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✍️ 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.
Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should – is what you might think when you see the words Dirty Daiquiri written at the very top of the drinks menu at the Razz Room.
The usually sweet, often fruity, cocktail of rum, lime and sugar syrup doesn’t feel like a particularly suitable spot for a stick of olives and a squirt of brine.
But maybe Razz Room’s seasoned proprietor, Odd Culture (The Imperial, Old Fitz, Duke of Enmore, Pleasure Club, Bar Bruno, Bistro Grenier), actually knows a thing or two about this business – because the Dirty Daiquiri alone is worth the visit.
The sweet-but-briny concoction, its fluffy, aerated body punctured with a spear of three green olives, is the best way to settle into this deep-red den that sits somewhere beneath the ground between York and George Street in the CBD.
The vibe
You have to imagine they kept the wall of wheelie bins out front to add to the mystique. Behind them, steps descend to a low-lit, cinematic room, fronted by a curvy blue maître d' desk.
It’s intimate: lots of little tables and chairs huddled together and cloaked by velvet curtains.
The front room is completely full on a weeknight, though I’m told it’s a bit of an anomaly. But midweek dining is only part of the picture for the self-styled discotheque and Daiquiri bar, which opened its doors in April.
Behind a screen lies the late-night dance floor, sparkling with gnarled disco balls.
There’s live music almost every night, always free to enter, with doors closing at 4am Thursday through Saturday.
The drinks
As you’d expect, the cocktail list – overseen by group beverage manager Jordan Blackman – goes hard on the Daiquiris. There’s both classic and strawberry options ($25), plus two frozen Daiquiri slushies ($21), as well as two shot-sized “Snaquiries” ($13) – one with Bacardi coconut, mango and lime; the other with yuzushu and Tamagawa sake.
While the Dirty Daiquiri ($25) is no doubt the pick of the bunch, you also have a slate of house and classic recipes to choose from.
The Amaretto Sour ($26) is a hedonistic take, topping bourbon, amaretto, apricot brandy and lemon with a hefty dollop of whipped Advocaat.
There’s also a Rusty Nail ($26), the usual blend of scotch and Drambuie, dressed up with gingersnap bitters and beeswax. Sporting an orange peel-wrapped maraschino cherry, this is a sweeter hit than the OG.
“Definitely Not A Japanese Slipper” ($26) is a glowing, neon-green spectacle, a medley of tequila, Midori melon, fino sherry and lime chastened with a sprinkling of fiery poblano. There are three frozen melon balls there for you to thaw in this sharp and juicy tipple.
The food
The food menu draws yet more intrigue.
There’s a semi-retro theme. A prawn cocktail ($24) arrives in a large Martini glass, packing half a dozen tiger prawns in a thatch of shredded lettuce and “Marie Jazz” sauce. It’s light and fresh, especially with a full squeeze of lemon over the top.
The “dirty royale” cheeseburger ($29) is sliced in half and served face down on a plate of sticky béchamel. The sauce helps to compensate for a fairly dry bun and minimal filler.
There are a few misses. The “cheese dream toastie” ($18) could do with a few more shaves of cheddar. The choc-fudge sundae ($12) loads up on the whipped cream but seems to leave the choc-fudge behind.
But most of the clientele, here for the Daiquiris and the dancefloor, needn’t go further than the snack menu.
The garlic knots ($10) are the standout here. These twists of fried dough, made to be doused in a hot garlic and chilli butter dip, are the perfect salty side to a tray of cocktails.
Time Out tip
Go late or go early. Razz Room holds its “velvet hour” every day from 4 to 6pm, with loads of food and drinks going at cut prices. Or wait till midnight for “late-night Daiquiri hour”, where classic Daiquiris are poured at just $13 a pop.