Boomarang Robertson Quay: Singapore's Aussie Gastropub for Kangaroo, Parmy and Rugby

Boomarang Bistro & Bar sits at 60 Robertson Quay, #01-15 The Quayside, Singapore 238252, right beside the Singapore River and the InterContinental, and it opens from 6am to 3am every day. The Australian gastropub serves seared kangaroo fillet for S$34 and a beer-battered barramundi fish and chips for S$32, and a pint of Coopers Pale Ale costs S$18.90. All prices carry a 10% service charge and 9% GST.

Boomarang's own site says that for nearly two decades it has been a cornerstone of Singapore's social and sports culture, a place where expats find a taste of home. Time Out Singapore was already reviewing it in April 2009, describing open-air seating at picnic-style wooden tables. The menu tagline, Proudly Australian, Perfectly Local, still sums it up: Aussie bistro staples with a Singapore crowd.

ANZA, the Australian and New Zealand association in Singapore, called it a banger of a Singapore stalwart in January 2025, and a top place to watch the sport over a beer. Nine TVs across the venue show live matches, and the bar publishes a weekly Sports Bible schedule on its Instagram highlights, which tells you whether the rugby, AFL or Premier League game you want is on that night.

The Lunch and Dinner menu, served from noon to 11pm, is the one to read. The seared kangaroo fillet comes with mashed potato, green beans and pepper sauce for S$34, and SethLui's Robertson Quay guide names it and the chicken parmigiana as reasons regulars love the place. The Chicken Parmy, crumbed breast with ham, Napoli sauce and mozzarella, with chips and salad, is S$35.

For beef, a 250g sirloin from 100-day grain-fed Australian cattle is S$39, an eye fillet is S$50, and the Aussie Beef Burger with tomato relish, beetroot and cheddar on a seeded bun, with hot chips, is S$29. Bangers and mash cost S$28, and pepper and lime calamari is S$25. A Mixed Grill share platter for the table is S$78, and the twelve-inch house-dough pizzas run from S$24 to S$30.

There are 13 draughts. Coopers Pale Ale costs S$18.90 a 550ml pint, S$14.10 a schooner and S$12.30 a middy, and a three-litre tower is S$98. Pure Blonde is S$17.50 a pint and Lion Brewery's Boss IPA, a Singapore beer, is S$17.80. Draught lime margarita is S$21 a glass or S$55 a jug, and an espresso martini is S$23. Wines by the glass are S$18.

Happy hour runs Monday to Friday from 3pm to 6pm, with pints at S$14, beer buckets at S$45, and house wine and house spirits at S$14 each. Cocktails drop to S$18 and the Booma Spritz to S$14. If the cost of a full-price pint at S$18.90 plus service and GST puts you off, the weekday happy hour is the smart window to come, before the evening sports crowd arrives.

The weeknight deals, served 5pm to 11pm with service and GST on top, decide which evening to visit. On Monday, every pizza is S$20 and kids eat free from the kids menu. Tuesday is Steak Night: S$85 buys two 200g rib eyes with chips and a bottle of wine. Wednesday is Parmy Night, when the classic, vegetarian and Mexican versions of the chicken parmigiana are S$25.

For families, Sunday morning is the big event. Family Fun Day runs every Sunday from 8am to 11am with face painters, a bouncy castle and a balloon artist, and there are dedicated kids breakfast and lunch and dinner menus. Expat Living listed Boomarang among Singapore's dog-friendly cafés for owners walking the river, though the bar does not publish its own rules on where dogs can sit.

City Nomads warned years ago that it can feel very expat and sports-bar, and that it is usually chockablock with kids, while still calling the food surprisingly tasty and consistent. That has not changed much. If you want a quiet date-night pub, skip it on a weekend or a big match night, because the screens and the volume set the mood. Not every item lands either: SethLui found the mango smoothie disappointing.

Bookings are taken online through SevenRooms, linked from the bar's website, and are worth making for any major rugby or AFL fixture. If Boomarang is full, Super Loco, the Mexican restaurant in the same building at #01-13, is the nearest alternative and keeps the riverside view. The breakfast menu from 6am is also a quieter way to try the place without the match-night crowd. At the other end of the night, the late-night menu keeps the kitchen taking orders until 2:30am, which matters when a European match kicks off near midnight Singapore time.

The Quayside sits on the river promenade at Robertson Quay, and the nearest MRT stations are Fort Canning on the Downtown Line and Havelock on the Thomson-East Coast Line. The riverside walk east from Boomarang leads toward Clarke Quay, and the promenade is the pleasantest way to arrive in the evening, when the heat drops and the bars along the water fill up.

Inside, there is air-conditioned seating for those who would rather not sit outdoors in the humidity, plus the al fresco tables overlooking the river. For private and corporate events, the bar offers indoor and outdoor spaces with customisable menus, including vegan and vegetarian options. Penfolds Grange 2017 sits on the wine list at S$1,200 a bottle if the occasion calls for it.

Address: 60 Robertson Quay, #01-15 The Quayside, Singapore 238252. Hours: 6am to 3am daily, kitchen last orders 2:30am; Lunch and Dinner menu noon to 11pm, with separate breakfast and late-night menus. Happy hour Monday to Friday 3pm to 6pm. Nearest MRT: Fort Canning or Havelock. Bookings through SevenRooms. Prices are subject to 10% service charge and 9% GST.

Who it suits: Australian expats craving kangaroo or a parmy, families on Sunday mornings, and anyone who needs a screen for a match at an odd hour. Who it does not suit: couples after a quiet riverside dinner on a weekend. Ask the Karpo APP to find which Robertson Quay bar is showing a specific match this week, or a calmer riverside table nearby.