A former CBD-based garage is no longer; instead transformed into Sydney’s latest drinking haunt. Cantina Ok! is the younger new sibling of much loved Surry Hills institution Tio’s Cervecería, a space so intimate that it’s largely standing room only, with a couple of bar stools thrown in for good measure.

Settled into bustling Clarence Street, Cantina Ok! is an ode to Mexico and its rather lively late-night bars. The petite enclave is a vibrant den of pinks and pine, specialising in Mexican rare spirits, in particular mezcal.

The team behind the bar Alex Dowd and Jeremy Blackmore (the duo who own Tio’s Cerveceria), as well as former Tio’s manager Alex Gilmour are evidently no strangers to a Mexican-themed venue. It also helps that Gilmour is a mezcal PhD student and former distiller of the stuff.

The result is a new outlet which hopes to educate the masses about the different types and tastes of mezcal. Among those on offer are 48 bottles of very rare mezcal that line the walls of the bar, accompanied by a photo essay and travel journal of the trio’s recent trip through Mexico (all in the name of research of course). For those who are not so mezcal-inclined, there’s also plenty of other offerings to enjoy, including natural wine from the likes of Margaret River’s Dormilona and P&V.

But perhaps the best news for night owls is that of Cantina Ok!’s opening hours; the bar opens from 4.00pm and continues pouring until 2.00am.

Cantina Ok!
Council Place, Sydney
cantinaok.com.au