Prince Public Bar — Restaurant in Melbourne

I visited Prince Public Bar in July 2025 while attending the Your Shot DJ competition, hosted at the Prince Entertainment Precinct and Hotel. I was so excited to cheer on my friend Daisa Heart, who was performing a set upstairs on the JB Stage. Before heading up, my partner and I explored the venue and eventually found our way down to the public bar and restaurant.

We grabbed a free table and ordered quickly because we were absolutely starving. There were not a lot of options but there was a specials board that’s updated daily. My partner went for the chicken burger and chips, while I just got a serve of fries. I also ducked over to the bar and grabbed a glass of pineapple juice. Despite the venue being absolutely packed with people catching sets and flowing between stages, the bar staff were lovely. Everyone seemed to be in such high spirits and really helpful, even during the rush. The whole vibe was upbeat, with Red Bull sponsoring the event and a whole line up of fun drinks and shots being promoted.

I’m pretty sure we ordered via QR code on the table, and a text came through when our food was ready to pick up from the serving window. Service was so quick and though the staff apologised for the wait it was no longer than five to ten minutes. The fries were a bit average with not much seasoning and no sauce but the burger was a hit. My partner raved about it being juicy, well seasoned, and topped with fresh salad and a tasty sauce.

The venue itself felt pretty exclusive on the night, with most external entrances closed off for the event, but once inside, it was surprisingly spacious. Even with big crowds and a DJ playing nearby, it never felt cramped. There are a few ways to get in either from the street, through the restaurant area, or via the hotel foyer, which also links up to the bathrooms. It felt like the kind of space that probably serves breakfast to hotel guests in the mornings and opens to the public on weekends.

Overall, I really appreciated the great service and the atmosphere, even in the middle of a massive event, it felt relaxed and well run. I’d definitely recommend stopping in if you’re checking out the Prince precinct or exploring nearby St Kilda. There’s heaps to do in the area, with bars, restaurants, and entertainment spots all around. Parking can be found in nearby alleys and small paid lots, and trams run regularly through St Kilda, making it...

HI there, We were all very disappointed by the Staff yesterday at the POW.

Earlier this week I booked a table for 5 people

Yesterday about 8:30 am I went into the venue to let them know there was going to be an infant and needed a high chair, fro out 11am booked, and asked if we could have an outside table. I was told my booking was in a few hours but also out side tables were not able to be reserved.

On arriving at 11AM we were shown to out small table with 4 chairs? The booking was for 5 and we could not fit and when told its the best they could do, and the lady we spoke to also said too me, I hope your just here for drinks and we could not fit 5 plates of food on the table. As that stage I stood back and heard an other lady say, just tell them there is a 45-1hour wait for food.

With that we all tried to Sit down but as it was not possible we got up and left.

On the way out we told then it did not work out and we would go find some where else.

We were told had a great day

I was not impressed with the service or lack of empathy as 3 out of the 5 had driven up from Portland (4 hours)

I don’t think we can recommend or will be back an y time soon.

I hope this email help you implement a better guest experience in...

It's ok but there are better in the area. I would expect table service with the food prices but the QR codes to order on the tables didn't even work and you have to fetch your own cutlery etc (nobody tells you this, it's on a sign you find after walking around looking for staff). They also didn't seem to know where I was sitting and delivered my food to a neighbouring table (thankfully the people sitting there were honest). The care factor with staff and management was pretty low. I used to go there a long time ago for the $2 pot nights and I think the happy hour is what the public bar does best. I get a sense they're resting on their laurels because of the location and history.

I believe it's part of the chain that owns the Esplanade hotel, and a few others in the area who use "The Pass" app. "The Pass" pubs are a bit hit and miss but the specials and the deals on it do make it pretty competitive with comparable venues. Even though it seems to glitch at the pub end (probably because of the high staff turnover) and could definitely be streamlined it's still worth downloading if you...