Albion Park RSL

Albion Park RSL on Tongarra Road is one of the few clubs in the Illawarra that opens its doors to dogs: the front alfresco area has been dog-friendly since late 2023, which the club announced itself. That means you can do a schnitzel, a meat raffle ticket and a quiet drink with the dog parked at your feet instead of waiting in the car.

The dog setup

Dogs stay in the front alfresco area only; the main club building, bistro and enclosed dining rooms are off limits, as NSW club food rules allow only assistance dogs inside. Ordering happens at the counter inside, so bring a second person: one minds the lead in the alfresco while the other fetches the food and drinks. Bring your own water bowl rather than counting on one being out.

Worth knowing

Inside, the club runs a bistro, an Asian eatery and a sports bar with pool tables, and the alfresco crowd keeps coming back for the schnitzel and the Saturday night meat raffles. Live music features regularly. It trades daily from 10am, with later finishes on Friday and Saturday nights. Members and signed-in guests are welcome, so bring ID for sign-in as usual.

Getting there and parking

The club is at 160 Tongarra Road, the main road through Albion Park in the Shellharbour local government area, with free on-site parking out front.

Close by with the dogs

Three Flamingos Espresso and Hive Coffee Co. cover the morning coffee run on the main strip, and the Oak Flats Fenced Dog Park is a short drive south for an off-leash run before lunch. Shellharbour council also runs an agility park at the Croome Road Sporting Complex in Albion Park Rail.

Raffle and live music nights bring the crowds, so a weekday lunch in the alfresco is the calm option for a dog still learning to settle beside a table.

More options sit in the dog-friendly restaurants across NSW list and the Albion Park dog-friendly guide.

Max: held the alfresco post through two rounds of the meat raffle and accepted a schnitzel edge as fair compensation.