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

The BOX on the Water

4.4
4.4
1819 Reviews
$41 to $100
Modern Australian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 17 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for scenic views
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for special occasions
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!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • Cuisines
    Modern Australian, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Kiosk Daily 7:00 am–4:00 pm Brunch Wed, Sun 8:00 am–12:00 pm Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:00 pm Sunset sips Fri–Sun 3:00 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Thu–Sat 5:30 pm–8:30 pm Sun 5:00 pm–7:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (02) 4339 3369
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Neighborhood
    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

Experiences

  • The Box Grazing Feast (min. 2 people)

    A$89.00 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.
  • Hot & Cold Seafood Feast (Minimum. 2 people)

    A$89.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy our hot & cold seafood feast Kids menu available for children under 12 years old for $15pp. Please see our website for the menu
  • New Years Eve Degustation

    A$109.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2024 only
    4 COURSE DEGUSTATION | 5pm - 8.30pm $109pp degustation | +$40pp wine pairing Carefully curated by our head chef & complemented with wine pairings handpicked by our sommelier Inclusive of a glass of sparkling on arrival & access to our Countdown & Cocktail Party Head to our website to see the Menu

What 1,819 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • New South Wales

    Great for brunch

  • New South Wales

    Neighborhood gem

  • New South Wales

    Modern Australian

  • Central Coast

    Best Overall

  • Central Coast

    Best Food

  • Central Coast

    Best Service

  • Central Coast

    Best Ambiance

  • Central Coast

    Best Value

  • Central Coast

    Good for groups

  • Central Coast

    Healthy

  • Central Coast

    Neighborhood gem

  • Central Coast

    Good for special occasions

  • Central Coast

    Lively

  • Central Coast

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The BOX on the Water offers a "fantastic ambience" with stunning sea views, making it a perfect spot for special occasions and family gatherings. Guests rave about its "beautiful food" and "excellent service," with particular praise for attentive staff and the quality of dishes like scallop pie and seafood platters. While some diners seek more menu variety, the restaurant's "great location" and overall dining experience continue to delight.

1,819 Reviews
  1. Don

    New South Wales

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined today

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is not great. Friendly staff and great location.

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  2. john

    Sydney

    15 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    15 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent restaurant. Great menu. Lovely location. We have visited many times and will surely be returning again in the near future. Can highly recommend to anyone who seeks a smart sociable location on the Coast.

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  3. Brian

    New South Wales

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceeded expectations. Amazing location, top shelf service from our waiter and some seriously tasty food. A great way to spend a couple of hours with friends. Go for an outside table if the weather is kind

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  4. Tim

    New South Wales

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely superb service and our food was amazing.

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  5. Dayle

    New South Wales

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Service was a stand out. Very very good Thankyou. Had a Lovely time
    The BOX on the WaterResponded on November 11, 2024
    Thanks for visiting Dayle, hope to see you again soon!

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  6. Walter

    Sydney

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    We have been to the venue a couple of times, but this time it was so loud it was unbearable so we had to cut our dinner short. We asked to changed tables to an external table but this couldnt be accommodated due to the number of reserved tables ( empty mind you)
    The BOX on the WaterResponded on November 11, 2024
    Thanks for your review Walter, I'm sorry to hear you were left disappointed this time. Our weekends are so busy and if the doors aren’t up then it can get quite noisy due to having so much glass, plywood and concrete that doesn't lend itself well to soft furnishings. It’s an ongoing issue for us and unfortunately we are yet find a solution. As we do take reservations both inside and outside, it is common for us to be fully booked outside on weekends and as you arrived early, its likely that the empty outside tables were still waiting on their booked guests to arrive. I would recommend requesting an outdoor table in your next booking so that you can be accommodated outside if the doors are shut.

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  7. Celeste

    New South Wales

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 1, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    To call your meal a ‘seafood feast’ is a complete sham. 6 fresh prawns, 4 oysters, passionfruit for the 1st dish. 2 cooked king prawns, a few sardines, mussles (4 shells of which had nothing within the shells), some stale bread and soggy chips for the second dish. I asked the waitress what was coming next and she just responds with ‘dessert if you want the menu at a charge’. As we are leaving the young guy out the counter says ‘are you paying’ flings around his eftpos after selecting our table with a balance of $207. Didnt ask how our night was, nothing - just turns his back expecting payment. Another staff member comes to check as she can see my hesitation. Once i have paid only then and i asked how it was. I explained my disappointment, and surprise after only asking once paid. The standard response of ‘oh im so sorry’ and have a ‘good night’ as we wander off to IGA to find something to eat and dessert. Never again will we visit this establishment. A warning to others, avoid avoid avoid, Going off other reviews and previous responses from the management team they clearly dont care anyway, but if this message stops one person from a disappointing night then i am happy.

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  8. Sandy

    New South Wales

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoyed fabulous small plates - Mussels, Sardines, Pate, Burrata and Zucchini Flowers. Each one was delicious! Hubby had the steak which we all shared and it was tender and very tasty. Great wine, great service and a view that is one of the best in the area. Perfect venue for a family catch up, thank you t6 the staff for a wonderful experience.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Sydney

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant boasts a fantastic ambience with a beautiful view of the sea, which is undoubtedly its standout feature. It’s an ideal spot for enjoying the scenery. However, the food falls short of expectations, being rather average. While the setting is stunning, the culinary experience could benefit from improvement to match the location’s charm.

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  10. Allison

    New South Wales

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Glorious view, shame the high tea didn’t measure up!

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FAQs

The BOX on the Water is rated 4.4 stars by 1819 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 17 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The BOX on the Water

Ettalong Foreshore, The Esplanade, Ettalong Beach, AU-NSW 2257

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Ettalong Beach
  • Hours of operation
    Kiosk Daily 7:00 am–4:00 pm Brunch Wed, Sun 8:00 am–12:00 pm Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:00 pm Sunset sips Fri–Sun 3:00 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Thu–Sat 5:30 pm–8:30 pm Sun 5:00 pm–7:00 pm
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • 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
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  • Terms of Use
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  • Cookie Preferences
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