Overview
Moon Dog announced its plans to transform Footscray's iconic Franco Cozzo building into a huge drinking and dining venue at the end of 2022, and broke ground on the new Moon Dog Wild West site towards the end of last year.
The crew has also confirmed that it still plans to open the new three-storey 800-person Wild West-themed mega venue (that's twice the size of Moon Dog World in Preston) at the end of March this year.
Guests will enter the bar and restaurant through swinging saloon doors on Hopkins Street, and immediately be met with a huge mechanical bucking bull surrounded by horseshoe-shaped booths, an old western-inspired arcade and a barrel-ageing room.
But the Moon Dog crew isn't just popping a bucking bull in the bar and calling it a day. The team does nothing by half measures. They're taking it one step further by starting up the Western Bull Riders Club, a bucking bull riding league for regulars who want to compete to be the best bull riders in Melbourne.
Those who sign up for the Western Bull Riders Club will get a $100 voucher to Moon Dog Wild West, a team pin and T-shirt, plus an invite to the venue's pre-opening event. They'll also get their name up on the 'Bull Riders' board and be invited to competition nights, including the annual Western Bull Riders Championship. We didn't think Melbourne needed a fake bull-riding league, but here we are, living for Moon Dog's.
The team has also shared its menu ahead of the March opening, showing off the Tex-Mex and Western-inspired eats. These will include classic jalapeño poppers, buffalo chicken ribs, a Mexi prawn cocktail and its Western barbecue bacon burger. They'll be served across all floors, including the huge rooftop space.
On the bevs front, you can expect all the usual Moon Dog beers and seltzers to be pumping out of the 100+ taps across the venue, as well as plenty of seasonal brews.
They even got three-time Australian Bartender of the Year Chris Hysted-Adams to design the cocktail list and shots menu. This will include an old-school pickleback shot, a regularly changing Old Fashioned that'll' be served in a barrel for four people, and a layered tequila sunrise slushie.
Everything at the new Moon Dog Wild West in Footscray just screams unabashed fun. We have high expectations for this new opening, as well as Moon Dogs' upcoming Docklands and Frankston sites.
Moon Dog Wild West will be located at 54 Hopkins Street, Footscray and is set to open in late March, operating from 11am–11pm Sunday–Thursday and 11am–1am Friday–Saturday. For more information, head to the venue's website.