Melbourne Christmas Party Ideas 2023

by Broadsheet Editors

Updated 2 months ago

While Christmas is still a few months away, end-of-year calendars are filling up fast. And with so many excellent bars and restaurants opening in the last 12 months alone, picking a spot to party is tougher than ever.

If you’re looking for inspiration, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite Christmas party ideas to help you plan the ultimate celebration. These spots are a little more creative than your average sit-down meal – ranging from axe throwing to bowling and private cinema screenings. If you’re after a fine private dining space to impress your crew or colleagues, head over here.

Bomba
Restaurant
The Rooftop
Outdoor parties are always a hit at this time of year. Unlike our friends in the Northern Hemisphere with their snowy white Christmases, we’re lucky to have sunny end-of-year office parties. Bomba’s rooftop is an ideal spot for an open-air one – especially if you’re a small team. It’s bookable via email, easy to get to, and has great city skyline views. Larger groups can look to The Carlton Club in the CBD, The Prince Alfred Hotel in Carlton, Cityfields in Chadstone or Stella in South Yarra.
The Keys
Bar
The Bowling Alley
The Keys is modelled on LA’s vintage bowling alleys. From a co-founder of Takeaway Pizza, Dexter, Nico’s and Dom’s, it's nothing like the tacky neon-lit alleys we’re used to in Australia. “They’re these cool bars that you want to be at, regardless of whether you’re bowling, but then there’s a fun activity too,” one of the owners told us. Book your Christmas party here and see for yourself. There’s an arcade, great drinks, an enormous beer garden and plenty of food.
Thornbury Picture House
Shop
The Private Cinema
Want to really push the boat out? How about booking out an entire cinema for your team? The Thornbury Picture House accommodates up to 57 people for private hire. Whack on a film, order some food from nearby Umberto and get stuck into wines and cocktails. Afterwards, you can head High Street’s bars to keep the party going. For smaller groups, Henkel Street Cinema in Brunswick also has two private cinemas seating up to 22 – and is every bit the arthouse experience.
Half Acre
Restaurant
The Boozy Long Lunch
There are a few options at this beautiful South Melbourne restaurant, bar and events space. If you’re just having a team meal, its bottomless brunches and lunches are a good choice. $98pp gets you all the food your group can eat and as much wine as it can drink. While on Sundays, $69pp buys a ticket to a two-hour feast of roasted meats and bottomless drinks. If you want to hold a larger gathering, book the dedicated space next door.

Book a Table
Pepe’s Italian & Liquor
Restaurant
The One Near Good Bars for Kicking On
As many of us can attest, the best part of the Christmas party often happens at the bar you go to afterwards. Or the one you go to after that. Pepe’s, with its outdoor Italian terrace, cocktail towers and big bowls of pasta, is a great Christmas party choice in its own right. But when you consider its CBD location near a stack of good kick-on bars, it becomes a no-brainer. Book here for smaller groups or enquire here for a larger booking.
Maniax Axe Throwing
Shop
The Steam Blower-Offer
Throwing axes at wooden targets is super satisfying and a great way to let your feelings out. Pick up that axe and hurl it with all the strength you have. It’s something that will really bond the team together. Somehow, you’re permitted to drink while you do it. This one caters to most party sizes, too, taking group bookings for 8–100 people.
Little Lon Distilling Co
Bar
The Gin Lover’s Dream
If you’re keen on something beyond booking a venue and slapping a tab on the bar (not that there’s anything wrong with that), try Little Lon’s gin masterclasses. The 90-minute classes include a G&T on arrival, rundown of the on-site distillation process and a guided tasting flight of four gins. You can also become a gin (or cocktail) master at Fossey’s in Carlton or Naught Distilling in Eltham.
Moon Dog World
Bar
The Brewery
Moon Dog World’s enormous size and range of spaces make it a great spot for any party. Bonus: crowd-pleasing food and a-something-for-everyone beer range (plus many other drinks). The new Brewdog in Coburg’s Pentridge Prison can also help you throw a great get-together, along with Nice Guys in Richmond, Stomping Ground in Moorabbin, Bad Shepherd in Cheltenham, and Molly Rose and Bodriggy in Collingwood.
Bartronica
Bar
The Arcade With Drinks
This ’80s-themed gaming bar – which has an extensive range of arcade machines and heaps of retro game consoles – is available for hire. There’s nothing like looking back on the year over a cocktail and a game of Tetris. There are bookable retro booths for up to 20 people, or you can contact them directly to book the venue for up to 200 people.

Book a Table
Heroes
Bar
The Karaoke Room
Maybe you see karaoke as a strictly end-of-night activity. Or maybe you want to start with it. If it’s the latter, look into this multi-level rooftop and karaoke bar, which has room for up to 60 keen singers. To eat, there are share-friendly snacks like onions rings, chicken ribs and karaage chicken ’n’ chips. Alternatively, if your group is partial to a party theme, cowboy karaoke bar Wows Fitzroy can also help you get the party going.

Book a Table
The Funderdome
Shop
The Minigolf-Off
How’s your swing? Test it out at The Funderdome’s Coney Island-inspired minigolf course, which has 18 holes and can be booked for groups small or large. It also offers gaming arcades and ’70s karaoke. When you’re all gamed out, there are fries, hotdogs and fun cocktails.