Sydney's top 10 clubs

Goodgod Small Club

Sydney

This alternative fixture started life as a dungeon at the rear of a very shabby Spanish restaurant. The restaurant went under, Goodgod spread out and got a makeover, and the rest is clubbing history. The club now has popular indie, retro, tech and hip hop nights on rotation and gets its fare share of big names too. There's also diner classics served at The Dip, located in the front bar, and hot dog happy hour means $6 dawgs from 5-7pm daily.

One22

Sydney

Hidden away in the basement at 122 Pitt Street, this aptly named new venue is a small, understated club that makes you feel like you've stumbled across a private party. The dance floor fills up fast with a diverse mix of revellers (hipsters, fanatics, opportunists) and the best thing about this little venue is that there's no pretence; the vibe is refreshingly laidback. It also packs a powerful sound system and boasts a solid music policy that leans toward house and techno.

Civic Hotel

Sydney

Sydney is finally starting to gain some cred in the late-night clubbing stakes. Despite recent tighten ups in late-night licensing, a few venues are putting on the kind of nights that would make our European counterparts proud. With possibly the city's best sound system, this small, underground club attracts great international headliners for all night techno, deep house and electro parties. Regular party Adult Disco is run by local label Future Classic, and at it you'll find solid locals and a steady stream of underground internationals.

Chinese Laundry

Sydney

The 'Laundry is one of Sydney's biggest and most respected clubs. The top-notch sound system in the Cave has attracted heavyweight internationals James Holden, Gui Boratto and Sasha and the outdoor dance floor is a summer clubbing must.

Club 77

Kings Cross

Once a favoured haunt of the city's goth and fetish community, Club 77 is now well and truly on the beaten track thanks to the Bang Gang DJ collective. The 'sevens' are still a fave haunt of art school kids, rockabilly enthusiasts and the odd leathered reveler, but now attracts a large mainstream Northern Beaches club kid crowd, who fist pump to dirty electro and dubstep.

Xchange Hotel

Darlinghurst

The Exchange is a seedy after-party joint for anyone and everyone. At Q Bar there's a dance floor that swirls with funk and house, Spectrum boasts a consistently impressive live music line-up, underground sweatbox Phoenix has a killer sound system and an older crowd, and 34B is home to the best burlesque acts in town. And on occasion you'll even find epic parties that span all four.

FBi Social

Kings Cross

Local community station FBi Radio's venue spin-off has quickly become the holy grail of Sydney gigging. Much like the music policy for the airwaves, FBi Social bills the best local bands and DJs alongside a carefully selected line-up of international acts. During the week at the 'Social you'll also find cultural doses of different kinds, including literary open mic night Penguin Plays Rough; comedy fixture Laugh Your Tits Off; and poetry throw-down Caravan Slam.

Oxford Art Factory

Darlinghurst

This is a bar, a club, a live music venue and an art space. And that's exactly why we love it. Your night is pretty much sorted – catch a live gig ranging from up-and-coming to international stars in the big bar without the hassle of having to do the party search once it's over. Curtains close, beats drop and you feverishly take the dance floor. And when you least it expect it, they've decided to throw on another random band in the attached small bar, or a couple of performance artists in the glass cube that sits between the two spaces.

Ivy 

Sydney

Merivale built this answer to Soho house a few years back. Costing a mammoth $160 million, the complex boasts 13 individual venues including the super exclusive rooftop Pool Club, stylish cocktail bar and pick-up hot spot Ivy Lounge and Changeroom, the city's most popular hetero pseudo-sex club (wallflowers take note: don't make direct eye contact). On sunny Sunday afternoons, hot beats and ice cold cocktails make the Ivy Pool Club the go for the city's style set.

The Spice Cellar

Sydney

This relatively new venue is a much-needed halfway point between bar hopping and clubbing for the city's nightlife enthusiasts. It's got a dark, sleek fitout to complement the bar's low ceilings and as you spiral underground, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were slipping into an edgy and underground Berlin haunt. Since opening, the impressive sound system has already been given a workout by Simon Baker, Terrence Parker, Vincenzo and Simon Caldwell amongst others. And weekly after hours club night SPICE, the signature party of the Reckless Republic team, is the best place in town to kick-on. Stop by after 4am on Sundays for deep and minimal tech and house.