Kewpie — Restaurant in Melbourne

While I'm going to be negative in the latter half of this review out of necessity because this "queer' bar isn't as queer friendly as it should be. i do want to start with positives. for one i barley go out drinking as an aspect of being neurodivergent and the other factor of no bars feeling comfortable or safe to be in, Kewpie was the first bar i felt safe within, and the music was loud but not to the extent where it would give me a sensitivity overload, the hosting of Strewth was a massive success as they are amazing at hosting. however that being said i need to be very negative, for a Queer bar and one that says its 'Trans' friendly this bar was really bad at providing safe and comfortable Toilets, for someone who can't either be comfortable in the Men's or Women's I was inherently forced to hold it in, which is hard after you drink 6 margaritas, I was at first hopeful that there would be gendered neutral bathrooms as the bathrooms upstairs where classifies as 'Cubicles' and 'Urinals' however instantly this was squandered by the fact that under these signs clearly was labeled "men's" and 'Women's' with no discernable Gender Neutral bathroom, I had to ask staff if they had one, which then told me they didn't and had an accessibility toilet instead, which was good, i could actually piss while i was in the bar, however it is instantly seen that this is more secondary as the toilet had no seat nor lid meaning it was pure porcelain. I can't stress this enough that Kewpie shouldn't advertise being 'Trans' friendly if they don't have one of the simplest toilet you could add, while it didn't ruin my night it was a massive downer. if this would change soon then KEWPIE would be an amazing place that i might frequent, but the toilets need to be changed in order for me and any others that fall closer to the 'Non-binary'...

We've been coming here every now and then for -- for how long, now? -- twelve, thirteen, maybe even fourteen years. A long time. Since Bimbo Deluxe was still new and cool.

At best, the pizzas can be quite tasty and good value for money. But they've slipped in recent years. Last time around we were served one of the most disgraceful ZFG excuses for a pizza I've ever seen, a sadly misshapen crust randomly spattered with a thin spray of sauce and a smattering of forlorn vegetable scraps flicked contemptuously over it. No less than a calculated insult to pizza and customer alike. I rarely deduct points for "antics" but Bimbo Deluxe must lose one for that little stunt -- and it no longer has any spare points to give away.

Customer service is variable. More than occasionally, one gets the sense of being an obstacle to whatever else it is the staff thought they were meant to be doing. And, it's the slowest kitchen in Melbourne. Having said that, we've also found some of the staff to be fun and helpful, too. YMMV.

Just sayin'.

The venue could also use a thorough clean. As in "thorough" and "clean".

Bimbo Deluxe still has aspects of its former hip greatness, and when you catch them at the right time it really does work. Sitting by a window sipping a nice drink and watching Fitzroy wander past is always a fine way to spend an hour.

In the end, though, it's going to take some serious work to bring the place back up to the four (maybe five) stars I would've given it ten years ago.

I hope they do it, though, because the place fills a useful gap in this part...

Bimbo’s is so unique that it feels more like a James Bond villain’s lair than a bar. DJ’s drop beats from an actual airplane cockpit, infused vodka is dispensed from swirling glassware that looks to have been swiped straight from Walter White’s chemistry class and a rooftop with a Middle Eastern inspired decor that would make Aladdin drool. However out of all of these seemingly fictitious elements the one thing about Bimbo’s that seems the most unbelievable is the legendary $4 pizzas. Now this amazing price is limited to certain times (check the website), but with a bit of planning you’ll be able to arrive at the right time to enjoy a cheap feed and a quirky night with that special someone. The pizzas are no-nonsense to the point that they come unsliced from the kitchen, but are nonetheless available with a surprising array of toppings and are extremely tasty. Beware this place can get insanely busy so be sure to have a few back up ideas if you get there and realise that the heaving masses aren’t really providing the right vibe for the tender first date you had in mind. Equally you’d almost have the place to yourself at other times. So our advice is take the risk and just walk in, ready...