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The Wild Rover

4.3 (36 reviews)
ModerateBars
Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

The Wild Rover Photos

THE WILD ROVER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Live music
Hipster
Trendy
Classy

Recommended Reviews - The Wild Rover

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Just two of the fabulous cocktail options!
Staci B.

Don't let the fact that this place is a "secret" bar in Surry Hills, or the throng of hipsters that overwhelm you upon entry put you off, because this place is pretty damn great! First off, as others have said, you need to enter via an unassuming green/gold door on Campbell Street. Depending on the time you arrive, it is easier to locate due to the seemingly random location of a bouncer in the middle of the street. Once you work your way through the hipster crowd, I recommend heading to the stairs at the back and to the upstairs bar. It is much quieter, easy enough to find a seat and the bartenders are the best. Not at all your too cool for school type service you can expect from some bars of similar calibre, but all round friendly, helpful and damn good at their job. You will not find your standard Espresso Martini or Cosmo on their menu anywhere, instead the staff encourage you to try something from their carefully crafted cocktail menu, alternatively there is a list of all the beers and wines currently on offer on the back wall similar to the format of old train station boards. Sampling just one fabulous concoction was not enough and so we stayed for a second cocktail sampling, and only departed due to dinner plans and the impending requirement for food after two very delicious cocktails. Definitely go and check this place out and then take your out of town mates to show them how cool Sydney can be without being wanky!

Rich F.

Behind a large, warehouse-style door is a fantastically eclectic two-story space, where everything is "just right." The music was lively and fun (I believe I heard a banjo rendition of Miley Cyrus at one point), and the atmosphere was somehow both dim and romantic, while very energetic. The bartender stopped by our table to take orders as soon as we arrived. As we started to make our requests from the menu, he abruptly cut us off to ask us what kind of drinks we liked. Having been given no choice in the matter, we ended up with two amazing cocktails, designed perfectly for each of us, one consisting of habanero and bourbon (among other things), and another with a mezcal base, and about five other flavours. Both incredible. My favourite moment was when we went to pay. Almost dismissive of the exchange of money, the bartender was more interested in how we liked our drinks. It was as if he was an artist, more interested in his art for art's sake than in getting paid for it. Bottom line, great experience, great drinks, and great people!

Hard to find but push the door

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2 months ago

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5 years ago

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13 years ago

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10 years ago

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11 years ago

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Photo of Matt H.
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10 years ago

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

Irish speakeasy. expensive, but on par with most places in Sydney. Look for the green door with no signage

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

Nice cocktails go for a whiskey sour and dollar oysters.

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9 years ago

I only got the sausage roll here one night, and it is excellent. It is worth the hype on the menu, and I wouldn't share if I was going back!

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

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10 years ago

Omg what a great find! Underground..hard to find but when you do it's fab inside! Happening!!

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12 years ago

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10 years ago

A cozy bar that I would feel proud to call my local, unfortunately I live on the other side of the country

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

Great hidden away gem. Love that they have live music. I would describe it as an Irish saloon... Complete with a county/blue grass band!

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12 years ago

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13 years ago

Jane Doe and Riesling went down well. Shame about the oldies in the corner, oh wait that's a mirror.

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11 years ago

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Review Highlights - The Wild Rover

Entering the bar through the obscure "Green door" you are greeted with a warm........"hey!!!!!" from all the bar staff.

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PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro - Front of the hotel

PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro

2.8(9 reviews)
0.8 kmSydney
$$

The Criterion, post PJs renos, is a standard faux-Irish pub slap bang in the middle of the city…read more(close to Town Hall). Being close to where I used to work, I'd frequent this place quite a bit, and before it was a PJs it was a mates fave city pub so we'd catch up over a few here from time to time. There's a pretty good mix of people in the street-level bar, and PJs have converted it into more of a sports bar so there are plenty of screens for the sports nuts to check out their favourite teams prospects. PJs typically have pretty good fare. In winter they have two absolute cracking dishes. The Guiness Pie with mushy peas, and their signature lamb shanks which is totally unctuous. Why such a modest score? Price kills the place. It's not one of the cheaper places to get a beer as someone incorrectly states in their tips, it's easily one of the most expensive places to get a beer. You're paying over the top prices for domestic tap beer. A cheap beer is $5 for a Coopers Pale Ale, which you can get on the same street about 200m up the road... Also... As much as I enjoy a good pokie section, this one ain't good. And by that I mean the clientelle. It brings in the undesireable types, and sours what is otherwise a sweet pub. The snug, the downstairs den, has a great looking bar, and "snug" seating, but it's kinda pointless down there. It doesn't feel snug, it feels stuffy and claustrophobic - and the bar has never been manned when I've been down there. Now, if they moved the pokies to the snug, and then opened up the entire bar at the street-level to include the room vacated by the pokie section, you'd have something. But why would they do that when they can get by with what they have.

I went for lunch here not too long ago and it was a great Irish pub. Rich Mahogany wood and a wide…read moreselection of beer on tap, with food selections that you'd find in most other Irish pubs. Being in the city, it can get quite busy very quickly and is a decently sized basement multi-storied pub. TV screens are usually are usually playing Fox sports or something similar. I order the Parmy, just to be on the the safe side. I wasn't too game to try the Pie which is supposed to be one of the best (as judged by Irish people I work with) around. The food is carefully prepared and you can tell the produce is quality and they've cooked it properly which some pubs sometimes struggle to do consistently... The chips were the standout side, crisp and crunchy! Definitely will be trying the stew or pie, that is if I'm brave enough to.

Photos
PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro - Guinness stew pie thing. SO MUCH YUM!

Guinness stew pie thing. SO MUCH YUM!

PJ Gallagher's Sports Bar & Bistro

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The Wild Rover - bars - Updated May 2026

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