Sydney's most popular bars

1

 

Slip into some designer attire and charm the door police, if you feel worthy. This chic bar serves up city views and cocktails featuring chargrilled fruit. It may seem a bit wanky to have to wait in line in front of the Hilton Sydney while humourless bouncers - sorry, 'security managers' - check your shoes for designer labels, but Zeta is worth the extra effort.

2

 

Hidden at basement level on the corner of Elizabeth Street, one feels as though they have stumbled upon a hidden treasure, tucked away from the busy streets of Sydney's CBD. Made up of three individual spaces that each have their own warm, inviting ambience, Bar Europa draws in its patrons to explore its cavernous surroundings. Rich chocolate banquettes provide a comfortable space to divulge your taste buds in the delectable tapas selection, or while high-seated bar stools give a good vantage point to watch the professional bar staff working their magic on one of their acclaimed alcoholic concoctions.

3

 

After receiving a swanky refurb, it seems the new and improved night spot is an ode to past - a moody retro wonderland of marble coffee tables, luminous fish tanks, animal print cushions, charmingly kitsch chalkboard walls and disco balls (even the carpet has the former Ladylux logo tessellated throughout the lounge area in a subtle tribute to days of yore). The vodka-based cocktails, designed by the bar manager Sam Fallows, are amusingly named after circa 1970s James Bond birds (Mrs. Money Penny, Kissy Suzuki, Solitaire, Mary Goodnight and so on).

4

 

Hugo's is so popular within the chi-chi scene, it's almost the cliche of the Kings Cross. Join the line that snakes down the stairs to Bayswater Road and envy the crowds up on the balcony, sipping their pricey cocktails and scotch. For those who don't mind paying for it, Hugo's is a swanky, polished, pick-up palace. There's no time to notice the design of the place itself: the glossy crowd is all the decoration that it needs. The women are a blur of stilettos, shimmering sequins and salon-styled hair. The boys are designer clad and coated in a haze of aftershave.

5

 

Conventional wisdom would suggest that Madame Fling Flong is a mischievous vixen of a nightspot. After all, her name is hardly a throwback to old-world sensibilities. However this madame of a bar does seem to defy such wisdom. She saunters the fine line between Parisian glamour and bohemian style, right in the heart of gritty Newtown. Brushing aside Sydney's obsession with all things minimalist, this intimate lounge is a heady mix of antique furniture, vintage chandeliers, fleshy red walls and matching silk drapes.

6

 

Reincarnated from its former life as a strip joint, this subterranean secret is decked out with chesterfield lounges, and is often decorated with Sydney's designer-heeled A-listers. DJs spin tracks well into the next day, keeping the party-faithful dancing all night.

7

 

Tramp down the steps of this Bayswater Road terrace and let yourself be drawn into Candy's sweet little underground lair. This cavernous den is only open at the tail end of the week, and it attracts a hoard of trendy young things determined to dance (and pash) away the hassles of the week. Although there are a variety of spirits, wine and beer available, the regulars know there's little time to stop and linger over a drink. Some throw back quick shots of Agua de Bolivia: a sweet herbal liqueur made from the Bolivian coca leaf. Chomp on a wedge of lime then knock back a shot of this startlingly sweet liqueur that contains traces of guarana and ginseng.

8

 

Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn would have felt at home in this old-school establishment, where cocktails and deluxe French tipple are the drinks du jour.

9

 

Perfect for an intimate soiree, this cosy, one-of-a-kind bar serves the finest distilled absinthes available, with each table featuring a specially-designed absinthe fountain. Prices range between $12 and $20 per glass.

10

 

If a boho Parisian with eclectic vinyl tunes threw a house party in Kings Cross, the setting would probably look a lot like the inside of Tonic Lounge. This Victorian terrace in Kellett Street possesses a cosy living room vibe and a laidback attitude. Its decor oozes sexy, with red patterned walls, boudoir styling, shabby touches and low-glowing lamps that cast late-night shadows.