The 21 best bars in Australia for a memorable night out

Melburnians never needed the succession of big international awards to know that the Black Pearl is where you go for a bloody good cocktail – though undoubtedly those accolades benefited the travellers who now flock to the bar as a checklist destination. The family-run bar in Fitzroy has been a beacon of excellence for almost 21 years now. Not content to sit pretty on tried-and-tested masterpieces, the list is always on the move, keeping step with moods and seasons. This Fitzroy stayer delivers killer cocktails downstairs and upstairs in the Attic you get more of the same but with a quieter, date-night vibe.

From DJs each night to live bands on the weekends, a hidden bamboo room slinging Caterpillar Downfall cocktails, and incredible art by Allie Web, The Caterpillar Club is hot as hell. And did we mention it’s open until 4am most nights? We’re calling it, there is no better bar in Sydney right now, no hotter place, no cooler spot. Ascend down the stairs and come see for yourself. Top tip: Other than getting down here early if you have dreams of nabbing a seat, order the burger. It’s up there with the best in town.

For a little bar, Maker certainly packs a big punch. The 20-seater den of black minimalism shakes and stirs an ever-changing list of cocktails, each presented like a true work of art. Stick with one from the seasonal menu or be bold with a bespoke cocktail – just tell the bartenders what you’re in the mood for. Pair your tipple with bar snacks that you absolutely won’t find elsewhere in town.

Taking its name from the former hospital that it's set in, Mary Mary is easily Tasmania’s classiest cocktail bar. You have to work hard to track down this late-night spot which is hidden down a little alley and locked behind 1800s-era sandstone walls. A short but serious cocktail menu is inspired by time and place, reimagining classics with local fruits and Indigenous botanicals. There’s also a curated selection of Tassie wines and beers, along with stylish share plates from sister venue Peppina, which arrive through the vault-like side doors.

There should be another word for what Byrdi is doing. Bar doesn’t quite cut it, despite the fact that dispensing booze is at the core of what it does. It seems more like some kind of lab where you get to play guinea pig to its scientist. The drinks, made and served by a fleet of staff swaddled in crushed linen, are highly original and highly delicious in equal parts. There’s plenty of exciting technique going on here, plus a strong sense of seasonality. Techniques commonly associated with kitchens are front and centre – fermenting, smoking, clarifying – and the results are often thrilling. It's no wonder Byrdi is globally recognised and gilded in glittering awards. 

Sydneysiders love nothing more than ‘secret’ bars, rooftops, serious cocktails and a side of good chat – and Old Mate’s Place has ’em all in spades. The part forgotten library and part unsuspecting CBD rooftop has carved out a place for itself at the top of the heap, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. Tropical cocktails are the drawcard here, but it’s also smart to order a Philly cheese steak – try the classic, a squishy roll stuffed with thin slices of beef, onions and a whole lot of melted cheese.

We’re not sure who Mae is or why she’s feeling so uncertain, but her underground speakeasy sure is cool. Cocktails, fine wine and retro-rock vibes make for a seductive combo, underpinned by a local and sustainable ethos. Duck in for a quick G'n'T after work and stay till 2am. The hardest part is finding the unsigned door (hint: it doesn’t look anything like a door). Head upstairs to Bread and Bone Wood Grill afterward if you’ve worked up an appetite (burgers and dogs FTW).

When you want to drink in the Valley but want to keep it classy, sashay over to Savile Row. Hidden in plain sight behind an unmarked orange door and down a dark and winding staircase, this whiskey and cocktail bar is a tribute to the iconic central London strip known for its exquisite tailoring. Shuffle into one of the intimate chandelier-lit booths for top-shelf cocktails, which are refreshed every quarter. Alternatively, trust the team to guide you with their top pick from Savile Row’s shiny gallery of 1,000 booze bottles.

If anyone ever complains about Canberra’s nightlife, just nod quietly and then laugh all the way up the stairs to Bar Rochford, where you will be enjoying a glass of the grippy, slightly zesty Ravensworth shiraz from Hilltops and Murrumbateman. This is undoubtedly the best little wine bar in the ACT, and once you’re here, you’ll never ever want to leave. Let the bartenders guide you on a vinous adventure that traipses the world, but if you don’t order food too it’s a lost opportunity. 

Above Board is a bar in the same way that Tame Impala is a band. At Above Board you are in Hayden Lambert’s house, even if he has a bit of help some nights. The bespectacled host will determine if you’re after a classic or a signature cocktail, but you’re also getting a little bit of a chat and a silly joke with every drink he dispenses from the bar that is the heart and control centre of this tiny venue. There is only a handful of seats, and all of them face the drinks action where Lambert is putting the art back in artisanal.

The party never stops at Shady Pines. This Sydney institution is ground zero for whisky and fresh apple juice, taxidermy, shelled peanuts and endless Country Western hits. Shady upped the ante in a big way when the lights switched on for the first time more than a decade (!) ago, giving rise to some of the country’s top talent and putting Sydney on the map as a drinking destination. Its appeal and importance have not waned. 

West End might be renowned for its cheap and cheerful bars, but this definitely isn’t one of them. Behind the floor-to-ceiling velvet curtain, more than 300 bottles of whisky await, with some seriously luxe drams on offer. Served with an eyedropper of water or hand-cut ice, if you must.

Byron’s drinking landscape has blossomed into a coastal mecca of natural wine bars, with Bar Heather leading the charge. The Parisian-inspired restaurant and bar, by the team from Luna Wine Store just across the road, spotlights small, independent wineries from around the world, along with the best organic produce the Northern Rivers has to offer. Don’t skip out on the rib eye, which washes down well with a natural cab sav. 

Howdy, howdy, let’s get rowdy! With a name like Foxtrot Unicorn, a good time is simply, undeniable. Hiding underground in an old 1887-built bank vault – is this, or is this not giving you Gringotts Bank vibes? – is Foxtrot, a jarrah-clad sanctuary, packed with up-cycled materials, salvaged furniture, and art and curio from iconic WA pubs that were knocked down many moons ago. Wander in for a cocktail – we recommend the Honeycomb Old Fashioned and the Strawberry Gum Gimlet. Or sit at the bar for a crisp lager, a chin wag and a fancy jaffle. 

What must be Sydney’s tiniest bar, tucked into a repurposed car spot at the end of an unassuming CBD laneway, is a micro version of a honky-tonk down in Mexico. For starters, Cantina OK! serves the benchmark Margarita on the market, shaken with a 50/50 blend of tequila and mezcal, shaved ice and orange oil. But more than that, you’ve got to applaud the audacity required to pull this concept off and the energy it takes to pump out an absurd volume of drinks in what’s essentially a broom closet.

Heading for the CBD? Make this early-to-late bistro your first (or last) stop. There’s a lot going on at Her, a four-storey mega-venue. The street-level space sells itself as a “daytime” cocktail bar, although it slings French 75s and Dirty Gin Martinis until 3am. (If you’re an early bird, the doors swing open at 7am for pastries, lobster omelettes and Market Lane coffee.) Head upstairs to the Music Room that makes you feel like you are drinking inside a speaker, or spend the sunny arvos on the rooftop with a quirky mosaic and great summer drinks.

Sail your yacht down Gilbert Place in Adelaide’s West End and moor yourself at Haines and Co for the evening. The nautical theme is a little out of whack in downtown Adelaide but charming in its own slightly incongruous way: think wall-mounted anchors and boats in bottles. And since the bar is apparently cobbled together from chunks of the old Largs Bay jetty, this shipshape aesthetic certainly passes muster. It’s a handsome port in a storm and a beaut of a bar, perfect for a gin on a hot afternoon or a rum on a cold night. 

Don’t be deterred by the menacing Grim Reaper mural on the wall outside. The welcome is warm, and so is the ambience inside this cavernous former warehouse in Brisbane’s oldest laneway, Burnett Lane. The amber glow of 1,000 bottles of quality booze behind the bar will warm even the darkest of hearts. 

It's a little bit French and a big bit classy. La Buvette has raised the late-night drinking scene in Adelaide’s West End to new heights. Not to yuck anyone's yums, but most of the booze rooms around here are either mainstream haunts with muscled-up/mini-skirted clientele or old-school strip clubs of endlessly ill repute. La Buvette delivers something far more refined: fine French wines and aperitifs in understated laneway surrounds.

If you fancy a good rum, Sneaky Tony's has your name written all over it. A hop, skip or stumble down an alleyway in Chinatown and you’ll find yourself at the alluring door of Sneaky Tony’s – Perth’s top secret premium rum bar. If you wish to enter, you’ll have to proclaim the daily password, which may or may not be found on Facebook. With shelves boasting an impressive collection of over 300 rums from all four corners of the globe, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Or go hard on the cocktails. For those after hard liquor, the expert mixologists will pinpoint the perfect drink for you.

A proud purveyor of vinyl, Caretaker's Cottage has its petite bar bracketed by imposing speakers that clearly signal the bar’s love of music. It’s a house-party vibe in a Gothic cottage behind Wesley Church with real, caring service that saw the bar wind up on the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2023. The drinks helped too, of course, like the seasonal Hail Santa with Four Pillars Christmas gin, peach and sparkling wine or a classic Corpse Reviver #1. The bar version of good things coming in small packages.