It's always good to visit a bar that I haven't visited before, and with Melbourne there are…read morecertainly quite a lot of bars in which this can be done, since they do tend to be literally popping up all over the place. Well, this one is certainly no exceptions, and while it isn't one of the best rooftop bars that I have visit, it is still pretty good. Yeah, in a way there certainly does seem to be pretty nice atmosphere up here, and the staff are pretty cool as well. Oh, and I probably should mention that they have some rather nice beers as well. Yeah, this place certainly is pretty cool.

What a wonderful day to sit outside for lunch on a rooftop cafe. Warm but a bit breezy and…read moreeventually rain chased us off the roof. The food is Fancy Hank's BBQ from downstairs but it was the open fresh air that did it for me.

Absolutely disappointing experience and appalling customer service. The vibe looked good and we…read moredecided to take a chance. We entered at 11pm and decided to get a bottle of sparkling. No one informed us about any policy. We paid for the bottle with 5% service charge which I do not think they deserved. We had a sudden work call at 11.30pm and grabbed the bottle to go, only for the staff to chase us to the front of the bar to inform us that they do not have a takeaway license. For christ sake, we already had bought the bottle!! Though it's alright, we respect policy. They highlighted that they needed to keep the bottle in the establishment. We asked if we could come back and finish it. They said they would keep our bottle. We rushed back to our hotel (Marriott- 200m away for the call). When we returned at 11.58pm, they had already thrown our bottle away. Unbelievable! They were quick to receive our money but equally quick to throw our experience out the window. No doubt, we returned almost at closing times but throwing our wine before closing time - if you wanna go by the book, that is still not your closing time. When we raised our grievances to the staff, she said she told us about closing time at 12 midnight. However, we emphasised that she should have let us know about the takeaway policy and license. Had we known, we would not have ordered a bottle. She looked at us blankly and simply replied "feedback received, but we do not allow anyone in after 12, so you have to leave". Quite honestly, ChatGPT / Claude / Grok could have conveyed more empathy. I am not a VIP customer nor am I a high spender. That being said, I value places with a human connection and empathy, and would regularly visit such places with joy and happiness multiple times. This place is not one of them. For this reason, I will never visit again. If you think likewise, and value authenticity and a true Aussie welcome, you would not visit this place. I hate to give negative reviews but please spend your money elsewhere.

The perfect blend of new and old, Caretaker's Cottage is undoubtably the best bar in Melbourne…read more Don't take my word for it, take the word of the 3 other bartenders around town that unanimously answered "Caretaker's Cottage!" when I asked what do they think the best bar in town was. CC is also on the Top 50 bars list! At Caretaker's Cottage you get high end, modern cocktails wrapped in an old-pub feel atmosphere with interesting decor. Aptly named, the place is a converted old cottage behind the Wesley Place church. Step inside, and it's a mix of old and modern, maintaining the heritage and namesake of the place while having fun and modernizing it a bit to make it more suitable for a casual and fun bar. The drinks menu changes constantly and the bartenders avoid to make any modifications as they work tirelessly to perfectly blend the right amount of ingredients with each concoction. Don't worry, the drinks are that good that you wouldn't want to change a thing anyway. The team gets really creative, too, including ingredients such as ube, yuzu, kiwi, green melon, and charcoal. Both the bartenders and the rest of the staff are friendly, efficient, and happy to help when needed. The place is small but they make it work and on nice days, you can stay outside and enjoy the small yard. Overall, if you like creative cocktails, visiting Caretaker's Cottage is an absolute must!

American Alert 100 percent my kind of place…read more If you're looking for a Portlandy type of dive bar this is your starting point. Very strong inexpensive drinks. Sassy tenders behind the bar. It gets pretty rowdy throughout the night. Spend some time here and ask locals where to go in the neighborhood.

This was a rather nice and friendly bar, and I managed to get in just as it opened. I did quite…read morelike the atmosphere, it was rather nice, though I can't say that it was really a favourite. In fact, I'd probably consider it to be one of those hidden gems that I so quite like. There were some rather nice beers on tap, which I though was pretty cool, and they also have a rather nice upstairs function area as well. Yeah, while this wasn't necessarily the best of the bars that I have visited, it still certainly did have some charm.

- 100 stars if I could - behind a nondescript door in an…read morealley - it's hard to find, especially in the night - delicious and inventive drinks - everything is good! - bartenders are very knowledgeable about their craft - get your camera ready - no wifi - walked in without resey on a Thursday night

This is one of those places that has a realy prohibition feel about it, to the point that it can be…read morepretty tricky to find as it happens to be behind a rather non-descript door. In fact it took me a bit to actually locate the place since it isn't hugely advertised, however once you step inside it is pretty awesome, but I suspect that is what the whole prohibition theme is about. The service wasn't bad, and while it is a little pricier than norm, they do have a pretty good selection of beers. It is pretty classy, but as I suggested, that has a lot to do with the prohibition feel.

This is another pretty ritzy bar, and I'm starting to think that this part of Melbourne could…read moreeasily be called 'Cocktail Land'. Then again, it does happen to be at the 'Paris End' of the city, which is probably why there happens to be all these cocktail bars located around here. Anyway, this place is pretty awesome, especially since you can drink beers here as well because they have beer on tap, and some pretty awesome ones at that as well. Yeah, this was pretty awesome, oh, and the service was pretty good too.

A friend introduced us to this place during a recent visit to Melbourne. Not only does the…read moredownstairs have a speakeasy vibe, the food and drink were delish. We just had apps and cocktails, and everything was great. This is def worth an evening out.

State of Grace was one of the highlights of our Melbourne trip -- an incredible dining experience…read morefrom start to finish. The atmosphere is vibrant, stylish, and full of character. From the moment you walk in, there's a buzz that makes the place feel alive without being overwhelming. It strikes a great balance between upscale and relaxed, making it perfect for a date night or a fun evening out. The warm lighting and eclectic design add to the charm and make you want to linger. Service was friendly, attentive, and well-paced throughout the night. The staff were knowledgeable about the menu, checked in on us at the right moments, and made the whole experience feel effortless and welcoming. Every dish we ordered was excellent -- not a single miss. We started with the Cauliflower & Mozzarella Croquettes, which were crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy inside. The Grilled King Prawns were flavorful and cooked just right, while the Kingfish Ceviche was fresh, bright, and beautifully balanced. The Stracciatella & Heirloom Tomatoes was simple yet outstanding, letting the quality of the ingredients shine. For mains, the Duck Breast was cooked perfectly and full of rich flavor, and the Lamb Backstrap was tender and well-seasoned. The Pecorino & Ricotta Ravioli was comforting and delicate, while the Seafood Linguine stood out with generous portions of seafood and a beautifully balanced sauce. The Honey Glaze Carrots were the perfect side -- sweet, savory, and executed flawlessly. Overall, State of Grace delivers on every level -- ambience, service, and food. An exceptional spot that lives up to the hype, and one we'd absolutely return to on our next visit to Melbourne.

Food was delicious and perfect potions. The music was way…read moretoo loud which ruins the experience. Service is great

Stopped here to enjoy the rooftoo on a nice day. They always have good music and the bartenders are…read morenice. Great spot to watch the game or just chill with friends.

A quick bite turned out into a long ordeal. Two lessons learned: no sports bars, and try to avoid…read morethe trains. Trains don't run frequently and the bar took an hour to prepare my food. It was a simple chicken Parmesan. It was tasty, but not worth the wait. Initially it was fun to sit, have a drink, watch some AFL. Most of the restaurant was empty, except for five tables, but the noise level was off the charts. They weren't even watching the game.

This used to be a night club, and honestly, I am totally over nightclubs, simply because they are…read moreloud, crowded, and can be impossible to enter at times. Well, this is no longer the case here. In fact, this place not only opens much earlier but it has an awesome atmosphere. Actually, I don't even think I can consider it to be a nightclub anymore, but rather a cocktail bar, and a pretty awesome one at that. Not surprisingly, there are references to books, and some pretty awesome books at that, all over the place. Oh, and not only do they also have beer available, and the service is also pretty awesome.

Only in Melbourne do you stick a fake tree and some mushrooms in a two story bar, and call it…read more"Story book" themed. Perusing the cocktails, my inner Harry Potter nerdyness screamed out at a polyjuice drink. Yes. Each drink on their menu has a short narrative, you should read the lot to to know which one you want. I place my order and then struggle to find some seats in a corner. I wait as drinkers pass by holding mini tea cups filled my an alcoholic concoction. It's cute. It's loud. It's crowded. I could've shed my heavy thick winter coat, but with the lack of seats, and space to breathe, that wasn't a possibility. Don't come here to relax or have a conversation. Come to try the cute imaginative drinks. And to see a tree and giant mushrooms. I'll give Storyville an A for their effort.

The problem that I have this place is that it is just so popular. Okay, it isn't as bad when you…read morecome earlier in the week, but if you land up here on a Friday night you'll discovered that it is literally impossible to get a seat. However, being a rooftop bar does give it some character, though it isn't one of the best (and not just because of the crowds). Actually, Loop is made up to two bars, on street level, and one up a flight of stairs on the roof. You can probably guess which one I happen to prefer.

A word of warning: there's loads of stairs to get up to the roof at loop. This isn't such a bad…read morething on the way up, indeed you'll convince yourself that you deserve a serve of their gooey croquettes after the trek, but on the way down you'll be cursing that last boozy iced tea you just had. With only space for 99 punters, get here early and score your favourite table or be prepared to put your name on the waitlist and venture down the road to Lily Blacks for a pre-drink drink. Heck, go down to Lily Blacks for a post-drink drink too!

We had such a wonderful experience at Higher Ground! The food was absolutely delicious and the…read morequality was excellent everything we ordered was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. We genuinely enjoyed every part of our meal. A special thank you to Merion and Slami, our servers, who were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive. They made the whole experience even more enjoyable and made us feel so well taken care of. Amazing food, beautiful atmosphere, and fantastic service. We enjoyed it so much and would definitely come back! Highly recommend!

This cafe was recommended to me because it is housed in an old power station or something to that…read moreeffect. Space had a lot of natural light but the service was terrible. We interacted with three different servers and all were obnoxious. Skip it; lots of other cute coffee shops with better service. Food was blah!