Sydney Bars with a View: Discover the Best Scenic Drinking Spots

Whether you want views of the Pacific Ocean or Sydney Harbour, here are 5 of our favourite Sydney bars with a view that never fail to dazzle.

The view
You’re steps from Circular Quay at Hyde Hacienda, a pastel oasis draped in greenery. The outlook is hard to beat – wherever you sit you can watch ferries coming and going under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Drink
Try the signature Hyde Getaway, which is a fruity mix of pink gin, mango liqueur, cranberry, yuzu and watermelon. Pair your drink with something light, like freshly shucked oysters. Or something indulgent, including a seafood tower loaded with Moreton Bay bugs, scallops and prawns.

Check in
Hyde Hacienda sits pretty within the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, where apartment-style suites come with fully-equipped kitchens, laundries, separate dining and lounge areas, and spacious bedrooms. The best bit? You have a private balcony to soak up one of the best hotel views in Sydney.  

Do
Step out and catch a ferry over the harbour to Manly, one of the city’s most famous (and most relaxed) surf beaches, with endless stretches of tree-lined sand. Alternatively, book a tour of the Sydney Opera House to go behind the scenes.

The View
Drinking establishments don’t get much more glamorous than Champagne Bar, with its leather booths and floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views over Darling Harbour and extending all the way to the city skyline. Sit back and watch the lights of the CBD begin to twinkle as the day ends. As far as Sydney bars with a view go, this one is a gem.

Drink
Champagne, of course – Charles Heidsieck is the signature pour. But if you’re in the mood for a cocktail, try a classic Martini (Tanqueray gin, or Ketel One vodka, dirty, dry, wet, olives, or a twist dry gin). Pair your fancy beverage with equally fancy bites, including market oysters or Polanco Baerii Caviar with all the trimmings. 

Check in
The Champagne Bar occupies a prime perch on the third floor of the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. This waterside hotel is luxurious, from its rooms with vistas over one of the city’s most dynamic neighbourhoods, to its infinity pool and lavish Day Spa. 

Do
Explore the vibrant Darling Harbour neighbourhood, which features a plethora of restaurants as well as live entertainment venues. Keep watch for the IMAX cinema, replete with one of the world’s biggest screens. Or, wander through the Chinese Garden of Friendship , pausing for tea and dumplings in Chinatown.

The View
You’re in the heart of the city here (you can glimpse the vibrant Haymarket neighbourhood through oversized windows). Yet despite the hustle and bustle outside, the Bar Morris vibe is very introspective and intimate. Think jewel tones, dim lighting and plush fabrics, making it the ultimate Italian-style drinking venue – in the middle of Sydney’s Chinatown. 

Drink
The Salted Stars cocktail features Archie Rose true cut vodka, grapefruit, chilli, Amaro Montenegro, lemon sorbet and soda. It doesn’t get much more refreshing than that. The menu lists bites like salumi with gnocco fritto, crushed potatoes with parmigiano, and freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters.

Check in
Bar Morris takes its name from the hotel it occupies: Hotel Morris Sydney – Handwritten Collection. This boutique hotel comes with style to spare, occupying a heritage-listed building that now comes with Italian interior design inspiration. 

Do
A highlight of staying in Chinatown? The food. When you’re not grazing at Bar Morris, indulge in yum cha, Sichuan noodles, Vietnamese pho and Korean fried chicken at the dozens of restaurants that surround your hotel. You’re within walking distance of Paddy’s Markets , which is packed with stalls selling everything from jewellery to fresh produce. There’s also public transport on your doorstep: jump on a tram to the Sydney Fish Market and eat fresh prawns in the sun.

The view
You’re steps from Manly Beach at 55 North, so the outlook will never disappoint. Expect long swathes of sand and ocean outside, and sophisticated design inside, with colours and forms nodding to your waterside location. 

Drink
The signature Lilly Pilly Pop cocktail features Manly Spirits Lilly Pilly pink gin plus hibiscus syrup, lemon juice and a smoke bubble. It looks as good as it tastes. If you want to take things up a notch, order a glass of champagne with a side of caviar. Other items on the menu include crab toast (made on fresh brioche), Moreton Bay bug and red papaya salad, and a bulging club sandwich paired with shoestring fries.

Check in
Newly renovated, the Manly Pacific Sydney MGallery Collection hotel has the most enviable address in this Northern Beaches suburb – right on the esplanade, and just steps from the sand. It’s a fitting base for 55 North. Like the bar, rooms at the hotel overlook the waves, which means you can watch the world go by from your room or villa, designed in coastal tones and replete with private balconies. Be sure to spend time in the rooftop infinity pool, for the perfect views and Insta-worthy content.

Do
Wander along Manly Beach (swimming, surfing and snorkelling are all on the agenda). Or, lace up your shoes and do the Manly to Spit Bridge walk, following a harbourside trail that passes sandy beaches, ancient Aboriginal sites and incredible lookouts.  

The view
Views over Sydney’s CBD don’t get much prettier than the one enjoyed from the waterside Ternary Bar, located in the heart of the Darling Harbour precinct. The outlook is particularly dazzling at night, when the lights of the city begin to twinkle out the window.

Drink
Try the Rocinante, a bright, refeshing cocktail that's a mix of Midori and wild tea-infused vodka, balanced with a splash of vermouth that's like a symphony in your mouth. The food menu ranges from wood-fired pizzas to fish tacos, wagyu beef burgers and smoked salmon salad. You won’t go hungry (or thirsty) here.

Check in
The Ternary is the signature drinking and dining venue in the Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour, a legendary waterside hotel that delivers views and service in equal measure. Design throughout is striking yet playful, with plenty of light and energy. And rooms and suites are among the most spacious you’ll come across, making any stay here extremely comfy.

Do
When you’re this close to the water, it makes sense to visit the Australian National Maritime Museum – it’s just steps from your hotel. In the other direction, you’ll find the Chinese Garden of Friendship and dozens of restaurants. Sydney accommodation is diverse, and cater to all styles and budgets. For more options close to Sydney bars with a view, click here .