Pickled Possum, The Neutral Bay, Sydney

User Reviews of The Pickled Possum, Neutral Bay

Displaying: 1 - 10 of 19 reviews

7.3 Recommended

Ambience 10 Service 7 Value 7 Food 5

Not one to be attempted when sober, but please for the love of god don't leave this stone unturned!

The Pickled Possum is literally a room filled with exciteable middle-aged karaoke enthusiasts belting out tune spanning from the ealry 70's to the late 90's. Five minutes in there and you will either be hooked for life or running with fear. I sincerely hope it is the former because it was such a fantastic night of screaming my lungs out.

Go in a group, go after 10 pm and don't expect to leave there with a voice. Honestly the best little gem I have found since moving to Sydney a year ago.

Nov 09, 2010

Amandadale
3

6 Average

Ambience 6 Service 5 Value 8 Food 5

This place is great if you come in a small group with the intention of joining in with everyone just to sing - you don't need a mike or stage to do it either. Agree with timthebear since I was 1st introduced to this bar some 4 years ago by one of those Cougars - the place is littered with them. Nevertheless there is nothing like the buzz you get when you have spent a few hours drinking & singing your head off. If you are middle-aged, a single bloke with money and a good voice, you can't miss.

Sep 24, 2010

Nos from Maroubra
341

6.5 Recommended

Ambience 10 Service 4 Value 10 Food 2

This bar is like a parallel universe, where karaoke is religion, drinks can be taken or left, and he who holds the mike, God. Too bad the guys running the karaoke like singing themselves so much!

This place is so great I hope it stays on for a long time to come. We went there and were served drinks only when the bar man felt like it, and allowed to sing a few songs, and 'protected' by the door man when leaving/arriving and had the best night!

I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard, and am still laughing, with memories from the possum. You have to see it to get it. Long live the Poss indeed Sydney needs more places like it!

Sep 23, 2010

discernig
1

6.8 Recommended

Drinks 6 Ambience 9 Service 6 Value 6

I agree. It is what it is - bizarre! Best to visit when already drunk.

Jul 22, 2010

mandamcp
7

3.8 Below Average

Drinks 1 Ambience 6 Service 2 Value 6

7 bucks for a VB out of an esky while a bunch of overly-serious oldies wait their turn to sing karaoke (while singing along with whomever is on mic, usually). The rest of the criteria are hard to rate, they almost don't apply to the Possum.
Like most of the folks who have posted here say, one of the most bizzare places I've been in Sydney. Who are these people? Where did they come from? What are they doing here? Like another reviewer said, you'll either love it or hate it.
But worth a look? Definitely. Just the one though.

Jul 08, 2010

Antonthagreat
22

1 of 1 reader found the following review helpful

5.8 Average

Drinks 7 Ambience 9 Service 5 Value 2

Timthebear you raise some interesting points! I have only recently found the possum and I was in fact there last Friday night, was that you I saw with his trousers down? I actually find the Drinks are good value, and agree with you about the ambience. Possum forever!

Mar 19, 2010

pickledjohn
1

1 of 1 reader found the following review helpful

5.8 Average

Drinks 3 Ambience 10 Service 5 Value 5

One of the most extraordinary experiences you'll have out in Sydney. Mixed drinks come out of 'Home brand' bottles, 2 oldies behind the bar obviously have a stake in the place as drinks are all watered down. Having said those negatives it is more than made up for by single cougars looking for 'boyfriends' who litter the place. Also try a rendition of 'Pants on the ground' song I think we might have made it a feature last weekend. All the other comments below basically sum it up. Definitely worth a look.

Mar 17, 2010

TimtheBear
1

2.8 Not Recommended

Drinks 1 Ambience 8 Service 1 Value 1

I've visited the Possum quite a few times during the last couple of decades! Not a place I would frequent if I was sober otherwise I'd never buy a drink. Who in their sober mind would pay $9 for a rum and coke? And this for a rum and coke that tastes of, well just coke. I'm sure the rum is diluted. Then there's the delivery method, served by a couple of seniors, one of them with surgical rubber gloves (what goes on back there?) and the ice is served from a very unflattering Esky!

The senior staffs certainly don't go out of their way to make you feel anything but uneasy. But like I said, I would not go there sober so none of these shortcomings ever get noticed.

Mar 31, 2009

larsmate
6

4 Below Average

Drinks 5 Ambience 9 Service 1 Value 1

The best thing about the Possum is the atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights. Karaoke is ok, but you can hardly hear the singer above the rest of the rabble!
The drinks are way too expensive, and the service is dreadful, but it's always packed and the atmosphere's great. The absolute insult though, is when you are handed your drink by someone wearing a surgical rubber glove. Like, they're telling you you're a piece of dirt but they'll still take your money off you!

Feb 25, 2009

hammer6959
1

5 Average

Drinks 5 Ambience 5 Service 5 Value 5

A good place to go when you're up for something livelier than the Oaks but feel too old for minskies. But be warned as it's full of the following, people who look old enough to know better, piss pots, desperadoes, Karaoke and ice out of an esky. It is what it is!

Dec 20, 2008