Bird & Bear Boathouse

Cash only! Just in case your debit card expires and you don’t realize:)
Otherwise an amazing spot!

cute little coffee and café right on the water with amazing views

There is a take away counter weekend mornings so it is fast to get a coffee and sit in the park!
Great breakfast dishes — eggs are good and they keep improving the menu. They are also working on the service — it seems like they had initially hired some people that were unable to handle the stress. The last couple times for coffees it was no problem. Even with food, I was a little aggressive in going to the counter to ask since they are most certainly aware that they are a bit slow. But the location is so amazing — on the water — that normally I don’t mind a wait. if I am not starving. I hope they survive with all the people that they have annoyed with the slow service.
This is one of those gems that if they get it right it will really be a winner. as of now the jury is out and I keep going back. Since the coffee is great, everything else is a bonus. I really hope that they succeed!

Spectacular view. Great spot for a Saturday brunch

— Amazing views. I do love a good bobbing boat.
— limited, but nice and fun menu. the breakfast quesadilla was awesome, though could have done with some fresh juice.
— Cool, quirky theme.
— Dog friendly

I’m from Melbourne, and do not say this lightly — this is one of the best cafes I have ever been to. The café is situated on a cute little pier, next to a park, with boats all tied up alongside, and has a great view of the bay. I recommend you order as you walk in, then get a seat under one of the umbrellas as you relax with a friend or just chill out and read the paper, listening to the lapping waves and the boats bobbing beside you. The food isn’t that good, its over priced, the coffee is meh, and for some strange reason the experience includes those those annoying beepers that tell you when your meal is ready. but I literally barely noticed any of this I loved it so much. EXCELLENT morning after venue.
Tip: pat the friendly grey cat who sits in the canoe rack sun baking, shes a cute little thing.

Vittoria coffee will not get you very far. However, don’t come here for the service, food or coffee, come for the outlook which is quite pleasant. A nice decking, some basic food; they have that buzz system that a few pubs use to notify you when your food is ready — this says everything about the service you need to know. A sunny day and the view will take away some of the gripes you might have on the café.

A great addition to the marina and fits perfectly into it’s relaxed atmosphere. Offering only a simple menu, it’s all about the location.

A great view. Limited menu. Coffee has terrible the last month. Staff SLOW and sometime rude.
The first few times we went to Bird & Bear we loved it. Friendly serivce, nice coffee and a location with views to die for. I wouldn’t want to go in winter though as there is no indoor seating.
We would get take away coffees then go sit on a bench in the park enjoying the view.
However the last 3 times we have went the coffee was pretty grim. Here is a run down off the last 3 times
1) Service very slow. Waited 20 mins for a takeaway coffee. Was the barista’s first day so we understood. Coffee disappointing
2) Coffee nice. Service slow but not too bad. Staff got our order wrong.
3) We ordered our coffees. The guy said, ‘takeaway?’ we said, ‘yes thanks’. 30 seconds later as we stood there (right in front of him) he said loudly to the 2 other staff members, ‘I can’t believe how many people don’t tell you if they want it takeaway or dine-​in. I mean it’s unbelievable’ I said to my boyfriend, in astonishment, ‘Is he talking about us?’ My boyfriend was unimpressed & pulled the guy up. He was ever so slightly apologetic. But really! And the coffee was awful. Next time we’ll go to the gorgeous café at Café Two Ants, Elizabeth Bay Road, a 1 minute walk from the park, with an awesome barista, lovely staff, and get out coffee’s takeaway then go sit down at Beare Park.
Sorry guys-​great idea and the first 2 times we went we enjoyed it but we won’t be back.

«Quintessential Sydney», said a friend of mine about this little café. I didn’t believe him. When I thought of cafes by the water, I thought «tourist trap» with curiosity-​killed-​cat-​type patrons, high item prices and unfriendly staff. From first and second experiences, for me this place doesn’t convey any of these. Bird and Bear café is perfect for its class and quality of cafes by the Sydney waterfront.
It’s perfectly simple; two rustic tall tables (one that sits around 14 and another with around 8) and three normal height tables (seating around 6). The tables are shaded by large white umbrellas. You share not only the tables but a view that both takes your breath away and makes you reminisce songs with lyrics about sitting by the light of the moon or walking by the boardwalk. If you come to this place just around after it opens, say 8am, look down to your feet but refrain from looking out to the harbour as you walk away from the counter to the tall tables, but look up once you’re at the large table. Notice then, how the Harbour glistens with the sun rays breaking through the clouds and as the boats bounce and dance anchored in the water. Perfect!
The food is simple and priced reasonably. But this is not an extraordinary quality that requires description or review for me about this place. A favorite of mine is pan au chocolát and a large soy flat white with a good book or an empty notebook to fill with stories or doodles. You order at the counter near the entrance and if your food order is substantial then you’re given a remote buzzer to take away. This is not a cash only place, they quite happily take your cards.
Located at the Elizabeth Bay Esplanade, you can either kayak, boat, drive/​park, «Go-​Get» car share, motor bike, bike, run or walk to this place. There are literally entrances to each of these modes of transport. It’s main entrance is non-​descript at the top of the car park at the Esplanade. Residents frequent this café, so please be kind to them. If you can’t find a seat then grab a take away coffee or sandwich and sit at Beare Park nearby; it’s a quietly beautiful park suited to picnics.
If Elizabeth Bay was once home to poets, artists and bohemians, then sitting by this café located in a bay and hidden at the end of Beare Park such as this one you’d be forgiven into thinking that Arthur Boyd painted and Ken Slessor wrote this moment for when this café could exist.

The menu is a bit more spartan than I’d like for a Sunday brunch but the view more than makes up for it. Coffee is pretty good as well. My friend and I both enjoyed the soft boiled eggs with avocado and tomato — lovely!

OK… Wow!
If you like incredibly relaxed very attentive service, where they call you by your name and repeat it enough times to make you feel like a total regular on your first visit — then you must get to this joint immediately!
If you love stunning water views (and I mean literally ON the water views), all outdoor seating with big tables, umbrellas and even sun block on offer, then you’ll simply love it here.
If you love fantastic coffee, coconuts, tasty breakfast & lunch options and complimentary fruit being passed around, then what are you waiting for?
Situated on the wharf by Beare Park in glorious Elizabeth Bay, this exceptional new café will have you transported into holiday mode in no time. It’s what Elizabeth Bay has been waiting for.

Picture yourself on a wharf by the harbor, with jars of free oranges and watermelon slices being tossed around.
Suddenly someone is there from the counter your cool chilled coconut has arrived.
Ok that’s enough poor Lucy in the Sky rip off writing, doesn’t even rhyme right.
Found a top spot yesterday, we were headed down to Lizzie Bay for a bit of Sun and saw the Bird and Bear Boathouse was open for business, its right on the wharf so you’ll miss it if you’re not looking for it. We’d heard about this fella but hadn’t had the chance to experience it.
We’ll get a coffee. So we enter and immediately are blown away by the location its right there on the wharf of Elizabeth Bay Marina, its awesome. the beautifully weathered wharf with the Bird and Bears tables fitted out, right among the kayaks and jetty’s.
I remember a friend of mine called Den used to always say «Despite the fact we live on a beautiful harbor there’s not enough harbor side venues round here, most of it is taken over by residential space more often then not you find yourself being chased off peoples lawns and impaled on spiky fences whilst trying to enjoy the foreshore.»
This place is right on the water and I can’t recommend it enough, just go immediately stop reading this and go right now. Come for brekkie, an afternoon coffee bring friends blow them away with you’re unrivaled knowledge of Sydney’s TOP spot, bring your mum she’ll love it, bring a loved one on a special date, the only possible downside for this place would be you must have a clement day as its all outside seating but with huge shady umbrellas you can enjoy it on a scorching day and as its over the water is a fantastic spot to laze. I didn’t want to leave
Came for a coffee seduced by a chilled coconut, romanced with slices of watermelon (complimentary water melon), laid by a Ham cheese Mustard toasted sandwich with rocket and an olive.
These guys are doing it just right, impeccable service and a location which is unrivaled in these parts.