Planning a pub meal in Toowoomba can quickly become a name-matching exercise: The Downs Hotel in Drayton, the Portadown Hotel in the city centre and the similarly named Downs Motel in South Toowoomba all surface for one search. The practical differences come down to address, menu and hours; the official menus page settles one point by stating that main-menu meals and daily specials are available for takeaway seven days a week, while the weekday lunch menu is not. The comparison below draws on official property sites, TripAdvisor reviews and local reporting — and flags what still needs a phone call.
Last checked: 2026-10-10
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The Downs Hotel: Pub in Drayton, Toowoomba; offers 2-course set lunch $65; phone 07 5621 2819 · Portadown Hotel: Pub at 135 Herries Street, Toowoomba City; hours vary; classic pub fare · Downs Motel: Motel at 669 Ruthven St; 23 rooms; phone +61 7 4639 3811
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-10.
Sources reviewed: official property websites for The Downs Hotel, Portadown Hotel and Downs Motel, TripAdvisor review listings, a Yelp listing, a Publocation directory entry, review-aggregation listings, a regional tourism dining page and local news coverage.
We did not visit the venues in person, did not interview staff, and did not independently verify prices beyond the cited sources; The Downs Hotel’s official menus page did not publish itemised prices at the time of research.
At a glance: the three Toowoomba properties
- Pub and restaurant at 25–27 Brisbane Street, Drayton; phone +61 7 4630 1238 (Downs Hotel official contact page)
- 4.0 out of 5 from 52 reviews on TripAdvisor; vegan options listed; classified as bar, pub and Australian restaurant (Tripadvisor Australia)
- Pub at 135 Herries Street, Toowoomba City; hours run 10 am–8 pm Sunday–Tuesday and 10 am–12:30 am Wednesday–Saturday (Portadown Hotel official site)
- 23-room motel at 669 Ruthven Street, South Toowoomba; phone +61 7 4639 3811 (Downs Motel official site)
Key verified details
| Item | Verified detail |
|---|---|
| The Downs Hotel type and address | Pub, bar and Australian restaurant at 25–27 Brisbane Street, Drayton |
| The Downs Hotel phone | +61 7 4630 1238 (official contact page) |
| The Downs Hotel meal periods | Lunch and dinner; lunch listed 11:30 am–2:00 pm |
| The Downs Hotel TripAdvisor rating | 4.0 out of 5 from 52 reviews; vegan options listed |
| Weekday lunch takeaway rule | Monday–Friday lunch menu not available for takeaway |
| Main menu and specials takeaway | Available for takeaway seven days a week |
| Portadown Hotel location | 135 Herries Street, Toowoomba City |
| Portadown Hotel hours | 10 am–8 pm Sun–Tue; 10 am–12:30 am Wed–Sat (official site) |
| Downs Motel rooms | 23 rooms at 669 Ruthven Street, South Toowoomba |
| Downs Motel phone | +61 7 4639 3811 |
What is on the menu at Downs Hotel Toowoomba?
The phrase “downs hotel toowoomba menu” returns more than one kitchen, so the menu question starts with a comparison of the venues that share this search. The table below shows the four properties in the research set side by side, with the menu, price and hours data that could be verified for each.
| Property | Type | Menu highlights | Price range | Operating hours | Contact | Review sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Downs Hotel | Pub, bar, Australian restaurant | Classic pub meals; weekday lunch menu Monday–Friday; daily chef’s specials by phone; main menu and specials available for takeaway 7 days | No itemised prices online; two-course set lunch advertised at $65 (September 2020 Facebook post) | Lunch 11:30 am–2:00 pm; dinner from 5:30 pm — contact page: Thu–Sat to 8:30 pm, Sun–Wed to 8:00 pm; homepage shows 8:00 pm | +61 7 4630 1238 | 4.0/5 from 52 TripAdvisor reviews; friendly service praised; some slow-service complaints |
| Portadown Hotel | Pub | Classic pub fare | Not stated in sources reviewed | 10 am–8 pm Sun–Tue; 10 am–12:30 am Wed–Sat | Not listed in sources reviewed | Not captured in research set |
| Downs Motel | Motel (accommodation) | No restaurant menu in sources reviewed | Not stated in sources reviewed | Not verified in research set | +61 7 4639 3811 | One TripAdvisor review: “cheaply updated”, “awkward location” |
| Federal Hotel | Not verified in research set | Not verified in research set | Not verified in research set | Not verified in research set | Not verified in research set | Not verified in research set |
Federal Hotel Toowoomba appears in related searches for this keyword, but the research set did not include verified menu, hours, contact or review data for it. The row is included so the name does not get mistaken for the other three properties.
“Please call to hear our daily chef’s specials.”
Downs Hotel, official menus page
Two-course set lunch details
The only set-lunch figure in the research set is a two-course lunch at $65, advertised on a September 2020 Facebook post. The official menus page does not publish itemised prices, so the venue’s instruction is to confirm specials by phone. Treat the $65 figure as a dated reference point, not a confirmed current price.
All-day dining options
The official menus page splits the service into two streams: the weekday lunch menu runs Monday to Friday and is not available for takeaway, while the main menu and daily specials are available for takeaway seven days a week. Reviews on TripAdvisor mention dishes including crumbed steak, rump steak, rib fillet, seafood basket and duck specials, and the official menus page separately references daily chef’s specials.
The venue’s functions page lists a platter menu for events, and the official site says it can create a special menu for large bookings. For a solo diner or a couple, the same rule applies: call +61 7 4630 1238 to confirm the specials and prices for the day.
The official homepage and contact page list different closing times. The contact page says dinner runs to 8:30 pm Thursday–Saturday and 8:00 pm Sunday–Wednesday; the homepage schedule shows 8:00 pm. Confirm the kitchen close before planning a late meal.
The bottom line: The Downs Hotel menu is a traditional pub-dining offer with two service streams and a daily specials board. The official pages publish the structure but not the prices, so a phone call is part of ordering.
What do reviews say about Downs Hotel and Downs Motel?
The Downs Hotel’s public review record is moderately positive. TripAdvisor shows a 4.0-out-of-5 rating from 52 reviews, classifies the venue as a bar, pub and Australian restaurant, and notes that vegan options are available.
“A friendly, comfortable country pub run on traditional values.”
The Downs Hotel listing, TripAdvisor
Downs Hotel reputation
Several reviewers praise friendly service and staff helpfulness, describing the food as classic pub meals with rotating daily specials and good value. The positive pattern is not the whole story: one reviewer said meals can take a while and advised against stopping in for a quick bite, while another called the menu disappointing and the meal average. Local reporting by The Chronicle recorded a sale of the property in August 2024 after about one month on the market, though the sources reviewed here did not include the sale price or buyer details.
Beyond TripAdvisor, The Downs Hotel also appears on Yelp, Wanderlog and Evendo, which corroborate the venue’s identity but added little review volume to this research set.
TripAdvisor review of Downs Motel
The motel’s review record is much thinner in this research set. One TripAdvisor review of Downs Motel described the property as “cheaply updated” with an “awkward location”; no additional verified guest reviews were captured for the motel.
The pattern: reviewers at the pub consistently mention warm service and traditional meals, but speed is not a strong point. Plan for a sit-down meal, and treat the single motel review as one opinion rather than a verdict.
What to expect at Portadown Hotel Toowoomba
Portadown Hotel is the city-centre entry in this comparison. Its official site lists the address as 135 Herries Street, Toowoomba City, with opening hours of 10 am–8 pm Sunday–Tuesday and 10 am–12:30 am Wednesday–Saturday.
Operating hours and location
The 12:30 am close from Wednesday to Saturday is the latest published evening window in this set. The Downs Hotel’s dinner service, by contrast, ends at 8:00 or 8:30 pm depending on which official page you read.
Menu highlights
The compiled sources describe Portadown’s food as classic pub fare, but no itemised menu or price list appeared in the research set. Those listed hours come from the venue’s own site and were not independently confirmed, so current specials need to be checked with the hotel directly.
Portadown’s Wednesday–Saturday hours to 12:30 am are its clearest operational fact; its menu details are the least documented in the sources reviewed.
What to watch: Portadown is the late-evening venue in this set, but its menu transparency is low in the sources reviewed. Use it for evening drinks or a simple pub meal in the CBD, and confirm specials directly.
What are the menu prices at Downs Hotel and Portadown Hotel?
Price transparency is limited across this comparison. The Downs Hotel’s official menus page describes menu structure and takeaway availability but does not show itemised prices; Portadown Hotel’s menu prices were not present in the sources reviewed.
Price comparison of set menus
The only set-menu price in the research set is The Downs Hotel’s two-course lunch at $65, from a September 2020 Facebook post. A Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers dining page lists regional meals and specials in the approximate range of AUD 10–25, but that page does not confirm The Downs Hotel as a participant.
Daytime vs evening pricing
Daytime and evening pricing cannot be compared from the compiled evidence because no evening prices were published in the reviewed sources. The structural comparison that is possible: the weekday lunch menu is a separate, non-takeaway offer, while the main menu and daily specials are available for takeaway seven days a week.
Pricing bands: what the sources actually show
- The Downs Hotel two-course set lunch: $65, per a September 2020 Facebook post; not confirmed as current.
- Toowoomba regional meal specials: approximately AUD 10–25, per the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers dining page; The Downs Hotel is not named as a participant.
- The Downs Hotel main menu and daily specials: prices not published on the official menus page; call +61 7 4630 1238 to confirm.
- Portadown Hotel menu prices: not stated in the sources reviewed.
The $65 set-lunch figure comes from a 2020 social media post, not the current official menu. Treat it as a reference point, not a budget line.
The catch: no venue in this set publishes a complete, current price list in the sources reviewed. For The Downs Hotel, the budget conversation starts with a phone call.
Pros and cons
The Downs Hotel
- Pros:
- Historic venue with an 1844 founding claim (official website)
- Weekday lunch menu Monday–Friday; main menu and daily specials available for takeaway seven days a week
- Vegan options listed on TripAdvisor; functions page lists platters for events
- Cons:
- No itemised prices on the official menus page
- Homepage and contact page differ on closing times
- Some reviews mention slow service or average meals
Portadown Hotel
- Pros:
- City-centre location at 135 Herries Street
- Late hours Wednesday–Saturday, to 12:30 am
- Cons:
- No menu or price details captured in the research set
- Shorter Sunday–Tuesday hours, to 8:00 pm
Downs Motel
- Pros:
- 23-room motel for South Toowoomba stays; phone +61 7 4639 3811
- Cons:
- Not a dining venue; no restaurant menu in the sources reviewed
- One TripAdvisor review described it as “cheaply updated” with an “awkward location”
The trade-off: The Downs Hotel has the strongest food-and-history offer but the most price opacity; Portadown is the later-evening address; Downs Motel matters mainly for name disambiguation.
Where they are in Toowoomba
The three properties sit in different parts of Toowoomba, which is the core of the name confusion. The Downs Hotel is in Drayton — the official contact page lists 25–27 Brisbane Street, and the Publocation directory entry places it on the corner of Brisbane and Colvin Streets. Portadown Hotel is in the city centre at 135 Herries Street, and Downs Motel is in South Toowoomba at 669 Ruthven Street.
The research set did not include driving distances between the three. The practical point is that they are separate localities, so a single navigation search for “Downs Hotel Toowoomba” may not take you to the venue you intend.
Why this matters: the name overlap is real, but the geography is not — Drayton, the CBD and South Toowoomba are different parts of town. Check the address before you set the destination.
The Downs Hotel timeline
“The Oldest Pub/Hotel on the Darling Downs! Serving the community since 1844!”
Downs Hotel, official website
- — The venue states it has served the Darling Downs community since this year (official website).
- — A Facebook post advertises a two-course set lunch at $65.
- — The property sells after about one month on the market, according to local reporting by The Chronicle; sale price and terms were not in the research set.
- — The official site lists lunch from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm and dinner from 5:30 pm; the menus page confirms main-menu meals and daily specials are available for takeaway seven days a week.
What this means: the venue’s identity rests on its 1844 history, but the August 2024 sale shows the business has changed hands recently. The website continues to present the same story and service pattern, so confirm hours directly if you are travelling on a specific night.
Our pick: where to eat and drink
For a classic pub meal in a historic setting, The Downs Hotel is our pick in this comparison set. It is the only venue of the three with a verified review base (4.0/5 from 52 TripAdvisor reviews), published lunch hours (11:30 am–2:00 pm) and a seven-day takeaway offer on the main menu and specials.
- For budget-conscious diners: call +61 7 4630 1238 and ask about daily chef’s specials before ordering à la carte. The official menus page does not list prices, and the last set-lunch figure in the research set is $65 from September 2020.
- For families looking for a set lunch: the two-course lunch is the draw, but confirm the current price by phone; the venue also says it can build a special menu for large bookings.
- For evening pub-goers: Portadown Hotel’s Wednesday–Saturday hours run to 12:30 am, making it the later option in the city centre.
Call +61 7 4630 1238 to confirm daily chef’s specials and current set-lunch pricing. For large groups, the official site says the venue can prepare a special menu.
downshotel.com.au, downshotel.com.au, mapquest.com
Frequently asked questions
Is The Downs Hotel the same as Downs Motel?
No. The Downs Hotel is a pub and restaurant at 25–27 Brisbane Street in Drayton; Downs Motel is a 23-room accommodation property at 669 Ruthven Street in South Toowoomba. They are separate businesses in different localities.
What is the phone number for The Downs Hotel?
The official contact page lists +61 7 4630 1238.
Where is Portadown Hotel located?
At 135 Herries Street, Toowoomba City. Its official hours are 10 am–8 pm Sunday–Tuesday and 10 am–12:30 am Wednesday–Saturday.
Does Portadown Hotel serve dinner?
Its official hours extend to 8:00 pm Sunday–Tuesday and 12:30 am Wednesday–Saturday. A separate dinner menu was not captured in the sources reviewed.
Which hotel in Toowoomba has the best reviews?
Within this comparison set, only The Downs Hotel has a published review aggregate in the research set: 4.0 out of 5 from 52 TripAdvisor reviews. No verified aggregate was captured for Portadown Hotel or Downs Motel.