Melbourne Top 50 Venues in Melbourne (10-6)

Number 10: The Pinnacle Hotel (Nth Fitzroy)

The 2015 Number one pub dropped in the rankings in recent years after a fire burnt down the kitchen and they struggled to rebuild. In 2018, things began to fall back in place again making it one of the most family friendly pubs in town. The newish menu is now better than average pub fare, the bar is made for "stooling up" and the beer garden resembles your grandma's backyard. Excellent choice for Sunday afternoon tunes, in fact it's our favourite.  

Number 9 - The Park Hotel (Abbotsford)

When people ask us where the best parmas in town are, we send them straight to Park Hotel. Not a bad title given this is a relatively hidden away pub in the cauldron bowl that is Abbotsford. It also doubles as a great place to watch the footy (screens are in the beer garden), and even a comfy nook for a romantic dinner for two as well. Add one of the best front bars to prop yourself on, and you've good one very welcoming watering hole. It was taken over by the people from the Royston Hotel a couple of years ago so you the beer list is worthy too. 

Number 8: Palace Hotel (South Melbourne)

The Palace Hotel was taken over by the Great Northern Hotel alumni years ago and like its north-of-the-river counterpart, its comfy low-key surrounds won us over pretty fast. The front bar, with fox footy mind you, have the old school stools and hooks, ideal for propping one self up and talking absolute shite. The tap list showcases hard to find craft beer (big tick) including some one off collaborations that I have never seen before (which is rare for barflies like us). The bistro out the back is a little more done up, suitable for families, and offers traditional pub fare specialising in comfort food (get the lamb cutlets). The beer garden (with own entrance from street) is a session experience waiting to happen. The customary pub dog (Billy) wanders throughout the rooms, basking in attention. 

Number 7 - Great Northern Hotel Carlton North

Is the Great Northern the quintessential local? Picture it; a beer list with 22 taps including some hard to find brews via the Manager's contacts (they even grow their own hops in the beer garden), a front bar ideal for footy and jargon, a large bistro area where hearty pub grub (their Sunday Roasts have taken the menu to another level) can be woofed down, and a beer garden that ranks in our top 5 in Melbourne. It is also one of the best places to watch sport in the city, cornering the market when it comes to AFL, NFL, UFC, NBA and NRL games. Guaranteed atmosphere. 

Number 6: The Retreat (Abbotsford) 

The Retreat has always had one of our favourite front bars in town, and now that it has been taken over by the same people who brought us South Melbourne's Palace Hotel (see above) it was always going to turn into a winner. We especially like the Sunday Roast special which despite it's cheap price at $15, packs a wallop. One of the main reasons why Abbotsford was the place to be in 2019

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