Maybe Sammy Continues Its Run Among the World’s Best Bars
For the seventh year in a row!
Writer
Lucy Cocoran
9 October 2025
Sydney’s most celebrated cocktail bar, Maybe Sammy, has once again proven it’s in a league of its own. The Rocks institution has been named among The World’s 50 Best Bars for the seventh consecutive year, securing the #42 spot on the 2025 list announced in Hong Kong on October 8th. It joins Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage (#19) as the only two Australian bars recognised this year.
Since opening in 2019, Maybe Sammy has become synonymous with Sydney’s cocktail culture. Co-founders Vince Lombardo and Stefano Catino have created a destination that continues to charm international judges and locals alike. Their philosophy? Keep things playful, precise, and always evolving.
That spirit of reinvention has earned Maybe Sammy an impressive list of accolades. It’s the only Australian bar to appear on The World’s 50 Best Bars every year since opening, has been named Best Bar in Australasia five times, and in 2023 claimed the #1 spot on the Top 500 Bars list. The team also took home The World’s 50 Best Bars’ inaugural Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award in 2020 — recognition that feels particularly fitting for a bar that treats every service like theatre.
For co-founder Catino, the recognition is both humbling and motivating.
“Are we one of the best bars in the world? Some nights, yes. Other nights, we know we can be better,” he says. “What matters is that we’ve grown stronger each year — as a team, as a business, and as a bar. For seven years we’ve proudly put Sydney on the global cocktail map, and that consistency means everything to us.”
That consistency shows in their latest menu, Showtime, launched in September 2025. In true Maybe Sammy fashion, it’s not just a drinks list, it’s a full-scale production. Each of the twelve cocktails is inspired by an iconic moment in film or television, from the outback swagger of Crocodile Dundee to the pastel-perfect world of The Grand Budapest Hotel and the eerie glow of The Shining. Each drink is accompanied by a cinematic-style trailer, written, directed and performed by the Maybe Sammy team themselves, blurring the line between cocktail and performance art.
Whether you’re a cocktail connoisseur or just someone who loves a bit of theatre with your drink, Maybe Sammy remains one of Sydney’s must-visit destinations and a powerful reminder of Australia’s growing influence on the global cocktail scene.
Maybe Sammy 115 Harrington Street, The Rocks, Sydney maybesammy.com | Instagram @maybe_sammy_sydney Open Wednesday – Saturday, 4:30pm – 1am
Sitchu acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, live, and play. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge this always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
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