Love this place! Had my bday here in January and it 'twas amazing! Blue skies, great friends, cocktails, wine and ciders and good beats Italian sausages in an open pita bread for something to eat to sustain the alcohol. All accompanied by an amazing water view :) read more

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Cool place! Definitely worth a trip out to the island to explore the historic site and have a drink or two. The bar itself is a little surreal, particularly in comparison with the rest of the island, but that's part of the charm. Good drinks and great tunes. Gin fans should be particularly happy here. Wood-fired pizzas, if you're so inclined. Yes it is a bit on the pricey side (but not much), and yes it can be a bit chilly if you come on a windy day, but hey... it's Cockatoo Island! WORTH IT. Just time your trip for the end of a warm, sunny day and all will be well. read more

The Island Bar - Bars Near Me - Sydney Harbour, NSW

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As it was too cold to enjoy the evening I first came out to the Island Bar on a Friday night I am pleased to be here on a Sunday afternoon. So I can enjoy a deck chair on the turf grass, a bit of croquet and/or bocce. I love Makers Mark and order myself a Eastern Apron Lemonade. I think this is one of the best cocktails I have ever had with Makers Mark, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup and Lemondade for only $15. You can also get jugs of your favourite cocktail. Our toddler runs around with others while we watch them with the croquet balls they can hardly move. The bar is made of old shopping containers, the music is cranking and the staff look genuinely glad to be there. Oh and they know their stuff cocktail experts right here. Perfect way to end a weekend. read more

The Island Bar - Bars Near Me - Sydney Harbour, NSW

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Maybe it's still too cold to get into the swing of things, but last Friday the Island Bar closed at 5.30pm on a Friday night. Admittedly, they had some issues with the electricity (like, there wasn't any), so that might have had something to do with it, not sure. But we were just getting started, and they turfed us out ... away from their astroturf, I mean.... We ordered a cocktail jug - for $45 - assuming that this would be better value for 3, than getting 3 cocktails. But it was almost all ICE. We barely got three cups of cocktailness (it was a peach julep) out of the jug, and the rest was completely ice, and almost impossible to pour. We felt rather ripped off. It's a shame, since this bar has one of the best views in Sydney and it's such a great concept. I will probably be back - but I recommend sticking to beer and wine. read more

Fun harbour attraction for locals and tourists. Take the public ferry to Cockatoo Island for a day of drinking and relaxing in the sun. Get there early to score a table with an umbrella and post up for the afternoon. Good mix of jugs to choose from along with full bar. This scenic hangout has a premium price associated with the awesome views, but after a couple jugs you'll forget all about the bill and reach into your wallet for an tasty pizza made fresh to order on-site. The toilet is a short walk away and off site from the bar. Have fun and soak it up!! read more

Take a ferry ride to Cockatoo Island. There is no entry fee on the island and lots of history to explore with great views of the city. This island was closed for over a hundred years. It was once a prison, a boarding school, a ship building yard during WWII and is now open to the public, retaining it's history and charm. There is a narrated waking tour and many signs that explain the old structures. I found The Island Bar on my way back to the ferry and decided to stop for a drink and catch the later ferry. Backyard beach vibe with a spectacular view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. read more

The Island Bar - Bars Near Me - Sydney Harbour, NSW

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DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! Hi all went to this place and was expecting to be welcomed and treated to a nice meal and drink..... but i never tasted a drink never tasted a meal and we were definitely not WELCOMED! The reason..... group was too big absolute joke..... don't waste your time people massive let down! read more

Great view and decent cocktails. Was really disappointed with the pizzas, which had incredibly sparse toppings (literally 4 small chunks of sausage on a pizza, not even one per slice). It's quite expensive, justified by its location no doubt, but wasn't impressed by the quality. read more

The set-up they've got going on at the Island Bar is pretty impressive, considering this little patch of green on Cockatoo Island was once an unused, barren space flanked only by a concrete hill on one side and heritage listed industrial buildings on the other. I had been to the island before to see the Biennale art event and go camping, but not since this bar had been created. They've made some cute nods to the island's maritime history and watery surrounds - striped white umbrellas in red, yellow and blue and collapsible deck chairs recall vintage beach visits, occupied by guests with colourful cocktails in hand that add a resort getaway atmosphere to the bright green lawn. The Saturday I visited saw a DJ playing in one corner, so between the noise of the music and the insane wind (Cockatoo Island is super exposed, so it's like that pretty much all year round) it was difficult to talk and the weather made for lots of girls trying to keep their skirts pinned down. The drinks are really good, and they'll make any of them up for you in a massive ceramic soup pot for $45 to share. read more

Anyone that can take a small spot on an old prison island and turn it into a bar made from recycled shipping containers and serve kick ass cocktails, great tunes and badass pizzas needs to be elevated to rockstar status...........and these are my thoughts about island bar. Marco and stefano (owner and manager respectively) will make you feel at home, or as much as anyone can feel at home on an industrial ex-prison island. Make the effort, get off your ass, and head out to cockatoo island, you'll be happy you did it and then you can re-read this review and think of more creative ways to express your love of island bar and the amazing day you will have had out there. enjoy!!!!! p.s. don't let bad weather deter you, it's totally worth heading out there and sitting on the couch and enjoying some tropical love in jugs with a tasty pizza and some great tunes. read more

What a great concept - A bar on Cockatoo Island. It feels part-cafe del mar / part cruise-ship. I was there during Outpost, so the place was packed and the funky tunes were perfect. I didn't try the cocktails, and the line at the cocktail bar was pretty long. Me & my boy stuck to beers, which we could grab from a separate beer / wine bar. The pizzas looked pretty good too. Like many, I only venture to the island for arts events, but this has changed my mind. However, you would not want to bother on a wet & windy day, and check the opening hours if you're heading over especially for Island Bar (It felt like a great idea for after work drinks, but would be a real let-down to schlep over & find it closed). On a sunny Saturday in early-December it was perfect. ... And when it's about time to leave, you can spot the ferry pulling up to the island, finish your final drink, hop aboard and be back in at Circular Quay in 20 minutes. read more

Came here for the a city expert event the place looks beautiful. The area are broken up in to a upstairs seating area a few bar down stairs and a loads of deck chairs which over look the city great view to see the sunset and have a few drink at the same time. read more

Disappointing Thanks to the Rude and Condescending Staff Sadly the fantastic view and food is destroyed Rude and Arrogant Staff. When we arrived no hello or welcome by the Staff or security but we were yelled at "Open your bags" and "How many of you". Security staff did not move so we could walk in, we had to walk around them... We were taken to an area by staff that didn't say a word to us and said this "is all we have" and left. The Bar staff were so rude when asked any questions about the menu and when asked for water just pointed.... (To an empty space where a water cooler should be, we had to ask again where to get water and was advised "it's coming" I will point out is was 35+ degrees ) , Staff when collecting glasses just pushed passed no excuse me or can I take that. They even took away an unfinished Pizza! One person in our group went to ask the Security staff a question and was greeted by an up and down and "What do you want". I have lived in Sydney my entire life and never had such poor treatment as a paying customer anywhere else! read more

Like most visitors to The Island Bar, we found the management, security and service to be appalling. We were a large mixed group of 16, the guys went ahead to grab a spot while the girls went to the bathroom. Security and management would not allow the boys in as they were "disorderly". When they realised the group was half girls, they did an "RSA check", despite none of us appearing in any way drunk and let us in. Security watched over us just in case we got 'disruptive', but a group of drunk girls doing the conga through the entire bar was totally fine, not at all disruptive to anyone else. Drinks were expensive, food was average, but overall the night was ruined by the terrible way the guys in the group were treated like criminals, would never recommend this place to anyone and will never go back. Trust should find new tenants to run this area as it is entirely let down by the current establishment. read more