Bar, Dj entertainment in Sydney
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A
Ivy
Hidden down a laneway off George St, Ivy is the latest incarnation of the Merivale drinking dream. This is a supersexy complex featuring bars, restaurants, discreet lounges…even a pool with an anything-goes change room. Despite the hype and the face police on the door, drinks at Ivy are reasonably affordable, which speaks volumes for democracy in Sydney town. Melt into a lounge, order a mandarin Caipiroska and wait for someone famous to show up.
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Argyle
Wow! This place opened up in late 2007, and hasn’t missed a beat since. It’s a collection of five bars spread through the historic sandstone Argyle Stores buildings, with everything from a cobblestone courtyard to underground cellars resonating with chilled DJ vibes. The main bar is a displaced mod Moroccan cave, with leather booths, kooky abstract chandeliers and moody lighting. Great bar food, too.
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Greenwood Hotel
The transformation of this slate-roofed sandstone schoolhouse (1878) into a pumping bar has left it largely unchanged (except for the giant mirror ball). In fact, apart from the Friday night after-work brigade, school is a not-too-distant memory for most of the punters. Hip hop and R&B on Thursday night; Sounds-On-Sunday party ($15) on Sunday afternoon. Burly South Pacific bouncers might let you in.
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D
World Bar
World Bar (a reformed bordello) is an unpretentious grungy club, unique in its decision to let ugly people in the door. Three floors of cool spaces lure the backpackers; cheap drinks keep ’em rockin’. DJs play electro, indie, hip hop and boogie house nightly: Teenage Kicks (indie classics and dance-floor anthems) on Thursday is a sure-fire head start to your weekend. Live bands on Friday.
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Gazebo Wine Garden
A hip wine bar in skanky old Fitzroy Gardens? Who would have believed it 10 years ago? This place is awesome – supergroovy decor (wrought-iron gates, bespoke benches, eclectic couches), interesting drinkers both gay and straight, and a hi-tech vino storage system that shoots gas into open bottles (meaning that 55 sometimes obscure wines are available by the glass to join the 300 by the bottle).
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Arthouse Hotel
It’s easy to lose your way in this sumptuous, multistorey heritage site (1836), which was once the School of Arts. Pinball between three cool bars and Dome restaurant, staggering through doorways into live jazz performances, dance parties or life-drawing sessions. After-work punters seem to know their way around – follow someone good looking.
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Cargo Bar
This pioneering Darling Harbour bar is looking a little weary, but it still lures beautiful boys, babes and backpackers, who get wall-to-wall boozy after 11pm. It also has a cool kitchen: before the drinkers descend, savour the harbour views, tasty pizzas and salads. DJs fire things up nightly. Cargo Lounge upstairs is, well…loungier.
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Loft
The Loft is far from lofty – it’s more like an open-plan office space – but the walls fold back and disappear, sweeping your eye out across Darling Harbour and beyond. Interior design is Moroccan chic, service is snappy and the punters are a sophisticated breed. Book for high tea at high noon on Saturday and Sunday. Occasional live music.
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Kinselas
In what used to be a funeral parlour, this Taylor Sq institution has come back from the dead more times than we care to recall. The downstairs is all art-deco stylings (spot the chapel), while Middle Bar upstairs is chic, mod and popular with international bright young things, with DJs spinning hip hop, funk and R&B.
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Crystal Bar
Down in the bowels of the GPO building, Crystal Bar is a lavish, clandestine booze room with smooth-stylin’ DJs and Crystal Boudoir – a sassy French-knickers-and-high-kicks cabaret show every Saturday night. Who would have thought camp cabaret would appeal to 22-year-olds? Don’t dare dress down.
reviewed
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Ruby Rabbit
What a cool bar! The owners have spared no expense on the interiors, coming up with a design best described as Alice in Wonderland tickles Austin Powers while kissing Britt Ekland in the Palace of Versailles (if you know what we mean). Damn funky, and damn difficult to get into – dress to the nines.
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Pontoon
Perennially busy Pontoon offers water breezes, cool tunes and high-tech sound and screens. The crowd is less appealing – rugby necks, back-slapping office bully boys and deep-cleavaged 50-somethings – but it’s still a reliable place for a beer and some live jazz on Sunday afternoon.
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Tonic Lounge
Just the tonic for snooty Sydney – a laid-back, clubby boudoir in a black and purple terrace house that feels more like someone’s living room than anything hi-tech or haute couture. The fact that it’s so un-Sydney attracts people who are also un-Sydney – backpackers ahoy!
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Zanzibar
Eastern opulence continues all the way to the roof at this late-night Newtown bar, behind a beautiful, winged art-deco facade. Catch the sunset from the rooftop, settle into a cushioned couch or shoot some pool in the funky downstairs bar. Beaut bar food; $8 cocktails on Wednesday.
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Opera Bar
On the harbour’s edge under the low-slung Opera House eaves, this sexy, curvilinear room grabs everyone from snap-happy tourists to business lunchers and tutors them in the ways of sophisticated boozing. DJ’s play jazz, soul and funk nightly; bridge views play 24/7.
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Mars Lounge
Red leather booths, disco-ball reflections catching in the corner of your eye – Mars is sooo money. Sip a cocktail and try to stay focused as you watch the bar staff in action, most of whom seem to be auditioning for a gig in a Justin Timberlake video.
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Aquarium
On the top floor of the historic Beach Palace Hotel (1887), a massive booze barn at the northern end of Coogee Beach, Aquarium is the place to be on a Sunday afternoon. The views from the terrace are awesome; DJs and live acoustic acts provide theme music.
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Mocean
Sexy surfers and their suntanned girlfriends carve it up to funk and R&B at this subterranean Bondi bar. The cool, moody interior makes an urbane departure from the sandy stresses of the beach.
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