What's New at Sydney's Favourite Japanese Bar

Same address on Mary Street. Completely different night.

Goros has spent the last few weeks closed for a full renovation, and what's opening back up is the new Goros. Same bones, same Surry Hills attitude, a lot more reasons to stay past one drink.

Goros = Cocktails. Yakitori. Vinyl. Karaoke

Here's what's actually changed.

Same address, new night

Goros is a music-led Japanese drinking house for Surry Hills, grown up and reimagined. Quality cocktails, Japanese snacks, vinyl DJs, karaoke and accidental dancefloors, all under one roof on Mary Street.

Cocktails, rebuilt

The drinks list has been rethought from the ground up. Classics, reinterpreted with Japanese ingredients: house-canned cocktails like Yuzu Spritz, Scarlet Spritz, Chu-Hai and Whisky Highball for the table that wants something fast and cold. Three house martinis worth arguing about. A new wine & sake list that runs from delicate and refreshing through to layered and complex. And the taps now pour exclusively Japanese beer, including Asahi, Suntory Malt, Orion, Yoyogi Pale Ale.

Yakitori over charcoal, best met with a cocktail

Food used to be a side note. Not anymore. Yakitori over charcoal is the backbone of the new menu, backed by sharing snacks built the same way. Karaage, gyoza and tempura corn plus new additions like sashimi and hand rolls. Round it out with the Ten Yen Toastie, or a mini martini and a can to keep the table moving.

Vinyl finds the room

The DJ booth runs vinyl only hip hop, jazz, disco, boogie & soul brought to life by a roster of credible DJs. Open Tuesday to Saturday: Tuesday is Staff Selects, Wednesday brings Record Store Takeovers from 5–11pm, Thursday is the Flywave & Friends residency from 5pm–12am, and Friday and Saturday hand the booth to a rotating guest lineup from 5pm–3am. Early sets are warm and conversational. Later, the night finds its own accidental dancefloor.

Karaoke, upgraded

Karaoke was never going anywhere, it's too central to what Goros is. What's changed is everything around it: better rooms, better hosting, better sound, and a booking experience that doesn't involve multiple phone calls. Rooms 1, 2 and 3 run from $20pp Tuesday-Thursday and $25pp Friday-Saturday for 90 minutes - no food or drink included, so you order what you want, when you want it. Groups of 4 or more can also order a food and drink package if that's more your style. Room 4 is the one for a bigger crew, with a minimum of 24 people.

What's staying the same

The good bits. The after-work crowd that turns into a late one. The regulars keep coming back. The fact that a "quick drink" at Goros has never really been quick.

Come see it for yourself

Goros re-opens its doors from late September.