30 Best Bars in Melbourne

“We were invited to a birthday party at the Oviedo FL arcade monster. It was so much fun! Glad we know it exists now“

“Ordered our first home kava kit after falling in love with kava on a trip to FL years ago. Living in Ohio and not having much access to local bars, we were craving the kava that we we had when we traveled south. We absolutely love how easy they send you everything to do yourself and amazing quality products! Great people great company and cannot wait for more!!!🫶🏼🫶🏼“

“Becca is fantastic! She’s incredibly skilled with the scissors and gave me exactly the haircut I asked for. I also loved the aesthetic of the place; great atmosphere and very welcoming. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and I’ll definitely be back!“

“Had great cocktails before eating dinner in Downtown Melbourne. Great service and perfect atmosphere. We will definitely be back 🍸🥃“

“All 5 star reviews...really? Wow... The gal out front that greeted us was all that and more. Had a delivery and a cute presence. Made me want to venture inside and see what the place was about...after entering I immediately liked the place but hold on...The bar tender we had did not even aknowledge us for 5 minutes after we bellied up... And as far as bars go thats waaay too long... When she did come over she was matter of fact and business like. About as warm as a bank teller. I understand you work for a check but tips require a little extra effort. Maybe we were early in the evening but we were customers...Loved the drinks, liked the vibe but the gal behind the bar needs to rethink her style. A smile, a bit of friendly chit chat, am I asking too much? Can't even remember her name, not even sure she introduced herself. Oh well felt the need to share...cheers!“

“Runaway Rooftop Bar & Grill has an incredible vibe, great food, and a view that never disappoints—but the real highlight of my visits is Kalyssa. She is truly a wonderful person. Every time I see her, she radiates positivity, life, joy, love, ambition, and energy. Her personality is unmatched, and she has this effortless way of making the entire day feel lighter and brighter.

People like her are rare. She doesn’t just provide great service—she brings genuine warmth and enthusiasm that transforms the whole experience. If you’re visiting Runaway Rooftop, do yourself a favor and hope you get the chance to meet her. She makes the place shine.“

“Monthly comedy shows pair well with delicious food, the bacon cheeseburger and fried shrimp were particularly good.“

“Best Shepherds pie I've had other than homemade. Didn't ask for an menu already knew what I was ordering however they have two different Shepherds pie one with curry so I tried it.“

“This is a long established, unassuming, easy to miss place in central Melbourne. Like me, you probably drove past it on your way to places like Walmart on Sarno or the DMV, etc. The outside of the place is fairly non-descript - actually The whole Plaza is with its biggest claim to fame is McDonald's and the new dollar tree.

Inside though - what a surprise. This place is open and airy and fresh and clean and it was just a lot of fun. I mean the people that were regulars there you could tell they welcomed us. They made us feel very comfortable. Definitely a place. Oh, and it's a full liquor bar by the way, but definitely a place that we will go back to and that we recommend five stars. Yay!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Twin Oaks is hands-down my favorite dive bar! The vibe is unbeatable—gritty, cozy, and full of character. The bartenders are absolute legends, always quick with a pour and a story. The jukebox cranks out the best tunes, and the drinks are strong and fairly priced. Whether it’s a laid-back weeknight or a rowdy weekend, Twin Oaks feels like home. Can’t recommend this gem enough for anyone looking for an authentic, no-frills bar experience!“

“Such a wonderful experience! We recently visited Crush XI for the first time to celebrate our wedding anniversary. From the ambience of the downtown Melbourne restaurant, to the wonderful hostess, our sweet server Emma, the incredibly delicious food and great drinks - we had a fantastic evening! Highly recommend visiting the amazing staff, enjoying the atmosphere and talented culinary skills of Crush XI whenever you’re in town celebrating or looking for something unique.“

“Great staff, great view and great food. Thank you for a an awesome space to have our board meeting. Plan your next event or meeting here.“

“Big crowd on karaoke night.“

“I absolutely love The Creek!! Great atmosphere, all the staff is amazing! From the door men, security to the bar to the teachers and dancing. I can’t say enough about this place! I will forever promote them! Izza Vybe for sure! Well done yall!!“

“We had the best time here!! Two of us were visiting from LA and Philly. Trudy, the bartender, was so sweet, chill and attentive - the BEST. We came in for drinks after dinner and had a blast. The atmosphere was cool and the locals were a hoot! This is one of the best bars in Melbourne. We will definitely be back!!“

“Great bartenders!! Great drinks.“

“Wonderful food. Great atmosphere and authentic“

“Good food good people good football“

“Love the bartenders here on trivia night!“

“If you sit at the counter, the founder and culinary artist, Miss YanZi, along with her Szechuan sous chef will amaze you with their skillful creations. we tried most of the items on last night's tapas menu and all were mind-blowingly delicious and beautiful to see. 5 stars!“

“super friendly people and always a great time!“

“This place is everything. I’m not someone who leaves reviews but it really deserves one. I’ve been looking to stop in since they opened but never had a chance until tonight with a friend in from out of state. The barista/server working was so patient and kind explaining their variety of drinks to us. They have some very unique and interesting options that I’d love to try in the future! I had a London fog tonight and it was incredible. The live music was just the right vibe and not overwhelming at all. The entire store has such an interesting vibe and I just love all the cool art and knickknacks spread throughout. The environment was relaxing and friendly, super perfect for catching up. Definitely stop in here if you’re in downtown!“

“Remodel looks great , staff is amazing“

“Great and fun atmosphere people are always friendly and the staff is amazing“

“I came in a couple of weeks ago. I usually head to the side bar and order from Delaney, Sam, or Juli depending on who’s working that night. All three are phenomenal bartenders, and honestly I should’ve just waited for my usual girls.

Since the side bar wasn’t open yet, I went to the main bar. The pink-haired bartender immediately came across as rude with her facial expressions, usually she atleast greets people with a smile. It felt like I was inconveniencing her just by walking up to order a drink. She ignored me while helping others.

Another bartender with black hair red highlights was taking care of guests, and everyone around me seemed happy with her service. I figured I’d be next, but then another bartender stepped in to help with the small rush, her name is Alex. I appreciated that she was trying to jump in and help—until she greeted me with, “What ya want?”

I ordered a Tito’s screwdriver. She appeared to understand, but then turned to another bartender and asked what was in a screwdriver. It’s a pretty basic drink, so that surprised me. She ended up making it with well vodka instead of Tito’s and charged me accordingly. When I tried to clarify my order, she snatched my card out of my hand and completely ignored what I was trying to say.

After that interaction, I chose not to order from her again for the rest of the night. I waited until the side bar opened so I could order from my usual bartenders instead.

While I was waiting, I couldn’t help but notice that Alex, the newer bartender with the reddish-brown hair, seemed unsure of what she was doing. I’m pretty sure she started there about 3-4 months ago. She spent long periods of time on her phone or standing around while the other bartenders handled customers. When the bar got busy, instead of jumping in to help, she started cleaning around midnight while the other bartenders were still serving guests.

The County Line Saloon has built a great reputation because of bartenders like Delaney, Sam, and Juli, who consistently provide excellent service. That’s why this experience stood out so much. I understand everyone has off days, and I’m willing to give people grace. But the service I received that night was disappointing enough that I’ll be sticking with the side bar whenever possible.

I’ll definitely be back because I genuinely enjoy The County Line Saloon and appreciate the amazing bartenders who usually make every visit a great experience. I just hope the consistency in service improves at the main bar.“

“The food was great and It had great service. I totally recommend it 👌.“

“Had a great time it was smooth going you look like it was so crowded but I guess it was the end of their meal time but we had good food I asked special requests like minimal salt on french fries and some other kind of sauces and stuff on the side and they didn't have an issue doing it for me at all“

“I almost didn't come here because of several reviews describing poor treatment of patrons. I decided to try anyways because some bands were playing that I really wanted to see and a local friend said they liked this place. I'm glad I did, had the total opposite experience to what the negative reviews described.

- Security personnel were very kind/friendly, respectful, and non-invasive.
- Bartenders were also super helpful, attentive, and offered quick service despite many customers.
- Many good draft and packaged beer options. Mixed drinks were made well and according to my special requests, all for reasonable prices.
- Very fun and intimate venue to see live music. Crowd was lovely and respectful of each other.

One staff told me that live shows there are good, but the crowd changes as it gets later on weekends. I left around 11 after the bands finished and could see what they meant, but still nothing but good energy from staff and other patrons while I was there. I got there at 6pm and even as it got later, everyone was chill. I feel the need to write such a detailed review to hopefully ease suspicions of others like me who may consider skipping a visit here to avoid the horrors described in other reviews. I look forward to coming back for other live shows in the future even though it's a bit far from home.

Additional notes as general FYI and to address concerns from other reviews:
- the place doesn't permit knives or guns. Keep them in the car. They do check IDs, so bring it. They ask to look in bags but aren't intrusive about it. If you follow the posted security rules you should be good there.
- I had no concerns about drinks being drugged. I watched the staff pour/make my drinks and I kept a close eye if I needed to set my drink down anywhere for a moment as I would in any bar. As with all bars, just be mindful and hold on to your stuff. Don't leave things unattended. Just a general rule to avoid issues, again I had 0 worries about this place in particular.
- kept my tab open the whole time I was there. No overcharges. Check your receipt when you close out to flag any issues before you go. Again, just general advisory; the staff here were great and wouldn't suspect any foulplay.
-Just be kind/respectful to staff and other patrons and you should receive the same treatment in return. Anywhere and everywhere you go.

Bottom line: Despite other reviews that made the place sound shady, I had a great time here. It was very warm and welcoming with plenty of space to spread out and take a breather. Will definitely be back.“

“Sorry, was our favorite place, but after this evening…things have changed. Told about 45 min wait. They were to call on our phone, and never called. After 1 hr, we asked greeting girls, who said they called us. No way, we were by dock, no loud people or music, phone on high and kept it in our hand. Told girls to try the number again, to show phone works, and she said she could not. And all this time of waiting, there were always one or two tables empty. Finally got seated, 1 1/2 hrs later, then told no Lolly Pop lamb chops available, which two people wanted. I wanted the chicken piccata that was no longer on the menu. So ordered and then waited about 45 min or so more to get our food. Waiter even apologized, why it was taking so long. But a two star for atmosphere. Was so disappointed tonight, kept telling my son how wonderful this place was. Not sure I would go back…sorry?“

“Who would have thought a great B B Q place would have fantastic , hand breaded shrimp? Everything has always been spot on at both locations. But the shrimp and the service made my day.“