Ponyfish Island

I did absolutely adore spending time in this quirky little bar on an island under a bridge part way across the river. On a hot Melbourne summer afternoon what better place to be than to sit (either in shade or sunshine) with great views of both sides of the river watching the various pleasure craft and tourist boats pass by.
I found the prices perhaps a little on the steep side — $ 19 for a beer (their own brew) and a smallish glass of wine, but considering the location I don’t really mind.
If they had more lower level seating (not everyone can get on those stools) and also if they could find somewhere else to keep their row of bins other than by the entrance/​exit at the bottom of the stairs then I’m sure they’d get the full 5 stars.

5 stars if you can get a seat along the rail so you can sit and enjoy your drink right at the water’s edge. This is a really cool bar. Below a pedestrian bridge, it is built around the bridge supports. Cool vibe. Gets busy after work hours so must be a reasonably popular happy hour spot for locals. If you can’t sit along the edge along the water, this bar loses some of it’s luster and because it gets busy, there aren’t always those spots available. Decent beer and wine choices.

Wow, the pics say it all, great location, amazing views, th’e Nachos, OMG best ever, presented in a noce rectangular box, oozes condiments and beef, can order a vegie one too, just mouth watering, ok wine list would have been 5 stars if more wine on offer a little pricey and I think it is a premium for its location but hey what a location at that, stairs a bit tough after your visit, but I will do stairs anyday for that view.

If you’re visiting Melbourne or have lived here your whole life, I honestly do feel that it’s important to at least have one drink at Ponyfish Island.
The location is simply ridiculous, the view is absurdly awesome and no matter what time of day/​week/​year it’s always busy — that’s just how compelling Ponyfish is. Considering popping down in winter? Do it! They have heaters set up that are so effective you’ll feel like you’re in the Bahamas.
The drinks are an average price and I do highly recommend the sangria in summer — it’s not the best you’ll ever have but is a fitting drink when you’re in a bar floating on a river. While I’ve never tried the food, the menu suggests they are the perfect accompaniment to a quiet drink on a river — think cheese plates, toasties and burritos.
Yes, you will feel like a bit of a tourist, but is that so bad? Appreciate your incredible city and just how beautiful she can be when the sun goes down.

Been wanting to go here for ages! It was still not quite warm enough weather but they do keep the heaters blazing. Snack food is not bad. It’s fun being on the river and it’s a great location so come summer I am looking forward to heading back. The security staff asked our group for ID which was a bit much, but when one gets to my age it’s a compliment!

Definitely come here, but do not eat here.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the food, but you’ll be settling for bar food when you’re mere steps away from some of the best restaurants in Australia. But definitely check this place out for its great location right on the water and enjoy some great beers. It’s a little pricier than beers you’ll find elsewhere, but that’s because they’re charging for the ambience, which is well worthwhile.
Food: ³⁄₅
Value: ⁴⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Atmosphere: ⁵⁄₅

This was one place I really wanted to visit when I was in Melbourne this week. I certainly picked the right day to go. Monday was a stunning winters day in Melbourne, and the perfect day to be sitting on the Yarra for a drink and lunch in the sun.
I guess given the 40 other reviews on here, you can’t really go wrong.
I dropped in for a late lunch and was pretty lucky as when I got there it was fairly quiet with only two other tables taken up. I ordered and after a short wait that allowed me to take in the views my Rueben Sandwich arrive. It was absolute bliss sitting in a location so close, actually on the river in the sun eating lunch.
The menu is simple and cheap and there is a decent selection of bottled beers, coctails and wine given it is a small bar with a location which I imagine limits them offering an extensive drinks list.
Try the PFI — Pony Fish Island Unlikely Lager, it is a great brew and if I had more time it was an easy drinking beer and I could very well have stayed for a few more.
I will certainly be back for lunch/​dinner or drinks the next time I am in Melbourne an awesome pit stop on a sunny day.

I was here back in December 2014 and it was pretty packed around 4:00 PM. I think it’s because of two things:
1) Australians love to drink, and
2) Australians love to drink.
In all seriousness, it’s a really great spot to grab a drink and just relax. It’s a couple of steps from the Casino and Downtown Melbourne. I totally recommend it to any tourist or non-​locals because it seems like the locals don’t like this spot.

Thought this was closed — don’t know why — but happy to find it still a thriving unique bar experience, a mix of tourists, hipsters (Pabst Blue Ribbons now on the menu) and on this particular afternoon: bodybuilders, fresh from an expo.
Can be a little squishy to get to the bar when busy, or squeeze through to the bathrooms, but if you get a seat it’s a great place to chill and watch Melbourne go past you on feet or on water.
Long live Ponyfish.

Ugh. I love this idea in principle. A bar barge in the middle of the Yarra, slightly hidden away but very easy to find. In practice though, the beer is not great, the layout is cramped and bizarre, and the crowd was a mix of tourists and after-​work douches. The choice of music seemed a deliberate attempt to get people to leave — a screeching Nick Cave ripoff. Not exactly unwinding down by the river music. Maybe this place works at lunch or another off time… but certainly don’t check it out on a warm, late afternoon or prepare to be disappointed.

Pretty good. Ponyfish has it’s own lager, which is pretty decent.
It’s a small venue with a massive reputation and following, and most certainly a cram em in to crush capacity venue. It doesn’t have the greatest look, and sometimes the smell is a bit off but that’s the Yarra for you. There is a small kitchen for snacks and an extremely high likelihood that there won’t be anywhere to sit, which means standing the entire time, jostling for position to drink, or to order anything else. It’s the place you go to both hide having a sneaky drink, and yet conversely, be seen.

Loved this place.
Es un pequeño bar instalado en la base de un puente en el medio de la ciudad. Hermoso lugar e idea realmente. Cruzás el puente y en la mitad podés bajar unas escaleras y caes en un mini barcito al lado del río con mucho viento y frío. Pero abrigate bien y tomate una birra.
En verano debe ser increíble.
Las opciones del bar son limitadas, claro. Y hay pocas mesas. Pero tiene tanta onda el lugar que es genial. Aparte, podés pedir las comidas típicas de bar como papas fritas, hamburguesas, milanesas (posta, están por todos lados acá) y cosas así.
Las bebidas también son limitadas, pocas opciones de birras y tragos, pero es normal por el tamaño del bar. Las fotos hablan por si solas. Si están en Melbourne, es una tarde imperdible pasar a tomar algo por ahí.

What a great way to enjoy picturesque views of Melbourne’s Yarra river and Southbank.
Ponyfish Island is a great way to stop and chill with your favourite drink and watch the world go by…

I saw this bar from the south bank and the location of this bar attracted me so much that few of my friends and I went to check it out the next day.
It’s a great location for the tourists or locals to hang out right on the river (literally) with a drink while sitting right over the river.
It’s packed on any given night but there is always a standing spot somewhere to stand with a friend and enjoy the fresh air.

Hangout spot? drink spot? Perfect spot!
As you stroll over the Yarra and Southbank footbridge, you will soon notice a hive of activity down below, where the people look happy and chillaxed. You will soon find yourself saying «I want me some o’ dat!».
This place is a great bar/​café, perfect for quenching one’s thirst, right by the river, watching the people go by and admiring the Melbourne skyline. Having a few drinks here, there’s something quite Parisian-​nesque about it all. Even more so, when you do leave, the footbridge also has its own «love-​locks» (just like Paris).
I was drinking imported beers, so the price was a bit steep, but I really enjoyed the casual laid-​back vibe of the place. Lots of fellow tourists seeking respite, and the staff were friendly. They had a little DJ in the corner on her laptop, playing some tunes. All in all, a great way to spend an afternoon

When the mercury hits 35 degs Melbourne doesn’t know what to do with itself.
The notoriously shorts-​shy population roll the cuffs of their skinny jeans up over their brogues and suck it up, God bless them. It was so hot I needed A) booze and B) to be near the water. Preferably in, but on would also suffice.
It’s divey, it’s grungy, it’s novel. .. in short, it’s perfect. I killed an hour and a half with $ 5 Melbourne Bitter cans, a friend, and a sun-​soaked wooden seat with my bare feet propped up on a keg stool.
I must have said «Ahhh, life is good» and «Ahhh, we earned this» about five times too many judging by the looks I got. Because barefeet. And YOLO. Mainly YOLO.

Tucked on the Yarra under the Southbank Foot Bridge, Ponyfish is a great concept, a brilliant and provides the perfect spot to catch up for drinks with mates or even take a date.
We went there after Unilocal’s 2^nd Birthdaze and had a great time. I only had drinks and didn’t try the food but I’ve heard lots of good things about it so I will definitely grab something to eat next time.
It’s really a great spot to chill on a beautiful warm summer day or night. The bartenders are very nice and, given that it’s not surrounded inside and surrounded by walls, it doesn’t get as noisy as it would be in a bar or pub.
I like it. I really like it.

Meeting an local at the train station on the way around, imagine my surprise when mid way over the bridge he announces ‘we’re here’ down the stairs and we really are. It’s like being on a boat, but one that doesn’t rock and move about, and that makes for a bit of fun.
I didn’t order the food, so I’m not sure what I was exactly, but dang it was moreish! A second round was quickly ordered along with some more things to drink.
I’m not sure if they use fridges or freezers for their drinks, because they are really cold but Ice cold ciders on a sunny day make Sean a happy boy. I’m not sure how I felt drinking a $ 13 glass of wine from a tumbler, but hey it matches the quaintness of the place.
Now if they could just tone down the brown of the yarra, this place would be perfect.

Recommended by a friend and Melbournite, Ponyfish Island is a casual café bar located right on the waters. Located down a flight of stairs right off of Elizabeth Street, this waterfront bar is the perfect place to lounge both during the day and at night. We were lucky, as it was a relatively warm April night to sit out on the waters at night. The only downside was that the lighting was so dark, it was hard to see the haloumi sanger (sandwich) and quesadillas we were munching on.
We arrived after sunset, so it really was dark and calming, but I could definitely see it being a great place during the day too. I didn’t have anything to drink here, but the food was decent. The haloumi sandwich had a nice thick haloumi steak inside, and quite good. The quesadillas (13) were just decent. The flavors were there, but it wasn’t anything special.
I would definitely recommend this place — especially as a tourist spot — but also as a casual hangout for friends looking for a quieter place to lounge in the city. Also, for those who like wine over beer, this is the spot!

5 THINGS HIPSTERS LOVE
Mulled Cider
Aceyalone/​Madlib/​XX mixes
Haloumi burger
American Apparel Deep V-​Neck fitted shirts
Ponyfish Island
You’d usually find homeless people under strange bridges in the US. Apparently, in Australia, you’ll find hipsters dressed as homeless people congregating in this rustic watering hole near the water.

Hey, what’s that place under the bridge?! It’s Ponyfish Island.
This place is original! $ 2 coffee was the biggest deal breaker to get me in. The atmosphere is an urban oasis, to forget about the hustle and bustle of the city, and avoid people you want to avoid in the city because of the stairwell from the bridge. Seriously, I wished this place existed in LA! The staff do their best to ensure you have good time. If you find yourself alone or wanting to have a good time, check this place out-​you won’t be disappointed!
Thank you Ashlee for your hospitality!