It’s easy to construct the perfect night out in Sydney by hopping between venues. You start with aperitivo at a local bar before booking a table for dinner somewhere nearby the gig later on. But there are nights when you don’t feel like roaming the streets after dark, checking off activities like a game of nightlife bingo. That’s when you need to make a beeline for these Sydney venues that are a triple threat; slinging drinks the way you like them, plates big enough for dinner, and a live show to round out the fun.
You can’t deny our city has tenacity. For all the knocks she’s taken, she keeps getting up and getting back on the horse. Pleasure Club is a brand-spanking new live music venue with an unprecedented 4am license in Newtown from the Odd Culture group (Duke of Enmore, the Old Fitzroy, Odd Culture). Think LA-weirdness, blues and rock, and plenty of performance art. 6 Wilson Street, Newtown; alwaysapleasure.club.
The team behind Sydney favourites, Earl’s Juke Joint, Jacoby’s and the Cliff Dive have opened a live music space at the former Hi-Way location on Enmore Road. The performance space, dubbed, the Trocadero Room, pays homage to the north King Street venue which once housed an ice-skating rink, a movie theatre, and a meeting space for war widows. 156 Enmore Road, Enmore; @trocaderoroom.
They’re taking a vintage approach to the term “nightclub” here in the CBD. Less “24-hour Party People” and more like the golden era of New York parties, when disco was spinning, tables came with bottle service and you could order snacks until late. And while they may love a little glamorous indulgence here (caviar, anyone?), they’re also showing their modern sensibilities, with a tight food and drink menu that includes low and non-alcoholic cocktails for a party night without a sting in its tail. 68 King Street, Sydney; tiva.sydney.
This divey bar with an Americana accent hosts regular live music from local artists. Often it’s free entry, sometimes there’s a small cover charge, but a twenty will always cover it. Once you’re inside there’s classic cocktails, freshly squeezed apple juice with your spirit of choice, local craft beers, and plenty of whiskies to put some iron in your fire. If you’re feeling peckish there are deli-style snack plates of cheese terrine, olives, and sardines, or you can order in excellent wood-fired pizzas from Rosso Antico a few doors down. 44 Enmore Road, Newtown; themidnightspecial.com.au.
Sydney is still gathering momentum on the late night front, but a very strong addition to the team is Armorica, a French brasserie completely decked out in luxe finishes and vintage patinas of gleaming brass and oxblood leather. This is the place for five varieties of steak frites, seafood towers, and a clafoutis for dessert. They also have a dessert cocktail menu if you like to drink your sweets, plus a whole section of the wine list is dedicated to sparkling rose, which is very fun. Complete the trifecta with a late night jazz quartet that starts at 10pm and plays until close on Fridays. 490 Crown Street, Surry Hills; armorica.com.au.
At this point you need to try and think of a reason not to go to Hubert, the stunning underground French bistro with a framing budget to match the Louvre. Every fun French word to say is on the menu: chateaubriand, tarte tartin, saucisson, Cote de boeuf, duck a l’orange, soufflé. Pair them with a tome of a wine list and the live jazz that plays every single night (and some lunchtimes) and it’s a guaranteed good time. 15 Bligh Street, Sydney; swillhouse.com/venues/restaurant-hubert.
This gently revamped club is the archetype of a community-minded venue. The beers are very crafty and are worth a visit in their own right; the spirits list spreads wider than the first pour option you’d expect from a suburban bowlo; and the wines are an all-inclusive love-in of natural, local, vegan, and biodynamic drops. There’re classic counter meals and a pizza menu, and once you’re fuelled up bring on the entertainment, be it trivia, competitive bocce, or a raft of interesting live acts that lean towards country and folk. 77 Brighton Street, Petersham; thepbc.org.au.
This is one of the most devoted queer art and performance party venues in the city. They host curated art exhibitions; regular events like Sad Dyke Sundays; and in between it’s a safe, welcoming, rainbow space for the LGBTQIA+ community and their staunch allies. Cheese and charcuterie can absolutely be dinner if you want them to, or you can order in from local establishments so you’ve got something to accompany your classic cocktail or craft brew. 183 Regent Street, Redfern; thebeardedtit.com.
It’s no secret that this city loves a Sunday roast, especially one they did not have to cook themselves. The latest to throw their Sunday best into the ring is the Old Fitzroy in Woolloomooloo, plating up no less than three options on the day of rest. There’s beef, chicken and a slow roasted Japanese squash, accompanied by roast veg, greens, gravy and Yorkies. Throw an extra log on the open fireplace, order up something from the French-accented cellar and settle in for an afternoon of live jazz and let thoughts of Monday drift away. 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo; oddculture.group.
When mega-group Merivale first landed in the Inner West with the acquisition of The Vic on the Park, hairs naturally bristled. Luckily, the venue has remained largely untouched and the live music still belts out almost every night of the week. Crowd surfing is technically not allowed but we won’t tell anyone if you don’t. 2 Addison Road, Marrickville; merivale.com.
Two venues in one, Oxford Street’s Oxford Art Factory is the underground music venue that dreams are made of. Sticky and dark and far from picky when it comes to genre, OAF is a top spot for up and comers, international tours, and secret gigs for megastars looking for a thrill. 38/46 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst; oxfordartfactory.com.
Newtown’s spiritual home of the craft beer and killer gigs, the Union Hotel has long been the first port of call for those seeking some bluegrass, rock, country, pop, and everything in between. Grab a bite in the expansive dining space, shoot a game of pool or sink a schooner in the beer garden then head back to the front bar to take in some tunes. 576 King Street, Newtown; unionnewtown.com.au.
