The Best Bars in Manly for a Good Time by the Beach

After a long day in the waves – or you know, doing absolutely nothing but sunning yourself on Manly beach – a hearty meal with a bevvy (or two) is more than deserved.

With a bar scene as buzzy as it is diverse, you'll find everything from rooftop bars reigning over the Esplanade to hidden cocktail dens tucked off The Corso. So, dust the sand off your feet and quench your thirst – these are the best bars in Manly you need to know about. 

The Cumberland 

For something a little different, The Cumberland is your spot. Tucked behind a fridge door in an unassuming laneway, this venue brings an underground speakeasy to the heart of Manly - with a Spanish twist!

The stylish basement eatery offers a selection of over 250 whiskies, natural wine, craft beer, and an extensive cocktail menu, including prohibition classics and tipples inspired by original counties from Sydney. It also has a section dedicated to ingredients that have been locally foraged and found. Bites wise, you can graze from their tapas menu or deli and cheese plates. 

17/19 Central Avenue, Manly 

InSitu

Operrating for over 20 years, InSitu is one of Manly's oldest small cocktail bars, guaranteeing a good time, every time. This bar will keep you in the thick of everything cool happening right now or “in situ.” You’ll have a grand time with live music, al fresco dining, beautifully crafted dishes ranging from tapas to pizza and signature cocktails like the Apple Crumble Martini topped with pure cream and cinnamon.

1/18 Sydney Road, Manly

Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club

Located right on the water at the Spit, Middle Harbour16ft Skiff Club boasts incredible waterfront views perfect afternoon sundowner. With two bars and a harbourside brasserie, grab a table on the expansive deck as you work through their menu, which includes pub classics and killer cocktails. 

Corner East Esplanade and Stuart Street, Manly

Banco

Find the neon bottle and it’ll lead you to one of Manly’s best hidden gems. Banco is a 32-seater bar tucked away from the beachfront with a cosy ambience that fits the bill for a romantic date or a casual hang with mates.

What steals the show is their inventive cocktails and an expansive natural wine list that champions Aussie and European producers. Oh, and don’t miss out on their hearty British food spun with Aussie flair. Their lobster rolls and Banco’s hand-cut potato chips pair best with their vino and cocktails.

17b Whistler Street, Manly 

Hugos

A Manly institution, a spritz at Hugos is simply divine. Situated smack bang on the wharf overlooking the harbour side of town, you can watch the sunset as you sip your margarita and tuck into your pizza. A favourite among local and international visiting celebrities, the atmosphere and buzz at Hugos - especially on a stunning summer's day - is electric.

The menu is brimming with fresh, Italian cuisine (Sydney rock oysters, burrata, king prawns) that's perfect for sharing. 

Manly Wharf, 1 East Esplanade

Manly Pavillion 

A dazzling location doesn't get better than the Boathouse Group's Manly Pavilion. The interiors have been decked out in the trademark Boathouse style - think bright and bold wallpaper, shell mirrors, floating glass buoys, fresh flowers galore and crab baskets - which creates an uplifting coastal, beach-like atmosphere.

While the inside is a visual feast for the eyes, the outside terrace is just as special for drinks and a bite to eat thanks to its magical views of Manly Harbour. 

West Esplanade, Manly 

Belgrave Cartel

A cafée by day and a restaurant by night, Belgrave Cartel is best known for its tasty cocktail menu. We're big fans of their Belgrave Espresso Martini with vodka, Kahlùa, Frangelico and freshly brewed espresso and their Dragon Fire with chilli-infused vodka, lychee liquor, lychee syrup, citrus and aqua faba. Pick your poison and cosy up to your date or mate by their candle-lit tables. 

6 Belgrave Street, Manly

Wharf Bar

Known as Wharfie among locals, this is the place you can roll into straight from the beach. While the main bar offers frothy fun, the jetty bar is prime real estate, and our favourite spot to sip on an Aperol and soak up the harbour views.

Head inside to feast on salads, burgers and fresh seafood when hunger strikes. Wherever you choose to relax at the Wharf Bar, you’re well-placed to have a gorgeous harbour view.

East Esplanade, Manly

Donny's Bar

Cuisine, cocktails and live music are on the agenda at this chic, loft bar in Manly. Donny's Bar brings a touch of New York to the beach with its warehouse-style fit-out. Serving up Asian-influenced share plates, Donny's offers great weekly specials like $10 steak nights and a daily happy hour between 5 pm and 7 pm.

Live music by some of Sydney’s most talented artists is also a mainstay at Donny’s, making it the perfect spot to enjoy the company of your dear and near.

7 Market Place, Manly

55 North

55 North features an eclectic, elegant and light-filled cocktail lounge that befits its beachfront location in the revamped Manly Pacific Hotel. Complementing the bar’s warm tonal patterns, a Venetian-style underwater mural and a trio of stunning alcoves is their well-curated menu.

Start with their bespoke and multi-sensory cocktails and work up to their library of rare spirits as you munch on their caviar tasters. This Luchetti Krelle-designed space also overlooks one of Sydney’s most iconic beaches, making it a must-visit bar in Manly.

55 North Steyne, Manly

Hotel Steyne

Manly’s beachfront pub The Steyne is the place for a weekend sesh. Settle in with a vino or two, and a few slices of some of the best pizza in Manly. Rally your friends and catch up over drinks and a bite in this historic space. Our best tip for a great time? Head upstairs to the rooftop bar and soak up one of the best views in town.

75 The Corso, Manly

4 Pines Brewing Co.

This well-established microbrewery is all about good beer, great food and genuine, down-to-earth service. Since opening its doors in 2008, 4 Pines has grown from a small microbrewery to a brewpub, restaurant and truck bar. Overlooking Manly Cove, this local hangout is a destination within itself, offering delicious home-fermented brews and quality pub fare.

29/43-45 East Esplanade, Manly

The Bower

If you like your cocktail with a side of dazzling views, then a visit to The Bower is a must. This is one of Manly's most impressive watering holes, overlooking the enchanting Fairy Bower rockpool with a view of Shelly Beach in the distance.

Go for breakky, brunch, lunch, or cocktails, seven days a week. There are several tables outside, making it the perfect perch to soak up the buzzing vibes of the Bower. Pack your swimmers because the water will be hard to resist. 

7 Marine Parade, Manly

Hemingway's

A local hotspot for dinner and drinks, Hemingway’s is a relaxed, vintage-inspired bar offering plenty of snacks and hearty meals for anyone arriving hungry. This popular waterside hangout takes inspiration from its name, with book-lined walls and repurposed gin bottles that double up as quirky water jugs. 

48 North Steyne, Manly

Little Pearl

If you’re after bold cocktails, smooth-drinking wines, or thirst-quenching beers while enjoying gorgeous views of Manly Beach, round up your friends and head over to Little Pearl.

While you can easily enjoy their spritzes, their hawker-style street food and light bites are bursting with delicious Asian flavours that pair well with cocktails. Little Pearl is your ultimate beachside bliss whenever you’re in Manly — you’re guaranteed a good time with live entertainment and enticing bottomless cocktails that won’t leave you cashed out.

8/13 South Steyne, Manly 

Have you finished sipping through the best bars in Manly and are keen to keep exploring the area? Hey, we don't blame you. The place is paradise! Look at our round-up of the best cafes in Manly, then check out our edit of the best restaurants in Manly.