The best bars in Sydney
Whether your tipple of choice is a classic Negroni or something festooned with an umbrella, Sydney has some of the best bars – and bartenders – in the world. From speakeasies hidden behind unmarked doors, to rooftop bars with harbour views, to urban distilleries, one thing is consistent: these bars are the go-to for seriously good drinks.
Read on to find out the places that should be a part of your Sydney bar crawl, while here are our guides dedicated to the city's best hotels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping and beaches, plus what to see and do, what to do for free and how to spend a weekend in Sydney.
Inner City
Love Tilly Devine
Darlinghurst is known for its colourful past, so it’s little wonder this small bar is named after an infamous razor-wielding madam who used to rule the streets. Despite Love Tilly Devine’s location down a nondescript laneway, there’s nothing untoward about this little (and we mean little) gem. Housed in an old cellar, it has 40 seats and over 300 wines; that’s a ratio we approve of. The wine list is almost exclusively Australian and features many from the LoFi movement — made organically or bio-dynamically. Try a glass of Manon ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ — an organic Pinot Noir from a small vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.
Contact: lovetillydevine.com
Prices: ££
Getting in: Come early. It’s a small space and the tables fill up with patrons ready to snuggle in for a long, cosy evening
Archie Rose
Inside the urban distillery of the award-winning Archie Rose is one wall of ageing whiskey barrels. You can smell them from the leather booths. The mezzanine provides a bird’s eye view of the bartenders honing their craft behind the sleek copper bar. Here, you can sample the many different spirits made on site before choosing something from the extensive menu. The Stranger Things cocktail, made with Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin, fresh grapefruit and lemon juice, lavender syrup and soda is as compelling as the series it’s named after. Note that Rosebery is a little out of the way. Time your visit to include a tour of the Archie Rose distillery next door.
Contact: archierose.com.au
Prices: ££
Shady Pines Saloon
Don’t be fooled by the nondescript exterior; there is no signage outside Shady Pines Saloon and the only clues you will get as you wander down this lane behind busy Oxford Street will be the tell-tale security guard and the congregating smokers. Once you push past the frosted glass door, be prepared for a visual feast of taxidermy, cowhide rugs and 'Wanted Dead or Alive' posters. Try The Old Pal made with whiskey, sweet vermouth and Campari poured from a crystal jug by one of the nimble, skilled bartenders, or order from their extensive list of American craft beers.
Contact: shadypinessaloon.com
Prices: ££
Tio’s Cerveceria
Named after the Spanish word for ‘dude’, this dark den is reminiscent of a Mexican cantina, with ceramic religious artefacts decorating the room, melted candles and neon lights adding to the ambience. There's also a particularly eye-catching decorative line of brassieres hanging behind the bar. With over 120 different types of tequila and spirits to choose from, try the Paloma to make you feel like you’re on a Mexican beach. If you’re feeling peckish, snack on their complimentary spicy popcorn or pay a visit to the in-house taco stand.
Contact: tioscerveceria.com
Prices: £
The Baxter Inn
The Baxter Inn is so well-concealed you could end up sipping cocktails in the wrong bar. When you do find the unmarked door and go down the grungy stairs into the candelabra-lit den, you'll find a 10-metre-long bar with 800-plus whiskies, many accessible only by library ladder. Behind the rollicking good-time vibe here is a team that ensures every drink is made with precision and served with panache. The Tennessee whiskey with fresh Granny Smith apple is a refreshing house special.
Contact: thebaxterinn.com
Prices: ££
City Centre
Henry Deane
Named after the engineer who built the Hotel Palisade, Henry Deane is a split-level cocktail bar and restaurant that takes over the two top floors of the heritage hotel. The top floor, with its expansive harbour and bridge views through floor-to-ceiling glass windows, parquetry floors, pink leather lounges and marble tables, is a winner even before the drinks arrive. The Negroni has a clarified orange ice sphere that intravenously leaks more flavour the longer you sip it. Sunset drinks on the terrace are non-negotiable.
Contact: hotelpalisade.com
Prices: ££
Getting in: Arrive early to secure a spot on the terrace
Maybe Sammy
Winning the World’s 50 Best Bars award for Best Bar in Australasia in 2021 is just one of many accolades for Maybe Sammy — Sydney’s little-black-dress of bars. It’s also the bar to have in mind when wondering if you should pack that little black dress (the answer is yes, always yes.) Pink velvet banquettes and gold palm trees set the 1950s Rat Pack tone and the cocktails are available in convenient ‘mini’ sizes so that you can try more cocktails. You will also drink more cocktails. The bartenders, dressed in pale pink dinner jackets, are savants of the sauce — try the olive leaf red snapper, made with olive leaf gin, tomato, and pickles.
Contact: maybesammy.com
Prices: £££
Getting in: The bar does not take reservations. Queues do form out the front (it’s Australia’s best bar!) however the maximum wait time is 30 minutes. Try coming early and on a weeknight if you don’t fancy a wait.
Dean and Nancy on 22
Dean and Nancy is a love letter to the world’s classic hotel bars. It’s located high up on the 22nd floor of the A by Adina Hotel, with two-storey glass windows revealing 360-degree views of the city’s skyline. A curved brass staircase and grand piano on entry have strong Lost in Translation vibes — slide into the bar for a Suntory Whisky or choose one of the many playful cocktails. The Double or Nothing is served with a pair of dice — rolling a double lands you a free glass of bubbles.
Contact: deanandnancyon22.com.au
Prices: £££
Getting in: A small number of tables for 2 are available for reservation. Inner reservations for parties of 4-7 people can also be made. Don’t be disheartened if you have to wait by the lifts in the unassuming hotel lobby; the change in scenery on level 22 is worth the short wait time.
Bondi Beach
Icebergs Dining Room and Bar
Famed as much for its unrivalled view of Bondi Beach as it is for being the bar and restaurant of choice for Sydney’s fashion set, Icebergs is quite a scene. After her last visit, Nigella turned to Instagram to label it “her favourite in the whole wide world.” Arrive at sunset and order the Sydney Rock Oysters with pink peppercorn and lemon myrtle granita. To drink, try the No 13 with Don Julio Blanco, Select Aperitivo, orange and grapefruit — it might just match the sky. Find a spot on the terrace and watch the surfers catch one last wave before the sun sets over the north end of Bondi.
Contact: idrb.com
Prices: ££
Getting in: Change out of your beach attire; this is Bondi’s most stylish spot
The Shop and Wine Bar
A much-loved spot for a glass of Riesling in summer, an Aperol Spritz of a weekend afternoon, or a warming bottle of Shiraz on winter nights. It’s an intimate spot (tiny!), mainly frequented by locals who, considering this is Bondi, consist of young families, aspiring actors, tourists, fashion designers and everything in between. Husband and wife duo, Mikey and Lucy, are here every day, often with their two young children too. This is what sets The Shop apart from the other fashionable spots in Bondi. It’s definitely hip, but it’s also homely.
Contact: theshopandwinebar.com
Prices: ££
Getting in: The tiny space can mean a wait for a table
Eastern Suburbs
The Lord Dudley
At The Lord Dudley, everything Britannia rules the day. This ivy-covered pub in the sophisticated eastern suburb of Woollahra is a home away from home for Sydney’s expat British community, with royal portraits and framed maps recreating the atmosphere of an old English pub. People come as much for the cider and 20 beers on tap as they do for the roast dinners and homemade Guinness pies on offer. In the colder months, you can grab a spot by an open fire and settle in for a spot of backgammon or a game of darts out the back. The games continue until well into the night.
Contact: lorddudley.com.au
Prices: ££
Getting in: If you’re intending to dine, book ahead
Watsons Bay Beach Club
The former beer garden of Watsons Bay Hotel is fresh from an AUD $2 million (£1.1 million) facelift, and is as sparkly as the harbour it overlooks. As far as views go, this one is a killer. A sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon spent sipping wasabi-infused Bloody Marys or catching up over a bottle of Satellite Sauv Blanc is a quintessentially Sydney afternoon. This is also a family-friendly space, with a great children’s menu, drawing paper and buckets of pencils. Expect to see a real mix of people soaking up the harbourside sun, from tourists to young families and Eastern Suburbs socialites. Plan your visit to coincide with sunset drinks after a trip to nearby Camp Cove.
Contact: watsonsbayhotel.com.au
Prices: ££
Inner West
Mary’s
Head to the Inner West suburb of Newtown and follow the crowds as they head down Mary Street. Why? Because they know that hidden behind an unmarked door is where you’ll find Sydney’s best burgers and a rocking drinking spot too. From the lampshades made from old Jack Daniels bottles to the extremely loud heavy metal playlist reverberating off the recycled timber bar and graffiti-covered walls, Mary seeks to subvert... and she succeeds. What may surprise you in this American-centric atmosphere is the French bent of the wine list, with bio-dynamic and organic options available too.
Contact: marys69.com/newtown
Prices: ££
