The Basement Nightclub Review

Review by Benny Lee

At The Basement Nightclub you won’t find the Supafest line up or anyone who wakes up in the morning with a bottle of Jack. Instead, you’ll find yourself listening to live music from a mix of great local talent and a few international artists.

Wandering in on a Saturday night we weren’t sure what to expect; would we find a seedy old club like the name suggests? Perhaps a place we could party until the sun comes up. We were pleasantly surprised actually. For a while now our group has been searching for a place to just chill and unwind and The Basement Nightclub certainly provides that.The street level bar has a very intimate feel thanks to the soft lighting, candle lit tables and lounge setting. Being a smaller bar the bartender isn’t frantically splashing all sorts of liquids hoping to get the right mix to the right customer. It’s a genuinely nice experience to have recommendations provided and have small talk, especially late on a Saturday night in the CBD. While The Basement Nightclub is located just up the road from Circular Quay, unlike other bars in the vicinity it is missing the inflated price on drinks. Beers and house spirits are in the vicinity of $6-$10.

This, however, is all just the tip of the iceberg. Located downstairs are two additional bars, the Blue Note Bar and the Green Room as well as the performance stage. The Blue Note Bar boasts patrons like former US President Bill Clinton and Will Smith. You’re not guaranteed to rub shoulders with them every weekend but you know if the place is good for them it’s probably a good bet if you’re looking for a new place to go with friends. The Green Room is decorated in contrast to the more contemporary Blue Note Bar; you could swear you’re in a small American town’s local watering hole. The Green Room is also home to the bistro where an extensive menu of snack food and light meals compliment the drinks during happy hour (4-30 to 6:30 Monday – Friday).

There is no cover charge for the street level bar, but there can be on certain nights for downstairs depending whether or not there is a show happening. Tickets to these shows vary in price from a few dollars up to $50+ depending on the act. Patrons are also able to have a 2 course meal from the delicious menu of The Basement’s restaurant before shows start.

The crowd here is definitely older but if you’re looking for a new place to just have a few drinks and catch up with friends The Basement Nightclub comes highly recommended.

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