Orient Hotel

The Orient Hotel is a multi-level pub in The Rocks, Sydney, with several distinct spaces for eating, drinking and catching live music. On the ground floor, the Public Bar and courtyard beer garden offer a place to settle in away from the bustle of the harbourside precinct. The Alfresco area on Argyle Street adds outdoor seating with harbour views, while the tree-shaded courtyard looks towards Kendall Lane. The website says Alfresco tables and the courtyard are available without bookings, although table reservations are encouraged for some areas.

Upstairs, Mrs Jones Dining & Terrace provides a more polished setting for lunch, dinner or drinks. Named after Jane Jones, one of the hotel’s earliest licensees, the first-floor venue includes a dining room and terrace bar. Its retractable roof and sliding glass walls make the terrace suitable in changing weather, with views across the Rocks’ cobbled laneways and the courtyard below. The site also describes an air-conditioned dining room overlooking Sydney Harbour, making Mrs Jones a useful option when a standard pub table is not quite the right fit.

Food is built around seasonal local ingredients, with the kitchen describing its menu as a modern take on pub classics and elegant fusion. The drinks list covers local and international beers, wines and spirits, alongside cocktails. A named signature is the Mrs Jones martini, made with Starward Two Fold Australian Whisky, Aperol and sweet vermouth, served with a canapé of kangaroo tartare, finger lime, pepper berry and saltbush on crisp croutons. The website also features rotating promotions, including winter specials, a Friday rump steak offer and beer deals, so it is worth checking the venue’s current listings before visiting.

The Orient also has a strong events focus. Its website promotes live music at the ground-floor bar and directs visitors to a gig guide for details, while regular activities have included trivia and musical bingo. For larger gatherings, the top-floor Orion Function Room has a bar, dance floor, lounge seating and harbour outlook, with layouts for seated dining, cocktail events, theatre-style functions and conferences. Mrs Jones Dining can accommodate group bookings, including a partitioned private area for up to 20 guests, and the terrace is available for smaller cocktail-style functions. That mix makes the hotel suited to casual drinks, a pub meal, organised group nights and private events in one of Sydney’s most historic precincts.