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After thousands of kilometres, a bazillion beers and lots of aspirin, FHM presents its assessment of the 49 finest watering holes in the country. Cheers!

NEW SOUTH WALES

The Argyle
18 Argyle St, Sydney, 02 9247 5500
theargylerocks.com
Features: Good food, beer garden, single man heaven, live music, booking advised
What you’re drinking: Argyle garden, a Hendrick’s gin cocktail
A dominant presence in the middle of The Rocks, the Argyle is essentially a glorified barn, but revel in the glory: it’s all exposed wood, red leather couches and optic-fibre lighting, with a cobbled courtyard for outdoor beveraging and a rest room area sleek enough to consider hanging out in (hell, there are urinals in the shape of pint glasses). An eclectic menu features everything from burgers to sushi rolls, while five bars serve German wheat bear and an impressive range of whiskeys.
Go when: You want cheap cocktails (Thursdays) or a DJ (Saturdays).

The Local Taphouse
122 Flinders St, Sydney, 02 9360 0088
thelocal.com.au
Features: Good food, girlfriend friendly
What you’re drinking: Your choice of 20 different beers on tap
If you’re a beer connoisseur, consider The Local Taphouse your finishing school. About 200 varieties of beer pass through the taps each year, in addition to 70 bottled varieties. Purchase a tasting paddle to kick things off. After some good grub? The restaurant is highly recommended.
Go when: One of the quarterly beer festivals is on.

The Rose Hotel
54 Cleveland St, Chippendale, Sydney, 02 9318 1133
therosehotel.com.au
Features: Beer garden, good food, girlfriend friendly
What you’re drinking: $10 jugs on a Sunday afternoon
A Tardis-like pub, in that it looks small from the outside but is large within (and filled with Daleks), with a beer garden and a pizza menu to kill for. The front bar is recommended for lurking, while the beer garden is as light and sunny as a care bear’s bottom. Finding a table on a weekend can be tricky.
Go when: Beer and pizza makes sense: always.

Hollywood Hotel
2 Foster St, Sydney, 02 9281 2765
hotelhollywood.com.au
Features: Live music, girlfriend friendly
What you’re drinking: Hollywood Hotel’s own draught beer
The Hollywood is everything a pub should be: a place to converge, converse and watch the world go by, or just admire the signed photos of everyone from Elvis to Mother Teresa. However, Doris Goddard is perhaps the most compelling reason to visit: the owner was an actress back in the ’50s, starring opposite Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope. Her joint is relaxed and retro.
Go when: It’s not Sunday (it’s closed). 

North Bondi RSL
118-120 Ramsgate Ave, North Bondi, Sydney, 02 9130 3152
northbondirsl.com.au
Features: Views, beer garden, live music, girlfriend friendly
What you’re drinking: Schooners of Hahn Super Dry
Perched on the edge of the country’s most famous stretch of sand, this is undoubtedly the priciest real estate in the land where veterans are remembered. It has a local feel on weekdays and Saturday nights feature live bands, but it’s on sun-soaked Sunday arvos that the joint comes into its own.
Go when: The surf looks rubbish.

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