Bar Holiday

This was my third time visiting Bar Holiday, and I can confidently say it’s a place I’ll always come back to. The vibes are consistently great — it was my first time coming during winter and it still felt warm, cosy, and inviting. That said, the venue definitely thrives in summer with its light and airy feel, but there’s no way I’ll be waiting a few more months before returning again. The food is always a standout. These guys do entrees exceptionally well, and they usually have a couple of pastas on the menu that I always end up ordering because they’re just that good. Everything comes out quickly and the staff are genuinely lovely — warm, attentive, and super friendly. I also love the interior mood here. The decor is playful but thoughtful, with cute details and candles scattered around the space that really elevate the ambience. Whether you’re popping in for a wine and a yap, heading out for date night, or catching up with friends over a few plates, Bar Holiday suits all kinds of occasions. If you’re in Carlton and looking to avoid the chaos of Lygon Street, this place is a little hidden gem that’s well worth a visit.

This is a great spot for casual wine nights. We visited around 5:40 on a Tuesday evening, and the place was already packed, so we ended up sitting at the bar. It turned out that 5 to 6 was their golden hour, and we still managed to order some drinks and snacks at a discounted price. I really liked their chilled house red wine, and the Grada coffee with spirits and tonic was also enjoyable. The food was overall okay. It felt more like a place to grab a drink before or after dinner rather than a full dinner spot. As for the service, it was a bit hard to get the staff’s attention at times — they were very busy.

great little spot for food and drinks. ordered the pasta with pork ragu and fennel it was good. the fennel flavour comes through and it’s rich and hearty. my order was missed and i had to wait 40 minutes for the pasta but they made up for it with a complimentary side of olives which is good enough for me! would definitely come back.

📍 Bar Holiday, Carlton - 4.6 ⭐️ out of 5 Lovedddddddd my time at Bar Holiday. A very fun time with beautiful friends, beautiful wine, beautiful food, and a beautiful environment (hello dim lighting and views of the gardens). We got the: ➖Holiday snack plate (~$12) ➖Eggplant chips (~$15) ➖Casarecce with pork and fennel ragu (~$26) ➖Seafood linguine (~$30) ➖Rigatoni (~$25) ➖Fig panzanella salad ($15) The eggplant chips, casarecce and seafood linguine were stand outs to me. The pickled veg on the holiday snack plate were tasty, but I did think it was a little small. Overall 4.6 ⭐️ out of 5.

This place has a great combination of nice ambiance, good music, and amazing food! I really love the fried eggplant n it’s sooo good!! Lightly salty and crispy. I ordered a Blood Orange drink, and it turned out to be a perfect pair with the eggplant. Definitely would love to come back

Been here a few times for food and drinks (mostly drinks). Staff are always super accommodating, friendly and chatty—good vibes all around. The happy hour is well worth it!

Amazing space … great food and service and chill vibes on vinyl playing

ORDERED: 🍞 Bread & butter ($4.00) 🐟 White anchovy toast (4 pieces) ($18.00) 🍟 Fries & mayo ($10.00) 🦪 Braised clams and chorizo, white wine & paprika broth ($24.00) 🍝 Casarecce, pork & fennel ragu ($26.00) 🍝 Linguine with prawns, mussels, tomato & dill ($30.00) It was roughly $30.00pp between four people. This didn't include drinks! REVIEW: ✔ The chips really stood out for me. The kitchen team ain't shy with the salt, so the savoury notes hit me in all the right places. The mayo was an interesting take, but it was a perfect portion & sharing piece between friends. 🤝 ➖ The food otherwise was decent. I enjoyed what I had, but it's not a place where the food is the main focus - it's definitely more about the social vibes. Nonetheless, the broth within the braised clams and chorizo was delicious but the clams themselves weren't notable. 🥣 Linguine with prawns was ordered later, and was a mild way to end the dinner. No offensive flavours, but the dill was a great herb that added impact and enjoyment. 🌿 🔊 Seated at the back of the restaurant and the speaker above our heads, you couldn't deny the power of their bass. It was a little hard to speak between our friends at times (limited to a table of 4). However, it did seem like we were forgotten about when our water carafe wasn't filled and empty plates were being slowly picked up. Nonetheless ambiance was perfect for parties looking to drink and chill. Candles were lit when it got dark which also added to the carefree mood.