The Shift Bar

She's an old gal, but looks great for her age. One of the oldest gay palaces in Sydney, the Midnight Shift underwent a bit of a nip/tuck in 2015, and the upstairs dance club retained the name. Downstairs, meanwhile, is something entirely different. After years of what felt like rudderless stops and starts, she's been given a fresh overhaul and a new direction. Whereas there were once dancefloors, two bars and a row of pool tables for the blokes, now there's a large, pink-hued room featuring a bar, plenty of seating and a wall covered by photographs of denizens past and present – a salute to the generations who've made this a stalwart of the strip. What looks like the smoking balcony outside is actually a ciggie-free zone – instead, it's meant to be a patio for hanging out and watching the crowds walk by.

This is the spot for casual after-work drinks with friends, kicking off a big night or... well, whatever you want, really! On weekdays between 5-8pm, they serve $10 jugs and $9 cocktails. They now have a bar menu, and also do $9 caipirinhas on Tuesdays, drag talent competitions on Thursdays, drag shows on Fridays, house music on Saturdays and on Sundays, live vocalists and acoustic sessions. A bistro called 91 Oxford Kitchen and Bar is located next door and now occupies the eastern half of the old downstairs bar where punters used to enter the venue.