Buddy’s

Ever stood in line at the bar and felt your buzz start to wear off? What if you could pre-pay and pour your own drinks? It'd be like a house party, with a full bar at your fingertips. 

Before you start to think this dream house party bar might be too good to be true, we'd like to introduce you to Buddy's, Sydney's first self-serve bar. 

Buddy's has taken over the former Lentil As Anything site, and while we're sad to see an Inner West icon move on, the offering at Buddy's more than makes up for our loss.

One wall of the two-storey bar is dedicated to 33 self-serve taps, pouring a generous mix of local craft beers, natural wines, house-made cocktails, and non-alc drinks. The variety is real too, expect to see classic beers alongside rotating weird and wonderful brews, smashable vino like Doom Juice Pet Nat, spicy Margaritas, and more. The team has plans to expand the taps to 45 soon too, with room for more upstairs.

As for how it works, when you arrive you'll be able to charge up a Buddy's venue card with as much as you'd like to spend (great if you're working to a budget on a night out). When you're ready to drink, grab a glass from the self-serve wall, pick your poison, and tap your card to pay. Buddy's staff are on hand too for recommendations. 

"We sourced a majority of the fit-out through repurposing the local second-hand market as sustainability has been front of mind for us," explains owner Jimmy Roe. "We want to offer an experience without the wastage that can be traditionally generated at hospitality venues."

To eat, Buddy's has partnered with Rub-A-Dub, who are serving up chicken ribs, corn ribs, nachos, flatbread Italian pizzas, and a metre-long bruschetta if you're super hungry. 

More than its futuristic tech and impressive keg systems, Buddy's has a great house party-style vibe too. Expect DJs on Fridays and Saturdays and live music upstairs in the near future. 

Image credit: Buddy's