General Public is a family entertainment center in SE Melbourne. Their ten pin bowling, arcade and eatery are attractively laid out and the space has a decidedly outdoorsy garden feel to it.
I was invited as a guest to check out the 'Monday Madness' deal: $30 per person for a 60-minute unlimited arcade play and a game of 10-pin bowling. We were the only family there when we arrived, albeit quite early at 5:00pm. While the venue has potential for quite a vibe, we didn't get to see it during our visit; it stayed very quiet and the lighting was quite bright. It was definitely family friendly, but made me wonder if I would book a corporate function or adults-only night out. They've recently added more lighting, so perhaps that's what clients have been asking for.
I was curious about what to expect with the food, as there have been mixed reviews since their opening in December of 2017. We were impressed with the quality of our food, and the prices are well within what you would expect to pay at a venue like this. There are vegetarian and gluten free options as well. We had the 'Family Deal' available at time of publication from 5pm - 8pm Monday to Thursday; it includes two pizzas or burgers, two kids' meals, two pots of soft drink and two 30-minute arcade cards. Impressive savings. Our pizzas and burgers were terrific; chips were hot and fried to perfection. Service was not quick, but we did have two adults and six kids, so we weren't expecting fast food timing. The parmas looked great too; check online if the Monday Parma and Pot night is still on, $15.
Our kids had plenty of fun at the arcade; unlimited game card is the way to go with little ones for sure, though it does limit the reward tickets.
Table tennis is available free of charge (don't sit near the table tennis if you're not keen on ping-pong balls landing in your pizza). Billiards available at an extra cost.
Stay updated by following the
General Public Melbourne Facebook page and
website. At time of publication, they have some great weekday deals on, including:
GP LUNCH SPECIAL: MON – FRI 12pm to 2pm
Choose any lunch special paired with a pot of soft drink or a house white wine: $14
HAPPY HOUR @ GENERAL PUBLIC: MON – FRI 4pm to 6pm
Pints of furphy, house wines and basic spirits: $6
MONDAY MADNESS
1 Game of ten pin bowling and 60 minutes unlimited arcade play: $30
POT N' PARMA MONDAYS
Parmas served with chips and your choice of craft beer: $15
CHEAP TUESDAY
Bowling and 45 minutes of unlimited arcade play: $25
WACKY WEDNESDAY
1 Game of ten pin bowling and 60 minutes unlimited arcade play: $30
BOOZY BOWLING THURSDAY
Select any pot of beer and pair it with a game of ten pin bowling: $15!
Kids and corporate parties from $35 per person. I've definitely got my eye on a party booking for my kids and I'm ready to suggest a corporate party booking to my boss as well. Head to the General Public for an entertaining night out or even just a day of fun with the kids.
