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    Pontoon Bar

    3.1 (36 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Pontoon Bar Photos

    PONTOON BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    DJ
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Pontoon Bar

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    Reviews With Photos - Pontoon Bar

    Jennifer H.

    In January 2020, we were staying at the Meriton Sussex. Decided to go for pizza in our room one night. Around the corner along Darling Harbour, we saw Pontoon's sign for $10 pizza. DELICIOUS! The crust was fresh and anti-cardboard lol. The toppings also very fresh! I guess I'm used to American pizza chains with processed toppings :( so glad this was nothing like that!! We went back a 2nd time during our 2 week trip. YUM!

    A beer in the sun
    Sue L.

    Saturday lunch with four adults and two kids...no problem. Plenty of seating with a view of Darling Harbour suited us. Whilst the advertising indicated specials for under $10, they weren't really specials as they are always under $10. There were a few to pick from and there were other more expensive meals. The kids were able to eat the pizza and our adults had chicken schnitzel burgers, chicken salad and BLAT. All good. We also tried the bar with specialty beers and cocktails. The cocktails were a cut above too. Service was fast and courteous. You do have to watch the seagulls as they will dive bomb if you have been unlucky enough to have had customers before you feeding them. The staff are pretty quick to clear your table as soon as you leave as the seagulls go crazy knocking over glasses to get to any uneaten morsels. If you want to eat by the water then you just need to be prepared.

    Lamb kebabs and a local beer
    Ann L.

    This seems to be a tricky part of Sydney to find good food, and other places in the area seemed to have really inflated prices compared to elsewhere in Sydney...so we opted for a more economical place that looked like it would be OK and had some decent reviews in lieu of places that were much pricier and had very lukewarm to bad reviews... The beer selection was quite good, with a lot of local options on tap, and the bartenders were friendly and good with recommendations! The food was what we expected; it was fine, but nothing memorable. I had the lamb kabobs which came with salad and chips; the lamb was a little tough, but the flavor was good and the salad and chips were totally decent. We were warned that there could be up to a 45 minute wait for food at around 1PM on a sunny Saturday, but the food did come out in about 25 minutes; the kitchen is open and the staff were clearly working very hard and as fast as they could! They could probably use another 1-2 people!. The view of the harbor from our table was quite nice! Bottom line, this is a good option for an economical bite and brew if you are in the Darling Harbor area, but there is much more interesting food in other parts of Sydney!

    Lamb Kebab Skewers.
    Logan T.

    Stopped here for lunch yesterday (Monday) with the family on a walk around Sydney and we quite enjoyed the place and it's nice position to the water. We really liked the quality of the food for the price. The atmosphere in the bar was pretty great, not to overcrowded, not to lifeless. The only thing I have to say bad about the place is the men's toilet is appalling and in desperate need of a renovation, and have some better lighting added as it had the vibe of a creepy dungeon and the worst part was there was at least 2 cockroaches crawling about! In the bathroom.. yuck! So overall i rate this place a 2 out of 5.

    Hannah J.

    Pontoon Bar has great presentation. The outside is beautiful, as is the inside. It's the kind of place that just invites you to go right in. Best of all, no entry fee! The food and drinks can get a little pricey, but if you're all about the ambience of a place, it's probably worth it. It also boasts great views of the harbour while you sit down and have a few drinks. The ambience is quite mellow and relaxed for most of the night, with the music being unintrusive and up-to-date. Later in the night, when the clubbers start arriving, the music gets a little louder and becomes more fast-paced, and the atmosphere changes from a nice place to sit and relax, to a more clubby, dancy vibe. Depending on your taste in music (they play a lot of RnB), you might want to stay there, or move on to a more suitable venue.

    Danielle L.

    There are two different Pontoons - Pontoon by day and Pontoon by night. Some of the other reviews let you know all about the crazy night life, so I';; fill you in on my daylight/ midnight/ midweek experience. I headed to Pontoon on a warm spring Wednesday afternoon. It was maybe 40% full with people sitting outside enjoying their lunches, whilst boats sailed by.... Unlike the night crowd, the day patrons were mainly older men and women - some business people and tourists - very chilled and aesthetically gorgeous place to eat.... Unfortunately the good review ends here because whilst it may be beautiful its food is fairly bland and the wait staff match.... I had the veggie salad sandwhich ($10) and chips ($3).... it was so boring and tasteless and that i had to drown it in salt just to remind my taste buds that there was meant to be flavour.... I guess Pontoon wants you to focus more on the bar and less on the food....

    Cheers to friendship
    Nikita D.

    Three of us visited this place on Friday. My Mojito was well done ! The bartenders didn't seem to be in a good mood and had a smug look on their face. I always find friendly folks and hence this was a first ! My mates ordered for a beer. There wasn't room to sit as they were prepping for an event. My avid drinker friends say that one shouldn't really aim to devour food in a bar or pub. But heck I am not one of them! We ordered Potato wedges and a burger. While the quantity was good, the taste was just OK ! Our first round of order (3 Beers, a Mojito and Potato wedges cost 45 AUD) I wouldn't go here unless there is some kick ass party happening and yes, I will have just a drink .

    A picture of my meal from pontoon bar and restaurant on Cockle Bay in Sydney.

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    Review Highlights - Pontoon Bar

    Fantastic view, fantastic food, fantastic prices, fantastic staff and I love the QR codes on the table for ease in ordering!

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    Pacha Sydney - Showtime

    Pacha Sydney

    1.8(4 reviews)
    0.7 kmSydney
    $$$

    I went last weekend the first time to this location and have to say that's an amazing place to go…read morecrazy! Very nice people and friendly staff in this location and I find they have a awesome show for their guest's. I really loved this night with my friends. We tried the different dance floors but unfortunately we found the pool area at last. :( Next time we will go first to the pool floor... They play house, dance, black and RnB but not sure which type of music they play on the pool floor. Big minus for the entry prices what is $40 but you can buy tickets only for $35. Price for drinks are still okay between $5 to $8 but I tried just Beer and Bourbon. All in all a very awesome location which I can just suggest. For me a place you must see in Sydney.

    Most pretentious, dirty and overpriced club in Sydney. Honestly don't understand how they can…read morecharge over $30 for entry, $12 for spirits & then not have a working toilet in the whole establishment. Security is everywhere, yet still doesn't manage to weed out all the girls and guys that can't stand up straight, and the guys who think sexual harassment is a norm when a girl has a drink in hand. To add, the Music is below average. Definitely not worth a single dollar to get into that place- if I could rate less than one star I would. You'd have a better time going to a pub in Penrith and sinking beers with the boys than going here- and you'll still have a full bank account afterwards.

    Home Nightclub

    Home Nightclub

    2.7(10 reviews)
    0.2 kmSydney
    $$$

    one star. no comment nothing, I mean sure the service was amazing and worth 5 stars but I never…read moreactually went there so I cant exactly comment on the service. but the bartenders were lowkey tuff and I loved the service from them. the food was brilliant and I ate well, enjoy ur good review with your bad stars to go with your amazing ambience.

    Go on their fcbk page and get on their guest list so you do not have to pay the steep cover fee)…read more I would give it a 2 if I actually paid all $25. I'm a little upset, because I emailed the email address that was on the fcbk page, but it did not put my name of the guest list. The girl at the front was nice enough to give me access for $10, but next time I would check to make sure the email actually worked. It does not get full until around 10:30 p.m. The upper floors open at 11 p.m. We made the mistake of getting there at 9:15 p.m. (because we were misinformed that cover was less before 9:30 p.m.) It was almost empty then. However, we did get vodka cranberries for $5, so that was a bright spot (they became $8.75 as the night went on). The main floor had a good mix of top 40 dance hits. Upstairs there was some rap music going on and more hip hop. The third floor was never open. There are enough bars that there is almost never a wait. Being that there are so few clubs in Sydney, this place was definitely a club club. This is the turn 18, get drunk with your friends, dance the night away type of place. After you turn 25, it is kind of sad if you are still here.

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    Home Nightclub
    Home Nightclub - Home exterior

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    Home exterior

    Arq Sydney - The view from the balcony at Arq...

    Arq Sydney

    2.9(18 reviews)
    1.6 kmDarlinghurst
    $$

    Sweaty bodies. Boys with no shirts on. People dancing up in yo' grill. Boys kissing boys. Boys…read morekissing girls. Lasers beaming. This all equates to a standard night at Arq. Arq is a great place to come when you need a night off from the sleazy, drunk, why-are-you-still-in-my-face men who hit on you at every other bar, club or pub in Sydney. It is a prime place to take to the dance floor and move like no one is watching (they're not). Need a confidence boost? Compliments get thrown around here more than men up against the wall. My only complaint is the entry ($20). Are places in Sydney really still insisting that it is privilege to be on their premises? Get with the times people, not even the hottest clubs in New York City charge an entry fee! If you are a boy looking for a boy, you will be found at Arq. If you are a girl needing a night off from boys, you will be found at Arq. If you are a boy looking for a girl, you probably shouldn't but most likely will still be found at Arq. No judgement here. Everybody is out wanting to have a good time.

    I'll be the first to admit that gay bars and clubs are not always the best. They are not the most…read morechill places out there and I tend to miss seeing live bands and hearing my favorite rock or indie songs. Having said that if you want to have a wild night out with some of the biggest party people in Sydney then this is the place to go. Arq is a multilevel club in the gayberhood of Oxford street. It's mainly for gay guys (sorry girls) but there are always plenty of friends and supporters here too. I've been a number of times with straight mates who had just as much fun (maybe more so) than me - it's definitely a welcoming place for all types. On the bottom level there is a darker night club style room that to me always seems a bit too small. The smokers alley adjacent to this room is great for chatting to people though. Upstairs there is a huge dance hall with a balcony. Drinks are pretty standard, prices are night club standard. Just remember to check Sydney's current lock out laws and drink laws or you might get stranded outside or not allowed certain drinks at certain times.

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    Arq Sydney
    Arq Sydney - Thanks

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    Arq Sydney - All the lights

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    All the lights

    Chinese Laundry

    Chinese Laundry

    2.8(8 reviews)
    0.4 kmSydney
    $$

    So I was pretty smashed on a Saturday evening at some seedy-underground art event in Chippendale…read morewhen my cohort sent me a text to come out to Chinese Laundry. I'm not one for clubbing, but being as inebriated as I was, I replied with an expletive followed by way too many exclamation marks - it looked something like "F*CK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Upon arriving at the corner of Sussex and King street, we had to carefully maneuver or way down a flight of stairs before falling into one of two (2) lines: "Guestlist" and "You're Paying Cover Dumbass"... unfortunately for us, we queued in the latter. $25 dollars later, we're walking into this grimy, balls-sweating, dark-as-night room with the loudest bass your ear drums can endure.. IT WAS AWESOME!!! Whoever the DJ was that night, he was laying down some pretty sick electro-house remixes. I made my way down the hallway to the toilets and guess what I found? Another room! A smaller room with a decent bar setup. The music was more down-tempo trance - a dungeon for druggies to chill out on whatever they're tripping on. Upstairs in the smoking patio, they had a DJ spinning Hip Hop & Top 40. Lighting is a lot better and there's a tiny dancefloor by the DJ booth if you're up to getting your groove on. Definitely a more relaxed area to chit chat with your friends and cool off before you head back down to break your neck in the main room. $25 is pretty steep for a club and this was definitely more fun because I was intoxicated. So fellas, bring your ladies here if you want to dance, not to have a romantic night out. Be sure to bring shoes you don't mind getting dirty and PLEASE WEAR SOME DEODORANT!!!!!!!!!!!!

    No other venue in Sydney seems to cater to so many different genres…read more The downstairs area really does feel like a real club. Low ceilings, great speakers and loud music. While outdoors there's a fantastic beer garden which is big enough to let you breathe but filled with enough people to give it a buzz. Not to mention the cool air as you walk out from the hot inside area. Upstairs (when I was there last) had some RnB playing and so pertained to a bit more sleaziness on the D-floor. But it really does offer so many different alternatives for many different types of people so you can easily slip off and find some much nicer people to talk to! The drinks are quite expensive, but you'll be guaranteed a good night.

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    Chinese Laundry

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    Middlebar - The lounge area.

    Middlebar

    4.0(9 reviews)
    1.6 kmDarlinghurst
    $$

    Away from the grime of Oxford Street, Lo-Fi provides a safe haven of trendy people, slick drinks…read moreand smooth tunes. The balcony is probably the highlight, with 80% of the patrons drinking, talking and hitting on each other out here. Inside there are lounges running along a significant length of room and allow for a more chilled out lounge session. I usually come on a Sunday when it is less busy but no less enjoyable. The Ginger Ninja cocktail jug is an incredible explosion of lychee and ginger beer. Winner! Upstairs at Lo-Fi Collective there are lowbrow art exhibitions promoted every so often. Checkout their Facebook page (http://facebook.com/pages/Lo-fi-collective/140757972621366) and get yourself to one of the opening nights. Just sit back, have a beer and experience this creative space.

    I was blindly led to Darlinghurst on Saturday night after having a couple of drinks. Not knowing…read morewhere I was, my friends and I exited the taxi and went straight up to Lo-Fi, which is located above Kinselas. With no expectations, I was quite impressed with the hip atmosphere and the artsy crowd of attractive 20-somethings. Like a warehouse that skipped on its electricity bill, the place is dark and spacious, but certainly not empty. The bar is clustered, yet colorful, and the blackboard on the wall is scribbled to the brim with food and drink items. They offer a multitude of retro and inventive cocktails, and the hipster bar staff appeared capable in executing these drinks to perfection. There's a large balcony that offers views of Taylor Square, allowing you to spy on the sloppy messes trying to navigate Oxford Street. I felt lucky to be up here. From what I remember, the music was primarily 90s and RnB, all coming from a pretty decent speaker system. I kinda shrugged of confusion when I heard 'errybody in the club getting tipsy,' reminded briefly of when that song was played at my high school dances of yesteryear. So I just busted out my high school moves. Up the stairs from the main bar, there's a whole other room with a large dance floor and high ceilings, decor in the same vein as below. Except that there are ping-pong tables behind the bar! Great thinking.

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    Middlebar - The view of Taylor's Square from the balcony.

    The view of Taylor's Square from the balcony.

    Middlebar
    Middlebar

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    Shark Bar

    Shark Bar

    1.0(1 review)
    11.3 kmManly

    I had heard so many great things about this bar from friends & decided to make the trip to Manly to…read moresee what the big bang was all about. One Saturday night, I stood there in the line smiling enjoying my own sense of well being anticipating that I was about to revel in one of the best bars in Sydney. It was all going well, there was glee among the liner uppers & there were laughs. Laughs is what I enjoy. I was bathing in a sea of collective laughter like a pack of Hyenas lining up for a feed. This was too good to be true. Then emerged the red flags. There was a smell, a stench that was unbearable. I couldn't handle it. Where was it coming from? I looked around the line. There were guys that looked like huge Tongan Trannies. Trannies are known to smell ghastly after a botched sex change operation, but they weren't Tongan Trannies. They were just a bunch of brown guys that I think play footy on the weekends. I looked to see If there were any Bangladeshis around. They're known to stink also as they hold vitriol towards the deoderant for religious reasons or something, but nope. I saw some Aussie skanks, & when I say Aussie-I don't mean aboriginal, I mean white dogs. And when I say skanks, I mean skanks that engage in vast frivolous group sex in huge numbers & skanks are known to smell horrendously after a gang bang where unprotected anal sex becomes the ace in the hole methodology of practice. Nope, it wasn't that either. Where was this retarded smell coming from? So after being ushered in by security that dressed like traffic controllers (Jesus, what's that all about?!), It as in the smell, hit me really hard on the face like gay porn. The smell was actually coming from inside the bar, these putrid carpets that never get a steam clean. Holy hell. The stench was like a thousand set of feet that had never seen a clean wash. The Walk up those stairs almost gave me colon hole cancer. The top floor of the bar was really something else as I had never been hit with so much warmth in my life. Was I flaring up with malaria? Was I back in Africa? I did spend one year in that tumultuous continent when I was spreading the teachings of our holy lord. This wasn't global warming. It was bar warming. So much farts. So much nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide & methane mixed with whatever the hell else. Again, there was so much warmth. It was all too much to handle. The stench of collective unwashed feet, the warmth of farting malaria, this experience had made it all like pure aids, well arse aids-to be precise. So I retreated from the cesspool of sin named the Shark Bar like any good Christian boy should & I was never to come back again. Amen. Never again.

    Pontoon Bar - danceclubs - Updated July 2026

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