St. Jerome’s Bar
Over the weekend, I went to St. Jerome’s Bar. I will give a short review but it’s really quite interesting to read reviews of bars on websites. Take for example, Mcity.com.au’s review, which is about a page long and doesn’t shed much information.
So first paragraph, sort of tells you what kind of crowd goes there. Fair enough, I probably wouldn’t feel comfortable in some crowds.
“Stepping into the mini bar is like walking into someone’s kitchen. No fancy artwork or furniture. Only pure, natural knick-knacks, that feel just right. Jerome likens the bar to a living thing, constantly unfolding and evolving into something different every day.”
Are we still talking about a bar? Does the average person look at the decor of the bar? I certainly don’t.
“Walk down Caledonian Lane and check out the pieces by Monkey, Reka, Phibs and Bonsai - local street artists and friends of St Jeromes. The street art is very much a part of the bar itself.”
So this is an art exhibit?
This is not a pot shot at Mcity, as I do like the bar finding service they provide. The Age, Herald Sun, and other bar review sites write very similar things.
Well, how would I review St. Jerome’s?
Bar: The bar was very small and consisted of most people cramming outside into what I would describe as a sealed in concrete backyard. There was no room to move. Outdoor heaters were provided as well as a few seats. If you are overweight, you would have a tough time walking through this bar.
Location: I didn’t notice the art in the alleyway, probably because the laneway was filled with rubbish, which at times was not neatly put away. It’s right in the middle of the city and is easy to find if you know the cross streets.
Drinks: Pretty standard drinks. They appear to only have bottled beer. I had a longneck (750ml) of Cooper’s for $9. So a pint of beer is 568ml thus costing $6.82 for a pint. Not bad but somehow a longneck for $9 feels expensive.
Is it a good place to meet the opposite sex?
No, I don’t think so.
Is it a good place to have conversation with friends?
Definitely not on a Friday night. Music is loud and with the amount of people it’s quite difficult to hold conversation.
How’s the music there? Is it a good place to dance?
The music consisted of good club type music and you probably could dance if there was more room.
Can I watch sports there?
I didn’t spot any TVs.
I’m not going to describe the decor because frankly I don’t care as long as there are seats and tables. I would not recommend this bar for any of the weekend nights but perhaps at another time it might be better. Feel free to burn me in the comments. I’m sure there are people who swear by this place and people who hate it.
Picture taken by acb
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Yeah — i feel the same about this place. Not a comfortable place to hang out with any more than a few friends really, and forget about it on a weekend.
A similar bar that’s opened up of late is Section 8, down Tattersalls Lane (behind Cookie, lane joins Little Bourke and Lonsdale). This is pretty cool, would recommend a look.