The Camelot Lounge
The Camelot Lounge
4.5
About
Sydney's favorite boutique music venue, and home for World Music in Australia, as well as presenting the best singer/songwriters, jazz, folk, blues, cabaret etc from Australia and beyond. With The Django Bar downstairs & Camelot upstairs, amazing and eclectic collections of objects and art co-exist with incredible music, in a truly unique, fun atmosphere! And...delicious, affordable, unpretentious food and drinks served to complete the experience. All ages welcome (under 18's must be supervised by adult).
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4.5
167 reviews
Excellent
111
Very good
41
Average
6
Poor
5
Terrible
4
trajan1
Sydney, Australia
Feb 2023 • Friends
Shows can be good, food mediocre but above all the administration is hopeless.
No response to emails, phone calls to them are met with a voicemail saying emails only.
Which are then not answered.
Bookings are taken through a third party agency which cannot assist.
No response to emails, phone calls to them are met with a voicemail saying emails only.
Which are then not answered.
Bookings are taken through a third party agency which cannot assist.
Written 5 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
May 2024 • Couples
All good except you cannot dance! I was so disappointed. Seems to be the way every where these days. You go to see a good band (Gadflys) and you want to move!!! Not just sit in your seat for hours listening to great rocky dance music. Its a real killer just sit sit sitting. Please make a space for us all to get up and dance. Yes you miss out on some money for tickets but hey is that what life is all about now just cram them in for as much money as possible? Sigh. Give me room to move and 5 stars.
Written 17 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Herberts1
Sydney, Australia
Mar 2013 • Friends
Obscurely situated near Marrickville Railway Station, up flights of stairs in an old industrial building, the warmth of the Camelot Lounge embraces you once you get to the top. The tickets are quite cheap (around $25 each), and there are the usual drinks, and pizza and nachos to chat over before the live music starts around 9 pm. You do have to get someone in early because the tables are allocated on a "first in best dressed" basis. What makes it so special is the quality of the music. Some of teh best contemporary miusicians form ad hoc bands to support great singers. Monsieur Camembert, the Kriola group (Brazillian and funk) and Baby & Lulu all feature regularly. A trult great night out.
Written 14 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mar 2018 • Friends
The music is good, but everything else is absolutely terrible. I will never come here again. All tables are sold and booked and there is standing only room even for people that paid expensive tickets online. The food is average at best and very narrow choice of drinks. If I had been on my own I would have asked for money back and gone somewhere else. In addition the staff are downright rude.
Written 31 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A few notes on your extraordinarily harsh review:
Like almost every (surviving) music venue in Sydney, once the tables are all claimed (and every venue has a finite amount of tables), it is standing room only. This is the major difference between a live music venue, and a theatre or concert hall. You came on a night when almost all tables were booked. This differs from night to night. There are other nights where only a couple of tables are booked and all other tables (irrespective of whether you're dining or not) are ripe for the picking.
A recurring theme of many of our TA reviews is our friendly staff, so it is very surprising to read that you found them to be rude. I'd be most grateful if you could email me and tell me what was said, as we pride ourselves on our genuine and courteous staff, and would certainly like to immediately address any behaviour that deviated whatsoever from this norm.
I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy our food, which we believe to be delicious and reasonably priced, and again has received so many favorable comments in previous reviews. As far as the drinks, if you do end up emailing us, I'd be grateful if you could let us know what drinks you were after that were unavailable, as again this is an opportunity for us to address any omissions.
You are the first person in 8 years to give us a one-star TA review, so I can only hope that savaging one of the few surviving music venues in Sydney has at least been a cathartic experience for you. As you're probably aware, yet another Sydney music venue closed down last week, and you can now virtually count on one-hand the dedicated Sydney music venues still standing.
For 8 years we have poured our hearts and souls into creating not only a nurturing environment for the best musicians in this country (and beyond) but also an environment that provides music lovers in Sydney a warm, friendly place to call home.
I’m sorry that nothing aside from the music resonated with you (the decor, the vibe, the room full of happy people etc etc), and am also saddened that you didn’t afford us the opportunity to cheerfully refund you your ticket costs.
The overwhelmingly positive energy in the room last night was palpable, and for you to have been so impervious to it is in itself quite extraordinary.
Written 1 April 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ann-Maree B
Sydney, Australia
June 2015 • Friends
The camelot lounge is a quirky music venue.It attracts all ages and has a variety of shows. They service wine and good pizza and the price and service is great.
Baby Et Lulu was great fun
Baby Et Lulu was great fun
Written 30 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dec 2018 • Friends
My recent, first and last experience with this venue.
The show, on the top level of the venue, was a mariachi orchestra and they were phenomenal! With that said, here is my experience with the Camelot Lounge that I find worth sharing.
The sold out show started at 9:00, and as recommended, we arrived early at 7:30 to secure a spot and have a few beverages. We were provided stools and advised to "sit anywhere we would like." Since there was only two of us at this time, an almost empty room, and we were waiting for three more people, we took up what appears to be the best spot on the floor. An open space between two tables. Perfect, we marked out spot with three additional empty stools.
Immediately, we purchased two margaritas that took ten minutes to make and cost a staggering $32. This is standard Sydney prices really, but not a bargain by any means in my opinion. We were not disturbed until 8:45, fifteen minutes before the show started, and thirty minutes after our total party arrived. As mentioned, the show was sold out and so the room was packed now. Luckily, we had reserved this spot early.
Next a staff member came over and advised that we needed to keep a lane open for people walking to the mens room. Obviously a good idea. No problem for us and we squeezed even closer together. Then 10 minutes before the show we were approached by a total of two staff.
With nowhere to move, we were advised we could not sit here as it is blocking the pathway to the apparently only emergency exit (this may not be true).
We were given two options, move from out spot or they would refund our tickets for the inconvenience.
We arrived early and were very excited about the show, so leaving with a refund was out of the question. As for where we were to move to in the packed room, and as some of the first people to arriver to a sold-out show, we asked for advice where they see us moving to.
Without any help, and in a rude manner, we were told it doesn't matter and that we just cannot sit therein the event people need to use the emergency exit. There was no place else for our group to move and to still be together. As paying customers we again asked, possibly a bit aggressively, where we were suppose to go. We were again given these two options; find somewhere else or be refunded.
There was two of us in this spot for over an hour before being advised we needed to move. We were told that nobody said anything because there was only two of us sitting in the spot, however, there was clearly stools in place for three more people.
If this was the first show to ever take place in this venue, then I would understand as they were not ready for people to sit in this spot. This venue, however, has performances very frequently. I would think that the least that could be done to have some form of marker to indicate there is no seating in a specific area. Possibly someone could have approached us at 8:00, thirty minutes after we sat own. As a venue that relies on the customer's business, a solution to our problem could have been offered, or some compensation for having to split up the group for the entire show.
The end solution that we decided on was for two of us to take turns standing in the back of the room. I was given two free Caronas for the inconvenience...
In a time where I can make the effort to leave a review like this, and just out of common courtesy to your customers, I would have expected more from a venue this popular.
I'm sorry to give this a two star review as the show was fantastic. I also apologise to the staff if we / I was rude in my response last night.
The show, on the top level of the venue, was a mariachi orchestra and they were phenomenal! With that said, here is my experience with the Camelot Lounge that I find worth sharing.
The sold out show started at 9:00, and as recommended, we arrived early at 7:30 to secure a spot and have a few beverages. We were provided stools and advised to "sit anywhere we would like." Since there was only two of us at this time, an almost empty room, and we were waiting for three more people, we took up what appears to be the best spot on the floor. An open space between two tables. Perfect, we marked out spot with three additional empty stools.
Immediately, we purchased two margaritas that took ten minutes to make and cost a staggering $32. This is standard Sydney prices really, but not a bargain by any means in my opinion. We were not disturbed until 8:45, fifteen minutes before the show started, and thirty minutes after our total party arrived. As mentioned, the show was sold out and so the room was packed now. Luckily, we had reserved this spot early.
Next a staff member came over and advised that we needed to keep a lane open for people walking to the mens room. Obviously a good idea. No problem for us and we squeezed even closer together. Then 10 minutes before the show we were approached by a total of two staff.
With nowhere to move, we were advised we could not sit here as it is blocking the pathway to the apparently only emergency exit (this may not be true).
We were given two options, move from out spot or they would refund our tickets for the inconvenience.
We arrived early and were very excited about the show, so leaving with a refund was out of the question. As for where we were to move to in the packed room, and as some of the first people to arriver to a sold-out show, we asked for advice where they see us moving to.
Without any help, and in a rude manner, we were told it doesn't matter and that we just cannot sit therein the event people need to use the emergency exit. There was no place else for our group to move and to still be together. As paying customers we again asked, possibly a bit aggressively, where we were suppose to go. We were again given these two options; find somewhere else or be refunded.
There was two of us in this spot for over an hour before being advised we needed to move. We were told that nobody said anything because there was only two of us sitting in the spot, however, there was clearly stools in place for three more people.
If this was the first show to ever take place in this venue, then I would understand as they were not ready for people to sit in this spot. This venue, however, has performances very frequently. I would think that the least that could be done to have some form of marker to indicate there is no seating in a specific area. Possibly someone could have approached us at 8:00, thirty minutes after we sat own. As a venue that relies on the customer's business, a solution to our problem could have been offered, or some compensation for having to split up the group for the entire show.
The end solution that we decided on was for two of us to take turns standing in the back of the room. I was given two free Caronas for the inconvenience...
In a time where I can make the effort to leave a review like this, and just out of common courtesy to your customers, I would have expected more from a venue this popular.
I'm sorry to give this a two star review as the show was fantastic. I also apologise to the staff if we / I was rude in my response last night.
Written 28 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We’ll keep this response short.
We are pleased that you acknowledged that you were rude and aggressive.
Accordingly, we wholeheartedly support your decision not to return.
We wish you luck finding a venue that will allow people to sit in an obvious pathway/thoroughfare, and that charges less than $16 for a cocktail.
Written 29 December 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Diaqnne W
Wollongong, Australia
Mar 2018 • Friends
I have noticed a couple of negative reviews on Camelot, one ‘terrible’ which I think is quite unfair.
Firstly I would like to say “you can’t please everyone” and I am aware that there are lots of people out there who have never had the opportunity of attending various live music venues for 50 yrs +. Yes I am over 60! And when I’m too old to negotiate the stairs Camelot has a lift that I am sure the helpful staff will help me use. Yes over my many years of attending Camelot I have always found the staff to be very friendly and helpful.
Because it is a live music venue, not a concert hall there will be people standing. The same situation applies at other much more expensive venues as well as pubs that offer live music. If you want to ensure a seat you either get 7 friends to attend so you can book a table or get there early before the doors open.
I might also add that I have never found the tickets. I’ve seen some really top acts at much lower cost than at other larger venues. The standard of the entertainers is a mark of the calibre of the venue, and Camelot attracts world class acts.
Regarding the food; it must be accepted that it’s a live music venue, not a restaurant and I’m please to say it’s not ‘pub grub’. The menu is not extensive, but adequate, tasty and fairly healthy. It would benefit from the addition of a salad and fresh coffee though. The food is certainly not expensive and the drinks are fairly average prices. I might also add that I have never seen anyone excessively drunk or causing trouble, which had to be a plus whatever your age.
Over the years we have taken overseas visitors to this venue, including one relative who is a well known DJ on the European scene . We have attended with friends, family and taken our young grand daughter. It never fails to impress. It’s original, quirky and always a party. I’ll keep attending, even though it’s an almost 200k round trip.
And yes Yarron, keep singing the pizza orders!
Firstly I would like to say “you can’t please everyone” and I am aware that there are lots of people out there who have never had the opportunity of attending various live music venues for 50 yrs +. Yes I am over 60! And when I’m too old to negotiate the stairs Camelot has a lift that I am sure the helpful staff will help me use. Yes over my many years of attending Camelot I have always found the staff to be very friendly and helpful.
Because it is a live music venue, not a concert hall there will be people standing. The same situation applies at other much more expensive venues as well as pubs that offer live music. If you want to ensure a seat you either get 7 friends to attend so you can book a table or get there early before the doors open.
I might also add that I have never found the tickets. I’ve seen some really top acts at much lower cost than at other larger venues. The standard of the entertainers is a mark of the calibre of the venue, and Camelot attracts world class acts.
Regarding the food; it must be accepted that it’s a live music venue, not a restaurant and I’m please to say it’s not ‘pub grub’. The menu is not extensive, but adequate, tasty and fairly healthy. It would benefit from the addition of a salad and fresh coffee though. The food is certainly not expensive and the drinks are fairly average prices. I might also add that I have never seen anyone excessively drunk or causing trouble, which had to be a plus whatever your age.
Over the years we have taken overseas visitors to this venue, including one relative who is a well known DJ on the European scene . We have attended with friends, family and taken our young grand daughter. It never fails to impress. It’s original, quirky and always a party. I’ll keep attending, even though it’s an almost 200k round trip.
And yes Yarron, keep singing the pizza orders!
Written 6 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ilan c
Sydney, Australia
Aug 2015 • Friends
Another fantastic evening at Camelot Lounge in Marrickville!
Started off the evening at the Django bar which is a great venue downstairs for relaxing with drinks and listening to music. Frank Bennett appeared and did not disappoint. Bar service was pleasant and efficient and the prices were reasonable.
Then went to the main entertainment lounge upstairs and watched an incredible band "Barrio Latin Soul". All I can say is that they live up to their name and everyone was dancing!
What an incredibly decorated lounge! The place has pizzaz and soul! The owners obviously have a vibrant creative spirit with artworks and antique pieces everywhere. The camel pieces are hilarious and bring humour and a sense of fun.
Started off with some pizzas; the service was very good and efficient; ordering was quick and the pizzas came within 5 to 10 minutes. The pizzas came hot and delicious; I had the garlic mozzarella pizza and my friends had the vegetarian and it was all very tasty. The pizzas are well priced in my opinion. One of our friends had the Mezze plate and there were a variety of delicious dips and pita bread; he looked very happy with his choice and wanted more!
The music started and it wasn't long before just about everybody got up from their seats and danced. Sound was excellent; not overly loud and not soft, just perfect!!
I was highly impressed with the sound engineering.
Looking at the website and the variety of entertainment at Camelot this venue is truly a gift to Sydney. Everyone knows the entertainment industry is a tough gig; so when one has a venue like this the opportunity for Sydney artists and patrons is just incredible.
Overall an excellent evening at Camelot lounge; we will return for more FANTASTIC music and delicious food. Everybody that I saw at Camelot appeared to be happy, laughing and having fun! I did too :)
Highly recommended!
Started off the evening at the Django bar which is a great venue downstairs for relaxing with drinks and listening to music. Frank Bennett appeared and did not disappoint. Bar service was pleasant and efficient and the prices were reasonable.
Then went to the main entertainment lounge upstairs and watched an incredible band "Barrio Latin Soul". All I can say is that they live up to their name and everyone was dancing!
What an incredibly decorated lounge! The place has pizzaz and soul! The owners obviously have a vibrant creative spirit with artworks and antique pieces everywhere. The camel pieces are hilarious and bring humour and a sense of fun.
Started off with some pizzas; the service was very good and efficient; ordering was quick and the pizzas came within 5 to 10 minutes. The pizzas came hot and delicious; I had the garlic mozzarella pizza and my friends had the vegetarian and it was all very tasty. The pizzas are well priced in my opinion. One of our friends had the Mezze plate and there were a variety of delicious dips and pita bread; he looked very happy with his choice and wanted more!
The music started and it wasn't long before just about everybody got up from their seats and danced. Sound was excellent; not overly loud and not soft, just perfect!!
I was highly impressed with the sound engineering.
Looking at the website and the variety of entertainment at Camelot this venue is truly a gift to Sydney. Everyone knows the entertainment industry is a tough gig; so when one has a venue like this the opportunity for Sydney artists and patrons is just incredible.
Overall an excellent evening at Camelot lounge; we will return for more FANTASTIC music and delicious food. Everybody that I saw at Camelot appeared to be happy, laughing and having fun! I did too :)
Highly recommended!
Written 22 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raphael C
Sydney, Australia
Apr 2015 • Couples
Eclectic & arty with an amazing atmosphere. This place worships the arts, and as a result you will be blown away by the vibe, the music ( and even the pizzas!).
Written 3 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SleepyINParadise
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
May 2013 • Friends
Fantastic live acts - this place really knows how to source the best talent. There are a few background issues though. If you are not part of a large group you can't book a table, which means if you want to sit down you have to go very early - this locks you into buying a meal because otherwise you are sitting around in a loud atmosphere waiting for the gig to start. Now this would be fine, except the menu never changes so if you are a regular..... there is only so much Camelot pizza you can eat before it starts to feel like something from a boarding school kitchen.
The loud background music between opening the venue and the gig starting is very irritating - I stress this is not just me. Every time we are there we hear people whinging about this as people would really like to be able to meet and greet friends and just have a chat over dinner. Camelot management - this loud loud background noise makes basic conversation impossible. everyone shouts and this makes it all worse.
The other thing is the steep stairway entry - there was a rumour that a lift was going in but there is no mention of a lift anywhere when you arrive - just the stairway up. I once saw someone on crutches trying (with huge difficulty and alot of help from mates) to get up the stair - if there is a lift patrons need to know this as not everyone can cope easily with that staircase. If not, the local Council should be looking into it.
The loud background music between opening the venue and the gig starting is very irritating - I stress this is not just me. Every time we are there we hear people whinging about this as people would really like to be able to meet and greet friends and just have a chat over dinner. Camelot management - this loud loud background noise makes basic conversation impossible. everyone shouts and this makes it all worse.
The other thing is the steep stairway entry - there was a rumour that a lift was going in but there is no mention of a lift anywhere when you arrive - just the stairway up. I once saw someone on crutches trying (with huge difficulty and alot of help from mates) to get up the stair - if there is a lift patrons need to know this as not everyone can cope easily with that staircase. If not, the local Council should be looking into it.
Written 22 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, and thanks for taking the time out to provide this feedback. To respond to a few of these issues, for the past year or more, we have had a lift for disabled access, and accordingly, we have been able to welcome both disabled musicians and audience members to Camelot. There is also a wheelchair accessible toilet, making Camelot completely accessible to all.
As far as our menu is concerned, our core offering is indeed pizza, together with mezze and dip plates. You mentioned being locked into buying a meal, where in fact we pride ourselves in being able to offer most of our patrons seats without anyone being in any way compelled to eat. Many music venues won’t book tables at all, or will only book them if you order a set menu, whereas we happily take table bookings for groups of 8 or more, with no expectations of people ordering meals.
I was disturbed to read that you have found the background music to be loud, as this is not our vibe or aesthetic at all – and would certainly turn it down the moment we found it difficult to hear one another. A fair amount of thought goes into the background dvd’s we play, so that if people do decide to get there early to get the best spots in the room, they have something to entertain and engage them. It’s most certainly not intended to preclude people from chatting to one another, so we will keep a close eye (ear) on this!
Thanks again for your regular patronage of Camelot, and supporting live music in Sydney. Cheers!
Written 25 June 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cindy L
Kirrawee, Australia
I would like to go to the upcoming Neil Young/Tom Petty show in November but I use a wheelchair. Do you have easy access for wheelchairs? Would that be a problem?
Cindy
Written 1 November 2017
Hi guys!
I am really confused searching Sydney nightlife as all higher rating nightlife spots are bars and not dance clubs.
Can you please suggest some good dance night out place that offers good music and ambience and easy on the pocket too.
Thnx in advance 😊
Written 6 January 2017
Every time I've been to The Camelot Lounge it's been packed. So I wouldn't say it's a dance venue, but it IS a great place for a night out.
Written 7 January 2017
Seriously? Got a phone? google it. Be prepared for it to be in an industrial area near the station. This, I assure you is part of it's charm. Entrance is around the corner. Use google maps it will be simpler than expecting people on this site to guide you. You won't regret this, it is a terrific venue, with great acts, good vibes and never disappoints.
Written 27 June 2016
Sydenham Station is closest, is using public transport.
Written 15 March 2015
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