Mecca Bah

4 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  3     

This has for many years been my favourite restaurant in Melbourne and I have taken many visitors there over the years, however, when there on Friday night for a birthday celebration, we could not have been more disappointed, not by the food, but the service, which was surely the most apathetic, disinterested and rude in all of Australia. No one seemed to care, we had to ask for our drinks 4 times before they finally arrived, half way through our main course. What a huge letdown for such a previously great restaurant. I am sure that Cath Claringbold would be very sad indeed.

May 22, 2012 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

To say the service was bad would be the understatement of 2011. We prepaid for a Christmas function, foolishly choosing one of the more expensive options. On the night none of the selected menu dishes turned up. Foolishly again we omitted to bring a copy of what we had paid for and it was only the next work day that we realized that we had not received even half of the allocated food.

On discussing this with the Mecca Bah event organizer we were advised that the chef had changed the menu and selected what they felt was appropriate and that it was our fault for not realizing that the food was not what was paid for.

In addition on arrival when we asked for some drinks, two beers and three champagnes I was told by the only bar staff who would meet my eye that I couldn't have champagne as there were no clean glasses. This was at 7.30pm. The service was slow, taking 15 minutes to collect these drinks. We left no tip and most of our 30 guests ate macro sods on the way home.

I would not recommend Meccah Bah for a work function.

Dec 28, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  5      Service  10      Value  8     

Having dined at Mecca Bah multiple times over the last 12 months have noticed a few ups and downs, more recently towards the downs in the service department. However, dined here tonight and had the best experience yet! Food has always been good and service tonight was smart and professional. Hope the standard stays this high!

Sep 14, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  8     

Great restaurant to head to with friends. Order a variety of Mezze dishes and share them around with a glass of wine on the side! Amazing views, yummy food and great company really make this restaurant.

May 20, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  3     

Went there for dinner Haloumi cheese for entree undercooked and too salty, bread and dips were fine, lamb kebab dry and chewy, lamb tagine luke warm, full of fat and tasteless, fish kebab was over killed with charcoal flavor through it, drinks very expensive service and location was very good. Would never return to eat there again food was a total disappointment and waste of money.

Apr 03, 2011 

6.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

Great location and nice to be able to sit outside, luckily without too many smokers. Staff were generally friendly, and overall thought the service was good (contrary to a few of the reviews I note). Now the food, very tasty! Calamari was tender and nicely cooked, haloumi nicely dusted and with delicious sauce, good range of vegetarian, including the pizza which K devoured. Will certainly be back to try the other dishes.

Feb 13, 2011 

3.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  2      Service  5      Value  2     

Took a friend there for Monday lunch, started with the dips and bread - tzatziki fine, pumpkin & cardamon okay. Hommus - poor, not even edible, cold and hard. The pizza and kibbi were fine. The atmosphere was overwhelming bad due to staff still sweeping and cleaning the main part of the restaurant during lunch service. Yes I know Monday is usually a slow day but it is still holiday time during January.

Jan 20, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Have been happy with service and food in past but tonight I was extremely disappointed, the Lamb tagine, the lamb and couscous was cold, I asked for a hot dinner and then got back 3 huge chunks of fat with no meat in the tagine. That was a slap in the face. Never ever again will I return to the mecca bar restaurant again, and it was so bland and tasteless.

Jan 16, 2011 

4.3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  7      Service  2      Value  6     

Very disappointed lunch. Unattentive service, undercooked calamari. 3 prior visits very good, gone missing. Won't be returning or recommending.

Oct 30, 2010 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

A group of us went for lunch and shared 9 entrées and 3 mains. It was hard to decide which 3 mains to choose as they all sounded great. The entrées were fantastic, with the chick pea coated mussels a highlight but none were a disappointment.

The mains were equally enjoyable. They were pretty reasonably priced as well. We all agreed that we definitely have to go back to try some other mains. The only strange thing was that we were told only a party of 15 or more can book in advance, though it appeared to us that some small tables had been booked because they told us there were no tables available inside, even though there were 3 or 4 unoccupied tables that seated 4 or 6 people.

Still, we found the service pretty reasonable and the weather wasn’t too inclement. Definitely a place to visit again in the future.

Sep 06, 2010