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The Cricketers Arms Hotel

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

If you like your old fashioned, down-at-heel bar touched with an abundance of soul, then pull up a chair. Situated in the mythical seven degrees of Sydney's drinking heartland, this comfortable inner-city bar inhabits a crossroads of style and substance. The tiled walls, open fireplace and cosy beer garden set the standard, and once the hourglass turns twilight a seasoned quarry of locals, bar flies, trend setters, plus anything else falling between the stools (backpackers perhaps), happily cohabit this cherished ground.

On any good night this homely frisson gives the Cricketers something of a rabbit hole quality. This may be partly to do with the craftily relaxed beats that tend to swim with the beer. The Cricketers has long had a notable reputation for the laid back retinue of DJs, who dish out an eclectic mix of electronica and rock from behind the horseshoe bar. It is also now justly known for the occasional ?iPod Wars', where punters can join a queue to test their hand at doling out the tunes. Viva la Difference!

The kitchen still revels in its glory days of tapas, and the salt and pepper squid, haloumi and beetroot salad, and chorizo are still on the menu. The celebrated Sunday roasts, complete with bread and butter pudding, also remain a staple fixture. Overall, the secret of the Cricketers appeal seems to be that no one has messed with what God gave it when he dimmed the lights, stoked the fireplace and, eventually, ramped in the iPod.
Geoff Stanton, June 2008