There's a cinema out the back that you can hire out. It seats about 20 and you can show whatever…read moreyou want. You can't take food in there but you can take your perfect margarita or whatever classic cocktail you've ordered. The bartenders here are a talented lot. They know what they're doing and they'll make you a delicious drink, whatever that may be. The food is also great - simple flavours that really bring out the best in each dish. The room itself is pared back, elegant and not at all showy. I can't fault this bar. It's almost perfect, and that's the highest compliment I can pay it because to be absolutely perfect would be boring.

I gotta say, I don't frequent many 'bar' type bars, I'm generally more of a pub guy. LongPlay has…read morebeen a sweet awakening... The folk at LongPlay know about making the customer happy. They are super friendly, they serve very good cocktails, they play good tunes and they even show movies. They've started showing limited/no release films out the back here on a regular basis and their selections have had me intrigued. They'll pull out obscure rockumentaries and rarities and for this I salute them. My buddies turned me on to Handsome Sailors (the drink, not the seamen) and this spot has now become one of my favourites to stop in for a nightcap after dinner or a night out. We rocked up one night as the dude was locking up and he even opened the bar back up for us for just out of good nature. He even let us spin a few records and we did some cocktail sampling. He's a champ, this is a winner. Go there.

The Den is a cool and classy cocktail bar hidden in the basement of The Atlantic restaurant. Access…read moreto the bar is through a front door on the waterfront promenade, or through the restaurant just downstairs from the oyster bar, which gives it a feel of being a very sophisticated and modern speak-easy, and a very private atmosphere. The bar serves everything, but specialises in both hand picked whiskies, and cocktails that take inspiration from around the world. My favourite was the Southerners Julep. which is Bourbon, fig, mint, maple syrup and powdered sugar. Sounds weird but for me, it worked! This is a great place for a few drinks in a sophisticated environment, that still has a fun vibe. Perfect for something a little different from the average Melbourne upscale bar.

Being in a malleable mood, I also wanted to experience what The Den had on offer after seeing it…read moreadvertised so often by woman that possesses a head that resembles a fish (literally) in the venue's advertising. The service in the Oyster Bar is just as professional as what you will find in the restaurant and is consistent with what I described in a previous post when I visited the restaurant which was surprising. I was expecting the service not to be as professional since you are in the bar area but that was not the case. After observing another table consume a seafood platter, I was both jealous and frothing at the mouth as it looked substantial and beautiful. My overwhelming desire for oysters did take a hold in the end though. What I did find curious is that you must order three of the same type of oyster where in the restaurant I believe you are only constrained to having to order two from the same region. Not being content to rest on my laurels, I wanted to explore what was on offer at the bottom of the staircase. I paid the bill and with the epicurean emo in tow, we stumbled down the stairs like thieves in the night into The Den. I had never seen a photo of the bar and I did have a preconceived notion of what it would be like since we were in Crown Tower of all places. What I found was completely opposite to what I expected. The Den is set up like a stately study, a place that you would find in a mansion in Toorak or the set of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. It was a pity that I did not spot Nicole Kidman sipping a wine in the corner as the table was occupied by hipsters sharing a glass of Coca Cola as they waited for their table to be made available in the upstairs restaurant sadly. The barman proved to be quite knowledgeable and very amusing. He recanted tall tales as he poured glasses of 666 vodka. It was not only comfortable but convenient to do our duty by holding up our end of the bar whilst relaxing in a place that defied expectations. There are hundreds of places that you can drink in the area. You can not compare and contrast the quality of the product as that remains constant, but it is easy to segregate different levels of service. Like with the Oyster Bar and the restaurant upstairs, the service in The Den, remains constantly professional, efficient and amusing when required. Besides The Waiting Room, I can not think of a place that affords the customer this type of service in Crown or the general area for that matter. Like with the restaurant and the Oyster Bar, quality and service comes at a price, but if you are looking for a relaxed time out and away from the madness of the casino, The Den can not be beat. I am looking forward to returning on a Thursday or Friday night to hear the piano being played. It just seems like the right thing to do.

Bar Louhina is a Mediterranean tapas restaurants. A small restaurant with indoor and outdoor…read moreseating. Service is very good and the drinks are really tasty. We had the ? And the roaster chicken and the special roasted pork with white beans. Very good food in downtown Melbourne.

If you're looking for a great place for drinks after work, or to meet a friend for a drink (then…read moremaybe a bite to eat), do come here. This is handy to workplaces at the Paris (Spring St) end of Collins Street and is great. There's seating indoors and outdoors. I came here for a drink after work with two colleagues. We didn't have a booking. We sat outside and enjoyed wines - thank you to our very helpful server who allowed us to taste first and then decide on our wine. We decided to stay for dinner and enjoyed the Kingfish and the Zucchini dishes. I would definitely come again - service is friendly, professional and respectful. Thank you.

Excellent atmosphere, brilliant service, friendly staff - highly recommended for locals and…read morevisitors to Melbourne Australia... We had the best Irish Coffee I've ever had...absolutely delicious.

Met with two friends for birthday drinks 8 August - had lovely margaritas & AWESOME Nachos…read more.. Excellent service & atmosphere - highly recommend for locls and tourist alike - very reasonable prices & excellent menu...

What an amazing restaurant! The moment we walked in the door we were treated as VIPs. Lena was our…read morehostess and was amazing. Her suggestion on the dishes was excellent, the quality of the food was so fresh that we watched the chefs shuck the oysters as they were ordered. Lena also suggest a new drink "Apple pie" which was tasty and went with the dish I ordered. Every staff member spoke to us and even though they were flat out, they gave us plenty of time to order and also have a chat. The restaurant was spotlessly clean and beautifully designed. A great variety on the menu. I will be going back and telling all my friends about it. Thank you for making our night out a very pleasant one.

Awesome experience all round from the time we entered. Exceptional staff that are attentive and…read moreinformative from start to finish. The mussel entree was interesting and delicious. Gnocchi like velvet and squid ink prawn pasta to die for. Great drinks list. Best place in Hawthorn. Will be back.

Now this is a good spot. Right up from Pixels Alley, is Mr. Wow's. Cozy and dark inside, the bar…read moregreets you so welcoming and delightful to look at. The drinks menu changes every so often, but they always keep you fascinated by the quirky names. It's very spacious inside. The outdoor seating is covered and protected from the elements, and equipped with space heaters. Sitting here gives you a nice overlooking view of the busy Smith Street. One of the coolest things about Mr Wows is that it is connected to Pixels Alley. So play some arcade games downstairs and have a drink (they have their own bar thing going on). The head upstairs, and play some board games, or pool or that game where you throw a disk. Enjoy the venues and what they have to offer.

Like a fun younger cousin to Panama, Mr Wow's is another upstairs large open space looking out onto…read moreSmith St below, but where Panama's focus is on the restaurant and classy drinks space, Mr Wow is - as the name suggests - focused on fun and games! (And despite what I once thought after a few drinks, it's definitely *not* called Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium. That's an average movie with Dustin Hoffman.) You might not get to use any of them on a busy Friday or Saturday night, but the free bocce pitch, and tennis table room is a really fun way to spend a few hours - just remember to not get too involved in the games to the point where your beer gets warm! Even if you're not playing with them, you might be busy dodging ping-pong and errant bocce balls if you're hanging nearby - especially as people get a little more 'jovial' into the night, so best stay on the other side of the place if that doesn't sound like your kind of fun. There's sometimes free popcorn on offer, but seems they only fire that up on the busy nights. Only a couple of beers on tap, but some cocktails or bottled drinks are also available. You generally have to make your own fun when going out anywhere, but Mr Wow's certainly tries to lend a helping hand.

Saganaki - yum Tuna ceviche - delicious…read more Olives - good Mushrooms - very good Bread - good Garlic prawns - average Chorizo - average Meatballs - average Calamari - average Tapas around $18 each which for the size of some of them was definitely expensive but for me tonight the tuna cevichi was a standout dish, great portion size, fresh and full of flavour! Service was good although it was quite difficult to understand our servers accent. Would I come back? Probably not.. There are too many more amazing places to eat in Melbourne...

The first time I went to the Bouzy Rouge I knew it was going to be good. It was one of those…read moreoccasions where everyone looked happy: the customers, the staff and the people who were coming out after a drink or meal. A happy environment is key to having a great experience. The Bouzy Rouge didn't let me down. The dining area is sleek and comfortable. Enormous cushioned seats that stick out of the walls and hanging chandeliers give it a sense of luxury but the service is friendly enough to make the setting more about ease and comfort than a rigid dining experience. I'm a sucker for calamari so I usually have that to start, it's chilli salted and comes with aioli and lime. Its fresh and spicy and for only $17 I never bat and eyelid when ordering. I usually share a main, last time my partner and I worked our way through the beef cheek braised in red wine with asparagus and polenta ($30). It's soft and rich, and perfect on a cold night. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to drink at Bouzy Rouge yet as I am usually the driver. But I'm setting aside an occasion where I'll be able to sample the wine menu and let you all know what I think.

Came with group of 5 on a Thursday night ... lots of peeps but next time will make reservations…read more.. nice patio area to sit but too cold tonight. Got the steak and potatoes with veggies was excellent. My friends ordered the Parmesan chicken and steak sandwich all said was good. So so beer selection a bit noisy but all and all good experience. Order at counter a little bit of a wait but food was good.

This place has an amaaaaaaazing beer garden out the back. Easily one of the best beer gardens in…read moreMelbourne. It's spacious and leafy and great for large groups, and I love how hidden this pub is -- it's randomly tucked away in a residential neighborhood not far from the hustle and bustle of Brunswick Street. Unfortunately, it loses points for me based on food and service. The service has just always been terrible here. Surly dudes with acne scars and a bad attitude. My food experience here also wasn't good. I ate here once -- got the vegan salad, which looked like my only option -- and it was really bland and tasteless. I think it's great that pubs are serving vegan meals more often these days, but vegans are like anybody else -- they come to a pub to eat fatty foods and drink alcohol. It felt weird downing cheap jugs of beer with my workmates while having to delicately chew on a bowl of raw greens. The dressing was nice, but there was way too little of it, and too many giant leaves. So yeah, basically spent $18 on a giant bowl of greens with some cashews thrown in. Not pub food! Where's the veggie burger and chips?! Anyway. It's nice they made an effort to include something vegan and healthy -- but it was just so bland and boring. I think come here on a sunny day to drink but not eat. Soak up the sun in the beer garden. That's what The Standard does best.