PUB |
B |
S |
A |
Comments |
R |
Elm's Family Hotel
269 Spring St.
Melbourne |
5 |
5 |
5 |
'A little country pub in the heart of Melbourne' is what it says on the coasters, and what a nice change it is from its many trumped up competitors for the drinkers' dollar. No
smart young executives in suits. Most of the patrons here treat the place like their own lounge room. There is even a small library of books that appear to have been obtained to solve pub arguments. Nice, simple counter
meals. Appropriate footy paraphernalia. |
1 |
Bar 44
920 Lygon St.
Melbourne |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Not really a pub but it sort of qualifies in that the premises was once the Black Eagle Hotel. The main bar is in a large space at the rear, though a couple of smaller rooms have a nice,
lush, comfortable ambiance with some old memorabilia around the place. This is perhaps evocative of the area's history as a brothel district. |
4 |
Coopers Inn
282 Exhibition St.
Melbourne |
4 |
3 |
3.5 |
Well...it is at least better than not being a pub at all. Somebody has spent a bit of money making this place very smart and tasteful but it definitely lacks that well lived in and appreciated feel that a
proper pub should have. Inhabited by suits. Nice posters though. |
8 |
Exford Hotel
199 Russell St.
Melbourne |
3 |
4 |
4 |
The Exford has been a good regular, proper pub for some time now. It is most popular with a young, casual type of clientele and the music videos are a prominent feature. It is well worn and the old
architectural features of the pressed metal ceiling and leadlight windows contribute well to the ambiance. The quality of the beer on our visit this day was a disappointment however. |
7 |
Hotel Carlton
197 Bourke St.
Melbourne |
3 |
3 |
4 |
Upstairs in the Carlton one finds a very well worn pub that somebody has desperately tried to brighten up. The result is a rather odd combination of fish tanks, eagle sculptures and bright
colours. This jars somewhat with the presence of the hard drinking patrons and the grates on the windows which suggest that deep down this isn't a 'fish tank' kind of pub. |
1 |
Elephant & Wheelbarrow
225 Canning St.
Carlton |
4 |
4 |
3.5 |
I'm sure that this place was a frock shop just a couple of years ago. Once entering the door I was convinced that this manufactured 'olde English pub' was here for over a hundred years. The place was full
of people of all sorts - suits and casual, tourists and locals. The selection of beers is impressive, a number of English brews obviously. While manufactured theme pubs shouldn't be greatly encouraged, it has done a
good job and is certainly better than a frock shop. |
6 |
Imperial Hotel
4 Bourke St.
Melbourne |
4 |
4 |
3.5 |
The Imperial is a great old faithful, directly across the road from Parliament House. It is an appropriately elegant pub without being formal or pretentious and can pull a big crowd of suits. The main
feature is the array of political characatures around the bar. There is also an expanded eating area at the back. |
5 |
The Windsor
103 Spring St.
Melbourne |
4 |
4 |
3.5 |
The Cricketers Bar of the Hotel Windsor is a place where gentlemen can retire from the outside world and converse about cricket. It is also not a bad place for a bunch of pissheads to gather to jabber on
about anything at all. At this stage of the night I certainly don't remember what was discussed but I do recall the green and white striped walls that evoked an olde worlde sporty formality. |
4 |
Bridie O'Reilley's
62 Little Collins St.
Melbourne |
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We decided to skip Bridie's because:
1) As it was now late on a Friday night it was packed to the gills with after work suits and people who had trecked from the suburbs to queue up at the door.
2) It was a another Irish theme pub anyway |
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Dr Martins Tavern
86A Collins St.
Melbourne |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Again Dr. Martins is not a real pub but it does call itself a Tavern. Very full of younger patrons out for the night, I found myself with strange impression that I was at a party at somebody's house. Didn't
feel like a pub. |
10 |
Phoenix Hotel
82 Flinders St.
Melbourne |
4 |
4.5 |
3.5 |
The great but perhaps tragic Phoenix. This pub has had a great history as the local for journalists and other workers at the Herald and Weekly Times. Since they moved to Southbank the pub has been in a bit
of a decline. This night, while it was quiet it was still a fine place to drink beer. The Tiger football photos were a specially endearing feature. The word is the The Phoenix may have now closed. Hopefully its a
vicious rumour or else it will live up to its name in appropriate style. |
2 |
Duke of Wellington
146 Flinders St..
Melbourne |
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We didn't make it. Too late, too pissed. Nonetheless the Duke would be a worthy pub to start or finish any pub crawl. Must get there next time |
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