Travel

A guide to Sydney’s underground speakeasy bar scene


At first glance, you may not think Sydney has much to offer in the way of nightlife.

Sure you’ve got the Opera Bar, with its stunning panorama, and plenty of beach and waterside eateries to enjoy a meal or drink at, but where are the hipster hangouts that you find in Melbourne?

As it turns out, they’re underground.

Sydney is full of hidden, speakeasy-style bars. If you didn’t know they were there, you could quite easily walk right past, having no idea that a quirky saloon was concealed behind an unassuming door or down a slightly unappealing stairway.

Unlike the USA, Australia did not have a nationwide prohibition, so it’s unsurprising then that many of these small bars have taken on an American theme.

One of these is Shady Pines Saloon in Darlinghurst. Accessed down a dodgy looking alley, once inside, moose heads adorn the walls and you’ll find an incredible selection of whiskies and whisky-based cocktails. The signature drink is whisky and apple, which goes down easily.

American rock and country blasts out through the speakers, and it’s easy to lose a few hours (or more) in this cosy saloon. In the Central Business District (CBD) is the sister bar – The Baxter Inn.

More whisky is to be found at The Baxter Inn (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

Baxter’s has a serious whisky collection. The bar runs the full length of the long narrow room, and bartenders use a library ladder to reach the many bottles on offer.

Even the most particular whisky drinker will find something to please, with almost 800 varieties available and a whisky room for the true connoisseurs. Here you’ll find a collection of exclusive and rare whiskies sourced from all over the world.

There are 800 varieties of whiskey on offer (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

As with Shade Pines, the entrance to the Baxter Inn is concealed in a small courtyard off a laneway, where you’ll also find the back entrance to the Barbershop. As you might expect from the name, the ‘front’ of this bar is, in fact, a fully functioning barbershop, where gentlemen can enjoy a range of services, including a hot towel shave or a beard trim. What the Baxter Inn offers for whisky lovers, the Barbershop offers for gin fans, featuring gins from Australia to Sri Lanka and plenty in between.

In Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood, the Rocks, you’ll find the Doss House, which at one time actually was a speakeasy of some kind.

The bar is located in the basement of a heritage building built in 1844, which was at different periods, a Chinese opium and gambling den, a cobblers and a dosshouse (hence the name). I have to admit I had no idea what a dosshouse actually was – but it was essentially a cheap lodging for the homeless and poor.

The Dusky Scotchman, made with a 10-year-old Laphroaig, Branca Menta (a bitter amaro liqueur) saline and honey, is the signature drink at The Doss House (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)
An ornate opium pipe provides a throwback to the bar’s former life (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

The basement bar has four rooms, and unusually for this style of bar, an outdoor courtyard. On display is a beautiful ornate opium pipe – a throwback to the bar’s former life.

The Doss House is another great choice for whisky aficionados, with a great selection on offer and excellent whisky based cocktails, including their signature – The Dusky Scotchman made with a 10-year-old Laphroaig, Branca Menta (a bitter amaro liqueur) saline and honey.

Lights in the courtyard of The Doss House (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

If you’re not a big drinker or fancy something a little more refreshing, PS40 is an interesting alternative. This secret bar also doubles as a soda factory, where they make and bottle a range of delicious soft drinks using plenty of Australian native ingredients.

Head to PS40 Bar for a soda (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

In the corner of the bar is the lab, with a huge 500-litre stainless-steel tank. This is where the magic happens.

At the bar, there are five sodas on tap. Four signature drinks and one that changes seasonally. Highlights include the bush tonic water, made with lemon myrtle and native lemongrass, and the smoked lemonade, which is made with water provided from a nearby smoke-house.

The sodas can also be paired with spirits, for those wanting an alcoholic beverage. There’s also a medicinal themed cocktail menu.

Try the smoked lemonade (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

Certain bars require a password or code to enter. That’s the case for Door Knock.

Located by the sandwich shop on Pitt Street, head down the stairway next door, and make your way along a corridor before reaching a door with a brass pineapple knocker. Knock three times and you will be welcomed inside.

Full of bare timbers and greenery, the bar feels like a cosy cabin. The unusual cocktail menu includes ingredients such as carrot and cardamon honey and spiced berry port compote. You’ll also find a great selection of biodynamic wines.

The interiors are like a cosy cabin (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

At the other end of the spectrum is Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern. While also a basement bar, the style couldn’t be more different. Vinyl seats, an unusual display of artefacts hang from the bar including a bra and a horse head mask.

Owner and barman Charlie Lehman wears a pair of denim dungarees and little else, with a beautifully groomed beard as he takes us through the drinks menu which includes a ‘shit tinnie’ (a tin of beer) for $6, a range of cognacs and whiskies and the signature cocktail, Sazerac on tap.

Charlie Lehman at Ramblin’ Rascal (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)
Try a shit tinnie for $6 (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

While it’s common for speakeasy bars to be located underground, this is not always the case.

Old Mates Place is a rare speakeasy rooftop bar, with an outdoor terrace and lovely views of the city. Head up four flights of stairs (or take the lift) and you’ll find yourself in a beautifully decorated library-style bar, complete with floor to ceiling bookcases. Climb the stairs to the next level and the roof terrace awaits.

You can still enjoy Sydney’s speakeasy scene without going underground (Picture: Old Mates Place)

Possibly the favourite of all the bars I visited, Old Mates Places offers a bit of everything, including an extensive drinks menu, delicious cocktails infectiously enthusiastic bar staff. If you’re hungry, you can order one of their delicious Philly cheese steaks and there’s even a veggie version.

Stay in the library or head upstairs and outside (Picture: Old Mates Place)

Head out of the central business district and there are plenty more speakeasy’s to be found across the city. Sydney’s speakeasies may be harder to find, but once you do, the service and drink selections make them easily the most exciting and interesting bars in the city.



Where to stay and how to get there:

Where to stay:

Stay in the funky Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour, one of Sydney’s coolest hotels, located in a converted 19th-century wool store. There’s even a complimentary happy hour in the foyer’s Lo Lounge bar, so you can start your evening before heading off on your hidden bar crawl.

Rooms start at $223 (non-refundable ‘best available everyday’ rate).

Ovolo 1888 (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

Situated equidistant of both The Doss House and The Baxter Inn/The Barber Shop, Mantra 2 Bond Street is perfectly located for an evening of speakeasy exploration. Featuring self-catering apartments and penthouses and a heated rooftop pool with harbour views.

Executive Studio apartments are priced from £125 ($226 AUD) per night.

Mantra 2 Bond Street (Picture: Hayley Lewis @alovelyplanet)

Where to eat: 

For dining with a view, head to Altitude Restaurant at Shangri-La Sydney, which serves contemporary Australian cuisine overlooking Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

How to get there:

Fly London to Sydney with Qatar Airways via Doha from £1,208.22 in economy or £5,398.02 in Business.

Hayley Lewis is a travel writer, blogger and producer. For more on Sydney speakeasy bars head to alovelyplanet.com or follow Hayley on Instagram, YouTubeTwitter or Facebook.

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