Melbourne's 50 Most Popular Bars of 2016
Catch up on the year's most visited drinking dens.
Grabbing a drink in Melbourne is no mediocre experience. It seems that around every corner, in every basement and up every dodgy staircase there's a hidden (or not so hidden) drinkable library of inventive cocktails, local brews or world-class wines just waiting to be explored. This year, these were the bars you kept searching for — the most popular ones on Concrete Playground (even if they weren't brand new). Catch up on the drinking dens Melbourne has made their favourite locals.
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BarGarden State Hotel
101 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
This always bustling pub, a favourite post-work hangout for many city workers who swing by for a care-free, good time, now boasts a two-level rooftop garden.
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BarSake Flinders Lane - TEMPORARILY CLOSED
121 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Australia’s own masters of contemporary Japanese dining have welcomed a new culinary hotspot to their growing brood.
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BarBar Liberty
234 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
This Fitzroy wine bar has quite the sense of adventure.
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BarHot Sauce Laneway Bar - CLOSED
QT Melbourne, 8 Portland Lane, Melbourne
QT Melbourne's 'laneway' restaurant.
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BarSagra - CLOSED
256-258 Glenferrie Road, Malvern
A Malvern restaurant with all-day Italian dining, a rooftop bar and even a gallery.
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BarArbory Bar & Eatery
Flinders Walk, Melbourne
With great views and even better food, this is one platform you won't mind getting delayed on.
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BarRooftop at QT
Level 11, QT Melbourne, 133 Russell Street, Melbourne
The CBD slick rooftop bar on top of the QT.
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BarBedford St - CLOSED
11 Johnston Street, Collingwood
The Heartattack and Vine team's new all-day diner and bar.
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CafeHolla - CLOSED
284 Victoria Street, Richmond
An all-day dining option on Victoria Street (that's not Vietnamese food).
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BarChalawan - CLOSED
102 Smith Street, Collingwood
Modern Thai food served with a Melbourne twist and some truly great cocktails.
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BarLittle Oscar - CLOSED
41 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
With Korean and American influences, this is not your basic burger bar.
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BarBird's Basement
11 Singers Lane, Melbourne
You'll get dinner and a show at Melbourne's newest jazz bar.
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BarNieuw Amsterdam - CLOSED
106–112 Hardware Street, Melbourne
Inventive, unusual and delicious cocktails with a New York-style menu to match.
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BarLeonard's House of Love
3 Wilson Street, South Yarra
Drink tinnies, down burgers, dance and play pool in Leonard's lounge room-like bar.
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BarVaporetto Bar & Eatery
681 Glenferrie Road (enter Via Grace Street), Hawthorn
An enchanting Venetian bar that nails all the best bits of Venice.
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BarNighthawks
136 Johnston Street, Collingwood
A no-fuss dive bar preserving the Collingwood of yore.
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BarGrub Food Van - CLOSED
87-89 Moor Street, Fitzroy
Laid-back backyard in summer, cosy comfort cafe in winter.
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BarRooftop Bar
252 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Rooftop Bar is the centrepiece of Melbourne's alcohol stocked skyline.
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BarHihou - CLOSED
First Floor, 1 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
A Japanese-inspired bar behind a secret doorway.
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BarLady Carolina - CLOSED
177 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
This mistress does the lot, including margaritas worth their weight in liquid gold.
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BarGoldilocks
Level 4, 264 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Above a Chinese restaurant, find a world with three bears and drinks that are just right.
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BarFeast of Merit
117 Swan Street, Richmond
Sip coffee and tuck into Middle Eastern fare with a clear conscience.
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BarNaked in the Sky
285 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
The best position on Brunswick Street is in the sky.
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BarFatto Bar & Cantina - CLOSED
River Terrace, Hamer Hall, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
With Fatto meaning 'stuffed' in Italian, this riverside cantina and bar might just be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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BarBelleville - CLOSED
Globe Alley, Melbourne
A hidden cocktail bar above Chinatown from the team behind Section 8 and Ferdydurke.
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BarUnited Kitchen Dining & Tapas - CLOSED
52 Fitzroy Street, Melbourne
Pretty drinks, pork belly and peanut butter spring rolls.
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BarHeartbreaker
234A Russell Street, Melbourne
This wild-child American-style dive bar is a rock 'n' roll dream.
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BarThe Mill House - CLOSED
277-279 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Channel the Prohibition era and sip moonshine below street level.
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BarMagic Mountain Saloon
62 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
An eatery and bar spawned from one of Melbourne's best hospo pedigrees.
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Bar5 Points Deli - CLOSED
118 Elgin Street, Carlton
Pots of American beer and sandwiches piled high with pastrami. This is our kind of deli.
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BarPretty Mama - CLOSED
220 Spencer Street, Melbourne
Jerk chicken and piña coladas from a team with Gumbo Kitchen, Der Raum and Rockpool on their CV.
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BarStray Neighbour
463 - 467 Plenty Road, Preston
The new neighbour set to elevate the dining scene of Preston.
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BarBad Frankie
141 Greeves Street, Fitzroy
Australian cocktails, lamington jaffles and some of the best service you'll find off Smith Street.
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BarArchie's All Day
189 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
From your morning coffee to your midnight nightcap, Archie's has you covered.
