Deadwax

Overview

Taylor Swift, Tyler, The Creator and Creed walk into a bar. No, it's not the start of a terrible dad joke, but it could be your soundtrack to an evening at Enmore listening bar Deadwax. Taking over the former Enmore Country Club space, Deadwax is the brainchild of Dan Teh (OTiS, Glebe's The Little Guy) and Conor O'Brien (OTiS, Tio's), who've tapped Daff Blacksmith (Riley St Garage, NOLA Smokehouse and Bar) and Kate Howlett (Bar Planet) to oversee the kitchen and bar, respectively.

The late-night spot joins the growing ranks of Sydney venues that put music front and centre, and the soundtrack at Deadwax is as eclectic as they come. The team has partnered with Leichhardt record store and listening room Crosstalk Records to curate a sprawling collection of vinyls that spans decades and genres — the playlist will feature everything from soul, funk and disco to bangers from the nineties and naughties and more recent releases and, yes, even a nostalgic hit of Creed from time to time, all piped through speakers from Marrickville's Translate Sound. There'll be DJs on weekends, request nights during the week and, opening soon out the back, Enmore's only karaoke room.

The bar menu is just as diverse as the playlist — expect signatures like a ponzu old fashioned, a silky smooth sesame oil martini and a throwback Midori-backed melon colada, alongside a fridge lined with tins of -196. Food is by no means an afterthought, with the kitchen dishing up the likes of wagyu pastrami sandos, roe-topped snacks and jazzed-up instant noodles until last call (1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays).

The red-tinged space reflects the same mix of playfulness and attention to detail. The bar top is made from 70 layers of individually resin-dipped denim, while the wavy ceiling was designed with sound treatment in mind, allowing you to chat comfortably even with the music pumping.