I was taken here by my couchsurfing host and I thought I was going to die. From the sketchy entrance or from the unpredictability of hosts, you tell me. Not to mention that once inside the bar there are syringes, hospital bed in ladies' restroom, etc. OK so maybe I added a sprinkle (or lots) of drama above, but Croft Bar is like a mad scientist meets mental institution meets bartender type of place. Did I love it? No. Do I think it's cool? Yes. Will I be back? if I can find it. The drinks are good but pricey. Not loads of seating but it's to be expected in an already small space. Croft Bar isn't somewhere I would ~rave~ about, but it is really cool in a twisted way. Worth checking out if you dig it. read more

Another one of Melbourne lane way down a lane way bars. This one has a mad scientist feel to it. Staff was very friendly plus I was happy with my cocktail. And even more happy with the fun drinking syringe that came with it. We were lucky to get some seats, and as we were enjoying our drinks, we kept seeing people go into what we thought was the restrooms. We all thought silently to ourselves, isn't it odd that so many people (males and females) were going in together with hardly the same numbers coming out? So we finished our cocktails, and went to go check it out, yep there was more to it. Travelling upstairs you pass a smaller, private function room and the higher up you go, it's a gym! Full with a DJ, another bar, a basketball hoop and other physical activity instruments that I don't even know the names of. It was a fun adventure discovering The Croft and getting out you come to realize the, 'oh right, I'm back in the world sensation.' Crazy. read more

I'm a fan of sci-fi and horror films so when friends suggested we stop here because it had a science vibe, I was game. As we made our way down the windy alleyway past cool graffiti, I became intrigued. We entered the bar and made our way through the dark room past displays of beakers and other lab paraphernalia. As I had to quickly venture to the toilets I was completely creeped out on my way up the stairs. The bathroom was straight out of a bad movie. Dirty floors and walls, a hospital bed next to the sink, and the toilets were dark, bars on windows, just not the kind of place you want to be. I stayed for a drink, thinking their signature syringe cocktails would be worth the $15-16 price tag. They are not. Sweet, syrupy with no originality outside of the syringe itself. Everyone in my party had the same experience with their cocktails. We were also weirded out by the music that sounded like a soundtrack to Psycho. What could have been a cool concept was subpar and not worth the time. Venture somewhere else for your next cocktail experience. read more

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Found this place while on a bar hop, thanks to the DRINK.Melbourne app. I loved that the back alley maze was so dodgy. It was such a surprise to see the fit-out, looks like a science lab or a morgue or an insane asylum. Just super creepy and I love the way the ladies bathrooms are "decorated". Ray was working the bar at the time and is incredibly knowledgeable, my guy friends didn't know what they wanted, but told him what they liked and he made up the perfect concoctions with Mozart dry chocolate. He explained the chocolate liquor pressing and fermenting process to us, I learned so much! I told Anna, also working the bar, that I loved Mr T's and she made me something much, much better with honey and chocolate flakes. I can't speak for all of the staff, but these two can read people and put a lot of effort into making you the perfect cocktail. Though, make sure you tell someone where you're going before you head down that alley! read more

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Pretty cool place really hidden at the end if a dark alley way! Typical Melbourne! Alley way with very cool Street art! Cocktails are served with seringues - don't bring your drunk friends there, they will pour drinks everywhere playing around with the seringues! Washrooms are pretty cool too - going for the hospital vibe with a patient bed! read more

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So I might be a little bias since I'm a nurse and having cocktails in a syringe just absolutely made my night. You have to walk through a graffiti alley and at the end you find "the Croft". The xrays on top of the door leading to the loos and the attention to detail definitely make this a must while bar hoping on Melbourne. Also, they have a great selection of cocktails that you can choose from to have in a syringe specially if you like aperol read more

The Croft Institute - Dance Clubs Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Hahaha not someplace that'd be my go to hangout place, but def fun theme and they really carry it out. The syringe is a really fun touch for the drinks and the drinks themselves are pretty good but on the sweet side. There's a "science lab" setting on the ground floor, gym on the third and a weird bathroom layout on the second floor. There's a bed in the girls bathroom and a weird waiting area outside of them. Getting there.... Just as creepy as inside the bar. Go down the alleys and just keep walking. Ps there's a $5 cover charge. read more

The ultimate dark and secluded alleyway to take an unsuspecting backpacker to when you've just told them that Wolf Creek is your favourite movie and you want to 'impress' them by showing off the REAL Melbourne. This is also a perfect first date venue (even better if your date is from out of town). Lastly, it is most recently one of the epicentres for Pokemon Go addicts. So basically this alleyway caters to a wide range of people and/or zombies. As for the bar itself, they serve some pretty unique cocktails (assuming drinking out of a syringe is indeed unique). Just don't order the Apricot flavoured one. It tasted like a bad martini. Upstairs is cool if the ground level bar becomes too claustrophobic for you. There is room to dance. Hip hop was playing on the Friday night I was there. Female loos are fun to take group selfies in, but if you actually need to pee, be prepared for a long queue coz for some reason chicks like to have long D&Ms inside these stalls rather than out. read more

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Love this place. Been visiting here since i first moved to melbourne three years ago. I suggeat coming in during the week and beating the rush and lines that occur on a Friday or Saturday night. It also gives you a chance to have a chat with the amazing staff about their drinks list. Highly recommend a syringe drink for the first timers. The laboratory theme is also impressive in its own. read more

The Croft Institute - Nice colours - Dance Clubs Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

A must visit for my holiday. My partner and I braved the rain and walked through the city and the messy and dirty corridors to find this place. When we got there it wasn't open until we pounded on the door. Ryan, the bartender opened it up and we were good to go. Being the first 2 people at the bar had its advantages. I liked how Ryan personalized my custom drink to my taste profile. We must have spoke over 10 minutes in determining the right liquors to use. I cannot imagine him and his team doing this when the bar is packed. The drink I got was the Robert Burns. Whiskey, bitters, and a slight fruit. Perfect to warm me up from the summer rain and wind. The interior of the bar is cool and different with all the science lab dishes. I also enjoyed the Department of Male Hygiene. I wish we had time for a second drink, but we had to jet off to our next stop. read more

Creepy alleyway's in Melbourne tend to not be so creepy...The Croft Institute has been a bar I have introduced to others because it is simply not advertised. Past the graffiti and the dumpsters at the very end of the alley you will find a small entrance welcoming you to the Institute. The first floor has some loungers and a bar. This floor is for those who want to try a syringe drink and have a chat. The second floor houses the bathrooms which I do not recommend going to by yourself if you do not like hospitals or scary movies. For the girls bathroom, there is a hospital bed as soon as you walk in and I have this horrible feeling when I exit the loo there is going to be a person lying there from a horror movie! Third floor is where the dancing usually happens and you know what? The floors get pretty sticky but it is such a casual place and the music is quite mixed so that everyone can drink their sorrows away and dance however you like and nobody cares. Staff are usually helpful though busy and it may not be a place you want to stay at all night but it is worth a visit. read more

For me, all the fun of going to the Croft Institute happens before you even get there. No matter how many times I've been there, I still enjoy that long and winding road down pissed-stained alleyways, lined with wall to wall graffiti until I turn the last corner and see the graf-nurse, which marks the spot. It's almost as if the Croft itself cannot compete with the walkway leading up to it. It's an upstairs-downstairs bar with an old school medical theme, which looks pretty cool I guess, but I can't help thinking it's just a sad copy of Damien Hirst's 'Pharmacy' in Notting Hill Gate, London (RIP). The drinks are nice enough, but I'm not sure about the crowd. The dancefloor upstairs gets mega packed on weekends and it can be quite fun depending on the DJ. Mostly, I end up on one of the little benches outside the Croft in the alleyway talking to strangers, which is all part of a good night here at the Croft. read more

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One of the Coolest and most original bars I have been to. This Bar is on my must show list for friends who are visiting! read more

Was introduced to this bar in the back alley of Chinatown through a street art tour. We were told that as the theme of the bar suggests, this was the location of an actual mental institution in the past. Intrigued by what was shared with us, we decided to go check out this bar one of the evenings. Opened at 8pm, a queue was already waiting outside at 7.45pm. (This was on a Saturday evening). Once inside, you are greeted with neon lights at the bar and medical instruments that decorates the bar. Popular for their syringe cocktails, choose from a range of 5 or consider other classics. Great atmosphere and of course a hip spot to be seen. read more

I love this place. I first came here about 5 years ago. Went to see some friends perform in the Melbourne Comedy Festival and went out afterwards. But I was a liiiiiittle drunk, and didn't really know Melbourne very well, so I had absolutely NO IDEA where it actually was, apart from the fact we had to go down a tiny little alley to get to it. Fast forward 5 years - this place came up on Yelp as near our hotel, and sounded familiar. Looked it up, and YES! This place! Woo! It's a little bar, hidden away in a little alley off china town. Decked out with science equipment - beakers and test tubes and titration equipment and other things I couldn't identify in glass cases everywhere. We were pretty tired after flying into Melbourne earlier that day, and it was raining, so we decided to just stop in to have a quick drink around 9pm. Already busy, but not too bad. We had the best bartender ever. He took the time to explain the ingredients of my first cocktail (based around Applejack), then came back later to ask if I liked it. My gf had a cocktail (vodka, lychee liquor and cranberry juice) which was served with a plastic syringe you could use to drink it with. Then while we were drinking, we saw rhubarb bitters on the bar. Intrigued, we asked him if he could make something with it, so he made something up: anejo tequila, aperol and rhubarb bitters. Pretty awesome. Would absolutely recommend this place. read more

The Croft Institute is the worst disguised super-villain lair ever! It's hidden away at the end of a graffitid up alleyway, with nothing on the outside to indicate it's anything other than a lair of doom. It's all set up as a mad scientist lab, from the bathroom decorations across to the cocktails served with syringes. It's worth going at least one for the kitsch value alone. It's fun, it's different and they swear they no longer experiment on human test subjects. read more

First rule: You do not talk about Fight Club. That pretty much what I felt was crossing this weird and smelly alley. Arriving at the end you will find the security and staff entrance. I paid 5$ dollar the Saturday, I think it is free if you go earlier (before 10). So I enter and discover this nice bar, first surprise it is smaller than I thought. Some people are there which is good, we decide to go upstairs, we discover the toilets which are pretty weird/scary ( look like an asylum) and then upstairs again to discover a second room which looks more like dancing "hope you know how to shuffle" told me a girl in the stairs. Arriving there I understand why she was saying this, music is cool and indeed some people are shuffling or dancing and having fun. Dance floor was not crowded but it was pleasant to see people really enjoying themselves. I ordered a drink with this famous seringue (12$), there was vodka, midori and Cranberry (pretty girly drink I would not take it again). Waitress was nice and helpful, be careful there is a minimum of 20$ for Card payment. This place was different and pretty nice, It was not that much busy for a Saturday so I would not go there for big party. But to enjoy a drink it is a nice place. Good to know the second room was air conditioned. read more

What an unusual place to put a bar, in the middle of an alley in the middle of nowhere. But it works. The interior decor looks like a mad scientist's kitchen. But the bartender was very helpful and attentive . He asked us what flavors we liked, what kind of drinks we normally drink, and then proceeded to make a customized concoction of his own to suit our tastes. A bit pricey for drinks but worth the experience. read more

Blimming fantastic! No matter what hour day or time I come here, the room in the second level are always locked off - the rooms at least, and I've always wanted to know what's inside! Reveal your secrets damn you! There is some speculation about what this building originally was, but the large smoke stack suggests something intriguing. Despite the fact that most times here I have completed a PHD in inebriation Investigation. As it the long trek through garbage alley- like a world full of trash, emanating out onto the gutters and air outside. Still, it makes a worthy occasion of any night. It's Near by Russel Street and the Chinatown junctures, another good place in the immediate vicinity is Roxxane Parlour. Yep syringes, the trademark here, are good fun. It's a shame I can't remember the other drinks available, but I'd be confident in saying beers, probably a cider or two, and of course spirits. The $15 door entry is a bit of a sting, that's another drink I could be buying Mr bar, and I have no idea what the third level is supposed to be, it looks like they started with an empty wooden room and then gave up. read more

I think I had a far better image of The Croft Institute in my mind than reality (I guess that's what you get when you have an overactive imagination). I'd heard about it for such a long time, seen the photos popping up on various social media outlets, so I finally got to give it a go recently and was a little underwhelmed. They have their theme down pat, with the creepy hospital/asylum/laboratory schtick and the drinks we had were delicious. However it isn't the biggest of places and was pretty packed when we visited. Everyone had a syringe drink in their hand which I found ever so slightly tacky (but I guess it runs with the theme) as I had the impression it was more of a cocktail bar. Perhaps I should have tried it *gasp* before it was cool. read more

I dug this place - despite the fact I didn't stay long. The lovely door-man waived the entry fee for us as they were experiencing a slow night. The lovely bar-man let me taste the gin before I ordered a drink (always SO appreciated!) - it was Bulldog, for those of you playing at home, and it was delicious. The lovely DJ-man played a fun mix for us (not for US, but you know...). And for those of you that have heard about it - the toilets ARE just as creepy as 'they' say. read more

Such a fun place to grab a drink! Love the theme, and the bartender made me a fabulous concoction that was served with a syringe as a straw :) love that it's tucked away in the alley! read more

Ah, the Croft. Themed bar at its finest. Actually, I think a Lego themed bar would be the best, but shhh don't tell anyone. The Croft is trying its darndest to be creepy cool. Each level is set up differently: high school lab, high school gym, and hospital ward. It's very 50s clinical, but if you're going for the fun then you're sure to get something out of this place. I was probably a little young for the people who go there. Me, 20, them, 30. Me, poor student, them, office workers with cash to splash on (I suspect) rather over-priced beverages. Maybe I'm being a little unkind, but hey, I was drunk. Plus they have shots served in syringes. Wheeee. If you want a night out that feels like you went on an adventure, go to the Croft. Totter down a back alley that no one will EVER properly clean (it adds to the atmosphere), keep walking, think you're lost, and then discover the queue to get in. Pretty cool, huh? To be honest, the whole set up passed creepy cool into creepy daggy. Maybe it was all the ladies still in their suits dancing around their handbags. Not for me, but I can see why it would be worth a look and a drink or several. read more

The Croft Institute - Dance Clubs Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Ahh, the Croft. White walls, test tubes, expensive sake. I went here once on Halloween, a few hours before going to a themed "Pagan" party. I had a nametag saying "Denis" and a Carlton beanie. I love a joke that no-one gets. In a way, the Croft is a bit like that. I keep looking for some kind of underlying sense, and there really isn't one there. It's decoration for decoration's sake, because someone liked the idea at some point. read more

Going to the Croft Institute means being so excited even before getting into the bar -yeah, I was still not used with the whole "lane concept", and having to walk a hundred meters or so in a dark lane sprayed with street art and graffitis to finally find the bar at the very end of it was quite exciting to me-. The atmosphere in the bar is quite special as well: medical stuff everywhere as decoration, it's pretty dark and looks a bit "cold". Everything perfectly sticks to the hospital atmosphere. And the beanie bartender was so friendly and welcoming. The cocktail mixes didn't have anything so special or too complex -ended up having a Deus Ex with some yellow chartreuse, which basically is my favorite alcohol, thank you for that- but they taste quite good anyway! And I loved drinking my cocktail with a syringe. (yup, a syringe) Prices are pretty fair as well, with cocktails from 12 to 16 dollars when we visited. Would definitely visit again if I go back to Melbourne! read more

In the past I've only visited the outside of this place, admiring the street art. Now I may be biased but the first time I went there I ended up befriending the bartenders so I'll try to keep my review as fair as possible in respect to this fact. They have syringe cocktails which instantly appealed to me as did the mad science / former mental asylum aesthetic. If it were me though I would amp up the experience way more & have staff dressed as doctors and wristbands that resembled hospital admission bands. Perhaps I was expecting the bar equivalent of a theatre restaurant...a fully immersive experience. The gymnasium bar on the third level is a great place for a dance. The waiting room area is fun as is the gurney in the ladies bathrooms. The bartenders aren't afraid to mix strong drinks if this is your fancy. Love this place. Highly recommended. read more

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I was taken to the Croft Institute first as an out of towner. You're from Sydney, is that right? Take a look at THIS Melbourne weirdness!! And you know what, I completely loved it. We went on a Wednesday night after a dinner of dumplings nearby. The place was relatively empty which definitely upped the creepy factor. My friend couldn't get past the sterile hospital smell upon entry (so much so that she demanded we leave early), but maybe my nose holes are broken because it didn't bother me. Give me a gimmick and I'm content. The test tube light instillations opposite the bar are pretty darn awesome, as are the drinks they serve with syringes. I didn't even really want a cocktail, but how can you not get one? When in a creepy mental hospital bar... We took a seat at a small, round table in an alcove by the front door and as I drank my drink (read: squirted it into my mouth like a 7 year-old on her death bed), I pondered why people enjoy things like this? It wasn't a relaxing environment, that I'm certain of. The cocktail I had definitely wasn't that tasty (did I detect a hint of formaldehyde?). But the Croft has some freakish appeal that steams from a dark, subconscious place. I'm sure it's not a spot for everyone, but if you're curious and if you're not a big fat fraid-y cat, roll on in and give it a go. read more

Randomly came in here one night. I thought it was a really cool place. A couple ppl with me thought it was a little seedy, there were some sketch dudes just standing around alone, and also the hospital decor is kinda weird. But wtv. I ordered a bunch of shots, and had fun dancing to the awesome music that was playing. I'd come here again. It's definitely more of a drunken weirdo bar/club vibe, than a night to sit around and chat with cocktails, though, that's for sure. But depending on your mood/company, that can be fun too. read more

Dark lighting. Gimmicky 60mL shot syringes. White people bouncing to hip-hop. Lots of winning here. read more

I think I am the only person in Melbourne who hadn't been here yet. If you haven't, somehow, then you should know that it's a hospital-themed bar down a mini-alley in an alley. You should also know that it's extremely popular, fun, and that some mean bar man will snatch your drinks without warning if you take them outside. If you want drinks in syringes, this place is for you. read more

Be as specific as you can when getting a 'custom' drink. Also, hold your breath while in the restroom. Pretty awesome atmosphere, but otherwise only worth it to go for one drink. read more

One of the most over-used words these days is "journey" as every chef or even inane contestants on reality television shows seemingly have to undertake one to finish a dish, develop a skill or get to the point where they are turfed off a show that nobody will remember six months from now. A true journey is what Homer described in The Odyssey as you venture from Little Bourke Street to the end of Croft Lane where you will have to avoid "slaughter and blood and the agonized groans of mangled men" as Homer would say. If you are brave, your odyssey will take you down the winding Croft Lane, which is not far from intersection of Russell Street and Little Bourke Street in Chinatown. Passing street art and vandalism you make your first left turn. You are then confronted with rubbish from the restaurants and sometimes tramps. Another right turn will take you along a laneway where you pass skips full of decaying food, more rubbish, vandalism, the smell of urine and on my last visit, human faeces. At the end of the lane-way you get to a foreboding door but once you pass into The Croft Institute, it is as you are in another world where time ceases to exist. The journey as the reality television contestants like to reference is worth it. The bar is spread out over three themed levels. Depending on how busy the place is will dictate whether the top floor will be open but it is worth a visit if it is. Before becoming a den of inequity, the site was abandoned for twenty years and the place manages to keep the general feeling of desolation and mysteriousness. The ground floor is adorned with items you would find in a chemistry lab, high tables and stools and you are quickly absorbed into the overarching theme of the place. This is one of the few bars that I have found that that flogs Marilyn Manson absinthe, which despite its pedigree is actually really good and unlike the boring Absinthe Salon in Sydney, limitations are not placed on you should you want to indulge in the anise-flavoured spirit. The bartenders have always been extremely knowledgeable and should you not wish to indulge in the green fairy, leave it to the professionals to make the drinks based on their suggestions as you will not find a drinks menu. When nature inevitably calls, you will need to go to level one to find the toilets. The theme changes to a hospital-like waiting room which is fascinating as you walk past their licensed vodka distillery. On the weekends, Croft gets busy but not insanely busy like you would find at a superclub on King Street. I have never found too much pretension here, and is completely opposite to what you find at Cookie, where people here generally have been friendly and unassuming. Despite the loud hard trance style music not really being my thing it strangely pairs well with the place and never served as an annoyance or even a distraction to enjoying myself. This is a bar that you will have no problem spending all evening at and my recommendation would be to head to Manchuria afterwards which is within stumbling distance. read more

This place has a creepy alley entrance that is decorated in graffiti. I thought there was a chance a homeless man might jump out and shank me. The bar itself is dark and decorated in a mad science/hipster mashup that was unique. The bartender was quite good and made me something delicious and cinnamon on demand. He also used fresh grated nutmeg, which was a nice touch. Overall, I think the place is a little kitchy but whatever, the drinks were good. read more

When leading my friends down the dark graffiti-painted croft alley they always nervously ask me if I'm sure it's the right way. I usually respond "oh yes, trust me" and rub my hands like an evil genius. The croft institute delivers on the dodgy atmosphere and brilliant drinks. The bartenders know their booze and always take their time to make you something delicious. Some of my female friends have been properly creeped out by the place and would never return, but I dig it and would recommend it to anyone less than 30 years of age read more

Think youre crazy for coming to this old mental asylum ... you wouldnt be the first. Syringe and cocktail gimmicks and authentic patient waiting rooms makes this place something you really should do once .... but once youve ticked this box its time to move on read more

So basically this place didn't meet up to my expectations. I expected this really sci-fi-y bar with upbeat vibes and music. Got everything but that. The entrance was cool. I liked how it was hidden in the depths of some graffiti art but feels a little scary walking there alone. No cover charge which is nice. But when we entered my immediate thoughts were, "This is it?". It was basically just an almost empty room with a table with high chairs and two seating areas. Drinks were expensive but that's standard. The syringe is what makes this place what it is, but literally any one can do that. I expected an actual shot of alcohol in the syringe and then we shoot it into our cups but that wasn't the case. Wanted to use my card but they had a minimum. Which I hate. Drink was good but wasn't feeling the vibes so I left shorty after finishing my drink. The bathroom has a hospital bed in it. It had creepy vibes and it used to be (don't quote me on this) a mental asylum. Or that's how they marketed it. Overall and upsetting night. read more

The Croft Institute - Skyberry - Dance Clubs Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Cool idea, but I had more fun playing on the gurney in the womans bathroom then anywhere else. I went on a Tuesday with friends for a birthday and waited at the bar for 15 mins twice to get a drink, I never got one. Bartender was too preoccupied playing with the music and slowly making drinks to keep my interest in having one. I've heard its better on the weekends but I probably won't be back to find out. The graffiti in the alley is amazing and the benches outside had a few good conversations going on. read more

Very cool laneway bar located in then Chinatown section of Melbourne. Finding Croft can be difficult, if you don't know where you're going because it's located an unmarked alley. If you look at the the pictures some taken by yelp users, you can see the alleys you walk down to enter the bar. Inside the bar is really neat. It looks like a laboratory with flasks and beakers everywhere. The scene is definitely "Hipster" and my one complaint is that the bartenders are sometimes concerned with being cool than helping you out. Overall Croft is a great bar to visit in Melb. read more

Although a little expensive, pretentious and unsettling, The Croft Institute, or The Croft to locals, is one of Melbourne's greatest achievements, combining the city's flare for artistic oddity with a little bit of class. Despite the entrance being well-hidden away down an Z shaped alley, The Croft is worth the adventure as its decor of laboratory equipment, drinks served in test tube racks and random industrial equipment makes for a eeire yet memorable experience. Although there is often a charge at the door if a DJ is schedualed, The Croft is often free and well worth an explore. Unfortunatly, as is often the case with Melbourne's more unique venues, The Croft's prices are a little steep and as it popularity increases so to does the number of pretencious clients. Such is life! read more