(Drank/Shopped 12/16/24 MO @ 3:00pm): I'm sorry Ms. Jackson, but you're not so young having been around since 1861!
A friend and I were on Day 3 of our 12-Day Southern Australia Explorer cruise with Princess Cruises, we took the local train into town, and after a brief stop at nearby Beer DeLuxe, we made our way to Young & Jackson for yet another drink. As we slowly headed back towards the cruise ship, this place just looked awesome, old, and I loved a pub. So, this was perfect timing to grab a drink and snack as we checked it out. Established in 1861 and named after Irish cousins and businessmen Henry Figsby Young and Thomas Jackson, Young & Jackson was Melbourne's most iconic hotel, located opposite the landmark steps of Flinders Street Railway Station, in the busiest part of Melbourne's commercial business district (CBD), and looked over nearby Federation Square. A heritage listed building, Young & Jackson stood today as a blend of boutique bar and a traditional pub, a hotel, and a bottle shop that drew visitors from all around. How was our time spent with locals - young and old - while I dropped almost the equivalency of a USD Jackson bill!?
PURCHASE
Braeside Brewing Co. Governor Pale Ale Beer 5.3% ABV 16floz Draft ($15.10AUD x2): Golden amber color, hoppy malty aroma, light body, hoppy malty flavor, smooth finish, and light hoppy malty aftertaste. I decided to treat my friend to the same beer. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=RiPd_7acLfM3nj0IRsSjIA
Smith's Chicken Flavored Potato Chips 90g Bag ($8.00AUD): If you knew me, I loved these salty snacks, and I made it a point to try odd potato chip flavors on my travels. Guess what... it tasted like chicken! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=kAyZ27SpYi5M0f_teGc92g
2023 Hesketh Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc White Wine 750ml Bottle ($30.00AUD): Clear color, tropical aroma, light body, spicy tropical flavor, crisp drying finish, spicy tropical aftertaste. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=DQC_4HcWszPTQO-7kFaBBQ
2020 Pirramimma McLaren Vale Petit Verdot Red Wine 750ml Bottle ($35.00AUD): Dark red color, earthy aroma, medium body, dark berries earthy mineral flavor, chalky dry finish, dark berries earthy aftertaste. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=1qQFqSRLtvt_cDDnFOYKLQ
SERVICE
We walked into a somewhat busy pub as there was a match on the television, so one of us quickly grabbed a standing table while I went to the bar to order some beers. Moments later, I had two beers, a bag of chips, I settled the tab, and off I went to kick back as we took in the scene with our drafts. All was easy-peasy - cheers!
PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance)
There was an ample onsite parking lot at nearby Federation Square at various rates ($8.00AUD - $64.00AUD) based on day, event, reason, and time. However, there appeared to be a decent amount of parking on all surrounding streets (please note any posted signs), and of course the wonderful public transportation such as the tram system which we conveniently took and then walked the rest of the way - 'nuff said.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A large street corner building with an aged comfortable pub https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=KQTvnTnCSuk7iEF5C-GLrQ to relax in, a basic simple bottle shop https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=webXwbNTRqjGFO0xxjk0Cw next door, and we didn't have time to explore any of the other onsite elements such as the hotel itself. The decor was very much the period when the building was built with some noticeable remodeling. Plenty of natural lighting entered through the large glass windows while minimal electric ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were several TVs in the pub but no background music. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=xxkhMmtAUk1ucWthW7YRFA
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
Young & Jackson was a nice respite as we moseyed our way back to the cruise ship and wished we had more time to explore it, from the actual hotel, the restaurant, and the rooftop bar. I mean, it was a historic iconic place! The pub was cool, but I was disappointed in the lack of local beers and snacks. And, the bottle shop was low on inventory (apparently, they had a recent distribution issue). Otherwise, it was still a place to check out. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $103.00AUD / $66.00USD BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS read more