Sydney’s best martini happy hours from just $8
Shaken or stirred, the classic martini has made a comeback, and these are some of Sydney’s best sips.
Filled to the brim with olives or sweetened with lychees, martinis are back on many of Sydney’s happy hour menus. And we very much approve.
Sydney’s coolest bars, from the ones hidden underground below office towers to chic French bistros, seem to all be adding martinis back onto their specials menu. Some of them even start as low as $8 each.
The Mucho Group has led the charge, with Bar Planet, Bar Herbs and the new Bar Bridge all pouring $13 martinis in the early evening. Now, the rest of the city has caught on. There are $8 mini martinis in The Rocks, $11 pours at a swish Circular Quay bistro and $12 French martinis a stone’s throw from the Quay. Bar Bridge even has a monthly martini special, so there’s always a reason to go back again and again.
We’ve done the legwork and rounded up the best martini specials in Sydney, from the dry-as-a-bone to the dirty, mini to full-sized. Prices run from $8 to $14, so you can sip your way through the week without a second thought about your bank balance.
Pop on your best going-out shirt, tell your boss you’re “leaving a bit early” and get stuck in.
Best paired with the signature free popcorn, Bar Bridge martinis, served extra dry Vesper style, are just $13 each from Tuesday to Saturday from 4-6pm
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Tucked underground on Clarence Street and distinguishably red in hue, Bar Herbs is serving martinis for just $13 from 4-6pm Wednesdays to Sundays.
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Martinis and dive bars don't usually go hand-in-hand, but these ones are served Newtown style. The Signature Bar Planet Martini is $13 Monday to Friday, 4-6pm and Saturday to Sunday from 3pm-5pm
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Award winning doesn't have to mean expensive, because Maybe Sammy is pouring $8 mini martinis daily from 4:30-5:30pm.
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Had you asked us 10 years ago if we'd recommend martinis from Jackson's on George we certainly wouldn't have said yes. But the venue has certainly entered a new era after a major reno and martinis (and negronis) are $11 Monday to Friday from 4pm-6pm.
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At the Shell House, the Menzies Bar is shaking up ice cold mini martins are $10 from Monday to Saturday between 4pm-6pm, and they're best paired with a $10 lobster roll.
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Served with a bit of French flair, The Charles' mini martinis are $13 Monday to Saturday from 4pm-7pm. Also part of happy hour? $2 oysters and snacks from $8.
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Seven days a week, the Jane Martini is just $14. Made with sSpirits of Newtown gin from local distiller Moonshiner, they're available from 5pm-6pm Monday to Saturday. Happy starts an hour earlier on Saturdays and Sundays.
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The downstairs neighbour to Disco Pantera, Tigra Bar is also serving up $13 martinis from Monday to Saturday, 4pm-6pm.
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The French bistro in Circular Quay is pouring $12 French martinis (along with other drinks from $8) from 3pm-5pm every Monday to Saturday. If you're looking for a bite to accompany your drink, AP sourdough baguettes, cheese plates and cured meats are also on special.
Winner of the Best Bar Design award in 2025, this chic venue at Circular Quay is serving up $14 martinis from 4pm-6pm Monday to Saturday.
Lobby Bar at the Ace Hotel
Making hotel lobby bars cool again, the Ace Hotel's Happy Hour menu includes $14 martinis that pair perfectly with the $2.50 oysters. Get them both daily from 4pm-6pm.
