The Excelsior

Granddaughter ordered a burger, and it came including a bug in the salad. Obviously not even rinsed. Having worked in hospitality for many years, starting at 12 and now over 65, this burger should have been remade and free, but no, just remove the offending bug and say "well, these things happen". Not good enough by far. If not able to make a new burger, at least give a complimentary drink. Really, really poor service.

The Excelsior (Phantom Pub) like most Adelaide pubs has gone through a few ownership changes and indeed transformations over the years. In recent times their focus on having the «best steak in the west» appears to have driven up their clientele and I would say their meals have been excellent. They’ve catered well to kids and had a good menu range. I’m quite certain I had the best ever clear peppercorn sauce during this time and can say they were far better than in the early 2000’s. Outside smoking permeating through the frequently open doors was quite off putting and then there are the poorly placed pokies but other than that the pub has been doing well.
The ownership changes over the years have come with unrealistic development and liquor licencing applications which probably haven’t affected their clientele overall but it would have with their immediate/​local clientele. I understand the new/​current owners have followed along the same well trodden path as in the past and have also significantly changed the menu from what it has been for possibly close to 5 years. At this stage given what I have experienced I am happy to give them 3 stars.

Once a palace of the west, The Excelsior has lost it’s jazz with the new management. The steakhouse theme is gone, a new menu and changed wine list with less options has arrived. Physical changes including all steak themed items has been removed. The new menu is less than perfect, with many favourites removed and replaced with less thans. The atmosphere it had is just evaporated into a boring pub. I feel for the staff that have to watch the place change for the worst and watch the customers run in droves.
Make no m’steak the Excelsior is not what it once was!

Have eaten her numerous times over the last 12 months and have always rated it 5 stars as the quality value and service has been beyond what you could ask for.
However tonight is my first time here since new management and will be my last.
The menu has changed dramatically for the worse and the atmosphere that used to exist is gone.
The staff are still as excellent as always however the increased cost and dramatic decrease in quality value and atmosphere will have me and my friends staying away until management make a massive change back to what was a previously awesome place to eat.
New management should be ashamed

Recent changes in management have seen many changes to this pub and none for the better — they’ve cut back on staff, the quality of meals has gone downhill, cost of drinks has gone up and there’s no bar snacks, happy hours or anything else to entice customers to stay — I have reviewed this pub in June last year and gave it 5 stars — now it’s hard to give it 2. it’s like a different place. We were part of a bustling happy community there and almost everyone has left. such a sad loss for the community. NOne of the reviews written before December 2014 would reflect the way the pub is now. Don’t waste your time, go somewhere else

First of all the service here is amazing, they are so friendly and really know what they are talking about!
Me and my partner both ordered the eye fillet medium– his came out spot on and he absolutely loved it!
Mine on the other hand was well done, I could tell it was still a good cut of meat but it just was not what I ordered and left me quite disappointed with the «best steak in the west»
I will however return to give them another whirl.

The Excelsior’s Dining Room is specialising in MEAT. Steak to be precise and they seem to have got that down pretty good. always cooked right. For a change I picked something off of their new Menu. a ‘Potted Pie’ Rich tasty pie with a puff pastry lid. It was full of delicious mix of beef cheeks, mushroom and veg is a rich meaty gravy, served with some good old Mash. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

After reading other Unilocalers review I was a little worried but apon first taste of my fillet steak those fears were erased. My Diane sauce was plentiful and the steak was tender. Not the best potato mash I’ve ever had but not the worst either.

This pub has seen a few changes over the years — like a lot of suburban venues — and I’m happy to say it’s found its feet again.
My family had eaten here for more than 10 years when it was known as The Phantom Pub. It’s now part of a larger group of hotels and aligned with the well-​known Stag Hotel in Rundle Street Adelaide. If you know the Stag, you’ll know what to expect from The Excelsior now …
The steak is what it’s all about. And the steak is damn fine. There’s a massive range, with all sorts of sizes. The steak knives in the centre of your table look like weapons of intermediate destruction, so you know they’re serious about meat (incidentally that’s its motto).
The chips are great, too. Delicious flavour and the absolute perfect amount of crunch versus fattiness (I’m not on a health kick, as you might have gleaned). The ribs are also a favourite here — the three men in my family love ‘em but I haven’t tried them myself. If red meat isn’t your thing, there’s a fine fish ‘n chips option, plus a few juicy chicken dishes and burgers.
The kitchen must be working fine, as it’s busy here most nights now. It pays to telephone and reserve a table.
One thing I must say: you need to queue to order your meal at the counter, and sometimes you’ll find yourself queuing for 15 minutes. And that’s not fun.

It had been a while since my rear end graced a bar stool at what locals call ‘The Phantom’ Pub, and my returning initial impression was SHATTERED from the beginning!
The familiar mural of, a nearing two story Ghost who walks, which had been the pubs call sign and claim to fame was no where to be seen!
In place of the timeless artwork (no doubt worshipped my many a drunkard) was a drab and uninspired shade of apricot covering the entire building.
Needless to say it has taken me the better part of a box of tissues to dry my eyes from this travesty… but, one must not dwell when there is Unilocaling a foot!
The Excelsior is a pub in two for me. The front of house is a sports/​casual bar, that has seen its fair share of colourful characters. The recent facelift to the entire interior has definately helped a great deal, but to be honest it is a case of a pub, is a pub, is a pub. The back half is your typical family eatery that is blessed with the presence of the bright lights and melodic tones of an extensive Pokie area (only a little sarcasm there). The major change of late is the added emphasis of Meat on the menu and in the marketing, always a good thing if you ask me!
For me, The Excelsior, even when it did have it’s famous graphic on the side of the building, was never a pub that I went out of my way to visit. The nuts and bolts have improved a lot in the last year so if you do enjoy a cold Pint and a decent hunk of cow with then jump on board! Moooo.
P. S. Pub closing hours may be earlier or later depending on patronage, but being in a residential area early morning ragers are out of the question!