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Melbourne Hidden Bar Tour
Spend three hours exploring four incredible bars, hard to find places you’ll never find on your own. Joined by a trusty local guide, you’re sure to meet some of the best bartenders in the world.
3 hours
Friendly local guide
Small Groups
Save money with an optional drinks package
4 of Melbourne's Best Underseen Bars
About the tour
Melbourne is one of the world’s great bar cities — and on this tour, we’ll show you exactly why. When hospitality experts talk about the best places on the planet for a cracking cocktail, they mention New York, Paris, London… and Melbourne.
From award-winning mixologists to passionate gin distillers, you’ll discover a different side of the city as you explore our iconic laneway bar scene.
Melbourne’s urban design lends itself perfectly to small bars. As any local will tell you, we’re a city of laneways — and those moody, tucked-away alleys make the ideal hiding spots for intimate venues. No two tours are ever the same, but you might find yourself sipping in a former brothel, stepping through a secret door in a restaurant, or pushing past a bookshelf to uncover a hidden speakeasy.
We run this tour from mid to late afternoon, because a great day out shouldn’t mean a rough morning after. An added bonus of the earlier start? Bartenders have more time for a chat and are happy to share their favourite drops, and bar owners often pop by to introduce their venue personally.
The timing also makes it a perfect pre-dinner activity. If you’re booking dinner afterwards, we recommend reserving for 7pm or later, so you can properly enjoy your final drink without rushing off.
Your guide will tailor the experience specifically to your group, taking into account group size, the season, and what’s buzzing in the bar scene at the time. Each stop showcases a different side of Melbourne’s bar culture — so you won’t end up at four whisky bars in a row.
You’ll also receive a personalised list of recommendations for other venues to check out if you’re keen to keep the night rolling.
It’s our best-selling tour by a long shot — and once you’ve experienced it, you’ll see why.
What’s Included?
- 4 of the city’s best underseen bars
- A local bar expert to lead you
- Optional drinks package for just $100, bringing you 4 top-shelf drinks
What to Expect?
- Maximum group size of 12
- Bars you’d never have thought to go to on your own
- Mateship
- A local Bar expert who will know exactly which bars to take you to
What time does the bar tour end?
While we advertise the tour as 3 hours, we arrive to bar #4 just before the 3 hour mark, so make sure to leave yourself enough time for one last round. We recommend scheduling an additional 45 minutes for mingling and revelry before heading home or to your next event.
Where will the bar tour finish?
Our bar schedule changes daily depending on which bars are open. We can’t tell you exactly where the tour will end, but it will be in the city centre and not ages from the start point.
Don’t worry — it will be super-easy to get anywhere in the city afterwards and your guide can help with directions. If you need more specific info, shoot us an email at info@depotadventures.com with your intended travel date and we can give you more detail.
What should I budget for drinks?
In the city centre, a small beer costs $10-15 while a cocktail is in the $20-$25 range.
A great way to save money is to pre-purchase your drinks — with our drinks-included package, we can negotiate more aggressive rates with the bars and save you big money.
What should I wear?
Closed-toed shoes or sandals are important – some venues may not allow thongs/jandals/flip-flops inside after a certain hour.
Other than that — dress how you please! As long as you stay out of activewear and that stained t-shirt you normally only wear to bed, you’ll be fine.
Some like to dress up and continue the night after our tour completes, and some go more casual. Do what makes you comfortable!
How big are the groups?
We cap our group size at 12 people to ensure each person has the chance to have a personal experience with the tour guide and one another.
Can I bring my stag-do/hens party/birthday party/work trip?
Of course! We are happy to host private functions on our personalised private tours. These are 3 hours tours we tailor specifically to your group’s requirements and interests. Get in touch with us to organise it!
How much walking will there be?
We pick four bars that are within walking distance, but occasionally we’ll have a 10-minute jaunt between some of our furthest-apart venues. Your walking distance would never be more than 1 mile.
Can I bring my school group/office/etc?
Of course! Feel free to book on a public tour, or if you want your very own chartered tour, contact us to book one.
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Discover 4 of the city's best underseen bars