A must stop hole in the wall pub great service great Guinness…read more First time in Melbourne an ill be recommending this place to everyone

This is the best Irish pub in Melbourne and it's all down to Siobhan. I don't know how she does it…read morebut she remembers everyone and even though she seem to always be working she's always friendly and happy. Of course keeping the Guinness at the best standard you can get in Australia is a plus! Although I don't think it is drinkable outside Ireland/England but that's a whole other subject. There is live music too. The only food is simple toasted cheese sandwiches which are just awesome. There's usually two tables out front on the street which are generally communal.

This newly opened addition the South Melbourne bar and restaurant scene is a definite winner. With…read morea gorgeous curved copper bar and elegant and long dining tables The Yard's interior has been uniquely designed by the fun and friendly owners to reflect a classy dining experience as well as a casual beer garden indoors. The term The Yard refers to the garden area down the back of the restaurant, under cover with a free flowing water feature and wooden tables and chairs the yard area gives the illusion of sitting outdoors in the summer with friends enjoying a glass of wine and maybe a tasty treat. The menu at The Yard varies but I can highly recommend any of there incredible freshly baked desserts, I tried the chocolate profiteroles which were soft, fluffy and decadent. We also were lucky enough to sample a serving of Tiramisu, it came served in a glass with fresh whipped cream on top and flaked chocolate pieces as garnish. i can feel it in my thighs already! With a variety of different nights including Jazz, House and Happy Hour The Yard is proving to be a winner amongst locals and quickly positioning itself on the list of top South Melbourne venues.

There are a lot of really cool things about this little pub near the Queen Victoria Markets. Okay,…read moreit also doubles as a backpackers hostel so you are going to get a lot of the backpackers drinking here, but that isn't really a bad thing. On the front door there is this really strange statue that I am still trying to work out what it is, but due to the fishing theme that hits you when you walk inside (such as the net and the bouys that are dangling from the ceiling) I suspect that it may be a mermaid or something like that (though it does look a bit ugly to be a mermaid). Yes, this is a pretty grungy pub, but that is what I like in a pub, and they also have some pretty cheap drinks here as well, so this is certainly on my list of pubs to return to again.

Again am embarrassed to admit how long it's taken me to get to this awesome pub. Seriously dont…read moreask, cos I won't tell. Let's just say too long. I've seen in the last few weeks some awesome bands here. Most notably The Stiffys, Laura Imbruglia and Dart. Definitely a dive bar with decently priced not shit beer. They aren't changing the world, but maybe they are. Bringing decent craft beer to the masses.

This is a rather new bar that we discovered as we decided to start exploring Docklands. Well, I…read morestill don't think there is all that much here, but this bar certainly does add some more character to the place. In fact I found it rather nice, and the staff were quite friendly as well. Oh, and they also had some nice beers on tap. The other thing, well, the location was pretty good, looking over the refurbished docks.

Perfectly cooked charcoaled rib eye steaks with helpful and friendly staff. Great location with a…read morekiller view day or night.

I love jazz clubs so I was looking forward to going here…read more Nice friendly knowledgeable bar staff. Small venue that was nice and intimate, an obvious date night place as there was more than a few couples trying to suck each others faces off. But this only added to the atmosphere not detract it. Good singer, good band, you could almost reach out and touch them, great stuff. No lounge sofas just tables. I'm a jazz club snob so I want everything perfect, this came cuddly toy close, but no cuddles. I liked it, just no t open on a Sunday, wtf!

I came to Paris Cat on a mystery date to see a live Jazz show…read more I loved the intimacy of the venue and had the opportunity to speak with one of the artists before the show started. Id love to see an espresso machine setup here. Would be great to have a coffee to make the drive home easier. :-) not worth deducting a star for.

The Town Hall Hotel is a North Melbourne pub icon. Sporting a relaxed urban grunge vibe, this hotel…read moreis clearly a popular local hangout. Casual Sunday, every day. I will leave the merits of the atmosphere to other patrons for comment. That said, it is a truly Melbourne pub experience. In terms of thirst, there is a good selection of wine and beer. For those who like to eat, the menu is frequently updated and has a variety of options. I ordered the Mexican Parma for dinner. It was served on top of chips. The Parma was very soggy and tasted quite bland. The guacamole topping and pub style salad didn't elevate the dish either unfortunately.

I must say that they seem to have a huge collection of music, though I couldn't tell what CDs they…read morehad because they wouldn't let me behind the bar to have a look. The musical memorabilia covering the walls of the front bar seem to suggest classic rock, but I haven't been around too long to find out (namely because this pub gets really, really crowded on a Friday night). It is also quite narrow, which means that it can also get quite cramped, especially when you try to make you way to the beer garden out the back because they seemed to have squeeze a restaurant in the middle. While I've always found a set in the beer garden, it is also small, and very crowded, so while I do really like the ambience of the place, I really not enjoy squeezing my way through large amounts of people.

Oh boy, where to begin... BANG is totally my style. HEAVY ass music and some fun old sing-along pop…read morepunk hits, for the most part. Cheap drink specials (cheap for Melbourne, at least) all night (or until they run out of stuff). Multiple rooms with DJs. But man, the DJs SUCKED the night I went. The main dude was hammered and kept playing repeat songs. If a new DJ comes on and plays a song another DJ played earlier, I can understand that. But this guy was a repeat offender TEN times, not even kidding. And when he repeated a song, it was within four songs of one another. It's not like he didn't have enough music to choose from. Just incredibly annoying. The "club" goers were awesome. Super friendly. Felt like I was hanging out with a bunch of my friends even though they were strangers. Saved money by checking into the Facebook event, so definitely remember to do that. Highlight of the night was Ollie from Bring Me the Horizon "DJ'ing" and openly admitting he had no idea what he was doing. Was cool to see him up close and personal. If you like heavy music and want to be surrounded by kick ass people who like the same music as you, definitely give it a go. I just really hope the DJ isn't so intoxicated he plays Misery Business three times within a 40 minute time span.

Bang! Nightclub is held exclusively on Saturday nights at the Royal Melbourne Hotel on Bourke…read moreStreet. It is a lung shaking experience of voluminous hard metal that will be pulsing through you for hours after you leave. It is a popular meeting ground for Melbourne's punk, Emo and metal heads so, naturally, coloured clothing is a rarity. Entry prices vary from free to around $20 depending on what bands are playing. There are always guest lists that offer cheaper entry as well, check Facebook to stay updated on these. They accept cash only at the door although there is an ATM just inside. After squeezing through a human sieve that is the outdoor smoking area, you reach the main room. This has a large curving bar that is always surrounded by queues. Expect to be waiting upwards of five to ten minutes for service. Live bands play in this room and there is commonly a merchandise table set up with t-shirts and CDs for sale. At the back of this room is a small corridor shaped room that plays a mix of genres. Like everywhere else in this venue it is extremely crowded and it is a real fight to wiggle your way in. Between these two rooms are a second bar and the cloakroom, $4 an item. Just before you head up the stairs to the second floor, check out the little room hidden away on the left. It plays nineties tunes and has a karaoke machine set up. There are also some welcoming armchairs that snuggle around you as you sit down. After the crush of people in other rooms, this is a good space to take a breather and rest your ears from the onslaught of metal. Upstairs is the home to yet another live band that rotates with a DJ. It is also home to head banging and strobe lights. Definitely not recommended for anyone who has epilepsy, this floor is a plethora of bright flashes intermixed with brief moments of darkness. It is full on to say the least. A result of the lights or the general drunken state of the patrons I can't say but the floor up here is almost completely covered in beer all the time, not to mention the bottles. At one point I walked off without my shoes because they got stuck to the floor. Aside from this, the atmosphere here is insane. The crowd is united in their passion for the bands and when a crowd favourite is played you can bet your how-have-they-not-burst-yet eardrums that you will know about it. As for having a conversation - forget about it, it's impossible. For a night that will ring in your ears, thump through your knee joints and echo through your teeth, there really is no better place than Bang. There are so many rooms and different areas to enjoy and with different bands every week there is always something new. Personally, I cannot stand Bang and will happily never be going there again but for people who enjoy punk/metal/hard rock music it would be pretty good. I find it way too loud and don't like the ear-raping I got during my visit. Also, having my shoes stick to the floor because it was so sticky with the beer film was extremely gross!

Great venue with a good selection on the menu and wine list to please all. The gnocchi was…read moredelicious and staff friendly. Will definitely be back.

From the owner: Looking for a great pub in South Melbourne?…read more Look no further than The Market Hotel an iconic pub in South Melbourne, with an award winning garden inspired fit out. With a focus on local craft beer, friendly service and relaxed vibes, The Market is a classic corner pub with a lot of heart. Beer is our backbone with multiple rotating craft taps from all over Australia, with guest appearances from the occasional overseas friend. Our staff are proud beer nerds and we've always got our eyes pealed for new brews to share with our patrons.

Revolt art space is a wonderful, amazing venue located in the suburb of Kensington, which is about…read more10 minutes away from the CBD. When I first came here it was to see one of my favorite bands (Bonjah) play on Australia day 2010. I was blown away. The huge 'factory' is abundant with art. It's visual candy - everywhere. There are separate rooms with couches filled with sculptures and paintings. It has a main stage with with ample room for standing to watch a band or performer. Performers vary from dancers to mimes to comedians to actors. Revolt is open most days - it has a chill atmosphere you can just call in have a coffee and read a book or attend one of the many events which can be found on their website. The staff at Revolt are a family - literally. They took lease of the space in 2009 and have worked hard to make it what it is today. I was lucky enough to volunteer during the 2011 Fringe Festival which was a great experience. I encourage you all to call into Revolt & check it out, if only for the visual experience. You will be amazed at this place & wonder why you have never visited there before. They serve alcohol & have bar food. http://www.revoltproductions.com/home/

Revolt is a secret pirate cave of wonderment. I want to say more, but I don't think I could capture…read morethe excitement of the first time I entered and wandered around the many rooms and spaces that have amassed in this new performing arts centre in Kensington. It's a maze, designed with both performers and audience in mind. The crew make sure you're getting a truly unique experience by either attending or using Revolt to stage your event. What's more (and the bit I think I like the most) is their philosophy of supporting new artists. For someone with a great idea but not a big plan on how to market that idea, this is possibly the place to approach to stage it. It's a bit of a secret, really, tucked down a back street in an unassuming warehouse district, but not one that should stay so.

Yep, you guessed it. This bar is right next to Crown's Atrium. It catches your eye with the glitz…read moreand glam surrounding this retro fitting bar. It's dumb, but since it's technically "in the casino" you do have to show your ID, before walking a further five steps to get to the bar. Atrium Bar is sectioned off, and rightly so. I ordered the White Peach Toreador and also tried the Chicago Southside. It took quite some time for our drinks to come out, and it's not like they were understaffed or crazy busy to explain it. When the drinks did come, they weren't anything out of this world, just pricey and pretty. Maybe come here for basic drinks, not a cocktail? Every single night between 5 to 8pm, they have $10 Espresso Martinis. As the unofficial drink of Melbourne- that's pretty good to know. It's a nice setting, great for the people watching of Crown, and with the Atrium falls in the background, it's an easy place to go for a drink in a casino that still feels separate from that entity.

The thing I may miss most about leaving my previous employer might, in fact, be the nights I spent…read morewith my management colleagues taking over the Atrium Bar in the Crown Complex like we owned the joint and drinking top shelf cocktails until the wee, wee hours of the morning. On occasion, you could spot a member of our executive team in the corner of the bar doing the same. It is a small bar within the complex, away from the riff-raff, but close enough to go have a punt at a table or a nearby machine. The re-fit they gave it in 2012 has only amped up its feel of being a bit 'spesh. Well, let's face it - you feel like you're part of the 1% when you're here. Cocktails are pricey, but it goes with the location. Live piano and jazz is a perfect fit to the vibe of the place. Most nights I've been it's been packed, but you're still able to get service at the bar in a reasonable amount of time, which is a testament to the staff.