Door Knock — Restaurant in Sydney

(4.5 stars) After descending deep into subterranean Sydney and walking down a long dark corridor that gives you a physical transition from the hectic pace of Pitt Street, you reach a juncture where instructions are printed on a wall. Three knocks will see you gain you entrance to Door Knock, a subterranean bar with a log cabin feel.

It’s a warm wooden womb without a view, though there are windows, and shelves of ye olde knickknacks. Overhead, hanging grape vines, wooden rafters and fairy lights conceal the basement fixtures, along with sheets of rusty corrugated iron over the bar. Wooden wedge shelves turn a space-sensitive long banquette into a series of intimate booths. Along with the dangling rope room dividers, this carpentry gives the space a faintly nautical feel, like you’re sitting in steerage down in the lower hold of a wooden sailing ship.

Appropriately then, my first cocktail is a Mez-sage In A Bottle ($22), poured at the table after bobbing over from the bar. It’s a beautifully integrated blend of smoky sage mezcal, Dom Benedictine, and acidulated apricot nectar (to stop it being sweet and cloying) with a sea salt rim and an edible garnish of apricot and sesame seed paper. Smoky and salty, it’s hard to untangle but oh-so-easy to drink. A study in contrasts, Nut Milk City Limits ($21) takes the sailor’s favourite poison – Coco Lopez Washed Plantation Rum – and teams it with Yellow Chartreuse, salted macadamia and sesame orgeat with a dusting of nutmeg. It’s a beautifully soft rum cocktail, and the best nut milk drink I’ve ever had, with the macadamia and sea salt coming through particularly well at the bottom of the drink.

With our whistles well whetted, we relax enough to look around, and notice nobody in the popular, 90-seater bar is on their mobile phone. This enforced interaction comes from being so deep underground there’s absolutely no mobile reception. I have to say I like it.

The food menu is a short, please-all collection of drinking snacks plus a couple of dishes that could serve as solo mains if you feel inclined to stay through dinner. We kick off with Mini Corn Dogs ($12) slathered in chunky tomato relish with a tangy side of American mustard. Since we’ve gone all Americana, I switch to a more appropriate Woodford Rye-based cocktail called The Carrot Whispers ($23). While it isn’t quite as bright a star as our first two drinks, it’s notable for the seamless way that Campari and Averna (Italian bitters) merge with the Kentucky rye whiskey, carrot and cardamom honey, so no one flavour jumps out and shouts: “Look at meeee.” And how cute do those rounded little carrot nubs look?!

Three cubic Mac’n’Cheese Croquettes ($16) certainly demonstrate that Door Knock have got their food costs nailed, but they’re so likeable, you’re probably not going to care. Being old enough to care about vegetable balance even in our bar eats, we team them with a Radicchio and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad ($12) dotted with candied walnuts, crisp green pear slices and rocket. Bound by a honey and apple vinaigrette, it’s nothing to write a postcard home about, but a good companion dish to a simple, citrussy Coffele Soave Classico ($15/glass) from co-owner Natalie Ng’s interesting wine list.

Service is good, and reasonably attentive given the size of the bar, expertly steering my dining companion away from a natural wine, while still bringing a taster over to assure him he made the right choice. With a strong showing in sherry, Door Knock had left me with enough drinking options for a return visit next time I want respite from the hustle and bustle of...

I would like to share our recent experience with this bar…

Ratings: 1 star ⭐️ is the Lowest and 5 🌟 is the Highest

Ambiance: 4 🌟

Very cozy place… I liked the drama going to the bar wherein you have to go to basement then you’ll see a long hallway which only candles light up. The designs and how they decorated the place is very expected as you dont expect there’s a beautiful bar at the end of the dramatic hallway.

Staffs: 2 🌟 We arrived 40mins before closing time and we were acknowledge and accommodated by the lady in the main entrance. However, if not mistaken the manager in this place is very unpleasant. I’m with my friends and were doing bar shopping and the Door Knock was our 3rd bar to experience and explore since it was highly recommend and got high ratings in google.

To my dismay, the manager wearing brown shirt bit large guy came to our table and was very accommodating at first but then when discussing some recommendations on drinks, it seems he doesn’t like to be asked. Its our first time and ofcorz we wanna try the best they offer but then the way the manager talked to us is not acceptable. We felt his not happy serving us as we are asking for recommendation which is supposed to be basic to attend. Maybe becoz we came 40mins before closing or what.

The shop was not busy only 4 tables if not mistaken including us. The way he respond to our query about the drinks, we felt not welcomed! so we only ordered 3 drinks then go.

Take note: After taking our drinks, he went to the bar and sit behind the counter so we wont see him while his talking to the bar man. why did I say so, because the Bartender looked on us every-time he talked to the manager sitting behind the bar counter. We dont need attention, we need good experience in your store :)

Drinks: 4 Stars 🌟

We love the how the drinks here… so good! To be honest, we want to order more drinks to try but then due to sudden bad convo we left after our first order.

Food: Haven’t tried any of there food as we arrived almost 40mins before closing.

Location: 4 🌟 Easy to find and very cathy feeling going down to basement to...

We booked a table for some anniversary drinks.

When we arrived, the guy did not check if we had booked into the covid safe app. He just asked if we had. They did not ask if we already had a booking, i had booked this well in advance as i wanted a table with chairs due to ongoing back problems i visit a chiropractor twice a week. We were seated on bar stools with no backs, i had to inform the guy that we did have a booking and then he went off. I called over another person and told them that we wanted seated at an actual table as thats what i booked. I was informed that they were very busy and he will try, whilst there was a free table in the corner all along and we could see it. We were then seated at this table.

No one came to our table after that to see if we were ok and wanted to actually order. I had to call and raise my hand 3-4 times to try and get someones attention. Eventually my Girlfriend was fed up and shouted at someone who was walking past who then took the order. After taking the order i asked him to leave the cocktail menu and he just rushed away and lifted the menu that i specifically asked to keep.

After we were nearing the end of the first drinks i had the same process again to get the cocktail menu, raising my hand and trying to grab the attention of someone going past to get the menu (which is why i wanted to keep it i knew it would take a long time to get again) We got the menu eventually and the same process again to order the drinks, we ordered new drinks and then the waiter tried to take my drink when it was not finished, i had to say hey thats not finished!!! The second round of drinks arrived and only then we eventually got glasses of water to the table after 1 full hour of being there. The waiter didnt even say anything if we were happy if we wanted tap or bottled water, he just plonked the glasses down and went off quickly. After these drinks we thankfully left.

This was the worst service experience ive ever had in...