Ponyfish Island is Melbourne's Iconic Bar Located Under a Bridge

Part of the charm is the setting. The city skyline looms ahead, mirrored in the water below, while trams clatter across the bridge above. You’re smack in the middle of the Yarra, but it feels like you’ve stepped into a pocket of the city that only opens up once you take those hidden stairs.

This season, Ponyfish has rolled out a fresh cocktail menu that balances fun with nostalgia. The Apple Pie Sour mixes apple rum with a dusting of salted cinnamon, basically dessert with a kick. The Limoncello Slice brings the theatrics, served with toasted marshmallow syrup and a crushed-biscuit rim. And for those who never let go of winter comforts, the mulled wine is back, spiked with brandy, triple sec and just enough spice to make the breeze off the river feel intentional.

Drinks aside, the food is exactly what you want when you’re a few cocktails in. Think oysters on ice, charcuterie boards for sharing, pizzas, and spiced nuts to keep your hands busy. The menu is small but clever: snacks that don’t distract from the main event, which is the view and the vibe.

What keeps Ponyfish interesting is that it’s not trying too hard. It doesn’t need neon signs or gimmicks. The city itself is the backdrop, the river is the stage, and the crowd is a mix of locals and visitors who managed to find their way down the staircase. It’s the definition of “if you know, you know” except plenty of people do, and they keep coming back anyway.

Yes, it might flood again one day. Yes, the Yarra occasionally gets the last laugh. But until then, Ponyfish Island remains one of those Melbourne spots that manages to be both obvious and secret at the same time. Grab a cocktail, grab a friend, and enjoy the fact that you’re drinking in a bar that has no business existing, but somehow makes perfect sense.