Melba Restaurant

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

Nice seafood. Only go here if you love seafood and they don't get it wrong by going on a night when they do not have seafood. The 8:30 session gives you 2.5 hours to stuff yourself, the 6:30 session under 2. You're getting my drift I hope.

Aug 29, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  1     

My partner and I went to the Melba Restaurant on Sunday 13th March, for our 7 yr anniversary. We were very disappointed with the value for money.

Firstly, we could only book in for the late seating of 8:30 pm because apparently it was booked out, (even though there were plenty of seats vacant). Tell me who eats "an all you can eat" dinner at 8:30 pm.? Defintely did not eat our $80 per person worth of food.

The vegies in the Carvery section were cold. The food in the Indian section was medium spiced (too bad for people that only can eat Mild spiced). The dessert had Big blow flies hanging around the dessert cabinet and looked like the food was sitting there for a while. The fruit in the dessert and chocolate fountain area were either bruised or brown.

On top of that, how can a restaurant charge $5 for a glass of coke.? That is shocking. Then when we went to pay for the bill, I asked the gentleman at the counter that I thought they had pasta, he told me they did in the Asian section, but there were no signs or dishes to show any pasta sauces.

Overall the service is slow, food is definitely not worth it. Drinks are Highly overpriced and seeing flies hanging around the food is disgusting. I also checked their website and how can you also charge $65 per person for breakfast, what are the bacon and eggs made from, to be worth that much.
Won't go back again.!

Mar 15, 2011 

4.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  6      Value  3     

We had Sunday lunch here. Decades ago, a food writer called Richard Becket, criticising the then lacklustre standard of food in some major city hotels, suggested that the best approach, if obliged by circumstances to dine in these places, was to order a half bottle of champagne and a dozen oysters to start, then have a half bottle of a good red and make a massive inroad on the cheese board.

At Melba, I would suggest having a double helping of sashimi, with a suitable beverage, then the red+cheese recommended by Mr Becket. The cold seafood buffet looks great but proved to be lacklustre. Some items on the antipasto buffet were good but one does not need to go to catering college to decant stuffed peppers, white anchovies, sliced pastrami etc onto serving dishes.

According to MM, the roast beef was Ok for those who like well done meat, the pork was barely passable. The curry was edible, once again, most people could produce something passable using a jar of curry paste. Is there a shortage of cutlery in Melbourne? Or a shortage of table linen for that matter? When did liqueur glasses disappear? As for the much vaunted view, the river runs upside down and the building we gazed at is a fine example of florid 19th century public service architecture.

Feb 15, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

As far as buffet goes, the food is fantastic - wide variety of options: sushi/sashimi, a selection of seafood (oysters, mussel, Qld yabbies, blue swimmer crabs, etc), roasts, hot and cold dishes and finally, custom-made naan bread (try saying quickly: "Would you like garlic & herb, cheese & herb, garlic and cheese, cheese & spinach, garlic & chilli, or lamb mince?"). The atmosphere was great as the tables were spaced far apart. If we could choose, a window seat is ideal at night but during lunch hours, we would prefer to sit away from the sun glare. We would like to commend the waitstaff for their professionalism and efficiency. Will visit again.

Feb 15, 2011 

6.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  7     

Sushi quality was disappointing but the overall range of buffet items was wonderful. Go hungry and take your time. Word to management, check the spelling of the labels for food, have enjoyed guacamole many times but was unsure what gockamole was.

Not cheap but if you were paying for 3 courses (which you are getting and then some) then it is not far off what you would pay elsewhere. Not somewhere to take someone on a diet!

Nov 12, 2010 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  8     

I had the pleasure of dining at the Melba on a Thursday night in September. We had the buffet and although it is highly priced it is well worth the money. The standard of food was excellent and I would definitely eat there again, although I believe they are incredibly busy on weekends and also the price is higher. I loved the sample sized desserts which meant you could try a few without taking too much. The individual cooking stations means that all of the hot food is freshly prepared except the Indian curries and the roasts (obviously they need time to cook.) I could not fault the seafood. The buffet is all you can eat and is an extremely high standard.

Oct 28, 2010 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  6     

Went there last night last minute catch up with friend from interstate staying there. Service was excellent by all staff. Food was good but hard to justify the $70 buffet price tag. But the difference is you don't get the variety ordering a la carte. The trick is to take one of everything to take in the variety. We would definitely go back again.

Sep 14, 2010 

4.8 Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  9      Value  2     

Writing this as I wait for the bill. Service, can't fault it one bit, staff were very friendly, prompt and welcoming. Ambience, lots of business types on a Thu, but prob different on the weekend. The closer you are to the window, the quieter it is and the view gets better. Food, below par. I had the Tassie lamb and it was chewy, bland, scarce. The potatoes were flavourless and also chewy. Relish was uninteresting. Sauce the saviour, due to some much needed salt. But that's all I tasted. Plenty of better options out there.

Apr 29, 2010 

3 Below Average

Food  4      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  2     

Paid nearly $90 per head for festive buffet 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm sitting. Seafood was average. Prawns were ok, oysters and sand crab were on the nose. Sushi and Tandoor food was good. Wouldn't open doors till 5.30 pm on dot so massive herd of customers to get seated which then ended in big ques to get food, come 7.20 pm, we were reminded we had to leave in 10 minuttes, que for dessert was at least 40 people deep at this time, customers were then tense. Never go back, was excellent when sheraton owned it, now quite disappointing. Service was rushed, had to clear plates ourselves at one point. The restaurants position next to the yarra was nice.

Dec 06, 2009 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

I had a wonderful seafood buffet at the Melba in 2009. As the others said, you have to book at least a week in advance to secure a table by the window. The renowned seafood buffet is well worth the money. Oysters, Salmon, crabs are all very fresh. I enjoyed the other cusines available as well: sashimi stand and the Indian food stand are excellent. Service is exceptional.

Feb 06, 2009