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The Dollar Bin Darlings at the Oxford Tavern
Photograph: Supplied/The Oxford Tavern

The best dancefloors in Sydney

Get your groove on at one of Sydney's most poppin' bars and pubs

Alannah Le Cross
Jasmine Lopez
Written by
Alannah Le Cross
&
Jasmine Lopez
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Dancefloors come in all shapes and sizes in Sydney – sticky-floored pubs can double up as heaving rave caves, and slick neon-lit DFs and small bars transform into late-night party dens when local DJs hop behind the decks.

Sydney's reputation for wild nightlife is well and truly back! Here is a rundown of all the places you can break some shapes in the Harbour City right now.

Looking for somewhere more chill to whet your whistle? Here's our list of the best bars in Sydney right now.

Where to go dancing in Sydney

  • Clubs
  • House, disco and techno
  • Darlinghurst
  • price 1 of 4

This subterranean William street club has a long legacy of day and night parties to rival any of its Continental counterparts. The Berlin-inspired den regularly host nights with Motorik and local selectors. Also the later you head here, the better. 

  • Bars
  • Darlinghurst

Sydney’s much loved mid-sized live music venue doubles up as an awesome after-party when gigs conclude. The Gallery bar is usually free, while ticketed events go off in the main bar.

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  • Restaurants
  • Bars & Pubs

The multi-level heritage-listed Abercrombie is Sydney's biggest party palace, with three venues all under the one roof. On the ground floor is the Abercrombie’s incredible performance and club space, public bar and beer garden. Venture upstairs to Casa Rosa, a playful, late-night Italo-disco cocktail lounge and rooftop terrazza with DJs. If you’re feeling fancy, sidle into the adjoining terraces for the aperitivo wine bar and shop, Lil Sis, also open until the early hours.

  • Gay and lesbian
  • Darlinghurst

This hot spot on the 'Pink Mile' of Oxford Street promises pumping tunes and seven nights of drag performances every week, with lines often sprawling down the street. Upstairs on Friday and Saturday nights in the former Midnight Shift club, dance parties Fame Fridays and Déjà Vu kick off after drag and dine experience Premiere packs up. 

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  • Bars
  • Erskineville
  • price 1 of 4

The basement at Erskineville's LGBTQIA+ haven has got enough sweat and grind about it to make it feel like it deserves to be underground. And the best part is the music. It’s loud, and proud and so early '00s awful that it’s intoxicating. The basement also hosts regular parties from some of Sydney’s best queer collectives. Between underground affairs, you can have a sip and a bop while drag queens and other fab performers twirl in the ground floor bar.

  • Bars
  • Sydney

Merivale’s multi-level, multi-venue super-club with its own pool is a Sydney entertainment Leviathan, there’s no denying it. On Friday nights it plays host to one of the biggest new club nights to land in Sydney in years. WAO at Ivy is a huge new clubbing experience, blowing up every Friday night. Expect some of Sydney’s best DJs, pyros, live performers and a vibe that is as good as it gets. 

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  • Nightlife
  • Nightlife

 

ARQ is one of the Pink Mile’s most notorious nightclubs, known for its stellar line-ups of drag, music, DJs and heaps more. If you’re in the mood for late-night boogies on podiums and deep and meaningful chats with new friends in Trash Alley (if you know, you know), head over to ARQ.

 

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Hotel Harry
  • Bars
  • Surry Hills

Harry’s snack game is strong – and what better way to work of fried chicken wings than with a post-dinner dance off. The lounge upstairs goes off with DJs from 10pm on Friday and Saturday nights.

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  • Clubs
  • Darling Harbour

Located in Cockle Bay, this large three-storey nightclub with Harbour views attracts locals and tourists alike for mainstream house music and occassional local live music. For the ultimate kick-on party, Morning Glory starts from 5am every Sunday. 

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  • Bars
  • Newtown
  • price 1 of 4

They cut a mean dancefloor at the monster pub at the Newtown crossroads. Every Wednesday, the Marly's ground floor jumps with local DJs. Come Friday and Saturday nights, all three levels get their groove on: in the basement, Picnic touring presents an electric line up of DJs in rave cave Tokyo Sing Song, and upstairs at Cuckoo you can get weird with live music event YAH!

  • Nightlife
  • Darlinghurst

This no-frills dive bar is one of the most beloved clubs on the main gay drag of Oxford Street. People tend to head here for daggy, tipple-heavy nights that – more often than not – end up stretching into the wee hours.

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  • Bars
  • Pubs
  • Parramatta
  • price 1 of 4

Looking for a dancefloor out west? This Parramatta pub's nightclub space has you covered every weekend evening. Kicking off with RnB and hip hop for Albion Fridays, then, Vibe Saturdays packs DJs, percussion and big beats.

  • Bars
  • Newtown
  • price 1 of 4

You gotta get up to get down at this huge King Street stalwart. Up on the first floor you’ll find a bar and music venue called Waywards. Live music is back to full throttle with dancing at live shows in Waywards on Fridays and Saturdays. 

 

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  • Bars
  • Pubs
  • Surry Hills
  • price 2 of 4

Boogie to your heart's content at this Surry Hills pub, where you can hit the dancefloor upstairs and soak in the good times. There's DJs on the decks every Friday and Saturday night. And if you're looking for a relaxed vibe, groove out in the Street Bar. 

Sweethearts Rooftop
  • Restaurants
  • Potts Point

You'll need to climb a lot of stairs to find this al fresco rooftop haven above the Cross, but the snacks are good and the beer is cold. And wouldn't you know it, it's not a bad spot to put a little boogie in it either. 

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  • Bars
  • Surry Hills
  • price 1 of 4

Surry Hills' Japanese booze and snack palace can pack a mean d-floor (in addition to a mean karaoke booth). Get litty every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night with DJs and dancing. 

 

  • Bars
  • Pubs
  • Chippendale

The ability to squash so many Sydney scenes inside a modest space is one of the Gladdy's most impressive attributes. On Friday nights 'genreless' weekly party Bloom brings emerging artists and DJs to the decks, and you're in for a knees up on Saturdays and Sunday sessions too.

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  • Bars
  • Darlinghurst

While Oxford Street has changed a lot in recent years, this subterranean tropical club’s sunken dancefloor still gets pumping. RnB and hip hop will be blasting every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Keep any eye out for regular parties from Dibby Dibby Soundsystem and a 2000s-themed rager called the Naughty Noughties.

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