Altar Bar Hobart guide: tickets, ID, parking and buses

Altar Bar is a two-level bar and band venue at 112 Murray Street in central Hobart, with a bandroom, pool tables and an outdoor rooftop. It runs gigs from local and touring acts most weeks, plus comedy, club nights and free midweek sessions. The two things that catch people out: it doesn't take cash, and you need ID at the bandroom door even if you already have a ticket.

Everything here comes from what the venue, the In The Hanging Garden precinct, Metro Tasmania and the City of Hobart publish, checked on 3 October 2026. Door times and age rules change from show to show, so read your event listing as well. For everything else on around town, see concerts in Hobart.

Quick facts

Altar Bar or the Odeon?

Easy to mix up, because they share an address. Altar Bar is one of several venues in In The Hanging Garden, a live music and cultural precinct at 112 Murray Street. The others are the Odeon, The Garden and Cathedral. The Odeon is a separate, bigger room, which the precinct describes as "Hobart's premier live music venue".

So before you head in, check which room is on your ticket. If it says Altar Bar, you're after the bandroom described here, not the Odeon's theatre.

The precinct's home page also lists resident kitchens doing tacos, pizza and Korean food, on top of Altar's own bar food, which the venue says is served all day.

Which website is the right one?

Use altarbar.com.au. When we checked on 3 October 2026, the old domain, altarhobart.com, wasn't loading, and Altar's Moshtix venue page still pointed to an altarhobart.com.au address. The venue's current info, ticketing rules and events list are on altarbar.com.au, and the precinct page at inthehanginggarden.com.au carries the accessibility details. The venue is also @altarbarhobart on Instagram and Facebook.

What's on at Altar Bar?

It's a mixed program. On 3 October 2026 the precinct's gig list had touring bands, local bills, comedy, improv, club nights and a run of free midweek nights. Wednesdays had "Strings & Stories" and "Blue Moon Sessions", and Thursdays had "CULT Comedy" and "Coyote Bingo", all marked free.

Touring names on the list at the time included Shonen Knife, Telenova, Sly Withers, Frenzal Rhomb's 'Sans Souci 23rd Anniversary' tour, Slum Village, Suzanne Ciani and King Parrot, plus Ben Ottewell and Ian Ball from Gomez in March 2027. Moshtix had about 45 upcoming Altar Bar events listed when we looked. Not everything happens at night, either: one October listing was a daytime clubbing session pitched at the 30+ crowd.

The live list at the top of this page is the quickest way to see what's coming up.

How do I get tickets for Altar Bar?

The venue sells and resells tickets for all its shows through Moshtix. Log in to your Moshtix account to access, download or manage your ticket, or to resell it if you can't go.

The midweek sessions are marked free in the listings. Check each listing for how entry works on the night.

We couldn't confirm a refund policy from a page we could load, so if a show is cancelled or moved, ask Moshtix or the venue directly.

Is Altar Bar 18+?

Not across the board. Some shows are clearly labelled ALL AGES in the listings, such as an all-ages four-band bill on 3 October 2026. Others aren't labelled, and it's a licensed venue, so treat the age rule as a show-by-show thing and check your event page before you buy.

What the venue does say applies to everyone: "Valid ID must be shown upon entry to the bandroom even if you have a pre-purchased ticket." Responsible Service of Alcohol rules apply to all patrons, and entry is subject to the venue's code of conduct, liquor licensing law and the ticket terms.

Can I pay cash at Altar Bar?

No. The venue's info page puts it bluntly: "No guns, no dogs, no cash." Bring a card or phone you can pay with, for drinks and food alike.

Conditions of entry: what can't you bring?

These come from the venue's Ticketing Information + Conditions of Entry page, as of October 2026.

• Bag checks: licensed security may check your bag on the way in.
• Banned items include, but aren't limited to: alcohol, textas, paint and similar items, glass, plastic bottles and weapons.
• Smoking and vaping: not allowed in the bandroom. There's a designated smoking area upstairs.
• Cameras: no professional audio or video recording gear. Media requests are up to the promoter.
• CCTV: the building is filmed, and going in means you consent to that.
• Dogs: no, per the venue's info page.

The venue also runs an anti-social behaviour policy covering everyone in the building: punters, performers, promoters, staff and security. If something doesn't look right, tell a staff member.

The pages we checked don't cover re-entry, a cloakroom or a dress code. Pack light and ask the venue if any of those matter to you.

Is Altar Bar wheelchair accessible?

Partly. The precinct's Altar Bar page says:

• "Level 1 of Altar Bar, including the bandroom is fully accessible with an accessible toilet."
• "Accessible entry is via the chevron laneway on 112 Murray Street."
• "Unfortunately at this time, Level 2 is only accessible by stairs."

The upstairs smoking area is on the stairs-only side of things by the look of it, so check with the venue if you need step-free access to it. For anything else, such as where to watch from in the bandroom, email info@altarbar.com.au before the show.

Getting there by bus

Metro Tasmania runs Hobart's buses, and as of October 2026 its home page says "Tasmanians can hop on Metro buses for free, with no fares required on public transport services across the State until June 2027." The fares page describes it as a state government cost-of-living initiative with no fare or GreenCard needed. The wording is aimed at Tasmanians, so if you're visiting from interstate or overseas, confirm with Metro how it applies to you.

Metro's Hobart Interchange is spread around Franklin Square and the Elizabeth Street Mall. Metro's interchange map shows stops on:

That map is dated September 2022, so check your stop in Metro's Trip Planner or the Metro Tas app, which has real-time bus tracking. Hobart timetables are on Metro's website too.

Metro says that, apart from exceptional circumstances, all its services use wheelchair-accessible low-floor buses.

Getting home after the show

Altar is open until 3am Thursday to Saturday. We couldn't find last-bus times or late-night services on Metro's pages, so plan your trip home in the Trip Planner before you go out, not at midnight on the footpath.

We also couldn't confirm taxi rank locations or rideshare pick-up spots near Murray Street. Sort out your ride before the last band, and have a backup.

Is there parking near Altar Bar?

The venue doesn't list parking of its own, so it's council car parks or the street. The catch is closing times.

The council also lists other car parks, including Melville Street (Midtown) at 49 Melville St, Dunn Place at 3 Davey St and Salamanca Square. Check their hours on the council's car parks page before you rely on one.

Other parking details from the council:

• Hobart Central has a 2.2m height limit and 10 accessible spaces near the lifts. It's closed on public holidays unless signs say otherwise.
• Centrepoint has 16 accessible spaces and Argyle Street has 41, both permit required.
• On-street parking is meant for short, high-turnover stays, and rules vary block to block. Council examples include 2-hour limits from 7am to 6.30pm on weekdays and 4pm to 6pm weekday clearways. Read the sign where you park.
• Paying on the street: use the EasyPark app, a meter (card or coins) or a voucher machine. You'll need the bay number marked on the kerb.
• Public holidays: on-street parking restrictions don't apply.
• Live availability: the council's Park My Ride map shows spaces in real time.

Bookings and private events

If you're after a table rather than a gig, Altar takes bookings for trivia, bingo, after-work drinks or "late night kick-ons" through its bookings page.

The precinct also hires Altar out for private events of up to 700 people, cocktail or theatre style, subject to the gig calendar. That's the only capacity figure published. It isn't a gig capacity, and the venue doesn't publish one.

Before you go

• Check your event listing for door times and whether it's all ages.
• Bring valid ID. You'll need it at the bandroom door.
• Bring a card or phone to pay with. No cash.
• Buy or resell tickets through Moshtix only.
• Leave glass, plastic bottles, textas and pro camera gear at home.
• Plan your bus home in Metro's Trip Planner before you head out.
• Driving? Don't leave the car in a council car park that closes before you're done.
• Need step-free access? Use the chevron laneway entry on Murray Street, and email info@altarbar.com.au with any questions.

Upcoming shows at Altar Bar