Bar of the Month - Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Each month we pick a watering hole you should take a visit to - this month it is the Ramblin' Rascal Tavern!
Nestled away between a convenience store and a Toni and Guy Hair Salon, the only give-away for Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern is a tiny sign and a rather not so tiny doorman waiting outside, (he’s super nice though).
The Rascal is spectacularly placed for some after work drinks, just opposite Hyde Park in the heart of the CBD but don’t let the suits put you off - this is a down and dirty bar with the drinks to match.
Try an appropriately named "shit tinnie" for $6 and get exactly what it says on the tin...sorry about that. The day we visited it was nothing but the Very Best (VB to the uninitiated) and the place was jumping.
The carpet is stickier than a bar-code on a CD case and the booths that line the outside of the bar area are cosy and comfortable. Bar stools and high tables are dotted around the room and the bar itself is pretty beautiful. An antique library ladder rolls around behind the bar and the booze is all in plain sight - and what a sight it is!
If you happen upon the Ramblin' Rascal Tavern on a quiet night it is just as fun as a full-house. The decor is sleek with vintage posters lining the walls and behind the bar, the attire of the bar-staff is overalls (anything else is optional).
Cocktail-wise, the Pegu Club ($17) - an heady mix of gin, Cointreau, lime juice and bitters, is as refreshing as it gets while the Rascal Spider ($16) is a joy to behold - a coke/ice-cream float with your choice of booze!
Beers and wines are all Australian with a great list of craft brews to whet the whistle - the oat stout is particularly delicious if you like your ales dark while the wine list caters to every palate.
The Rascal shuts its doors to newcomers at midnight and kicks out the happy revelers soon thereafter so get in early if you want to make the most of the evening. The music is booming and, on our visits, has been varied - from old school funk and soul to modern hip hop - an impromptu dance floor springs up at the back of the venue if that is your sort of thing and if not the tables and booths offer the perfect vantage point on a night in the city.
Grab a handful of complimentary corn nuts, try and squeeze your way into a booth and let the night fly-by. Whether it is for after work drinks or a couple of cheeky ones before you head down William Street to pastures new - The Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern is a great little bar that is relatively new to the scene.
If first impressions are anything to go by, the Rascal will be a favourite for years to come!
The Ramblin' Rascal Tavern can be found at 60 Park Street and, in our opinion, it is awesome! Every time we've been, it has given us something a little different to the time before. It has a great atmosphere, the staff are like old friends and the drinks are pretty darn tasty ... what more could you want?!
