What To Expect @ Shorty’s Bar

Written by Ramesha Perera

‘Happiness this way’ is the sign that greets you on the street before you enter Shorty’s, Canberra’s favourite gastro pub. Located in the heart of the city, Shorty’s offers a relaxing and fun venue by day and an energetic party vibe by night.

At the moment Canberra has two standard décor styles for venues: 1920s prohibition or quirky eclectic industrial style. Shorty’s has gone for the latter and it works! The venue is strategically sectioned off into four areas, each section offers a unique feel. The upper level at the back and the outside deck areas have your standard café décor, with wooden tables and mismatched chairs and cushions.

Dividing the upper level from the ground is an eye-catching shelving unit featuring eclectic pieces of lighting, indoor plants, bottles and knick-knacks, whilst the outdoors is sectioned off by floor to ceiling French doors opening up to the (slight) hustle and bustle of Canberra. The main floor is spaciously cosy with a large L shaped bar and an assortment of picnic benches and round high top tables. The furthest corner of the venue offers a more secluded nook, perfect for the nights when the DJ is set up and people want to dance.

Shorty’s offer a good range of drinks to select from during the night, the wine menu features selected reds, whites, sparkling and rose blends, that you can buy by the glass or bottle. From my observations, beer and cider were the drink of choice at Shorty’s, which you can purchase for $5-13. You also have a choice of classic cocktails with a few house specials ranging from $15-17. I got a cocktail, the ‘Two To Tango’ with ketel one vodka, parisio, lemon juice and passionfruit shaken, served with a side shot of sparkling. A classic girls drink, I know, but guaranteed to be nice.

Just like the vibe at Shorty’s changes from day to night, so does the crowd. During the day, everyone is welcome to enjoy Shorty’s great food and famous malt-shakes. It reminds me of Arnold’s Diner from Happy Days, the place everyone goes to, to have a fun and relaxed time out. But during the night, I’m sure I couldn’t pay some of those people to come back! A Saturday night in summer at Shorty’s is packed and noisy. The atmosphere is young and energetic, by 10:30pm the DJ is pumping music and the battle for the bartenders eye is on!

Majority of the crowd range in age from 18-35 years old, here you’ll have the girls in tight short clothes, who took five hours getting ready and who’ll be walking like robots by the end of the night because their heals were too high. And the boys in tight shirts and pants who think wearing shoes designed for elves is trendy. That being said, Shorty’s has a fun vibrant atmosphere and a night here is really what you make of it.

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