Shakespeare Hotel

Forget the frocks and cocktails: this baby’s about cold beer and tall tales, colourful characters and country charm. The Shakey, as it’s affectionately known to locals, is a no-nonsense establishment with a less-is-less-is-more ethos and a classic pub menu. Don’t like it? There are plenty of other pubs in the vicinity that’ll serve up schmiddies with your change returned on a little tray.

Classic service and décor defi ne the haunt, perched atop the Devonshire Street hill two doors down from Kate Leigh’s sly grog shop and brothel. The menu pays homage to quality pub grub with 25 classics for $10 each. From barbecue ribs and chicken to a bonza T-Bone steak with mushroom sauce, you’ll fi nd all your faves dished with skill.

They’ve a fair selection of quality beers on tap and a simple wine list as well as all the usual house stuff. Staff wear t-shirts printed with Shakespeare’s sonnets, but for poetry of a different slant, head to the toilets for some quality wall scrawls – they’re not the Bard, but they’re not bad either. This here’s a drinker’s pub where conversation fl ows freely as do the punters onto the footpath after a few cold ones to the tune of late-night laughter. Locals wouldn’t have it any other way, thankyouverymuch.