Hooly dooly, there’s a bit going on at Manly Wharf, thanks to the Artemus Group, who took over the historic precinct and ferry terminal in April 2024. Last year, Felons Manly opened up in the former Wharf Bar home, adding a levelled-up food menu, 150 new waterfront seats, lush plants and Felons beers to the iconic sunset-and-spritz location. Next was Felons Seafood, which took over from The Bavarian, bringing cracking fish and chips and top seafood to the wharf.
Now, the biggest opening has arrived – say hello to Felons Barrel Room, a new microbrewery and 700-capacity live music venue set to seriously change the game in Manly.
Featuring a world-class audio and lighting system, the ambitious new venue will be the place for locals to see live gigs for free, with Winston Surfshirt, Mental As Anything and Yolanda Be Cool kicking off the opening-weekend party. There's going to be a focus on supporting up-and-coming artists, with trivia and movie nights, comedy shows and jazz evenings also in the pipeline. Inside, there’s a 300-seat restaurant serving fresh and vibrant Vietnamese fare. If you’re craving a burger and a schnitty, no worries – head next door to Felons Manly.
The new microbrewery, located where Aldi used to be, is the anchor of the beer haven, with a custom-built, steam-powered 18.5-hectolitre dry malt extract brewhouse and freshly brewed beer pouring from 3,600L tanks. The brewery, led by brewery director Tom Champion and lead brewer Gareth Cooper, will feature daily tours, tastings and meet-the-brewer sessions. There will be exclusive beers made specifically for Manly, joining the Felons line-up: Crisp Lager, Galaxy Haze and Australian Pale Ale, among others.
“The installation of the brewery and the opening of Felons Barrel Room mark a defining moment for Felons,” says Dean Romeo, brand director of Felons Brewing Co. “Together, these spaces represent everything we stand for: creating dynamic places that celebrate the art of brewing, the joy of connection through a beer poured fresh from the tank, and the creative spirit that runs through the Manly community."
"With Felons Barrel Room, we’re pairing great beer with vibrant Vietnamese food and live music to create a place alive with energy and possibility. It’s our way of celebrating Manly, a destination that’s as much about people as it is about place," Romeo adds.
There’s more. Remember where the pokies used to be? That space has now transformed into a sexy cocktail bar, complete with plush velvet seats, a pool table and $5 slices of pizza. The bar doesn’t have a name just yet, but considering that NSW has one of the highest concentrations of poker machines in the world (with $2.3 billion lost on the state’s almost 88,000 machines from April to June, according to data from the Liquor and Gaming Authority), the fact that they’re gone is great news in our books.
Felons has also created a crisp Japanese-style rice lager perfect for hot summer days. Partnering with Seabin, for every glass of Felons Japanese Rice Lager purchased, they donate funds to help remove plastic from Sydney Harbour, with more than 20,000 pieces collected to date.
For something more casual, Manly Fish & Chips is now open too, serving fish and chips, prawn rolls, chilled seafood and nostalgic seaside vibes at the wharf.
Felons' arrival in Manly has sparked mixed reactions among locals, with some critiquing the prices, the monopolisation of the wharf and the fact they only pour Felons beers.
Wherever you sit on the spectrum, I think we can all agree more free live music, tastier food, removing the pokies and plastics from the ocean – and a commitment to creating a vibrant, community-focused and family-friendly hub – is a great thing for Manly and, indeed, Sydney. Exciting stuff.
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