Guide Nightlife

Seven Spots to Head for Late-Night Kick Ons in Melbourne

These venues will keep the good times rolling well into the early morn.
Imogen Baker
August 29, 2018

Overview

Every seasoned party-goer knows the good times really start after midnight — and the late-night kick ons are the key ingredient. Nights out on the town always get to a point where you need to take charge and make a decision, a bold call on where to go to keep the good times rolling. This decision is the difference between a night you'll never forget and a night you can't be bothered to remember. You want a place that not only stays open late, but serves cold beers and boasts a great bar menu so you can do your late-night snacking in-house. 

It's a big call, but don't worry — we've got this. To help you out, we've teamed up with our mates at Heineken to find Melbourne's best venues for guaranteed good times into the wee hours of the morn. 

  • 7

    Cookie, the restaurant-bar hybrid on Swanston Street in Curtin House, is a great choice if you want to kick on but need sustenance and a little bit of a sit down. Hey, no judgement. It serves an incredible Thai menu that your hungry tum will appreciate but, more importantly, it’s open until 3am so you don’t have to rush. Cookie is a stalwart in Melbourne’s late-night scene so it’s always brewing a buzzy atmosphere. And the moody lighting and excellent bar menu means you can transition seamlessly, from refuelling with pad thai to keeping the good times going. 

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  • 6

    Fitzroy Social is a newish addition to Brunswick Street’s barteries —that is, bar and eatery hybrids that combine booth seating with formal seating and have a restaurant look with a party atmosphere. It’s open until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights, making it an excellent pitstop for a bite and a Heineken on your way around the northside bar scene. We recommend the arancini ($9) if you need fuel to keep going. It serves a formal menu and a bar menu, so there’s a wide variety of snacks for all appetites.

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  • 5

    Who wouldn’t want to kick on under the starry night sky in the best rooftop bar in South Yarra? The Emerson exudes an elegant yet casual vibe and the cushion-lined deck will keep you and your mates nice comfy while you settle into the night. Whether you want to nab a private booth for a D&M or tear up the dance floor, this multifaceted venue has you covered. Should hunger strike, the straightforward modern Australian menu is perfect for sharing among friends with, of course, a Heineken or two.

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  • 4

    The Mill House is a fun, slightly swanky venue that doesn’t take itself too seriously. There are two key factors that make it perfect for late-night kick ons: it’s nice and central right on Flinders Lane, and it serves seriously delicious burgers that are on special every Saturday for 12 bucks. And it serves litre carafes of cocktails. And it’s free entry. And it has DJs on the weekend. And it stays open until 3am. Alright, so there are many factors that make the Mill House the perfect choice — take your pick.

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  • 3

    Ponyfish Island can be a bit tricky to find (it’s underneath the Southbank pedestrian bridge) but it’s the perfect place to end an evening — staring over the inky Yarra River and enjoying a cold one. It’s sometimes overlooked as a kick on venue, simply because people tend to start here to watch the sun set. But there’s nothing like being under a bridge in the dead of night — it’s perfect for beers and deep and meaningfuls. The toasted sandwich menu is also a blessing at the tail-end of a big night.

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  • 2
    The Bank on Collins offers the perfect late-night combo: a great bar menu and a party atmosphere. If you want the good times to keep rolling, but the crew need a feed, head to the Bank where the kitchen stays open until 10pm. It can accommodate big groups and the menu caters to everyone, from little nibbles all the way up to a hefty parma. The interior will make you feel like you’re at a gala event and, joy of joys, you’ll actually be able to hold a conversation without yelling while you plot your next move. 
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  • 1

    If you end up at Yah Yahs, you know you’re serious about the kick ons. It’s $10 entry after 11pm and, on the weekends, the dance floor is open right up until 5am. Its DJs play nothing but bangers to keep you vitalised on the dance floor. Once you get through the lines — don’t be intimidated, they move quickly — you can settle in for a long, late-night boogie. And if you make it until 5am, it’s only a few hours until the cafes open for a nice Smith Street recovery brekkie.  

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