Polly Bar — Restaurant in Melbourne

Polly Bar is an institution. The space, the staff, the cocktails and the atmosphere are all world class. We worked closely with Michael to use Polly's function space for a private event and we could not be more pleased with the outcome of the event.

The space itself is great, we had no issues fitting 65+ people in there and had the use of a private bar with our own bartender Perry. There were various catering options available and we decided to go with Pizza, provided by the Venue. Food was 10/10, everyone was contempt and there plenty of options for everyone. Perry himself was a wizard behind the bar, hospitality was unmatched and he made sure myself and all of our many guests were looked after all night. He personally made our experience better!

Also special mention to Chet, who helped us set up the space even though it was his day off.

The main bar downstairs was the perfect place to migrate after our function. The staff at Polly have such a high attention to detail when it comes to the extensive cocktail list. Alan and co are so patient with explaining the Menu and you truly have unlimited options with ordering a drink at this bar. The mood inside this space is a late night cocktail lounge, it's surely one of a kind and I can't wait to go back and enjoy the full space.

I cannot recommend Polly Bar enough! If you're someone who just wants a quick drink or you want to spend your entire night here. It caters to all, couples to large groups. Lastly from a function point of view I feel it's one of the best venues available...

THE ABSOLUTE BEST PLACE TO HOST FUNCTIONS & HAVE AN AMAZING NIGHT!

We hosted our Piranesi book club night at Polly Bar and couldn’t have asked for a more magical setting. This was our second time hosting an event here, and once again, everything was exceptional, from the gorgeous ambient lighting to the crackling warmth of the wood fire and the genuinely welcoming atmosphere.

The mixologists on Sunday, May 25 — Allen and his brilliant teammate (whose name I sadly didn’t catch!) were absolute stars. Their attention to detail, charm, and creativity elevated the night, and their cocktails were a true hit with our group.

The food? Unforgettable. The wood-fired pizza was delicious, and the dessert trays were stunningly presented and devoured in minutes. We also had gluten-free dietary needs, and as someone with gluten sensitivity, I was incredibly grateful for the care taken. There wasn’t a single moment of stress about cross-contamination, it was seamless and safe.

Polly Bar continues to be one of the best spots in Fitzroy for intimate, well-catered gatherings. We’ll absolutely be back for our ...

A group of four us went for the cocktail class here. We had Scarlet as our waitress, and they were really nice and lovely.

The class consists of 1 drink to start, plus a cheese board.

After that, you periodically come up to the bar to make your cocktails. The first is a gimlet, followed by an espresso martini and finally a punch drink.

I found the class to be fun and I learned a lot, but I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.

Despite the positives, we personally didn’t feel a good connection between Scarlet and ourselves. A lot of the jokes they made didn’t land, and I felt like they could have done a better job at reading the room. There wasn’t a strong attempt to get to know us as customers, and our one friend who was doing mocktails (because she is very sensitive to alcohol) didn’t feel particularly well catered for (borderline shamed). There also was a lot of negging and self-deprecating humour in the spiel that felt out of place. Finally, some of the glasses we got weren’t clean, and that felt unprofessional.

Overall, not a bad experience, but wouldn’t...