This former pole-dancing venue has been swished up and is now a 'selective' after-dark bar. Is it pretentious or the place to be? You be the judge.
With rock-solid bouncers filtering out the objectionably individual, some may say this glamour bar is perpetuating the Sydney stereotype of trying too hard. A former pole-dancing venue, wads of cash have clearly been thrown at its extensive renovations. The result is a black and gold setting which feels like a glam Prohibition-era speakeasy or a fake jewelry store, depending on who you ask.
Muscling into the city's fastest-growing drinking precinct, this venue competes with the glut of flash drink spots by stamping out a strict door policy. You've been warned: even girls in $400 dresses aren't safe from rejection if their look doesn't excite the gatekeepers. Collars are in and sneakers are definitely out, but even Jimmy Choo pumps won't guarantee you safe passage. Some say the door staff keep the B-graders at bay, while others interpret it as haughty disinterest - a la Paris Hilton.
Nevertheless, as Paris Hilton has her army of fans, so does this venue. The strict door policy offers a sense of exclusivity to some, as does the art-deco design and opulent setting. The extensive cocktail list is intelligently divided into old and new-world selections and offers concoctions such as the Bellini Deluxe (Hennessy, white peach puree, peach liqueur and prosecco) and the Cereza (Sauza Hornitos tequila, organic cherry jelly, pink grapefruit juice and balsamic vinegar). There are also lots of top-tier rums and tequilas, as well as high-end single malts.
Having heard about this 'happening new place' we booked a section for 15 of us for a friend's birthday drinks. We needn't have bothered. They didn't know what we were talking about when we arrived and said who we were and why we were there. Our hostess gave up and sat us in the top section by the bar, and we were soon told by someone else that we couldn't sit there because they had a group coming for a birthday. I was sitting with the birthday girl and told my story (for the fourth time). The atmosphere was good, as were our drinks, but the service lets The Lincoln down terribly. A couple of hours later the final people in our group arrived, only to be told they couldn't come in because they didn't have collars (despite having an Armani sweater etc on). After trying to talk sense into the bouncer, i gave up and asked if he would rather we take our party (who were by now drinking bottles of Veuve) to Hugo's? His response, "well - you don't pay my salary so you can do what you want". Many attempts to speak with either the manager or owner were responded to with promises but apparently fell on deaf ears. We picked our little group up, headed across to Hugo's and (as usual) had a fabulous time (delicious drinks and food and truly wonderful service). My suggestion to anyone heading to The Lincoln is don't bother! With such great places as the Bayswater Brasserie and Hugo's (where the staff are great and the ambience is better), I think that there's no need to support a business with such a generally revolting attitude to customer service.
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Visit: Fri 11 May 2007
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