Ash St. Cellar

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

I went there with my husband on a balmy Tuesday night and it was fair to say that most tables outside were empty. We explained to the waiter that we wanted to have some nibbles and wine outside (we miss Europe and enjoy crispy fresh air) and he asked us to seat ourselves, which we did. A couple of minutes later, another waiter with a sour face and a serious attitude stormed our table and proceeded to lecture us about their seating policy. He ranted loudly about how busy they were (really??) and how we should have queued inside to be allocated a seat and demanded rather obnoxiously that we vacate the table. I'd hate to tell this over-inflated person how to do this job, but shouldn't he have at least checked whether the table we were seated on was booked before yelling at us to move? We got up and stood in the 'queue' for over 5 minutes. Despite us being the only ones queuing. He made a point of ignoring us the whole time. I called him over and explained that the reason we were seated on our table was because we were advised to 'take a seat'. He asked us which waiter it was and stomped off to yell at him. Ten minutes later, after having made no attempt to re-seat us on any of the clearly empty tables, we walked away in disgust. I wouldn't go back there if you paid me.

May 12, 2013 

6.8 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

All the food at Ash Street Cellars is nice but a little unsubstantial, perhaps a bit too simple in nature. Don't get me wrong, I would certainly return. What Ash Street Cellars is good for is probably a ‘ladies lunch’ or a ’post work’ catch up with a girlfriend where you want a delicate nibble and a gossip. It would probably also meet the ‘first date’ brief fairly well when one is keen on meals that are not too substantial.

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Mar 30, 2013 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  7     

Amazing as always! Had the duck liver pate - so rich and flavourful, Jamon fig Monchego salad yum!, croquettes were delish, Beetroot salad a standout and kingfish ceviche good but not as good as previous occassions I have had it there. Beautiful coffee and wonderful Pinot Grigio recommendation from our gorgeous waitress. Will be back again and again.

Jan 04, 2013 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

A friend and I went to Ash St Cellar last friday for the Crave Let's Do Lunch special. The place had been on my list to try out for some time and I was not disappointed.

Due to our late arrival, there was only one serve left of the 'ocean trout escalavida' so we ordered it to share and a few extra dishes to share also. We had the duck liver pate, the mussels and the strawberry and almond tart. The ocean trout was the best I have ever eaten. It was incredibly good. So much so that we were wrecking our brains trying to work out exactly how they had cooked it. The duck pate was excellent. The mussels could have been tastier and more plentiful but were nice enough. The tart was lovely, light and flavoursome, not too rich or too sweet.

The service was cosmo, friendly and efficient. The ambience was relaxed and comfortable with a european feel to it. The only minus, if there must be one, is that the tables are truly tiny, which is ok if you're just meeting for a drink but a bit cramped for lunch or dinner.

Oct 30, 2012 

6.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  5     

Dined at Ash St Cellar about 2 weeks ago and noticed some good and some bad.

The place has a really Melbourne feel, nested in a small cobblestone lane, which I love. We didn't have a booking and on a Wednesday the place was full so we had to sit outside which was fine.

The menu is great, lots of choices and the food was delicious. We were happy with every dish that got served to us.

The downside I would say was that we were really uncomfortable sitting on a tiny table in a place that does tapas. We were three and the whole night we had to juggle dishes and pile them up ourselves on the table because there was no space for more than 3 plates at the same time, that was a bit annoying.

The service was ok but just ok. I thought the waiter was going to write our order down and he said that he would remember everything, but we did have to chase a couple of items with another member of staff because clearly it wasn't coming. The wine also took about 20 minutes to reach the table.

I asked our waiter which one of two dishes he would have and he said that they were quite different. I prefer a more personal service and opinions being shared. I always like to have a little chat with my waiter because it is a better experience but ours, although very polite, wasn't very chatty.

All in all I would recommend this place. Perhaps, make a booking to secure a big table if there are a few of you. 2 people would be ideal no more. Also don't expect to be full unless you want to order a lot of items. It's probably a great place for a little nibble and drink before heading somewhere else.

Sep 15, 2012 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  7      Value  8     

Step off George St and into another world. Been here 4 times in 2012, tried different tapas each time and never been disappointed. I take friends here for a reliable, memorable moment. The service staff are lovely, but can be hard to flag down after the initial order is placed.

Jun 26, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  7     

We head to Ash St Cellar regularly for lunch. The tapas selection is fantastic and they always have interesting specials on the blackboard. The mussels, jamon and lamb cutlets are delicious and the wine list is also good. The desserts are to die for, can definitely recommend whichever tart they have on the menu.

Service is usually decent and the ambience is good. You are in an alleyway behind George St but it's a good atmosphere, watching people come and go into Bistro Felix whilst you wonder why they would eat there when the food at Ash is so much better.

Jun 13, 2012 

7.8 Recommended

Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7      Drinks  8     

We went for the 4 dishes X 4 matching wines for $40 lunch deal - a different wine with each course. The tartare of ocean trout was a good match with the Muscadet. The Valpolicella complemented the chorizo with peppers. The Pinot Noir was a bit on the light side but was OK with the quails. The chocolate fondant was beautifully rich and teamed well with the Mas Amiel Maury (fortified grenache). Overall very enjoyable and the small courses were perfect for lunch. Service was attentive, knowledgable and friendly. The restaurant is cozy and discrete. Overall highly recommended.

Jul 27, 2011 

7 Recommended

Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  6      Drinks  8     

The wine list is good, and the staff are well informed. Don't go expecting hearty main courses to be available. The menu includes a good variety of nibbles and charcuterie, but be warned, the "To Share" plates are portions that would be considered small as side dishes.

Prices are high given how small the portions are, but the food was very good.
The service was pleasant, but very slow. It's a lovely place to enjoy a leisurely bottle of wine and a snack.

Jun 27, 2011 

6.8 Recommended

Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  4      Drinks  8     

Very expensive for what we ordered. Had a shirz and gin and tonic reasonably priced. Beans were reasonably priced though prawns and lamb, $19 and $24 respectively. Prices are outrageous for 5 pieces of prawn? Lamb was only on 2 skewers on a bed of egg plant and vege.

I would have rather paid that sort of price and eaten a decent sized meal across the street at Felix.

May 05, 2011