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36 Best Bars in Melbourne

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By Aimee O'Keefe - Guide

Published: 24 Jan 2024, Last Updated: 19 Sept 2024

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The best bars in Melbourne are well and truly thriving so it’s little wonder why people are clambering to hit the town. With endless new openings, innovative communal set-ups, and everything from inexpensive drinking holes to world-class cocktail bars, this city has it all. So, whether you’re looking for a new hangout spot or some cool places to drink with the team after work, check out our list of the best bars in Melbourne to get you started on your journey.

Best Bars in Melbourne at a Glance

Highlights from our list include the following:

• Best overall: Bar Margaux
• For classic cocktails: Angel Music Bar
• For selection of spirits: Boilermaker House
• For wine lovers: Public Wine Shop

Now we’ve had a look at our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.

RELATED: Want a great cake with your coffee? Check out our favourite high spots in Melbourne.

1. Bar Margaux

The menu at this Melbourne bar is a roll call of classics, offering the kind of French bistro dishes such as French onion soup, incredible steak frites, or a ridiculously rich lobster croque monsieur. French desserts are also available for those with a sweet tooth. Cocktails are made with precision, featuring all the classics like Martinis and Manhattans as well as “snack-sized” three-gulp cocktails. With a nice beer and wine list offering a good mix of French drops and locally made French varietals, we promise you’ll find your next favourite drink.

Address: Basement/111 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 0088

2. Bar Liberty

Bar Liberty is known as a triple threat, it’s got wine, cocktails and food, which is something you don’t see in many cocktail bars in Melbourne. The menu is divided into snacks and bigger sharing plates and changes all the time. The cocktails are bottled for consistency and are not the classic ones you’d expect. The “Happy F*cking Valentines”, for example, uses Lillet Rose, strawberry, chocolate mint and sparkling wine, while the “Millions of Peaches” is made with bourbon, burnt peach and thyme.

Address: 234 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9415 9025

3. Arbory Bar and Eatery

Officially Melbourne’s longest bar, the Arbory Bar and Eatery has something for everyone. Offering everything from breakfast until late-night drinks, cocktails are a speciality. For those who like to eat breakfast, the menu includes coconut muesli and banana pancakes to corn fritters. They also offer double cheeseburgers, hot dogs and crumbed mushroom burgers.

Address: 1 Flinders Walk, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9614 0023

4. The Shady Lady

This self-proclaimed vegan-friendly, dog-friendly, LGBTI-centric Melbourne dive bar with a glam décor, is a must-visit. The drinks menu is a fun one – with frozen cocktails all year round and frozen Margaritas come too. There is also a stable of interesting, local craft brews from Colonial, Bodriggy, Stomping Ground and Young Henrys and a well-stocked back bar that means bartenders can mix up any classic you desire. And with a good selection of snacks and foods what not to love?

Address: 36 Johnston St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: 0421 228 482

5. Cumulus Inc

Cumulus Up is known for its vast wine collection and knowledgeable staff, but it’s also worth testing out the food. The mushroom trottole with parmesan, parsley, porcini butter is rightly a classic and there is also a well-thought-out dessert menu for those among us with a sweet tooth – the poached rhubarb served with coconut sorbet is our top pick.

Address: 45 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 1445

6. Wolf and Swill

The Melbourne bar Wolf and Swill are known for two things, Beer and Pizza. Enjoy a schooner or pint glass of the craziest ale you can find and pair it with confit garlic, honey, buffalo mozzarella and rosemary pizza. Its Thornbury location makes it a favourite among locals to the North, and with so much to choose from you’ll be crazy not to visit next time you’re passing by.

Address: 826 High St, Thornbury VIC 3071
Phone: 0429 263 500

7. The Everleigh

Inspired by the Golden Era of fine drinking, The Everleigh brings an intimate cocktail bar experience to Melbourne. From classic drinks to new combinations, the ever-changing menu at The Everleigh allows us to tailor your drink to your individual tastes and desires. The Everleigh also boasts one of the largest classic cocktail book selections in the world, displayed within our in-house library, allowing us to offer a broad selection of drinks in various styles. Easily one of the best bars Melbourne has to offer.

Address: Level 1/150-156 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 2229

8. Naked For Satan

The Melbourne bar is renowned for its vodka and pintxos offering, as well as having over a dozen beers on tap, a large range of imported and in-house vodka and a variety of Australian and Spanish wines. The Spanish influence also continues in its food, with empanadas and tinned seafood on offer. Oysters for around $2 a pop, seasoned with lemon, cava jelly, finger lime or a kimchi vinaigrette, what’s not to love? For meat lovers, there are sliders with slow-cooked beef cheek, plus a fried chicken edition and one with mushroom and halloumi.

Address: 285 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 2238

9. Angel Music Bar

It’s hard to pinpoint what this place is – it’s music orientated with live bands playing almost all the time but it also has a strong focus on quality drinks. The bar snacks are cooked next door at Butchers Diner, the lasagne, a killer prawn cocktail, and mozzarella arancini are passed through a hatch in the wall. The wine list leans to the Italian side but there’s always nice champagne and a local pinot available as well. For cocktails, there’s a focus on the classics that we think pairs perfectly with some live music.

Address: 12 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9654 6249

10. The Moon

The Moon is a well-known wine bar in Melbourne, and for good reason. The hotspot boasts around 400 wines to either take away or consume in-store as well as 20 rotating by-the-glass options that are thoughtfully curated. The wine here is selected based on the region and environment rather than the reputation or the winemaker, meaning you can take a quick trip around the globe, by the glass.

Address: 28A Stanley St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9089 0239

11. Tetto Di Carolina

Tetto Di Carolina is a European-style cocktail bar, complete with a six-metre bar is made from walnut and handmade walnut stools with white terrazzo tiles underfoot. The food is traditional Italian with a few unusual riffs. There’s even a homage to the KFC Zinger Burger, a brioche bun filled with is buttermilk-brined fried chicken, pickles, fennel coleslaw and a lip-tingling spike of chilli.

Address: 48 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: (03) 9867 7954

12. Old Palm Liquor

This Melbourne bar has a bit of a ‘70s vibe from the heavy use of timber and brown-beige hues, making it feel warm and cozy. Other than cosy vibes, Old Palm Liquor serves over 300 low-intervention and biodynamic wines alongside 12 tap beers, with a South African-inspired menu cooked over coals. Each wine offered here is coded with its farming practices and processes, it even shows which reds are served chilled – the perfect place for the wine connoisseurs out there.

Address: 133B Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057
Phone: (03) 9380 2132

13. Boilermaker House

Boasting a library of 700 whisky offerings, the Boilermaker House is home to one of the largest collections of whisky in the city. Although it is known for Whisky, Boilermaker House also offers various craft beers on an ever-rotating tap list. Food is also important here – they offer a full lunch and dinner menu with food perfectly designed with drinking in mind with the classics like steaks, burgers and multi-meat and cheese sandwiches all up for grabs.

Address: 209-211 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 8393 9367

14. Loch and Key

Hidden up a rickety staircase, behind a bookcase in the Captain Melville venue, you’ll find one of Melbourne’s best bars. Loch and Key comes complete with a blackboard menu loaded with seasonal specials from a citrusy, smoky blend of mezcal to Solerno and blood orange juice. Food offerings are simple and delicious, with the signature pork belly slider brought from downstairs. This place is open all night long, so if you want to keep the party going then this is the spot.

Located in: Milano Serviced Apartments
Address: 34 Franklin St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 0408 140 043

15. Eau De Vie Melbourne

Eau De Vie was once a hidden bar, but it’s not so secret now. Serving some serious drinks with a bit of flair, the team chills down drinks with liquid nitrogen. A Rob Roy arrives under a glass dome, trapped with wood smoke that does indeed add another alluring dimension to the already complex combination of whisky, rum and vermouth. Martinis are referred to as Noble Experiments, offering up a range of vodkas, gins, bitters, rinses and garnishes as an adult pick ’n’ mix for a truly customisable classic, served with liquid nitrogen to sustain the perfect drinking temperature. And if that’s not enough, the bar also boasts a copious variety of whiskeys from around the world. What’s not to love?

Address: 1 Malthouse Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 8393 9367

16. Bad Frankie

As one of the best cocktail bars Melbourne has to offer, Bad Frankie should be your go-to for a late-night tipple. This true-blue Aussie bar creates smart spirits utilising native ingredients. This can be seen at play in the Bitters of Oz, a super-Negroni built off Four Pillars Negroni spiced gin, Regal Rogue’s Bold Red vermouth and a blend of six different local Amari which produces a rich and complex flavour profile. It also comes garnished with a gum tree leaf to avoid any confusion as to the provenance of these ingredients. The Choc Rye Manhattan; is a blend of Archie Rose malted rye whisky stirred down with AHD rosso vermouth and punctuated with cacao and macadamia bitters. Every bottle has a specific purpose, has been chosen for a reason and can be showcased in reinvented classics as well as on their own. Classic Toasties are also available. This is one cocktail bar you have to visit.

Address: 139-141 Greeves St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9078 3866

17. Heartbreaker

Heartbreaker is more than your standard Melbourne bar. Hit the beers and saunter over to the jukebox for a bit of Fonzie action. Four pre-batched cocktails are the staples of the bar, these include the Negroni, Martini, Old Fashioned and Manhattan. In addition to these, there are also Everleigh Bottling Co’s stable of dry Martinis, smooth Manhattans and rich Old Fashioneds, as well as the Hanky Panky (a variation on a Martini made with gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet-Branca).

Address: 234A Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9041 0856

18. Embla

Embla is known for its flavour-filled wine list. Featuring a mix of local and international bottles, the Melbourne bar is a true hotspot for fans of Pinot. Sit back and enjoy the day with a few glasses of delicious wine and drink all your worries away at this fun little spot.

Address: 122 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 0455 122 121

19. Gin Palace

Being named the Gin Palace, gin is naturally at the heart of this Melbourne bar. The bar offers a book-length selection from around the world, from classic London Dry gins to boutique Australian offerings made using native botanicals. The expert crew at Gin Palace can mix you up a bespoke concoction, like a punch-packing Gimlet made with Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin that we can’t say no to.

Address: 10 Russell Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 9654 0533

20. Mr West

This Melbourne bar has 24 taps pouring wine, cocktails and a carefully curated selection of independent craft beer and cider from around the globe. The menu offers both Australian and international wines by the bottle and glass, as well as over 300 specialty spirits from the back bar plus a seasonal cocktail list. We love this place because it truly does have something for whatever we may be feeling.

Address: 106 Nicholson St, Footscray VIC 3011

21. Beneath Driver Lane

Beneath Driver Lane is known for its extensive drinks menu – the bar stocks up to 160 whiskies and more than 70 rums and some. Martinis made with liquid nitrogen, and a signature cocktail called Catalyst Fire made using the smoke of palo santo wood are on the menu at this unique Melbourne bar. And there is also a private tasting cellar for those who love top-shelf wine and whisky. The food menu includes oysters, charcuterie and cheese as well as a short-order selection of rich bar snacks such as a dish of smoked octopus, chorizo, black garlic aioli and pickled chilli.

Address: Basement/3 Driver Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

22. Kirk’s Wine Bar

Kirk’s Wine Bar effortlessly showcases the balance between new-world charm and old-world sophistication. The wine list is large and full of character, with the old-world staples like Radikon wines and local innovators like Memento Mori wines.  Kirk’s Wine Bar also has an amazing food menu, whether it’s for breakfast, post-work drink or even something a little more filling, this place has it all.

Address: 46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9600 4550

23. The Elysian

This specialty bar in Melbourne is modelled on the whisky bars of Japan. It’s known for its eclectic collection of a 350-strong back bar of rare and independently bottled whiskies, each hand-selected and for those who don’t like whiskey, cocktails are also available. A highball featuring the green and grassy Suntory Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve served over hand-cut ice, a dash of soda and whatever fruits or herbs take the day’s fancy. Playful house creations include an espresso, Milo and condensed milk number spiked with Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Single Malt, and the evening-closer Pu-er There Pal, which hits you with big and boozy Rittenhouse Rye before rounding out with sweet, toasty notes from smoked tea syrup and herbal dry vermouth.

Address: 113 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9417 7441

24. Madame Brussels

The tongue-in-cheek drinks list doesn’t skimp on the double entendre, with plenty of mention of jugs, balls and all things pleasure. Share a jug of the Madame’s Fruity Double D Cups, which switches Maidenii vermouth in place of Pimms for a twist on the classic punch. House specialties of Pimm’s, punch, rosé, and creamy cupcakes, sausage rolls, chicken sandwiches and raspberry cupcakes. If that’s not enough, Madame’s snack menu is complete with her famous poached chicken, chive and mayo toasted sandwiches served with lemon wedges, or the smooth chocolate fondue of French 70 per cent cocoa pearls.

Address: 3/59 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 0490 258 530

25. Gerald’s Bar

The wine list at this Melbourne bar is a massive 200 bottles long, with a few bins ends, but the staff are helpful enough to decipher it for you. There are classic bottles from around the world sitting among skin-contact wines. Spirits are aplenty and they can mix you up a tonic for what ails you, but don’t expect any tricky bartending. Beers are quenchers, so there are no obscure craft brews that require chewing. The kitchen cooks what it feels like with daily changes, meaning one day you could be gnawing on barbecue pork ribs, and the next, cutting into a duck and pistachio terrine. The staples are smallgoods sliced to order, a variety of ever-changing cheeses or piles of white pickled anchovies.

Address: 386 Rathdowne St, Carlton North VIC 3054
Phone: (03) 9349 4748

26. Good Heavens

Good Heavens is a Melbourne rooftop bar, where the focus is cocktails. The list is littered with old favourites such as a Harvey Wallbanger, Mai Tai and Pina Colada, but these aren’t your normal cocktails they’ve been given an upgrade – the rum for the Pina Colada has been coconut-fat-washed, for example, and the downstairs smoker is used to smoke syrups. There is also an impressive list of beer by the bottle, with pilsners, sours and more from Australia but also New Zealand, the US and plenty from Europe

Address: level 2/79 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9453 2882

27. Whisky & Alement

Whisky and Alement is a Melbourne whisky bar that offers not only a great whisky list but the knowledge to go with it. The bar has access to a broad range of rare and hard-to-come-by whisky, which also includes a secret batch in their rotating barrel directly from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. They also provide a monthly tasting session that attracts international ambassadors and top distillers. Here, you’re treated to some of the best Whisky from around the globe in a classic, sophisticated setting that we love.

Address: 270 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9654 1284

28. Byrdi

Cocktails are made with care and precision, with some components conceived months in advance; That’s what you’ll find at Byrdi. Made and served by a fleet of staff swaddled in crushed linen, are highly original and highly delicious in equal parts, plus a strong sense of seasonality. The Not Mezcal highball is a mix of fermented, smoked pear from the Yarra Valley topped up with Strangelove pear soda that has a sweet/savoury balance. There are in-house ferments available, made with ingredients like honey, apples, hibiscus and cabbage and a short, sharp page of snacks that are trying to follow the drinks’ lead but still have a way to go in terms of execution and balance.

Address: Ella, Melbourne Central Corner Latrobe and Elizabeth Streets Melbourne 3000

29. 1806

1806 is a swanky cocktail bar in the heart of the Melbourne CBD. The carefully constructed menu begins in the year 1806 when the word “cocktail” was first defined in print, with a classic mix to represent each decade since. Each entry is given context through a detailed history of where the drink comes from, who first mixed it, who first drank it and how it’s evolved. We love how a visit here becomes a fun way to learn about history while you drink.

Address: 169 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9999 1982

30. Union Electric Bar

The Union Electric Bar uses fresh produce each day for pressing, juicing and infusing all manner of fruits, herbs and botanicals into drinks. They give an extra kick to cheeky tiki cocktails and quenching highballs, like the light-and-bright Kum Den Botanica, in which gin, apple, lime, cucumber, elderflower and micro herbs taste plausibly healthy, though on sticky days it’s difficult to beat the quench of rum or whisky simply served tall over fresh apple juice. The Melbourne bar is also known for dishing up some pan-Asian food -= the perfect option for the health nuts out there who want to enjoy a drink or two.

Address: 13 Heffernan Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 0450 186 466

31. Napier Quarter

Napier Quarter is a neighbourhood wine bar & guesthouse nestled on a backstreet corner in Melbourne’s oldest suburb that has a quaint, European feel. With a commitment to quality, they celebrate the community and champion the artisan. None is more evidenced than in this Melbourne wine bar’s curious wine list and innovative menu. While it changes constantly, look out for the goat milk fromage frais, with house-made bottarga and lavosh.

Address: 359 Napier St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 0666

32. Bodega Underground

Bodega Underground is a Mexican themed underground bar in Melbourne, serving seventy-plus bottles alongside 30 tequilas. Enjoy familiar favourites like Tommy’s Margarita or a play on the gin-based El Last Word. Naturally, this Mexican themed bar serves tacos, and corn tortillas filled with battered fish, pork, grilled octopus, fried potato or mushroom. Tacos come at two per serve with house specifications such as chipotle mayo, crema, pepitas and guacamole. We love the Mexican and drinks combo, you really can’t go wrong.

Address: 55 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 9650 9979

33. Jungle Boy

Behind the coolroom door of Boston Sub, you’ll discover a secret entrance into a hidden cocktail bar, Jungle Boy. You can expect dim lighting, many hanging plants and snarling animal heads on the walls. But that’s not all, drinks are served in tiki mugs. Drink a Hemingway Spritz cocktail, this long, cool, love child of grapefruit and maraschino Daiquiri and Italy’s beloved afternoon refresher served in a tiki head, or why not go for something brighter and with a bit of a punch, like the B Bizzle Swizzle?

Address: 96 Chapel St, Windsor VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9943 7653

34. Neighbourhood Wine

Neighbourhood Wines boast a 20-page wine list filled with natural beauties, impressive imports and little-known locals from every corner of the globe. Minimal-intervention, biodynamic and organic wines form the backbone of this list, but that’s not all they offer, with delicious foods like The Coffin Bay oysters, slow-cooked meat with dishes of roast veggies and fresh salads. You’ll be coming back for more than just wine.

Address: 1 Reid St, Fitzroy North VIC 3068
Phone:  9486 8306

35. Above Board

Different to what you would have at your usual Melbourne cocktail bar, Above Board shakes it up. The only place to sit is at the big 12-seat island bar or the coveted pair of two-seater banquettes behind it. There are 25 or so cocktails on the menu, split into signatures and updated classics. The Big Four are here – Negroni, Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Martini. Owner Lambert decides which labels are best suited to the menu, decants them into elegant crystal bottles and conceals them in giant drawers behind the bar. Most of the time, you won’t know which brand you’re drinking.

Address: 1/306 Smith St, Collingwood 

36. Public Wine Shop

With a plethora of communal dining and bars opening up around Melbourne, the Public Wine Shop is where it all began. Fitzroy North locals and visitors alike flock to this laid-back bar with walls stocked to the brim with minimal intervention wines. Every one of the 200-strong wine list is organically farmed and free from added sulphur dioxide with Manon, Limus and Tom Shobbrook all key fixtures. Pair your wine with some fancy tinned fish or their take on an ‘egg’. We recommend coming here if you want to meet some wine-minded friends.

Address: 179 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North VIC 3068
Phone: 0498 562 323

Why You Should Trust Our List

From the author, Aimee O’Keefe: I’ve been writing about food and drinks in Australia for half a decade and since moving to Melbourne at the start of 2022 I’ve had the chance to further explore the depths of the city’s bar scene. This includes multiple visits to spots on this list where I’ve tried world-famous cocktails, fantastic wine lists, and the best bar snacks. When I’m not exploring bars in the city, I’m writing architecture features for The Local Project so you could say I know a thing or two about quality atmosphere too.

Alternatives to Bars in Melbourne

If you’re looking to bar-hop to a restaurant after a few drinks why not check out the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne? Alternatively, you can also check out our list of fun things to do in Melbourne or if you’re looking to keep the party going, we can also help you with your search for the best live music venues in Melbourne.

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