The Baxter Inn Review

Review by Emily Jacobs

If you haven't been shown where the Baxter Inn is, you will probably never find it.

In a dark alleyway off the business-orientated Clarence St in Sydney's CBD lies one of the coolest new venues to pop up in the last six months.

Owned by the boys from Shady Pines Saloon, an equally hard bar to find, it is a whiskey-orientated saloon that mirrors the days of the Prohibition.

It's so good that I visit it twice within a week. From the outside, it's a bare door. The only giveaway is the large bouncer guarding the entrance. Once inside, a quick trip down some basement stairs reveal another world. The decor is old-school, with framed pictures covering every wall. Small tables dot the space, while large and extremely comfortable booths line one wall. The wall of alcohol behind the bar is the piece de resistance - there are so many that an antique library ladder is used to reach the bottles at the top.

The drinks are mixed and poured with so much love that it's nearly a new flavour. Upon my first visit, my Pimms and Lemonade is decorated cocktail-style, with three different varieties of garnish. Their non-whiskey speciality, vodka with fresh juice is also a hit. However, the cocktails and whiskeys are where the bartenders really shine. The Negroni and Whiskey Sours both look amazing - and taste the same way.

The best thing about the drinks is their prices. Despite their extravagance, cocktails are $17 and house spirits with mixers range from $7.50 - $9. Obviously, as the spirits get older, the prices rise.

On both visits, the place was packed. WIth a license for less than 150 people, it's not hard to fill. The clientele range from young, bright things to older aficionados of the dark spirit. During the week there is understandably many businessmen, but they definitely do not dominate.

The Baxter Inn is definitely the new place to be in Sydney's CBD. Its mystery and allure make it all the more enticing, and provides an alternative to the larger bars around the area. If you can find it,you'll love it.



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