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Best Nightlife in Melbourne (2026)

Melbourne's nightlife leans towards bars and live music rather than big clubs. In the city centre, Rooftop Bar on level 7 of Curtin House is open from noon to 1am with walk-ins welcome, and Bird's Basement in Singers Lane presents jazz as dinner shows, with a cocktail bar upstairs for a drink before the set.

The inner suburbs hold some of Australia's most storied music venues. The Corner Hotel in Richmond has hosted bands since the jazz era and has a rooftop bar of its own, The Tote in Collingwood has championed independent music since 1980 and was saved by public campaigns in 2010 and 2023, and the Hotel Esplanade in St Kilda, open since 1878, combines live music rooms with cocktail bars and a balcony facing the bay. For cocktails, Black Pearl on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, has appeared repeatedly on the World's 50 Best Bars list.

Many bars trade late on Fridays and Saturdays, often until 3am, but some close early in the week, so check opening days. Buy gig tickets in advance for popular acts, and use trams and late trains to move between the city and the suburbs.

6 places · Updated November 12, 2026

Our top 3 nightlife in Melbourne

  1. Rooftop Bar Rooftop bar, Melbourne CBDOpen-air bar on the roof of Curtin House on Swanston Street, open from noon to 1am most days of the year, with burgers, cocktails and walk-ins welcome.
  2. Corner Hotel Live music pub and rooftop bar, RichmondRichmond pub and live music venue on Swan Street, presenting bands since the jazz era, with a band room, rooftop bar and kitchen open Tuesday to Sunday.
  3. Hotel Esplanade Historic seaside pub and live music venue, St KildaSeaside St Kilda pub opened in 1878 and known as The Espy, reopened in 2018 with live music rooms, cocktail bars, a balcony and a Cantonese restaurant.

Bar

1. Rooftop Bar

Rooftop bar$$Melbourne CBD

Open-air bar on the roof of Curtin House on Swanston Street, open from noon to 1am most days of the year, with burgers, cocktails and walk-ins welcome.

View details — Rooftop Bar

Bar

2. Corner Hotel

Live music pub and rooftop bar$$Richmond

Richmond pub and live music venue on Swan Street, presenting bands since the jazz era, with a band room, rooftop bar and kitchen open Tuesday to Sunday.

View details — Corner Hotel

Bar

3. Hotel Esplanade

Historic seaside pub and live music venue$$St Kilda

Seaside St Kilda pub opened in 1878 and known as The Espy, reopened in 2018 with live music rooms, cocktail bars, a balcony and a Cantonese restaurant.

View details — Hotel Esplanade

Bar

4. Black Pearl

Cocktail bar$$Fitzroy

Fitzroy cocktail bar on Brunswick Street, a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list, with a walk-in ground floor and The Attic upstairs.

View details — Black Pearl

Bar

6. The Tote Hotel

Live music pub$Collingwood

Collingwood live music pub on Johnston Street, home to independent bands since 1980, saved by a public campaign in 2010 and placed in a music trust in 2023.

View details — The Tote Hotel