Melbourne's best drag queen bar. Had a good time on a Friday night even though I was alone. Some of…read morethe local patrons were friendly and made conversation with me. That was unexpected and nice for a single, gay man like me from a conservative Asian country

Sircuit is known to most as the "Bears Bar", where gay men of the more manly exterior come to…read moredrink, play pool and have a dance. One of my favourite venues on a Sunday night, Sircuit is open Wednesday through to Sundays (and every third Monday for 'Butt Naked'). Thursday and Sunday are 'mixed' (which means your female companions may accompany you) whilst Wednesdays, Friday and Saturdays are male-only. The vibe of the bar is great. The crowd is friendly and on Sundays you will be dazzled with some really entertaining drag shows. Sundays are great for some pool, a show and some cheap drinks! $3 Ciders are a must!

Walking from Chapel Street to St Kilda is no mean feat…read more As my friend and I walked and walked and stopped to ask people for directions and then walked some more... we passed this awesome place. Hearing the smooth sounds of live music (Lionel Richie) we sat down by the window inside and ordered cocktails, drinks and food. Without having realised it was a gay bar (not that there is anything wrong with that) the waitress was awesome, quick, friendly and super knowledgeable. We ordered some of the chicken and tempura vegies and they came out the freshest we'd ever had with regards to quick tapas on the go and as we enjoyed the Sunday afternoon live music, we eventually made it to the beach. Highly regarded and will definetely go again!

Open 7 days until 5am during Summer, Robarta is a special place, going from an Asian inspired tapas…read morerestaurant to a chilled out bar right through to a dance club is a pretty good effort I think! I have been to Robarta many times, I love it. I think I even had my 20th birthday there, which started with dinner with close family and friends, some of which were vegetarian so the Asian tapas dishes were perfect, lots of tofu and veggie things to choose from. To later on as more of my friends arrived we sipped on classy cocktails listening to some smooth, relaxing sounds while the dj set up. Later in the evening to early morning let's just say the music was pumping drinks were flowing and feet were dancing. Robarta has two great levels upstairs is open mainly for the clubber's, and with a curfew of 7am on the weekends whats not to love?

This review goes out to the ladies. So you have been asked…read moreto queue...I think we've all gotten that little brochure by now. While a part of me gets a little resentful when my friends just shunted behind a rope just because I am with them, I get it. I get the point of this policy. I do. I just also like to think that I should clearly be exempt from that kind of policy because I have an overinflated sense of self. But then, every other girl in line is probably thinking the same thing: "I mean, come on! I'm just here to hang out with my friends. I'm not like these other girls!" So I make some token indignant noises quietly to my friends, and then wait patiently. Do I think it is the best approach? Personally, I would rather they take the Circuit route and have some open nights and others men only. Or there was one club I went to in Barcelona that simply charged women more, which worked to keep the ratio down and the hag quality high. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is that the managers do what they do to ensure the club serves its core clientele. You want to bitch about gender inequality? Let's talk about the Melbourne Club. Not even the Prime Minister and Governor-General can get in there. Once inside, the Peel is standard issue cheesy club fun - loud pop music, pricey drinks, crowded smoking area. If you're there with fab friends, you will have a fab time. My advice, ladies, is don't find the queuing thing prohibitive. Except if you are gaggle of girls out for a laugh or a hen's night, in which case you should go somewhere else because you're spoiling it for the rest of us. For the rest of you normal girls who just happen to be out with your gay friends, just line up and deal with it. You've probably got a better chance of getting in than the Prime Minister.

1. They are picky, as stated, with allowing entry to women. However, you can bring a couple…read moregirlfriends, but you really must make sure they're dressed ready to dance and be looked at. Good shoes and cute outfits. That will give you the best chances. 2. The multitude of rooms make it easier to handle, but don't go alone because these are pack-hunters, you won't stand a chance all by yourself. 3. Get cash before you get there. Drinks are not cheap, and the cash machine always seems to have a long line. 4. Cruise past the DJ booth if you go, because many nights it is a drag queen spinning the beats. There is just something immensely fun in my opinion to see a tall, blonde-wigged DIVA giving you the musical energy that you need.

I've been to "The dead rabbit" and "Employees only" in NYC (voted top 5 cocktail bars in the world)…read moreand I must say that this beats both in service, venue and cocktails. Deffo will be back.

Nothing makes you feel special like having to ring a door bell to get in to a bar, a cheeky wink…read morefrom a bartender, or a specially concocted cocktail that gets served with a side of orange blossom scented smoke wafting from a little jar of dry ice. Welcome to The Attic. The place where all these fantasies come true. It's a little more grown up, a little less busy, and a lot more attentive than its kid brother downstairs - The Black Pearl. It's the kind of place in which it's easy to spend a few hours, staring in to the eyes of a hot date (or the bartenders) not realising that you've had two martinis too many and are slowly losing all feeling in your legs. It's great. Go there.

- 10 stars - unforgettable cocktails…read more- all star bartenders - greta recommendations - had to be at least 100 different whiskeys

I don't want to say too much, lest my favourite table or spot at the bar be occupied next time I…read morevisit. I'm going to keep it short, in the hope that you'll brush over this and move along to the next listing. The ladies and gents at The Everleigh know how to mix a great cocktail (ignore the menu and have them guide you), the décor is stunning, and the location discreet. It's the perfect spot for a mid-week rendezvous or nightcap. A word of warning about the bar snacks: I've seen grown men and women have to beg for restraint once they start in on these things. I don't know what they're coating those little soy snacks with, but they're addictive. Best you not even start. In fact, you should avoid this place altogether.

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!

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

I found this place on Yelp while searching for places in the area. I had messaged them a question…read moreon Instagram, and got a prompt reply! Talk about customer service without even being in the restaurant. On Mondays they have a special. $3 pizza with the purchase of any drink. Pretty good deal if you ask me. Being from NY, I am a pizza snob...and proud. I ordered the pork and fennel sausage pizza. It was very good! It had sausage, red onion and peppers. I would suggest that they cook it a little bit longer to get that "well done" taste. About 2-3 minutes more! There's an upstairs part of the restaurant also with a great view! The menu is a little different with a tapas style menu. I went upstairs after my meal and it was a great view! I came here for dinner around 430PM. It was very crowded when I left. Definitely the place to be!

How could we not stop in for at least a drink at this hip bar and restaurant with such an evocative…read morename. Naked for Satan is a large space with a sprawling open air rooftop up on the 4th floor along with a smaller pub-like space on the main level. We joined the 30-something crew up on the deck on a mild March day. In the shade it was a tad cool and you could tell fall was setting in. There is no table service on the patio so you need to go inside to order food/drinks. We enjoyed a couple of pisco sours while watching people trickle in after a busy work week. The interior has a steam-punk, industrial vibe and that's fun and inventive. Service at the bar was friendly and they brought our drinks to us outside. We only had an hour free in our packed itinerary but I'd definitely head back to try the food and just partake in the great people-watching,

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.

I have certainly been to this place before, however before I went off to my bookgroup I decided…read morethat I would pay this place another visit, and it certainly was well worth it. There is quite a large beer garden out the back (though if it didn't have one then calling it the 'Fitzroy Beer Garden' would somehow defeat the purpose). Okay, the beer is a little pricey, however the food certainly isn't, especially the Porthouse Steak for $16.00. That is probably the cheapest steak that I have seen outside of steak night. The inside of the bar is also really impressive, with little objects covering almost all of the wall space.

The former 'Funf', and 'Yelza' before that, the re-branded Fitzroy Beer Garden hasn't changed much…read morefrom it's previous incarnations aesthetically or lay-out wise, the new name just emphasising its best feature front & centre. Was there on Saturday night and it was pretty busy but also fairly laid back, a good mix of types, and no real dickheads. Only issue was that every single person but me seemed to be smoking in the beer garden. Can't wait for the day us non-smokers can claim back some of these great outdoor bar places. Had some tasty pints for around $8, which for a Saturday night is pretty staggering ($8 pint anywhere these days around Melbourne is pretty good). With Forester's Hall now open right across the road having 'beer' in their name also gives some cohesion to this corner of Smith St, and I'm sure we wont be the only ones to start at FBG in the afternoon sun then drift across the road to sample the impressive beer range at FH this summer.