DRINK > Cantina OK! it is tiny but it is also fabulous

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At the end of a dark alley off Clarence Street, not far from the Sydney Town Hall you will find a micro mezcal bar that you are probably going to want to make your regular.

Cantina Ok! opened in 2019 and it really is a tiny bar, it probably could fit 20 (small) people at a pinch, but if you are hoping for a seat at the bar then its about 10 seats.

The venue is so small because the space was a garage at the end of the lane and while you might wonder how a place quite so small can survive once you arrive you are going to find that there is something special here.

The menu is heavily tequila and mezcal driven, most people go for the margaritas which are made with hand shaved ice (the ice crusher is a feature) and hand pressed limes.

There is an extensive menu of carefully selected and imported agave spirits, these have been collected by the founders Alex Dowd and Jeremy Blackmore together with manager Alex Gilmour who have travelled extensively to Mexico to find and import the country’s most interesting Mezcals.

On the night we were there the music was funky and loud, the room was remarkably (for a warm Sydney night) not over crowded (on three previous attempts I have not been able to get in as the bar was not accepting more patrons at that time) and the hospitality was friendly.

Our margaritas were served spicy, the freshly shaved ice, premium mezcal, fresh lime, salt and hit of chilli all in perfect proportions.

In 2023 Cantina OK! was listed 41st in the worlds 50 best bars.

This is the kind of place that you want to be able to sneak in and just sit with a fine drink, but lets be honest – you are likely to be there with a queue of 20 people all with the same idea.

Some times something simple and executed extremely well is the perfection you are looking for.