Here's our list of the best happy hour deals in Melbourne bars, pubs and restaurants.
C’mon, when did pints start costing $18? Booze prices have truly gotten out of hand, so to ensure we don’t bankrupt ourselves, we’ve put together a list of the best happy hours in Melbourne.
Perfectly placed right after work and before dinner, happy hour is made for knockoffs and mid-week quickies. Typically running for two or three hours, there’s plenty of time to smash a few before prices rise again in the evening.
We’re talking beer, wine, cocktails and spirits, all for a sweet, sweet mid-afternoon price. Has all this information got you feeling thirsty? Us too. Read on, and we’ll meet you at the bar.
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The Penny Black, Brunswick
With its ’70s-inspired interior and rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic, The Penny Black is the place to visit for live music and a good time. Running from to 3pm to 7pm every day, their happy hour features schooners, basics and wine from $7.
They also have Daily Food Specials:
- 420 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC 3056
- More info here.
New Wind, Windsor
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This Vietnamese restaurant may not be the oldest or the cheapest spot for happy hours, but it has one of the best varieties of $12 cocktails. From the classic espresso martini to the new variation of a Long Island ice tea, known as the Fresh Island ice tea, New Wind knows how to gather an audience.
Their happy hours are from 4:30 to 7:30pm and 9:30 to 11:30pm every day, so whether you’re heading for drinks after work or going out for the night, New Wind has got you covered. With welcoming staff, great food and a prime spot in Melbourne, New Wind has established itself as the place to be.
- 120 Chapel St, Windsor, VIC 3181
- More info here.
Stay Gold / Ollie’s Pizza
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$10 Young Henrys, $7 basic spirits.
Ollie’s crafts a unique pizza that blends New York and Neapolitan styles. Their thin, crispy base and chewy crust are topped with the freshest ingredients for unbeatable flavour.
They prove their dough for 36 hours and hand-stretch it before cooking it super hot and fast. Dedicated to the art of pizza-making, they honour the great pizzaiolos with every slice. Located at 133 Sydney Road, Brunswick, Ollie’s is perfect for after-work drinks or lively weekend nights. You’ll find a warm welcome at the bar, with $10 Young Henrys and $7 basic spirits from 5 to 7pm.
- 133 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC 3056
- More info here.
Railway Hotel, South Melbourne
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The Railway Hotel is the definition of a good old pub and with one of the best happy hours. It is the place to visit in South Melbourne.
Running every Thursday and Friday from 4 to 6pm, the Railway Hotel’s happy hour is the perfect warm-up for a big night on the town, with $9 pints of Jetty Road. For eats, the venue offers a $25 steak night on Wednesday and a $30 Sunday roast. The Railway Hotel has everything from Fox Sports to live music, which is what makes it a classic pub.
- 280 Ferrars St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205
- More info here.
Blondie Bar
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Located on the corner of Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard, Blondie Bar is an elegant place to go for a happy hour. Blondie Bar offers free live entertainment including Friday jazz jams from 5pm and DJ sets Thursday from 6pm – however, this may be subject to change depending on the weather conditions. Happy hour has returned to Blondie Bar from 3 to 6pm.
Blondie Bar also serves delicious plates, there truly is something for everyone.
- Cnr South Bank Blvd and Styrt St, Southbank, VIC 3006
- More info here.
Antique Bar, Elsternwick
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Walking into the Antique Bar is like stepping into a black-and-white movie. With $13 cocktails, $10 pints and $6 house wine, the Antique Bar in Elsternwick has to have one of the most delicious happy hours available.
The Belgian chocolate martini, liquid cheesecake and apple crumble are perfect for those with a sweet tooth. It also provides a range of classic cocktails and a list of specialty drinks including names like the Zombie, the Lemongrass and Chilli Mule and Hot Buttered Rum.
With fantastic service and a vintage layout, this is one of the best happy hours to visit in Melbourne.
- 218 Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick, VIC 3185
- More info here.
Father’s Office
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With two locations in Melbourne’s CBD, Father’s Office is becoming a popular place to visit for a good drink and some live music. With DJs performing on Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm, this is your place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Father’s Office has one of the most extensive happy hours that we have seen including $12 cocktails with drinks such as pornstar martini, Aperol spritz, pina colada and frozen margaritas on offer.
If cocktails aren’t to your taste, there are also $9 premium spirits like Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire and Jack Daniels up for grabs. Father’s Office also offers $8 to $10 pints and $8 glasses of wine.
You can visit both of their venues in the city at the addresses listed below.
- 121 Flinders Ln, Melbourne, VIC 3000
- 249 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne, VIC 3000
- More info here.
The Banff, St Kilda
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As a relaxed spot, it’s a favourite for locals around St Kilda. Located on Fitzroy Street, The Banff is a beautiful restaurant formerly in army barracks by American and Canadian soldiers in World War II and used as a galley to prepare meals.
Banff has an extensive happy hour daily from 3 to 6pm and 9 to 10pm. Banff offers pots of beer, pots of cider/snakebite at $5.50, glass DB cleanskins at $6, all house spirits at $7 and jugs of beer, jugs of cider/snakebite at $15.50, as well as bottle DB cleanskins at $24.
With a rustic charm, The Banff is the spot to visit if you want a calm and homely experience.
- Unit 29/145 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, VIC 3182
- More info here.
Prince Alfred, Richmond
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With a prime location, friendly staff members and great food, the only thing that could make this Richmond pub any better is a great happy hour. Luckily for us, they offer $10 pints, $8 house wines and $8 basic spirits during the week – Monday to Thursday from 3 to 6pm, Fridays from 3 to 9pm and Sundays from 2 to 5pm.
Some other weekly specials at the Prince Alfred Hotel are the $25 steak every Tuesday from 4pm, $24 burgers every Wednesday from 4pm, $24 parmas every Thursday from 4pm and $30 Sunday roasts.
On top of all of these great deals, there are plenty of live music performances. Acoustic shows are every Friday from 5 to 8pm, DJs every Saturday from 9pm to late and more acoustic acts on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 5pm.
- 619 Church St, Richmond, VIC 3121
- More info here.
Bang Bang, Elsternwick
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Once again, the South East suburbs are proving to be a hotspot for great happy hour deals. Bang Bang, a reformed rifle club, is the place to be for a French-Indochina bite and a cheap but delicious cocktail in hand.
With $8 spritzes or a selection of beer, wine and bubbles for $6 every day from 4 to 6pm, Bang Bang is a new and contemporary restaurant that is always pumping.
On top of their happy hour, Bang Bang also provides a Boozy Brunch with 2 hours of bottomless drinks and a good menu selection at $59 per person. You’re missing out if you haven’t been to Bang Bang already.
- 294 Glen Huntly Rd, Elsternwick, VIC 3185
- More info here.
College Lawn Hotel, Prahran
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As a popular spot, College Lawn Hotel is everything you want in a corner pub. With one of the largest beer gardens in Prahran, the college lawn offers you some great deals. Visit the College Lawn Hotel any day between Monday to Friday for their great happy hour from 4 to 6pm, where you can enjoy $10 pints of tap beer, or $8 house wines and spirits.
- 36 Greville St, Prahran, VIC 3181
- More info here.
Tyranny of Distance, Windsor
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With a happy hour every day from 4 to 7pm, Tyranny of Distance is a great meeting spot for people in Melbourne. With a beautifully curated menu including share plates and flavourful mains, Tyranny of Distance has it all.
Located in Windsor, the best night to pop in is on a Friday, where happy hour lasts from 7 to 9pm, with $12 espresso martinis up for grabs.
- 147 Union St, Windsor, VIC 3181
- More info here.
The Workers Club, Fitzroy
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For dinner and a show, a classic and well-known watering hole for Melbournians is the Workers Club. Located on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, this corner pub offers big meals and great drink prices. With a DJ and a band room for local artists to perform, its happy hour of $9 house pints and wines across Tuesday to Friday from 5 to 7pm is just the cherry on top.
Although there’s a $5 entry fee, it’s worth it for its great atmosphere that’s located on one of Melbourne’s best streets.
- 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
- More info here.
Amarillo, Fitzroy
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Amarillo’s atmosphere is a carefully curated bar with a chic and relaxed nature. It’s the perfect place for a quiet drink with friends in Melbourne’s inner North. Amarillo offers $16 negronis, $14.50 Aperol spritzes, $10 Amarillo red and white wines and $8 schooners daily from open until 7 pm.
Although it does not have the most competitive happy hour, Amarillo is a small neighbourhood bar with charm. If you’re looking for a night of style, good share plates and drinks on a budget, this is the place.
- 149 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
- More info here.
Hotel Collingwood
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Born out of lockdown 5.0, Hotel Collingwood is yet another iconic corner pub that was formerly known as the Robert Burns Hotel. Despite being a fairly recent pub, Hotel Collingwood offers some great deals including Saturday with $10 pints and Aperols from 12 to 4pm. Monday through Friday offers a happy hour with $8.50 pints, $8.50 wine and a $8 schnitzel, as well as a $3 oyster special. Those days also offer a worker’s lunch special from 12 to 3pm for only $20.
- 376 Smith St, Collingwood, VIC 3066
- More info here.
Fifty-Five, Melbourne CBD
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You’ll find Fifty-Five in the city’s heart with a tropical meets rustic interior. Fifty-Five is offering $10 house pints and $12 frozen cocktails from 5 to 7pm on Monday to Thursday. Fifty-Five also has an extensive, eclectic cocktail menu with names like the Basement Boulevardier and Mandarin Marg.
Fifty-Five is a hidden basement bar on Elizabeth Street. If you like secret, independent bars, you’ll find Fifty-Five does not disappoint. On top of having a great happy hour, Fifty-Five are beer connoisseurs with six taps on regular rotation, making it the perfect recipe for a popular bar.
- 55 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, VIC 3000
- More info here.
Carlton Brewhouse, Abbotsford
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Carlton Brewhouse is worth the visit for live music, sports and a good happy hour deal. With Wednesday to Friday offering $8 pints and $8 house wine from the hours of 4 to 6pm, it’s the perfect place to visit right after work.
Carlton Brewhouse also offers a trivia night on Wednesdays with $17 burgers and $17 jugs for you and your friends to relax at the end of the day. If trivia isn’t your forte, Thursday at the Carlton Brewhouse offers $23 steaks and $20 parmas on Friday.
- 24 Thompson St, Abbotsford, VIC 3067
- More info here.
Three Monkeys, Prahran
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The Three Monkeys bar is a popular venue on Chapel Street with a highly regarded happy hour. With $7 basics, beers and wines until 8pm from Wednesday to Sunday, this cocktail hour is nothing short of competitive.
Three Monkeys is a popular destination on the weekends as it’s near some of Melbourne’s best clubs and bars. Three Monkeys is a staple if you’re in the area and looking for a good quality drink and some good music performed by DJs from around Melbourne.
- 210 Chapel St, Prahran, VIC 3181
- More info here.
For more information on Melbourne happy hours, head here.
