I really don't get to this place as often as I would like, but I guess it's because it is a little…read morebit out of my way (though not a huge amount). The thing I love about this place is the huge beer garden out the back, which even has undercover areas for times when it is pelting down with rain. They even have a barbeque, but I doubt you can just come here with your own meat and start cooking it up. The inside is pretty cool as well, and they even have trivia nights (not that I have ever participated in one). Oh, I also recently discovered that they also have a happy hour, which is also pretty cool. I've got to come here more often.

Not quite the old school pokey local, not as fancy as a gastro pub…read more There are a few different sitting areas to choose from, we had a table of 12 and very comfortably sat together (albeit under the Telly with the footy going). Strong local presence to take advantage of the lunch specials on offer while chilling with the Sunday arvo game. Quite a few of us got the Parma, I had the torpedo calamari out of curiosity (so named of the shape! Felt a bit silly having to google it). The meals were generous in serving size, especially considering the price. A good section of craft beers, you can even buy a stein to take home. Not many wines on offer, but it is a beer establishment after all. Big beer garden out the back, also a pool table inside available. Serviceable and fit for purpose as a friendly local.

I could really make this place a regular hangout, if only I actually had the time to do so. Sure, I…read morecould come here after work everyday with my book and laptop and simply absorb the atmosphere, but sooner or later I'm going to have to go home. Anyway, this is one of those bars that I had regularly passed while travelling down Sydney Road but had never actually been inside, so one Sunday, when I knew I was going to be early for church, I decided to jump of the tram and pop in here for a quick beer. I must say that I am really glad that I did because I finally got to experience this really laid back bar is one awesome beer garden. It is this type of bar than really gives Sydney Road it's character, and I'm really going to have to make the effort to come down here more often.

The relatively hidden pub is a real great find on the strip. Some friends and I came here after a…read moregig at Penny Black and i was surprised by how large the venue actually is. There's a small front entrance but it leads into an awkward cosy inside but very large outdoor area. We came and the place was pretty quiet, we knocked back a few pints and enjoyed the quirky 1920's B&W videos that showed crazy acrobatics, contortion and acting, it was mesmerising! We were a large group but the outdoor area accommodated us well and once the group began to dissipate we moved indoors and then finally (they kept hinting to us that they were closing) we left. Definitely a keeper!

This is one of those pubs that really sits in my heart as a place to grab a drink. Okay, it is a…read morelittle difficult to get to since it is on a tram line and somewhat away from the railway station, but it does have a really good vibe about it. The thing with this pub is the beer garden, which is nothing short of awesome. Okay, they also have a great selection of craft beers on tap, but in the end it is the beer garden that grabs my attention. Oh, and they also allow dogs in the garden, which does add a lot of character to the place.

Based on a recommendation, I ended up gathering a few friends at the National when I was in town…read morefor my birthday weekend back in January. The bar menu was a sight to behold, with a thoroughly surprising selection of delicious asian-leaning snacks like dumplings, bun gao and fish cakes. I can never resist the siren song of a steamed pork bun. The cocktail list was short but sweet with some real tempters on it, but there didn't really seem to be any career bartenders behind the bar, so what was on the list was what you got. They handled my request for one of the cocktails to be made with gin and not vodka hesitantly, but thankfully the customer continued to be always right. The fit-out of the National is maybe my favourite thing about the place, and I suppose it wasn't surprising to hear that the friend who recommended the place is an architect by trade. The beer garden is stunning on a warm summer evening, and after a few hours out there we retired to the interior, full of woods and metals and plenty of cosy booths for groups.

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!

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.

Was looking for a sports bar to watch nfl today . Found this place and it was a rams bar . Amazing…read moreambiance and craft beer . Good service.

Every single time I'm in Australia I'm told I must get a "Chicken Parma." Being my 5th time now,…read moretoday was the day. Chicken parm is a little different in Australia than it is in the states. It's served with ham under the melted cheese and it's served with chips (fries) instead of pasta. It was quite tasty and as you can see, the piece of chicken was huge. I also ordered a resiling, which was good and paired well. I had a lot of issues paying with "The Pass" app at this establishment. I was also supposed to have $10 paying with the app, which I see now, did not apply. You also do not interact with your server much at all. You order off the app, and then wait for someone to bring out your beverage and then possibly someone else to bring out your food. Food was quite good, but the app (which is the city app) is very faulty!

Food servings are large. Be prepared to eat when ordering…read moreup your favorites. I had the parmigiana which was not deep fried, vegetables and mashed potato. Sometimes a simple hearty meal hits the spot!

Yeah, this pub really didn't impress me all that much. Then again, it is a railway pub, sort on,…read moreprobably more like a bar that happens to be located in a shopping strip. It isn't particularly big, and the beer selection isn't particularly great either. Mind you, when I was here it was actually pretty crowded, though I did find a seat. However, yeah, I wasn't really impressed with it.

This evening we found the second floor here and it was just like our own private dining room. With…read morea corner booth we thoroughly enjoyed our meals and drinks. The rib eye steak was cooked perfectly and the pie always a favorite.

This really isn't one of my favourite pubs, though I did come here for a work function once and it…read moreactually wasn't all that bad. The funny thing was that since it is called the Coopers Inn I thought it might be connected with the Coopers Brewery, but as it turns out it has nothing to do with it - they just happen to have the same name. However, when I was last here I did notice that they do have Coopers Pale Ale on tap (a beer that I don't seem to drink as much as I used to, namely because it isn't as readily available in Melbourne), Mind you, this place does get pretty crowded with the after work crowd, and I do like the empty bottles of Contreau along the top of the bar, but as a pub, I'm not a huge fan.