Spleen Bar Review

Review by Lauren Morton

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the Spleen Bar, of course! Ok, so I’m no comedian, but at the Spleen Bar, you can get your fill of Australia’s comedic talent whilst enjoying a drink in a relaxed venue.

From the street, the place looks deceptively small. However, on walking in, you feel as though there is an infinite amount of space surrounding you. Located at the top of Bourke Street in the CBD, Spleen Bar is made up of two levels. The first floor sports a shabby-chic décor that suits the university student crowds. A wander up stairs will take you to a comfy lounge area, the perfect place to relax after a hard day at the office. The eclectic furniture, which has been collected from various garage sales and second hand shops, makes the entire place have an un-wound type of vibe.

I ventured to Spleen with a girlfriend on a Monday night, which means one thing and one thing only; stand up night. There was a smorgasbord of jokes flying at us from all directions during the various sets, however our favourite for the night was a gentleman named Sammy Harrison, who is a regular around the comedy circuit. Whilst the comedy induced a few giggles of delight, it was the bar staff who were truly delightful.

When it came time to wet our whistles, the staff were prompt and friendly, and not afraid to have a chat with you. Whilst the décor is reminiscent of a haphazard university share house, the drinks menu is anything but accidental. Of course, the bar features the usual beers, wines and spirits, but the highlight is its cocktail list, which I was very partial to. Thankfully, my eagerness to try a variety of these tempting treats did not break the bank, as most of the drinks were on the lower end of the price spectrum.

Another key feature of the bar is that they host regular open mic nights. The bar is witness to some extraordinary talent, with open mic nights often featuring guitarists, pianists and even the occasional bongo drum enthusiast. I hear these nights can often generate quite a crowd, as passersby will hear the soulful tunes coming from inside the venue and walk in to take a peek.

It’s amazing how this venue can turn a chilled out drink with a girlfriend into a night of singing and blatantly bad dancing (mostly on my part). We left Spleen in the early hours of the morning feeling as though we had not spent the whole night at an inner city bar, but rather, we had spent our night at a friend’s house, enjoying great entertainment and even better company.



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