Show this guide to your mate next time they say Sydney’s nightlife is dead, and then go out and party
Sydney's late-night scene is back. It may not look the same as what it did pre-lockout laws or lockdowns, but it does exist. There are schemes to invigorate nightlife, venues all over the city have extending their hours, OG late-night venues, like the Abercrombie, have even returned from the dead, and newer spots bars like The Pleasure Club are red-hot from the get go, staying open until 4am most nights.
There are now plenty of bars and pubs ready, willing and able to keep your cup filled until the wee hours. We’ve compiled a bunch of them, from classic pubs to cocktail specialists and dancefloors. Show this guide to your mate next time they say Sydney’s nightlife is dead, and then go out and party. We’ll see you there.
Good for: Newtown’s debauchery den Pleasure Club encourages hedonism in all its forms. Feel like a late-night dance and a place to kick on? You can do that here. Want to watch a nudist burlesque-slash-rock-band performance? Yep, that too. Wanna try a chicken parmy cocktail? You can order three. Life’s a pleasure at Pleasure Club.
How late? Wednesday to Sunday, from 4pm to 4am, baby.
Good for: Art deco-style pub the Marly seems to have finally settled into its groove as the monster pub at the Newtown crossroads, with a little something for everyone after hours. Tokyo Sing Song is its rave cave, with techno, dubstep, trance, drum and bass events happening on Friday and Saturday nights.
How late? The Marly parties until 4am Monday though Saturday (and midnight on Sunday).
Good for: A glamorous upstairs rooftop? A meal at vego-friendly Priscilla's (open until midnight Fri-Sun)? All-out drag shows? A proper boogie in the nightclub downstairs? This Inner West icon has it all.
How late? 4am is when the mirror ball stops spinning on Saturday nights. They go till 3am on Fridays, and midnight on Wed, Thu and Sun.
Good for: Everything! On the ground floor is the Abercrombie’s public bar and beer garden, performance and club space, which plays host to some of the best party crews in Sydney. Venture upstairs to Casa Rosa, a playful, late-night Italo-disco cocktail lounge and rooftop terrazza with DJs. Then sidle into the adjoining terraces, which expand the footprint of the new Abercrombie, for an aperitivo wine bar and shop, Lil Sis, also open until the early hours.
How late? Think 5am on Friday and Saturday, and 2am every other night.
Good for: Live music, gyros and pokie-free fun are all on the agenda at this Sydney institution that has long supported Sydney's music and arts scene.
How late? They don't stay up late through the work week, but you can rock on until 5am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Good for: The delicious drinks. The Cuba Calling #2 is a sharp, bright take on a Daiquiri, made with the citrusy punch of pineapple. Or for something that takes a little more consideration, order from their in-house barrel-aged spirits list.
How late? This YCK Laneways bar is open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, and midnight every other night.
Good for: Live music every night of the week except Monday when it's closed. Across two floors, this Marrickville venue hosts all genres of music (with a bit of a focus on blues, roots, R'n'B, funk, soul). The rooms have a plush yet quirky feel to them, the vibe is welcoming and cosy, and there’s an eclectic grown-up vibe. Expect to pay a modest cover charge.
How late? 3am Fri-Sat; midnight Tues-Thurs; 10pm Sunday
Good for: A pre- or post-drink before a show at the Enmore Theatre, given its close proximity to The Duke. Or stay at the corner pub the whole night and dance to a local band (there are live gigs four nights a week at The Duke).
How late? You can toe tap and sink beers at The Duke until 2.30am Wednesday though to Saturday nights.
Good for: Formerly known as Zanzibar, Webster's still offers rooftop good times and late-night party vibes for Newtown locals and visitors alike.
How late? The main bar is open until 4am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, though just note that the rooftop bar closes earlier.
Good for: There are four main quadrants to this late-night hotel at the tipping point of King Street – an area (including a nice, sunken beer garden) to suit every taste.
How late? You can sink craft beers until 4am on Wednesday to Saturday nights, and 2am every other night except Sunday.
Good for: This two-level bar and restaurant on Little Hunter Street in the Sydney CBD serves Lebanese-inspired cuisine and dancing on the tables is encouraged – they literally raised the roof to allow people to dance on tabletops.
How late? Zaffi is open until 4am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Good for: Whatever you're looking for – a schooey and game of pool downstairs at The Montague, or a Martini and a boogie upstairs at BAD Harriet’s (a disco-ball-lit, late-night dance floor with DJs. FYI: This pub used to be called The Ritz.
How late? 2am every night of the week except Sunday when it closes at 10pm
Good for: Once a watering hole for elderly gents, the Strawberry Hills has been rebirthed as a hipster hideaway following a decent refurbishment.
How late? Weekdays see this pub open until 6am, on Saturdays you can get loose until 5am, and Sunday is their sensible night when they wrap things up at midnight.
Good for: This YCK Laneways venue, named after Cuban sugar baron Julio Lobo, has an underground rum bar vibe. The bartenders create cocktails with precision. And fire, if you order the Old Grogram.
How late? It's open until 2am every night. Not bad for a small bar.
Good for: This Rozelle pub is known for having supported live music for about four decades now. Plus, it's got a 24-hour licence, which has earned it a reputation as the 'Last Chance for Romance' in this neck of the Inner West.
How late? It's open all the time.
Good for: Anyone on the Northside will know that the late-night hijinks are few and far between. The Crowie is an exception to this rule, with DJs and cover bands on the weekend.
How late? The real appeal here lies in its 6am closing time on Friday nights and 5am on Saturdays. On Mondays and Tuesdays it's 3 am, on Wednesdays and Thursdays it's 4am, and on Sunday they shut up shop at the more conservative midnight.
Good for: This cheap and cheerful student hangout is perfect for sinking a late night beer to cap off the night and challenging your mate to a round of 3am pool.
How late? Bar Broadway is one of the few Sydney boozers that stays open until the crack of dawn, pouring schooners until 6am on Friday and Saturdays and until 4am every other night.
Good for: Natural wines, darts, pool and schnitties. This Oxford St gem is one of our favourite pubs in Sydney, and the fact that it stays open late on weekends makes it that much sweeter.
How late? Early in the week you'll find the Unicorn open until midnight – and until 10pm on Sundays. Friday to Saturday though, things kick on until 3am.
Good for: Late-night karaoke shenanigans, arcade games, dancefloor antics and whisky highballs.
How late? You can saunter up to this Mary St joint until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights and 1am on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Don't rock up between Sunday and Tuesday, though – they're closed.
Good for: The Gladdy is a surefire good time, with a very eclectic mix of both party nights and punters. One night you may find local record label I Oh You hosting a Saturday evening boogie, the next may be a hip hop shindig with live graffiti.
How late? Thursday through to Saturday you can pop into this corner pub until 3am. Monday through Wednesday it's midnight, and 10pm on Sunday.
Good for: Handsome and dimly lit, this dignified watering hole is just that little bit smarter than your average pub, thanks to a well-stocked back bar, noteworthy wine list and cracking snacks from the Queen Chow kitchen.
How late? They call time at 2.30am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Good for: If you're looking for one more (excellent) tipple in a speasy-style setting, Palmer and Co delivers.
How late? Espresso Martini dreaming? The subterranean bar stays open until 3am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Good for: A last resort for some, but so few venues boast being open this long that that, in and of itself, is a drawcard. Televised sport, live music and more than 40 beer and cider taps are nothing to frown about either.
How late? 9am to 6am, every day!
Good for: Need to discuss the arthouse film you saw at the Orpheum earlier in the evening? Do it over a drink at this Mosman venue channeling NYC piano bar vibes.
How late? This Military Rd mainstay is open until 4am from Thursday to Saturday night, making it a popular spot for just-over-18-year-olds right through to old school locals.
Good for: This solid local has cheap meals and big screens for sports, pool tables and a video jukebox. It's open 24 hours and it's next to Central.
How late? This pub is open all day, every day.
Good for: Whatever your flavour, Jolene’s will cater to just about every malt, rye, grain and wheat-based whim, with more than 150 whiskeys on the back bar, 100 of which are American imports. It's a Tennessee-inspired basement whiskey bar, after all. They also have a stage and they use it for live music.
How late? You can stay until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Good for: It's not the most atmospheric pub in Sydney, but stays open into the wee hours of the morning. And it's good for sports fans, thanks to the sheer number of screens showing live sport from around the world that give diehard fans a reason to celebrate – especially when the something like a FIFA World Cup rolls around.
How late? Cheers is open from 9am to 6pm every day.
Good for: Gin. The Barber Shop has been a cheerleader for this spirit since opening.
How late? Cosy in until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, 1am on Thursdays, and midnight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Good for: This Kingsford corner pub is one of the closest to UNSW and it shows – staff and customers skew young. And to be honest, that chance to relive your uni days is part of what makes this your best bet along the Kingsford-to-Kensington Anzac Parade strip.
How late? The good times roll till 4am Monday through Thursday, while Friday and Saturday nights let you keep going until 6am and 5am respectively.
Good for: Uni students, loyal locals and sport enthusiasts gather here for cheap beers, large screens and very (very) late operating hours.
How late? Monday through Thursday, they call it at 5am. On Friday and Saturday, they stay open until 6am. And on Sunday they close at midnight.
Good for: People who don't like sleep, or slogging it home at dawn. Their Morning Glory event on Sundays opens its doors at 5am on Sunday morning, and closes them at noon. Head to Cockle Bay for big party energy, a seemingly never-ending rave, and the ultimate kick-on.
How late? Until noon, on Sunday morning.
Good for: With a late, late licence and conveniently situated but a hop, step and a woozy stagger from Newtown train station, it's an integral part of the community, and a go-to for locals.
How late: The weekend kicks on here, and on Friday and Saturday nights you'll find the Townie open until 4am.
Every year we put our livers and sleep patterns on the line to bring you, dear reader, a comprehensive guide to the best bars in town to make sure your evenings never run dry.
Sydney loves to party: we'll party on the roof, in the basement, by the pool, and at suburban bowling clubs. We've collected our city's best clubs and nightlife hotspots so you can make the most of Sydney's untz, untz, untz scene on your next big night out.
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