On March 5, 2025, The Everleigh and Bar Margaux announced their forever closure. There’s a certain sadness when any hospitality business calls time. But what followed was an outpouring that felt more intense, more unanimous, than almost any other closures in Broadsheet’s 15-year history. Rather than dwell on the bad news, we asked you to contribute your rosiest memories of the two bars. Here’s what you said.

We worked tirelessly for 10 weeks to build the Ev. And we had so much help doing it. Friends, family and people I didn’t even know all came together to build this dream. Sasha [Petraske, co-founder] came out [from New York] about two weeks before the open. I handed him a paintbrush. I remember the energy. Everyone knew something was coming. This only built the pressure for me to live up to these expectations and also make Sasha proud. – Michael Madrusan, co-founder and co-owner, The Everleigh

I met my husband Ali behind that bar – although Michael was initially not at all impressed about his staff dating! The training we received at The Everleigh opened a lot of doors for us, including the opportunity to open our own bars in NZ. If we had never walked up those stairs our lives would be totally different. – Heather Garland, former bar manager at The Everleigh, now co-owner at Caretaker, Deadshot and Rocketman, Auckland

Being part of the opening build made me feel like I was truly part of the furniture (furniture that I fell off whilst fixing them up). I was always terrified of Charlie (the creepy picture of the boy in the corner) but learnt to love it. – Alastair Walker, former venue manager at The Everleigh, now co-owner at Caretaker, Deadshot and Rocketman, Auckland

During the build of the Everleigh – or the Neverleigh as they called it before the dream was finally realised and the doors opened for the first time – there was a miscommunication about where the bar should be built, so the original bar had the most luxurious wide space behind it. Ali decided this had to be enjoyed, so during the opening years the bartenders tried to dance as much as possible behind the bar. Serious bartender from waist up, and feet out of sight dancing away to the jazz below. – Heather Garland

I vividly remember the first time I went to the Ev – it was a day or two before it opened. We’d got wind that an outpost of Milk & Honey was opening on Gertrude Street. I tagged along with the journalist and we sat at the bar one afternoon and chatted to Sasha and Michael for hours while Sasha taught Ali, the new young bartender, to make drinks the Milk & Honey way. It was immediately clear that the Ev was setting a new standard for Australian drinks. It changed Melbourne forever. – Nick Shelton, founder and publisher, Broadsheet

Meeting Michael’s mentor Sasha when he trained me on the bar changed everything. And getting to see him again when we closed the bar to take the staff over to New York was remarkable – experiencing the bars and culture that shaped everything that myself and Heather knew. – Alastair Walker

The doors opened officially on July 4, 2011. We were still missing a table on booth 7 but I quickly got over that. We had booze, candles and tins. The Ev opened to a lot of interest and criticism. People assumed we were Americans trying to overtake the local scene. We just wanted to be a part of it. We did things differently, but that’s just how we did it. I remember a bartender getting so upset that we’d put his drink in the freezer to keep it cold while he was having a cigarette. – Michael Madrusan

I remember the first drink I tried at The Everleigh: a Red Snapper, a zesty concoction of honey, lemon, raspberries and scotch over crushed ice. It just blew me away. – Heather Garland

We went in the very, very early days and it was a bar like no other in Fitzroy – and probably not in Melbourne. It had this really cool speak-easy vibe. It was very true to the 1920s. The music was ’20s music and they hand-wrote all the bills. There was no cash register. It was very pure. If it wasn’t in the 1920s, it wasn’t at the Everleigh. – Kym Ortenburg, regular and Gertrude Street Projection Festival co-founder

After about four months the hype died off completely and reality set in. We were struggling to pay the bills. I was working 6–7 nights a week, doing paperwork in between the downstairs door creaking to let me know a guest had entered (that’s why I never used wd40 on it). It was on those nights where I’d only make 5–6 drinks, I made valuable lifelong friends and regulars. The famous duo Chris and Kym that frequented the bar from opening night until the week it closed, Doctor John Ciciulla, his brother Anthony and their amazing family that took a family photo on the stairs after every visit. Anna Dunn, Nick Shelton and TCYK founder Rhys Gorgol, who kept my bar stools warm and my chin up. – Michael Madrusan

The first year was a hard grind in terms of getting people through the door, because we didn’t advertise or anything. It was just kind of wait and see, which was very trying for Michael considering he decided to do things on his own. His parents’ house was on the line. There was a lot of stress. – Alastair Walker

Service had to be addressed. We recognised a hesitation in guests as they opened the door to what they believed to be too fancy, and we quickly adjusted both service style and language – a change that ultimately saved us. By March 2012, I was selling everything I had to pay the rent. Lauren had moved back to NY by May but by June, things had picked up. We had a streak and we were desperate to make it last. We made sure the lights were low, the music was up and the drinks were flowing. The weekends were a party and by sheer enjoyment of the fact I hadn’t gone broke, I was actually enjoying it. 2012 carried on upward and by 2013, The Everleigh had arrived. – Michael Madrusan

When I arrived in Melbourne in 2013, I’d done my research on the best spots in the industry and everyone from London had told me that The Everleigh was the ultimate, but it would be near impossible for me to get in with this tiny world class team. I made an arrangement to meet with Michael to discuss a host position – the first opening in two years or so. I sat in front of him at the bar whilst he was on shift. I’ll never forget the smell of the freshly pressed ginger and picked mint as I climbed the stairs. The dim lights and warm candle glow. The place was quite busy, so I sat and waited while Michael made drinks like he had twelve arms. I watched the incredible women working the floor and was truly inspired. I’d never seen a dance like this in a bar before, all but choreographed, elegant communication and effortlessly generous service. – Zara Madrusan, co-owner, The Everleigh and Bar Margaux

When Zara arrived, she turned a mum and pop shop into a business. I was completely unaware of social media. – Michael Madrusan

Working there was a revelation. The method and the training they developed is unbelievable. I had learned bits and pieces over my years in the industry, but suddenly everything came together. Everything had a reason. Every detail was treated with such importance. There was no “good enough" when it comes to Everleigh drinks. Nothing went over that pass unless it was perfect. I still hear Michael's voice in my head as I make drinks to this day. – Heather Garland

One new year’s I decided to take my girlfriend and a friend to check out a place I kept hearing about. I had just started to discover classic cocktails. It was hot and I had no idea what to get. Alastair served me and recommended a Ramos Gin Fizz. I’d never heard of it, and when he mentioned cream I was sceptical it would be the right thing for that time of day. It was perfect. The chill of the drink, the combination of sweet, sour, fizzy and creamy blew my mind. I thought about that drink for months. I tried to make it myself. I asked multiple bartenders for it, and every time there was eye rolls, a frantic scramble to find cream and orange blossom water, and a flat, let-down of a drink in comparison. The Ev was all about technique, and it was a truly perfectly made cocktail. – Oska Whitehart, former bartender at The Everleigh, now co-owner of Bar Bellamy

There’s a massive artwork that goes up over the Atherton towers [on Gertrude Street]. The projector for that one goes in the building next door to the Everleigh, but we use their three-phase power. I went up there in the very early days of the festival … and there was the sound of a chainsaw. I went in and one of the barmen was chainsawing this massive block of ice in the coolroom. I said, “What are you doing?” and he said, “We’re making our own ice.” I thought wow, that’s taking it to the next level. – Kym Ortenburg

I watched my very first ever AFL granny final with a few pints at The Everleigh after moving from interstate. I remember thinking how very “Melbourne” I felt. – Tara, customer

My husband and I had our first date at The Everleigh and then hired the bar for our bridal party to have photos and drinks on our wedding day in 2016. – Sara Jade, customer

I kissed my (now) husband for the very first time while sitting at the bar. It was our second date. We’d just had dinner at the Builders Arms hotel and then we strolled over to The Everleigh. The cocktails, the service, the music, the mood, everything was just perfect. It holds a very special place in our hearts. It will be missed! – anonymous, customer

We took our wedding photos at The Everleigh and then had cocktails in the Elk Room as the “second phase” of our wedding. It was the perfect space for the winter luxe vibes we wanted, and being such huge fans of the space, the drinks and the people we were delighted it was such an integral part of our wedding day. – Lisa, customer

I can’t imagine a better setting for a first date. The staff were making signature cocktails for everyone, so you have your beautiful table service and the charming staff who come over and say, “Tell me about the sort of thing you’d like to drink tonight and we can make you up a special cocktail,” which immediately gives you something you can talk about on a date that’s not just “How many siblings do you have?” When we got engaged, I raised the issue of last names. One of us could change to the other person’s family name, or both of us could legally change our names. We thought, “What about Everleigh?” – which is where we had our first date. We thought, “Yeah, that’ll work.” – Megan Everleigh, customer

Michael and I connected intellectually and found ourselves having long D&Ms after shift or on staff outings. We discussed what it would be like to enter into a relationship together, and he said it would be crucial to have the staff’s approval first. He didn’t want anything to impact the harmony of that team. With some persuasion, the team gave us their blessing. We quickly began romanticising the growth of The Everleigh and its endless potential. Before long we started Navy Strength Ice Co, The Everleigh Bottling Co and opened Heartbreaker – all in 2015. This was also the year we wrote our first book, A Spot at the Bar. We conquered the complexities of devoting our personal and professional lives together. – Zara Madrusan

I remember not knowing what to wear when I started. Michael donated a stack of shirts, trousers, waistcoats and accessories. He wanted to make sure I looked the part and I made sure to wear it with pride whenever I was in the venue. I didn’t fit half the stuff, but he never asked for it back. He was always happy to give you the shirt off his back if you asked for it, to share his knowledge and his time with you if you needed it. Melbourne’s drinking culture and scene would 100 per cent not be the same without his drive and passion to do something so particular. – Oska Whitehart

The Everleigh is where my best friend met her now partner of two years, the wonderful staff very respectfully asked if he would be allowed to send her a drink. So many great nights there, as a local I’m gutted I didn’t know my last time there (a few weeks ago) was my last time there. – Liana, regular

Someone clearly trying to impress took me to The Everleigh for a first date. I had a beautiful whiskey sour, sat at the bar and loved the attention to detail given in the making, pouring and conversing by the bartender. I’ve been back many times since. It’s always had a special place in my heart. I’m so sad to see this level of professionalism in service and experience go. – Andrea, customer

No matter how busy we were or how tough a shift was, we’d always drop everything when we heard the “shot song”: Down in Mexico by The Coasters. Every time we heard the horns start to play, we’d run to the bar for a shot of whisky or ice cold gin (depending on who was bartending). It always gave the team a moment to pause, take stock and connect over a quick shot. We still practice this today at Bar Bellamy, but with a different song. – Oska Whitehart

I had the best Old Fashioned ever at The Everleigh. The staff member took the time to ascertain what types of whiskey I liked, then made the most amazing cocktail. The venue was delightfully dim and cosy, the staff very welcoming. I returned several times and it was always great. So sad that it had to close. I wish I’d known before so I could have paid a farewell visit. – Laura, customer

I took a visiting friend from Singapore to The Everleigh on his first visit to Melbourne and he was impressed with the whole experience: the setting, the service and of course, the cocktails. – Joanna, customer

I ordered a cocktail-making kit during lockdown. I was so surprised at the quality and care taken in a product that was created during such a mental time in Melbourne culture. – anonymous, regular

When I first moved to Melbourne some friends and I had a ritual, we would smash some Belles Hot Chicken followed by cocktails at the Everleigh. The Everleigh quickly became a place to take people visiting town to show off how good we have it here. – Jadon, customer

I’ll never forget The Everleigh’s belated 10th anniversary party, welcoming back all the old staff with a menu of original Everleigh drinks with high-quality spirits. It was a really good family atmosphere but in a fancy-ish environment. – Luke Kelly, former bar manager at The Everleigh, now co-owner at Pendant Public Bar

I liked guests’ bewildered looks when we’d speak in shorthand about how to make drinks. “Is it ¾ , ¾ 1, 1, ½? Or is it ½, ½, 1, 1, ½?” It was never to gatekeep (we were always happy to write specs on the back of postcards) or to make guests feel excluded, but simply the most efficient way of communicating. There definitely was a little part of you that felt like you knew a secret handshake though. – Oska Whitehart

One of my favourite little projects was the Everleigh tram, where we took over The Colonial Restaurant Tram for a cocktail party, sipping Dominicanas while rattling around Melbourne. All our regulars snapped up the tickets so it was a tram full of friends. Michael made a little DIY bar trolley to roll down the aisle and we shook cocktails at the tables. It was so much fun that we started planning the Ever-Jet, which I’m still a bit disappointed never quite came to be. – Heather Garland

When I took my parents to The Everleigh for the first time, the venue manager, Katya Owens, walked them through every painting and decoration piece and the story behind each one. They were in rapture in the storytelling – that's what made The Everleigh mean something. It wasn’t just recipes to be memorised, it was years and years of refinement and storytelling that made the drinks develop this orbit of their own. The two drinks she first suggested for them they still order to this day. Forever the London Calling and Better Than Jane Fonda have a strong place in their hearts (and mine)! – Erica Garis, former general manager at The Everleigh Group

Mike always said the drinks should be a given, it’s just 10 per cent of what makes a good bar. From the first hello to the last goodbye and the stuff in between is what makes a great bar. The Everleigh was always about the people. It’s hard to put into words what that venue meant for me and so many people. My best friends still to this day come from that venue. It had a huge impact on my personal and professional life. You could say I grew up there, and a lot of it is what I truly believe bars should aspire to be. – Cameron Parish, former assistant bar manager at The Everleigh and bar manager at Bar Margaux, now bar manager at Gimlet

I’ve been going to the Everleigh for the last four years, typically three times a week. I’ve had every single one of the drinks on the Everleigh branches and had the pleasure of knowing all of the staff on a first-name basis. It’s always been a special place. I had every birthday, every first date and almost all celebrations there. It’s been an ongoing journey. It’s been nothing but a pleasure to meet all of these amazing people, see staff come and go, growing as individuals and professionals. – Jayden, regular

If The Everleigh were a person, we’d have known each other for over 10 years, had 100 photos on the stairs and shared 1000 memories. If The Everleigh were a person, they’ve not missed a birthday or life event. They’ve looked after me on good days and bad. It’s the same if I come alone or bring others – they treat us like family. They’re there when the night is young and hopeful. They’re always there when it’s over; when I’ve been everywhere, had enough of that nonsense and want to finish the night well. If The Everleigh were a person, they’d be one of my best friends. – John Ciciulla, regular

The Everleigh was never just a bar. It was an atmosphere, a trick of time, where the clink of ice against crystal met the crackle of ‘50s music, and the air hummed with the kind of conversations you wished could last all night. It was a place where elegance wasn’t forced, only found – where each drink arrived like a quiet encore, a little act of theatre played out between the hands of those who knew their craft. Michael and Zara didn’t just serve drinks; they orchestrated something timeless. They built a space where strangers leaned in, where the old rituals of hospitality were alive and well. Some doors close. But the Everleigh will always be there, in the half-light of memory, where the scent of citrus lingers, the night is still young and we live happy Everleigh after. – Anthony Ciciulla, regular

Margaux was our greatest challenge. The venue that people really took seriously. We demonstrated we were here to push ourselves creatively with entirely unique and diverse concepts, and that we had much more to give. An opportunity came up for the space and we grabbed it. I was home with my newborn daughter during the build. Michael was, as he always has been, hands on, laying 30,000-plus wall tiles and perfecting every design detail. I built a brand inspired by a wild 1960s energy and we layered the concept so it felt classic and new all at once. – Zara Madrusan

It was a beast. I remember thinking I’m going to write a book about how not to open a bar while I was building her. Anything that could go wrong, did. It was a three-month build, it was cold. I was laying the tiles with my mum and step dad, we ran out of money, we managed to borrow some more and then we ran out again. – Michael Madrusan

I met Michael and Zara at the bar a week before it was due to open, to interview them and write a feature story for the cover of our next print issue. The place was a mess. My family is in commercial construction. I literally grew up on building sites. I remember thinking, “There’s no way this place is going to be ready in time.” I ate my words. – Nick Connellan, Australia editor, Broadsheet

I remember pulling an all-nighter the night before opening. We were pretty high from the fumes that night. I came home to shower and get ready for the opening. I laid down on my daughters play mat, feeling an exhaustion I’ve never known, and fell asleep. Zara woke me to leave and we headed in. We walked slowly down the staircase with the incredible bottle flair video playing on the projector and opened the door. The sight was nothing I could have ever imagined. The most beautiful bar I had ever seen. Standing there glowing and beaming with pride. And so was I. – Michael Madrusan

Even without seeing that noisy, dusty basement a week prior, the space would have moved me on opening night. It was just so slick, sexy and timeless – both in the sense of aesthetics and being able to lose track of time there. The bartenders were so confident and engaging. Michael was trying to make everyone try a Black Velvet, an ill-advised mix of Guinness and champagne that’s probably the only bad drink he’s ever recommended in his life. – Nick Connellan

The world fell in love with Margaux and her dark, alluring energy. When we had to close the doors only nine months in when Covid hit it really hurt. I feel so warmed by the memories I know so many have made in our venues. It’s in these spaces that they live on, and as I tell my girls, those that touch our hearts never really die. – Zara Madrusan

I visited solo while on a trip to Melbourne from Sydney. I sat at the bar and had great conversations with the staff as they searched through their massive drinks compendium to find something to make for me. – Scott, customer

It one of the first cocktail bars I went to in Melbourne. I was a bartender from Queensland so it was particularly exciting and it just had this super inviting atmosphere that was also really cool and mysterious. I loved that they could make anything you asked them to. After I moved to Melbourne, I took everyone I knew there. – Beth, customer

I was visiting Melbourne on my own from NSW for my birthday. After a comedy show one night I was looking for some late night food and found Bar Margaux. I was sitting at the bar enjoying my meal when one of the servers complimented my pants. She later sat next to me to have her dinner and we got chatting. A year later I moved to Melbourne and she is one of my best friends here. Love you June! – Ilona, customer

I loved eating at Bar Margaux after seeing one of the last sessions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It was one of the few places open for dinner that late and I just remember having a blast. I’ll miss their cheeseburgers and steak tartare – the best in the city in my opinion. – Mwansa, customer

It was our second date. Bar Margaux had such an intimate feel. The lighting, the music, the staff – all of it. We had champagne to start, oysters, steak tartare, escargot, chablis with our mains, steak frites and the incredible Margaux Negroni. I don’t know if it was the absinthe, but I fell in love with Bar Margaux and the man next to me. We visted often. For date night, birthdays, celebrations and even burgers at the bar. It’s a place we will remember fondly forever. – April, regular

There are so many memories of Margaux that make me smile, but it’s the simplest ones which stand out. Cold Thursday evenings. Mini Martinis and steak tartare to start, followed by burgers and beaujolais, finished with the creme brulee and a digestive. – Erica Garis, former general manager at The Everleigh Group

The death of Bar Margaux and The Everleigh robs us of one of the great bespoke cocktails: the Golden Cadillac. A luxe pillow of a cocktail! – Ken, regular

I loved going there post comedy show during MICF and getting gooey rich cheeseburgers and red wine and chatting away until the early hours of the morning about the show and what we were going to see next! – Merinda, customer

I had my first date with my girlfriend at Bar Margaux. I’m so sad to see it go! The burger and steak frites was stuff of legend. – Rick, customer

It was best burger I ever had, while two months pregnant and feeling very unwell. – Siobhan, customer

I’ve never met a burger I couldn’t delete with ease. Two patties, double bacon, double cheese? Please. I remember eyeing off the MGX burger when Broadsheet had a party in the basement, and someone with more experience warning me we should split it. I agreed, but thought to myself they were dreaming. Nah, I was dreaming. That bordelaise (red-wine) sauce was on another level with richness. I ate half and that was enough. – Nick Connellan

I went to Margaux three times and every single time the food and service were amazing. I felt like I was in Paris. As a French speaker from Montreal, that was precious. The first time was with girlfriends for a late night dinner. The second was one of the weirdest dates I’ve ever had in my life (he sneaked in his own drinks) and the third time was with someone who became my husband. – Dina, customer

I’m aware of two venues in the Melbourne CBD where you can eat a burger paired with a glass of burgundy and feel classy AF. Bar Margaux was one of them. RIP. – Jadon, customer

My brother surprised me with dinner at Margaux for my birthday. When siblings get older, finding uninterrupted time together is precious and priceless. I sat at my table waiting as instructed, thinking my husband had planned a dinner date for us two. But when my brother showed up, the surprise moved me to tears. We talked for hours and decided to have a birthday dinner every year to catch up and spend time together. We had escargot, and an amazing burger each. When time ran out for our table, the team kindly guided us to another table by the bar. – Angela, customer

I got a well-made Brooklyn at 4:55am. – Luke Kelly

I went to Bar Margaux on my very first date with my now husband. It was meant to be “just for a drink”. We ended up staying for six hours, after being moved to a different spot (as our reservation ran out), quite a few amazing cocktails and a shared supper. Six months later we went back for another date and decided to get married. – Judy, customer

Bar Margaux was one of our favourite bougie but cosy nights out in the city, especially late night after catching a theatre show. I can still taste the Petit Martinis and the creme brulee. RIP to a Paris-end icon. – Tara, customer

Bar Margaux is my favourite restaurant of all time. The first time I went was for my boyfriend’s 26th birthday. A sommelier came to the table, the food was divine and the service was unreal. When I say I want a burger, the burger I now envision is the MGX burger. Nothing is going to trump it. I have been there countless times and cried on Wednesday when I heard the news. – anonymous, regular