A kingdom where meat is the monarch, Charcoal Grill On The Hill is a Melbourne Institution, and the…read morebest venue in the city for steak. Be warned, it isn't for the light hearted: cases of meat will catch your gaze as you enter, and make sure you order your steak rare or medium-rare (you may get some strange looks otherwise). Melbournians and visitors travel miles to sample some of the quality steak that Charcoal Grill On The Hill delivers. Call ahead and book a table to be sure that you'll get a seat. While the entrees and desserts are worthwhile, they pale into insignificance when compared to the main event: the steak. My advice would be to get a simply get a premium cut; the sizes vary from the modest (300g) to the enormous (900g). Add a bowl of coleslaw for the sweet flavour, and a serve of fries (because you need chips with steak after all) are the perfect accompaniments. Charcoal Grill On The Hill also boasts an impressive wine menu. The staff are extremely helpful when it comes to choosing the perfect bottle of red to go with your steak.

Wow. Well. What can I say about Charcoal Grill on the Hill that hasn't already been said by someone…read moreelse in some glowing review. If you love steak - and I mean LOVE steak - this is one of two places in Melbourne that I (so far) insist you MUST go to. It's not cheap, but if it takes you a little while to save up to go here, you still won't regret it. This is an up market but minimalist restaurant. There is not fluff and decoration, it is all about the steak. The menu is short, and covers the essentials. When you order your steak (I had the scotch fillet) don't be afraid to order at least one degree rarer than you usually get (e.g. rare if you normally get medium-rare). When you're eating meat of this quality, all you'll notice is the flavour and the melt-in-your-mouth magic of perfectly cooked steak. While the steaks are served on a plain white plate, there is a minimalist salad and some fries brought out to the table to share. No, there isn't a large variety of sides available, however if that's what you are after there are plenty of other places you can go to, particularly the abundance of creative modern Australian restaurants. Grill on the Hill is for when you want to focus all your attention on steak. That slightly charred, flavourful outside and the meltingly tender, juicy meat on the inside. The restaurant itself is quite intimate with a simple white and (reddish) color scheme, it's quite small. Recommend for groups of 2 to 4 people. The wine list is also astounding, and there are some great cheeses on the dessert menu here too. On both counts be prepared to spend a bit, but the staff are incredibly helpful and happy to discuss the (constantly changing) wine and cheese list, and make recommendations if need be. If you are a regular, they will remember you and go out of their way to cater to your preferences.

Steaks were seared to perfection..... Usually it's a great…read moreidea to book ahead of schedule as the business is busy on weekends and I have been turned away due to overcrowding and long wait times.... Just a tip. As for the atmosphere, I wasn't paying any attention because I'm couldn't pull myself away from from one of the best Porterhouse cuts that was cooked perfectly to "well done" as I requested. And that is not an easy thing to get right when you are mass cooking steak like that. Usually other places either cook it too high and the outside looks done, but

Been here twice and both times I have been 100% satisfied. Told my friends and wife that it's the…read morebest steak that they will ever have and of course they didn't believe me. We are from the states and we've had steaks in Texas etc... And NONE compare to these! Tonight I made believers out of my wife & friends. The first time I went was February 2013 and tonight was the second time. Hasn't lost quality or flavor... Service is great too! Please bring a little extra for a tip, they deserve it.

"I am all astonishment." Pride and Prejudice…read more Steaks better than I've had in Rockpool, Melbourne or Sydney. As you walk in this restaurant you see a special fridge where the steaks are dry-ageing. This also restaurant also trains other restauranteurs how to utilise these fridges to best effect. Steaks have an extra level of finesse to their flavour, above the standard I've had from capital city restaurants with a higher price tag. Quality of surrounding menu and wine-list to match. Service similarly good; standard varying from person to person. Several dinning rooms, all having a relaxed atmosphere. Quiet, though a little acceptable noise when busy, which naturally this establishment often is.

Delicious! We came in for dinner on a Saturday night and received excellent service. We did have to…read moremake a late reservation for 8:30 pm because they were so busy, but that wasn't the end of the world. The food was excellent. I had an eye fillet and added a side of mushrooms with creme brulee for dessert. The steak was outstanding!

After my most recent experience and the many stories from friends who've had similar experiences…read moreI've reduced my rating from 3 to 1 star. While I have been here a few times and only got food poisoning the last time the number of people who have also told me they have gotten food poisoning here means I have to warn against rather than recommend. If I previously rated it 4-5 stars and hadn't heard other stories of food poisoning I wouldn't be so quick to drop the rating but it's just not worth eating somewhere that seems to serve up food with unwanted consequences far too often. ---------------------------- Not too shabby for a family restaurant chain. We've been a few times with the kids and with the extended family and haven't had a bad experience yet. The portions are generous and reasonably priced. The fries/chips along with their steak are probably my most recommended menu items. The latter if which is available as a main course, in burgers, steak sandwiches and wraps. Between us we have had it in all forms and apart from the steak in the sandwich having a bit too much fat on it have been happy overall. The kids menu is mostly good although I wouldn't recommend the gnocchi based on our experience of it being over cooked with cheap tasting tomato sauce although other children might prefer it that way. Service was also decent with the staff coming by a few times to clear plates, get drinks orders and ask if we wanted to order desert. If your looking for a place to take the kids were the food comes out quickly and won't break the bank then it's worth a try.

Average service and food. Atmosphere was the best item of the menu…read more I ordered the moz sticks to start our meal. They were small and the Og sauce was nothing more than BBQ and ranch swirled together. Not ordering them again. I ordered the ranch chicken sandwich which had a small filet that was half the size of my bun. The side fries were plentiful though. My family ordered the wraps which were also okay. The fries again were the best item.

Ok, Attica it's not, but it's not pretending to be. Here you have a Chef who is experimenting with…read morefoods, textures and combinations in a stylish degustation menu that pleases and challenges at the same time. Attentive and non-obtrusive service by the wait staff and knowledgable advise from a well versed sommellier round out a very pleasant dining experience. Very highly recommended.

Quite disappointed given the rave reviews. My steak came well done, I ordered medium. It had a…read morebitter taste I wasn't expecting, and was anything but tender. The mash was so dry, and very heavy. It was chewy, and certainly not light and fluffy as it should be. Frankly it tasted like they just added water from a packet. Don't get me started on the water like, bitter peppercorn sauce. Awful. I didn't finish the meal in the end. Getting the attention of the wait staff was nigh on impossible, pleasant as they seemed. It's rare that I don't tip staff but I didn't interact with anyone beyond someone dropping the food in front of me and never coming back. Food did come out very quickly and the onion rings were ok, crispy, but still very greasy. The ambience in here is a bit weird. Families, work groups, noisy, dark, and decor like you're visiting your auntie Kay in her front room. I've not been checked on in thirty minutes. Might be something to do with the awful table tucked against a wall.... I definitely wouldn't recommend eating here. Maybe two years ago it was good, maybe I got it on a bad night, maybe it just sucks. I'm going with the latter. There are plenty of other options sound Melbourne to eat. This one definitely wasn't worth the $30 taxi ride out here from the CBD.

This was actually a pretty decent pub, particularly with the choice of beers they had on tap (being…read morea number of decent craft beers). It seems to be more focused on being a restaurant than a pub, though the front section is more of a bar (though they tend to have high tables and stools, which I'm not all that fond of). There is also a nice beer garden, and it looks like it has been recently done up, which is also pretty cool. Mind you, the beer garden is designed mainly for smokers so unfortunately there is no food out there (though that may have changed). However, I still quite liked this pub, though it did sort of lack a uniqueness that sets it apart from a great pub.

I'll start with the good and then get into the bad…read more I like the decor of The Pig & Whistle. Inside has a bunch of beer steins, and alcohol memorabilia, fun posters and pictures in frames, it's all fun to look at and take in. The outdoor area is nice too, plenty of picnic type tables to help enjoy the good weather. And there is what looked like a mini garden, that's nice too. On the other side of things, when you order a starter and it's brought to you, sometimes it's nice to have plates to eat on too. The calamari was not tasty and was a rubbery texture, it came with a matching portion of french fries/chips and a small salad. The best thing about that plate was the aioli dipping sauce. The veggie stir fry was dripping in sauce and was far too spicy for my liking. It wasn't an even plate, with the over-sized vegetables and the skinny rice noodles in a pool of spicy sauce. And the prices for what you're getting, that didn't please me either. I'm sorry for the negative, but it was solely based on just the look and feel of the place, for sure it'd be a five star from me.

This is a great Irish pub to get yourself a pint or a half pint of Guinness and some chips n gravy…read more They have bands plenty of outdoor seating and are close by to a lot of wineries and parks up on the hills of the Mornington Peninsula. I have been in for drinks on several cold and windy days (which are numerous up there) and have always longed to enjoy all the space they have outdoors. They have a giant lawn area and lots of patio seating with colonial pine plantings around the place. Fun decorations inside with a very British theme.