Southbank’s bar scene is dominated by one force — Crown Casino. But reduce the suburb to just the casino complex and you’re missing everything else this riverside strip has to offer. Beyond the gaming floor and the tourist-priced venues, there’s a legitimate bar scene happening, if you know where to look.
The Crown Reality
Crown Melbourne contains roughly 30 bars and restaurants, ranging from premium cocktail venues to casual pubs. The quality varies wildly, the prices are uniformly high, and the experience can feel incredibly sterile if you land in the wrong venue. But Crown has invested heavily in bringing legitimate talent to their bar program, and some of their venues genuinely deliver world-class cocktail experiences.
The key is knowing which venues are actually worth your time and money. Because at Crown, both are in short supply.
Premium Cocktail Venues
Cherry
This is Crown’s flagship cocktail bar and one of Melbourne’s genuinely premium drinking destinations. The cocktail program here is legitimately world-class — they’re not just charging $28 for a drink because of the postcode, they’re charging it because the liquid is that good. The fitout is all dark timber and mood lighting, the service is polished without being pretentious, and the drinks list is creative without being gimmicky.
The signature cocktails change seasonally and always showcase the best Australian produce and spirits. The wine list is surprisingly strong too, with a focus on Victorian drops that won’t break the bank. If you’re dressing up for a night out in Southbank, Cherry is where you start.
Address: Crown Melbourne, Southbank VIC 3006
Hours: Wed-Sat 5pm-late
The Waiting Room
Inside Crown Metropole, The Waiting Room is hotel bar perfection. It’s designed for exactly what it delivers — a comfortable, sophisticated space for a drink before dinner or a nightcap after. The cocktail menu is focused but well-executed, the whisky selection is respectable, and the bartenders actually know their stuff.
The prices are Crown-adjacent, but you’re paying for the environment as much as the liquid. This is where you take a date you want to impress, or where you have a business drink that needs to happen in a space that says “I have taste.” It’s not the most exciting bar in Melbourne, but it executes its brief perfectly.
Address: Crown Metropole, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank VIC 3006
Hours: Daily 5pm-midnight
###这家吧 (This Bar)
Yes, there’s a Chinese-language bar at Crown. And it’s genuinely excellent. This Bar focuses on baijiu cocktails and Chinese spirits, executed with the same sophistication you’d expect from a top Melbourne cocktail venue. The concept is interesting, the execution is immaculate, and the prices are… well, they’re Crown prices, so plan accordingly.
If you’re curious about baijiu or want to explore Chinese spirits in a sophisticated environment, this is your venue. The bartenders are genuinely passionate about their subject and happy to guide newcomers through the menu.
Address: Crown Melbourne, Southbank VIC 3006
Hours: Thu-Sat 5pm-late
Casual Drinking Along the Riverwalk
Port Side
This one’s nestled along the Southbank Promenade and offers the kind of casual outdoor drinking that Melbourne does better than almost any city in the world. The views are genuinely spectacular — you’re literally watching the city lights reflect off the Yarra while you sip a $15 beer. Is it expensive? Absolutely. Is it worth it for the experience? Sometimes, yeah.
The beer list is standard premium Australian craft, the wine is perfectly drinkable, and the service is exactly what you’d expect from a tourist-focused venue. Come for the view, stay for the sunset, leave before they add too many rounds to your tab.
Address: 33 Southbank Promenade, Southbank VIC 3006
Hours: Daily 11am-late
MizNon
MizNon operates out of the Hilton Melbourne and offers a genuinely interesting cocktail program in a space that feels far more intimate than you’d expect from a hotel bar. The drinks are creative and well-balanced, the bartenders are genuinely skilled, and the atmosphere manages to feel both sophisticated and relaxed.
This is the kind of bar where you can have a real conversation, where the music isn’t competing with slot machine noise, and where you actually want to stay for more than one drink. The prices are still Southbank-adjacent, but you’re getting something for your money.
Address: Hilton Melbourne, 6 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006
Hours: Daily 4pm-midnight
The Sports Bar Option
Sports Bar at Crown
If you need to watch the footy or the cricket in Southbank, this is your only real option. The screens are massive, the beer is cold, and the atmosphere gets genuinely loud during big matches. It’s not sophisticated. It’s not cheap. But when your team is playing and you’re stuck south of the river, it does the job.
The food is standard sports bar fare — parmas, burgers, chips — and the service is exactly what you’d expect from a venue that exists primarily to separate gamblers from their money. But the screens are good, the beer is cold, and you can see every angle of the game.
Address: Crown Melbourne, Southbank VIC 3006
Hours: Daily with sports coverage
The Honest Take
Southbank’s bar scene is expensive, tourist-focused, and heavily weighted toward Crown’s casino complex. That’s just the reality of the postcode. But within those constraints, there are genuine options that deliver quality drinks in comfortable environments.
If you want premium cocktails, hit Cherry or This Bar. If you want casual riverside drinking, Port Side has the views. If you want a hotel bar that doesn’t feel like a hotel bar, MizNon delivers.
The key is knowing what you want before you arrive. Southbank doesn’t reward aimless wandering — it rewards knowing exactly where you’re going and why. Get that right, and the bar scene here can actually surprise you.
Jake Morrison has been covering Melbourne’s nightlife for eight years. He believes $28 is too much for a cocktail but will absolutely pay it at Cherry.
Updated 2026-03-17 | Jake Morrison reporting
