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.

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. 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...

✍️ 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 Bat & Ball Hotel is named for its proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground so, since 1929, it’s been an obvious stop on the way to a game there or at Allianz Stadium. It’s also been known, at times, as a live music pub. But in more recent times, after losing its rep for championing live music, it suffered a bit of an identity crisis, even changing its name to Parkside Bar for a bit. As far as I could tell, it was no longer the type of pub you’d bother going out of your way to get to. After all, it's in the kind of out-of-way end of Redfern/Surry Hills – on the high-traffic corner of Cleveland and South Dowling Streets. Thankfully, the pub has now been taken into the loving hands of five passionate friends – friends who know what they’re doing when it comes to running a boozer. There’s Zac Godbolt, the creative director and co-founder of Enmore Country Club and Doom Juice. Rachael Paul, the previous venue manager of beloved neighbourhood spots The Sunshine Inn and Golden Gully. Cameron Votano, the co-owner and executive chef of BTB Kirribilli and Lowkey. And Daniel McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, the owners of The Little Guy and the previously mentioned Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn. It’s been a long-time dream for the five friends to own a pub...

✍️ 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...

The Cricketers Arms is, arguably, Surry Hills’ – if not Sydney’s – most classic Aussie pub. The fact that they’ve hardly done a thing to the bottom floor and beer garden in decades is what’s given it its charm.  As you enter, there’s a big bar in the centre of the room, with bar stools dotted around it – the kind of space you feel comfortable coming to on your own and pulling up a stool for a chat with the bartender. If you stop by enough times, that bartender – and the strangers next to you – will probably end up being your friends. That’s the type of place the Cricketers is.  There’s a DJ booth next to the bar; a sitting room where they occasionally host bands alongside that; followed by a grungy pool room complete with a purple-topped pool table. All areas of the downstairs pub are connected with sticky old red carpet with a gold pattern that disguises years of fun that pub-goers have had with old friends and new.  Then there’s the beer garden – it’s just old wooden tables and seating packed into an enclosed courtyard lined with simple brick paving, but the space is prettied up with hanging greenery and thousands of tiny fairy lights.  Basically there’s a place in here for everyone – for local barflies and the oldies who’ve been coming here forever, for uni students and skater punks wanting some cheap entertainment, for well-dressed Surry Hills creatives here for a knock-off drink, for live music lovers and those keen to boogie – even for those looking to knock the top...

✍️ 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 Australia, hotel bars usually lack cool-factor. Even when they have a lot going for them, they tend to be overlooked by locals. Bar Julius has bucked the trend, despite being next to the lobby of The Eve Hotel, and the place where hotel guests have breakfast. I guess part of it is that the Wunderlich Lane creators have done a good job of making the precinct and all its venues (Lottie, Island Radio, Olympus) feel like a neighbourhood, as opposed to part of the hotel. The other part of it is that Bar Julius is really very fun and cool.  The vibe  I’ve now been to Bar Julius for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-dinner drinks – and that’s the point. Bar Julius is open daily from 7am to midnight, and it was designed as a place you’d happily spend time in at any time of day. The key design feature is the unusual arched ceilings – three archways that run the length of the room. They’re coloured a mix of yellows, pinks and peach splodges that look like watercolour paint and textural materials, even though it’s actually a flat graphic. To complement the arches, there are big, circular windows onto Baptist Street that let the day’s changing light from outside cast different vibes on the room as the day evolves. Loads of playful, framed pictures line the walls...

✍️ 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. Some Sydney restaurants are “inspired by” eateries from other lands. Others, like Deux Frères, can transport you directly to somewhere on the other side of the world. This laneway pintxos bar plucks you right out of your Circular Quay surrounds and plonks you, magically, into one of the tiny bars that Spain’s Basque country is famous for. And right now there’s no place I’d rather be.  As I sit at the marble-top bar – tightly packed in between my dining companion and a stranger on the other side – I watch the staff behind the counter prepping bar snacks centred around cured meats, Spanish and French cheeses, and crusty bread. Pintxos comes from the Spanish verb “pinchar” meaning to poke/prick – because the snacks are generally served with a toothpick to hold them together.  It’s drinking food, and the drinks menu takes you on a journey from vermouth to Spanish and French wines to beer, as well as spirits. We order a carafe of Spanish red, a 2016 tempranillo that tastes the way I like it to taste – just the right balance of rich and mellow; highly drinkable in warm weather. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alice Ellis (@alicecellis) We start with gildas. The tiny fish fillets skewered between two green olives, two little...

✍️ 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. Two-and-a-half hours. That’s how long I waited in line to try Bar Nestor’s famous tortilla. Located in San Sebastian's Old Town, the tiny bar and restaurant specialises in the sunshine-golden simple dish, and if you don’t get there early enough to put your name down for a slice, you miss out. Soft eggs, tender potatoes and sweet onions come together to make something truly greater than the sum of its parts. Would line up again. The great news is that I don’t have to, and neither do you, because there's a tortilla nearly as delicious on the menu at Letra House, the new underground wine bar from the Love Tilly Group. It’s cooked beautifully: caramelised on the outside, jammy in the centre, with plump little prawns scattered throughout. The accompanying fermented chilli, garlic and tomato sauce adds a bold and fiery dimension. Bloody hell, it’s good What’s also seriously good is a glass of 2023 Sommernat from Poppelvej in McLaren Vale, poured tableside. Butterscotch in colour, it tastes like a tutti frutti fizz and summertime house parties. Our waitress tells us Poppelvej is the name of the street in Denmark where the winemaker Uffe Deichmann grew up. Cracking stuff. Yes, I would love another, please. Letra House opened at the end of last year in peak silly...

✍️ 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. When you enter The Bristol, you feel less like you’ve stepped into a pub, and more like you’re inside a multi-layered hospitality precinct. From its unassuming entryway on Sussex Street, where CBD traffic chugs to a standstill and glass building close out the sky, The Bristol’s stock-standard taproom opens out to chic Greek eatery Ela Ela at the back, a full-blown sports bar and games room below, and yet three more distinct venues on the storeys above. As you ascend a staircase set with rattan mirrors and portraits of mid-century pool parties, you’ll glimpse Calypso nightclub on level one and Midtown Bar and Lounge on level two. Then there's the sprawling, Med-style rooftop at the summit The top-floor venue has two open-air balconies at either end of a breezy indoor dining room: the larger of the two is dwarfed by neighbouring skyscrapers, while the smaller (and nicer) space overlooks a slither of Darling Harbour and the Maritime Museum. It’s a far cry from The Bristol Arms, its predecessor, which closed its doors in 2020. The heritage-listed institution was built in 1898, and became known in more recent years as a daggy watering hole with a retro club night. Oscars Hotel Group – a serial pub landlord, and, as of last month, owner of Luna Park – claimed...

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. 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...

✍️ 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 Bat & Ball Hotel is named for its proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground so, since 1929, it’s been an obvious stop on the way to a game there or at Allianz Stadium. It’s also been known, at times, as a live music pub. But in more recent times, after losing its rep for championing live music, it suffered a bit of an identity crisis, even changing its name to Parkside Bar for a bit. As far as I could tell, it was no longer the type of pub you’d bother going out of your way to get to. After all, it's in the kind of out-of-way end of Redfern/Surry Hills – on the high-traffic corner of Cleveland and South Dowling Streets. Thankfully, the pub has now been taken into the loving hands of five passionate friends – friends who know what they’re doing when it comes to running a boozer. There’s Zac Godbolt, the creative director and co-founder of Enmore Country Club and Doom Juice. Rachael Paul, the previous venue manager of beloved neighbourhood spots The Sunshine Inn and Golden Gully. Cameron Votano, the co-owner and executive chef of BTB Kirribilli and Lowkey. And Daniel McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, the owners of The Little Guy and the previously mentioned Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn. It’s been a long-time dream for the five friends to own a pub...

✍️ 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...

July 2023 update: Francophiles, this one's for you – Bastille Day is coming up, and Felix is throwing a multi-day French party to mark the occasion. (As is Little Felix, next door.)  Stumbling across Felix, tucked away in Ash Street in Sydney’s CBD, makes you feel like you're in Paris on any given day – but from July 13-16, they're dialling up the French vibes. They'll have live music in the laneway from 1pm every day, and a cancan show each night at 7pm and 9pm. Enjoy a special Bastille Day menu, including French onion soup, gruyère soufflé and crêpe suzette – oui-oui – as well as all the usual Felix classics (le grand seafood platter; steak frites; and baba au rhum). Wash it down with a limited-edition Bastille Day wine list curated by Felix's sommeliers. You can book in here. For a pre- or post-meal drink and snack, Little Felix will be serving up a new menu with a selection of hors d'oeuvres alongside charcuterie and fromage selections. They're open from 4pm to 2am from July 13-15, and if you want to book in, you can do that here. Read on for Myffy Rigby's original review of Felix, from back in 2011... ***** If you're a bit of a restaurant nerd, you might already know that Felix takes some of its cues from New York brasserie to the stars, Balthazar itself a homage to the classic Parisian bistro. And if you're not, who cares? It's all about the atmosphere and Felix has captured it perfectly, from the floor-to-ceiling tile work (including some saucy frescoes, if you look...

✍️ 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...

The Cricketers Arms is, arguably, Surry Hills’ – if not Sydney’s – most classic Aussie pub. The fact that they’ve hardly done a thing to the bottom floor and beer garden in decades is what’s given it its charm.  As you enter, there’s a big bar in the centre of the room, with bar stools dotted around it – the kind of space you feel comfortable coming to on your own and pulling up a stool for a chat with the bartender. If you stop by enough times, that bartender – and the strangers next to you – will probably end up being your friends. That’s the type of place the Cricketers is.  There’s a DJ booth next to the bar; a sitting room where they occasionally host bands alongside that; followed by a grungy pool room complete with a purple-topped pool table. All areas of the downstairs pub are connected with sticky old red carpet with a gold pattern that disguises years of fun that pub-goers have had with old friends and new.  Then there’s the beer garden – it’s just old wooden tables and seating packed into an enclosed courtyard lined with simple brick paving, but the space is prettied up with hanging greenery and thousands of tiny fairy lights.  Basically there’s a place in here for everyone – for local barflies and the oldies who’ve been coming here forever, for uni students and skater punks wanting some cheap entertainment, for well-dressed Surry Hills creatives here for a knock-off drink, for live music lovers and those keen to boogie – even for those looking to knock the top...