IF YOU’RE NOT A REGULAR SOMEWHERE – THEN YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG

There comes a point in our lives where we get tired of screwing around, last minute, on Google every weekend in hopes to find the perfect place to fit the vibe everyone’s feeling. It becomes all a bit much and inevitably you just want to go to that place that feels like ‘home’, where the booze are always good and the feels are always warm.

Here’s why you should bite the bullet and find yourself a regular spot, if you haven’t already.

There’s no risk of it being shit

There’s nothing worse than having the anticipation for a fun night out turn into a complete shit storm because one of you chose the wrong bar. The full realisation that you’ve goofed the plans usually comes to fruition after a solid half an hour of denial. You tell your friends (and especially yourself) to not be so quick to judge, that it could be a diamond in the ruff or whatever cliché makes everyone look less offended. Or you make a half assed comment on how ‘everything is just getting started’ and that the ‘DJ is just warming up’. But alas, when the fourth song in a row earns a scoff of distaste, the denial wears off and fingers are raised and jousted towards one another. It will also be a shit storm when the place is so crowded, you feel like you’re being groped in places you forgot existed. Or heck, are legitimately groped, neither of which are a good time. But all of this chaos can be avoided by being a regular somewhere, yes, seriously.

Less instagrammers, more characters

You’ll always have your acquired taste for what you believe is a good time, and when you’re a regular somewhere, you’ll know that your special place caters to your needs. You don’t go running the risk of being completely inundated with the drunk, over-excited squealers. Not to mention the prowlers that slur out loud, crude discussions with their mates about tapping ass. You probably won’t have to deal with the crippling fear of having your startled face plastered over a stranger’s Facebook wall, because they left the camera flash on and wanted to capture the art deco decor. You’ll be in the know of how to avoid the waves of tourists bobbing around in a disjointed fashion; stopping abruptly in the middle of the doorway, asking the staff every dietary question under the sun, Instagramming every minor detail of their drink that’s fancy and on fire.

Bless them, you have to give them points for their enthusiasm but at the end of the day, everything they do sparks your irritation, and they just get in your way. Through regular trial and error, you’ll have the wisdom to know exactly when to make your appearance.

You feel acknowledged, which is just nice

Want to feel like a god with an over-inflated sense of self-worth for a couple hours? Of course you do, you’re only human after all. When you’re a regular somewhere, this can often become a reality. What was once casual niceties with the staff is now a legitimate, and quite possibly, long lasting friendship. Buddy up with the bouncer of your favourite bar and suddenly, you’re shaving hours off your time waiting in line. They’ll give you a nod and will not only let you into the downstairs bar, but they’ll also get you upstairs to the ever-popular rooftop where the action is. Give the bartenders some regular love, and you’ll find yourself with your favourite bevvy in your hand after they’ve seen you down the back of the drinks line.

Sounds too good to be true, right? It’s not, you just have to try this ‘being a regular’ thing for yourself.

Some Sydney places we highly rate as regulars: Shady Pines Saloon, The Unicorn, Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, Neighbourhood Bondi, Earl’s Juke Joint, Jangling Jack’s, Chester Whites, Since I Left You, Lobo Plantation, Mjolner, Hubert’s.