Relaxed amazing cocktail bar. One of Melbournes last real "hidden bars". Gets very busy on the weekends so I recommend weekdays.
Tucked along a laneway in Chinatown where most people would miss it at night, comes this bar set back in the 1800s-1900s with settings of an opium den. as for their drinks, a little cocktail menu without the usual suspects. Had the Drop Lemon, a mix of gin, lemon and egg white. For me it was a refreshing drink but just nothing special. Obviously as the night runs on that hype starts to fizzle away as quickly as I gulped my cocktail away. Definitely a nice place to take a date if looking for a little night getaway and get transported back in time.
For that I gave a 4star rating.
Group gatherings. Dates. D&Ms. Never been disappointed. Has a dreamy quality to it. Or maybe my cameras crap.
😱Lizzie’s first impression: one of the seediest walkways leading up to the bar but this bar has everything you need - ambience, drinks and good company.
🍩Lizzie enjoyed: the cocktails are delicious here and the staff really know their drinks well. The venue is nice and there’s always a seat.
🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: its rather dark in here and rather loud of Friday nights with the live acoustic band so I’d pick another place if that’s not the ambience that you want.
🥇Lizzie rates overall: a great place for a date or a group outing!
Favourite go-to place for a chilled night out over drinks! Finally a classy lounge with an amazing selection of music that is catchy enough to get you on your feet but is also not too loud that you can still have conversations with friends.
Was a bit hard to find, but a very nice place. Went there around 8 and made a booking before hand, so had a very nice table. The place was pretty crowded later on. The cocktail was wonderful.
Eating Away Melbourne
+4.5
A friend brought me to this hidden bar and it is a GEM! When we walked up the stairs I was really scared you know when you walk in a dark place in china town it could lead to something really bad. After the doors opened it leads to a very nice and cozy space. Ordered some cocktails from the menu and they were delicious. Felt adventurous so after that we just told the bar tender to give us whatever and they were all very nice! Bar tenders are all very passionate about their job which is an add on. Great atmosphere! It could get very busy on friday night tho so be prepared.
Great cocktails! I love everything lemon curd and they had a delicious lemon curd cocktail!! The bartenders are super creative and basically create everything you like -plus we got a little fire show!
Points for: nice vibe, knowledgeable bartenders
One of the original "Asian" style bars from like a decade ago - good to see it has longevity. After all these years, I still find it hard to find this bar, as it's along one of the generic laneways off Chinatown, with a tiny sign and up a dark flight of stairs.
After work, Manchuria has a chilled out, casual vibe about it - great that they're not pumping out hard music, but they might turn it up after 9pm. Still not too over bearing though - you can still have a conversation with your friends.
No happy hour specials, but prices aren't too crazy either.
If you don't know what cocktail to get, the bartenders are more than happy to suggest or make something up for you. They're pretty friendly.
We were here to celebrate my husband birthday and had a great time at Manchuria. Starting from booking in a private booth area for 30 of us and serving us Fancy / Tasty Cocktails. Staff even brought out his birthday cake singing out loud cheering with sparkles which totally made us feel so welcomed at Manchuria. I would like recommend this place for a chilled out bar where u can have a conversation and not pumping music too loud and also serving amazing cocktail.
This was a great place! I decided to have a mocktail here with some of my friends. I was very impressed with how nice the mocktail looked. The bartender really put a lot of effort into that mocktail - most places wouldn't go to that much effort! It made it look like an actual cocktail so it fooled a few people at least!!
A cool little bar with delicious cocktails- perfect for #datenight. I know I use the term 'good cocktails' a lot but this place can seriously shake up a beverage and the ambiance is amazing too. Interiors on point also; classy, elegant and reminiscent of old world Hong Kong. Off you trot to Manchuria
I like the atmosphere of this bar, it is cozy and intimate. My favourite cocktail is a smokey scotch one (can't remember the name).
Great if you are going with a small group so you can sit in one of the lounges and have your own semi pricage area
That decor is something else! Very cool place for a date, intimate gathering. Dim lighting and feels like you're in Hong Kong 1950 bar where the gangsters hang. Service was top notch and cocktails were lovely.
I was never a cocktail kind of guy. Straight up IPA all night err night. This place however, taken my impression of cocktails to another level. Sure I enjoy a good glass of lagavulin 16 every now and then.
What they did was that they took my favorite spirit and bring a whole new life to it. While I still get the peat from the whisky, there are a whole lot of aroma infused with it. It was amazing how it tasted.
Long story short, they know their shit. 👍🏼
Came here with my girlfriend a few weeks back, loved the layout and design of this place. The draw card was the amazing cocktails and the staff. They really made us feel welcome and it was almost like going to a mates pad. Will recommend to all looking for a nice spot to have a few quality drinks.
I am deeply afraid of my favorite bar becoming jam packed if the word gets out so please don't bother coming to this hella sexy bar with amazing cocktails. If you do though prepare yourselves emotionally for the Laphroaig cocktail and very plush cushions. I hope you are bringing a friend who you fancy and want to make sexy eyes at.
Can only rate this on drinks so we'll revisit again after we actually eat something at this place but from what we experienced, ambience, atmosphere & decor could be described as a courtyard brought indoors set up in a lounge get up. Sound confused? It's because this place was too but had it not been for the old school RnB sound tracks being spun by the DJ remixed with some smooth Hip Hop we would've been too.
Everything despite its confusion made sense and made for a great night out. Can only imagine what the food will taste like and we're hoping it's confusingly good. Till then, this is Our Foodie Find!
Great intimate atmosphere. The DJ/music was awesome. The drinks were so yum and the seating is really comfortable/cosy. Stayed there till 2am it was that good!!!
I have never eaten here -I only ever come here for the amazing cocktails! Atmosphere is pretty nice & romantic, dimmed light, red velvet, good music. Cocktails are delicious, really special. My favourite is the lemon drop martini (not sure that's what it's called but it has lemon curd & egg white in it and it's like drinking a dessert!) I've been coming back here for the past 4 years & bringing friends who are always impressed with the cocktails.
Well, it's a very elegant place. Really good to bring your date, your partner, your husband, your bff... Yes you can bring everyone because they will appreciate the decor!
Of course they offer awesome cocktails!
Beyond the seedy graffiti covered stairs you encounter two large doors that make you wonder what you are actually in for. This place takes pride in their cocktails with beautiful presentation.
A great place for drinks on date night or a chill evening with your mates.
It's nice and quiet with a classic feel.
Their range of drinks are just insane. I love their Tijuana Express (Spicy espresso martini) and their choices in Scotch and Whiskey.
The staff are immensely knowledgeable and have great taste in alcohol and are not the stereotypical bimbos who pour alcohol at any given bar/club.
This unassuming place has a great range of tasty cocktails and a few of the friendliest bartenders in Melbourne! Truly recommend, especially as Manchuria doesn't get too crowded and remains quite intimate.
Epicurean Of Southbank
+4.5
Manchuria always impresses. It never seems to be packed and both the ambiance and the furnishings provides ample room to actually relax and converse. After all of the eating and boozing earlier, I wanted to finish off my day (and myself off) with a Zombie.
Secluded gem!. I am a bit dissappointed that this place can be found on urbanspoon... because now everyones going to go there and spoil it's secrecy! I absolutely love this place. Such a secluded gem in the heart of the CBD. Always begin or end our night at this place with my boyfriend on date night. Sometimes we make a mid week trip too. Love the intimate lighting, small cosy seating arrangments, friendly service and amazing cocktails!!
On my top 10 favourite bar list of Melbourne!
One of the best. Simply one of my favourite bars. Hidden away, so not too busy. Great ambiance and interior. Staff are lovely and attentive. Extensive drinks list with many wonderful cocktails and plenty of beers to choose from. Not so loud that you can't hear what anyone is saying. I love this place!
Unsure! That's how I felt. All staff, except one where just great. However, this one staff member was all about super foods and clean eating.... what really threw me off was when I asked for water with no ice and she put ice in my water. Thus it was too cold and I couldn't quench my thirst. I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemies.
P.s get a lemon drop COCKTAIL... Amazing! #liveforthemoment
Laced curtain create a feeling of privacy, when really you're partaking in an open, very friendly bar environment. Only 2 Zombies per person is a challenge that is easily accepted. Hidden away, but if you find it, the chill factor is worth it :)
Great first impressions. Very late off the bat with this review, but I came here a couple of years ago on a quiet Tuesday with a couple of friends, we ordered a bottle of wine and sat in a corner to drink it. No big deal, nothing special. 3 weeks later, I came back with other friends, to see the same bartender who took one look at me and said, "Same wine as last time?"
Ever since then I have received magnificent service there, from all the staff. I'm in no way a frequent visitor, but every time the staff have some interesting cocktail or beer to recommend that is exactly what I'm looking for.
By far my favourite bar in Melbourne, with a perfect first impression.
Hamish is awesome!. Such a nice bar inside, the perfect date venue! We chatted to the bartender hamish for ages and he made us some cocktails according to our likes, not just picking from the menu. The decor and the staff definitely sold this place to me, it's chilled out and just a bit secretive
Cracking Good. Drink list and amazing cocktails out of this world and then some.
One of my favourite bars in Melbourne. Everything about this place is just cool. The vibes, the jams, the lighting and atmosphere. I actually even held my birthday party here and everyone had the best time.
Definitely a go-to place after a nice dinner out in the city to unwind, relax and get a good drink.
Fantastic, tucked-away cocktail bar. Amazing vibes with a great range of drinks that were all delicious. Came early when it was quiet and then it got pumping when it's busy; great vibe. The service from the bartenders was top notch. Will definitely be back.
Jennifer Tedjorahardjo
+5
Broad selection of spirits, passionate and mega friendly staff. Cocktails are always top notch, you’ll get what you pay for. Try coming in slightly early on weekdays to have the best experience. Arguably the best bar in Melbourne.
Great hidden spot, awesome atmosphere along with live music, friendly staff and patrons, topped off with proper bartenders that pay attention to their craft.
This place always makes me feel like home. Thanks again!
Before anyone here starts jumping into conclusion and reading the negative feedbacks, here is a positive one.
If I am paying $38 for a zombie drink, I can justify and say that is it worth every dollar! Why? well given that it has about 10 shots of premium liquor in it! (Ask the staff, they will break it down for you too)
Its a little disappointing that some don't agree, I guess their taste buds are just use to sleeping on the bottom-shelf drinks.
The team at Manchuria knows exactly what they are doing and they are connoisseurs on alcohol beverages, delivering top-notch cocktails.
If anyone is questioning the price on their drinks, then maybe take your second class self elsewhere, because this place is for first classes.
10/10 would recommend!
Great Atmosphere of what is a hidden gem. Was recommended this place by a friend and it did not disappoint. Its up a completely blacked out staircase however once you get in the atmosphere is great and so is the drink selection. A great place to book or try to walk in as its not very obvious from the street.
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