Crows Nest Suburb Review

Convenience, location & dining galore - at an increasing price.

Summary: The Lower North Shore’s go-to venue for selection when it comes to a quality meal, Crows Nest is a trendy hub for dining and drinking that feels a little like a “cleaner” version of Newtown down south. Centered around its main street lined with all sorts of cuisine and takeout areas as well as small-scale retail, the suburb is energetic – although a little noisy in places – and has some traffic issues. Its lack of train connectivity is a negative as well, as is a general lack of parking, but it’s still a great night out.

Key stats

The ideal North Shore option for those who prefer a suburb that doesn’t completely die off after the sun goes down, Crows Nest offers one of the most concentrated selections of drinking and drinking venues this side of the harbour.

As a result its demographic skews a fair bit younger than most of the older-money suburbs around it, with those after a nice food and pub scene – that still comes with great connectivity to the Sydney CBD and elsewhere – calling it home.

It’s continually grown as a result, and what was 10 years ago a relatively sleepy suburb has seen substantial commercial development to the point where it’s approaching “mini-satellite-city” status in a similar vein to Chatswood nearby.

The streetscape of Crows Nest walks the line quite well between suburban and city life. Its streets are fairly wide, however the majority of its freestanding housing sits on smaller blocks and don’t provide as much room on the whole as one might expect when forking out for a house vs. an apartment.

There are terraces and full-blown homes, but they feel a little micro-sized compared to those in other nearby suburbs – yet still come with a premium pricetag.

Property prices have ballooned in Crows Nest in recent years as people have realised the benefits of its proximity to working opportunities in North Sydney. As a result, it’s gradually approaching “out of reach” territory for many; what could have been had for a relative bargain a decade ago now feels a little overpriced for the space you get in return.

Standalone houses now hover around the $2 million mark, and its demand has lead to a spike in apartment pricing as well, with $1 million the borderline between something undesirable and something decent.

Apartment rentals are still viable (particularly in the current market), and may be worth considering if you’re able to hand over around $650 per week to get your hands on a 2-bedder and enjoy all of Crows Nest’s conveniences.

Everything one could need on your doorstep

It’s a shame it’s pricing is blocking many people out, as Crows Nest checks many of the boxes for what one could want in a well-rounded suburb for daily life.

Aside from its cavalcade of restaurants and – especially – cafes, many of which are excellent and deserve more praise on the overall Sydney dining scene, the suburb is very well equipped in amenities.

It’s seen both Woolworths and Coles open full-sized supermarkets over the past few years, and has a number of other smaller and more boutique shopping opportunities as well.

St. Thomas Rest Park is a tombstone-dotted green space in Crows Nest

While Crows Nest doesn’t have its own dedicated train station, public transport connectivity here is still quite good overall. Buses are plentiful and offer a relatively painless trip into the CBD; St. Leonards Station is within a fairly reasonable walk from most portions of the suburb; and the Metro station is an attempt to future-proof the suburb a little bit when it opens in the coming years.

Its central location scores major positive points, as it’s bordered or close to a number of suburbs that offer a mixture of large-scale retail opportunities (Chatswood), nature (Cammeray) and business (North Sydney). As a result, it’s got basically everything one could need nearby without having to cross the Harbour Bridge.

“Aside from its cavalcade of restaurants and – especially – cafes, many of which are excellent and deserve more praise on the overall Sydney dining scene, the suburb is very well equipped in amenities.”

Private transport-wise, things don’t fare quite as well. While Crows Nest has a number of major arterial roads – as well as both highways – nearby, there are several intersections with frequent bottlenecks that can make driving a chore.

It’s quite lacking in parking as well (outside of Woolworths), and finding a spot when attempting to head for a night out around its main dining hub of Willoughby Road can be an exercise in frustration.

Crows Nest also has some noise issues, both from heavy traffic (and a weird attraction for hoons) and its general focal point for revelry. Its back streets are quieter but are also a little bland – they sit more on the “concrete-heavy” as opposed to the “leafy” end of the scale.

It’s both fairly pet and family-friendly, although not overly so. There’s a number of schools both private and public in neighbouring suburbs, and St. Thomas Rest and St. Leonards Park both offer patches of greenery and play space, however its aforementioned small blocks cut down on potential living area for the little ones and pups.

Continued highrise construction in the area also has the potential to spoil a bit of its atmosphere somewhat, with multiple approved developments underway.

Lastly, it must be noted that being the “nightlife hub of the North Shore” is akin to being the skinniest kid at fat camp – it still doesn’t exactly translate to a wild time.

“Nightlife” here pales in comparison to say, Newtown or even Darlinghurst, but it also feels more safe and intimate as well. Crows Nest brings more of a “warm and trendy pub” vibe than some of the edgier nightlife areas further south, with the Crows Nest Hotel typically its only real hotspot for any drama.

The Verdict

If you choose to live on the North Shore, you’ll no doubt end up in Crows Nest of a night at some point. The suburb offers too many great restaurants to pass up, and it generally feels quite welcoming and safe compared to other Sydney nightlife hotspots – it’s quite upmarket in general.

Likewise, if you’ve landed a job on the North Shore or in North Sydney specifically, Crows Nest comes as one of the most highly-recommended places to base yourself. A quick commute to work, everything you’d need shopping-wise, and plenty of great day trip spots nearby are all at your fingertips, and in this scenario it comes highly recommended.

For those who work in the Sydney CBD (or further south) however, there are multiple other suburbs that you’d likely want to choose in place of Crows Nest regardless of if you’re a family or a young professional. The chance at property with a bigger footprint, the more vibrant nature of inner-city suburbs south of the bridge, and more attractions and things to do in general are all reasons to base yourself further south instead.