Wollongong drink · Drink in Wollongong
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Drink in Wollongong
Drink in Wollongong
A growing city, Wollongong city holds a wide variety of bars. Generally, pubs close to the city but not in the actual CBD/North Wollongong proper tend to have unsavoury reputations. Wednesday nights are 'uni nights', and at places such as Castros and the Grand feature drink specials and cheap or free entry - expect a lot of young patrons.
The North Wollongong Pub, (North Gong for short), (North Wollongong train station). The "local" for the University of Wollongong, across the Princes Hwy from the North Wollongong train station. Major renovations in 2006 provided several bars, including a spacious outdoor garden, a bistro and bar inside, and a more formal (and dress-coded so you can't just wear your thongs/flip-flops) upstairs cocktail lounge. Although frequented by UOW students, North Gong remains popular with all ages.
Hotel Illawarra, (or just the 'Illawarra), Large hotel/pub recently refurbished in wood and chrome. It receives the early morning crowd as it is the only bar that consistently closes at 3AM most nights of the week. Somewhat upper class - smart casual dress.
The Grand Hotel, (previously known as Cooneys), (at the south end of Keira St). A three part hotel. One features a number of 'pokies', pool tables, a bar, game machines and a lounge area. The second is a large outdoor beer garden and smoking area, while the third is a proper nightclub, complete with DJ booth and impressively sized dance floor and two separate bars. Hosts local and international acts on occasion.
Glasshouse, is a tavern and nightclub which has recently re-opened, having been redeveloped - but still smelling distinctly of it's trademark vomit and sawdust. It is reasonably popular, with an entry fee charged for the upstairs nightclub. Often somewhat violent, coupled with incompetent security staff can make for an unpleasant night out if you don't keep your wits about you.
Castro's, Nightclub tucked into Victoria St. A 'three mode' nightclub. Wednesdays are Uni Night, with varying crowd amounts and cheap drink specials, as well as free entry before midnight. 2am lockout, 3am close. Fridays are often used for "Sensations", an U18 party session, while Saturdays are Gay Night with a popular drag queen show.
Harp Hotel, Corrimal St. A 'working class' pub with two bars (And a third that is only open day times or during special events, such as Australia day, for punters) featuring pokies, karaoke on saturday nights, some live music thursday evenings and a crowd of locals the rest of the time. The 'new bar' features a night club and a window onto the smoking section and the old bar is an area with a stage and a number of seating options.
Abbey's Nightclub, Catering to the overflow from the Harp Hotel. A pleasant nightclub, filled with young people, typically. Trying to enter for free via the back balcony is often a quick way for the security staff to indulge in their penchant for brutal beatings, given the camera footage on the stairs is minimal and often turned off by remote control.
Five Islands Brewery, (Win Entertainment Centre) (for directions see below), ☎ +61 2 4220 2854 (fax:+61 2 42202855), ([ ])). Brew their own beer and the Sixth Island bar serves bar food and has a fantastic terrace with a BBQ. There is also an 80 seat restaurant. Sit and drink watching the surf roll in from the Pacific Ocean just 50 m away. Or don't. Quiet nice to take the (older) kids on a Sunday afternoon, with the park in front and the beach close.
CBD Sports Bar, Auburn St, just off Crown St (near the City train station). Very relaxed atmosphere that translates into very high drink prices. Only 'non-leagues club' bar in the city that serves Resches Draught, a traditional Sydney beer that used to be far more common.
Dicey Riley's, Dicey is the word as this bar sits next to the railway bridge that marks the border betweeen rough West Wollongong and the City. One of the oldest pubs in the city, the odd Irish theme does not hide the vaguely sinister atmosphere of this dark and smoky bar. Dicey's is likely to improve (depending on your point of view) as West Wollongong is heavily redeveloped over the next few years. Centre for 'hard drug' sales in the city.
Fever Nightclub, (formerly the Bluenote), The only bar in town open past 3am - Fever, previously the Bluenote closes at 6am weekend evenings. The crowd varies, but are often far more intoxicated than elsewhere in town. Go here after a night out. Usually ten dollars cover fee. The security staff are somewhat thuggish - one was recently seen to bottle a patron - and uncaring, being unwilling to assist with problems. The bar staff are friendly, though the owner doesn't care what happens in the venue as long as money continues to pour in. Hope you like the taste of Rohypnol.
The Builders Club, 61 Church St, (close to the City Centre) . Mainly older laidback crowd but The Builders is also very popular with students taking advantage of cheap drinks and $2 pool. The Builders is fantastic for a few early drinks and then maybe kicking on to the nightclubs later. Worth visiting to see the huge mural painted on the front wall. Thursday night and friday day poker games.
The Ivory, A bar catering for the older crowd - smart casual, 25 years or over for entry.
Downtown Bar, A bar catering for business men. EXTREMELY expensive - upwards of 15 dollars for a schooner of beer in some cases.
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Wollongong Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.