The Greyhound Hotel is a St Kilda icon. While Acland Street, Fitzroy Street and the Esplanade have all become gentrified, yuppified and Secret-Lifed, the corner of Carlisle Street and Brighton Road remains a bastion of the 'old' St Kilda.

The pub certainly isn't trendy. The public bar is spacious, grungy and dark.

The band room is large enough to cater for about 100 punters at a pinch and regularly attracts some good quality bands, if not household names.

What really makes the Greyhound special is the people. A more eclectic mix of St Kilda's denizens you couldn't hope to find.

Bikies rub shoulders with trannies, young, trendy rock 'n' roll fans mix with veteran grey-haired drinkers.

You even see the occasional suit. Everyone's welcome.

The drinks are cheap - by St Kilda standards - but don't go looking for a cocktail menu.

There's some pre-mixed stuff in the fridge, but if you're not drinking beer from the tap or hard liquor from the back of the bar, you might get some funny stares.

The Greyhound is known for its long relationship with pub rock, so it's not uncommon for veterans like the Cosmic Psychos to schedule a gig there at short notice.

The band room environment is very different on Saturday nights, when it plays host a weekly drag show.

If your only experience of St Kilda is the funky bars of Acland St or the high-class restaurants on Fitzroy St, it's time you visited the Greyhound and got a true feel for the suburb's character.