Skip To Main Content
Reinvention edition banner 1180x90
Reinvention edition banner 778x150
Best bars in melbourne 2

40 Best Bars in Melbourne


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:

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.

Interior of Bar Margaux bar area
Bar Margaux | Image: Bar Margaux

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
Hours: Tues-Weds 5–12pm, Thurs-Fri 5pm-1am, Sat 5pm-3am
Phone: (03) 9650 0088

Exterior of Bar Liberty
Bar Liberty | Image: Bar Liberty

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
Hours: Mon-Sat 5-11:30pm, Sun 12-5:30pm
Phone: (03) 9415 9025

Arbory Bar and Eatery outdoor with customers dining
Arbory Bar and Eatery | Image: Arbory Bar and Eatery

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
Hours: Mon-Sun 11am-12:45am
Phone: (03) 9614 0023

Interior of The Shady Lady bar area
The Shady Lady | Image: The Shady Lady

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
Hours: Mon-Sat 6 pm- 1 am
Phone: 0421 228 482

Best bars in melbourne
Odd Culture Fitzroy | Image: Odd Culture Fitzroy

5. Odd Culture Fitzroy

A starkly Melbourne take on the established Newtown institution in Sydney’s inner-west, Odd Culture Fitroy is a fitting injection on the Victorian capital’s vibrant Brunswick Street. The bottle shop and bar are very much one here, with a quintessential Fitroy beer garden out the back. The wines are aplenty and equally delicious, continuing the brand’s focus on low-intervention wines, and you can grab any bottle from the fridge to enjoy at the table (however, beware, there is a $25 corkage fee.) The only real other difference besides the contrast in ambience is the food – there is no dining menu here, just nibbles. 

Address: 296 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Hours: Mon-Thurs 3-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-1am, Sun 12-11pm
Phone: (03) 9069 3212

Interior of Cumulus Inc with customers
Cumulus Inc | Image: Cumulus Inc

6. 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
Hours: Mon-Thu 12–10pm, Fri-Sun 12-11pm
Phone: (03) 9650 1445

Interior of Wolf and Swill
Wolf and Swill | Image: Wolf and Swill

7. 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
Hours: Mon & Fri-Sat 10am-10:30pm, Tues-Thur 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-4pm
Phone: 0429 263 500

Interior of The Everleigh bar area
The Everleigh | Image: The Everleigh

8. 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
Hours: Mon-Sun 5pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9416 2229

Naked For Satan rooftop outdoor with customers
Naked For Satan | Image: Naked For Satan

9. 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
Hours: Mon-Thurs 12pm-12am, Fri-Sat 12pm-1am, Sun 12-5pm
Phone: (03) 9416 2238

Interior of Angel Music Bar
Angel Music Bar | Image: Angel Music Bar

10. 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
Hours: Tues-Weds 4pm-3am, Thurs 4pm-4am, Fri-Sat 4pm-5am
Phone: (03) 9654 6249

Interior of The Moon with customers
The Moon | Image: The Moon

11. 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
Hours: Tues-Thurs 3-10pm, Fri-Sat 1-11pm, Sun 1-10pm
Phone: (03) 9089 0239

Interior of Joe Taylor bar area
Joe Taylor | Image: Joe Taylor

12. Joe Taylor

Joe Taylor is a North Melbourne Cocktail bar with a whole lot of atmosphere. The bar has a leather-bound menu that delivers seasonal, balanced cocktails, such as the strong yet smooth Quiet on the Orchard of applejack, fig bitters and chestnut liqueur, served over a hand-hewn cube of ice. There’s also a special board that changes weekly.

Address: 7 Errol St, North Melbourne VIC 3051
Hours: Sun-Mon 5-10pm, Tues-Thu 5–11pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9329 1585

Interior of Tetto Di Carolina bar area
Tetto Di Carolina | Image: Tetto Di Carolina

13. 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
Hours: Sun & Weds 4-11pm, Thurs-Sat 4pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9867 7954

Interior of Old Palm Liquor with customers
Old Palm Liquor | Image: Old Palm Liquor

14. 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
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm-12 am
Phone: (03) 9380 2132

Interior of Boilermaker House bar area
Boilermaker House | Image: Boilermaker House

15. 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
Hours: Tues-Thurs & Sun 5pm-12am, Fri 12pm-1am, Sat 4pm-1am
Phone: (03) 8393 9367

Interior of Loch and Key bar area
Loch and Key | Image: Loch and Key

16. 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
Hours: Sun-Tues 8pm-5am, Wed-Thur 6pm-5am, Fri 11:30pm-7am
Phone: 0408 140 043

Interior of Eau De Vie Melbourne bar area
Eau De Vie Melbourne | Image: Eau De Vie Melbourne

17. 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
Hours: Tues-Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am
Phone: (03) 8393 9367

Interior of Bad Frankie
Bad Frankie | Image: Bad Frankie

18. 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
Hours: Wed 5-11 pm, Thu-Sat 5pm-1am, Sat 3pm-1am, Sun 5-11pm
Phone: (03) 9078 3866

Interior of Heartbreaker with customers
Heartbreaker | Image: Heartbreaker

19. 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
Hours: Sun-Tues 5pm-1am, Weds 5pm-3am, Thur-Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 5pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9041 0856

Exterior of Embla with wide glass windows showing interior
Embla | Image: Sarah Anderson

20. 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
Hours: Mon-Tues 3pm-12am, Weds-Sat 12pm-12am
Phone: 0455 122 121

Interior of Gin Palace
Gin Palace | Image: Gin Palace

21. 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
Hours: Mon – Sun 4pm – 3am
Phone: 9654 0533

Interior of Mr West bar area
Mr West | Image: Mr West

22. 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
Hours:  Mon 1.30pm-9pm, Tues 12pm-11pm, Wed – Thurs: 12pm – 12am, Fri – Sat: 12pm – 1am, Sun: 12pm – 12am

Interior of Beneath Driver Lane
Beneath Driver Lane | Image: Beneath Driver Lane

23. 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
Hours: Tues-Weds 5pm-1am, Thurs 5pm-3am, Fri-Sat 4pm-3am, Sun 6pm-12am

Exterior of Kirk’s Wine Bar with wide glass windows showing interior with customers
Kirk’s Wine Bar | Image: Kirk’s Wine Bar

24. 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
Hours: Tues – Thurs: 12pm – 10pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-11pm
Phone: (03) 9600 4550

Interior of The Elysian bar area with staff and customers
The Elysian | Image: The Elysian

25. 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
Hours: Tue-Sat: 4.30pm – 1am
Phone: (03) 9417 7441

Madame Brussels outdoor with customers
Madame Brussels | Image: Madame Brussels

26. 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
Hours: Weds-Thurs 5pm-11pm, Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 2pm-1am, Sun 2pm-11pm
Phone: 0490 258 530

Interior of Gerald’s Bar with customers
Gerald’s Bar | Image: Gerald’s Bar

27. 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
Hours: Mon-Sun 5pm-11pm
Phone: (03) 9349 4748

Good Heavens rooftop bar with customers
Good Heavens | Image: Good Heavens

28. 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
Hours: Sun-Mon 12pm-11pm, Tues 12pm-10.30pm, Weds-Thurs 12pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9453 2882

Interior of Whisky & Alement with staff behind bar area
Whisky & Alement | Image: Whisky & Alement

29. 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
Hours: Sun-Mon 4pm-10pm, Tues-Sat 4pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9654 1284

Interior of Byrdi bar area
Byrdi | Image: Byrdi

30. 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
Hours: Tues-Thurs 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-12am

Interior of 1806 bar area
1806 | Image: 1806

31. 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
Hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm-12am, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am, Sun 4pm-12am
Phone: (03) 9999 1982

Interior of Union Electric Bar bar area with customers
Union Electric Bar | Image: Union Electric Bar

32. 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
Hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri-Sun 4pm-1am
Phone: 0450 186 466

Interior of Ends and Means bar area
Ends and Means | Image: Ends and Means

33. Ends and Means

Ends and Means is a low-waste and sustainable cocktail bar, and true to its word, it produces less than one bag of landfill a day. They use rescued materials for the bar, creating plywood coasters, upcycling glass bottles and even rigging its ice machine so the water melted is used on the courtyard plants. But sustainability doesn’t stop there, they also update the cocktail list to use seasonal ingredients every week, they only pour beers from tap and they even make all their mixers and syrups in-house as well as stocking sustainable spirits.

Address: 79 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Hours: Weds 4pm-11pm, Thur-Sat 4pm-1am
Phone: (03) 9048 0514

Exterior of Bodega Underground
Bodega Underground | Image: Bodega Underground

34. 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
Hours: Mon – Thurs 5pm – 12am, Fri 12pm-1am, Sat 11am-1am, Sun 1pm-12am
Phone: 9650 9979

Interior of Jungle Boy
Jungle Boy | Image: Jungle Boy

35. 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
Hours: Mon 5pm-10pm, Tues-Sun 5 pm – 1 am
Phone: (03) 9943 7653

Interior of The Rum Diary Bar with staff behind bar area
The Rum Diary Bar | Image: The Rum Diary Bar

36. The Rum Diary Bar

Unsurprisingly, The Rum Diary Bar is known for its collection of world-class Rums. The leather-bound menu features 170 rum bottles from the Caribbean to South America. With stops in Mauritius and Spain, including everything from white, golden, spiced and raw varieties. If rum is not your thing, there is a wide selection of other spirits, beers, house-made ginger beer and wines as well as cocktails.

Address: 334 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Hours: Tue-Wed 7pm – 1 am, Thu-Sun 7pm – 3am
Phone: 0418 708 369

Interior of Neighbourhood Wine with customers
Neighbourhood Wine | Image: Neighbourhood Wine

37. 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
Hours: Tues – Sa 12pm – 12am
Phone:  9486 8306

Interior of Above Board bar area
Above Board | Image: Above Board

38. 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 
Hours: Mon – Sun 6pm-1am

Exterior of Public Wine Shop with wide glass windows
Public Wine Shop | Image: Public Wine Shop

39. 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
Hours: Mon-Thurs 4pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-11pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
Phone: 0498 562 323

Exterior of Napier Quarter at night
Napier Quarter | Image: Napier Quarter

40. 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
Hours: Mon-Thur 12pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 9pm-11pm, Sun 9am-10pm
Phone: 
(03) 9416 0666

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.

You’ll also like: