Employees Only brings a slice of the big apple to Sydney with a new bar opening this November.

When one of the world’s best bars gets set to open a Sydney rendition, it is bound to spark some interest. Employees Only, an alluring speakeasy cocktail joint, first opened in New York in 2004. Since then, it has repeatedly made it onto The World’s 50 Best Bars list. Now, Sydneysiders are getting a slice of the big apple, with Employees Only opening  Saturday 24th November on Barrack street.
At the helm is co-founder Dushan Zaric, who conceived the New York bar with Henry La Fargue, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Jason Kosmas and Bill Gilroy in 2004, alongside Robert Krueger from Employees Only New York. Like the bar’s namesake, Employees Only is passionate about caring for people in the service industry, as well as taking care of their guests. Having secured a late night liquor licence, it’s a space people working in the hospitality industry can call their own no matter the hour.
Setting up shop in an underground basement in the heart of the CBD, the bar comes oozing in brass detailing, warm lighting with a resounding sense of intimacy and familiarity. Its opening hopes to reinvigorate Sydney’s nightlife, putting the CBD’s bar scene back on the main stage.
As you might expect, the cocktail menu at Employee’s Only sits front and centre. You can expect a drinks menu bespoke to the new Sydney outpost, with concoctions like the Amelia, made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, pureed blueberries and fresh lemon.
As for the food front, they’ll be dishing up a New York-inspired bistro menu, led by Head Chef Aurelien Girault. A handful of New York favourites will also carry over, including their signature steak tartare, pancetta wrapped lamb chops with salsa verde, a bone marrow popper plus more.
With venues all over the world, the team are quick to remark that they’re not a franchise. The Sydney rendition has its own unique look and feel, an underlining notion of sophistication carrying through from the original New York concept.
Employees Only will open in the CBD at 6pm, Saturday 24 November.
Employees Only, 9 Barrack Street, Sydney