The Criterion Hotel at 150 Quay Street is a heritage-listed pub that has been serving drinks in Rockhampton since 1889. The building is a good example of the ornate two-storey commercial hotels that characterised Queensland's gold rush era, with iron lacework verandas and a solid sandstone base. It has been restored rather than gutted, and the original character survives in the bar and the upstairs dining room.
This is the best place on Quay Street for a cold beer and a look at the heritage interior. The pub attracts a local crowd rather than a tourist one, which is always a good sign. There is accommodation upstairs if you want to stay in the heritage district.