Surry Hills institution Goros has had a glow-up – with freezer-cold Martinis and new private karaoke rooms

I’ll come clean: before it reopened this week following a $1-million (plus) glow-up, I’d never been to Goros. By all accounts, the Surry Hills bar was an after-dark institution of the sticky carpet, cheap drinks and karaoke until 4am variety. Friends who grew up in Sydney knew it as the spot you’d head to for a reliably rogue end to the night – and there’s something of that energy in the newly reimagined space. But Goros has grown up, and the 18-year-olds who came here for rum and Cokes are met where they’re at – older, a little more tame and with a bigger budget to spend on the good life. By the vinyl-stacked DJ booth, I bumped into a friend who now tops the bill at Sydney’s biggest warehouse parties, and he told me that Goros was where he learnt to DJ as a teenager. Now, it’s the place we’ll come to for a freezer-cold Martini, sizzling yakitori and a seriously good vinyl soundtrack. It is, in short, the late-night bar that Sydney needs.

The first thing you notice about the new Goros is the light – or lack of it. Warm pine tables and cosy booths are given a sexy, golden glow by Noguchi-style lamps hanging from the ceiling, and a custom-built vinyl DJ booth occupies the far corner with a sort of LA mansion energy. Records line the walls, and the sound system is seriously impeccable – even when the space is packed.

Music is the heartbeat, with a seriously well-considered programme that should make sound enthusiasts of the Harbour City proud. Running from 4pm until late, Tuesday to Saturday, the vinyl-only programme brings together local DJs, record stores, collectives and selectors, with the soundtrack shifting from hip hop and jazz to disco, boogie and soul. Tuesdays will see the Goros crew digging through the venue’s own collection, Wednesdays will welcome record shops and independent music outfits, and Thursdays are reserved for resident takeovers. Fridays and Saturdays will see guest DJs bring the weekend energy.

The drinks menu follows a Japanese-inspired brief, with house-made canned cocktails called Goro-Kans leading the charge: priced at $18 and arriving in playfully branded cans (flavours include a zingy Yuzu Spritz and a lolly-coded melon number). The cocktail list also includes a very strong line-up of Martinis (order the Vesper: $26) and a wildly delicious “A+ Old Fashioned” ($26) that arrives crowned with a square of salted caramel Lindt. There’s a dedicated shochu and awamori list, too, served over a single block of ice with iced tea on the side. And if you’re after something a little less boozy, the Ume Highball ($14), made with non-alcoholic umeshu and mandarin soda, looks like a decent option.

Food is dream drinking fuel and designed to be shared – with charcoal-grilled yakitori and Japanese-inspired snacks that make a solid case for arriving hungry. Start with tempura corn and miso mayo or crispy squid with furikake, lime and wasabi mayo ($25). The chicken karaage ($22) is seasoned with yuzu pepper salt and is, therefore, almost illegally moreish. Our advice? Order the large ($26).Yakitori is the main event, with skewers starting at $8 each for chicken thigh or wings, $9 for king brown mushrooms and $10 for salmon, pork belly or wagyu beef. The minimum order is two pieces, which makes it easy to mix and match a few options for the table. And if you arrive between 4pm and 6pm, the Snacky Goros Hour deal pairs a mini Martini (served in a cute-as-hell tiny glass) with a sashimi hand roll for $18.

Karaoke fans, breathe easy – singing is still part of the equation, with four refreshed private rooms just off the main bar. Disco balls hang from the ceilings, food and drinks can be delivered straight to the room, and the machines are loaded with thousands of singalongable ballads.

Ultimately, Goros hasn’t abandoned its after-dark roots so much as found a few more reasons to visit before midnight.

You’ll find Goros at 86 Mary Street, Surry Hills. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 4pm until late. Find out more over here.

Note: We were hosted at Goros, but our editorial listings are always honest. 

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