Well deciding on a venue has never been easier. Employees Only Sydney is set to open its doors this Saturday, the hotly anticipated Australian debut from the New York-based speakeasy chain. The bar is set to sit in a heritage-listed basement on Barrack Street, and will be home to a seriously sophisticated array of cocktails and accompanying bar bites. Expectations are high, but only because the various Employees Only bars around the globe boast an impressive array of awards between them.

As one of the world’s best bars, the team behind Employees Only is evidently a talented bunch. This is particularly evident of their Sydney cohort, led by Principal Bartender Robert Krueger (a member of the EO family for 12 years), and Head Bartender Dula Lorenzohewa. Co-founder Dushan Zarić will be taking a hands- on approach to the Australian launch, flying in for the special event, as well as taking the time to train staff ahead of the bar’s debut.

Obviously cocktails, and sophisticated ones at that, form the bulk of the drinks menu. All the Employees Only favourites make an appearance; there’s the Manhattan Cocktail (Knob Creek Rye stirred with Italian Vermouth, Grand Marnier and dashes of Angostura bitters), and the Amelia (Wyborowa Vodka, St. Germaine Elderflower liqueur shaken with fresh lemon and pureed blackberries) among others. There will also be plenty of new arrivals, including the The Down Payment, an unusual combination of Barsol Pisco, avocado, fresh lime, Strega, Suze and Aqua Faba. “The cocktails are a great mixture of diligence and fun,” explains Krueger, “We want it to be the kind of place that experts in the field want to hang out at and invite their friends to join them.”

Employees Only Sydney will be open from 5.00pm till late Monday to Sunday. Refreshingly for the night owls, the den will remain open (serving food and drink) till 3.00am Monday to Saturday, and till midnight on Sundays. Employees Only Sydney, 9a Barrack Street, Sydney;