Melbourne’s best hidden bars

Hidden bars might just be the coolest bars. If you’re out with friends and haven’t had to triple-check a venue’s address or retrace your steps because you passed it the first time, are you even having fun? It all makes finally setting foot in these bars feel like an achievement. And once you’ve settled in with some seriously good food and drinks at these hard-to-find venues, you feel as if you’re part of a secret club. Cool, right?   

Melbourne is famous for its small bars, with many tucked away in laneways and basements that you might never know were there. Whether it’s an unmarked entry that opens into a 1920s-style speakeasy (we see you Eau de Vie), a door with just one word on it to hint at what lies behind (“sake” gives the game away for Leonie Upstairs) or non-descript stairways that descend to underground bars, Melbourne is full of hidden gems. 

If you’re spending any time in Melbourne or want to show off to visitors that you know your stuff, we’ve rounded up a bunch of hard-to-find bars that are worth the extra effort.