eau de vie

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

has to be the best ambience and whisky bar.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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
place has an amazing vibe. you will be briefed what you are having by your server.
wednesday treat sorted :)

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.

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.

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!
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.

it's limited seating so you might have to wait, but the atmosphere and drinks are completely worth it and sure to impress!

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.

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.

obsessed.