The Carlton Club
193 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Oh, Carlton Club. Don’t ever change. Don’t ever leave. You are a staple of Melbourne’s nightlife. The Carlton’s one of those places everyone takes friends visiting from out of town, a great place for your next gathering. It never gets old, the gasps and cries of “Holy crap, a giraffe!” or “Elephant!” or “the walls are fuzzy!”. All of which are accurate exclamations, let's be honest. There is a giraffe over by the balcony, there’s a giant elephant head upstairs, and yes, there’s a lot of rich, dark red velvet. Opulent and OTT. Aside from a menagerie of taxidermy animals and plush booths, the Carlton boasts a somewhat (very) tropical theme outside on the balcony and upstairs on the roof - Palmz - and just below the roof - Hasti Bala Bar. Essentially there are three different venues within the old Carlton Hotel; the opulent Carlton Club with its leafy balcony, a feast for the senses starring that giant Elephant Head upstairs at Hasti Bala, and tropical vibes and open-air on the rooftop Palmz bar. The Carlton takes all manner of functions under its taxidermied wings, whether for small groups of friends, large posses of friends, or large product launches and exclusive parties that span entire floors. The Carlton is found along Bourke Street, between Russell and Swanston Streets. Flinders Street and Melbourne Central are your closest train stations.
The Carlton Club Function Rooms

Plush Velvet Booths
Plush surroundings and your very own table - what more could you want for a night out with the crew. Sink into the velvety booths and enjoy the tropical-meets-taxidermy vibe!

Private Deck and Hasti Bala Bar
Well, this is a one-two-punch combo for the ages. Perhaps that has the whiff of hyperbole, but this is a pretty swell combination of two function spaces. Hasti Bala Bar inside, the Deck outside. Oh hey, opulent, luxurious, animal-filled bar...

Extravagant Inner City Bar
No, you're not hallucinating. That is a giant elephant head. Which, just for the record, is flippin' sweet. It's a huge elephant head, surrounded by plants, as the centrepiece of a colourful and exciting bar. All those flights of stair...

Private Tropical Deck
This Private Tropical Deck includes a bar and some kick-ass food. Open-air? Yes! Shelter from schizophrenic weather patterns? Also yes! It's an all-weather deck ready for your next event!

Iconic Tropical Private Rooftop
Prepare to have your socks well and truly exploded off your feet. Found at the very top of the building there are palms. It's a very tropical vibe, to be honest. BYO Hawaiian shirt. There's a bar, the stars, and space for 200. Amazing.

Plush Dining Room
The dining room is found just to the right of the main bar area. As one would probably expect from a dining room, it's slightly less rowdy and slightly less abundant in taxidermy as its sibling next door. What the dining room does have in a...

Tropical Private Balcony
Leafy, tropical balcony anyone? Pfft, what a question. Of course, you want a leafy, tropical balcony. Especially when it perches above Bourke Street, adjacent to the main bar. The balcony is a wooden deck, leafy surrounds, young and attract...

Spectacularly Eccentric Bar
This is the main bar. It's the one that everyone brings their out-of-town friends to, to hear the gasps of appreciation when their eyes adjust to the light. Yeah! Gaudy red wallpaper! Red velvet! Sumptuous booths! TAXIDERMY ANIMALS. You'll ...
Frequently Asked Questions
I have more questions about the Carlton Club functions. How do I get in contact?
There are a number of ways you can get in contact:
1) Call the VenueNow team on 1300 647 488 during business hours AEST
2) Contact the VenueNow team via our online chat in the bottom right of the screen
3) Submit an enquiry via the form on the page
The VenueNow team usually reply within a few hours during Australian business.
How much does an event cost at The Carlton Bar Melbourne?
Please enquire for pricing and availability.
This may be subject to change due to seasonality, day of the week, duration and your specific requirements. For an accurate quote for your event please send an enquiry or contact one of VenueNow's Event Booking Experts.
What type of events can be hosted at The Carlton Melbourne?
The following types of events can be held at The Carlton Melbourne:
- Trivia Night
- Workshop
- Meeting
- Trade Show
- Product Launch
- Networking Event
- Engagement Party
- 30th Birthday Party
- 40th Birthday Party
- 50th Birthday Party
- AGM
- Bar Mitzvah
- Birthday Party
- Christmas Party
- Cocktail Party
- Corporate Function
- Corporate Offsite
- End of Financial Year Party
- Function
- Bat Mitzvah
- 21st Birthday Party
- 18th Birthday Party
- Baby shower
- Bridal shower
- Private Dining
- Wedding
- Ceremony
If your specific event type is not on the list, contact one of VenueNow's Event Booking Experts and they will check if The Carlton Melbourne is able to facilitate your event or will help you find an alternate venue.
How do I find out if The Carlton is available for my event date?
The best way to find out if The Carlton is available for your event date is to send an enquiry through or get in contact with one of VenueNow's Event Booking Experts.
Availability at many venues around the country is limited so if your date is flexible, please let the VenueNow team know and the venue may be able to provide a range of dates that suit your needs.
What catering / food and beverage options are available at The Carlton?
The following food and beverage / catering options are available for guests at The Carlton:
- Coffee / Tea
- Inhouse Catering
- Bar Tab
- Filtered Water
For more information regarding food and beverage / catering options, please contact a VenueNow Event Booking Expert.
What steps are involved in booking an event at The Carlton?
There are a few steps involved in booking an event at The Carlton Melbourne and the VenueNow team are here to do the heavy lifting for you.
Firstly, contact the VenueNow team by submitting an enquiry or speaking to one of our team members online or over the phone. We'll need to collect a few details from you, such as your:
- Event type
- Number of people attending
- Preferred event date & time (and if this is flexible)
- Budget (per person or total)
- Room layout
- Food and beverage / catering requirements
- Any other requirements
Once we've gathered these details, the VenueNow team will contact the team at The Carlton Melbourne to check:
1) Can they host the event on your preferred date / time? If not, what are some alternate dates / times?
2) What is the estimated cost based on your event requirements?
This process tends to take around 1 business day on average to receive a response from the venue. Once we've received a response, the VenueNow team will contact you as soon as possible.
If you're happy with the proposed price and dates / times, the VenueNow team will connect you with The Carlton Melbourne to finalise your booking (which may include a site visit if you choose to do so).
VenueNow provides this service free of charge to you as we are paid a small fee by The Carlton if you book via us.
What is the location of the Carlton Club?
It is located at 193 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia.
What is on the menu at this Melbourne restaurant?
The dining room adopts a modern spin on pub grub, with traditional favourites as well as fantastic bar munchies. With so many unique bars to explore over four levels, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to drinks. Carlton is recognised for their daring cocktail menu, delicious house-made vodka infusions and a wide range of both local and international beer on tap, whisky, wine, cider and coffee. So come visit for lunch or dinner and enjoy the delicious food, or stay for drinks and socialise with friends!
View the restaurants' full food, drink and cocktails menu below:
What are the operating hours of The Carlton Club?
Tueday–Thursday: 3:00 pm - 3:00 am
Friday: 12:00 pm - 3:00 am
Saturday: 3:00 pm - 3:00 am
Sunday-Monday: Closed
What are the different Carlton function room options?
Carlton Bar Balcony and Dining Room
On level one, you will find our main bar The Carlton, a wildly decadent and dimly-lit space overseen by Wally the Ostrich and Gerald the Giraffe. The Carlton Bar is a mash of eccentric and eclectic, it's part bar, part dining room, complete with a tropical balcony over Bourke Street. A fun atmosphere for any event! Cosy up in one of our private booths, pull up a stool at the rooftop bar, hit the dance floor or lose yourself under the night sky from our luscious outdoor balcony.
Hati Bala Bar
Hasti Bala is the perfect place to find yourself in a lush, enchanted forest. With its verdant tropical vines and elephant head framed DJ booth you won’t be short of conversations starters! The third floor certainly makes an impressive statement; providing intimate booths that create just enough privacy for your next rendezvous.
Palmz Deck
When you enter the Palmz Deck, it feels like you're on a tropical getaway. A thatched roof bar surrounded by luscious green plants like palm trees adds to this island-like atmosphere except there's no beach or sand for miles around--you're floating worlds away from all of those hurried city streets below!
Palmz Rooftop
Climb the stairs to Palmz Rooftop for an experience like no other! With its beautiful views, tropical flora and rooftop heater in winter - this hidden away spot is worth climbing all those flights of steps. You'll be served tasty treats under our heaters or sip on ice-cool cocktail jugs while watching Melbourne's skyline from up high; it doesn't get much better than that!