Embracing its role as a home-away-from-home local, this bar offers all the comforts of your lounge room complete with couches, Atari games and impromptu tunes.
Bender Bar sits snugly on High Street in Thornbury and is dedicated to live entertainment and fostering a 'come one, come all' mentality. The shared philosophy of co-owners and brothers Andrew and Christian is that Bender Bar is always open (seven days per week) and welcomes all. You kind of get a good feeling about humanity when grouchy bar flies are mingling freely with artistic locals, swapping jokes and shouting rounds.
Open-mic events held on Wednesdays provide a chance to catch some of Melbourne's rising acts, be they musicians, poets or stand-up comedians.
At this quirky little bar, art litters the walls (check out the disabled toilet - oh man, is that ever an LSD trip sans the LSD). Bender Bar can be a good spot for a quiet beer or an ideal place to forget about work the next day and sink an Irishman's share of booze.
With no door charge, Bender Bar is almost beating off the crowds who want that 'homely feeling'.
In comforting contrast to many other local drinking establishments, a night at Bender Bar means jam-packed entertainment, without the pokies. With activities such as big-screen Atari games, karaoke and live hip hop, who could blame anyone for just selling their home and moving in.
Mark Gambino
