Comments on: Where is the best pub or bar in Melbourne? http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/ The best of almost everything in Melbourne, as voted by locals Mon, 21 May 2012 06:05:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: OzPenguin http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-3744 OzPenguin Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:40:20 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-3744 The Espy has so much going for it: live music, atmosphere, history and a great beachside location (try to be there around sunset!) Note: it's probably not for the upmarket crowd. The Espy has so much going for it: live music, atmosphere, history and a great beachside location (try to be there around sunset!) Note: it’s probably not for the upmarket crowd.

]]> By: Chris Thompson http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-3743 Chris Thompson Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:10:22 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-3743 Madang Korean Bar on the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston. A very sophisticated and comfortable Korean bar, with lots of korean drinks and cocktails. And the Korean food there is delicious as well. The restaurant and karaoke they have upstairs is very good as well. Madang Korean Bar on the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston.
A very sophisticated and comfortable Korean bar, with lots of korean drinks and cocktails. And the Korean food there is delicious as well.
The restaurant and karaoke they have upstairs is very good as well.

]]> By: Salina http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-3400 Salina Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:53:05 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-3400 Everywhere in Melbourne except THE ROYAL MAIL ON SPENCER - THE WORST BAR IN MELBOURNE!!! 1. There are sleazy and ugly old people smoking outside all the time Not for date or business people. The bar full with local drunken people like to hang out outside. You dont really want to go in if you are bringing your date. 2. The room is empty Why is nobody here on a Thursday night? Just opened? Don’t kid me, I can see the look of desperation on the staff’s faces. 3. Spruikers try and drag you in sometimes Obvious really. If they have to use the pressurised tactics of Benidorm timeshare spruikers… 4. Birds on tables If the birds (or rats for that matter) are inside it’s even worse. And believe me, recently I’ve been attacked by sparrows both inside and outdoors and had my food stolen. Any self respecting restaurant doesn’t want birds near their tables. I’m resisting the obvious jokes. 5. Smells If you can smell anything bad, especially the staff, you are in trouble. Either chef doesn’t change his clothes or the cooking oil or the restaurant is on fire. 6. Floor and toilet I’m particularly thinking about floor finishes, anything with shocks of colour. If it looks like the toilet tiles, you’d be better visiting somewhere else. 6. Erections, part one If menus stand bolt upright they are very probably repeating. Rarely, will they be updated, which means the food is unlikely to be seasonal and very probably frozen. Quality is inversely proportional to the height of the menu. Have you ever noticed that really posh restaurants have flat menus that won’t wipe clean? 7. Food on the menu I mean physically. If your hands are sticky after touching a menu then the restaurant very probably doesn’t care. And very probably the menu is always the same 8. Erections, part two Unless we are talking wine bottles, anything that large should be kept well away from the table. I’m thinking of laughably large food receptacles, ketchup bottles and, of course, the ubiquitous joke pepper grinder. 9. Room with a view If the room has a view, food certainly will not be cheap. And rarely will the food be good. 10. Roadkill night and other themes Really? If their business is good, why do they bother to have all the different name for the night? Food is still the same. Selling expiry food on the special menu?? 11. Long menus Over 20 items split across entrée, main and dessert is pushing it. If a restaurant is trying to be all things to all people, it isn’t very discerning. It’s probably sticking everything in the freezer and then microwaving it. 12. Erections, part three If you spot any dessert or cake that is higher than say six inches – I’m being generous here – leave immediately. It’ll be bought in from some cheesecake chain, rot your teeth and very probably give you diabetes. 13. Anything peculiar Just follow your instincts. If there are weird themes, uniforms – grown men dressed as chickens –or if anything makes you uneasy, just leave. This applies to quiz nights and belly dancing. It smacks of desperation. 14. Pokies/Footy Tipping If gambling is the central theme, the whole restaurant are likely to be lurid and the food bad. Dont trust their footy tipping score. They may fool you the score and let their best friend to win the tipping!!! 15. Napkins Controversial this one, but have you ever noticed how the slightest breeze can send your smelly napkin across the room. It is so smelly that you want to use your own cloth to wipe your mouth. 16. Vanilla ice cream I’ve already aired my views on this. What vanilla ice cream is shorthand for is the mundane and unimaginative menu. Everywhere in Melbourne except

THE ROYAL MAIL ON SPENCER – THE WORST BAR IN MELBOURNE!!!

1. There are sleazy and ugly old people smoking outside all the time
Not for date or business people. The bar full with local drunken people like to hang out outside. You dont really want to go in if you are bringing your date.

2. The room is empty
Why is nobody here on a Thursday night? Just opened? Don’t kid me, I can see the look of desperation on the staff’s faces.

3. Spruikers try and drag you in sometimes
Obvious really. If they have to use the pressurised tactics of Benidorm timeshare spruikers…

4. Birds on tables
If the birds (or rats for that matter) are inside it’s even worse. And believe me, recently I’ve been attacked by sparrows both inside and outdoors and had my food stolen. Any self respecting restaurant doesn’t want birds near their tables. I’m resisting the obvious jokes.

5. Smells
If you can smell anything bad, especially the staff, you are in trouble. Either chef doesn’t change his clothes or the cooking oil or the restaurant is on fire.

6. Floor and toilet
I’m particularly thinking about floor finishes, anything with shocks of colour. If it looks like the toilet tiles, you’d be better visiting somewhere else.

6. Erections, part one
If menus stand bolt upright they are very probably repeating. Rarely, will they be updated, which means the food is unlikely to be seasonal and very probably frozen. Quality is inversely proportional to the height of the menu. Have you ever noticed that really posh restaurants have flat menus that won’t wipe clean?

7. Food on the menu
I mean physically. If your hands are sticky after touching a menu then the restaurant very probably doesn’t care. And very probably the menu is always the same

8. Erections, part two
Unless we are talking wine bottles, anything that large should be kept well away from the table. I’m thinking of laughably large food receptacles, ketchup bottles and, of course, the ubiquitous joke pepper grinder.

9. Room with a view
If the room has a view, food certainly will not be cheap. And rarely will the food be good.

10. Roadkill night and other themes
Really? If their business is good, why do they bother to have all the different name for the night? Food is still the same. Selling expiry food on the special menu??

11. Long menus
Over 20 items split across entrée, main and dessert is pushing it. If a restaurant is trying to be all things to all people, it isn’t very discerning. It’s probably sticking everything in the freezer and then microwaving it.

12. Erections, part three
If you spot any dessert or cake that is higher than say six inches – I’m being generous here – leave immediately. It’ll be bought in from some cheesecake chain, rot your teeth and very probably give you diabetes.

13. Anything peculiar
Just follow your instincts. If there are weird themes, uniforms – grown men dressed as chickens –or if anything makes you uneasy, just leave. This applies to quiz nights and belly dancing. It smacks of desperation.

14. Pokies/Footy Tipping
If gambling is the central theme, the whole restaurant are likely to be lurid and the food bad. Dont trust their footy tipping score. They may fool you the score and let their best friend to win the tipping!!!

15. Napkins
Controversial this one, but have you ever noticed how the slightest breeze can send your smelly napkin across the room. It is so smelly that you want to use your own cloth to wipe your mouth.

16. Vanilla ice cream
I’ve already aired my views on this. What vanilla ice cream is shorthand for is the mundane and unimaginative menu.

]]> By: Susie http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-1247 Susie Sun, 19 Jun 2011 02:25:17 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-1247 I like the Marquis of Lorne in Fitzroy. Cute beer deck up the top. Or the Union Club. Keen on that kitchen of theirs. I like the Marquis of Lorne in Fitzroy. Cute beer deck up the top. Or the Union Club. Keen on that kitchen of theirs.

]]> By: Chia http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-1246 Chia Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:16:04 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-1246 I have been to Melbourne once. In the week I was there, I visited the Ivy (nice comfy couches and kooky crowd that I fit in with... is that a good or bad thing??), the Espy (great conversation with random travellers), the bar where I was staying at the Novotel (the whole time was spent trying to get on with my book and not to get picked up by lonely older men), the tiny stage and beer garden out the back of Pure Pop Records (that was very cute and musical and snug, but a little TOO snug.... but still gotta love an indie record store with a bar!!).... and the one on St Kilda Beach with the big cane chairs and the fireplace inside. Gotta say... I usually prefer old, historic pubs, but this new place on the beach had it all; yummy food, great service, hot bartender, lots of different spots to sit and have a long catch-up with a mate, nice beer, and..... BOARD GAMES!! Squeeeee! I don't know if it's still the same a year on, but 12 months ago I had a great arvo there. I have been to Melbourne once. In the week I was there, I visited the Ivy (nice comfy couches and kooky crowd that I fit in with… is that a good or bad thing??), the Espy (great conversation with random travellers), the bar where I was staying at the Novotel (the whole time was spent trying to get on with my book and not to get picked up by lonely older men), the tiny stage and beer garden out the back of Pure Pop Records (that was very cute and musical and snug, but a little TOO snug…. but still gotta love an indie record store with a bar!!)…. and the one on St Kilda Beach with the big cane chairs and the fireplace inside. Gotta say… I usually prefer old, historic pubs, but this new place on the beach had it all; yummy food, great service, hot bartender, lots of different spots to sit and have a long catch-up with a mate, nice beer, and….. BOARD GAMES!! Squeeeee!

I don’t know if it’s still the same a year on, but 12 months ago I had a great arvo there.

]]> By: Jim http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-724 Jim Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:07:38 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-724 The Fleece is weird. It's like it doesn't know if it is a tradie pub or an upper class pub. It seems to put out this "newly renovated" image of being wanky and up market but you go in there, and its just the same old brickies and plumbers that've been going there all these years. The Fleece is weird. It’s like it doesn’t know if it is a tradie pub or an upper class pub. It seems to put out this “newly renovated” image of being wanky and up market but you go in there, and its just the same old brickies and plumbers that’ve been going there all these years.

]]> By: Bonnie http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-723 Bonnie Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:21:43 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-723 Great new pub in Montague St south Melbourne - cnr Buckhurst. THE FLEECE Has a rooftop deck you wouldnt know was there + great food too. Great new pub in Montague St south Melbourne – cnr Buckhurst.

THE FLEECE

Has a rooftop deck you wouldnt know was there + great food too.

]]> By: Dan http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-702 Dan Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:12:55 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-702 The Retreat in Brunswick The Retreat in Brunswick

]]> By: Cat http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-689 Cat Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:58:23 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-689 Agree on The Standard Hotel. Great food and huge beer garden. Only bad thing are the possums that occasionally dump in your beer. Agree on The Standard Hotel. Great food and huge beer garden. Only bad thing are the possums that occasionally dump in your beer.

]]> By: Marsy http://melbournism.com/where-is-the-best-pub-or-bar-in-melbourne/#comment-688 Marsy Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:45:25 +0000 http://melbournism.com/?p=533#comment-688 The Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. Best beer garden. The Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. Best beer garden.

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