The Establishment Review

Review By Eliomi Dauda

The heritage features of establishment bar make for a classy and exciting place to enjoy after work drinks or a Saturday night dance with friends.

Huge iron columns line the walls around the centerpiece 42 metre long bar. The marble bar sets a magnificent point for conversation and allows for a spacious place to indulge in the large list of cocktails and drinks.

On my first visit to the venue I was pleasantly surprised to hear there was an RnB night with live djs and great music. After waiting in line for a substantial amount of time we paid our $15 cover charge and were welcomed to a drink by the large bar.

It was refreshing to see how spacious the bar area was, compared to the usual crammed bar where everyone is yelling over each other for the bartenders attention. I ordered a Georgia mint tulip ($19)which was fantastic. We also had a lorena treacle ($23) which was unforgettable with a mix of rum and orange toffee. Overall the drinks were pleasant but a little pricey, but the swift service balanced it all out.

After we downed our many cocktails my friends and I couldn’t hold back from the dance floor. With great music playing I cant blame that the dance floor was overly packed. With a great range of people we enjoyed the large crowd although we couldn’t hold down a conversation, over the pumping music.

Looking for a quieter place we took the lifts to Hemmesphere on the 4th floor. The lounge area is spacious and relaxing with an upbeat vibe.

The lounge bar is grand with warm earthy tones lining the high walls. Low Purple leather lounges create a perfect setting for conversations and intimate moments.

We went straight to the bar to collect our drinks but were nicely informed that there was only table service. We happily sat outside which was dimly lit and surrounded by high windows, which showed off the beautiful city skyline and high rise buildings. Compared to the main bar the music was at a pleasant level allowing everyone around us to chitchat away.

We were handed a large booklet of cocktails and light meals. The service was very efficient with the waitresses being more than happy to suggest different drinks. We started of with the salt and pepper cuttlefish ($15.5) mixed in Chinese spices and deep fried, flavorsome and tender. Followed by The chicken kara-age ($14.5) delicious marinated chicken.

The crowd in Hemmesphere is older than the main bars . The lounge is of a Friday night vibe, a stop off for after work drinks. For something more upbeat and age appropriate for my friends and I, I would suggest the bar downstairs to let loose and dance the night away. I highly recommend Establishment whether it be for a dance downstairs or a quiet drink at Hemmesphere upstairs, a very enjoyable night.



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A Second Review of The Establishment

Review by Yasmin Blundell

The Establishment is the perfect venue to relax and unwind at the end of your working week. Located in the business end of town, Friday night sees the trendy bar abuzz with an after work crowd of those in their 20s and 30s.

Its luxurious interior features a large marble bar, dim lighting and a small courtyard. There are some seats and tables scattered around the venue, allowing you to chat with the array of Sydney-siders and travellers you meet.

Despite its air of elegance, one of my favourite things about The Establishment is the music. The DJ plays a mix of upbeat ’80s hits and today’s top 40. My friend and I found ourselves dancing before we made it to the bar!

The dance floor is located towards the back of the bar. Alternatively, if you feel like mingling with the crowd and meeting new people, simply standing around the bar area for a few minutes will see friendly partygoers strike up a conversation with you.

As far as drinks go, I mostly ordered house wine (under $10 a glass, score!) and a couple of gin and tonics. I stayed away from the cocktails as they were a little on the pricey side at around $20 each. The drinks I had didn’t cost me a fortune. In fact, I left the venue with money left over! Cheering!

It’s hard to fault The Establishment because I’ve had such good fun each time I’ve been there. The only thing I could say was that it took a little while to be served for drinks on some rounds, but keeping in mind that the place gets packed on a Friday night and I’m usually chatting to new people I meet in line/having a good time, it doesn’t really matter.

In saying that the venue is quite busy, I still found it easy to find a place where you could have some space to have a conversation with friends and people you meet. It’s definitely the kind of bar that people go to either relax with drinks after work, or to meet new people. The fun and chilled out, yet classy vibe makes it the type of bar I’d want to revisit every weekend.

The unique thing about The Establishment is that it’s a place that you can either go to have drinks before heading out to a nightclub, or you can spend the whole night there. I’ve been to The Establishment before heading down the road to The Ivy. This ensures a good night as most of the people at The Establishment head to The Ivy later in the night, so you can get to know new people while jumping from bar to bar. I’ve also spent entire nights hanging out at The Establishment, and it remains busy and fun-filled into the early hours of the morning.

No matter how long you stay, fun times are guaranteed!

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