The 86
The 86 Cabaret BarAverage Reviews
About
Chilled, casual and comfy booths as you enter the venue which adjoins a kitsch New York styled warm in ambience and tone Bar area made earthy with lots of vintage exposed old timbers and brickwork through to the back of ‘the 86’ performance space with cabaret events, theatrical seated shows, disco, comedy and exhibition uses but always building to an end of the night filled with high kicks and shoe shuffling under our mirror ball lit dance space on the ever colourful Smith St. Fitzroy.
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Reviews
Based on 108 reviews
Carine Machaalani
12:37 03 Nov 24
Went there for drag night on Friday.Had a great time, the vibe is good, the bartenders are cool, the drinks are reasonable and the place got pretty full as the show went on. We had fun and we would go back!Nicki Morrison
01:49 17 Oct 24
Me & my friends had the BEST night here, the staff were so so friendly.Definitely check this gem out!Harry Baker
13:28 21 Sep 24
Flat soda water poured from a Coles brand bottle after a $10 entry is hard to recover from. Venue has potential for fun but atmosphere was dull while I was there (11:30pm on a Sat). I gave this place a go when Sircuit/Mollies had a ticketed event. Will edit after the showRichard Summerhayes
10:33 30 Mar 24
Great bar and professional friendly staff made you feel very welcomeJohnny Graham
13:18 23 Mar 24
The greatest staff on the planet!!With the most traditional gay bar vibes.Genuinely a recipe for a brilliant time.Music off tap!!!Georgia Uebergang
11:24 22 Feb 24
Went in on a Thursday night and had some lovely cocktails and an amazing chat with the team working that night! Absolutely awesome vibe, unfortunately it was very quiet when we went but we felt so welcome and the cocktails were amazing!! We are travelling but will be back the next time we are in Melbourne, thank you for making us feel so welcome!!Miss Lulu L.
00:05 02 Sep 23
The staff are very friendly, fabulous drag and cabaret shows.Gender inclusive bathrooms, safe queer venue.Nice cocktails!J C-C
03:11 06 Mar 23
This is such a fun place. We walked past and saw they had a late show and it was only $8. We came back and had the best time. Staff were actually really friendly. The music was exactly what we had been looking for all night, old and new disco and pop classics. Then the shows started around midnight and omg, the talent was excellent. Was so impressed. We danced til almost 3am and we were heading home before we popped in here. Thanks bar 86, we will be back for another show.-Dan Ac
00:57 06 Mar 23
I was there on Saturday night with some friends.I ordered a glass of OJ and I got charged $5 , in less than 10 minutes I ordered another one with a different barista and the same glass of OJ it costs me now $5.40 .I mentioned to the guy and he said that 0.40cent is a surcharge on card .Now , the problem is not the money but the attitude.No sign say 0.40 cent surcharge on CC , no apologise and no where in Melb , fees on CC are that high .Claudia Black
15:11 16 Sep 22
ben(man in power tops for jesus top) is amazing . fantastic customer service.Kristine Doutsis
09:13 18 Aug 22
The 86 has such a great vibe to it. The decor is exciting to look at with the seating arrangement able to cater for small and large groups as well as couples and individuals. The cocktail list is a must try and the bar staff are amazing. Entertainment is always interesting and supportive.Liv Brooke
06:19 12 Jun 22
Used to love this place but after an incident that occurred which was poorly managed and the bar did nothing to help, won’t be returning.Anthony Bendall
05:29 27 Mar 22
My favourite bar in my ‘hood. Gorgeous staff, great shows, delicious cocktails (especially my favourite, ‘The Conductor’) and an owner/manager committed to Melbourne’s LGBTIQA+ community.Love it.Stacy O'Callaghan
00:49 05 Feb 22
Stumbled on this gem last night after going out for dinner at the Vietnamese Restaurant next door (highly recommend that too).Great vibe, hilarious drag show, good cocktails, and so so so much fun.Damien Clarke
10:59 13 Jan 22
Wonderful service, genuine expertise with cocktails and mock tail suggestions, plus amazing deals on jugs of beer. This place deserves your patronageJess Capkin
09:11 08 Dec 21
I always have a lovely time when I’m here. It’s such a friendly place. Joseph gets a special mention but honestly all the staff are so fab xCass Drum
12:10 21 Jun 21
Such a lovely vibe after a long hiatus due to lockdown. Owner was lovely, such a fun night with great people all around!Amani Hejazi
10:36 18 Jun 21
The greatest vibes, greatest drinks, greatest girls AND THE MUSIC. Absolutely love them all and the cocktails are to die for. Lost my bag there and they got it back to me safely a couple days later. My favourite place ever😍herr Keuccio
15:01 18 Dec 20
Very poor customer service, especially after being kicked out because dancing on a space that looked like a designed area for dance floor. The owner didn’t wanted to hear any excuse, but only yelled at us to leave. I guess he didn’t like that we were having fun I’m his mediocre venue. If you’re looking to have have fun, go next door. Sexy bartender Mike tho.Jason Amaya
07:16 15 Dec 19
Very friendly staff, good shows, it's the most colourful places I had met in MelbourneHarry Davis
08:08 14 Oct 19
Great place, it just has no equal. This applies to everything, both the show and the staff and service in General! If there were 6 stars, I would put them! It's just very nice when you get to a club where a team of professionals works. Then the customer feels that he is not just wasting his time and money because he is offered quality. and I really appreciate that as well as my time. Thanks guys! I liked that the club has promotions and you can get free cocktails and a private room for an hour. To do this, register on 909gay,com create a profile and show it to the administrator, as I did. Cool, it was nice!Amelia Golding
04:58 08 May 19
Amazing! I came two nights in a row! The first to check out the Friday Show, Then back again on Saturday night with a group for my sisters Hens party. I am in love with this place as is the party I came with - we are all looking forward to coming back.The Queens are Stars…. Both shows were brilliant. The Thai food was delicious (I recommend the prawn toast!) The bar staff were super helpful and friendly - the Aviator cocktail is to die for.Anthony is a legend - he went above and beyond to accomodate our party, It was the highlight of our night. When I asked her the next day the favourite part of her hens party was she relied without hesitation “the 86 club - when are we going back?!?!”Cant wait to see you all again soon. 5 stars is not enough!!!!bella martin
12:21 03 Feb 19
I had the most amazing time at the 86 celebrating the amazing art of Drag and having a good dance with my friends. I didn't mind the price of drinks or anything like that. However there was a minor incident.After receiving a beautiful gift for my birthday, I asked one of the staff members if I could cloak it as the box was relatively large. He said that there isn't a cloak room but they could put it in the back for Me. He took my name and told me to ask at the bar when it was time to leave. Unfortunately, the staff members gave my present to another party who were in the venue and didn't really handle the situation that great. They took my details but weren't apologetic at all and didn't call me to give an update or even see if I had got it back. Thank goodness the person who took my gift was lovely and gave it back. I didn't expect miracles or anything from the 86 but maybe a phone call and even a drink or something as compensation would have been nice. I definitely want to keep supporting the drag/gay community however it would be nice if the 86 supported their patrons in return.Nova D.
00:19 01 May 14
I work a few shops up from the 86 and recently they have started doing coffee. I've been in a few times and the coffee has always been great unlike some...Dominic C.
03:30 04 Jan 13
Cabaret and cocktails seems like a great mix, and it is. But.... I have found the service slow without being personal, and seem to hit the place when it is...
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