Came to Australia for the 1st time and met Seamus and he was so kind! He helped us navigate the new city while being extremely nice and professional. 5 stars for him! read more

3.7 The Skinny Dog Hotel is a fantastic venue. It has everything. Great bar at the front. Dining spaces and airy back bar. The clientele are top notch Kew boozers. Classy pub tab at front with the dish lickers on the big screen. Twosheds will return to eat here in due course. read more

See all

When it comes to the pubs in Kew this is certainly one of my favourites, namely because of the craft beers. Then again when it comes to pubs it is the craft beers that grab my attention. The service is okay, but I can generally forgive that, at times. However, what really grabbed by attention, other than the craft beers that is, was the beer garden out the back. As the name implies, this is a rather skinny pub, and the beer garden opens onto the back street, but the atmosphere is wonderful, and the beer garden very relaxing. read more

See all

It might be a skinny dog, but it is loyal and reliable. I have never been let down by the SDH in the 20-something years that I have given it patronage. Even when it was fancied up, they did it well and it still had the spirit of the original captured in the renovations. Other reviewers call this a fancy-pub and I think that this is an accurate way to describe it. It has found the right balance and in my experience it has broad appeal. Keen observers of social behaviour will see a table of men-folk all ordering the full-parma (with chips... not salad). The complete consumption of the Skinny Dog's full Parma now separates the men amongst men. The days of taking your hot-rod to race for pink-slips at Thunder Road (lol Greece Fans) are long-gone. This Parma has to be seen to be believed. I've added a photo, where my iPhone gives you some scale to understand just how big it is. Despite the size, it is the best in Melbourne without a doubt. Real men then fit in the creme brûlée and a strong coffee (which are both surprisingly good as well.) read more

Skinny Dog Hotel - The famous SDH Parma. Best in town and HUGE. - Restaurants Near Me - Kew, VIC

This is the first time I have ever been here and yet I wait at the tram stop out front every day! Monday night was busy! I think there was also some sort of event going on as well. Can't go wrong with a parma, fries and salad! The famous Skinny Dog parma is also in a half serve which is great for the ladies OR gents who can't finish a full serve! Although the downsize, the other different toppings are only in full serve...I don't understand why they can't have half serves either! Staff are friendly, good venue, table service and also Aston club for any users out there. They also have Steak night Tuesday or Thursday night parma specials to enjoy! read more

Skinny Dog Hotel - Partners Brett Lee parma - free range egg, BBQ sauce, bacon and mozzarella! - Restaurants Near Me - Kew, VIC

This iconic Kew pub has changed its face and management a number of times over the years, and has finally found its groove, which is great for a part of town that is somewhat scarce on cool pubs and bars. The Skinny Dog is what I can only describe as a 'fancy pub'. If you want yourself a parma and beer but with a touch of class then this is the venue for you. However, please take my advice and only order the 'half parma'. I once ordered the full parma and felt like I had eaten an entire chicken. After the most recent renovations, the Skinny Dog has got a sensational courtyard to spend those summer nights, and for those sports fans out there, the Dog will always play the big fight/game/race on one of their many flat screen TV's. A great pub for those of you that like something a bit fancier. read more

Skinny Dog Hotel - Restaurants Near Me - Kew, VIC

Its nice to have known this place over the many years of its constant re-structuring & ever changing faces. I am please to say that I am happy with where its has arrived and I think I will reintroduce myself as a regular patron. Its new modern face lift gives both interior and exterior a modern look which suits its surrounding and suburb. It really has made the transition into the 21st Century. 'The Dog' offers a delicious variety of meals at very reasonable prices in the bistro or courtyard, which also cater for group bookings. Over the summer months there is no doubt this place will be brimming with activity. Each week night sees a different pub special and they are sure to advertise some big event nights over the spring racing carnival! read more

Skinny Dog Hotel - Restaurants Near Me - Kew, VIC

Been catching the tram out front of this place for ages, and today my friend and I decided to drop in for lunch. It was amazing! We started the meal with the garlic bread which was Turkish bread with garlic butter with a mixture or balsamic vinegar and a chilli herb oil. The combination of the oils and bread gave a wonderful flavour. We followed this with the Chicken burger. It was a mouth watering grilled chicken, lettuce tomato bacon guacamole. All on a well toasted bun served with a side of beautifully crispy fries. We washed this down with the twisted sister apple cider and to say we were satisfied would be an understatement. We're already making plans to come back! read more

Used to be our go-to for pub fare around the area... always found the stock-standards nice and bountiful, and washed down with a nice array of tap-beers. So it used to be our go-to pub, until last year when they broke our hearts by cancelling the all-you-can-eat pizza night. It was our fault though - we brought along a mate who is roughly 19 feet tall and with hollow tree-trunk legs, who took it as a challenge. How else do you explain that after going every week for a while they cancel it the week after our giant mate put away 35 pizzas? So sorry to everyone else - but think that was us. Still pop in for a beer every now and again but I personally try and ensure I dodge around the airing of Ultimate Fighting Championship matches, as that can bring in a rowdy crowd sometimes (and I just don't like seeing people beating the crap out of each other while I eat. Maybe a rare steak would compliment that though? ) read more

This used to be a local watering hole due to work. I've been back twice in the last couple of weeks and it's pleasing to see that the Skinny is still welcoming, still has huge parmas and actually does a decent espresso martini. Live Music on a Friday night and Tuesday hosts a steak night. Plenty of room inside to sit and eat or head outside to the (smallish) beer garden. Get a two thumbs up A-OK in my book. read more

Pretty funky place and can't comment about anything else than the food and service on the night I was there. I went on there famous 'parmageddon Thursday night', where they have a selection of Parmas and a beer for $20.. They are MASSIVE! However they are terrible in taste. Heart parmas and too much cheese and not tasty sauce. Bar dude was pretty rude too. Please note that I do think this place would be cool on a fri/sat night but to me the quality of Parma holds huge weight in a venue! Verdict - will go back for a drink but not for food. read more

The Skinny Dog has been a favourite of mine for a long time, however, due to OS travels, it's been a good 6 years since I was last there and sadly a couple of small changes have left me rather disappointed. 1. The addition of ham to the Parma, completely unnecessary IMO! A controversial area amongst Parma lovers, but The Dog never used to put ham on and the Parma was all the better for it. It may have cost them on some of those "Best Parma" polls, but relenting to the peer pressure from the pro-ham people is a real shame! 2. They've got rid of the pool table! I was really looking forward to having a night up in the back room, playing some pool and crankin' up the jukebox, but I guess those days have gone. It's still a nice place, a good range of beers and the menu looks impressive. But times change, and maybe I'm just a bit nostalgic for The Dog of old. read more

Went for dinner with the family on a Wednesday night and had one of their cool booths. Great menus choices. We had the Salt and Pepper Calamari that my 12 yo son said was just how he liked it! My daughter enjoyed the Margarita Pizza and my brother and I chose the fish of the day which was outstanding - grilled Mahi Mahi with a delicious Quinoa salad. The Service was friendly, if somewhat rushed, but what you would expect at a pub. The Skinny Dig has become one of our favourites for a family dinner. read more

The Skinny Dog, Kew, 16-06-16 The renovated Hotel just up from the Kew Junction is a welcome change from the 'standard' (that is being polite) ALH group of Hotels. This hotel has a great contemporary rustic feel to this venue at the main bar and dining room area at the front of the venue. Then with the extension they have gone with a very contemporary fell. I have entered this venue for a few years now and welcomed the addition to the back of the hotel and the slight changes to keep the venue fresh in a very competitive market. The waiters were all well attired and completing their duties with a warm smile and thoughtful attention to their customers without being over bearing. Dinning with a friend and colleague after 8pm on the hotels chicken parmigiana special night I chose the long time favorite of the standard or close to the classic chicken parmigiana. As I thought start at the beginning of the special menu, then venture to other flavors on following nights. So for our $20 we received our chicken parmigiana with chips & salad and a beer (Glosh..? don't quote me on that point, as it was a very long day and the first beer did not touch the sides, but, it was good beer) The beer was served with pace and the chicken parmigiana was delivered from the kitchen within a few minutes after that. The salad was fresh with just enough dressing to give good flavor and not to drown the salad or over power it. The Chips were freshly cooked, so, to the parmigiana .... 1 large chicken breast cut and pounded out to be the size of a large plate, great for the diners who eat with eyes and want SIZE over everything else....! Thus the chicken was slightly over cooked, dry and crisp on the bottom. The tomato sauce was well seasoned and flowing off the chicken with the cheese was well grilled it was a good example of a chicken parmigiana. I have a preference for either a cut to give even thickness to the chicken breast, then crumb and cooked the chicken on a flat grill. Or alternatively, cut and very slightly pounded to even the thickness of the chicken breast, but, keep a thickness of a least a centimeter or two to give integrity to the chicken breast and to hopefully to keep the breast moist. Then top with your favorite ingredients or just with some lemon.....! I will return to this hotel as it is backed by a group with solid industry pedigree with a collection a good to great hotels in the Melbourne area and further afield. On another night I will venture through their menu and taste their culinary skills as the menu has a great selection of items to choose from. read more

Have been here before where the service, and food to say the least were ok. Just left and it was terrible, the food was late, wait staff were rude when they were around which was not much all up not worth the fuss. read more

Just sooo...average. The "large" parma reputation is unfounded. It may look big, but the chicken component is poorly, possibly cooked from frozen - the crumb just turned to mush. Definitely overcooked. Wouldn't bother again, lacklustre at best. read more

Thursday night is parma night and it's well worth it the parma is huge and you get a pot included! Not to mention its delicious.