NOW EXPERIENCING:Enmore Country Club

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 24 Jul 2023

By
Matty Hirsch


A gleefully retro watering hole on a rollicking strip of Sydney’s inner west, Enmore Country Club caters to all comers with nostalgic cocktails, hyper-local brews and an inviting vibe.

Crowd enjoying at Enmore Country Club
Why you goLeave any and all preconceived notions of white polo shirts, tennis skirts and freshly manicured lawn behind – Enmore Country Club is a country club in name only. By nature, it’s a 60-seat small bar on happening Enmore Road – one that owes more to Caddyshack and suburban RSLs of days gone by than the preppy likes of Royal Sydney Golf Club or Middle Harbour Yacht Club. Co-owners Dynn Szmulewicz and Dan McBride know a thing or two about small bars, too, having opened pioneering Glebe haunt The Little Guy, as well as Leichhardt’s (now closed) Golden Gully and Redfern’s Sunshine Inn. This time around, they’ve partnered with Zachary Goodbolt – designer and co-founder of natural-wine label Doom Juice – and they’ve managed to do what they do best yet again, creating a space that honours the area’s lively spirit with just a little tongue in cheek.
Why you stayA concept like this runs the risk of being tacky, overworked or some combination of the two, but thankfully none of it hits you over the head. Sure, the walls are entirely timber-clad and Bruce Springsteen might be pulsing from the stereo, but at no point do you feel as though you’ve taken a wrong turn and wound up in a grungy dive. Even when you factor in the groovy patterned wallpaper, brass accents and shiny resin bar top, these interiors are more dapper than daggy, with comfort firmly at the fore. Upbeat, chatty staff do their part to keep the inviting mood alive, too, breaking down the drinks in detail and offering tastes of the lo-fi wine by the glass. Staying for a second round is almost always a no-brainer.
Drinks at Enmore Country Club
Cocktail served at Enmore Country Club
What drink to orderIt’s probably best to lead with the signature bracer: a house-made cherry cola spiked with rum that, much like the other mixed drinks, leans right into the nostalgic frame of mind. That same cola syrup also forms the base for a convincing spin on a Long Island Iced Tea, while the frozen Piña Palada rejigs the resort favourite by ditching the coconut cream and doubling down on the pineapple. As far as beers and wines go, the dozen-strong list of tinnies spotlights hyper-local craft breweries like Yulli’s, Akasha and Wayward, while the well-chosen round-up of minimal-intervention drops maintains the Australian focus.
What to pair it withThe food side of things is kept nice and simple. Olives and cheese are on hand if you need something to snack on, but if more pressing hunger strikes, the chicken joint a few doors away has you covered. The Sunshine Inn’s head chef Lizzie Tillett has designed a couple of club sandwiches (chook or tofu), both of which are made to order and delivered to the bar in a matter of minutes. And, yes, hot chips come along with them.
Dish served at Enmore Country Club
Seating at Enmore Country Club
Why we love itThis is a no-frills neighbourhood bar that prioritises warm service and solid drinks, and isn’t trying too hard to be anything else. That’s something of a rarity in Sydney – and so, too, is affordability. Where everything only seems to be getting more expensive just about everywhere, it’s refreshing to see tinnies of Young Henrys Newtowner pale ale on offer for a mere six bucks and that signature cola for just $12.
Regular’s tipEnmore Road is a peak spot for people-watching on a sunny weekend afternoon, so try to commandeer one of the few coveted tables outside if you want a dress-circle seat. If you’re heading in, the two comfy circular booths by the front windows are the spots you’ll want to angle for.
Who to takeWhile some folks might associate country clubs with exclusivity, this one is anything but. Like any good local, Enmore Country Club caters to all types and tastes. In the front, you’re just as likely to find 20-somethings on first dates as you are mums and dads bending the elbow after a gig at nearby Enmore Theatre. The secluded back room, meanwhile, begs to be taken over by a pack of mates keen for a boogie and a Bee Gees sing-a-long.
Entrance at Enmore Country Club
image credits: Angus Bell Young