What to Expect @ Cabana Bar

By Kelly Teng

The place where I hold my fondest memories of the FIFA World Cup 2010 is Cabana Bar in St Leonards. Night after night, I would be in here with my friends watching the games while drinking and having a great time…and as a result, I know Cabana Bar and Lounge pretty well.

The first thing that needs to be said about Cabana is that it’s a place to relax and unwind after a long day. There are well lit areas for you to have conversations with your friends, or darkened areas if you’re looking for a little more of a night mood. Cabana also has an outdoor area where you can sit and hang out with mates while getting a breath of fresh air (or a cigarette, if you’re into that sort of thing). Now, I know you’re thinking that the outdoor area will be like Greenwood with no room to move but Cabana’s outdoor area is surprisingly spacious and heated for those cold winter nights.

When paying a visit to Cabana Bar, make sure to visit during happy hour for great deals on beer and house spirits. This spot does not make its name on selling cheap alcohol, so if you try to buy a drink outside of happy hour you could end up with an $11 shot and no taxi fare. Cocktails are standard price, but where Cabana stands out is in the fact that they serve tapas (which are perfect for groups to share) and meals and desserts: this means that Cabana is more than just a bar for people to drink. It can be a place to go during the day and get a quick bite to eat, or unwind with a beer and a steak burger for dinner.

As for the atmosphere and the dance floor…well, Cabana isn’t the place to dance until your feet are sore with a big crowd. The vibe is all about being chilled out, and – while there is a dance floor – nobody really dances a lot. Instead, people choose to sit back and hang out, watch sport, or catch up with a few mates. The music adds to this chilled atmosphere: nobody really cares what is played because the music is more for background noise and ambience than to actually get a dance floor pumping.

Cabana is packed with a fairly young crowd, and most of the people that go there are from around the North Shore. If you don’t like Shore kids (or if you like to make fun of them) you might want to avoid this location unless you want to be severely outnumbered. The age of people that visit range from newly 18 year olds to people in their mid-20s, but the chance of seeing your uncle or grandfather here are slim to none…thank goodness!

So if you’re heading up to the Shore and want a place to stop and grab a quick drink or a catch up (or even if you want to watch the FIFA World Cup in 2014), then Cabana is definitely the place to go.

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