Small Bars: Surry Hills - Darlinghurst
The Surry Hills-Darlinghurst area is small bar central. From the tiny to the sublime, here you will find what you searching for: good nights, great choices. These 30+ small bars will help get you started.
Absinthe Salon An art-deco shrine that is dedicated to chasing the green fairy, aka drinking absinthe: 9/10
Bitter Phew
With its emphasis on craft beers, it's more like a small pub than a small bar.
Big Poppa's Food, darkness, hip-hop. They are the first things that will enter you mind as you head into this late night venue. 7/10.
Butter
Shoes, chicken and slushies - possibly the strangest combination for a Sydney small bar yet: 6/10
Button Bar One of the few Sydney bars that has managed to find balance between contemporary and heritage designs: 7/10
Cafe Lounge A leader in creating more experimental décor with a cool atmosphere and great vibe: 7/10
Ching-a-lings
The quintessential inner-city small bar decked out with basic brick, dim lighting, random art and graffitied toilets: 7/10
Darlie Laundromatic
Stepping inside this Surry Hills bar just somehow makes you want to smile: 7/10
Della Hyde There is no going past the fact this place has an intimate, low-key feel with the bonus of attentive staff and a good selection of food and cocktail options: 8/10
Eau De Vie
If you are looking to escape the typical Kings Cross experience of seedy bars, inconsistent door policies and drunken youngsters, Eau de Vie is your saviour: 8/10
Love, Tilly Devine
The first time you visit Love, Tilly Devine you'll find probably find yourself saying 'wow' or 'cool'. This wine bar is both: 7/10
Low 302
An example of a small bar that does everything right: 9/10
Mr Fox
At night, the dark interior and soft lighting are enticing with music at an unobtrusive level: 6/10
Play Bar
The theme in this basement bar is music - mostly on vinyl. Each night sees a different event including local muso's playing live: 6/10
Pocket Bar
One of the first small bars in Sydney, still going strong: 8/10
Rosie Campbell's A Jamaican-themed venue that feels more like a backpacker bar, but still manages to feature a decent cocktail list and food that packs a flavoursome kick: 6/10
Shady Pines Saloon
The epitome of the small bar scene in Sydney, it will surprise and delight you: 9/10
Tatler
The elegance and sophistication of this bar is not immediately obvious when entering the bar's battered grilled door. Descend the stairs, admire the fitout, then the cocktails: 7/10
The Golden Age
Of the new small bars in Sydney, few can match the pedigree of this small bar which features a working cinema dating back to the 1940s: 6/10
The Flinders
Yes it's back. After shuttering its doors for two years, The Flinders re-emerged at the very end of 2016 sporting a revamped look and 3am close: 8/10
The Long Goodbye
A welcomed step away from zany themes to reveal a more sophisticated and fun bar, without the need for pretentiousness: 9/10
The Owl House
Compact, intimate and you'll be made to feel like it's your local - even if you have travelled across Sydney to get there: 7/10