Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Drinking & Nightlife
In a city where rum was once the currency of choice, it's little
wonder that drinking plays a big part in the Sydney social scene
- whether it's knocking back some tinnies at the beach,
schmoozing after work or warming up for a night on the town.
Sydney offers plenty of choice in drinking establishments, from
the flashy to the trashy.
The Sydney Scene
Sydneysiders are generally gregarious and welcoming of visitors, and the easiest place to
meet them is at the pub. Most inner-city suburbs have retained their historic corner pubs -
an appealing facet of British life the colonists were loathe to leave behind. The addition of
beer gardens has been an obvious improvement, as has the banning of smoking from all
substantially enclosed licensed premises.
Until recently NSW licensing laws made it hard to set up small wine bars and hole-in-
the-wall cocktail lounges, but a recent relaxation has seen a blooming of such establish-
ments, particularly in the city centre.
Poker machines ('pokies' in the local lingo) are the scourge of Sydney pubs, changing
many a lovely local into a circus of flashing lights, beeps, whistles and hypnotised gam-
blers. It's a brave licensee who forgoes this cash cow in favour of a more pleasant drinking
environment, but bigger complexes at least have the luxury of hiding them in the corner.
The cheapest places to drink are at the Returned & Services League (RSL) clubs. In a
tourist-friendly irony, locals are barred unless they're members, but visitors who live more
than 5km away are welcome (you'll need to bring proof).
