Sugar Rays

Sugar Ray’s Bar in Surry Hills occupies a prime location on Cleveland Street, at the Eastern Distributor end. A lot of foot traffic passes through after a sports game at nearby Moore Park, so this place is bound to get busy. Brought to you by Dan and the team at Salt Vine (Crown St), it is hardly surprising that the food would be just as good.
A sophisticated bar and tapas menu with a great range of drinks including craft beers, a top mix of wines and in particular, some beautifully crafted cocktails to get that party started. On a more low key day, come and sip over your drink on a lazy afternoon.
The space takes you back a few eras with its dark painted walls full of framed images, leather couches and Persian Rugs, blink and you could be in the ...read more

Sugar Ray’s Bar in Sydney’s Surry Hills brings the welcoming atmosphere of your local bar together with a playfully sophisticated menu that pairs perfectly with the creations of their cocktail wizards. Tip: If you get a chance to try the chocolate panna cotta with bourbon foam, don’t think twice, order two! Thanks for hosting us guys!

New signage and some dark geometric wallpaper are the only signs that anything much has changed from the venue’s Black Penny days. By keeping the grungy neighbourhood bar aesthetic, and not wasting money on a big refit, it seems to have slid rather seamlessly into the repertoire of Surry Hills’ post-work drinkers. It doesn’t hurt that the wide windows onto both Cleveland Street and Bourke Street let in a lovely golden afternoon glow; adding warmth to the darkly lit space.

You can tell a lot about a place by their Charcuterie Plate ($24). Iris Black’s caters for the health-conscious with meagre bread, tart pickles and good quality olives accompanying three, high quality meats. There’s jamon Serrano, chorizo Pamplona, and my personal favourite, Cabecera de Cerdo. The latter is a Spanish ...read more

Iris Black is a new tapas wine bar on the corner of Cleveland St and Bourke St in Surry Hills. The bar has a cool fascade with dark emerald green tiles and intriguing dark interior. It is extremely welcoming, with an open outlook to both Bourke and Cleveland St. You can also grab a table outside and listen to some blues, sip on a drink, share a bite to eat. The music was fitting with the stylish interior.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a few cocktails, perfect for the hot afternoon. They were all very refreshing, with interesting names including the water buoy made with vodka, watermelon, cranberry and lime. We also tried the family tree, made with gin, bitters, blood orange liquor and lime and the ...read more