There’s no doubting that us Novocastrians love a good drink, but it’s become more about where to enjoy that drink nowadays as opposed to just what you’re drinking. From rooftop bars to secret entrances, Newcastle truly does have it all when it comes to the small bar scene.

What does surprise us though, is the quality of venues continuing to open up across town, and with the opening of The Underground situated underneath one of Newcastle CBD’s most historical and iconic pubs, The Grand Hotel Newcastle, you’ll be dying to get in to check it out.

The Grand Hotel has quite a colourful and rich history within Newcastle’s pub scene, but since new owners have taken over last October, they’ve been busily injecting some much-needed fresh vibes into the venue.

Brought to you by the same team behind other crowd favourite venues including Bartholomew's, The Blind Monk, The Whistler, and The Family Hotel in Maitland. John Elsley, Phil Elsley, and business partner Lukas Thodas (owner & publican) have done it once more refurbishing The Underground into your new favourite late-night watering hole.

Located on the corner of Bolton and Church St, The Underground can be accessed through the grungy street entrance on Bolton St or head into the pub and follow the signs pointing to downstairs. To make the most of the experience, we’d suggest accessing from the laneway to really add to your speakeasy night out.

Step into a moody oasis and you’re transported to a high-end speakeasy you could easily mistake for somewhere in the world’s big cities like New York, London, or even Berlin. The only realisation you’re in little old Newcastle is the Aussie accents behind the bar and the quintessential Aussie pub sitting just upstairs.

The team have restored the venue to its former glory with plenty of seating throughout, a fully decked out bar, quirky decorations taking up every available nook and cranny, and cosy corners to hide away in.

The venue will be opened to the public every Tuesday through to Saturday evenings, with Tuesday nights dedicated to jazz nights making for the perfect spot to drop in for an afternoon tipple whilst soaking up the best jazz tunes.

So, what’s on the menu?

As a dedicated bar, the drinks menu is obviously jam-packed with delicious concoctions. The venue’s signature cocktails span two pages with all the usual classic cocktails available on request.

The Underground team have literally thought of it all even offering a small selection of non-alcoholic cocktails using the delicious mix of non-alcoholic spirits from Lyre’s. In addition, guests can also peruse the wine menu including a selection of natural and lo-fi options.

To soak up all those delicious drips, be sure to check out the food offering which covers the usual antipasto items as well as a full dinner service available whilst the upstairs kitchen is open, so you can get the best of both worlds, pub food but speakeasy drinks.

The team have got big plans to bring the whole pub back to life, but for now, we can all drop into The Underground and get a taste test of what’s to come. So, what are you doing this weekend? See you at The Underground!