2013 British & Irish Lions Tour: Sydney Pubs Guide

First topic message reminder :

Due to unpopular demand   I've decided to scrape together a rough guide to Sydney pubs.

Depending on where you will be staying - I've split them into localities for ready reckoning.  
These are only my recommendations however - each to their own of course!
Maybe you've had good or bad experiences in other places. Feel free to add a reply.      

Well known and popular with both tourists & locals - great Aussie pub experience. Menus may vary in quality but generally OK.
Fairly decent pub with average to good menus - mostly a good place but depends on the day
Can get rowdy (normally) but should be buzzing with Lion's fans who will have taken possession of the joint by June.
 A little pricey/pretentious maybe... for those who will like a quiet cocktail with the Missus
Iconic pubs - usually near the seaside. Can either be crowded or a bit rowdy & notorious but most have chill-out areas too.
- Don't know too much about... will keep you posted if I visit.
- OK beers, simple menu... nothing to write home about


I'd imagine most folks will be staying in the East (anywhere from Kings Cross/Rushcutters Bay/Paddington... to the coast at Bondi Beach)
Others maybe staying in the City (Circular Quay to Central Station) or the Darling Harbour area just west of the CBD

City: Circular Quay - The Rocks - Downtown (Financial District)
City Rail: Circular Quay, Wynyard. Martin Place ( for trains to Bondi Junction - Eastern Suburbs Line)

This is where the most expensive hotels are - some very posh hotel type bars but also some old historic pubs with good beer selections/decent menus; close to the Opera House, Bridge, Botanical Gardens.

The Rugby Club  
Rugby Place (off 31 Pitt St - near Circular Quay)
Sydney
9247 3344
http://www.rugbyclub.com.au/
a little small and pokey!

Fortune Of War      
137 George Street
Sydney (The Rocks - Circular Quay West)
9247 2714
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/fortune-of-war.4014

Hero Of Waterloo    
81 Lower Fort Street
Millers Point (The Rocks - western side)
9252 4553
http://www.heroofwaterloo.com.au/

The Lord Nelson Brewery    
19 Kent Street
Millers Point (The Rocks)
http://www.lordnelsonbrewery.com/

The Australian Heritage Hotel    
100 Cumberland St
The Rocks
http://australianheritagehotel.street-directory.com.au/?r=1&rg-0-a=2&rg-0-c=0&did=178&vid=1

The Ship Inn  
Cnr Pitt & Alfred Streets
Sydney (Circular Quay)
9241 2433
http://www.thebestpub.com.au/ShipInn.html

Customs House Bar    
14 Macquarie Place
Sydney (Circular Quay)
9259 7317
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/customs-house-bar.3359

Ryan’s Paragon Hotel    
Loftus Street (next to Macquarie Park off Bridge St)
Sydney
9241 3522
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/ryans-paragon-hotel.943

30 Knots   it may be more  
Level 1, Grand Hotel
30 Hunter Street
Sydney
9232 3755
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/30-knots.4343

Hotel Chambers    
53 Martin Place
Sydney
9233 5388
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/hotel-chambers.925

Ivy Bar      
Level 1, 330 George Street
Sydney
9254 8100
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/ivy-bar.4352

Gin Garden (The Establishment)      
252 George Street
Sydney
9240 3100
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/gin-garden.4349

City: Town Hall (Midtown Commercial/Retail area - between Martin Place... south to Goulburn/Liverpool Sts)
City Rail: Town Hall, Martin Place, Central

Hotel CBD    
Cnr York and King Streets
Sydney
8297 7000
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/hotel-cbd.4351

Forbes Hotel    
30 York Street
Sydney
9299 3703
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/the-forbes-hotel.808

Marble Bar    
Level B1,
488 George Street (under the Hilton)
9265 2606
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/marble-bar.96

Edinburgh Castle Hotel    
294 Pitt Street
Sydney (near Town Hall)
9264 8616
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/edinburgh-castle-hotel.1027

Kingsleys Australian Steakhouse  
29A King Street
Sydney
9295 5080
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/kingsleys-australian-steakhouse.4242

3 Wise Monkeys    
555 George Street
Sydney
9383 5855
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/3-wise-monkeys.2750

Scruffy Murphy’s    
43-49 Goulburn Street
Sydney
9211 2002
http://www.pubssydney.com/pubs/scruffy-murphys.2707

City: Darling Harbour
Short walk from Town Hall or Central

Helm Bar  
7 Wheat Road
Darling Harbour
9290 1571
http://www.helmbar.com.au/

The Pumphouse  
17 Little Pier Street
Darling Harbour
http://www.sydneypubguide.net/pubs/Pumphouse_Bar_and_Grill.aspx

Pyrmont / Glebe (Uni student haunts)
Light rail / buses goes there; Pyrmont across footbridge at Darling Harbour... near The Casino.

The Harlequin Inn  
Cnr Harris & Union Streets
Pyrmont
9660 8146
http://www.sydneypubguide.net/pubs/Harlequin.aspx

The Nag’s Head    
162 St John’s Road
Glebe
9660 1591
http://www.nagshead.com.au

East: Paddington - Surry Hills. Near the Allianz (SFS) for the Lions v Tahs match.
Short 10 minute walk to SFS from Oxford St / Paddington / Surry Hills area. Buses too.

PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub EQ  
1 Bent Street
Moore Park (Fox Studios - behind SCG - near SFS)
9331 5218
http://www.thebestpub.com.au/PJGallaghersEQ.html

The Light Brigade Hotel  
2A Oxford Street (cnr Jersey Road)
Paddington / Woollahra
9357 0888
http://www.thebestpub.com.au/TheLightBrigade.html

Captain Cook Hotel  
162 Flinders Street
Paddington
9360 4327
http://citysearch.com.au/places/nsw/paddington/captain%20cook%20hotel

Olympic Hotel  
308 Moore Park Road (very near SFS)
Paddington
9361 6315
http://www.truelocal.com.au/business/olympic-hotel/paddington

The Cricketer's Arms Hotel    
106 Fitzroy Street
Surry Hills
9311 3301
http://citysearch.com.au/places/nsw/surry%20hills/the%20cricketers%20arms%20hotel

The Clock Hotel  
470 Crown Street
Surry Hills
9331 5333
http://clockhotel.com.au/

East: Double Bay - Watson's Bay (inner Sydney Harbour areas)
Only buses... or taxis - which are very expensive here!!

The Golden Sheaf Hotel    
New South Head Road
Double Bay
9327 5877
http://www.goldensheaf.com.au/welcome

Watson's Bay Hotel (Doyle's Seafood)      
1 Military Road
Watson's Bay
9337 5444
http://sydneypubguide.net/pubs/Watsons_Bay_Hotel_%28Doyles%29.aspx

East: Bondi Beach - Coogee - Randwick  
Train to Bondi Junction... then bus it down to the beach or to the south-eastern suburbs.

Hotel Bondi      
178 Campbell Parade
Bondi Beach
9139 3271
http://www.thebestpub.com.au/HotelBondi.html

Ravesi’s Hotel      
118 Campbell Parade
Bondi Beach
9365 4522
http://www.thebestpub.com.au/ravesisbondi.html

The Coogee Bay Hotel     (watch out for the Bra Boys!)  
253 Coogee Bay Road
Coogee
9665 0000
http://www.thebestpub.com.au/CoogeeBayHotel.html

Randwick Rugby Club     (haven't been there for ages though)
102-104 Brook Street
Coogee
9665 5447
http://www.randwickrugby.com.au/club/

North: Manly - The Corso  
From Circular Quay - Ferry: Wharf 3 (30 mins), Jetcat: Wharf 6 (20 mins)

Manly Wharf Hotel (the first one when you get off ferry/jetcat... quite upmarket now)    
East Esplanade
Manly
9977 1266
http://www.pubsandclubs.com.au/listings/manly-wharf-hotel.737

Hotel Steyn (where Grandad used to drink... changed a lot since 1966 though!)    
75 The Corso Manly (walk from the ferry wharf right down to the end of the Corso... on your left facing the beach)
Manly
9977 4977
http://citysearch.com.au/places/nsw/manly/steyne%20hotel

Ivanhoe of Manly      
27 The Corso
9976 3955
http://citysearch.com.au/places/nsw/manly/ivanhoe%20of%20manly

Wherever possible - check out "pubs nearby" on some of the above websites. Accommodation may still be available too.
There's simply too many pub & bar venues in Sydney and as owners/menus/themes/decor changes... it's hard to keep track.

I haven't even bothered to list any pubs in trendy (less touristy) areas like Newtown, Balmain, Kirribilli, etc nor in the suburbs around Stadium Australia / Olympic Park... but I will have a snoop around and get back to you all in the coming weeks.

If any other Aussies are about - please chip in with your tips or feel free to disagree with my ratings.
If you live in Brisbane or Melbourne - let everyone know of your favourite places and "don't go theres".    

This is a quality thread. Flying into Sydney for the Warratahs game and heading to all of the matches after that.

How much are you talking for a pint in the bars in Sydney?

It varies. Between say $4.50 (£3) to $4.90 (£3.30) in your average public bar in a working man's pub for a local lager like VB, Toohey's New/Old, Carlton Draught. Coopers and Stella slightly more expensive.

Some places charge a lot more - $6 (£4)- $7.50 (£5.10) and upwards for more boutique home brews.

You can get jugs (1140ml - 40 fl oz.) for around $12 (£8) of local tap beer in most places.

using a $AUD 1.00 = £GBP 0.68 conversion rate.


These links might be helpful, MDB.

http://www.pintprice.com/region.php?/Australia

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/cheaper-sydney-beer-leaves-victoria-bitter-20100203-ndj7.html

Happy Hour is usually very good value. Most places have them between 5:00/5:30 - 6:00/6:30.

http://www.sydneyhappyhour.com/

Australian Glass Sizes:

Qld: Pint 570ml (20 fl oz.), Schooner 425ml (15 fl oz.), Pot 285ml (10 fl oz), Seven 200ml (7 fl oz.), Pony 140ml (5 fl oz.)

Vic: Pint 570ml, Schooner* 425ml, Pot 285ml, Glass 200ml, Pony/Horse 140ml

NSW / ACT: Pint 570ml, Schooner 425ml, Schmiddy 350ml (12 fl oz.), Middy (half pint) 285ml, Seven 200ml, Pony 140ml

WA: Pint 570ml, Schooner* / Pot? 425ml, Middy (half pint) 285ml, Glass 200ml, Pony 140ml
SA: Imperial Pint 570ml, 'Pint' (not really!) 425ml, Schooner 285ml (be careful ordering there!), Butcher 200ml, Pony 140ml
Tas: Pint 570ml, Schooner / Fifteen 425ml, Ten / Pot 285ml, Seven 200ml
NT: Pint 570ml, Schooner 425ml, Handle 285ml, Seven 200ml

* 425ml is not a standard glass size in Victoria and WA but you can still find them in many places.

For your Guinness - standard Pint / Half Pint... same as home.

For bottled Beer: Stubby 375ml (6-packs, slab of 24 stubbies), Long Neck 750ml, Darwin Stubby 2000ml.

Just remember with those Darwin Stubbies you have to drink them fast, before the beer gets warm, when your in Darwin though drinking fast is never a problem.

The rooftop bar at the Glenmore Hotel in The Rocks has great views of the harbour. Worth checking out on a sunny winters afternoon.

One of my old favourites from back in the day was the Judgement Bar in Taylor Square. It's above the Courthouse Hotel. Don't what it's like these days but back in the 90's it attracted the best freaks Sydney had to offer. Used to have a 24hr licence. Plenty of great pubs around the inner city - Cricketers Arms, Hollywood hotel, Paddington inn etc etc.

Just went to the Wentworth Hotel in Homebush - not far from the Stadium on 195 Parramatta Rd. It looked nice from the outside so I went in.

http://www.thewentworth.com.au/

They have a decent-sized outdoor area which sort of reminds me of Queensland - tropical feel about it. They have a resident cockatoo which makes a bit of noise every now and then. Plenty of big screens everywhere and a very friendly bar girl.

Food was OK. Got a big steak with chips & salad... washed down with Carlton Draught. Not many people there but I'd imagine it would get quite busy on game days.

possibly the best pub (my favourite) for an afternoon session going into the ealry evening and then the night, okay okay, a Mike Rayer, is the Newport Arms on the Northern Beaches....worth the trip.

Good call, gower.

I used to go to the Arms quite a lot in summer. I haven't been there for a while now though.

http://www.newportarms.com.au/

I went to the Melton Hotel in Auburn today for lunch.

http://www.meltonhotel.com.au/

The marker on the following map is about 300m out.
It's on the corner of Station Rd and the Great Western Highway, opposite Domayne furniture.
ANZ stadium is to the east via the Hill Rd M4 underpass.

http://map.alhgroup.info/venue.php?v=nme&basic

I have fond memories of the place... but that was well over 15 years ago. Like many old pubs in Sydney, this one has had a lot of work done to it internally and I believe it has lost some of it's feel & appeal. It's handy to ANZ Stadium and used to be (still is?) a popular place to gather before the big games.

The beer was $4.70 - nice friendly staff. The place was relatively busy - maybe about 10 small groups at the tables, half empty still.
I ordered my steak (medium-well done) with the ubiquitous chips and salad and parked myself in front one of the many big screens.

30 mins later... no sign of "No 46". So I strolled back to the kitchen and was surprised to see a queue of angry looking people demanding their food! Some bloke was still chasing "No. 42" and when it came it was all in plastic containers... ready for take away??
The guy said to the lady (Chinese chefs - no idea about pub food!) "but I said we are sitting there..." pointing to a table about 4m away.
When things quietened down I calmly asked how '46' was going. I couldn't see any meat on the grill yet - about 30 mins after I had ordered.

So I ordered another beer and continued to watch a replay of last night's Rugby HQ. After 10 mins, I went back and stuck my head around the corner into the kitchen. It was chaos! I could see my steak over there so I asked "what's taking so long? I ordered 40 mins ago..." The chef then said to me: "these steaks take a long time..." (I thought - what?, 4 mins one side, 3 & a half the other, I could see the chips and salad were ready to go.)

Anyway, to cut a long story short it came about 10 mins later. Steak was about a 7/10. Good size... but the chips (all 16 of them) and the salad were a little on the skimpy side. Only paid $13 for it but I did expect a little more snappier service at lunchtime. Bar staff were fine but the kitchen people were very rude!!

Oh, and I missed the $3 beer happy hour and the 'Lovely Hostesses in Bikinis'..... by about 2-3 hours!

What time was the happy hour beer and bikini clad ladies mate? I think I will need some fresh air during that period and meet up with the missus a bit later

Happy Hour $3 XXXX Gold Schooners (sorry, didn't read the fine print!) at the Melton is from 4pm till 7pm every day.

I haven't had a XXXX since 1988!

"Lovely Hostesses" - Wednesday & Friday, 4:30-7:30pm.

Linebreaker wrote:It varies. Between say $4.50 (£3) to $4.90 (£3.30) in your average public bar in a working man's pub for a local lager like VB, Toohey's New/Old, Carlton Draught. Coopers and Stella slightly more expensive.

Some places charge a lot more - $6 (£4)- $7.50 (£5.10) and upwards for more boutique home brews.

You can get jugs (1140ml - 40 fl oz.) for around $12 (£8) of local tap beer in most places.

using a $AUD 1.00 = £GBP 0.68 conversion rate.


These links might be helpful, MDB.

http://www.pintprice.com/region.php?/Australia

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/cheaper-sydney-beer-leaves-victoria-bitter-20100203-ndj7.html

Happy Hour is usually very good value. Most places have them between 5:00/5:30 - 6:00/6:30.

http://www.sydneyhappyhour.com/

Australian Glass Sizes:

Qld: Pint 570ml (20 fl oz.), Schooner 425ml (15 fl oz.), Pot 285ml (10 fl oz), Seven 200ml (7 fl oz.), Pony 140ml (5 fl oz.)

Vic: Pint 570ml, Schooner* 425ml, Pot 285ml, Glass 200ml, Pony/Horse 140ml

NSW / ACT: Pint 570ml, Schooner 425ml, Schmiddy 350ml (12 fl oz.), Middy (half pint) 285ml, Seven 200ml, Pony 140ml

WA: Pint 570ml, Schooner* / Pot? 425ml, Middy (half pint) 285ml, Glass 200ml, Pony 140ml
SA: Imperial Pint 570ml, 'Pint' (not really!) 425ml, Schooner 285ml (be careful ordering there!), Butcher 200ml, Pony 140ml
Tas: Pint 570ml, Schooner / Fifteen 425ml, Ten / Pot 285ml, Seven 200ml
NT: Pint 570ml, Schooner 425ml, Handle 285ml, Seven 200ml

* 425ml is not a standard glass size in Victoria and WA but you can still find them in many places.

For your Guinness - standard Pint / Half Pint... same as home.

For bottled Beer: Stubby 375ml (6-packs, slab of 24 stubbies), Long Neck 750ml, Darwin Stubby 2000ml.

The first time anyone's ever explained this to me.

So being a One Pot Screamer is actually even more insulting than I first thought...

Yeah George, my feet stick to the floor just reading what I wrote.

I hear jugs of beer cost up to $11 or £7.50 in certain brewhouses in Melbourne. I must say I'm ashamed to hear of such price gouging. Bloody Bar stewards!

So it would most likely be similar here in all of the tourist traps. You'd need to get away from the CBD/Darling Harbour/East Sydney boutique beer pubs... if you need to save some pennies.

I would recommend pubs in places like Redfern, Waterloo and Zetland (south of Central Stn) but remember these are real 'working class' suburbs and can be quite eerie and dangerous after dark and 99% of people would be NRL followers (how welcoming?) - they might be shocked to see an influx of red.

I'd suggest that King St, Newtown would be better bang for your buck. It's sort of like Camden Town without the canal - quite hip, plenty of students... hence the cheap beer. There's a decent pub (The Town Hall Hotel) next to the train exit at Newtown Stn... on your left as you walk out... on same side of King St near the Enmore Rd intersection - centre of map below

http://www.gdaypubs.com.au/NSW/sydney/newtown.html#streetview

http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/bars/features/10749/bars-in-newtown

It's then easy to hop back on a train at Newtown (4 stops from Town Hall) - western (yellow) or south-western (light purple) Lines; then head westwards... get off at Lidcombe Station (11 stops).

Change to "The Sprint" train (up the stairs at Lidcombe then turn right on the footbridge concourse; then go back down stairs on your right to the Sprint platform to Olympic Park (one stop).

At OP... just follow the hoards towards ANZ. Try not to get hoarded too far down the platform at Lidcombe (they have lots of rail staff) otherwise you'll have further to walk at the other end!  

Plenty of restaurants and bars in between OP Station and the stadium - but some of them are pricey.

http://www.cityrail.info/stations/network_map

Going home is much easier - direct trains from OP to the City... no need to change trains.

Quick weather update:

We have had the wettest June for 6 years... 254mm of rain to date and only 7 hours of sunshine in the last 7 days. Very unusual for here. However, it is expected to fizzle out tomorrow and we are in for sunny weather for the next 11 days

City-coast / The West
Mon 12-19 / 8-19 showers clearing
Tue 9-18 / 6-19 sunny
Wed 8-19 / 5-19 sunny
Thurs 7-19 / 4-19 sunny
Fri 10-20 / 8-20 sunny
Sat 7-17 / 5-16 sunny
Sun 6-17 / 3-16 sunny
Mon 7-16 / 5-16 sunny
Tue 7-16 / 3-15 sunny

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/sunny-days-to-return-after-wettest-june-in-six-years-20130630-2p533.html

Don't stand under fig trees!

Hi Lb. We're in the King St. Brewhouse on Darling Harbour. Not the cheapest but the beer is good.

LB quick weather update here. 38 here for the next few days except Sunday which goes up to 39.

Much better rugby conditions in Sydney thankfully. Much better viewing conditions here.