The Lui Bar

I went to the Lui bar last night on the recommendation of my hotel concierge (when asking about places with a good selection of Scotch). The bar is on the 55^th floor of a building overlooking much of Melbourne. This was post-​dinner so drinks only.
The view: I was lucky enough to be sat at a window very quickly. The scenery of the city was nice, however, I have seen better city views along my travels (to be fair as I live in NYC, so take this with that grain of salt). Because they were trying to keep the glare down, the bar is rather dim, which made reading the drink menu a challenge. At one point I used the flashlight app on my phone so I could actually read it.
The drinks:
I did browse through their selection of scotches, and while I did find 2 that I liked, the selection was not as robust as I’d hoped for. Some of the ones they had I will say looked very good, however the prices were wildly varied. Some scotches cost far less than I’d expect, while others far more. While I ended up going middle of the road with two 18 year drinks (for a total of $ 50), overall I would say it’s overpriced at the end of the day.
Service:
I will say that the service here was very good in my case. The wait staff were attentive, however didn’t interrupt unless they saw I was in need of something (such as another drink, or a water refill). Also one of the bartenders did come over to have a discussion on the scotches with me, which was nice (I had questions on if they had more of a brand but a different vintage, etc.). I’d give them as the reason this is a 3 start and not a 2 star review.
Overall this was a good one-​off stop, but I don’t see the need to visit here again.

Giving two stars because the view is impeccable. but the service is TERRIBLE AND VERY RUDE. I recommend this place as a stop off if you are entertaining tourists but make sure you dress up as they will use any excuse to exclude people with their pompous attitude
Drinks are very overpriced. Coffees $ 10 each and rather blah compared to Melbourne standards. When you pay $ 10 for a hot chocolate you would expect a marshmallow or some cream but no such thing here.
They also refused to let us sit near the window despite there being a number of free seats due to their ‘strict seating layout’ = douches

I forgot how much of a thing of beauty Lui Bar is. Bringing along an out-​of-​towner who was having her first experience of Melbourne, we went along for the Lui equivalent of a Sunday session — jazz with a view of one of the most beautiful cities in the world as a backdrop beneath.
Cold-​drip espresso martinis and dry-​ice infusions poured from conical flasks, this has either been taking notes on how to be a top hip bar in Melbourne, or writing them. With an incredible selection of beers and wines, you can drape yourself across a lounge while decadently sipping something so delicious you’ve found yourself at the bottom before you’ve realised there’s a flush in your cheek and a friendly, ever-​attentive waiter ready to cater to your next whim.
Want to wow someone special? Spoil someone rotten? Show off our city? Or people watch the most eclectic bundle of persons you might find in one opulent establishment? I can think of nowhere better!
(Additionally, think you’re a wizz at how toilets work? Make sure you take a peek in to Lui’s while you’re here. they’re something a bit different.)

How remiss of me not to review when I attended this hidden gem, well if you look up 55 floors you will see it! The old observation deck is a must see bar! First they have a dress code best call first no open sandals ladies and gents a great door girl who should double as a CIA operative ear piece and all remote for elevator! Couches in lobby until they have room upstairs or 55 floors up! Then stage 2 wait at bar podium order a bevvie until bar seat ready order 2 or more bevvies as you await a window seat! A great place for corporate smoozing great views, amazing drinks and a ice technician cuts the ice wow! Has wow all over it

We went to The Lui Bar yesterday, unfortunately it was «full» and we have been advised to leave our number to be called back in 30−40min.
So we went for a quick drink at state of grace, a very cool place just next door.
90 min later we decided to get back there to see where our table was at cause we didn’t received any call. The fancy pants there told us to wait 5 – 10 more minutes.
10 minutes later we finally get to the elevator to the 55 floor.
The premises are nice, the view is stunning.
Many tables are free…
We get to our table and get some menus for the drinks. The cocktail menu is not super clear and comes without price tag.
We waited again a solid 20 minutes until we finally catch a waitress to take our orders.
The drinks came quickly.
So I had a spider dance, interesting flavours but that’s about it. I had way better cocktails around Melbourne.
The customer service was simply not existing. The waitress was cute but had no clue how to do her job. What was probably a manager was the most obnoxious person I’ve seen in a while, it was almost insulting.
If the owner of this bar sees this note, please react! You have a gem and it is ruined by the completely disorganised and overly pretentious team.
The only good point is the view and you can get similar ones in better places.

This bar has everything going for it. Great view, great service & great drinks. If you are new to Melbourne, its a good place to have a drink and get your bearings around the south side of Melbourne.
Perfect location to kick off a special night. Prices are steep, but expected at a place like this. If you are into cocktails, then there are lots of good options to try, but bring your chequebook as they are around $ 25 each.

You can’t beat the view, but Bar Lui doesn’t rest on its laurels. Had an awesome Old Fashioned… which started with the bartender sawing the ice off a large block and chopping it with a butcher knife. I could see that they were serious about making a good drink. Interior devour is very cool, and the bar food is delicious. Got a grazing plate of three sliders (favourite was the barramundi burger) and chick pea fries. At midnight they brought around complimentary snacks. Nice touch!

A-​MA-​ZING!!! My new after hours, date, show, work place to chill. Its a science experiment for drinkers. Classy place. Excellent service and servers. Coffee was the word of mouth recommendation that drew me there but compared to the sliders and macadamia nut martini… the coffee was 2 star disappointment. But overall the experience still was a 5! Luuuuv it and will go back and bring everyone i know!

Lui Bar has long been on the Melbourne must see list… if you’re aiming to impress definitely take an out-​of-​towner here. Try and get yourself perched by a window seat and soak in the level 55 views of Melbourne town. If you time you’re visit for sunset then you’ll be in for an extra treat!
The bar tenders know their stuff here and the service is impeccable. Prices, I don’t think, are outlandish for what is one of Melbourne’s premier venues.

It’s worth coming here for the spectacular view of the city. We came at sunset and watched the sky change from pink to orange to dark blue. It was a beautiful way to see Melbourne. The sky high view and bar rivaled that of the High Altitude bar at Shanghai World Financial Center but I haven’t find anything that tops the view from Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands.
Our cocktails were tasty enough, enjoyed the pop-​up menu, and server was friendly, but $ 100 for 4 cocktails makes this a «1-​drink, enjoy the view, then hit the road» kind of place. Be prepared to wait in the lobby before being invited up, then find the glitzy bar mostly empty upstairs. Trying to generate an exclusive feel? It kind of works, but only for one drink before getting out and exploring the city.

I knew I wanted to have a drink at the Lui Bar when I was in town. What I didn’t know was that I’d feel like a bloody rock star when I did so.
Here’s what you need to know about getting into Lui: ask the person at ground floor very nicely if you can have a drink or two at Lui. This person will then pull a super awesome operator move of radioing up to the bar to check, and will then give you the OK (fingers crossed, anyways). You step into a nightclub elevator that magically takes you up to the 55^th floor without you touching any buttons. The door opens (yawn to pop your ears) and an attractive person decked out in the finest of serving wear will welcome you to the Lui Bar and seat you.
FANCY. SO FANCY. So fancy I had to order a drink to chill out – but then you have to take your time reading through the amazing pop-​up menu, too! IT’S ALL TOO MUCH. OR MAYBE JUST ENOUGH? HEAVEN. I WAS IN HEAVEN.
I normally like to try things I haven’t had before, but I’ll always zero in on anything with gin in it first. I can’t even remember what the first drink I had was, but after a quick scan of the previous reviews, my second was a Lola Montez Spider Dance Fizz – the fresh fruit at the time was mandarin, which was perfect for my tastes. The smoke was fun to watch but more importantly, delicious to smell. I sniffed that delicious spiced smoke right up. (The drink itself was also A+.)
I mostly wanted to write this review to prepare you for the killer entrance, but Sascha K’s beaten me in the meantime! Never mind, it just reinforces the experience really. I absolutely loved my evening sitting at the bar, chatting to the bartenders and occasionally twirling around for a glimpse of the incredible evening view. Oh, what a night.

Just another reminder of how awesome this city is. Great views from the 55^th floor are what make this fancy venue.
Much like the bar at Marina Bay Sands, the view makes up the price ($ 76 for a beer, Cider & 2 Bloody Mary’s), yet still much cheaper than what you’re getting there or in somewhere like Hong Kong or Shanghai for a bar with a view.
The service was probably a little slow for my liking, but I guess it was kind of busy, with a lot of people popping in for a drink prior to a good food month dinner @ Vue, and even groups coming in from Oaks.
Not somewhere I’d go every week (well unless someone wants to take me to dinner at Vue every week that is), but I’ve got a friend coming in from NY in the new year, so I’ll take her up for a cocktail or 2, and I’d definitely go back for a special occasion!

Must do in Melbourne! Impossible to detail everything in this review. The unimpeded view from the 55^th floor overlooks the bay and is incredible at night. The cocktails are delicious, use high quality ingredients and although the prices are not given, they are good value for money, about $ 22 each. (Two drinks will be enough for the night). Definitely a place to go on a romantic date.
The experience begins in the Rialto lobby. You are greeted by the concierge and asked to wait on the couches in the aging brown marble lobby. This is the calm before the storm.
When you are escorted to the lift is it like you have been transported to the matrix, for the experience when you leave the lift is nothing short of incredible.
The ugly brown marble is gone. The entire floor is black, dark and decorated with whimsy. Several security guards patrol the floor with earpieces like agent smith in their tailored suits. Some guests are dressed up in suits and evening gowns, and you imagine they are famous actresses with their rich boyfriends. Other guests are enamored with the view or the elaborate cocktails and the conversation is punctuated sound of cameras. Bottles of decanted spirits are arranged chaotically around the bar and in trolleys near the tables as if you could just reach out an pour yourself another drink.
The bartenders have a friendly demeanor and make you feel welcome as they hand you a leather bound wine list and an expensive, black gloss cocktail menu that is reminiscent of those 3D fold out books, only this time he cocktails unfold in 3D at you page by page. There is also a short tapas menu that is printed on recycled paper with plant seeds embedded so that you can return the menu to nature when you get home.
Oh and if you are a male, make sure to visit the bathroom, their interpretation of a space saving 3 person urinal will definitely get you more acquainted with your fellow patrons.

Cool place! Great cocktails, efficient staff and a splendid view. Those visiting Melbourne should definitely give this place (and the coffee infused cocktail that they so interestingly serve) a go — a Tuesday night will suffice.

I’ll bet the service was exceptional.
I’m sure the cocktails were as fantastic as the pop-​up menu they were presented in.
I assume the hand-​carved ice is worthy of stars on its own.
I’ll even go as far as to say that the futuristic sink in the bathroom that integrated a system where the water was already sanitized was likely beyond brilliant.
But how could I pay attention to any of that when I was drooling over the 55^th floor view of the Melbourne skyline at sunset? Dress to impress and prepare to raise that pinky — everyone deserves a little fancy in their lives. Get it here.

I’m definitely not cool enough for this place, yet it’s the first spot that comes to mind when this gal is yearning to feel glam. Posh waiters, an endless skyline, and decadent drinks. Mon dieu!
Lui is on level 55 of the Rialto, overlooking Melbourne CBD and harbor in all their glory. You’ll need to have an elevator called for you to ascend to the cocktail lounge in the clouds. Needless to say, Lui makes for a great excuse to bust out those heels you never get to wear. Ice is hand carved, and creative cocktails are named after local legends and legions. Try the Lola Montez Spider Dance Fizz and the Macadamia Martini. It might surprise you that drinks can be had for around $ 20 — the same as you’d pay at any quality bar in Melbourne.
When you’ve got guests in town, skip Eureka, and see the city from Lui’s incredible balconies.
Pro Tip: In spite of what you might see on YouTube, parachutes are frowned on here. No, really.

I’m admittedly a babe in the woods of the Melbourne food scene but was impressed nevertheless. What I found here was delightful and thought-​provoking.
It seems the two things one can do with molecular gastronomy (besides make Dippin’ Dots) is to either employ techniques that showcase the innate qualities of foods (sous-​vide steak!) or create novelty and surprises, often at the expense of wonderful natural flavors. Lui Bar fell somewhat into the latter category.
If you’ve never tried it though, you haven’t lived until you’ve had oysters poping in your mouth with carbonated grapes. The in-​house infused vodka cocktails were delicate and thoughtful and the bartender, endowed incidentally with a master’s in chemistry, provided a fascinating explanation of how aromatic volatiles are distilled and blended with the vodka right there at the bar.

Standing above the city of Melbourne on the 55^th floor and being able to see everywhere on a clear night, you feel like a true rockstar.
This is the place to want to relax and enjoy.
So of cause I would do that with a martini. When ordering your martini all you need to do is choose your gin (Aviation Gin) and they bring you out a platter of condiments; orange bitters, vermouth, brine, olives, orange/​lemon twist and crushed ice — Your very own do it yourself martini kit. Served in Reidel fine crystal glassware, it is brought to you with table service while you lounge away on an overstuffed ottoman while looking out over the city skyline
Now this is not somewhere that you would go if you are after a cheep night, but let me tell you it is worth every cent.
Come rock star it up with the cool kids

Hot travel tip: When you want to see a city, never head for the highest observation deck. Observation towers are for chumps. Go to the tallest building with a bar. The price of entry can then be served to you in delicious drink form.
If it’s Melbourne you want to see, Lui Bar is your ticket. Situated on the 54^th floor of the Rialto Tower, it offers a mighty impressive view of the city. Cocktails are priced around the $ 18-​$ 20 mark, which is what you can expect to pay at any high-​end bar in the city.
It’s a calm, open and lovely space. The service is friendly and prompt, the drinks are delicious and I’m very keen to head back for more. If you have guests in town, I highly recommend taking them here for a quiet drink before exploring the city.

Cocktails from the 55^th floor? Why yes, thank you!
If it weren’t already amazing that this bar exists on the 55^th floor of the rialoto, with spectacular views over Melbourne’s Bay area, then consider how fabulous it is that Vue De Monde are running the show here.
Waiters in waistcoats, groomed to within an inch of their lives, serve you on your very comfortable lounge chair and fuss over you with cocktails and wine in Riedel glassware. Sure, you’ll pay a bit for the privilege but this is the kind of place to come when you need to feel special or spoil a guest from overseas.
My favourite drink on the menu is the Lola Montez Spider Dance Fizz. Named after an erotic dancer, the mix of fresh raspberry, gin and Moet are fabulous. It’s sweet and deceptively more alcoholic than you think. Three of those and I reckon you run risk of channeling Lola herself and doing a strip tease on the table.