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By: Ed Janssen
Date: 1st Oct 08
Venue: Bar
Meal: All day
What:
Match Bar & Grill
Where:
Upstairs, 249 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne
When:
Mon-Tues 11am-11pm, Wed-Thurs 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
Contact:
9654 6522
Win:
Match invite you to download $20 Match Cash to spend over the bar or in their dining room. They are awesome.
Walking into Match on a Tuesday afternoon I found it hard not to imagine the place on a Friday night, teeming with types I cross the road to avoid, but one cannot judge a venue by its potential crowd (especially not a Friday one). You can judge it by the layout, the menu and the staff, though. The space is massive and the decor relaxed, with a sea of leather couches and a separate dining area.
Outside you'll find sheltered booths and A HUGE SMOKING AREA with a 180-degree city view. JOY! The menus are expansive and mouth watering. There's a cute dog on the front and medical advice, such as: 'Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, ask your bartender about tequila.'
The Match team are seasoned hospitality folks, with award-winning venues across the globe ('London, Melbourne, Ibiza', hehe). Along with their fancy liquors, they have imported some staff, who (together with a good selection of locals) make up a friendly and savvy team.
There is free wifi and DJs Thursday to Saturday. The skinny-panted Melbournite may find elements of Match a little formulaic, but it is a formula that seriously works.