About Us
Live music, always.
About Us
Live music, always.
Underground Sounds.
Unforgettable Nights.
For The Lovers, The Loners & The Legends.
The Cross Is Alive Again.
Arrive For A Drink. Stay For The Music.
Come For The Groove. Leave With The Blues.
Come For The Cocktails. Leave With A Story.
Arrive For A Drink. Stay For The Music.
Live music isn’t background noise,
it’s the heartbeat of the room.
Hidden beneath Kings Cross, our basement comes alive night after night with an ever-changing lineup of exceptional musicians, singers and performers, delivering everything from jazz, funk and soul to blues, disco, late-night grooves and unexpected musical moments you won’t find anywhere else in Sydney.
Led from the keys by Sean Mackenzie, the Sean & Dolly’s house band features a rotating cast of world-class players, special guests and emerging talent sharing the same stage in an intimate listening-room atmosphere where the music always comes first.
“Musicians play here because they genuinely love music,” says Sean. “That’s what people feel when they walk into the room. It’s not about ego or background noise — it’s about connection, creativity and giving artists a real space to perform properly.”
From spontaneous jam sessions and stripped-back piano moments to full-band energy that shakes the basement walls, no two nights are ever quite the same.
This is more than just a nightclub.
More than just a bar.
It’s a real live music venue — built by musicians, for music lovers.
Check out our What’s On page for upcoming performances, or better yet, join the mailing list and become part of the basement.
In A Nutshell...
Sean & Dolly’s is a live music cocktail bar in the heart of Kings Cross — an intimate basement hideaway built for music lovers, cocktail enthusiasts and people chasing a genuinely great night out.
With live performances lighting up the room night after night, expertly crafted cocktails, delicious food and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, Sean & Dolly’s blends old-school nightlife charm with the energy of Sydney’s evolving music scene.
From jazz, funk and soul to blues, disco and spontaneous late-night jam sessions, every evening brings something different — all delivered in a space designed to feel personal, alive and full of character.
Whether you’re here for the music, the martinis, the people, or simply the feeling of discovering somewhere special, Sean & Dolly’s quickly becomes more than just a venue.
It becomes your spot.
A place to unwind.
A place to connect.
A place where you belong.
Sean Mackenzie
Owner | Musician | Bandleader
Sean Mackenzie has been a professional touring and recording musician since the age of 15, building a career spanning more than four decades across stages, studios and live music rooms around the world.
From performing to thousands at major events, to touring internationally alongside world-class musicians and recording in some of the industry’s most respected studios, Sean’s journey through music has been one of passion, persistence and deep creative dedication. Like all true artists, he has experienced both the soaring highs and the harder lessons of life in the industry — experiences that now shape the soul of Sean & Dolly’s.
Beyond performance, Sean has spent years mentoring, collaborating with and encouraging fellow musicians to grow in confidence, creativity and craft. Whether on stage, behind the piano, in rehearsal rooms or through spontaneous late-night jams, his commitment to nurturing musical community remains at the centre of everything he does.
Music, for Sean, has never simply been a career. It is connection. It is healing. It is purpose.
His lifelong mission is to bring music and creativity into people’s lives, and to inspire others to realise their own potential for joy, expression, love and contribution.
At Sean & Dolly’s, that philosophy lives in every note played in the basement.
Dolly Kadek Pops
Owner | DJ | Mixologist | Hospitality Creative
Dolly Kadek Pops is hospitality through and through — a true all-rounder with years of experience across almost every corner of the industry imaginable.
From dive bars to fine dining, pubs to late-night clubs, hotels, festivals, cruise ships and live music venues, Dolly has worked the floor, the bar, the door, the office and everything in between. Bartender, bar manager, host, DJ, mixologist, events promoter, FOH, BOH, problem solver, peace keeper, chaos coordinator — if the lights were on and the doors were open, chances are Dolly was somewhere in the middle of the action making the room come alive.
Originally stepping behind the decks in the late ‘90s, Dolly developed a deep love for music culture, nightlife energy and the connection that happens when the right song hits at the right moment. That same passion naturally spilled behind the bar, where she built a reputation for crafting cocktails with personality, flair and a little bit of mischief.
With years spent working in some of Sydney’s most iconic venues, Dolly’s approach to mixology blends classic technique with creativity, warmth and showmanship — believing a great cocktail should feel like part of the night’s story, not just something poured into a glass.
Known for her warmth, instinct for atmosphere and larger-than-life personality, Dolly brings a deep understanding of what makes people stay longer, laugh louder and come back again. Her passion lies in creating unforgettable experiences, building genuine connection, supporting artists and staff, and helping venues grow not just financially, but culturally.
At Sean & Dolly’s, she works alongside Sean to shape the soul of the venue — blending old-school hospitality, expertly crafted cocktails and the unpredictable magic of Kings Cross nightlife.
Whether she’s shaking cocktails, curating menus, hosting a packed basement, organising performers, solving five problems at once or jumping behind the DJ decks after midnight, Dolly believes hospitality should feel personal, welcoming and alive.
Because the best venues aren’t just businesses.
They’re communities.
Sean & Dolly’s isn’t just another venue for hire — it’s a space built by people who have spent their lives inside the worlds of entertainment, nightlife, music and hospitality.
What makes the difference?
Sean and Dolly themselves.
Together, their experience covers the two essential ingredients behind every unforgettable event:
Entertainment and hospitality.
One understands the stage.
The other understands the room.
And both know how to bring people together.
