The Wild Rover

Great atmosphere and decent whiskey selection. I really liked the upstairs portion and could see it being great for live music.
I’d definitely come back here for the drinks. The beer selection seemed okay but I mainly went for the whiskey.
Tough to find but that’s kind of a nice touch.

One of the best bars I’ve been to in Sydney!!! Entering the bar through the obscure «Green door» you are greeted with a warm…“hey!!!” from all the bar staff. Just a little warning for all new comers, don’t be alarmed… such hospitality is unheard of these days I know!!!
The service is unpretentious and attentive. Love this place!!!

Deceptive. Looking like a cross between a TAB and a derelict Centrelink office, it is somewhat of a surprise to find a cosy dimly lit bar behind the door, dedicated to craft beer in all its many forms. A couple of booths, a friendly crowd, Wild Rover is a good place to know about it if you’re in the area.

Another local Surry Hills hipster hangout. No sign on the door, if you did not know the address, you would never find it. We were drawn here by a company event saying farewell to a longtime employee. We occupied about ¹⁄₃^rd of the upstairs bar. Service was pretty solid, drinks were strong, good selection of craft beer, which I liked, not a lot of good bar snacks. We had some Lamb sausage rolls which tasted great considering how badly we were starving… would definitely come back.

Nice cocktails go for a whiskey sour and dollar oysters.

Hidden away Whiskey bar, that plays decent music and draws a cool crowd. Reminds me of Brooklyn NY, very gothic feel to it.
Excellent choice of Whiskey and cocktails. Does some finger food.
A great place to start the night or spend the whole night having a chat with mates.

Ok. So this place is cool. Interesting décor of Irish origin mixed New York and could easily be in SOMA San Francisco. Great attention to detail, beer and a whisky list to choose from. Two levels with different bars.
I’m quite sure that on a Friday or Saturday this place would be rocking.
Hard to find but don’t be put off by going behind the green door!

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!

I didn’t know what to expect when my partner led me up a seemingly dead street and pushed on a non-​assuming door… and I was blown away by what was inside.
As others have said this is a fantastic hidden gem. Great atmosphere, cool staff and plenty to look at and listen too.
Drinks lists are extensive and the bar staff are more than happy to help you find something that will meet your needs.
I can’t wait to go back to Sydney and spend a night or two here!

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!

Superb cocktails and super friendly staff. A bit of a speak easy type entrance, with lone guy standing at unmarked door waiting for guests to arrive. Music matched the venue and cocktails on offer.

Excellent hidden gem, just look for the green door and try the awesome grapefruit beer on tap, made right down the street and the Bloody Mary which has Rosemary infused vodka! Perfect for good cocktails with great people!

I don’t get this place. It’s small, claims to have live music but I have no idea where a band would fit, expensive, and doesn’t match all the hype I read about. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing & came at the wrong time… A Friday evening after work.
Place wasn’t that busy but definitely fully of bodies, & I had to wait quite a while to get served. The drink was ok but not mind blowing for $ 17 – 20. The secret front door makes & relative difficulty finding the place makes you think it’s hidden for a bigger surprise effect, but the bar itself is plain and kind of underwhelming. I didn’t think the people it attracted were very nice and friendly either, which made it less appealing. Definitely not the place to meet people or make friends, and don’t expect manners with walking in the tight spaces.

Nice cocktail bar! Those seeking GOOD cocktail bars with quality mixologists this place hits spot on. Good whiskey… Decent beer… And really good creative cocktails! And… All based on an Irish theme… Yeah Irish. What??? But guess what? It’s great!!! It’s fantastic! Price? Slightly less than average sydney… But good!
The vibe is college and party scene fyi… Yet the theme is speakeasy. Now… I went on st pattys day weekend so who knows. Not a bad crowd… Just not the typical speakeasy crowd. The bartenders were super friendly and competent… And Irish I think! Were they drinking their own juice? I wonder.
One nitpick… This is a personal thing… They love bullet bourbon. Anyone in the know (aka the states and bourbon snobs) knows bullet is average at best. But. It’s Australia not the USA… So all forgiven!

Great hidden away night spot! The cocktails were creative and well made. Amazing beer collection also! The ambiance here is perfect for a nightcap.

Usually I steer clear of those places that are so cool they don’t have a sign, that can only be frequented by those all knowing types and keep the non-​local out just be sneering.
While this bar, does not have a sign, thankfully the rest are missing. I met a ex work colleague for a drink and I admit it was a bit of an ego stroke for him to say how did you know about this place? The house beers were great (in tankard mind you) and the place lvely. Great for afterwork drink or catching up with friends. Not ideal for a beer swill night (which are not common during the week for me … these days). Its a great bar in Surry Hills.

I wasn’t going to review this place, as I didn’t want anyone to go. But slowly this place is getting popular. However, please come for the right reasons. If you want good craft beer and awesome whisky, then drop on by. But if you are here for music or a teeny bopper evening then go elsewhere.
The staff here are one of the best you’ll find in Sydney, they know their liqueur and are willing to share their expertise.
Saying that, it is hard to find this place if you don’t know what you are looking for. Look for the green door. There is no sign, just the door.

Love this bar– some people call it the «shirt shop» because the outside of it looks like it’s an abandoned dry cleaners or something.
What I love about the Wild Rover is that it’s a really cool «hidden» bar, but they’ve actually done a good job keeping it off the beaten path compared to some of the other secret bars (cough, cough, Soda Factory) in Sydney– almost like if you happen to find it great, but they’re not going to break their necks trying to be the cool kids in town.
And why would they have to try? The bar speaks for itself. Great beer selection, cool décor, and awesome music.

This place is all about the drinks. The only food on the menu is sausage rolls and freshly shucked oysters and when one of my companions asked ‘have ya got any chips?’ the bartender politely advised, ‘no, sorry, it’s all about the drinks here.’
And truer words could not have been said — the drinks are Good (with a capital G!) I had The Hills cocktail which blew my mind, a tasty pear cider as a chaser and a few sneaky taste tests of my friend’s drinks.
The décor and accessories are an eclectic mish mash that work surprisingly well — the beer and some of the cocktails are served in pewter mugs to take you back to ye old days and water comes in measuring beakers that remind me of my high school physics class. Old train timetables list the current beers on offer, parts of the walls are tropical themed and the unisex cubicle toilets are covered in old school black and white prints.
Topped off with helpful and friendly bartenders, this is the ultimate place for an after work drink… just have a snack before you go.

Calling all rogues, raconteurs, and late-​night drinkers. Put down your cheroots and your pints. Drop them. Immediately. Now walk out the door. Keep walking ’til you hit the big unmarked green doors on Campbell Street with the lone man standing outside them. Don’t try and buy drugs off him, he’s not that sort of lone man. Instead, give him a knowing nod and flick him your ID if you’re a baby-​faced assassin. Then walk inside and be enveloped by the glow.
Here’s all you need to know — Wild Rover kicks ass. Huge amounts of ass. Jack-​and-​the-​Giant-​from-​the-​up-​the-​beanstalk amounts of ass. The newest venture by the chaps behind Grandma’s, this is a stay-​late, get-​sauced, knees-​up drinking den for the anti-​Ivy crowd.
Cheers go up when new people enter. James, one of the co-​owners, might rush over and welcome you, show you to a bar stool, settle down for a chat at the brass bar downstairs or the banging number upstairs.
Food is simple and hearty, Cornish pasties with chunky meat’n’veg filling — tasty when doused liberally with Worcestershire — or home-​made spicy sausage rolls. There’s also freshly shucked oysters which I’ve yet to try.
The real gold, though, is the drinks menu. It’s a beast. Being Irish by name, there’s a ton ‘o whiskies, but the discerning tippler should first avail themselves of an amber ale (served in a ye olde worlde pewter-​style tankards) before attacking the cocktail list with all the energy you can muster.
There are 3 types of Bloody Mary — a light (consommé), medium and a Kilpatrick Mary that shook me around and spat me out like a dog with a chew toy. It was thick, like a gazpacho, with a spicy punch like a roundhouse kick to the face from a beard-​sporting Chuck Norris.
It’s not on the menu, but the dirty martini Josh the bartender mixed me up was good, damned good, and when I begged for some extra fat olives he obliged, and threw in one of their home-​marinated pickles for good measure.
I was here twice in the three days of this place opening. Still not sure how it happened, just kind of naturally gravitated there because it was a damned sweet place to hang out. No pretense, just fun. The website says it best: a foot-​tapping, swashbuckling, riotous escape from pomp.
Amen.