The best bars on Chapel street

This “fine diving” bar mixes simple but sassy cocktails and clever snacks with devil-may-care, somewhat ludicrous décor. Order a Geisha Martini and be wowed with vodka, Aubrey Passionfruit Liqueur, pineapple and citrus. Pair it with a couple of 'sushi tacos' and spicy chicken karaage to share and you'll agree - there's a lot that's right with Two Wrongs.

Skip if: it's past midnight. This bar closes at 1am.

Stay if: you're looking for a vibey pre-clubbing bar for top-notch cocktails and tastier-than-average bar bites.

Sitting high above the Goldfields House development in South Yarra, this swanky sky-high rooftop bar offers unmatched 270-degree views of Melbourne. The bar is open all day long, but why not take advantage of the bar's moody dusk vibes with a sundowner? An extensive drinks list shines the spotlight on natural and biodynamic Aussie wines, craft beers and classic cocktails spruced up with a Beverly twist. Dinner's a bit different too, thanks to a Southern Californian-inspired menu. 

Skip if: you're on a tight budget. 

Stay if: it's golden hour and you want to impress someone with a romantic view.

Tucked away up a flight of stairs above Chapel Street is this atmospheric watering hole. With Connect Four games, cute cubbies to lounge in and a dedicated Spritz menu, this is the spot for that end-of-week knock-off or Sunday session. Keep an eye out for the excellent happy hour specials, too.

Skip if: you're after a boogie; this is a more of a sit down and chill vibe.

Stay if: board games and books in a quirky library-esque setting sound right up your alley.

Ok, so this one's slightly off Chapel, but it'd be criminal not to include it in the list. Walking into Leonard’s is like finding the coolest house party southside. This groovy '70s-esque bar offers an easy selection of smashable beers on tap, and some of the best burgers and fried chicken in Melbourne. Seriously, a round of drinks here will (and should) fast turn into an all-out feast.

Skip if: you're all about trying lots of different craft beers. The tap selection at Leonard's is fairly small.

Stay if: you've got a co-dependent pooch with you. This bar is 100% dog-friendly! 

One of Melbourne’s biggest and best nightclubs for international and special events, Chasers features some of Melbourne’s top DJs every weekend. Located on Chapel Street, it has a long and illustrious history of more than four decades. You can never really predict the crowd but that's what makes it such a fun wildcard addition to your Chapel Street night out, and at least you know there'll be multiple dance floors with mirror balls and lasers: an apt setting for a zoomies-induced boogie with friends.

Skip if: you're seeking a more glam and polished experience. This club can be fun but could probably do with some refurbs (it's pretty old.)

Stay if: you're in an adventurous, carefree mood!

Again, this one's slightly off Chapel but still worth a look in if you're finished with bars and ready to start clubbing already. This lavish bar has been serving Melburnian drum and bass and electronic music lovers for over 16 years and is known to host open-air rooftop day parties, international DJ gigs and other exciting events. The easiest way to check out what's on is to stay tuned on their Resident Advisor listing. From Friday to Monday, it's pretty much open 24 hours so you can stay the whole weekend if you really want, but we recommend you go home and take a shower and disco nap at some point.

Skip if: you're not planning to stay a while as there's an entry fee.

Stay if: you'd like to spend the night at a club that's smaller and less chaotic than Revs.

Open seven nights a week, Electric Bar makes for a sweet dance stop if you happen to be gallivanting down Chapel outside of the typical weekend hours. This sleek, moody lounge has sofas, a terrace and some of Melbourne's finest local DJs on rotation and the music type is mainly disco and electronic. It's open until 3am every night.

Skip if: you're wasted, all by yourself or in a large group of guys. Security can be strict around here and most reviews suggest that if you belong to the aforementioned categories, you won't get in. 

Stay if: you're able to get on the guestlist!

Revs is an icon (if not the icon) of the Melbourne party scene, often responsible for the sort of behaviour that's best forgotten by morning. A great night out, in other words. As well as packing in a Thai restaurant, there's also a dedicated gig floor upstairs that hosts some of the most raucous bands in town. This club attracts an eclectic crowd, spilling out onto the pavement at all hours of the night, morning and afternoon.

Skip if: unbridled hedonism frightens you. Oh, and if it's before 1am. 

Stay if: you're feeling dance-y, social or simply curious. 

If you're wondering where all the ruckus is coming from, its likely from this rowdy party spot. Three Monkeys is always heaving at the seams with those looking for a foot-lose and fancy-free good ol' time. This one should be saved until towards the end of your bar crawl to ensure you have enough liquid confidence to hit the d-floor. 

Skip if: you're hungry. Last time we checked, there was no food available.

Stay if: you're a stickler for great service. The bartenders here are known to be very friendly and welcoming.

Silverlake Social is named after the trendy neighbourhood of LA, known for natural wine and avocado on toast. But despite the name, Silverlake is straight-up an American sports bar; the kind you might find in a regional airport or off a highway in a newly developed suburb of Dallas. You'll spot neon beer signs, a pool table and a huge TV screen behind the bar for you to watch while munching on wings and sipping tequila cocktails. If you like your bartenders funny and charming and your company down to earth, this'll be the ticket.

Skip if: sports aren't your thing. The games broadcasted on the big screen certainly aren't in your face, but if you'd rather a different vibe then there are plenty of more suitable bars to explore on Chapel St.

Stay if: you want to explore the wild and wonderful world of American ales.

Onesixone is a nightclub with history. While the big clubs of the '90s were dwindling, Onesixone was just getting started. With an aim to encourage positive and creative thought, the atmosphere switches from heavy dance (including state of the art German sound systems) to quiet lounges and couches to talk to friends in. Many facets of this club make it unique, and standing out is the hard work that the owners and staff put in to make it great every time you visit.

Skip if: not getting let in somewhere has the potential to ruin your night. Bouncers here can be strict.

Stay if: music if your priority and you're keen to catch a good DJ.

Lucky Coq is a tried and tested Chapel Street icon. Taking up a prime real estate corner spot, the bouncers are used to never-ending lines of rowdy partygoers. And with quality pizzas on offer for only $5 (yes, you read that right), there really is no excuse not to line your stomach for the night ahead. 

Skip if: you're Gen Z-phobic. It's generally a pretty young-ish crowd here on any given night.

Stay if: a cheap feed and drinks is all you need.

Borsch, Vodka and Tears is over 22 years old, and it's still harder than ever to snag a table on a Saturday night. This go-to spot for vodka lovers and those seeking comfort food in the form of pierogis and polish sausages always provides a great night out. A seemingly endless menu of vodka to choose from ensures you can try something different each time. Hot tip: don't miss the chocolate babka ice cream sandwich.

Skip if: you're looking for quietude. This bar might be part-restaurant but it can also get kind of noisy. 

Stay if: you'd love to try some Polish food and vodka! (It's not that easy to find Polish food in Melbourne – the best other spot is Eat Pierogi Make Love on the other side of the river.)

Studio Amaro is a casual two-level Italian dining and drinking space, perfect for communal dining over pizzas, pasta, antipasti platters and amaro-driven cockails. But this multi-purpose venue isn't just another place to wine and dine, with a generous focus on music and DJ residencies. Think disco, funk and plenty of Euro nostalgia. Head down to the basement bar for some fresh vinyl tunes.

Skip if: crowds bother you. This place may be new-ish but it's already quite popular.

Stay if: amaro is your thing.

This late night cocktail and vinyl bar is cosy, rustic and always welcoming to curious passersby. What it lacks in size it certainly makes up in substance, and if you're a fan of deep house, boogie and jazz-infused tunes, you'll be among firm friends. It's all about the DJs and music acts here, so check out the bar's Insta and pop the next great gig in your cal.

Skip if: you're in a giant group. This bar might be too small to fit your crew comfortably.

Stay if: you just want to chill out or dance with great drinks, great music and great people. Rumbler is one of those spots that heals the soul.

Popping into Jungle Boy for a drink is not unlike stepping through a portal that takes you from bustling Windsor to a little pocket of the tropics. Here you can perch up at the bar with a peachy elixir, a Pina Colada or something darker and rum-driven with plenty of fire theatrics to keep you entertained. Bonus points for loads of plants and the nostalgic colourful cocktail  umbrellas.

Skip if: you need something to eat at this point in the crawl. Choose another bar on this list that puts on a solid feed.

Stay if: you'd like bar staff to tailor cocktails to your preferences. They're both creative and accommodating here.

This is the kind of spot where you bring a group of mates, dig into great big plates of saucy spag and share a couple of bottles of wine. The food is genuinely fab here so a proper multi-course dinner should be in order no matter who you've brought along for the ride. Aside from that, the vibes are alwys buzzing, the drinks are on point and it's simply just a cool place to hang out.

Skip if: it's late. Freddy's closes 9pm most nights and 10pm on a Saturday night.

Stay if: you're having dinner.

A wise man once said his favourite types of cocktail bars were ones with extremely comfy couches for lounging in. But seriously, that's half the drawcard at this ship-themed den. Though there are other reasons to include Holy Grail in your Chapel St bar crawl. For one, there are all the fascinating antiques peppered about the place. Secondly, the cosy fireplace is heaven during winter. Thirdly, the rum-driven cocktail menu slaps, and fourthly, the energetic music program keeps the party going until 1am. 

Skip if: you can't stand cigarette smoke. Though the smoking area is outside, the smoke can occasionally travel inside.

Stay if: you want to sit and can't be bothered standing at the bar. Here, there's a light switch at your table you can flick on and someone will come and attend to you!

If you'd like to avoid the chaos, preening and posturing rampant on Chapel Street but you'd still like a drink in the area, then perhaps Shane Delia's sleek Maha East should be the one to wet your whistle. The racier little sibling to his city den, the snacks here are so fine the mains might seem like less of a headline event. It's also a marvellously good wine bar, so an excellent drop is a guarantee.

Skip if: you're after more of a crazy night out than a sophisticated wine bar date.

Stay if: you're a fan of Shane Delia's OG Maha restaurant.

This intimate hovel-esque den describes itself as "an international music comfort zone for minimal, tech, house and funk junkies." If you're into that scene, it's a very cool bar. There's a Funktion One sound system that can suit international DJ standards and has done for some of the best in the world. There's also a vintage house stereo set-up in the bar area. Your best bet is to check if any gigs are coming up and schedule your night accordingly. There's an indoor/outdoor-style smoking area, loads of antiques and recycled decor touches from owner Cam,  and a chill backyard terrace, making it kinda feel like someone's renegade sharehouse party, but in the best possible way. If you've followed this bar crawl to a tee, Killing Time is the end of the Chapel St line – you made it! If you really must, have one last drink but then it's time for beddy-byes.

Skip if: you'd rather stay on the South Yarra end of Chapel St.

Stay if: you're all about the music and supporting local DJs.