Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo: Menu, Prices, Reviews & History

The Rising Sun Hotel in Bendigo – known locally as “the Riser” – has been serving bistro meals, cold drinks and gaming-floor entertainment for more than 160 years. This guide combines the official menu PDF from October 2024, a verified TripAdvisor rating of 3.7 out of 5, and historical records from the hotel’s own site to help diners and visitors decide whether this historic pub suits their next meal out.

Last checked: 2026-06-01

Name: Rising Sun Hotel ·
Location: 84 Barnard St, Bendigo, Victoria 3550, Australia ·
Phone: +61 3 5441 3833 ·
Email: risingsunbgo@bigpond.com ·
Website: https://risingsunhotel.com.au ·
Known For: Bistro, pokies, historic family-run hotel

Rising Sun Hotel, Bendigo – Menu and Prices

The October 2024 bistro menu (Official Bistro Menu PDF) shows a straightforward pub‑grub lineup. Chicken Parmigiana is listed at A$28, and sides such as chips, garden salad, mash, vegetables or steamed rice are A$5 each. A gravy boat is A$3 extra.

Children’s meals (under 12) cost A$10 each and include mini pizza with chips, chicken nuggets with chips, fettuccine bolognese, schnitzel with chips and salad, and fish and chips. Children’s desserts – an ice‑cream sundae in chocolate, strawberry or caramel – are A$6.

Desserts for adults are all A$12: warm sticky date pudding, Eton Mess, chocolate brûlée and display cakes. The hotel also publishes a separate wine list (Official Wine List PDF) that highlights regional Victorian producers such as Waterwheel Baringhup Shiraz (A$40) and Balgownie Black Label Shiraz (A$45).

Rising Sun Hotel, Bendigo Reviews

On TripAdvisor, the Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo holds a 3.7‑out‑of‑5 rating from 101 reviews, ranking 54th among 231 Bendigo restaurants (TripAdvisor). One representative review states: “The Rising Sun was pretty much what you might expect a pub to deliver. The decor was clean and neat and the service as expected. The food was basic pub grub …”

“The Rising Sun was pretty much what you might expect a pub to deliver. The decor was clean and neat and the service as expected. The food was basic pub grub …”

TripAdvisor user review

Curateria calls it a “corner pub with reliable steak, warm service and excellent value,” positioning it as a relaxed neighbourhood favourite rather than a destination dining spot (Curateria). Wanderlog mentions an “inviting and calm atmosphere” but notes occasional slow seating times (Wanderlog). Mindtrip’s AI summary describes “reliable and enjoyable pub experience with convenient location, friendly service and decent food quality” (Mindtrip).

Rising Sun Hotel, Bendigo Pokies

Related search data and the hotel’s positioning as a full‑service venue suggest that pokies (gaming machines) are available at the Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo. TripAdvisor lists opening hours from 10:00–03:00 on Sunday and 11:30–03:00 Monday to Saturday, which suggests a late‑night gaming and drinking operation (TripAdvisor). The hotel also offers a 24‑hour front desk according to Localsearch, although this likely applies to accommodation rather than gaming room access (Localsearch).

No official list of machine types or numbers is publicly available from the sources reviewed.

Rising Sun Hotel, Bendigo History

Established in the golden era of Bendigo’s mining history, the first hotel record of the site was proprietor, Joseph Bacon, Hotelkeeper in 1865.

Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo – Official website

The Rising Sun Hotel dates to Bendigo’s gold‑rush era. The official site records the first hotelkeeper as Joseph Bacon in 1865, and between then and 1953 a total of 29 licensees operated the hotel, reflecting frequent turnover in the early decades (Official Site – About). In 1953 Vincent and Irene Sheehan purchased the hotel, and the Sheehan family have owned and run it ever since – a stretch of more than 65 years. The site describes it as “one of Bendigo’s iconic and loved pubs,” and notes that locals call it “the Riser.” For more information on the Rising Sun Hotel’s history and offerings, visit $things to do on the Gold Coast.

The hotel’s bistro has been open for more than 15 years, operating seven days a week (Official Site – Food & Wine). The building’s goldfields heritage is woven into the branding, with the website emphasising that the pub once provided respite for miners.

Pros and Cons of the Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo

Price Range at the Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo

The hotel sits in the mid‑range bracket for Bendigo pubs. Mains such as Chicken Parmigiana cost A$28, desserts A$12, and sides A$5. Children’s meals are a low A$10. The wine list offers house‑priced options around A$40–A$45 per bottle for regional labels. No prix‑fixe or degustation menus are offered.

Location and Getting There

84 Barnard Street is in central Bendigo, less than a 2‑minute walk from the Alexandra Fountain and the Bendigo Visitor Centre. On‑street parking is available, and the Bendigo train station is a 10‑minute walk away. The hotel is on the corner of Barnard and Hargreaves streets, making it easy to spot.

Alternative: Boundary Hotel Bendigo

If the Rising Sun doesn’t meet your needs, the Boundary Hotel Bendigo at 380 High Street is another historic pub roughly 1.5 km away. It also offers a bistro and pokies, but with a different menu style and atmosphere. Direct price comparisons are not publicly available, but the Boundary tends to lean slightly more towards modern Australian fare, whereas the Rising Sun sticks to classic pub grub.