Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Where do you go for a drink near Ormond that suits a date? This page covers six places in and around Ormond: one in Ormond, two in McKinnon, two in Bentleigh and one in Carnegie.
They run from a whisky lounge to a Mexican happy hour, a pub with weekly specials and a club bistro. Talk-ability is read from what each place publishes, so a live-music tag or big screens means it may be louder. Each has a plan B, and a drink is optional.
Every place was checked at two independent sources, and prices are copied from the pages they were printed on. We did not find accessibility details in the listings we read, so ring ahead if that matters.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisky and cocktails | Arcadia Whisky Lounge | Espresso Martini | $20 |
| Woodfired pizza and wine | Tutto Bene Woodfired Pizzeria & Wine Bar | Pizza Margherita (V) | $24.00 |
| Chicken and beer, bookable | Gami Chicken & Beer Bentleigh | see below | not printed here |
| Mexican happy hour | La Cabra Mexican Carnegie | Bottomless Fiesta | $75 |
| Pub with weekly specials | McKinnon Hotel | PORTERHOUSE STEAK 300g w. fries & trimmings | $28 |
| Club bistro, member prices | Bentleigh RSL | Wednesday Parma (members) | $22.50 |
Arcadia Whisky Lounge — 558 North Road, Ormond VIC 3204
Arcadia Whisky Lounge describes itself on its site as a speakeasy cocktail lounge, devoted to high end spirits, hand crafted cocktails and rare whisky. AGFG’s feature tags for it include Private Dining and Romantic. Its menu prints an Espresso Martini at $20 and a Negroni at $23. The site lists Thursday to Sunday from 5pm til late, and AGFG lists Friday and Saturday from 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
On the menu (copied from arcadiawhiskylounge.com and arcadiawhiskylounge.com/foodmenu on 4 October 2026):
- Espresso Martini: $20
- Negroni: $23
- ARANCINI: $15
- MARGHERITA: $23
Stage: a drink-focused second or third date, with the whisky tastings its site lists for the first Tuesday of every month as a ready-made talking point.
Tutto Bene Woodfired Pizzeria & Wine Bar — 135 McKinnon Road, McKinnon VIC 3204
Tutto Bene Woodfired Pizzeria & Wine Bar is in McKinnon, not Ormond. AGFG tags it Romantic, Pet Friendly and Free Wifi, which are directory tags rather than the venue’s own words. Its site lists Sunday to Wednesday 5pm to 9pm and Thursday to Saturday 5pm to 9:30pm. Its menu prints Pizza Margherita (V) at $24.00 and Garlic Foccacia (V, VG) at $12.00.
On the menu (copied from tuttobenepizza.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Pizza Margherita (V): $24.00
- Spaghetti alla Bolognese: $28.00
- Duo Of Arancini 4 pcs: $14.00
- Garlic Foccacia (V, VG): $12.00
Split or splurge: share the Garlic Foccacia (V, VG) at $12.00 and a Pizza Margherita (V) at $24.00, or add Spaghetti alla Bolognese at $28.00 if you want a plate each.
Gami Chicken & Beer Bentleigh — 472 Centre Road, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Gami Chicken & Beer Bentleigh is on Centre Road in Bentleigh. Its store page headlines MAD GOCHUJANG CHICKEN and offers Book A Table and Order to Pickup. Gochujang is a fermented Korean chilli paste. We could not read prices, so we print none. Its site lists Monday and Tuesday 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday 11:30 am to 10:00 pm.
Exit plan: book ahead through the Book A Table button on its site, and switch to Order to Pickup if the night falls through.
La Cabra Mexican Carnegie — 121 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
La Cabra Mexican Carnegie is in Carnegie, outside Ormond. Its site lists Margarita Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday, Burrito Thursday and Friday Happy Hour. Its own page prints a Bottomless Fiesta at $75 per person, which it says includes 90 minutes of unlimited drinks and a five-course meal. AGFG lists Friday and Saturday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and Vegan Options.
On the menu (copied from lacabramexican.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Bottomless Fiesta: $75
Say this: Shall we do the Bottomless Fiesta, or just pick one of the weekday specials?
McKinnon Hotel — 251 McKinnon Road, McKinnon VIC 3204
McKinnon Hotel’s site says its focus is good pub fare using seasonal produce, local brews on tap and an extensive wine list. The weekly specials on its home page are Thursday $28 for a PORTERHOUSE STEAK 300g w. fries & trimmings, Friday $2.50 for NATURAL OYSTERS, and all weekend $30 for a PROPER ROAST. Its site lists daily from 12 pm, and AGFG lists Thursday to Saturday from 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM.
On the menu (copied from mckinnonhotel.com.au and mckinnonhotel.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- PORTERHOUSE STEAK 300g w. fries & trimmings: $28
- NATURAL OYSTERS: $2.50
- PROPER ROAST Rotating weekly w. trimmings: $30
- PORTERHOUSE STEAK: $28
Talk-ability: its site lists live sports and regular comedy nights and AGFG tags Live Music, so check the What’s On page before picking a night.
Bentleigh RSL — 538 Centre Rd, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Bentleigh RSL is a club bistro in Bentleigh, and its prices are member prices. Its dining page prints Monday Steak Night at $22.50 for members, though the site’s own Monday Steaks page prints a different member price, so check before you go; its Parma Wednesday page prints the Wednesday Parma at $22.50 for members. The site lists open daily from 10am to 3am, with lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm and dinner from 5.30pm to 9.00pm. It also recommends bookings.
On the menu (copied from bentleighrsl.com.au and bentleighrsl.com.au/dining on 4 October 2026):
- Wednesday Parma (members): $22.50
- Monday Steak Night (members): $22.50
Talk-ability: live sport on the big screens, per its site, suggests this suits a casual catch-up more than a quiet first conversation.
Quick answers
Where can I get a cocktail or whisky near Ormond?
Arcadia Whisky Lounge on North Road in Ormond describes itself as a speakeasy cocktail lounge devoted to high end spirits, hand crafted cocktails and rare whisky, and its site lists Thursday to Sunday from 5pm til late.
Which bars near Ormond are open late?
AGFG lists Arcadia Whisky Lounge on Friday and Saturday until 1:00 AM. AGFG lists McKinnon Hotel Thursday to Saturday until 12:00 AM. AGFG lists La Cabra Mexican Carnegie on Friday and Saturday until 11:00 PM. Per the Bentleigh RSL website, it opens every day from 10am until 3am.
Which date spots near Ormond take bookings?
Gami Chicken & Beer Bentleigh’s store page has a Book A Table button. Bentleigh RSL’s site says bookings are recommended, by phone or online. We did not find a booking option on the pages we read for the others.
Where can you have a date near Ormond without drinking alcohol?
Tutto Bene Woodfired Pizzeria & Wine Bar prints Pizza Margherita (V) at $24.00 and Garlic Foccacia (V, VG) at $12.00 on its menu. Arcadia Whisky Lounge also lists food, including a MARGHERITA at $23 on its menu. Gami Chicken & Beer Bentleigh offers Order to Pickup if you would rather eat elsewhere.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: the places’ own websites, the Australian Good Food Guide, shopbentleigh.com and OpenStreetMap. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Arcadia Whisky Lounge: arcadiawhiskylounge.com, agfg.com.au/arcadia-whisky-lounge-97903, arcadiawhiskylounge.com/cocktails, arcadiawhiskylounge.com/foodmenu, arcadiawhiskylounge.com/beewinecider
- Tutto Bene Woodfired Pizzeria & Wine Bar: tuttobenepizza.com.au, agfg.com.au/tutto-bene-woodfired-pizzeria-wine-bar, tuttobenepizza.com.au/menu
- Gami Chicken & Beer Bentleigh: gamichicken.com.au/bentleigh, shopbentleigh.com/gami-chicken
- La Cabra Mexican Carnegie: lacabramexican.com.au/carnegie, agfg.com.au/la-cabra-mexican-carnegie-137225
- McKinnon Hotel: openstreetmap.org/11611450024, mckinnonhotel.com.au, agfg.com.au/mckinnon-hotel-73839, mckinnonhotel.com.au/food-wine, mckinnonhotel.com.au/home-1, mckinnonhotel.com.au/private-spaces
- Bentleigh RSL: openstreetmap.org/38225265, bentleighrsl.com.au, bentleighrsl.com.au/dining, bentleighrsl.com.au/parma-wednesday, bentleighrsl.com.au/kids-eat-free, bentleighrsl.com.au/live-sport-on-the-big-screen
