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Cargo Bar
By day you can relax on the smooth wood benches or leather sofas while enjoying the wonderful water views; plant yourself under a white umbrella amongst the preeners and romantics to take in the airy breezes and sweet cocktails. By night, DJs have this joint jumping until the wee small hours.
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Cat & Fiddle
Around 30 live bands (mainly rock, blues and folk) perform here every week, from Wednesday through Sunday. Prop yourself up on the tall stools and enjoy the sounds, or escape for a bite to eat at the bistro in the main bar.
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Chauvel Cinema
Occupying the former ballroom of the Paddington Town Hall since 1977, the much-loved Chauvel plays quality art house releases both new and old (with a liberal does of the quirky and out-there), and hosts various themed festivals.
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City Recital Hall
This is a world-class, 1200-seat venue with wonderful acoustics for live music performances. Its architecture is based on the 19th-century European blueprint, and it's an excellent place to hear the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra and Australian String Quartet, among others.
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Civic Hotel
This three-storey Art-Deco hotel is a bit of a 'world of entertainment'. Sure, there's drinking at the smooth and snappy lounge, but there are also great DJs on weekends, live jazz and rock music, and even a theatre in the basement (which turns into a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights). And of course there's an upscale restaurant as well.
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Clock Hotel
Slip a coin into the jukebox, play some pool, dissolve into a booth or check the time back home (there are 11 clocks with international times) in this smooth hotel. The outside tables are nice and airy, as is the wrap-around balcony upstairs where you can order happy hour cocktails and tapas.
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Clovelly Hotel
An old-style local pub with a nice shady terrace and water views, this is the perfect post-beach Sunday afternoon spot to crack a coldie to the accompaniment of acoustic musos. DJs crank it up on Saturday nights.
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Colombian Hotel
Insanely popular, this (mostly gay) swanky drinking spot offers an intoxicating mix of cute guys, thumping music and heady drinks. The decor is to die for and the street-facing counter makes it oh so easy to check out the boisterous street scene. Women and handlebar moustaches welcome.
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Coogee Bay Hotel
Heaven for Brit backpackers and those wanting to score them, the Coogee Bay is a big rowdy boozer with a massive beer garden, resident DJs and a popular sports bar. It's also a well-known live music venue which attracts some big names from time to time.
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Cricketers Arms Hotel
The zenith of Surry Hills grunge, a cosy vibe fills this friendly pub with friendly locals who gather around the wraparound bar or, in winter, open fireplaces. There's tapas available, a small beer garden with wooden benches, and an intimate upstairs area.
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Cross Lounge
It's so hot and new the bouncers are working overtime. This classy disco sports a glowing pink bar, a lounge area for wallflowers and of course the hoppin' dance floor. Wear your best and get ready for slammin' house and funk music. Friday night is ladies' night, complete with male strippers. It's located above the snazzy Bourbon bar.
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Darlo Bar
A good spot for a quiet one during the week, the Darlo attracts a boisterous crowd on weekends. The service is friendly, the furniture retro, the music groovy and the lighting makes things bright but cosy. Add an interesting neighbourhood and you've got a winner.
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Dendy Newtown
Sydney's premier art-house chain, Dendy screens first-run independent films in comfortable theatres. Discount nights are Mondays. There's another lavish Dendy at Opera Quays.
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Dendy Opera Quays
This lavish cinema screens first-run or independent films, and lies within spitting distance of the Opera House. There's a great bar for ticketholders only. Monday screenings are shown at a flat price for all and sundry (except for public holidays).
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Dolphin Hotel
Slick as all get-out is this large refurbished pub. The Dolphin's a smart beast that's been spruced up and given a smoking terrace. The pretty things head upstairs to the is-that-actually-someone's-lounge-room addition, while non-boofhead sports fans gravitate to the big screens downstairs. There's a decent bistro attached.
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Doyles Palace Hotel
One of the great pleasures in life is languishing in the rowdy beer garden of the Doyles Palace Hotel with mates over a jug of sangria after a day at the beach. Stay to watch the sun go down over the city and grab some seafood if you're hungry - fish and chips or a fiddly platter complete with crabs and cray.
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Empire
This place is hard to miss, with airy open windows offering great views of one of the Cross' busiest intersections. Inside marble details and a cosy, classy feel welcome you, as do the daily drink specials. Ry Cooder might serenade you from the speakers, but if you need more action there's pool going on upstairs at all hours.
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Empire Hotel
The Empire's well-managed 300-capacity bar gets down 'n' dirty with some of Sydney's best blues and roots. Local bands with loyal followings play free gigs; listen out for international artists and regular metal, ska, rockabilly, country-and-western and swing dancing nights!
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Empire Hotel (Annandale)
Live music fans (blues, ska, pop, garage and rockabilly) should try the Empire. A very good (and loud) sound system and a classic Aussie rock ambience make this a fun night out for gig-goers.
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Enmore Theatre
The lovely old Enmore plays host to major Australian and overseas acts (Jet, Alice Cooper, Oasis), plus comedy and jazz. The Rolling Stones played an intimate concert here in early 2003.
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Ensemble Theatre
The long-running Ensemble presents eight or nine mainstream productions per season. Playwrights can be Australian or international, and well-known Australian actors are generally featured. It caters to a mature crowd.
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Establishment
Flashier than greased lightning is this upmarket yuppie bar that brings together white Corinthian columns, a 42m marble bar, leather sofas and cashed-up crowds convinced it's still the 80s. The garden out the back is a fine place to enjoy tapas and smooth music.
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Excelsior Hotel
This casual, grungy joint is good for a schooner at an outdoor table on a sunny afternoon, but it's at night when it really rocks out. A hub of local alternative music, it attracts an eclectic crowd to its nightly live gigs.
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Exchange Hotel
The beautiful Exchange (1885) in Balmain's back streets has been lushly renovated and now houses an upmarket restaurant. Stake a place on the terrace for a A$5 cocktail late on a Sunday afternoon.
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Exchange Hotel
There's a whole mess of venues here, mashed together under one roof: Q Bar pumps hot house seven nights a week; Spectrum is an alt-indie club with live bands; sticky, sexy, claustrophobic Phoenix is home to alternative gay clubbers. Sandwiched in between, the Exchange is a regulation beery pub.
