Elements Smokehouse and Bar — Restaurant in Sydney

After reading numerous glowing reviews and seeing how highly rated the meat is at this place, my partner and I decided to come for dinner. Unfortunately, after dining here, we can honestly say our expectations weren’t quite met.

We had made a reservation in advance, but that seemed to be pointless. A walk-in guest who arrived before us was given a much better table, while we were initially seated right next to blaring speakers. When we requested a change, we were moved to a table near the bar, which was uncomfortably cold with no heating. When the waiter returned, I asked if a heater could be brought over. He said it wasn’t possible but would check if we could move again. While speaking with a colleague at the check-in podium, he gave a noticeably annoyed expression about our request. Eventually, we were relocated to a larger table near a heater; which, honestly, shouldn't have been such a hassle in a restaurant that wasn’t even full. Rearranging seating should be a basic level of customer service.

Once settled, we ordered our drinks: two cocktails and a mocktail. All three were excellent; flavorful, well-made, and consistent with the high quality we’ve enjoyed at their sister restaurant, Elements Bar and Grill in Pyrmont.

For our entrée, we went with the garlic bread; something we now regret. It arrived cold, despite the waiter claiming the plate was hot. It was clearly sitting out for a while. The bread was under-toasted, lacked any crunch, and the cheese was barely melted. As for taste; bland and underwhelming. Honestly, a garlic bread from Pizza Hut would’ve been a better option: hotter, fresher, and much tastier.

For mains, we had the special of the day: a ribeye steak served with fries, mushrooms, and sauce. The fries and mushrooms were great; my partner especially enjoyed the mushrooms, noting they were cooked perfectly. Unfortunately, the ribeye was a letdown. Though it was cooked medium rare as ordered, the meat lacked flavor and didn’t reflect the quality you’d expect from a restaurant known for premium cuts. It tasted more like an average butcher’s cut, and we had to rely heavily on salt, pepper, and the accompanying sauces to make it enjoyable.

Overall, we won’t be returning. Compared to their sister venue, Elements Bar and Grill in Pyrmont, the service, food quality, and general dining experience here just didn’t measure up. The staff seemed inconvenienced by basic requests, and the seating arrangements felt poorly managed. Stick to the other location if you’re looking for a more professional and...

Elements Smokehouse and Bar in Darlinghurst delivers exactly what you’d hope from a modern smokehouse: bold flavours, indulgent comfort dishes, and a drinks list that rounds it all out.

The pork ribs were outstanding—cooked to perfection, the meat slipped cleanly off the bone with every bite, smoky and tender without being overpowered by sauce. Equally impressive were the wings, which could easily claim the title of the best I’ve had—if not the best, then certainly a very close second. Smoky, crisp, and well-balanced, they are a must-order.

For a fiery side, the jalapeño poppers were a revelation—crisp on the outside, molten within, delivering that ideal mix of spice and cheesy indulgence. Yet the true star of the evening was the truffle mac and cheese. Rich, creamy, and elevated by the truffle’s depth, it stole the show and turned a classic into something truly memorable.

Drinks matched the food’s energy, with cocktails and a strong beer selection making it easy to linger. Pricing sits on the higher end, though this is hardly unusual for Sydney compared to Queensland. Importantly, the quality more than justifies the spend—you get what you pay for, and here, it’s worth it.

Service was generally positive. Two of the waitresses were particularly engaging—smiley, approachable, and genuinely adding to the atmosphere. However, the other two carried an air of indifference, as though the shift was more of a chore than an opportunity to host guests, which was noticeable against the otherwise upbeat setting.

Verdict: Elements Smokehouse and Bar excels where it matters most: ribs, wings, and truffle-laced comfort food paired with solid drinks. Slightly pricey, yes, but in Sydney terms it feels fair value for food and flavours that linger well beyond...

Terrible food here. I love my steak and coming from Melbourne I also know my food. I don't even know where to begin to comment. The waitress didn't even know what I talking about when I asked her which "cut" she would recommend. She had no clue and pointed to everything as a recommendation. Then when the food came out the real "fun" began where, between 3 waiters/waitresses, they couldn't work out who's steak was who's. Very unprofessional albeit one of them apologising for the "mess". The food was very little to be desired for with old brocolinni and soggy carrots. The steak was the biggest disappointment. They served raw and well done steak as "medium well", and medium well as "well". When feedback was provided, the Manager took one serve to be recooked which ended up being burnt and still raw, and the other serve they ran out of that cut, and only for that to be served medium well as raw. Their potato was overly rich and took that off our steak plates. Any other restaurant would have cooked their steak from scratch and apologized for their error. Instead I was questioned and my friend had to intervene to avoid any argument. When the waitress asked our table how our food was, we told them "there was quite a few problems" to which her response was they are too busy and there are other tables also complaining. Upon settling the bill they didn't change the steak that they ran out of and still charged us the higher cut. They tried to argue it wasn't the case but for a $4 difference I couldn't be bothered given what a terrible experience we had. Out of principle that is not right.

The table of girls behind us had exactly the same problems and we spent a good few minutes comparing notes. I would not...