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Melbourne’s dining scene is already pretty damn solid, but it’s just scored a new late-night addition. Enter The Frog Club, a chic restaurant, grill and bar opening on Chapel Street with a next-level offering: you can order its full menu until midnight, seven nights a week. The sexy spot comes from Melbourne hospo veterans James McBride and Marc Gurman, who have set out to create the kind of glamorous, old-school restaurant where dinner can easily escalate into dancing.
Leading the kitchen is culinary director Angel Fernandez, whose CV includes stints at Victor Churchill and a six-year tenure as executive chef at Neil Perry’s Rosetta. According to the team, the menu takes its cues from both the indulgence of a classic New York steakhouse and the polished pleasures of a French brasserie.
If you’re watching your budget, this maybe isn’t the place. The luxury offering kicks off with Sea Cave Kaluga and Anna Dutch Oscietra caviar, as well as the Frog Club's signature caviar tart. There’s also a suitably extravagant Plateau de Fruits de Mer – a towering arrangement of shellfish and chilled seafood served over ice. For something a little more snacky, the hors d'oeuvres are a tour through the golden age of New York and Hollywood dining: crumpets with mussel escabeche and saffron butter, gougères filled with Comté cream and Wagyu bresaola, and a prawn cocktail served with mignotte lettuce and Mary Rose sauce.
But the real star of the show is the custom charcoal grill, where the kitchen puts some serious firepower behind its steaks. Cuts range from a 280g Black Opal Wagyu hanger steak to a hefty one kilogram Chauvel Wagyu côte de boeuf, all cooked over charcoal. There’s plenty beyond steak, too, including lobster frites with sauce Américaine, mushroom pithivier and roasted Wollemi duck with quince.
Dessert comes in the form of a make-your-own sundae, with a rotating selection of housemade toppings and sauces allowing you to build your own ice cream masterpiece.
Behind the bar, acclaimed bartender Matt Linklater is keeping things classic, with Martinis sitting alongside signature creations including the Frog Hopper, Disco Margarita and Chapel Daisy.
The space itself has been designed by local design studio Nathan Ruttner, who has retained plenty of the original building's heritage character with a touch of 2026 polish. Three dining rooms flow into one another, with contemporary art, glossy walls and intricate tiling layered throughout the heritage architecture. The central bar is designed as the social heart of the venue, where you can pull up a stool, chat to the DJ and settle in for the evening. Upstairs, you’ll find a secluded lounge and private booths for one-on-one catch ups. Come summer, the courtyard will open up for breezy alfresco moments.
And then there’s the music. Resident music director Prequel has curated a soundtrack spanning jazz, soul, boogie, disco, funk, African rhythms and Brazilian grooves, with a rotating roster of DJs playing throughout the week. The sound system is powered by a Swiss-made Varia Instruments rotary mixer – making its Southern Hemisphere debut.
“We wanted to create the kind of place Melbourne doesn't have enough of anymore,” says co-founder James McBride. “Somewhere you can stay all night, walk in for a Martini, or have dinner on your own at the bar. Great food, great drinks and genuine hospitality never go out of style.”
The Frog Club is now open on Chapel Street, serving dinner seven nights a week from 5pm until midnight. You can learn more and book over here.
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