The 26 Best Pubs in Sydney

The storied corner pub and haven of electronic music reopened at the end of 2022, bringing packed dance floors and its 24-hour license back to Chippendale. The Sydney pub’s main bar and beer garden serves as a friendly neighbourhood haunt with beers and cocktails on tap, pizza by the slice and Italian mains for those who may get peckish. And when the weekend hits, late-night parties take over the space until 5am.

Head up two floors and you’ll discover a sleek cocktail lounge and rooftop bar called Casa Rosa. The food here draws from the Med, and the DJs spin Italo-disco classics until the early hours of the morning. Rounding out the trio of offerings is Lil Sis. Here, you’ll find a cosy wine bar serving up classic drops and new-world, minimal-intervention wines, both of which can be enjoyed on-site or be taken away.

Built in 1921, this heritage-listed hotel has had stacks of its features restored to their original state over the past decade or so, including the fireplaces, bars themselves and almighty rooftop space — our favourite part of this city pub that’s long been a go-to in The Rocks.

Birds-eye views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from the top level and a retractable roof make it a top spot to hang no matter what the weather throws your way. Like many popular Sydney pubs, The Glenmore has refined its offerings without losing its old-world charm. It remains an excellent part of the Rocks’ drinking and pub grub scene.

The Watsons Bay Hotel has been an eastern suburbs stalwart for over 190 years. And with that beachfront location and view, is it any wonder? The up-market pub’s major draw cards are its sprawling outdoor seating, an elevated seafood-focused dining menu and a view so palm-tree perfect it could be a postcard (in fact it probably is).

The offering includes a very good cocktail selection, several event spaces and boutique hotel accommodation that takes advantage of those dazzling harbour views. But at its heart, this place is a pub. And that’s what works so well. The order-and-pick-up-at-the-bar thing clicks and keeps the atmosphere busy and buzzy, the crowd is laid back and lively, and like all great coastal venues it invites you to settle in and take it slow under the sunshine.

Odd Culture, the team behind The Old Fitz, has brought this Inner West pub to life with a program of live music and a top-notch pub menu. The kitchen centres around woodfired and charcoal-grilled eats — including a great lineup of pizzas. Booze-wise, the wine list features predominantly natural and low-intervention drops, there are plenty of independent local brews of tap, and the picklebacks come with a selection of house brines to choose from.

This Sydney pub boasts an Australian-meets-American dive bar atmosphere, with pool and Big Buck Hunter in place of the pokies and a moody al fresco beer garden sitting out back. Not long ago the main bar got an upgrade with the addition of a sleek, two-tonne polished-concrete bar clad in spotted gum — but worry not, that familiar pub feel hasn’t gone anywhere. It is for that reason why The Duke remains one of the best pubs in Sydney.

What was once a daggy bowlo has been transformed into a leafy summertime garden pub with million-dollar Sydney skyline views. Inside The Greens, floor-to-ceiling glass doors allow sunlight to stream into a plant-filled brasserie which is fitted out with curved booths and long communal tables. If it’s a sunny day, head outside to the rustic garden where you’ll find daybeds and picnic settings adjacent to the lawns.

You’ll also be pleased to know that the bowls greens are still fully operational and available to book for social games. The pub also holds events such as yoga sessions, organic markets, live music nights, campfire s’mores events and film screenings on the greens — as well as regular DJ sets on the weekend. The Greens definitely has its game on.

Since its Merivale-led reincarnation, Oxford Street stalwart The Paddington has captured the hearts of patrons with its casual-but-slick atmosphere and reliably excellent menu. First things first: plan ahead. When it’s busy — which is often — tables are hard to come by, with the dining areas regularly full, a steady flow at the public bar downstairs and the upstairs cocktail bar humming most nights.

When it comes to the food, old-fashioned pub fare this is not. Start with a warm baguette and whipped butter or a half-dozen Sydney rock oysters, then move on to a spicy mayo-topped lobster spring roll before tackling the signature rotisserie chicken. Chef Ben Greeno’s free-range Bannockburn chooks are brined and spit-roasted on custom-built rotisseries, and served half or whole with gravy, fries and side salad. A late-night menu that runs after 10.30pm features succulent roast chicken and bacon sandwiches — essential fuel given the pub trades until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Image: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)

As you might know, The Lansdowne and its sky-high outdoor area have a storied history. The rooftop spanned a few different iterations while the Mary’s team was at the helm. Now, under the guidance of the crew behind the Oxford Art Factory, The Lansdowne has brought back sun-soaked sips two days a week.

Head upstairs on a Friday or Saturday and you’ll find a bright-blue oasis high above City Road that’s perfect for a weekend catch-up with mates. The open-air bar was given a quick-fire revamp during the summer of 2023 and now boasts retro beach umbrellas to shade you from the sun’s rays, as well as the full suite of food and drinks from the pub downstairs. The rooftop offerings, paired with the impressive lineup of live music gigs down in the main bar make this one of Sydney’s best pubs — and one of the city’s most enduring live music venues.

Located within walking distance of Allianz Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground, this fixture of Woollahra has been a natural sports-fan favourite for decades. Since it first opened in the 1880s, the building has gone through many renovations, but its latest glow-up, completed in November 2024, retains the classic pub feel while bringing in many modern touches.

There’s something different for punters to discover on each of the pub’s four levels. The ground-floor Brigade Bar remains a stalwart feature of the venue, while the first floor is home to the laidback Brigade Bistro. On the second floor, you’ll find the intimate Brigade Lounge, a stylish walk-in cocktail lounge — but arguably the most coveted seats are on the openair rooftop terrace. The stunning city skyline views from 83 metres above sea level are reason alone to visit, but you’ll stay for the playful cocktails, colourful beach-style umbrellas and terracotta furniture that transports guests to a Miami pool club.

The Oaks is a North Shore institution. One of the most famous Sydney pubs, it’s a mega-barn that got a huge renovation back in 2019. The pokies machines got the boot and in came the sleek new cocktail bar, restaurant with in-house butcher, sports bar featuring games every day of the week and boutique bottle shop.

The glorious beer garden also got some love, now boasting a covered garden pavilion and terrace where you can get all cosy during the colder months. The regular events programme is also stacked. Monday nights are all about schnitty deals. Tuesdays are for trivia. Wednesdays are Playstation Nights. Thursdays are when you can get around local craft beer tastings. Fridays and Saturdays see live music take over the sports bar and beer garden. And Sundays are just Sundays. It’s one of the best Sydney pubs, each day of the week.

This Bondi Beach drinking and dining den has stood the test of time. The North Bondi RSL has held on to its loyal patrons with decent prices, classic meat raffles and honest community engagement while simultaneously gathering a fanbase of other locals and tourists through free live music nights and the recently refurbished bistro. But let’s not mess around: everyone loves those uninterrupted beach views. They never get old.

Either spend a long sunny day out on the terrace or head inside to eat, drink and watch the footy with a bunch of rowdy sports lovers. And if you happen to be here for the sunset, pay your respect to the veterans by standing up and facing westwards with the rest of the staff and patrons.

North Sydney’s historic watering hole revealed a smart new look in 2025, alongside a year-round live music program that’s bringing fresh life to one of the Lower North Shore’s oldest pubs. Named for local legend William ‘Billy’ Blue, the reborn Commodore balances heritage-steeped personality with polished interiors of timber, steel and brass, with maritime nods and historic curios dotted throughout the venue.

Music is at the heart of the experience. Expect weekly live sets on the front-bar stage and sun-drenched terrace, as well as the odd acoustic or songwriter session soundtracking the main dining room. There’s also a moody, cellar-style sports bar that shifts from an elevated game-day destination into an after-dark, late-night music den, while a crowd-pleasing menu covers everything from wood-fired pizzas and chicken parmies to seafood sliders and a standout shepherd’s pie.

The Dolphin Hotel made a big splash in the Sydney food scene when it reopened in 2016. Its lovely contemporary interiors adorned with eye-popping, monochrome, Haring-like illustrations and sculptural textures across walls and ceilings, high-flying Italian cuisine, and the charming salumeria and wine bar were envied by other local joints.

The interior design by George Livissianis (known for his work on other beloved venues including The Apollo and Cho Cho San) makes The Dolphin stand out among the more traditional pub fit-out. The food served up in the main ground-floor dining room is also what makes this Sydney pub noteworthy. As with his other ventures, owner and creative director Maurice Terzini has steered an impressive menu of subtly sophisticated modern Italian fare, where top Australian produce is showcased through a selection of share plates, pasta, protein-led mains as well as a lineup of pizza — all at incredibly reasonable prices considering the quality and care on each plate.

A Dowling Street stalwart, Woolloomooloo’s Old Fitz has undergone many a transformation over the past decade, but it’s still an old pub at heart. The one thing that remains consistent is the familiar yet elusive je ne sais quoi of any great pub: you always feel like you’ve made a good choice as soon as you step your feet on that carpet, perch your elbows on the bar and have a tap beer mid-pour.

The old favourite sports 16 taps pouring brews, including a happy hour on selected beers from 4–6pm every day. Rush over after work to take full advantage of this deal. But don’t miss the revamped food options. Head chef John Hockey (under the direction of the Odd Culture Group’s executive chef James MacDonald) has curated a menu that sees classic French bistro and Old English pub influences seamlessly combine.

Merivale added this dog-friendly pub to its collection of venues back in 2018, maintaining what had long made the venue beloved while breathing new life into a classic Marrickville gem. The Vic is a pub for easy-going folks with a strong sense of community, a family-friendly atmosphere, and an appreciation for creative pub fares. Enjoy the drinks and dishes as you listen to live music or challenge your mates or fellow punters to a pick-up basketball game on the outdoor half-court.

When it comes to the food, The Vic has curated a menu featuring both classics and newbies to satisfy whichever cravings you’re submitting to. They’ve even got a stellar late-night menu that’s served on Fridays and Saturdays until 1am. Get around cheeseburgers, chicken wings and toasties before you either call it a night or kick on until morning.

On the edge of Chippendale’s rapidly gentrifying Central Park precinct lies the Lord Gladstone. Now in the hands of the OG crew (Benny Johnson and Mitchell Crum), the pub had a makeover of sorts back in 2019. While its retained its old-school feel and enthusiastically laidback vibe, the boys have amped up the entertainment offering with a constant stream of live gigs and parties, as well as art exhibitions and event pop-ups in the upstairs gallery space, Goodspace.

This joint seems comfortable in its skin, neither trying too hard for design magazine hip nor chasing the food trend of the month. From the graffiti-strewn courtyard to the tartan carpets in the front room, it’s an always approachable Sydney pub set to be a reliable local for years to come.

Part pub, part wine bar and part romantic diner, The Waratah is a jack-of-all-trades venue housed within a two-storey Darlinghurst hotel. Located on the corner of Liverpool and Victoria Streets, it offers a choice of different zones to settle into. Downstairs, you’ll find the walk-in-only public bar, an easy-going spot for drinks and snacks, while upstairs, an intimate dining room features a semi-alfresco area and breezy balcony tables.

The menu leans heavily into Australian nostalgia, filtered through the lens of contemporary Sydney dining. Expect inventive snacks like a double serve of scallops — crispy golden potato scallops topped with raw scallops and served with tartare sauce — alongside small share plates and generous mains that spotlight native ingredients like Davidson plum, saltbush and bunya nut. Cocktails follow suit: the rotating ‘Drinking Australia’ list takes a deep dive into a different local region and its produce, cementing The Waratah as a thoughtful — and distinctly Australian — all-rounder.

Image: Jason Loucas

The historic RSL on the Rose Bay waterfront unveiled a top-to-toe Merivale-led renovation at the very end of 2025, and it’s already one of the Eastern Suburbs’ most exciting local hangouts. A year-long restoration has seen the venue’s interiors and kitchens refreshed and expanded, with the expansive venue now home to Mike Eggert-led Totti’s spin-off Notti’s, a 1950s jet-age-inspired cocktail and record bar and a sprawling, dog-friendly courtyard complete with an Airstream bar, pickleball and basketball courts and beach showers to wash off if you’re coming straight from the sand.

Rooted in more than 75 years of local culture, Club Rose Bay still honours its RSL heritage with a newly created memorabilia hall, as well as a daily reading of the Ode of Remembrance followed by a minute’s silence at 6pm.

Inside the mock Tudor-like building on Jersey Road, a rabbit warren of adjoining rooms awaits. The maroon carpeted floors sink in all the right places, historied hollows ploughed by a steady stream of drinkers. A circular bar connects the main room to two smaller service areas, including a separate nook for darts. At the rear, a lamp-lit, timber-panelled lounge is furnished with booth-style tables, each with seating for four.

Australian Modern or English Gastro, the pub food is somewhere in between. A wide range of light snacks are available together with a choice between a few mains. The menu changes regularly, although one is mostly guaranteed a sirloin, salmon or pie. It’s all about quality without the fuss — exactly what we’re after when hunting down the best Sydney pub.

The Harbord Hotel, a proper coastal mainstay, returned to the Northern Beaches back in 2021 following a mega makeover. Occupying the new-look ground floor is a sprawling main bar and breezy dining room, where you can tuck into well-executed pub classics with a coastal spin. Upstairs is Bombies, a vibe-heavy bar and live music venue that brings laidback 1970s beach house energy and a lively late-night buzz to the former caretaker’s residence.

Located just steps from the beach, The Harbord Hotel also plays into its suburb’s claim as the official birthplace of surfing in Australia — with surfboards and surfing memorabilia strewn about the whole Sydney pub. Grab a few pints on the terrace, breathing in the salty sea air while watching local surfers rock up straight from the beach.

This pokies-free Marrickville venue received a good spit and polish back in 2013, turning it into a fantastic family-friendly pub and boutique bottle shop. Since then, it has received a few small updates but The Henson retains a lot of the historic pub’s heritage charm.

The Sydney pub is home to a billiards table and darts board in the front bar, a vintage arcade room complete with a KISS pinball machine, a bottle shop and TVs showing rugby, footy and cricket matches year-round. With all these indoor additions, it’s great for winter hangs. Then come summer, the beer garden fills up with locals taking advantage of the sunny days and long balmy evenings.

Image: Alana Dimou

Those brave enough to mosey down the darkened alleyway that is Clarence Street in search of a stiff drink will be rewarded. The unassuming courtyard you arrive in — that already plays host to tried-and-true drinking establishments The Baxter Inn and The Barber Shop — belies an impressive venue. The Sydney pub is a particularly ambitious venture: an 1800s-style British tavern, somewhere Charles Dickens might have penned Great Expectations over a couple of ales and a pork pie.

After a few hours spent in a snug nook knocking back brews or sampling the incredibly expansive selection of spirits from across the globe, it’s strangely easy to forget which century you’re in — if it weren’t for the fact that everyone in suits is equipped with smartphones, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had travelled back in time. Particularly during the winter months, the Duke of Clarence is one of the best pubs in Sydney.

Run by the same folks at Sydney Park Hotel in Newtown, The White Cockatoo is a beloved locals pub in Sydney’s Petersham (that’s also pokies-free). Here, you’ll find a great public bar and dining room, as well as a vine-covered beer garden that’s made for summer drinking seshes. Grab a parmy, some cheesy poutine chips, burgers and craft beers, or go for some of its fancier menu options or regularly updated specials board.

Alternatively, make all your decisions based on the daily pub deals. Tuesdays are all about cheap tinnies. Trivia is hosted here every Wednesday. And on Thursday nights, pub members go in the draw to win a cash prize.

Balmain’s oldest licensed pub entered a confident new era in 2024, reopening after a full-scale transformation that honours its 1857 heritage while firmly positioning it among Sydney’s best modern pubs. Reimagined under Peninsula Hospitality, the sprawling, heritage-listed venue unfolds across three distinct spaces: a classic front bar for beers and sport, a relaxed lounge bar anchored by a central fireplace, and a sleek, light-filled dining room complete with an oyster bar and charcoal grill — each offering its own reason to linger.

In the kitchen, Head Chef Ben Sitton brings experience from some of Sydney’s top tables (including Felix, Uccello and Rockpool Bar & Grill) to a produce-driven menu that’s well and truly a cut above the standard pub offer, with an impressive wine, champagne and cocktail list to match. There are also generous set menus for group occasions, as well as a pared-back bar menu for casual drop-ins. Despite the gloss, The Dry Dock remains a true local at heart, with plenty of room for walk-ins and dog-friendly hangs that spill into neighbouring Mort Street Park.

Popular with students, artists and the battered men who’ve been frequenting it for the past forty years, The Courthouse Hotel — more commonly known as The Courty — is a beloved staple of Newtown’s drinking spots. It is grungy, relaxed and unpretentious, with one of Sydney’s finest beer gardens.

Inside you’ll find pool tables, a collection of pinball machines and a couple of vinyl couches with the stuffing falling out of them. But the real drawcard at The Courthouse is the beer garden. From the wooden veranda, you gaze down onto a maze of long wooden benches surrounded by frangipani trees and tropical plants which, bafflingly, still manage to grow amongst the spilled beer and cigarette butts. A true Inner West institution.

Since 1880, the Newport Arms has stood as a landmark on the Northern Beaches. In 2015, the property was acquired by Merivale and relaunched a year later as The Newport — and a decade on, it remains a benchmark for big, breezy hospitality done well. The sprawling venue is anchored by one of Australia’s openair waterfront beer gardens, offering sweeping views of Pittwater, generous seating among its treasure trove of fauna and a stage at the water’s edge that hosts live music and DJs on weekends.

Designed to feel like a permanent alfresco food market, The Newport invites visitors to choose their own adventure from a collection of casual food outlets dotted throughout the property. Take your pick from the likes of woodfired pizzas from Vinnie’s, generous burgers and pub classics from The Shack, or fresh seafood platters, fish and chips, rotisserie meats and share plates from The Kiosk — and if the mood is more formal, The Newport is also home to the decadent two-hatted brasserie Bert’s. Add in a solid drinks program that includes a huge tap selection, a lively sports bar for game days and a games-filled gymnasium for kids, and it’s easy to see why The Newport continues to earn its place among Sydney’s best pubs.

Image: Bodhi Liggett.

The Cricketers Arms, widely known to its hordes of devotees as the Crix, is the kind of local that will make you want to move into the area. It’s a beautiful old pub, boasting wooden floors and wall tiles, a laidback atmosphere, and plenty of character behind the bar.

A reliable local, the Crix works both summer and winter well. The outside courtyard, brimming with plants and wooden tables, is good reason to stake out a spot in the warmer months. In winter, a fireplace is always lit, surrounded by lounges and more tables. Upstairs has the excellent casual bistro Chez Crix, with a French-inspired menu, fantastic natural wine list and a dog-friendly ethos. Get in early (to beat the crowds), bring a good attitude for the always entertaining bar staff, and settle in for a good long day or night out. For our money, it’s the best pub in Sydney.