| Nowhere in Melbourne (aside from in my bedroom) will you find a finer salute to rock than at Ding Dong Lounge, and like all things connected with rock, Ding Dong does it with flair. Hard rock, pop rock, girlie rock and indie rock all get a thorough going-over here. The Ding Dong prides itself as a launching ground for new local acts as well as a venue for renowned international bands (just be sure to call ahead and check cover prices). The DJs shun all electronica and instead blast the sounds of AC/DC, T-Rex and The Ramones. Set in Chinatown, this place is a loyal sister to the Ding Dong Lounge in New York, and it also shares the same owners as Melbourne's Cherry bar. But behind Ding Dong's rock-hard exterior, you'll find a friendly, if not jovial, crew ready to leap at your beck and call. Put them through their paces with a Ding Dong favourite, the lychee caipiroska. Whoever said beer is the only drink for a rock crowd was drunk. If Batman had married Catwoman and built a love nest with a casual rumpus room, it's not a far stretch of the imagination to think that room would bear more than a resemblance to the Ding Dong Lounge.
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