The Village Inn, better known as Durty Nelly's, has completed the renovations which have been going on for the last few weeks/months and opened their upstairs bar and grill, and quite nice it is too - good service, a good looking menu and a nice balcony all adding a rather refined contrast to the straight up Irish flavour of the downstairs bar.
We decided to call in as we were passing and swiftly installed ourselves on the balcony - don't expect to get away with this at busy dining periods if you're not eating though - we managed it by dint of turning up just near kitchen close. Some changes have also been wrought downstairs, with the amenities remodelled and moved right to the back of the bar, adding some extra floor space, but with the disadvantage of opening up the 'snug' area in the back corner, where the pubguide would often settle in for a few quiet Guinnesses and a Newcastle Brown (which incidentally is no longer here, sadly)
We think the renovations are a good move, and are probably going to call in to sample the Sunday Roast, which has apparently been proving fairly popular, and maybe Tuesday trivia too. Cheers!
review by: JasonWhen the
Irish Echo votes to find the best Irish Pub in Australia, you know what they're looking for. No pseudo-irish trappings to be found here - Durty Nelly's is the real deal. Durty Nelly's came top of the
Echo's list, and not without good reason. It's a no-nonsense well-worn Irish bar, and the Guinness is
close to the best we've found.
Just off the main thoroughfare, it's not so busy as to feel opressive (unlike some pubs on Oxford street itself), it's friendly, and usually not too hard to find a seat. I was here during the olympics, in fact at a time when Susie O'neill was about to decimate the opposition in the pool, and yes, I got a seat.
The main room is festooned with posters and plaques, including Nelly's 'Guinness 100' club board, and has a few small tables. Out back is a cosy little room with a couple of tables. In summer, the back door is usually left open to allow a cooling breeze into this part of the bar, which is very nice indeed.
We have no hesitation in recommending this pub if you like Irish bars. It's Sydney's best.
review by: pubguide staff