Where to party in Sydney this weekend

This subterranean William Street club has a long legacy of day and night parties to rival any of its Continental counterparts. The Berlin-inspired den knows how to curate a vibe (and a line-up), the fact that this is the venue that Fred Again.. chose for one of his pop-up Sydney show speaks volumes. The later you head here, the better. 

Sydney’s much loved mid-sized live music venue doubles up as an awesome after-party when gigs conclude. The Gallery bar is usually free, while ticketed events go off in the main bar.

The multi-level heritage-listed Abercrombie is arguably Sydney's biggest party palace, with three venues all under the one roof. On the ground floor is the Abercrombie’s sprawling performance and club space, public bar and beer garden. Venture upstairs to Casa Rosa, a playful, late-night Italo-disco cocktail lounge and rooftop terrazza with DJs. If you’re feeling fancy, sidle into the adjoining terraces for the aperitivo wine bar and shop, Lil Sis, also open until the early hours.

With an eclectic program of live performances every night of the week, you never know what to expect when stepping into this subterranean space, but we’re willing to bet it will be a pleasure. Order the Vegemite-inspired cocktail and slip into a booth, then join the dancefloor (in whatever form it takes) whenever you’re ready – it’s open until 4am every night, so you’ve got plenty of time.

The basement at Erskineville's LGBTQIA+ haven has got enough sweat and grind about it to make it feel like it deserves to be underground. And the best part is the music. It’s loud, and proud and so early '00s awful that it’s intoxicating. The basement also hosts regular parties from some of Sydney’s best queer collectives. Between underground affairs, you can have a sip and a bop while drag queens and other fab performers twirl in the ground floor bar.

With one of the city’s best sound system, this small, underground club below the Civic Hotel attracts great international headliners for all night techno, deep house and electro parties. It's sweaty and grungey in all the best ways.

This hot spot on the 'Pink Mile' of Oxford Street promises pumping tunes and seven nights of drag performances every week, with lines often sprawling down the street. Upstairs on Friday and Saturday nights in the former Midnight Shift club, dance parties Fame Fridays and Déjà Vu kick off after drag and dine experience Premiere packs up. 

This grand, Victorian-style bar is best known for its stately decor, but its the commitment to supporting live music that gets us across the line. Head here for a good R&B-soundtracked boogie, and retreat to a booth with an excellent cocktail when you need a break.

ARQ is one of the Pink Mile’s most notorious nightclubs, known for its stellar line-ups of drag, music, DJs and heaps more. If you’re in the mood for late-night boogies on podiums and deep and meaningful chats with new friends in Trash Alley (if you know, you know), head over to ARQ. It's been around for decades, and not without good reason.

Harry’s snack game is strong – and what better way to work off fried chicken wings than with a post-dinner dance? The lounge upstairs goes off with DJs from 10pm on Friday and Saturday nights, and it's within an easy walk from Sydney's coolest street if you want to explore.