Ching-a-lings

Address: 133 Oxford St, Darlinghurst

Ching-a-lings is a secret gem created and run by Cameron Reid and Jack Brown which is initially quite hard to find. Located on Oxford St, you could easily walk past the modest door way and bouncer. The exterior gives nothing away, in fact the only sign you are at your destination is a couple of stamps which say Chinglings on the Soleil Tanning Salon sign outside.

As you walk up the steep stairs and into the darkness, you enter into the main indoor area, which creates a balance between being quite dark and dimly lit with a glow from red lights which are both suspended from the ceiling and run along side the floor. The other focal point is the lighting feature suspended from the ceiling, numerous old light globes which fill a wire box. The atmosphere is relaxed and this is achieved through the combination of mute lighting, chilled music, ample seating and comfortable 20 somethings who reside in this bar.

This vibe carries through onto the rooftop bar, which is brighter and has a slightly more spacious feel to its interior counterpart. The space is modern - through the use of recycled timber decking and benches countered with a backdrop of compacted concrete, create an amicable texture opposite to the bare brick and dark lighting of the indoors, is a world away from the hustle of busy oxford street, where you first arrived.

Open from 6pm onwards, the bar features music themed nights that attract a regular and often large following that packs out the space each Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, leaving many patrons to wait downstairs as space is limited. Between the hours of 6pm and 9pm, however, the vibe is different. Rather chilled out than chaotic, more room for people to move, Oxford Street people watching can be enjoyed discreetly (or not) from the large uncovered window, and the rooftop deck is abundant in bench space for patrons to soak up the last rays of the sun before darkness envelopes the city.

Ching-a-lings was the third bar to open under the New South Wales government licensing reforms, a move by the government which has changed the nature of bars and drinking culture in the state. The change in licensing has meant that smaller venues have a greater oppertunity to open in an market where large pubs, filled with poker machines have reigned. As such places like Ching-a-lings are able to open, offering diversity and unqiue expereinces to their patrons.