Review Eau De Vie - Sydney

One of the best bars in Sydney! The drinks are creative and original and it is an absolute delight to watch the bartenders mix the drinks before you. A night at Eau De Vie is always a great night!

Really liked this place, stumbled across it going to the bathroom of the restaurant next door. Probably not a place I would go regularly but well worth checking out and the drinks are really well priced for the quality and showmanship that goes into it all. I feel the place is a major fire hazard with the oil burning candles and blowing torches for drinks (more the candles) but hey it looks really good. 4 stars because they charge for credit cards including debit cards which i just don't respect. Staff are really friendly and seem happy in their job.

I attended a whiskey tasting event. Absolutely fantastic event in a private area. I learnt so much about the history and the many manufacturing processes. Tasting was the best part. I was surprised to taste how much 3 drops of H2O can change a whisky. Some good and others... not a good idea to add it.

With the cool weather starting now, my palate has moved from gin to whisky. To get ready for the winter season, I visited a couple of whisky bars to keep you informed about where to drink this warming amber spirit. First, I got reacquainted with an oldie but a goodie – Eau-de-Vie in Darlinghurst. I was reminded of Sven Almenning’s moody speakeasy tucked in the rear of the Kirketon Hotel because he recently embarked upon a three-million-dollar equity crowdfunding drive for an upcoming bar venture. As all that Almenning touches usually turns to gold, it seemed like a great opportunity for customers to get in on the ground floor on a Nick & Nora’s Melbourne after the successful launch of Nick & Nora’s Sydney in Parramatta. Almenning’s strength is in his training and his people - recall former star bartenders, Luke Redlington and Max Greco. Today, just showing a modicum of interest had one of the bartenders embark with me upon a lively discussion about the perks their cluster of future bar-owners will receive in The Speakeasy Group venues. Having the forethought to make a table reservation means despite landing in a loud and busy bar, we’re whisked straight to a lounge for our whisky adventure. From the menu of four flights, we opt for Scotch 101 ($50/each). Presented on a wooden board with an accompanying cheese and cracker bite from the Eau-de-Vie deli, our whisky flight kicks off with the Aultmore 12-Year-Old. It’s a fairly simple dram that’s light and fruity, from a Speyside distillery that’s been bottling whisky since 1897. It’s matched to Primo Amore – a red-wine infused Italian cheese. Matured for 16 years in bourbon barrels, the Ancnoc 16-Year-Old has a bit more going on with vanilla and cereal notes, plus a good bit of wood. It’s teamed with an Italian soft cheese – Taleggio – that smells funky but eats creamy, bringing up some fruit in the whisky. Chalky Manchego, a Spanish sheep milk cheese, is teamed with the 12-Year-Old Old Pulteney. It’s a good balance to the whisky’s sweetness and faint salty lick. The best whisky on the board to my palate is the Talisker 10-Year-Old, which is the only smoky whisky. It's got a hint of pear-like sweetness, and some earthy swampy qualities, plus peppery heat on the finish. Eating a strong cheese like Gorgonzola with it, lowers the smoky dryness, and brings up the whisky's sweetness for me. While we've had our noses buried deep in the glass, the bar has emptied out and become the relaxed speakeasy I first visited nearly a decade ago. It's been fun getting reacquainted with it over four wee drams.

Whiskey bar at its finest. A little small for big groups, so either come early or be prepared to wait. We only had time for 2 drinks since they close at 1am (Sat night) and had the old fashion whiskey which was served with a delicious peanut butter brittle. Will definitely come back!

Nice hidden speakeasy-ish bar in the back of the Kirketon hotel. Go towards the restroom sign and you won’t miss it. Excellent list of cocktails, almost too many so it might take a few tries to find what you like. I’d recommend the espresso martini or any of the sweeter drinks are quite fancy.

Were here on Sunday night and this place is adorable. The style is in every single thing here. Huge range of cocktails. Prices are average.

Everything you have heard and more. The level of service is unmatched the in Sydney, it's the first time while in Australia I've had a great Bar experience with truly exceptional Whisky and Francesco provided next level service. We will be back, we will be back many times.

So theatrical!! They put on a show for a lot of the cocktails - the espresso martini was one of the coolest to watch

Eau De Vie is a cool 1920s-themed bar tucked away at the back of the Kirketon Hotel on Darlinghurst Rd.<br/><br/>Their cocktail menu almost resembles an elaborate picture book, with each page boasting cocktails of a different theme. Picking out cocktails with a date is a fun activity, though some are hit-or-miss and the menu is overdue for an update. To my knowledge, it hasn't changed in the past 2-3 years that I've been coming here. Simple bar food is also offered, which I've always found to be quite good.<br/><br/>Service is generally quite pleasant and attentive, and the team do a good job of presenting the cocktail 'theatre' that comes with certain drinks. This could involve lighting cocktails on fire in front of you, or throwing dried ice onto the floor to create a puff of smoke.<br/><br/>My main criticism of Eau De Vie besides the aging cocktail menu is the live music. The last Friday evening I was here, a performer took the small stage in the corner of the bar to spend 30-45 minutes belting out 80s and 90s pop songs. Needless to say, this didn't add to the 1920s ambience of the venue, and the music was so loud that my group in the lounge could barely hear one another. We seriously considered kicking onto another bar at this point.<br/><br/>My suggestion - as controversial as it might sound - would be to can the live music. I don't think any patrons come to Eau De Vie for the purpose of hearing live music, and it detracts from the otherwise cool vibe that the bar has going for itself.

With the cool weather starting now, my palate has moved from gin to whisky. To get ready for the winter season, I visited a couple of whisky bars to keep you informed about where to drink this warming amber spirit. First, I got reacquainted with an oldie but a goodie – Eau-de-Vie in Darlinghurst. I was reminded of Sven Almenning’s moody speakeasy tucked in the rear of the Kirketon Hotel because he recently embarked upon a three-million-dollar equity crowdfunding drive for an upcoming bar venture. As all that Almenning touches usually turns to gold, it seemed like a great opportunity for customers to get in on the ground floor on a Nick & Nora’s Melbourne after the successful launch of Nick & Nora’s Sydney in Parramatta. Almenning’s strength is in his training and his people - recall former star bartenders, Luke Redlington and Max Greco. Today, just showing a modicum of interest had one of the bartenders...

Came here on our first night visiting from Melbourne, the interior was cool and dark, nice ambience although the music was way too loud as the bartender was trying to explain the extensive menu and we couldn’t hear anything he was saying. My boyfriend and I got two drinks spilt on us and we got no apology and our waiter ran away and avoided us for the whole night. We even had to ask for a towel to clean the area and ourselves up from the lovely girl that helped us. I’m quite disappointed with the service at eau de vie, although the cocktails we did have were great, we will not be coming back here due to the service- or lack thereof. Should this not have happened I would have rated this place a 4.5.

Walk through The Kirketon Hotel, past the bathrooms and you’ll find this 1920s-inspired cocktail bar shying away behind an unmarked door. Don’t worry, the game of hide and seek is well rewarded, with the not-shy-at-all Eau de Vie serving up unfathomably good cocktails.<br/><br/>The 20-page cocktail menu is a bit to take in. But, whatever you choose, get ready for an experience – one that may involve smoke, flames and some outlandishly elaborate garnish.

If you love whisky you must visit this place for the love of whisky.<br/>Got to know about special Wednesday promotion online, every Wednesday they do whisky tasting for just $40 pp. You get to taste 5 whiskey 15ml each, with a paired cheese! Yesss <br/>Place has an amazing vibe. You will be briefed what you are having by your server. <br/>Wednesday treat sorted :)<br/><br/>

My husband and I came here to celebrate a work achievement of mine. The cocktail list is impressive with over 70 different cocktails. This does seem a little overwhelming at first, however the incredibly friendly staff took the time to explain how the menu is grouped and what's the best section to focus on depending on your taste. I started with the 'you can't win friends with salad', which was delicious and refreshing. I followed this with a 'marshmallow fizz', which was just like a dessert in a glass! Watching the staff work together to create these beautiful cocktails was quite entertaining, and although I hadn't visited here previously as I usually stay in Darlinghurst on my own and thought I might be uncomfortable visiting without company, I will certainly be back as I'm sure the warm staff would make me feel welcome if I was alone. I was also impressed by how accommodating staff were towards my husband - a non-drinker who often feels left out at these places - they were quick to make suggestions of non-alcoholic drinks and fixed him a house made ginger beer. Thanks for a great night!

Crowned as Sydney's No.1 bar, the personable and relatable service from the trained crew at Eau de Vie must be the first and foremost feature anyone would experience. The dimly-lit bar at the Kirketon Hotel is popular for its cozy and comfortable interior and some fiery drinks. <br/><br/>I tried two of their popular drinks - an old fashioned zapaca blazer and award-winning river stream. The former is served chilled over a super rock whereas the latter is calvados and mezcal stirred with white ale syrup and a fog of eucalyptus. Both drinks were striking visually and tastefully (if there is such a word) but I don't like them. <br/><br/>The service is excellent and I will definitely go back and try other drinks. Hopefully, I get to try one which I like. 😃

Wow this place is amazing... anyone who loves a very well made cocktail with a bit of a show then this is your place! The mixologists really know they're doing to make the interesting flavor combinations really work. First visited the Melbourne bar then found out there was one hidden away in Sydney! Very small and intimate bar with dark moody lighting. I'm kind of thankful it's hidden behind this hotels toilets, definitely a hidden gem!<br/>Food menu is also very good

Great atmosphere and amazing cocktails. Staff is very friendly and prices are quite adjusted to the cocktail quality. Great for drinks in a quiet venue

Coming from Melbourne we have unfortunately never been to Eau De Vie - so obviously now in Sydney we needed to check it out. Hidden away at the back of a small boutique hotel in Darlinghurst, the bar has a great vibe to it. With a stylish clientele and super friendly staff you feel right at home seated in one of their cozy leather couches. The dimmed lights at to the feeling of comfort in this small bar. The cocktail menu is vast but luckily the wait staff knows it from front to end and can recommend the ideal drink for anyone. We had the Honey Butter Old Fashioned and the Kitty at the Cocobongo. While being completely distinct in taste, both were great, easy to drink and with depth in flavour. Only reasons why it's not a 5 is obviously the steep price point of the drinks and the simple interior that we found is better executed in some of our favourite bars in Melbourne such as gin palace. Seb

I was really excited to hit up this place on a Saturday night, as it was on my bucket list for some time. The menu was by far one of the most extensive drink menus I've come across, if not the most. The bar is hidden right behind the Kirketon Hotel behind some discreet doors, but just follow the music and it will lead you to the right place. Even though it was a Saturday night, service wasn't long and we ordered the buttered popcorn old fashioned and Yuzu mule. The drinks were delicious and well presented. The place was quite busy as expected for a Saturday night, but what really disappointed me was the lack of chairs/stools available! There were tables that were available but there was just a lack of stools, so we were left standing by a table with our drinks, so after one drink we decided to move to another bar.

I'm not easily impressed, but when I was taken here on a date I was pleasantly surprised indeed! Absolutely adore this gorgeous Sydney bar. Hidden at the back of The Kirketon hotel is this moody, intimate affair. <br/><br/>It's limited seating so you might have to wait, but the atmosphere and drinks are completely worth it and sure to impress!<br/><br/>The cocktail list is outstanding, some come with their very own theatrics which may include lighting money on fire and being served in a cloche of dry ice. <br/><br/>On this night we opt for the marshmallow fizz, a pretty pink sweet drink served with a torched marshmallow of course. Also a nice passionfruit cocktail served in a tiki cup. <br/><br/>Obsessed.

Amazing bar that is tucked away in Darlinghurst! The service here was amazing and the ambience was beautiful. The dim lighting and jazz music made it an amazing throwback to the 1920s, The seriously comfortable seating provides a lovely spot for a some beautiful drinks. And I do mean beautiful drinks!<br/>We had Hell for Leather, which was hands down our favourite cocktail we ordered, smooth yet hit you in the face, amazing! The Eau de Vie's take on the margarita was also very beautiful with the use of liquid nitrogen. I had the Colonal's Pearl, so bloody good! The hint of apricot with the citrus and rum was a perfect drink! I also had another drink that I cannot remember the name of so I suppose i'll have to come back soon to find out!! <br/>Overall, a fantastic experience and I highly recommend if your willing to spend a little more than usual for some crazy-beautiful drinks.<br/>

Brilliant cocktail bar with a mix for both men and women. I have been to the Melbourne one and I loved the experience and was hoping for the same from the Sydney one. Yes, it is good but just slightly lacking. The main room has the full menu but the side room, albeit quieter and a bit more private, it has a small menu and wasn't as good. The experience was great and the bartenders are highly talented. Highly recommend this place but I still miss the experience had at the melbourne branch

Enjoyable fun almost theatrical atmosphere, interestingly presented selection of bar food, cocktails & wine. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. After each round of selection I kept being tempted to try another cocktail and food selection. Lots of cocktails and other drink selections. Food menu had limited choices but I was happy as the choices were all interesting. The room was a bit dark and the music loud, but I am a sad old fellow and would have loved this environment 10 years ago. Also I was the only fellow there without a full Ned Kelly style beard and arm sleeve tats but those are the times and the trends and it was fun to people watch. Lots of people coming and going through the night.

Never before have I had a more flamboyant cocktail. The Aviator is a concoction of "house made rhubarb and juniper puree shaken up with Beefeater gin and fresh lemon juice. Simple sophistication. Served with a paper plane on a cloud as ‘garnish’".<br/><br/>Translation: delicious.<br/><br/>This place is a treat to find, has beautiful décor and a Manhattan circa 1920's feel about the place. Given the hideaway nature of Eau de Vie, the crowd is stellar; zero tools.<br/><br/>The only negative is that the place closes early.<br/><br/><br/>

One of the few proper cocktail bars in Sydney with knowledgable mixologists.  Sometimes we sat at the bar chatting to the bartenders; other times we sat back in the lounge watching rest of the crowd.  The entrance was behind a hotel so not the easiest to find.  I never bothered to read the menu because they meant nothing to me.  The best way to order for me was to tell the man what base alcohol I liked or not and what flaour I preferred or not.  It worked every time, they rustled up something surprising and satisfying.

This is a rather outdated post but I do remember the cocktails were so good! We had a pre-drink then went to dinner then came back for a few more drinks. Service was fantastic as well. I loved the atmosphere and fitout.

Love this place to death. The bar staff are incredibly friendly, and cocktails are sooo eye-catching & delicious. "It's about tasting it 3 times.. First with the eye, then the nose, and then the mouth." Tom the bar manager is exactly right when he explained this to me and my friend, after trying out so many of their cocktails one pleasant Saturday evening, we can see why this place is rated highly among the best cocktail bars in town.   <br/><br/>The place itself is quite hard to find if you've never been to Kirketon Hotel - it's sort of like a hidden bar inside the hotel.. So once you enter from Darlinghurst Road, just keep walking down the dark hallway past reception and keep following the sounds of people chatting with jazzy music... Once you are there, prepare to be thrilled & taken back in time to 1920. <br/><br/>My personal favourite was the Espresso Zabaione ($19) which is probably the best Espresso martini cocktail I've ever had.. It is presented with some mousse on top that is frozen with liquid nitrogen.. So presentable and also so delicious. There is so much on the menu to choose from, it's probably best to tell the wait staff what your preferred cocktail is and they shall accommodate to your taste buds. There is a cocktail for every drinker, and if its not on the menu, you can get your cocktail made (such as the Amaretto Sour, which is also amazing at EDV!) <br/><br/>We came for cocktails but ended up ordering some food as well - and I have to say their pizza's are quite good too, so if you feel like coming here early in the evening and don't feel like leaving to go out to a restaurant, it's totally fine as you're sorted with their great pizzas! <br/><br/>I am definitely coming here again for more cocktails & a good night out with friends / special loved ones.. Everyone in our group loved it as well, we weren't so bothered by the bill at the end (even though it was quite huge!) we thought the service was excellent, the drinks exceeded our expectations & loved the ambience - the room was dimmly lit with cosy lounge areas. Our whole experience was great, I just feel like re-living this again! <br/><br/>Side note: I recommend trying their cocktail classes here if you can, really worth it if you are interested in mixology and learn from one of the best cocktail bars in Sydney! Thank you so much Eau De Vie!!

Great place for cocktails and spirits! Also a nice opportunity to match cheese, beer and a nice whisky! Definitely. Place to visit! B

Yulu Mulu. Well-balanced effervescent cocktail with a zesty ginger twist

Some of our favourites from ‘Down The Garden Path’ include the Beet Drop – Fig infused port, beetroot, tarragon, egg and chocolate.

Apothecary is the new drinking experience situated in the entrance of Eau De Vie in Darlinghurst. Historical, an apothecary is a professional who formulates and dispenses remedies. Nowadays, this translates to Dr Phil (the eccentric Philip Gandevia) who created this 12 cocktail menu. Behind the bar you can see him mixing vials and beakers to create the perfect drinking concoction . The cocktail menu is divided into four sections – ‘Down the Garden Path’, ‘What the Doctor Ordered’, ‘His and Hers’ and ‘Eau de Vie 3 Way’. You can order the drinks separately, or order a degust

Beet Drop – Frances Finest, fig-infused port, beetroot, tarragon, egg and chocolate. Textural deliciousness, crossing the boundary from savoury to sweet. ($23) Beet Drop was quite unique. The glass was covered in sugar and as you continued to drink more, the flavour progressed. First sips were savoury, but then as I made my way closer to the bottom – sweet. Apothecary is the new drinking experience situated in the entrance of Eau De Vie in Darlinghurst. Historical, an apothecary is a professional who formulates and dispenses remedies. Nowadays, this translates to Dr Phil (the eccentric Philip Gandevia) who created this 12 cocktail menu. Behind the bar you can see him mixing vials and beakers to create the perfect drinking concoction . The cocktail menu is divided into four sections – ‘Down the Garden Path’, ‘What the Doctor Ordered’, ‘His and Hers’ and ‘Eau de Vie 3 Way’. You can order the drinks separately, or order a degusta

The food menu is decent (the place often smells of their popular buttered popcorn) but it may have you reaching for Google. Expect to see items such as 'Montesano Jamon Serrano Gran Reserva' (which is a dried cured mountain ham from Italy along the line of prosciutto) and 'Salumi Australia Salame Piccante' (a medium sized salami with chilli).

The Contender is sweet and aromatic and does not taste alcoholic at all. C'est dangereux!

So how do the cocktails stack up – a classic martini as always is the test. Passed with flying colours on the technical aspects and the presentation will knock your socks off.

A hidden bar which prides itself on knowing its Hendriks from its Anchor Junipero, Eau de Vie is the ideal setting to learn about the evolution of a cocktail that found its feet during the American prohibition era. Water is served in antique crystal tumblers, and strains of Chicago’s ‘All that jazz’ reinforce the sense that one is in an intimate speakeasy set up for the discerning tippler.

So, Eau de Vie. Everyone seems to be saying that this place is amazing. I'm a little biased. With a mate behind the bar and a penchant for cocktails, it was always going to be hard for me to do anything but love this place. But mate behind the bar or not, the staff here are the right mix of professional and personable - if you weren't mates when you walked in the door, you will be when you walk out of it. Gin's my poison of choice and a classic gin martini is on the cards for tonight. The bartender recommends moving away from the British gins that I know and love to a lovely drop by a local Margaret River producer. Next comes a dish piled high with green olives and liquid nitrogen for the coldest martini the world has ever seen, "it lengthens the botanical flavours in the gin" says the bartender. Now. I know you're skeptical. Fancy pants cocktailing techniques is hardly the same as 16 hour slow braising of pork belly. But I think I'll believe him this time- the coldness of the gin does

Man-o-man its not often you come across a place as special as Eau De Vie.

knowledgeable and friendly bar staff, warm sexy interior, wine list to broaden your horizons, cocktail art pushed to the max

Nestled in a nice leafy part of Darlinghurst Road, Eau De Vie - like many of the newish speakeasy style bars popping up all over Sydney

...behind a black glass door lies a cosy drinking room that has a feeling of a by gone era when service was king. The professional barmen wear waistcoats and bow ties... very sharp indeed.

Deciding it was about time I get myself to one of Sydney's best cocktail bars of the moment, I chose to celebrate my birthday party at Eau-de-Vie. Now, it wasn't quite the easiest bar for my friends to find.

Dare we say, the Jazz is about to start and it’s time to speak easy.

I'd been to Eau de Vie once in their very early stages of opening and found it without trouble at the very back of the street level in the Kirketon Hotel. Let's just say it wasn't quite as easy the second time, with the hotel's own bar in operation this weekday early evening.

Over Rated!!!. This bar was recommended to me by many. After visiting this establishment, i could not possibly imagine it being rated so highly. The service was terrible!!!! Waiter was very rude and gave us a very filthy look when we asked for a table away from a large crowd who were very noisy and drunk. The drinks also were average, nothing special like what most described. The pricing was over the top as expected. I also felt that the place was too dark. I just couldn't see what was being presented to me. Not my cup of tea.

Used to be great!. As a local I used to love this place. The waiters and bar staff used to be super knowledgeable, friendly, and with great recommendations. And the cocktails... Mamma mia! They made me rediscover old fashioned cocktails, and that cocktail making is an art!<br/><br/>Lately though, it's been another story... I hope it's only temporary! The cocktails are now pretty ordinary, the waiter rude (when available), and I had to explain to the barman what a lemon drop martini is. Doh!

"The most over rated bar in Sydney". I have now been to this highly awarded bar twice and there definitely won't be a third time. The bar is chronically under staffed, the floor staff are un-trained and the whole experience is just not worth the effort. So many other bars (that don't get the accolades) that are so much better around the CBD and Surry Hills.

Has to be the best ambience and whisky bar.

Mediocre service but good food. The key to an amazing restaurant/bar is the atmosphere, the food, and most importantly, the service. The food and drinks definitely lived up to its reputation, it was delicious, fresh and unique. However, the service was very disappointing. I booked the place for a birthday function for 18 people. The waiters/waitresses were not attentive. It could be the fact that they are already quite famous hence the snobbish attitude most staff had. There were quite a couple of disputes that night in regards to service and billing. However, the manager was excellent and sorted things out immediately. Train your staff more please and make sure they learn how to smile!

Bar staff are so talented! Delicious drinks. However, the cocktail waitress was unprofessional and spent just as much time sitting down drinking with friends as she did serving customers. But the cocktails make up for her poor customer service. A great night overall :)

I have been here a few times now and have always had a positive experience. The bar tenders always take their time to explain the menu and assist with drink selection. The drinks themselves are always great, both in terms of taste and presentation. Pull up a seat at the bar and enjoy a few good drinks.

A Sydney Classic. If you haven't been here before, really worth a visit. A very layered and complex establishment, just what Sydney needs more of. In other words, come for a drink, a snack, a meal or stay the entire night and watch the bartenders do their thing. They are friendly without being sloppy or overly familiar, and its a delight to watch them interact.

Fabulous cocktails but disappointing service! Drinks took forever as did the food. They gave our table to a "walk in" and kept shoving us around seatingwise and then added lots of extras to our bill that we didn't have. Really unpleasant evening!

Highly Recommend. I had my birthday drinks here and it was such a wonderful night thanks to the Eau De Vie team. Exceptional Service where the staff were highly attentive and creative in making cocktails. Amazing drinks and atmosphere made this a very special night. Highly recommend!