Bars and Nightclubs
Melbourne CBD, Melbourne

Red Violin Cocktail Bar

Level 1, 231 Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC
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Old world meets new hip lounge sounds and an exclusive edge on beverages in the red glow of this cocktail bar. From the first step into Red Violin, the theme is very berry with red roses, romantic mirrors and studded Edwardian style settees scattering the red carpets. Live music six nights a week adds to the contempory feel, with anything from Latin Salsa, hip hop, funk, dancehall and reggae to spontaneous open jam sessions. With similarly diverse range of beers from around the world, all flavours are flaunted at the Red Violin. Combine this with superb cocktails and friendly staff, you have found your new favourite cocktail bar at Red Violin.

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Red Violin Cocktail Bar Review


Review By James McCafferty

Creativity is the main thing I look for in a bar/club/shindigerry, so when there’s a place called the Red Violin I think to myself, aren’t all Violins Red? No, the creative ones aren’t.

Anyway, I suppose I should get on with the review. Last night, after finishing a homemade vodka water melon, my friends and I took the train down to town and ended up in the Red Violin.

The sign outside the door is written with one of those squiggly fonts you’ll only ever use for poetry. To be honest, it suited the place. The interior is a decently sized room filled with old fashioned leather couches, a bar and a dance floor. The walls are a dark, warm red and the incandescent lighting makes speaking to girls in French three times more effective. Problem is it’s hard to make “Vos yeux sont comme les étoiles,” sound romantic when you’re drowned out by Psy preaching about how Gangnam style Oppa is.

Which brings us to the music. If you’re into the regular, repetitive music that plays in every club every night, then this place is for you. If not, then don’t come here for the phat beats. Where’s the live violin? I’m down for some crazy techno classical infusion or a nice blast baroque dubstep, but you can’t always get what you want.

Despite my complaints, I like to see myself as someone who sees the glass as half full. Well, the bar was half full. Although the music clashed with the décor, the atmosphere was fun. People chatted on the couches while the energetic rocked the dance floor. It was more relaxed than younger, more dance-heavy clubs around, but that just came with the vibe. Girl to guy ratio was 50/50 at some point, which is always a bonus.

Sarah, Chloe and … Rebecca (I think) were 18, Gerogia was somewhere between 23 and 27 and Bailey was in her 30s. The place attracts the regular kind of clubbing crowd averaging the age of 26. Pretty standard in my books.

Outside price was a $10 entry. Inside, shots were $8-$10, beers $8 and my Bacardi and coke was $9. That’s expensive in Canada, but my few months here have shown these prices are normal. If you’re not pre-drinking, you’ll definitely melt down a few of those plastic Aussie dollars.

To make a long story short, the bars got a good 1800s bourgeoisie theme, but the music doesn’t even try to fit in. The vibes relaxed, fun and romantic in a way which makes it easy to talk. Prices are standard and the age ratio means all are welcome. My friend Eric said he thought it was sweaty, but then again so is sex.

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