Charcoal Grill on the Hill

5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  2     

A very disappointing experience. Whilst the steak was excellent (but very expensive) the very basic accompaniments destroyed any idea of value for money. Bread you could buy at Coles, fries I could get at McDonalds, a lettuce leaf and some shredded coleslaw was no where near to what should be complementing the excellent steak. Masterchef judges would give a zero mark for both presentation and flavours. I will certainly not be eating here again. I feel very ripped off. This is the first time I have felt compelled to document my frustration about a restaurant.

Nov 25, 2010 

4.5 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  4     

We arrived at 7:30. Minimum 2 courses per person for groups of 8 or more.

Entree, chevapchichi tasted like plain Woolworth's minced beef, except very burnt. We asked for extra sauce to improve tolerability. Food: 0/10, value: 0/10. Was tempted to throw this out, but I was quite hungry because it only arrived at 9:00 - great strategy!

Main, excellent eye fillet, rare: 8/10. Good fries: 7/10. Salad consisted of lettuce leaves, dressing, and nothing else: 3/10. Food: 8/10, value: 6/10. Well, who comes for the salad anyway? Not adverse to returning for main.

Dessert, lemon lime tart. Excellent rich crumbly shell: 8/10. Filling slightly too sour and quite one-dimensional, perhaps, the sourness drowned out whatever other flavour there was: 4/10. Food: 6/10, value: 2/10. Value score downgraded because one small scoop of ice-cream to accompany is $3 extra.

Average scores (main counts for double). Food: 6/10, value: 4/10. Great steak, but we were forced to order other courses, which were poor. Rather offended, given the prices. Service: 2/10. Entree arrived 9:00, main arrived 9:30. I felt this wait unreasonable given the price and mandatory ordering policy, we do need to wake up early to go to work tomorrow. The waiters provided excellent service, but when a friend commented that no main had arrived and it was nearly 9:30, one waiter was unapologetic and instead said "well you should have ordered an entree". Rather offended, given the prices.

Ambience: 6/10.

Apr 29, 2010 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  2     

I've been to Charcoal Grill four times now and on each occasion in the company of visiting guests from overseas, because I believe it is (or rather, was) truly one of Melbourne's better steak restaurants.

All four entrees on the menu were decent, although unspectacular. Recovering from past bad experiences with steak, I had pork fillets on my first visit. But so convinced I was by the flavoursome pork that I was determined to try the steak on my subsequent visits. No doubt the steaks on the second and third occasions were well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. Their wonderfully soft French Fantasy bread and crispy fries deserve a mention too.

However, we were fourth-time unlucky and definitely very much disappointed at this highly regarded restaurant. My order of med-rare rump came out rare, and I struggled before having to give up 1/4 of the steak. It was definitely lacking in flavour and tasted just ordinary. I felt a pinch knowing that they could have done so much better, and for this price, they have to be.

But what really irks me though would be the bad service we received on the last two visits. On the third visit, we made a booking for 10 people but changed to 8 at the last minute. Upon ordering, we were told each of us had to at least order 2 courses since booking was made for 10. We sure weren't very pleased because not only were they forcing us to eat extra, they were not flexible with their policy. But we thought we'd just let it go since they were running a business.

Thankfully that night my guests enjoyed their steak (but not the overly-salted entrees) and we even had an overcooked wagyu steak replaced. Unfortunately, the same can't be said the fourth time round when we were served by a young lady whom I've not seen before. While we were having our entree, we could hear the kitchen staff scolding the waitress for writing our orders illegibly and as a customer, a messed up order is the last thing you would want to hear.

We chatted over entree as we waited for mains to be served, which didn't arrive even 20 minutes after entree was cleared (by then it was more than an hour since order was placed). The kitchen staff was nowhere in sight. Bemused, I asked the waiter if we could have our mains soon because we had other plans for the night. He replied that the kitchen staff was on a break, but would let him know.

A moment later, the young waitress came up and told us in a really defensive and hostile tone that mains have yet to be cooked because we just cleared our entree. Fair enough but I don't recall there being such a long wait on previous occasions. Not to mention, the waitress' attitude was just repulsive and rude.

I guess the poor service and food left a bad taste for this fourth and last experience. Maybe the kitchen staff and waitress had a bad day. Maybe I had too much expectation or maybe they are just no longer on the hill. What a pity.

Feb 20, 2010 

6.8 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  5     

Hmm, this restaurant always gives me grief. I'm drawn back for a steak, but then feel ripped off when I leave the place. Can I do a better job myself cooking a steak at home? Probably, in fact, yes! I have done many times. Can I make a better, more satisfying salad (all you get is a cabbage salad), Yes. Can I make fries? No, but I can get them from Maccas.

Overall, for a piece of top quality meat, I can buy for $20, cabbage is like a dollar for a whole head from the market, Maccas fries about $2, and I have a delightful dinner. Their condiments are a disgrace, nothing to write home about. So I can do the same thing at home, for $23.00 for 2-3 people or I can eat at Charcoal on the Hill for $200. Hmm...tough choice. Forget it, they'll never see my money again!

Dec 05, 2009 

6.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  4     

Wine list was amazing but the rest was a little disappointing. I'm happy to pay high prices in restaurants if I feel like I'm getting a special meal cooked by a great chef but at charcoal grill the food did not match the price and we just felt as if they were trying to make as much profit from each customer without delivering the wow factor. Do not bring vegetarian friends to this restaurant.

Jul 23, 2009 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Steak was cooked just right, and for what you get (includes a serve of yummy fries and salad), not bad value for money either. The service was quick and without fuss. Overall, it was a good night out, and will definitely come back for more.

May 08, 2009 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  8     

Excellent steak! Beautifully flavoured and very good value for such good quality food. Excellent service. Try the crepes (lemon and sugar) for dessert.

Mar 09, 2009 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

So it was my birthday and I wanted a nice steak, so I asked around on the forums and got recommended to the Charcoal Grill on the Hill. Made a booking and went. Looked at the menu and wow was the wagyu expensive! Gosh I really sweated over spending that much on a piece of meat. Will it be able to stand up to all that expectation? Anyway, I took the chance and ordered the 300g wagyu.

When it came out I got a fright, there it was all by it's lonesome self, just a piece of steak on a plate, nothing else! Well nothing for it but to pick up the knife and try it now! Ah the first bite, chew, hmmm was it worth it? don't know. The 2nd bite, chew, wow there's something special here! Many bites and chews later, Yes yes yes, this was one good steak and next time I feel rich and after a nice steak, I'll be back!

Nov 15, 2008 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  6     

You're coming here for the steak and the wine list. Both are great, if a little bit expensive. But it's a lovely restaurant that does its thing perfectly. I haven't had a better steak in Melbourne and it compares with e.g New York. Service usually really good too. Overall experience far better than others.

Oct 14, 2008 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  6     

I was thoroughly impressed with the food and service here. It's expensive. You pay for your steak and get a side of a basic coleslaw and some tasty steak fries. There are no sauces, it's all about the meat although you can have your choice of mustard. The steak was absolutely delicious, so worth the money. I just recommend you go here when you've either got the money to spend or you are having a special night.

Sep 21, 2008