The Cricketers Balmain — Restaurant in Sydney

Went to The Cricketers for the first time for the NRL grand final 2025. Good (multiple) screen sizes and can see from pretty much every angle of the pub downstairs. Doesn’t look grubby and is well presented. Upstairs was much smaller and less screens. Sports lounge is being renovated. Best part was the food. The usual pub grub but excellent quality and came out pretty fast. The calamari was super soft and tender and not greasy. Perfect. The burger wasn’t greasy at all, chips of good quality. Kids burger but was a very decent size. The chicken tenders had a really generous amount of chicken and were super tender and juicy at $15 and weren’t greasy. Bottles of wine are pretty much all over $45 (I think there was only one at that price. The rest are $55/60 and higher). Not a huge wine list but the Chardonnay was very good. Overall very pleasantly surprised. Will def be back. *Am a bit surprised by the neg reviews from the past but can only assume it was a long time ago and hopefully...

Had great and terrible service in the one night. Was in for burger night this Monday. Great service from the blonde girl but got the invisible treatment by the big, bearded guy. He walked into the bar where I was standing at the bar, looked over me and asked, presumably a regular, some dude behind me if he wanted another beer. He says yes so he gets him one but then proceeds to studiously ignore me, even though I put my hand up and said hey, and then he walked out of the bar. I get keeping the regulars happy, no problem with that, but then ignoring me and walking out of the bar without checking to see if I'd been served? Poor form. We left and had a meal at The...

The Cricketers has just always been consistently great both for a casual drink and a meal out. Back when they had Balmain Burger Co, their burgs were the best around for a while. Now they've swapped it out for The Little Emerald, which is some really high quality Chinese.

It was an unusual move to open The Little Emerald in there, but it turns out it makes for fantastic slightly fancy pub grub. Smashing prawn toast in sriracha alongside a cold pint is the most satisfying thing in the world.

Staff always super friendly too, and food comes quickly and can be conveniently ordered from the table...