The Old Bar — Restaurant in Melbourne

Without a doubt, this is the worst live music venue I have ever been to in Melbourne.

My partner and I watched a live gig here (Jack Davies) on 15 December 2024 (paid ticketed event). This was the first time I had ever attended this venue. We really liked the ambience of this small/cosy bar, it has a grungy feel and we thought it would be the perfect place for an intimate show.

We arrived 2.5 hours before the main act, but due to the venue’s very limited seating, when we arrived the only seats that were available were two seats beside the bar. We didn’t mind this as the bar staff seemed friendly and we weren’t too far from the stage.

When the support acts came on, my partner and I found it difficult to hear any of the music as the bar staff were speaking so loudly amongst themselves. We thought that they would quieten down as the music went on but the volume of their conversation increased 200% as the night went on. The worst part about it all, was that they weren’t even talking about work stuff, it was all very personal. My partner and I got to hear about why one of the bar staffs parents’ marriage never worked out, we also got to hear the entire dating history of another staff member. This went on for HOURS.

My partner and I also couldn’t move because the venue was PACKED and there was nowhere for us to stand or sit. Soon after the main act came on, a very intoxicated woman came into the venue. She sat at the other end of the bar to us and she and the bar staff members were laughing (hysterically) and joking for the ENTIRE set. People were looking at the bar staff in disbelief, and 30 minutes into the main set, one of the support artists approached the bar staff and asked them to be quiet. The bar staff responded by imitating/taking off this person when he turned around and they continued to talk, joke and laugh. The crowd was then turning to the bar staff and “shooshing them”, but they continued. A group of 4 or 5 more people entered the venue (very intoxicated) and they sat with the other intoxicated woman, they seemed to all be friends and the bar staff continued to chat with them.

After the gig ended, I approached a male staff member and politely asked him if I could have the managers email to provide some feedback on the venue. He asked me why and I responded by saying “sorry, I don’t think you realise how loud your voices are on this side of the bar”. I told him that the bar staff were extremely loud throughout the entire set, and that I spent the majority of my evening listening to them talk about their dating lives.

He became very aggressive and hostile towards me and told me I was being very unreasonable. He said that I should have expected that given I was seated right next to the bar. I didn’t expect the bar staff not to speak at all during the set, expecting that would be unreasonable!! BUT I did not expect to spend the ENTIRE evening listening to the bar staff basically shouting to each-other about their personal lives and engaging in loud conversation with drunk patrons. I reminded him that the support act had to ask them to be quiet and that they could have asked the intoxicated group of people to sit in the outside area (they clearly weren’t there for the show) but instead the staff engaged in the loud conversation with the group.

I told him that I appreciated the hard job the bar staff have, but also said that it is very disruptive for musicians when they are on a stage and all they can hear is chatting and laughing (I am a musician so I know this very well).

The bar staff member was VERY defensive towards me, and just kept directing me to the venue’s website. He told me I would find an email on the website and left it at that.

I was completely shocked and upset by the way the bar staff responded to me, I’m sure if I wasn’t a young female, and instead an older man, his response would have been very different.

I bought two tickets to this event, and spent the entire evening there purchasing drinks. I will never step inside this...

I went to the old bar for a charity gig, it was lovely, mainly the staff, the doorman, was way to accomodating and lovely to chat to, the bar staff had a really good aura about them, they were super quick to serve and in the right order too! 👍 The actual setting was sick, the only thing that kinda disappointed me was the bouncer, he was doing a great job at getting people in the bar in a really nice manner earlier on in the night, but he had a big slip up, there was this crazy Agro guy who was being a sleaze bag towards some of my lady friends and just being a general public nuisance, one of my friends told him to shove off because he was making everyone very uncomfortable and he took it very personally, and got out of his car, and we made a quick retreat inside, I was somehow oblivious to all of these events and it left me in a general state of confusion, the issue was that after the guy came up to the bar and was banging on the windows and screaming at us the bouncer let him somewhat inside the bar to interrogate us on what we did to cause this, because turns out he was acquainted with the guy, and while he came in the crazy man followed, I called him brother and he didn’t like that, the result was a good old whack to my face, it left me very rattled and shaken, I just cannot help but feel like the bouncer should have been a bit more responsible and not allowed entry to this super aggressive guy, and as a direct result from the staff members actions I ended up getting physically harmed :( just left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth and a sting in my jaw. But other than that it was awesome, unfortunately I do not think I will be back, despite the awesome atmosphere and the cool staff, it just threw me through a huge loop and kinda ruined the vibes, not sure what to do about this, but I would really appreciate an apology or at lease an acknowledgment that one of their staff made a mistake that kinda freaked me out. Thanks 🙏 :) sending good vibes to the lovely bar staff...

First time coming to this bar just to have a drink last night. Me and my mate went to to the toilet while we were waiting, a bunch of people said next to us these toilets look a bit weird, I responded as a joke out loud “yea it looks bit like a rape dungeon” this was purely a joke not intended to offend or scare anybody. Then just after that I ordered myself a drink and got questioned by the security guard being called I harrassed girls and made them feel uncomfortable from my comment. I explained to him what happened and it was Joke and I’ve done nothing wrong. He agreed and said some people get easily offended and told me to enjoy the rest of my night. I then went to order another drink at the bar to have been told by a female bartender I’m banned and I need to leave the venue because of what happened, she was extremely rude and didn’t want to hear my point of view. I explained to her I’ve already spoke to the security guard and he said I am fine I’ve done nothing wrong, she stated to me I’m in charge I over rule the security. So I ended up leaving. The security guard told me outside, I am a decent bloke and I’ve done nothing wrong to deserve this treatment, he told me this suburb and bar are full of “snowflakes and a very woke bar” and he said that’s why they are so upset about your joke comment. He told me unless your gay don’t bother coming to the venue. I do not recommend you come this venue unless your gay in sexuality because you get kicked out from jokes that easily offend people. The bar lady name was Rebecca and she has no customer service skills and was extremely rude. Will never ever step foot in this...