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Sydney quickly became one of our favorite cities for a night out, thanks to its fun, unique cocktail bars. There are so many fun things to do in Sydney, but the cocktail-bar scene became one of the parts we enjoyed most.
There are plenty of places to grab a drink in Sydney, but the bars we kept talking about afterward offered more than just a good cocktail list. We found live jazz, dramatic decor, playful theming, free popcorn, creative ingredients, rooftop views, and bars where the atmosphere was just as memorable as the drink.
While we visited most of the bars on this list and loved them, a few were either too busy or didn’t fit into our short time in the city. If you are looking for the best cocktail bars in Sydney, these are the spots worth adding to your itinerary, whether you want live jazz, themed drinks, rooftop views, inventive cocktails, or a quieter place to escape the crowds.
Quick Picks: Sydney Cocktail Bars at a Glance
| If you are looking for… | Go to… |
| A polished, themed cocktail experience | Maybe Sammy |
| Award-winning creative cocktails | PS40 |
| Whisky in a hidden underground setting | The Baxter Inn |
| A fun hidden-bar concept known for gin | The Barber Shop |
| Unique cocktails without the Saturday-night crowds | One Tap |
| A tiny, high-energy agave bar | Cantina OK! |
| Live jazz with your cocktails | Curtains Jazz Bar |
| A relaxed rooftop drink | Old Mate’s Place |
| Playful rum and tiki-inspired drinks | Old Love’s |
| Martinis, popcorn, and a fun Newtown night out | Bar Planet |
| New Orleans-inspired Newtown nightlife | Earl’s Juke Joint |
| Music with your cocktails | JAM Record Bar |
| A theatrical speakeasy-style night | Eau De Vie |
Fun and Unique Cocktail Bars in Sydney
Maybe Sammy
Maybe Sammy was one of the most fun bars we visited in Sydney. It is polished, theatrical, and designed to feel like a full experience rather than a quick drink before dinner.
The interior leans into old-school Hollywood glamour and is known for theatrical, film-inspired cocktails. The theming made it feel more memorable than a standard upscale cocktail bar. We’d recommend this spot for a special night out, a date night, or anyone who likes their cocktails with a little flair. It has also earned a place among the world’s most recognized cocktail bars, ranking number 41 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 list.
Maybe Sammy is in The Rocks, so it is an easy stop after exploring Circular Quay or walking around the harbor.
Best for: A dressed-up cocktail experience, date night, or visitors who love fun concepts.
PS40
PS40 is a great pick for travelers who want to try cocktails that feel genuinely inventive. A bartender at another cocktail bar recommended PS40 to us and called it one of his favorite places for cocktails in the city. The bar is well known for its house-made sodas and creative approach to drinks, including its famous Africola.
The Africola is a fun cocktail to order if you are interested in trying a drink with some history behind it. It was named Drink of the Year at the 2022 Boothby Drink of the Year Awards, and it stands out for its combination of hot and cold elements.
PS40 has a more experimental feel than some of Sydney’s classic hidden bars, making it a good stop for people who love trying something they would not make at home.
Best for: Unique cocktails, creative soda-based drinks, and trying an award-winning cocktail.
The Baxter Inn
The Baxter Inn is a bar that should be high on the list for whisky lovers but is great for everyone. Tucked away in the CBD, it has a hidden-bar feel that makes finding it part of the experience.
Even if you don’t normally order whisky, it is worth visiting for the atmosphere alone. The space is warm, dark, and moody.
This is a good bar for slowing down, but it can get loud on busy weekends. If you are visiting Sydney with someone who loves a well-made whisky cocktail or wants to sample something new, this is an easy choice. The Baxter Inn is walk-in only, so arriving earlier can make your night easier.
Best for: Whisky lovers, darker cozy bar interiors, and a more classic hidden-bar experience.
The Barber Shop
The Barber Shop is a fun pick for visitors who enjoy hidden-bar concepts. From the street, it looks like a barbershop. Behind it, you will find a fun cocktail bar with a serious gin selection. You can also access the back side of this bar in the same area as The Baxter Inn, but entering through the front gives it more of that speakeasy vibe.
The Barber Shop is a good bar to visit with friends, especially if you enjoy gin cocktails since they have a wide selection of them. The rap music they play is also a fun switch-up from the music you will hear in many of the other cocktail bars around the city. The bar carries more than 700 gins and has been recognized as Australia’s Best Gin Bar for four consecutive years.
Best for: A fun hidden-bar concept, first-time Sydney visitors, and people who enjoy gin drinks.
One Tap
One Tap was one of our most pleasant surprises in Sydney. We visited on a Saturday night when nearly everywhere else felt packed, loud, and difficult to get into. Meanwhile, One Tap was calm and quiet enough to give us a real break from the crowds.
That does not mean the drinks were boring, though. Actually, the opposite. Every cocktail we tried was unique and delicious, making it a great choice when you want creative drinks without a packed room or long line.
The venue has two concepts, Tap and Lab, pairing a more casual cocktail-on-tap experience with a revolving menu of more experimental drinks. Located at 44 King Street in the CBD, it is a great option for visitors who want a quality cocktail without the busy Saturday-night crowds.
Best for: Creative cocktails, a quieter break from the crowds, and an easy CBD stop.
Cantina OK!
Cantina OK! is one of Sydney’s most talked-about small cocktail bars and was high on our list. We did not end up having drinks here because it was packed when we tried to go, with a line out the door, but we still wanted to include it because it is a spot we would prioritize on a return trip.
It is a tiny agave-focused bar, known for tequila, mezcal, margaritas, and cocktails with plenty of personality. The bar is located in an alley off Clarence Street, operates on a walk-in-only basis, and is small enough that waits are common at busy times.
The key is to plan ahead. Make it one of your first stops, go on a weeknight if you can, or arrive prepared to wait. We would not leave it until the end of a Saturday-night bar crawl.
Best for: Tequila and mezcal cocktails, small high-energy bars, and travelers willing to arrive early.
Curtains Jazz Bar
Curtains Jazz Bar was an easy favorite for us because we love bars with music. It has an intimate, old-world atmosphere that feels very different from a busy rooftop or a crowded late-night cocktail bar.
Located near Circular Quay, Curtains is a jazz salon and cocktail bar with European-inspired decor. It is a great option when you want live music to be a key part of the night.
This spot would be ideal for a Sydney date night, especially after dinner in the CBD or a night around the Opera House. It is also good for visitors who want a more relaxed evening but still want somewhere that feels special.
Best for: Live jazz, intimate date nights, and slowing down over cocktails.
Old Mate’s Place
Old Mate’s Place was one of the bars that stood out to us for its decor. The space has plenty of personality, which is exactly what we look for when we are choosing where to spend a night out.
It feels more relaxed than some of Sydney’s polished cocktail institutions, making it a good option for starting the evening, taking a break between more formal cocktail bars, or enjoying a casual drink with friends. It also has a rooftop component, which is always a bonus when the weather is nice.
Old Mate’s Place is especially easy to pair with Old Love’s, which is downstairs in the same building. If you want a simple two-stop mini bar crawl without needing to walk far, this is one of the easiest combinations. The bar has limited reservations, although walk-ins are welcome. We experienced how busy this bar can get on a Saturday night, so be sure to plan accordingly if you want to prioritize this spot.
Best for: Fantastic decor, rooftop drinks, a relaxed group night, and pairing with Old Love’s.
Old Love’s
Old Love’s is appealing because it is playful without feeling gimmicky. Located underneath Old Mate’s Place, it is a cozy rum and cocktail bar that feels like a more polished tiki bar.
If you love rum, this should be a priority since the bar has a substantial rum selection.
We also love that Old Love’s gives you a very different experience from the rooftop upstairs. You can start upstairs at Old Mate’s Place before heading down for rum cocktails, or begin at Old Love’s and finish the night on the rooftop.
Best for: Rum drinks, playful theming, late-night cocktails, and an easy two-bar combination with Old Mate’s Place.
Bar Planet
Bar Planet was another standout for us, especially because we love a bar that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Located in Newtown on Enmore Road, it is colorful, playful, and perfect for anyone who appreciates a good martini with a side of personality.
We tried the breakfast martinis, which were delicious! They also give guests free popcorn, a small touch that adds to the quirkiness of the bar. The space is visually memorable, with a psychedelic take on the French bistro-bar concept.
Bar Planet is especially worth adding to your Sydney itinerary if you are already spending time in Newtown or heading to a show around Enmore. The bar is known for martinis, rotating creative specials, and, of course, its popcorn.
Best for: Martinis, Newtown nightlife, and travelers who want a unique little drink stop.
Earl’s Juke Joint
Earl’s Juke Joint is another fun bar to add to your Newtown itinerary. Since we loved Bar Planet and the general energy of Newtown, we would absolutely make time to explore more of the neighborhood, and specifically Earl’s Juke Joint, on a return visit.
Located behind an old butcher-shop facade on King Street, Earl’s Juke Joint has a New Orleans-inspired saloon atmosphere. It offers cocktails alongside natural wine and craft beer, making it a solid option if people in your group have varying drink tastes.
It has a more casual neighborhood-bar feel than a formal cocktail lounge, which makes it an easy place to visit after dinner in Newtown or after a stop at Bar Planet. Earl’s is walk-in only, so get there early if you are visiting on a busy night.
Best for: Newtown nightlife, relaxed groups, a casual cocktail stop with character, and New Orleans-inspired vibes.
JAM Record Bar
JAM Record Bar is another good choice if you want music to be part of the experience. Sydney has plenty of cocktail bars that focus heavily on the drinks, but we always enjoy places where the atmosphere, music, and people around you help create the night too.
The bar houses more than 15,000 vinyl records, giving it a bit of an indie, hipster vibe that stands out from many of Sydney’s more traditional cocktail lounges. It often has entertainment like DJs, live music, comedy, and trivia. It is a fun option for a more casual evening out, especially if your group has different tastes.
Best for: A music-forward cocktail stop, groups of friends, and a less formal night out.
Eau De Vie
Eau De Vie is another Sydney cocktail bar we did not make it to during our few nights in the city, but it is high on our list for a return trip.
It is a dark, polished speakeasy-style bar in the CBD, entered via Wynyard Lane. The menu includes signature drinks such as the Smoky Rob Roy and Yuzu Mule, along with more theatrical cocktails for people who enjoy a little presentation with their drinks.
Unlike some of Sydney’s smaller walk-in bars, Eau De Vie accepts reservations. That makes it a useful option if you are planning a date night, celebrating something special, or simply prefer to have at least one part of your evening locked in before you arrive.
Best for: Date night, theatrical cocktails, and visitors who prefer to reserve ahead.
Honorable Mention: Alcotraz Sydney
Alcotraz Sydney is not a traditional cocktail bar, but it is absolutely worth mentioning if you love fun theming and unusual nights out.
This is an immersive, prison-themed cocktail experience in Chippendale, where you put on an orange jumpsuit, interact with actors, and become part of the story while enjoying cocktails. It is closer to immersive theater with drinks than a casual bar stop, which makes it better suited to a planned date night, group outing, or one particularly memorable evening in Sydney. The experience lasts about 1 hour and 45 minutes and is for guests 18 and older.
We have not done Alcotraz ourselves, but the concept is exactly the kind of fun, themed experience we would consider adding to a future Sydney itinerary. Book ahead, since tickets can sell out.
Best for: Travelers who love immersive experiences, themed cocktails, group outings, and date nights that are a little different.
Prefer to Explore With a Local?
If you would rather not map out a bar crawl yourself, a guided tour can be a fun way to experience Sydney’s cocktail bar scene while learning more about the city and meeting other travelers. This Sydney Secret Bar Guided Tour visits three or four bars over about 3.5 hours, including well-hidden venues and some of Sydney’s top-rated spots. Your first drink is included, and the tour is designed to be enjoyable even if you are more interested in the social experience than drinking.
This is a particularly good option for solo travelers, first-time visitors, or anyone who wants a fun night out without having to decide where to go next. We would still recommend using this guide to pick one or two bars to visit on another evening, especially if there is a place you are particularly excited about.
How to Plan a Sydney Bar-Hopping Night
Sydney is a great city for bar hopping, but it is worth having a loose plan. Many of the best cocktail bars are small, and popular spots can fill up quickly, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
We found that starting our evenings a little earlier made a big difference. We recommend going to the places most likely to have a line or a wait first, then moving toward more relaxed bars later in the evening.
If there is one bar you are particularly excited about, make it your first stop rather than saving it for later. We learned this the hard way with Cantina OK!, which had a line out the door when we arrived. Eau De Vie is a good choice for travelers who prefer to lock in their plans because it accepts reservations, while many of Sydney’s smaller bars operate primarily as walk-ins.
A few easy ways to group these bars:
- CBD cocktail night: PS40, The Baxter Inn, One Tap, The Barber Shop, Old Mate’s Place, Old Love’s, Cantina OK!, and Eau De Vie
- The Rocks and Circular Quay night: Maybe Sammy and Curtains Jazz Bar, with a walk around the harbor before or after
- Newtown night out: Start at Bar Planet for martinis and popcorn, explore King Street for dinner, then head to Earl’s Juke Joint for a darker, New Orleans-inspired neighborhood-bar atmosphere
- For a music-forward night: Start at Curtains Jazz Bar, then add JAM Record Bar for a more relaxed stop later in the evening
Opening hours, reservation policies, and cocktail menus can change, so we recommend checking each bar’s website before you go, especially if you are visiting on a Friday or Saturday night.
Are Sydney Cocktail Bars Worth It?
Absolutely, especially if you enjoy experiences that feel specific to a destination. Sydney’s cocktail-bar scene made us appreciate the city that much more and helped us feel like we were spending time among locals instead of just crowds of tourists. The atmosphere and creativity of many of the cocktail bars made nights out feel like part of the trip itself.
Whether you are visiting with friends, planning a date night, or simply want something fun to do after a day around the city, make time for at least one or two cocktail bars in Sydney. Start a little early, prioritize the busiest places first, and don’t be afraid to choose the bar with the strangest-looking drink on the menu!
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