The 5 best BYO party venues in Sydney that welcome your own food, drinks, and personal style
Aren’t occasions made special by the way you celebrate them? The food and drinks are yours and your guests’ favorites, and the theme and style hold just as much meaning for them as they do for you.
It’s a bonding moment, too, as you and your friends plan what to cook or reconnect with that relative whose catering never disappoints. And let’s not forget the bottles of alcohol or soft drinks you won’t have to worry about paying a big corkage fee for.
All those can come together in the best BYO party venues in Sydney. From waterfront spots and creative warehouses to intimate studios and terrace houses that feel just like home, your celebration is sure to be one for the books.
| How much do BYO party venues cost in Sydney? In Sydney, BYO party venues typically start at around $350 per event. Some venues charge hourly rates between $100 and $250 for shorter bookings, while smaller or more casual spaces go as low as $15 per hour. |
1. Manly Yacht Club
Address: E Esplanade, Manly
Phone: +61 2 9977 4949
Business hours:
- Friday, 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday, 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM
- Sunday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
It’s all coastal vibes at the Manly Yacht Club—from the huge outdoor deck overlooking the beach to the cozy hall areas with light-filled interiors and timber floors. It’s these details that have made weddings, celebrations, and corporate functions here truly memorable for guests.
As for those who planned and hosted them, they appreciated the full flexibility and control—whether that meant choosing their own suppliers or bringing in their own decorations, bar, and furniture. Add to that the venue’s capacity to seat 100 guests comfortably.
Full-day hire runs from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM and includes Wi-Fi, a wall-mounted TV, and an HDMI cable. Rates start at $450 for corporate and $1,200 for weddings or parties, with extras like a $230 sound system, $100 whiteboard and pens, and $80 barbecue use.
One downside some clients mentioned was being asked by security to wrap up before their booking’s official ending time. Others were bothered by the guard’s leniency—like allowing dogs inside despite the venue’s no-pet policy.
Lovely location and had full flexibility to arrange everything
“Having attended a wedding at the Manly Yacht Club previously, we decided to have ours there too. The location is lovely, with a huge covered balcony looking out over the water. We liked that we could hire the venue and had full flexibility to arrange everything else through suppliers of our choice. It was the perfect spot for the relaxed, easy going day that we wanted.”
- Jean-Bernard Fremy, Google Review
A great choice for events—bar, decorations, and furniture all up to you
“A great choice for events in Manly. You are in control for the most part. Bar, decorations, furniture…its all up to you…and the view is a special one.”
- Carline Oakley, Google Review
2. The Freedom Hub
Address: 283 Young St, Waterloo
Phone: +61 432 619 702
Business hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Bringing your own catering, decorations, and vendors isn’t the only perk of hosting your event at The Freedom Hub. Fees go toward helping survivors of modern slavery rebuild their lives—including the $200 corkage charge for alcohol, which some find a bit steep.
Another special thing about the venue is that it’s a 100-year-old warehouse, with river pebble floors and exposed steel beams. Clients who chose the Blank Canvas package—tables and chairs only—often love the creative freedom to style it their way.
They’ve had weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, and fundraisers here. Throughout the booking process and preparation, event coordinators and hosts thank the staff for being responsive, professional, and always ready to assist with anything they need.
It’s also worth noting that The Freedom Hub doubles as a cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and sweet treats alongside coffee or tea. However, some have reported late food, incorrect orders, and poor quality—leaving a few hesitant to give it a try.
Allowed us to bring our catering and our guests loved the unique venue
“We had our wedding at the Freedom Hub in March 2023. We had been searching for a wedding venue that suited our needs and could be set up in a specific way for our traditional ceremony and rituals. Hosting an ethical wedding at TFH was a great way to stay true to our values and allowed us to bring our catering, drinks and other vendors to make our vision come to life. Sam was great to work with throughout the process and was prompt and thorough in helping us with any questions. Our guests loved the unique venue and TFH’s values and cause.”
- Deni, Google Review
Offered so much flexibility without any hiccup
“We held a large Indian wedding function (Sangeet) at Freedom Hub and the experience was truly fantastic. Sam worked tirelessly with our wedding planners to ensure everything was up to scratch in the months leading up to the night and was on site the entire time of the function. The venue offered so much flexibility so we were able to bring in the vendors of our choice without any hiccup and were able to use FH furniture on the night as well.”
- Nishita Merchant, Google Review
3. Bustle Studios
Address: 457/459 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills
Phone: +61 403 999 920
Business hours:
- Sunday-Thursday, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday & Saturday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Bustle Studios is basically a terrace house in Surry Hills, with each room or floor serving a different purpose.
For example, the first and second floors—which consist of the balcony, garden, living room, and kitchen—are used for parties like bridal and baby showers, starting at $580.
People usually enjoy their BYO food and drinks on the outdoor balcony, sometimes even adding their own touch to the retro-vintage decor around the place. What’s more, clients often feel right at home, as tables, chairs, TV, bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and more are already provided.
On the downside, Bustle Studios no longer hosts birthdays, engagements, and wedding parties—disappointing those hoping to celebrate there.
Instead, they rent out co-working and meeting spaces, though a few have found them uncomfortable for long, computer-heavy sessions.
What makes it better is the quick communication and convenient location—close to Central Station and easy to find with ample parking. Plus, since there are regular pets at the studio, guests are welcome to bring their own to celebrate with them.
Great venue, convenient location, and our guests loved the vibe
“Bustle Studios is a great venue for all kinds of events. We had my wife’s baby shower there and the location is very convenient as it is close to central station. Laura was amazing to connect with for the services. Our guests truly loved the decor and vibe of the venue.”
- Ramtej Pathi, Google Review
Accommodating and being able to bring all of your own food and alcohol was great
“Fantastic venue! We had a hens day here and couldn’t have wished for a better venue. The rooms are gorgeous and beautifully set out with very little decorations required, and plenty of seating for guests. Access to the kitchen and being able to bring all of our own food and alcohol was great! Laura was extremely helpful and accommodating with all my queries and Lexy was great on the day even taking photos of our group (at our request)! We had so many compliments on the venue from everyone and couldn’t recommend a more wonderful venue for an event.”
- Tara Parry, Google Review
4. San Telmo Studio
Address: Studio 3/25 Wellington St, Chippendale
Phone: +61 417 325 889
Business hours: Monday-Sunday, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
San Telmo Studio keeps things intimate through its abundance of natural light, charming antique furniture, leafy plants, and space for up to 50 guests. Guests have used it to host baby showers, small birthday parties, casual get-togethers, and even photo shoots.
Booking the studio for half of the day (4 hours) costs $400, and $600 for a full day (8 hours). That covers the bathroom, kitchenette, lounge area, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi—with BYO catering and alcohol privileges typically added for around $100.
The manager, Helen, gets a lot of love from clients because of how accommodating, communicative, and hands-on she is. One was particularly grateful for the free glasses and plates she offered, while another thanked her for helping out with venue arrangements.
One area that could use some attention, though, is cleanliness. Those who’ve booked the place for board meetings and workshops have noticed dust on the window sills and visible smudges on the timber floors.
Interesting array of decoration and organizing my event was trouble-free
“A great venue for the event. Great location and a heap of space with an interesting array of decoration. Organising my event there was trouble free and easy to do with no hassles and delivered exactly what was required.”
- Chris Day, Google Review
Great space, good natural light, and host was very friendly
“Great space for my women circle. They all loved it. Very creative and groovy vibes. Amazing props. Good natural light. Loads of plants. The host was very friendly. Highly recommended it. Cheers.”
- Michelle Vianna, Google Review
5. The Venue Alexandria
Address: 55 Doody St, Alexandria
Phone: +61 2 8324 6200
Business hours: Monday-Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The Venue Alexandria has three spaces: the Main Venue for large-scale celebrations, the more intimate Studio, and the Foyer as a pre-event space. All are set in an industrial-chic warehouse complete with air conditioning, high-speed Wi-Fi, AV equipment, and generous parking.
Corporate functions, exhibitions, and gala dinners have all been hosted in the Main, which fits up to 1,400 guests. Since these events often involve external caterers or vendors, it makes sense that they charge a modest (though unspecified) BYO fee.
What especially stands out to event coordinators and managers is the venue’s blank canvas setup, along with the freedom and flexibility to carry out their ideas. Not to mention the friendly, professional staff who are ready to lend a hand whenever or wherever needed.
The downside is that rescheduling is tricky here—some guests have mentioned losing their full deposit even when just trying to move their event to a new date. Others pointed out the limited bathrooms and said the entrances were hard to find.
Ongoing support and allows event managers to bring any idea to life
“We organised a corporate function at The Venue Alexandria and it was truely and incredible space which allows event managers to bring any event idea to life. The team at The Venue are also fantastic to work with and their professionalism and ongoing support in the lead up and on the day was outstanding. I would highly recommend this space anyone considering having their corporate function in the space!”
- Loren Blundell, Google Review
Creative and flexible venue
“A very cool, modern, creative and flexible venue, perfect for a corporate event, wedding or product launch.”
- Jayson Packett, Google Review