Flinders Hotel

I’ve heard plenty about the Flinders and had be meaning to go for a while. We decided to go on a Friday night and so it was pretty busy without being overly packed. The bar itself is full of the exposed brickwork that seems to be fashionable at the moment with «renovated» bars and a trip to the toilet did little to make me think that this wasn’t just another try hard hipster joint. In other words, it had the graffiti-​strewn, rough look that’s so popular at the Cricketers Arms just down the road, however, the Cricketers hasn’t been run recently given the once over. Or maybe they just forgot to do the toilets.
Seemed like a decent enough place, although they don’t have much in the way of tap beers (just the 6) along with their own house wines (they just have one of each — shiraz, chardonnay and sparkling — that are made in the McLaren Vale by them (apparently).
So yeah, it’s a funky enough bar, but it’s not exactly a trend setter!

The Flinders throws the coolest house parties. The returning crowds are a testament to that.
Friday nights see the overenthusiastic crowd dancing to classic old school disco jams circa 1970 (try Boney M). Everybody loves it and I wouldn’t have my music played any other way. Saturday nights has a different vibe all together (I can’t remember what tunes, my memory is a little shady) and I didn’t enjoy myself nearly half as much. I guess it’s true what they say, the DJ maketh the bar.

The Flinders is the first and last place we go as a group to make sure we have a good night. We start there as it’s a bit quieter at the start of the night, good for mingling, and having a few drinks, without feeling over showy, or overly expensive. We usually start around the bar, and slowly head into the cornered off alcove of a room at the back.
A few hours later, after visiting some other places around Darlinghurst and Surry Hill’billy, we head back, and between midnight and 3am, this place is absolutely pumping, friendly, with a kind of ad-​hoc house gatecrash party feel.
It’s filled with down-​to-​earth people who are just out to have a good time and loose their inhibitions. Together with some pretty brilliant old school tunes, and a dance floor that erupts in the middle of the bar, it’s a definite fit for the end of the night.
Head upstairs at pretty much anytime, and you’ll be greeted with an after-​hours speakeasy type restaurant that also serves some fanciful cocktails. The bar staff are great up here, and they’re often louder than the music, but keep on their good side, as any bad behaviour will be sure to get you kicked out (I know) Oh, and the food is fantastic (or at least it tasted so, at that time of the night)

I have joined the religion on Flinders!
After finding a nearby club closing my friend and I thought we’d ask the ever savvy bouncers just where everyone was disappearing to. With a knowing look to one another, the bouncers answered unanimously, Flinders.
At 3am the place was absolutely jumping, despite there being nothing that could be classified as a dancefloor, people were cutting shapes nevertheless and the atmosphere was incredibly friendly. With such a small space, everyone had no choice but to know everyone by the end of the night, but that is no bad thing as its the haunt of all the funnest locals.
Worth staying awake for.

I’d heard through the grapevine that the newly renovated Flinders Hotel is a must see, so being the easily influenced person I am, I decided I must see it.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I didn’t expect to see what I saw. It wasn’t bad, just a bit more ‘country and western’ than I had expected. I’m not sure if that’s the best way to describe it but that’s the first thought that crossed my mind.
It was a Saturday night and quite empty and I started wondering if I had got this place mixed up with another. I grabbed a beer, my companion a wine. Over our drinks we started perusing the art on the wall and things hanging from the ceiling. It’s definitely got some charm.
I noticed the bouncers out the front setting themselves up and as soon as I started questioning the need for bouncers in an empty place like this people started trickling in. The trickle became a stream and within no time it was packed and I was beginning to miss the ease of how it was getting a drink when there was less patrons.
There is quite a good restaurant upstairs (so I’m told) but some real good bar snack options if you don’t want a full meal. I treated myself to the hot dog, my companion the chicken wings. As the night went on, people kept coming in, a dance floor broke out and I realised why people like this place. I even thought about breaking into a hoe down. I wonder how that would’ve gone down!