Zeta Bar

My all time favourite bar in Sydney! Think dim, posh oversized couches spread far apart, sleek and stylish interiors, swanky bar, and an outside terrace looking out to the QVB.
Amazing selection of cocktails. Each page of the cocktail menu had concoctions representative of a different city, e.g. Sydney, London, Singapore, and some tropical ones. Some of them are served with a twist — with dry ice, in a pineapple, in a tall tiki mug, etc.
Great service. The staff are polite, knowledgeable and attentive (but 10% surcharge for table service).
Smart and stylish interiors + special cocktails + quiet /​no drunks stumbling around = my perfect bar!!! :)))

I hadn’t been here for 10 years so when a quick goodbye drink with friends was needed, we decided to run into Zeta Bar. It was a cold and stormy Monday night, and we were met with an empty bar. Very low lighting, mid-​aughts furnishings but we got a nice warm spot by the heater.
The bar snacks menu was tiny. We ordered parmesan truffle fries (cold, too much cheese, not enough salt) and stuffed mushrooms (yum) and a nice glass of pino grigio. The wine was great.
5 functional credit cards between us were declined by their machine, but I’ll put that down to the weather.

I went to the Zeta bar recently while a guest at the Hilton on business, and despite the drinks being a 3 to 4, for the 7 of us who had an after work drink t he service was a deal breaker that brought our night to a premature end.
The range of cocktails on offer are pretty good, and they cater for all tastes — super sweet through to super refreshing. The house Cabernet Sauvignon was also nice and after our first round of drinks we settled in for what we thought would be a few hours of relaxing indulgence. While we were enjoying the glow of our first drinks the waitress asked if we would like the bill and we explained that we were still going and would order more drinks and some snacks soon. She was friendly and seemed fine and left us alone. A while later the Manager offered to seat us at a set of lounges, as we were at the end of the bar area and two of us were standing. We gratefully accepted her offer and once seated asked to order more drinks and some snacks.
Orders placed we got our food and drinks and a short time later our bill was delivered. We explained that we were still going and the waitress said that was fine but she would just leave the bill there anyway. It seemed somewhat odd but we continued to enjoy ourselves.
At the time when most of us had finished our second drink the waitress came over and told us that while we were welcome to order more drinks later we needed to settle our current bill. The reason she gave was «my manager is really hassling me that you haven’t paid for your drinks yet»
Nothing brings a relaxing after work celebration to an abrupt halt quite like the sudden realisation that despite being a guest of the hotel where you are drinking, you are considered such a flight risk they want your money before they give you anything else. In my 30 or so years of socialising, dining out and travelling I have never before had this happen. I was not alone, as the other 6 people with me were equally shocked and insulted by the inference we had drawn from the waitresses disclosure. After complaining I was sent an email explaining that their policy is you pay for each round of drinks as you receive them, so we were apparently fortunate to get two, so it was not about us but about their policy, which wasn’t explained to us on the night.
If this review were just on service it would be a definite 1, but the drinks were pretty good, so I think an overall 2 is in order, even if we won’t be visiting Zeta ever again.

Pretentious. MASSIVELY over priced, then they what a 10% service charge on top! This isn’t America! Rooftop is small, nice to look at QVB but otherwise it’s just a close up if some other crappy buildings. Fail.

Zeta Bar, hidden away on level 4 at Hilton Sydney is one of our go to cocktail bar recommendations.
We love the sexy, low lit, ultra glamorous interior, the warm and inviting plush lounges, not to mention the outdoor terrace with that drop dead gorgeous view of the QVB.
This bar has won multiple cocktail awards. They sure do serve up funky concoctions of the liquid kind here. In fact, you can choose from their ‘Traditional’, ‘Experimental’, ‘Deconstructed’, ‘Twisted Classics’, ‘Forgotten Classics’, or ‘Tiki’ cocktail menus. Sure, the drinks may not be cheap, but take it from us they are that good, you’re likely to forget their cost at just one sip.
Twice a year, Zeta hosts Friday night special events, with past concepts including Extreme Cabaret, Coney Island, Farmers Market and The Secret Garden.
We love this bar for a drink after work, or pre or post dinner. A great place to unwind. Though be aware, Saturday nights are stepped up at Zeta, featuring a hot DJ with a club/​party vibe.

My current favourite place to bring a lady, drink, catch up with friends or (and) spend wayyyy too much money. Zeta Bar is stylish, slick, elegant and funky, without being pretentious or making you feel uncomfortable, or like you are there to be seen.
The cocktail list is extensive, and to die for. Its always difficult to know where to start, so, how about we start at the end and work our way up?
The Zeta Espresso is the perfect end to a night. Served warm, its a perfect nightcap before bed.
But before that? depending on your taste you could always go for the prohibition iced tea (with a side of vodka injected orange wedges), the smokey maple and and bacon manhattan (which goes really well with one of the cigars from their extensive range), The classic negroni, or a wasabi and bacon bloody mary… The choices are endless, and to be fair, I’ve never had a cocktail I didnt like.
Prices are what you would expect from an upper class cocktail bar, Its easy to spend over $ 100 in an hour of chatting and losing yourself in conversation, but hey, its not the kind of place you go ever day ;)

A few floors up from the Marble Bar at the Hilton Sydney on George street lies Zeta Bar. It’s chill and a nice place to relax and have a drink overlooking the street. Good drinks and would come back on nights I feel like having a quiet chat.

I didn’t try the cocktails so perhaps I missed something I would like — may have to go back to try these. Some delay in service and unfortunately people posted at the entrance (thankfully without clipboards) initially turned me off Zeta, but it’s a lovely looking place. Mostly suits on a Wednesday evening, we stayed for a quick meeting before heading on after an hour or so. They have some nice nooks and crannies with some good seating but the impressions is its for those interested in the five star dress sense. Given the amount of smaller wine bars popping up around Sydney, it wouldn’t be my first choice.

To be honest, Zeta is far from the sort of bar I usually hang out at, but I found myself there with workmates last Friday afternoon, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Enter via the Hilton on George Street, then take the lifts up to Level 4. It’s a big space with plenty of natural light and great views of the QVB and down George Street. Perch at the long oak bar or find a comfier spot on the ottomans and armchairs. Apparently frequented by all sorts of celebrities from the worthy to the mundane, I’m not sure if I just got lucky but there didn’t seem to be any fanfare or pretentiousness when I was there. Just an amazing wine list, delicious cocktails (think raspberry and lemongrass martinis!) and great nibbles.

Where to rendezvous with a friend that’s roughly halfway between our two offices in Circular Quay and Haymarket? Zeta Bar seemed the perfect solution. This bar, located on the fourth level of the Hilton hotel, is all high ceilings, slick low lounges and expansive glass walls that offer a great opportunity to peek into the busy lobby below.
We started off with a round of cocktails, followed by a few of their bar snacks — the skewered prawns wrapped in prosciutto were grilled well and served with a zesty blended parsley dipping sauce. As a cocktail bar, service from our waitress was as impeccable as expected, and she continually demonstrated her sound knowledge of the menu. I’ve they also do a range of experimental cocktail, one inspired by the sounds of the sea: blindfolded, your own iPod provides a soundtrack of lapping waves while a waitress spritzes your with a misted sea salt. Nope, not wanky at all.

If you like class in a glass then I’m going to have to recommend you try Zeta Bar, one of my favourite cocktails bars in Sydney.
It’s positioned in the refurbished Hilton Hotel and they take style and flavour very seriously…
As a lover of cocktails, Zeta bar takes drinking these luscious social lubricants to a new level. They use awesome words like ‘experimental’ «deconstructed» «reconstruct» to describe the molecular
collections you’ll find in your glass. Their barstaff are called mixologists and you get the feeling that you’re playing with the big boys when you drink here.
Now — what to order…
My top 3 are:
Luxury zeta margarita — patron silver tequila shaken with cointreau and freshly pressed lime juice, this margarita is a simple twist on the classic margarita with a side of sea-​salt foam served in a baked and caramelized lime shell; on a platter, this allows you to taint your palate with the exact amount of salt you require… a truly interactive drinking experience. served martini style on a platter.
Zeta Fizz — a simple but unique Zeta creation: your choice of a belvedere vodka/​plymouth gin signature martini presented on a platter with Zeta homemade palate-​cleansing vodka/​gin and tonic jelly, grilled lime and Zeta fizz powder. served martini style.
Raspberry & Lemongrass martini — freshly plump succulent raspberries shaken with belvedere vodka, gekkeikan sake, crme de framboise, finished with lemongrass and freshly squeezed lemon juice. served martini style.
Cocktails cost around the $ 20 mark, so they’re expensive… so don’t go there to get drunk, but rather to give you mouth an alcoholic orgasm,

Up the ante and sip on a bevvie when you are dressed to impress at the Hilton Hotel Sydney. This bar is great for occasions as the opulence of the building design is stunning. There is fantastic visual of a live flame that is like an optical illusion as it’s not really fire. It’s quite mesmerizing. The lighting is dim and there is are two outdoor areas. One over looks the middle of the hotel and is reasonable narrower balcony type of landing. The other is more like a gazebo with palm trees and overlooks the street. There is the ability to hire a DJ or band for functions and microphones to make speeches if need be. The bar is very tall and a bit uncomfortable to talk over, but it can make for a fun night if you’re in the right mood.

Dazzling interiors, award-​winning cocktails and the unmatched vibe of this place makes Zeta Bar in the Hilton Hotel really iconic.
I’m talking about those luxurious seats, gorgeous lamps and rich colours that can definitely set the right mood the moment you step inside Zeta. From their open veranda, a breathtaking view will be right in front of you.
Amazing parties and celebrity guests are frequent at this high-​end bar. They say Hugh Jackman often visits for a drink. I wonder what he orders from Zeta’s top-​of-​the line mixes menu? Well, if you ask me, anyone can fall in love with their signature selection — Raspberry & Lemongrass and Pineapple & Coriander martinis! Go sample these drinks if you haven’t yet.
Zeta Bar is open from Monday to Saturday, 5pm til late. If you’re interested in holding your next event at Zeta, go ahead and book early to ensure they can accommodate you. Its sure to be a great event!