The Bottom End Bursts Open

It used to be that the only time you’d head south of Elizabeth Street late at night was for chintzy nightclubs, strip clubs and a fist fight. Thankfully you can still do all these things, but from today you can also do something else: The Bottom End.

Branding itself as a pub-disco-diner, this new venue is the handiwork of Michael Delany-Korabelnikova, the chap you may remember from such blurry nights at Honkytonks, Third Class and Sorry Grandma!

True to its fractured self description, The Bottom End is a hodgepodge of styles and influences. The swanky front room is American diner, with booths, red lamp shades and red shirted wait staff whizzing around diner grits like Philly Cheese Steaks, Buffalo Wings and Po Boys.

Moving from the somewhat refined world of the diner down into the open bar bacchanalia is like entering another world.

Just like Graceland and MONA, the owner’s personality is brazenly stamped over the space. And the consensus: Michael Delany-Korabelnikova loves tits.

Statues of topless nymphs, chandeliers that pulse to the music, skulls with glowing eyes and a dancefloor with a smoke machine all grace this open bar bacchanalia. It’s big, it’s decadent and it’s pretty fun.

It reminds me of Honkytonks, which isn’t a bad thing, Melbourne could use more decent late night venues to dance and drink and eat greasy food in.

After a few of those drinks you’ll probably have need to visit the amenities, where the surprises keep coming. The men’s urinal is constructed from floor to ceiling mirrors that spout water from the roof in an almighty ammonia cleansing spurt.

If you’ve never faced a full length mirror at a urinal before, I can testify to its sobering effects. However you tend forget pretty quickly once you get to the basin and are greeted with a mural of…you guessed it – tits.

Apparently the ladies bathroom is adorned with a larger than life interpretation of Owen Wilson au naturale. It has also been suggested this mural be christened Owang Wilson. Bottoms up to that.

The Bottom End
579 Little Collins St, Melbourne
Wed 4pm – 12am
Thurs 4pm – 2am
Fri – Sat 4pm – 5am
Sun 4pm – 12am
www.thebottomend.com.au