Officially it’s a Croatian club, one of the few remaining Balkan clubs in Sydney, but the dining experience here is exceptionally Germanic. The club’s restaurant is Jägerstube, the former restaurant of the German and Austrian club in Cabramatta. They proudly claim it’s the biggest beer hall in the hemisphere, and whether that is true or not does not affect how much fun it is. It looks exactly like you’d expect a German/Austrian beer hall to look, with the added bonus of the occasion Bavarian band or dance. The kitchen serves the exact kind of meat and cabbage or potato combos you’d expect, and there are more than six beers on tap plus various kinds of bottled booze from Germany and other European nations. 79 South St, Schofields; www.facebook.com/JagerstubeSydney/.

What do you do when the tennis club isn’t making bank and the Portuguese club is looking a bit empty? Combine them. You will find the tennis courts plus a few tables on the outside and inside a dining hall and bar, both specialising the flavours of Portugal. Popular regular menu items are barbecued seafood, bacalhau (salted cod), arroz de marisco (seafood rice), and espetada (essentially steak served skewered through the blade of a sword). We say regular menu because there is always a special menu scrawled on a board next to the bar with some regional recipes. If you don’t speak Portuguese and the kitchen is busy, better find a new Portuguese friend because unlikely the kitchen staff will have time to be helping you. Henson Park, 33 Centennial St, Marrickville; facebook.com/Casa-Do-Benfica-Australia.

Compared to some of the other cultural clubs in Sydney this is a much flashier and modern experience. That’s not to say it’s akin to $50-a-head CBD restaurant, expect it to be more like a newly renovated RSL than a wood-clad, crest-adorned hall. The kitchen is Reni’s Bar and Grill, which is part pub classics and part Middle Eastern mezze, all centred around grilled meat and one of the few places in Sydney where you can get a T-bone streak with mushroom sauce alongside Middle Eastern-style kebabs with a side of lablabi (cumin and lemon spiced chickpea soup), hummus and falafel. 52-54 Stanbrook St, Fairfield Heights; culturalclub.com.au.

Book ahead because this tiny club has barely enough room for a football team. If you do get it, prepare to witness one of the most classic cultural club experiences in Sydney. The walls are adorned with Basque symbols, club crests and sporting trophies (more on that incoming); the kitchen makes three things and three things only (whatever Spanish or specifically Basque entree, main and dessert they’ve decided on that day); and the other diners will likely be experience-seekers like yourself and or Basque, mostly the grey-haired variety, couples seeking a slice of home. If you want to extend your Basque experience beyond the plate, head out to the back of the club to see a rare Pelota court, a Basque racket sport that’s like squash with a larger court and a bouncier ball. If you’ve never heard of it, unlikely you’ll make it on that trophy wall but may as well try. 344 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst; guretxoko.com.au.

One of the biggest, loudest and most active of all of Sydney’s cultural clubs. There’s a stage with regular performances (feel free to join in on any salsa going on) or football games; an asado (South American charcoal barbecue) firing out chorizo, steak and morcilla (blood sausage); and a cafe with pastries layered so generously with dulce de leche they ooze out the sides when you bite them. But probably the most enjoyable part of the club isn’t any of those things, it’s the vibe and how damn friendly everyone is. This is probably the only place in Sydney you can go and, regardless of your cultural background, also feel like a proud Uruguayan. 56-62 Whitford Rd, Hinchinbrook facebook.com/ClubUruguayoDeSydney.

If you want to have a big night (both in length and alcohol consumption) try one of the Russian clubs on a festival night. Nasha Kazka is the eastern option – a Friday to Sunday only dining hall headed by Ukrainian chef Iryna Smityukh (formerly of Soul Kitchen in Rosebery). Expect white tablecloths, a live band, and a menu that features a rare chance to try Russian cuisine as well as Georgian, Ukrainian and Central Asian specialities (check the Facebook page for what’s on that weekend). The western option is the Russian Club in Strathfield, not a regular weekend kind of dining option but a really fun place to try Russian food and some imported spirits for Tatyana’s day or the Maslenitsa festival. 140 Bondi Rd, Bondi; facebook.com/nashakazkabondi.