Burke & Wills
“We got the kangaroo burger and the kangaroo loin, as well as a dozen oysters and two orders of the fried pork belly.”
“Anyway, it's now the grown up version of the Sunburnt Calf, still wonderfully Aussie, just a bit less wild.”
“My best friend lives on the UWS and this is hands down her favorite happy hour haunt.”
Burke & Wills
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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You have one of the best bar menus ever. Pork bellies and roasted beets make me feel like I'm in hog heaven. I've been considering the kangaroo for months now. My mom and I were delighted. The kangaroo fillets were lean, tender and flavorful; nicely paired with a roasted eggplant. We also enjoyed the asparagus. My favorites, of course, were the bread and butter. The olive oil was a little spicy and the rock salt was salty. You'll like the decor. It's got a bit of what I imagine to be an Australian cowboy flair. Eat the pork bellies. They are crispy and good; and at $5 (almost a steal).
Never in a million years would I have found this place had my wife not been looking for varied food offerings for our most recent trip to NYC.
The entrance to the restaurant is marked, but the door itself is not. Take the one on the right.
Walking in you're greeted by a long hallway with a bar on the left. Being guided to the dining area in the back, you're essentially sitting in a subterranean greenhouse. Very cozy and quaint. Service was attentive and impeccable. The offered pastries were delicious, the bloody marys were excellent.
My wife had the Nutella and candied walnut french toast. It was a dessert lovers dream. I had the kangaroo pie (think chicken pot pie) floater. The floater option meant that it was lovingly placed in a pool of "mushy peas". Think of the peas as a thick bright green pea soup.
The serving size was perfect. What a great little spot. Next time we are in town, we will be back.
Came to Burke and Wills for dinner around 8 pm on a Friday night. Initially, I was concerned as the place was dark, cramped, noisy and absolutely stuffed full of people drinking at and around the bar. Quickly, however, we were whisked off to a secret back room that was completely the opposite of their bar up front – it was quiet, peaceful, beautiful and elegant! Such a surprise!
The staff were friendly, genuine and attentive and service was perfectly timed. The mezcal cocktail was lovely and so was our food. Favorites of the night were 1) cured hamachi 2) short rib. Both were exceptional. The Arctic char was also very delicious and came in the most wonderful broth. My least favorite was the kangaroo loin just because it was slightly overcooked but the flavors were still very nice. These were all appetizers so I cannot comment on the main dishes but portions were filling and we had no room left for dessert! Can't wait to return.
Interesting cuisine, good yet strong drinks and great service made this a perfect double date spot! Love the touches of Australian fare in the menu and drinks and the decor feels cozy yet modern. Frequently there's live music that you can enjoy for free while you sip on your drink.
Cocktails here are great! I haven't eaten here (yet) but plan to soon. The Dark N' Stormy was very good, ginger-y without being overbearing and pleasantly strong. The Help is On Its Way (gin,hibiscus, lemon and some bubbles) was freshly and not overly sweet – I could easily imagine drinking a few of these as it's refreshing and light. The bartenders are friendly as are the waitstaff and they were more than happy to just serve us drinks and leave my friends and me to sit and chat.
It's a little loud when there's live performances, so typically I ask for a table in the back or sit towards the back of the bar.
Disappointing and overpriced. I had a $19 kangaroo burger, which was ok, but you're paying more for novelty than quality. The fries and harissa aioli that came with were quite good, but that was the high point of the meal. The Brussels sprouts were bitter and soggy and even the warm chocolate cake was just average. Neither of my friends liked their meals–in fact, my mediocre entree was the best thing any of us ordered. Aside from the burger, portions were small.
The wine list looked ok for bottles, but was limited for glasses. The beer list is terrible. I said to my friend walking in that I really hoped they had Australian beer aside from Fosters. Technically, yes, but it's…Coopers. Meh. Cocktails were fine but not amazing, which surprised me at a place with a speakeasy style bar upstairs.
They have insufficient bathrooms for the number of customers and are also fond of putting candles in places where they seem to be trying to set diners on fire–like one that you had reach over to get at the paper towels.
Aside from serving kangaroo, about the only Australian thing about the place is cheesy theme-y decor. I liked the space overall, but could have done without a triumphant portrait of Captain Cook looking down on me while I was eating.
The space is rustic and beautiful. The service was friendly and not overbearing. If only the food was just as lovely. I know I am spoiled for the amount of very good food in the city. With that being said, the dinner here was good but I am not sure if I would be coming back. I was able to try the kangaroo which reminded me of a gamey
Came here for drinks on an empty summer Saturday. It was easy to snag 5 stools at the bar, and it's a fun place to be. The bartenders are interactive – but not too involved in your business – and are definitely up for giving suggestions.
The old fashioned was on point. Classic. The cocktail menu has a nice variety of liquors. There are a few light beers on tap, mostly featuring Australian beers. The whiskey and bourbon shelf is also comprehensive.
The DJ booth is cool, nicely decorated. Sound was good but overall super loud. It was hard to have a conversation with friends. I still liked the overall atmosphere, though!
LOVE everything about this restaurant and would give 6 stars if I could. Definitely want to go back, and have exactly the food and experience I had last night.
The ambiance is wonderful, dimly lit, warm, cozy and classy. My first time at an Australian restaurant and the accents / couple Australian employees, nice.
Everyone was so friendly. Evan the server was top top, above and beyond with service. He was attentive, knowledgable about the dishes and what to recommend. Great personality, a little witty. He recommended a perfect off the menu Mezcel cocktail when I said what I liked which was amazing, and when my friend was asking for a wine he brought over two to taste before ordering.
The food was mouthwatering outstanding – everything we had and shared: I especially liked the pairing of two entrees and appetizers in one dish:
Small plates:
– Fantastic bread roll; also a dish with oil, butter and salt. So good.
– kangaroo- I was concerned about the visual of a cute jumping roo my first time having this but did all right; it was wonderful, flavored with a perfect sauce. Hedgehog mushrooms and brussel leaves complimented.
– grilled octopus and braised pork loin- what a unique and absolutely delectable pairing. Chorizo and white beans a fabulous compliment. The short rib was melt in your mouth good, and the octopus was cooked and flavored just right.
Large plates:
– Duck breast and confit legs, cooked perfectly, outstanding. Amazingly flavored, delicious.
– Filet, braised short rib. Another first but the marrow while not something I'd tried was outstanding with the filet and, the short rib was another tender melt in your mouth experience.
To cap off the perfect meal, Evan had someone give us a back hallway entrance to the upstairs speak easy for after dinner drinks. Apparently you get priority seating at the speak easy if you've dined at the restaurant.
I absolutely loved this restaurant, the entire experience and highly recommend.