Discover our pick of the best bars and pubs in Wollongong.

Much of Wollongong’s charm lies in the friendliness of the locals, many of whom can be found gathering at Wollongong bars and Wollongong pubs across the CBD, Thirroul and Shellharbour. Pull up a stool with a friendly local at La La La’s to conduct a survey on why the city’s glass is always half full. What you’ll likely discover is the best bars and pubs in Wollongong – from laid-back neighbourhood pubs to rooftop cocktail bars – have an ease and attitude all their own. Here’s the lowdown on Wollongong’s best bars and pubs, which you can enjoy as part of a Wollongong weekender.

The best bars in Wollongong and the Illawarra

From gritty dive bars and hidden laneway hangs to jumping tequila joints, the best bars in Wollongong and the Illawarra are worth planning a night around.

In short…  if you only had one bar to visit in Wollongong, make it La La La’s, which is all about low-lit glamour, cult cocktails and late-night energy. Seeing a gig here is the secret to unlocking some of the city’s secrets.

La La La’s

La La La’s has become as much a part of Wollongong’s identity as surf and sunshine. This late-night fave is hugely popular with local core lords (grizzled surfers) for its live music and cheap beer. Tucked into Wollongong’s CBD, La La La’s draws a mixed crowd for sweaty gigs, DJ nights and underground vibes. It’s a dive bar, diner and art space where revellers can catch local and touring bands and DJs. Drop in early for a quiet drink or roll through just before midnight when things are getting raucous. Stay long enough and it’s likely members of Plastic Bath, Chimers, Circadia and Cheeky Leash will make cameos along with DJ Tim Shady. Add some of these artists to your Spotify playlist to mess with its algorithm for an inspired road trip home.

Address: 3 Globe Lane, Wollongong

Bóveda

This modern Mexican restaurant and tequila bar is a top spot to take your new squeeze or arrange a get-together with the girls. The bar has an exceptional range of more than 100 tequilas and mezcals on the menu as well as refined Mexican fare such as corn ribs, tacos al pastor and ceviche tostadas.  ‘Bóveda’ means vault, the name a wink to the fact the bar is housed in the old Commonwealth bank building. It is also apt as locals want to guard the VIP tequila tasting room as a local secret. Bóveda ’s reputation as a must-visit bar and restaurant in Wollongong is well deserved. Deposit yourself for the afternoon to unlock an entirely different perspective on the seaside town.

Address: 258 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul

Anita’s Theatre

Wollongong’s much-loved landmark venue Anita’s Theatre celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025. The vibey venue has had many lives, starting out as a picture theatre before gliding into its skating rink era before getting a lavish refurb as a live theatre venue. The central bar at Anita’s of course plays second fiddle to the venue, which holds 800 people. Pre-purchase an antipasto box and cocktail or sign up for the King’s Experience, where you are treated like royalty during the performance of your choice.

Address: 264-270 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul

Howlin’ Wolf Whisk(e)y Bar

This Wollongong bar broke new ground when it opened its doors in 2017. The Howlin’ Wolf Whisk(e)y Bar has an amber-lit ambience and boasts the Illawarra’s largest collection of whisky and craft beer. All up there are 260 different whiskies to try at the Americana-themed bar as well as 18 gins, 13 rums, 50 craft beers and expertly made cocktails. Slink into the Howlo for beers, whisky,  burgers and beats alongside flanno-clad patrons who might be modern-day bushrangers but are more likely barbers.

Address: 103/53-61 Crown St, Wollongong

Bar Lina

Bar Lina is the exact kind of Wollongong venue that suits a spontaneous mood. The cosy, fire-fuelled Iberian bar next door to Santino is also one of the best restaurants in Wollongong with dishes that prompt a lot of passion from patrons. Virtually every table orders Mum’s bacalhau croquettes served with Tabasco aioli. Inside, terracotta and olive-green hues, buttery lighting and stacks of vinyl lend warmth to Bar Lina, which is inspired by the bustling tabernas of Lisbon. The wines skew Iberian and natural, the soundtrack slides from Prince to Biggie. Just the place for dinner and drinks and dessert. To finish, grab a drink and pair it with a Portuguese custard tart.

Address: 1/17 Globe Lane, Wollongong

Yves Social

The Illawarra region encompasses Kiama, which borders the Greater Wollongong metropolitan area. Break up the drive from Sydney to Wollongong with dinner at  Yves Social at the Sebel Kiama . The waterfront bar and bistro overlook Kiama Harbour and the roaring Pacific. Embrace the stylised salty hair look so you can fully lean into the casual drinking and dining culture in Kiama. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a free table on the deck to enjoy beer-battered barramundi and chips and Bombo pizza with ocean views.

Address: The Sebel Habourside Kiama, 31 Shoalhaven Street, Kiama

ilu ilu

Wollongong has done a lot of growing up in recent years, as evidenced by this swanky Indian-inspired lounge bar. ilu ilu cocktail bar is as vibrant as a Bollywood film set, with seating for about 70 guests across a mix of velvet banquettes, intimate tables and neon-pink stools at the bar.  ilu ilu bar takes its cocktails seriously with unconventional riffs like the Spiked Mango Lassi, Indian Summer and Tropical Mandala.  A tight tapas menu doffs its hat to India with crunchy snacks and dishes like chickpea and peanut masala, butter chicken made for mopping up with paratha.

Address: Shop 5, Signature Building, 10-18 Regent St, Wollongong

Scoundrel’s Rest

This neo-tiki bar takes the escapism that defined early tiki bars and turns it on its head. And it works just as well for date night as a group catch-up. Scoundrel’s Rest has an exceptional range of rums from around the world and cocktails that veer from a smooth-sailing easy drinking mai tai to a boozy Sao Paulo sunset. The menu also roams the globe, drawing inspiration from old naval trade routes with soul street food such as loco moco, a Hawaiian comfort food staple, to jerk chicken wings from the Caribbean. Ask the expert bartender to mix up a mojito or piña colada. And visit on weekends, when there’s a DJ spinning vinyl and a fun, loud local crowd.

Address: 2/74 Kembla St, Wollongong

Franks Wild Years

Franks Wild Years is a record store named after the 10th studio album by Tom Waits. And as well as spinning great tunes, it makes a mean martini. Frank’s Wild Years has nailed the low-key South Coast lounge vibe – it’s quiet enough to have a decent convo and comfortable enough to stretch out on one of its 1960s lounges. The live music is a huge hit with arty sea-changers who love martinis with elevated twists and spend their night here sipping cocktails and spending their redundancy payouts. Head here after spending the day at the beach.

Address: 3/2A Raymond Road, Thirroul

Humber Bar

The old Hillman Humber building underwent a sleeker-than-sleek revamp in 2014 reemerging as an inner-city sanctuary for craft beers and cocktails. Spread across three levels, Humber Bar moves from a ground-floor eatery to a plush cocktail lounge and up to a rooftop bar strung with fairy lights. Book in for a bottomless brunch with rotating options such as Korean fried chicken and chicken fajitas with sparkling wine and Young Henrys Tinnies. Mosey down to the middle-level Art Deco cocktail bar after dark to mingle with other singles.

Address: 226 Crown Street, Wollongong

Night Parrot Wine Bar

Like the bird itself, this Wollongong cocktail bar pops with bright, vivid colour. Use your most raucous voice to order an Old Fashioned and then use your feet to hook onto a stool until you’re served. The Night Parrot Wine Bar in the heart of Wollongong serves a range of Asian-inspired street food. Order ‘smaller’ plates such as Korean popcorn chicken, soft shell crab san choy bao, and spicy chicken wings to share. Feeling hangry? Hog the pog with a ‘bigger’ option like braised wagyu brisket. The duck pancakes will also give you something to squawk about.

Address: 69 Crown St, Wollongong

The Black Cockatoo

Fly from the Night Parrot to The Black Cockatoo to get a read on who the cool kids are in the Gong. This hidden hang tucked behind a hole-in-the-wall cult bakery in the heart of Wollongong is a prime spot to perch. Ready your beak to work your way through a few Tromba Tequilas and bowl of crispy pork crackling. Enter via the curtain into this compact amber-hued spot, which invites imbibers to cosplay a night out in Europe.

Address: 88 Kembla St, Wollongong

Juniper

Thinking about drowning your sorrows after a messy break-up? Don’t expect the bartenders at Wollongong’s first dedicated gin bar to encourage such irresponsible behaviour. While it’s true the  Juniper staff are attentive, the only advice they offer you is which of the 58-strong list of boutique gins you should try. And who knows? After a few Four Pillars and gin martinis, you might even find your next crush at this sophisticated neon-lit bar where good vibes, casual bar food, and the humble G+T collide.

Address: 121 Keira St, Wollongong

His Boy Elroy

Don your best flat cap and cardigan, pop in your going-out nose ring and do your best to rock the I-just-got-off-the-couch look before you wobble down the way to His Boy Elroy . This Wollongong bar is one of the best bars in Wollongong to vacuum down a few Illawarra Brewing Company IPAs with laid-back locals. The narrow space dedicated to burgers and beverages is full of Wollongong cool cats who remain unconcerned about their daily calorie intake. Enter the larger-than-life Fat Boy or Dirty Bird Deluxe.

Address: 121 Keira St, Wollongong

The Ninth Cloud

This character-filled Wollongong cafe, bar and bistro looks like it might have been furnished from a squat house in Prague – and we mean that in a good way. You can’t manufacture this kind of charm: think cosy Nanna-style lounges, framed embroidery, butter-yellow walls, ‘70s-style lampshades and ceilings decked out with disco lights and bunting. Open for brunch on weekends, The Ninth Cloud also moonlights as a destination for cocktails and show-stopping share plates like sticky pork belly bites and chilli garlic prawns.

Address: 68 Crown St, Wollongong

Pepe’s on the Beach

This beachside bar is where scantily clad locals gather together to sway, cocktails in hand to the music. Curl up like a croissant in the hanging chair with beach views while enjoying Cali-inspired snacks such as crab and prawn tostadas and jalapeno poppers. Happy hour is held every Monday to Friday between 3pm and 6pm.

Address:  2-14 Cliff Road Wollongong

South Sailor

South Sailor has achieved a lot of attention since it opened in Thirroul. In fact, it’s fair to say the bar is somewhat of a neighbourhood sensation in the Illawarra. The low-key fish bar is a jewel box of a place with tropical flower displays and botanical wallpaper that screams “I’m in Costa Rica on vacation". Although the diners here usually doll up, there’s always a bit of “beach hair don’t care" ’tude going on, too. Order a few cocktails, which look like they’ve been over-adjusted on Photoshop, and a seafood paella that seem tailor-made for this village by the sea.

Address: 216-218 Larwrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul

Georgia Rose

It’s likely your bartender will sport a bowl cut and Lime Cordiale will be on the playlist at this dreamy Shell Cove bar, which features festoon lighting, striking murals, hanging greenery and water views. Georgia Rose is a cafe by day and cocktail bar by night barnacled to the vibrant marina precinct. Time your visit to coincide with the signature Sunday session or sign up for a cocktail-making class. Order the beef barbacoa or tempura flathead tacos which get a flavour hit from pico de gallo, slaw and jalapeno.

Address: 1/9 Marina Dr, Shell Cove

The best pubs in Wollongong and the Illawarra

From clifftop beer gardens and heritage hotels to modern brewpubs and working distilleries, the best pubs in Wollongong and the Illawarra deliver big views, cold beer and proper pub feeds.

Headlands Austinmer Beach

Put your trust in the young capable staff at Headlands Austinmer Beach who are an integral part of the experience here and can nudge you toward the brasserie and bar or beer garden, depending on your mood. Order a bucket of prawns and a Caesar salad and wood-fired pizza for the kids. The beachfront restaurant and bar is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of place. Had too many slushie cocktails? Book a self-contained luxury apartment for the night.

Address: Cnr Headland Ave & Yuruga St, Austinmer

Towradgi Beach Hotel

Towradgi Beach Hotel offers the perfect place for young revellers who want somewhere to lay their head after a night out. The Comfort Inn Towradgi Beach is embedded in the location, just a short walk from Towradgi Beach. It has cosy minimalist rooms that will offer some respite when you want to escape the thumping beats in the beer garden. Reward yourself after a surf at Towradgi Beach – just 10 minutes away – with grilled prawns on tostada, TBH buffalo wings or the Cooked Chook Burger.

Address: 170 Pioneer Road, Towradgi

The Prince

You’ll find skilled, friendly bar staff and DJs at this popular Wollongong pub owned by the Good Times Only Group, the crew behind Howlin’ Wolf Bar and Dagwood . Tucked down Globe Lane, The Prince hums from late afternoon into the night with a mostly local crowd drawn to Smashable Classics, Beers from the Tap, and Fermented Grape Juice. Happy hour is positively jubilant here: wander down the laneway and take a seat under the wall mural by Kaff-eine and order salt and pepper squid and a jug of Hairyman pop ale. The chicken schnitzel with chips, salad and gravy is one of the best in the Gong.

Address: Globe Lane, Wollongong

Headlands Distilling Co.

The grain-to-glass philosophy is core to Headlands Distilling Co ’s products, which are available to sample at the distillery from 4pm-7pm on Fridays or from noon-4pm on Sundays. The four young blokes behind Wollongong’s first distillery kicked off the concept in 2014 and since then have produced hand-crafted whisky, vodka and barrel-aged gin. The affable young entrepreneurs conduct free tours of the distillery and tastings of their high-quality spirits, which includes the world’s first Illawarra plum cask whisky.

Address: 12/6-8 Ralph Black Drive, North Wollongong

Five Barrel Brewing

Five Barrel Brewing is a top spot to crack open a few cans with brewer Phillip O’Shea who took his love of home brewing and turned it into his business. The core range includes a golden ale, pale ale and ESB (extra special bitter) as well as a few single-keg batches that are only available in the taproom. The brewery is open throughout the week for tours and tastings and the food truck is open Thursday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Address: 318 Keira St, Wollongong

North Gong Hotel

North Gong Hotel has some of the Gong’s best old-school bar bites such as chips and gravy and chicken wings that are best devoured in the sunny beer garden that overlooks the iconic Illawarra escarpment. The pub in north Gong has a great range of tap beer available from its three bars as well as a family-friendly bistro. The expansive sunny garden is the kind of spot every pub wishes for and is perfect for people-watching during one of its infamous Sunday sessions. Sports fans should head to Teddy’s for a toddy.

Address: 3 Flinders St, Wollongong

The Imperial at Clifton

Ready, steady, revamp. The Imperial at Clifton , 500 metres from the iconic Seacliff Bridge, has undergone a serious facelift. The heritage-listed building is now considered one of the Greater Gong’s new super-swish clifftop hubs and, being from Cronulla, in Sydney’s south, we’re here for it as it’s an easy drive from Sydney. The menu is a magnet for road trippers who have been fantasising about beer-battered fish and chips since they pointed their car toward the South Coast from Cronulla. The ultimate weekend pit stop.

The Scarborough Hotel

The Scarborough Hotel is one of the best pubs in Wollongong, set between the sea and the escarpment in the Illawarra. It’s a destination pub and prime spot for a day trip from Sydney as it’s just a short walk from Scarborough Station. Despite its middle of the road location on Lawrence Hargrave Drive there’s nothing mid or meh about those mad sea views. Nab an outside table to enjoy a prawn roll, schnittie or steak sambo and crack open a tinnie or two.

Address: 383 Lawrence Hargrave Drive

Resin Brewing

It’s pretty much always party time at Resin Brewing , where lumberjack chic and skullets are the dress code. The brewpub holds a lot of surprises from its fine selection of brews in every shade of amber to the pedigree of artists headlining the Sunday sessions (think Ash Grunwald and Ben Lee). Despite being housed in the once-derelict 1887 Bulli Railway Guesthouse, this is a brewpub that has moved with the times. The chefs have scoured the globe for inspiration with everything from pork and chive dumplings with dipping sauce to seafood marinara spaghetti on the menu.

Address: 8 Station St, Bulli

The Illawarra Hotel

The Gong is about as grungy as a coastal Aussie town gets. But you won’t be doing a grim time warp at the Illawarra Hotel . Although it feels like a bit of a secret, the locals won’t give you the 1000-yard stare when you wander in. Instead, they will likely doff their trucker hat in your direction. Despite having a refresh, the hotel built in 1938 is now well established as a family-friendly pub that has retained a lot of its Art Deco charm. Pay a visit to Hilda’s Bar, a mini museum dedicated to former owner Hilda Gertrude Condon, one of the few women to run a hotel in NSW during the early 20th century.

Address: 160-164 Keira St, Wollongong

Steamers Bar and Grill

‘All I want, and all I need, all I crave is a good pub feed.’ Start humming the chorus to Pub Feed by The Chats using Google’s ‘hum to search’ function and you might just influence the algorithm enough to drop a pin on the map and take you to Steamers Bar and Grill. It’s one of the best pubs in Wollongong and a top place to eat too. The contemporary venue has pub classics such as pasta cloaked in a velvety lamb ragù, tempura fish and chips, and a good ol’ surf ’n’ turf.

Address: 1 Marine Drive, Wollongong

The Tap House at the Groundz Precinct

The Tap House at the Groundz Precinct has enough on offer to keep the fussiest member of your family happy and well fed. The Dapto Showground precinct is divided up into different spaces such as the Poultry Shed for swilling whisky and The Tap House outdoor bar where you can eat and drink until you’re ready to tap out. The large green space morphs into a venue for live music, with a roster of food trucks, and outdoor area with more than 350 seats. There’s also a nature play area for kids and a doggy station for your four-legged friends.

Address: 89-99 Princes Highway, Dapto

Papi’s Social Club

Papi’s Social Club is considered one of the best bars in Wollongong for live music. One of the reasons it gets my vote is for its Dirty Cluck’r burger, a big old dirty boi stuffed with chicken schnitzel, streaky bacon, American cheese, BBQ sauce with a thick thatch of poutine fries. There’s also Drag Queen Bingo every Thursday night and Screw It Saturdays with a line-up of live music and Skrewball shots for $5. The venue is billed as an Americana burger dive bar and is giving The Hideout bar from Stranger Things with the lights dimmed.

Address: U 1/48-50 Crown St, Wollongong