If there is one thing that I should note about this pub and that is that it can get pretty crowded…read more In fact it can get really, really crowded. Okay, that is usually the case on a Friday night or a Saturday afternoon, but then again I have been here on Mondays and it has still had its fair share of people. The thing with this pub is that it has one of those great beer gardens, a huge screen of the footy (and is one of the best pubs to watch the football at), and some great beers on tap. Yep, I like this pub.

The Peacock Inn is our local at work, usually entertaining my Friday for lunch and after work…read moredrinks, and at least one other meal a week. The $10 lunch menu is great value, changes each week and comes with a softie included. For those after something a little more filling or meaty, there is a permanent $15 steak fries and salad for lunch, and a la carte options. If you haven't been, you're missing out. For the post-work barfly there is a spirit's special in Thursday, and $3 pots on Fridays. Evening dining also fantastic. The large beer garden comes with super-sized Jenga, and some throw-the-beanbag-through-the-hole frustrating exercise. Good for those like to look a little silly while getting messy with the varied crowd watching on. Two pool table and an open fore make the bar the perfect retreat after meals if you want to continue your session. Staff usually lovely, but the gentleman who I assume is the manager can be less than inspiring as a host - don't expect too many smiles, but don't let him put you off.

Enjoyed a simple but great pub meal today. Had the steak sandwich and cheeseburger…read more A always reliable pub providing great drinks and service as well as lovely formal restaurant dining room at the front of the pub, wonder out the back to the entertainment area where it is much more relaxed with an electic mix of patrons from gen y's enjoyong the outdoor seating area, to the locals enjoying the cricket on the big screen. There is always something for everyone here.

The Peacock is like that old friend you can always depend on. It will always open its loving doors…read morefor whatever reason you're chasing a drink. This is one of my fave pubs on the north-side. The beer garden is great for large groups in the summer months. The menu in the restaurant is also quite nice if you're chasing something a little more fancy than a pub Parma. Now that it's winter it is the perfect time to cosy up in front of the open fire- so lovely for after work drinks on a Friday! Last time I was here on a Friday they were also passing around free nibbles. Free chicken skewers and spring rolls whilst I have a glass of wine in front of the fire? Hells yes. Game of thrones fans- they also have a GOT themed pinball machine. Get on it and score some points for your fave house. Go Starks!

The Open Studio. As the name suggests it's a bar that's a bit like an artist's living room or a…read moreband's basement sans mattresses covering the walls. As such, it has a wide variety of live bands playing most nights of the week with the occasional beat poet doing a reading, or interpretive art played out to a sound scape of improvisational jazz. They even serve crepes! So this immediately begs the question: is this one of Melbourne's many hidden gems or is it just another hipster hang out where you can't pay for a smile and you're sneered at for walking in off the street? Well the answer to this is a simple one despite what first impressions may indicate. The Open Studio is most definitely a hidden gem. It is the kind of place that invites you in as you walk by. It is not uncommon to hear happy music spilling out onto the streets, which invites you to look through the window. At which point you are either likely to see the place rammed full of people dancing hedonistically, or, on a quiet night, some thoughtful looking folks sitting at small round table eating crepes and listening to a singer/song writer mourning their past loves. Either way The Open Studio deserves a look-in more often than not, and it's quite often worth staying around for a few drinks off their limited but cheap menu. The bar has a cosy backyard for summer. Just don't expect any frills here -only the welcome vibe of a party in your best friend's living room!

Visiting the Open Studio is like walking onto the set of that saccharine cinematic version of…read moreChocolat. But with booze instead of chocolate and Australian Johnny Depp doppelgangers instead of the much deified man himself. A tiny Northcote watering hole serving beer, wine, cider and the occasional spirit, Open Studio hosts a plethora of gigs numbering reggae, jazz, gypsy music and the like attracts a largely bohemian crowd. In possession of just about the most magical - fairy light lit - little backyard I've ever seen attached to a bar, the Open Studio is quaint, idiosyncratic and a great place for a drink - or crepes! - if you don't fancy too hedonistic or hipster a night out.

I've dined here for both a lunch and dinner. Lunch was in a large group, therefore the menu was…read morerestricted to a $21.95 menu which included a main and drink. The bread was served with packet butter, which I was disappointed with, as on previous occasions it has been served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I had the moussaka, which was lukewarm in the middle and quite rich and oily. Dining here for dinner was a nicer experience, however the waitress kept trying to up sell with drinks and additional sides. A decent restaurant for Ivanhoe, but if you want good quality Italian food then travel outside Ivanhoe.

Vasko is a venue large enough for big group lunches, family dinner, and a get together…read more The atmosphere is quite 'up class' without it being too formal, and quite spacious with street frontage. Although there's a good selection in the menu however, i found most of the dishes were a bit too oily. Prawns cooked well but nothing special. I attended in a big group and no one felt overly impressed by meals or value for money. I won't be back as I found the meals a bit too pricey as well with no real stand out.

I could really make this place a regular hangout, if only I actually had the time to do so. Sure, I…read morecould come here after work everyday with my book and laptop and simply absorb the atmosphere, but sooner or later I'm going to have to go home. Anyway, this is one of those bars that I had regularly passed while travelling down Sydney Road but had never actually been inside, so one Sunday, when I knew I was going to be early for church, I decided to jump of the tram and pop in here for a quick beer. I must say that I am really glad that I did because I finally got to experience this really laid back bar is one awesome beer garden. It is this type of bar than really gives Sydney Road it's character, and I'm really going to have to make the effort to come down here more often.

The relatively hidden pub is a real great find on the strip. Some friends and I came here after a…read moregig at Penny Black and i was surprised by how large the venue actually is. There's a small front entrance but it leads into an awkward cosy inside but very large outdoor area. We came and the place was pretty quiet, we knocked back a few pints and enjoyed the quirky 1920's B&W videos that showed crazy acrobatics, contortion and acting, it was mesmerising! We were a large group but the outdoor area accommodated us well and once the group began to dissipate we moved indoors and then finally (they kept hinting to us that they were closing) we left. Definitely a keeper!

This is so Melbourne. I love playing tourist in the city I live in, and having heard about the…read moreTramcar restaurant for years, it's all I wanted to do for my birthday. A high end meal with a refilling glass of wine, all in a decked out vintage tramcar that hustles throughout different parts of Melbourne. Pro-tip: Book ahead. It's amazing how far in advance many people choreograph their life and weekends, leaving little to spontaneity. This coming from a bitter last minute non-planner. If you're hoping to go over the weekend, book a few weeks in advance to avoid disappointment. The meet-up is on the corner of Clarendon Street in South Melbourne where the tram starts it's journey. Meeting at the tram stop, our hosts came around with a clip board ticking bookings off from their checklist and everyone gets organized into which tram they'll be dining in. When the tram arrives, they call you on-board reservation by reservation. Oh, how fancy! Is this not the most decorated tram you've ever sat in? Surprisingly, like a magic extension charm, enough people fit into a tram that it does not feel crowded. Sure, you might bump elbows with the waiters bringing food; but it's a lot more spacious than I thought it'd be. We went for the 1.5hr early dinner and it was perfect. The table was pre-laid out with our starter (bread/crackers with house made dips). As bubbly was popped and shared, an intro to the Tramcar Restaurant commanded our attention. This evening we were being looked after by Chef Yi-Ting, and hosts Mirko and Matthew. It's a complete dinner service, with the entertainment including rolling around Melbourne, enjoying different sights, the lovely company in your tram and the hosts. Our tram went through South Melbourne, into St.Kilda where it turned around and made it's way back. Apparently the routes are guided by Yarra Trams, and are meant to work with the traffic, so you're tram isn't sitting in the CBD in peak hour. The windows are heavily tinted, so you could see out but they'd have a extremely tough time seeing in. I've never had an experience quite like this one, but I can't wait for an excuse to do it again. Many on-board guests were sharing stories of there numerous visits to the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant and you can see why it's something you could enjoy time and time again. Just don't make it a monthly thing- then it could lose it's pizazz. It was Matthew's last day with the Tram Car restaurant and he ended our dining experience with a song. It was something out of a dream. Or a movie. UPDATE: Sad to share this news, but the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant has had it's last journey in October 2018.

Everyone knows someone that's a little bit difficult to buy a gift for. Perhaps they don't like to…read moregive clues about what they'd like or maybe they just purchase things when they think of it, but some people just leave you stumped when you're trying to think of a present for them... and this is how I ended up on the Colonial Tramcar Resturant, despite being a life-long Melbourne girl. 'Experiences' can be lovely presents, so I thought this could be a slightly quirky but a fun birthday present for someone, with a bit of a novelty factor. It was simple and easy to book online, which is always a good start. We went for the late dinner services, which I'd recommend as it goes a little longer and includes five courses with drinks too. Started with champagne and dips, before moving to duck terrine for entree, followed by steak and vegetables, an Australian cheese platter and desserts alongside tea, coffee or liquors to finish. The service goes surprisingly quickly but after five courses, you are completely full! The music is a tinsy bit cheesy but adds to the overall atmosphere. The tram is quite lovely inside and we found the staff to be absolutely delightful. Apart from an occasional change in direction, the movement of the tram is not very noticeable and it's quite scenic as you coast around the CBD and St Kilda. If you're wanting to catch views of Melbourne particularly, perhaps the earlier dinner or even the lunch service may be better for you. For some, it's a nice way to show a visitor around Melbourne and for others, it's a way to celebrate a special occasion. Either way, it's one of Melbourne's unique and fun offerings.

Amazing ambiance and service. The details of this bar are incredible. Definitely not a place to go…read moreoften, but a really cool spot to experience and take other people to. The menu is wildly inventive and requires a bit of explanation (in which the servers do exceptionally well). Definitely a must-stop-by spot if you're visiting Melbourne.

This used to be a night club, and honestly, I am totally over nightclubs, simply because they are…read moreloud, crowded, and can be impossible to enter at times. Well, this is no longer the case here. In fact, this place not only opens much earlier but it has an awesome atmosphere. Actually, I don't even think I can consider it to be a nightclub anymore, but rather a cocktail bar, and a pretty awesome one at that. Not surprisingly, there are references to books, and some pretty awesome books at that, all over the place. Oh, and not only do they also have beer available, and the service is also pretty awesome.

I had a decent lunch here!…read more I had to celebrate taco Tuesday while in Melbourne! Would've been a sin if I didn't. Came here with a friend while in Melbourne. They had a lot of options to choose from, including a handful of vegan options as well. I went with chicken tacos. My chicken tacos had slaw, pulled chicken, guac, corn, tomato salsa, sour cream and jalapeños on charred corn tortillas. The flavors were very good! My friend had a vegan schnitzel which came with chips (fries), gravy and slaw which she enjoyed. Sorry, this is not pictured. Service was good around 12:30pm on 6/10/25 from our server. We also both got drinks which were good. I would return again!

The staff here are completely on the ball! Everyone was…read moreexceptional! I just came for drinks but these folk know how to work hard! Totally appreciated! Thank you.