Above Board

I visited this bar around 7 PM and was pleasantly surprised that there was no wait for a table. The staff were incredibly warm, friendly, and easy to chat with, which immediately made the atmosphere feel welcoming. The overall interior design is simple yet stylish — modern without feeling cold. I tried three of their sweeter cocktails, and all of them were absolutely delicious! It’s the kind of place that makes you want to come back again. Highly recommend for a relaxed night out with great vibes and great drinks.

We had such a great experience here! The wine was absolutely amazing – you can really tell they care about quality. The staff were super friendly and took the time to chat with us for a while. They even gave us some great recommendations, and every bottle they shared was spot on. It was such a pleasure talking with them – it really made our visit special. Highly recommend!

Such a cool hidden bar in Collingwood! You enter through Beermash and head upstairs to the first floor, suddenly you’re in what feels like a secret, ultra-exclusive bar. The atmosphere is calm, intimate, and beautifully minimal. Perfect for a date night or a quiet catch-up with close friends 🍸 We were lucky to snag the last two seats (there are only about 12 in total), so it definitely pays to arrive early. The staff were attentive and interested in what we liked. They crafted custom drinks based on our preferences (off-menu, so I don’t remember the name), and they were so good we ended up ordering a second round. Loved the little detail of the “Above Board” logo stamped into the ice cube too. Only wish they served snacks, we were craving a little something while sipping on those killer cocktails. Still, an unforgettable experience and definitely worth checking out.

One of the best bars in Melbourne, Australia and beyond! Thanks to Hayden, this bar has character and the drinks are almost as good as the service. Clear 5 stars. Just go through the beer place and up the stairs!

This award-winning cocktail bar is tucked inside another bar, and finding it was half the fun 😌 We dropped by on a Friday evening and just managed to snag the last cozy sofa seats😉 What we ordered: ✨H.S.L. Special (AUD 24) ✨Japanese Slipper (AUD 24) ✨The benefactor (AUD 24) ✨Passionfruit (AUD 24) The cocktail menu leans fruity, which suits my taste perfectly! Each drink was refreshing, but the H.S.L. Special stole the show for me. It had a complex, well-balanced flavour with just the right kick of alcohol😍 This place is definitely worth a visit, especially if you're into creative cocktails and chill vibes. Recommend making a reservation ahead of time to skip the wait 😉

If this bar is ranked the best in the world, I honestly can’t understand why. The atmosphere was far from ideal—super loud music (and not the good kind), completely ruining what should have been a relaxed, light wine bar vibe. The pricing made no sense either—every cocktail was $24, regardless of what you ordered. And for that price, I expected something exceptional, but the cocktails were just average at best. The service? Absolutely terrible. One of the bartenders, the male bartender seemed like he wanted to joke around, but when it came to actually serving me, he blatantly ignored me. He refilled water for everyone except me, and when I politely asked for some, he loudly refused, making the whole situation incredibly embarrassing. I had to ask a female bartender instead, and even then, she only refilled my glass once. Considering I had four different cocktails, I was barely given any water—unless I basically begged for it. Definitely not an experience that justifies the hype.

Classic hidden bar vibes start immediately with the entrance, if you wish to avoid walking through the downstairs business “Beermash”, then you can turn down Perry Street and then walk to the end of the first alleyway, you will know it is the correct alley if you see the giant dog mural 😍 from there you take the set of stairs to the 1st floor and will be greeted by the friendly staff. We were 2 walk-ins. We were greeted warmly and taken to our comfortable and dimly lit (but cozy) booth. I will say it did feel a little chilly with the AC on, when it was a rather cold and rainy night outside. But it wasn’t unbearable. We were given water immediately along with the menus, and were able to place our orders within minutes of arriving. Our server was very friendly and attentive and brought our drinks shortly after ordering. The cocktails were amazing! Up there with the best bars in Melbourne for sure. If you are looking for a cocktail bar to go to with high expectations on the quality of their drinks then I would definitely and highly recommend Above Board! The whole experience was fast, smooth, easy, comfortable and just all around great. Will definitely be back! *as we did not eat here, and unable to give 0 stars/no rating for food I have left it at 3 to be as fair as possible, judging by past reviews and photos were taken into account as well.

The place is intimate and the staff are friendly. It felt like I was coming back to a place I've known for years even though it was my first time there. The staff make an effort to have genuine conversation instead of just small talk. Love it.