The Best Hidden Bars in Melbourne to Steal Away the Night

Melbourne is an enchanting city that truly comes to life after sunset, brimming with inconspicuous drinking spots and restaurants that welcome those who dare to find them. Where secret bars and after-hours haunts reign supreme, stepping into tiny laneways and behind unmarked doors will reveal an entirely new world.

Ready to explore? These are the best hidden bars serving up sophisticated sips and stunning surrounds in equal measure. Happy sipping!

Hidden Bars Melbourne CBD: Laneway Bars

Sistine

There’s no signage to help guide you to Sistine other than the small, glowing circle sitting high above the heads of people passing by. Turn off Chapel Street and you’ll find a dark entrance sitting inside a gate, just past Ines Wine Bar. Ascending the almost-black staircase may seem scary — with nothing lighting it other than a glass cabinet filled with an assortment of unusual antiques — but the nerves are worth it. A dimly lit archway leading to a bar backed by a blue stained glass window backing will greet you, and from there, the rest of the night is history. Cosy, exclusive, and with killer cocktails to match the schmoody ambience, a night at Sistine is a night well spent.

150A Chapel Street, Windsor

Le Bar

Dinner, a show, and a little debauchery go hand-in-hand at Le Bar, a hidden supper club tucked away in Beaumaris that combines the classical romance of Paris with the edgy underground of New York. This intimate venue blends exquisite dining and delightful drinks with captivating performances, offering a cheeky night of indulgence like no other. Expect live entertainment, expertly crafted cocktails, and a moody, opulent setting that sets the scene for an unforgettable evening. Grab your girlfriends and head on down!

12 North Concourse, Beaumaris

Mill Place Merchants 

Tucked away in a historic 1840s building, Mill Place Merchants oozes old-world charm with its flickering candlelight, original bluestone walls and exposed timber beams, creating an ambience that whispers tales of its storied past.

As you settle into cushioned vintage chairs, the air fills with the aroma of carefully crafted cocktails — each a tribute to the classic recipes of legendary bartenders. The intimate, low-lit space, paired with dishes inspired by Prohibition-era fare, makes for a truly immersive and unique experience.

Ground Floor/2 Mill Place, Melbourne

Aster 

Discover Aster, the sleek new bar on Tattersalls Lane. Hidden in Melbourne’s narrowest street, this cocktail and wine haven features a chic, rustic loft with warm lighting, wooden finishes, and an inviting fireplace.

Enjoy artfully crafted cocktails, a fine selection of wines, and delicious bites like cheese, charcuterie, and a standout poached prawn roll. With DJs spinning until 2am on weekends, spontaneous dancing is also encouraged.

Levels 1 & 2/31 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne

Arlechin

Seek out Mornane Place, a hidden laneway tucked away in Melbourne’s heart, and you’ll uncover Arlechin. Founded by the Grossi family, this sophisticated spot has returned with renewed vigour, beckoning night owls into its intimate, 40-seat sanctuary. This late-night bar, with its curved cork ceiling and subterranean charm, evokes the timeless allure of an old European wine cellar. The cocktail menu is a playful yet sophisticated affair, offering gems like the tomato oil-infused ‘Puttanesca Martinez’ and the effervescent ‘A Little Bit of Fancy,’ where a Campari-soaked sugar cube fizzes with delight.

Mornane Place, Melbourne CBD 

Bar Bambi

This glossy wine bar in AC/DC lane has an LA-via-Italy vibe that’s just a little debaucherous. There’s Italian wine, cocktails, share plates and a live music lineup that could be party-starting DJ one night and serenading piano singer the next. Bar Bambi’s uniquely alluring design draws on inspiration from across eras, with plush velvet booths and brassy accents harking back to the golden days of yesteryear.

Enter via basement 103-105 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Yum Sing House 

Inspired by Hong Kong and the many karaoke bars that fill it, Yum Sing House is a hybrid of karaoke and modern Cantonese food. This laneway gem has a restaurant on the first floor and five karaoke rooms plus a bar upstairs. Each room is themed around neighbourhoods and nightlife spots in Hong Kong. A raucously good time is guaranteed here, every time. 

22 Sutherland Street, Melbourne

Gin Palace

It’s all in the name at Gin Palace. Tucked behind the obligatory Melbourne laneway, this speakeasy-style boozer with its lush fit-out and dim lighting offers everything you could ever want from a bar. And then some. They’ve been plying Melbourne with the largest gin collection this side of the equator for some 20 years, and we’d argue they’re getting even better with age.

10 Russell Place, Melbourne

Berlin Bar 

Established in 2009, Berlin Bar is a place where Capitalist opulence confronts Communist austerity, where classic cocktails mingle with modern creativity and where old-fashioned table service blends with a relaxed atmosphere.

Deemed The Space Race, it’s inspired by the rivalry between the USA and Russia during the Cold War, pushing mankind to the ultimate frontier — the cosmos.

From Sputnik to Neil Armstrong’s Moonwalk, re-live 16 key moments from the most exiting and daring adventure that humanity ever attempted, through their series of signature cocktails. 

Level 2/16 Corrs Lane, Melbourne

Beneath Driver Lane

Beneath Driver Lane is hard to find — but worth the effort. Tucked inside a laneway behind the grand GPO building, this basement bar is a haven of blues music and sharp cocktails. Listen to live bands while sipping a whiskey flight as you settle into cosy leather booths lit by candlelight. Meanwhile, late-night peckishness is sorted with the kitchen serving French bistro snacks, cheese and charcuterie all the way ’till 1 am.

3 Driver Lane, Melbourne   

Bar Ampere 

One of Melbourne’s oldest laneways, Russell Place, is brimming with unique, unmissable and unassuming fronted bars.

Bar Ampere‘s drinks’ list includes a strong line-up of European aperitifs and digestives, with a heavy presence of vermouth and absinthe. The wine list is concise, with great, reasonably priced French varietals by the glass.

In the mood for an extra nightcap? Exit through the bar’s secret rear door and be transported into the middle of sister venue Gin Palace. Bottom’s up!

16 Russell Place, Melbourne

Whitehart Bar

The sky’s the limit at this grungy local hangout within a revived car park. Whitehart Bar is a real hidden gem and one of Melbourne’s best laneway bars. It’s a double story, container-made gathering space that’s home to live music sessions, the finest craft beers, cocktails and casual eats, with an industrial feel made warmer with ferns mounted on the walls and palms aplenty. 

There’s a kaleidoscopic visual feast of projections and graffiti to feast your eyes on, too. Located in the heart of the city, it’s the ultimate place to party, or just relax and talk at the end of the day, with street food in hand from one of their guest food trucks.

22 Whitehart Lane, Melbourne

Hidden Bars Melbourne CBD: Rooftop Bars

Slowpoke Lounge & Lookout

High above Collingwood, Slowpoke Lounge & Lookout feels like a fever dream brought to life — part rooftop reverie, part disco-soaked daydream. From the crew behind Daybreak Festival, it channels retro Italian glamour and brutalist edge into a lounge that’s all plush booths, terrazzo tables and sun-spilt corners. Harry Costello’s cocktails lean playful yet polished: a hazelnut espresso martini, coconut margarita, yerba maté spritz, and the signature Picante laced with chilli, coriander and honey.

Level 4/50 Gipps Street, Collingwood

Siglo

A true everyone’s club steeped in old-world charm, Siglo’s table-clothed rooftop terrace is without a doubt a city icon. Perched above the Princess Theatre at the cocktail-loving ‘Paris end’, a sense of European style and elegance permeates as chatty patrons savour fine wines whilst overlooking the glittering streetscape below. For the cigar-loving gentlemen and women, have your lighters at the ready because Cohiba Siglo’s are the venue’s signature. 

Level 2, 161 Spring Street, Melbourne

Goldilocks

Round up the three bears, spot the sign above a nondescript entry on Swanston Street, enter the elevator and head to the top floor to discover a quaint rooftop bar in the middle of the CBD. Hanging festoon lights and a semi-covered space make Goldilocks an oasis that feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle outside. It may be hard to find but it’ll be even harder to leave, with well-made classic cocktails and moreish bar snacks sustaining you ‘til late.

5/264 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Fable

At 13 storey’s high, towering over the CBD atop Lonsdale Street’s Greek Community Building, Fable is all about Mediterranean fare, with creamy taramasalata dip, broken rice dolmades and eggplant moussaka to dine on, while a selection of elegant cocktails are named after Greek gods, goddesses, and fables. Sit back and enjoy stunning views while a clever retractable roof makes it an all-weather destination.

168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Good Heavens

At this good times rooftop bar you can have a sunset tipple while taking in views of the city skyline. Good Heavens becomes especially vibey during post-work hours, with a happy hour stretching all day on Monday with $8 wines, $10 pints and $9 house spirits.

2/79 Bourke Street, Melbourne 

Hidden Bars Melbourne CBD: Hole In The Walls

Dessous

Moody and oozing old-money charm, Dessous is a hidden bar in Melbourne located beneath Hazel. Warm and dimly lit, with a colour scheme of marble, velvet, green and grey, here you’ll find an extensive list of cocktails and wines to sip on all evening. As for food, you’ll find elevated modern Australian x Asian cuisine, with dishes like baked vermicelli noodles with king prawns and pork belly or char-grilled squid with sambal, salted egg aioli and potato bread.

164 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Fall From Grace

Enter…if you dare. Fall From Grace is the hidden basement bar inside of State of Grace, an unassuming (and aesthetic) cocktail bar in Melbourne. State of Grace holds an impressive bookshelf, and within it, there’s a special book that will lead you to descend into their hidden, debaucherous bar, Fall From Grace. Here, you can lounge about on comfy couches as you sip on cocktails and get up to no good. 

27 King Street, Melbourne

The Understudy

Venture down the stairs of 1806 to the basement and you’ll find extra special speakeasy and cocktail lounge The Understudy. Take a trip around the world with your taste buds as you sample the impressive signature cocktails featuring lesser known native spirits. Intimate, cosy and exuding romantic vintage charm, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better spot for a date.

169 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

The LuWow

The place to go for tiki cocktails, kitschy décor, and a night you couldn’t remember even if you tried (read: rum-soaked), The LuWow is one of the most exciting hole-in-the-wall hidden bars in Melbourne. Expect boozy mai tai’s and pina colada’s, as well as the Easter Island iced tea, which adds coconut tequila and blue curacao to the deadly five-shot original. Shimmy to surf rock, disco and the blues amongst the fake plants, coloured lights, and rattan ceiling, before attempting to sober up in time for bed. It’s a mini tropical resort for the senses. 

212 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

Union Electric

Tucked inside a Chinatown laneway is good times bar Union Electric, a favourite with the after-work crowd for their hip hop-heavy playlist and great cocktails. It’s only a few people wide, so it climbs upwards instead, giving patrons those sought after rooftop party vibes. They’re big on fresh fruits, herbs and botanicals — using them to spark up tiki cocktails and refreshing highballs — and the bar staff are some of the friendliest in town.

13 Heffernan Lane, Melbourne 

Byrdi

Byrdi is the brainchild of industry innovators Luke Whearty and Aki Nishikura, who are known for their hyper-seasonal drinks using native ingredients. The sleek CBD bar plays with ingredients that are smoked, fermented and fortified in any number of combinations, resulting in cocktails that are as eccentric as they are delicious. The space itself is a designer’s dream, infusing minimalism with warm textures and materials. Stop by for a drink that surprises.

Corner of La Trobe and Swanston Streets, Melbourne

108/200 Bourke Street, Melbourne

If you loved our round-up of all the best hidden bars Melbourne CBD is so well-known for, and have discovered your next secret drinking spot, we’ve also got plenty more things to do in Melbourne that’ll keep you entertained. You’ll love our cute date night ideas, too!