Workshop

i love eet.

Pretty much the same sort of vibe as E-Fifty-Five, (Elizabeth Street also, closer to Flinders Street end) the Workshop is pretty cool, comfy and relaxed. They play a good selection of drumandbass, hip-hop, some housey stuff and alternative urban grooves that aren't blasted at a ridiculous pitch so you can actually enjoy your conversation and your drink in one of the many little nooks that surround the main bar. But the hands down best part of the Workshop is the outdoor-indoor area - basically through a door, someone has ripped off half the roof and you can smoke out there without having to abandon your beers for the harsh cold street. This gets 5 stars alone. Oh, that and the fact that my boyfriend has his art showing there. Wicked place to chill out, I think it even serves food during the day.

Laid back

If you are after an unpretentious bar to chill out after work then this is the place. The design is fabulous - there are 3 separate rooms: i) a main indoor room, ii) an outdoor area and iii) a smaller niche area around the back... the bar is located in the centre...Food is sparse with the main focus on nibblies and drinks. Highly recommended.

Tuning Up at Workshop

You might have walked by Workshop on Elizabeth Street without even realising it’s there. At night, chilled tunes and soft lighting escaping from the first floor are the only giveaway to this newly opened café/ bar's location.

Workshop was originally just that - a motorcycle workshop. When the owners took over, they decided to keep its raw feel, oil stains and all. Melbourne based Splinter Society bought their architectural know-how to the décor. Rather than completely renovating the space, they used what was there, transforming it into a funky bar by adding some fresh elements. The bar itself divides the area into 3 zones. At night DJs spin in the main room and a tiny passage leads to the back where you can chill and kick back in more cozy surroundings. Everyone loves the outdoor area, where tall plants and rustic wooden furniture create a natural ambience. Relics of workshop’s former days still remain. Look hard enough and you will spot engine hoists and other mechanical parts ingeniously arranged to form arty sculptures.

Workshop’s walls are open to all artists and the art is changed frequently so you can always ponder a fresh piece while downing your drinks. Head over on Sunday’s for their $1 barbeque in the evenings with live MC’s and DJ’s. Since the bar is only two months old, Workshop is still in the midst of planning their nights, so for now, expect anything from Nina Simone classics to live acoustic bands.

Workshop isn’t about creating an image. The bar is about making you feel comfortable amidst bits and pieces of everything.