Given its location, I can appreciate why Sydney largely ignores this gorgeous bar. The Bar is in fact, in the Sir Stamford hotel… and let’s face it — for the most part, hotel restaurants and bars aren’t great. I was first introduced to The Bar rather a long time ago when I smoked cigars. Before smoking indoors was outlawed, this was a bar in which you could smoke, and it was the sort of environment you’d want to enjoy a cigar in(even if you don’t like them). We’re talking open fires, chesterfield lounges and a guy in the corner playing a grand piano. The mohitos here are amongst the best I’ve ever had and you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten their club sandwich. The aim of the game here is to get the highly coveted seats right by the fireplaces in winter. Of course, you can’t smoke indoors anymore but if it was never your cup of tea anyway, none of its magic has been lost. The perfect place to while away an evening with friends if your version of a night out doesn’t involve loud music, short skirts and pills of questionable origin.