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The Best Bars in Circular Quay
The best bars in Circular Quay take you from harbour-side sips at Opera Bar to subterranean cocktail creations at Apollonia.
The best bars in Circular Quay run from waterfront favourites Opera Bar and Cruise Bar to vibey Basque laneway spot Deux Frères, with subterranean cocktail den Apollonia, terrace bar Martinez and luxe Mexican hotel bar Acapulco El Vista rounding out the list. Having sipped our way through the lot, the Sitchu team books time after time.
Best Waterfront Bars in Circular Quay
Opera Bar
Arguably Sydney’s most Instagrammed view, Opera Bar pairs crisp harbour views with Mediterranean eats and a well-stocked bar. Take any Sydneysider’s advice: come for the sunset and stay for the city lights. If you’re lucky, you might even get to meet one of the resident seagull patrol dogs.
Suburb: Circular Quay
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Date night, Group dining, Outdoor dining, Waterfront
Martinez Restaurant, Bar & Terrace
Martinez‘s recipe is simple: premium views, an elevated pub-style menu and a spritz-heavy drinks menu. The open terrace is perfect for after-work drinks, or a pre-show feast, with happy hour kicking off from 3pm and pizza hour from 5pm, Mondays to Friday.
Suburb: Circular Quay
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Date night, Group dining, Business lunch, Waterfront
Need To Know: Martinez also offers a host of lunch specials coming in at under $25 Monday through to Thursday.
Cruise Bar
All aboard Cruise Bar, perched right on the wharf at Circular Quay with front-row views of the Sydney Opera House. A glamorous garden-party-meets-Hamptons feel, complete with cane furniture, lush plants aplenty, timber tables and stripy deckchairs set the scene for sunset drinks. Be sure to book an outdoor courtyard to enjoy a classic cocktail and nibble on the menu’s signature Australian larder.
Suburb: Circular Quay
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Waterfront, Group dining, Outdoor dining
Best Cocktail Bars in Circular Quay
Deux Frères
From the good people that brought us Bouillon L’Entrecôte, Deux Frères serves up small plates, larger share plates, and high-quality tinned seafood. House-made vermouth, sangria and Basque region wines round out the offering. Ideal for a catch-up with friends, you’ll adore everything about this petite pinxtos joint, from the perfectly plated Tortilla de Patatas to the authentic and striking crockery.
Suburb: Circular Quay
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Spanish
Best For: Date night, Cocktail lovers, Outdoor dining
Acapulco El Vista
Leaning into the ambience of 1960s era Mexico, Acapulco El Vista is a cocktail lounge within Pullman Grand Quay. Fun twists on Pina coladas, daiquiris and mojitos lined the cocktail list, which has been curated by famed bar Maybe Sammy. Sip on your tropical beverage of choice as you watch the ferries glide across the harbour. With the kitchen helmed by Giovanni Pilu, you’re in good hands when it comes to cocktail-adjacent snacks prioritising seafood sourced exclusively from Oz.
Suburb: Circular Quay
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Mexican
Best For: Date night, Waterfront, Cocktail lovers
Need To Know: If you fancy a boogie, you’ll find DJs taking over tunes on Friday and Saturday nights.
Apollonia
Mysterious and seductive, Apollonia has all the makings of a perfect date night bar. Low lights, moody sandstone walls and an extensive negroni list. The menu is divided into acts, just like a playbill, so you can settle on the mood and go from there.
Suburb: Circular Quay
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Date night, Weekend plans
FAQs About the Best Bars in Circular Quay
Opera Bar is the classic choice, sitting right on the harbour with Mediterranean plates and one of Sydney’s most photographed views. A short walk away, Cruise Bar occupies the wharf with a garden-party feel and courtyard seating built for sunset drinks. Martinez adds a spritz-heavy terrace looking across to the Harbour Bridge, with happy hour from 3pm on weekdays. All three lean into Circular Quay’s biggest drawcard, the water, so be sure to pre-book an outdoor table in the warmer months.
For serious cocktails, head underground to Apollonia, a moody sandstone bar with an extensive negroni list and a menu structured like a playbill. For something more tropical, Acapulco El Vista inside Pullman Grand Quay pours daiquiris, mojitos and pina coladas from a list curated by acclaimed bar Maybe Sammy, with harbour views as you sip. Both sit a world apart from the area’s breezy waterfront venues and offer a more considered, design-led drinking experience.
Yes. Deux Frères is a petite Basque-inspired laneway bar from the team behind Bouillon L’Entrecote, serving pintxos, share plates and quality tinned seafood alongside house-made vermouth, sangria and Basque wines. Apollonia offers a similarly intimate feel below ground, with low lighting, sandstone walls and a cocktail-led menu. Both suit a quiet catch-up or a date rather than a large group, which makes them a good alternative to the busier waterfront venues nearby. Atmosphere heavy, these two both offer cosy nooks for a secret smooch.
Apollonia takes the cake, with dim lighting, sandstone walls and a theatrical menu divided into acts that sets an unhurried, romantic mood. Deux Frères is a strong second for couples who prefer wine and small plates to cocktails, its snug laneway setting made for lingering. If you would rather trade intimacy for a showstopping view, Acapulco El Vista pairs its cocktail list with a front-row harbour outlook. Our editors lean toward Apollonia when the goal is vibe and Acapulco when the view is the occasion.
It depends on the venue and the timing. Waterfront bars like Opera Bar and Cruise Bar fill quickly around sunset and on weekends, and Cruise Bar takes bookings for its outdoor courtyard, so reserving ahead is recommended if outdoor seating matters to you. Smaller venues such as Deux Frères and Apollonia have limited capacity, which makes a reservations a plus. Walk-ins are often possible midweek and earlier in the day.
Loved our roundup of the best bars in Circular Quay? Check out our full edit of the best bars in Sydney or consider a five minute walk and explore the best bars in The Rocks.
