Get cosy, stay late, and feel at home behind the blackout curtains at Lost Souls Bar Terrigal, a haven for lovers of rock, punk, metal, and Arcades.

Ten seconds. That’s how long it takes for your eyes to adjust to the darkened interior of Lost Souls. To take in the twinkling strands of fairy lights, the bold colours and textures of mural artworks and band posters. To detect the faint murmur of the four heavy metal-themed pinball machines and the glinting rows of mostly rum and whisky bottles jostling for space along the bar’s back wall. 

It's a playful, intriguing space where you instantly feel worlds away from the glaring sun of Terrigal Esplanade. Unsurprisingly the late-night venue (that opens until 2am on weekends) often elicits comments like “wow” and “this is the kind of venue Terrigal has been crying out for, for years” from first timers (the small venue opened in early 2024).

Lost Souls’ regulars come from all walks of life. They’re fans of the late-night venue’s punk, metal, guitar, and Giant Jenga nights. They’re partial to pop. They’re suits from conferences at the Crowne Plaza. Celebrated tattoo artists and aspiring musicians. Amateur singers who love karaoke. 

Couples sipping spiced rum-based cocktails with names like ‘Chilling in the Name Of’, ‘Fade to Black’, and ‘Astro Zombie’ and snacking on Hungry Wolf’s pizza from a few doors up. The place is a hub for hospitality workers, too, kicking back in comfy Chesterfields and winding down with beers after busy shifts.

“Lost Souls is for everyone,” says owner and founder Dylan Jones (of Jolly Roger fame in Brisbane). 

Dylan sold Jolly Roger in 2022 and started Lost Souls early 2024, sparking a return to his coastal roots.

“Here, you get your back-to-basics bartending – no QR code drink orders; just friendly, helpful bar staff that you get proper face time with.”

Dylan says he wants Lost Souls Bar customers to feel as if they’re stepping into their comfort zone when they enter the cosy venue.

“It might be customers’ connection with the music triggering memories from their teenage years. Or the band posters, painted skulls, and heavy metal-themed pinball machines. Or the warm banter with bartenders that makes them instantly feel a part of something special.

“We’re passionate about music, arcades and themed nights – it’s really satisfying to provide a fun, safe haven for people who share these interests.”

And the drinks? Drinkers are spoiled for choice with a spectrum of palate-pleasers. For starters, behind the bar are an impressive 100 types of rum, meticulously sourced from places like Jamaica, Columbia, France, Cuba, and the UK. Rums range from $10 a pop to a cool $100 (think Dictador 2 Masters). 

Spiced, flavoured, aged, or top shelf, drinkers will need more than a few visits – and chats with super friendly bartender and venue manager Phil Strudwick-Barker – to work their way through the drinks menu. Phil has been behind the bar at The Stoned Crow (Crows Nest), Taphouse (Darlinghurst), and Broadway’s The Lansdowne – and he is on hand to talk you through all the drinks.

“Rhum Agricole is a French style of rum where they use sugar cane juice rather than molasses. Jamaican Appleton Estate is their house-pour rum which is a higher grade rum than you would usually see as a bar’s house-pour with origins dating back to 1655. There is a huge range of spiced and flavoured rums, some of which they infuse, with chilli and pineapple.

“As we move up the bar we get into our aged rums, from 8 to 15 years old, where the flavours really start to come through. Next, our top shelf rums, from 20 years old to 50 year old rums packed with flavour and amazing smells. Like the Dictador 2 Masters – there were only ever 360 bottles made, and we’ve got a few,” Phil said.

Then there’s the solid selection of good whiskies like the Octomore peated single malt whisky, or Belvenie 14 Caribbean cask, plus craft beers and signature cocktails (with spiced rum being the base of several, naturally). 

“When you sip on an aged rum, like a Plantation Agricole, the flavours of the barrel truly come to life.”

Fast becoming a Lost Souls best-seller is the RATU Signature Blend rum liqueur, with its velvety mouthfeel of coconut and spiced oak followed by a lingering fresh citrus flavour and aromas of zesty orange, dark chocolate and coffee. It was a huge hit at Jolly Roger.

As far as Terrigal late night nightlife goes, owner Dylan has the long game in mind, as well as big aspirations.

“We want to be nominated for best rum bar in the 2024 Bartender Awards and we have another venue in the works in 2025,” Dylan said.

The tight team at Lost Souls want drinkers to feel at home in a space where they can share stories about recent music festivals, and the anticipation of upcoming concerts. 

It’s clear that Lost Souls is where it’s totally fine to request your favourite track, pick up a Posca pen to add your own graffiti to the bathroom walls (“…we rarely have to remove graffiti – we like to keep things positive, though”), and, of course, pull up a stool at the bar and chew the bartender’s ear off about any of Lost Souls’ signature cocktails.

Lost Souls is giving locals, visitors and weekenders yet another reason to visit Terrigal for a great night out – or is that a great night in, behind the blackout curtains?