10 Best Nightlife in Inner City and the Eastern Suburbs, Sydney

You might have to seek them out but there are quite a few speakeasy-style bars sprinkled around Sydney. Eau de Vie, at the rear of the trendy Kirketon Hotel in Darlinghurst, perfectly fits the bill, especially with its cocktail menu. It's designed as a journey through the theater, with a "Shakespeare" touching on a yuzu mule with vodka, honey, and yuzu curd (A$20). There's also the "Carmen" cocktail from a Night At The Opera, with gin, sherry, and rosemary poured over crushed ice. Drinks are a little pricey, but the bar staff and the patrons are friendly and the jazz-infused music takes the pain out of the bill. There's a bar snack menu, too.

Sydney's biggest, best-looking, and funkiest gay nightclub, ARQ attracts a clean-cut crowd who like to whip off their shirts as soon as they hear the beat. (Some women head here, too.) There are multiple dance floors, a bar, and plenty of chrome and sparkly lighting. It's open from 9 pm until whenever Thursday through Sunday; a Thursday night drag contest is free and so is entry on a Friday night, while shows have a cover charge ranging from A$15 to A$25 (and sometimes a little more).

This Bondi institution is famous for its Sunday Sessions, when locals come to enjoy a barbecue, drink, and dance in the outdoor courtyard. There's music every night in summer (except Monday), good affordable food, and a A$20 roast with all the trimmings on Sunday night.

This is a great comedy venue that also serves up excellent jazz, pop, rock, and blues performances on Sunday afternoon, often featuring artists playing in Australia's top world music and blues festivals when they are in town. Often the performances are free. Comedy nights (around A$10 to A$15 for a performance) are held on Tuesday and Friday at 8 pm; international comedy stars have been known to drop into the pub when they're in town (and do a spot of stand-up).

Spread out over four levels, this towering venue hosts live bands almost every night of the week. There's even a weekly open-mic night on the rooftop bar, where some of the city's best jump on stage and sing covers or originals. There's also a pub menu available, with plenty of seating if you're not one for dancing.

This jazz bar is one of the few late-night bars available in the city, opening until 2 am every night but Monday and Tuesday. There's jazz played but also live instrumental. The vibe is relaxed and the crowd friendly. The menu and drinks are simple with pizza, pasta, and cocktails available and all at a reasonable price. There is a large variety of whiskies available.

This underground bar offers an authentic saloon experience, with Johnny Cash songs playing, whiskey flowing, and peanut shells found all over the ground. The vibe is friendly, with cocktail hour between 4 pm and 6 pm being a massive hit thanks to A$10 cocktails. Always a fun place to let your hair down, with live music playing on weekends. Open every night of the week.

The city's oldest comedy club is in a plush 300-seat theater in the Entertainment Quarter, which most people still refer to as Fox Studios (its former name). The difficult-to-find theater is at the rear of the complex, close to the parking lot. Shows are Thursday–Saturday at 8:30 pm, and admission is usually around A$30.

This quaint pub in the left-of-center suburb of Balmain declares itself the "spiritual home of jazz and live music for the past 40 years." Its resident jazz band has been playing there since 1970, and you can hear them for free each Sunday at 4 pm (except for the first Sunday of the month, when another jazz band takes their place). A variety of live music including pop, rock, swing, and blues is also on the bill. Music cranks up on Friday and Saturday night from 9 pm. The pub attracts a friendly, unpretentious crowd and supports up-and-coming bands.