On any given night at Lulie, you’ll usually find one or two dogs sitting quietly under the tables, or else doing laps of the bar getting affection from the crowd. That’s the sort of laid-back vibe fostered by owners Jon Farrell and Brendan Kennedy, two former Curtin House staff members.

The place is furnished with a pleasing selection of bric-a-brac which recalls the classic bars of America. Old-timey neon beer signs and posters make a feature in one corner, the bar’s padded stools are from Kardinia RSL and the many bentwood chairs once belonged to a pizza shop in Frankston.

Lulie is proof a good bar is about much more than flash fittings. It’s always buzzing thanks to a pool table in the corner and the BYO records spinning behind the timber bar, which is littered with cracked peanut shells. (The nuts are free.) On a given night expect to hear Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and other classic rock cranked right up.

If you’re after some quiet, retreat to the intimate side room, or the former money vault, which has 12 seats and its own tiny bar. These areas were welcome additions when the bar relocated from its original site, 150 metres away, in March 2018.

There’s a pretty unique selection of draught, canned and bottled beers, including heaps of longnecks and Guinness on tap. Otherwise there are five signature cocktails and a solid whisky selection. It’s affordable, but the quality doesn’t suffer like it might at a pub.

The on-site kitchen is an outpost of nearby sister venue Kelso’s and serves burgers, fries and other bar snacks.