5 Bars Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Most of us who visit bars frequently don’t know why it is called a bar…do you?

No, it doesn’t stand for Beer and Alcohol Room – in early colonial days, often saloon keeper or proprietor was the only person who worked in the establishment and if they had to leave the building to tend to horses or bring in stock, they would lower a set of iron bars that would protect the alcohol from patrons in their absence.

Voila, the bar was born! Here are five of our favourite watering holes for after-work drinks and catchups with mates:

Good things come in threes and there’s no exception at Three Bottle Man on Bulletin Place in Circular Quay. Find yourself down the laneway at this Sydney café by day and trendy bar by night, where black and white geometric tiles welcome you into an interior space where wine racks cover walls and recycled timber tables await for lingering over a meal and vino with friends.

 

Whatever your mood, Three Bottle Man has you covered with a selection of Australian wines, cocktails and shared platters such as baked brie with honey, walnut and sourdough; or pair bigger plates of slow-cooked lamb shank, chimichurri, roasted carrot and jus with a glass of Pinot Noir.

Step into the shadows to see the light at Sydney’s newest and oldest hotel and bar, Morris on Pitt Street in Haymarket. Housed within a striking Italian renaissance building with palatial Art Deco sentiments, Morris has found new life as an evocative bar and boutique hotel; poised like dusk, between old and new light, this is a destination that hums with intrigue and like no other. 

 

The bar is a meeting of moody lighting, classic table finishing and highly illusionary artwork, sip a specialty coffee, wine or cocktail and devour baked treats and deli-style plates like burrata with honey, lemon and chilli dressing; carnivores opt for flank steak, café de Morris butter, cos lettuce and mustard dressing, washed down with a Curtain Call cocktail.

Mr Mista on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley delivers an LA-inspired cocktail bar and Asian-influenced kitchen to Brisbanites who love an elegant dining experience and also love to party. After you and the crew have finished feasting on tasty share plates, drink up for a night of bao-fuelled boogying as Mr Mista transforms into a dance club on Friday and Saturday until late.

 

Chill out amid neon lighting, circular wall mirrors, dark wood and velvet booths to devour snacks like Wagyu cheeseburger dumplings and Kewpie ketchup, or wrap your hands around a tropical bao slider with chicken karaage, caramelised pineapple and sriracha mayo. For the headline act, opt for roast duck red curry with lychees, bamboo shoots, coriander and steamed jasmine rice.

New West End bar, High Spirits on Gilbert Place has fast become one of Adelaide’s premier hot spots for extravagant cocktails and tropical vibes. This tiki-inspired modern venue lives in the 1890s Quelltaler House and bar-goers have embraced an eclectic setting – luxe group booths upstairs make for a more intimate ambience, while the bar on entry is filled by a mix of curious explorers and the after-work crowd.

 

The cocktails are a mix of classic and modern varieties, where nothing is off-limit – dry ice and fire are commonly seen as mixologists show off their drink-making talents. Think creations like Bali Bali with triple juniper gin, white rum, dark rum, Cognac, passionfruit, pineapple, orange, falernum and lime; or Maria’s Meringue with vanilla vodka, limoncello, Frangelico and lemon.

Find an intimate, warm-lit space to chill out with a wine, fine fare or dine privately at Wakefield’s Bar & Wine in Ainslie. Wakefield’s is the ideal neighbourhood wine bar, nestled around the corner and upstairs from Edgar’s Inn – one of Canberra’s best-kept secrets.

This stylish wine bar exudes rustic charm with exposed brick, dark timber and moody lighting, ideal for after-work drinks, or a romantic interlude with someone special. Pair the ‘Pretty Little Ditty’ cocktail with pig head sausage, chard and agrodolce, or wrap your mouth around a cheeseburger with zuke pickle on a tomato bun; for a decadent dessert opt for ginger and pear frangipane and vanilla ice cream.