Wow, so many great bars in such a small area. This has to be the inner city of Sydney (or…read moreMelbourne, but no, it is Sydney). This is one of those bars, and even though they didn't have a great range of beers, they still have a decent enough selection to make this place worthwhile. I guess it is one of those places that simply have that atmosphere about it that gives it a real electric feel. Yep, this place is actually pretty awesome, and certainly a place I'd have not hesitation in returning to.

Arcadia opened last Friday, and it's already apparent that these guys are pros. Pros with beards…read more One is quiet, one of them never stops talking. He used to run The Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo. After several months of hammering shit together and an injury or two, these two fellas have found their Arcadia, and joined the Sydney small bar scene. Arcadia is right near that really ugly sculpture on the corner of Redfern & Regent. When you walk in, the light is warm (maybe a little too bright?) and the place is decked out delightfully: exposed bricks, rustic metal chairs, stunning glass mirrors (from Rozelle markets), and a back patio area full of well tended plants. It's a gorgeous garden space, and yes, this does provide a spot for smokers. The bar itself is large & wooden), with the bar stools just a tiny bit too low. Like The Dock nearby, this is a place where it's fine to linger at the bar all night, chatting with the owners. It's a spacious place, and we spotted an upstairs - though didn't venture up there on this visit. There are 2 beers on tap (Coopers & a crisp German Larger of some description), and right now they've printed up their wine list, with the cocktail menu still in the works. Actually that's quite good because you can ask the guys for classic cocktails & they're happy to oblige (at approx $12, depending on what you order). The Old Fashioneds were excellent, and mixed with precision & humour. You can order food from Wah Fung (across the road) and eat it in the bar, and they'd probably let you bring in a Vietnamese roll from that little place nearby. It's pretty laid back. All in all, this place is excellent, and will most likely get rather busy on weekends. I almost wanted to give it a bad review just so we can keep it to ourselves.

Had a great time using their promotion. Lovely food and cocktail…read more Relaxed atmosphere. Good to rest before tackling the city.

"My god" he exclaimed in a state of bewilderment and shock, "the pool tables are free to play." And…read morein a room full of deer trophy heads and regal wood laden benches you'll enjoy it. With such decor one could even mistake themselves for a dapper rifle-toting gentleman. The food however is not free. You are going to wish you used your rifle to kill your own food. I.e. If you want overpriced cuisine don't be afraid to come here. The fish and chip are tasty but not large or in any way special. This is OK really because next time your eyes will be drawn to the corn beef on the menu which is a refreshing sight (and taste, in a burger schnitzel driven pub food scene). You pay for the group-friendly tables. Fit with leather backed benches and a TV to control as your own. American sports are available too - those NBA playoffs won't watch themselves in your work lunch break. When it's not busy the waitstaff are pretty accommodating too. This makes it the sports bar you've been looking for! 4 deer heads out of 5.

Escapism is SUCH a great idea! I went with four friends and we all loved it. They put you in a room…read moreand really don't explain anything, and it's up to you to figure things out before the time runs out. We were sooo close to finishing, but didn't quite make it - just one more clue to go! We all want to come back again soon and try out one of the other three rooms. It really is a brilliant idea, and a unique way to spend an evening with a small group of friends. We also decided to get food afterward. We tried different pizzas, which were all good, but we really did have to wait quite a while for each one. Suggestion: Order the food before you go in the room, asking for it to be ready when you get out of the room. No waiting time needed!

Sorry, Sydneysiders, but real bowling alleys don't look like this. First, it's way too dark inside…read more Second, the bowling lanes should be light blonde wood with lines so that you can line up your ball. And those videos at the end of the lane are too damn distracting! I think I've turned into a grouchy American Expat reviewer. Sorry about that, but this place... Not my thing.

I'm not really sure whether I can consider this to be a hidden pub, but then again it does happen…read moreto be on one of the backstreets. As a pub it was actually really nice, especially the lounge area out the back (though there wasn't much in the way of a beer garden). The staff were pretty cool, and they had a nice selection of beers on tap, though the fact that I was wearing my Cooper's T-shirt that day meant that pretty much everybody served me a midi of Coopers before I could make my order.

I was on the hunt for a typical pub with a fireplace to sit in front of with a glass of wine and a…read moregood meal so I decided to check out 3 Weeds. This is a nice big old pub with numerous areas to drink and eat including my favourite "no kids" area with big comfy lounges, fireplace and big windows letting lots of sun in. 3 Weeds seems to be a place for the locals as there were lots of groups. For food I shared the meats and cheese platter which I was a bit disappointed with as it only came with 1 type of cheese and no fruit. I did however enjoy my sirloin steak with a delicious garden salad topped with balsamic vinegar. I usually dislike pub side salads but this was a winner.

I've often wondered about the Gladstone Hotel, it seems to always be open, but never that full…read more I've wandered in through curiosity a few times to have a quiet beer and watch some sport. Sometimes with a friend, who was equally curious about the pub we knew little about. The place is relatively full tonight as I enter, the Wests Tigers playing on the television. A crowd of people have pulled chairs over to a corner to watch the sporting contest. It's a very casual affair, everyone wears jeans and t-shirts and it's a relaxed environment. No ego's here. One person wears a three piece suit and a Fedora hat, his suit looks tailored and his shoes freshly shone. But he strikes me more as a fashionable eccentric with impeccable taste than an ego. Food is being ordered and eaten and beer being poured by the young bartenders, people walk in and are cheered by members of the crowd who are obviously friends and happy to see each other, it's nice when people are happy to see each other. I sit at my table, one eye on the game, the other on the people, a diverse range of ages, from, just got my 18+ card to just got my seniors card. And I realise what it is that keeps the Gladstone Park Hotel afloat, it's how casual it is, it doesn't try to be anything it isn't. It's a relaxed casual place for people to meet for a cheeky beer, eat a cheeky bowl of wedges and watch some cheeky sport.

I quite like this Hotel .... have been coming here on and off for a few years now and have always…read moreenjoyed the time there. It once had a pool table and on my last visit I noticed it was missing ..... this why only 3 stars today. The usual suspects are there beverage wise ...... the food .... typically pub food ..... staff ..... reasonably friendly ...... it's a great pop in pub ..... and that's what I usually use it for especially if I'm getting a hair cut and am on waiting list ...... it's across the road from Market Place ...... Would only recommend this place if nearby and wanting to kill some time.

Come Friday night you can expect this place to be absolutely packed, but then again it does happen…read moreto be Newtown, and this is one of those pubs that happen to be tucked away down a side street. A hidden gem if you will, but then again, from the crowds it attracts, it doesn't seem to be all that hidden. They do have some nice beers available, but as I suggested it can be very difficult finding a seat. Still, I loved this place, and wouldn't have a problem coming back when it doesn't happen to be a Friday night.

The Courthouse is THE Inner West watering hole…read more Coming from a small town, I'm used to walking into a pub and knowing most of the faces. And yet, I wasn't expecting this familiarity to follow me to Sydney. Between walking through The Courty's front doors to finding a rare empty table in the buzzing courtyard out back, you inevitably run into someone you know. In country towns, this is because there's no where else to go. In Newtown, it's because you wouldn't want to go anywhere else. Monday to Sunday, the courtyard is packed with hundreds of indie 20-somethings slurping ciders, scooping sour cream onto wedges and screaming to be heard over the raucaus laughter of the three other groups of people sitting at their table. Capturing the heart of Inner West casual cool, there is nothing boastful about The Courthouse. In fact, with consistently great tunes pumping from the jukebox, good pub-food at decent prices, two different ciders on tap (yes, cider is a game-changer for me), a courtyard that defines summer drinks and weekly Crab Races (no word of a lie), it's safe to say that considering how clearly superior it is, The Courty is pretty modest. See you there.

I had a drink, a chicken burger and the four cheese and four chili pizza. The chicken burger was…read moreastonishingly good. The pizza about burnt my mouth off it was so spicy but was awesome. Our service was quick and they cleaned up after us as soon as we were done. The common area, bar, and restroom was all clean and well maintained. I liked it a lot.

Worst service I have ever experienced in an eating establishment. Promptly ordered our food as did…read morethe others in the party. Our food didn't come out until 45 minutes later and everyone else in the party had received theirs and already finished eating. The place was empty so this was clearly not a lunch rush problem and others had the same menu item , the Sunday Roast, and received it promptly. The food was barely warm. No apologies or acknowledgment of the delay when the food was brought out. There are many better places to eat. Choose one of them.

For a casino it is very quiet. Not sure what is happening nowadays there. Overall it is quite nice…read moreto walk around. I did not play any games there. Just walked around to check it out.

We went here just for the buffet breakfast, but did not stay at the hotel. There were many, many…read moreoptions, both Western and Asian. We really enjoyed the variety. Nothing amazing, as is usual with a buffet, but just a wide variety of things to try, and both breakfast and lunch type foods. The price was a lot, but very similar to the other hotel breakfasts in the area.

the synergy between the bar staff really makes the experience here…read more one lad pouring my pint while the other lad takes my payment?? what is this, Vegas?!? 5 stars

This is another of the many pubs that seem to get closer together the closer one gets to Newtown…read more Actually, it was a nice pub, and the staff were pretty cool. The atmosphere was okay, but it really didn't stand up to many of the other pubs that happen to be in the area. However, the thing that did stand out about this place was that they did have quite a nice beer garden in which to sit, though I should also admit that the beer selection really wasn't all that great. Still, as a pub it was rather nice.