Polly Bar

On my first occasion, I was pretty shocked and scared for quite some time. All the staff were wearing black collared shirts with red ties. To me this typifies an utterly horrendous fashion choice and one so atrociously daggy it would leave me rocking backwards and forwards awaking from a nightmare in a cold sweat. Thankfully, some exceptionally wise decided to reverse that decision.
Although the venue itself continues to mystify me with it’s true intention. Is it supposed to Renaissance themed? Or that of royalty and Kingdoms? Or even some form of pro-​female, pro-​women, equality driven establishment. It never seems to be bursting at the seems like a lot of the busy venues nearby, but nevertheless, all the results are good; service, drinks, atmosphere, and the venue itself.

I live close by and this is the spot I come with my guy when we spontaneously decide to go out for cocktails. It’s always open late, so you never get caught out as you often do in this town where so many owners of good bars like to pull a Cinderella and close shop when the clock strikes twelve.
The cocktails are excellent here and the vibe is best described as… eccentric. Ignore the outrageously tacky Roman garden in the smoker’s section out the front and walk through into the darkened bar room decked out to look like a Parisian boudoir, with nude portraits and ornate sofas. Don’t focus on any particular piece that looks vintage, as it will likely turn out to be a party prop purchased from the Reject Shop. Just let your eyes relax and be taken away with atmospherics that are best served dark.
Sink into a sofa and peruse the extensive cocktail list. You will never get to try them all, so just choose the most interesting to you. The bar staff here use fresh ingredients and are very capable at creating something for you. Bartender Shaun deserves a mention. He’s such a fun and cheery guy and indulges my vague requests for «something with gin and raspberries» with skill and a smile.
Pizzas are actually really good and very reasonably priced at $ 10 each.
Fridays and Saturdays get a bit crowded and occasionally trashy, so I prefer to drop in on a Sunday or weekday.

Sensational cocktails and bar food — great place to stay warm during winter and chilling the couch with mates

We’ve been touring Brunswick Street for a few hours, sampling cocktails. Our wallets feel terribly light while our heads seem heavier, way heavier than usual. It’s time to put an end to this night spent ‘getting shit-​faced’ but no, one more stop. Surely, we have it in us for one more drink! Alright alright, where’s my phone? Oh there it is. in my back pocket! Unilocal and you shall find!
Polly. I like the name. rings a bell. Yes of course, Along came Polly starring Jennifer Aniston. She’s hot so we have to try this place!
We walk in and man, I wish we’d tried this place first. I immediately love it — roman statues welcome you in, comfy couches set along the wall inside, red walls, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, leather armchairs, dim lights. The bar is set right in the middle of the room. It’s brilliant!
I love Gin so I decide to go for the Jack the Bloody Ripper. It’s a bit lemony and minty, which I reckon blends really well with Gin, and it’s really good.
Polly is a definite must-​try and I’m glad we finished off the night there… I look forward to returning!

I can’t say much about this place since I only had one cocktail and one glass of wine, but this is what I have to say so far: I want to go back.
So I guess that means a lot. The place is lovely, the cocktail list is brilliant, it would take a long time (or a very long night which you’ll never wake up) to try them all, and the one I tried was awesome.
Seems like the perfect place to bring a date or just friends for a quite night out, tasting wine, cocktails, and even pizzas !

What a great place. Awesome sexy boudoir décor. Lots of couches, you could get very sozzled here late at night, especially with the extensive and tasty drinks selection and $ 7 pizzas to boot!

This is not my ideal place to drink however it is a great place check out at least once. The staff here really know what they are doing, all suited up in their waist coats, running around like busy bees that make the nectar to feed the growing number of people that keep coming to the bar. I am very happy that they have bar stools so you can enjoy the show whilst your cocktail is being made. When the show is over there is nothing better than sinking into their over the top chairs. I actually got the feeling that I was in some kind of brothel when I came here.

I would always poke my head into Polly (Well, into the outside patio), and was always wooed by the décor.
I finally gathered a posse to head into the well known cocktail lounge, the night was a success! The cocktail list is massive, with pricing in the late teens to early twenties ($ 16 — $ 20, i just like saying it like an age).
I absolutely adore the outdoor patio area, made with white marble and sliding doors that open (only when the weather suits) and ambience is key at Polly.
If you’re into something sweet, try the Rocky Road, there’s something about having Mozart Black, Marshmallow Vodka, Chambord and Cherry, Hazelnuts and Chocolate, Frangelico and Soy Milk that will make your senses ignite!

Polly has a staged glamour that makes me think of little girls playing dress-​ups in their mum’s high heels and red lipstick. It isn’t real glamour, there isn’t really any class, but it is aspiring, playful and kind of fun.
Going to Polly for a few very well made cocktails is all the excuse a girl needs to apply an extra slick of black eyeliner and hopefully slink in effortlessly in a silky dress and heels, throwing seductive glances around the room.
I like Polly best when it’s quiet, when there’s hardly anyone there, when I don’t have to doll-​up and when I don’t have to wait an eternity to enjoy a delicious cocktail. Perhaps I just want all that pretend glamour to myself.

Let’s just say some things are better left in the dark. The beautiful person you met last night, danced for hours with, bought drinks for, and then kissed. Best left in the dark, sometimes. The bar that this all occurred in? This, too, should be left in the dark.
This is the feeling I get at Polly. When it’s late and busy, the place looks so posh and comfy. Little red couches are everywhere. There’s a cool façade on the front, hiding the smoking area, before you get in the actual building. The cocktails are SO good. Another place that you can just ask for an ingredient and let the bartender (s) work some magic. You’ll be pleasantly surprised every time. Your wallet will hate you, but your mouth will thank you.
You may not want to know, however, how large your bar tab was. Nor if the velvet (een) couches were permanently stained, or just had something stuck to them. But while you’re there it’s like you’ve gone down the rabbit hole, and your senses will love it all night.

Polly, located on Brunswick Street, is known for its cocktails. With some 60 cocktails on their list, they have something to cater to everyone’s taste. They also do classic cocktails well so ask the friendly staff if that’s what you want.
As a gin fan, I always try one of their many gin-​based cocktails. Try their Fizzy Miss Lizzy with Aperol, Sloe Gin, and Pelorus Sparkling — quite simple ingredients put together to create a fruity fizz that tastes delicious. Cocktails range from $ 17-​$ 20 depending on the alcoholic base.
One of my favourite reasons to go there besides the cocktails is the décor. The outside patio is made entirely of marble (or some other white stone) whilst the inside is furnished in red velvet and reminds you of a burlesque house. With brown leather chairs and gold trims against red walls, Polly does provide plush décor. It’s definitely unlike many of the bars on Brunswick Street.

As like many drinking venues after the smoking laws were enforced, Polly has carved out the front of its space to accommodate for the gaspers, which is unfortunate when you’re an ex-​smoker just trying to get in the door.
Once inside you are treated to a world of decadence with red velvet couches and lounge suits, golden-​framed prints, flocked wallpaper, chandeliers and the smooth background music that temps conversation. The décor has obviously been well thought out.
The cocktail list is long and well rounded and I’m sure many have not remembered leaving after a hit or two from the absinthe list. The beer selection is impressive and they even cater for the non-​alcohol minded. Packed on any weekend night, it’s not as secluded as the furnishings would suggest. I recommend getting in there early in the week to take in the soft tunes with some idle chatter in the background and live it up in luxury.

I heard that Amanda Palmer once went to Polly and found it to be pretty cool. What more recommendation do you need?
Oh, you need more?
Friendly, highly competent bartenders, check. A huge variety of cocktails, absinthes (yes, absinthes, plural), wines, and beers, check. Beautiful décor, check. Comfortable seats (near the back there’s a throne), check. Delicious snacks from a busy kitchen, check. I could go on, but you’d think I was making it up.
If you’re going to order from the menu, you won’t go wrong, there is definitely something for every taste preference. Where Polly shines, though, is in the mystery orders. These guys love to show off, and tell them you want something a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and not at all creamy and there’ll shortly be a dream cocktail sitting beautifully in front of you.
Everyone needs a bit of glamour in their lives, and I find mine at Polly.