Everyone probably knows someone like this:
A short, fat, bald man with bad teeth, but who dresses well, keeps his teeth, clothes, hair and body clean, speaks well and has good social skills. By doing so, he does about as well as he can with what he has got.
Or someone like this:
A footballer who has no talent whatsoever, but has worked particularly hard at his footy and trained hard and made a career for himself in the AFL or NRL. He will never be a superstar but it is a credit to him that he has been able to play top level football.
The Evelyn Hotel is the pub equivalent of these sorts of people.
It does the absolute best it can with what it has got.
The pub is run by a lovely Italian family, headed by an elderly woman with a little maltese terrier dog. They hang out in the pub during the day and make the place very pleasant to be around. The tables out the front allow people to hang out on sunny afternoons having a beer or a coffee (although the chairs are very uncomfortable) and the side bar's windows open wide thus turning into doors which airs the place out nicely. There is a pool table and the staff are particularly friendly and nice people.
The problem with this place is the actual building itself. Im not 100% sure what it is, but it is just a really uncomfortable place - its not set out well. The ceilings are way too high, making it feel anything but cozy, the couches, while comfy, are just too comfy in that you just sink into them and they are not at the right height for their tables. There is not adequate room around the pool table to play all the shots and the sun shines in right on the large tv screen blocking out the picture!!!! The bar is far too small and the bandroom is dark and uninviting. The fact that there is no carpet on the floors, while hygenic and easy to clean also makes the pub feel less homely and more uncomfortable.
I dont know what the solution to these issues is because they are generally structural issues which cant be changed easily.
But what I do like is that the pub seems to work around these issues and controls what it can control without worrying about what it cant control. What it lacks in structure and cosmetics, it more than makes up for in friendlieness and hospitality.
It is the complete polar opposite of Bar Open - which is a great venue with unfriendly people (see my Bar Open review for what I mean). Bar Open got 2 stars, but Im giving the Evelyn 3 stars - despite not having the best building, this place proves that old fashioned friendlieness, positivity and respect can still go a long way even in a suburb as fickle and pretentious as Fitzroy! read more