Sydney bar and pub reviews

There is a demonic gargoyle on the bar at the Absinthe Salon, a poster of Marilyn Manson on the wall and our waitress is wearing a tight, leather corset. The bar itself, just beyond the bottle shop you pass through upon entering, is aiming for La Belle Époque – French-style café seating, a green fairy splashed across one wall – but the overall feel is a little more Rob Zombie than Moulin Rouge. And we can get down with that. Especially when a pre-dinner drink at the Absinthe Salon is so much fun. Once you're seated, one of the waitresses working the floor will float over and explain what absinthe is (anise-flavoured spirit, highly alcoholic, made more complex with different herbs); what absinthe isn't ("it is not a hallucinogenic, but it will make you feel amazing"); and how to drink it. Here, she will demonstrate: ice is placed in the lamp-like absinthe fountain on your table, along with water; a cube of sugar is sat on an absinthe spoon above your glass; and a faucet on the fountain is turned so that water drips onto the cube, slowly dissolving the sugar as it trickles down into your glass of absinthe below. The green liquid grows cloudy and you begin to smell the herbs. It's an elaborate process, so reserve time if you're popping in. And do take their advice: while the more potent absinthe varieties here are more interesting and complex (up to 75 per cent proof), start with something milder (like the Francois Guy, from Pontarlier, 45 per cent proof) if, like us,...

The Angel Hotel in the CBD is a time capsule for old-school inner-city drinking. Don’t get us wrong. Come 5pm our city’s workforce still hit the bars with undiminished ferocity, but with the influx of small bars, cocktail caves, craft beer barns and high-end establishments, the old-fashioned boozer slinging pints and pies is a dying breed. They like the old ways at the Angel so we get called sweetie when we order a frosty schooner of Coopers, but we’re not sweet enough to get access to the 100 Pints Club. The engraved glasses hung above the low wooden bar are all that remains of this defunct, and no doubt merry, club. The bar is laid with beautiful, ornate tiles and the windows out onto Angel Place are the kind of rippled stained glass that wouldn’t look out of place in a Victorian manor. There’s a dedicated sandwich menu at lunchtime; after work you can get a pie or sausage roll from the warmer behind the bar; or there’s always a bag of crisps. They keep things similarly stripped back on the taps. There’s Coopers Green, Heineken, Super Dry, New, James Squires Pale Ale and a cider. It’s not a huge range but they are cold, clean and properly poured. Below ground is where they keep the gaming lounge and upstairs is a worn-in lounge bar with red velvet chairs, chesterfields and ornate lampshades that look like they were borrowed from a Parisian cat-house. Never change, old friend.

✍️ 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. In the basement of a heritage warehouse in Sydney’s CBD you’ll find a Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar named for the ill-fated wife of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mobster masterpiece, The Godfather. But don’t let that put you off. For those of us who have been lying about having seen The Godfather their whole lives, good news. Every page of the drinks menu will run you through the storyline (spoilers lie within, but it’s literally been 50 years) so you can impress your date with cinematic knowledge while sipping on a Letter Never Sent, a standout concoction of wheat vodka, honey liquor, pineapple, clove, housemade almond syrup and fresh nutmeg, shaken and served over ice. Dimly lit and dramatic as the movie itself, Apollonia is, by sheer geography alone, a triumph. Carved into the sandstone bedrock of Customs House, the hand-chipped, 150-year-old walls have been ambitiously transported to the 21st century, with accents of marble bars, deeply stained wooden finishes, mismatched tiles and red leather banquette seating. The vibe is sophisticated and plush, a naturally cosy cave with dark carpeted flooring that we suspect this will be a top after-work date bar for years to come. With gold and velvet finishings and abundant in (oh, so...

✍️ 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. Update: Redfern’s fairy-lit hangout Arcadia has been going strong for more than a decade, fuelling Sydneysiders with excellent drinks and toasties. It’s a prime spot for a first date (trust us) or knock-off drinks. And you can swing by on Sundays for cheap Margs. – Avril Treasure Read on for our review of Arcadia Liquors from 2016 by Emily Lloyd-Tait. ***** One of Redfern’s original small bars is still as loud, fairy-lit and friendly as ever. And cheap. Where else can you get a eminently drinkable semillon sauvignon for six bucks and a grilled ham cheese and tomato sandwich for a fiver, other than student housing? There is a wonderful reliability to any visit to Arcadia. It’s always full but somehow you can manage to rustle up a bar stool or one of those vintage metal chairs, or find a spot out in the brick courtyard featuring many hanging plants and all the nautical paintings available at Vinnies. Since the smoking laws changed the back is saved for the smokers – if you’re hanging out for a chicken or ham and salami sarnie off the fancy toastie menu, stick to indoor seats. They haven’t changed much since first opening – if it ain’t broke and all that – which means there’s still three beer taps featuring something German and two local brews – Tooheys was...

Ever since they pulled the dust cloths off the shining copper stills in the distillery back in March of 2014 and started pumping out gin, vodka, rum and white rye we’ve been singing the praises of this impressive operation located on Rosebery’s most innovative block. Not only is it one of Sydney's most beautiful bars, the local edge and carefully crafted spirits do nothing but add to the romance. Under the watchful eye of head of hospitality, Harriet Leigh (ex Hazy Rose and Henrietta Supper Club) you can be sure they're stirring up a five-star house gin Martini with a precise brine balance. You are in very good hands here. A gutsy cocktail list is ever evolving and playful, with tipples like the Papaya Don't Preach; a concoction of Archie Rose Native Botanical Vodka, blood orange, lime, papaya, peach, pineapple and chili salt; The Pear Necessities that combines Archie Rose Distiller’s Strength Gin, bergamot, lavender, lemon, pear and sparkling wine; or the Baby Got Mac – Archie Rose White Rye, citrus, coconut, wattleseed, macadamia and mango. As well as investing in the use of native botanicals, the crew at Archie Rose don't shy away from a dizzying number of collabs with other local legends. A glance at the cocktail list boasts input from the Sydney Opera House, Blasphemy Coffee and even the Sydney Cricket Ground. The room is the last word in industrial elegance. It’s separated from the distillery by a heavy-duty metal grille and a wall of spirit barrels. On the bar side,...

Officially, this little pub on Oxford Street is called the Arts Bar. However locals and old timers will often refer to it as the Rose Shamrock and Thistle, or even the Three Weeds: it depends on who you’re talking to. Arts Bar makes sense, given its proximity to the College of Fine Arts. Though it’s housed in a beautiful Art Deco Building there’s nothing hifalutin about this public house. It’s got the cream mottled tiles and multiple doorways opening out onto the street of your classic corner boozer and the floor inside is a mix of concrete and tiles – you could easily hose the whole place out if needed. Inside it’s all green and yellow tiles, glowing orange and yellow light boxes, tall stools, swivel chairs and old orange vinyl chairs. They pull a pretty mixed crowd, with young and elastic students talking earnestly about their ‘practice’ and making plans for surfing adventures while retirees sit opposite and share a little late night ice cream out of a curled glass bowl. The variety might be due to the very friendly staff who adopt a more-the-merrier approach, or perhaps it’s the Tuesday special of slow-cooked lamb that’s pulling people through the doors. They pour a decent Kilkenny if you like Irish cream ale, but for our money we’ll take a pint of Young Henrys, Stone and Wood or Murray’s Angry Man instead. They tick the boxes on all the pub food staples, and also do bananas in rum and a chocolate pudding that comes highly recommended by our smiling barman. The Arts Bar...

You may well be able to lob a tennis ball from George Street to this quiet pedestrian alley but you wouldn’t know it from the relaxed pace of the punters stopping in for a glass of wine at this little bistro. Decompress out in the breezy laneway or up at the bar where French house featuring atmospheric horns keeps the vibe on a low simmer and devote all your remaining energies to the wine menu. They have an internationally diverse, by-the-glass list that lets you sample the wines of Austria, Romania, South Africa, Greece, Argentina, Germany, the US, Chile and Slovenia, in addition to Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand. And the best part is they offer tasting glasses for half the price of a full pour so you take a little tour without breaking the bank. Depending on the weather and the day you’ve had they might steer you towards a bright, fruity Domaine de Beavernay gamay from Beaujolais, or possibly a ribolla gialla from Friuli. There’s not much to the operation here. The open-plan space spills out into the lane and the wine is stored up high in black timber racks. The kitchen can sort out a serious hunger with lamb cutlets or grilled spitchcock, but a rich, golden toastie with jamon and truffled gruyere will also stop hunger in its tracks.  Time Out Awards 2010Best Wine Bar View this year's Time Out Bar Award winners  

In case of fire, assemble at the designated meeting spot. In case of thirst, go get cocktails at Assembly. You might not expect an ace bar to be hiding down on the lower ground floor of what is ostensibly a hub of Asian cheap eats, but the buzzy precinct behind the KFC on the corner of George and Bathurst Streets has many secrets. Not only can you get a kooky soft-serve in a halo of fairy floss from Aqua S; a fragrant char kway teo from Sedap Malaysian Kopitiam; and a king’s ransom in rice paper rolls from Miss Chu – there’s booze too. This must be what heaven is like. When something gets an award everyone wants to get involved – especially if it’s delicious. Sullivans Cove French oak barrel-aged single malt sold out after they won a world whisky award in 2014, and people are still queuing for a taste of the mandorla affogato gelato from Cow and the Moon. And at Assembly you can order a stack of award-winning cocktails. The Linda Russian, crowned by a 2014 Stoli comp, proves you don’t need an ingredient list a mile long to make a good drink. Almond syrup is an excellent foil to the zingy punch of fresh pineapple juice – and with a glug of vodka in the mix you’ve got a summer refresher that demands an encore. The up’n’go qualities of a Vodka Espresso are perfect fuel before a gig over at the Metro, but these guys have chucked out the vodka and are shaking up rum, Frangelico, Kahlua and cold drip coffee, and the results are excellent. There are a ridiculous number of dining...

There’s something to be said for setting up your brewery and pub in the North West of Sydney – there’s a lot of space out this way. The Australian Hotel and Brewery (conveniently located next door to Bunnings, FYI) is set on a massive block just off Old Winsor Road. From the outside it looks like a warehouse with an enormous parking lot. But inside it’s a pub-lovers Disneyland. It’s been kitted out in good Australian fashion with exposed brick, warm lighting, raw timber and rusty iron decorations. In addition to housing the brewery itself they’ve got a spacious bistro, sports bar, pokies lounge and games room, plus an enormous bar operating at the centre of everything. Love watching sport but hate sitting on a bar stool? They’ve got cushy leather recliners lined up like a mini sports cinema. Brought your ankle biters with you? Here they have a dedicated kids club with a jungle gym and a super-soft play area for really tiny humans. They even host kids birthday parties. When you have the same amount of space as a standard Chippendale block you can do whatever you damn well please. They keep a collection of standard lagers on tap but the interesting stuff here is the brews they make on site. Their Mexican lager served with fresh lime is a light, summery glass of refreshment, but if you aren’t afraid of some forceful flavours go the extra hoppy ale – a coppery amber ale with a fresh, bitter finish. They also make a pilsner, pale ale, strong Belgium golden ale, steam ale, amber...

At Bacco, you can eat, drink or simply get some pastries to go. But we like to drink. The cocktail list will be right up your alley if you like floral, fruity drinks but you can totally ignore the list if your tastes run to straighter stuff - the bar staff are incredibly accomplished and can make anything you hit them with. If you do order off the list, try the Caesar's Cup - served long, it's a mix of gin, red wine and house-made mint lemonade, garnished with a wedge of grapefruit and a wedge of cucumber. The Giorgio il Bello involves a glass rolled in rhubarb sugar and filled with a mix of Aperol, St Germain elderflower liqueur and pinot grigio, topped with more of that house-made lemonade. Sweet? Yes. Deadly? Most certainly. The L'Arrogante is the winner off the list: tequila, house-made sweet vermouth and fresh squeezed grapefruit served short. If cocktails and spirits aren't your thing, Delicado's Ben Moechtar has put together the wine list. They also give you little snacks (spuntini) through the night. They're gratis, and delicious. The space, designed by Michael McCann, is all warm wood, low, long booths and tinkling, grape-shaped purple lights. Sit up at the bar, admire the huge booze selection, marvel at the cold larder filled with cured meats and raise a glass to Bacchus - the guy that loved a drink.

We spot the candy cane umbrellas first. Red and white striped, they stand tall out the front of Woolloomooloo’s historic Old Fitzroy Hotel. The three-storey brick and butter building looks well-worn yet strong – which makes sense when you consider the Old Fitz is around 150 years old. The pub is surrounded by leafy green trees, punters are out the front knocking back cold ones, and today it’s glowing in the spring sunshine. Just from the exterior, you can tell the old boozer has more character and charm than a new opening could dream of. Fun fact: The Old Fitzroy Hotel is the only remaining theatre pub in Australia (it’s found out the back and down the stairs). Locals have been coming here for decades to see some of the most interesting and cutting-edge theatre in the country, overseen by Red Line Productions who look after the whole shebang. Our arts & culture editor tells us just last week she saw two of Australia's most legendary cabaret artists  – Paul Capsis and iOTA – perform in a reimagining of absurdist classic The Chairs directed by trailblazing director Gale Edwards. Impressive. Inside, touches of ritz and old-world glamour are juxtaposed with grit and grunge. Sparkling chandeliers drip crystals from the intricate pressed-tin ceiling, and portraits of Australia’s most famous playwrights dress the walls. The furniture is mis-matched, the carpet crimson, and you can tell there’s been many a rollicking late night within those walls. We wish we were there. A friendly...

In a city loaded with hidden gems – concealed in dark alleys and dingy basements, behind unmarked doors and unassuming shop windows – there are other venues that go for the opposite approach, sucking you in with a blast of bright lights and loud noises. The Dolphin Hotel is one of those. You can hear it coming from a dozen doors down on Crown Street. Baselines blare from open windows, diners chatter cheerily from curbside tables, a giant banner strung from the first floor balcony reads: You Want a Pizza Me? Stepping inside is like entering the heart of the storm. This isn’t, after all, your standard Sydney pub. Walls wrinkle with off-white fabric, tables and chairs pop with black-on-white faux graffiti, daily specials are taped to arbitrary vertical surfaces. The place is positively sprawling, opening into a collection of distinct dining rooms and bar areas, including an outdoor terrace and street seating.The clientele is young, smartly dressed, and – on weekends – in a riotous mood. The packs of day drinkers and hen parties are more likely to be after a tray of sours than a perfect pizza. But that hasn’t stopped the hotel’s head honchos from serving that up. They’ve spent the last few months building the Delfino Pizzeria, a dedicated in-house pizza kitchen. It boasts a handmade Neapolitan Mesiano wood oven, a dough recipe made of three types of Italy-imported flours, and the masterful hands of head pizzaiola Sasha Smiljanic, who previously led the kitchen at popular...

There are pubs, and those are fine – the locals built for cheap beer, sport on the flatscreens, decent schnitzels, stained carpet and colour-dyed tip jars. The ones where you drop in on a Tuesday night for a $10 steak with your mates and buy into the meat raffle not because it’s anywhere special, but because it’s not bad, and you can walk home. Public House Petersham? It’s a public house. It says so in the name, then backs it up with the kind of spirit that draws in not only locals but people who’ll cross town to get here.  The most appealing part is that this place is not doing anything your local isn’t, it’s just doing it better. Want craft beer? It’s on tap. But wait, is that Marrickville's Batch Brewing Company setting up with a nano-brewery in the carpark? Want to bring [insert dog name here]? Go for it, and let him jump onto the seats while you’re at it – PHP takes being dog friendly (and cat friendly, for that matter) seriously. Want to soak up the sun in the summer? Do it in the sprawling courtyard to a soundtrack of Dire Straits and Blondie, then cool down when the mist machines fire. Want to shoot pool? Go ahead, then have a round on the pinball machines for good measure.  There’s no agenda here. No one trying to push their vision. Which is another way of saying PHP is a place for everyone. The ham and pineapple pizza on the kids’ menu comes out of the same woodfire oven as the Margherita (the “Famous Original”) for the adults. And no one’s going to judge anybody...

August 2025 update: Three things are front and center at Bar Copains, the eternally pumping wine bar on the corner of Albion Street in Surry Hills. And those are extremely delicious plates of food, a strong wine list and all-round good times. Sure, it’s hard to get a seat, but if you do, those crisp nuggets of shredded pork topped with a zingy sauce gribiche and pickles will make all the effort worthwhile. I mean, I love Bar Copains so much I came here on my most recent birthday. Make sure you also check out its sibling venues Bessie's and Vin-Cenzo's. But come here first. Read on for our review of Bar Copains  ***** ✍️ 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. It’s about as difficult to define 'cool' as it is to pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded after a coupla Negronis. Crocs were not but now they are; laughing emojis are (apparently) not; and even the humble burrata looks like it’s on its way out (RIP). If it’s difficult to define, it’s even more challenging to manufacture, as the action of trying to be cool is very much uncool. When you see cool, you just know. And that’s exactly what will happen if you stroll into Bar Copains, Surry Hills’ new friendly neighbourhood wine bar. 'Copains' means 'friends' in French, which is an apt name for this gem by longtime mates and chefs Morgan McGlone...

✍️ 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.  No website. No phone number. Not even an Instagram. Just a clutch of glowy, slick-haired, well-dressed Sydneysiders sipping wine and waiting for a table with the determination of a 10-year-old chasing a Labubu. That’s when you know you’re onto something good. And Paradise, the new wine bar on the corner of Roslyn Street and Ward Avenue in Potts Point, is better than good. That’s because it’s the latest from two people who know what they’re doing: Gio and Enrico Paradiso – the brothers who, alongside Marco Ambrosino, co-founded Sydney staple Fratelli Paradiso back in 2001, before going on to open another hit, 10 William St, in 2010. Just a few months in, Paradise is already humming with big European energy and Potts Point cool. Groups of friends spill onto the sidewalk, glasses of orange wine in hand. Couples snack on crusty baguettes and nutty cheese. There’s a vibey buzz in the air. I don’t know if there’s a better street corner to be on come Saturday night. Though, a waitlist would be good. The vibe It feels cliché – even lazy – to write I’m in paradise at Paradise, but that’s really how I feel with salty snacks, chilled vino and great conversation backdropped to a golden peach sky. As well as alfresco seating, inside you can opt to sit at the bar or at...

✍️ 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. The first wave ever surfed in Australia was by Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku, and it happened at Freshwater Beach back in 1914. Since then, countless breaks have been glided on – a few by yours truly – and now, come summer, finding a wave to ride solo at Freshie is like walking on the surrounding dry grass and not stepping on a bindi. It just doesn’t happen. That’s because the charm of Freshwater – from its blue rolling waves, soft sand and famed ocean pool – is as alluring today as it was to Mr Kahanamoku back then. Crowded, perhaps. But is Freshie still one of Sydney’s – heck, Australia’s – best beaches? You bloody bet it is. And you know what goes hand in hand with a day of sun, sand and sea? An ice-cold beer and a damn good feed. Thankfully, we know a place. That spot is Harbord Hotel, the suburb’s main watering hole found a one-minute stroll from the beach. Built in 1928, the pub was formerly called the Harbord Beach Hotel – or the Harbord Hilton, to locals. (Why? Because Freshwater used to be called Harbord.) It was known for its buttercup-yellow exterior and red roof; a place where you could come with sand still on your legs for a schnitty and catch up with mates. And let’s face it, for being a little rough around the edges. In 2020, the beloved...

✍️ 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. Suspend your reality for a moment. Imagine it's 1980s Australia and you're a True Blue Bruce. This is truly your time. On the cusp of its five-year birthday, Hawke's Brewing Company, the brewery co-founded by former prime minister Bob Hawke, has thrown open the doors of a flagship venue, housed inside its newly built 2,100 square-metre brewery in Marrickville. Dubbed the Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre in honour of the company’s late namesake, the club is a cathedralesque space adorned with enormous brew tanks, museum-like pool rooms, and a nostalgic RLS-style Australian-Chinese bistro from one of Sydney's top chefs. The venue is delivering a full service bar, fronted by ten taps pouring Hawke’s core range beers, plus a rotation of new “One Hit Wonder” limited release styles. The addition of the venue’s Chinese-Australian bistro rounds out the Leisure Centre’s quintessential '80s-pub and community club experience. If your mind is immediately cast back to your childhood of sizzling black bean steak, honey prawns, san choy bao and deep-fried ice cream – in this case, an equally '80s-tastic Vienetta – you're spot on. View this post on Instagram A post shared by avriltreasure (@avriltreasure) Developed by chef Nic Wong (Cho Cho San,...

✍️ 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. The lingering question of whether you can sip on a Japanese Slipper under a ceiling made of 750 upturned sports trophies somewhere in the vicinity of central Sydney has finally been settled. The answer’s yes. Behind a pale yellow window that beams onto a dark corner of Cleveland Street, Baptist Street Rec Club sits inside a former heritage bank building, a floor up from sister venue Island Radio. It’s one of several hot new venues to open in Redfern and Surry Hills’ new mega precinct, Wunderlich Lane. The retro cocktail bar is the latest venture from House Made Hospitality, whose footprint in this city already includes the likes of Promenade Bondi Beach, Martinez, Easy Tiger and The Carrington, as well as four levels of bars and restaurants at Circular Quay’s Hinchcliff House. Through the lemon-lit entryway, a wooden staircase climbs into a small bar room with a spongy orange carpet and walls jammed with vintage movie posters, gig flyers and framed photos of Aussie icons. To one side there’s a DJ nook with a swirling disco ball and shelves of amber-tinged vinyls. The venue then twists left through a corridor of chattering leather booths before opening up into the ‘Trophy Room’ – a boisterous shrine to local glory days, where hundreds of sports trophies...

✍️ 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.  Does The Dry Dock in Balmain serve up Sydney’s best scotch egg? I haven’t tried them all, but I’d put my money on it. It’s fried until golden and crisp on the outside, with a savoury, juicy, well-seasoned pork filling and a gooey yolk. Sauce piquante brings sweetness and tang, balancing the richness and making it the perfect bar snack – even better with an on-point Bloody Mary after a big night out. But The Dry Dock does more than excellent British snacks. I’d also say Balmain’s historic boozer is one of Sydney’s finest pubs. Considering how packed it is with locals on a Sunday evening, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so. The vibe Established in 1857, the heritage-listed Dry Dock is the oldest licensed pub in Balmain. In the mid-1800s, it was frequented by Mort’s Dock workers – Australia’s first ‘dry dock’ – in search of a cold ale. In November 2023, after a year-long renovation, the venue was reopened under new ownership by seasoned hospitality professional James Ingram (ex-Merivale, Rockpool, Solotel, Etymon) and Balmain local Mike Everett, with the main goal of creating a haven for locals. It’s a beautiful, multifaceted pub, designed by interior architect Bianca Isgro – the kind I wish was around the corner from me. There’s alfresco seating...

✍️ 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. It’s just after 9pm on a Monday and three thoughts come to mind. First, Joji shimmers as much as the jewellery found below in the Cartier flagship store. Second, the DJ’s seamless transitions from funky house to disco beats are on point. And third: wow, there’s a line of people waiting to get a seat inside the city’s newest rooftop bar. On a school night. I suddenly feel an urge to tell everyone who thinks Sydney’s nightlife is dead that they couldn’t be more wrong. Joji opened in the second half of 2024 at 388 George Street, on level five. It’s the first foray into the bar world for the Esca Group, though their CV is strong, with Middle Eastern, Martin Place-diner Aalia, pretty-and-pink Nour, modern Japanese spot Ito and pan-Asian restaurant Lilymu under their wings. The inside is polished and glamorous, with warm lighting, earthy tones, a shiny silver DJ station, sleek wooden bar and plush curved booths. There’s indoor seating and a wraparound terrace, and on this warm evening, I reckon that’s the ticket. It’s also apparent that Gucci may be out of stock because every bag in Sydney is here. The cocktail menu draws from the Japanese principles of simplicity, imperfection and creativity. My pick is the Geisha, made with fresh yuzu gin, nashi pear, passion...

We spot the candy cane umbrellas first. Red and white striped, they stand tall out the front of Woolloomooloo’s historic Old Fitzroy Hotel. The three-storey brick and butter building looks well-worn yet strong – which makes sense when you consider the Old Fitz is around 150 years old. The pub is surrounded by leafy green trees, punters are out the front knocking back cold ones, and today it’s glowing in the spring sunshine. Just from the exterior, you can tell the old boozer has more character and charm than a new opening could dream of. Fun fact: The Old Fitzroy Hotel is the only remaining theatre pub in Australia (it’s found out the back and down the stairs). Locals have been coming here for decades to see some of the most interesting and cutting-edge theatre in the country, overseen by Red Line Productions who look after the whole shebang. Our arts & culture editor tells us just last week she saw two of Australia's most legendary cabaret artists  – Paul Capsis and iOTA – perform in a reimagining of absurdist classic The Chairs directed by trailblazing director Gale Edwards. Impressive. Inside, touches of ritz and old-world glamour are juxtaposed with grit and grunge. Sparkling chandeliers drip crystals from the intricate pressed-tin ceiling, and portraits of Australia’s most famous playwrights dress the walls. The furniture is mis-matched, the carpet crimson, and you can tell there’s been many a rollicking late night within those walls. We wish we were there. A friendly...

In a city loaded with hidden gems – concealed in dark alleys and dingy basements, behind unmarked doors and unassuming shop windows – there are other venues that go for the opposite approach, sucking you in with a blast of bright lights and loud noises. The Dolphin Hotel is one of those. You can hear it coming from a dozen doors down on Crown Street. Baselines blare from open windows, diners chatter cheerily from curbside tables, a giant banner strung from the first floor balcony reads: You Want a Pizza Me? Stepping inside is like entering the heart of the storm. This isn’t, after all, your standard Sydney pub. Walls wrinkle with off-white fabric, tables and chairs pop with black-on-white faux graffiti, daily specials are taped to arbitrary vertical surfaces. The place is positively sprawling, opening into a collection of distinct dining rooms and bar areas, including an outdoor terrace and street seating.The clientele is young, smartly dressed, and – on weekends – in a riotous mood. The packs of day drinkers and hen parties are more likely to be after a tray of sours than a perfect pizza. But that hasn’t stopped the hotel’s head honchos from serving that up. They’ve spent the last few months building the Delfino Pizzeria, a dedicated in-house pizza kitchen. It boasts a handmade Neapolitan Mesiano wood oven, a dough recipe made of three types of Italy-imported flours, and the masterful hands of head pizzaiola Sasha Smiljanic, who previously led the kitchen at popular...

There are pubs, and those are fine – the locals built for cheap beer, sport on the flatscreens, decent schnitzels, stained carpet and colour-dyed tip jars. The ones where you drop in on a Tuesday night for a $10 steak with your mates and buy into the meat raffle not because it’s anywhere special, but because it’s not bad, and you can walk home. Public House Petersham? It’s a public house. It says so in the name, then backs it up with the kind of spirit that draws in not only locals but people who’ll cross town to get here.  The most appealing part is that this place is not doing anything your local isn’t, it’s just doing it better. Want craft beer? It’s on tap. But wait, is that Marrickville's Batch Brewing Company setting up with a nano-brewery in the carpark? Want to bring [insert dog name here]? Go for it, and let him jump onto the seats while you’re at it – PHP takes being dog friendly (and cat friendly, for that matter) seriously. Want to soak up the sun in the summer? Do it in the sprawling courtyard to a soundtrack of Dire Straits and Blondie, then cool down when the mist machines fire. Want to shoot pool? Go ahead, then have a round on the pinball machines for good measure.  There’s no agenda here. No one trying to push their vision. Which is another way of saying PHP is a place for everyone. The ham and pineapple pizza on the kids’ menu comes out of the same woodfire oven as the Margherita (the “Famous Original”) for the adults. And no one’s going to judge anybody...

August 2025 update: Three things are front and center at Bar Copains, the eternally pumping wine bar on the corner of Albion Street in Surry Hills. And those are extremely delicious plates of food, a strong wine list and all-round good times. Sure, it’s hard to get a seat, but if you do, those crisp nuggets of shredded pork topped with a zingy sauce gribiche and pickles will make all the effort worthwhile. I mean, I love Bar Copains so much I came here on my most recent birthday. Make sure you also check out its sibling venues Bessie's and Vin-Cenzo's. But come here first. Read on for our review of Bar Copains  ***** ✍️ 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. It’s about as difficult to define 'cool' as it is to pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded after a coupla Negronis. Crocs were not but now they are; laughing emojis are (apparently) not; and even the humble burrata looks like it’s on its way out (RIP). If it’s difficult to define, it’s even more challenging to manufacture, as the action of trying to be cool is very much uncool. When you see cool, you just know. And that’s exactly what will happen if you stroll into Bar Copains, Surry Hills’ new friendly neighbourhood wine bar. 'Copains' means 'friends' in French, which is an apt name for this gem by longtime mates and chefs Morgan McGlone...

✍️ 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.  No website. No phone number. Not even an Instagram. Just a clutch of glowy, slick-haired, well-dressed Sydneysiders sipping wine and waiting for a table with the determination of a 10-year-old chasing a Labubu. That’s when you know you’re onto something good. And Paradise, the new wine bar on the corner of Roslyn Street and Ward Avenue in Potts Point, is better than good. That’s because it’s the latest from two people who know what they’re doing: Gio and Enrico Paradiso – the brothers who, alongside Marco Ambrosino, co-founded Sydney staple Fratelli Paradiso back in 2001, before going on to open another hit, 10 William St, in 2010. Just a few months in, Paradise is already humming with big European energy and Potts Point cool. Groups of friends spill onto the sidewalk, glasses of orange wine in hand. Couples snack on crusty baguettes and nutty cheese. There’s a vibey buzz in the air. I don’t know if there’s a better street corner to be on come Saturday night. Though, a waitlist would be good. The vibe It feels cliché – even lazy – to write I’m in paradise at Paradise, but that’s really how I feel with salty snacks, chilled vino and great conversation backdropped to a golden peach sky. As well as alfresco seating, inside you can opt to sit at the bar or at...

✍️ 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. The first wave ever surfed in Australia was by Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku, and it happened at Freshwater Beach back in 1914. Since then, countless breaks have been glided on – a few by yours truly – and now, come summer, finding a wave to ride solo at Freshie is like walking on the surrounding dry grass and not stepping on a bindi. It just doesn’t happen. That’s because the charm of Freshwater – from its blue rolling waves, soft sand and famed ocean pool – is as alluring today as it was to Mr Kahanamoku back then. Crowded, perhaps. But is Freshie still one of Sydney’s – heck, Australia’s – best beaches? You bloody bet it is. And you know what goes hand in hand with a day of sun, sand and sea? An ice-cold beer and a damn good feed. Thankfully, we know a place. That spot is Harbord Hotel, the suburb’s main watering hole found a one-minute stroll from the beach. Built in 1928, the pub was formerly called the Harbord Beach Hotel – or the Harbord Hilton, to locals. (Why? Because Freshwater used to be called Harbord.) It was known for its buttercup-yellow exterior and red roof; a place where you could come with sand still on your legs for a schnitty and catch up with mates. And let’s face it, for being a little rough around the edges. In 2020, the beloved...

✍️ 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. The lingering question of whether you can sip on a Japanese Slipper under a ceiling made of 750 upturned sports trophies somewhere in the vicinity of central Sydney has finally been settled. The answer’s yes. Behind a pale yellow window that beams onto a dark corner of Cleveland Street, Baptist Street Rec Club sits inside a former heritage bank building, a floor up from sister venue Island Radio. It’s one of several hot new venues to open in Redfern and Surry Hills’ new mega precinct, Wunderlich Lane. The retro cocktail bar is the latest venture from House Made Hospitality, whose footprint in this city already includes the likes of Promenade Bondi Beach, Martinez, Easy Tiger and The Carrington, as well as four levels of bars and restaurants at Circular Quay’s Hinchcliff House. Through the lemon-lit entryway, a wooden staircase climbs into a small bar room with a spongy orange carpet and walls jammed with vintage movie posters, gig flyers and framed photos of Aussie icons. To one side there’s a DJ nook with a swirling disco ball and shelves of amber-tinged vinyls. The venue then twists left through a corridor of chattering leather booths before opening up into the ‘Trophy Room’ – a boisterous shrine to local glory days, where hundreds of sports trophies...

✍️ 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.  Does The Dry Dock in Balmain serve up Sydney’s best scotch egg? I haven’t tried them all, but I’d put my money on it. It’s fried until golden and crisp on the outside, with a savoury, juicy, well-seasoned pork filling and a gooey yolk. Sauce piquante brings sweetness and tang, balancing the richness and making it the perfect bar snack – even better with an on-point Bloody Mary after a big night out. But The Dry Dock does more than excellent British snacks. I’d also say Balmain’s historic boozer is one of Sydney’s finest pubs. Considering how packed it is with locals on a Sunday evening, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so. The vibe Established in 1857, the heritage-listed Dry Dock is the oldest licensed pub in Balmain. In the mid-1800s, it was frequented by Mort’s Dock workers – Australia’s first ‘dry dock’ – in search of a cold ale. In November 2023, after a year-long renovation, the venue was reopened under new ownership by seasoned hospitality professional James Ingram (ex-Merivale, Rockpool, Solotel, Etymon) and Balmain local Mike Everett, with the main goal of creating a haven for locals. It’s a beautiful, multifaceted pub, designed by interior architect Bianca Isgro – the kind I wish was around the corner from me. There’s alfresco seating...

✍️ 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.  In a city that holds sun-soaked rooftops and water views as the gold standard of its hospitality scene, opening a basement bar so dark you can barely see your hand in front of your face might seem like an outlandish move.But emerging hospo double-act Cynthia Litster and Evan Stroeve, who opened local favourite The Waratah in nearby Darlinghurst two years ago, have moved into this small sunless room with a bright vision.Inspired by Tokyo’s late-night izakayas, Litster and Stroeve have drawn up a drinks list with a strong sake bent, and enlisted former Cho Cho San head chef Nick Sherman to steer the snacks menu. They’ve also applied to extend their 2am curfew to 4am to underscore some genuine late-night credentials. The vibe  As you feel your way around the blackened bar you’ll notice there are no bad seats in the house. The floorplan runs in a circle, the main bar space squeezing beneath the stairwell into a corridor of two-person booths that unfold like a train carriage.Lit by the soft glow of its looming orb lamps and cut-away drinks cabinets, subtle features will emerge slowly: hand-painted walls, collections of Japanese vinyls, rows of hanging patchworks, and stacks of swollen sake barrels (or kazaridaru). On one side of the room, there’s a nook for...

Everyone has been much, much happier since the Fiddler stopped being Mean. Ten years ago, the heritage pub was one of the most violent in NSW. The Mean Fiddler worked hard to clean up its act; then in 2014 its owners (the Drinx Group) gave it a multimillion-dollar redesign and refresh. The bandages fell away to reveal a still huge but undeniably elegant place to eat and drink; the best, we dare say, for miles around. This is a megapub done right. Instead of one massive room filled with people and all the ambience of an army mess hall, the Fiddler offers a series of small spaces hidden from each other for visitors to explore. The vine-strewn Courtyard greets you on entry – tables gathered under a towering pine tree and black-and-white striped umbrellas that match the natty staff uniforms. Pass down a ramp to find the bistro, the beer garden, amphitheatre and indoor cocktail bar the Lounge (open Friday and Saturday nights). Head through past the tables of the verandah to find the fenced-off kids’ playground. The design puts a contemporary, outdoorsy spin on the Irish pub theme – olive-green aluminium stools with a subtle shamrock insignia and plenty of sculpted greenery around the place. Lunching here on a sunny day is a popular pastime. A sandstone pavilion houses the kitchen, where meals – pizza, burgers, steaks and pub staples – are not cheap (Caesar salad sans chicken, at $16, is the lowest-priced meal for an adult here), but they are good, and delivered to your table...