What an awesome hidden gem of a place. Really cool spot to get your drink on and kick back and relax. Can't believe I never knew about this place before.
Stumbled upon this place by chance and probably the best located bar in Melbourne.
Marc Suitcase Petersen
+5
Great food, great wine and beer selections and great music. Amazing views and relaxed ambiance. One of my favourite places in the city 👌
Great place to visit for a little meet up with friends. We went there to have a drink and some bagel for snacks in a sunny afternoon. The riverside view is amazing. We enjoyed our time there.
Awesome place to grab a drink on the water and take in the view.
Brilliant spot on the Yarra river. Does get packed so aim for during the week for a relaxing drink in the sun. Cocktails are very well done.
Awesome spot for a drink. Gr8 view. Heaters and blankets everywhere to keep u warm and friendly staff
Beautiful views along the river, great atmosphere, played fantastic music, great place for a drink
Always a winner, my favourite little spot in Melbourne. Great cocktails at reasonable prices. Handy location with a chilled vibe. What's not to love! ���
Absolute delight. A must place for catchups and beers.
Great place to relax, enjoy a glass of wine and take in the view
I have been here on Tuesday with my friends and this is my second time being here ..! I love their reasonably priced food menu and alcohol menu so decided to be there again on a casual sunny evening ..! I love their nachos and was excited to have them but was highly disappointed as their kitchen closes at 8 and we went at 8.30 around so we had to adjust with the Pringles and had pimms cocktail jug which tasted good with fruity taste and so reasonably priced and it can be easily shared among 3 people and we even had a non alcoholic friend so they even had many options for them and finally choosed ginger beer for him ..! Overall the place is at a great location with a best view of the city buildings and Southbank ..!
Very good place for hanging out with friends
Very good location, nice views (day and night) and amazing vibes~
But don’t go there when it’s windy, showering~
You will be frozen
4.0 An "island" bar along the Maribyrnong running through Southbank. Bourgeois beachy vibes with yummy summer cocktails.
🍹 DRINKS:
- "Captain Tom" $19 with Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, Malibu, Pineapple, Orange Bitters & Lime - delicious cocktail with heavy taste of pineapple and rum. Would try again/try the others.
🍽 FOOD: n/a
📷 AMBIENCE: fun to explore the spaces, boat-like wooden deck decor.
🧂SERVICE: good.
📖 LOG:
- 2019.03.09. Quick stop with T before our double date with S&B.
Always loved this place but its always so crowded. Was friend's farewell party on Easter Saturday, of course there will be a surcharge. But you still can't find a seat haha. Melbourne ppl must all really want to go out!
Finally friend got a seat and we shared a jug of the pony fish ice tea. Fair price and Really amazing view and vibe sitting in the middle of the yarra and watching the world pass by.
Another nice bar in the CBD, this place has a great chilled vibe. Music was a bit 'how you going' but other than that a great experience.
I went with Tim.E and his partner and we had a nice drink and catch up, it is very relaxing being surrounded by the water.
Definitely worth a visit if you are close by.
I’ve wanted to visit this bar on the Yarra for some time now so I was pretty excited to finally get the chance.
This bar under a bridge reminded me of the story about the troll under the bridge lol
Well this bar was pretty cool. The service was good and the drinks alright too.
But it’s the atmosphere and being on the water that I liked. Great views of the Yarra, made for a relaxing afternoon. Perfect!
Well worth a visit.
Our go to if we are around the Southbank area for after dinner drinks.. Pony fish islands is located beneath a bridge that links flinders street station and south bank.. The atmosphere there is pretty lively and it is always nice if you are able to get a seat next to the waters edge..
Drinks are priced reasonably and it is always good to relax by the Yarra whilst observing the hustle and bustle of south Bank..
Nice little place near the yarra river on southbank. However when its raining, this place will be flooded. Good cosy place to have Friday night drinks.
No idea how the city council cleared a bar under a bridge, but it’s a pretty cool concept.
Squeeze up with your mates, because Ponyfish Island can get pretty cosy, especially on summer days.
It’s quite popular on sunny days, as all sides face the river, and one side faces the setting sun.
Being a responsible bar, they provide sunscreen and I also noticed they are straw-free.
Drink prices are pretty reasonable too – a Pimms is only $10, but this was 5:30pm so I’m not sure if it was happy hour or not.
Either way, it’s a great place for a drink if you can find some space.
This is my favourite place to come on a balmy summer night. We order the cheese platter or nachos (both very yum!) and some drinks and enjoy the sunset and stunning view. Such a cute, somewhat hidden gem. The only let down is how difficult it is to get a seat...!
Awsome river view. We ordered Pony Burger and Captain Tom. Food and drink taste very good. Birds were always stairing at your plate. Nice place for relax.
Probably the best spot in Melbourne for a drink besides the roof top bars. Situated on the Yarra, Ponyfish have all the essentials when it comes to the best view in town.
Always crowded, sometimes play good music, good booze and offers a good view. Perfect place for Tete-a-Tete over drinks and drinks only.
They do not serve food. They only sell packaged nick-nacks like Pringles and wafers and cheese balls though. (At least that's been the case every time we have been here)
We love this place.
Finding a snuggly spot right on the bank of the yarra river with the stunning view and not to mention a well made expresso Martini this place is perfection
Awesome vibes at this little bar in the middle of the Yarra - so great for an early eve drink. A must visit for anyone visiting Melbs - loved it here!
With a location like this its not hard to understand why Ponyfish Island is often busy! Great music, awesome ambiance, decent selection of drinks including cocktails in jugs..ace! My only criticism was that the ‘Silicon Sunrise’ cocktail jug we ordered didnt taste very alcoholic but rather juice like:s
A perfect venue for a date or catch up drink and easy meal with friends. Set in the middle of the yarra with 360 degree views of the city, very unique location. Sangria drink featured with bagel.
Absolutely love this place be it winter, spring, summer or autumn. Just not on raining days.
The ambiance, music and customer service is so good. Great place to relax and hang out with friends.
The only complaint is that it often get so jammed pack. Oh well it’s difficult to keep a gem to myself
The Domestic Traveller
+4.5
Located under the bridge between Flinders Street and Southbank, you would struggle to find a better place to people watch whilst having the cool breeze rush past you and consuming some delicious alcoholic creations. The best times to visit are spring and autumn – it’s the perfect weather conditions. Not too hot and not too cold.
Little Bit Of Everything
+4.5
Beautiful spot to sit at after work or during the day and have a drink. It's does get quite packed but the view and location is unbeatable. I love their sangrias and jugs. If you love platters do get their Antipasto quite filling. You can ask them to add the meats to the vegetarian version. If you are beer lover do try their lager.
Such a great location and on a nice sunny day in Melbourne it is perfect. Good selection of drinks and some snacks as well. The views are splendid.
The Dear Luncher loves after work drinks. And one of the greatest places for this in Melbourne town is Pony Fish Island.
PFI has great beer. What more do you need? Oh yes, a unique view of Melbourne from the middle of The Yarra.
Nice relaxed place to enjoy a drink !! Highly recommended for their local beer - pony fish lager 👍🏻👍🏻.. not much options if you want to have a bite but overall ambiance is nice !!
Hands down one of my favourite places I ate at in Melbourne. Located on the river, the views are exquisite and staff were friendly and pleasant. I had a sangria and an avo bagel. All I can say is wow! That avo was packed with flavour and was refreshing. The selection of food isn't huge, but there's an extensive drink list and pricing was cheap in my opinion for what you get.
All the good and bad parts of eating on a boat.
Cons: you get the whole boat experience: crowded, strange and claustrophobic loos, lots of drunk people in a small confined space...
Pros: is a novelty and a cool place to take people when they're new to Melbourne. Provides great views of the city over the river. Food's pretty good for a little bar like this and the drinks menu is spot on. Patrons haven't been overly raucous or violent on any occasion I've been.
Interesting bar built right into the bridge with a good unique atmosphere.
I don't rate the food that well, but given the small size of the bar and its kitchen its okay.
Its mainly more bar snacks, so expect small servings.
The price is slightly high for the small serving sizes.
This place is best suited as a watering hole for drinks.
It is outside so be wary of weather. Excellent place to drink at during the day or sunset while being in the middle of the Yarra. try Spring and Summer for best vibe.
What a fun idea for a bar! A must do when in Melbourne for a novelty experience and to get away from the overpriced rooftop bars. The espresso martinis were smooth and the mulled wine full of flavour.
Location to please your senses and wives in the middle of the Yarra river, under the bridge. Splendid city view, sunset or rainy evening. Prices are standard.
Not a place to eat but the muesli yogurt jar is amazing Coz I personally like muesli.
Wow! What a cool idea. Someone was smart enough to use this unused space and make it one of the most unique places to get a drink. Could get a bit cold in winter but on a sunny afternoon you won't find anything like it.
I remember this dead-end structural pad before someone with a creative vision came along to totally transform it. With city views to rival the best fine dining locations this has become a quirky watering hole serving a wide selection of beer and basic meals.
We stopped in here for a drink and a pause, perfect. Well done team Ponyfish Island
Houses simple foods, targeted more towards drinking and what a view to behold over a beverage.
Caught up with someone over drinks and eventually decided on food as well
We had a Burrito and Nachos, while simple, accompanied our drinking rather well.
Good spot to chill and say goodbye to all your woes as the world passes by.
Great location, reasonable prices, staff were a bit frazzled but considering it was a hot night and it was Christmas day they were managing well). Good sized serve of nachos meant you could sit for a while and enjoy a drink! The self serve water had cucumber, mint and lemon - one of my favourite ways to enjoy water!
So Melbourne! Great spot for Friday night work drinks on a nice night. It's right on the river in the heart of melbourne. We had a few blood orange cocktail jugs, which were delicious each time! I had a caprese salad and my friend the cheese burger, both were delicious! Despite the amount of customers we weren't waiting long for our food or cocktails!!
Great Melbourne Summer spot!! Worth the business!
Scenery is prettt sick. Melbourne needs more bars on the river. Drink selection is meh.. Food was ace had a cheeseburger toastie which was awesome on a sunny arvo. Tasty as hell and heaps of other awesome meals on the menu. Nachos looked good too. Def give this place a try.
Such a cool and iconic spot in Melbourne! One of the nicer spots in this area. It can get a bit crowded, but the regulate the amount of people allowed so it never gets too crazy. They do good but unhealthy food. I had the lamb toastie which tasted awesome, but was very fatty.
Really nice doorman made a great beginning to our short time at the island. We ordered a sangria, hills apple cider and two 'pash in the sand cocktails' on a Saturday night however at around 9 o'clock this place is quite busy and it's almost impossible to find a good spot let alone one near a heater on a cold night as last night was fairly nippy. The drinks were awesome however and this place on a hot night would be 5/5 as they need more heating for the colder nights but anyway really really good and not too badly priced and just a few steps away from crown so it's better than most the places in crown for the $$
This is a really cool bar in the CBD. I've been here a couple times for drinks and I love how it feels like you are on your own little island. Great atmosphere and somewhere different for a drink overlooking the beautiful southbank scenery
Favourite bar in the city. Summer afternoon drinks are bliss at Ponyfish Island!
Can't wait for the weather to warm up again.
Only turn down is having to line up when it's busy.
A perennial favourite on the weekends, we love going to the Ponyfish Island for a drink. A cute little joint in the middle of the Yarra river, under the bridge, it's literally an island in the brightness that is Southbank. You have to have their Ponyfish lager which is brilliantly refreshing. Not tried the food yet but the drinks, view and experience more than make up for everything else.
Must visit in Melbourne!
An excellent place to have a nice afternoon beer and chat. They have a modest but good selection of beers, wine, cider and cocktails. The food menu is also great. I had a pulled pork toasted sandwich and it was out of this world!!
Great spot to just chill and watch what is going on on the banks. It is open but there are plenty of heaters. Good selection of snacks and drink options.
Such a lovely place!!! We were first timers here and will most definitely be back again... We came for a quick drink before lunchtime and all I can say service was excellent they were so nice and helpful with us trying new drinks, highly recommended to everyone that is legal to drink lol
Awesome place literally on the river under a bridge! Very cool find, although loud with the overhead foot traffic.
A quick cheese plate bite was gorgeous and the heaters and beats made the chilly Melbourne afternoon quite pleasant
Definitely worth a look.
Such a great and unique location for a bar! The drinks were awesome and the view was just spectacular. A must try for anyone who's new in Melb and wants to experience the quirky side of this amazing city.
Loved the Gin Mojito! The unique location was great, and really enjoyed the relaxed vibe and decor. Will definitely be back on our next visit to Melbourne to sample a few more cocktails
The bar is very Melbs! Fun little venue with great views. Can feel a little too cramped when busy. Cheese plater was great, cocktails were nice but a little too much ice!
Ponyfish is the only place in the heart of the city where you can sit in the middle of yarra river overlooking the southbank on one side and the city-scrapers shining out on the other.
Its location does give it the advantage of being one of the sought after places for a drink or two.
I went in with my friends and we ordered a jug of lynchburg lemon (JD, lemon and the works) plus a plate of nachos. The cocktail however came as a disappointment. There was more of ice than the drink and the glasses they serve in can be given another thought by the bar manager. The food was no doubt good and the serving was large enough.
Although its an outdoor open seating, the place is well heated and cosy even on a chilly night. All in all I would say the place is slightly overhyped yet it has greater potential than it displays.
Abhishek Akkalkotkar
+4.5
Wow! To start with a perfect place...good food and drinks!
located at the southbank this has to be one of the best places to come and chill...service gets a bit jerky but who cares when you are at such a wonderfully located place and a feel of a garage pub...
Overall a wonderful place!
Cheers!
Abhishek
Eat Play Love Travel
+4.5
A hidden oasis, literally, in the middle of the Yarra River, underneath the Southbank pedestrian bridge, having a drink at Ponyfish Island is a tourist’s must. Sadly, up until Sunday, we were still yet to chink ciders and tick off this exotic, tropical island-themed, iconic bar, having made our way, multiple times, down the steps only to be deterred back up onto the bridge by the cold and rain.
Sitting proudly on the Yarra river is Ponyfish Island. A landmark in Melbourne. Now some of you may say “it’s not a cafe” well to me this is the best beer cafe in Melbourne! No they don’t serve coffee but they do have some delicious drinks and the worlds greatest toasties! The staff here are great and who can blame them for always being happy when you get to work where they do! The feeling is a totally relaxed one and It’s great to just sit out there and relax and people watch. I always take tourists to Ponyfish as I think it is a great Melbourne landmark! Great work pony fish, keep it up! BEER: 4.5 passport stamps Staff: 4 passport stamps Feel: 4.5 passport stamps Value: 3.5 passport stamps Average 4.12 = A 3 month trip to the tropical islands of the world, devouring the local beers and eating their take on toasties! Share this: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Google StumbleUpon LinkedIn Reddit
If there's one place in Melbourne that I've been dying to go to but never have, it's Ponyfish Island. Located literally on the Yarra River under the Southbank Footbridge, this bar has got to be one of the most unique watering holes in Melbourne. It was my birthday today so what better excuse to go check this place out! Also the weather was absolutely gorgeous and it's Monday so we could actually get a table. I decided to go for the Klaus Sub-marine, which consisted of Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork (yep), coleslaw, lettuce and spicy mayo. It was delicious and the roll wasn't too crunchy so you didn't scratch your mouth up whilst trying to devour it. I understand that this place can get very busy on weekends, but if you're looking for a cool place to chill during the week, you can't get much better than Ponyfish Island. Link Love Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram
Epicurean Of Southbank
+4.5
...Ponyfish has an edge because it is different. It is the only place where you can eat, drink, smoke, laugh and listen to music on an island outside in the Melbourne CBD and is very convenient to meet people at.
Recommended by a friend and Melbournite, Ponyfish Island is a casual cafe bar located right on the waters. Located down a flight of stairs right off of Elizabeth Street, this waterfront bar is the perfect place to lounge both during the day and at night. We were lucky, as it was a relatively warm April night to sit out on the waters at night. The only downside was that the lighting was so dark, it was hard to see the haloumi sanger (sandwich) and quesadillas...
MelbourneStaycation.com
+4.5
Ponyfish Island is the kind of relaxed bar that captures the best of Melbourne. It’s all about sharing conversation, whether with friends or strangers. There is a pleasant hum as patrons chat or just enjoy the sparkle of lights on the water. Look carefully, and you will see gondolas glide by into the Melbourne night.
If you are in the area though definitively check out Ponyfish. If you are going to have the burger, I recommend sampling a few of the longnecks of beer they were selling first. Probably will taste amazing after a refreshing froth or three. Arggghhhhhhh
Awesome spot on the Yarra river. Amazing place to chill and have a drink when the weather is good. Can easily sit here for hours relaxing. Only downside was limited hot food menu.
They have their own cider and it sucks . Nice atmosphere but dont try the cider .
This Diner Is Anonymous
+3.5
Great spot, except for the wine service. Excellent spot and definitely one of the best places to spend time in the sun, though when I went on Sunday I was pretty disappointed by the service of one of the waiters. She told me the price of two drinks was $16, then corrected that to $19.50, saying there were two pinot noirs - a $12 one and a $10 one - and she'd served me the $12 one. She didn't even bother to check whether or not I wanted the most expensive one (I definitely didn't - my uncultured palate certainly can't tell the difference). Poor form. Have the courtesy of double checking with the customer before you pour.
I ♥ ponyfish!. This little bar always has a lively vibe, fresh fun food, yummy drinks and friendly service.
My only negative is on a few occasions, after arriving past a certain time (no later than 8 though) we were unfortunately told the only thing they were still serving from the menu was toasties. However the toasties are delish and they usually have a wide choice of fillings.
Such a perfect spot to hangout on a warm sunny day with a nice selection of beers and cocktails!
Cool. I love this place, been back about 15 times, always get polite service, never had any staff be rude and if they were I didn't notice, fun vibe, great location, good drinks, good food, what else could you want
Amazing atmosphere! A true hidden gem in the heart of Melbourne that is a
Must for all travelers or visitors to Melbourne!
Possibly the best Bloody Mary I've had!! Thank you :):) also the waffles, mulled wine and great service made our Sunday :)
It confuses me why a place like this would not serve coffee...?? What if I don't want a beer at 11am? Perfect spot for a morning coffee!
Great spot for any time of the day. Great location, great food and drink. A must visit any time of the day! Had brunch here, ordered the avo fet mash with mint and chilli. Soooo yummy. A nice buzzing spot for after work drinks in the sun, too.
Very special experience. A must do! There aren't many (if any) restaurants in the world that are literally on the water and only accessible by bridge.
Great location! Good vibes! Enjoyed drinking jugs of cider on a late sunny afternoon. Awesome summer spot! Good tequila shots to =)
If you endure the conditions.... If you can endure the conditions of dining under a bridge, you'll appreciate the novel idea of Ponyfish island. The burgers are indeed good, if not great, but it's quite expensive for what it is, with indifferent service. Not sure if an encore is warranted.
Awesome! Great location and chilled atmosphere. Will definitely come back
We had to have a quick dinner there but we really enjoyed it. Very delicious burgers on top of the unique location. We had booked movie ticket otherwise would stay there a few hours. We would give up the movie if we hadn't paid for the tickets...
Perfect sunny day haunt. Friendly and quirky staff, great Fog Island Sangria and the most amazing fruit toast!! The only thing a little bit unappealing was the choice of music - bad r&b/pop something....but apart from that - huzzah!
Excellent hangout... would be even nicer on sunny summer days coming up...
Was there for the first time on Sunday night. I only had 30 mins to spare. My meal came under $20 but the staff allowed me to use Eftpos. I told him I was in a hurry so he recommended me sth quick, and it was served promptly. View is amazing. Good experience overall.
Yummy and cheap quesadillas made this a good spot for lunch. The bottle of tasty bubbles made it easy to ignore the over the top hipster vibe. Turning off The White Stripes for something a bit more festive for a sunny arvo might help. But you know what, I'd probably still go back.
Awesome place with pretty good food, some of the staff could be less cool though almost ruined it with there tooood
Pirates of the cafe world unite! Great burgers on the river. Any closer and you'd have to be in a submarine. Such a great place to chill on a lovely day.
Chill Out!!!. Nice way to relax on a hot day in Melbs- Great to look out onto the yarra, chat with friends, enjoy a bevy or two and try the chicken burger on brioche- delish!
While the staff didn't make a great impression the view is amazing. The location is relaxing and if you get a seat it's a great place to grab a drink, a cig and a chat. Although you do have to get there early to get a seat as it gets packed out. Worth having a drink there to enjoy the view and take in the goings on of southbank.
Christopher Suttenfield
+5
A cool bar under the bridge with great views overlooking the river.
Friendly service and a reasonable selection of wines, beers and cocktails.
Not expensive and a great place for a scenic drink.
Ponyfish Island was such a gorgeous venue to visit! We shared the trio of drips and some drinks while overlooking the river which was absolutely lovely. This is the perfect spot to take someone who is new to Melbourne or if you have a fancy date you’d like to impress 😉💕🐬
A relaxing place to chill after work. Enjoy the waterfront view with a cool drinks and watch the sunset in the evening.
The bar is under the Evan walker bridge, a short walk from the Flinder station on the river side.
Unique Melbourne experience. My claim to fame is having the very first beer on this venture many moons ago! I knew it was going to be a hit from day one and have seen it go from strength to strength with some drama in between. Great spot for a beer on a nice day and the food and drink just keeps improving. Right opposite Flinders Street Station and under the bridge to Southbank. Well worth a try.
☆ Was one of the very few places that was still open at 10.00pm on a Monday night.
☆ Although the kitchen was (understandably) closed, we ordered drinks by scanning the Mr Yum QR code on the table. Our drinks arrived very quickly.
☆ Location was spectacular. It was so lovely to sit by the water and feel the evening breeze. There were heaters attached to the walls to keep us nice and warm too!
A great spot to enjoy the sun setting on a summers evening.
Great vibe to chill and unwind with friends.
Fantastic staff - super friendly.
Delicious food and great drinks.
We have been visiting Ponyfish island for years and continue to come back.
This year we came on a cold winter Saturday night at 6:30pm. There were a few spare tables and we managed to snag one near a portable gas heater. There are plenty of tables underneath fixed electric heaters available.
We tried the mulled wine (which was a great treat given the weather) as well as some cocktails listed on the menu.
The staff here is always pleasant and the drinks come out to the tables quickly after orders taken at the bar.
Cool little bar tucked underneath a bridge on the Yarra. Nice vibe with friendly staff. We order a couple of pizzas and drinks. The pizzas were pricey but they tasted pretty good. The seafood pizza was the group favourite
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