Brian L
What seemed to be a rather uninteresting entrance led us to an underground American lodge themed bar where giant teddy bears roamed. It was rather dark but there was just enough light for us to see the pictures and the moose heads. The giant virtual fire place really enhanced the experience, giving us something to stare at with a cocktail or beer in hand.
The bar offered a great list of beer and an impressive lineup of cocktails. I really enjoyed the variety of bar snacks here, from flavoured pork crackling, to Swedish meatballs, all at very good prices.
Keerthi Jakart
A good looking bar. Worth it to take big group of friends or even as a cozy spot. Cocktails are great - especially the old fashioned. Excellent service. Better call up to reserve a seat. The whole ambience is coZy with funny photo frames of bears in mainstream media. It's too hilarious. I've come here twice and will visit again. Worth it.
Miss Deliziosa
This could very well be the new place for a tipple or 2! Found this place slightly hard to find, entrance is just before the main entrance to the Capitol Theatre eateries on your left (with Harry’s De Wheels on your right).
You walk down some stairs to a playful area occupied with giant bears lounging around. Love the eclectic fitout & decor. Furniture is awesome too, mixed with modern & edgy to homely & inviting.
Bar staff were fast with serving & cocktails came at a decent time. Just what you need at a bar & needing to whet your whistle.
Cocktails are fantastic and they put their ‘Bear Bar’ version to a few old faves - such a cute touch!
I’ll be back here for sure with more people. That you can count on! Keep up the good work.
James Pickup
Great small bar hidden away behind the Palace. Great place to go for on tap Bavarian and Czech beers and flavoured nuts. The bear bar entrance is tucked away next to the South facing capitol square entrance.
Sam
Cosy atmosphere on a chill winters night! Andy was great with the cocktail recommemdations which were all top notch. Different seating options available so great for date night or with a group of friends.
Bojan Kovacevic
Infrequent visitor, but absolutely love this place! Relaxed and easy going vibe with friendly staff who serve up delicious cocktails and many other drinks that take your fancy. I can’t go past the rum and whiskey cocktail myself, always the staple order for a great time. Great selection of pork crackling and other bar snacks to keep you amused while you enjoy yourself!
nick king
Service with a smile!
Absolute pleasure, my new favorite venue due to the brilliant service of these hard working, attentive gentlemen.
Thank you for a most enjoyable evening, I shall return!
Matthew Tsang
The bear bar is a small hidden bar you can find near Capitol theatre. The drinks served at the bear is strangely appealing to the taste. They have a variety of cocktail, one that can make you laugh as well as taste refreshing. They also have different types of bear, craft beers, spirits and wines.The bar is situated close to central station so location wise, it is only 5 minutes away. The vibe is quite chill, I highly recommend going once or even more than once. The current picture I have is one of the craft beers I enjoy over there.
Demi Jayx
I absolutely loved this place 😍❤️ The cocktails are amazing they have huge bears around the place and the staff are super nice and attentive!! Think this will be my local 💕💕 wooo xxx oh and food was yummy x
Liam Ennis
One of the greats in Sydney! Andy and his team are extremely approachable and always happy to have a chat.
Andy has had our mates try and test some beers he is thinking he might put on tap and he really values your opinion.
Very rare to find a bar with an owner with so much dedication and love for his own establishment. Hats off to you Andy!
Thanks for all the great nights you have created here for my mates and I. Top Bar!
Highly recommend it for service alone! Even the comfortable atmosphere created draws you in.
Keep it up! We will visit often!
Chiron Laidlaw
Thank you so much to Andy and his team! My friends and I had an absolutely amazing time, best venue choice that was ever made- we'll definitely be coming back for future celebrations. The drinks menu was phenomenal and the decor was fun and comfy, great selection of music and absolutely adore all the bears.
Steve Vardy
How great is this . U walk down the stairs and r met by a couple of big cuddly bears. For a quiet time go to the libeary . For more music and laughter go to the comfortable side seating or bar seats. The food is great for a bar menu not just chips nachos etc. the owner will have a chat and the staff r excellent. A great place to veg or to have pre dinner drinks before going to the Capitol Theatre
Anthony Sauzier
Excellent bar!!! Love the decoration, there's good beer on tap, a nice atmosphere, the staff is friendly and they have awesome trivia nights every month animated by Andy (owner). Well done we'll definitely come again! :)
Chrissy Lasker
Our Inaugural launch of MAG Club (last night)....Mature Aged Gals of the East....was great all of the Gals loved the place!! Andy made us very welcome and pulled up an extra table for us....You should have a cocktail called 'Arnie'....featuring 'I'll be back'!!! We definitely will be!!! Thanks everyone!!!! Happy Wedding Andy!!!
Jennifer Hankin
Pretty great Bar. Like 10/10 recommend it to all your friends kind of great. I hear they have a rad Jazz night tuesdays as well... ;)
Cathy Bateup
Fantastic bar, absolutely worth a visit! The lemon meringue pie cocktail is magnificent!
Sarah Green
Well first of all the owner is a legend, what a great guy. Where can you go in Sydney and actually have a chat with the owner of the business? This is just about it. Oh and the hideaway bar. The drinks here are way better though, love the European beers and the cocktails are something else. Try the Mr. Whippy!
Olivia McAuliffe
Great happy hour, great staff, great vibe, add wedges to your menu�
Mel Maree
The cocktails have an extensive range that makes you want to try them all. The owner + the vibes are the real reason this place is a hit. + it does trivia Wednesday’s with $10 cheese boards. What’s not to love!
Michael John Niland
Awesome environment, amazing drinks and great service by staff. Really personal experience. Thanks to Andy and the team. ��
Dominic Svensson
This is a really interesting place. I was expecting a lot of warmth and leather but once you get past the stuffed bears, it's more of an RSL with better portraits and slow tv on the projector. The staff and customers are great though. Huge variety of drinks but they're very expensive even during happy hour plus they add a card surcharge without disclosing it.
Sichao Hu
I love their beers, especially the dark one. The flavour is excellent! Price is decent. Maybe because we didn’t go very late, there were not May customers, which is fantastic for me cause I prefer the quiet bars. Environment is nice. I found it by accident but will surely return.
Foodie_Pri
Stumbled upon this place by chance, and it was such a little hidden gem. We had the Cherry Ripe end another smooth cocktail (forgotten name), and they were delicious! Excellent service and very cosy atmosphere. Highly recommended!
Top Foodie
Great bar, with an atmosphere you would expect from the name! The decor is perfect and the cocktails are amazing. I really recommend this place for a nice drink. Their menu is quite extensive! there were many more cocktails I wanted to sample.
Josh Keam
The Bear is one of the best cocktail bars there is. The entrance was a bit tough to find, but it's located downstairs underneath Capitol Square with the entrance opposite the hotdog venue near the tram tracks.<br/>The drinks menu was astounding and almost every drink i ordered + sampled with friends actually tasted amazing. Nothing burnt and some of them could have been passed for non-alcoholic given how great they taste. The manager was amazing, interacting with the patrons and making sure everyone was having a great time. I HIGHLY recommend coming here to experience it at least once.<br/>Order the Snow Candy. It really will change your life.
Cho Z
The Bear Bar is my favourite watering hole. The owners always greet you with a friendly smile and ask about your day. And the cocktails are both creative and tasty.
Lien Nguyen
An Interesting location in Haymarket behind capitol theatre. Enter inside to find a large open space that’s not too loud (for a bar),great for conversation without shouting. The drinks are also very delicious! A bit on the sweeter side if you’re into lighter cocktails.
Eatwithmyfoodsafari
An underground bar that is located close to the Capitol Theatre, it has subdued lighting that makes for a good pre-dinner theatre drinks or a night out on the town. <br/><br/>Offering a variety of beers, wines, and specialty cocktails, we went with one their signature drinks called the Bear Colada. Conveniently located on their $12 cocktail menu available during their happy hours. It had a blend of ra mixed with pineapple juice, coconut cream, and purée. It was refreshing and packed enough punch to get you going. It put you in a happy place with its umbrella and orange garnish which said tropical holiday! <br/><br/>The bar snacks were quite addictive so don't eat too many if you're having dinner afterwards.
Does My Bomb Look Big In This
Hidden under the stairs at Capitol Square, The Bear, doesn’t look like much from the outside. If you choose to descend, you’ll find a Nordic influenced basement bar with some thematic elements like two giant stuffed bears in the entranceway. It’s largely a long, dark, ski-lodge inspired open space, with a few cosy nooks and crannies where groups can gather away from the maddening crowd. Like myself, the people mostly seem to be here for some good old-fashioned middle class pre-loading before enjoying dinner in any of Haymarket's neighbouring restaurants. On Thursdays between 4pm-10pm, drinks – like a Gin Martini ($12) – are cheap, and full of booze, though a far cry from smooth or sophisticated. The bar is famous for...
Nakira
I first discovered this place because of a Groupon voucher and have been here many times since then. It can get busy on Fridays and Saturdays so we like to go when there are less people and sometimes during happy hour. Their dirty martini is the best I've ever had. I've had some other good cocktails but all I can remember is that the Engligh Garden Party was a stand out. They have games in the "library/den". I love bars that have games because my husband and I love to play backgammon, cards... Food wise we've only tried the pate and cheese board and the meatballs - they're ok. I would like to try their chicken sliders in particular but we tend to come here for a drink prior to going out for dinner.
Erika-Anne
Yes! That's I've been looking for.<br/>Found a place to chillax in busy CBD. It's located on the basement, next to the Capitol square, very good location.<br/>Seems like one of the hiddnen bar in cbd.<br/><br/>The atomosphere is quite relaxed and you can see cute bears around in the bar. <br/>They do promotion on most of each days you better check their website.<br/><br/>I went here for normal day and the glass of red wine costs $12 but I do enjoyed time with my friends and love it.<br/><br/>The staff were friendly and lovely. <br/>Defs come back here again soon.
Sloth.adventure
The atmosphere there was pretty relaxing which made it a good place to just sit and chat with friends while enjoying a drink. The service was great and welcoming and the cocktails amazing. I ordered the 'Northern Light' cocktail which gave a sweet yet minty flavour that complemented the rum. I would definitely recommend this place.
Best Small Bars
Haymarket is probably one of the least likely places you’d expect a small bar to appear, let alone one with a European theme. In August the Bear has opened its doors at its new location (formerly located in a back street in Chinatown, now it's located down the tramline off George St).
Britni.morello
The Bear is Overrated. I am really surprised this restaurant has a 100% rating! I went with high hopes which were quickly squashed with the first sip of my All Day Breakfast cocktail. It was very one note and that note was an obscene amount of lemon juice. Basically undrinkable. The rest of the cocktail menu looked overly sweet and not very complex.<br/><br/>The food was fine but very amateur. We had the Swedish meatballs and the sausages with dipping sauces to start. (The server didn't even tell us what each dipping sauce was, so it was "fun" to guess). These dishes resembled a platter someone would set out for a causal get together with friends at home, not restaurant quality. The Japanese chicken sliders tasted like McDonald's.<br/><br/>On a positive note, I like the concept- cafe by day bar by night. Makes you feel like you've found a secret spot.<br/><br/>One of the most disappointing experiences we have had in Sydney.
Swil0580
Great service. Had the pleasure of stopping by The Bear on Friday night for a couple of drinks. The cocktails were well prepared and tasted fantastic. However what really impressed my wife and I was the quality of the service. Absolute top notch!
Michael Snitch
Great lane way bar, really fun and great drinks. Best bartender in Sydney! Go Andy!
Gavin Griffiths
When you're a long way from home and on your own finding a bar like bear is an absolute gem. The Bear crew are brilliant, this is a friendly and welcoming place where conversation and cheer are correctly encouraged, with a great drink selection and some delicious food on the menu, you cannot go wrong by finding yourself in here for an enjoyable evening
Chris Augustine
Amazing!. Just come
Danieljworsley
Brillient. Tiny bar which you would easily miss, but it's worth the find. Brilliant cocktails, great selection of international beers and full spirits. A GREAT place for a night with your partner or friends (count the bar tenders and new friends too). Also a great menu, Nordic influenced menu and the chicken is to die for. Must try<br/><br/><br/>-----19 Oct, 2014-----<br/><br/>Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant. Tiny tucked away Gem in an unlikely area. Brilliant staff who clearly love what they do, some of the most unique cocktails I've seen in a long time, great bar food and just good old fashion service and fun. Highly recommend this 'bear' to everyone. You can even take a picture with a huge bear head. Go for the charm, stay for the service and return for food and drinks. This will be the first of many. Brilliant
Henry--
A small european bar in a small chinatown lane way? ABSOLUTELY. Having heard about this place from others, I went there with a few mates of mine with little expectations, but WOW, I was blown away by the friendly and unpretentious service. Andy the bar man had great suggestions for drinks and food - I loved the little LED light! For food, we shared a couple bear plates and found it was enough for us. The atmosphere was awesome and conducive of just chilling and chatting with mates. I would definitely recommend giving this fine little bar a shot; you won't be disappointed.
Mattsikora
The hidden hidden gem I've been waiting for!. This is the place I've been waiting for to open up in Sydney!<br/>The food is on point, the drinks are impecable and the owner Andy is an absolute champion.<br/>Such a great vibe.<br/>If you're looking for a good night without the t*ssers you'll find in most of Sydney bars head down to The Bear.<br/>It won't disapoint.
Connor.mackenzie
My new favourite bar. This place exceeded all expectation. Andy the Barman is an absolute legend, the food is delicious, Pizza's & Hotdogs left me feeling great. Perfect selection of drinks, Andy realy knows his stuff and makes some killer cocktails. I will be back without question. 10/10 Bar. Just what Chinatown needed.
Callum
Andy is a legend!. Andy is a top bloke! The food is amazing, I would definitely recommend grabbing the "fresh prince". A great hotdog which hits the spot. Has a great choice of beers and man he makes a wicked cocktail. Such a sick place to come during the week for a awesome feed and a beer! <br/><br/>Will be back here for sure!
Stephenlaing1978
Delicious friendly and great company!. Loved it... i've dined regularly in top venues in Sydney and Melbourne and this place is outstanding... the three keys? great food, eclectic drinks (wonderful cocktails) and the best service... five stars guys! well done
David Wehrle
Great new small bar in Chinatown. Had a cracking cosy night sat on the end of the bar. <br/>Amazing cocktails, foods for sharing, beer for swilling! Hells yeah, what's not to like? <br/>Fondue I hear you ask? Oh yessiree! There is delicious butterscotch fondue for all your late night sweet desires! Not like that you filth bags:) <br/>All in all a most pleasant evening. Great hosts, great food/beverage, everything you NEED for an enjoyable evening. <br/>Do yourself a favour, drop into see The Bear, he doesn't disappoint.
Shanghaitan
Hidden gem next to chinatown, The Bear not only offers a wide selection of international beers and cocktails but also boast a mighty fine meatballs and jam dish, perfect for solitude or social butterfly, it has just become my go-to watering hole in the future!
Bingbing8989
New Cosy Spot. Love this new joint! The for f**k sake cocktail and the bear plater are my favourite!
Paulinka-au
Very cool,new place to hang out at after work !. Little restaurant/bar hidden in the back alley of chinatown with amazing cocktails, friendly owners and great food especially - meatballs with this berry jam !!! YUM ! My favourite cocktail - The Lemon Meringue, I will be back. :)
Blackreptile13
Cosy and sophisticated. Great service and sophisticated food with a unique atmosphere that is rare in the heart of Chinatown. Non pretentious and great for first dates or loners. This place will take off! Definitely coming back with friends!
Donna J. Bee
Love the projected image on the wall, it gives unique atmosphere. friendly staff and don't forget the sexy bar tender.... The bear is very cuddly.
Yuelinlu
Very Cozy bar for friends to meet up. Sexy drinks specially like the mix berry cocktail. Will visit soon
GG
Great food and atmosphere, reasonable pricing., Little gem in Chinatown! Hot dogs are so tasty and the owners really made an effort to make us feel welcomed. Will definitely visit again!
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