After five years and complete reconstruction, iconic sticky-carpet late-night George Street grunge pub Jacksons has reopened as a sophisticated and contemporary venue under DTL Entertainment, fronted by Maurice Terzini.
Infamous wee hours destination pub Jacksons on George closed early 2018 when its lease to the Gallaghers expired and Lendlease took back the keys. It was demolished to make way for the new Sydney Place development near Circular Quay, which has since come to fruition.
In 2022 Lendlease announced DTL Entertainment Group had been selected for the re-launch, and this week the doors finally re-opened.
A cornerstone of the new Sydney Place precinct, the key focus of the rebuild was said to be ‘refinement and modernisation’, housing food, beverages, music and art in a fit-out by Sydney-based studio Richards Stanisich.
DTL’s goal was to create a destination with broad appeal that retained an identity, resulting in the new Jacksons across three levels, being the street level public bar, below Bistro George, and a cocktail-fuelled rooftop bar and terrace overlooking the new George Street Public Plaza and urban laneway businesses.
“Great food and drinks intersect with contemporary art and music across all three levels to create a vibrant, contemporary venue,” explains DTL director Maurice Terzini.
Dining across all levels is courtesy of head chef Steven Sinclair, bringing experience from world-renowned kitchens including Bondi’s Icebergs. He says everything on the menu in the public bar and rooftop is designed to be “accessible and familiar”, punctuated with some surprises, such as Moreton Bay bug buns and slow-cooked duck sausage rolls.
Above the public bar is the European-inspired Bistro George, seating 120 guests and including a 30-seat private dining room. Its menu selection is about recognisable bistro classics – elegantly executed.
The drinks menu echoes the theming with classics such as the Dark and Stormy, Negroni and Bellini.
Outside the typical pub, Jacksons now displays work from local artists, notably including a series by Yankunytjatjara artist Kaylene Whiskey, a finalist in both the Archibald and Sulman prizes, capturing her acclaimed blend of traditional Anangu art with pop culture.
Open now to the public, next week the final stage arrives, ushering a nod to Jacksons’ late-night popular past when Bistro George is transformed at night into a cocktail bar, with a pared-back ‘supper’ menu and live music by house jazz trio the Jacksons All Stars.
Sydney Place is one of the two key pillars of the $5bn Circular Quay upgrade, bookending with AMP’s Quay Quarter development. The new Jacksons embodies what is intended to be a striking development, with its eye-catching ‘architectural veil’.
Lendlease ran a selective EOI process for new operators of Jacksons, appointing DTL Entertainment Group, headed by Terzini and hotelier Michael Broome, previously of Western Pub Holdings, and backed by entrepreneurs Paul Ford and Steve Bannigan.
Jacksons on George is at 176 George Street, Sydney.
