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A shot of a crowded dancefloor at The Cliff Dive
Photograph: Rachel Murdolo

The best clubs for singles in Sydney

No matter what (or whom) you're looking for, you'll probably find it inside one of these dens of iniquity

Written by
Time Out editors
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For boys who dig girls and girls who dig boys

Pacha
  • Bars
  • Sydney

Every Saturday night, this super-club inside the sprawling Ivy complex goes off with ‘circlesque’ extravaganzas featuring big-name international DJs, fire dancing, burlesque shows and an audio-visual show that rivals anything you’ll see in Sydney. Have at it.

Chinese Laundry
  • Clubs
  • Darling Harbour

This mainstay on the western edge of the CBD hosts regular parties that go off – the outdoor patio is a big draw for punters, but there are also dark nooks in the basement and plenty of room to spread out in the lounge and dance areas upstairs.

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Civic Underground
  • Clubs
  • Sydney

A perennial that attracts international headliners and locally acclaimed DJs who provide beats that will get your heart pumping and your hips moving. Go on, get in the thick of it. Its proximity to the CBD hotel mass and backpacker means lots of keen international guests, too.

The Cliff Dive
  • Bars
  • Darlinghurst
  • price 1 of 4

This underwater-themed bar and club on Oxford Street attracts a wide range of folks out for well-made cocktails and a good, unfussy time. The kind of place where you’re almost guaranteed a chat with a stranger – the laidback vibe welcomes you to approach the one who's been eyeing you from across the room. 

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Oxford Art Factory
  • Bars
  • Darlinghurst
  • price 1 of 4

A well-curated line-up of gigs ensures lots of cool indie kids and hip musos flock here on a regular basis. But it’s not just a concert venue – they also regularly host art and club nights, and there’s a small bar where you can just hang out and drink some brews.

For boys who dig boys

Arq
  • Gay and lesbian
  • Darlinghurst

Totally debaucherous, with a huge sound system, Arq has solid regular nights, excellent parties and lively drag shows. The infamous ‘trash alley’ out the back is a good place for a pick-up. Broke? It's free on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, and look at that: Bodyline Sauna is just around the corner.

For girls who dig girls

Slyfox
  • Gay and lesbian
  • Enmore

This loud corner institution has drawn ‘em in for 35 years. They often have live acts, there’s pizza on offer and while the room may be small, there’s still a party vibe that leads to dancing into the wee hours. The city has a few other lesbian club nights, too – check out our list

For girls who dig boys who dig boys who dig girls

Heaps Gay
  • Bars
  • Darlinghurst

This raucous party – held every third Saturday at Chippo’s otherwise undistinguished Gladstone Hotel – draws a crowd thick with gays, lesbians, and everything in between. The music has an anything-goes vibe (veering from ‘Time Warp’ to Bell Biv Devoe to Guns ‘n Roses to God knows what) that befits the crowd’s attitude.

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