CBD Bar Crawl: 4 Stops, One Evening

This is a working bar crawl through CBD, Sydney's most concentrated drinking neighbourhood. Polished, hotel-led, late. Four stops, one evening, mapped by editors who actually drink here on Friday nights.

The order matters. Start polished, peak in the middle, end somewhere quieter. Every room listed below is within a 10-minute walk of the next one — that's the value of a neighbourhood crawl.

Total time: about five hours. Total spend: depends on you, but plan Â£60-Â£100 per person. Save this page, send it to whoever you're meeting, and let CBD take care of the rest.

The Route

Four stops, ranked

Walking distance: under 1km between stops. Treat the timings as guidance, not gospel.

No. 01

Stop 1 — 18:00 Aperitif

Mr Wong Cocktail Lounge

CBD · $$$ · Cocktail Bars

Mr Wong Cocktail Lounge draws a steady local crowd in CBD. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

Start at the most refined cocktail room in the area. One drink. You're warming up.

No. 02

Stop 2 — 19:30 First proper cocktail

The Ivy Pool Club

CBD · $$$$ · Rooftop Bars

The Ivy Pool Club draws a steady local crowd in CBD. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

Move to the room you'd take a first date to. Sit at the bar, talk to the bartender, order a house special.

No. 03

Stop 3 — 21:30 The destination

Cantina OK Sydney

a CBD service alley off Council Place. The space is unmarked and you have to know it is there. Inside is a 25-capacity standing bar with around 80 mezcals and an obsessive agave-spirit focus.</p> <p>The bar is the smallest world-ranked agave bar in Australia. The Margarita is benchmark. The mezcal flights are organised by region or producer. The bartenders are encyclopedic about Mexican spirits.</p> <p>The crowd is mid-thirties Sydney cocktail enthusiasts and visiting agave nerds. Pair with <a href="/bars/sydney/baxter-inn-sydney/">The Baxter Inn</a> for a Sydney hidden-bars evening.</p> </div> <div class="section-overline" style="margin-top:40px;">What to Order</div> <div class="order-grid"> <div class="order-card"> <div class="order-name">Mezcal Flight</div> <div class="order-desc">Three mezcals comparing producers or regions. Bartender curates.</div> </div> <div class="order-card"> <div class="order-name">Margarita</div> <div class="order-desc">Tequila reposado · $$$ · Cocktail Bars

Cantina OK is a tiny mezcal bar in a CBD service alley off Council Place. The space is unmarked and you have to know it is there. Inside is a 25-capacity standi

The bar that defines the neighbourhood. Reservations help. Stay an hour.

No. 04

Stop 4 — 23:30 Last drink

Cheers Bar Sydney

CBD · $$ · Sports Bars

Cheers Bar Sydney draws a steady local crowd in CBD. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

End somewhere unhurried — a wine bar, a music room, or a quiet hotel bar. One simple drink.

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