18 Footscray Bars You Need To Visit For a Fun Night Out

Not just a mecca for some of Melbourne's greatest eats, Footscray is also home to a thriving bar scene. Populated by wine bars, dive bars, musically-inclined venues and more, you can be sure to have a fun time out in Melbourne's wild west, day or night. 

These are the best bars in Footscray to get sipping in ASAP. 

Back Alley Sally's

Low key yet vibey, Back Alley Sally's is hidden in the heart of Footscray's River Precinct. It's the perfect place to bring your crew for a round of 2 for 1 cocktails and a few Slice Girls West pizzas. A former old t-shirt factory, the upstairs space has been lovingly transformed into something of a Footscray institution. Which begs the question: If you haven’t been to Sally’s, do you even Footscray?

Weather permitting, they also have an outdoor extension called Yewers Street Dining, which spills out onto the laneway from mid afternoon well into evening and is great for pairing sunshine with your sips. 

4 Yewers Street, Footscray 

Bar Josephine

Another low-key local favourite is Barkly Streets' Bar Josephine, a friendly space filled with the bar owner's unique, personal touches, and pouring out well-priced pints, classic cocktails and glasses of vino that are suitable post-work tipples. 

There are three areas to acquaint yourself with - the front bar room, suitable for quiet catch-ups and chats with the bartenders; a charming middle room with plenty of seating, all decked out in blue, with books, games and even movies on continuous stream on the back wall; and a great beer garden to relax in, well into the evening. 

295 Barkly Street, Footscray

Bar Thyme

A fun local bistro meets wine bar in Footscray, Bar Thyme is an excellent date spot, where natural wine, great cocktails, delicious eats and groovy vinyl come into play. 

Sip on a gin martini to start, before dipping into their thoughtfully curated, sustainable wine list that lays claim to crisp whites from the Mornington Peninsula and juicy, herbaceous blends from Scintilla Wines. 

Indulge in progressive bar snacks like nduja scotch eggs; pickled, saffron-infused mussels escabeche, and smoked beetroot salad with almond cream and caraway. Or, if you're looking for something healthy, try their steak with peppercorn sauce and chips, weekday pies, and porchetta roasts on Sunday. 

227 Barkly Street, Footscray

Bud of Love

Having recently transformed from online wine store into this intimate little wine bar and bottle shop on Barkly Street, Bud of Love is a place that feels like an extension of your living room. It's a charming spot, a Footscray bar to take a seat, and enjoy a bottle to share with friends over a game of UNO, while enjoying some delicious food from amazing local businesses down the road, including Slice Shop Pizza.  

Simple, delicious, exciting wine in a welcoming space... what more can you ask for in a neighbourhood wine bar? 

251 Barkly Street, Footscray

Hail Lilith

For viciously good vegan eats, sinfully tasty bourbon cocktails, great music, and good times aplenty, Hail Lilith is Footscray's best bar by far.

Perch yourself on the oh-so-comfortable corner sofa, before ordering up a cocktail or three. We highly recommend the Hail Lilith (bourbon, vanilla vodka, pomegranate and black cherry) and the Femme Fatale (dry gin, sweet lemon, shiraz gin float). 

The entirely plant-based snacks list is also elite. Think saltbush focaccia with bourbon butter, stracciatella with pickled tomato, pepperberry and black salt and black sesame hummus. If you're looking for more dinner-time fare, the watermelon tartare, mushroom ceviche and spicy wings are just the ticket. 

Hot tip: It's super close to Footscray Station, which makes it an easy post-work option away from the CBD. 

40A Leeds Street, Footscray

Hotel Westwood

A Footscray institution, Hotel Westwood is a watering hole, a bandroom and a cheap eatery all rolled into one. Their happy hour is one of the best in Footscray, and their new summer spritz range has an elderflower, limoncello and butterfly pea gin combo that hits just right. 

The well stocked bar also includes over 20 different beers, wine, and an extensive cocktail list. On the food front, Hotel Westwood is also serving up the finest burgers in the West from Goldie Boy as well as pies from Pie Thief.

28 Napier Street, Footscray

Lay Low

Enter through the hidden door to find Seddon’s (so close to the suburb line it may as well be Footscray's) favourite minimal waste cocktail bar, a vision of polished concrete and ambient light. 

The drinks at Lay Low are spirited in more ways than one, always striving for creativity without throwing out the rulebook.

Sip on house cocktails infused with native ingredients like the Umami Mary, a take on the Bloody Mary spiced with pepperberry, or the Macadamia Edna Beverage, which blends brandy with wattleseed and macadamia liqueur, Australian Amaro and fig bitters. They also do fantastic zero alcohol cocktails that put the mocktails you know to shame.

93 Buckley Street, Seddon

Lickety Split

Quickly, as fast as possible, make your way to this fun Footscray bar. Lickety Split is an open-air venue that's all about refreshing sips and good times in the sun. Enjoy ice-cold beers over shared plates of pizza and pasta, all while drinking in the relaxed, vibrant surroundings of shipping containers and festoon lights aplenty. 

Because life's better when you spend it outside. 

38/40 Moreland Street, Footscray

Littlefoot Bar + Kitchen

Littlefoot is a local Footscray bar with a ton of personality. From its neon lettering and red silk lantern lighting to its red velvet curtains and striking murals, Littlefoot delivers big on eclecticism 

Down the fairy-lit hallway, the gorgeous courtyard is comfortable and fully covered, and there's an exciting new popup “Littlefoot Next Door” with a large marquee for undercover outdoor dining.

To drink, you'll find mostly Australian brews, wines and handmade cocktails including Treasure Island (a delicious blend of pineapple rum, mango nectar, Angostura bitters and lime). 

223 Barkly Street, Footscray

Mamma Chen's 

Good times, good music and good vibes await at Footscray's newest bar and inclusive live music venue, Mamma Chen's. The community-minded venue is designed with accessibility front of mind - there's a beer garden which is accessible via a ramp, wider doorways and a dedicated space for wheelchairs during gigs. 

Be sure to find a night to catch some great live music, with the small-but-mighty bandroom doing a fine job promoting a diverse range of acts. Mamma Chen's truly is one of the friendliest bars in Footscray. 

42A Albert Street, Footscray

Mr West Bar & Bottleshop

This lively yet low-key local bar in Footscray's centre is a go-to spot for many in-the-know Melburnians. The folks behind Mr West have done lots to introduce the inner west to the pleasures of natural wines and quirky spirits, spreading their passion and knowledge from their spacious, industrial-style bar and bottle shop.

Pick anything that catches your eye from the downstairs bottleshop and crack open in the bar for a corkage fee. Or simply taste your way through their 24 rotating taps or delicious cocktails in the moody bar upstairs.

106 Nicholson Street Mall, Footscray

Mrs Mutton's Bottle Shop

Housed in a charming old building located on the border of Footscray and Seddon, this cosy little corner wine and beer baaa, from the minds behind Waxflower Bar and Common Galaxia, is a relaxed new space that's also set to expand even further this year.

Mrs Mutton's Bottle Shop will soon have 10 rotating craft beers on tap and a new back bar, as well as pergolas and fireplaces in the beer garden to look forward to, but for now the space is still abundant in delightful tipples ranging from natty wines and one-off bottles, through to yuzu spritzes and local brews.

Did we mention they do wine tastings?!

65 Victoria Street, Footscray

Pride of Footscray Nightclub & Bar

The nightclub of the west, Pride of Footscray is famous for its drag shows, DJs, and pumping dancefloor... but did you know it's also home to community bar and hidden cocktail llounge Superbia? Meaning 'pride' in Latin, this bar-within-a-bar is a luxurious escape, and a calm eye within the Pride of Footscray storm. 

Thursdays are the days for Superbia to shine, when Pride has a night off from the events on its main stage. Drop in for the cheeky 2-4-1 cocktail special, and say hi to the friendly gang on hand!

Shhh, it's (currently) Footscray’s best kept secret...

Level 1/86-88 Hopkins Street, Footscray

Small French Bar

The essence of French cuisine is on show at Small French Bar, a cosy bar and bistro in Footscray where a devoted kitchen cooks all the timeworn classics. Think everything from confit de canard and cheese to charcuterie boards, chocolate fondant and perfectly caramelised creme brulee. It's all hits, no misses here, including the expertly formed wine list spanning Provence to Alsace, and classic array of cocktails. French negroni, anyone? 

Gregariously friendly service and intimate ambience also make it a top tier date night destination.

3/154 Barkly Street, Footscray

Sloth Bar

Cruisy vibes and a leafy courtyard are the cornerstones of this fun Footscray bar, but there are many areas with which to enjoy a drink or two with friends at Sloth Bar. On-street tables, a bar room, lounge and upstairs balcony are also represented, and while they don't have a kitchen, you're welcome to order in.

Kitschy, colourful interiors and an array of indoor greenery give the space a beautiful ambience and keep you smiling, while the great range of rum cocktails and beer provide plenty of options to quench your thirst.

202 Barkly Street, Footscray

Trouble in Dreams

An ode to the world's greatest speakeasies, cocktails and their inventors, Trouble in Dreams is a surreal bar by Pie Thief's Aaron Donato and cocktail-book author Chad Parkhill. It's a lavishly furnished, tiny space, seating up to 25 only, and it's shaking up highly original cocktails and slinging out eclectic, predominantly natural wines. 

Be whiskey-d away to another time and place, as the talented bartenders serve you anything from rye-infused sips to coffee-hued drinks, with flavours always changing and evolving.

297 Barkly Street, Footscray

West Footscray Wines

Another wine bar and bottleshop hybrid, West Footscray Wines is a clever little neighbourhood spot to head to for a post-work sip, with a focus on interesting and approachable Australian produce. Take a seat and enjoy their rotating list of wines by the glass along with a range of nibbles including freshly shucked oysters, cheese plates and charcuterie boards.

You’ll also be able to select from over 300 wines by the bottle…just at $15 corkage to their take away prices.

Shop 1/578 Barkly Street, West Footscray

Zymurgy

Striving to take the best parts of a neighbourhood barbecue —the people, friendly vibes and cool outdoor space —and adding a few things that take it up a notch, Zymurgy is the Footscray bar to try this summer.

The smoky legends at Bluebonnet BBQ are heading west for the summer, so you can enjoy smoky, authentic Texan BBQ from Bluebonnet BBQ at Zymurgy, plus tap beer from local craft brewery Hop Nation, locally distilled gin from Dart Distilling and tasty wines.

561 Barkly Street, West Footscray 

Now that you've gotten to the end of our detailed guide to the Footscray bars you need to pull up a seat in immediately, why not strike out further afield and pay a visit to Geelong's best bars, or discover the 10 unmissable things you need to do in Ballarat?