Bimbo Deluxe

The great things about Bimbos are;
1. $ 4 pizza
2. casual seating areas
3. A mix of people from every generation, 4. A gorgeous outside area (if you can get a table)
The bad things about Bimbos are;
1. Everyone I know has been short changed by the barstaff on numerous occasions, sometimes by huge amounts (it’s frustrating arguing with them too. But be sure to never just let your money go. That’s how it keeps perpetuating)
It’s become such a problem for lots of Melbournian’s that they just don’t go anymore.
2. The drinks are expensive (at least twice as much as the food)
3. Over the last six years or so I have seen mice on two separate occasions!
4. It’s become so much of an institution that it brings a lot of rough drunk people on weekends now. I had a friend be relentlessly hit on in an aggressive way one weekend and before we left we told the bar staff who gave less than zero f*cks… So…
…go here during the day for a lovely bite and avoid like the plague at night x

the good:
nice beers, funny drink names like Hendrix Lamar.
pizza is tasty and cheap. but see below.
cool vibes and style décor.
bar staff fairly friendly. especially for Fitzroy.
the bad:
this place is super cool, with tons of potential. but just too cool for its own good unfortunately. actually that’s typical of Melbourne and this area in particular. but this place was pretty full on in this respect.
we called ahead but were told no bookings could be made after 7. so we’d have to try our luck. upon getting there in a group of 5 around 8pm, however all the hipsters were so sparsely populated that despite being plenty of room, there were no free tables. almost like a bus half full of fat people taking up all the bench seats.
we went to have a beer upstairs in the freezing outdoor area. again sparsely manned by tiny groups of hipsters with no manners, so we’d stand while I went down to scope tables again. i thought sweet let’s have some of that awesome fucking Victoria beer i love. but lo and behold — my choices are Victoria bitter and fucking SYDNEY beers (four pines and young Henry’s)!!! OK i can see where this night was going to go. Le sigh.
luckily we find a table downstairs, but it’s on this weird slant and just next to the pool table, bar, and kitchen. 4 no nos of table selection. but we’ll take it, sure.
and now the pizzas. being from new jersey — I know a fair bit about pizza. so am typically unimpressed by the thinner supposedly award winning fancy pizzas in Australia. this stuff was really fucking good though! and at 4 bucks… holy shit. but ONE THING nearly negates the tastiness of said pizza: THEY DONT SLICE THE PIZZA FOR YOU. this began an epic Seinfeld style whinge amongst the group… never in my world travels have I seen such an anomaly. and never did I actually need to try and eat an entire round pizza without cutting it somehow. it truly is the case that you don’t now what you’ve got till it’s gone. maybe it’s a hipster trend setting Melbourne thing to do this, I don’t know — but it defied all logic, and single handedly lost a star for them.
the ugly:
so of course the whole time, despite having the epicly cool airplane DJ booth, the music was terrible. the gangster /​pop rap or maybe even trap you’d call it was so poorly chosen and mixed. and most of all didn’t fit the vibes of the place at all.
sound was also pretty imbalanced so you’re just yelling the whole time even though your friends are sitting on your lap.
and towards the end of the night… they let in this absolute train wreck of a hens do or 18^th or something in. so much sloppy, so much awful dancing on tables and couches, so much shrill Aussie talking and laughing.
that was icing on the shit cake. we were out and on to the next joint.

If you haven’t been to Bimbos (or the southern sister Lucky Coq) you really ought to at least check them out.
It ain’t the Ritz, but usually I don’t want the Ritz. The atmosphere is dingy, and I suspect it’s for the best because it’s one of those places that just feels like the floor (and probably walls) would be a bit grim in daylight. But hey, there’s only so much ikea-​y clean lines and sunlight one can take (and I love me some sunlight). The point is, the pizzas are cheap, surprisingly tasty and interesting, and when you can get a good feed and a beer for under $ 15 things aren’t too bad. I guess if you’re feeling fragile or like royalty, opt for something a bit more polished but Bimbos will always be a great default for me when something else doesn’t work out or I’m feeling stingy (aka always).

$ 4 pizzas m-​f 12 – 4, m-​thurs 7pm — 11pm, f-​sat 7 – 9 pm and ALL DAY Sunday. You really can’t go wrong, plus pool, comfy couches and a outdoor patio.

I know that Lucky Coq and Bimbo Deluxe are an acquired taste. It’s fair to say, I’ve adopted that taste now.
In all fairness, it is the $ 4 pizzas that bring me in over and over again. I just can’t get enough of them. Not only are they cheap but they’re actually friggin’ good pizzas. Simple, greasy but gourmet.
The atmosphere is either a love or hate for visitors. I recall a friend referring to Bimbo as «That seedy place with no lighting». Look, he’s pretty much spot on but that’s all in the character of the place. Who cares that they’re a baby doll tied up in some form of torture device. It’s creepy as hell but that’s what makes the place unique. That’s all part of the experience.

Bimbo, why do you do this to me?
I know Fitzroy is hipster-​dirty and I can deal with that, but I was assaulted by a barrage of cockroaches when I was there yesterday for a mid-​day drink and pizza. I counted six cockroaches – we moved tables three times to avoid them, and then I got a nice glimpse into the kitchen where I saw one on the wall next to what looked like a meat grinder.
I can’t deal. Maybe I’m not cool enough, but I’ll miss their infused vodkas and cheap eats.

Beware coming here that it’s bloody tough to get a table. It’s pretty much like playing Red Rover. There’s maybe 3 or 4 groups waiting by the door at any one time for a table. You have three areas to scope: ground floor right, ground floor left and beer garden up top. Split your group in to these three areas and when a table comes up you pissbolt for it. I’m not even kidding. And if, like what happened to us, you end up grabbing that table at the same time as another group be prepared to settle it with a good old fashioned game of scissors, paper, rock. We lost and so back to square one. We ended up sitting in this little room up the stairs on the left. It’s almost like a lounge room and I think some people just don’t see it so check this one first. In the end we ended up having to share the room with two others but it’s all in the spirit of red rover!
It’s a Tuesday night so all pizzas and hot dogs are 4 bucks. Hell yes! I’m a pig (and it was $ 4! FOUR!) so I ordered both a pizza and a hot dog. I had the American style dog that I can’t remember the name of right now but i really liked it. It’s a hot dog so don’t expect 5 stars but it’s bread, a delicious greasy beef sausage (you have the choice of this or the traditional frankfurt) pickles, sauce and mustard. If your just looking to line your stomach for a bit of drinking this is definitely a go. I ordered the il Greco pizza which wasn’t anything to write home about but for $ 4 I didn’t really care all that much. They have four (the magic number) cocktails they sell by the jug so I grabbed a rum one and a pimms jug. Drank until I was wobbly, ate until I was stuffed and sat undisturbed in that loungeroom for a couple of hours all for $ 54. That is a stupidly cheap night out and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
I can’t speak to the vibe of the place because we were fairly isolated from the main seating areas. The staff were alright but didn’t seem to give much of a toss. There were two standout staff. One bartender and a waitress that went just that little extra to be helpful which stood out in my rum addled brain. If it’s your off week in your fortnight pay cycle or you’ve got some tight friends (don’t we all?) then this place will do nicely.

I’m torn about how to rate Bimbo Deluxe and I almost wish I could write two independent reviews: one for the food and one for the bar. I’d give the bar 4 stars and the food 3 stars.
The bar has a cool divey atmosphere. The ground floor has a large bar and plenty of seating. Couches and sofas make up a large portion of the ground floor seating. There’s also part of an aeroplane gracing the down-​stairs area.
The upstairs area features an outdoor bar and seating area decorated with a large mural. It’s a nice place to sit in the evening, especially when the decorative lamps overhead are switched on.
One of the draws of Bimbo’s is the super-​cheap pizza. At certain times of the day, they server dinner plate sized pizzas for $ 4! They’re the thin-​crust variety and there’s a good selection to choose from. The pizzas I tried were okay but by no means outstanding. The friend I ate with claimed that they’re usually better — perhaps they were having an off night.
Despite being a little disappointed by the pizza, I feel that Bimbo’s is a venue that I’d be happy to return to in the future. And the pizzas had enough promise that I’d be willing to give them another chance. (Plus perhaps there’s only so much you can expect for $ 4.)

Bimbo’s is great, granted you go at the right time of day (about 6 – 8 is perfect when the pizzas and hot dogs are all $ 4), and don’t have the highest of expectations. The $ 4 are great for $ 4 pizzas, but aren’t great as pizzas in general.
During the late evenings it turns into a sort of club, but there is no dance floor and people are still eating at all of the tables, so it’s a bit of a strange club, with a mish-​mash crowd.
I recommend stopping by for a quick drink (they have great infused vodkas) and a pizza before a night out. There is also a great heated beer garden and pool tables on the main floor.

Bimbo Deluxe, alongside its sister Lucky Coq, is a Melbourne institution. Where else can you find European-​priced pizzas? ($ 4)
Great vibe with dimly lit indoor area and cool mismatched old couches. The dessert pizzas are also $ 4 with generous toppings of mascarpone.
Great place for a dinner date or with friends. They play some great Nu-​Disco on Thursday nights as well.
My tip: go for a pizza that lists more ingredients, as it usually means you get more food :-)
One minor complaint: the mulled cider was too sweet :-(

First off, awesome name. I know I was intrigued, especially when my friend mentioned their tasty pizzas. The atmosphere upon setting foot in the red-​lit bar is mysterious, and quirky in a welcoming sort of way. We sunk into one of the numerous couches after ordering some crisp cider schooners. Our pizzas were yums, and they have veggie and vegan options if that’s what you’re into. They also serve up cultural themes hot dogs, ie the Crazy Canuck, obvs dressed with some maple sizzurp.
As weird as it may sound, definitely make sure you check out the bathroom. You’ll know what I mean once you see the funny retro images pasted to the walls of the stalls. So entertaining!

You can choose your own adventure at Bimbo Deluxe, eat a $ 4 pizza while you influence the playlist. All you need to play DJ is a certain brand of phone and an app, then log into the Bimbo DJ wireless network and choose your song. Pretty cool!
If it’s nice weather climb up to the rooftop bar, you can order drinks and food up there. There’s a nice variety of pizza choices, with several vegetarian options which is alway a bonus.
If you’re making the trip especially for the cheap pizza check their website as it’s only available at certain times.
Cool crowd, cheap pizza, good drinks list. If you’re a regular download their app and earn point towards food or drinks. WINNING!

How cool is this place? So chill & grungy (in a nice way of course) So relaxed upstairs on the outdoor terrace on a mild Summer afternoon after work
Ample beer & cider’s to choose from not to mention a wine list that passes the test.
But wait for it… FOUR DOLLAR PIZZAS! This is the perfect place to dine JUST BEFORE PAY DAY!
I had the Vedure pizza because I’m a sucker for anything with eggplant & my friend had the Funghi. Both were very nice and went perfectly with our salads — me the Greek, yep you guessed it — I’m a sucker for a Greek! & My BFF had the Rocket. Yes, I will totally be returning to Bimbo Deluxe!

Bimbo Deluxe is a really great example of Brunswick Street as a whole these days. Where once it was superior to all the trash, south-​of-​the-​river, clubbing, t-​shirt wearing douche-​bags that I have spent so much of my adult life avoiding, I guess nothing lasts forever.
The music on a Saturday night is absolutely deplorable. What the hell happened? Likewise the general scene. Although it’s not a place I’m going to lose sleep over missing, it’s a really great example of what is happening to the area in general.

During my first week in Australia, a mate brought me to bimbo’s whilst showing me around the Brunswick area. I wont lie, I was so keen on him I barely took the time to realize how cool the joint was.
It was not until weeks later when I brought my friends back for the cheap as $ 4 deal, that I really took the whole atmosphere in. This was also the first place I got to try Aussie beer — Little Creatures ;) This is still my favorite brew to this day and they have it on tap!
The downstairs area is filled with velvet couches and the women’s bathroom has kama sutra comic book wall paper. What more do you need?

Bimbos reinvented itself while I was just becoming the old enough to drink sort. Now I see the oversized kewpie doll hanging from the side of the building and I have flashbacks of the trouble they had installing the damn thing.
You go here for great pizza and some good tunes, with weekends usually packing the place out. The bar is well stocked with friendly ones and drinks a plenty, and the music is loud enough to blot out any need for awkward conversation.
There’s lots of funk on at the moment, I don’t remember when that started but I’m pretty sure it hasn’t always been there.
They’ve got a wicked Monday night idea that comes with an iPhone App that you log into to pick the next song to play, thus everyone attending becomes the DJ at the same time. It makes me crave the jukebox though — flicking through the bad lighting of the display to inevitably find a song you weren’t actually looking for but cannot believe it’s in the jukebox.

Ahhh Bimbo’s. It’s always been a love /​hate relationship with us hasn’t it?
Living quite close to Bimbo’s, it almost became my local hangout until i begun to see a different venue at different times.
Bimbo’s has those iconic $ 4 pizza’s that are tasty and go down a treat with some beers after work. Thats the love part.
I guess you could say the hate part comes from trying to come to Bimbo’s with a group of friends for drinking and dancing. The venue is (well i find) on a weekend night more aimed towards your uni student /​barely legal types.
We came to Bimbo’s on a Saturday night and the place was packed, it wasn’t long until my friends and i felt quite uncomfortable. The juniors in here make the place a tad too squashy and the crowd didn’t give the venue the same atmosphere that it receives during the day.
An utter failure of a night and we moved on to somewhere else. So there you have it, sometimes its love and sometimes its hate; but then again i have the same relationship with Tequila. I’ll always come back.

When I first moved to Melbourne and was basically homeless and jobless for two months, one dear friend was always there for me — Bimbo’s Deluxe.
For two months straight I ate at least two pizzas a day from them. Wow you must be thinking, their pizzas must be amazing! Well no not exactly — their pizzas are pretty good — but it’s more the fact that they sell them for $ 4 apiece at selected times (Sun-​Thur 7−11pm, Weekdays 12−4pm, Sat 7−9pm).
So having eaten every single pizza off their menu numerous times (including their chocolatey desserts ones) I can tell you my favourite two are the Caesar and Agnello hands down.
They also have a nice rooftop courtyard which is a bit of a change from the dark dingy downstairs bar.

Located on the iconic Brunswick Street, Bimbo’s Deluxe has become part of Fitzroy folklore for its legendary $ 4 pizza deals and its status as an unpredictable bar and nightspot. You can spot Bimbos a mile off thanks to the creepy looking naked baby dangling from its rustic exterior.
Its décor can only be described as 50s American diner meets S&M dungeon, meets your grans dark and dingy living room, meets an island getaway. That’s not to mention the weird acoustics of their Igloo room.
Their $ 4 pizzas have to be some of the cheapest and best pizzas in Melbourne. Personal favourites include the Caesar and the Agnello (lamb, rocket and pine nuts).
As a nightspot Bimbos is frankly a mixed bag. You never know what to expect. One night it can be a sausage factory, the next night it will be rammed with hotties. One night it will be hip-​hop, the next grime and dubstep, the next electronic. Live DJs most nights, dance floor and the pull of a rooftop/​courtyard bar mean the venue is always packed on the weekends.

Bimbo’s is kind of what my first share house looked like — dirty old couches, mismatched glassware, a couple making out on the table and a guy passed out in the corner. Oh, and booze and pizza everywhere.
But besides all this, Bimbos has a certain something that makes it charming and a cosy place to drink.
There is a huge selection of beers and flavoured vodkas (think chocolate or chilli!), and the pizza is CHEAP and served all night long.
The best thing about Bimbo’s? It is open and has DJ’s playing every night of the week. Feel like a boogie on a Monday night? Now you know where to go. Just look for the giant baby on the roof!

best $ 4 pizza i’ve had! the one w salmon & marscapone! yumm! cool rooftop area, beer on tap, what else could you ask for?!