Melbourne is a city with a very active cocktail and bar scene, with great bars large and small. This list has some of the must visit Melbourne cocktail bars.
5 must Visit Melbourne Cocktail Bars
Here are five Melbourne cocktail bars to check out (in no particular order) for fantastic drinks and vibes.
Ponyfish Island
This bar is on its own literal (man-made) island in the middle of the Yarra River between the Central Business District (CBD) and the Southbank. The entrance is not obvious, so if you aren’t looking for it you’d miss it completely. To get here, you’ll have to walk across the Evan Walker Footbridge, then take the stairs down to the bar/restaurant.
Here they offer up craft cocktails, wine and beer that you can enjoy with a beautiful view. I highly recommend stopping by for a drink at sunset.
They also offer pizza and small shared bites if you’re looking for food with your drinks.
Chuckle Park Bar
I absolutely loved this cozy little Melbourne cocktail bar. Melbourne is famous for having “laneways” which are basically alleys that have a secondary function. This laneway bar is sandwiched between two buildings in the heart of the CBD. The whole space is quite small, but the drinks are fantastic.
You’ll find a list of classic cocktails, “Chuckle” cocktails, and specialty martinis. If you love tropical fruit as much as I do, you need to try the East 8 Hold Up.
Book a table here.
Union Electric
Hidden in an alley in Chinatown, this is for sure one of the best cocktail bars in Melbourne. Not only do they serve up fantastic drinks but they have a great playlist adding to the whole experience.
There is a street level bar with inside seating and a couple of small tables outside. There is more seating upstairs on the (covered) rooftop, with a secondary bar as well. On a nice day, the rooftop is where the action is, but due to its size, fills up quickly.
Rooftop Bar
Melbourne has tons of rooftop bars to enjoy the beautiful summer weather. The aptly named Rooftop Bar, is one of the largest open air rooftop bars in Melbourne.
This bar is a little harder to get to than the others. The entry is not obvious from the street. You have to enter the building lobby, then take an elevator to the top floor. From there you’ll walk up the stairs and out to the rooftop. This isn’t an accessible friendly bar. Also, because of the size and central location, it fills up after work, so you may need to wait in line before you can be let upstairs.
If you want some food while hanging out, they have a burger shack on top of the roof as well.
Emerald Peacock Rooftop
Just around the corner from Rooftop bar is the Emerald Peacock. This bar has a moody lounge space on the interior, but a large and mostly enclosed “rooftop” bar upstairs. Half the bar is interior space, with the other half covered with open air flowing in. Melbourne weather can be quite fickle, especially in spring and summer. While I was there, it went from a beautiful afternoon to pouring rain in minutes. This is a perfect place to enjoy a drink without fear of weather getting in the way.
Additional posts on Australia
- 5 of the Best Free Things to do in Melbourne Australia
- Everything you Need to Know Before booking a Melbourne Airport Transfer
- The Pros and Cons of the Great Ocean Road Tour
- What You Need to Know Before Renting a Car in Brisbane
- Kooii Apartments: What You Need to Know Before Booking
- 6 Excellent Fortitude Valley Bars to visit in Brisbane
