Once again we travel on our hunt around the area for Melbourne's best American BBQ. The last time…read morewe did this was to the Melbourne BBQ Festival at the Victoria Markets where we were immensely disappointed. We were determined on this Valentines Day evening for a Melbourne BBQ redemption, and Ike's did not let us down. We were seated straight away, and our waitress (I think her name was Katie) was an absolute hoot. She had my wife in stitches with laughter. The jokes were just bouncing back and forth until we eventually ordered. I ordered a half pound of pork ribs, whereas the other half went the lamb ribs. Between us, we shared home made cornbread & a salsa dish. I honestly did not have enough time to grab my phone to check in on social media sites, and BANG!!! The food was served. There is no way to describe what sort of party my taste buds were having in my mouth, however this party could have made some serious money on cover charges to this party. The cornbread was nothing like I have tasted before, and after visiting diners in 34 American States which I have visited, this cornbread leaves the rest for dead. The salsa with its secret little ingredients was hard to put down, and then the meat. It just melted in your mouth. When we initially started talking to the waitress she asked if we had been to Le Bon Ton in Richmond as a comparison, where she explained that Ike's is better. Big shoes to fill but they did not disappoint.

The service here is great and I really love it but the food this time round was a slight let down…read morefor me. They had no daily specials so the Brussels sprouts, watermelon salad and corn salad not to mention the bean kimchi accompaniments were all gone. In their place was a potato waffle and chicken gravy which were good but not great and roasted red peppers which I thought was the best thing we ate. Our half pound of pork ribs looked pretty lonely served on some baking paper on a metal lunch tray with some cabbage and I kind of felt a little like I was in jail or a canteen. Whilst it was a bit more practical space wise it really lost it's appeal for me. All in all I had difficulty deciding what to eat from the menu because I don't love the smokiness of ribs and mainly ate the sides which were good just not great. I'd drop it to a 3.5 stars and not too sure I'd be back but my partner gives it a 4 stars.

Not sure how to give a 'normal' review here, as my first visit to the outdoor cafe backyard of…read moreBertie's Butcher was as part of a BBQ Pitmaster class. The extent of my BBQ knowledge comes mostly from getting $2 snags at Bunnings each weekend, so safe to say I was a little out of my depth among the BBQ super-fans who had gathered for this (I was there as part of a bucks day). We drank beer while we learned about the different cuts within a brisket, dissected it up, and made our own spice-rubs, but the real highlight for the hardcore pitmaster folk there was swapping tips and tricks and talking hardware (some guys had 6 different BBQs with an eye on adding more...) The real highlight for me was eating after the class - the rest of the place had long since shut up shop but those in the class were served an amazing late lunch (is 4.30pm late lunch or early dinner? Linner?) of some slow cooked American-BBQ treats. Amazing. As far as the class goes - was a bit disappointed there was no live BBQing, but I'm sure the other guys in the class would have laughed at me for saying that as all their 'recipes' included 12+ hour slow cooks. Not real practical to a live setting. As far as the food goes - a nice more relaxed and small-scale alternative to Meatmother across the road.

Having spent a bit of time working around the Richmond area, I became a big fan of Bertie's Butcher…read moreand their delicious lunches. Well, these kids realised they were on to something because in addition to pumping out amazing salads and meaty sandwiches, they have since open a dedicated lunch spot out the back. If you're passing by at breakfast time, they also serve Syndicate coffee (O.K) and non-BBQ breakfast items. But let's face it, you're connected to a butcher - the BBQ is going to be where it's at. The menu is simple: every day they put on a type of meat and offer a choice of 1-2 sides. For example, they might do a big beef brisket cookoff one day and offer pork belly sliders the next. All cooked in their big smoky BBQ out the front. What happens if per chance, you head out here and find out you're not digging the animal de jour? Easy - just go around to the butcher out the front and order yourself a wrap or maybe even a not-so-humble sausage roll and bring it back to enjoy in the sunny courtyard with a cool glass of homemade iced tea. The backyard BBQ atmosphere is relaxed and fun. I have found myself going alone in my lunch break and ending up chatting to other people at the table. Except on beef brisket day, where I sat next to two guys that couldn't utter anything other than "oooooohhh...so good." I think they needed a moment.

What at amazingly remarkable find in the basement!!!…read more This restaurant was recommended by a local of Melbourne! We always try to support local establishments, especially while traveling! I have to say, THIS is by far.... THE BEST recommendation we've ever received! The restaurant was a tad bit difficult to find, having not been to Australia and not being familiar with basement restaurants, lol. It had quite a unique secluded vibe from the moment the door swung open. The atmosphere was almost hypnotic! There weren't too many patrons eating when we arrived .. but we did arrive shortly after opening. By the time we were finished the tables were 75% occupied, I think in part to only being open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday. The food, as well as the service were both TOP NOTCH! I don't typical care for red meat... but I ordered steak and it was extremely well-prepared! So delicious!!! I asked for it to be well done! It DID come out charcoaled so I made a comment to my husband that was over-heard by the chef, himself! Moments later, he personally delivered a new dinner plate to me with a replacement! Now THAT'S what I call top-notch service! I REALLY wish Meatmaiden would expand to the US! That would be the icing on the cake!!!

We have fallen in love with another Melbourne restaurant. We are even thinking about changing our…read morehotel for next year so we can be closer...we actually have! We can't brag enough about our new find. COVID stopped our travels to Melbourne for three years but hopefully no longer. We selected some winners. They were: 1) Grilled Bread with Beef Fat Butter; 2) 350g Westholme Wagu NY Strip; 3) GEM Lettuce salad; and 4) Hand cut chips. - The Grilled Bread was actually a fried bread that was then brushed with honey and lightly grilled on the bbq. The Beef Fat Butter was awesome. My spouse didn't care for it but I adored it. - Grilled Wagu NY Strip was 330+ day grain fed which only intensified the marble and added so much taste. Not a bite left and it was almost 13 ounces of pure meat. It was perfectly cooked to medium rare (-) temperature. It came with a choice of a sauce and we paid for an additional one. The Three Pepper Sauce and the Beef Fat Bernaise. Both were awesome. I need the recipes! - GEM Lettuce Salad with radishes and dressed with a Burnt Grapefruit Vinaigrette. The vinaigrette made the salad. - Hand Cut Chips w/ a Garlic Aioli - another perfect taste. The chips had a great crispy outside with a very smooth inside. And the Aioli was addictive. Do no pass this great place by. We did not have reservations but should have. We got there early and they were slammed. We saw two empty tables and they offered us one by the front entrance. We eyed the other table and they said "if you can be finished in 1 1/2 hours...we laughed and said there would be no problem and probably be out of here in an hour! MeatMaiden was so upbeat. We just kept looking around in awe. Two old ladies eating in a basement. The atmosphere is awesome. Somewhat darkly lit but light enough to see your food. Very high energy crowd. Service was spectacular. Toward the end of our meal the hostess came over and said we could stay a bit longer. We said thanks but not needed. Highly recommend and also recommend making an advanced booking. Enjoy.

Service 5 of 5…read more Ambience 5 of 5 Cocktails 5 of 5 I had the Red Hot chili pepper and it was a phenomenal crafted cocktail Tamale cold and a pile of mush 0 of 5 Tostada actually had some flavor. 3 of 5 And the Caesar was edible, but when the croutons are the best part of the salad, what does that say? 3 of 5 Eaten at quite a few vegan and vegetarian restaurants and this is one I will not return to. It is unfortunate. We are staying at this hotel for about eight nights and have avoided the restaurant for breakfast because the coffee is terrible. My husband is out to dinner with friends so I thought I would try the restaurant because he had no interest and now I know why. Well the ambience and the service are in impeccable serving a cold tamale that is both shapeless flavorless and has no texture is just not OK. I can at least get the tamale and had a great flavor with the guacamole. The fake meat was just OK. Caesar salad had excellent lettuce, the best part of it was the croutons It was clear to the person serving me that I only took a few bites of most of the items. I did not want to purchase the tamales because I'm not even sure why they would serve a dish like that completely room temperature cold The hotel is a 10 out of 10. I'm not so pleased with the restaurant. I am now down the street having dinner. Lots of laughs.

Hopeless service, rude staff and a poorly managed operation overall…read more The food is relatively good, there are a lot of options although being gluten-free made things challenging -- the staff eventually found a gluten free menu. Table was cramped and the restaurant was loud. On the whole I wouldn't rush back but it was worth a visit once.

Food and owner both disgraceful and disgusting. The food was…read morebland. I ordered steak, well done, it came to me with blood oozing out of it. Another member of our party at the table ordered pork belly, it was a lump of fat with a touch of pork. Also a man called "Tommy" who claimed to be the owner, followed female members of our work group into the toilets, when then asked him what was he doing in there, he replied, checking on there cleanliness and too see if there was enough toilet paper in there. This guy should be locked up! And the place closed down. DON'T GO THERE.

Great ambiance with friendly and helpful staff, great selection of whiskeys with knowledgeable…read moreguidance by passionate people. The food is excellent and beautifully balanced, if a bit on the safe side. Still early days for this venue, I felt at home and can picture chilling with a drink and some excellent food from the kitchen. Give it a shot.

Some great attention to detail - food, service and tableware alike. Really does much better than…read moreyou would expect for the price. Had a items on breakfast spread we really liked and would recommend- cauliflower cheese balls and the pork benedict.

Another one star review specifically due to lack of vegan options…read more 1) asked for plain toast, was told "it comes with butter", said I didn't want butter was told "it comes with butter" 2) there is not ONE vegan option on the menu, I repeat not ONE 3) the bloke behind the counter is rude 4) they ask what you want before they've given you a menu 5) coffee sucks 6) smells of burning pig flesh (bacon) Bottom line unless you want bacon & eggs cooked like everybody else in the strip then go elsewhere.

Shakahari is the Indian word for vegetarian and I assumed that this establishment was an Indian…read morerestaurant that served vegetarian and hence I would have never chosen this place as a dining option However a recent dining companion said that he had been to the one in Carlton and loved it and wanted to try the one in South Melbourne As customary, I jumped online to peruse the menu and found to my delight an interesting menu with Thai, Italian and Malaysian flavours. They also have a bar and a coffee machine. We ordered the green green laksa with udon noodles and tofu and tempeh and the Malaysian enak enak curry which came with a poppadum, brown rice, some salad and lentils. We said we were sharing so the laksa was split and came in two separate bowls which I thought was quite considerate. We were frequently asked if everything was OK. The ambience was quite soothing and peaceful. The laksa had delicious udon noodles with one type of fried tofu and tempeh and a very mild delicate curry The Malaysian curry had an assortment of vegetables and delicate flavours which was complemented by the rice Delicious food. Great service but quite pricey for a vegetarian meal

What a great surprise tonight worked out to be , I'm a carnivore for sure but our guest was both…read morevegetarian and a celiac so we were suggested to try this place. The food was delicious and there were so many options for our guest. I will eat here again (hopefully soon)

X is the new kid on the burger scene.. and I have to say I'm a fan. Ordered the the Big D... The…read moreslaw used was a mix of Asian Thai fusion and the pulled meat (pork n beef brisket) was done to perfection. Topped off with a light brioche bun... amazing! If ur wanting something a bit different.. This is the one. The Big D burger is a standout ... The combination of infused slaw with pulled meat works! and is definitely "that" taste journey I will return for! Also tried their KFC as well.. bit salty for my liking..

When you walk into a place and think "oh yeh another burger joint" but you are pleasently surprised…read morethat the brioche is about where all commonality ends. Ok yeh, Maccas does Brioche now but do they do it with amazing cut meats or southern fried chicken? I was confused as to what to call this place as it serves up an array of Americana type dishes with interesting add ons. What you can say is Dexter pulls off a very unusual offering while still being casual enough to not feel you need a PhD to understand the menu. I ordered the Big Dexter. Pulled Pork and Beef Brisket.... wow it was yum. I usually do the half way swap with the wife so we can experience more of the menu but there was no hope for this one. This was accompanied by Shoe String Fries finished with a BBQ Rub. .... Hold up. I can't forget... I actually started with a can of Tecate and Burnt Siracha Corn. Which was a great introduction to a lazy Sunday at Dexter. Can't wait to go back! Apparently the meat donuts are in high demand