The Drunken Poet

I really liked that this little place had no tellie nor pokie machines. The music was old school with your choice from a juke box also available.
A rather old pub that is very welcoming even if you are the only people there. If you are not into talking to your mates then try your hand at a game of ring toss on the wall.

LOVE! I loves me an Irish Pub. This small pub opposite of the Vic Market is a great place to grab a pint. No pub fare here though, all booze and a $ 5 toastie if you’re starving! The bartenders are friendly, the place isn’t kitchy and it has that good old fashioned Irish charm!

Beautiful little spot next to Vic market! Understated and classy, with gorgeous portraits of Irish poets. I sought this place out after reading an article on the top ten Irish pubs worldwide not in Ireland! The bartender was so nice, gave us some tips on food in the area. Delicious pint on the patio apparently Wednesday nights is women wine and whisky with live music!

This is the best Irish pub in Melbourne and it’s all down to Siobhan. I don’t know how she does it but she remembers everyone and even though she seem to always be working she’s always friendly and happy.
Of course keeping the Guinness at the best standard you can get in Australia is a plus! Although I don’t think it is drinkable outside Ireland/​England but that’s a whole other subject.
There is live music too.
The only food is simple toasted cheese sandwiches which are just awesome.
There’s usually two tables out front on the street which are generally communal.

There are two things that I really like about this place: the name, and the painting of James Joyce on the far wall. If this were the only two things about this place then it would still get the thumbs up. Okay, I’ve only been here on a Friday night, which means it gets über crowded, however for some reason nobody ever takes the seats at the back, which means that I have my nice little dark corner where I can sit and just let the ambience roll over me. I also just have to mention the guys toilets — it is covered in pages from a comic book, so you actually have your reading material plastered on the wall.

Right across the street from the Vic market is a traditional Irish pub with a slogan something like «no shamrocks, no leprechauns» and something else, not sure. If the idea of going to an irish pub makes you want to clothe yourself in orange, you might want to give this place a try. It is not the kind of place that has given irish pub’s a bad name, it is the kind of place that inspired people to hijack the concept of an irish pub to horrible effect.
Anyway, I appreciate a decent pub Irish or otherwise that doesn’t have TVs, has good service behind the bar, and is swimming in good woodwork and history. The walls are lined with pictures of famous Irish luminaries (Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, etc.) and there is often live music. Good beer and good prices, with a good selection of whiskey.
They don’t have much in the way of food but they do claim to have good «toasted sandwiches.» Not totally confident about what those are exactly, but I suspect they are what they sound like.
Worth a visit. Their website is also pretty good and has a list of upcoming events
. Last time I was there a pretty good band was playing and it looks like there is

You’ll probably be at the Vic Market if you visit Melbourne and if you want a good pint and a real relaxed irish Pub, this is your place. Good music, at least when we were there listening to the alt-​folk-​rock-​quirky Lily and King. Highly recommended

This is a damn cool pub right behind the Vic Market. You can’t walk past it on the weekends without hearing live music right at the entrance and a bunch of people sitting at one of the tables outside.
It’s a decent sized pub, not too large but big enough to hold a rowdy bunch. More often than not you’ll find a place to sit down.
It gets super loud when there’s live music but that’s all part of the fun, isn’t it? They also make cheese toasties for anyone who has late night munchies.
Beer, music, friends and grilled cheese? Count me in!

Irish pub? Well, kinda… but kinda not really. Much cooler than your standard Irish pub chain and with great live music from excellent local and interstate singer-​songwriters to boot! Regular names here are Rory Ellis and Sime Nugent and Liz Stringer — true local greats. They also hold the Wine Whiskey Women night every Wednesday, featuring a line-​up of female singer-​songwriters.
The bar is dark with stained wood booths and a bit of a homely feel. The drawings on the walls of famous poets and writers definitely adds to the atmosphere. It is in a strange location, on a busy road across from the Queen Vic Market, but once you’re inside the rest of the world gets blocked out pretty darn well. Especially if you have a couple of pints of Guinness.