Four In Hand

This is one of my favourite pubs in Sydney! It has a fantastic relaxed atmosphere and is particularly good on a late Sunday afternoon. Mostly because their version of happy hour is a coin toss /​if you pick the right side your drinks are free! Such a great play on a classic concept of a happy hour! I have also had dinner in the bar area a couple of times. Both times grilled fish and chips. And both times because the fish was tuna and it was delicious. And I figured the grilled tuna balanced out the chips!!! And the price is very reasonable.
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There is a reason Colin Fassnidge is a celebrity chef, he’s damn good.
The room is great, small but not sitting on top of each other. The double glazed window into the pub did a great job of keeping out the noise of the Bledisloe on in the bar (could also have been down to the fact we lost that no one was cheering).
Staff are wonderful, knowledgable and generous with their time. An extensive wine list left me relying on the waiter for suggestions which were perfect for my taste.
Hand dived scallops were luscious and the liver and onion jaffle will live in my memory for some considerable time.
Shared pork shoulder was beautiful and huge which meant we got to enjoy it again with a take home doggy bag.
A great selection of cheeses finished our meal with a side of apple butter which was to die for.
I will definitely come back, bring friends and have the degustion.
A truly wonderful night of food and wine.

We ate in the dining room last night after deciding over drinks in the bar that we should enquire whether there was a table on a busy Friday night. We could get a 6:30 reservation which fitted in perfectly, even if it was a little early.
This kitchen produces some of the best roast dishes in Sydney along with a good selection of fish and poultry mains. We ordered the share size roast pork leg — shoulder with a mash and rainbow chard. Succulent and perfectly cooked with a sauce reduction. All accompanied by a great Barossa valley light red wine. The slow cooked lamb shoulder at the next table looked equally enjoyable. The service was friendly and impeccably restrained and never did we feel rushed. Even when we ordered from a great cheese board with digestives to finish.
I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a dinner in Paddington. Great food, atmosphere, wine list and service. Under $ 100 a head with wine, cheese and a liqueur, no entrée.

I enjoy the atmosphere at this local pub around dinner. The food is pretty good and the staff and other patrons are pretty friendly.

My adult daughter’s birthday. Three of us dined there .Entrees were imaginative and lived upto their reputation. Mains were excellent, you must try the slow cooked lamb. Deserts while not spectacular were good. The chef deserves the 2 hats. My only beef was the cheeses. At $ 9 a taste each I would have expected more than one mouthful, although I must admit they were exceptional quality.
Staff were pleasant and knowledgeable Wines also were well chosen if expensive .
This is not pub food but fine dining without some of the pretension. Well done.

So pleased we ate here, amazing experience. Our waiter recommended a great wine, appetizers were great and the lamb shoulder was to die for, and the mashed potatoes also so we ordered more. We would have come back again as was so great but limited menu so would have probably had same again. Only other negative is that it’s a small place and while adequate space between tables there is only a single shared bathroom for all.

Awesome energy spills out of the pub onto the quiet streets of Paddington from the busy pub and the glassed in restaurant space attached.
In the restaurant the atmosphere is spot on (a little noisy at times) but an exceptional vibe. The service is expert with staff that run the floor like a boss. The wine list was full of high quality wines which didn’t over complicate the selection of offer — definitely bucks the trend of the novels popping up all over Sydney at the moment.
Food flooded out of the small kitchen full of fresh produce. We selected the degustation menu to ensure we had the Chefs best on the table. Whilst most of the table were raving fans of the dishes I personally struggled with some elements including the lambs tongue and the liver. Not an offal lover at the best of times. However the selection was delicious. At its core Four In Hand is offering fresh local produce using old fashioned techniques constructed in innovative ways.
The spring lamb (sans tongue) had an amazing broth, fresh vegetables and tender lamb. The ‘Chips and Dip’ starter included pork cracking and kale battered in the very same batter that has coated ‘potato scallops’ for decades at your local fish and chip shop.
The stand out dish was the dessert. Chocolate ganache base, chocolate dust and chips of dark chocolate tule with pea and mint sorbet! Amazing clash of flavours.
All in all I think Four In Hand is great. I can’t wait to come back and order for the À la carte menu and be in a better position to rate this a 4 Star.

Looking at the Four in Hand Hotel, you would never think twice that this is a fine dining establishment serving haute cuisine. Though unassuming in stature, the restaurant does have a Victorian old-​world feel to it. Coupled with slow jazz music and this makes for a romantic getaway from the Sydney CBD.
Befitting of the setting is the staff, who are all professional and attentive to the guests. My glass of water was never empty no matter how many times I try emptying it.
Priming our degustation was the ambiguous Amuse Bouche. For the uninitiated, this is simply a starter that’s off the menu provided to you when you opt for the degustation. Drunk like a tea, it is gently sour and pleasantly sweet with undertones of fish like that of a tom yum soup. Interesting to say the least.
Our entrée is the Tuna Sashimi with Lemon Curd, Cucumber Juice, & Sea Herbs. Conceptually, this sounds like a dream as the lemon curd should accentuate the sweetness of the tuna. Alas, the lemon curd overpowered the tuna leaving a bitter aftertaste. Oh how I wished the tuna was not the gelatinous, tough-​to-​cut piece that it was.
Next up, the Pickled Mussels with Ham Broth and Prosciutto. The first spoonful was delightful since the pickled mussels danced with the prosciutto like it was a waltz with the broth serving as the music. Yet rather than fading out, it lingered in saltiness — an unpleasant ending.
Approaching the mains was the Warm Corned beef with Bresaola, Buffalo Curd and Nashi Pear. Thankfully, the corned beef wasn’t as salty as ham broth. Like a doting parent, the nashi pear tempered the corned beef with its refreshing crunch with the bresaola serving as the photogenic friend and the buffalo curd as the inconspicuous but interesting friend. Finely balanced.
The moment we’ve all been waiting for: Suckling pig with Crisp Tail, Parsnip and Sprouts. Making a grand entrance as a roasted pig’s head on a board, I found myself smiling with glee though some were shocked by the kitchen’s somewhat whimsical choice. As we gazed into the pig’s eyes, we found that we also had been served pork belly slices. Though succulent, the flavorless pork belly left me desiring for something to bring it alive. The Brussels sprouts (a child’s nightmare) was dismembered into two or three leaves, allowing the bitterness to be a gentle complement to the rather plain pork belly. While the crisp tail was diced and served in a crumbed crucible resembling snout but overshadowed for it was crispy and plain. Fortunately my piece of pork belly was cooked well, but a closer look at the impaled pig shows there are some areas that are undercooked. Such a shame and a far cry from Porteño!
As a side show folks, meet Mr. Mashed Potatoes the most savory mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted. Mixed in the salted purée, the parsley and onions grants it an undying texture with subtle flavor. The mashed potatoes deserves to be dish in its own right for being this complex and a pleasure to eat. Yes, replace the tuna sashimi entrée with this!
Finally, the Chocolate Malt for dessert. The chocolate malt was like a rich mousse intertwined with sugar crisps and what looked like half-​sphered Malteser ice cream. There’s honey on the side that serves as an alternative to the mousse. Word to the wise: inhale through the nose as you eat this dessert since the chocolate powder can force an involuntary cough.
Anyone who dines here has to admire Colin Fassnidge for his creativity and inventiveness. While his intricate presentation is at times theatrical, you would expect that some of these dishes would taste just as good. The thing is, like Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup paintings, as meaningful and interesting as they are, you wouldn’t go out of your way to buy a can and eat it willingly.
~ Jambon Cochon

Shared a sucking pig leg with super crispy skin with Lana, OMG! It was like pork Buttah! The sides were super tasty as well. Obscene portions. One of my favorite Aussie meals ever.

We love taking friends here for dinner. The pub can really rock and isn’t full of oldies like Bistro Moncur. It’s a less noisy crowd in the restaurant being served up innovating, self-​assured tasty treats by a chef at the top of his game. This place is the top of the Woollahra Paddington pub pyramid.

I checked out this place for dinner last night with a mate — a quick search of pubs with good food in Paddington turned up several reviews for this place, and it sounded good enough to check out.
We were not disappointed — we ordered from the bar menu and the food was really good. We shared the spicy crab dip with avocado on toast for a starter (and how many pubs do you know that offer something like that) and it was very good. I followed that with the fish (Barramundi) and rosemary wedges.
Prices were reasonable, atmosphere was good — a nice crowd, busy without being too busy, staff were friendly and helpful.
The only minor downside was the consideration that we might need to walk back up a rather steep hill after such a good meal. We opted for a taxi instead.

My friends, a majority of us being from countries where Christmas is generally cold, decided to have a Christmas in July dinner. Rather than going to the trouble of hosting at someone’s house, cooking and cleaning, we decided to have our dinner here as they offer a whole roasted pork with sides and everything for $ 350!
We booked far in advance for a Saturday dinner but they only had either the Friday night or Saturday afternoon (boy it’s popular!). So we decided to do the Saturday at 12:30, but for some reason they said they couldn’t guarantee us a table and we should just come at 12 to try and get a seat. Anyways, we showed up and there was a table reserved for us.
We ordered drinks at the bar and the bar staff was somewhat friendly, some were nicer than others.
The manager came out and let us know that they’d need about 15 – 20 minutes to get everything ready.
The pork came out and it was yummy. Could have done with more crackling but can’t complain. Came with some potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and onions. Overall was pretty good, but it wasn’t a huge portion. For $ 350, roughly 30 bucks a person, you’d expect to be stuffed. I think everyone was satisfied but maybe left a bit hungry?
Overall, a cool pub with good drinks. I really like the Pink Lady Apple Cider.

A friend bought me dinner at the Four in Hand. I am grateful. What a gem. A beautiful period pub, faithfully restored, and a small (maybe ten tables) dining room with big picture windows. Service at the bar and in the restaurant was attentive and friendly. The food was truly excellent. A limited menu, but if one received such plates at a top-​end city foodie joint, one would not feel short-​changed. We had the special slow cooked lamb with a nice Spanish red. Everything was first class, right through to, and including the coffee. I will return!

Golly Gosh! This place is a treat!
This was the second time we have dined at the Four In Hand (pre Unilocal in Australia days) and I had OK memories, but was looking forward to a long, lazy, liquidy Sunday lunch with another couple who loved food as much as we do.
We arrived at 1pm and the place was packed to the hilt — and every one was eating in every available space to put a plate down. And the dishes looked scrumptious and very inviting.
Thankfully, we had had the fore sight to book a table.
The restaurant area is homely, lovely. comfortable, clean and very inviting. White table clothes, white walls (with dark brown lines) and massive wall artwork of the huge squid ink … painted with squid ink.
I ca not remember what entrees we had, but they were delicious and creative and completely contrasting to the main menu … which I believe is a good thing.
For mains we decided to order two of the 12 hours braised lamb … ‘hands down — pants down” outstanding. Tasty, true to expectations, presented well and cleaver.
The wine list is sensational with a mix of Australian and French varieties.
Wait service was terrific and well informed.
I suggest you find six friends, including two of you, who really enjoy all types of food and dinning experiences and do this place.
PS … if you do lunch on Sunday, two handy hinds, definitely book a table and DO NOT HAVE breakfast — there is so much food.

This is a review of the dining room, not the pub.
The food here was outstanding. I highly recommend the 12-​hour braised lamb shoulder served with baby carrots, fennel salad and mash, to be shared between two or three people.
Service here was also excellent. A waitress accidentally dripped hot oil onto my jacket while she was serving the table behind me, but when I complained about this to the manager he apologised profusely and gave me $ 20 cash for dry-​cleaning without my even having to ask for reimbursement.

A meal at the coveted dining room of the Four In Hand hotel has long eluded me. As a cash careful diner, I’ve had to opt for their bar snacks and a seat in the front room instead.
This place is a local pub in the truest sense, hidden in the depths of Paddington on a leafy residential street. The bar menu offers a fair number of gastropub style options: the wagyu beef burger with pickled cucumber, a garlicky sauce and crunchy fries is indulgent and filling every time, while the crispy pig’s ears are a delicious pile of battered meaty bits (as long as you don’t think too much about where they came from).
Friends and I usually head down to take part in their trivia night on Mondays — the questions are always very difficult and specific, but if you come second last you’ll be awarded a drink voucher for every person in your crew. Winning!

If you haven’t been to Four in Hand Hotel, you’re missing out on a lot. A restaurant and bar, this place serves some of the best bar food in Sydney. Foodies, locals, and tourists all gather here for a taste of the juiciest and most tender lamb shoulder you’ll ever get to eat. Others visit the bar for an after work drink because they have one of the most extensive wine lists and their prices are pretty affordable as well. To add to your dining experience, the décor and resulting atmosphere is cozy and inviting while the staff are all super friendly. Overall, a great dining experience that few restaurants or bars offer.

Hidden away in the back streets of Paddington on Sutherland street is a cool little pub called the Four In Hand. It’s a nice pub that like most pubs around the area is big on the sporting events and always gets a loud crowd in for most things like the Rugby and AFL. The wooden floors and the décor inside give it a nice feel and I like trying to grab a seat at the bar.
If you’re feeling peckish there is quite a good restaurant here and that may be understating it a tad as it has been given a chefs hat or two in the past!
It might be hard to find if you’re not a local but if you put in that extra effort, I’m sure you’ll be happy you did.

Voted best pub in Sydney’s Good Food Guide 2012, the Four in Hand requires little further introduction. The pub (separate to the restaurant) is always busy, packed with those seeking a quiet beer, a place to watch the football or a proper hot meal. A delicious menu caters to all tastes — light snacks include deep fried pigs tails, cod and prosciutto croquettes or homemade pizzas. More substantial meals such as the Irish stew, rump steak or fish and chips are equally popular. The most delicious thing on the menu is the potato wedges, served on a broad wooden board swiped with cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce. Divine.
It is the haunt of many city slickers, and prices match accordingly: $ 7.20 for a glass of Asahi and $ 16 for a pizza. Nevertheless, the prices are reasonable considering the fashionable Paddington surrounds and the friendly and efficient service.
For more a la carte dining, the restaurant next door to the bar has two hats under Irish head chef, Colin Fassnidge. His ‘nose to tail’ philosophy and diligence for using local, seasonal produce is bang-​on trend, and ensures some unique and inspired dishes. For example, the Lamb; Head to Toe with Sorrel, Wild Garlic, Artichoke and Buttermilk. Equally popular, but only available for parties of 10 or more, is the Whole Suckling Pig. The Four in Hand has managed to maintain its charm and intimacy, delivering high standards without being snooty or pretentious. This is the place to impress a date, schmooze business clients or just have a thoroughly delicious meal.

A trip to this fine dining pub in Paddington is planned by our group of six. It’s a particularly hot afternoon in Sydney and as most would be outdoors it seems a shame to be upstairs in this refined dining room however the feast that follows dissipates any other ideas.
The service is welcoming as they go to lengths to make sure that we can ascend the steep stairs and also be comfortable in a space which includes our little diner who is our 5 month old. A long divided picture of a squid adorns the wall as my infant enjoys tracing the lines of the painting while we order our entrée of sashimi tuna with crab, jerusalem artichoke and dashi soup. The main of slow braised lamb shoulder with kipler potatoes, baby carrots and salsa verde is served on a rustic wooden board and when arrives a ‘pardon’ is verbalised to the table before my husband and I devour the feast before us.
The wine list is extensive and articulated with savvinness by the knowledgable waiter. We complete the meal with icecreams served in jars which I find unique and quirky however again the flavours of this refreshing dessert dispel any thoughts of the strange containers.
Four in Hand has been exalted by food critics and it certainly lives up to the praise.