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.
This page is for two people who want a drink, a snack or a class, sorted by what each bar publishes. There are six bars: two in South Yarra, two in Cremorne and two in Richmond, so it covers South Yarra and its neighbours.
Each bar was checked against at least two independent sources, mostly its own site and the Australian Good Food Guide. Talk-ability is read from what the venue lists: a dancefloor means louder, a courtyard may not. We could not find accessibility details in the sources we read, so ask the venue. Not every date involves alcohol either: Katuk lists a non-alcoholic version of its class and Lilac Wine lists a vegan menu.
Plan B is built in: with six bars on the list, keep a second one in mind in case the first is closed.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late-night bar, Friday or Saturday | Talk To Me | see below | not printed here |
| Cocktail class for a later date | Katuk | Cocktail class | $85 |
| Wine bar with a vegan menu | Lilac Wine | Steak (Wednesday): dry-aged rump, potato gratin & salad | $30 |
| Schooner and an all-day eatery | Fred’s Bar | Schooner of Fred’s Lager | $8 |
| Friday half-price hour | The Blacksmith Bar | Cocktail masterclass | $85 |
| Rooftop bar listing | Union House | see below | not printed here |
Talk To Me — 153 Commercial Road, South Yarra VIC 3141
Talk To Me is a cocktail bar on Commercial Road. Its site calls it “the late-night bar where dates get bold” and mentions dancefloors, so read it as the louder end of this list. The site lists Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late, and says Sunday to Thursday is private functions only. We could not find a menu with prices.
Talk-ability: Dancefloors appear in its own description, so this suits a date that wants energy more than a long chat.
Katuk — 517a Chapel Street, South Yarra VIC 3141
Katuk is a cocktail bar on Chapel Street. Its site lists Sunday to Friday from 5pm until late and Saturday from 2pm until late. Its whats-on page says happy hour runs seven days a week from 5pm to 7pm with half price tap beer, house wines and basic spirits, while another page on the site is narrower, so confirm the day. It also lists a “Cubby & Courtyard”. The site prints a Cocktail class at $85 per person.
On the menu (copied from katuk.com.au/cocktail-class-south-yarra on 4 October 2026):
- Cocktail class: $85
Stage: A later-date idea, since the class gives you a shared task; the site says a non-alcoholic version of the class exists.
Lilac Wine — 31 Stephenson Street, Cremorne VIC 3121
Lilac Wine is a wine bar on Stephenson Street in Cremorne. Its site lists Monday to Wednesday from 4pm until late and Thursday to Saturday from 3pm until late, plus an “Aperitivo Hour” and a vegan menu. Its what’s-on page prints Steak (Wednesday): dry-aged rump, potato gratin & salad at $30. Aperitivo windows and prices sit on a separate page, so check there.
On the menu (copied from lilacwinebar.com.au/whats-on-at-lilac and lilacwinebar.com.au/menu on 4 October 2026):
- Steak (Wednesday): dry-aged rump, potato gratin & salad: $30
- Sourdough, garlic oil (woodfired): $13
Split or splurge: Lilac Wine’s menu prints Sourdough, garlic oil (woodfired) at $13, an easy one to share.
Fred’s Bar — 9-11 Cremorne Street, Cremorne VIC 3121
Fred’s Bar is on Cremorne Street in Cremorne. Its site calls Fred’s, adjacent to Frederic Bistro, “a relaxed all day eatery and late night bar”. It lists Tuesday to Friday as 12pm to 11pm and Saturday as 5pm to 11pm, with Monday and Sunday closed. The site also prints Schooner of Fred’s Lager at $8, Monday to Friday 4pm-7pm; because its hours block shows Monday closed, confirm the day.
On the menu (copied from frederic.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Schooner of Fred’s Lager: $8
Exit plan: The listed close is 11pm on the nights it is open, so sort the way home before then.
The Blacksmith Bar — 69 Swan Street, Richmond VIC 3121
The Blacksmith Bar is a cocktail bar on Swan Street in Richmond. Its home page lists Monday to Thursday from 4pm until late and Friday to Sunday from 2pm until late, though other pages on the site give different opening times. It says every Friday from 4pm to 7pm it serves half price tap beer, house wine, basic spirits and a trio of dips. The site prints a Cocktail masterclass at $85 per person.
On the menu (copied from theblacksmithbar.com.au/cocktail-masterclasses on 4 October 2026):
- Cocktail masterclass: $85
Say this: “Fancy the cocktail masterclass, or just the Friday half-price hour?”
Union House — 270 Swan Street, Richmond VIC 3121
Union House is on Swan Street in Richmond. Its site describes it as “Bar, Rooftop, Restaurant, Pub”, which is the only feature it lists that we could use for a date plan. We could not read its hours or prices from the sources we checked, so confirm both before you go.
Exit plan: With hours unconfirmed, ring ahead and keep another bar from this page as plan B.
Quick answers
Which bars near South Yarra list happy hour deals?
Katuk’s whats-on page says happy hour runs seven days a week from 5pm to 7pm with half price tap beer, house wines and basic spirits, but another page on its site is narrower. Fred’s Bar prints Schooner of Fred’s Lager at $8, Monday to Friday 4pm-7pm. The Blacksmith Bar says every Friday from 4pm to 7pm it serves half price tap beer, house wine and basic spirits. Lilac Wine lists an Aperitivo Hour, with details on its whats-on page.
What does a cocktail class cost near South Yarra?
Katuk prints a Cocktail class at $85 per person, and says there is also a non-alcoholic version. The Blacksmith Bar prints a Cocktail masterclass at $85 per person. Both are the venues’ own figures, so confirm before booking.
Which of these bars serve food as well as drinks?
Lilac Wine lists a vegan menu, and its menu prints Sourdough, garlic oil (woodfired) at $13. Fred’s Bar’s site calls Fred’s, next to Frederic Bistro, a relaxed all day eatery and late night bar. Union House describes itself as “Bar, Rooftop, Restaurant, Pub”, though we could not read its menu prices.
Which bars are open late on a Friday or Saturday?
Talk To Me lists Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late on its site. Katuk lists Saturday from 2pm until late. Lilac Wine lists Thursday to Saturday from 3pm until late. The Blacksmith Bar lists Friday to Sunday from 2pm until late, though its pages differ. Fred’s Bar lists Saturday as 5pm to 11pm. We could not read hours for Union House.
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 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
- Talk To Me: talktomebar.com, agfg.com.au/talk-to-me-79254
- Katuk: katuk.com.au, agfg.com.au/katuk-30183, katuk.com.au/cocktail-class-south-yarra, katuk.com.au/whats-on, katuk.com.au/wednesday-happy-hour-south-yarra
- Lilac Wine: openstreetmap.org/946747672, lilacwinebar.com.au, agfg.com.au/lilac-wine-139445, lilacwinebar.com.au/whats-on-at-lilac, lilacwinebar.com.au/menu
- Fred’s Bar: frederic.com.au, agfg.com.au/freds-bar-74639
- The Blacksmith Bar: openstreetmap.org/12532777311, theblacksmithbar.com.au, agfg.com.au/the-blacksmith-bar-80498, theblacksmithbar.com.au/cocktail-masterclasses, theblacksmithbar.com.au/happy-hour
- Union House: openstreetmap.org/9404528717, unionhouse.com.au/contact, agfg.com.au/union-house-68843
