THE LOUNGE

Not every night needs to end on the dance floor. The Lounge sits on the middle level of The Emerson, a moodier room built for handcrafted cocktails, house, commercial and electronic on rotation, the kind of space that keeps us listed among the cocktail bars Melbourne locals take seriously. It is one of the most happening bars South Yarra has, and it’s known for starting a night the right way, or staying the whole way through.

The whole idea involves carefully mixed drinks, plush booths and a soundtrack that never quite hits the club’s tempo below. Low light, comfortable furnishings and a bar built for proper cocktails rather than quick rounds keep the pace a notch slower than the dance floor underneath it. It’s one of the reasons The Lounge keeps coming up on lists of cocktail bars Melbourne locals actually love, not just the ones every tourist site repeats.

Private Functions
Enquire here or email our team at sales@theemerson.com.au.

Trading Hours
Thursday | 8pm – late
Friday – Sunday  | From 9pm – late

Bookings & Enquiries
Enquire here or email our team at hello@theemerson.com.au.
Walk-in’s welcome.

Meet the Emerson Spritz

Every good cocktail bar has one drink it would stake its name on, and ours literally does. The Emerson Spritz blends Aperol, prosecco and elderflower, finished with fresh citrus. It is bittersweet, bright and built for a room that never really slows down.

Built in-house and poured under our own name for a reason.

The Cocktail List

A few more from the list worth ordering twice.

Yuzu Collins: A crisp gin highball with zesty yuzu and lemon, lightly sweetened and topped with soda.

Mezcal Eclipse: Smoky mezcal meets blackcurrant, lime and spiced vanilla honey, finished with a whisper of rosemary smoke.

Golden Hour Marg: Reposado tequila shaken with fresh lime, roasted pineapple syrup and orange curacao, served with a salt rim.

Plum Sour: A silky gin sour featuring Davidson’s plum, native wattleseed honey and citrus.

Woo Woo: A playful blend of vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and pineapple with a hint of lime.

Consider this the shortlist. The real one is longer, and your booth host is more than happy to show off the rest of it, wine and Champagne included.

Not drinking? The mocktail list holds its own, a Strawberry Daiquiri built without the rum and a Tutti Frutti that tastes like more effort went into it than the name lets on.

Enquire now

Happy Hour Starts Upstairs

The Lounge does not run its own happy hour, that tradition lives one floor up. Head to The Rooftop Bar earlier in the night for discounted oysters, tap beers and house wines, then come downstairs once The Lounge opens and the tempo picks up.

Check What’s On for current happy hour days and times before you head in.

Booths Built for Bottle Service

Not every table needs a set of stools. The Lounge’s booths are plush and semi-enclosed, each paired with a dedicated host for the night, built for VIP bottle service rather than a quick round at the bar. If a birthday or a work celebration needs its own corner of the room, this is where to start.

One of the South Yarra Bars Built for Staying a While

The Lounge sits on Commercial Road, an easy walk from Chapel Street and the rest of South Yarra’s bar strip, minus the queue you would find at most of them. Trams stop close by, and two car parks sit within easy reach if you are driving in.

Smart casual applies across the whole building, and once you are in, the night can move as slowly or as quickly as you like: upstairs for skyline drinks, downstairs to The Nightclub once you have completed your warm-up. Three levels, three moods, one door in, and it’s easy to see why lists of the best cocktail bars in Melbourne keep returning to this corner of South Yarra.

The Lounge Gallery

Book in The Lounge

Book a Booth Functions & Events

TOP FAQS ABOUT THE EMERSON LOUNGE BAR IN SOUTH YARRA, MELBOURNE

If you don’t see your question here, feel free to reach out to our team for more information.

GET IN TOUCH

Yes, you can book a booth table on The Lounge level. Please fill out the Friday or Saturday booth enquiry form here and our team will be in contact very soon!

Yes, we have several booths in The Lounge that feature plush seating for you to sit back and unwind.

Yes, you can. The Lounge features its own exclusive bar where you can purchase drinks.

You can order any beverage your heart desires from our drink menu. Find our drinks menu here.

Food stays on The Rooftop, so if you are after a bite, head up a level. The Lounge is drinks and cocktails only.

Message us directly on Instagram with your details, including the date and how many are in your group, and we will sort a guest list entry for the night.
.

Mostly house, electronic and commercial, kept at a level where you can still hear the person next to you, at least early in the night.

Yes, our cloak room is located on the ground level of our venue in the foyer. It costs $5 to cloak an item, we accept both cash & card.

The Lounge Bar is located on the middle level of our South Yarra venue.

Friday & Saturday it opens at 9pm, both running until late.

Booth bookings run from 10:30pm, timed so the room has already found its atmosphere before you arrive.

Line up at the left door with your group, our door hosts will check you off the list, and a booth manager will walk you straight to your table and introduce you to your host for the night.

Across our entire venue, we encourage a smart, casual dress code. We love to see people bring their own styles to life, to ensure you don’t clash with the venue guidelines checkout our dress code here.

Our VIP offers exclusive booths with VIP bottle service, for all those moments you’re feeling a little bit extra. Not sure just how extra you’re feeling? Check out our booth packages today.