"Wade Watson's modern-Australian room on P. Pelayo Street — Davao's steak-and-oyster benchmark; reserve it to impress a client."
About Bondi & Bourke
The fish and chips arrive as snapper, not cod, lacquered with Marie Rose sauce, a small signal that this is not a standard Davao dinner. Bondi & Bourke is a modern-Australian restaurant at 115 P. Pelayo Street in the Poblacion District, the original room of a group that has since expanded to Makati and Bonifacio Global City. It is run by chef Wade Watson, who built the menu with Patrick McCarthy, and it has anchored Davao's upscale dining since the mid-2010s. Expect to spend from around ₱500 a head, with steaks the reason the bill climbs.
The Kitchen
Wade Watson cooks the kind of menu Australians abroad get nostalgic for and locals treat as an occasion: steaks first, seafood close behind. The US Prime rib eye comes in 350-gram and 600-gram cuts, dry-aged and grilled simply, and the Creekside Angus is the other reason regulars book. The snapper fish and chips with Marie Rose sauce is the house signature, a sharper take on the pub classic, and the kitchen runs fresh oysters, a foie gras terrine and a truffle carbonara across the rest of the card.
Pricing sits at the higher end for Davao, which is the point: this is special-occasion cooking in a city short on it, and Watson built a reputation strong enough to carry the brand into Manila. Finish with the sticky toffee pudding, which has outlasted most of the menu changes. For the wider picture, see our guide to the best steakhouses worldwide and what separates the great rooms in our seven signs of a great restaurant.
The Room
Bondi & Bourke trades on a warm, low-lit dining room that feels more big-city than provincial, with banquette seating, a proper bar and tables spaced for conversation rather than turnover. The sound level stays easy even when the room fills, and service is attentive in the way a special-occasion restaurant needs to be. Dress is smart-casual; Davao is relaxed, but most guests treat a Bondi & Bourke booking as a step up. The Poblacion location keeps it central and easy to reach.
Best for Impressing a Client
Book this room to impress a client or mark a date, because it does the things Davao dining rarely does at once: a serious steak program, fresh oysters, a real bar and a room quiet enough to talk business. The pricing signals effort without tipping into intimidating, and the Australian menu gives you neutral, crowd-pleasing ground for a guest you do not know well. Order the rib eye to share and let the floor steer the wine. For more, see our best restaurants to impress clients and top first-date tables.
Not for
Not for a quick or cheap meal; portions, pricing and pacing are built for a long dinner, so budget diners and anyone in a hurry should look elsewhere in Poblacion.
Frequently Asked
Is Bondi & Bourke worth it?
Yes, if you want Davao's most reliable special-occasion dinner. Chef Wade Watson runs a serious steak and seafood kitchen, from dry-aged US Prime rib eye to snapper fish and chips with Marie Rose sauce, and the room is built for a long evening. Prices sit at the higher end for the city, but the quality and the bar program justify it for a celebration or a client dinner.
How hard is it to book Bondi & Bourke?
Booking is straightforward on quiet nights and worth doing ahead for weekends. The Davao original on P. Pelayo Street fills on Friday and Saturday and around holidays, so reserve a few days out for prime times and larger groups. Walk-ins are possible midweek. The brand also runs branches in Makati and Bonifacio Global City if you are dining in Manila instead.
What is the dress code at Bondi & Bourke?
Smart-casual is the norm at Bondi & Bourke. Davao is a relaxed city, so there is no jacket requirement, but most guests dress up a little given the prices and the occasion-led atmosphere. A collared shirt or a nice dress reads correctly; neat denim is fine. The room is comfortable rather than formal, so aim for put-together rather than stiff.
What is the average meal price at Bondi & Bourke?
Expect to spend from around ₱500 per person at a minimum, and considerably more once steaks and wine enter the bill. The US Prime rib eye comes in 350-gram and 600-gram cuts and anchors the higher end of the menu, alongside oysters and a foie gras terrine. A full dinner with a shared steak and drinks easily runs into the low thousands of pesos per couple.
Is Bondi & Bourke good for a date?
Yes, it is one of Davao's stronger date-night rooms. The lighting is low, the tables are spaced for conversation, and the menu gives you safe, crowd-pleasing choices from steak to seafood. Service is attentive without hovering. Book a weekend table a few days ahead, and see our best first-date restaurants for how to plan the evening.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Bondi & Bourke
Via bondiandbourke.com · book ahead for weekends
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address115 P. Pelayo Street, Poblacion District, Davao City
NeighbourhoodPoblacion District
CuisineModern Australian
Average SpendFrom ₱500 pp · steaks higher
Dress CodeSmart-casual
ReservationDirect · book ahead for weekends
SignatureSnapper fish & chips; US Prime rib eye
