Beach Road Hotel in Bondi aims to satisfy many tastes. To catch a game, head to the sports bar; if you’re a muso, then choose one of the live concert nights above; for food, choose one of the restaurants; or if you just want a Sunday afternoon drink, relax in the beer garden.
Beach Road is located just a few blocks from the world famous Bondi Beach. It’s a big yellow building that’s pretty hard to miss. Most nights it will be packed with surfers, fashionistas, muses and Brazilian beauties. If you want to look at beautiful people but don’t like the atmosphere of Ivy, then Beach Road might be the place to go.
The dress code is relaxed, many people choose casual as their particular style. However, as found in many beach suburbs near Sydney, while men tend to dress like they just stepped off the beach, women look more like they stepped off the fashion pages of a magazine. Ladies, if you want to compete, you might want to show some skin.
If dressing well doesn’t throw your hair back, maybe your choice of music will. Wednesday and Thursday nights are generally indie, with acts like Hungry Kids of Hungary and Miami Horror turning up to please the crowd. Friday night is hip hop night, showcasing the talents of the Thundamentals, Illy and Horrorshow. Sunday night has a more South American theme, where you can shake that butt to some Latin beats. Chances are, if you listen to triple j, you’ll probably find something here that you like. But best of all: most of the concerts are free.
The main sports bar shows most of the major games, and the atmosphere is generally nothing to sneeze at. Neither are the bartenders. Looking at them, you might think they have been chosen for their physical attributes, but they are generally quite friendly and adept at doing their job.
The beer bar at the back is a good place to enjoy a cold beer on a hot day. It is normally quite busy so there may be standing room only. It’s the perfect place to spend the last few hours of the weekend before the grim reality of Monday hits.
One restaurant upstairs and one downstairs mean you never have to travel far for snacks. A variety of good value and tasteful food is available. As long as you’re not expecting Michelin star quality, you’ll probably be satisfied with what you get.
All in all, Beach Road will make most people happy. It is a quiet place that does not see many problems. The drinks and food are reasonable, the atmosphere is unpretentious, the music is free and there are some very beautiful people to watch. If you want a laid-back beach bar in the eastern suburbs that isn’t swarming with backpackers, then Beach Road is the place to go. Only remember; If you want to be fashionable, you’ll want to dress to impress.
