The 6 Best Hidden Bars In Melbourne
Michelle See-Tho is a freelance writer and journalist based in…
Melburnians always brag about the city’s excellent foodie culture and unparalleled-by-anywhere-else-in-the-world-so-don’t-even-try coffee. So it should come as no surprise that they’re also super proud of the underground bar culture – which is sometimes so underground that they don’t even know about it.
Here are the seven best hidden bars in Melbourne, perfectly ripe for discovery on your next trip.
[related_articles]52853, 31917[/related_articles] [listicle]Hihou
Hidden places don’t come more hidden than Hihou (Japanese for “secret treasure” – talk about an appropriate name). You have to ring a doorbell on an unmarked door to get inside.
It has a sleek Japanese décor, with low lighting and low seating. It’s got all the usual drinks, but if you’re looking for something particularly Japanese you can choose between variations of sake, umeshu (plum wine) and Japanese whisky (“Suntory time!”). Sitting by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the far side of the bar gives you beautiful night time views of Treasury Gardens.
Where: Level 1, 1 Flinders Lane, CBD
Image: Hihou / Facebook
1806
1806 is a classic, cosy, cocktail bar on Exhibition Street. Named after the year the word “cocktail” first made it into the dictionary, the bar has an extensive menu with cocktails for every decade since then, plus the staff’s own inventions.
It’s draped in red curtains with chandeliers hanging everywhere and you can sip from your cocktail from the comfort of velvet chair like some kind of royal. Underneath this bar is its little cousin, The Understudy, a private room serving deconstructed cocktails.
Where: 169 Exhibition Street, CBD
Image: 1806 / Facebook
The Everleigh
Old World charm meets Fitzroy glam at this neighbourhood cocktail bar. To reach The Everleigh, you’ll need to walk through an American dinner, down a dimply lit corridor and up a few stairs. It’s worth it though; once you’re inside the hustle and bustle of the outside world disappears instantly as you saddle up to the bar and settle in for the night.
There’s a small and rotating menu, but serious cocktail connoisseurs rejoice because The Everleigh is all about creating bespoke tipples specific to your taste. When ordering from ‘The Bartender’s Choice’, guests can expect to choose from fresh fruits, flavours and spirits before being served up a custom-made classic.
Where: Upstairs, 150-156 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
Image: The Everleigh
Sahara
If you’ve walked down Swanston Street, you may have seen the sign for Sahara from the other side of the road. But, chances are, you haven’t seen the entrance. It’s a tiny staircase in between a bunch of lunch places. Three levels up is the apex – a beautiful rooftop with a bar and seating covered in coloured cushions for a Moroccan feel.
Food and drinks are decently priced with specials every night and a super-long happy hour on Thursdays. This is also one of the few places in Melbourne where you can order shisha in a range of flavours – even bubblegum!
Where: Level 1, 301 Swanston Street, CBD
Bartronica
If you’re a fan of ’80s throwbacks, you’ll love Bartronica. Firstly, it’s an arcade. It’s got old-school games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, plus all your nostalgic childhood consoles like Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64. Just remember to bring some change if you want to play.
The sound is folk rock mashed up with the “ding ding ding” of gaming machines.
The drinks are named after ’80s films like Risky Business and Fatal Attraction. But there’s plenty of cider and beer on tap if you’re not in the mood for a cocktail. And the ice is shaped like Tetris. Tetris! If all that’s not enough to drag you in, there’s also a little beer garden out back.
Where: Basement, 335 Flinders Lane, CBD
Image: Bartronica / Facebook
Pawn & Co
They say buying things when you’ve been drinking is not a good idea. To that, Pawn & Co say, “Pfft!”
This establishment is a pawn shop with a bar in it. You can sell your stuff and buy other people’s – anything from furniture to taxidermy animals. And you can do it all while sipping on “Cocktail Pawn” like Death in the Afternoon (champagne and absinthe).
You can spot its balcony from Chapel Street below, but you might have to dig a little to find the entrance (just like op-shopping!) It’s a fun time, although you’ll want to keep an eye on your funds – unless you’re willing to splurge on vintage allsorts.
Where: 177 Greville St, Prahran
Image: Pawn & Co / Facebook
[/listicle](Lead image: The Everleigh)
Michelle See-Tho is a freelance writer and journalist based in Melbourne. She has lived and studied in the US and China. Find her at michelleseetho.com.