The Night Cat

A fantastic venue to visit. The vibrant atmosphere of dance, music and passionate people creates a unique and energetic experience that will have you bursting to move.
The décor and layout of the venue provides a unique insight into the charismatic performances of the musicians. The Sunday night salsa lessons and subsequent live performance were a balance of entertainment and interaction difficult to provide.
I thoroughly enjoy the unique and flamboyant prowess this venue has to offer.

What a fantastic spot to find like minded music lovers of the jazz and funk!!!
Have the best time every time I go to the Night Cat and completely recommend it to anyone who is of the love of soul, jazz tunes played live with a sax, drums, trumpet and more.
Huge fan and love the place, free entry is a bonus and bar prices are pretty good too.
Its a GO to for me for a good night out — never disappointed!
They even have weekend dance classes and sunday night sessions!
PS — bathrooms are a crazy trip of metallic walls… its a must see.

Only been here once but had a good time. There was no live music but the DJ played a good variety of jazz/fusion…even introduced me to a few musicians I had never heard before. Drinks were reasonably priced. The place was empty most of the night. It did not fill up until very late and even still there was not a huge crowd. Eventually the music changed over to more spanish-​style. There were a few people dancing but not many. I’d love to give it another try on a night when there is a live band.

It’s a fascinating venue and one that has escaped me for many years.
Boy does this place fill up. Its pretty trashy and cheap with a basic selection
of average drinks. But when the music and band kicks in, it doesn’t really matter.
Everyone is dancing. It’s the opposite to most places where the odd few are
dancing whilst the majority remain as stone human statues. There’s good areas
to sit and relax as well. very interesting place to sit watch and observe people too.

Friendly staff. Great drinks. Awesome bands and live music. The crowd can be skitchy but the security is well-​managed and i feel safe enough to come and leave alone.

Okay so I’m not one to dance — unless I’ve had too much to drink that is. At least here the music is live, and jazzy, and everyone is dancing so you’re not the drunken sore thumb!
I’ve been here three or four times with friends and each night has been a fairly successful get together. Be prepared to yell at each other on a Saturday or Friday night to have a conversation. Rest assured though, that when you’re tired of dancing there’s a fair few seats to crash on.
Drink selection, from memory, is fairly fun. Beer, cider possibly wine? Definitely some interesting shots to keep your night going!

The Night Cat is definitely a hot spot on Friday nights. It gets easily crowded but never the less the live music and reasonably cheap but good drinks make it the place to be.

I just checked the website and I saw that on Sunday I can go to an interesting event– Quarter Street Orchestra. You can attend useful salsa classes. I am sure you will have a nice experience there.

One of the few places that you can dance the night away into the wee hours. Admittedly after the band heads home it gets a bit dodgy but still a fun night out.

The night I visited The Night Cat it was more like a dead cat. Ok, it might have been a little early on a Friday and I’m sure a venue this big lives or dies by whatever DJ or band it can attract on a particular night but it was one of the least gratifying nightlife experiences of my Melbourne life.
This place is truly massive so before you settle in for the night — or plan your night around said Cat — make sure the music is to your liking and, if you’re planning to dance, fraternise or do anything nightclubby that involves other patrons, ensure it’s packed.
More than anything I gather The Night Cat is popular for its unusual ability to get people dancing. And with its dodgy décor, exorbitant drinks and negligible ambience, apart from the dancefloor there’s little else I can see to recommend it.

I love the night life. I love to boogie. At times, I even love to disco on down. And the Night Cat is one of the best places in Melbourne to do any of that. They’ve got a large checkered dance floor, a stage you can fit a big-​band on, and plenty of space around the tables.
More than that, their dance floor is an actual dance floor. It can get a bit sticky, of course, but it’s generally got the right amount of grip for both sliding and stopping.

About seven years ago everyone had a story how they used to go to the Nightcat and dance to The Cat Empire before they were big.
As someone (and I’ve realised, one of the few) who gets angry/​annoyed whenever I hear their music, I didn’t really care.
But the point is, you want to dance like the South American’s do? Then come here and watch them do it, because we all know that when you get up there, Whitey, you’re going to look like a poor comparison.
I know I know, all those inspirational quotes about ‘dance like no one’s watching’ would be ashamed of me.
As a white person who doesn’t know how to dance, this is a good place to get some lessons from friendly locals who aren’t locals at all. Watch in awe as a white person figures out how to swing their hips (a bit like watching a child wearing a tuxedo, it’s sweet because he thinks he’s all grown up).
If you like your music live and your dancing salsa-​y then you’ll love the nightcat.

There is something about this place that just lends itself to time-​travel.
It’s a fun dance club, where people actually do dance! And the band, not DJ, is set in the middle of the dance floor. If you’re like me, you love dancing in the front of the crowd right next to the stage, but here, you’ve got 4 sides to pick from.
Strong drinks that aren’t overpriced, and great live music. It makes for one of the best clubs in Fitzroy. No joke.
You can even go on off nights for dance classes. Pretty cheap too!

Feel like dancing? Do you love your live bands with as many members as possible? Feel like showing off your newly learned salsa moves?
The Night Cat in Fitzroy is home to one of the hottest, if not the hottest dance floors in Melbourne. Every weekend, a line of people wait outside to get in and shake their tail feather on the dance floor as the big band jives away right next to you.
With most nights being free entry, you’ll have plenty of money to pick up drinks at the bar, and you’ll need it. Aswell as the fact that they don’t serve tap beer here, they charge an exorbitant amount for alcohol, especially spirits. A regular drinking night here will easily set you back triple figures, however if you’re here to dance, the chances are you’ll rarely bother heading to the bar anyhow.
The bands rotate regularly, but the venue maintains a staple bunch of favourites who play a mix of Cuban, Reggae, Groove and Latin flavours into the wee hours of the night. Most consist of full horn sections and even if you aren’t here to dance, it’s almost as fun to just watch the dance floor and band from your seat.
Can’t dance? It doesn’t really matter. With so many limbs flailing about the dance floor, most are too busy perfecting their own moves or eyeing off their dance partner to care how bad you are. Here at the Night Cat it’s all about the fun. Enjoy…

The Night Cat has free entry, because music should be free, and charges for water, because musicians have to eat. Good philosophy. Word has it that this was where the Cat Empire had their start, in the dark, sexy Fitzroy space. Red velvet curtains protect those inside from lookers on, and there is a golden glow that makes anyone feel like they have a little Latin blood.
I think it’s possibly the most exciting Sunday night in Melbourne. A good friend and I had a standing Sunday date where we’d go to the salsa class, have dinner, and then return for the open dancing in the evening. Good band, packed floor, amazing dancers shimmying and swirling around us, delicious drinks, heaven. There is genuine joy in the dance to be had, here, rather than an emphasis on picking up or showing off, and this is a delight to be a part of. A sexy, red velvet delight.

I normally tend to stay away from the kind of place where the average age is 18 and a half and they scan your drivers license upon entry — you know just in case you knife someone inside the club or change out of the unfashionable collared shirt they probably require you to wear to gain entry.
But I have to say the Night Cat is slightly different. The first and major big difference is that they have live bands playing on a circular stage, usually surrounded by enthusiastic dancers. And the bands they have playing are often pretty good. When there is no live music, they tend to have a DJ playing some pretty cheesy music — but in my view, cheesy in a good way. They often can be found spinning some old school classics that you jump up on the dance floor to have a bit of a laugh, only to realise you are having a lot of fun.
So if you are looking for a boogie and prepared to admit to yourself that having fun is way better than hanging with hipsters and jazz musicians then give the Night Cat a go. What’s the worst that could happen (sans Interpol being notified of the details on your drivers license)?

Une très bonne découverte !!
Après avoir été fatiguée par la majorité des bars à sydney (la même musique partout, très commerciale), je me retrouve dès le premier soir par hasard au night cat et quel soulagement !
Super bonne ambiance, carte pas trop excessive, très bonne musique… Plus généralement tout le coin de Fitzroy vaut le détour !

Un lieu nocturne à né pas manquer !
The Night Cat Fitzroy est mythique !
Les nuits se déroulent de la façon suivante: concert jazzy + dancefloor animée! Plus tard, place au DJ pour un mix varié !
Les cours de salsa du jeudi soir sont très sympas.
Souvent bondés le Vendredi soir !

One of the best Jazz and Swing bars in all of Melbourne, the Night Cat is probably Fitzroy’s best venues for those uninterested in dealing with drunks and obnoxious crowds. Although the line to get in is often both slow and long before 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, there is always a good crowd, most of whom are there to dance and socialize rather then hit the bar. That said the drinks are well priced and varied, with some interesting cocktails for those so inclined. With upside down lampshades scattered across the ceiling, dim lighting and a checkered dance floor, the Night Cat is a unique venue with a reputation for great live music, dancing and good times.