5 Groovy Sydney Bars You Need To Know About

Each of these spicy new establishments has its own unique character and engaging calling card.

You won’t be able to resist these banging bargains and glamorous interior surroundings. Accordingly, these Sydney bars guarantee a memorable experience and a fantastic night out.

Wanting to hit the town but don’t know where to go? This list will satisfy your night life craving and reveal diverse new experiences Sydney bar’s have to offer.

Cartel

Location: 2 Kensington St, Chippendale

Happy Hour: 4:30 – 6:30pm

Best Suits: The Traveler

Cartel is a modern South American restaurant and cocktail bar hidden just off Broadway. So, satisfy your taco craving with their Taco Tuesday deal and enjoy their daily happy hour with $15 Don Julio margaritas. Moreover, all the food is made fresh on site and the tapas style reflects the best of Mexico, Columbia and Peru. 

The cocktail menu at this groovy Sydney Bar was curated by award-winning international mixologist, Grant Collins, who pays homage to South American culture. Aztec ingredients like “chapullines” (grasshoppers) and “sal de gassano” (spiced worm) offer twists on traditional mixes. Furthermore, you must explore their extensive range of over 50 tequilas and over 60 imported mezcals.

Bar Nina 

Location: 85A Stanley St, Darlinghurst 

Happy Hour: 4 – 6pm

Best Suits: The Foodie

Bar Nina has amassed popularity as a result of their various weekly deals. For example, they do an authentic homemade gnocchi for just $20 on Wednesdays and $10 cheeseburgers on Thursdays. Finally, finish off the workweek right by indulging in their array of wines, beers and cocktails accompanied by roaring live music.

Then, kick off the weekend with a late bottomless brunch ($59) or lunch ($79). As a result, you will be sipping on free flowing mimosas and feasting on multiple courses of delicious food to share with friends. Ultimately, this groovy Sydney bar experience will last for 2 wonderful hours and it won’t be one you’ll forget. 

Goros

Location: 84/86 Mary St, Surry Hills

Happy Hour: 5 – 7pm

Best Suits: The Extrovert

This Tokyo themed bar is a collection of Japan’s best things, including arcade games, karaoke and anime. Therefore, it’s one of the coolest places to hang out in Sydney. Whether it’s playing pool against strangers or sipping highballs on the lantern-lit rooftop terrace.

Be sure to book one of their karaoke rooms and sing your heart out to Taylor Swift’s ‘You Belong With Me’ amongst your closest friends. On that note, Goros is serious about karaoke room turnover so be prepared to be kicked out after an hour no matter how much fun you’re having.

The drinks menu is largely influenced by Japanese booze with strong notes of sake and alcoholic bubble teas – life-changing. Additionally, Goros is one of the few places in Sydney that offer late night food – until 1am on Thursday and 2am on Friday and Saturdays. Regardless if it’s packed the wait time is only 20 minutes. Thus, fill yourself up on gyoza and crispy chicken karaage before hitting the dance floor – on Fridays and Saturdays Goros has DJs spinning up a storm on the df.

Old Mate’s Place

Location: Level 4/199 Clarence St, Sydney

Happy Hour: 4 – 6pm

Best Suits: The Introvert

Be transported from the streets of Sydney to the secret candlelit world of Old Mate’s Place. The hidden Sydney bar is located through a nondescript door on Clarence Street. Firstly, you make your way up 4 levels of a narrow staircase to find another discrete entrance. Consequently, if you’re convinced you’re in the wrong place, you’re in the right place.

Don’t bother booking because Old Mate only accepts walk-ins – that’s if you find the place to begin with. The door opens to a wide hallway lined with shelves of books and brown leather booths giving off major Hogwarts vibes. There’s a large wooden staircase that leads to a hidden rooftop terrace with its own bar and skyscraper views. Searching for more rooftops like this? Here are 7 Sydney rooftop bars we bet you haven’t been to yet.

The establishment offers amazing cocktails (pricey) mixed by friendly bartenders who are quick with recommending a drink or cracking a joke. Compliment your salted margarita with a charcuterie board or range of mouth-watering cheesesteaks.

PS40

Location: 40 King St Enter, Skittle Lane

Happy Hour: 4 – 6 pm

Best Suits: The Gamer

Despite the name, no this is not a gaming themed bar. Rather, PS40 is Bondi Beauty’s best discovery located down a lonely alleyway. Prepare for pumping music, surprising flavour combinations and reasonable prices (average price for a cocktail is $14).

The cocktails come in all shapes and sizes and are concocted with local ingredients and no preservatives. The wacky mixologists offer innovative drinks such as The Breakfast Negroni (not recommended to drink in the morning) which features Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth sous vide for 5 hours with the flavours of banana bread, coffee bean and tonka bean.