Secret Garden

Secret Garden

60 Fitzroy St, St Kilda
www.secretgardenbar.com

BarAmigo’s two pesos – a rather trendy place to be seen

When visited – Sat 28 Jul 2012 11.45pm to 1.30am

Secret Garden is chic, cool (in a commercial sense), upmarket and classy. Get dressed up for that big night out.

Yeah didn't take many photos of Secret Garden so you're stuck with this...

Wear your beer goggles to read this review as we’ve been given a $50 drink card to check out Secret Garden. We’ve certainly have ours on as we’ve just come from Somewhere Bar.

“Fantastic fake tan – it’s a good thing”… Call of the night. It’s an early to mid 20s crowd and the chicks are dolled up.  Find those high heels, that hot mini dress/skirt and glam up for a night out. If only I could walk in heels… but unfortunately my hairy legs and cross dressing won’t cut it at Secret Garden. And it’d be way too scary for everyone. Guys in dressy tight jeans or tight chinos with that designer t shirt or nice shirt. Kinda pretentious but nothing too over the top.

The deck area at Secret Garden... Way more happening inside on the dancefloor

The upmarket, classy setting of Secret Garden draws the southside private school crowd. Seems like a crowd with some cash to splash and the place to be seen. It’s the opposite of hipsters. Putting my grandpa cap on… not sure how the crowd here have cash to drink up at Secret Garden. Back in my day we’d be content with the house parties… Yes I’m turning into a grumpy old man.

At 11.45pm the dancefloor and bar area at Secret Garden is packed. There’s no line but kinda had the feeling that if we didn’t have guestlist entry we might not have been let in. Don’t really know why I had that thought.

It’s a busy happening vibe inside driven by the music. Outside on the deck it’s a little more subdued with groups happy to rest the legs and chat away. Maybe its those who have drank up are dancing away on the dancefloor and those about to call it a night outside. It all makes sense given the orders to move inside with drinks at 1am. A little more on that later… don’t you love the suspense

$50 doesn’t go far when you’re drinking Patron XO Cafe shots ($14 a pop). But before that, we were given 4 schooners of draft and a vodka apple for $35. Pretty standard pricing but maybe a touch on the high side.

Liquor licence till 3am but from 1am you’re not allowed to drink outside on the deck so it’s time to hit the dancefloor. The dancefloor and bar area are packed. You really need to push past people to get through. But despite this we’re able to create our own little space and get dancing. Music is kinda mainstream commercial. Secret Garden describe it as commercial house. An upbeat mix of Pumped Up Kicks by Owl Eyes is one track that gets a gig. Lively to get your feet tapping where you’re enjoying a drink and chatting to friends outside and easy to get dancing when on the dancefloor.

1.30am and we’ve decided to head off. Heading to Cushion… gotta try to defy that grandpa image…

If you’re in that early to mid 20s age group and looking for a place to dress up, be cool and be seen, check out Secret Garden. You’ll have a great night on the dancefloor.

Salud
Eddie
BarAmigo – Your friend at the bar

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