FIVE people in Melbourne ended up in a brawl after an argument sparked by a snake.

Police said the fracas began when a man passed a table outside a cafe in trendy St Kilda carrying a snake, which startled one of the diners.

A woman at the table swore and an argument broke out between the snake's handler and the seated couple.

Things began to calm down until another patron at the restaurant said the snake's owner looked like "Dickie Knee", the character from comedy TV show Hey Hey It's Saturday that consisted of sprout of black hair topped with a cap and mounted on a stick.

The comment appeared to spark a fresh argument, which included the original three people and two other cafe patrons.

"Several punches were thrown and one man allegedly had his ear bitten by the man carrying the snake. This injury required 20 stitches," Victoria Police said.

Police want to speak to witnesses to the assault and have released an image of a man that they believe can assist with their investigation.

The man is thought to be about 180 centimetres tall, 35 to 40 years of age, have dark curly hair and was of Southern European appearance.