Ferryman’s is a casual pub and restaurant in the heart of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, which is always packed with an interesting combination of locals and tourists. It’s a very popular venue to kick back and relax with some locally brewed craft beers or comically large cocktails to share. They frequently have live music—generally cover bands—that are pretty entertaining. Ferryman’s is located right across from the Ferris wheel, so it’s easy to find. It shares a building with Mitchell’s Waterfront Brewery, and it could basically be the same restaurant…but it’s not, so don’t get confused. The inside of Ferryman’s is dimly lit and has an old English pub feel to it, but outside is much more cheerful with picnic tables crammed into the busy courtyard, shaded by trees and big umbrellas.

The menu at Ferryman’s offers traditional pub grub. There are a variety of bar snacks like potato skins, nachos, or snack platters. Main meals offer a little bit of everything—burgers, schnitzels, enchiladas, trinchado, curry, steaks, seafood, and ribs. There are also a wide selection of baskets that combine fries and light meals—calamari, ribs, wings, or wraps. I’ve always enjoyed the calamari and hake combo at Ferryman’s, but when I tried it this time, it was disappointing. Perhaps the kitchen management has changed. The portion of calamari was tiny and not as tasty as the previous times, and the hake was much smaller and not as amazingly fresh as I remember, with soggy rather than airy and crispy batter. Service was also a bit of a problem; my friend ordered mashed potatoes but got chips instead, and service from the bar took very long. However, Ferryman’s was extremely busy when we were there.

If you’re looking for a place to enjoy a few beers in an “anything goes” atmosphere in the Waterfront, Ferryman’s is one of the better options. There’s definitely better food to be had elsewhere, but not that many other places serve cocktails by the liter.