The Woods of Windsor

6 Reviews on “The Woods of Windsor”

• Good Food Good Mood

  UPDATE I was invited to check out the Woods of Windsor which has recently undergone a change in ownership and a shift from more of a restaurant as it was on my original visit a couple of years ago, back to its roots as an old world whiskey bar.

  The place was packed and the atmosphere was buzzing, it really is a very cool venue well worth visiting for the ambiance alone and to experience something of another era. The staff were certainly very knowledgeable too on everything from the cheese selection to the cocktail list which was impressive to see.

  We started with the very strong Dizzy Gillespie cocktail which was an aptly named beverage indeed. The crispy chicken was recommended which was a very generously portioned dish of deliciously crumbed crunchy chicken. The cheeseboard was up next and was accompanied by house made focaccia. My favourite here was the insanely creamy Brie.

  We finished off with both desserts a roasted white chocolate mousse inspired by the Caramilk craze that gripped the nation and the apple pie. The pie was super aromatic and thoroughly spiced. I would definitely recommend this venue for date night or a catch up with friends

  Original review
  The service here seems to have exceptionally poor reviews. Interestingly I never intended to dine here, we were attempting to go to Hawker Hall but were told the wait was over three hours so popped next door to here as someone in our group had been previously and enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed the cocktails but the food was not so fabulous. We asked them to give us a feed me experience as there were 8 of us and I didn’t like a lot of what came out (though I can be quite picky). The dessert was definitely the highlight as was the decor which was all dimly lit and dark stained timber creating a kind of speakeasy atmosphere. It’s worth pointing out I didn’t experience poor service like a lot of other diners seemed to have but I still wouldn’t really recommend this for dinner given the number of superior venues in close proximity. Certainly worth checking out for a drink though

  November 5, 2020, 5:31 am

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• Nay Nay

  You enter a cosy looking bar with a vintage look. The menu is a bar menu and a whiskey bar with cocktails. Staff were great offering us recommendations and filling our glasses up with water. Enjoyed the curved meats and cocktails and nice little night

  November 5, 2020, 4:01 am

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• Espy Eats

  The Woods of Windsor is a dimly lit bar with a tonne of ambience and an amazing drinks list. They have an impressive cocktail list and their bar snack food menu has some generous serves included.

  We were invited in to try out the food and drink and were presented with an amazing assortment of cocktails by knowledgeable staff members. I was initially tempted by one of the more theatrical cocktails (get the Robert Burns if you want to see clouds of smoke) but ended up going for one that stood out based on tasty ingredients. Dizzy Gillespie came with old forester bourbon, maple syrup, apple, spiced and lemon and was a strong flavoured drink.

  Food wise we tried the crispy chicken, a sizeable serve of crunchy coated chicken with a tasty buffalo sauce. We tried the cheese board which came with three cheeses, hard, soft and blue. The soft cheese was so creamy and moreish while we found the blue a little tasty but more subtle than some of the pungent varieties out there.

  For dessert we could go past trying both the roasted whites chocolate mousse (think caramilk craze reinvented) and the crispy apple pie which was big on cinnamon and cloves and apple came in chunky form.

  I generally dont comment on service when being invited in but staff here were very knowledgeable and the great service we received was observed at other tables too.

  Thanks for having us.

  November 4, 2020, 3:55 am

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• Kimberley Leggett

  Old world charm, classy and sophisticated – Woods of Windsor sweeps you away into the 50s the second you walk through the door and is a breath of fresh from the ‘scene’ that is Chapel St.

  We were quickly greeted despite how busy it was inside already at about 8pm on a Saturday night and sat down to a table. I hadn’t been back to the Woods for a while and I was immediately peeled to the walls and cabinet behind the bar which showcased all the various whisky/scotch’s on offer but also donned antique trinkets and taxidermy. The staff were attentive, very knowledgable and a great help when it came to choosing what drinks to enjoy first. I loved how they asked us each on our personal taste preferences before offering up suggestions. We ended up choosing the Ella Fitzgerald (gin based) for myself and the Dizzy Gillespie from the cocktail menu. We also perused the menu and if we hadn’t have had a big dinner beforehand would have definitely have tucked into an elaborate cheeseboard as we were getting food envy from platters passing by to other tables.

  When our drinks came they were delicious and enjoyed quite quickly. In a matter of 20minutes we were up for our second round, this time leaving it up to the bartender to surprise us with a twist! I’m a person who often will stick to what I know I like so letting control over to someone can often be an anxious task, but I trusted their authority and drink-making capabilities and knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. What I got in return was a Ella Fitzgerald but with hints of chamomile and honey – so delicious that I actually enjoyed it more than the first!

  Next time I’m in I will definitely sample a few of the other drinks and have some food to share. My advise to anyone having difficulty choosing from the various great-sounding drinks is to ask the staff- they were fantastic.

  Will be back in no time -thanks for the invite!

  October 27, 2020, 12:46 pm

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• Split The Bill

  Just found my new favourite whisky bar !
  Looking for a beautiful quaint cosy and old school bar with attentive table service and the most gorgeous cocktail list I have seen in a while.

  I enjoyed the Robert Burns ( that was my high school economics teachers name hehehe). This was delivered in a gorgeous fog enclosed glass so was very theatrical when delivered, but to back it up it was a fantastic sweet cocktail.

  We also enjoyed the Grace Kelley which was such a stunning looking cocktail with aperol this was followed by the Dizzy Gillespie a take on the classic G&T.

  There is also a large range of food on offer too which are paired with a variety of cocktails too.

  So we could not resist the most gorgeous apple pie with the caramel sauce yum yum yum!

  Thanks for the invite can’t wait to come back.

  October 16, 2020, 6:56 pm

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• Two Sheds

  Awesome olde world bar with a great feel. Dark and woody, very atmospheric, old 1940s music playing when we entered. Very nice polite bartender on duty.

  We ordered a Negroni, a Japanese whiskey (I was talking so much, I missed the name) and a cocktail called Dorian Gray. The Dorian Gray is described as born from the grandfather of martinis, this is a smooth gin martini has a subtle English twist. Tanqueray, vermouth Rosso, tea, maraschino and bitters.

  The Negroni was absolutely superb. As good as Ive had anywhere on the planet. The Japanese whiskey was well received as well. The Dorian Gray wasn’t great though. A bit overdone with too much sweet cherry taste.

  Fantastic bar overall though. Id come back anytime.

  January 10, 2019, 5:25 pm

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