Having young kids and leading hectic lives makes it tricky to get out for an evening of fun. But, despite busy schedules, sleepless nights and the desire to to just go to bed at 9pm, we managed to get a bunch of girlfriends together for a fun night “off” (thanks partners!) and we headed to The Ranch for some bubbles, a BBQ and a band!
Good start! Getting there (and home) is taken care of
The Ranch provides courtesy transport to and from their venue, within a 5km radius, meaning no one has to drive and everyone can safely (and responsibly) enjoy a glass of bubbles or two! Half our nine-person group took advantage of this and we met up for pick up then taken to the venue in a 12-seater bus by the friendly driver. For our return journey, we just had to let the bar staff know when we were ready to head home and they let the driver know. Too easy! Alternatively, there is plenty of parking on site for the designated drivers.
Courtesy Bus
The Venue & Food
It was a beautiful evening so despite having a table reserved inside, we decided to move to a table outside on the terrace which the staff happily accommodated. The space inside and out, is open plan and very inviting, and was busy with a mixture of families enjoying their meals and groups of friends simply enjoying drinks. We ordered some drinks from the bar while perusing the menu (meaning enjoying the rare opportunity to have a full adult conversation, whilst trying to pick from a yummy menu!).
Cheers!
The vast menu offers something for everyone. Seafood, burgers, pizza, pasta as well as some of the classics like chicken schnitzel and parmigiana.
I always like it when you can see the chefs working their magic in the kitchen so when the chef was BBQ’ing right on the terrace outside, it was not only great to watch but smelt amazing too, so we decided to go for a selection of BBQ plates to share. With charcoal mini burgers, Coca Cola-smoked BBQ pork ribs and mango and lime-marinated flank steak to name but a few, the food did not disappoint.
The Ranch BBQ Gala is next happening in September and if you go I highly recommend the onion jam which accompanies some of the BBQ dishes. It was delicious!
The BBQ Outside
Entertainment
After eating we moved into the bar to enjoy the band “Steve Tongs, Sons of Mercury” who were great fun! They covered a variety of songs from “Don’t stop believing” to “Billie Jean” and whilst the bar wasn’t very busy by this point, they really put on a show, including dancing on the tables! We had a boogie, sang along and had a great time. We even managed a game of pool during the bands interval (of which my duo won, for the record).
Dancing on the Tables!
The Bands lead singer having some fun!
A Game of Pool
Dancing with the Band
There is also the outside terrace and the restaurant to still enjoy should you fancy a change of scenery.
Restaurant Bar
Overall
If you are looking for a fun and relaxed evening out (with free courtesy transport!), a delicious menu to choose from and plenty of options for entertainment, then this is the place for you. The Ranch has something to offer for everyone with deals on most evenings of the week.
The only comment I would add was that on this occasion, the place was not very busy. I don’t really know if this was just the night we went on, or whether this is normal for the Ranch. To be honest, it suited me fine – I am not sure I can handle the old days of three deep at the bar anyway! It certainly didn’t effect the quality of the food, drinks, entertainment or the amount of fun to be had.
So I would say, go on mums (and dads!), treat yourself – you deserve a night out!
Whats On
Want to take the family?
The Ranch is also brilliant spot for a family lunch or dinner, and they even have entertainment for the kids on the weekend! Read our reviews from other North Shore Mum Discoverers:
Essential Details
- Address: Cnr Epping & Herring Roads, North Ryde, NSW 2122
- Telephone: 9887 2411
- Website
- Opening Hours:
- Lunch and dinner is served every day 11:30am-9:30pm
- Bar is open Mon-Sat 9am-3am and Sunday 10am-10pm
Disclaimer: Our reviewer was provided with a free meal and drinks for her family in return for her honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are her own and not influenced by the company or its affiliates in any way.
