Meche Bar Review

Review by Elizabeth Abbott

Meche sets high expectations by advertising itself as the winner of “best late night entertainment venue” (in the ACT), and while I’m not sure about the title I will say that a night out at Meche is what you make it. If you’re a uni student looking to have a fun night out with friends then Meche is the right place to go: the place is busy late at night, drinks are cheap and the dancefloor is big. Entry to Meche is almost always free, which is a major bonus given many other clubs in the area have a cover charge.

Meche is a club almost exclusively visited by uni students, particularly on Thursday and Saturday nights. This group’s presence means that the dancefloor is always full and everyone is always dancing. The music played varies: on Thursdays it’s remixes of mainstream pop music, with DJ Songz most often DJing, however on Saturdays Meche becomes home to “Any Given Saturdays” – a night of urban and r&b music played by a variety of local and interstate DJs.

The interior of Meche is not particularly innovative in its design, however the layout gives you everything you want from a bar or club. There is a large lounge area behind the dancefloor with plenty of stylish couches and chairs if you’re just looking to talk with friends. In addition there is also a major drawcard in Meche’s open-air rooftop bar: the terrace. This area is brightly lit, decorated with potted plants and has plenty of seating room.

Disappointingly, when we visited Meche the terrace bar wasn’t staffed. Also, don’t expect to pop out on the terrace for a cigarette as the area is non-smoking.

The two bars inside Meche always had 3 bartenders on hand and they were speedy in preparing drinks so the queues were never long. Before midnight drinks are discounted and very affordable, and increase to moderate prices after 12am. Drinks can’t be taken onto the dancefloor area (security enforces this rule strictly) but there is plenty of bar space to sit at and finish your drink before you head back to dance.

Security can be tight so make sure you are sober enough to walk in a straight line and speak without slurring. Also, don’t bother showing up before 10pm as it will be a complete ghost town: upon arriving at 10pm on a Friday night we were informed that we were the first people inside. Later in the evenings the queue to get in can seem dauntingly long, however it’s often only a 15 minute wait at most.

If you’re under 25 and want to stick with the uni crowd then Meche is the place to go. Free entry, cheap drinks and music playing that you will almost certainly know makes Meche an easy choice when planning a night out in Canberra and worth a visit.