After-Work Drinks in CBD Melbourne
It's hard to find the right venue for work drinks.
Chances are, you'll be rolling with a large group of diverse ages and tastes. You need a big bar with an egalitarian streak - one that offers French champagne alongside Carlton Draught, without judging your office get-up.
Some of our choices are smaller or more specialised. But for the most part, we've gone for the true all-rounders, where everyone can find a seat and a drink they like. Go on, get that weekend started.
Restaurant
Hightail Bar
Take your pick from three different kitchens (Belles Hot Chicken, Mr Burger and Super Taco) and two bars at this sprawling casual food hall in the Docklands. The enormous venue was designed to channel an island oasis, with hanging plants and murals of jungle flora behind the bars.
Bar
Arbory Bar & Eatery
Espresso martinis on tap. Enough said.
Bar
Whitehart
No other city in the country would slap a shipping container, some massive steel girders and a collection of ferns together and call it a beer garden. But Melbourne would, and there’s a solid rotation of drinks to go with the breezy, open-air vibe.
Bar
Union Electric Bar
Service that'll make you feel valued.
Bar
The Carlton Club
Head upstairs to Palmz, one of the city's better rooftops.
Bar
Garden State Hotel
Bring your whole office – there's room for 800 people.
Bar
Siglo
Light up a cigar and enjoy the view.
Bar
City Wine Shop
For fans of good wine.
Bar
Section 8
Call it junkyard chic.
Bar
Goldilocks Bar
Cocktails, city views and affordable snacks.
Bar
Ponyfish Island
Feels like a party on a boat.
Bar
Heartbreaker
The jukebox is loaded with rock albums from 1968 to 1980.
Bar
Robot Bar
For Japanese-beer enthusiasts.
Bar
Bar Ampere
A wine and aperitif bar with Parisian charm.
Restaurant
Henry and the Fox
Cafe by day, bar by night.
Bar
Hasti Bala Bar
Welcome to the jungle.
Bar
Lily Blacks
For discerning cocktail drinkers.
Bar
Fable
Thirteen floors up, the stunning venue boasts uninterrupted city views and a retractable roof for year-round dining. Inspired by its heritage, it’s serving Greek-inspired fare from an ex-Press Club chef.
Bar
Hell’s Kitchen
A small, no-frills bar that's big on atmosphere.
Restaurant
Lillian Brasserie
Set inside Chris Lucas’s fine diner, Society, this European-inspired brasserie retains the strong seafood focus of its sibling, but offers it in a more casual space primed for long lunches and late-night cocktails. Pull up at the bar for signature drinks and exceptional drops from Society’s peerless wine cellar.
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