5 Best Bbq Restaurants in Sydney (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 7 min read

A Sydney BBQ order can mean three very different nights out: a smoked American steak in Darlinghurst, wagyu you grill yourself in the CBD, or an all-you-can-eat Korean spread in Chinatown. Diners have left almost 29,000 reviews for the top BBQ restaurants in Sydney, and Elements Smokehouse and Bar alone carries over 7,500 of them at a 4.8 average. That kind of volume makes it hard to fake a bad night out.

Short answer: Elements Smokehouse and Bar leads with 4.8 stars across 7,593 reviews, the most-reviewed BBQ spot in Sydney in this comparison, with Kobe Wagyu Yakiniku close behind at 4.7 from 7,488 reviews. 789 Korean BBQ Darling Square (4.8, 4,824 reviews) edges out the larger Butchers Buffet Chinatown (4.6, 5,144 reviews) on rating alone. Expect anywhere from about $40 to $200+ per person depending on the format, buffet versus a la carte.

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1. Elements Smokehouse an…
2. Kobe Wagyu Yakiniku
3. 789 Korean BBQ Darling…
4. Butchers Buffet Chinat…
5. Bornga Korean BBQ Rest…
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Sydney's BBQ scene, side by side

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Elements Smokehouse and Bar	4.8 ★	7,593	Sit-down American steakhouse BBQ	View ›
2	Kobe Wagyu Yakiniku	4.7 ★	7,488	Self-grill wagyu buffet	View ›
3	789 Korean BBQ Darling Square	4.8 ★	4,824	Walk-in Korean BBQ, a la carte	View ›
4	Butchers Buffet Chinatown	4.6 ★	5,144	Large-group, all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ	View ›
5	Bornga Korean BBQ Restaurant	4.7 ★	3,875	Korean-first menu and atmosphere	View ›

Where to book, and what to order

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days

Elements Smokehouse and Bar

4.87,593 Google reviews

Elements Smokehouse and Bar is a modern American steakhouse in Darlinghurst, part of a small family of Sydney dining venues that also includes Elements Bar and Grill and Elements Brasserie. The menu leans into fire-cooked steaks, smoked brisket, chicken wings, and burgers, with a rotating specials board and a full cocktail list. It blends fine-dining polish with a casual, experience-first room, and clearly marks gluten-free options across the menu.

What people praise

Steak and sides repeatedly called out as excellent, especially the signature steak on stone and the tomahawk
Service singled out by name in multiple reviews, not just praised generically
Comfortable for both a casual dinner and a special-occasion night out
Gluten-free options clearly marked

Worth knowing

Pricier end of the list, some diners report spending $150 to $450+ for a full dinner with drinks

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume7,593 · 97th

Confidencevery high

Recency8 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown86% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: With 7,593 reviews at 4.8 stars, Elements has the deepest and most consistent track record here. It's the pick for a proper sit-down BBQ dinner rather than a casual grill-it-yourself night.

Website +611300353636 Directions

248 Palmer St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

#2🕑 Open 7 days

Kobe Wagyu Yakiniku

4.77,488 Google reviews

Kobe Wagyu Yakiniku is a Japanese yakiniku restaurant in Sydney's CBD built around a self-grill wagyu beef buffet, alongside sashimi, seafood, and homemade desserts. Diners cook premium graded wagyu cuts themselves over binchotan charcoal at the table, with a la carte menu items available too. The room is positioned as an upscale but approachable spot for a special dinner, including a well-known birthday promotion.

What people praise

Wagyu quality and marbling repeatedly singled out as exceptional
Buffet praised for variety, with sashimi, seafood, and desserts included
Ventilation called out specifically, several reviewers note it doesn't get smoky or stuffy despite the grills
Birthday discount promotion mentioned as a genuine drawcard

Worth knowing

A buffet-first format, so diners after a tight-budget a la carte set menu may find better value elsewhere

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume7,488 · 92th

Confidencevery high

Recency4 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown85% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: 4.7 from 7,488 reviews puts Kobe Wagyu just behind Elements on volume, and its niche, grill-your-own wagyu, is genuinely different from the rest of this list. Worth booking ahead for a birthday or special occasion specifically.

Website +61406662268 Directions

Level 1/605-609 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

#3🕑 Open 7 days

789 Korean BBQ Darling Square

4.84,824 Google reviews

789 Korean BBQ is a walk-in Korean barbecue restaurant in Darling Square, part of a small multi-city chain also operating in Melbourne, Rhodes, and Brisbane. The Darling Square location doesn't take online bookings, running on a first-come, first-served basis, and serves premium wagyu, house marinades, and Korean classics alongside a generous free side-dish spread.

What people praise

Reviewers highlight generous free side dishes alongside the main BBQ order
Fresh ingredients and attentive table service noted repeatedly
Queues move fast even on busy weekend nights, per multiple reviews
Convenient Darling Harbour location

Worth knowing

No online bookings, so peak-time visits mean a short wait
A public holiday surcharge applies, worth checking before a long weekend visit

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume4,824 · 82th

Confidencevery high

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · hours

Rating breakdown88% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: 789 edges out Butchers Buffet Chinatown for the #3 spot on a higher rating, 4.8 versus 4.6, even with fewer total reviews. It's the better bet if you'd rather order a la carte than commit to an all-you-can-eat format.

Website Directions

Shop 4/35 Tumbalong Bvd, Haymarket NSW 2000

#4🕑 Open 7 days

Butchers Buffet Chinatown

4.65,144 Google reviews

Butchers Buffet Chinatown is a large-format, all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ buffet on Sussex Street, seating around 200 diners across 60 individual grill stations after relocating from a smaller Dixon Street site. It markets itself as Australia's largest AYCE Korean barbecue, with menus that change seasonally and daily-sourced meat and seafood.

What people praise

Consistently good value, called out specifically for the lunch buffet
Wide meat and seafood selection with sides like kimchi, glass noodles, and fried chicken wings kept topped up
Handles large groups well, one review mentions a party of 13 with no issues
Staff praised for quick, attentive grill changes and plate clearing despite the size of the room

Worth knowing

A few reviewers find it solid rather than exceptional, and street parking nearby can be difficult to find

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume5,144 · 87th

Confidencevery high

Recency8 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown80% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Butchers Buffet has the second-largest review base on this list, 5,144 reviews, but ranks below 789 Korean BBQ here on a lower average rating, 4.6 versus 4.8. It's still the strongest pick if a big group and an all-you-can-eat format matter more to you than a la carte precision.

Website +61282086104 Directions

shop 8/363 Sussex St, Haymarket NSW 2000

#5🕑 Open 7 days

Bornga Korean BBQ Restaurant

4.73,875 Google reviews

Bornga is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Haymarket associated with the Bornga franchise, known for its Korean beef and rib dishes and premium charcoal grilling. The Sydney location covers Haymarket dining alongside sister sites in Melbourne, Rhodes, and Brisbane, with a menu built around Korean beef cuts, stone-pot bibimbap, and traditional banchan side dishes.

What people praise

Meat quality and marbling praised as consistently fresh
Signature dishes like chadol doenjang and stone-pot bibimbap called out by name
Atmosphere described as authentically Korean rather than generic BBQ
Clean restaurant with quick table service, per multiple reviews

Worth knowing

One review notes frequent grill changes and a higher price point for smaller appetites

Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume3,875 · 76th

Confidencevery high

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown83% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Bornga's 4.7 from 3,875 reviews is the smallest base of the top five, but it's the pick for diners who want Korean specificity, named dishes and a Korean-first menu, over a general BBQ night out.

Website +61417054555 Directions

Level 1/78 Harbour St, Haymarket NSW 2000

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Watch: 5 Best Bbq Restaurants in Sydney (2026)

How we scored each restaurant

Rating is the live Google average out of 5. Review volume measures how many diners have actually left a review, ranked against the others on this list. Confidence weighs the rating against that volume, so a 4.8 from 7,000 reviews carries more certainty than a 4.8 from 50. Recency checks how current the reviews are, so a restaurant that’s slipped since its last wave of reviews doesn’t coast on old praise. No restaurant can pay to change any of these numbers.

What a Sydney BBQ dinner actually costs

Price swings hard depending on format. A buffet keeps cost predictable per head, while a la carte and steakhouse menus climb fast once sides, sauces, and drinks get added.

Job	Typical price
Casual Korean BBQ buffet (per person)	$40 - $60
A la carte Korean BBQ (per person)	$60 - $120
Wagyu buffet / premium yakiniku (per person)	$80 - $100
Steakhouse dinner with drinks (per person)	$100 - $200+

Compiled from customer-reported price-per-person figures in verified Google reviews for these five restaurants, July 2026.

Where to find them across Sydney

Four of the five sit within a few minutes of each other in the CBD, Haymarket, and Darling Harbour precinct: Kobe Wagyu on George Street, 789 and Bornga in Darling Square and Haymarket, and Butchers Buffet on Sussex Street in Chinatown. Elements Smokehouse is the outlier, a short trip south in Darlinghurst. Searching for Korean BBQ or steakhouse near me in central Sydney will surface all five within walking distance of Town Hall or Central station.

Questions worth asking before you go

Is it a set buffet price or a la carte, and does that change on weekends or public holidays?
Do you take bookings, or is it walk-in and first-come, first-served?
Is there a time limit on the grill or buffet sitting?
What’s included in the side dishes, and are refills free?
Are there vegetarian or gluten-free options on the grill menu?
Is there a public holiday or peak-time surcharge I should know about?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these five?

We compared BBQ and Korean BBQ restaurants across Sydney with a strong, current Google track record, weighing rating, review volume, and how recent the reviews are.

How often is this list updated?

We refreshed the data in July 2026 and periodically re-check ratings as new reviews land.

Is a la carte or buffet better value?

It depends on your appetite. Buffet formats, like Kobe Wagyu or Butchers Buffet, tend to suit bigger eaters and groups, while a la carte spots like Elements or 789 let you order exactly what you want.

Do any of these take walk-ins?

789 Korean BBQ runs first-come, first-served with no online bookings. The others generally recommend booking ahead, especially on weekends.

Are public holiday surcharges common in Sydney?

Yes, most Sydney restaurants add a surcharge on public holidays, commonly in the 10 to 15 percent range. It’s worth asking when you book.

The bottom line

For a classic sit-down BBQ dinner, Elements Smokehouse is the safest call on review depth alone. If you want to grill wagyu yourself, book Kobe Wagyu ahead, especially around a birthday. Either way, ask about public holiday surcharges before you sit down. They catch people out more than the food ever does.

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