The Clarendon

I have eaten at the Clarendon many times as it’s close to the office. My colleagues reckoned it had gone downhill but I wanted to try again. However staff were so rude to us that we left without ordering food. I’m still stewing about it two weeks later.
We arrived on time for our booking and sat outside to have a drink first. When we moved inside the waiter didn’t seem to believe we were the party which had booked. Then we waited and waited for table service, and when we politely asked, we were told «you were late and you can wait» and he resumed drying glasses. So we left and had a lovely meal at Centro instead.

Nothing special. Had the Parma. It was a but small. The chips seemed twice fried and this uplifted the rating from 2 to 3. It would have been higher but my groupon wasn’t accepted from my iPhone app. Apparently the fine print said I had to print it out. And there I was trying to save the planet.

The Clarendon has been a bit neither here or there over the years,
including it’s time as a former dingy smoke filled questionable pub, where
the term Misandry would have certainly applied.
Now its a little more up market, but seems to be a bit like the Docklands: flashy
and new but missing the personality and charm. It seems to be a very
corporate hangout with Media, Marketing, and Music Production types hanging
out here, but more so the sales and marketing «teams.» It has the feel of some
where that one would go for a pit-​stop rather than say, spend all night there.
There’s nothing inherently wrong here, just that it’s all a bit same-​y. They do
good$ 14 food specials though on the weeknights, a burger being one. The
burger Pattie however does taste like a sausage mix. Parma’s, steaks and
pies available too. There’s also a specials board, and I would think a regular
menu too.
Tap beers aren’t very exciting or interesting, and all the other drinks behind the
bar remain pretty much industry standard high selling and popular items. Think
bar staples, think the most common spirits, etc that you see around Melbourne
bars.The Clarendon has modern design elements, which are actually quite
good, and it has manged to retain the original aesthetic and space of the
original building, whilst breaking up the visual dynamic to usher in new
elements and visuals.

The one thing that always stands out about the Clarendon are their strict rules and strict closing times. Look, I’m an ex-​hospo person so I completely understand the «I want to get outta here straight away» feeling that can often come at the end of the shift, but when people still have a full beer and you’re ushering them out the door it can be a bit much.
The price of drinks at the Clarendon are about standard, just the same as you’d find at a similar bar but they are pretty fast in getting the drinks poured and booze in to your belly.
They also have a full menu available however I’ve never really been tempted to eat there… Perhaps I’d have a parma with a beer on a hot summer night, but it would never strike me to go there for the purpose of eating. It just seems to pubby for that!
Also, there is a photo of Michael Caine in the mens toilets which always amuses my male friends. Apparently it makes them feel more ‘manly’.

Recently re-​opened one of South Melbourne’s fave’s is back again complete with competitive drink specials and simple quality food. Inside there is heaps of seating, weather you fancy a seat at the window looking out over Clarendon Street or enjoying a meal and watching the game near the bar.
They offer taditional pub food chicken parmas, eye fillet steak and bangers and mash, but make sure you check the blackboard for the daily specials if your looking to save yourself a few dollars.
True to Melbourne’s sporting culture The Clarendon have an excllent sports screen inside and offer drink specials during the games but beware things can start to get a little boisterous with passionate fans after maybe one too many pints!
Lastly The Clarendon also offer free wifi to their patrons just ask at the bar and grab a seat in the sun.