Fresh User Reviews for Outdoor Dining in St Kilda

1 Not Recommended

Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

I was shoved from behind by a mere glass collector not just once but twice. She then went to the bouncer and complained about me! The bouncer then approached me and said I had to leave upon which my husband told him the real story. We then told the story to the host who told us that this was not the first time this girl had pushed someone that evening. The bouncer then made a point of trying to tell me that he was not rude and was lenient towards me and had obviously realised there was a mistake.

At no time was I offered an apology or that they were reviewing her employment. We left shortly after and will not be going back or bringing any friends to the Vineyard anytime soon! In fact, we told them of what happened and they will not be visiting either. Can you blame them?

If you want a nice evening out with no dramas, don’t go to the Vineyard. Go elsewhere. There are plenty of nicer places where you can feel safe from their employees' problems. Personally, I don’t put up with anything less than professional! (You get what you pay for here! Cheap and disgusting!) I must add the DJ played very dated tunes. I am British and used to be very up to date with tunes in Europe and USA not these of which must have been at least 10 years old or more.

May 22, 2013

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  10     

Good value for $20 each, reasonably priced drinks and cocktails. Food is of a good standard for the area, but wouldn't say its the best ever.

Staff were attentive although clearly very busy, and service was speedy and polite. I guess comparing price to pleasure, Bar Santo would still get a 8 or better...

Apr 30, 2013

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Almost a perfect dinner, we took a banquet at $35pp and for 6 courses seemed good value. I must admit when the goats cheese came out we looked at each other thinking this was going to be an expensive night as the portion looked quite small. However the richness of the goats cheese and the dishes following we almost didn't have room left for the churros, but we squeezed them in.

Hard to fault anything about the food or the service, but the venue needs a bit of work to be up there with the best. But I guess who cares when we had the best meal out we've had in months, probably the best in a few years in St Kilda.

Apr 30, 2013

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Sapore has just joined my favorites list for great dining in melbourne. Had the express lunch a short time ago and just had to go back. Next time was for dinner and the consistency in the service, flavours, quality and atmosphere was hard to beat. Not over the top, just subtle excellence. Highly recommended.

Apr 26, 2013

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  3      Drinks  3      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  3     

It was unacceptable and rude behaviour of the manager on Sat, 16th! They asked customers to leave their tables without any notification during lunch time. People were having food and drinks and listening to live band. Staff was terribly rude. Don't think my friends and I will go back there again.

Feb 18, 2013

5.5 Average

Food  3      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  5     

Seafood risotto was flavourless. Fish cakes and salad were fine. I'd say service would vary as the wait staff were on working holidays.

Feb 12, 2013

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Attended Zenith last night for a taste of leather like calamari. My partner had steak that tastted like a dirty tennis shoe. The service was the worst I have ever experienced. After paying $50 for our champagne the delightful staff spilled it on the table and left it there. When our mains arrived we we re not offered any condiments at all. Were they were completed, even despite constantly trying to get the attention of the wait staff we sat with finished plates and an empty bottle of champagne for 20 mminutes before we were asked if we would like coffee. Too late. And no thanks. What a shambolic and pathetic attempt ata a restuarant, with so much choice on the Acland Street don't bother going here!

Jan 31, 2013

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

Over-rated. While the food was palatable, the dreadful service and patronising approach plus a wine list offering seriously over inflated prices (mark ups of 200-300 per cent on the retail price of some wines) mean this was an expensive and not very enjoyable evening. Over-rated.

Jan 18, 2013

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

Putting both the "upstairs" and "downstairs" of the Stokehouse in perspective is like pondering the overarching themes in The Great Gatsby. The "Upstairs" formal restaurant at the Stokehouse, like in East Egg in the Gatsby world is the fashionable, high-status, conservative, old money crowd where characters like Tom and Daisy from the book would be prone to dine. The "downstairs" cafe, like in the West Egg of the Gatsby world, is less fashionable and less moneyed - "nouveau riche" by definition.

Read the full review on my blog

Jan 15, 2013

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Across from the southeast end of Albert Park in the more gentrified area of St Kilda on Fitzroy Street stands Golden Fields. Even more minimalist in design compared to Coda with a long bar and high stools and nearly vacant walls, this one hatted restaurant, which is part of the Andrew McConnell empire certainly has a fair amount going for it, which I discovered when I took a much anticipated trip around its menu recently.

Read the full review on my blog

Jan 15, 2013

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  10     

Really enjoyed my night at Barney Allen's. We were lucky to get a table as there is only limited seating down one side of the bar. This is probably their only weak point.

Food is absolutely fabulous. Tried a few different entrees. All were good but the Parmesan and Prosciutto Croquettes and Chicken Tostada's were stand outs. For main I had the Burger with a side of fries. Quite possibly the best I've ever had. There was the most delicious onion relish on it that really made it so tasty. All up I only spent $25 on food so a very affordable night out. Huey and his team are doing a great job. Can't wait to go back again.

Jan 14, 2013

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Last meal of 2012...HORRIBLE

New years eve and still taking sittings at 9.30 which was good, waitress’ friendly and thorough but this is where the positives ended.

Meals were Fishermans Platter, that came on a tray with useless giant lettuce leaves underneath, extremely overcooked and overbattered seafood and even the chips were dry. Not worth the $30. My partner ordered the Fettuccini Castallana for about $19 and ate the most overcooked scallops of his entire life....and an overload on cream does not make any pasta taste good.

Horrible service from an older gentleman who advised he managed the place, witnessed him also giving horrible customer service to the patron in front of us and when we went to the counter to pay his only word was “next”. Next? I look at him a bit shocked but prepared to stay quiet but he said in a smarty pants way that I seemed upset and urged me twice to tell him what was wrong.

On explaining that a correct greeting is not next and that a smile and a “next please” or how can I help you was normal” he advised he didn't need to be lectured by myself. I advised he had asked Me what was wrong and that he did need to be lectured as he was providing horrible customer service and all I had wanted to do was pay for the meal we had finished.

He blamed his behaviour on the customer he had had before us and in the end I removed my card before payment went through, discussed the matter with a helpful waitress who advised she would pass my feedback onto the owner, and then she arranged my payment for me. The waitress said at the end that she hoped we would return and, unfortunately, even her quality customer service in an awkward situation, couldn’t dispel the feeling that I had wasted my money on bad food and helped pay wages for a man who doesn't deserve the job he has.

Plenty of other restaurants on the strip and in all honesty, go a few doors up to somwehere else.

Jan 02, 2013

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

I would like to update that I have been back here whilst on a day trip to Melbourne, and it remains utterly amazing.

Came for dinner this time and had to wait for a table, but we were ok with this, in addition it gave me a chance to really soak up the atmosphere of the place.

The music is good - seriously good, and it is played at a volume that is comfortable. I didn't have to yell at or struggle to hear the person next to me.

Huey was at the bar doing the same thing and he was more than happy to have happy snaps taken by patrons, my sister being one of them.

I really recommend Barney Allen's for the food and the atmosphere and the food. Did I mention the food?

Including the drinks, our bill was less than $150 and all of us were stuffed to the max. For 5 folks I thought that was pretty special.

My brother and his better half did order $40 worth of drinks between the two of them, which made the drinks bill a bit more than it normally would have been.

Barney Allen's remains right up there in my super highly absolutely recommended list.

Recently came here while on a trip to Melbourne. I am planning my next trip down just for another burger. If you think that this is mildly excessive, clearly you have never been.

Came with 6 others, we ordered a few things each and shared it all round, utterly amazing. Had we not been so full, we would have ordered a second round of foods.

I don't want to single out anything off the menu, because everything we had was pure brilliance. Also, the best lemon, lime and bitters I have ever had, I had here.

Aboslutely Super Highly Recommended to anyone who will listen.

Dec 28, 2012

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  1     

Food was very average, hadn't been there for a while and will never go again. Very disappointing. Actually it's the worst place I've every been too.

Dec 21, 2012

8 Recommended

Food  8     

Went out of our way to go to this place and were a little disappointed in the service. However, the food was great and the atmosphere was cosy. Hopefully the staff pick up their game.

Dec 13, 2012

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

I was really impressed with this place. We had lunch here on a Friday and the restaurant was about half full. The room is fairly minimalist but feels in harmony with the food being served. I liked the light, airy feel they have achieved.

The service was pretty good. Our meals came out in good time and the waiters kept an eye on our drinks. The wine list was comprehensive and you will find something you like. Prices on the wines seemed reasonable, too.

Food was great. The idea here was to share and we ordered about 6 plates to share (all entree sizes). This was probably one plate too many but the menu reads so well it was hard to stop ordering more dishes. Every dish we had felt a success. A couple were just outstanding--the mushrooms and the Szechuan eggplant. We will definitely be back.

Dec 03, 2012