Section 8

Section 8 sits on Tattersalls Lane in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, tucked into the city's celebrated laneways near Chinatown. A genuinely iconic laneway bar, it's a beloved fixture of Melbourne's bar scene — known for its distinctive, gritty, open-air setting built from shipping containers and timber pallets, with a cool, alternative vibe that captures the city's famous laneway culture.

The appeal is that combination of a one-of-a-kind, only-in-Melbourne setting, good drinks and a relaxed, buzzing atmosphere: there's nowhere quite like it, with its container-bar, street-art surrounds and laneway energy, making it a quintessential Melbourne laneway-bar experience. Its distinctive character has made it a real favourite and a genuine fixture of the scene.

With a 4.4 rating from more than 1,900 reviews, it's clearly a much-loved spot. Drinks lists, any food, opening hours and any events vary with the weather (it's largely open-air), and it fills up on weekends and warm evenings, so it's worth checking current details before you go — though for a drink in one of Melbourne's most iconic laneway bars, it's often just a matter of heading down Tattersalls Lane to Section 8.