Rooftop Bar Review

Review By Kat Pollard

It appears that we Melbournians enjoy a good work out before drinking, to me the idea is stupid but to the owners of Rooftop bar it apparently makes perfect sense. You really deserve an internationally recognised medal ceremony when you reach the Rooftop bar; I honestly lost count how many flights I managed to gasp up. Never fear, this place is laziness and smoker friendly, with an oh-so tiny elevator that apparently runs too. Rooftop is one of Melbourne's most amazing venues during summer.

It looks a bit like a trashy motel scene with a huge stretch of faux grass and white tables and umbrellas but it works for them. On the green you can join the other sea of bodies for a nice cold cider or beer whilst embracing the killer views of the Melbourne skyline/concrete jungle. If you'd rather not risk the chance of getting grass stains, then head to the bar side, a super small area that realtors could only describe as truly intimate.

Drinks are standard, if you're looking for fancy cocktails then head down two levels to Cookie. You can get cider on tap though, which is always a plus.

If you're one to care about social etiquette then don't stress. The dress code is rather lax on Rooftop bar, jeans and shorts all entitle one to entry. The crowd is generally twenty somethings wanting to get street credit, early thirties grasping onto their youth without looking desperately out of place and of course you get the occasional fresh faced eighteen year old or quirky middle aged couple that most definitely took the elevator. Either way it's a seriously relaxed vibe filled with plenty of good times to be had by all.

If you make to down, or up, during summer then try and check out one of the films that they showcase during the summer season's Rooftop cinema. Book a seat though, they usually only take a certain amount of people. And be prepared to fork out $20 for the chance to watch a movie that you'll probably find in JB HI FI for $6.99, but trust me it's worth it purely for the experience to share your viewing of Fear and Loathing with 150 drunk people, all trying not to throw themselves over the edge.



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A 2nd Rooftop Bar Review

Review by Tintin Rahman

You want the cookie jar? It’s on the top shelf.

The Curtin House Rooftop Cinema and Bar is like kindergarten for kids who have been so naughty that they are punished with walking up 6 flights of stairs (alternatively, take the tiny elevator with boarded walls) to find some goodies. For 7 years, it has been delighting Melburnians with the opportunity of combining outdoor cinema and alcohol, especially during the summer.

“This summer has been great, hardly any washouts,” says Grant Gould, general manager of 4 years. Looking at the Summer 2012-2013 program, Curtin House has shown a mixture of good new ones like Argo and The Master and classics like Beetlejuice and The Notebook.

The bar is quite small. Its inadequate size was the one thing that annoyed my fellow bar raiders (I was there for a ‘Raiders of the Lost Bars’ meeting). You will probably spend most of your time sitting in one of the multi-coloured plastic chairs on the large expanse of fake, golf-green grass. There is plenty of space for everyone (it could probably fit a good 150 people), and I immediately saw why the bar needed the view of the 270 degree-view of the city – it distracted from the moments when there are no movies showing; it keeps business going. I had to ask, “Where is the movie screen?” before someone pointed out the raised white LCD screen beside the burger stand.

One bar raider commented that the crowd consisted mostly of students, singling out a girl with green hair on the raised platform at the back of the yard. There were certainly lots of young adults in their twenties, in hoodies and jeans. Our group, 50 per cent (or so someone claimed) of which are finance and IT professionals, looked slightly out of place as we stood around and talked in our slacks and blazers.

My Cosmopolitan (16 dollars) came in one of those cocktail glasses with a long narrow stem. I’m not complaining, but I would say that the prices are fair for the amount of liquid. Bottled beer is not too badly priced, mostly between 6 to 8 dollars. Because we were using wall ledges to rest our drinks, we had to be careful not to topple them. According to the menu (unavailable on the rooftop cinema website), ‘We are all about plastic cups'.

Dressed in a white skirt, purple halter top and thin black cardigan, I thought I would only stay for an hour before going off for my usual tango class on Thursdays. I had so much fun I ended staying for a while, going to the Emerald Peacock for a change before returning to experience night at the rooftop bar. And boy is it different at night. The decorative orange and yellow light bulbs lend a romantic touch to a fun atmosphere. When it got chilly, we naughty kids ran to the bartenders and begged for blankets, thick grey cotton ones. We slowly left for bed.

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