The best hidden bars in Melbourne

The austere design of Above Board – with a simple wooden benchtop and all the alcohol hidden away in drawers in unmarked decanters – has bartender Hayden Lambert standing at the 12-seater bar like a blackjack dealer doling out drinks instead of cards. The difference here is that whatever you bet on from the short, thoughtful menu will be a winner.

It’s hard to imagine a Melbourne where Apollo Inn doesn’t exist, such is the impact this handsome and swanky spot has had on the city’s bar scene in its short lifespan so far. Andrew McConnell’s first standalone cocktail bar – which swung open its leatherbound doors in June 2023 – has seamlessly settled into its location at McDonald House on Flinders Lane, maintaining a strong and steady stream of visitors nightly, all hoping to squeeze into one of just 30 highly coveted seats. 

Any epicure worth their dirty Martini knows that an unassuming alley often holds the best treasures. One or Two is further proof of this. Stepping through the understated black door will immediately transport you to Shimokitazawa in Tokyo. 

Step into the dim red glow of this listening lounge and enjoy an eclectic musical line-up with some of the city's best DJs, trusted beat makers and live virtuosos. An Australian-centric drinks menu slings lo-fi natural wines, craft beers and spirits that complement the tunes. 

This subterranean wine bar is located in the historic Richard Allen and Sons building. You'll see a lot of foot traffic through the basement windows, great for Melbourne footwear-watching (people-watching's weirder cousin), and a glimpse of the outside action only serves to make it feel cooler and calmer inside. Get stuck into the snacky menu (spanner crab donut, anyone?) while you drink your way through the bar's excellent cocktail and vino selection. 

Moody, intimate and tastefully lit, Black Kite Commune is the latest addition to the illustrious Russell Place – joining sister bars Gin Palace (a Melbourne institution) and its lively adjunct Bar Ampere. Spread across two levels, the mood is '70s bar meets French bistro – wooden panelling and low ceilings meet black walls and dark carpeted floors. Despite being only a hop, skip and jump away from Bourke Street, Black Kite Commune feels like a world away from everything else. It may be too dark for you to read a book (solo patrons, take note), but it’s the perfect place to while the night away. 

An ol’ disco classic once preached to us that ‘young hearts run free’, and at Young Hearts, that's exactly the vibe. The boozy enclave hidden upstairs from the Windsor stretch of High Street strip features rotating local DJs, kitchen talent, live music and art exhibitions.

So good they named it thrice, this hole-in-the-wall down Meyers Place is a blessing for locals, tourists and city revellers alike. You can’t miss its sign, a neon yellow arrow blaring ‘pizza pizza pizza’ from the window. What you may miss, however, is the cosy cocktail bar nestled out the back, accessible by paring back a shiny black curtain – the perfect nook for a discrete nightcap. 

Concealed behind a mysterious curtain on Flinders Lane, Death and Co is the dark and moody bar Melbourne has been waiting for. The New York-born group – famous for its innovative cocktails and contributions to modern bar culture – first established its roots in Manhattan in 2006 before opening additional venues in LA, Washington DC and Denver. This slick two-level venue at 87 Flinders Lane is the team's very first venture outside the United States.

This speakeasy is tucked away in a heritage-listed 19th century building, down a laneway that was once known as a bustling hive for hat, soap, clothing and candle makers and traders. You enter the bar via a space disguised as a Victorian-era dressing room. Do a final fit check in front of a full-length mirror door, before entering a wardrobe that conceals the secret watering hole inside. Here, you’ll be entranced by opulent chandeliers and marine lights set against a backdrop of exposed stone walls.

The balcony alone at Aster is worth the visit. In fact, it's a bit of an enigma – it's seemingly never packed and yet there's always a spot, which is perplexing as it overlooks such a beautiful slice of Melbourne's inner city. The electricity and vibe of Section 8 below, the ever-changing passerby circus of Tattersalls Lane, the sheer magic of having a front row seat to pure Melbourne. 

This swanky bar and restaurant Melbourne boasts a not-so-secret-anymore cellar bar that you have to access via a bookcase (aptly named Fall from Grace). State of Grace isn't a one-trick pony, though, with the venue featuring three levels of fun from the ground level restaurant to the rooftop bar.

In the basement at the end of an alley, Beneath Driver Lane feels equal parts Melbourne, Chicago and Diagon Alley. The folks behind the bar are all practised professionals; personable, knowledgeable and looking sharp in black chef coats. What they’re mixing up is pretty sharp, too. 

Found in the heritage-listed Tavistock House – one of only a handful of pre-Gold Rush buildings left in Melbourne – this Flinders Lane bar weaves stories of Melbourne into almost every element of its offering. It stands close to where the Yarra Falls once stood, a historic meeting place for many of the peoples of the Kulin Nation both pre-European settlement and after, which explains the tiny indoor waterfall found inside the bar. 

Abbotsford residents are lucky to call Lulie Tavern a local – but did you know this treasured rock and roller has a secret rooftop bar called Full Moon Fever? This watering hole carries Lulie's great vibes just a few floors higher, the drinks menu boasting a top-quality Tommy's Margarita, as well as a range of saloon-style cocktails that'll get the party going. 

The city’s oldest pub has a secret. Loch and Key is hidden up a rickety staircase, behind a bookcase in the Captain Melville bar. Loch and Key is best known as a late-night reveller, when the couch-filled warren of rooms come to life, but its early evening appeal shouldn't be ignored, as the balcony is a beautiful spot to watch the sun go down.

Bartenders pull out all the stops – and the liquid nitrogen – at this city speakeasy offering a magical mystery tour of history’s greatest drinks. Cocktail nerds, this is your front row seat to the ultimate masterclass in drinks wizardry. There's even a whole room dedicated to whisky. 

Everybody knows about Black Pearl, but did you know that there's another (possibly even more coveted) cocktail alcove upstairs? The website recommends you make a reservation in advance; make the most of the wonderful table service if you manage to get a spot.

It’s not very common (at least not in Melbourne) for a hotel bar to pop off but that’s exactly what happened to Curious, which opened at the W Melbourne in 2021. There's a fun music and drinks program all year round, and the space hosts a rotating lineup of DJs – both established and on the up. Get around the current events.

A grande dame of the Melbourne bar scene, this louche, basement-level cocktail lounge has been keeping people loose and liquored since 1997. The default drinking spot among the city’s post-shift bartenders, plus tie-loosened office workers and huddles of tourists, this enigmatic speakeasy is at its best as the night wears on. Embrace the bohemian vibes and settle in.