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Bars

Mojo Record Bar – Sydney Small Bar, CBD

There’s a kind of familiar warmth that greets you at Mojo Record Bar upon entering the basement premises. It has little to do with the glow from the dark wood and red interior. It’s the music that makes you feel you are in the right place.

You might remember the first LP you bought, or have a flashback to the Tom Waits concert when you spot the poster on the wall. Or, if you were a teenage boy who worked Saturday mornings in a record shop and was paid in vinyl, you may just order a drink, be amazed again (and again) at all the wonders of music and never want to leave.

Mojo Record Bar
Mojo Record Bar

You’ll easily find Mojo Record Bar along York Street near the Hotel CBD. The small bar with glass frontage is decorated with 33 1/3 records. Descend the steps and you’ll see a homage to vinyl in a display case to one side and the music shop on the other.

Mojo Record Bar
Booths

Inside the dimly-lit space with exposed industrial-sized bulbs, the long wooden bar counter invites you to linger over several beverages as you study the cover art over the bar. Cosy booths set against one corner with ornate red wallpaper offer a more intimate experience.

Mojo Record Bar
The bar

The bar has an Australian craft beer focus with the likes of small breweries such as Two Birds, Moo Brew and a two litre growler ($40) of the Grifter or Young Henry’s which is brewed in Newtown. An old English hand pump has recently been installed with Young Henry’s Ale on tap. The intention is to keep changing and move through different beers. The wines have a NSW focus such as those from Orange and Mudgee, and the wine glasses bear the NSW logo. The ethos here is to keep it local and support the Australian market.

Mojo Record Bar
Georgia Julep

The cocktails list is intentionally a modest one. The drinks are a musical take with names such as Smells Like Gin Spirit (Hendricks gin, blackberry, Campari, citrus), the Lemon Cohen (gin, apricot brandy, citrus, mint, cucumber). The Georgia Julep is a take on the classic Julep but made with Cognac, peach liqueur served Julep style in an ice-filled silver tankard and topped with mint.

Part of the Mojo experience is that you can take it with you to the record shop during opening hours. “They had a conga line in there one night”, Natalie Ng, Bar Manager explains.

Mojo Record Bar
David Bowie Ziggy Stardust

The music influence comes from co-owner Neville Sergent who has been in the music business for 32 years. His knowledge and passion unite you with long lost gems or introduce you to a new journey. And with 7,000 LPs from the US, you had better start travelling.

Mojo Record Bar
Tribute to vinyl

Mojo Record Bar
Entrance to Mojo Record Bar

Mojo Record Bar taps into your music memories. It grips you with its relaxed vibe, welcoming service, great music and selection of drinks. Come down for a bevvy and order a beer from the old English hand pump. But whatever your choice of drink, you’ll want to stay. And any bar that plays vintage David Bowie at volumes that don’t hinder conversations or you can sing along to is our kind of bar.

Drinks and vinyl have never been so good.

Mojo Recod Bar is featured in Sydney’s Best Winter Bars.

Mojo Record Bar
Basement level, 73 York Street, Sydney
Open: Mon-Fri 4pm-midnight, Sat 6pm-midnight
mojorecordbar.com

About the author

Corinne Mossati

Corinne Mossati is a drinks writer, author of GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN, SHRUBS & BOTANICAL SODAS and founder/editor of Gourmantic, Cocktails & Bars and The Gourmantic Garden. She has been writing extensively about spirits, cocktails, bars and cocktail gardening in more recent years. She is a spirits and cocktail competition judge, Icons of Whisky Australia nominee, contributor to Diageo Bar Academy, cocktail developer and is named in Australian Bartender Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential List. Her cocktail garden was featured on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia and has won several awards. She is a contributor to Real World Gardener radio program and is featured in several publications including Pip Magazine, Organic Gardener, Australian Bartender and Breathe (UK). Read the full bio here.

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