The Dogs Bar

Mietta's Eating & Drinking in Melbourne 2000

Contributors' Choice
Page 181

Going to the Dogs is something which a lot of St Kilda locals do. Sometimes once a day. It's a place to catch up on the gossip as well as having that much needed drink. Some of the more eccentric regulars are always fun to watch. "There is a male model who I see in all the junk mail catalogues. He comes in with a rodeo rider, they make an odd couple.Then the woman with the wild gypsy look who must be a tarot card reader."

At weekends you'll see families with kids during the day and at night the young out on the town. During the week, the good-value lunches get in a mixed crowd who enjoy sitting by the fire in winter or in summer, outside watching the Acland Street hub.

Owner Donlevy Fitzpatrick was a pioneer in St Kilda and when he first bought this building locals were very suspicious. But they quickly came to love the bar. Don then turned his attentions to the grand and then decaying George Hotel on Fitzroy Street. This now houses the Melbourne Wine Room Bar which brings in huge numbers to St Kilda. But now Don has returned to the little Dogs Bar and promises his locals that it will remain just as it is.

54 Acland Street
St Kilda
Phone: 9525 3599
Opening hours: 7 days Mon-Fri 10am-1am, Sat-Sun 9am-1am
Licensed
Accepts credit cards
Seats Inside: 68, Outside: 16
Closed: Christmas Day
Features: Kids encouraged