Wait, where did Pugg Mahones go?! Obviously I haven't been paying attention on my recent trips…read morearound Lygon St, as seems the oddly named The Shaw Davey Slum has been open for business for over three months now. (A rant for a different time; but are there any Irish pubs left in melbs?) We showed great trepidation about venturing into the Slum. The outside looked unappealing, garishly bright paint covered with posters advertising the different nights and specials looking like a tacky Gold Coast nightclub. Completing that picture: they had a few bouncers outside too...at 6pm on a Thurs. (Having been out of the nightclubing age bracket for some time I can't remember the last time I've even seen a door-bouncer!). The guy even clicked his counter when we entered even though we were about the only ones in there (guess it gets busy later?). Inside the decor is all over the shop. Can't figure out what they're going for. Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe inspired wallpaper, ergonomically-challenging bar-stools, a few nice light fixtures, and then more bright pink & orange posters smothered over the bar. Some cool touches here, some tacky ones there. (Weirdly their best design feature is the rustic-themed toilets, with - sorry to be uncouth - urinals made from what I think were discarded kegs.) You see the prices though and suddenly it makes sense: it's a uni-bar. Prices are wild. In fact I probably should have started my review there. Let me put this next point in all-caps: FOR SEPTEMBER 2014, ALL-DAY EVERY-DAY YOU CAN GET A JUG OF JAMES SQUIRE FOR $10 That's $10 for a jug of any of their tap beers actually - James Squire Lashes is just my fave. After Sept they are still only $15 I believe and since I reckon I paid $13 for a *Pint* of the same at the Portland Hotel a few days ago, that's pretty decent!...There's also cheap cocktail jugs (can't vouch for those) and $5 bottles of some beer, so if you want to save some $ and don't mind a uni crowd, definitely worth popping in to 'pre-load' up before heading somewhere ...nicer. (Note: drink responsibly) And heading somewhere nicer was what we were going to do after a drink but the cheap jugs did their trick and kept coming and kept us there until we were too starving to go anywhere else! Their food menu is similarly cheap, with a nice selection of $10 meals (and most others around $15, with two steak options $20-$25 or so). I was torn between a few of the cheap feeds, so we got a taster plate on top of our meals (also $10). This let us try a few dishes to see they were worth coming back for. It had hits (arancini balls / vegemite calamari - yes you read that right) and misses (chicken wings / pork belly....but I've never understood the allure of pure pig fat myself) but the best part was that each sample came with a paired sauce, which came in very handy for the chips that came with out other meals. The beer burger the ladies ordered was ok - wouldn't stand up to any cool new Burger place around but for $10 did the job - and my mate's steak sanga was from all reports decent but a man doesn't ask another man to sample his steak so I have to take his word on that. Have to say my parma was the real disappointment - when it came out it looked huge but was an optical illusion as it was actually as thin as a pancake, which meant it tasted more like the crumbs than the chicken. Next time I'll get a full serve of the calamari. I don't really understand the place, but then again it's not really for me. Staff were lovely though, and if I'm anywhere in the vicinity in the next few weeks will be back for the cheap beer for sure.

I remember coming here ages ago with some friends, back when it was a Pug Moloneys. Actually, come…read moreto think of it, that must have been ages back since Pug Maloney's hasn't been around since I was in University (or shortly after). Anyway, this place has certainly had a refit and is now one of those trendier pubs that you tend to find scattered around the innercity. Actually, trendy is probably not the best word to describe this place, but I wouldn't go as far as calling it classy either. They do have a rooftop bar, but everytime I've come here - once for a drink and once for dinner with friends, it's been closed. The menu options aren't huge, and the servings were that fantastic either (I believe I got a steak and chips and that was about it). It's a nice place, but not one that I would be hurrying back to any time soon.

Nice seating outside allows you to enjoy the sun. Croquettas and chorizo sausage tapas to start…read moreand Razor clams, eggplant, and cos salad for mains. The croquettas were delicious crispy 3 bite morsels of goodness. Chorizo sausage was 5 tasty pieces perfect for sharing. Salad was decent fresh greens with toasted pine nuts and a creamy dressing. Razor clams were literally served in a tin and came with 2 slices of crispy chewy toasted bread and some pickles. The eggplant was amazingly good charred generous portion with a creamy cheese crumble on top but I think too much olive oil. The prices reflect the area. $31 gets you a porterhouse steak that doesn't come with any sides. Steak was a good cut of meat but you have to pay $8 or more for mushrooms or beans to go with it. Service was friendly so no complaints there!

Sit outside in the winter sun! It's lovely catching some rays in the breeze…read more We chose this place to have lunch as we were heading to the DFO and it was the highest rated place amongst all the eateries in the area. It was a good choice, they had a lunch menu which came with a complimentary drink as well (including wine!) so that was a huge plus. The atmosphere was great and the guys were nice. We got the polenta chips for entree which was divine, it set a high bar for the place. Until the mains came... Or didn't come. It took 50mins rather than the promised 15-20. It was very disappointing actually, it could've been a perfect meal, but the wait was too much. We weren't even being updated on any progress which wasn't great as well. When the food finally came (the beef with mash and the gnocchi, both which were average - at least maybe the wait ruined the food) we wolfed it down in five minutes and left. Would I return? Probably not, I'll give the others in the area a go.

At first I thought this was just a bar however it is actually, as the name suggests, the back room…read moreof a craft beer bottle shop (though I will review that separately as it is a different sort of business. Anyway, as a bar it is pretty cool, and also quite conveniently located, which is why I have found myself back here a few times after my first visit. Anyway, this is the proper definition of a craft beer bar, especially since they have a huge number of beers available, though not at cheap prices. Another thing that stands out is that they don't just sell beer, they sell art as well, though they aren't cheap (but then again when it comes to art you aren't paying ridiculous prices, namely into the hundreds of dollars). Anywaym it is a pretty cool bar, and while the beers are a little pricey, they are also pretty good.

This is the best bar in Melbourne. Amazing selection of beer in tap, that rotates all the time…read more Plus you can buy packaged beer from Carwyn to enjoy in the bar. Mind blowing assortment of spirits (try the moonshine, go on). Plus you can order food from Moor's Head and Kustom Burger. Actually, don't go here. I don't want it to be crowded.

Cool intimate "Italian grotto" vibe bar with an extensive wine list and moderately priced…read morecocktails. The ambiance is wonderful, the lighting is dim, cork ceiling and industrial-chic decor. I recommend stopping here to check it out!

Stopped by since it was close to where my coworkers and I were staying. We wanted to grab a drink…read morebefore going off to explore the city and they had all enjoyed it here before. I was hesitant because a German beer hall in Australia didn't sound like it would be very good - but I was wrong. This is a cute beer hall that mimics most München Haus'. It was still early in the day when we came by so it was mostly empty. We sat at a table outside, but with the plastic windows drawn since it was drizzling a little. The server was friendly and gave us good recommendations on food to share. The platter we got was supposed to be for 3-4 people, but with 8 of us not being too hungry, it was perfect for us to all try a little and have something while we drank. The espresso martini was surprisingly good, as well as the Oktoberfest beer that I had. It definitely gave me German beer garden vibes and as someone who is pretty critical because I'm always in Germany, I liked it and would definitely come back.

No no no no no. Two stars because my husband liked the beer and because they had an authentic…read morelooking band playing. The food and service- zero! Food was quick... But very little flavor. Service was slow and lacking a general concept of what service is supposed to be. I ordered a wrap which comes with a side of bread (clearly stated on the ordering form). When I asked about my sourdough bread- he said let me ask the kitchen. Took the order form back and then came back with Rye bread and the order form. Wrong type of bread and nothing to put on it... It wasn't a pleasant food experience especially considering that less than 30 minutes after I ate my entire body felt like it was going to explode and I barely made it back to the hotel room. I just recommend you choose another place!

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.

Dumplings are such a social food, but often eating them involves cramming onto plastic tables and…read morechairs under fluorescent lighting. If you're after something a little more sophisticated but without missing out on the dumplings, Zhou Zhou is an awesome option. Housed above Oriental Tea House, Zhou Zhou is a little moodier and more of a bar set-up. Come here with the primary purpose of socialising over the drinks list, picking at small plates of dumplings. Speaking of drinks, there are 50+ beers on offer, with asian beers the highlight. The wine and cocktail list is also impressive, definitely a crowd pleaser. Would make a great option for after work drinks or a casual birthday catch up.

Awesome service and yummy dumplings makes Zhou Zhou a great choice for a tipple and a snack on…read moreChapel Street. They have a huge range of Asian beers and make a very nice martini. Not the hippest place to go (it is South Yarra after all and there are sooo many suits and spray tans) but if you live in the hood it's certainly worth a look.

I struggled to rate this place. I have rated it up a star due to the service, location and my…read morepartners meal. I'll start with the bad. My meal was a little on the boring side. I got the arancini balls. It came with 4 balls on top of dry mixed salad leaves and pesto on the side. The pesto and rice balls were amazing. The salad was sad and dry. A little dressing and this dish would of been a star! My partner on the other hand had the lamb cous cous salad. Perfectly cooked and fantastic flavours! Not a complaint. Our juices were fresh and large which was a nice change. The service was 5 star! We sat outside as it was a beautiful day. Unfortunately after we ordered a rather rude and loud couple sat next to us and started smoking. We asked to move inside and without question everything was picked up and moved with a smile! Outside is fantastic and great for groups. If you want a quieter meal just find a 2 seater off to the side. Mixed review but I think it depends on your choice of meal.

First impressions .. Wow .. what an amazing space! Reminds me a lot of a more intimate Higher…read moreGround. The interior is amazing, post industrial .. I love the sense of space from the wonderfully high ceilings. The front area under the umbrellas looks appealing too mixed in amongst the greenery. Unfortunately my visit went down hill from there .. I got quickly given a bottle of water .. but no cup to drink it in. Is drinking out of the bottle a thing now? Well this is Brunswick .. I got up and grabbed myself a glass. Coffee was a good temperature .. nice and hot! Though I felt a touch bitter. The menu had some interesting options on it. I decided to go with the Middle Eastern Breakfast (Poached eggs, grilled zaatar flat bread, beetroot relish, felafel, baba ganoush). It arrived in good time. Yet the poached eggs were undercooked, I pierced the egg and the yolks ran all over the plate like a burst dam. The beetroot didn't seem to belong .. it's flavour stuck out and overpowered. Zaatar spices were tasty but would've liked a crispier texture. An unpleasant aftertaste permeated too .. all in all disappointing. Service a bit mixed, some staff were friendly, others a bit cold. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing.. or perhaps my expectations sky rocketed when I saw the amazing premises. Regardless I doubt I will be back. Papers - yes Music - bouncing away in the background, easy to chat.