Review The Local Taphouse - St Kilda

I came here for a work lunch this past week, and I'm glad for that, or this may not have otherwise been somewhere I'd go to. They seated us upstairs in what can be an open air rooftop, or as in our case, a covered rooftop area with a fireplace. It was cozy and warm despite the awful weather outside. You use your phone to scan for the menu, and go up to the bar to order. The guy said the food might take a while since there was 11 orders coming in all at once, but really, it wasn't that long at all. Mine of course was one of the last (seems to be a recurring theme with me) but the guy was really apologetic and it wasn't a big issue. The food was delicious and filling. Generous portions for good prices. Everyone loved what they got, and even though it's a really casual, pub type of place, it was all well presented and everything was clean and made for a good lunch. I'd definitely recommend coming here whether it's in summer or winter as they cater for both, and it's in a good location with reasonably good parking. Really enjoyable.

Love the Local. Always a great selection of beers, awesome food specials throughout the week, great atmosphere whether it's sunny or rainy. Staff are knowledgeable and lovely! The home of craft beer in Melbourne and runs a monthly ale masters night if you're in to it. Comedy on Monday's is fantastic as well. Get down there.

Local tap house never disappoints. They have great food and drinks. The staff are very friendly and thanks to them I found my favorite beer :) There's a free dart place downstairs to have more fun. If it's close to you, definitely give them a visit. You won't regret.

Brilliant Parma, the chicken was juicy, I liked the ham, and it was the right amount of cheese, sauce and ham. No need for a reservation, parking close by and easy to find, enjoyed the rooftop dining area.

Best place for a bite to eat. the dinner room, has a great feel to it, especially on a cold winters day. If you like to be more amongst it, the terrace is great which also has an extendable roof. Downstairs has open fires and feels like you are in a English pub. I love this place.......oh and the beers of course :)

This place is great for a drink, or a party - especially upstairs. We've been to some great weddings and birthdays here. Great selection of beers. BUT - the food is passable only, everything we ordered on our booked table of 4 was cold and took around an hour to come out. We had a booking for 7:45 for steak night but they'd sold out of steak. Table service was friendly but unfortunately forgetful and slow. Such a shame cos we've been having drinks here for years as it is literally our local, but for us and our friends - we wouldn't bother to eat here again.

Tucked away in St Kilda, this place has a great cosy atmosphere up in the rooftop dining area. Sheltered from the wind but open for the sunlight. The roast rotation is great. We went for the pork belly Sunday roast and definitely weren't disappointed. Fast, friendly service with a smile and joke.

As a volunteer support person who arranges outings for seniors, having read the excellent reviews for The Local Taphouse on Google, I arranged a lunch there for a lovely lady and her professional support companion last Thursday. They had a wonderful time and were full of praise - friendly staff; delicious food; cozy enclosed rooftop area; reasonable prices and not being rushed (they spent four relaxed hours there actually). Can't ask for more than that, so I had no hesitation in adding The Local Taphouse to my list of preferred lunch venues in the Glen Eira / Bayside area for future outings. It sounds so inviting, I will pop in there myself soon, probably for one of their comedy nights, which by all reports are top evenings.

Its okay ..My first beer was flat no head (dirty glass?). The meals were nothing to rave about a bit bland but did the job, I suppose. In saying this, the place had a good atmosphere/welcoming decor for a casual get together with friends.

Not happy at all with the experience I had on this restaurant, staff were not helpful at all. Food is way too overpriced for what you get, as well as raw. When we brought this to the managers attention about the meat being raw, he just said sorry about that and never came back to check to see if everything was okay after that. Me and my friends left hungry. Will not be returning to this place.

Besides being overpriced, the food is very average. I've just had a Lamb salad, which should have been called salad with a bit of lamb. Other than a few bits of nice lamb, the greens and very chewy beets overwhelmed the salad. I enjoyed the bit of lamb and still left the full plate, of uneatable salad. Btw, the bar staff had no idea about this dish! $20 for a bit of lamb �!

Really rude bar staff. Do not appreciate the comments made when my family and I first entered the pub. Really gorgeous venue and could potentially be great but you’d have to change the staff to people that aren’t so rude and disrespectful to their paying customers.

One star is too much - will never go back - rude staff - was hoping to have a great afternoon with family and friends - our business will go elsewhere

probably still the best craft beer bar in melbourne. great beer lineup, good vibe, tasty eats, friendly staff.

Great place for beer lovers. Good selection on tap, good music, laid back ambience.

I live locally and have come into the venue fairly regularly. I enjoy the beer selection and generally have a good time, but tonight the security cut off one of our group and refused to give an explanation. Another guard approached us and demanded that I delete photos from my phone because he was incidentally in the background. Your bar staff have always been great, but I've never been treated so rudely as I have been by you security tonight.

great selection of craft and rotating taps, have also been showing the world cup the last few weeks! great weekend entertainment and knowledgeable staff. cheers!

Came here last Friday to try the Garage Project's Silk Road range and had the best time! Bar staff very friendly and knowledgeable. Comfy couch seating. Delicious beers. Fried chicken, OMG, the best I've ever had. Beer battered chips with creole seasoning? Yes please!! Coming back this weekend for the Best of GABS! Can't wait.

Excellent night last night at the Best of British Spectapular. Great beer, great music, great food. Fav beer Gipps St - yes I know not a UK one but tasted like one and it was cask.

Great atmosphere, great beers and every meal I've had has been excellent quality and cooked well. Enjoy every visit and we bring family and friends here often

Great atmosphere and fantastic range of craft beers. They had a tap takeover when we were there and it was awesome! Highly recommend.

A great selection of beer, wine and spirits. Great food and good service.

Run down hipster bar upstairs leaking like a sieve with abstract passable food young crowd who know no better

The Local Taphouse was recommended. <br/>Excellent service. Great tasting burger. Barman very knowledgeable about the various beers available. <br/>We will be back.

The local is something we all strive for, that place that feels like it’s around the corner where you feel right at home and you can almost tell the bartender, the regular thanks!<br/><br/>This is not an easy thing to find, let alone try and create… but The Local Taphouse has done the impossible. They’ve created a small slice of local heaven, specialising in craft beer, great food and warm welcome. <br/><br/>Set across two levels the downstairs is reminiscent of an old European tavern steeped in heritage with a cosy feel. Venturing upstairs you find yourself to an open terrace that feels like a mini-beer hall with communal tables and lively atmosphere you can feel the energy of those around you which makes the night all the better.   <br/><br/>Settling in on the terrace, we examine the menu with eager anticipation with old pub favourites of paras and steaks teamed with other culinary delights like crumbed mushroom and goat cheese burger and grilled barramundi with rocket & fennel salad. Choosing to sample some small plates as well as something a little bigger we find ourselves stuffed and content. Already looking forward to the next time we get a chance to eat at our new Local!<br/><br/>Heading down stairs after a very large nibbling of food and sampling of beers, we find ourselves wanting to jump on the dance floor as the Bram’s are killing it. With an ever-expanding line up of cool blues, soul, funk, old school reggae and R&B you’re sure to find something to get those hips moving. <br/><br/>The Local Taphouse is a special place, from the moment you walk in, there is a sense you’ve been there before even if it is your first time. With intimate lighting and enough nooks and crannies for everyone to get lost in, you’re sure to find a place to settle in for the night. Teamed with a host of craft beers and a menu to keep you on your toes you’re sure to find your local here.

This was a bit hard to get to for us but definitively worth the effort. You walk up the stairs and are confronted by one of those Melbourne surprises. Oozing atmosphere. Best thing: the pub food was really good!

This pub is really cool, love it.  I came here on a Sunday night and it was really busy, there was trivia downstairs which I didn't realise until I left, what a shame as I would of loved to have joined!<br/><br/>We were sitting upstairs in the beer garden, what a great space it is up there.  Lots of seating and really nice and cosy. A great drinks list, however disappointing that the cocktails are not made fresh but pre made and from a bottle. <br/><br/>My friend and I both ordered off the specials list, the petit fillet steak.  It was cooked beautifully and tasted so yum with the herb butter.  We wanted the sticky date pudding but it had sold out! It looked so good as we could see it arriving at other tables around us.  We will definitely need to come back for that, it looked so good.<br/><br/>I definitely rate this pub, good food and service with a fab ambiance.

If you love your craft beer. This is a place you want to make a stop. MUST actually. As far as I know, one of Melbournes few bars the have a daily rotating craft beer menu. The selection is vast! The atmosphere is great, beautiful terrace upstairs, rusty genuine look. Fried chicken here is AMAZING.. another must when you visit the taphosue.. craft beers + fried chicken does the magic! Thanks guys...

This burger was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had in my life - absolutely glorious! Chips were also lovely and so were the drinks. Beer garden was also fantastic and lucky had a sunny day for it. A few downsides that lowered the rating quite a bit = staff were not that friendly and appeared disinterested to be there so felt like a burden ordering a drink and secondly the choice of music was oddly loud and quite heavy metal for what you may come to expect from this establishment. It’s not very often I would ever say this as I am a huge music lover - but on this occasion would have preferred no music. <br/>All the same - would still come back to this place if this burger was still on the menu - to die for!

Beautiful place with kind staffs and great atmosphere. Fireplace on the wall is really good in the winter season. <br/><br/>Had southern fried chicken, chicken parmigiana and mac and cheese here, fried chicken was hot, moist and perfectly cooked. sauce was also amazing.<br/><br/>Chicken parma was a bit disappointing.<br/><br/>Mac&cheese was also good. Cheese & creamy. Small portion.<br/><br/>But still they have great selection of various tap beers & also smoking area 😊<br/><br/>Overall, amazing!

I really love the atmosphere at this pub. I have dined a few times and am always looking forward to it as they have a lot on their menu. Unfortunately it doesn’t really deliver. It’s not bad, but not great. Have had a variety of starter and mains now and couldn’t describe any as excellent. It’s a really nice venue for a drink though.

We did the Wednesday night steak as it was (Wednesday) 😁. Both really impressed with the food, drinks and service. Goofy was our waitress and she was the best. Thanks Goofy.<br/>

Lovely staff who are knowledgeable with their offerings. Food tasty and perfect match with a nice cold beer. <br/><br/>Cosy environment with comfy couches and great location

Beer garden is great in summer, good range of beers and other drinks are reasonably priced. One of the best places to be if you manage to get a table or squeeze in with some new friends.

Everything was amazing! Had the fried chicken, charcuterie board (one of the best I've ever had), duck cassoulet, Brussels sprouts and mac and cheese. Could not fault a thing! Desserts were nice but didn't compare to the mains. Service was friendly and attentive.

So go for the beer and then have the pie special. We have been there a few times now and always amazing array of beers. Warm and inviting atmosphere both upstairs and downstairs. Love love love it.

Had the chicken Parma here again and once again it didn’t disappoint!! How can you go past the beer battered chips that come with it. Great beer selection too. American pale ale went well with the Parma. <br/>Great ambience. A must go to location.

I'ma go on record and say this is one of the best pubs this side of the city in terms of craft beers. Great atmosphere, knowledgeable bar staff and fantastic food. If it's a nice day, head to the rooftop. I'll see you there for about eleventy beers! ;)

Well, walked in at around 10:30 on a Monday night and found it bustling. The staff is amazing. Polite and have some really good knowlege about the choice of Beers they have. I really enjoyed the place, the ambience and would surely go again.

Went to have a few drinks. Excellent beer selection. The place is super cozy. It can be an advantage or a disadvantage: the place is smoke free.

This place is very frustrating for us as locals. We love the food and the vibe but there is always something wrong with the service. There is always either a forgotten item, our booking being misplaced or half our party's food arriving 20 minutes before the other half. If only there was more organisation in this place, then this would be a 5 star pub.

I was struggling to catch on to the vibe here and the things that are thought to justify the current buoyant 4.2 rating. It’s ok but I kept looking around and thinking that it needs a refurb as the decor looked tired and dated. Still, the wine was good and the staff were nice. 3.5 is an interim rating. I’ll return to reassess in due course.

We've been here before and we're impressed with the Parma's and beer choices. While still impressed with their beer selection, the food and service wasn't amazing. Perhaps it was a new crew on/training on a Wednesday night. Nothing bad, just not very knowledgable and a little unhelpful. My steak was a little too much on the rare side of medium rare too. But all in all it was ok

My favourite local pub. Always friendly service and new beers to try on tap. I love the rooftop space in summer and winter (with the fire). It does fill up quickly, so make sure to reserve a table if you want prime position, or head there for lunch.<br/>The charcuterie board is always great, and the sweet potato and beetroot chips (think crisps, not fries) are a great pub snack. All the other pub staple meals (e.g. Parma, burger) are there, and really tasty. Just be willing to pay gastropub prices. I strongly recommend.

Great atmosphere. The live band really added to the ambiance. Good food, definitely worth another visit. Amazing choice of local and other beers.

Great pub that works well in both summer & winter. Long list of beers as you would expect and a great rooftop atmosphere or cosy downstairs area. Good mix of food from grazing plates to pub meal classics. A local favourite.

Went last Friday! Confit duck leg is phenomenal!!!<br/>This is a very classy pub! Wide selections of drinks but not meals but what they do, they do it best!<br/>Staff are friendly and welcoming!<br/>Good for money!

Below-par Sunday Roast, <br/>Ordered the beef roast, beef was quite nice but the rest of the meal was bland and pretty cold, <br/>Roast potatoes weren't  roasted and the yorkshire pud wasnt burnt,just felt a bit like a mass produced roast, <br/>Staff were lovely but the food was a let down.

I don't get to visit as often as I'd like, but when i do visit, I always have a good time. Buzzing atmosphere, hearty food and a great selection of beers.

Always a solid feed and great beer selection! Yassss! The staff here are quite knowledgeable and are so happy to help with any questions or queries about what's on offer that day. The location is great too being so close to public transport, so enjoy a few drinks on the roof top when it's warm

Craft beers and southern fried chicken. These are my favorite reasons to keep visiting them again and again. They are open during morning with shaded seatig area at the top floor and open at evening at ground floor as well. Very friendly and passionate staff who take their time and explain about the craft beers. And selection of craft beers are also awesome. Top stuff!

An interesting experience, I recommend the beer sampler set at this place. Service is good with friendly bartenders. Decor is classic euro pub with a lived in feel. Great place to have a drink with mates<br/><br/>Verdict: Aussie sapphire

Nice spot to catch up with friends. Upstairs is cool and great when open, but downstairs with the open fireplace and variety of high chairs, lounges and bar stools makes for a warm and inviting, cosy pub atmosphere.

Great location, this place had great food and even better beer. <br/><br/>The staff were fabulous:) I loved the open fire, it kept us warm in the Melbourne winter @<br/><br/>

Rate this place highly. Massive beer range and friendly staff and they're always happy to answer any questions or give recommendations.<br/>Bar snacks and food are pretty good, but I mainly go for the beers.<br/>They have an alright range of spirits as well. <br/>Would definitely recommend to anyone. Try something weird!

I used to live around the corner and frequent this place all the time so I was really excited to visit it again. The beers are excellent, great selection if you want to try local and international brews.  Lovely setting however the  low quality of the staff really set the mood for the entire evening. Such a shame to see and we left feeling pretty unsatisfied by the whole experience.

My daughters engagement party was held here in the upstairs function room. The staff were very accommodating and attentive. The atmospheric gentleman's lounge was very cosy and private. We ate a cocktail menu which was plentiful and tasty.

The Local Taphouse St Kilda East is a craft beer institution, and has dedicated itself to providing Melburnians the best of craft beer since the very start of the craft beer renaissance in this city.

This place is awesome!! Love their beer collection.. for all the beer lovers in Melbourne, this one is a must visit. There is a great long list of beer to choose from.

Nice upstairs beer garden area and really good service gets very busy in summer and u have to wait for a table .<br/>Have had the chicken pate it's a great rendition at a fair price. <br/>The chicken pama is thick a juicy and yummy maybe a bit to small to be top quality but good <br/>Now the real surprise packet here is the burger really really amazing. Tasting patty very good but the rest of the burger was off bad ratio of lettuce to tomato needs pickles and the bun quality was poor <br/>But the patty it self was as good as anywhere I would probs add bacon aswell. <br/>If they fix it will be ten out of ten .<br/>Prices are really steep around $10 for a little beer <br/>If u look around Carlisle street u can find some really good happy hours for less than 'tis price so think twice unless u are minted. <br/>One other thing that is strange they don't play any music on the roof top this makes a strange atmos !<br/>Come on guys play some music for gods sake

The $6 'Pickles' on the menu are pickled vegetables not pickles... they tasted horrible. When I asked about it the staff didn't care. Beers are a bit expensive but rooftop is nice.

Don't be fooled, the beer selection is Great! but the food is average at best and uninventive to match the great beer selections, and I have tried a few items on the menu. In my opinion as an all round establishment the Glass is only Half Full

Easily one of my favours restaurants. <br/>Menu has all your favourites and at a responsible price. The Burger and Parma are on point. <br/>But the beer selection!! That's the fun part. They have everything from everywhere. And the wait staff are so knowledgable and super fun. <br/>They have a lovely beer garden that is incredible on the warmer days. <br/>

Great service, friendly staff, best fried chicken, huge selection of beers, feels like a local. Small rooftop with a fireplace. Would highly recommend!

Fantastic choice of beer - always changing so there is always something new and exciting to try. Staff are very friendly and knowledgable. Will definitely be back to try some food next time.

Hit up this place for the first time after doing some research on Zomato.<br/><br/>Came for a dinner celebration for a friend with a table of 8. Nice, interesting decor inside, didn't get a chance to have a drink in the beer garden/outdoor area but that looked great. Inside was a tad dark/dingy.<br/><br/>Impressive selection of beers and alcohol. Ordered the southern friend chicken wings for all of us as a starter- these were amazing, probably not good for the heart or waist but tasted delicious.<br/><br/>For mains we had a combination of parmas and burgers. Everyone seemed to love the Parma, nice and thick and everyone raved about the sauce on the salad. My burger was good as well, so clearly they do nice food here.<br/><br/>Will be back!

The beer selection gets a big A+. Have previously had a brew here which had whiskey undertines and it remains one of my favorite beers ever. Lots of great food, fantastic setting, love it in winter

Have been several times now, tried a variety of dishes and loved everything. You get a real sense of it being freshly prepared at the restaurant rather than being bought in. Great choice of beer obviously. Only once been up to the dining area upstairs and it's a great atmosphere and friendly service. The Rioja was delicious and a great accompaniment to my steak! Will most definitely be back.

Dropped into the local tap house for lunch on Monday and were not disappointed. Wonderful atmosphere, the area upstairs is great, the beer selection was impressive and the food was beautiful, however the leaf salad was nothing special. Will definitely be returning!

What a lovely place!! It has got everything you need, and caters to different needs- great variety of beer, bar food, restaurant style food, live music, beer garden or snug and quiet dining area, great service - ALL-in-one!!!! What a cool concept.<br/><br/>We ordered cajun flavoured chips and grilled zucchini. Chips were very crunchy on the outside and soft from the inside, well seasoned, full of flavours and aioli was done well too. I wanted the entire bowl for myself!!! Zucchini was delicious as well; the butter and lemon flavours along with the subtle flavour and crunch from pistachios, topped with generous shaving of Parmesan - pure bliss; zucchini heaven was right infront of me. I couldn't fault anything except for the dish was served a bit cold (the flavours were so good that coldness didn't matter). For dessert we ordered a brownie which was huge and great for sharing but unfortunately was not that good. Personally i love chocolate so i could have still eaten it but my gf wanted it returned.. Oouch! Nice of them to take it off our bill. But that doesn't affect my view of the local.<br/><br/>Coming to beer, they have a huuuuuuuuge range, i tried beechworth pale ale and one smokey stout (can't remember the name). Both were delish.<br/><br/>Great place to hang, eat, drink and be happy. I'm coming back guys!!!

My review from 2014... YMMV ... <br/><br/>***<br/>Beers are amazing here and the surrounds are well suited for a quite drink or work function. My main focus here was the burger however... it's not that great... it's like meh... <br/><br/>Can't taste the patty.. it's good but $21?? Crazy! There is only a small hint of smoke. The bed of lettuce made the brioche bun all soggy. The brioche was neither here nor there in terms greatness. For whatever reason it reminded me of the cheeseburger buns from Maccas years long gone. The beer battered onion ring was a gd idea but all this in the one package selling for $21??? Does not work! U have to be drunk!!! <br/><br/>Ordered the southern fried chicken... $15 gets u 5 of hot n spicy KFC strips! Nothing special! <br/><br/>But do come here for the beers!!

That fried chicken!! Yummza!!!<br/>Ofcourse the beer at The Local is super too, didn't get the best beer selection award at Melbourne Pub awards for nought. Tried their wheat beer. SO good!<br/>But that fried chicken! To die for!!<br/>Brilliant!

I am a here on a regular basis, stopping by every couple of weeks.  The beer variety is constantly changing which is fantastic but also suck.  When a beer you fancy is here one week and gone the next.<br/>The food (that I have tried) is so so, not the best but no the worst but this place is about the beer, not the food.<br/>Now the customer service is what lets this place down, some of the bar staff car great and offer great assistance but other bar staff can come across pretentious and not overly enthused to assist.  A consistent service would be great.  If you know you stuff then this will not affect you.<br/><br/>Will I be back?  Definitely!!

Located in Carlise Street and hosting a massive amount of craft beers on (rotating) taps and a laid-back rooftop, the Local Taphouse has earned its title of my ‘local.’ There are two levels to the bar. Downstairs has a casual euro-tavern vibe, while upstairs is an open rooftop (with a cover that quickly comes across if it rains). We come here for the beer and the vibes; the good food is a bonus.

Great beer selection although the surly staff that work behind the bar do need to do some work on their so called customer service. Not hard to engage your paying customers who keep you in a job. Poor show.

A friend of a friend said that The Local Taphouse knows how to Parmy! They did not lie! This beast of a chicken Parma was thick, tasty and not too dry. $24 for free range chicken, wood smoked ham, Napoli, two cheeses, fries and salad. Great value considering it easily fed 2 of us on a Sunday arvo.🤑 Only complaint is fries under food, it's my pet hate and can make them soggy. Sad face...

With a rooftop bar upstairs, and a pub downstairs, this local joint caters to all sorts. Rather than trying to please everyone and anyone, they smartly maintain a succinct food menu and drinks menu, all of which are reasonably priced. . We came here on a hot day, and the roof top bar was packed. Luckily our friends had already been there for an hour or so and were lucky enough to nab a table. We squeeze onto the available seats and ordered some haloumi and figs and a glass of prosecco. Our haloumi and figs were beautifully done and I liked the contrast of the warm salty haloumi cheese against the cool sweet succulence of the fresh figs. The sauce was a nice touch, but a bit too gluggy for my liking. A slightly more tarty, and thinner version would have made a much better accompaniment. Luckily, the prosecco was cold and refreshing in the first few sips, although it quickly waned in the heat of the outdoors.

With a rooftop bar upstairs, and a pub downstairs, this local joint caters to all sorts. Rather than trying to please everyone and anyone, they smartly maintain a succinct food menu and drinks menu, all of which are reasonably priced. . We came here on a hot day, and the roof top bar was packed. Luckily our friends had already been there for an hour or so and were lucky enough to nab a table. We squeeze onto the available seats and ordered some haloumi and figs and a glass of prosecco. Our haloumi and figs were beautifully done and I liked the contrast of the warm salty haloumi cheese against the cool sweet succulence of the fresh figs. The sauce was a nice touch, but a bit too gluggy for my liking. A slightly more tarty, and thinner version would have made a much better accompaniment. Luckily, the prosecco was cold and refreshing in the first few sips, although it quickly waned in the heat of the outdoors.

Really enjoyed this pub, great food, massive servings and fresh and tasty! Great beer selection! Great roof top bar, perfect place for some sunny beers and a feed!

Great pub food & amazing roof top bar. Love this place & chose it for my birthday drinks twice in a row. Great choice of beers on tap too. The live music nights downstairs are fun too.

Beer heaven! Great rooftop! Great atmosphere! Doesn't seem to be enough staff on as we were left waiting in line for a beer a bit to long (10ish mins) & staff weren't overly friendly or helpful either. Will definitely be back though to check out there other beers

I mainly come here for the food (put your pitchforks away, beer connoisseurs!) we had a large group who ordered a wide range of things from the menu and I managed to steal a bite or two from all of them. There was nothing I disliked. The southern fried chicken is a MUST and authentic-tasting according to the token American in our group.

Loved the restaurant!!!! Great beer tasting and great beer I chose to continue! Don't renember the name but it had a citrys flavir!!!!The food was great, recomend the chicken parfaitt ,patatas bravas, grilled calamari, humos, halumi, cucumber salad and of course the chicken parmigiana!!!!! It was huge, were unable ti finish. Go with good appetite!!!!

This place has the best fried chicken ever! Sat in the courtyard outside and the place had a great atmosphere. Staff were great and service was pretty quick.

Always interesting beers on tap. Food very good, atmosphere hard to beat regardless,if upstairs or downstairs. Usually a good night out with friends.

We had a great night here. The atmosphere is really nice and it's a nice place for any nice occasion. The assortment of beers were great and would recommend you try the paddle with your choice of a selection of different beers. We found the food really nice, but were a bit let down with the waffles that were the dessert specials for the night. They were cold and a bit weird. Definitely the frozen kind. The creme brulee was great though. You can't go wrong. Overall, we really enjoyed our night and the oysters were probably the highlight.

Only rating this for the beer. As an Englishman I love my "proper beer" and this place never disappoints. Great place to grab a pint in the winter by the fire or the summer on the roof

Great chicken Parma and the best selection of beers I've seen in Melbourne. Sunday's are trivia night which is always fun and I've won a few beer tasting palettes there. Not heaps on the menu for our vegetarian friends, but everything I've had on the pub style menu is consistently good.

Had the most amazing beef burger here, never tasted such a good burger in my life! The atmosphere was great, and so were the beers and ciders!

Amazing food (and beer obviously!). Staff could not have been more friendly or helpful when selecting from the huge range of tap beers. Will definitely be back!

Great pub! Good selection of beers, and the bartenders are super helpful when trying to figure out which one you want. Make sure you get the Southern Fried chicken! It was easily the best thing we had! The fireplace outside with the outdoor heaters make it great for the colder weather. Very casual and laid back.

After a long time coming we can gladly say we finally made it to the famous St Kilda local tap house. It’s safe to say this place is well known for their large range of craft beers and of course word on the street was they do a ripper parma too. The european style bar and eatery is a cool venue to say the least. Awesome Beer Gardens, bar and dining area, it has everything you need for a good night. <br/>We placed our order at the bar and awaited the main event.<br/>20 minutes or so they were out.<br/>The tap house uses pure white real chicken breast which was fresh , thick and juicy. The schnitzel was a really good size. Not to small to leave you hungry, but not to monstrous where your forced to crawl out of the place.<br/>The crumbing was okay but abit disappointing. From the many Pictures we had seen of the parma, one aspect that drew our attention was the crumbing. Boy did it look nice and crunchy, Just how we like it. The crumbing on our birds was quite thin and soggy. It wasn’t bad , but it was just not we were expecting.<br/>The napoli was home made and really tasty. They weren’t shy on the napoli which we loved.<br/>The ham was quite tasteless. At times we forgot it was even there. Another slice of pig would of complimented the parma really well. <br/>The mozzarella cheese was fresh and stringy. Could of done with another hand full but thats us being picky. <br/>The chips are described as beer battered ‘frites’. Not really knowing what to expect, we were stoked to see a generous handful of thick beer battered pillows laying under the parma creating a nice resting place for the schnitzel. They were cooked and seasoned perfectly. Delicious.<br/>The salad was a garden salad which was dressed with a creamy garnish. Did the job just fine.<br/>The Local Taphouse has something for everyone. Whether your after a awesome place to bath in the sun whilst sinking a beer, or enjoy the famous aussie staple on a cold night indoors, chances are the tap house can and will satisfy your needs. <br/>We hope the parma at the tap house is there to stay due to it being recently taken off the menu and put back on. <br/>If you ever find yourself at the tap house, be sure to order the parma.<br/><br/>7.5/10

Beers - amazing. Food - not so much. Have been here a few times to check out the fantastic beer selection and came here again with my friend recently to check out the food. I saw on here that they have got a new menu so wanted to give it a go - had a very tasty sandwich here a few months back. Ordered the Parma and the veggie burger. Was served by a guy with a big beard. Probably one of the least friendly encounters I've had with a bartender in melbourne. Not talkative in the slightest and put me off discussing the beers with him, which is a shame. Got my beers and put my order in just in time to walk past the kitchen pass and see my chicken schnitzel being frisbeed into the deep fryer. Lovely. Parma was dry and greasy as were the chips. The veggie burger was not much better. The beers were brilliant. It is a shame that the food and the drinks are a million miles apart in my opinion, would be great if the parmas were freshly cooked in a pan, the chips were freshly made and handcut. The place has got such a nice pub feel to it, homey, tasty dishes would suit it perfectly instead of deep fried stodge. 5 stars for the beer, 2 for the food.

My absolute favourite pub in Melbourne. Heaps of delicious beers on tap that are constantly changing. The food here is delicious, make sure you get some fried chicken to share. The parma is one of the best in Melbourne, delicious. However last time I came in, the salad was only a few pieces of lettuce, either way still a great meal. Great atmosphere inside and out. Probably not the cheapest pub, but definitely worth it.

Cool place with a large selection of ales on tap, decent selection with Pale Ales, IPAs, APAs, etc which I like. Tasting paddle of 5 x 90ml, is great, you can pick 5 beers and crackers or have them pick it for you, and they'll choose the appropriate tasting order.

As any fan of beer knows, ‘beer goes with everything!’ However, it is undeniable that a well-paired beer and pub meal combo is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and The Local Taphouse in St Kilda do their best to serve that up all year round.

Excellent food and great service. Atmosphere also really good. Reasonable prices for the food, chicken Parma was huge. Would re-visit and recommend to anyone

Food is okay, nothing special. Decent but not really why you want to go here.<br/>The beers however is the true reason to go here.<br/>Vast selection of beers both bottled and on tap.<br/>It can get a bit pricey, especially if you're new to the craft beer scene.<br/>Greatly knowledgeable staff, friendly as well.<br/>Nice decor and atmosphere. Can get full really quick in the weekends.<br/>I've drank some of the best beers I have ever drunk here and there's a good reason for that.<br/><br/>Will be back as soon as I can.

Thoroughly enjoyed our evening here. Great food, great service and great beer. I had the steak and my partner had the Parma. The steak was perfectly cooked and delicious. The side salad was a bit meh though - essentially just parsley and radish. The Parma was juicy and a good size. Smoked ham was yummy but there could have been a bit more. The sauce lacked a bit of depth and the chips were first rate. Highly recommend the French Canadian stout le seng d'encre - delicious.

Great Beer, Great Service. As an avid craft beer drinker, I often find it hard to find a beer I havent tried. Not at The Local Taphouse. Their beer selection is fantastic, and staff are knowledgeable and willing to lend a hand if you get a bit too overwhelmed. Lovely patio. Not a bad thing to say.

That fried chicken!. Fried Chicken at it's finest - it really is my local and the food is on point! Will always come back for the Fried Chicken.<br/>Yum!

Last night we went out for dinner to The Local Taphouse. Its a small old school pub, beer bottles lining the walls. A typical kitschy type of place we go to. The staff are friendly, quick service and always lovely to go here. When you walk up the stairs on the left is the bar with an awesome selection of beers. Whats the point going to a pub if you don't have beer?  Our Friend had the Haanbakk Oak aged Ale I had the beer paddle which is 5 different beers (90ml) each but still fun to do. You start from the left (lightest beer) and drink to the left (darkest beer). I started with the Mclaren Vale Indian Pale Ale from South Australia, very light and fruity with slight bitterness after taste. Next was the Doghouse Indian Pale Ale from New South Wales, quiet hoppy with a bit of bitterness, but still great. I had the Jerome Lambic next from Illawarra Brewing Co, New South Wales, it had a  red wine taste to it, but was also slightly sour.  Madamin is from Loverbeer Italy,

The to share menu looks amazing, reading through you think, yes, yes, yes! They all sound delicious, the fish tacos were my least preferred choice of the whole menu! Not off to a good start, but once they arrived we were pleasantly surprised! They were far bigger than I imaged which equated to good value for money!<br/><br/>They were possibly the best fish tacos we have eaten in Melbourne !! Fresh, crispy and DELICIOUS !! They were absolutely amazing !

With arguably the city’s best beer list, a sunny-side-up roof deck and a menu screaming out to be eaten with suds in mind, this could be called the Balaclava Beacon (sounds better than St Kilda East Beacon). Their burger is something special. Firstly the name 3 BEER BEEF BURGER creates so many images. Is it big enough that 3 beers are consumed during a sitting, is the burger in fact 3 beer glasses seperated with cheese? No it's something all together better! German smoked beer marinated premium beef burger, with pilsner battered onion rings & beer battered frites. It’s ideal with …beer. CONGRATS THE TAP! Related posts 2013 Happiest Award - Best Weekly Specials 2013 Happiest Award - Best Parma 2013 Happiest Awards - Best Beer Garden 2013 Happiest Award - Best Beer List 2013 Happiest Awards - Best Sunday Special Other lin

The local taphouse is all about great beer. The European inspired tavern specializes in craft beers. They have an extensive range of continually changing beers available, which would have any beer enthusiast feeling right at home.  You can talk beer with any of the staff members because they know a lot about beer and will happily assist you with choosing the right beer to compliment your meal. And if you want to take your love for beer to another level, you can join the ‘Ale Stars’ beer club where they discuss and taste rare beers in a social and relaxed setting once a month. The dark wooden walls of the tavern and lowly hung lights create a warm and intimate ambiance. Outside there is a nice outdoor roof terrace area. The Local Taphouse – Outside roof terrace. It’s a great place for people to meet and catch up for a drink or two or three or four. In fact they offer tasting paddles so you can try samples of a range of different beers. It’s sort of like a dessert tast

Well The Local (said pun) Taphouse on Carlisle Street in Balaclava is just that, a hidden gem of a rooftop pub. Climb the stairs and you’ll discover a rooftop bar that smacks of character and old school English pub charm. It’s absolutely spot on for that first drink. The Local is a microbrewery, so ordering that first drink is a challenge as there are options aplenty, but a fun challenge that your date and you can share. The barmen are happy to recommend you something similar to your usual drop, and equally willing to let you taste a few options.<br/><br/>So you’ve negotiated that first dri

The Local Taphouse has been a beer institute and has been labeled as “the best beer bar in the land”. The Taphouse has wood panels and beer memorabilia that create a warm and welcoming traditional pub feel reminiscent of a vintage 1930s European beer tavern. We were surprised to find Southern Fried Chicken on their menu so we went for it alongside the 3 beef burger and the broccoli side and two cool beers (A pilsner and a wheat beer for The Chick). The burger came out as an above average pub burger that came with sinful fries. The broccoli was hot and crisp and just the right side of greens to satisfy The Chick’s healthy requirements. The chicken was surprisingly good. It was served in a bucket and consisted of 4 big chicken breast tender pi

  There are always people around the entrance to The Local Taphouse in Balaclava.  One reason is because it is right on a tram stop and another is that the downstairs bar is popular and people sometimes spill out particularly in the summer. Last week on a surprisingly sunny July day I ate in the restaurant for the first time. The entrance to the restaurant and the roof-top outdoor terrace is somewhat hidden. Narrow stairs lead up from the street to a bar, a dining room and the roof-top terrace. This is a beer place and the menu of boutique beers is extensive and information about beer is everywhere. We didn’t go for the beer but for the atmosphere and the food of which we had heard good reports.  There is a wine list, too, and our bottle of Saugvion Blanc recommended by the Barman was good drinking at $38.00. We checkout some blogs before we went and the hamburgers got a great rave.  If you read other posts in this blog you will know that I find it hard to go past a good hamburgers and

Both the downstairs and upstairs bartenders were very knowledgeable and were very keen to assist me in my trip around the world. The beer garden outside is a relaxing place with heaters and a fire raging and although the umbrellas do not provide good shelter form the climactic Melbourne weather, I do not know many that do especially when on occasion hail seemingly comes down horizontally.

The Local Taphouse was a pub I had never heard of untill it was suggested to me a short while ago by @beergirlbites on Twitter, I gave the website a once over, confirmed a parma was on the menu, and we headed over to St. Kilda to give it a go

Local Taphouse means craft beer. Over 20 craft beers on tap so its heaven for beer lovers. And its also a great pub as well…

We were very impressed. I reckon the most common source of 'meh' on a sub-standard parma is boring napoli sauce. Sometimes it's not even napoli sauce, and other times, it's good sauce but there's not enough of it. The Taphouse does not have these problems. They serve juicy, thick napoli, and they cover it with delicious ham.

They also somehow get the chips perfect too. I have been back a couple of times and the chips are never hit and miss.

Fantastic spot in the hub of Carlisle Street there is The Local Taphouse offering a welcome beer nad some pretty good food in a cosy local pub. Firstly- check out the roof top bar and grab a table to enjoy the fresh air and in winter they will put on heaters and a big fire to give you the best outdoor experience!! So – beer – very important! There are a selection of ‘Current taps’ with 20 to choose from including the amusing names of Mr Mistoffelles, Last Drop Dunkelwiezen and Doctors Orders Plasma!!! What the?!??! But if those 20 don’t float your boat there are plenty of bottled beers to choose from! Wine list – Good choice by the glass and across regions without too many NZ Sauv Blancs appearing!! Food – the menu is a great selection of ‘A Little Bit’ and ‘A Bit More’ with sides and desserts it would be easy to stay all day! Choose from Blimpie Sandwich, Crispy skin pork belly, Southern Fried Chicken tenders or go big with ’3 beer beef burger’, parma, herty lamb pie… all great winter

...fantastic range of beers, a chilled out atmosphere and also holds Beerista and Ale Stars Beer Appreciation courses which would have been interesting to do if we were in Melbourne for a little longer.

Not only do you guys have the best beer selection I've ever seen, you last night ridiculously sent my expectations of service and good food through the roof! I would actually put my meal up there with some of the best in Melbourne. I nearly ordered my dish twice! In case your wondering, I had the stuffed zucchini and barramundi. Holy moly, just thinking about it sends my taste buds into a frenzy! Would have always come back for the beer but will be back in a heart beat for the food! Nom nom nom ..........

Up there with the best Melbourne has to offer!. The craft beers on selection here would make a non-drinker reconsider. Simply excellent beverages are on offer. The beers by themselves are sufficient to ensure an enjoyable time here not to mention the fantastic food, particularly the cooked to perfection southern fried chicken. The staff members are all very knowledgable on what beers suit your tastes so you can leave it up to them to pick out something good if you feel the need. Always a great atmosphere and homely feel. 10/10.

Great beer selection, we had the paddle which was decent value for money. Lovely terrace outside and the chicken was so tasty! Will definitely return.

Amazing food ruined by bad bouncer attitude. Was having a wonderful night, great food good company until we went outside & a staff member or bouncer decided to cut my friend off at the bar. He had only had 3-4 wines. He is a little outrageous and has a loud laugh but he was no where near intoxicated. Even my father who was not drinking went to the staff and asked why? They got their $350 out of us and could have got another $150 but then the bouncer who did not know how to smile and had the worst attitude I have ever come accross ruined our night so we left and will never return. Shame, real shame!

Always a pleasure . I usually go upstairs for a delicious beverage on the rooftop but decided to have dinner tonight. I ordered the steak and it went down a treat, absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend it.

Felt like over the water! Our new fave!. I can't believe we have just found his place! <br/><br/>Relaxing, cosy and the choice of ales and beers really gave it that European touch! I miss this so much! <br/><br/>I got the beef pho which was fantastic! Especially as I was feeling under the weather and it really warmed me up! My boyfriend got the burger, which he also enjoyed.<br/><br/>The staff were welcoming and there was nothing at all pretentious about the place, which I find very refreshing for Melbourne. We come from the UK ourselves but have travelled in Europe and there is nothing better than finding a pub like this. A previous reviewer on here advised that there was 'too many chips...not very European' I'd love to know if they've actually ventured over there , Belgium!? Mussels and chips! My fave! <br/><br/>Much better than these so called 'pubs' make you choose from a vast menu of smashed avocado and egg dishes with a overpriced thimble of beer! <br/>My point is, there is an array of worldwide dishes here to suit every taste, it's homely, well priced and welcoming...that's where the European 'feel' kicks in :)

Best range of beers in the area. I can't believe we only just found The Local, it is quickly becoming our new favourite hang out, the best range of beers on tap, that keep rotating and as a huge fan of share dishes how it is, I really love the share menu, so many tasty options and something for everyone, simple but delicious food, the service is always friendly and attentive, they have done very well, great layout and great range of drinks and food, as well as wonderful staff, it ticks all the boxes, looking forward to our next visit.