Rich in arts and culture, Melbourne is home to many museums, festivals, and dynamic cultures. The bars in Melbourne are known for their unique designs or carefully created cocktails. Here are some of the most exciting themed bars to chill at after a long day of exploring or simply for a fun night out!
The Croft Institute
The first floor of this speakeasy bar located in Chinatown is styled after a medical school classroom and the top floor styled after an old-fashioned gym with bleachers. Getting to this bar is an adventure in itself. As the bar is inspired by a science lab, there is a massive collection of peculiar glassware to sip a cocktail from. Enjoy bespoke cocktails, or take a shot from a syringe.
29th Apartment
Known to be one of Melbourne’s most iconic concept bars, this New York Styled apartment bar is a bar that you can’t miss! Styled exactly just like an apartment with a game room and according to the owner Katishe, a 28-year-old artist who moonlights as a working girl to pay the bills. Enjoy some New York-inspired cocktails while playing some classic board games such as Battleship, Scrabble, or even a giant game of Jenga. Pop in anytime from 4pm to 3am from Mondays to Saturdays or from 12pm to 3am on Sundays!
LuWOW
This Tiki-inspired bar transports you to a fantasy Hawain inspired, rock-roll, Tiki world. This cocktail bar was built by the owner “Skipper” Josh Collins with rattan and bamboo ceilings and the booths are decorated with repurposed car upholstery. The fake plants and flashes of leopard print adorn the room with green and blue lights that fully transport you into another world. Immerse yourself in this cocktail bar while sipping on some drinks with an added tiki punch. Be sure to try the Easter Island Ice Tea, giving a spin to the classic long island tea with coconut tequila or one of their must-have drinks, the Zombie which includes three kinds of rum shaken with grapefruit and pomegranate juice. Check out this Tiki-inspired bar anytime from 4 pm to 11 pm from Mondays to Wednesdays or 4 pm to 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays!
Berlin Bar
A cheeky take on a post-World War 2 Era, this is one of the most interesting bars to visit in Melbourne. After having rung the doorbell, witness firsthand the juxtaposition of East and West Berlin. Choose to either sit on grenade crates at ‘East Berlin’ or simply relax on one of the leather booths at ‘West Berlin’ while sipping on classic cocktails created by a team of dedicated bartenders. The Berlin Bar is a small and cosy space with soft lighting to allow you to follow transport to the German City regardless of the side of the wall you choose to be on!
Bartronica
Reminisce your childhood memories at this bar by savouring cocktails and simultaneously playing some classic arcade games that most of us have played in our childhood. The basement bar is filled with original games such as a Donkey Kong console, Time Crisis II, or even some retro pinball machines. It also has a cocktail inspired by the 80s with drinks such as ‘Girls on film’, ‘Risky Business’ and ‘Fatal Attraction’. Or simply try the Kong cocktail, a drink inspired by Donkey Kong which comes with chocolate bitters and an ice block shaped like Tetris. Recollect your childhood memories at Bartronica on Tuesdays to Thursdays from 3pm onwards or 12pm till 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Storyville
A land with fairy-tale meets fantasy awaits you in this bespoke two-story cocktail bar, bringing your childhood fantasies to life. Inspired by classic children's novels and grown-up staples, this dark and grim forest fantasy is a must-visit in Melbourne. You can either choose to sit in a golden birdcage by a Narian and fireplace which is under a huge tree or rather, in a library of giant books. Be sure to check out the mushroom palace cocktail bar on the first level, with cocktails named after some classic fairy tales or stories such as ‘Charlie’s Winning Ticket’ or ‘The New York Peach’. Drop-in anytime from Monday to Friday from 4pm onwards and over the weekends from 6pm onwards for a ‘Once upon a time’ experience!
Bosozoku
A former teppanyaki bar transformed into a Japanese bike-gang-inspired cocktail bar, bringing Japan to you. With Onsen-looking booths, Karaoke and Nintendo rooms, Sake warming stations, Motorcycle chandeliers, and Hitachi train seats, this bar is equipped to give you a fully Japanese experience. The mix of artworks and ideas is also highlighted in the extensive cocktail menu. Enjoy alcoholic bubble tea or a cherry-blossom-inspired gin. If not, enjoy cocktails with an exciting Japanese twist such as Espresso Martini with vanilla bean sake or a Wasabi Bloody Mary. Otherwise, enjoy classic Japanese beers like Asahi on tap. Open only from Wednesdays to Saturdays from 5pm to 10.45pm and 10pm on Sundays, this is a perfect bar to end your trip or day at!
