Sydney bar and pub reviews

There is a demonic gargoyle on the bar at the Absinthe Salon, a poster of Marilyn Manson on the wall and our waitress is wearing a tight, leather corset. The bar itself, just beyond the bottle shop you pass through upon entering, is aiming for La Belle Époque – French-style café seating, a green fairy splashed across one wall – but the overall feel is a little more Rob Zombie than Moulin Rouge. And we can get down with that. Especially when a pre-dinner drink at the Absinthe Salon is so much fun. Once you're seated, one of the waitresses working the floor will float over and explain what absinthe is (anise-flavoured spirit, highly alcoholic, made more complex with different herbs); what absinthe isn't ("it is not a hallucinogenic, but it will make you feel amazing"); and how to drink it. Here, she will demonstrate: ice is placed in the lamp-like absinthe fountain on your table, along with water; a cube of sugar is sat on an absinthe spoon above your glass; and a faucet on the fountain is turned so that water drips onto the cube, slowly dissolving the sugar as it trickles down into your glass of absinthe below. The green liquid grows cloudy and you begin to smell the herbs. It's an elaborate process, so reserve time if you're popping in. And do take their advice: while the more potent absinthe varieties here are more interesting and complex (up to 75 per cent proof), start with something milder (like the Francois Guy, from Pontarlier, 45 per cent proof) if, like us, you're a

The Angel Hotel in the CBD is a time capsule for old-school inner-city drinking. Don’t get us wrong. Come 5pm our city’s workforce still hit the bars with undiminished ferocity, but with the influx of small bars, cocktail caves, craft beer barns and high-end establishments, the old-fashioned boozer slinging pints and pies is a dying breed. They like the old ways at the Angel so we get called sweetie when we order a frosty schooner of Coopers, but we’re not sweet enough to get access to the 100 Pints Club. The engraved glasses hung above the low wooden bar are all that remains of this defunct, and no doubt merry, club. The bar is laid with beautiful, ornate tiles and the windows out onto Angel Place are the kind of rippled stained glass that wouldn’t look out of place in a Victorian manor. There’s a dedicated sandwich menu at lunchtime; after work you can get a pie or sausage roll from the warmer behind the bar; or there’s always a bag of crisps. They keep things similarly stripped back on the taps. There’s Coopers Green, Heineken, Super Dry, New, James Squires Pale Ale and a cider. It’s not a huge range but they are cold, clean and properly poured. Below ground is where they keep the gaming lounge and upstairs is a worn-in lounge bar with red velvet chairs, chesterfields and ornate lampshades that look like they were borrowed from a Parisian cat-house. Never change, old friend.

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. In the basement of a heritage warehouse in Sydney’s CBD you’ll find a Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar named for the ill-fated wife of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mobster masterpiece, The Godfather. But don’t let that put you off. For those of us who have been lying about having seen The Godfather their whole lives, good news. Every page of the drinks menu will run you through the storyline (spoilers lie within, but it’s literally been 50 years) so you can impress your date with cinematic knowledge while sipping on a Letter Never Sent, a standout concoction of wheat vodka, honey liquor, pineapple, clove, housemade almond syrup and fresh nutmeg, shaken and served over ice. Dimly lit and dramatic as the movie itself, Apollonia is, by sheer geography alone, a triumph. Carved into the sandstone bedrock of Customs House, the hand-chipped, 150-year-old walls have been ambitiously transported to the 21st century, with accents of marble bars, deeply stained wooden finishes, mismatched tiles and red leather banquette seating. The vibe is sophisticated and plush, a naturally cosy cave with dark carpeted flooring that we suspect this will be a top after-work date bar for years to come. With gold and velvet finishings and abundant in (oh, so flattering)

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Update: Redfern’s fairy-lit hangout Arcadia has been going strong for more than a decade, fuelling Sydneysiders with excellent drinks and toasties. It’s a prime spot for a first date (trust us) or knock-off drinks. And you can swing by on Sundays for cheap Margs. – Avril Treasure Read on for our review of Arcadia Liquors from 2016 by Emily Lloyd-Tait. ***** One of Redfern’s original small bars is still as loud, fairy-lit and friendly as ever. And cheap. Where else can you get a eminently drinkable semillon sauvignon for six bucks and a grilled ham cheese and tomato sandwich for a fiver, other than student housing? There is a wonderful reliability to any visit to Arcadia. It’s always full but somehow you can manage to rustle up a bar stool or one of those vintage metal chairs, or find a spot out in the brick courtyard featuring many hanging plants and all the nautical paintings available at Vinnies. Since the smoking laws changed the back is saved for the smokers – if you’re hanging out for a chicken or ham and salami sarnie off the fancy toastie menu, stick to indoor seats. They haven’t changed much since first opening – if it ain’t broke and all that – which means there’s still three beer taps featuring something German and two local brews – Tooheys was not

Ever since they pulled the dust cloths off the shining copper stills in the distillery back in March of 2014 and started pumping out gin, vodka, rum and white rye we’ve been singing the praises of this impressive operation located on Rosebery’s most innovative block. Not only is it one of Sydney's most beautiful bars, the local edge and carefully crafted spirits do nothing but add to the romance. Under the watchful eye of head of hospitality, Harriet Leigh (ex Hazy Rose and Henrietta Supper Club) you can be sure they're stirring up a five-star house gin Martini with a precise brine balance. You are in very good hands here. A gutsy cocktail list is ever evolving and playful, with tipples like the Papaya Don't Preach; a concoction of Archie Rose Native Botanical Vodka, blood orange, lime, papaya, peach, pineapple and chili salt; The Pear Necessities that combines Archie Rose Distiller’s Strength Gin, bergamot, lavender, lemon, pear and sparkling wine; or the Baby Got Mac – Archie Rose White Rye, citrus, coconut, wattleseed, macadamia and mango. As well as investing in the use of native botanicals, the crew at Archie Rose don't shy away from a dizzying number of collabs with other local legends. A glance at the cocktail list boasts input from the Sydney Opera House, Blasphemy Coffee and even the Sydney Cricket Ground. The room is the last word in industrial elegance. It’s separated from the distillery by a heavy-duty metal grille and a wall of spirit barrels. On the bar side, th

Officially, this little pub on Oxford Street is called the Arts Bar. However locals and old timers will often refer to it as the Rose Shamrock and Thistle, or even the Three Weeds: it depends on who you’re talking to. Arts Bar makes sense, given its proximity to the College of Fine Arts. Though it’s housed in a beautiful Art Deco Building there’s nothing hifalutin about this public house. It’s got the cream mottled tiles and multiple doorways opening out onto the street of your classic corner boozer and the floor inside is a mix of concrete and tiles – you could easily hose the whole place out if needed. Inside it’s all green and yellow tiles, glowing orange and yellow light boxes, tall stools, swivel chairs and old orange vinyl chairs. They pull a pretty mixed crowd, with young and elastic students talking earnestly about their ‘practice’ and making plans for surfing adventures while retirees sit opposite and share a little late night ice cream out of a curled glass bowl. The variety might be due to the very friendly staff who adopt a more-the-merrier approach, or perhaps it’s the Tuesday special of slow-cooked lamb that’s pulling people through the doors. They pour a decent Kilkenny if you like Irish cream ale, but for our money we’ll take a pint of Young Henrys, Stone and Wood or Murray’s Angry Man instead. They tick the boxes on all the pub food staples, and also do bananas in rum and a chocolate pudding that comes highly recommended by our smiling barman. The Arts Bar is

You may well be able to lob a tennis ball from George Street to this quiet pedestrian alley but you wouldn’t know it from the relaxed pace of the punters stopping in for a glass of wine at this little bistro. Decompress out in the breezy laneway or up at the bar where French house featuring atmospheric horns keeps the vibe on a low simmer and devote all your remaining energies to the wine menu. They have an internationally diverse, by-the-glass list that lets you sample the wines of Austria, Romania, South Africa, Greece, Argentina, Germany, the US, Chile and Slovenia, in addition to Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand. And the best part is they offer tasting glasses for half the price of a full pour so you take a little tour without breaking the bank. Depending on the weather and the day you’ve had they might steer you towards a bright, fruity Domaine de Beavernay gamay from Beaujolais, or possibly a ribolla gialla from Friuli. There’s not much to the operation here. The open-plan space spills out into the lane and the wine is stored up high in black timber racks. The kitchen can sort out a serious hunger with lamb cutlets or grilled spitchcock, but a rich, golden toastie with jamon and truffled gruyere will also stop hunger in its tracks.  Time Out Awards 2010Best Wine Bar View this year's Time Out Bar Award winners  

In case of fire, assemble at the designated meeting spot. In case of thirst, go get cocktails at Assembly. You might not expect an ace bar to be hiding down on the lower ground floor of what is ostensibly a hub of Asian cheap eats, but the buzzy precinct behind the KFC on the corner of George and Bathurst Streets has many secrets. Not only can you get a kooky soft-serve in a halo of fairy floss from Aqua S; a fragrant char kway teo from Sedap Malaysian Kopitiam; and a king’s ransom in rice paper rolls from Miss Chu – there’s booze too. This must be what heaven is like. When something gets an award everyone wants to get involved – especially if it’s delicious. Sullivans Cove French oak barrel-aged single malt sold out after they won a world whisky award in 2014, and people are still queuing for a taste of the mandorla affogato gelato from Cow and the Moon. And at Assembly you can order a stack of award-winning cocktails. The Linda Russian, crowned by a 2014 Stoli comp, proves you don’t need an ingredient list a mile long to make a good drink. Almond syrup is an excellent foil to the zingy punch of fresh pineapple juice – and with a glug of vodka in the mix you’ve got a summer refresher that demands an encore. The up’n’go qualities of a Vodka Espresso are perfect fuel before a gig over at the Metro, but these guys have chucked out the vodka and are shaking up rum, Frangelico, Kahlua and cold drip coffee, and the results are excellent. There are a ridiculous number of dining opt

There’s something to be said for setting up your brewery and pub in the North West of Sydney – there’s a lot of space out this way. The Australian Hotel and Brewery (conveniently located next door to Bunnings, FYI) is set on a massive block just off Old Winsor Road. From the outside it looks like a warehouse with an enormous parking lot. But inside it’s a pub-lovers Disneyland. It’s been kitted out in good Australian fashion with exposed brick, warm lighting, raw timber and rusty iron decorations. In addition to housing the brewery itself they’ve got a spacious bistro, sports bar, pokies lounge and games room, plus an enormous bar operating at the centre of everything. Love watching sport but hate sitting on a bar stool? They’ve got cushy leather recliners lined up like a mini sports cinema. Brought your ankle biters with you? Here they have a dedicated kids club with a jungle gym and a super-soft play area for really tiny humans. They even host kids birthday parties. When you have the same amount of space as a standard Chippendale block you can do whatever you damn well please. They keep a collection of standard lagers on tap but the interesting stuff here is the brews they make on site. Their Mexican lager served with fresh lime is a light, summery glass of refreshment, but if you aren’t afraid of some forceful flavours go the extra hoppy ale – a coppery amber ale with a fresh, bitter finish. They also make a pilsner, pale ale, strong Belgium golden ale, steam ale, amber la

At Bacco, you can eat, drink or simply get some pastries to go. But we like to drink. The cocktail list will be right up your alley if you like floral, fruity drinks but you can totally ignore the list if your tastes run to straighter stuff - the bar staff are incredibly accomplished and can make anything you hit them with. If you do order off the list, try the Caesar's Cup - served long, it's a mix of gin, red wine and house-made mint lemonade, garnished with a wedge of grapefruit and a wedge of cucumber. The Giorgio il Bello involves a glass rolled in rhubarb sugar and filled with a mix of Aperol, St Germain elderflower liqueur and pinot grigio, topped with more of that house-made lemonade. Sweet? Yes. Deadly? Most certainly. The L'Arrogante is the winner off the list: tequila, house-made sweet vermouth and fresh squeezed grapefruit served short. If cocktails and spirits aren't your thing, Delicado's Ben Moechtar has put together the wine list. They also give you little snacks (spuntini) through the night. They're gratis, and delicious. The space, designed by Michael McCann, is all warm wood, low, long booths and tinkling, grape-shaped purple lights. Sit up at the bar, admire the huge booze selection, marvel at the cold larder filled with cured meats and raise a glass to Bacchus - the guy that loved a drink.

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Some of the most fun to be had in Byron isn’t on Main Beach. Sure, the crystal-blue waves are great – and it’s intoxicating to bask in the golden sunshine, knocking back a chilled Stone & Wood at the Beach Hotel (maybe I could move to Byron?!). But forget all that and head in the opposite direction from the beach (yes, really) to 139 Jonson Street, past a dramatic velvet curtain, and into Bar Heather. This Euro-style wine bar and restaurant is run by co-owners James Audas and Tom Sheer, who have a knack for all things low-fi vino. The wine list is excellent, filled with their favourite drops from Australia and Europe, broken up by region and with a focus on natural vino. Their Aussie riff on a Euro Spritz is also spot on – light, laced with herbal notes and not too sweet. But it’s the food that will really make your ears perk up. A crisp rectangle potato chip arrives looking like a magic carpet, topped with buttery Manchego cheese, soft raw shiitake mushrooms, and a dusting of earthy mushroom powder (and no, not that kind – get your head outta the gutter). Crunchy, bronzed prawn and bug toast gets a funky kick from a creamy, prawn-oil-spiked Marie Rose sauce. View this post on Instagram A post shared by avriltreasure (@avriltreasure)

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Some Sydney restaurants are “inspired by” eateries from other lands. Others, like Deux Freres, can transport you directly to somewhere on the other side of the world. This laneway pintxos bar plucks you right out of your Circular Quay surrounds and plonks you, magically, into one of the tiny bars that Spain’s Basque country is famous for. And right now there’s no place I’d rather be.  As I sit at the marble-top bar – tightly packed in between my dining companion and a stranger on the other side – I watch the staff behind the counter prepping bar snacks centred around cured meats, Spanish and French cheeses, and crusty bread. Pintxos comes from the Spanish verb “pinchar” meaning to poke/prick – because the snacks are generally served with a toothpick to hold them together.  It’s drinking food, and the drinks menu takes you on a journey from vermouth to Spanish and French wines to beer, as well as spirits. We order a carafe of Spanish red, a 2016 tempranillo that tastes the way I like it to taste – just the right balance of rich and mellow; highly drinkable in warm weather. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alice Ellis (@alicecellis) We start with gildas. The tiny fish fillets skewered between two green olives, two little wedges of

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Update: Choose your fighter at Old Mate’s Place. Do you want to settle in the vintage-style bar with comfy leather booths, dozens of old books, and a twinkling chandelier? Or race to the sky-high rooftop, compete for one of the in-demand tables, and bask in the sunshine and glory? Wherever you go, it’s sure to be a hit. And say ‘hi’ to Old Mate for us, please. – Avril Treasure Read on for our review of Old Mate’s Place from 2019 by Pat Nourse. ***** One hundred and two steps. Rooftop bars are not for the faint of quad. But all that thigh-burning just primes you for the reveal: swing open the door at the top and there you are, in a lushly planted oasis in the Sydney skyline. A smiling bartender hands you a VB throwdown while you flip through the menu. A bowtie is slung around their neck unknotted, Rat Pack-style. It might only be a quarter past six down on street level, but up here, it’s always time to take it easy.  Flip through the list: there’s smarts enough behind the smiles to handle whatever classics you might fancy. And where bars on rooftops in other parts of the world might call to mind sun-bleached bottles of Bombora and lychee liqueur, the back bar at Old Mate’s is quite a different matter – the arrangement of malts, Caribbean rums and fine tequilas

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. In the basement of a heritage warehouse in Sydney’s CBD you’ll find a Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar named for the ill-fated wife of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mobster masterpiece, The Godfather. But don’t let that put you off. For those of us who have been lying about having seen The Godfather their whole lives, good news. Every page of the drinks menu will run you through the storyline (spoilers lie within, but it’s literally been 50 years) so you can impress your date with cinematic knowledge while sipping on a Letter Never Sent, a standout concoction of wheat vodka, honey liquor, pineapple, clove, housemade almond syrup and fresh nutmeg, shaken and served over ice. Dimly lit and dramatic as the movie itself, Apollonia is, by sheer geography alone, a triumph. Carved into the sandstone bedrock of Customs House, the hand-chipped, 150-year-old walls have been ambitiously transported to the 21st century, with accents of marble bars, deeply stained wooden finishes, mismatched tiles and red leather banquette seating. The vibe is sophisticated and plush, a naturally cosy cave with dark carpeted flooring that we suspect this will be a top after-work date bar for years to come. With gold and velvet finishings and abundant in (oh, so flattering)

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. The Bat & Ball Hotel is named for its proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground so, since 1929, it’s been an obvious stop on the way to a game there or at Allianz Stadium. It’s also been known, at times, as a live music pub. But in more recent times, after losing its rep for championing live music, it suffered a bit of an identity crisis, even changing its name to Parkside Bar for a bit. As far as I could tell, it was no longer the type of pub you’d bother going out of your way to get to. After all, it's in the kind of out-of-way end of Redfern/Surry Hills – on the high-traffic corner of Cleveland and South Dowling Streets. Thankfully, the pub has now been taken into the loving hands of five passionate friends – friends who know what they’re doing when it comes to running a boozer. There’s Zac Godbolt, the creative director and co-founder of Enmore Country Club and Doom Juice. Rachael Paul, the previous venue manager of beloved neighbourhood spots The Sunshine Inn and Golden Gully. Cameron Votano, the co-owner and executive chef of BTB Kirribilli and Lowkey. And Daniel McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, the owners of The Little Guy and the previously mentioned Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn. It’s been a long-time dream for the five friends to own a pub toget

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. The first wave ever surfed in Australia was by Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku, and it happened at Freshwater Beach back in 1914. Since then, countless breaks have been glided on – a few by yours truly – and now, come summer, finding a wave to ride solo at Freshie is like walking on the surrounding dry grass and not stepping on a bindi. It just doesn’t happen. That’s because the charm of Freshwater – from its blue rolling waves, soft sand and famed ocean pool – is as alluring today as it was to Mr Kahanamoku back then. Crowded, perhaps. But is Freshie still one of Sydney’s – heck, Australia’s – best beaches? You bloody bet it is. And you know what goes hand in hand with a day of sun, sand and sea? An ice-cold beer and a damn good feed. Thankfully, we know a place. That spot is Harbord Hotel, the suburb’s main watering hole found a one-minute stroll from the beach. Built in 1928, the pub was formerly called the Harbord Beach Hotel – or the Harbord Hilton, to locals. (Why? Because Freshwater used to be called Harbord.) It was known for its buttercup-yellow exterior and red roof; a place where you could come with sand still on your legs for a schnitty and catch up with mates. And let’s face it, for being a little rough around the edges. In 2020, the beloved booz

The Imperial was first ordained a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community when Dawn O’Donnell, the mother of gay Sydney, bought it in the '80s. In the years since then, it has opened and shut with many different faces – and famously appeared in the cult classic movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – but, at its heart, it has always been a place for queer identities to thrive on the sticky carpet of the much-loved pub. Punters who haven’t sashayed into the Impy since before 2018 – when it was given a facelift after a few dormant years and re-opened by the Sydney Collective – may find themselves a little shell shocked by the beautification. The gilded Venus statue has been moved to the roof, downstairs is clean as a whistle, and on the ground floor walls were knocked down to allow the almost-daily drag performances to be unleashed across the whole floor. And now, as of the latter end of 2023, this grand dame of the Inner West has yet another new lease on life. The gays are back at the reins, giving the ol’ gal a fresh shake-up that pays tribute to her history, while making sure it's a comfortable place for everyone who identifies with a letter under the rainbow alphabet, as well as Erskineville locals of all stripes, including the four-legged variety. That’s right, the Impy is dog-friendly now – the hairier, the merrier!   Photograph: Supplied/Imperial Erskineville | Etcetera Etcetera and Charlie The family-owned Universal Hotels Group scooped up the Imperial fo

Sydney’s CBD is full of bars. Irish- and English-style pubs, American-style sports bars, Japanese whiskey bars, German beer cafés, Spanish tapas bars and, now, hundreds of little wine bars like those you might find in Italy. Sky Bar – which sits at the peak of the multi-tiered venue Shell House – brings a little bit of New York to Sydney. And it's a showstopper.  Sky Bar has floor-to-ceiling windows so that you’re looking, on three sides of the building, out at Sydney’s CBD – including at the 400-tonne heritage Shell House Clocktower that the building is centred around. It’s not The Most spectacular view of the Emerald City, in that there’s no sparkling harbour or Opera House in sight (hey, there's a lot of competition, right?). But you’re situated smack-back in among skyscrapers, in the sky above the most bustling part of the city. Plant yourself up here in the beautifully designed modern Art Deco-style space with a cocktail to watch the sun go down on the day, and you can easily imagine yourself in the Big Apple. We arrive during happy hour (4-6pm every Tues to Sat) and make the most of it, ordering a $15 Don Julio Margarita, as well as a $15 snack, which, today is a prawn sandwich with a gold-crumbed prawn, housemade cucumber pickle, and a generous lashing of chunky tartare on crust-free white bread. Both the drink and the snack are small (you’d baulk at paying more than $15 for each – NYC vibe, NYC prices), but they’re delicious. The salty-rimmed Margarita is the right ba

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Suspend your reality for a moment. Imagine it's 1980s Australia and you're a True Blue Bruce. This is truly your time. On the cusp of its five-year birthday, Hawke's Brewing Company, the brewery co-founded by former prime minister Bob Hawke, has thrown open the doors of a flagship venue, housed inside its newly built 2,100 square-metre brewery in Marrickville. Dubbed the Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre in honour of the company’s late namesake, the club is a cathedralesque space adorned with enormous brew tanks, museum-like pool rooms, and a nostalgic RLS-style Australian-Chinese bistro from one of Sydney's top chefs. The venue is delivering a full service bar, fronted by ten taps pouring Hawke’s core range beers, plus a rotation of new “One Hit Wonder” limited release styles. The addition of the venue’s Chinese-Australian bistro rounds out the Leisure Centre’s quintessential '80s-pub and community club experience. If your mind is immediately cast back to your childhood of sizzling black bean steak, honey prawns, san choy bao and deep-fried ice cream – in this case, an equally '80s-tastic Vienetta – you're spot on. View this post on Instagram A post shared by avriltreasure (@avriltreasure) Developed by chef Nic Wong (Cho Cho San, CicciaBell

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. It’s about as difficult to define 'cool' as it is to pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded after a coupla Negronis. Crocs were not but now they are; laughing emojis are (apparently) not; and even the humble burrata looks like it’s on its way out (RIP). If it’s difficult to define, it’s even more challenging to manufacture, as the action of trying to be cool is very much uncool. When you see cool, you just know. And that’s exactly what will happen if you stroll into Bar Copains, Surry Hills’ new friendly neighbourhood wine bar. 'Copains' means 'friends' in French, which is an apt name for this gem by longtime mates and chefs Morgan McGlone (culinary director of Potts Point’s Sunday, and founder of Belles Hot Chicken) and Nathan Sasi (the founding chef of Nomad). Sasi’s partner, Sali, is also co-owner. Friends since their paths crossed in 2010, the duo long dreamed about opening a little wine bar where they could catch up and enjoy good bottles of natural wine. And in late 2022, that’s exactly what they did. Fun fact: McGlone and Sasi have both donated hundreds of wines from their personal collections that they have been building up over the years for Bar Copains, some of which are proudly lined up on shelves along the wall like kids' swimming trophies. Togeth

More bartenders should sport double-breasted dinner jackets. More cocktail bars should play jazz hits and lounge covers at conversation-enhancing volume. And more hosts should welcome guests as eagerly as owner Stefano Catino does at Maybe Sammy. The first impressions come hard and fast at the latest outing from the team behind Maybe Frank, tucked away on the fringe of the Rocks. It’s a polished affair bathed in Golden Age glamour — blond wood, white marble, grey-green leather stools, plush rosy banquettes — but there’s plenty of substance to back up the style. Creative director Andrea Gualdi has assembled one of Sydney’s most pedigreed squads of shakers and stirrers, and their commitment to quality is apparent in almost every glass. Start with a Mini. At ten bucks, the pre-batched, half-sized cocktails are a clever primer. Opt for the Frank, a convincing riff on a Boulevardier that's bitter and subtly sweet, or a clean and classic Martini (either vodka or gin) that’s just the right level of wet.  Most of the crowd seems to spring for creations from the 'Signature Selection'. Named after bygone Vegas casinos, they’re a fruit-forward bunch of people-pleasers. The Bonanza delicately balances Bacardi 8 with peach wine, pear and yuzu, while green apple freshness emerges from the mix of tequila, mezcal and sherry in the New Frontier. From there, it’s anyone’s game: big-ticket bottles of Champagne kick off a concise and considered choice of wines; Brooklyn Lager comes from the tap;

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Some of the most fun to be had in Byron isn’t on Main Beach. Sure, the crystal-blue waves are great – and it’s intoxicating to bask in the golden sunshine, knocking back a chilled Stone & Wood at the Beach Hotel (maybe I could move to Byron?!). But forget all that and head in the opposite direction from the beach (yes, really) to 139 Jonson Street, past a dramatic velvet curtain, and into Bar Heather. This Euro-style wine bar and restaurant is run by co-owners James Audas and Tom Sheer, who have a knack for all things low-fi vino. The wine list is excellent, filled with their favourite drops from Australia and Europe, broken up by region and with a focus on natural vino. Their Aussie riff on a Euro Spritz is also spot on – light, laced with herbal notes and not too sweet. But it’s the food that will really make your ears perk up. A crisp rectangle potato chip arrives looking like a magic carpet, topped with buttery Manchego cheese, soft raw shiitake mushrooms, and a dusting of earthy mushroom powder (and no, not that kind – get your head outta the gutter). Crunchy, bronzed prawn and bug toast gets a funky kick from a creamy, prawn-oil-spiked Marie Rose sauce. View this post on Instagram A post shared by avriltreasure (@avriltreasure)

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. The rainbow freedom flags festooned around the terrace at The Waratah remind those visiting Sydney for its annual Mardi Gras that they will be warmly welcomed here. The newly renovated bar is just a few feather boa lengths from the main parade route, where revellers take to the streets each year to celebrate gay pride.  But it’s not just the LGBTQI+ community The Waratah pays its respects to. The menu reads like a love letter to Australian producers, with multiple pages of its menu dedicated to a revolving list of hero producers that change with the seasons. The two-storey terrace has been given a very careful nip and tuck that is in line with its 1950s heritage. It’s the first venue for Pollen Hospitality co-founders Cynthia Litster and Evan Stroeve (Australian Bartender of the year 2021 and ex-Bulletin Place, The Baxter Inn, Re and Shady Pines), who already have their eye on a second venue in the CBD. A table on the terrace at The ’Tah, as it’s affectionately known, is considered prime real estate for people-watching long after the last of Mardi Gras’ dancing queens have dispersed. The Waratah’s proximity to St Vincent’s Hospital makes it a popular place for emergency responders and medics to meet up after work. Oxford St and the Australian Museum are also

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Some Sydney restaurants are “inspired by” eateries from other lands. Others, like Deux Freres, can transport you directly to somewhere on the other side of the world. This laneway pintxos bar plucks you right out of your Circular Quay surrounds and plonks you, magically, into one of the tiny bars that Spain’s Basque country is famous for. And right now there’s no place I’d rather be.  As I sit at the marble-top bar – tightly packed in between my dining companion and a stranger on the other side – I watch the staff behind the counter prepping bar snacks centred around cured meats, Spanish and French cheeses, and crusty bread. Pintxos comes from the Spanish verb “pinchar” meaning to poke/prick – because the snacks are generally served with a toothpick to hold them together.  It’s drinking food, and the drinks menu takes you on a journey from vermouth to Spanish and French wines to beer, as well as spirits. We order a carafe of Spanish red, a 2016 tempranillo that tastes the way I like it to taste – just the right balance of rich and mellow; highly drinkable in warm weather. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alice Ellis (@alicecellis) We start with gildas. The tiny fish fillets skewered between two green olives, two little wedges of

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Update: Choose your fighter at Old Mate’s Place. Do you want to settle in the vintage-style bar with comfy leather booths, dozens of old books, and a twinkling chandelier? Or race to the sky-high rooftop, compete for one of the in-demand tables, and bask in the sunshine and glory? Wherever you go, it’s sure to be a hit. And say ‘hi’ to Old Mate for us, please. – Avril Treasure Read on for our review of Old Mate’s Place from 2019 by Pat Nourse. ***** One hundred and two steps. Rooftop bars are not for the faint of quad. But all that thigh-burning just primes you for the reveal: swing open the door at the top and there you are, in a lushly planted oasis in the Sydney skyline. A smiling bartender hands you a VB throwdown while you flip through the menu. A bowtie is slung around their neck unknotted, Rat Pack-style. It might only be a quarter past six down on street level, but up here, it’s always time to take it easy.  Flip through the list: there’s smarts enough behind the smiles to handle whatever classics you might fancy. And where bars on rooftops in other parts of the world might call to mind sun-bleached bottles of Bombora and lychee liqueur, the back bar at Old Mate’s is quite a different matter – the arrangement of malts, Caribbean rums and fine tequilas

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. In the basement of a heritage warehouse in Sydney’s CBD you’ll find a Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar named for the ill-fated wife of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mobster masterpiece, The Godfather. But don’t let that put you off. For those of us who have been lying about having seen The Godfather their whole lives, good news. Every page of the drinks menu will run you through the storyline (spoilers lie within, but it’s literally been 50 years) so you can impress your date with cinematic knowledge while sipping on a Letter Never Sent, a standout concoction of wheat vodka, honey liquor, pineapple, clove, housemade almond syrup and fresh nutmeg, shaken and served over ice. Dimly lit and dramatic as the movie itself, Apollonia is, by sheer geography alone, a triumph. Carved into the sandstone bedrock of Customs House, the hand-chipped, 150-year-old walls have been ambitiously transported to the 21st century, with accents of marble bars, deeply stained wooden finishes, mismatched tiles and red leather banquette seating. The vibe is sophisticated and plush, a naturally cosy cave with dark carpeted flooring that we suspect this will be a top after-work date bar for years to come. With gold and velvet finishings and abundant in (oh, so flattering)

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. The Bat & Ball Hotel is named for its proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground so, since 1929, it’s been an obvious stop on the way to a game there or at Allianz Stadium. It’s also been known, at times, as a live music pub. But in more recent times, after losing its rep for championing live music, it suffered a bit of an identity crisis, even changing its name to Parkside Bar for a bit. As far as I could tell, it was no longer the type of pub you’d bother going out of your way to get to. After all, it's in the kind of out-of-way end of Redfern/Surry Hills – on the high-traffic corner of Cleveland and South Dowling Streets. Thankfully, the pub has now been taken into the loving hands of five passionate friends – friends who know what they’re doing when it comes to running a boozer. There’s Zac Godbolt, the creative director and co-founder of Enmore Country Club and Doom Juice. Rachael Paul, the previous venue manager of beloved neighbourhood spots The Sunshine Inn and Golden Gully. Cameron Votano, the co-owner and executive chef of BTB Kirribilli and Lowkey. And Daniel McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, the owners of The Little Guy and the previously mentioned Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn. It’s been a long-time dream for the five friends to own a pub toget

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. The first wave ever surfed in Australia was by Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku, and it happened at Freshwater Beach back in 1914. Since then, countless breaks have been glided on – a few by yours truly – and now, come summer, finding a wave to ride solo at Freshie is like walking on the surrounding dry grass and not stepping on a bindi. It just doesn’t happen. That’s because the charm of Freshwater – from its blue rolling waves, soft sand and famed ocean pool – is as alluring today as it was to Mr Kahanamoku back then. Crowded, perhaps. But is Freshie still one of Sydney’s – heck, Australia’s – best beaches? You bloody bet it is. And you know what goes hand in hand with a day of sun, sand and sea? An ice-cold beer and a damn good feed. Thankfully, we know a place. That spot is Harbord Hotel, the suburb’s main watering hole found a one-minute stroll from the beach. Built in 1928, the pub was formerly called the Harbord Beach Hotel – or the Harbord Hilton, to locals. (Why? Because Freshwater used to be called Harbord.) It was known for its buttercup-yellow exterior and red roof; a place where you could come with sand still on your legs for a schnitty and catch up with mates. And let’s face it, for being a little rough around the edges. In 2020, the beloved booz

The Imperial was first ordained a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community when Dawn O’Donnell, the mother of gay Sydney, bought it in the '80s. In the years since then, it has opened and shut with many different faces – and famously appeared in the cult classic movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – but, at its heart, it has always been a place for queer identities to thrive on the sticky carpet of the much-loved pub. Punters who haven’t sashayed into the Impy since before 2018 – when it was given a facelift after a few dormant years and re-opened by the Sydney Collective – may find themselves a little shell shocked by the beautification. The gilded Venus statue has been moved to the roof, downstairs is clean as a whistle, and on the ground floor walls were knocked down to allow the almost-daily drag performances to be unleashed across the whole floor. And now, as of the latter end of 2023, this grand dame of the Inner West has yet another new lease on life. The gays are back at the reins, giving the ol’ gal a fresh shake-up that pays tribute to her history, while making sure it's a comfortable place for everyone who identifies with a letter under the rainbow alphabet, as well as Erskineville locals of all stripes, including the four-legged variety. That’s right, the Impy is dog-friendly now – the hairier, the merrier!   Photograph: Supplied/Imperial Erskineville | Etcetera Etcetera and Charlie The family-owned Universal Hotels Group scooped up the Imperial fo

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Where does one start when reviewing one of the most recognisable restaurants in the world, and arguably, Sydney’s most famous? I could set the scene with gravitas and list all the A-list celebs who have dined at this coastal Italian fine diner over the past two decades since its 2002 opening. Mick Jagger, for one. Chris Hemsworth, Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon. Mee-crow-wah-vay goddess Nigella Lawson said it’s her favourite restaurant in the whole world. I could also begin by noting that trailblazer and Icebergs’ owner Maurice Terzini reopened the clifftop restaurant in 2022 after a seven-month renovation, with a fresh look, a new dining room and a swish glass seafood counter, pointing to the fact that the Bondi institution is not resting on its laurels. But I’m going to start with the view, because really, that’s why we’re here. It’s impossible to overstate just how beautiful it is. Walking into Icebergs is like stepping into a calming sea of blue. There are cool greens and ocean blues and turquoise. And that’s just in the room, which overlooks Bondi’s golden beach and that famous aqua pool. The combination of the waves crashing, the clinking of glassware, the hubbub of diners and sound of a piano, plus that million-dollar view, makes you feel good in an instan

We scoured the city to find the best drinks, greatest chat, most perfectly crafted playlists, tastiest snacks and top vibes to be had in Sydney. We put our livers and our sleep patterns on the line to bring you, dear reader, a comprehensive guide to the best bars in town.