Melbourne Nightlife Guide: Bars, Clubs and Late-Night Entertainment

Melbourne's nightlife is widely regarded as Australia's best and frequently compared favourably with London and New York's neighbourhood bar scenes. The city's laneway culture, relatively liberal licensing compared to Sydney, strong live music tradition, and restaurant-bar crossover culture combine to produce an after-dark experience that has few equals in the southern hemisphere.

CBD laneways — Meyers Place, Degraves Street, Centre Place, and the dozens of named laneways branching off Flinders Lane and Collins Street contain some of Australia's most celebrated hidden bars. Eau de Vie, the Atrium (Flinders Lane), Lily Blacks, and the Everleigh are destination cocktail bars that attract international visitors. The laneway bar discovery walk is a legitimate Melbourne tourism activity.

Fitzroy — Smith Street and Brunswick Street have Melbourne's densest concentration of neighbourhood bars, with the Worker's Club, the Tote (Collingwood, nearby), Little Creatures, and dozens of indie venues making Fitzroy the heartland of Melbourne's alternative and indie nightlife.

Collingwood — the Tote (Johnston Street) is Melbourne's most famous live music pub and a cultural institution in the Australian rock scene. The surrounding Collingwood streets have a cluster of live music and bar venues that extend the Tote's alternative energy.

Richmond — Bridge Road and Swan Street have Melbourne's sports pub nightlife centred on the MCG precinct, with the Precinct Hotel, the Swan Hotel, and the Corner Hotel (live music) anchoring the Richmond after-dark offer.

Prahran and Chapel Street — Prahran's Chapel Street is Melbourne's fashion-and-nightclub strip, with Revolver Upstairs (one of Australia's most famous clubs, trading across the weekend through to Sunday afternoon), the Comic's Lounge, and a full range of bar formats.

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