John T.
Yelp
Right across the street from the Vic market is a traditional Irish pub with a slogan something like "no shamrocks, no leprechauns" and something else, not sure. If the idea of going to an irish pub makes you want to clothe yourself in orange, you might want to give this place a try. It is not the kind of place that has given irish pub's a bad name, it is the kind of place that inspired people to hijack the concept of an irish pub to horrible effect.
Anyway, I appreciate a decent pub Irish or otherwise that doesn't have TVs, has good service behind the bar, and is swimming in good woodwork and history. The walls are lined with pictures of famous Irish luminaries (Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, etc.) and there is often live music. Good beer and good prices, with a good selection of whiskey.
They don't have much in the way of food but they do claim to have good "toasted sandwiches." Not totally confident about what those are exactly, but I suspect they are what they sound like.
Worth a visit. Their website is also pretty good and has a list of upcoming events http://www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au/home. Last time I was there a pretty good band was playing and it looks like there is