If you haven’t heard about Sydney’s newest bar, Brooklyn Social, you probably don’t work in hospitality. However tender of bars or not, take a deep breath whilst I make your day. If you like gin-or if you just like fun, an ‘old-meets-new’ cocktail bar with an indoor/ outdoor smoking lounge now sits on the borders of the entertainment precinct, waiting idly for your exploration.
Hiding behind a veil of butcher striped doors-a slightly confusing but novel touch- is where you’ll find this new joint venture between Backroom’s Raul Gonzales and David Freeman and publican Ben May. Brooklyn Social plays homage to the great Brooklyn dive bars, with an injection of 60s & 70s punk rocker chic keeping things fresh. Green tartan walls and distressed wooden flooring create an old school private club feel that is met with a rambunctious American attitude of the likes of Pink Floyd and the Black Keys.
Basically, it’s the past as you’ve never seen it. Re-imagined.
Dropped into the most unlikely of locations in a forgotten Surry Hills stretch, Brooklyn Social serves to transport patrons to a looser and boozier mind frame.
The cocktail list may not be as whisky heavy as most of our favourite bars, but it did go down a treat for our ‘staff meeting’ earlier this week.
The Bar has a selection of over 40 gins, ranging from Jenevers to Bathtub gins, with an emphasis on locally crafted spirits. Based on the five boroughs of New York City, the menu is comprised of Manhattans, Old Fashions and similar gentlemanly poisons.
We enjoyed our Bourbon and Scotch classics with Drew Estate Undercrown Robusto’s in hand in the aforementioned smoking den. Overlooking the corner of Devonshire and Chalmers, the large windowed smoking room is complete with dim lighting and vintage chesterfield. Whilst the ambient sound of modern rock such as El Camino served as a backdrop to old world booze and banter, a blackboard adorned with some not so tasteful rocker quotes hung above our heads. We’re pretty reserved here at Gentleman’s Cabinet/ that’s a lie we just don’t want to offend the ladies reading, so we’ll just leave you with this tamer one that stuck with us…
‘I don’t fuck much with the past, but I fuck much with the future’
Cheers to Brooklyn Social for bringing back a new rocker version of the forgotten gentlemen’s club. Open from Midday till 2am, 7 days a week, it’s the perfect hang out for staffies, rock n rollers, and anyone who has misplaced their time machine.
Gentleman’s Cabinet will be hosting the July Monthly Meet of the Sydney Cigar Club at Brooklyn Social on Thursday July 30th. Special Guest Laura Hay, The Glenlivet ambassador, will be attending to provide us with a delicious Scotch Whisky tasting. Click here for more info.
Address: 17 Randle Street Surry Hills
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 12pm-2am
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