Excellent location out on the ocean where you can enjoy the view and the fish down below.

My family was in town on the weekend so I suggested we meet up somewhere casual and relaxed for a dinner – I figured Stokes Hill Wharf would be an OK spot for a quick meal and for the 2 nephews to run around. This spot is more of an experience for tourists as I've never heard of locals suggesting Stokes Hill Wharf as a good place to eat. Well, let me rephrase. It is a good place to eat, with the ocean surroundings and the cool breeze, it's just that the food itself isn't particularly good.

Fried, deep fried.

Food wise there are a few seafood places, Chinese, Thai, Aussie-ish Grub, ice cream, a bar and a full blown restaurant down the very end (Crustaceans on the Wharf ). For the purposes of this review, I will refer to all said places collectively as one, excluding Crustaceans which I hear is not too bad.

My woman really loves her chilli, nothing is safe.

I'm going to review all the places here as one because they are all equally as bad. It seems to me that as long as you can operate a deep fryer or a wok, then you're good to go in the kitchen. A bit like how all the fast food outlets employ any able bodied pimply faced teenagers willing to work for nothing.

I've been impressed by the fried rice at two places in Darwin - Waterfall Café and the Transit Takeaway. This does not make that list.

The prices seem to have jumped by about 25% since I last visited last year, making most of the dishes around the $16 - $19 mark for average sized servings. Not really great value for what you're getting. I went Thai this time as I've always been left disappointed and a bit ill after eating the fish and chips found here. The servings all round are very generous with the vegetables and garnishes, but sadly and not surprisingly, the flavour just isn't there. Unless they are getting ripped off with their leases, I have no idea how they can justify the prices they are charging.

Not all is bad though, I've had some nice meals from the Chinese outlet and I do recall having some nice noodle soup and hor fun on previous occasions. You also can't go past a cold ice cream for desert. Overall, terri-bad food, but that's not the reason why one goes to Stokes Hill. You go there with your family and rellies to sit out on the water, watch the sunset, enjoy the cool ocean breeze and feed the lucky fish your left over chips. P.S. If you notice a urine smell near the back stairs, that was my nephew.

Contact details

Location: Stokes Hill Road, Darwin Wharf Precinct.
Parking: If it looks busy, you're better off parking near the entrance to the Wharf and walking over.
Website: Information on the Tourism Top End website