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The Ultimate Salami Experience - Life's Too Short Bar, East Melbourne (VIC)
11 photos

Life's Too Short Bar

9/10
75
412 Victoria Parade, 3002 East Melbourne (VIC)
European
Average price $45

Booking

Life's Too Short Bar

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5 offers

New Year menu

$89 per guest
Available from 31 Dec to 01 Jan

Twilight NYE Dining - Outside area II

$89 per guest
Available on 31 Dec

Restaurant menu

Chef Sigrid de Castella
Dietary optionsDairy Free, Gluten free, Vegetarian dishes
Crispy pan-fried spanish chorizo
$9
Nevra’s air-fried cheese breads
$12
Ask for today’s flavour!
Savoury tart of the day
$12
Ask for today’s flavour!
Twilight NYE Dining - Outside area II $89
This preset menu includes: First (min 2 people) + Second + Third

User photos

Life's Too Short Bar, East Melbourne (VIC)
Life's Too Short Bar, East Melbourne (VIC)
Life's Too Short Bar, East Melbourne (VIC)

Reviews

9/10
Excellent75 reviews
9.1/10

Food

8.5/10

Service

9.1/10

Ambience

9-10

7-8

5-6

3-4

1-2

Real experiences from real dinersOnly people who have booked with TheFork or paid with TheFork PAY can leave a rating and review.
How do we calculate ratings?

What diners said about this restaurant:

Good value for money
Short waiting time
Quiet
  • Judith H.11 reviews

    16 November 2023

    10/10

    What a find. Great venue, ambience, food, cocktails and wine accompanied by an amazing team of engaging waiters. We had the bonus of music too.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hi Judith! We're so glad you enjoyed your time with us, and the live Jazz too. We do hope you'll come back again soon.

  • Damien T.2 reviews

    26 October 2023

    10/10

    I had walked past this place a few times, so keen to check it out, I booked a table with some friends. On Thursday (The day we went), there was live music, which I wasn’t expecting! It was very pleasant. The restaurant itself so intimate and could be very romantic. Food was an interesting fusion and delicious.. And it has a huge wine list. Nice place for a date night I reckon. ☺️.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Thanks for your review Damien. We're so glad you finally popped in and look forward to welcoming you and your friends again.

  • Stephen C.1 review

    5 October 2023

    10/10

    A hidden gem, which we visited because my wife is a quilter, but will definitely return to for the food, the ambiance, and the hospitality.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Thanks for the review, Stephen! We look forward to welcoming you back again.

  • Sue D.1 review

    19 August 2023

    10/10

    Excellent food and drinks. Beautiful place nestled away. Friendly staff.

    review_preview

    See photo

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Glad you had a great time with us Sue! We look forward to seeing you again.

  • Rachel G.1 review

    22 July 2023

    4/10

    We we arrived there was only one couple in the restaurant/bar, who left shortly after we arrived. Not a good sign on a Saturday night. The food was average for the price, the chicken wings meat was oddly crunchy with a strange sticky sauce.. We received no service after the initial order taking, in an empty venue and staff chatting a few minutes away. We went somewhere else for a second dinner

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hi Rachel, I'm sorry you didn't feel you got enough service - we don't like to hover over our clients but I'm surprised you felt you received 'no' service as we regularly fill water glasses and check in on tables. I was away for a few hours and Nevra has told me she gave you wine tastings and checked in on you. We had actually been quite busy earlier in the day, and the couple who left shortly after you arrived had been doing the Hubert Experience (with other couples), which finished at 7.30. Our chicken nibbles is my mum's 70's recipe and Asian-inspired, which has been very popular and well received. I'm sorry you didn't like that dish. On departure, we always ask if everything was OK, and unfortunately, you did not raise anything. I wish you had brought your complaints to our attention before you left which would have given us an opportunity to remedy these matters. We do hope you will come back again and give us another go.

  • Margaret F.1 review

    24 May 2023

    9/10

    Very friendly service, great wine knowledge and a very enjoyable evening had by my friend and self. Hope to be back soon and will recommend to others

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hi Margaret, we're so glad you and your friend enjoyed your time visiting us. We look forward to seeing you again, hopefully soon.

  • Peter S.7 reviews

    1 April 2023

    9/10

    A lovely little place that surprised me with the care and passion they show towards the customers. We had the wine flight and platter, was outstanding and having the sommelier talk us through each sip was amazing

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Thanks Peter for the review. We're so glad you and your partner had a good time. It was a delight to have you in and we do hope to see you again sometime.

  • Yolanda D.

    Yolanda D.77 reviews

    8 March 2023

    5/10

    Great little spot for ambience. Chicken porcini terrine absolutely delicious. Food serving sizes will leave you hungry still and very overpriced for what you get. We asked for everything to come out at once as we only ordered share items. This didn’t happen. We asked for bread to accompany our cheese board - didn’t come. Service to table slow (wasn’t busy) - didn’t really feel welcome. This place suits locals - they definitely get more attention and their 10% discount. Eaten here when it first opened and not quite the same. Gave this place a few goes but won’t be going back.

  • Karla O.1 review

    25 January 2023

    10/10

    Amazing experience good amazing drink’s delicious and service top notch will be back

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Thanks Karla!! We loved having you and the boys in last night. And we can't wait to help you celebrate with Adam & Brad!

  • Bev R.1 review

    27 October 2022

    10/10

    A well located, convenient hidden gem. Rustic and charming. Delicious food and excellent service. A must try. You won’t be disappointed and off street parking station next door was a bonus.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hi Bev, we are so glad you had a good time with us. We look forward to welcoming you back again sometime. And please do let us know if at any time there is anything we can do to make your visit more enjoyable or memorable.

  • Amy F.1 review

    12 August 2022

    10/10

    This restaurant was brilliant- a great find! The staff were incredibly accomodating, going out of their way to make sure everyone had an enjoyable experience. They are also fantastic with dietary requirements! 10/10

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hey Amy, thanks for your review, we're so glad you enjoyed your time with us. We have a brand new menu with even more exciting (gluten-free) dishes to wow you next time you come in! Do let us know if you can make it back sometime.

  • Debra C.1 review

    3 August 2022

    10/10

    This restaurant is a hidden gem. The food is amazing. Presentation. The vibe. Caters for non meat eaters with plenty to choose from. Highly recommend. Oh, and try the cocktails!

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Thanks for joining us Debra! We're glad you enjoyed your time and we look forward to seeing you again soon ... with the Spice of Life 😁

  • Carolyn F.1 review

    29 July 2022

    10/10

    This bar and restaurant was an amazing find, particularly as their gluten free menu was far beyond anything I have seen before. The food was superb and it was cosy and quiet. Highly recommended.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    We're so glad you dined with us Carolyn and that you trusted us to look after your dietary needs. We look forward to seeing you again and hopefully wowing you with even more deliciousness.

  • Antoinette R.1 review

    9 July 2022

    5/10

    The one staff member working was lovely, she was joined later by a man who prepared us amazingly tasty cocktails. The menu boasted cheeses from around the world however the $38 cheese board had very little cheese on it and it tasted like anything I could buy from the Coles deli. The Chorizo we ordered as a side was delicious, however 2 cocktails and a cheese board took us to nearly $100 dollars for two of us and the cheese servings were small and nothing to rave about. We were hungry and too scared to order food as there was only one staff member working and we wondered how long it would take for her to prepare the gnocchi dishes that were on offer on the menu. Lovely couple serving us, however I wouldn't rush back here for anything other than a cocktail.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hi Antoinette, we are sorry to hear you had this experience which is not usual. Our cheeses are sourced from all over the world and supplied to us by local importers, they are definitely not from Coles. Each piece is a minimum 40g (often larger), so you should have received plenty of cheese with all the accompaniments. We would be interested to know which cheeses you selected from our list. It would have also been helpful if you'd informed us of your concerns before leaving, so we could have rectified any issues and ensured your visit was amazing. Ordering more food would not have been an issue despite visiting us on a day we were short-staffed, and it would have given you a very different experience as we often tailor our dishes to suit your needs. It is a shame that you instead chose to leave a poor review after the fact, and so I would welcome your call if you wish to discuss the matter further. It is important to us all our customers are happy ones ... life's too short not to be!

  • Valerie K.4 reviews

    2 July 2022

    10/10

    Enjoyed a wonderful evening,cocktails and food were delicious with lots of Gluten Free options

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Thanks for visiting us, Valerie. We enjoyed having you and your friends in for dinner and drinks. Come back and see us again soon!

  • Yolanda D.

    Yolanda D.77 reviews

    29 May 2022

    6.5/10

    Atmosphere excellent. Good food but nothing to write home about. Disappointed with serving sizes and high prices. First time we are here owners were outstanding and food lovely. Seems to have lost it’s touch. We went elsewhere for dessert. Maybe just pop by for a drink late at night - or after a show.

    Life's Too Short BarOwner

    Hi Yolanda, we're glad you like our little bar, but sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the food as much as we'd hoped. It would have been helpful if you'd given us this feedback on the night before you'd left so we could have changed your experience. Desserts are our specialty, so shame you missed that. Please do come back again so we can make it up to you!

  • Belinda M.1 review

    6 May 2022

    10/10

    Great place, lovely cozy place for a cold chilly night

  • Suzanne B.

    Suzanne B.1 review

    5 May 2022

    10/10

    Friendly, courteous, helpful, and fun. Good food, great cocktails, excellent staff, great ambience, a terrific sort of little neighbourhood bar. Wonderfully comfy chairs!

  • Guy C.

    Guy C.3 reviews

    12 February 2022

    10/10

    Sigrid was very welcoming and properly explained the menu, wine and cocktails. Love the wine list and cocktails. Food and tapas unique and matched with wine and cocktails. Will be back again!!????????

    review_preview

    See 2 photos

  • Rod B.1 review

    16 January 2022

    10/10

    We booked on the day for an impromptu night off cooking, and some 'couples time'. The relaxed, friendly feel and the flexible menu was just what we wanted. The choice of wines was great too. In these pandemic times we really appreciated the extra steps the staff were taking with checks to maximise our safety and comfort.

Tripadvisor reviews

10 Tripadvisor Reviews

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More information

Opening time
Open today

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
04:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
04:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Friday
03:00 PM - 01:00 AM
Saturday
03:00 PM - 01:00 AM
Sunday
03:00 PM - 11:00 PM

How to get to the restaurant

412 Victoria Parade, 3002, East Melbourne (VIC), Australia

Public transport

No 12 or 109 Tram, Short walk from Jolimont and North Richmond Station. Busses 302, 303, 304, 305, 309, 318, 350, 905, 906, 907, 908, 961 Clarendon St stop.

Additional information

Shop 2 Tribeca Arcade, near the IGA, between Automaton and Jean Hailes.

Tribeca Parking Albert St, Care Park Wellington St, Epworth Freemasons and St Vincents Parking Grey St

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Frequently Asked Questions

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