The ground-floor Oxford Bar keeps things casual with a busy terrace for people-watching, cold schooners and solid pub food.

Downstairs, Oxford Underground is the after-hours heart: DJs, themed nights and sweaty dance floors that skew delightfully chaotic.

Head upstairs to Ginger’s, a retro New York–style cocktail bar with red curtains, a small stage and intimate drag and cabaret shows – the kind of room where a queen can read you from three metres away and you’ll say thank you.

At the top, the Polo Lounge brings a touch of Old World drama with lounges, a fireplace and balcony views over Taylor Square – perfect for parade night plotting or a slightly more polished cocktail moment. The Oxford feels less like a single venue and more like a vertical queer ecosystem: start with fries in the sun, end at 3am in a basement singalong, with half of Oxford Street passing through in between.

A Change in the Air?

Sydney’s long-running bear community group, the Harbour City Bears, recently announced they are moving their regular “Furry Fridays” events away from the Oxford Hotel after members reported feeling “less and less welcome” at the venue. According to community feedback, attendees felt the atmosphere had shifted away from being community focused, with some saying they were asked to “tone down” displays of affection and that the hotel declined to host the group on Mardi Gras night in favour of general trade, contributing to a decline in attendance. The move to the Kings Cross Hotel reflects broader concerns about changes in the character of Oxford Street nightlife and the need for spaces that actively value LGBTQIA+ communities.

Let's hope the venue can reverse course and restore The Oxford's welcoming reputation.