The Royal Oak

This is another example of one of those great out of the way pubs, which makes the internet essential in being able to discover (before the internet I tended to stick to the main strips, however these days I just type the word bar into Unilocal and suddenly I get heaps of recommendations — though I didn’t discover this pub through Unilocal). Anyway, it is located off the main shopping strip in Balmain, and has one of those cool signs above the entrance that reminds me of some of the pubs in England (though it was of a ship, which a lot of these pubs seem to have been named after). They have this great beer garden down the back, and the upstairs area was also pretty cool. Oh, the staff were also nice, but as with most places like this I tend to gravitate to the quieter part of the pub to read a book with my beer.

This is one of my favourite pubs in Balmain, standing like a sentinel on the corner of College and Curtis, it exudes old world charm.
It’s missed by many because it isn’t on the main Darling Street drag. This is a good thing. Whilst those other pubs take care of the general riff raff, the Royal Oak has a more subdued, and classy clientele. The locals and peeps in the know, who can skip the pretension of those other places.
When I lived in Drummoyne this was a regular for the Trivia Night where the guy used, a chalkboard of all things, to tally up the scores. We also loved this place because it has Murray’s Whale Ale on tap.
The main area, right after you walk in the pub, has loads of seating, and towards the back of this area is the real gem of the pub, the open fireplace and super-​comfy weathered lounge chairs. On a cold dreary day full of wind and rain, I can often imagine myself sitting in front of that fire, twirling a brandy balloon and reminiscing about my days at sea. Let’s not dull that by the reality of a friend and I grabbing some Zumbarons from Zumbo up on Darling Street and wandering down here in the rain to consume them at the pub with a bourbon in front of the fire.
The Royal Oak has a strong nautical theme. The walls are adorned with sailing imagery of all kinds; boats in bottles; a ships wheel; they even have sea creatures hanging from the rafters in the dining section; not to mention the whale ale on tap. I’m pretty sure they used to have a mast in the main bar, but I can’t remember if I saw it there last time.
All in all I really love the coziness of this place, and the fact that you feel warm and welcome when you sit down.
One of these days I will bring a big group and try out the full dining experience.

Its a quiet back water part of Balmain, as far as I can tell undiscovered by the vast majority of the moths and fathers that now inhabit this suburb. A good menu with good food selections is good for a return visit, and the wine list is just substantial enough to also warrant a return.
Gives off the strong vibes of a true local, with some good frontage for summer nights. Also a fireplace in the back which will probably put it in good stead for winter as well.
Some good recommendations for the squid, and although the salmon they have is Atlantic, its still tasty if not local.

I’ve been here twice now, both times I got the mussels.
They’re fresh, multitudinous, meaty and amazing!
The other things on the menu look great too (e.g piri piri chicken, chips, burgers, etc), but I’m just obsessed with the mussels. You can get them in either and garlic cream sauce or a thai sauce.
Service is good, and its a a really nice venue for a «pub».

The Royal Oak is one of those great little pubs tucked away in Balmain’s back streets. The Oak has a good formula with good beer and very tasty food at reasonable prices.
The venue has a restaurant at one end and the public bar at the other. There are also function areas and bars upstairs. The décor is upmarket English Pub style and provides a comfortable and cosy atmosphere.
The pub has a good selection of standard and boutique beers on tap (Murray’s Whale Ale and Balmain Ale are both available) and also serves some nice wine by the glass.
There is a delicious bar menu and the restaurant menu is also available in the pub which is a bonus (all the meals coming from the same kitchen). I have never had a bad meal at the Oak. The rump steak ($ 18.50) is possibly the best I have had in Balmain and the Vegetarian Nachos ($ 15) are excellent and stomach stuffing.
The staff are always friendly and prompt.
The Oak is a great venue for a few drinks and dinner any night of the week.