There’s something immediately easy about Beach Bar in Carrum. Perched on Nepean Highway, just a stone’s throw from the water, it has the sort of coastal setting that could easily lean too hard into the lifestyle thing — but thankfully, it doesn’t. Instead, it feels relaxed, casual and genuinely welcoming. We dropped in on a Friday with a friend, taking up a spot at the large communal table by the front windows, where the afternoon sun was pouring in. A few hours, plenty of food and a couple of drinks later, we were reminded that sometimes the best places are the ones that simply make you want to stay.
Come Hungry
Beach Bar is currently open for breakfast and lunch, with Friday night dinner on the menu. Saturday nights are coming soon, too, which feels like a natural next step for a place that already has the right kind of easygoing energy.
We were lucky enough to work our way through a little bit of everything — breakfast, toasties, small bites and drinks — and, frankly, there wasn’t much that stayed on the table for long.
The Mini “OG” Sliders are exactly what you want from a slider. Tasty, satisfying and dangerously easy to eat, these are the sort of thing you order thinking you’ll have one or two before suddenly realising you could happily demolish a whole plate.
Then came the Corn Ribs, which might have been one of the standouts of the small bites. Juicy, buttery and packed with flavour, they were seriously good. We’ve had plenty of corn ribs, but these are right up there with some of the best we’ve tried. Chef’s kiss territory.
The Lobster Rolls were another highlight. It’s difficult to go wrong with a lobster roll, but these had us wishing there was more on the plate. In the words of Mantis from Kung Fu Panda: I wish my mouth was bigger — because getting the whole thing in one go was the only real challenge.
The Citrus Pepper Calamari kept things moving in the right direction. Crispy on the outside, tender in the middle and paired with a chipotle mayo that works particularly well with the citrusy pepper seasoning. It’s the kind of plate that disappears quickly when you’re sharing.
The Bad Boy Benny Means Business
If there was one dish we’d send you straight towards, it’s the Bad Boy Benny.
We’ve had our fair share of Eggs Benny over the years, and this is comfortably one of the best. There’s a lot going on — chipotle hollandaise, fried shallots and pulled pork — but it all works. Then there are those perfectly poached eggs, which break open and send that golden yolk everywhere.
It’s rich, messy and exactly what breakfast should occasionally be.
The pulled pork gives it more substance than your standard Benny, while the chipotle hollandaise brings enough heat to keep every bite interesting. Add those crispy fried shallots and you’ve got texture, richness and a little bit of chaos on the plate.
This is the one to order.
The Reuben Is No Slouch
The Reuben Toastie deserves its own mention.
We’ve eaten our fair share of Reubens over the years, and one of the biggest complaints is usually the same: where’s the beef? Too often you get a slither of meat lost somewhere between the bread, sauerkraut and dressing.
Not here.
This thing was packed. Proper layers of meat, sauerkraut tucked in between and plenty of Russian dressing tying everything together. It’s substantial without becoming a complete mess, and the toastie format gives it that extra crunch that makes it particularly hard to put down.
It’s a contender for one of the better Reubens we’ve had.
Staff That Make You Feel Like You’ve Been Coming for Years
Perhaps the nicest thing about Beach Bar isn’t something you can order.
The staff have that rare ability to make you feel like a local, even when it’s your first visit. There’s no stiffness or overly polished hospitality here. It’s friendly, relaxed and genuinely warm — the kind of service where you can imagine walking in every morning for a coffee and eventually becoming one of the familiar faces.
That fits the place perfectly.
Beach Bar doesn’t feel like somewhere you need to dress up for or make an occasion out of. It’s somewhere you can wander into after a walk by the water, grab breakfast, settle in for lunch, meet a friend for a Friday drink or spend a few hours doing absolutely nothing in particular.
And that’s probably why it works.
The Verdict
Beach Bar has the coastal setting, but it doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to sell you a coastal lifestyle. It’s casual, welcoming and easy — a place that feels like it belongs in Carrum rather than somewhere that has been dropped onto the Mornington Peninsula for the Instagram crowd.
If you’re heading there on a Friday night, we recommend the ‘4 Small Bites for $55’. It gives you a taste of everything and you really can’t go wrong with that. Add a couple of drinks and your Friday night is sorted.
But if you’re visiting during the day, the Bad Boy Benny is the go-to. Order it, settle into one of those sunny communal tables and take your time.
You might just find yourself feeling like a local before you’ve even finished breakfast.
