Royal Hotel

14 of the Best Pubs in Australia You Must Visit in 2024

Do you have a favourite Aussie pub? There is nothing better than spending an afternoon in an Australian pub with a cold beer or a cheeky wine or cocktail enjoying the best of pub food such as a chicken parmy, beef burger with the lot or steak and chips. What is your favourite Australian pub meal?

Here is a list of some of the top Australian pubs listed by travel bloggers – some with stunning harbour views and others that have come in their own right from movies that have been filmed in them and others with a lot of tradition and history. You can even have a drink with a kangaroo. Which one will you visit next?

Best Pubs in NSW

Glenmore Hotel The Rocks Sydney by Jane Dempster-Smith of Staycation Australia

Glenmore Hotel
Glenmore Hotel – one of the best Sydney pubs

One of the best pubs in Sydney is The Glenmore Hotel in The Rocks which has one of the best views over Sydney Harbour and the CBD from its rooftop bar. Our top travel tip is to book well in advance to secure the best seat in the house – the corner table of the rooftop bar. The Glenmore Hotel was built in 1921 and is a Sydney icon. Spread over 3 levels the hotel gives you a feel of an old English Pub on the first two levels.

Not only does the hotel have a great range of cocktails and beers, but the Glenmore Hotel’s menu also equals the best of pub food you can find anywhere in the world. If you are dining with a group of friends we would recommend sharing jugs of cocktails – there is nothing better than a cocktail and a stunning view at sunset.

Address: 96 Cumberland Street The Rocks Sydney

The Palace Hotel in Broken Hill by Helen Foster of Differentville

Palace Hotel
Palace Hotel Broken Hill – the best pub in Broken Hill

If the massive silver shoe in the foyer doesn’t grab your attention the Italian frescos all over the walls might, and suddenly you realise the Palace Hotel is no normal outback pub.

Famous for its appearance in the classic Aussie film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert the pub embraces its camp heritage. Stay in the famously OTT Priscilla suite or at least grab your picture with the most famous shoe ever to top the roof of a bus. Visiting the Palace is definitely among the most fun things to do in Broken Hill.

Address: 227 Argent Street Broken Hill

Royal Hotel Port Macquarie by Jane Dempster-Smith from Staycation Australia

Royal Hotel Port Macquarie
Royal Hotel – the best pub in Port Macquarie

You can’t miss the facade of the Royal Hotel in Port Macquarie when you head down to the town’s famous town green that overlooks the harbour. The original hotel was built in 1841 but unfortunately was destroyed by fire in 1886. In 1888 one of the Royal Hotel’s largest rooms was used as a skating rink. During this time the hotel had on offer 40 rooms, with a modern sewerage system and hot and cold running water, despite there being no Council water supply.

The Royal Hotel was modernised during the late 1960s and in 1999 a further refurbishment took place.

If you want lunch or dinner with a view over the Town Green and Port Macquarie Harbour this is the ideal venue for you. Here at the Hotel’s Beach House you can enjoy a cold beer or a glass of wine and watch the seaplane land and take off with its next group of tourists. The menu on offer is your classic pub fare with classics such as Chicken Schnitzel, Fish and Chips and a range of burgers for meat-eaters and non-meat eaters. On a Sunday afternoon relax and listen to live music as you enjoy your meal and cold drinks.

Address: 1 Horton Street Port Macquarie

QUEENSLAND

Nindigully Hotel by Chris from The Aquarius Traveller

Nindigully Pub
Nindigully Pub – top pub in Nindigully

If you’re travelling through Southern Outback Queensland, then you need to stop at the Nindigully Pub. It’s located on Sternes Street in the small town of Nindigully, 30 minutes south of St George. 

Although the town is small, this outback Pub receives a regular flow of locals and tourists every day. Additionally, offering a free camping area right beside the creek.

It’s famous for the Big “Roan Train” Burgers, which feed a minimum of four people, but also a brilliant stop for a nice cold beer. They hold functions, weddings, or anyone looking for a beer garden to catch up with friends.

Nindigully Pub was used in filming the 1999 Australian movie, “Paperback Hero”, starring Hugh Jackman. You can still read up about that here as well.

Address: Sternes Street Nindigully

The Tavern in Agnes Water Queensland by Victoria of Guide Your Travel

The Tavern at Agnes Water
The Tavern – top pub in Agnes Water

The small town Agnes Water lies between Rockhampton and Brisbane in the east of Queensland, Australia. The town of just under 2.000 inhabitants has only two restaurants/ bars, which makes it easier to choose.

The Tavern offers good food, a wide selection of drinks at fair prices, a separate room with slot machines, indoor and outdoor seating, as well as darts and billiards. On weekends it is always very crowded as there is usually live music until late at night.

Since there is not much to do in this small village except hiking or spending the day at the beach, the Tavern offers a welcome change even during the week. One of the best ways to see Agnes Water is to go camping in the area.

Address: 1 Tavern Road, Agnes Water

The Wellshot Hotel Ilfracombe By Rosalind Cuthbertson of Frequent Traveller

Wellshot Hotel
Wellshot Hotel – top pub in Ilfracombe

If you are seeking a pub filled with outback character look no further than the Wellshot Hotel in Ilfracombe Queensland.

The town of Ilfracombe is 27km east of Longreach on the Landsborough Highway and is a popular break on the road for machinery enthusiasts wanting to see the farm machinery, cars and trucks of Machinery Mile.

The Wellshot Hotel sits across the road from Machinery Mile and has been the town’s heart since 1890. Ilfracombe was once the railway hub for the largest sheep station in the world, Wellshot Station. The Wellshot Hotel pays tribute to this illustrious past with the photos and farm pieces that decorate the pub.

When you walk into the bar you will be surprised to see money tacked to the ceiling, these are donations to the Black Dog Institute and upkeep of Machinery Mile. It is fun to toss a donation onto the roof and it becomes an event as everyone in the bar pauses to watch.

The Wellshot Hotel serves a delicious selection of filling pub favourites and makes one of the best steak sandwiches in the outback. If you want to stay longer to enjoy the atmosphere the hotel has clean country-style rooms with shared bathroom facilities.

The Wellshot Hotel is one of our favourite hotels and we try to visit as often as we can, we love the warm friendly atmosphere and outback charm. The best time to visit the hotel is between May and September when the weather is cooler.

Address: 20 Main Avenue Ilfracombe

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

German Arms Hahndorf by Natalie Klein of Curious Campers

German Arms Hahndorf
German Arms – top pub in Hahndorf

The German Arms is in the main street of Hahndorf, a small town in the Adelaide Hills that is all about celebrating its German heritage. The pub is the perfect place for some German fare. Try their famous sausage platter, Jagerschnitzels and smoked Kassler chops. Wash them down with Schnapps and a range of German beers on tap.

If you visit in autumn, sit outside and enjoy the reds and oranges of the turning leaves. In winter there are log fires to keep you warm.  The German Arms is the perfect spot to relax after you have explored Hahndorf’s historic main street.

Address: 69 Main Street Hahndorf

TASMANIA

Customs House Hotel Hobart by Jane Dempster-Smith of To travel Too

Customs House Hotel Hobart
Customs House Hotel – best pub in Hobart

One of the best pubs in Hobart is the Customs House Hotel. The hotel is located on Hobart’s waterfront just steps away from Salamanca Place.

The hotel was built in 1846 for Charles Gaylor one of Hobart’s earliest settlers. His name can be found carved in one of the front stones of the pub’s facade.

Head to the hotel for a cheeky ale or wine at happy hour and stay for some of the best pub food in Hobart. You can book hotel rooms at the Customs House Hotel too!

Address: 1 Murray Street Hobart

Jack Greene Pub Hobart by Jane Dempster-Smith of Staycation Australia

Jack Greene Pub Hobart
Jack Greene Pub – top pub in Hobart

Known as Hobart’s Original Craft Beer Bar, Jack Greene’s Pub in Hobart is a ‘must-visit’. If you have that special celebration head upstairs to the private bar or enjoy one of the daily rotating 16 beers on tap downstairs.

They have been voted as having the 2nd best burger in Australia – we can certainly agree with this! Their sliders are to die for. Head to the pub on a Sunday for half price burgers. Check out their daily specials whilst you are there.

Their location in the heart of Salamanca Place makes it a popular venue with locals as well as travellers especially on Saturday’s Salamanca Market.

Address: 49 Salamanca Place Battery Point

VICTORIA

Dargo Pub by Mark from Explore Victoria Australia

Dargo Pub
Dargo Hotel – top pub in Dargo

Dargo is officially the most remote town in Victoria but with the crowds that flock to the pub, it would be hard to believe at times. It is a town that consists of only a bush nursing centre, a small shop and the, of course, the famous Dargo Pub.


For many Dargo is a stopping point for petrol, last-minute supplies and a cold beer before heading up the old mining settlements and the rivers of the Victorian High Country. On any given weekend you will find 4wd’s and motorbikes out the front of the pub with people drinking, eating and chatting, although the warmer months will see many more visitors to the pub than the cooler months. Some just like to come for a drive to one of their favourite pubs through some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet.


Once you enter the pub, the bar will blow you away. An eclectic mix of everything pub genre you can find is either on the wall, on the bar or on the roof from deer heads, Jack Daniels memorabilia and even a motorbike. Enter the bistro and you will find all of the Aussie classic pub grub that features meat, meat and more meat in the form of schnitzels, steaks, cutlets and snags that will fill you to the brim.

If you find yourself in need of accommodation for your adventures to the High Country then the Dargo Pub has plenty of options too. You can choose a cabin at the pub or you can camp by the river on the pub grounds in your tent, swag or small caravan.


The Dargo Pub has in recent years grown in popularity with its live music events, new years eve celebrations and has even hosted artists like Lee Kernaghan which really helped put the tiny town on the map as a top Aussie Pub.

Address: 108 -110 Lind Avenue, Dargo

Metung Hotel by Bec from Wyld Family Travel

Metung Hotel Victoria
Metung Hotel – top pub in Metung

If you are looking for an Aussie pub with views on views, nestled in a gorgeous inlet and a location that is so picturesque you will never want to leave then look no further than the Metung Hotel.

This amazing little Aussie pub punches well above its weight when it comes to an epic spot for a pub meal or a beer. Located in the magnificent Metung Village on the Gippsland Lakes in East Gippsland Victoria you will find yourself easily lost in the beauty that is East Gippsland.


The Metung Hotel is where many of the locals gather at the end of the day for a meal and a sunset. Having served the community for over 100 years it is easy to see why it is a favourite amongst the locals…and maybe because it is the only pub in town!


You can either sit inside in the Bistro or on a nice night you can sit out on the veranda which has plenty of tables and chairs. As the pub is located only meters from the waters of the pristine Bancroft Bay there are also tables and chairs so close you can watch the local pelicans glide by as you enjoy your time in the sun. 


While most people will get to the pub by car or walk from the village itself some you will see pull up in their boats, using the network of jetties close by to moar their boat while they have lunch, a cold drink and a catch up with some friends. 


There are plenty of options on the menu from classics like garlic bread, chicken parms and soup of the day but it is the local seafood that many opt for when they visit. Being so close to Lakes Entrance where the trawlers sell their daily catch makes it easy for the pub to have some of the best and freshest local seafood. 

Sitting those close to the water, in such an amazing setting adds to the reasons why the Metung Hotel should be on your list for one of the best pubs in Australia to visit.

Address: Kurnai Avenue, Metung

The Portsea Hotel By Monique at Trip Anthropologist

View from Portsea Hotel Beer Garden
View from Portsea Hotel beer garden

At the very end of the Mornington Peninsula outside Melbourne, Victoria is the exclusive little town of Portsea. Home to the millionaires, it has only a small amount of holiday accommodation but is extremely popular with Melburnians because of its wild and fragile beauty.

The best place to eat and drink in Portsea is undoubtedly its best-known building – the 145-year-old Portsea Hotel. Its outdoor dining area and garden looks onto the Portsea Pier and Port Phillip Bay. The burger bar overlooks the beer garden and there’s a whiskey and cocktail bar inside if you visit in winter. There’s also accommodation and a restaurant on site.

Address: 3746 Point Nepean Road, Portsea, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The Guildford Hotel by Nadia Cuthbertson from Perth Weekend

Guildford Hotel
Guildford Hotel – top pub in Perth

The Guilford Hotel is a heritage-listed Pub in Perth, Western Australia. First built in 1883, the Hotel served as a popular watering-hole at the end of the Eastern Railway line which ran from Fremantle. Unfortunately, in 2008 a fire gutted the hotel, but a full restoration led to the fusing of sleek modern elements with charming original features such as jarrah roof beams, convict-made bricks and mosaics of patterned tile.

These days, people travel from all over to enjoy the hotel’s elevated take on pub classics, such as the Chicken Parmi topped with smoked pulled pork. A tasty smoked meats menu and an extensive drinks menu that includes many of Western Australia’s finest beers and wines make this one of the best pubs in Perth.

Address: 159 James St, Guildford WA 6055

John Forrest Tavern in Perth by Helen from Japlanease

John Forrest Tavern
John Forrest Tavern – best pub in Perth

What could be more iconically Aussie than sipping a schooner in a pub garden while a kangaroo hops next to you – or, around the pool table or even, behind the bar.

While the mob of wild roos that visit this pub in the John Forrest National Park have been in residence for a while, Matt, Margaret, Richard and the rest of the crew recently became TikTok famous. And yes, reality looks just like the videos.

The pub itself is a good basic country pub, but, the furry entertainment makes it totally unique.

Address is Park Rd, Glen Forrest WA 6071.

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed our article on 14 of the best pubs in Australia. Do you have a favourite out of our 14 or do you have a special place that you enjoy that cold beer and traditional pub food. Share our article with family and friends and do let us know if you have visited any of the above.

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For more travel inspiration for your next Staycation in Australia:

Top Australian Cities and Towns to visit on your next Staycation

Take a road trip up the East Coast of Tasmania

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