Bungalow 8 Review

Review by Mary Ward

Themed clubs can be a little naff. Did I say a little? I meant a lot-tle. So if you manage to find yourself a themed club that doesn’t make you feel like you’re at an eight-year-old’s birthday party, you should hold onto it. I am holding on to Bungalow 8.

Conveniently located on Sydney’s King Street Wharf, Bungalow 8 is a tropical paradise within the hustle and bustle of the CBD. With it’s harbour views and relaxed, island holiday vibe, it’s easy to forget that this little spot is less than a ten minute walk from Wynyard Station.

Bungalow 8 has become an important watering hole for Sydney’s middle ground nightlife; those who would like to be able to maintain a conversation over a drink, but also might get up for a bit of a boogie later on in the night, depending upon how many drinks their conversation required. This club is one of the few nightspots around that lets you do both with ease.

Outside, you can experience the best of Bungalow’s waterfront location with cabanas and tables overlooking the harbour. And – take it from someone who visited in early August – the outdoor heating is so good, you will feel like you’re it’s summer in Hawaii all year round.

Inside, it can get a little crowded, with the bar and the dance floor only a couple of metres away from each other. All is forgiven, however, when you hear what they play at Bungalow. The music is groovy to say the least – a mix of old party favourites and some more recent tunes – with a live drum kit making a nice change from the straight house they seem to be playing everywhere else.

Drinks are on the pricier side of life but, hey, you’re on holiday! You can afford to drink out of a coconut, or buy cocktail jugs that are half-full of apples (you may even discover the merits of vodka soaked apple.) Food is simple, but delicious. The hot chips are definitely recommended for a snack. I have no clue what the sauce is, but in all of its creamy, spicy deliciousness, it is ridiculously yummy.

However, it’s the little touches that make Bungalow a winner. The bartenders wear cabana boy outfits, there is more bamboo about than you can poke a stick at (pun, unfortunately, intended) and they put this cute little postcard frame on your photos before uploading them to Facebook.

So here’s to themed clubs! Here’s to Bungalow 8! And here’s to another chilly winter night spent picking apples from a cocktail jug in an island paradise.



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A Second Review of Bungalow 8

Review by Bianca Coughlan

Let me paint you a picture.

Imagine yourself walking around Darling Harbour in search for one particular bar. You’ve heard about this bar before, so you decided to check it out for yourself. As you move further and further away from the main area of Darling Harbour, you start to get confused to your whereabouts.

Suddenly you can hear loud music, and people laughing. You see lights dancing in the distance and you can even see a line of people. You are delighted to see a large amount of people enjoying themselves and you get excited.

Now look to the place next door. The one that is almost empty, and is drowned out by the noise of the first place. Congrats! You’ve reached your destination!

Welcome to Bungalow 8 – where the music is quiet, the drinks are just slightly over average pricing (Just your average beer will cost you $7) and the service is immaculate.

However, if you have just finished a long day of work, and you just want a place to sit and eat and have a nice conversation with friends at a normal hearing level: then you have found your haven.

At this particular themed bar, you will be overwhelmed by the decor of a bungalow that is nowhere near any beach. Eastern Island-style heads greet you at the entrance, as well as bamboo-like fences and tiki torches to give that extra feel of a holiday alcohol hut.

You will get no security checking you in at the gate and, on a Friday night, you can also expect the staff to greet you and direct you upstairs because the downstairs bar is closing up for the night… at ten o’clock.

Upstairs, you will experience a bar scene that is definitely unique, the main one being that waitresses actually are there to provide service, not just cleaning up after your spilt drinks and taking away the several drinks you’ve ordered for the night.

You can sit either inside with the dim lighting, the warm heaters and big comfy lounges. OR you can sit outside with the dim-lighting, the warm heaters and big comfy lounges. It’s a tough decision.

Bungalow 8 may not be anything of great spectacular, but soon you’ll realise that your friends aren’t that exciting, and you will follow the loud music to next door and dance your troubles away… because guess what? You couldn’t do that at this themed bar.



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