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The-box-on-the-water - The BOX on the Water, Ettalong Beach, AU-NSW

The BOX on the Water

4.5
4.5
1333 Reviews
$41 to $100
Modern Australian
Top tags:

The BOX on the Water is situated in prime position on both the Ettalong foreshore and beach. Its absolute waterfront location has panoramic views out across Broken Bay to its namesake, Box Head, and over to Sydney's northern beaches.

Architecturally designed with a stylish, modern aesthetic, The BOX on the Water restaurant, bar and beach kiosk is just an hour and a half drive from central Sydney or twenty five minutes on the passenger ferry from Palm Beach.

Both the restaurant and kiosk offer fresh, modern Australian cuisine and friendly, efficient service. Experience stylish, casual, 'fun dining' with arguably the best outlook on the Coast!

Make a reservation

2 people
May 2022
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7:00 pm
Booked 15 times today
Experiences are available.

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Modern Australian, Seafood

  • Hours of Operation

    Kiosk
    Daily 7:00 am–4:00 pm
    Lunch
    Daily 11:45 am–3:00 pm
    Sunset sips
    Fri–Sun 3:00 pm–5:30 pm
    Dinner
    Thu–Sun 5:30 pm–8:30 pm

  • Phone number

    (02) 4339 3369

  • Website

    http://theboxonthewater.com/

  • Payment Options

    AMEX, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress Code

    Smart Casual

  • Location

    Ettalong Foreshore The Esplanade Ettalong Beach, AU-NSW 2257

  • Area

    Ettalong Beach

  • Parking Details

    There is free parking bays along the foreshore next to The BOX and plenty of street parking very close.

  • Additional

    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • The Box Summer Grazing Feast (min. 2 people)

    $85.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Push the boat out and experience our four course summer grazing feast, curated by owners Monique & Natasha. Our grazing feast showcases everything we love to eat this season, and includes an optional wine pairing to complement each course. Full menu available via our website.

  • A La Carte (Minimum 2 Courses)

    $55.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    2 Course Menu for $55pp. and 3 Course Menu for $70pp. Kids menu available for children under 12 years old for $15pp. Full menu available via our website. Please note: A 15% surcharge applies on Public Holidays.

  • Hot & Cold Seafood Feast (Minimum. 2 people)

    $60.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy our hot & cold seafood feast ~ $120 for two people or $180 for three people. Kids menu available for children under 12 years old for $15pp. Includes: Local prawns, ceviche, salmon rillette's, white anchovies, oysters, mussels, salt & pepper loligo squid, popcorn prawns and beer battered fish & chips

Popular dishes

Menu

3-6pm Friday to Sunday

Nibbles

  • Sourdough$5.00

    'La Tartine' with sweet balsamic & olive oil

    • The BOX Olives$5.00

      House marinated Sicilian & Kalamata

      • Almonds$5.00

        Tamari roasted

        • Chips$8.00

          Smoky ketchup

          • Wasabi Peas$5.00

            Roasted, coated, dehydrated green peas

            From The Sea

            • Wasabi Pea Whitebait$21.00

              Lemon & lime aioli

              • BOX Prawns$19.00

                Fresh from the fishmonger, unpeeled with BOX seafood sauce & lemon

                • Cold Seafood Tasting Plate$19.00

                  Chef's selection of cold seafood with dipping sauce

                  Sydney Rock Oysters

                  • Semillon Fingerlime Jelly X6$19.00

                    • Baked Spanish Kilpatrick X6$22.00

                      Meat

                      • Antipasto Plate$18.00

                        Selection of cold cuts, olives, marinated vegetables. Gluten Free option

                        • Drunken Pâté$22.00

                          Smooth and full flavoured with cornichons & La Tartine sourdough. Gluten Free option

                          • BOX Steak Sandwich$22.00

                            On sourdough with caramelized onion, sweet beetroot relish, salad garnish. Gluten Free bread option

                            Cheese Plate

                            • Cheese Plate$18.00

                              Australian and imported cheese, sliced fresh fruit with lavosh

                              Happy Hour

                              Friday to Sunday 4-5pm

                              • House Wine, Sparkling & Tap Beers$5.00

                                Last updated: 3 February 2022

                                What 1,333 people are saying

                                Overall ratings and reviews

                                Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                4.5
                                4.5 based on recent ratings
                                • 4.5Food
                                • 4.6Service
                                • 4.6Ambience
                                • 4.3Value

                                Noise • Energetic

                                Loved For

                                • New South Wales

                                  Scenic View

                                • New South Wales

                                  Modern Australian

                                • Central Coast

                                  Most Booked

                                Sort by

                                Filters

                                1. A

                                  Adrian

                                  New South Wales

                                  12 reviews

                                  vip
                                  5.0

                                  12 reviews

                                  Dined 3 days ago

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  My guest from Sydney had her first visit to TBOTW. She was most impressed. I had told her of the great venue, food and service - she agreed. Mira, Liam and other table staff were brilliant, efficient, courteous and pleasant. food and wine were great. Thank you to chef and kitchen staff and all. Dekuji, Mira.

                                2. MW

                                  MichaelW

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 10 May 2022

                                  overall4food4service5ambience4

                                  Delicious seafood platter for two - well cooked with a generous selection of quality seafood. Friendly and relaxed service.

                                3. JB

                                  JohnB

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 8 May 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Food and location just great,no more needs to be said

                                4. OT

                                  OpenTable Diner

                                  San Francisco

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 8 May 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Mother’s Day

                                5. T

                                  Theboys

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 4 May 2022

                                  overall4food4service5ambience5

                                  Lovely location, good food and wine. The service was very good.

                                6. LG

                                  LisaG

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 1 May 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Beautiful setting. Food was amazing, prompt and friendly service. Best Espresso Martini

                                7. BP

                                  BennyP

                                  New South Wales

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 29 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Lovely food amazing service and location. It was dark so couldn’t get the full effect of the view but it was still lovely. Great to have so many gluten free options. Cocktails were good too.

                                8. OT

                                  OpenTable Diner

                                  New South Wales

                                  3 reviews

                                  5.0

                                  3 reviews

                                  Dined on 29 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Great food and service

                                9. PM

                                  PeterM

                                  Sydney

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 25 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Always brilliant. The food and view are fantastic. The wait staff and managers are hard working and friendly. Thx for another great experience team.

                                10. JB

                                  JonB

                                  Melbourne

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 23 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service4ambience4

                                  Outstanding location, great food and very good value. Recommended.

                                11. MD

                                  MarilynD

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 22 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  We celebrated my friend’s 70th birthday & we couldn’t have chosen a better place. The food was lovely, good value & the staff were pleasant & obliging.

                                12. BM

                                  BruceM

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 21 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  This was our second visit to the Box. The food was great, the service excellent but not obtrusive and the value was good. The location for this restaurant is wonderful and it is extremely popular for both locals and visitors. We will be back.

                                13. JB

                                  JulieB

                                  New South Wales

                                  3 reviews

                                  5.0

                                  3 reviews

                                  Dined on 20 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  This latest visit makes it three in total, always love coming to the Box on the water, food always lovely, service is wonderful and they give a little extra beyond what is normally expected, price is normal for this type of restaurant, and of course the view is always spectacular. Thank you once again and look forward to my next visit.

                                14. MT

                                  MichelleT

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 18 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service4ambience4

                                  My husband and I had the shared seafood it was very nice all good the only thing was we went on Monday public holiday there was a 15% surcharge but other than that very nice

                                15. BG

                                  BillG

                                  New South Wales

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 17 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  The bar seafood restaurant in the Central Coast and beyond!👏⚘️

                                16. R

                                  Rosies

                                  Hawaii

                                  10 reviews

                                  5.0

                                  10 reviews

                                  Dined on 17 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Perfect location for a relaxing Sunday lunch, the wine selection alongside the food was spot on. Will be back for sure

                                17. FG

                                  FionaG

                                  Sydney

                                  3 reviews

                                  5.0

                                  3 reviews

                                  Dined on 17 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Fabulous setting. Wonderful meal on Easter Sunday. Really enjoyed our table facing the water Originally felt the 11.45 lunch booking would be too early but it turned out to be exactly right on the day.

                                18. JJ

                                  JJJJ

                                  Tasmania

                                  16 reviews

                                  5.0

                                  16 reviews

                                  Dined on 16 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Great quality fine food, really awesome atmosphere.

                                19. EO

                                  ErinO

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 16 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service4ambience4

                                  Lovely food in a great location and friendly staff.

                                20. BD

                                  BruceD

                                  New South Wales

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 16 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service4ambience4

                                  Overall a great experience. The only minor drawback was that even with the doors open the noise reverberates as there is little sound absorbent material.

                                21. GN

                                  GregoryN

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 16 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service4ambience5

                                  Nice ambiance great food and presentation friendly staff

                                22. AM

                                  AndrewM

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 15 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service2ambience5

                                  Good food average service. Wait staff were pleasant but need to be trained properly. Seafood platter was v good and location is beautiful.

                                23. CG

                                  CarolG

                                  Vancouver

                                  4 reviews

                                  5.0

                                  4 reviews

                                  Dined on 15 April 2022

                                  overall5food4service5ambience5

                                  We love this restaurant. Light and breezy with a lovely view. Service was excellent and food very good.

                                24. JB

                                  JudithB

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 14 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service4ambience5

                                  No complaints here, Lovely food and friendly staff, great view.

                                25. OT

                                  OpenTable Diner

                                  New South Wales

                                  2 reviews

                                  3.0

                                  2 reviews

                                  Dined on 10 April 2022

                                  overall3food2service4ambience4

                                  Great service & view. Scallops and prawn starters excellent Pork was overcooked and crackling wasn’t crackly

                                26. NW

                                  NicoleW

                                  New South Wales

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 9 April 2022

                                  overall4food5service4ambience3

                                  The restaurant is beautiful. We went at night but I’m sure during the day the view of the water is to die for. The wine was one I’d never tried before and it was delicious. The food was amazing, I could not fault a single dish. We had a lovely time and would absolutely go again.

                                27. j

                                  john

                                  Sydney

                                  8 reviews

                                  vip
                                  5.0

                                  8 reviews

                                  Dined on 9 April 2022

                                  overall5food4service4ambience4

                                  We have visited 8 times. Always excellent. Hope to visit again after Easter.

                                28. GC

                                  GraemeC

                                  Exclusive

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 9 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Another outstanding day for a lunch with special friends

                                29. NM

                                  NicolaM

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 8 April 2022

                                  overall4food5service5ambience5

                                  Lovely venue , good service , great food, however don’t like not having the choice of a normal menu to pick just one plate for lunch dishes, for our group of three I ended up picking the $60 a head seafood menu, which worked out at $180 just for lunch for 3, when we would have preferred to pick one dish each from the menu. Plus I thought the $180 was a bit steep for the seafood we got, lots of chips, but seafood nicely done.

                                30. S

                                  Shaun

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 7 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  Despite the horrendous weather there were plenty of people dining and the staff made sure we were very well looked after. The food was excellent and our whole party was very impressed and satisfied.

                                31. BP

                                  BillP

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 6 April 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  The personal service was excellent. A perfect location for any celebration.

                                32. OT

                                  OpenTable Diner

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 5 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service5ambience4

                                  We love the setting next to the water and the service was good. Not keen on the compulsory $55 spend per head on food though as a shared entree and a main each is enough for us. Basically we paid $55 for a main as we couldn’t eat any more.

                                33. BS

                                  BobS

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 2 April 2022

                                  overall4food4service5ambience5

                                  Lovely place to have lunch. Good service great setting.

                                34. PC

                                  PaulC

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 31 March 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  What a brilliant night to celebrate my BFF’S birthday. Great everything. Thanks The Box.

                                35. A

                                  Adrian

                                  New South Wales

                                  13 reviews

                                  vip
                                  5.0

                                  13 reviews

                                  Dined on 31 March 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience4

                                  As always, a great venue with excellent service and a first class selection of food and drinks.

                                36. j

                                  john

                                  Sydney

                                  8 reviews

                                  vip
                                  5.0

                                  8 reviews

                                  Dined on 25 March 2022

                                  overall5food4service4ambience4

                                  The Box is our favorite restaurant on the Coast. We have eaten there 7 times. The food is always very good. The staff are friendly and efficient .The location is great.

                                37. KT

                                  KarenT

                                  New South Wales

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 23 March 2022

                                  overall4food4service5ambience5

                                  Good food, nicely served by attentive wait staff. The outlook is great.

                                38. OT

                                  OpenTable Diner

                                  New South Wales

                                  2 reviews

                                  4.0

                                  2 reviews

                                  Dined on 20 March 2022

                                  overall4food5service5ambience5

                                  Birthday. When booking advised special occasion. Greeter asked who’s birthday it was. Advised it was our daughter and she hadn’t arrived at that time. I expected maybe a candle in a cupcake or something like a free drink for her but nothing came. Why ask if it’s a special occasion and then ignore it?

                                39. GT

                                  GlendaT

                                  New South Wales

                                  1 review

                                  5.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 20 March 2022

                                  overall5food5service5ambience5

                                  A fabulous lunch ! Amazing views! We will be back..

                                40. HM

                                  HilM

                                  Sydney

                                  1 review

                                  4.0

                                  1 review

                                  Dined on 19 March 2022

                                  overall4food4service3ambience4

                                  Lovely girls lunch, good food, unique menu options.

                                Safety precautions

                                • Cleaning & sanitising

                                  • Surfaces sanitised between seatings
                                  • Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
                                  • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
                                  • Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
                                  • Contactless payment available

                                • Physical distancing

                                  • Limited number of seated diners
                                  • Distancing maintained in common areas
                                  • Extra space between tables

                                • Screening

                                  • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

                                FAQs

                                The BOX on the Water is rated 4.5 stars by 1333 OpenTable diners.

                                Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                Make a reservation

                                2 people
                                May 2022
                                Mon
                                Tue
                                Wed
                                Thu
                                Fri
                                Sat
                                Sun
                                25
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                                31
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                                4
                                5
                                7:00 pm
                                Booked 15 times today
                                Experiences are available.
                                Google Map for The BOX on the Water

                                Ettalong Foreshore The Esplanade Ettalong Beach, AU-NSW 2257

                                Additional information

                                • Area

                                  Ettalong Beach

                                • Hours of Operation

                                  Kiosk
                                  Daily 7:00 am–4:00 pm
                                  Lunch
                                  Daily 11:45 am–3:00 pm
                                  Sunset sips
                                  Fri–Sun 3:00 pm–5:30 pm
                                  Dinner
                                  Thu–Sun 5:30 pm–8:30 pm

                                • Cuisines

                                  Modern Australian, Seafood

                                • Dining style

                                  Casual Elegant

                                • Dress Code

                                  Smart Casual

                                • Parking Details

                                  There is free parking bays along the foreshore next to The BOX and plenty of street parking very close.

                                • Payment Options

                                  AMEX, MasterCard, Visa

                                • Additional

                                  Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

                                Featured in

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