Moondrop

$45 per person is the right mental budget here, which makes Moondrop a strong yes for a second drink stop in Fitzroy rather than a full-dinner plan. In Melbourne’s inner-north bar circuit, this is the place to choose when the group wants atmosphere, cocktails with a clear point of view, enough snack support to keep the night moving. It is walk-in friendly, so the booking pressure is low, but groups of 4+ should treat that flexibility with care: the room is intimate, the 12-seat Burrow-style corner is the kind of space that will suit a planned group better than a late scramble.

The useful read: go for a small group, not a loose crowd. The room is low-lit, plush, theatrical, with a giant moon lantern filtered through white drapery, burgundy banquettes, a red mosaic bar, mahjong-table furniture, a soundtrack leaning into Chinese hip-hop and R&B.; That setup works well for dates, close friends, groups who actually want to talk. It is less suited to a big birthday orbiting between standing drinks and table service.

A moody Fitzroy bar that works better for four than eight

The space sits in the former Everleigh room above Belle’s Hot Chicken on Gertrude Street, which gives it a built-in Melbourne bar-history charge without making the experience feel museum-like. The team behind Sleepy’s Cafe & Wine Bar has rebuilt the mood around Chinese folklore, especially the moon rabbit motif, which appears across the visual language of the venue rather than just on a logo. For a returning guest, the move is to pay closer attention to the room: the moon references, layered linen, rabbit details, banquette layout are part of the reason this feels more complete than a theme bar.

Drink-wise, this is cocktail-led and more interesting if the group is open to Chinese spirits, tea, spice, texture, savory notes. The documented list includes drinks such as the Chanhattan, using lapsang souchong tea-infused sweet vermouth, the M.S. Gibson with baijiu and MSG brine, the Me & Ube clarified oat milk punch with tapioca pearls, the Sichuan Slipper, built around heat and citrus. That gives enough range for mixed preferences: one guest can stay near a classic structure, another can go toward milk punch, someone else can order something drier and more savory.

Order snacks, but do not treat this like dinner

The food is there to support cocktails, not replace a restaurant booking. The clearest order is the handmade dumplings, served in portions of four, with fillings including vegetable, prawn with ginger and spring onion, pork with chrysanthemum. For a group of four, that format is easy: order across the dumplings and add a few snack plates rather than trying to turn the table into a full meal. The menu also includes a cheddar tartlet with quince paste, a Chinese bolognese jaffle, prawn crackers, a snowskin mooncake with white chocolate and matcha ice cream.

The strongest reason to choose Moondrop is cohesion. The drinks, room, mythology, snacks all point in the same direction, Time Out’s 5-out-of-5 review gives the early reputation a credible external signal. For someone who has already done the standard Melbourne cocktail route, this is worth slotting into a Fitzroy night because it has a clearer identity than a generic dark bar. Dress smart casual, keep the group tight, arrive with a plan to drink and graze rather than settle in for a long dinner.