Like the name implies, The Left Bank is situated on the other side of the river where it has positioned itself to be a great place to get a cocktail on southbank perhaps on the way Crown or after dinner.

Website

The Left Bank

Location:

1 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank

Difficulty Finding:

- Easy; just walk down southbank and it’s the big cocktail bar looking place just before crown.

Summary:

- Type: cocktail, lounge, dining venue
- Food: restaurant
- Music: lounge
- Cover: none

Review:

Being one of the first large cocktail/lounge bars outside of crown on southbank puts The Left Bank in a very good position. Southbank attracts not only many tourists and Melbournites looking for a nice place to go eat; but also people going to the mega-complex that is crown.  With its large frontage this gives them a significant amount of passers-by to lure in for a cocktail be it after dinner, on the way to the card tables or come home from them. Being a restaurant they also add to the many choices to eat at in the area but as Alleylife has not eaten there so the focus will be be on the lounge/bar side of the venue.

Like most of the places on southbank (and also the new docklands) The Left Bank is a large and opulent venue that does everything with grandeur that is fitting for the area. It describes itself as ‘One of Melbourne’s most exciting new dining and lounge destinations.’ and while it is pretty new and fancy the discerning cocktail drinker must ask, why would I travel across the river for a cocktail when there is a myriad of choices available to me in the CBD? And while looking at it from purely a cocktail point of view; the drinks would probably not get you across the river to try them; however it is the wrong question to ask. The better question is if I’m on southbank already and I want to get a decent cocktail but don’t want to travel very far to get it, then where should I go? To which the answer is The Left Bank. It is a good place for people visiting the city (from either the suburbs or further afar) who like a nice drink but aren’t too discerning about the details; which is southbank in a nutshell really.

See while The Left Bank as a cocktail bar has absolutely nothing wrong with it as a place to drink; it is hard to put it above other bars in Melbourne due to our fantastic laneway and bar culture, in another city it would be a much more exceptional place. This just goes to show that we are spoilt for places to go have a nice cocktail and as more and more bars open they have to keep offering something different to stand out from the crowd. The quality of the cocktails are good and reasonably priced, and the venue itself is very large with seating catered to medium to large groups. Perhaps better for parties and occasions rather than intimate dates.

Final Thoughts:

With Melbourne spoilt for choice on cocktail bars; its getting harder offer something new and exciting. The Left Bank offers great place to go for a drink if you are on southbank and not in the mood to be walking down dark alleys for that hidden venue.

Pro’s:
+ Good for large groups
+ Convenient for people on southbank
Con’s:
- Out on its own
- Offers nothing exceptionally different

Score:

Atmosphere: 3
Service: 3
Menu: 3
Cost: 3
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Overall: 3