Palmer & Co. Sydney CBD — An Underground Speakeasy Lost in the 1920s
Down an unmarked alleyway off George Street, beneath the Establishment Hotel, Palmer & Co. does not announce itself. There is no sign, just a door and a set of stairs leading into a brick-vaulted basement that feels lifted from Prohibition-era New York. Exposed brick, low golden lighting, tiled floors and taxidermy nodding to the bar's namesake set the scene, while flapper-dressed staff and a nightly jazz band keep the theatrics running.
The drinks list is the real drawcard. Expect a serious back bar of gins, whiskies, tequilas and absinthes, alongside a rotating roster of Prohibition-style classics and barrel-aged specials. Champagne runs a close second, with a solid list to pair against the bar's meat-heavy, European-leaned snacks. It is table service throughout, split across a handful of distinct nooks that make the sprawling basement feel intimate no matter where you land.
Palmer & Co. suits a dressed-up night out more than a casual one. Walk-ins are welcome, but this is an 18+ venue with ID checks at the door, and it earns its reputation as one of the CBD's most theatrical after-work-drinks-turned-late-night spots.
Quick Bites
EAT: Reuben sandwich, mac and cheese with pretzel dip, charcuterie boards, steak tartare on Doritos
DRINK: Prohibition-era cocktails, extensive gin/whisky/tequila list, Champagne selection
PLAY: Live jazz sets nightly, 1920s flapper-styled staff, hidden speakeasy entrance
VIBE CHECK: Moody, dimly lit, theatrical, Prohibition-era glamour
