My kind of pub. Dingy but not dirty. Quirky, without being too 'quirky'. Live music most nights of…read morethe week. Decently priced beer. Spacious and cool. Sticky carpet and colorful characters. Not a pokie in sight (or sound). Regular BBQs out in the beer garden. Cool sense of community from musos, hipsters, artists, and just anyone who likes a beer in one of Adelaide's most laid back pubs. Walking into the Grace is like putting on an old jumper you've found at the bottom of your wardrobe- might have an interesting whiff about it, but damn is it comfortable.

I recently visited the Grace Emily Hotel in Adelaide, a favourite Monday night hangout of mine…read morelocated at the south end of Waymouth in the inner west of the city. Monday night is open mike night, better known as Billy Bob's BBQ jam, an attraction for locals and tourists alike. Although quiet until about 9pm, the bar quickly fills and by 10 is packed with eccentrics, hipsters, aspiring musicians backpackers and international students. It is a quaint looking place, staunchly anti poker machine and one of the strongest supporters of Adelaide's local music scene. The walls are littered with 60's paraphernalia and objets d'art. During the winter time an open fire roars in the front bar, whilst during the summer people congregate outside in the beer garden out the back whilst waiting for the music to start. The cause of attraction is Billy Bob and his BBQ band. Performing perfect renditions of rock epics such as Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" (including the choreographed guitar thrusts) and moody blues numbers Billy Bob and his band set the bar for subsequent performances, and return to the stage intermittently to support other acts. Subsequent performances vary markedly from week to week but are always entertaining. From aged local singer song writers to sprightly young punkers, 10 piece reggae bands to a travelling magician the line up is always full, different and invigorating. During the Chinese New Year I have even seen a full Dragon Dance performance. For those who wish to perform, it is advisable to bring your own instrument (with the exception of drums of course which are provided by the venue), although, on occasion, Billy Bob and his band have allowed use of their guitars to young and underprepared punters. You will need to approach Billy Bob (he's the guy with the cowboy hat) and get your name written down on the list. Everyone is welcome, so if you can play, give it a go. The sound is great and taken care of by an experienced professional, there are also a number of mics for multiple vocalists, horns etc. For those who prefer to relax, the front bar is a less hectic way to take in the vibe and have a chat. With friendly bar staff and a counterculture atmosphere the Grace Emily is a unique and wonderful gem in the city of Adelaide. Aside from the regular Monday night open mike night for which the Grace Emily is so well known, it hosts numerous gigs for local, interstate and international acts during the week and on weekends. And they have the full range of coopers on tap! What more could one ask for in a venue.

Last night I was very fortunate enough to go to the Rhino Room to support one of my best buddies on…read morehis second open-mic night. Did you know that every Monday the Rhino Room does an open-mic night? Anyone can have an attempt at their stand up routine if they bring along three paying audience members at $10 per person. I am really sad that I did not know about this before. I would have been hanging out at the Rhino Room a lot more if I knew this earlier. Also, in saying that, if you are bored on a Monday night, go down for $10 worth of awesome local comedy. It is a great way to support locals who are testing out their material in a very comfortable and encouraging environment. The set that I watched last night was really awesome. There were some really talented newbies. It was great to watch them learn how to work the crowd. I will definitely be back to continue supporting them in the future. There is something about the Rhino Room. It is really cosy and intimate with the audience. Featuring classic velvet red stage curtains and some really cool and funky art painted on the walls. It is also available for hire for functions. Would be a cool place for a birthday or work function. I read a sign that said free room hire with bar tab of $1500. That is pretty decent these days. The bar stocks a good selection of beverages, including a couple of craft beers. This venue is renowned as one of the favs for travelling comedians and artists when they reach Adelaide. I read somewhere that Greg Fleet in particular really loved it. So, it is really worth keeping an eye on the acts on the Adelaide Central or Rhino Room website to see what is coming up. Or just come down for a good way to wind down after a hectic Monday!

Over the last decade or so I have seen the Rhino Room evolve into a regular drop in centre for many…read moretraveling comedians, and a second home for local bands and open mic performers. The homely environment it offers and strong network it has built around it, has helped build a fantastic hub for artists and fans. Rhino Room is also a supporting venue for visual artists as a gallery space, and back entrance to the Urban Cow Studio situated right next door. If stand up comedy, local music or visual art isn't really your thing, then book the room yourself for a private function and invite your own friends - It's your night, and a great place to hang out with people you like. Plus the introduction of the downstairs bar, courtyard area, and regular themed parties, It now offers more opportunities to mingle and party on until the wee hours of the morning. There's a giant rhino painted on the side of the building, so you can't miss it!

I once went to the Promethean for a friend's 21st. I'd never even noticed that it was there next to…read morethe enormous Asian grocery next door, but I was surprised at how large it was upon entering. I can understand why my friend chose the Promethean for her milestone event, as it makes the perfect party venue. The building used to be a church, a meeting hall, and a theatre before it became a live music venue. Some history, right? It's reinvented, yet old-world look is bold yet easy on the eyes, with rich colours and soft lighting. The bar is an obvious push towards the modern, with sleek white counters stylish decorative lighting. The large variety of beers and wines are relatively cheap, and the bartenders are capable of making some mean cocktails if so requested. I'm not sure how often live shows are held at the Promethean, but it's definitely a place worth checking out if you get the chance.

The Prom is a hidden yet wonderful live music venue and event space whose shiny fluoro green bar…read morewill be an image imprinted onto my brain forever. This venue has a tiny capacity but as a result you barely need to mic up the acts on stage. It is also an old converted church with a carpeted upstairs balcony that can fit 20 people and a half carpet, half wooden dance floor downstairs infront of the stage. For a converted church everything seems to feel cosy with carpeted floors, couches and fairy lighting on the stage. However the place also maintains an element of nightclub with their long fluoro bar. It must look like an odd mismatched space during the daytime! I have seen some wonderful acts here including The Audreys and Pimpin' Horus and the venue both suited dancing having people cosy up on the floor. Never have I seen a whole group of people in a live music venue sit on the floor in front of the stage! They also host wine tasting events, poetry nights and other spectacles during the week so check out their website for upcoming events. One final bit of awesomeness about The Prom...No matter who is performing or what the venue is being hired out for they will always offer up a themed cocktail for the evening based on who is performing. Simple touches that make this place feel comfortable and almost holy!

Fowler's is home to Adelaide's live music scene, hosting local, interstate and international…read moretalent. This place is the epitome of what a music gig should be; loud, sweaty, plastic beer filled cups in hand, and music lovers standing, moshing, or doing their interpretive boxing dance moves apparently known as "throwing down". I'm usually here for the metal gigs, which are always great. The stage isn't out of reach of the audience so you can get right up and personal to the bands, at your own risk though, it can be a bit rough up front. Although not as large as some other music theatres, Fowler's offers a reasonably big area and a more intimate experience. Merch areas are easily accessible in the bar room, as are a small array of beverages. Toilets are down a ramp like area, which even without alcohol in your system can be a hot spot for stacks. Girls, don't wear heels here, you'll fall down the ramp to the toilets and you will also generally look like a twat. Casual and relaxed is the dress code here; band tee's, jeans, flannies and caps. This is definitely one of my favourite places to go watch a band.

Fowler's Live is undisputedly the best place for live music in Adelaide. After having played shows…read morein venues all over Adelaide, I've concluded that you won't get a better sound anywhere else (unless you up the ranks to Thebarton Theatre or the Entertainment Centre). Fowler's holds live shows weekly, ranging from international artists to local acts. They're consistent in providing one of the most intimate and sonically impressive live music experiences in the State, and it's no wonder acts from all over the world choose to play here. The drinks are cheap and the venue is nice and spacious, allowing a lot of movement. There are stools and tables in the front room, but the action is in the second room with the stage. The staff is friendly and helpful, but you don't want to get on their bad side. Be nice to them, and they'll be nice to you. Treat them like shit, and, well.....something bad will happen.

I have to admit that I really like English Pubs that are actually proper English pubs, such as this…read moreone. In fact, what's really cool about this place is that they have proper English beers on tap. Okay, I have to admit that I honestly am not a fan of English beers, namely because I just don't like the way they are made (they tend to taste like flat soft drink), but it is still cool that they have them available, no doubt because it makes me feel like I'm actually in England. Yeah, this place is awesome. Oh, and they have a beer garden as well.

Great UK vibes and food! Lots of stouts on tap and oh my, those pickled eggs are to die for!!read more

NOT just a fringe venue…read more What a great place to duck in for a quiet weeknight drink or three with a small group of friends. A speak-easy bar true to it's categorical name, La Bohème is one of a dwindling number of bars in Adelaide with a classic feel and appropriately levelled tunes to provide ambiance but not inhibit conversation. La Bohème, please don't change.

Parisian inspired cabaret cocktail lounge across from the Markets on Grote street, La Boheme is…read moreentirely unique and in my opinion fantastic. Its curtained exterior provides a certain mystique, yet the friendly wicker chairs and jolly bouncer make for welcoming entrance. Inside, tightly packed tables surround a low set stage where during the week jazz and cabaret can be enjoyed, often free of charge. On the weekends DJ sets revolving around 1920's Jazz hits are the go. Often small groups of people get up to dance between what small space remains between the tables. There is an extensive cocktail list and good range of wine and beers. Prices are up there, but consider this as some measure of contribution towards the ambiance. A great venue to check out during Fringe time, or any other time of the year when you feel the need to travel back in time to a more cultured past.

The fact that I had thrown off my shoes and was walking barefoot and fancy free within 5 minutes of…read morearriving at this outdoor music venue is a good sign. This little sanctuary of calm in Dunstone Grove transports you to another world - feeling a bit like a hootenanny of straw hats and banjo players at one point and then a magical world of fairy lights, live music and rolling around on the grass as the sun sets over the garden. What made this place so appealing was the "ease" of everything on the night. Pay for tickets at the door, walk a few metres to the bar, walk another few metres to dinner and roll around on pre-laid out rugs and old vintage sofas throughout the garden. Bistro Dom and Devour Dessert caters for the event with a southern style menu of Fried Green Tomato Sliders, Charred Black Bell Peppers, Pork Belly Buns and Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sandwiches. Don't miss out on the sauce bar where you can pick from mild to smokin' hot chilli sauce to add to your dishes either! Highlight of the evening was grabbing a LOBO cider, a spicy fried green tomato slider which kicked like a mule with its spice and size and finishing off the night laying on a rug digesting my dinner while sweet live music melodies washed over me and the other 100 or so people there. Fingers crossed this venue remains after Adelaide Fringe or returns again for a second year of knee slappin, toe tappin, fried green tomato fun!

Great spot for a summer evening. Chilled setting with smokin' food. Fried green tomato sliders,…read moreblackened red bell peppers, beef brisket sandwich with satan sauce, pickled pigs' feet from Bistro Dom. For dessert from Devour there is a peanut butter ice cream sandwich, a bucket of donuts, or macarons. Yummmm! Relaxing music ( Baker Suite is French bistro accordion mixed with a bit of blues or acoustic rock guitar and bass - what's not to love?)

Star Theatre is nice and quaint. It's an older theatre, with an almost country town hall vibe. The…read morelobby is much too small to accommodate the amount of people that the theatre itself can entertain. Waiting for the doors to open, or for interval is the absolute pits and you're liable to be either the victim or perpetrator of an elbow to the eye. Somehow the minimal staff at the bar manage to not merely cope but efficiently and genially serve the masses and one is never left to wait for a wine or pack of Malteasers. The theatre has plenty of seating and all seats seem to have a great view of the performance. Whilst the performance I saw there was a musical, I think the stage was perhaps more designed for plays, as the orchestra overflowed out every which way with the brass and percussion marooned in separate areas flanking the bulk of the orchestra. Despite that, the sound was still very good and I heard everything from up the back. Not sure whether the lighting was the production's or the venue's but it too was very good. I both heard and saw all I was supposed to during the performance. Parking is pretty dreadful here and you have to fight with the masses to park in pokey little side streets which really should be one way but aren't. It is worth the inevitable walk from your park to the theatre though and all irritations are thwarted be the overall pleasantness of the experience.

A perfect winter hideaway and little spot for a Friday or Saturday night drink. The crowd is super…read morelocal and often the place is quiet but they are now putting on jazz mid-week to add some pizazz to the venue. An ever changing and simple wine list of SA wines by the glass and bottle as well as a few ciders and beers to boot complement the gourmet tapas style menu on offer. I love sharing food and so this place suited me perfectly however my partner was hoping we would go out for the "main meal" after dining here! Every dish was incredibly well flavoured and spiced as well as being rich enough to be filling. It wasn't the healthiest meal but every we tried couldn't be faulted. From the thai chicken balls with a caramelly soy sauce to waygu meat balls, fennel and orange soaked olives (my fav) and the fried haloumi it all worked well with each other and what we were drinking. This venue is also deceivingly larger than you would expect as you walk up to the counter (in a room behind the front bar and dining area) and can explore a larger carpeted dining and entertaining area as well as seating out the side of the house. It has been furnished very classically with old wooden chairs and tables but given a modern twist with the quirky addition of wine glass chandeliers and a mirrored room indoors. So if you're looking for a pre-dinner or late evening snack over some unusual local wine and tasty tapas, this place is worth bookmarking.

We discovered this spot some time ago and have visited it a few times since…read more Time for a review. Last night we got an off the cuff invite for drinks at 16:30 and to hear a band The Prospectors. Arriving late (that's our style) we missed the first set so sat out the back with a glass of bubbly and had a chat. There are a variety of rooms from the main with couches, large and small tables and bar stools, to small quiet intimate side rooms that can be used for groups. The wine is varied, many by the glass at fair prices and the staff are well versed in wine so are able to find something you'll like. The food is so very tasty. Mustard cheese bread, arancini balls, crushed potatoes and a three cheese plate. Ordered just at the end of the bands second set we were up on the dance floor. Tradition states with The Prospectors, that one of their last songs of an evening is 'dancing on the streets' in which you go and do just what the song says. A final note on the first Wednesday of the month they do a wine food pairing night with a local wine producer. It is a very popular event often being booked out weeks if not months in advance (we booked the last seat for the December event, 2 months in the future from time of posting) So expect an update in a few months.

Stopped in at The Holdy for a lunch with the family and extended family. Made a booking for noon…read morebecause of our party size. Service was excellent and friendly. Drinks were ordered from the bar while we waiting on everyone to arrive, and then the food orders were placed. I went with the chicken schnitzel, which was about the size of a football. Huge, but amazing flavor. Our party ended up staying for several hours. Eating and drinking the whole time. Very happy with the location, service, and food.

Possibly the worst dining experience we have ever had (and we have had some doozys)…read more Food/wait staff/atmosphere all terrible. Overpriced. Massive wine list if that interests you. Came for a birthday celebration. We had tried to call earlier in the day as we had 3 celiacs in the party. The place smelt like chlorine and vanilla/biscotti air freshener. Staff/food. one good staff member, a young man who ran between the bar and helping with food stuff. The rest were literally the most useless staff we have ever dealt with (even the floor manager was crap and avoidant). Just useless and frankly rubbish is the best way to describe them. Our female server had no idea what she was doing and didn't understand that serious food allergies can land people in hospital. We had two celiacs and one person with various allergies. Trying to order from this girl was like squeezing blood from a stone. She had no desire to offer any help or walk 2 meters to the kitchen behind us to ask questions. We had to get her to write the allergies down. Then we get our meals and our meals have literally the stuff we can't have in them. Hint: When someone has a food allergy of onion, don't put onion on their salad, when someone is a vegetarian, don't put a giant slab of grey soggy meat on their plate. We had to send the meal back 3 times before they realised that Spanish onion was ONION' and even then there must have been residue or something in the salad dressing because afterwards we felt so incredibly sick. The two celiacs both got poisoned by something in their meal even through we triple checked the wait staff and kitchen knew the allergies. The other food? The rest of the tables food was bland and overpriced. The pavlova came with half a strawberry diced up so small you could suck it through a straw. Atmosphere. When we walked in no one offered to help us or seat us. The place stunk like chlorine and air freshener (biscotti scented?). We also had a mild anaphylactic reaction to something in the restaurant as our throats started tickling before we had even ordered and by the time our meals came out we had headaches, a dizzy feeling and our throats were swollen. Truly a horrible experience with the most rubbish, disgusting, overpriced food, the most useless staff imaginable and a gross atmosphere of potentially leaking gas that meant us leaving felt incredible for the first time that night with the fresh air.