If Uni bars were teenagers, La Trobe University's
Eagle Bar would be the geeky boy picked last for footy in P.E.. He may not be the most popular and he may not be the best looking, but if you give him a chance, he might just score a goal. So if you're up for a surprisingly good night, look no further than the Eagle.
The Eagle may not look like much from the outside. Its exterior sports a sickly brown brick that may be a hint to the tipsy patrons waiting inside.
Be sure to leave your dignity at the door when you head out to
La Trobe University's Bundoora campus, as you'll find little use for it inside this rambunctious rave. This bar is by no means a high brow venue; however, I would argue that this is of little concern to the lively patrons. Entry is free for La Trobe students, however if you do not attend the University, you'll have to fork out a fiver.
The décor leaves much to be desired, with drab 1980's architecture dominating the space. However, this again does not faze the patrons; rather, it seems to add to the homely charm of the venue. The Eagle's 'playroom' is probably the highlight of the bar with pool tables, arcade games and even the odd promotional girl filling the room. This is the place to be for the blokes (especially if the Jim Beam girls are paying a visit), but it's the dance floor where you'll find the ladies.
The Eagle sports a multi-leveled dance floor that is littered always with coloured lights and erratic dancing students. This is probably where you'll spend most of your night, as the Eagle offers an awesome array of local acts that perform live most Thursdays. The venue also features a garden under a retractable glass canopy, which is a great place to cool down after sweating up a storm on the dance floor.
Of course, the Eagle is squirming with La-Trobianites who have undoubtedly claimed this venue as their home away from home. As a result, you would very rarely find anyone over the age thirty here. This isn't a place for quiet drink with the mates. This is a rock 'em sock 'em drink 'til you drop 'em kind of joint that may well leave some hazy memories in your mind. But sometimes, that's part of the appeal.
The drink prices are very reasonable, as the bar is catering for regularly skint students, so they often have specials on jugs and promotional drinks. For a pot of beer you'll ship out about $4 dollars.
The downside to this place is that it's only worth heading there on a Thursday night, and the lights come on quite early in morning, so it's best to find somewhere else to party after 3am. The Eagle bar may not be your first choice when it comes to a Thursday night out, but trust me, this underdog Uni bar never fails to offer a great night out.
