The Cumberland — Restaurant in Sydney

The good. Very cool inside, worth a visit just to check out the decor. The food and drinks were great. Service was generally good. Entrance (via the fridge door) shows a real sense of humour and style.

The bad. A really wanky "nightclub" style fake queue. Got inside and was half full. The menus are so "super cool" (as in tiny font on brown paper) and the lighting so low that I accidentally ordered a beer with no alcohol (which still cost $11!) and I saw at least three other tables using torches on their phone to read the menu. The table layout was ridiculous. Our was so close to next one that every time a waiter walked past (that gap was the access to the next row of tables) they clipped our table on every pass and I had a shelf poking me in the back so we couldn't move further away. Tables should have been staggered. But my biggest complaint....sorry I said MY BIGGEST COMPLANT! is that this place has the acoustics of an echo chamber. You will NOT be sitting here engaged in conversation unless you are yelling at each other. Since when did this become cool? Concrete floor, concrete ceiling, hard walls and no table cloths. "What did you say?" Is the most common phrase uttered in here.

All that said if your thing is cool looking noisy bars with no elbow room then this is for you, and I reckon that's what a lot of people think is cool at the moment for reasons I can't quite understand. Congratulations to the owners, you are on a winner but I prefer to talk in comfort for the...

I visited The Cumberland with my partner on a Saturday night and we had a wonderful time. The Cumberland is a hidden gem in Manly, a speakeasy bar with a Spanish twist that can only be accessed through a fridge door in a deli. The bar has a cozy and sophisticated atmosphere, with vintage and elegant decor. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the service was fast and efficient. The drinks menu was impressive, with over 250 whiskies, natural wines, craft beers, and creative cocktails. I ordered the Cumberland, a smoking whisky cocktail that was smooth and smoky. My partner ordered the Wild Fennel Calling, a gin-based cocktail with locally foraged fennel that was refreshing and herbal. We also shared a cheese and charcuterie board that was delivered by a dumbwaiter from the deli upstairs. The board was delicious and generous, with a variety of cheeses, cured meats, olives, bread, and crackers. We also tried some of the tapas dishes from the bar’s kitchen, such as the pork and fennel meatballs, the mussels escabeche, and the caviar. The food was tasty and satisfying, and complemented the drinks well. The prices were very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food and drinks. We paid $150 for two people, including tip. We were very impressed by The Cumberland, and we would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and enjoyable night...

You come to recognise top quality service vs. price over time. Here is my experience with rhe Cumberland (24/2/24).

I googled some bars In manly. After waiting 25 mins for a cocktail nearby I wandered into the upstairs of cumberlabd with My partner. The matride/kitchen head asked if we had a booking to which i replied "no, are you full". She mentioned their was a spot but little more than a corner table with two barstools. We accepted. Within 30 seconds of sitting down, we were served by someone with a menu. After explaining the menu front to back I asked him what he'd recommend. He then asked what we like to which I replied "citric for the lady and classic for myself". He then suggested two cocktails (I think the lilly pilly and the sazerac*) which were absolutely what we were looking for. About 3 mins later he returned and offered us one of two tables of our choosing. To me, this is great service, the staff were accommodating, attentive and knowledgeable. The food we got and the 2nd round of cocktails were amazing. The atmosphere was great and the staff were dressed the part. I highly recommend this bar to those seeking an authentic sub terrainnian cocktail bar vibe....