into the bar, I wait behind a crowd of older men drinking (not ordering), and eventually I get to the bar. By the time I get back to my table outside, my lunch has been cleared away! Should I go and fight my way back through the crowd to find the duty manager? Well, too late really - that was all the time I had for lunch. Really disappointed with this icon pub.

The Mog Champ sends his regards. Great selection of beers on tap, been here twice now. Amazing to have a gathering over a meal and drinks. Don't have any opinion on staying here so I can only review the pub itself. The location is a bit of a walk from Circular Quay but nothing that good company can't handle. Mogliest Regards, Your Mog Champ

If only they had cooks that knew how to cook good food. Ordered a medium rare steak and a medium lamb rack and the steak was medium well and the lamb was well done and dry Didn’t complain because of how long it took for the initial order to arrive so didn’t want to wait another 30 + minutes. Also FYI, lamb chops are not the same as lamb Rack on the menu

I had my first date with my now husband at the Lord Nelson 12 years ago. Since then, we have gone back for dinner on every trip to Sydney and I’ve always maintained that the fish and chips were the best I’ve had. The ambiance and beer are still top notch, but last week the fish and chips I had were tough, chewy, and just not good. We saw some friends the next day who also complained about the quality of the food they recently had at the Lord Nelson. Here’s hoping they read this and make some changes!

Great location! Great beers. Highly recommend. The place is quite busy and has limited seating for walk-in’s. I would suggest to reserve a table before going to get a chance to sit in the atmosphere of the brewery. All beers are named in relation to sailing (pretty neat).

Epic historic venue! Great location in the heart of The Rocks. Great beer and ok pub food. Only thing missing is music!! It lacks atmosphere because of no music. Live would be great but anything would help. Had amazing service though from a bar tender Matt! Made our night. Must visit and take a group of friends.

My grandfather loves this spot. Everytime he goes to Sydney, he makes sure to always come here. So on my walk today, I decided to stop here for chips. And no wonder my grandfather goes here. They are amazing! Even though it’s just a bowl of chips, it’s so good! When I was done, a young lad took my bowl and was so polite, and he deserves a raise. Would come again!

(March 2006) Very well located, 4min walk from the main tourist strip in the Rocks. Beautifully presented pub with sandstone walls and an almost oily shearing shed floor. Competant staff, mixed crowd, no dickheads. Nice food on the bar and restaurant selections. 7 house brews on tap plus 5 more commercial offerings.

OK, it pains me to leave a poor review at a pub I’ve been drinking at for 20+ years, but this was a bad experience. And it was basic hospitality service failures that a duty manager should know better to manage/ avoid. It’s December, yes it’s the stupid Christmas lunch season. Silly me to go to my regular in December. Don’t worry - I’m not coming back until Autumn after today’s experience. So if you have a Christmas lunch crowd in, serve them, and then ask them to move away from the bar. Guys leaning against the bar drinking are blocking the way for other patrons. Regular patrons. These Christmas lunch guys will likely never visit your pub again. The pub has a large floorspace, inside and out - get the event manager to move them into one of those areas. So I’m enjoying my lunch outside and decide if like a second pint. I fight my way into the bar, I wait behind a crowd of older men drinking (not ordering), and eventually I get to the bar. By the time I get back to my table outside, my lunch has been cleared away! Should I go and fight my way back through the crowd to find the duty manager? Well, too late really - that was all the time I had for lunch. Really disappointed with this icon pub.

The Mog Champ sends his regards. Great selection of beers on tap, been here twice now. Amazing to have a gathering over a meal and drinks. Don't have any opinion on staying here so I can only review the pub itself. The location is a bit of a walk from Circular Quay but nothing that good company can't handle. Mogliest Regards, Your Mog Champ

If only they had cooks that knew how to cook good food. Ordered a medium rare steak and a medium lamb rack and the steak was medium well and the lamb was well done and dry Didn’t complain because of how long it took for the initial order to arrive so didn’t want to wait another 30 + minutes. Also FYI, lamb chops are not the same as lamb Rack on the menu

I had my first date with my now husband at the Lord Nelson 12 years ago. Since then, we have gone back for dinner on every trip to Sydney and I’ve always maintained that the fish and chips were the best I’ve had. The ambiance and beer are still top notch, but last week the fish and chips I had were tough, chewy, and just not good. We saw some friends the next day who also complained about the quality of the food they recently had at the Lord Nelson. Here’s hoping they read this and make some changes!

Great looking old bar just away from main attractions near the "Rocks". Beer brewery so good choice of beers including "best dark beer in Australia 2023". It was a good Porter but not that brilliant. They have smart upstairs eating area but kitchen closes on the day we were there. Just ate a pork pie which was a bit disappointing. Seemed to have been recently frozen so pastry not good. Really close to the very old Sydney observatory. ( you need to book to go around it so didn't so went to Lord Nelson instead.

Loud and full of life!! Grab a beer from the lovely bartenders of this Brasserie before you leave the city!

Best fish and chips I've ever had...amazing pub, everything we had was simply spot on. Can't wait to go back!

Headed over to this place after walking over the Harbour Bridge. You need a cold pint after all that walking. One of the oldest pubs around. They brew their own beers. Lady bartender was super nice. We gave her our likings, and she suggested some good beer matches. Got the 3 Sheets. Crisp and refreshing. Also got the Nelson Blood Porter. Dark beer, rich and creamy. Great place to take pictures of all the history. This is a must place to come to, especially if you are in holiday. Cheers.

Nice service, great food! A lot of the staff were pretty young and I wish they had stopped by the table to explain how things worked. Because I had made a reservation online, I expected for table service. However, we just walked around and found our name on a table and sat there for about 10 minutes before going up to the bar to order. The beer was decent but hard to accurately review as I don't drink beer often. The beef pie is REALLY good so I highly recommend it! Also, you can beat the 1800s building and history in the place.

Went here for the first time on holiday with my partner who has been here several times. The bar area on the first floor is sit yourself with ordering at the bar. They have a small selection of beer- and if you like stouts, this was one of only 2 bars that I found with one- Nelson's Blood- and it was delicious! Their fish and chips are subpar, not sure what fish they use but it had a weird texture. Ambiance is very "local worker there after a shift for a round with the guys." Cool place to check out though

Staying at the Inn upstairs. Quiet and comfortable. Stairs only though. No noise from the pub which is also wonderful. Great bunch of brews to order from. Monday and Tuesday dinner specials. 19 Kent St

I was very excited to go visit and have a meal and drinks at a 150 year old pub, to my disappointment, I order a burger medium rare with French fries, both came out awful. The burger was over cooked and the fries very cold. When I requested a replacement, I was met with a nasty attitude from the server who never came back to report on my request. Another server stoped by and wouldn't even bother looking at my face to hear my question. Therefore there was nothing good about this establishment on my view.

Another interesting place that you should visit. It is popular to local and many tourist. Beers are more stronger and tastier in this place than the other. You definitely can felt it after first dip. The only service you get it from the bar. They have outdoor and inside, but definitely indoor and enjoy the history on the wall. It is a little outside the major tourist area, but it is worth it.

Great beer and pub-feel atmosphere. I don't spend a lot of time in pubs, but this one was very nice and the beer is solid. Get the Three Sheets. It was recommended to me along with the place and you can't go wrong with either. Worth a visit and not a bad walk from Circular Quay or BridgeClimb.

The walk over here after the Harbor Bridge was worth it. This is one of the oldest pubs in town. The place gets very busy so snag a seat while you have a chance. There are a good handful of beers on tap. I went for the porter but I'm sure you can't go wrong with anything there. Overall, I really enjoyed the character of this place. I'd love to try the food the next time I'm around with room in my stomach.

This is my third time coming back to Australia and I love this place. This is one of the first breweries I went to before they became cool in the US. The food keeps getting better and the beer is the same with newer variants like IPAs. It is the oldest brewery in Sydney and beautiful inside. Prices on items in Australia have gone up a lot since I first started coming in the 90s, I mean crazy expensive now. This place is still almost exactly the same though! See you soon Lord Nelson!

The pub is amazing. With so much history, you just have to stop for a pint... or ten. I thoroughly enjoyed how everyone mingled and got along. Great atmosphere.

Great pub and open for lunch on New Year's Day! As other Yelpers have stated the charm of this place is it's best selling attribute. Well along with the barkeeps who had great personalities and did indeed let us try a vast array of their liquid specialties before making a decision. Funnily enough - for our tastes anyway, we both liked the Quayle Ale - named for Dan Quayle after a visit to the pub, way back when. We also had the beef pie for lunch. It came perched on top of a mound of fresh mashed taters, swimming in delicious gravy and had some homemade mushy peas atop. Everything was great apart from - the pie. It wasn't bad, but I think we were just spoiled from our meat pies in Leura the day before. The pastry was tough and too thick on this one but the meat was tender and as mentioned, the rest was delish!

A definite hot spot! We were lucky to get seated! They claim to be the oldest brewery in Sydney. They had about 6 beers on draft the porter was amazing as was the summer ale. We ordered fish and chip and prawns chorizo pizza. Fish and chips were ok and pizza ok. None of it was bad but I wouldn't order either again. I do recommend you stop by and enjoy some of their brews!

I really enjoy coming here for a beer and a chat but I have to say the bar-ladies are rude/entitled, the dudes are cool, they work very hard.

Old school since 1841. I love visiting these old historic places especially when they have a pub inside. What a great place to relax and enjoy a local beer on tap while relaxing after a long day of touring the city.

A personal favorite! This restaurant is popular with airline employees from the states. Have been a number of times and it is consistently good.

I went on a pub crawl with my niece and her friends. And this was stop 1. It was quite crowded with the afterwork folks. And OMG was in hot at 5ish on a Friday in early March. The fans inside weren't even on. This pub is actually still attached to an actual hotel so that makes it the oldest operating hotel/pub. As opposed to Fortune of War which is just a bar. I would like to see some sort of dance battle between them. A doorman limits the number of people who can stand out on the street which was an interesting thing to watch. While this is primarily a beer bar, they did have some lovely wines on the menu as well as a full bar for the vodka/soda set.

An excellent pub right in the heart of Sydney with a pleasant local pub feeling. A traditional pub downstairs, with a good selection off beers and wines and a bistro upstairs (I would advise booking) with fine dining Australian cuisine. We tried out both, found the service friendly and prompt. This one has al the hallmarks of becoming our new local!

YES! What character! and CHARM! We loved staying here and LOVED the pub food. This place is in a great neighborhood that's walking distance to anything. The quiet streets made for romantic walks finished by the Lord Nelson crab spaghetti & meat pies

Food was great. Meat pie and vegan curry were yummy. The GF pizza crust was so good we had to verify the crust was GF. Awesome beer and fun pub atmosphere make this a must visit! Seat yourself and order at the bar.

Known as Sydney's longest-running brew-pub (established 1842), Lord Nelson cannot be missed on your to-go list. Located in The Rocks, it's such a gem. I came here to end my long day touristing around Sydney. It was perfect. Though it was bustling, we found a corner table right by the brewery edge. The decor fits, and staff are super friendly. I ordered the Old Admiral, the beer comes out of this awesome looking stein. We got a little hungry, and ordered a pizza, sometimes, that is the best combo for beer. The atmosphere was great. I could've stayed here all night. And, it's genuine; a pub producing beer on tap served exclusively only at Lord Nelson.

Yes! A must visit for any beer enthusiast. It's a proper pub with a great selection of beers and food. We walked in after a long walk through around the city. We were parched from the baking sun - the cold beer was perfect. We ordered the fish and chips plate which was superb. Flaky and tasty. The portion was more than we expected, so we were glad to only have ordered one. It's Sydney's oldest pub which also offers a bed to stay in (hotel). The service is friendly, you'll order at the bar. Get your beer at the bar; food will be brought to your table. The place is kept very clean,it's well-lit and there's a huge window at the front. There's a dining room, upstairs too, but we enjoyed the main area downstairs which touts the bar and the communal table. Go and order some brews, you'll enjoy the authenticity.

Came here to check out one of the old bars/breweries. Standard bar, wish I could have tried the food but it didn't look like it was going on and I was never asked. Tried the 3 sheets which was a standard summery beer--not that I didn't like it, but there was nothing wow. Someone walked by and grabbed me while I was ordering, so that's a first in Australia....

Before I ever arrived in Australia, my good friend J had told me about a place he had visited in Sydney several years ago. He said it was called "Admiral Nelson Pub" ...or similar. It was the oldest brewpub in Sydney, and he spoke with such reverence that I researched further online and found the place - called the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel. I placed it at the top of my To Do list. I also noted the word "Hotel" and discovered they had very good room rates. Unfortunately they were booked solid through my long weekend in Sydney, so I had to find other lodgings. Nevertheless, after a longish day traveling from Cairns, corralling my luggage, sitting in a long cab ride through rush hour traffic, and finally depositing my bags at my hotel, I needed a beer...stat. And the Lord Nelson was a mere 4 blocks away. What to do? When I arrived at the intersection of Kent and Argyle I beheld a beautiful, historic sandstone structure (originally built in 1836). When I crossed the threshold, I was transported to a warm, cozy English-style pub full of people. A list of house beers were displayed prominently on chalkboards above the bar. The only downside was finding a place to sit or stand. Though it was an early Thursday evening, the place was packed (with half the people obviously having come straight from work). I ordered a beer and eventually found a corner spot where I could relax and people-watch. Some customers were having food, but since I had just eaten, I was content to taste the house-brewed beers. Luckily, the Lord Nelson served not only pints (20 oz), but half pints (10 oz) and schooners (15 oz), so I was able to sample a few beers without getting hammered. Also, like most British ales, most of their beers tended be lower alcohol (5% or less). Here were the beers I tried from best to worst (over two visits): -- Old Admiral: A scotch ale or Strong Ale (I'm guessing). Dark, malty, earthy, smokey; and absolutely delicious; hard to believe this beer was only 6% alcohol; I chatted with several locals who only came here to order this -- Double admiral: Very good; the closest thing they had to an American-style IPA but with a richer flavor; and only 5.6%. I wish I could find something with this taste-to-alcohol ratio back home. -- Nelson's Blood: A smooth and tasty Porter at 4.9% -- Three sheets: A solid Pale Ale. Hoppier than most Aussie pales ales; less hoppy than American style. At only 4.9% ABV, The name didn't really apply (unless you had 5 or 6 of them) -- Victory Bitter: A British style bitter. Decent flavor, but a little boring for me (5%) The staff here were hardworking and efficient, but I found them to be a little cold on both my visits. They had an abrupt manner and always looked like they'd much rather be somewhere else. I don't know why, though I noted most of the staff were very young (20s) and the avg customer age trended higher (30+). Despite the historic setting and beer offerings, this - and the heavy crowds - were enough to keep The Lord Nelson out of 5-star territory for me. That said, if I ever I make it back to Sydney, I'd happily return. Even more so if I had friends in tow.

Went for drinks in the bar and ended up going upstairs to have dinner. The bar is nice and cozy, even as busy as it was. Just the right amount of spirit in the air. Was happy they could seat our 6 for dinner. The dinner menu is kind of limited. Most everyone had the porterhouse, but I opted for the special ribeye. Super good!!! Juicy, tender, flavorful, perfect!!! The service was very good also. Like I said, only issue is limited menu to include sides.

Wandering around the Rocks in Sydney and happened upon what - as we were told - was the oldest hotel/pub in Sydney. It certainly had the visual appeal and character to fit that description! Between the three of us we enjoyed the Potato, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup - which was lighter than it might sound and very tasty. I also tried the Nepalese Chicken Curry on Basmati Rice with Minted Yoghurt and Pappadums - also very nice, and filling. The mix of the chicken and rice and curry and yoghurt was pretty spot on. Finally, we sampled the Beef Pie with Mushy Peas Potato Mash and Gravy - that was my favorite. Heaven on a plate.

Just ludicrously disappointed about showing up just after 10 pm. Not only was I presented with the opportunity to consume a minuscule half pint, accepted grudgingly, but upon suggesting that I had shown up before the 11 pm cut off I was roundly informed that one person is insufficient. I pointed out that I had just flown in from the USA and was accompanied by 6 paying customers, ok just me but I was prepared to pay for 6. Liars, go to the Glenmore Hotel where they serve until when they say and have a rooftop bar overlooking the opera house and the harbor. Vastly superior experience and not even a major walk. What has become of Sydney, a globally cosmopolitan city, wherein we stayed very centrally, that is largely closed after 10 pm. Horror has descended upon a post COVID world. How can such a small entity delete an entire culture. I wonder whether the owner of the Lord Nelson is aware of the commercial limitations imposed by staff who turn away customers an hour before posted closing on the grounds of missing patrons that we were essentially surrounded by, more beer than my party of 6 was visible looking in any direction while sitting outside the Lord Nelson. Again my best suggestion is skip the Lord Nelson and step to the Glenmore where a lovely lady will actually sell you beer.

This is one of my favs in The Rocks. Their own beers are excellent and being the oldest hotel (pub) in Sydney - it's a fab place to go. I've been here many times because it always delivers and this time was no exception. He had the fish and chips and whilst whining about the fries (think Maccers) instead of chips he loved the fish - said it was awesome. I had the chilli crab spaghetti was perfect. Every bite was heaven and I eat much more than I should've because I couldn't stop because it was so wonderful.

After a disappointing view of the back of the opera house, we needed beer and food and Lord Nelson was the recommended destination. Sadly they didn't have any super cheap crappy fizzy piss water beer so I settled on a thick stout. With that, the three of us shared a house made bread, cheese, and pickle platter and a pork pie. The bread was phenomenal! This was the last place I expected to find good bread but here it was; fresh, soft, beautiful crust, tons of flavor, and the perfect vessel for cheese and pickles; http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-lord-nelson-brewery-hotel-the-rocks?select=85iF_qPv1635PQiLX232Ow#85iF_qPv1635PQiLX232Ow Up next was a surprisingly good and cold little pork pie. We weren't expecting it to be served on the cooler side but despite its temp, the crust was flakey and the pork filling was hearty. A must try for pork pie or Primus lovers; http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-lord-nelson-brewery-hotel-the-rocks?select=85iF_qPv1635PQiLX232Ow#FbD9nlfvDtoXkmnJV7sUkQ Definitely a spot I'll be back to.

Love the beers here! And the food is just the right complement to a delicious plowman's lunch or a tasty meat pie. The decor is clean and inviting, and the bartenders are friendly and accommodating. Of, and of course there is that thing about being one/the(no one really knows for sure) oldest pub in Sydney. However, all of this isn't the main reason why I stop by this pub every time that I am in Sydney..no that reason is Lord Nelson's location. This pub is located just beyond The Rocks proper, which means that you aren't really likely to run into your stereotypical tourist. You know the type I'm talking about, the kind that always makes you feel embarrassed that you both come from the same country. No, the tourist here have done their homework, and are what I like to call travelers. The somewhat "secret" location of this pub not only makes for some pretty cool country mean, but some friendly Aussie's enjoying a pint which always adds to the bar's authentic vibe. I always love walking through the neighborhood to get to Lord Nelson's, and it really is a fantastic bar. I would rate it at 5 stars, but it can get a little crowded for my taste, but depending on how you look at it, this can be a good thing

Another 5 stars for my trip to Sydney courtesy of the Lord Nelson! Our first visit was for a special occasion - my ma & pa's wedding anniversary - so it was a bit annoying that we couldn't book. Instead, we had to rock up and wait it out. Being the Monday night before Christmas, it was busy, so we had to stay alert. After a few false starts (and half a bottle of wine) we found a table and settled in. Looking over the menu, it's not vast, but does have some mouthwatering options. With menus pinned to clipboards, chalkboards above the bar and the microbrewery in the back, this felt very different to other bars, with a little bit of something extra. We tucked into chicken wings to start - shared as we had been travelling and our bodies not quite used to the time! - and then I had the steak sandwich. Hearty and simple, the steak was well cooked and the chips went down very well. Not exactly haute cuisine, but it was what we were all craving and hit the spot. Obviously the beer is something to write home about, though I drank some very authentic cider, forgoing the surprising British option of Apsalls, despite being a personal favourite. A great spot in the Rocks that I would recommend to all.

Great beer at reasonable price. The bar was not busy that day and I just went for a coupe beers. The staff are really kind.

The Nels' does one of my all-time fave brews... The Three Sheets. It's been my final pitstop on my solo Rocks sojourns for aeons (ever since the Palisades closed something like 6 or 7 years ago now). It's steeped in the history stuff for all the buffs, which is what makes The Rocks... rocks! His Lordship's beers are both magical and wonderful. No schooners here! Pints and half-pints only please. And if you're serious the word half-pint doesn't exist in your vocab unless... You're the Deso! Deso! And you're rockin' super clean! Let's show you some love, You're takin' one for the team! You're the Deso! Deso! D-E-S-O That's all you've gotta say, that's the end of the show! I'm docking a star for the food. Seriously their menu looks super appetising, however the reality kills the salivating expectations. The pizza was for wimps only, and lacked both flavour and texture. The wings tasted fine, but nothing to write home about. Given the price tag, all 3 of us were somewhat disappointed. However, I don't normally come here for the food, and if you don't either then you are probably gonna have a 5-star experience. Enjoy :)

The Lord Nelson claims to be Sydney's oldest licensed hotel. All I know is that I dig their beer. They brew their own on premise and have a good variety on-tap. I'd especially recommend the Three Sheets Australian pale ale. The place has a comfortable atmosphere and feels a bit like a British pub, plus it features some British style beers on tap. Sitting in the bar with pints of beer was a great way to spend a rainy evening.

Stayed down the road from here was interesting to know it's the oldest pub in Australia. We didn't have a feed as we had other plans. So we had to go and have a beer here and have a look at the place. Was a few patrons there and they brew there own beer. We had the pale ale and it wasn't bad before heading of to our next destination. Drop in and try a brew the make it's not bad. cheers

I enjoyed coming in here. We got to talk to a local and have a good conversation. The bartenders were nice to talk to and recommended different beers to try. The beer was decent, but the atmosphere is what makes up for it. They also were the only one of 4-5 that I went to that sold beer to take with you as well!

One of my all time favorite pubs anywhere in the world. Very cool old building, great beer and good service. The food is good as well. Try the Nelsons Blood when in season. Great Porter. You can never go wrong with Three Sheets for a great session beer. Goes down smooth all night. Just stayed in their hotel upstairs. The rooms are fantastic, very clean and posh with a huge bathroom. It's on the 3rd floor so it's very quite even when the bar is open. Since it closes at 11pm, you don't have to worry about being kept up all night regardless. My go to place for brews, relaxing, and a room to stay every time I'm in Sydney.

Great beer as well as food. Lots of history here and neat atmosphere. We came back here twice while visiting Sydney, it was that good! Good mix of locals and visitors. It can get busy. The beef pie was extremely tasty. Like many places in Sydney, you order at the bar and find a seat. They have seating both inside and out.

If you love pubs that are literally chock full of people then this is definitely a pub for you. I made the mistake of going here on a Friday night and I have to admit that I simply could not move - there was simply just way too many people crowded into the place (though I'm sure it wasn't so many that it would put them in breach of the occupational health and safety laws). Fortunately I have been here before, about a year ago, and even though it was on a weeknight, there was still plenty of people here. Anyway, this is one of those 'old hotels' that is fighting for the title of being 'Sydney's Oldest Pub'. Actually, it is also a brewery (as you probably guessed from the name) which means that they have quite a number of house beers on tap. Unfortunately I wasn't able to try any on my latest visit simply because there was just way too many people crowded into this pub.

I always try to stay at the Nelson's Brasserie whenever I transit through the Sydney area. The food is great and the pub even better. Nice to be able to hang out with the locals, drink some (alot) great beer and then crawl upstairs to bed!! Lol. Awesome place! Can't say enough

The weekend has called and I have escaped work!! What better way to spend the weekend than to sit down to a refreshing lord nelson beer. MW and I decide to have lunch at the Lord Nelson after a stroll in the city. It's quite busy on the weekend but I manage to get a table. The menu is a short pub menu. You go up to the bar, order and tell them roughly where you sit. I decide to order the steak sandwich ($20). It's served on turkish bread, tomato relish and has a side of french fries. MW devours the steak sandwich and leaves me a few bites to taste. It's a decent steak sandwich with a few salad ingredients (My favourite steak sandwich is Sydney is from the tree house in North Sydney). I like that the side of french fries is generous. I also order the battered fish ($21.50) with mayo and french fries. The menu says wasabi mayo but I can't taste any wasabi. The batter is light and crispy, just how I like it. I think the fish is just missing a touch of salt, along with the fries. Aside from that, the battered fish was a solid pub meal. I think the portions are decent and the beer was delicious.

This pub is charming and character filled and whenever I visit I bask on the glow of welcoming old style bar which has me thinking of Christmas and being woozily happy. This is not a place I can go to if I am respecting my liver. There is far too much to tempt! We bagged a table on a very busy Saturday lunch time and set about deciding. This was no mean feat I might add - eyeing the meals on other tables I found the HUGE portion sizes off putting. This is man-sized food. Even the men sized men were struggling. I have long been a proponent of less is more and rather lamely opted for another pear cider and some Rosemary Fries. I was to be disappointed with my humble potato offering. The chips tasted meaty like they'd been cooked with lard. I had imagined wedge like rosemary infused delights instead I got commercial chips sprinkled with dried rosemary - not even fresh. A bit sad really. I went hard on the ketchup though and they provided a stomach lining. I will certainly continue to drink here but the food was a bit of a miss for me on this occasion.

If you're in The Rocks for a taste of some colonial Australian history, go to the Lord Nelson Hotel to imbibe a pint in the area's oldest pub. Tradition reigns supreme here, which can be discerned from first glance. It's a very large stone building that dominates Kent Street from afar, as any historical landmark would. The interior appears to be preserved from the 19th century, with wooden-beam ceilings, draped flags, and hanging lanterns. The effort to keep this pub true to its past is probably its strongest asset. That, and its award-winning beer. There are six different ales that are produced in this microbrewery. I opted for a pint of the Three Sheets, a light and citrusy brew which is one of the pub's most popular. The atmosphere in the pub is great, and can get super vibrant at anytime of the day. I had not an appetite during my last visit to Lord Nelson, but there is quite an impressive menu of not only traditional English pub chow, but also some ethnic offerings like curries and kofta skewers, all at a decent price.

Fun place to drink a beer then eat fish and chips. Also a good place to start a pub crawl through the rocks.

Great traditional pub full of character. Said to be Australia's oldest pub, and since I had acquired a taste for their Three Sheets during my time in Australia I was keen to visit. We arrived at lunchtime and it was packed with a varied crowd of locals and visitors, we were lucky one table was just leaving. The ales are all brewed on site and taste great fresh from the tap. I wasn't for swaying from my new favourite Australian pale ale Three Sheets but my other half had the Nelson's Blood porter and assured me it was also damn tasty. For lunch I ordered the pumpkin, beetroot, spinach, walnut and goats cheese salad - I'm not usually a salad eater but wanted something a little lighter and this tasted so good, I loved every part of it and was definitely substantial enough for lunch. My other half had the beef pie with mash and gravy and was equally happy with his food. Top marks, I'd recommend a visit - just bear in mind it's a busy place so if you're coming for pub grub you might have to wait for a table. Luckily, there are some tasty beers to keep you occupied at the bar meantime :)

We loved the meals here, as well as staying upstairs in our en suite room. Service is extremely friendly and helpful. The fish and chips and the beef pie with mash and peas were delicious.

I wish I took a photo of the fish and chips I ordered to show how crisp the batter was. The flathead was sweet and buttery. It was too good to sit and take a photo of... absolutely delicious meal, accompanied by good beers and company