Maybe Sammy Is the New 50s-Inspired Cocktail Bar from One of Australia's Best Bartenders

Maybe you've gone in for pizza and had a surprisingly great cocktail. Or maybe you've done it the other way around. Either way, one thing is for sure: Maybe Frank does great pizza and cocktails. And now, the team behind the Surry Hills' restaurant is expanding its offering with Maybe Sammy, opening in The Rocks tomorrow.

Owners Stefano Catino and Vince Lombardo have just completed their new Harrington Street digs, which sits just opposite Neil Perry's Rosetta. The venue is fittingly named after another jazz era icon, Sammy Davis Jr. — if you hadn't guessed, Maybe Frank is named after Sinatra.

But this new venture is all about the cocktails — something that Maybe Frank has gained quite a following for. The restaurant's leading barman Andrea Gualdi most recently won the Australian Bartender of the Year at the 2017 Diageo World Class Competition. He's a co-owner along with Catino and Lombardo, and leads the bar team at the new venue.

Gualdi's cocktails at Maybe Frank are theatrical — complete with rose petals, pop rocks and charred wood — and the drinks at Sammy are equally creative and entertaining. Named after the Rat Pack's favourite venues, the cocktail list features eight signature sips, including the Circus Circus, made with rye, vermouth, mint and poblano and presented with a magic trick; the vodka- and passionfruit-infused Lady Luck, which is, interestingly, served with house-made hand cream (to use, not drink); and the Thunderbird, made with jasmine kombucha, Aperol and a Czech herbal bitters called Becherovka.

Those whose wallets are noticeable lighter after the festive season will be happy to know that a lineup of 'minis' also features on the menu — a rotating list of classic tipples for only $10 a pop. If, on the other hand, you came into possession of lots of coin over Christmas (lucky you) you may choose to indulge in one of the 'high roller' cocktails, which start at a cool $70 each and feature ingredients like Champagne and Hennessy. Coffee also features heavily on the menu, with a list of non-alcoholic caffeinated drinks and boozy ones, such as the Sammy Shakerato (with Ethiopian coffee, Campari and limoncello).

What the new menu doesn't feature is pizza. Replacing the Italian eats are snacks inspired by 1950s Hollywood glamour, complete with a fit-out that emulates a high-end hotel bar. Designed by Sydney's LD Studio, the space is opulent, with pink velvet banquettes, gold lamps, brass fittings, marble tiles and lots of indoor plants.

Find Maybe Sammy at 111 Harrington Street, The Rocks from Wednesday, January 9. It's open from 4pm–12am, Tuesday and Wednesday; 4pm–2am, Thursday–Saturday; 4pm–12am, Sunday.

Images: DS Oficina.

Updated January 7, 2019.