This is by far, Adelaide's best kept secret right now. Small bars are popping all around town, but…read morethis one stands true to the whole hole-in-the-wall hidden bar concept. GENIUS. It is so refreshing. If you're not looking hard enough you would easily miss it. Walk in and it's like the prohibition era, from the grungy shelves to the dark, moody decor and booths to the sad music. It is easily one of the best themed cocktail bars in Adelaide. Drinks are fantastic. Some bars have expensive drinks for not much and they don't taste great. Not at Baddog, they are top notch and the barman does it right in front of you on the bar so you don't miss a thing. Brilliant. Best find of the year for me so far.

Zack has built an amazing speak easy style bar that makes you feel like you've ducked back in time…read moreto a prohibition era. The waist coats, crystal glasses and twisted stainless steel and silver spoons all work to make this a top spot for a cocktail or cheeky beer. A maestro of the common and rare cocktails and a range of spirits you wont find in many bars Zack makes this bar. Sitting at the bar is mandatory for the first drink in my opinion then sneak off to the lux booths for quiet and intimate drinks. Its dark, has very cool décor and edgy clean bathrooms. Bad Dog Bar doesn't have tvs, doesn't have pokies and doesn't have tap beer and for goodness sakes never order an apple-tini :) and that's the way we like it. Top Tip: order the pickleback - rye bourbon shot followed by some freshly made pickle juice. The SMoking Joint cocktail is also a fav!

I liked this bar- quite a selection of draft beer, as well as a huge amount of wines. You can tell…read morethis spot is popular with the locals, as it was packed every Happy Hour. There is a cool glass wine cellar where you can see lots of bottle of wine, there is a water feature that's cool, and you can sit on one side next to the lobby or at tables on the other side of the bar. A nice vibe altogether. Simply a nice gather spot with lots of cold and fresh draft beer.

Collins Cocktail heaven…read more The Collins will spoil you for all time -everywhere in the world (well maybe not the Traders Bar on the 33rd floor of the Sheraton sipping a Rose Lychee martini overlooking the Twin Towers in KL - are you green with cocktail envy?!) This is my special night out or even not so special night out starting point. The cocktails here are truly unique and now having collectively tried quite a few with partner and friends I can't find fault. (My personal favourite is the Violet Champagne Cocktail.) The setting is luxuriously decadent and seductive, the cocktails seduce even more and the alcoholic ambience is stupendous. A Sydney friend makes this her only must do whenever in Adelaide. Not that us Radelaideans need to compare ourselves in anyway - do we? I can't rave much more except to hint that whether it's Valentine's day, Birthday, Anniversary, Chinese New Year, Haven't Seen Old Friend's For Ages or you've just had a shitty week at work make a beeline for The Collins. Your efforts will be rewarded and the world will look beautiful again.

You wouldn't know it by the name, but this place is all class. Just look at the website!…read more This is a 'Rum and Members Bar'. It reportedly has the world's largest collection of fine rums. Admittedly, this is a fact I can't be sure of. I haven't been everywhere else in the world, y'see. I CAN, however, tell you that I DID try a veritable array of rum, and all of it was fine. Bear in mind, I've always been a vodka man. All other spirits are second-rate to me. (Except the green fairy, but I don't really consider THAT a spirit. It's more a monster unto itself.) But this is some good rum. The decor is great, and not at all cheap or tacky (as you'd expect from a members club), and the music complements the decorating perfectly. Though I'm not typically a fan of rum, if you've friends who love the stuff, bring them here (or be dragged along), and you'll have a gay old time. If you can claim a lounge for your own, many a deep, philosophical and ultimately meaningless conversation will be had before the night is done.

Upstairs from the Union Hotel, Bar Cuba is subtly signposted and only open late. Everyone wants to…read morefeel special and this is a members only scene, on the positive it's not super hard to become a member. At the risk of sounding like a simpleton this bar is so purrrrdy. Lots of luxe fabric and billowing curtains and velvet and chocolate ottomans. Rum is the thing at Bar Cuba (Surprise!) and though I'm not a huge fan of rum usually, they make delicious cocktails and as the saying goes, when in Cuba... The music is a mix of soul funk and jazz and the people lounging around may appear casual but their dress certainly is not. This place is booked for functions a fair way ahead so if you want to have a party here you've got to be organised. And here's a hot tip: having your gig here is not a cheap venture. If you don't have the cash you can always do as we've done in the past and gate crash more wealthy people's parties. You didn't read this but... we may have snuck in on occasion. Or better yet, subtly convince your friends to have functions here so you can attend. Yeah... do that.

I came in for a cool drink on a 37° day and they refused to serve me. They told me to go down the…read moreroad to the Stag Hotel. I am here for work and have to wait in the heat until I'm required at 5:00 pm. I saw others enjoying a cool drink on the way out. What does that say about service at this venue? I won't be back.

The Botanic is, by far, one of my favourite places to grab a drink in the city. Their incredibly…read morerelaxed atmosphere, fine interior décor and wide selection of drinks make this place great for all occasions, whether it be getting together with a large group of friends, or sharing a drink with a few. The bartenders really know how to make a mean drink, and their extensive knowledge in different cocktails is impressive to say the least. One of my favourite drinks here is their simple gin and tonic, and their inclusion of the slice of cucumber in the glass. It's a small difference, but one that is noticeable on the palette and enough to make a huge difference. They've got local and import beers that won't stretch your budget too thin, and a large selection of wines and spirits. Their food is also incredibly great value. The wood oven pizzas are light enough to snack on, yet filling enough to ensure you won't be passing out during the cab ride back home. And only six dollars! That's value you can't beat.

Nice little quaint and cozy bar. They had 3 beers on tap and the larger tasted great. We sat at the…read morebar one night and cozy lounge area another. Staff were friendly one night and the next night not very sociable. They are open late which is great! I'd stop here for an ale again thats for sure. Rating it as a small cozy wine bar I give it a 4.5 ( rounded to 5.

When you are made to feel like you are the only person in the bar worth serving (despite how…read morechaotic everything is around you) you know you are in for a good night. We stood up at the bar and enjoyed the buzz of the place (not with doof doof music or loud obnoxious patrons) but with chatter and people weaving together a night of fun for themselves. You can also sit at a booth upstairs and watch over the crowd, perch in one of the windows at the front or sit on stools at small benches. If you are someone who hates making decisions, this tiny hole in the wall, 65 person bar has already made half of them for you. Their simple menu includes 3 beers on tap and a selection of craft brews by the bottle, 3 whites and 3 reds by the glass, a selection of wines by the bottle and then any cocktail you request can be made. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable about all of the drinks on offer and make a point of telling you about what you are drinking, what it tastes like, or giving you recommendations. There are also only 4 food items on the menu - Coriole Olives, Pickels and 2 charcuterie boards made from The Charcuterie (a spin off from Lucia's Deli in the Central Market). We had the duck pate which doesn't sound or look that appetising but is actually not a paste but more of a shredded duck in pork belly fat goodness. The proscuitto platter again only came with bread and pickles but it didn't need anything else because of the quality of meat - it was a young cut of meat so not too typically proscuitto salty, very thinly sliced but still not bland. Now I have to warn all those typical Adelaidians our there who "refuse to line up." At 7pm on a Friday the line up was about 8 persons deep but we were inside within 20 minutes. Because this isn't a bar for spending hours and hours at people move in and out pretty quickly. So suck it up princess because CLT is worth the wait.

Best bar to arrive at early: you can sit in there by yourself and have a drink and the atmosphere…read moreis relaxed so you don't feel lonely or get leered at. Not a good bar to walk into at midnight Saturday night: people tend to come in here in groups and order every cocktail on the menu, leaving you waiting for your simple champagne for a very long time. They do table service here during the happy hour sort of time, staff to patron ratio permitting. There really is nothing better than reclining in a cocktail lounge and having delicious drinks bought to you on a tray. The high life, for common people. Music is inoffensive club and electro that you can both dance to if you're in the mood or ignore when you want to have a proper chat. No matter how busy this place gets we never seem to have trouble finding a table, which is another reason why this is a favourite for me and my friends. Its positioning right near delicious restaurants like British India and Mesa Lunga also make it the perfect possie for after dinner drinks.

Lotus Lounge is a hip and laid back joint on Morphett St, Just around the corner from the buzzing…read moreGouger St district. Styling itself with retro chic furniture and iconography, Lotus Lounge offers cocktail bar prices with none of the snobbery usually associated with bars of this type. Funky paintings adorn the walls and a lime green colour scheme gives an electrifying vibrancy to the building. There is a cool little beer garden out the back which looks like someones backyard, complete with a home made looking tiki hut and cheesy photographic palm beach vista. The music is generally electro and there is usually a DJ nestled in the little dance floor area situated between the front bar and the beer garden.Dancing in the doorway, probably my favorite aspect of the Lotus Lounge. Uncharacteristically hip for Adelaide, there need to be more bars, as aesthetically pleasing as the lotus lounge. Also, keep your eyes peeled for Fringe events at the Lotus Lounge, as well as its outdoor cinema.

Who doesn't love a secret doorway into a cool new bar?…read more Adelaideans seem to be spoiled of late, with a rash of new bars popping up across town, and happily they have embraced them with open arms. ...this however may mean a short wait to get into some of the cooler places like Maybe Mae on Saturday nights, but it's worth it. Only complaint was that it was really stuffy and boiling when we were there around midnight - obviously thoroughly warmed up from it being brimming with bodies since the afternoon. Could do with a touch better ventilation in some pockets of the bar perhaps. Otherwise MM is a great cocktail bar with a hefty range of cocktails and a cool place to introduce to your friends.

Classy hidden cocktail bar with an interesting menu and sophisticated ambiance. Sleek Art Deco…read moredetails with relaxed vibes. Beautiful without being pretentious. Their cocktail list offers a bit of something for everyone. Bartenders here are very friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed my pint of local IPA, which was reasonably priced at $10. However, my Negroni Julius ($17) was weak, and finished in 3 sips. The glass was 99% ice. I paid $17 for ice and maaaaybe one shot of liquor. The two sips were tasty, but again, this was disappointing. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing. I would still recommend Maybe Mae-one of the best bars in Adelaide.

What I love about Fumo Blu is that it has table service. As there aren't many cocktail bars in…read moreAdelaide, it's nice to have one which has that little bit extra in terms of service, compared to most places that require ordering at the counter. I love the old-school 50s décor, extensive cocktail menu, and the furniture (lots of tables!). Every time I go there I remember being 19 and ordering a Toblerone. Although this place is somewhat past its prime, I still think it's great! Additionally, since it's downstairs from Scoozi, why not grab a pizza before heading down for delicious cocktails.

I don't know why but Fumo always seemed kinda daggy to me...but that's okay!…read more Maybe it's the massive fish tanks that feel a little out dated but who says daggy is bad?! I absolutely LOVE the delicious array of cocktails here however I can't stand the amount of time that you have to spend waiting for them (hence the deduction of two stars) - it really does just get excessive sometimes, however polish off a drink or two and you won't even notice the waiting time! A great place to drink and not be disrupted by too much noise or, if you please you still can dance the night away - because you definitely will want to after downing a couple drinks! The main issue here: I can't remember which drinks to recommend as I always get a little tipsy...although I do recall the Long Island Iced Tea was decent - they also do funky Rainbow Shots which are fun for birthdays and the like!

Thanks to Renew Adelaide, another unused empty space has been brought back to life in the form of…read morelate night basement entertainment. Paul and Kay Crozier are the dynamic duo behind this latest venture. The vibe resembles that of a house party with 70s, 80s and 90s vinyls spinning away by their DJs. They are keeping it strictly old school. Biggies might not offer food here due to the lack of a kitchen, however, they do have expresso martinis on tap! I knooooow...on tap!!! They also have a popcorn machine and mixed nuts for those interested in a light snack. They have a local focus where all of their craft beers and wines are made in South Australia. Back to the lack of food, they do offer an alternative, where they will order in pizzas for you. Hmm...can't get anymore house-party vibe than that! Come check it out!

Came across this great little bar when the lovely and lively DJ Loz was spinning some old school…read morevinyl. So great to have a real classic mix of 80's and 90's pop that you can actually dance to! Wasn't there to eat, was there to drink and dance the night away and that's exactly what we did. LOVE the ladies bathroom and Lionel is just too fabulous for words. Thanks Paul, keep up the good work promoting the local brews. See you again SOON.