Pub entertainment in Sydney
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Stonewall Hotel
Nicknamed ‘Stonehenge’ by those who think it’s archaic (gay druids?), Stonewall has three levels of bars and dance floors, attracting a younger crowd. Hosted by wonderfully glam drag queens such as Tora Hymen, cabaret, karaoke and games nights spice things up – Wednesday’s Malebox is a sure-fire way to bag yourself a boy. A few years ago, the ceiling collapsed on the dance floor: the DJ yelled out, ‘I finally brought the house down!’
reviewed
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Beresford Hotel
The small old Albion Hotel (1870) has reopened as the huge new Beresford – a superslick architectural tractor beam designed to lure the beautiful people. And it works! The crowd will make you feel either inadequate or right at home, depending on how the mirror is treating you. The bouncers have rapidly gained a rep for being the most arrogant and patronising in Sydney – forget about it if you’re anyone less than Jennifer Hawkins. Red-hot DJ action after dark.
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Tilbury
Once the dank domain of burly sailors and salty ne’er-do-wells, the Tilbury now sparkles on Sydney’s social scene. Yuppies, yachties, suits, gays and straights alike populate the light, bright interiors. The bistro, the beer garden and the bohemian 1st-floor bar and terrace are packed on weekends (especially on Sunday afternoon); DJs play soul, funk and rare-groove Thursday to Sunday. And sailors can still get a beer!
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Beauchamp Hotel
The design lords have transformed this old corner pub into something very hip indeed. On weekends it gets packed – and incredibly noisy – with stylish Eastern Suburbs 20-somethings. There’s a cool terrace upstairs and Velvet cocktail lounge in the basement (Friday and Saturday nights only). In case you were wondering, it’s pronounced Beech -um.
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Bank Hotel
After a recent $5 million refit, the Bank is better than ever, with a rooftop terrace and cocktail bar, a back-end beer garden, a Thai restaurant and lovely loos. It still attracts a kooky mix of lesbians, students, sports fans, gays and just about everyone else – they just don’t wear their ugh boots to the pub anymore. DJs Wednesday to Sunday; Wednesday is also lesbian night.
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Harbour View Hotel
Built in the 1920s, the curvilicious Harbour View Hotel was the main boozer for the Harbour Bridge construction crew. These days it fulfils the same duties for the Bridge Climbers – wave to them from the 2nd-floor balcony as they traverse the lofty girders. The Tooth’s KB Lager listed on the tiles out the front is long gone, but there’s plenty of Heineken and Boag’s on tap.
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Oxford Hotel
Another year, another owner, another refit…another panic that this treasured venue may (shudder) go straight. So far, so gay. The new incarnation still attracts a beer-swilling slice of gay blokedom to its spacious street-level bar, the post-dance-party crowds to Gilligans mini–basement club, and a sassier crowd to the indulgent 1st-floor Supper Club lounge.
reviewed
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Manacle
Descend into the hirsute, leather-clad gloom of Saturday night in the Inner West and pretend the sun will never come up. Manacle relocated from Taylor Sq a while back, but it’s still Sydney’s best leather night. Actually, it’s more about the cult of masculinity; there’s no strict dress code, but women and drags shouldn’t bother trying.
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Courthouse Hotel
What a brilliant pub! A block back from the King St fray, the 150-year-old Courthouse is the kind of place where everyone from pool-playing goth lesbians to magistrates can have a beer and feel right at home. How ironic – the complete absence of social judgement in a pub called the Courthouse. Beer specials, decent house red and good pub grub, too.
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Darlo Bar
The Darlo’s triangular retro room is a magnet for thirsty urban bohemians, fluoro-clad ditch diggers and architects with something to read or a hankering for pinball or pool. Cult movies on Tuesday night; trivia on Wednesday. It’s pretty quiet during the day, but really fires up on Friday and Saturday nights (don’t we all…).
reviewed
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Light Brigade Hotel
Charge into this curvy art-deco pub for its relaxed ground-floor sports bar with a decent menu, pool table and lots of black tiles and angular stainless steel. Cheap pints Monday to Thursday; packed until closing on weekends. Upstairs beyond a huge clock face there’s a chic bistro and lounge bar (Thursday to Saturday night only).
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Dolphin
This slick fish was once a small corner pub until it expanded into two neighbouring houses. The pretty things head upstairs to the smoking terrace and the ‘is this actually someone’s lounge room?’ addition; nonboofhead sports fans gravitate to the big screens downstairs. There’s a decent bistro, too.
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Clock
Slop a coin into the jukebox, shoot some pool, dissolve into a booth and order happy-hour cocktails (6pm to 7pm) and tapas – the superrenovated Clock tries hard to cover all the bases. The nefarious Shannon Reserve is right across the street; toast the down-and-out proceedings from the wraparound balcony upstairs.
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Bar Cleveland
Still a relaxed local pub despite its sexy deco curves, the Cleveland is a great spot to watch the footy, shoot some pool or chew the fat with mates. Punters range from dreadlocked to blokey, but it’s also gay-friendly. Nine buck cocktail bar concoctions upstairs on Wednesday (6pm to 9pm). Occasional DJs, too.
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Golden Sheaf Hotel
This noble old brick pub rambles through a shady beer garden, a sports bar with pool tables, a bistro, a cocktail bar, a rooftop terrace and a dance floor. The musical mandate covers DJ-delivered rock, soul, hip hop, samba and house. Oasis posters shamelessly occupy wall space among the Stones, Hendrix and Led Zepp.
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Shakespeare Hotel
A classic Sydney pub (1879) with art-nouveau tiled walls, skuzzy carpet, the nags on the telly, $10 bar meals and a permanent sign advertising $2.50 schooners. Happy hour runs 3pm to 6pm daily – just like the old six o’clock swill. Not a hint of glitz nor any sign of interior design. Perfect!
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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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Rose of Australia
The aubergine and umber renovations to this gorgeous old corner pub haven’t dented the tiled front bar’s charm one iota. Locals of all persuasions hang out here, catching some afternoon rays at the street-side tables, a footy game on the big screens, a meal upstairs, or trivia on Tuesdays.
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London Hotel
The Harbour Bridge views from the London’s long balcony are quintessentially Sydney (about as far from London as you can get). There’s a great range of Oz beers on tap, plus a few quality Euro interlopers (Heineken, Hoegaarden), jovial punters and non-stop rugby on the telly.
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Fortune of War Hotel
This 1828 drinking den retains much of its original charm and, by the looks of things, some of the original punters, too. There's live music on Friday and Saturday nights from 8pm and Sunday afternoons between 3pm and 6pm.
reviewed
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Welcome Hotel
If you get lost in the backstreets of Rozelle, you might find yourself chowing down in the Welcome Hotel’s dining room or watching the rugby over a few pints of Guinness. Alternatively, make for the palm-shaded courtyard or commune with Winston, the resident foxhound ghost.
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Sly Fox
This blue-collar backstreet bar hosts Sydney’s biggest weekly lesbian night on Wednesday, where drag kings pack their crotches and hit the stage – gay men don’t have a monopoly on gender illusion in this town. Cheap cocktails ($6!) every night from 6pm to 9pm.
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Steyne Hotel
Boasting nine bars on two levels, this place accommodates everyone from sporty bogans to clubby kids. The internal courtyard isn’t flash (people still smoke here!), but the rooftop bar more than makes up for it with wicked views over the beach. Live bands and DJs nightly.
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Coogee Bay Hotel
This rambling, rowdy complex still packs in the backpackers for live music, open-mic nights, comedy and big-screen sports in the beaut beer garden, cocktail lounge and sports bar. Sit on a stool in the window overlooking the beach, sip a cold one, and wait for the perfect set.
reviewed
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Australian Hotel
Grab a pleasant outdoor table at this classic corner pub and order a Scharer's lager on draught - it's got a cult following in Sydney. Exotic gourmet pizzas (try the crocodile, emu and roo toppings) help fill the time between drinks. Good affordable rooms are also available.
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