I have a huge soft spot for Tilley's. Even though it opened doors only in the early 1980s, it is a 1950s piano bar kind of vibe. Think plush carpet, dark wood paneling, brass and mirrors, thick velvety drapes. I know this isn't quite a fair comparison, but it feels very old school LA to me (a la The Dresden, even). Yes yes, I know; I just compared a venue in Canberra to an iconic LA institution and that is crazy talk, but it's the best that I can do.
This is a great place to sit and sip, with a friend or alone, at any time of the day. There is a huge variety of people here, betraying any attempt to cast it as a "scene" -- old couples, young couples, guys, gals, families, hipsters, tradies, lawyers, students working on laptops -- you name it. It's the kind of place where you'd run into people you know, and probably make new friends (at least with the bartenders). I know I'd be a regular if I lived here.
Bottom line: we all know Canberra can't compete with Melbourne or Sydney in the restaurant and nightlife departments, so why bother trying to reproduce a night out in either of those two cities? A couple glasses of red wine at Tilley's will help you embrace the Canberra experience as its own thing. read more