Not ready for bed yet? There are plenty of places in Sydney where you can dance, socialise and sing along to live music until the early hours. So put on your party shoes and get ready for a big night of fun.
- 5 min read
Home The Venue
Best for: Old school raves complete with thumping sound system and laser lights.
Opening hours: Friday 8pm-3am, Saturday 3pm-4am, Sunday 2pm-12pm (Monday)
Sydney’s original superclub, Home sits on the edge of the water at Darling Harbour. It can host up to 2,500 people across its three floors and nine bars, with everything from house to RnB and retro tributes. On Sundays, you can party for almost 24 hours straight. Or if you want to have a good time but still get an early night, join one of the daytime raves that start in the afternoon.
Home the Venue, Sydney City
Club 77
Best for: Getting up close to the DJ on the compact dancefloor.
Opening hours: Friday and Saturday 10pm-5am
Darlinghurst’s Club 77 began life as a grimy underground rave bar in 1997, a place of loud music and sticky floors hidden behind a nondescript door halfway along William Street. Today, it’s a little more sophisticated with a New York dive bar vibe, but still draws raucous crowds every weekend to hear local legends on the decks.
Club77, Darlinghurst - Credit Max McDonald
The Abercrombie Hotel
Best for: Around the clock partying.
Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday 12pm-midnight, Thursday 12pm-2am, Friday and Saturday 12pm-5am
One of the few venues in Sydney with a 24-hour license, there’s never a bad time to go dancing at The Abercrombie. It was the centre of the city’s gritty underground and indie club scene in the 2010s. It’s slightly more stylish these days, but the main bar on the ground floor is still the place to get loud and sweaty before spilling out into the beer garden to cool off.
The Abercrombie Hotel, Chippendale - Credit: The Abercrombie Hotel
Universal
Best for: Partying every night of the week.
Opening hours: Monday and Tuesday 9pm-2am, Wednesday and Thursday 9pm-3am, Friday to Sunday 9pm-6am
A hotspot for Sydney’s broad LGBTQIA+ community, Universal is an over-the-top club that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s the only gay club in the city open seven nights a week and everyone is welcome to dance the night away, sing along with the drag queens and sip cocktails with floating rubber ducks in them.
Universal Sydney, Darlinghurst
Oxford Art Factory
Best for: Watching the next big thing on stage.
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 6pm-3am, Friday to Sunday 7pm-4.30am
Inspired by Andy Warhol’s 1960s New York nightclub The Factory, Oxford Art Factory is one of Sydney’s top live music venues and has launched the careers of many local artists. Downstairs in the cavernous basement performance space, you can catch everything from punk rock shows and thumping raves to international artists – Lady Gaga played her first ever Australian show here in 2008.
Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst
AURA
Best for: Cutting edge acoustics and world class tech.
Opening hours: Friday and Saturday 10pm-6am
AURA has big shoes to fill, taking over the Darlinghurst space of ARQ, a club at the forefront of Sydney’s queer scene for 25 years, in mid 2025. It promises an inclusive, multi-room, multi-genre destination that will set a new standard for Sydney nightlife. Expect local and international DJs on the decks, themed nights and VIP tables with bottle service.
AURA Nightclub, Darlinghurst
Goros
Best for: A night in a party playground complete with arcade games and snacks.
Opening hours: Wednesday and Thursday 4pm-1am, Friday 4pm-2am, Saturday 4pm-3am
Modelled on a traditional izakaya bar, Goros combines Japanese fare, arcade games, karaoke booths and DJ sets to create the ultimate hangout spot. On Friday and Saturday nights, the dance floor comes alive with the latest hits, American classics, and a whole lot of 1990s and early 2000s RnB, with tunes spinning until the wee hours.
Goros, Surry Hills
The Cliff Dive
Best for: Hip hop tunes in a tropical wonderland.
Opening hours: Friday and Saturday 8pm-5am
For beats with a twist, The Cliff Dive is Sydney’s only under-the-sea-themed tiki club. Sitting in the centre of Oxford Street’s late night strip, it’s known for slinging out tropical cocktails to the crowds gathered on the sunken dancefloor, and playing hip hop, grime, trap and R’n’B beneath colourful lights and shipwrecked décor.
The Cliff Dive, Darlinghurst - Credit: Jay Slays
The Soda Factory
Best for: Quirky events like music bingo, karaoke trivia and open mic night.
Opening hours: Tuesday 5pm-2am, Wednesday 5pm-midnight, Thursday to Saturday 5pm-4am
Walk into a tiny hot dog store on Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills, open the door to a vintage Coca Cola fridge and you’ll find The Soda Factory. This sprawling hidden nightclub has a retro 50s feel, American diner-style food and DJ sets until 4am on weekends. Expect the small dancefloor to be crowded, sweaty and lots of fun.
The Soda Factory, Surry Hills - Credit: The Soda Factory
The Imperial
Best for: Living out your Priscilla, Queen of the Desert fantasies.
Opening hours: Wednesday and Thursday 4pm-midnight, Friday 4pm-3am, Saturday 4pm-4am
In the Inner West suburb of Erskineville, The Imperial has been flying the rainbow flag for more than 40 years. It’s such an important part of the LGBTQIA+ community, it was added to the State Heritage Register in 2025. Though it looks like your average suburban pub at street level, head down to the basement to find flamboyant drag and cabaret shows and all night dance parties.
The Imperial, Erskineville
Kit & Kaboodle
Best for: Reliving the glory days of Kings Cross.
Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday 9.30pm-4am
A Kings Cross icon, Kit & Kaboodle helped shaped Sydney’s nightlife culture in the 2000s. It closed in 2018 and was replaced by Boogie Mountain, but made a triumphant return to its home on level two of the Potts Point Hotel in 2024. With it sleek fit out, top of the line sound system and lighting, this is Sydney clubbing as it should be.
Kit & Kaboodle, Potts Point - Credit: Kit & Kaboodle
Cargo Bar
Best for: A quintessentially Sydney night out.
Opening Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 12pm-11pm, Thursday 12pm-midnight, Friday and Saturday 12pm-3am
Everyone who has ever been clubbing in Sydney has gone to Cargo Bar. From the time it opened in 2000, to coincide with the Olympics, this waterfront bar on King Street Wharf has been heaving every night. A 2024 revamp introduced neon 80s colours and upgraded sound systems, but the noughties vibes remain unchanged.
Cargo Bar, Sydney
Carousel Bar and Ballroom
Best for: Big dance tunes and a heaving dancefloor.
Opening hours: Friday and Saturday 10pm-5am, Sunday 9pm-4am
169 Oxford Street was the site of the street’s first nightclub and has been home to legendary spots like Byblos, Suzie Q’s and Miind Club. Now, it’s Carousel Bar and Ballroom, a lush cabaret and 70s inspired club complete with rotating stage. It’s the only Australian venue to make the coveted Nightlife International’s Top 100 List (alongside icons like Pacha in Ibiza and Berghain in Berlin) and has one of the best sound systems in town.
Carousel Bar and Ballroom, Darlinghurst - Credit: Carousel Bar and Ballroom
Calypso at The Bristol
Best for: Refined clubbers who enjoy plush décor and places to sit down.
Opening hours: Saturday 9pm-late
The historic Bristol pub on Sussex Street was completely revamped in 2024 and now has five venues under the one roof. On level one is Calypso nightclub, a chic dancing den with hundreds of disco balls hanging from the ceiling and carpeted floors to improve the acoustics. It caters to a slightly older crowd who want to enjoy great music in a beautiful space.
Calypso Nightclub, Sydney - Credit: Matthew Herro
Stonewall Hotel
Best for: Dancing the night away in a queer-friendly space.
Opening hours: Wednesday and Thursday 4pm-2am, Friday and Saturday 4pm-4.30am, Sunday 4pm-2am
Party with Sydney’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community at Stonewall Hotel, named after the iconic bar in New York where the gay rights movement was launched in the 1960s. This three-storey club has been the heart of Oxford Street’s ‘Pink Mile’ for almost three decades, with entertainment that ranges from drag shows and karaoke to up and coming DJs.
Stonewall Hotel Sydney, Darlinghurst - Credit: Stonewall Hotel Sydney
Sussudio
Best for: Celebrity spotting amongst Sydney's beautiful people.
Opening hours: Thursday 10pm-3am, Friday and Saturday 10pm-3.30am
One of the most exclusive clubs in the city, Sussudio is inspired by Paris' elegant disco clubs of the 90s – and yes, the name does come from the Phil Collins song. This glamorous Potts Point nightspot is aimed at Sydney's A-listers and promises a mix of disco, vibe, tech house and funky groovy tech house that will keep you on the dancefloor all night long.
FAQs
What time do Sydney nightclubs usually open and close?
What time do Sydney nightclubs usually open and close?
Sydney nightclubs generally open between 7pm and 10pm and close between 2am and 6am.
Do Sydney nightclubs have a dress code?
Do Sydney nightclubs have a dress code?
Yes, Sydney nightclubs have a dress code. It varies between clubs but most expect smart casual dress and prohibit thongs/flip flops, singlets, sportswear, and high-vis/work clothing. Check the club’s website or social media ahead of time to confirm the dress code.
Do you have to pay an entry fee at most nightclubs in Sydney?
Do you have to pay an entry fee at most nightclubs in Sydney?
Generally, yes – you will have to pay an entry fee. Popular venues charge around $15-30 though prices may be higher for special events or big name DJs.
Which Sydney nightclubs are best for electronic music?
Which Sydney nightclubs are best for electronic music?
Some of the best nightclubs for electronic music are:
Club 77
Carousel Bar and Ballroom
What areas in Sydney have the best nightlife?
What areas in Sydney have the best nightlife?
You’ll find the best nightlife in Sydney along Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, Darling Harbour, Kings Cross and Surry Hills.
