This intimate bar-restaurant with a bohemian vibe challenges Darwin stereotypes – it’s a favourite local haunt slinging an ever-changing list of standout craft beers and burgers made with flair.
Good Thanks must surely have one of the most eccentric advertising slogans anywhere: “Don’t be a dingo – saunter on down for a bloody good time. True God.” Yes, it’s lit, as they say.
The bar-restaurant, sitting innocuously in the middle of a row of shops, promises good drinks, food, music and, believe it or not, art. There are original cocktails and craft beers such as No Limits IPA from Darwin’s One Mile brewery, the food ranges from cauliflower wings in batter to standout burgers, and the music is provided by local singers. As for the art? Huge cartoons on the walls bearing epigrams such as “As a lawyer, Stephen would often overestimate his value to the human race”. Deep or daft? You decide. Not surprisingly, Good Thanks is a favourite among the younger legal professionals.
Good Thanks bills itself as a “salubrious environment for like-minded people”. Of course, with a build-up like that, it’s not just a place where a cook flips burgers and a bartender pulls schooners of standard beer. No, it’s very different.
Owner Alex James accepts that his little bohemian venue would not have survived a weekend in Darwin 30 years ago, but times have changed. Darwin is becoming – dare we say it? – more on trend. The demand for this kind of Melbourne-like venue is increasing by the year. It went against the accepted wisdom of what makes a good pub-restaurant in Darwin and triumphed.
Good Thanks has built up a loyal clientele over the five years since opening. The same groups of friends can be seen eating, drinking and laughing at the same tables every week. While it has a relatively limited menu, the burgers are the best and the beers are quirky. It’s an unusual place – a bit like Darwin itself.
This is a perfect place for a date – it has a warm, friendly atmosphere and is quirky, which is cause in itself for conversation. Of course, there are cheaper burgers in town, but none made with such flair. It’s also a good choice for visitors to Darwin, especially first-timers – it will shake a few stereotypical notions.
