let's play a game, what is your favourite venue and why?

PETE WOOD
September 06, 2006 11:15pm

What makes a good bar? Ask around Adelaide and there would be a different answer at every nightspot. But each venue usually shares a few common elements that entice people to become regulars.

A venue doesn't need to have the latest, trendiest renovations to be the perfect bar. Like the specials board might declare at a country pub, smiles are free. You don't need to have a cheque book the size of a keg room to offer service.

It shouldn't matter if you're ordering a pint from a thonged and dreadlocked barman or an extravagant cocktail from a plastic-chested model. It all comes down to the manner in which the drink is slid across the bar.

Music is another defining factor. Pokie jingles dont count. Sure there need to be places to cater to the gambling set, but even the casinos of the Wild West came complete with an in-house pianist.

The rule still applies: the more live sounds the better.

Here are 50 bars worth visiting all great in their own way; all different.

And theyre categorised. Nightclubs can't be pitted against the muscle of a sports bar.

In fact, some club owners would argue that when too much focus is given to the food menu, a venue ceases to become a bar.

Then, the chef at the gourmet bar might question any venue that can't pull a crowd without a live band setting up stage, lights and sound for a night.

So, Barometer samples the delights of each bar with untainted senses.

These 50 bars are a reminder of what Adelaide has to offer. It is chance to re-visit that favourite place, or discover something new.

Of course, it only scratches the surface. Its up to the drinker to discover what they think is Adelaide's cosiest corner, loudest stage or friendliest crowd. But it gives you a place to begin.

PETE'S PICKS

Suburban: Salt

Live: HQ

Nightclub: Sugar

Lounge: Supermild

Cocktail: Fumo Blu

Pub: Jetty Hotel

Unusual: Belgian

Out-of-town: Marion Bay

THE TOP 50

BEST SUBURBAN

The Seacliff

221 Esplanade, Seacliff. 82967466

Has to be the best bar overlooking the metropolitan coastline. It's been revamped and has the essential balcony but still has the pub vibe which can often be lost.

The Avoca

893 South Rd, Clarence Gardens. 82931183

The Avoca has blossomed with one of the most stylish revamps in Adelaide. Cook-your-own barbecue area, sparkling front bar, cosy lounge bar. Locals cant believe its the same pub.

Zootz

On The Square, 257 Seaview Rd, Henley Beach. 82359990

Set on Henley Square and overlooking the jetty and beach, this little lounge bar offers something more than just a local pub. There are cocktails, finger food, gourmet oysters, live entertainment. It's like a trendy city bar, just in suburbia.

Salt

Holdfast Shores, Shp7/ Light Landing, Glenelg. 83766887

One of the coolest places to have a Sunday drink at Glenelg is Salt. While everyone else lines up at the Pier for some reason, the Salt couches, and cocktail and wine list, can look pretty good.

Wheatsheaf

39 George St, Thebarton. 84434546

Remember when suburban bars weren't all filled with pokies? Some even had purpose-built stages and live music areas. The Wheatsheaf still does. It's not always the liveliest place, but it's a pub with heart.

Holdfast Hotel

83 Brighton Rd, Glenelg. 82952051

It's sad that it is no longer a pumping original music venue but at least the front bar is still a pumping little pub, not just a doorway to the pokies.

BEST LIVE MUSIC

HQ Complex

1 North Tce, city. 72211245

Adelaide's best live music venue is back in action. Theres no denying the light show, sound and vantage points at the old Heaven Complex make for awesome rock shows.

Enigma

173 Hindley St, city. 82122313

This is what grassroots music feels like. People stand on chairs at the back and hang over handrails at the side of the small stage. The bands play almost in the audience, exchanging sweat as they go. The Governor Hindmarsh

59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh. 83400744

There are plenty of hit-and-miss shows because of the genre-hopping events at The Gov, but almost every live music fan in Adelaide has been to a memorable gig here when the big names hit town.

Fowlers Live

68 North Tce, city. 82120255

The sound can ricochet around the big room but sounds OK when it packs out. It's become a favourite with local and touring acts when they outgrow the smaller bars and stages.

Jade Monkey

29a Twin St, city. 82320950

With the amount of times you see this place in gig guides and name-dropped on Triple-J etc, it could seem like it's Adelaide's music super-venue. It's simply a loungey little room down a side street off Rundle Mall. Great beer garden too.

Adelaide UniBar

Victoria Dr, city. 83035856

Who can forget this gem of a venue? It sounds good and there's always a vibe. It was kind to everyone before they were 18 and still is with plenty of all-ages shows. It's not really the UniBar but where would Adelaide be without some of the magic shows in the cloisters over the years?

BEST NIGHTCLUB

Moskva Vodka Bar

192 Hindley St, city. 82119007

There has to be something special about Vodka Bar, otherwise there wouldn't be the line-ups and the fashion checks. People still flock there. It's Adelaides answer to those word-of-mouth LA or New York City clubs.

Sugar

Level 1/274, Rundle St, city. 82236160

It's the nightclub that hasn't forgotten about culture. Sugar is just as friendly to the hottest buzz DJs as it is to up-and-coming artists looking for a place to hang their works. It's one of the last-to-close venues in the East End, which helps.

Shotz Pool Lounge

2/192 Pirie St, city. 82322789

It's a nightclub but club-types don't really go there because it doesn't play their music. The tunes are all danceable but most of it is courtesy of the '80s with some new rock for good measure.

Tonic

63 Light Square, city. 82215145

Can be kinda hit-and-miss but anyone on the hunt for cheesy R&B usually has a good Saturday here. However, those not into that scene might want to hit Tonic on other nights for drum and bass.

Church

9 Synagogue Place, Adelaide. 82234233

One of the last of the super clubs. Separate rooms allow multiple scenes to mix. It sounds dangerous but somehow it works. Good vantage points upstairs for watching DJs or dancing.

Earth

27 Hindley St, city. 84108838

Its funny to see the raver-types lined up along Hindley St when Earth puts on a big night, but it's always pumping for those looking for the big nightclub thing. Also, it was once a Downtown arcade and roller skating rink, so it's a history lesson.

Rhino Room

Level 1/13 Frome St, city. 82271611

From a hip-hop venue to a comedy club, Rhino has managed to appeal to more than one circle of party folk. The club keeps an eye on its own promotions, so parties here never seem to be a flop.

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

Lotus Lounge

268 Morphett St, city. 82310312

Plenty of choices and plenty of fresh ingredients. Even the standard mixers are made with cocktail-like precision at Lotus. It's small, cosy and more lively than many, so it kinda straddles the line between lounge and cocktail bar.

Swish

150 North Tce, city. 84611111

It doesn't truly feel like a cocktail bar but it's too swish to be a nightclub and it's not loungey enough for a lounge ... and don't you dare call it a pub. It feels more like a venue that should be overlooking Darling Harbour in Sydney. Seems to be a hit with the after-work crowd.

Loco

SkyCity, North Tce, city. 82122811

Set inside the different world that is SkyCity, Loco isn't just a cocktail bar but the list of gourmet mixes needs to be sampled. The best thing about the bar is it's open 24 hours a day, every day. No more sitting in sports bars when weeknights unexpectedly go too large.

Crown & Sceptre

308 King William St, city. 82124159

It's strange that such a pub pub makes an appearance among the cocktail bars but have you seen the cocktails the Sceptre creates? In fact, the entire drinks menu here is something that needs to be seen.

Fumo Blu

270 Rundle St, city. 82322533

Let's face it, if we could afford it, cocktails would be the drink of choice all the time. At Fumo, it would take a while to get through the entire list. It's a nice environment to drink in surrounded by fish tanks and comfy booths.

BEST PUB PUB

The Edinburgh Hotel

7 High St, Mitcham. 83732700

From just-outta-private-school honeys to long-time Ed beer garden fans, this pub appeals to everyone and somehow it isn't pretentious.

Glenelg Jetty Hotel

28 Jetty Rd, Glenelg. 82944377

Whether you know it as St Vinnies or the Jetty Hotel, this Jetty Rd hotspot has managed to remain a pub as the Bay grows more cosmopolitan around it. One of the best video juke boxes in Adelaide and there's always this one old barfly dancing his heart out.

The Austral

205 Rundle St, city. 82234660

Of course, the Austral has to get a mention. Its the perfect combination of casual pub and trendy hangout. It's a perfect meeting place, dining option and night spot.

The Exeter

246 Rundle St, city. 82232623

Rivalling the Austral, the Exeter is a good option when there are no outside tables down the road. Or, perhaps start here because the pub meals are cheap and big. The undercover beer garden at the back of the hotel is a good all-seasons hangout.

The Archer

60 OConnell St, North Adelaide. 83619300

Here's a ritzy looking hotel that has kept some of its pub vibe. The place is so sparkling you would expect to find rows of pokies in the back room somewhere. However, theyre nowhere to be seen. That's a welcome change.

Prince Albert

254 Wright St, Adelaide. 82127912

In a low-traffic area, this one has to be sought out. However, from breakfasts before the Big Day Out, to footy parties for finals, to low key live music, the young publicans know how to keep it lively.

Electric Light Hotel

235 Grenfell St, city. 82322666

This is the new name for the old East End Exchange. Although still under renovation, it will reopen at the end of the month and promises international bands, DJs and performing arts.

BEST LOUNGE BAR

Botanic Bar

309 North Tce, city. 82270799

Botanic has to have the best atmosphere of any bar in Adelaide. The lighting is perfect, mixers are served with fresh ingredients in those big thick glasses, there are booths, lounges, a restaurant in the middle perfect for special occasions.

Savvy

149 Waymouth St, city. 82216030

This place is too cool to just be a nightclub but too pumping to be a lounge bar. It's kinda a loungeclub, if that's a word. Everyone would have seen the glamour-types in Savvys massive line-ups. That's nothing compared with what's inside.

Mojo West

258a Hindley St, city. 82215050

Mojo has the nightclub/lounge bar thing going on without being pretentious. It's casual enough for everyone to fit in without trying too hard. And it has the benefit of the beer garden.

Zhivago

155 Waymouth St, city. 82120569

Zhivago is like one of those chilled-out reggae clubs you might discover while travelling through some cool city somewhere but never expect to find in your home town. Plenty of vibe and never any morons.

Supermild

182 Hindley St, city. 82128077

It doesn't take many people to turn the small basement bar at Supermild into a party. There's decent cocktails and beer served in long necks and somehow, they just found room to include a beer garden.

Rocket Bar

142 Hindley St, city. 82127333

Not really a lounge bar and not a nightclub, if there is one of those cool, Melbourne-type bars in Adelaide, Rocket Bar is it. It has a nice mix of indie and electro DJs as well as local and touring bands.

Hotel Richmond

128 Rundle Mall, city. 82154444

Set on Rundle Mall, its not surprising how many people pack the balcony after work on a Friday for drinks. With stylish lounge areas and plenty of space, it's the perfect place for knock-offs for the Mall crowd.

BEST OF THE UNUSUALS

Boho

27 Unley Rd, Unley. 82710274

It feels like a suburban pub at times apart from the carnival-themed decorations. Then, when the DJs take over at times it feels like a nightclub. Either way, its warm, cosy and different.

Belgian Beer Cafe

27-29 Ebenezer Place, city. 83593400

Thought you didn't like beer? It may just be that the one to suit the fussy palette hasn't been discovered yet. Chances are, it can be found here. And helped down with a pot of mussels.

Oyster Bar

10-14 East Tce, city, 82325422, and Holdfast Promenade, Glenelg. 83763100

Sounds more like the place for a meal than a night on the booze but these bar/cafes make a great option. Anyone heading to the Glenelg venue has to try the Flirt cocktail. Make sure to get some help finishing it.

The Apothecary 1878

118 Hindley St, city. 82129099

The most elegant bar in Adelaide, it's set in an old pharmacy and uses the original cabinets and fittings, only now they dispense drinks, not drugs.

Woolshed on Hindley

94 Hindley St, city. 82313023

OK, so its not everyone's thing but where else could you suck down Bundy and Coke and jump on a mechanical bull? It's fun to take tourists here and tell them this is exactly what all of Australia is like.

Rosemont Hotel

160 Hindley St, city. 82215156

Here's a safe bet for those occasions when it's mid-week and after-hours but some beers are still required. Chances are, when almost everything is closed, the Rosemont is a saviour.

The Treasury

144 King William St, city. 82120499

Someone with a bit of vision did a good job turning the old Treasury building into a hotel. Very stylish, the central outdoors area looks more like a court in a castle than a beer garden.

BEST OF THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS

Crown Hotel

2 Ocean St, Victor Harbor. 85521022

Imagine being stuck at Victor Harbor with family and there was no Crown? This lively, beachside pub has saved many young people from watching videos or, worse, playing charades during holiday periods.

Marion Bay Tavern

1 Stenhouse Bay Rd, Marion Bay, Yorke Peninsula. 88544141

It's not the kind of place newcomers expect to find down the bottom end. It's also a surprise for old Yorke's fans when revisiting. No more boring counter meals in between campfire food. Check out the woodoven pizza menu.

German Arms Hotel

69 Main St, Hahndorf. 83887013

More than 160 years old, this pub has that mix of old-world and contemporary style. You could come here four times and eat each meal in a different area the Wintergarden, the Gallery, the Outdoor Cafe or the glassed balcony area, Cafe Ambleside.

Tanunda Hotel

51 Murray St, Tanunda. 85632030

Of course, the young crowd love the Vine Inn at Nuriootpa but it's nice to see they also stay true to some of the old pubs. The Tanunda always has a lively front bar and the beer garden is perfect in summer.

Loxton Hotel

45 East Tce, Loxton. 85847266

There used to be plenty of pubs like this one regional hotels that would have live bands when a tour came through town. Now, a lot of them are renovated and filled with pokies as is the Loxton. However, it is still a regular sort of place.

source: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/s...006349,00.html