Great atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff but the cocktails are so-so: style over taste. We found them insipid and didn’t do justice to the stated ingredients listed in the menu. We’ve had better previously at Eau de Vie so perhaps they have become more interested...in their theatre than the drinks, which is a pity.More

We had a very fun evening here. Creative and some pretty exotic cocktails mixed masterfully while you watch. Combinations that sound strange but taste great. Feels exactly how I want a cocktail bar to feel. We sat at the communal table and ended up having...a great conversation with a couple from Tasmania. Pricey but worth it. Wish I could find a place like this in Chicago!More

Loved it. Interesting menu and good vibes. The cocktails were delicious and creative as the decoration. Thanks for the lovely night

I recently attended a cocktail masterclass at Eau De Vie which was paid for in advance. On arrival at the event, the waiter asked would we prefer still or sparkling water, the inference being that it was part of the package we had paid for....He did NOT ask ¨would you like some water?” which is how the question should have been asked if an additional charge was to be made and the fact there was an additional charge for water was never mentioned. Each person received less than half a small glass of water - several of us commented that we would have appreciated a refill of water in between each of the cocktails, but this was never offered. On leaving the venue, we were CHARGED AN ADDITIONAL $60 FOR WATER. When we challenged this additional charge we were told that several bottles of water had been consumed. I find this very difficult to understand, given the size of our party and the amount of water each person received. I only consumed one of the cocktails, as they were all so very sweet, so I had full awareness and have full recollection of the amount of water we were served - it appears to me that Eau De Vie may well serve the most expensive water in town!More

We recently held our sister’s hen party at Eau De Vie. My co-organisers and I would not recommend this venue as suitable for hen’s parties and strongly advise anyone considering EDV to choose somewhere else. Our party was small with 75% of the guests pregnant/driving...so we were a quiet-ish crowd to say the least. That said it was a hen’s party and we were looking to create an atmosphere of fun and celebration. We booked a cocktail masterclass which at $85/head was not cheap but we also wanted something classy and high quality. The events management liaised with my sister and I in the lead up to the event and we arrived on time, albeit with some guests struggling to find the very obscure entrance. To say we were treated with disdain and disrespect would be an understatement. We waited 25 minutes for more than 3 of our party to be served and when I asked if the drinks were coming the waiter snapped at me that these ‘weren’t pre-made cocktails’. We hd booked our selection of cocktails 4 weeks in advance and confirmed our group size even earlier so one might argue there could have been some preparation that wouldn’t have left us waiting for almost 1/4 of the allocated time before we received a drink. The waiter appeared irritated he had been assigned to a hen’s party and commented several times that usually guests ‘take notes’ and ‘actually listen’. He rolled his eyes at some of our questions about the cocktails and actively humiliated me in front of our guests when I accidentally knocked into him as he walked behind me. Several of our party commented on the tense atmosphere and how he appeared unhappy with us for no good reason. The cocktails were nice and we made the best of the evening but it was certainly not the hen’s party experience we hoped for. At the end of the evening I was presented with an invoice for $60 to cover the sparkling water served at table. At no point were we asked about whether we wanted sparkling water or whether we agreed to this charge. The hen’s party was prepaid with money collected from all participants (as is normal with these sorts of events) and so my sister and I had no choice but to accept the charge. We raised it quietly with a member of staff and agreed to follow up the following day. Eventually I spoke with the events manager Matt Withers who was condescending on the phone, scoffed at why I would go to such effort over $60 and explained that they didn’t ask about the charge for water as it would be ‘embarrassing’ to insinuate that we wouldn’t pay for sparkling and would cause an atmosphere. I argued that to up-sell water without disclosing the charge to the event host was misleading and that the atmosphere created by the unexpected charge we then had to pay, was much more uncomfortable. Matt would only concede to reimbursing 50% of the water charge ($30). Eau De Vie treated our party with an air of snobbery and superiority, both on the evening and when we queried this unreasonable charge. Their explanation was that the charge was outside of the contract we agreed to and yet nowhere in the contract did my sister and I agree to other members of the party adding additional charges without our consent. I’m not even sure this is what happened-I expect nobody was told about the sparkling water charge but even if we concede that someone was told, it wasn’t the right person. EDV need to change their attitude and approach to group bookings, particularly hen’s parties or stop accepting the income they generate. Communicate your extra charges to those who have chosen EDV to host their important event and treat them with some respect.More

This cocktail bar and it's Sydney counterpart are well known for a reason - they provide showy and delicious cocktails in a beautiful, vintage-aesthetic venue. The menu is split into sections according to theme, and give a great variety of options depending on what you...feel like. I had the Sierra Madre and Honey Butter Old Fashioned, which were both very tasty - we were in late so they were the perfect nightcap. My partner got the Deerstalker and Smokey Rob Roy, both of which were served by the staff member with a showy smoke display/pouring. Another patron had a cocktail served in a drinking horn, and a group next to us shared a spectacular Holllywood Bowl punch - this is the sort of thing to expect. Costly, but totally worth it for the experience. You absolutely should book if going on a Friday or Saturday night, especially late, as it is crazy busy with a line heading out the door to wait if you don't.More

Excellent bar tucked away in the Melbourne city. It is not the easiest to spot from outside thus the attraction of this place. We shared a bottle of bubbly and had some bar food. Service was great. It’s a super busy bar so best to...reserve a table.More

Spectacular, wonderful delivery of very tasty cocktails in a sumptuous eclectic bar. The preparation and presentation are superb.

This is simply a world class bar. It is in a league of its own. Very popular. Have to book. We were just lucky we were able to get a 90 minute gap and get a table. The staff were fantastic and extraordinary attentive. Best...cocktails we’ve had for years.More

This really is an insta famous persons dream bar. I constantly rad about it and saw it on social media before visiting. So we had to make it onto our must do in Melbourne list. The staff were friendly and the cocktails were banging!

This was a fantastic venue for a long awaited date night. We had a private booth, that was in close proximity to others, but it didn't feel like it. The sophisticated 1920s venue, with a wonderful dim-lit ambience offered a magnificent menu, accompanied by a...large variety of polished cocktails that provided theatre. Staff were very knowledgeable and professional, their attire suited the venue. Absolutely stellar night. This is a perfect venue for any occasion, couple or group.More

Horrific service ! A great venue for a drink maybe .. however after being seated at 6.45pm (our booking time) we waited nearly 45 minutes to place a drink and food order. We asked waiters numerous times if we could order, only to be told...they were short staffed. We finally ordered around 7.30pm - 2 drinks (which came out quickly) and the chef’s tasting menu. Entrees were served reasonably quickly but we then waited again and kept asking for the next course(s). We finally also managed to order 2 glasses of wine and were told those would be our last drinks, as our booking time allocation (I assume 2 hours) was nearly expired... BUT we still hadn’t been served our main course !! After asking again for our main course we finally received it at 8.30pm. We then felt rushed and were handed the bill without even the offer of another drink !! Missed opportunity for them to sell more. We had only 2 drinks in nearly 2.5 hours... madness on their part. A great atmosphere completely ruined by really poor service. Disappointed!!More