Michael's Old School Pub Crawl in East Sydney

These three hotels are my favourites east of the CBD. I have put them all together because often I can end up going to all them in one afternoon or evening.These hotels were built in the 19^th and 20^th century, and still show enduring elements of these times in the way they are run today. They all have something unique in their charm and hopefully you will find refreshingly different to most of the pubs hotels in Sydney today.

East Sydney hotel

Corner of crown and Cathedral streets, Woolloomooloo

Opened in 1856 this is the oldest continually licenced hotel in Sydney. The hotel slogan is “the last country pub in Sydney”. This is reflected in that the East Sydney is the only hotel in Sydney without walls of television screens and poker machines.  This ensures that the culture of the pub remains old school. The soundtrack to this pub is old blues or jazz playing in the background. Discussions going on between patrons and staff is friendly, where people from the neighbourhood often drop in with their dogs, which make themselves at home in a relaxed atmosphere.

 The front room remains traditional whereas the dining room at the back is a glass covered atrium with a feeling of being outside with large tables and a pool table. There are also tables on the street level outside which you can to watch the world go by. I find the pub a place of comfort and often take a book to read while enjoying a beer, it is probably the only pub I could study in, due to its relaxed atmosphere. The pub is a short walk from the art gallery of NSW, so I find is a good spot to read the catalogue about the exhibitions that are showing. Beer prices are not the cheapest, with prices from $5.60 for local brew but increase with many boutique beers on offer. This is simply because of they are not subsisted by the poker machines or tab facilities. But for me this is worth the extra coin to enjoy this unique location and atmosphere the pub contains. We start our pub crawl with a few shandies (1/2 beer and ½ lemonade) $5.60, on a particular hot afternoon. Patting the dogs that pass us, and talking to some locals about their day.

Hollywood hotel

2 Foster St. Surry hills

Hours

Mon-Wed 10am -12midnight  

Thu-Sat     10am -3am

The Hollywood hotel is such a beautiful pub with its art deco style and gold awning, it oozes old school charm from the outside. Enter its corner street doors the front room is like stepping back in time. The room is very dark and dingy on the inside; the walls are covered in photos and newspaper clipping of owner Doris Goddard, who was a movie star in the golden years of Hollywood. Mostly the décor has not been changed in decades with the exception of the large spinning disco ball in the main room being the only modern accessory to the décor.  

 Hidden way from oxford and crown streets you don’t often find it a crowded venue during the day and this means that it’s a great spot to meet up of a few quiet ones in the afternoon. By night it is a different story with DJ s spinning discs to a packed room featuring one of the hippest crowds in Sydney.

The pub only offers a limited selection of drinks with only 4 beers on tap with the local brews  like VB and Carlton popular. And food choice is limited to just  chips and cheese. This is a great place to stop off and meet up with friends before going to see bands at local venues Oxford art factory or Q bar.

Today we just spot in of a quick drink before heading for dinner at the Shakespeare…

Shakespeare  hotel Surry Hills

200 Devonshire St. Surry Hills

Mon-Sat 10 am- Midnight

Sunday 12noon- 10pm

The Shakespeare hotel or ‘Shaky’ is the final destination, and where I usually have dinner once or twice a week.

The hotels décor and style upon entering is traditional, where there are spots to sit against the bar and a few tables, walking up a narrow a staircase is where the styling becomes interesting. The hotel is decked out with old second hand furniture. We walk into a room full of old leather and chaises lounges and tables. This looks like an old private club than a pub. To the right are two old guest rooms which have been converted into dining rooms with large old table and illuminated by massive antler chandeliers. This is where we choose to sit.  Other small groups can share this table as it is so big.  The You have to get in early to land a table because it is very popular of dinner.

All 25 meals on the menu are $12.50, all of which are huge. My favourite is the chicken Parmagama topped with eggplant, bacon, cheese and sauce, served with chips and salad. My girlfriend friend Sarah, and her friend Kelsie order; Salt and Pepper squid served with chips, and salad; and Grilled Salmon with chips and salad, respectively.   We order, Beer $5.20, Gin and tonic $7.00, and Bulmer’s cider $5.60 to go with our meals. This ends our old school pubs crawl through east Sydney, exit the pub and turn right and central railway station is a 5 minute is just down the hill. This is a easy way home for all of us as we