Where to Drink: the 15 Best Melbourne Bar Tours

1.Melbourne’s Living Laneway Scene: Local Bars and Their Stories

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 542 reviews · from $63Our pick

Walk Melbourne’s central laneways with a local guide such as Hugo, Ian, Simon, or Laura, stopping at four changing bars. Expect a classic pub, cocktail bar, wine-focused venue, and a fourth stop matched to your group. One drink at each venue is generally included, but check the current booking terms.

“The tour with Laura was awesome. Knowledgeable of each location and the city in general. Open and friendly”

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2.Local Laneway Bars and Their Stories

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 305 reviews · 3 hours · from $63

Spend three hours walking Melbourne’s central laneways with guides such as Hugo, Ian, Julia, or Simon. Visit four changing bars, from heritage conversions to small cocktail rooms, with one opening drink included. Expect local history, hidden entrances, flexible recommendations, and a maximum group size of 12.

“Beau is a great guide! he has incredible knowledge of Melbourne.”

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3.Hidden Bars & Laneway Legends Tour Of Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 177 reviews · from $46

Walk from Fed Square through Oliver Lane, AC/DC Lane, Chinatown, and Little Bourke Street with guides such as Tess, Tom, Bridgette, and Daniel. Hear unusual Melbourne stories, visit three laneway bars, join a trivia quiz, and receive a bar map. Drinks cost extra.

“It was good fun, very informative Certainly value for money, very wide ranging covering architecture, history even a ghost story The tour guide Brigitte was excellent and the group enjoyed themselves Lots of variety in the places we visited”

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4.Creepy Tales, Bars & Laneways Of Melbourne Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 169 reviews · from $46

Follow a guide such as Bridgette, Tess, Lenny, or Daniel from Queen Victoria Market to Federation Square. Hear tales of graveyards, executions, crime, murder, and ghosts while stopping at three lesser-known bars. The group is capped at 10, drinks cost extra, and uneven streets require steady walking.

“A great guide with a lot of interesting information. We went to a variety of bars that catered for different tastes.”

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5.Ice Bar Tour in Melbourne with Cocktails

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 96 reviews · from $32

At IceBar Melbourne, you’ll suit up in a hooded cape, gloves, and boots before entering Australia’s only ice bar. Spend about 45 minutes among ice sculptures, icy seats, games, and a complimentary cocktail or soft drink. Staff such as Laura and Nicole are noted for helping with photos and games.

“Ice Bar Was fantastic and cocktails were delish. Staff were so much fun, was a great experience and very enjoyable”

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6.Melbourne Pub Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 87 reviews · from $18

Meet at Wax Music Lounge at 6:30 pm for a five-hour Melbourne CBD crawl led by a local guide, possibly Patrick. Visit several bars, receive free shots and drink discounts, then finish at a club with free entry and a drink.

“Patrick, the guy running it is a wicked dude! Great way to meet people and see melbourne, drink into the night and enjoy”

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7.Hidden Bar and Cocktail Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 62 reviews · 3 hours · from $63

Walk Melbourne’s alleys and stairways with an English-speaking guide such as Lucy, Ian, Jess, or Josh, and visit three unmarked bars. You’ll hear odd city stories, get cocktail suggestions, share finger food or pizza, and receive a map of 10 more bars. Drinks cost extra.

“Ian was a great story teller and Melbourne historian. Great to hear back story to the different bars. Would definitely do another tour.”

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8.Hidden Bars of Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 38 reviews · from $121

Meet your guide at Bourke Street Mall at 7 pm for a 3-hour-45-minute walk through Melbourne’s city-center bar scene. Guides including Sam, San, and Rosie lead small groups to 10 to 15 venues, with two cocktails included and stops adjusted to the group.

“Sam was brilliant. Very helpful, friendly, and made sure everyone got out of the experience what they were after.”

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9.Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 23 reviews · 5 hours · from $17Best value

Meet your English-speaking guide inside the starting venue, then visit several Melbourne CBD bars and finish at a club. You get free entry, three listed free shots, and a drink at the end. Guides such as Frank and Eden have been praised for welcoming solo visitors and keeping the group together.

“The flyer said 7:30 pm but when I get there , the receptionist from the hostel told me that it supposed to start 6:30 pm I took an taxi cab to get there. It annoys me to be honest, ‘cause was not my fault! Anyways, apart from that the tour guide was awesome! Frank 10/10”

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10.City`s History and Unique Bar Scene Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 19 reviews · 3 hours · from $148

Join an English-speaking local guide for a three-hour walk from the Old Treasury Building through Melbourne’s laneways, Chinatown, and characterful bars. Learn about Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung culture, gold rush fortunes, and red-light district tales, with drinks chosen and paid for at each stop.

“We had Tristan as our tour guide, who was lovely! He catered the tour for our tired legs & spent extra time on topics that interested us. Awesome spots for drinks too!”

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11.Alcotraz Melbourne: World’s First Prison-Themed Cocktail Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 16 reviews · 1h 30m · from $61

At Alcotraz Melbourne, you become an inmate in a movie-style prison, complete with orange jumpsuit, metallic cells, prison radio and crooked guards. Hide your contraband liquor, follow the prison story and enjoy four fixed cocktails, or choose beer, wine or mocktails instead.

“Sat round for long periods. Great idea but think it needs more thought & developing. Needs a stronger storyline with more jokes & maybe a couple of true stories (short ones) in there. Liked the parol office part & dress ups.”

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12.Melbourne Beer Tour – Hidden Bars & Local Brews

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 12 reviews · 3 hours · from $239

Follow a local English-speaking guide, often Tristan, from central Melbourne by tram to Collingwood for tastings at three independent beer venues. Expect tasting paddles, paired snacks, brewing stories, about 1.5 km of walking, and a small group of up to 12, with private tours also available.

“Tristan was really cool. A true local. I would say this tour was disability friendly, I supported a man with Down syndrome on the tour and he really enjoyed it. It was just me, my client and Tristan. It felt like three mates who were all beer enthusiasts, going out to drink and chat mainly about beer, but Tristan had that local knowledge which added a lot to the experience.”

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13.Hidden Bars & Creepy Tales Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 10 reviews · 3 hours · from $46

Join an English-speaking guide such as Tess, Bridgette, Jay, or Alda for a three-hour walk from Queen Victoria Market to Flinders Lane. Hear grim Melbourne tales, visit the site of its first graveyard and Old Melbourne Gaol, and stop at three reserved laneway bars.

“Tess our guide was awesome, her historical knowledge was very informative and her storytelling entertaining with her wonderful insights into Melbourne's creepy past. Thank you, Tess, for an enjoyable evening, weeknight and all you made it a great night!”

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14.Hidden Bars & Laneway Legends Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 9 reviews · 3 hours · from $46

Walk Melbourne’s eastern CBD with an English-speaking guide such as Jay, Bridget, or Ben, stopping at three bars and tracing stories of gold, street art, old drinking rules, secret clubs, and a famous miscarriage of justice. Drinks cost extra, and the tour runs rain or shine.

“The guide Jay of Drinking History Tours was delightful in conversation, and we had many a wonderful discussion ranging from Melbourne history which was informative, to our shared travel interests, and politics. The visits to the selected bars showed us a range of choices. And Jay accompanied us at the end to an additional bar of our own choosing, Caretaker Tavern, delaying the end of our tour time, which was appreciated. Highly recommended tour for first timers to Melbourne.”

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15.Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 1h 30m · from $27

Join Lantern Ghost Tours for a 90-minute, English-language walk through Melbourne’s haunted pubs, arcades, and laneways. Guide Julie has led highly praised outings, linking an unsolved murder, a tragic love affair, the Chloe painting, and three historic pubs. Drinks cost extra and the tour is for ages 18 and over.

“Was a great night we enjoyed learning some of the stories and history of Melbourne (pubs and areas around the CBD). Julie did a great job. =)”

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