There are some good things and some bad things about this place. The good thing is that it has some…read moregreat beers on tap, but then again from the name you can probably guess that it happens to be a craft beer bar. However, I found that it doesn't seem to be open all that long. I was here around 9:00 pm and they were already calling last drinks. Then again, it was a weekday, so that is probably the reason.

Great little venue that also does take aways. There's a nice indoor area by the bar to sit and…read moredrink, and they have a good selection of beers on tap. An outdoor courtyard for when the weather is nice (or not nice as they have heaters) and a bottle shop where you can purchase to either drink there or take with you. There's also some other drinks available such as tequila, whisky and bourbon. They'll also make you cocktails. The guys who own/run the place are very friendly and knowledgeable about their products.

This place is actually pretty cool, and it is one of those bars that I accidentally stumbled upon…read moreas I was wandering around the area. Mind you, being a bar means that this place sort of opens up in the later afternoon, but I wouldn't hold that against it because as it turns out this place has some awesome beers on tap. Actually, their selection is quite extensive, which not surprisingly is something I appreciate - basically a beer bar where I am spending time trying to decide what I actually want is going to be a pretty good beer bar. Oh, and they also have a nice outdoor area out the back as well. Certainly worth checking out.

Pretzels and beer - a match made in heaven, and available at Amber. Almost like being in Munich for…read moreOktoberfest. OK not really, but, pretzels! Owner Richard is an affable bloke who will be happy to help you chose from the beers on tap or in bottle. Currently trialling trivia on a Thursday night, success may be inversely proportional to how much beer you imbibe. There are a few similar places along this stretch of Burwood road near Swinburne Uni, so it will be interesting to see how things go.

Okay, this place does happen to be somewhat smaller that its cousin in the city, but it still has a…read morehuge range of beers to choose from, and a range that is certainly not going to disappoint a beer conissour like myself. I've actually been here a couple of times, and it does get pretty packed on occasion, but at other times it is quite chilled and laid back. The servcie is also pretty good as well, though not as good as some places I've been to.

Loved it. Great Burgers. If you like a good well made old…read moreschool burger. Beer selection great Even good selection of wine

Ahh, another bar that I discovered in my wanderings around Melbourne. It turns out that this one is…read moreactually pretty good, even if only because of the rooftop deck, but then again any place with a rooftop deck is pretty cool in my books. The other thing about this place is that they also have some nice beers on tap, but once again, this is what I have come to expect from such bars. Oh, and the service was pretty good as well.

While my favourite bars and pubs are generally located in the Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond…read moreareas, I have a nostalgic love for Nevermind. It is cozy, comfortable, friendly and familiar. When you just want to drink all these factors become pretty important. Comprising of a few different levels, an outdoors area and a lot of seating, Nevermind pulls steady crowds and has a really nice atmosphere. I've never felt uncomfortable or picked up any dodgy vibes. Its just a nice location and is filled with seemingly nice people. Due to the large amount of couches Nevermind is the perfect location to catch up with friends or even hold an event. The only thing I have a problem with is continuously walking up and down stairs to get drinks but it doesn't seem to bother me too much once I've had a few.

I probably shouldn't call this place a pub, namely because it happens to be a bar, but it is a…read morerather nice one at that. Like a lot of bars it is rather narrow, but it does have a couple of levels, including a couple of roof top decks up above. Also, they have a nice lounge area there as well, something that a lot of pubs seem to be missing. Oh, and it also has some nice beers on tap as well.

It's still how I remember it albeit minus the hard leather chairs and cigars ... still very relaxed…read moreand with an extensive cocktail menu. What is also different now is the stock of these weird beers that are actually quite good!! Looking around I see a lot of middle mgt men type with their PAs? haha hmmm

Loving the emergence/resurgence of the whiskey bars around Melbs at the moment…read more The Kilburn offers flights that group whiskeys together based on their locale, which is a great way to get introduced to a few new favourites, and also a list of whiskey cocktails from the standards to the more peculiar. There's also some decent beers on the menu for those who want to cobble together their own boiler-makers. The set up is great and the inventory on display behind the bar simply mouth-wateringly impressive. One thing was that there didn't seem to be any whiskey 'bible' listing exactly what they had. Understand the logistics of keeping something like that up to date with prices and new inclusions etc can be annoying, but it would have been fun for us to read over, whiskey in hand, looking for the next one to try. I'm sure the staff - all very friendly and welcoming, with table service - would be able to help steer you toward something to suit your tastes and price range, but I do enjoy the tactile experience of flicking through a full drinks menu.

Er mer gerd. There's a very swank whisky bar outside of the city. On my side-ish of town. My new…read morefave. This place breathes a breath of fresh air into a previously dullish area. It's about time! Offering over 600 whisk(e)ys, delicious wines and craft beers. Offering delicious bar food. Very professional and attentive staff, they even offer table service. Beautifully furnished and lots of attention to detail in the lighting and things like bag hooks on the bar. Looking forward to sampling their cocktails and the whisky flights. x

St Cloud had a nice ambience as soon as I walked in, it was modern with exquisite styling. The…read moreservice was very good, served immediately as soon as we walked in. Attended us very often to clear plates and refill water. Only one minor hiccup was when the lady reached across the table to serve the beer rather than coming around but this was very minor. The food soon came after ordering and the salads came first. The young papaya salad came first. The flavour was fresh, probably because it was opening day but lacking interesting and exciting Vietnamese flavours although the chilli added a nice spice. Unfortunately a bit boring 4/10. Next came the Vietnamese slaw which came with Grilled Organic Chicken. Both were $8, the chicken only came with 5 pieces which is not worth what we paid for. The slaw was all cabbage and didn't have any fish sauce or lime which are classic vietnamese flavours. The beef and the fish came next although nicely cooked very miniscule. Worried that they might've ordered too less ingredients on the day. The was no pho available, very disappointed. Didn't think the restaurant was ready to open. Also most of the staff was well trained but some seemed clueless and had no idea where they were going. One of the good points was the curry of the moment which had classic vietnamese/malaysian flavours: was very delicious 9/10 and also ample supply of drinks, might've mistaken this for a bar rather than restaurant. Vietnamese coffee also was tasty. All in all this restaurant had spent a lot of money on renovating this shop but to be perfectly honest was very busy and was not prepared to open today with limited supply of ingredients and seriously to run out of pho by lunch time is ridiculous!!! Very disappointed and will not go back in a hurry

East meets, well, the East at Hawthorn's newest all-day dining destination. St Cloud prides itself…read moreon its honest, healthy, fresh and home-style Vietnamese food. St Cloud's design is sleek. The white painted brick exterior carrying through to the interior with its contrasting white ceiling, black concrete floor and black tiled bar and counter areas. The furnishings also follow a white/black mix. Hanging light bulbs and large folding windows fill the space with light, though just enough light to keep the lower level intimate. The restaurant is split across two levels; the downstairs dining space with small tables and benches and the main bar, and the upstairs dining space with larger group tables, a second bar and an outside deck with more small tables and a long bench. Hanging and potted plants are scattered throughout to add a splash of colour and the upstairs deck's long bench doubles as a lush planter box. The food menu is split into two halves, lunch and dinner, with each half further divided into various sections. Lunch dishes include street food, such as banh mi, spring rolls and chicken ribs, rice paper rolls, pho, salad and noodle bowls and desserts. The dinner menu follows the typical Asian fusion-style of small dishes and large dishes. Rice paper rolls and salads are also on offer. Small dishes include banh knot pancakes and BBQ scallops. The large dishes are the highlight with giant sharing portions of pork belly, lemongrass beef short ribs and claypot curry. There is a banquet menu option with a random selection of dishes for those that cannot decide what to choose. Dessert options change weekly are not printed on the menu. This visit featured the beef short ribs which were incredibly tender and flavoursome. Carrots, potatoes and herbs are tossed into the large tray that the dish is served in. A selection of small dishes were also ordered and included the prawn and pork spring rolls, chicken wings, banh knot and chicken peanut rice paper rolls. The dishes were all of a good quality with a mix of flavours, however many of the small dishes included the same sides of beanshoots, lettuce leaves and dipping sauce, which felt a bit over-repeated. Dessert on this visit was a little spectacular; lime and coconut panna cotta with lychee, plum and meringue. A wonderful dish with tropical, citrus and sweet mix of flavours combined with contrasting creamy and crunchy textures. The drinks menu is plentiful with a range of beers, wines, cocktails, slushies and juices. Coffee is from St Ali, hot chocolate from Elixir and tea from Larsen and Thompson and Matcha Maiden. Service was great during the Saturday night dinner period, which was surprisingly busy at 6pm. Hawthorn has had quite a few quality openings recently and St Cloud is a welcomed and already popular addition to the neighbourhood.

The recently re-booted rooftop bar of the Rivoli cinema makes use of what has mostly been an…read moreunderutilised outdoor space. Offering a small selection of beers, wines and cocktails, as well as some more serious food options if choctops and popcorn isnt going to cut it', this bar provides a pleasant place to meet for a drink pre or post movie. Also worth noting that you don't need a movie ticket to venture up the stairs and enjoy the laid back LA poolside vibe.

Well, I was out and about with a friend of mine who was visiting Melbourne, and as I was showing…read morehim some of my favourite places in Richmond, we discovered this place. Well, I have to admit that as a brewery it wasn't too bad, though I do have to admit that I have been to better. Well, the service wasn't too bad, and they did have some nice beers, though I can't necessarily say that they were absolutely fantastic. However, as a place for a beer, and a nice variety at that, this place certainly works.

A new brewery taproom down at Hawthorn with a good range of styles, nice atmosphere and a whole lot…read moreof promise. The staff has made every effort to open early as Hawthorn has beem notoriously thirsty and deserves a second brewery on one of it's main routes. The beers range from lightweight saisons to double IPAs which is casting a big net that time will prove if this is worthy gamble other than going with the styles they feel. It is a great time to come over and also check what the local tastebuds are on as the menu is still changing. The beer styles on offering are all fine and there are no misses although it doesn't show any kind of personal/local signature (yet). Food options range from some locally loved favs (occy & steaks) to pizzas and general small pub grub. The kitchen seems to be doing a good job in terms of ideation, flavor, locality and delivery. Prices are on the mid to high-end mark although this place has yet to prove itself beer or food wise which is not looking very promising to sales or rep. Give it a chance if you're passing through and you must be here at least once if you live/lived in Hawthorn.

I do really like my craft beers, but it does turn out that not all craft beer breweries are the…read moresame. This place is case in point because I have to admit that the selection wasn't all that great. The thing was that the menu wasn't all that great. Look, the beers that they produce tend to be good, but unfortunately not many of the ones that they had here were all that great. I guess the problem was that the menu wasn't all that easy to read. It was nice, but not the great.

Moon Dog has a very cool, eclectic and relaxed vibe that I really enjoyed. You feel like you're…read morejust hanging out in someone's garage. It's hidden down a side industrial road and most times they have a wood-fired pizza food truck outside. We came on a weeknight close to closing and the place was bustling! We had to wait in line to order a drink at the bar but then were able to grab some seats on the worn-in couches and cozy chairs. The tap list had a wide variety of interesting brews. I think I went with some sort of IPA and wasn't disappointed. This was a great find with an unpretentious crowd and away from all the tourist areas.