The Cricketers Arms Hotel

Forget the overly polished gastro-temples taking over Surry Hills. The Cricketers Arms Hotel is the real deal—an unapologetic, old-school boozer with a roaring open fireplace and actual character. Pints pulled right. Proper pub hospitality. The word at the front bar is that this place absolutely nails the classics, serving up top-tier bistro fare upstairs—think killer chicken Kiev and French-inspired plates—while keeping the ground floor brilliantly unpretentious. Grab a cold schooner, hit the beer garden out back, or sink into a stool for free pool on a Tuesday night. Jazz heads pack the room on Wednesdays for live sets that turn the rustic space electric. Unfussy. Welcoming. Exactly where you want to ride out a chilly Sydney evening.