Review The Alchemist Bar & Cafe - Fitzroy

Was at the Alchemist for a private function last night and must say I left quite underwhelmed. It was very hot and stuffy and the (male) wait staff were grumpy and in one case down-right rude. The two female staff members were considerably more friendly but the lads really pulled down the experience.

I was empty when i went and the bartender was great . We got a large meal and drinks and well looked after for a meal . Bar is quirky and nice . Easy going feeling that makes you feel at ease . Food was great for the price .. big portions and bartender was good enough that i tiped him and i was on a tight backpackers buget . And i an tight!

Well was disappointed with the Alchemist Bar, as we were using a CUDO vocher and so were about another 6 couples there, the service was poor, the first 2 entrees were nice, the first main was curry, all you could tast was chilli, it had a cold mussel in it and the the rice was cold. we arrived about 6:25 and 7:30 we were waiting for our second main course, plus as one person was driving, i was to have the 2 glasses of champange, i finished one and asked for the next and wait and wait, the waiter walk past 4 time in 10 minutes and did not delvier the second glass. By this time we were cheesed off so we left,. From last night experience, i think it is running with one waiter/barman and one cook, I would not recommend it to anybody on our experience last night.

Great atmosphere and food - Loved it. Booked for an early 630 dinner with my Wife. Arrived to a lovely setting just for us. Fantastic service, food and drinks.

so many choices of spirits and liquors, the alchemist is like a booze pharmacy. in winter they serve a mulled pear cider which is both delicious and i am sure very good for you!

Absurdly good bartenders, fantastic decor. A bit on the pricey side but definitely worth every cent. Couldn't recommend it highly enough.

Drive an hour to go here specifically. Best cocktail bar in Melbourne. Crazy good bartenders

The bartenders really know their cocktails - a great place to go for drinks in a really nice atmosphere.

The Alchemist is a trendy bar located on Brunswick Street. I enjoyed an espresso martini which was rich and smooth - it had shaved chocolate on the top too which was a delicious touch. My partner enjoyed a vesper and also said it was amazing. I absolutely love the decor, the funky music and the couches, which are a bit too comfortable! I didn't want to leave! Thank you the the beautiful, helpful and honest staff at the Alchemist for making our experience so lovely. Would recommend for date night or even with a small group of friends

Lovely cocktail bar! The drinks were all delicious and mixed well though the smokey ones were divisive. Food was good but could have been better in some ways (pizza bases, especially on the Nutella one, were flat and a bit hard) and the service was excellent - fast and friendly. Will be coming back here again!

I visited "The Alchemist" with a group of friends last night. My first impression was extremely positive - the décor is brilliant, no question. However, my order of a classic gin martini was a massive disappointment! By the time the smallest martini I have ever seen (let alone paid $20 for!) arrived, all my friends had finished their drinks. Not good enough by a long shot!

Yeah, I like this place in all its quiet, intentionally faded blinging glory. The chairs are plush, the glasses are large, and the lights are turned down.

Enjoyed a couple of cocktails here and the CCM was brilliant. Perfect spice mix with tequila .<br/>Great vibe and plenty of skill at the bar.<br/>

This place is way underrated. It's such a cool bar with AH-MAZING drinks. The drink list is extensive and the combinations are mind-blowing. I wish I lived closer because this would be my bar of choice.

The really important things are said over cocktail and never done. And this where it all began. One of those nights with my friends where one cocktail lead to another and so on. The dark and quirky interiors, with cosy couches to spend hours. Ask the bartender about suggestions and he will surely make it a point to give you the best that is not just eye pleasing but also hits the mark. Just be yourself..

Small bar so it can get a little crowded. Nice and cozy bar that hires bar staff that can make a smashing cocktail. Nice place to relax with friends.

Quirky bar on Brunswick St in Fitzroy. Good for a pre or post dinner drink ...or two. Comfortable furniture and relaxed easy going atmosphere. Enjoy!!

Disappointing experience, would recommend against coming here. The Alchemist lacks customer service. Their forgetful staff didn't bring us the extra seat and left one of us standing. No biggie. But to not clean the broken glass on the floor properly after being asked twice is indecent. Not to mention that seating is very awkwardly spaced. Will not return.

MAN IS THEIR DRINKS NOT IMPRESSIVE I DONT KNOW WHAT IS. Always try to ask the bartender to hit you up on a random mix. Never failed to satisfy. Amazing place Amazing place! Not to mention they have a pool table too.

My wife and I hadn't been out for dinner alone, without children for over 12 months. The Alchemist is where we started our night, and what a great start it was.<br/> Friendly staff, guy behind the bar was great! Good list of cocktails although don't be afraid to ask for the barman's recommendation. We would have come back for a nightcap however being a Sunday night we ran out of time.<br/>My cocktail recommendations: <br/>Before dinner - Poohbear<br/>After dinner - Apple Pie

The Alchemist Bar is one of my most beloved bars in the city and one of the first watering holes I take all my inter-state visitors.The boyfriend took me there for our first date (aw) where I not only fell for his charms (ha!) but also the charms of this self-described ‘romantic’ cocktail bar.

Ye olde drinks and list offers staples (sangria, Manhattans and mai tais) as well as mystical concoctions,. La Catrina – the Queen of the Dead – is tequila blended with white chocolate, lime and basil. The ingredients favoured at the Alchemist sound like they have been plucked from an apothecary’s cupboard. Where more conservative bars might choose olives or strawberries, the Alchemist uses grilled lemon and bacon. There is a good range of food to go with your flagoon of liqueur, whatever you choose.<br/>

The pancake was great though - pretty decent size and full of duck! It was seasoned really nicely, the hoisin sauce was tasty and it was packed full of tomato, cucumber and other refreshing goodies.

...described as 'a beautifully balanced, punch-style cocktail with dried fruit and citrus flavours, made with Appleton 8yr old rum, classic muscat, Aperol, house-made pomegranate syrup and lemon. This is a hearty drink to enjoy at anytime.' The grapes were fresh so I'm not sure where the dried fruit comes in. It was definitely rummy in flavour but the citrus didn't stand out. It wasn't my favourite drink ever. Mind you the photo below is a bit deceiving because Yuye took a sip or two from the glass already.

My boyfriend and I LOVED this place after I bought a voucher from cudo. And I mean LOVED it! Today is Valentine's Day and we both really wanted to experience it again. We got there, and it's under new management. No more pork belly or corizo. The website is not updated at all. That was disappointing cause we were looking forward to the tapas. Although, the food is not nearly as good and more pub like, the service was great! The girl that served us was amazing! She was Italian and just so lovely and helpful! Do go here for a first date guys!!

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever encountered. I absolutely loved The Alchemist Bar after visiting with friends on a voucher a few months ago. So much so that I bought two more vouchers to share with friends AND raved about this place to anyone who would listen! And then I went back for my second visit and it was disgraceful. The haloumi which I had previously thought was to die for was rubbery and actually squeaked on my teeth every time I chewed! They were cut into chunky big blocks instead of the delicate round pieces I had tried previously. The stuffed mushrooms were dry and shrivelled, the thai curry was cold and the pork belly sauce was so sugary it was almost inedible...and after 50 minutes waiting for our dessert...yes 50...I overhead the manager sending the waitress to Coles because they had run out of ice cream!! It wasn't even a busy night! The staff were hardly apologetic and actually had to think twice about making us pay for the extra cocktail that I ordered....even though they initially offered me a free drink when we complained about the slow service??!<br/><br/>I was so embarrassed to have taken my partner here and even apologised to my colleagues and friends who I had recommended this place to. I have never been so disappointed :(

This was the 2nd time I'd been here with a voucher for a degustation meal for two. The floor manager was friendly & hospitable despite it being really busy. The food was yum, my only criticism was that it came out too slowly between each dish.

Really impressed. I had purchased a voucher for this place (I've had drinks there in the past) and was actually quite anxious about the experience after reading so many negative reviews. But from the moment I booked, through to the moment I arrived for dinner, it was nothing but fantastic. We were there on a quiet Tuesday night, with only a few other groups, but the atmosphere was still good. The food was varied, fresh and lovely. The small plates we had to use were slightly comical but manageable, and the lady who was serving us throughout the night was attentive and friendly. I thought it was fantastic value, and I really appreciated the fact they offered a vegetarian menu. I definitely recommend the place for a cosy dinner!

Lovely atmosphere. There was good and bad with this evening.<br/><br/>Loved the venue. Dark luxurious, candlelight. Fabulous music but unfortunately too loud. We were seated beneath a speaker and to talk to our dining companions we had to lean forward and almost yell.<br/><br/>We had a five course degustation meal on a voucher deal. Some of the courses were lovely, some not so good. The tacos were delicious, as was the haloumi. Stuffed mushrooms yum and chicken sticks. Main course #1 was pork belly. Unfortunately this wasn't so good - the crackling wasn't crisp and some of the pork wasn't that great. The second main course was a Thai seafood curry. This was very nice, but totally impractical. The entire meal was shared and served on two small coffee tables. The curry was not served with spoons, so it was a matter of trying to shovel liquid curry onto your tiny plate using a fork. The same with the rice. Ultimately I made a mess and spilled curry on the floor and my shoe. The dessert was chocolate fondant which I fear was overcooked and with very little liquid chocolate inside.<br/><br/>Really I think I'm getting too old for this kind of place. I like to eat from tables at normal height using plates of normal size and being able to talk to my friends thoughout the evening. But still an interesting evening, and I'm very grateful for the introduction to the music of Big Bad Voooo Daddy.

Nice quiet Sunday evening dinner. Came here for Sunday dinner with a coupon. It was a quiet evening and service was great, starting off with a glass of sparkling wine. The pork belly was cooked very well with super crispy skin and soft meat that melted in your mouth. Chocolate fondant was great! Was definitely great value and have no complaints!

Cocktails!. A large range of cocktails to choose from and really cool staff. The food is also quite good. But I agree with the other reviews......it's a little expensive but it's very good venue.

We went to this bar on a Tuesday night so it was pretty quiet which was good<br/><br/>We tried the a dark chocolate and cherry cocktail called something like the bez Berryman and it is off the chain! We also tried the apple pie cocktail which was very nice, but basically tastes like really good apple juice so id recommend trying something else. <br/><br/>Only criticism was that upon arrival I sat on an unused condom in its packet, however the bar dude got rid of it. <br/><br/>3.5 stars

Average... Dined here with a voucher with my partner on a quite Sunday Night. I agree the tables are rather awkward either too high or too low! This place is definitely more of a place to chill out with friend over few drinks than a restaurant. The food was average nothing fancy, but not as bad as some of the reviews make it out to be. Only Negative was the cocktails were rather expensive and a lot of ice! Great 80's music and ok service. Won't be buying another deal in a hurry...

Nice place for a drink.... the food on the other hand... Firstly I liked the music.... I think this is a nice place for a drink..<br/><br/>However we came here on a Living Social Voucher for a '5 course banquet'. The 5 courses consisted of 2 rounds of bite size nibbles, 2 mains to share and a dessert to share. This experience took 2 whole hours.... <br/><br/>Its an awkward place to eat as the chairs are dining room chairs and the tables are low meaning you're leaning down and scooping food onto tiny tapas plates. The food was about 5/10. The highlight was the vegetarian soft tacos - they were quite yummy. The stuffed mushroom was tasty but hilariously small and there is no way I would pay $8 for that normally. The haloumi was too salty. I love haloumi and it may have been the capers on top but it was too salty for us. I agree with the past comments and think the vegie curry is frozen and reheated. <br/><br/>We might go back for a drink but we would never order food again. We thought what we paid for our voucher was a bit steep for what we got and that was apparently 50% off.

TERRIBLE. This would have to be the worst degustation I have ever experienced. The food was frozen and the portion ridiculously small we waited two in total for 5very small dishes. We then went out to eat elsewhere very disappointed. Would not go there again.

Unexpectedly Gooooood. Arrived late (due to traffic & parking), not even an eyelid was batted. Staff were lovely and accommodating, especially so as we asked to move a couple of times till we felt we were in a comfy spot to eat ( bit of a goldilocks scenario - yet without any grumpy bears).<br/>Food was delish, highlights were the chicken skewers and the pork belly, crackling was perfect!!<br/>Excellent vibe and friendly staff.<br/>Check it out.

We bought a voucher and it was one of the worst restaurant experiences we've ever had. Despite having to book 2 weeks in advance there was one waiter (also the barman) working. Our food took forever and the portions were tiny...the pork belly was inedible and the curry tasted frozen. A shame as it could be an awesome little bar!

Laid back, yummy ness. Used a voucher for deals.com<br/>Every dish was delish (small but yummy)<br/>Wait staff really friendly and happy to chat and help.<br/>I think the voucher represented value for money as priced. That said, I would also certainly be happy to pay full price for either the pork belly or the thai seafood as both were lovely, as was the haloumi which was divine.<br/>It's not your typical restaurant set up as the tables are more suited to laid back cocktail drinking but we had a great time regardless.

Very disappointed with the 5 course degustation, the one stuffed mushroom was so small to share between two people, the fish curry tasted like a frozen meal, pork belly serving was bite size, and the icecream that came with the microwave heated chocolate fondant tasted like Peters icecream. Cannot recommend eating here.

Yummy Food, Great Service. Purchased a deal for 5 course vegetarian degustation. <br/>Booked via email and did not have any issue whatsoever, very prompt and polite response. Food was incredible, perfect portion sizes. Bar tender was very pleasant and welcoming and our waiter was lovely and very accommodating. Beautiful atmosphere and ambiance to this little hidden gem.<br/>Only negative was the price and size of the cocktails, probably wouldn't come here for a cocktail night but would definitely return for the food!

Apart from the rude lady who takes the bookings, don't have a bad thing to say about this place! Food was delicious, service was friendly and all the waiters were extremely helpful

Don't Bother. Purchased an on line coupon. Food was very poor and disappointing. Would not recommend dining here.

So lovely. The candles and couches easily make this place the comfiest and cosiest bar on brunswick st (also quite romantic if you're on a date!). They have amazing staff and some of the most gorgeous cocktails i have ever seen - some come with a side of popping candy or champagne jelly cubes, really cute. having read some of the other review, i'd have to come back and try the food!

What a feast!. What a rustic and quaint find!<br/>The entree platter was dee-licious! Packed with flavours and interesting takes on traditional entrees! Food was flavoursome and each course came out within 15 minutes. Definitely coming back.

Drinks. Love love love this place!! so unique and different. The seating is so comfy and has a wonderful atmosphere. The staff are so friendly and helpful without being overbearing. And the drinks and wonderful, especially the cocktails. Presently so beautifully and taste just as amazing! Will defiantly be going back here asap but this time I'm tempted to stay and eat there too :)

Incredible food and wonderful service! The place has a "speakeasy" style decor and warm atmosphere. The staff are incredibly helpful with food and wine suggestion and go out of their way to accommodate you. The cocktail menu alone is mind blowing and the food is some of the best I've ever tasted! I will definitely be returning for more.

The pursuit of the ancient Alchemist was to turn lead into gold. Success! The Alchemist bar is gold! Yum food, fab service and free hugs :-) Quirky twist...love the gold toilets!

I will be back again and again. We had the voucher for the 5 course degustation and it was an absolute bloody bargain. The staff were first class and very friendy but the food was excellent from start to finish. Initially i thought the mushrooms with feta and the soft prawn tacos were good and the seafood curry was ok, but then the pork belly arrived and it was amazing!! you must try this, it finshed off with a sublime Belgian chocolate pudding and ice cream a perfect end. This voucher must have been the bait because Iam hooked and will be back again and again . Cheers to the alchemist for a great wee surprise

What an awesome place!! Came here with a voucher on a Thursday night. It was so alive!! Staff were friendly and greeted us to our table. Each of the dishes that came out were so nicely presented, like the entrees, tacos, mushrooms..To admit, we had to take some photos of it.<br/>The dishes had great flavours, esp the caramelised pork.. crispy skin, succulent pork... Delicious!!<br/>The place was lit with candles and had nice music.. exactly like photographed on their website.<br/>Definitely worth checking out.<br/>Again, can't emphasize how great the service was here!! I can see our waiter serving others in the bar and his professionalism is definitely shown there (Hand behind back.. leaning forward with food kinda thing), each time with a friendly smile. Not too much to ask but that is the kind of service you don't see too often nowadays, unless its at a fine dining restaurant. So to say the least, I'm very impressed with this place!!

Loved it! I used a voucher... but we are coming back voucher or not. Great warm atmosphere. Music is 50s 60s. Winning. Food. .. wow. We had stuffed mushroom and chicken skewers to start. Prawn tacos and haloumi saganaki (Holyshit so good) seafood curry and pork belly (again. .. hell yes). To end... choc pudding and icecream... we ordereda second cocktail as this was put on our table. .. but canceled the cocktail and bought another pudding is was so good we didn't want to ruin the taste and wanted another! We had only one cocktail. It came with popping candy. What a delight! Our waiter was very lovely and talkative. Definitely coming back with more people. :)

An absolutely magnificent setting and atmosphere. pleasent service staff and brilliant food, not to mention the exciting variety of cocktails. just top notch all round.

The alchem-aholic cocktails are wonderful, and the bar staff are really friendly and great at customising drinks too! Alchem-here again!

Invisible signs. Have been wanting to visit this bar for some time. After purchasing a White Rabbit beer for $9(!), I proceeded to find a place to sit and as I head to the back section, I'm told that it's reserved. So I head to a seat at the front window and am again told that it's reserved and am told there's a seat (near the bar) where I can sit.<br/>1. They could at least have signs that point out there's invisible reserved signs on the tables.<br/>2.If the jocks...er, bar staff have a problem with a thrash metalhead, then maybe next time I should dress as a Norwegian black metalhead with a clearly visible pentagram.<br/><br/>To conclude: The alchemist cocktail bar has a look reminiscent of the legendary Gin Palace but not the friendly, non-discriminatory atmosphere of the Gin Palace. This could be because it's located in a hipster suburb instead of a melting pot like the CBD.

Fabulous bar with great food, drinks and staff. Highly recommended!

Went here on a Friday night. Due to the wet weather didn't have to wait for a table but enough people inside to have abuzz aabout the place. <br/><br/>Atmosphere is indie chic. Staff are attentive & helpful without being overbearing. Ordered soft shell prawn taco, with cherry tomatoes, capsicum and a citrus dressing. Quite tasty, prawn crumbed nicely. <br/><br/>For the main course we had the pork belly - the deciding factor in dining here. This dish is simply Amazing! Crispy crackling, salty pork balanced out with fantastic mash & a sublimely sumptuous citrus sauce with a matching red wine suggested by the waiter. While the amount was not stingy at all, I would've preferred more sauce (its simply that good) & wish the mash was less hidden on the plate. However they don't do dessert here. Very good value at around $40.

Love this place! Staff are welcoming and very friendly. I was not expecting the food to be good as i thought the focus was on delivering the quirky cocktail list. But the food was very very good! Portion sizes are on the small side and you have to eat at either bar tables or coffee tables but worth the slight discomfort. Pork belly signature dish was excellent!

Went to The Alchemist last night and had an awesome time. Good food, nice decor, chilled atmosphere. Some of the cocktails were maybe a little bit expensive but this place is worth it for the entertainment of Joel the barman alone! :)

Great service, great atmosphere, good food, prices just a tad too expensive for what you got. Wine and drinks list was very expensive for my liking.

Agree with comments about the voucher deals - terrible terrible 'service' from the woman responding to telephone calls. <br/><br/>The food on the voucher deal was good - not amazing, but pretty tasty. The bartenders were lovely and chatty but very very slow and needed to be asked 4 times for our included glass of bubbles. The cocktails we tried were enjoyable, but like the other drinks, took a very long time to be prepared and brought out - especially considering we were the only table and there were 3 bar staff! I wouldn't want to see how they manage with a full house.<br/><br/>All in all, a pretty nice evening, although I probably won't be back - the terrible treatment by the manager in trying to get a table has left a pretty bad impression and I don't believe that should be rewarded with repeat business - especially considering the alternatives in this neck of the woods.

Great Night!. As always, had another fabulous night at the Alchemist! One can always count on the Alchemist for great drinks and food in a chill environment. The staff was very professional and innovative in their drink suggestions. Keep up the great work – your efforts are very much appreciated!

Amazing cocktails, Great staff!!. Completely disagree with "HukaLodge15". You must be talking about a different place! The bar staff is probably the friendliest and most knowledgeable bar staff I have ever seen in a bar anywhere in the world. I have previously lived in London and spent a lot of time in New York and this place is on par or better than anywhere else I have ever visited. You will not find such amazing cocktails, served by such professional, fun and entertaining staff anywhere else on the continent. <br/><br/>I would absolutely recommend The Alchemist Cocktail Bar to anyone who likes amazing drinks, served by professional, courteous and friendly staff.

Beware the Voucher Deal. My wife and I had dinner at The Alchemist as part of their voucher deal (bought through Deals.com). The management needs to seriously review how they manage their voucher program. They take your money but then have a bookings policy that makes it very difficult to use the voucher. The bar requires voucher bookings to be early (before 5pm on a Sat and before 7pm on other days). I tried to book for 6pm on a Sunday a week out but was told that they were fully booked. In fact, they were "fully booked" for the following three Sundays. For two people at 6pm!? A month later, I tried again for a Sunday, but received the same reply. Like airlines with frequent flyer seats, the place sets a (very small) quota for its voucher bookings. But unlike frequent flyer tickets, where in a sense you're getting something for nothing, in this case, the diner has already paid their money. I phoned and protested to the manager, and after a fight, and considerable ill-feeling (and mention of the Office of Fair Trading), she relented and accepted our "dinner" booking for 5:30pm ..."and don't be late"! From the time we arrived until the time we left at ~7:30, the place was close to empty. The food was nice, the included glass of sparkling was passable, and the staff were friendly and efficient. It's a shame that this management style lets down the kitchen and bar staff.

Bad taste. My wife and I were told to have a drink here by friends of her brother, reluctantly we tried last weekend and will never be back. As soon as you walk through the door you are engulfed in a cloud of ego and bad taste. The bartenders (bar one, tall and blond, who seemed lovely) have an arrogance about them you might expect from college football players on cocaine. The menu was hilarious, tacky and dated, overpriced tapas, obviously thought up by some middle aged home cook who has watched too much Masterchef. Similarly the drinks menu was like a childs crossword puzzle, set to dazzle, instead, frustrating and ridiculous. It is a mix of poor taste and disgusting over confidence that makes these kind of places what they are. It has no cure, for it is intangible and the people responsible will never realise. Its a shame that such places can exist in such a lovely city as Melbourne.

Love this place. Joel the Swedish barman is great. Wonderful food!!

I didn't eat at the alchemist so no comment on the food, drinks are over priced and the service was shocking. A waitress leaned over the table to pass my girlfriend her coffee, she then tried to slide it across the table and tipped it all over my girlfriends arms legs and bag. The waitress barely apologized or offered any compensation for her mistake, she was quite rude about the whole incident. I understand mistakes happen but she made no effort to see if my girlfriend was ok, I had to go inside to ask for an ice pack as the coffee was hot and had burned my girlfriends legs. The staff didnt even offer to give us the drinks for free, not even the coffee they spilt nor did they offer to pay for dry cleaning. The waitress also made a smart remark just as we were leaving she said "Does she want me to call her an ambulance". If she was really worried about my girlfriend being injured she would have asked if she was ok after dropping the coffee on her.

BURN NOTICE.... SUCH A LET DOWN. <br/>The alchemist bar Brunswick street, great location, great look, but poor service. Wednesday night (5th December) a few friends and myself decided to head down to Brunswick street for a drink, found this cool bar sat down outside and ordered a few drinks. (Lette and two beers) as the waitress bought out the lette she lent over the table from the left leaning over one of my friends (big mistake) as she went to give the coffee to my friend instead of lifting it she slide it which coursed the hot coffee to tip! In shock my friend jumped up and was speechless. The waitress went inside got a cloth and said "here use this to wipe it" and went back in. The waitress wasn't apologetic at all, nor did she even think it assist my friend who now has a burnt leg. After receiving another latte (which didn't get spilt all over her) and being ignored the rest of the time.. I went inside to pay, bringing an ice pack back inside which we had to ask for. As I hand back the ice back and PAY for the drinks. the waitress decided to say two immature comment "does she need an ambulance" also following another "guess we better take the coffee off the bill" not only were they unnecessary they were quite rude. We understand it was an accident but the careless, rude and unprofessional the way it was handled with, is the problem. specially because we didn't say anything. Not only are we taking this problem further we will be preaching this experience to all of our friends who live on Brunswick street and I'm sure they will also preach to others. It was a disappointing night.

Great cocktail list!. Great service and cocktail list!

Went there on ouffer voucher for 7 course menu including dessert. Portions were tiny and food was unremarkable to say the least. One course was a piece of cucumber with some garnishing, another was deep overfried chicken drumlets worse than those in KFC and dessert was a few pieces of fruit and a couple of walnuts with a milk chocolate dipping sauce. Was very disappointed with the food and surprised that they could get away with such course as those mentioned above.

Voucher deal is a dissapointment! For $50, you only get like one bite of each little piece. And, the foods come out pretty long like 15 minutes interval. The chicken lollipop was not crunchy and tasteless! Other foods are so so. Staff is friendly and nice, and the ambiance is all right. Definitely I won't be back!

You will want to tell your friends about this. I love a place or experience that screams “You will tell your friends about this” and the Alchemist Bar certainly fits that description. Before I even went, I was already telling my friends about the deal for a 7 course degustation – well eight courses really counting desert; pondering and discussing the portion sizes which I later discovered ranged from bite size to entree size. We had been asked to arrive at 6 pm – Friday night- which meant we were the first customers for the night. The décor was interesting, the staff very pleasant, and when they played one of my favourite songs from the 60’s soon after we arrived I was ‘sold’. The information and pictures on the wall add to the quirky atmosphere that gives a sense of a different place and time. I loved the wooden pharmacy cabinet. To my mind, the service was perfect. Attention immediately, then time digest our surrounding, followed by our complimentary glass of wine, and just when we were totally at ease the food started to arrive – three small portions each of very tasty morsels, time to discuss and compare them, then two slightly larger portions arrived. By this time I was having the best lemon, lime and bitters I have ever had (I would go back for that alone). An interesting array of other customers arrived in a constant stream – most in their late twenties, early thirties. A tasty salad to share arrived, followed later by a fabulously tasty pork belly dish of entrée portion. This was to die for. By this time, there was a turn-over of other clients with the early arrivals being replaced by new arrivals. Just when we were pondering whether we had completed our dining experience. The waitress came and asked if we were ready for our dessert – a chocolate fondue with fresh fruit and marsh-mellows for dipping. Regardless of being twice the age of their regular cliental this I consider this is a fun experience for people of all ages and I was glad I had bought a second voucher for my daughter – an experience worth sharing. Allow three and a quarter hours for this experience although when my daughter went on a Wednesday night the experience was three quarters of an hour quicker, but personally, I was happy with our time frame.

Deals.com voucher a disappointment :(. What read as an 'eight course tapas degustation' was in fact about 7 bites per person worth of food. The best value all night was the glass of champaign each. We have purchased meal vouchers before at other places and left thinking we would soon return, this however was not something we would do at The Alchemist. After spending $50 on the voucher, plus another $40 on 2 cocktails we left, not wanting to wait yet another half an hour for our final 'course' (if you could call them that) Sadly our evening was a bit of a bust..... sorry peeps, dont expect a good deal out of this one, a bit of a tip, eat before hand and allow at least 3 hours for this 'experience'.

Great food, great people, nice and relaxed atmosphere. All up a wonderful night out. Will be heading back there soon.. Recommend getting the degustation menu.

Food to die for!. I know that says a lot, but my partner and I came on a 5 course degustation deal that was given to us by a friend as a gift. Whilst the service was a little bit slow, this was only noticed as ALL the food was so amazingly delish and we couldn't wait for the next course! Every course we tried, we enjoyed, to the point we bought one more dish (crostini w chorizo) to try. With a couple of glasses of wine, the tastebuds are tickled and you are left wanting more even though we were satisfied. It's as if they have worked on the taste test for each item they serve to perfection. Fabulous - we have already planned to come back with some friends to try the other dishes! Prices are reasonable p/p also. It's been a long time since we really enjoyed a venue we've eaten at and this was unexpectedly one of the best we've been to! Nice baroq feel also..

We bought a voucher for a 7 course degustation here and it was wonderful. The atmosphere, the food, the service were all top notch. In addition we also got Belgian fondue. We tried the Isaac and Eve cocktail as well and they were pretty good. Great value for money and will definitely return.

Good night out. This is the second time we have been here and this time we took our daughter and her friend. We had an offer for the 7 course degustation meal which included a glass of wine and we sampled both the vegetarian and non veg menus .The serves were small but very tasty and the pork belly was cooked to perfection.On both our visits we enjoyed the surroundings,music and general ambience but in particular the waiting staff who are always chatty,friendly and fun.Special mention tonight to our Swedish guy who was just great.Good job Alchemist Bar and we will see you again. Julie and Chris

I went here last yeah and i really liked it im planing to go back this year

Degustation. Brilliant, brilliant food! we spent an evening eating some delicious treats, the pork belly was good beyond description... only only criticism was that our food came at 15+ minute intervals so we almost spent three hours hanging out and we had to remind the staff to retrieve our last course.. but what a place to to spent that time! brilliant

Girls Night Out. Went out with the girls last night and had a pleasant experience. I used a couple of vouchers I had purchased for 5 course Degustation with bottle of wine for 2. They were very generous to allow me to use the voucher after it had expired as I could not book in earlier. I found them have good service, quirky decor, friendly staff, an awesome chef and mouth watering yummy food!! Prices are quite reasonable. I loved the atmosphere and the music played in the back ground too. It was a perfect night for us girls looking to just unwind, chill out and catch up. We had the Degustation Menu. The chef very happily AND geniously catered to our food allergies making sure each of us got what we liked as well. I would go there again & I would tell my friends about it. Looking forward to trying the 'potions' next time.

A Brunswick St gem!. This is a fabulous cocktail bar in the heart of Fitzroy where my friends and I regulary go for what used to be a beer or wine but since discovering the amazing cocktails it's hard not to order one or a few, and the smart menu really makes the choice an easy one except for the fact that you want to try all of them! Adding to that the staff are very friendly and love a chat, the music really gets you in the mood and the interior is fantastic escpecially the toilets!! And as a good little bonus on top of this pop in on a Wednesday night for some magic tricks performed at your table!

Just Fabulous. Wandered across this place ages ago and were intrigued by the beautiful decor and creative cocktail list. After visiting this place on numerous occasions, light dinner with my parents, drinks with the girls, cocktail after dinner with friends, celebratory night out...I was hooked to their delicious and innovative cocktails (and tasty tidbits). When we got engaged we decided we must have our intimate party here. It was fantastic...the staff were very relaxed and have a number of options to help you budget/plan for the night...At one point I felt a little like we'd taken over the place but the staff were very accommodating in organising enough seating/standing room for everyone. We had bottles of wine to start with, the party platters were delicious (although the only problem with serving such fine food is that everyone seems to eat more!) we also had a tab to do rounds of cocktails, not cheap but the perfect atmosphere, hint of luxury - really is a place to go as a treat, wonderful staff we'll no doubt be back for the ever updating range of drinks! Very impressed with how they handled our function.

Voucher meal disappointing. We attended here last week and found the atmosphere interesting and definitely befitting the name of the restaurant.<br/> It was a little dark for dinner at 7pm-definitely better for cocktails. We were also sat on low old "spring filled" chair at a low table for our 5 course tapas meal. We would have preferred a normal table as we were in for a clearly booked dinner. Other than the luke warm very rare lamb cutlets our meal was ok.<br/>The meal was advertised with a"a bottle of premium red or white wine for two people" The wine was really rough and when we checked it online it sells for $5 a bottle. Very disappointing!<br/>The staff were friendly and helpful-except when asked for an aternate wine. We were clearly told this is what they offer with their degustation menu.<br/><br/>We wouldn't go back to eat but drinks would be fine-except for the wine ofcourse

Great cocktails...and magic?. Some girlfriends and I went to The Alchemist last Wednesday. We were in the area and someone on the street told us this was the place to hang out and be entertained. Boy were they right. We walked in and went straight to the bar. Our very cute bartender, Joel, made us some crazy drinks. Four different drinks and all were amazing! The place was pretty packed but Joel promised to look for us a table and about ten minutes later, sat us at a great table right in the front window. <br/>As we sat enjoying our drinks, we noticed something interesting. A magician was doing tricks at each table. After a while, he came over to us and did a few crazy tricks, that I still cannot figure out how he did. Joel returned to our table and offered to make us four more drinks, all different from the last batch and all just a tasty.<br/>The atmosphere is really laid back but still has a hip edge to it. We will definitely be back to see our favorite bartender Joel and maybe even some more magic.

Wow - that pork belly lives on in my dreams! <br/>my folks bought a voucher for my birthday. the place was completely dead whilst we dined there. a japanese band set up towards the end of our degustation, so we felt embarrassed to ditch them once we had finished up a delicious dinner. <br/>cocktails were fun and the staff were lovely. the scottish guy behind the bar reminded me of brandon flowers. <br/>i hope this place survives. it always seems deserted when we pass by. <br/>i am defo coming back for the pork belly!

Fun place. A voucher offer allowed us to try this fun cocktail bar in Brunswick St, Firtzroy. Tapas-style disher were very nice - don't miss the meatballs in Italian tomato sauce. We added the chocolate fondue and a cocktail- both delicious. Lovely international staff, fun place but way too expensive to go to regularly.

Wonderful cocktails, excellent staff. I have been to The Alchemist Cocktail Bar many times in the past, but the highlights are always the ever changing cocktail menu. Much thought goes into the flavours, names and combinations and each drink is very well presented. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and always approachable to talk about new drinks and recommendations. I love to take friends to this bar - we always have a great night out.

Second time round, still outstanding!. I love this place. This is the second time my boyfriend and I have come here, both times on a sunday night, and both times we have had EXCELLENT service. The first time we just happened upon the place, and tried several dishes on suggestion from the waiter - this time we had an Ouffer.com voucher for a 5-course degustation, which was just as good! While there was a bit of time between dishes arriving, I found it wasn't slow, rather it gave you time to enjoy each dish, really savour it, and have some nice conversation and wine in between (and not over-eat!). The potato and pea patties were delicious, my favourite however was the spicy meatballs, which although didn't actually seem very spicy, had so much flavour that we were mopping up the remains with the bread... would go back just for that! Serive was fantastic, really friendly lady served us and brought our food out, we haven't tried the cocktails yet but intend to next time. The atmosphere is SO relaxing inside, just a perfect way to spend a sunday evening. Loved it.

Great atmostphere, Good cocktails. I have been back here a few times for drinks although to be honest I am not sure why. The atmosphere is great but you have to wait a LONG time for your drinks. One bartender, he puts extreme care and detail into mixing your cocktail, however be prepared to wait about 20 minutes to be served and another 20 for your drink. The bartenders are friendly, but if you are looking for a quick drink with good value then probably give this one a miss.

Service was slow, they false advertise when it comes to vouchers, the bigger bite chicken dish and lasagna dish not eatable, and a bottle of wine advertised to 2009 vintage was 2011.... Normally $17 but here $42. Not worth the money or my time. Definitely will never return!.

Tapas were outstanding, service very nice. Cocktails were tasty, but I found them to be pretty weak and extremely pricey.

Alchemy at its best. I am in love with this place! Upon walking through the doors you are taken to another place - and yet you're still in the heart of Brunswick St! <br/>Went here for a few pre-dinner drinks and the bartender was magical - suggesting drinks, flavours etc - and I loved all my cocktails! <br/>The prices are a little expensive, but for the personalised service, and luxurious surroundings it's worth it!

Yummy Yummy. Sat down, ordered some cocktails and nibbles from the wonderful waitress and they all showed up surprisingly fast. I recommend the espresso martini and the pork belly, both were stunning! Definitely coming back very soon.

Black Magic. Seriously good cocktails. The zombie knoecked me for a six!

Great atmosphere and bar staff are appropriately flirty. Food took a while and the food and drinks are a bit expensive, but worth it. Would definitely recommend and can't wait to go back!

One of the coolest places in fitzroy and thats saying something!..... My partner and i are from syd and travel to fitzroy for work at least twice a month.. we stay around the corner from the alchemist and this is no coincidence..The alchemist being our favourite bar! Its boudoir atmosphere, cool cocktails (try out the hot toddy on a freezing melb winters evening) food & service are hard pressed to find... yep we recommend this place to all our melb and syd pals.. enjoy..

Did not live up to expectations!. I purchased 3 vouchers from a Group Buying website for a birthday night out with friends. After reading the reviews, I was confident that the Alchemist would serve up a delectable experience.<br/><br/>The food was good but the portion size was terrible. It did not correlate to the amount of food which should have been served for 6 people i.e. through the redemption of 3 vouchers.<br/><br/>The cocktails were ok but pricey. The décor was good - cosy and comfortable but definitely less crowded on a Wednesday.<br/><br/>I carefully opted to visit the Alchemist on a Wednesday as the website promised a "Magic table side show" (A Magical Night Show). Nobody stirred. There were just two wait staff and nobody else to be seen.<br/><br/>A word of caution - do not always believe the flowery descriptions when buying vouchers. Quite often these supposedly "stunning" deals are a marketing stunt! Even with the vouchers, I ended up paying probably double the amount I would have paid at another place.

Places to love in Melbourne. Have visited The Alchemist twice this week: first for mulled pear cider and hot toddies, and tonight to taste their great menu. The service was fantastic - Belle and Fraser remembered us from our previous visit - and we really enjoyed the tasting menu. Excellent scallops, croquettes, chorizo and squid, plus a great range of drinks. Staff mixed a mocktail to our particular preferences and remained attentive during our stay. Loved the atmosphere and the Thursday night jazz band. Definitely somewhere to recommend and to return to.

Where's the alchemist when you need him?!. The staff are friendly, the atmosphere is really homely and cosy and the bars few lights are dimmed with the main light source coming from lit candles around the venue. <br/>The Alchemist is perfect to sit, talk (over the noise of the many patrons) and soak up the beautiful surroundings; the only problem being a certain inexperienced bartender! I ordered a lemon, lime & bitters to start, which was very weak, later a vodka, lemon, lime & bitters which had the same result. <br/>I'll definitely be returning because of how enchanting it is inside The Alchemist, but fingers crossed I'm served by a different bar man next time!

Simply amazing, stunning friendly bar. I highly recommend this bar!, the cocktails are to die for,,expresso martini, yummy! , its the best in town. i have been a few times now and never been dissapointed.the food is scrumptious, my particular favourite is the pork belly, you must try this! the staff are very friendly and know what they are doing, also good looking.<br/>the alchemist is georgeous and cozzy, love the decor.keep up the good work

Average at best. I had high hopes for this place. When we went on a Tuesday night it was dead. <br/><br/>The boyfriend and I decided to do the 5 course Meat degustation. Some of the dishes like the lamb cutlet and pork belly was great, but the others fell flat. We were still hungry afterward and extremely uncomfortable sitting on the couches as we ate.<br/><br/>Noticeably they have changed their menu, so Im on the fence whether Id be willing to come back and try them again.

Really enjoyed the atmosphere in this venue. Great knowledgable and friendly staff were a pleasure to deal with. The food, for the price was amazing. Had the mushrooms stuffed with feta, lamb koftas, meatballs in Napoli sauce and the pork belly. The pork belly was amazing. Perfectly cooked, very enjoyable. We will return for sure!

Disappointing food. We had the banquet for two which consists of bread dips, 2 entrees and 2 mains and a salad. The food wasn't fresh, all tasted a bit old with fairly plain flavours. The cocktails were ok. The service was good. They have a jazz band on tues/thurs nights, I'd recommend coming here for that, but not the food.

Cosy, chilled. Nice little bar for chilling out. It's not the quietest or the funkiest place to be hiding or be seen. It can be noisy and caters to mixed crowd. Drinks are good. Food not so.

Too Kewl For Skewl!. The decor is pretty funky, and typical Brunswick st. The staff friendly, the food however all seems, pre-prepared, which let the experience down for us. I'd imagine if full of punters they place may have a certain vibe. Still the food was not my idea of tapas, as it was neither fresh nor particularly spanish.

Awesome - but not a wine bar. A funky Brunswick st bar with appropriately funky staff and decor to create a very charming atmosphere. Although the individual dishes are under $15, you need to remember that it is Tapas, so in order to get full you'll still consume at least $40 each. The food is quite tasty and there is plenty of variety so everyone should be able to find something they like. <br/><br/>I was searching for a wine bar on urbanspoon.com and this place came up - I wouldn't class this as a wine bar, as there is a limited selection of wines and only 3 options by the glass.<br/><br/>The cocktail menu is quite good. The only peculiar item is that the choice vodka is "Russian Standard" which as the name suggests a very average vodka. But that's only my humble opinion.

Warm and Luxurious. Was walking down bruswick street one night and literally just popped my head in for a snoop around - ended up sitting down and enjoying a coffee on their amazing vintage lounges next to their gorgeous candelabras covered in dripping wax.<br/><br/>Atmosphere was so divine - I didn't want to leave. I have already organised to bring all my girlfriends there for some over-the-top cocktails and nibbles. Can't wait!

Gorgeous place, delicious drinks. You can't go past this place for atmosphere - the ornate lounges and candelabras are just stunning! Even the toilets are painted gold! These guys use only the best cocktail ingredients and are served with style. I have spent many a cosy weeknight there, or ended a big night on the weekend curled up on their couches sipping away at something delicious.<br/><br/>My picks:<br/>Black Forest Manhattan - construct it yourself at the bar using test tubes and beakers... awesome fun! The bartender will help you out and tell you a bit about where the liquers come from.<br/>Mulled Wine - ohhh so sweet and heady. Winter warmer.<br/>Boozy Hot Chocolate - sweeeeet and delicious! Order it at the bar to watch some sweet blowtorch, tripod and beaker action by the barkeep.<br/><br/>Have tried the food there too, but found it a little light-on portion-wise, and a little lackluster. I recommend eating before you get there, and saving your money for their delicious cocktails.<br/><br/>The owner - James - is awesome, and always super friendly behind the bar.

Delicious little night out!. A fantastic little hideaway tucked away towards the end of Brunswick St. From the decadent surrounds to the fantastic live magic show, this was definitely the place to be!<br/><br/>Took a friend for some birthday drinks and while the bar was jumping, there was enough space for a private affair. Food was delicious, cocktails were fantastic and staff were friendly and fun.<br/><br/>Bryan the rabbit was definitely a highlight!