Time Out Sydney Bar Awards 2018
Marquee Club
Sydney, Australia
February 25, 2018
Sometimes bad weather can be a blessing in disguise. Sure, it would have been delightful to celebrate the 2018 Time Out Sydney on the Sky Terrace of the Star Casino as it was originally planned. However, the skies opening meant that it was moved indoors into the Bourbon Street themed Marquee nightclub.
Due to the imposition of a suite of restrictions on venues in the inner city and the closure of quite a few venues, Sydney might currently not enjoy the grandest reputation when it comes to exhibiting a vivid late, late nightlife, which is why it was quite suiting that an early Sunday afternoon headed down the rabbit hole of clubbing debauchery with tunes courtesy of DJ Flex Mami fanning the flames of the crowd.
Six hundred seasoned nightlife hospitality professionals rose from their dens to attend a well-catered New Orleans flavoured event, i.e. prawn gumbo, jambalaya, po boys, etc., that kept the liquid emissions courtesy of Southern Comfort, Yenda Beer, Monteith Cider and Reverie wine a-pouring.
The event was MC-ed by comedian Matt Okine, who framed the proceedings with anecdotes of his bar escapades.
The Bar of the Year award went to tiki themed, David Lynch-esque Enmore bar Jacoby’s. Smoke was awarded the Best New Bar Award for its gorgeous design; nooks and inviting outdoor deck and Best Bar Food went to Bart Jr. for their ever-changing menu using local suppliers and their produce.
Best Wine Bar went to Dear Sainte Eloise, the name being a nod to George Orwell’s Down and Out, for its more than three hundred drops on offer for fair prices.
PS 40 was recognized for having offered the best cocktails and Parramatta’s Uncle Kurt’s for being the best neighborhood bar.
Rosebery’s Archie Rose, a bar cum gin distillery, was honoured via the Hot Talent Award for their youngster Hayley Laurendet Saint and The Baxter Inn, a prohibition era themed speakeasy in Sydney’s CBD, can now claim to have the Bartender of the Year in its ranks.
The venue and entertainment haven Oxford Art Factory has hosted many of the shows we have featured here at Scene Point Blank and it was not further wondrous for the institution to receive the Legend Award for never wavering when it came to supporting Sydney’s nightlife.
Giving out awards is one thing but creating an event that makes the lords of the night enjoy themselves as much as they did at the Bar Awards 2018 is no mean feat and speaks for the credibility of Time Out Sydney.
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Photos by ka.vv
