Fortunate Son

Fortunate Son has comfy, mustard-coloured vinyl deco stools, a neon light above the door, and a hodgepodge of bric-a-brac, including an old boxing bell from a flea market just north of LA. The bell is set off whenever a customer tips the bar – a reminder to always pay your fortunes forward.

Co-owners Jason Crawley and Dylan Howarth are two of Sydney’s best-known bartenders. Crawley has bartended everywhere from Hong Kong to London, Southeast Asia and the Americas (locally he’s best known for manning the bar at Merivale’s Hemmesphere and The Grand Pacific Blue Room). Howarth meanwhile, has racked up plenty of industry plaudits, including the prestigious Outstanding Contribution award at the 2018 Bartender Magazine Bar Awards.

It’s little wonder that their drinks list – a 300 bottle collection of tequila, mezcal gin and whisky – is so confident.

Sip one of those spirits neat, or have them in one of the excellent cocktails here. The offering is split into two categories. The first (“The Fortunate Ones”) includes time-tested classics such as the Mint Julep and the Old Pal (basically a Negroni that subs gin for rye and dry vermouth for sweet vermouth).

In the second category (“Fortunate Sons”) you’ll find cocktails with a twist. The Insomnia is an Espresso Martini of sorts, made with cold drip and blanco tequila to start (or stop) the party.

A page of fresh-juice highballs such as the Salty Chihuahua (white grapefruit, tequila and salt) is joined by non-alcoholic options such as the Betty Ford, made with lime, coconut water, a syrup made with citrus and nuts, mint and soda.

American hotdogs are served all night with pickles, peppers and chips.