World Bar Review

Review By Kelly Teng

Oh, World Bar, the home of a mix of indie kids and mainstream, newly-18s and seasoned bar hoppers, and standard and funky styles of dress. Although it isn’t right for everyone, World Bar can be a fun night out for you and a couple of friends…just don’t expect lots of dancing to be involved.

World Bar is located in Kings Cross, and comes alive from Wednesday to Saturday. Spread over four levels, each has its own bar and vibe to it, as well as there being plenty of space to hire out for any functions. The lighting is fairly dim (which makes recognising people a major hassle once you’ve had a few drinks) and although there are four levels, the actual floor space is not as large as you would expect it to be. The ground floor has a courtyard for all you smokers – and believe me, World Bar attracts a lot of smokers – and there’s always stages for any live performances that may be occurring.

Live performances and events are World Bar’s specialty, and with something on every day no wonder it’s an indie kid’s dream. World Bar events means that you never have to go a Sunday or Monday night at home again, and Teenage Kicks gives everyone a reason to be out on Thursday night (including the best one of all: free entry!). Bands always rock out on Friday and Saturday nights, and it’s the best place to scoop out some of the latest indie talent. The best thing about World Bar’s events is that although the music may be indie, it’s not so ridiculously pretentious that mainstream people feel out of place there. If you’re looking for some new bands to listen to, then this is the place for you…and if you’re thinking of dancing the night away to the latest songs, then I suggest going down the street to Soho.

As I mentioned before, the people that rock up here are a mix from all walks of life. Backpackers frequent in World Bar because their hostels are close, indie kids come here to listen to the latest music, and other people just happen to be in the area and wanting to chill for a while. This means that every night you will meet someone new and the atmosphere is never exactly the same. That being said, if you’re not a massive fan of the indie subculture, it’s best to go on a Friday or Saturday night.

Drinks are not the cheapest, but the best thing about World Bar is their teapots. If you’ve never tried one before, this is the place to go because their variety is massive and I always think that teapots should be tried by everyone just for the experience. As for the rest of the drinks, prices are standard and the drinks are average: I wouldn’t buy much besides teapots and beer.

For a place you can go any day of the week and just chill out, World Bar should definitely be number one on your list. But for those people who don’t like the indie scene or who can’t stand sitting and hanging out for the entire night, then head elsewhere and leave World Bar for another time.




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A 2nd Review of World Bar

Review By Carla Efstratiou

After falling down the rabbit hole I awoke in Wonderland for the over 18s, a.k.a The World Bar where the booze is free flowing, the atmosphere is somehow electric yet chilled and the music makes you feel like a rabbit who just popped a few pills.

This ‘nightbar’ (not quite a club but more intense than a bar) sets itself apart from the numerous other hotspots of Sydney’s party epicentre Kings Cross by offering their famous concoctions of alcohol in teapots. The roofs on every bar of this four level converted terrace are littered with ceramic teapots and filled to the brim with a mixture of tropical or creamy beverages….Just don’t even think about sipping from the spout, or be prepared to be kicked out, as I soon realised after my first visit. Achieving the perfect balance between chilled out lounging areas and hectic dance space is a difficult task, but when successful, creates an unmatched Saturday night nightclub experience. The World Bar has achieved this, and yes, the rumours are correct, this place is unmatched by anywhere in the Cross.

A typical night at World Bar consists of:

1. Waiting in the line for about ten minutes if it’s before 10pm, twenty minutes before 11 and up to an hour anytime after that. My tip: get on a guest list so you can skip the queue.

2. Pay up to $25 entry depending on what time you arrive; another reason to get in early.

3. Push your way to the front of the packed entry level bar to get your hands on a teapot.

4. Shot it all in about ten minutes and almost throw half of it, but get a buzz anyway.

5. Get on the D-floor and shake what your mumma gave you.

6. Stumble up the steep stairs and collapse in the corner couches, head buried under five pillows and struggling to breathe in the second level ‘tearoom.’

If you really want to feel like a local, ditch the crowds of the lower levels and head straight to the top; the Bordello room. It offers all that the lower levels do, but with a much more exclusive and inviting atmosphere. Resident DJ’s mix up the best techno tunes which definitely get the crowd up and dancing. The adjoining bar section is draped in red wallpaper and features furniture which feels like a high class porn set without the sleazy men and general feeling of herpes in the air (mostly). The balcony is a great escape when things heat up inside and being four levels up makes you feel superior to the rest of the drunken partygoers below, even if that isn’t necessarily correct.

The people who frequent this establishment are not your typical Kings Cross crowd, because of the entry fee. Entry fees are annoying, but the one great thing about them is that they ward off against the absolute dregs or society so you know if you pick up at World Bar; it will be someone who probably won’t steal your wallet and the end of the night.

The music is a techno teenyboppers heaven, and the main dance floor caters to all your moshing needs, with quite a small space underground and trimmed with stone, making dancers feel as though they’ve entered a well furnished drain. Getting hot and sweaty is not an option, it’s a requirement, but unlike other bars and nightclubs in the Cross, World Bar offers separate areas to stop, revive and survive long into the night.




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A 3rd Review Of World Bar

Review By Kat Pollard

If you somehow manage to divert your eyes from the hoards (not whores) of strip clubs at the Cross then you’ll be able to extract a few rare gems from the otherwise standard bunch. Infamous amongst newbies as the ‘teapot bar’, The World Bar is something you need to experience for yourself. However, I’ll take the time to do my best at explaining it too you.

Being a Melbournian I’m quick to judge the nightlife of Sydney and boy have I had my disappointments, yet every time I make the trip to the glamorous city I find myself at World Bar. It’s guaranteed to impress and has a different genre themed night from Tuesday through till Sunday night.

Being a rather intimate venue, World Bar really relies on its atmosphere to draw the crowds in, and it most certainly does that. Get there around 9pm if you want to avoid lining up waiting for a shot at entry. Once you enter, head to your left and get someone in the group to snag yourself a seat outside, these seats will hot property when the clubs full, kidneys and left legs may be offered for barter. You’ve made it this far so you’ll be able to relax a little and to do that what better than a nice, responsible drink? How about a nice irresponsible, big, white teapot full of all sorts of alcoholic concoctions? Due to responsible alcohol serving laws you are now forbidden to drink your teapot from its spout, however you can grab a few shot glasses, line them up and slam them down. Try the fruit tingle and the skittles teapot. At $17-$20 it’s a fairly economical way to drink plus it has the bonus novel factor to it. If you’d rather opt for standard drinks then you can grab beer or cider on tap, there’s also a great range of shots to choose from.

The people that you find at The World Bar are one of the best things going for it; you really never know who you’ll meet. In the two hours or so I was there I befriended three people, two from the UK and another from Italy who have offered me friendship and accommodation if I visit them. The crowd has no age group but it does have a strict vibe about it. If you don’t want to have a good time, make a few new friends and enjoy partying then don’t bother. Everyone is friendly and looking to make some new friends so make sure you roll with it. There is also an international following at this venue which makes it a great chance to make international friends and try your hand at some intoxicated linguistics. So go on, explore the World.




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WA 4th Review Of World Bar (During The Day)

Review By Sarah Griffith

On my first trip to World Bar I must say that the expectations were a little high – or low, depending how you look at it. The Cross is renowned for the best nightlife, but with nightlife comes nightlife connotations for a twenty something gal (aka the easy descent into dingy, grungy and skanky behaviour). So I chose a different approach: the Cross by daylight, and was surprisingly… surprised. Or so I thought.

World Bar over the course of a drizzly afternoon was quite chic. I sat with my friends under the covered outdoor area cascading onto the narrow street, which to the light resembled the comfort and cosiness of a cosmopolitan cafe. The light of day and a clear mind let us experience and appreciate the interior. It seems that World Bar caters for the interior designer in all of us. For the 80’s rocker, a wall of multi style denim squares line the walls next to the bar. For the sultry night slickers, tones of opulent reds, golds, and velvet curtains hide the naughtiness that occurs beyond the booths. For the uni geeks, science like diagrams and models scatter the walls to confuse us even more after a couple of cocktails, and for the mad hatter in us all, teapots encompass the roof and clocks decorate the DJ booth, inspiring us to get our madness on and take the party a little beyond tea and cake.

So there I was thinking I was experiencing a classier vibe than my pre-party goers had described of the establishment. A good looking couple sat with their small dog and smoked as we sipped our Long Island ice teas from teapot. It was all so Parisian. However the teapots (being great value for students at $17 a pop and containing about twelve shot glasses full of liquid) still did the job quite nicely and I felt my dignified day trip slipping into the dingy evening, which was exactly what I was aiming against! As I stumbled inside to purchase our third teapot, the door was opened for me by a handsome young gentleman in uniform: a sailor and his sea legged friends were grabbing a few pints before hitting the docks again.

“Well hello sailor!”

The suggestive exclamation practically forced itself from my mouth. The curse of the World Bar teapots had struck another helpless victim. Yep, it was time for me to jump back on the train and leave this joint. So I guess its official. While appreciating World Bar by daylight and being able to take in the glamour of the decor, I’ve decided that it’s always going to be the last memory of anyone’s night.

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