- Popular Sydney Hospo Group, MUCHO Group, has just upgraded its CBD bar, Herbs Taverne, to become Bar Herbs.
- Bar Herbs is described as a “neon martini den”.
- The new late-night venue will feature a “Martini Your Way”, where guests can customise their cocktail to their specific taste.
MUCHO Group is known for their funky bars across Sydney, including the hidden Margarita basement bar Centro 86, the award-winning Cantina OK! and Surry Hills’ iconic margarita bar, Tio’s Cerveceria.
However, the team have decided to revamp their CBD Negroni Bar, Herbs Taverne, into a new martini hangout, now called Bar Herbs. We went down to the refreshed venue to see what the new Bar Herbs is all about, and why they decided to make a change.
From Negronis to Martinis
Bar Herbs opens in the place of their Negroni-focused concept, Herbs Taverne. However, instead of Negronis, Bar Herbs’ focus will be martinis, matching the concept of its Newtown sister, Bar Planet.
The refresh comes six months after Herbs Taverne first opened. Not only is there a new name (General Manager Daisy Tulley said that there were “too many questions around ‘Taverne’”, and that Bar Herbs evokes a simpler message). There’s also a new playlist, a refreshed interior and a brand new menu, all about martinis.
Creative Director of MUCHO Group Jeremy Blackmore spoke on the change, laughing about how he absolutely loved the Herbs Taverne concept, but it didn’t appeal to all Sydneysiders:
“We built a bar for me, what I liked… we realised by talking to people who walk through the day and seeing what they order.”
”Right now, people are loving the dirty martini.”
”Most people who came in here wanted to drink a martini.”
Bar Herbs will play to the taste of the city, as well as hopping on the trend of all things pickles, brine and savoury drinks, which has been all the talk at Bar Planet.
A “Neon Martini Den”
Known for their eclectic, funky interiors, MUCHO Group have dubbed Bar Herbs a “neon martini den”.
Inspired by late-90s New York drinking culture (think Sex and the City), Bar Herbs is characterised by its huge neon ‘H’ sign and its groovy red murals. Red neon bars light the dark venue, giving it a speakeasy vibe, while short red curtains line the walls.
Guests can perch their cold, olive-laden martinis on coasters handed over by bar staff, emblazoned with cheeky slogans, like “Everybody Herbs Sometimes!” Thanks to its Instagram-ready interiors, Bar Herbs is sure to replicate the social media buzz of Bar Planet, known for its filthy martinis and “olive skyscrapers”.
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What will the drinks be like?
Although there’ll be plenty of cocktails on offer at Bar Herbs, the star of the show is the martini. Guests can choose from four different variations (each costing $23) or opt for the smaller Mouthful Martini (for $12).
The menu includes the classic-style Herbs Martini, made with MUCHO’s seasonal vodka; the savoury Herbs Dirty Martini centred on MUCHO’s iconic seaweed vodka; a vegetal New York Martini that takes its flavour from dill aquavit and pickle brine; and a herbaceous Gibson Martini with rosemary and pickled onion.
Other cocktails on the menu include the Negroni ($25), Gimlet ($23), Espresso Martini ($23) and a Gin Fizz ($23), as well as a Cosmo with yuzu and hibiscus ($23). They’ll also be offering a monthly special for $24, as well as a non-alcoholic “Neon” cocktail ($12), made up of passionfruit, celery seed, lemon and mint.
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Martini Your Way
Bar Herbs is a big believer in guest-led customisation, hence their inclusion of the “Martini Your Way” offering, which gives guests room to customise their drink exactly how they like it.
Guests can tailor dryness, garnish and brine level to their preference, with the option to choose between Comet, Ketel One, Grey Goose and Hartshorn Sheep Whey for their vodka or Hickson House London Dry, Fords, Four Pillars Yuzu and Never Never Oyster Shell for their gin.
Creative Director of MUCHO Group, Jeremy Blackmore, expressed his excitement about the personalisation of drinks at Bar Herbs, stating,
“People love to create ownership over the way they order their martinis – how dirty they want it, how dry. Each of the details is a step towards making the martini their drink, and from that point on, they own it.”
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A new late-night venue
Bar Herbs has promised to be the CBD’s “new late-night landmark”, staying open until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The official opening hours for the new venue are as follows:
- Monday Closed
- Tuesday Closed
- Wednesday 5 pm–12 am
- Thursday 4 pm–2 am
- Friday 4 pm–2 am
- Saturday 4 pm–2 am
- Sunday 4 pm–12 am
Bar Herbs will also offer a daily 4pm-6pm Happy Hour, with $13 Herbs Martinis and $7 beers available to sip.
For more information on Bar Herbs, click here.
