Review Edinburgh Castle - Brunswick

When I went, it was a dark stormy night, yet when I entered there was a warm jolly atmosphere with great smelling food. Some friends were playing as the band that night and I had a nice spot to sit outside undercover with them playing out of this cute shipping container-turned-stage. Overall, great place, with a fantastic selection of drinks, wonderful atmosphere and friendly staff and patrons. Would definitely recommend.

Love the castle. Love the food, the selection of drinks as well as the service. Love that it is a modern day representative of Melbourne in all of its glory - colours, shapes and sounds. Did I mentioned that I love the fact it is friendly for folk with children too? Well, just another part of the EC to love and cherish.

Loved the food and the atmosphere. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon! Great selection of beers. Food was better than expected, everything perfect! We enjoyed the live music in the beer garden too. Great Sunday

Tasty spicy parma 🔥 Good vibes and nice casual atmosphere ✌️ Great drinks 🍺 Live band that I've seen on Fridays which is fab

Good afternoon out. With live music and decent food. The Beer is a little pricey. However, the staff are friendly and always provide great service

Daylight Robbery This was a local gem I enjoyed for many years. But prices have stopped me visiting lately. My last drink I paid $16-18 for a pint.🥺 I know this has been a real talking point particularly when my local circles are deciding where we should have our weekly sesh. Definte need for a "SPECIALS" beer of the week .. who doesn't love a beer special - $10 pint or something ? Anything??? It is a good venue and they are so lucky to be in a prime location, but I fear they need to give something back to the punters if they are to flourish. I hope the owners read and improve.

Great venue for a catch up with friends and family. Had a lovely feed, nice drinks and the kids were very welcome. Five stars and two big thumbs up.

Sunday arvo let down. 3.30pm in the middle of winter. No heating. Staff rugged up in jumpers n jackets. Food. What a waste of money. Pub basics. Bland, under cooked, under seasoned, underwhelming. We have been coming to this pub on n off for over 20 years. The food is always hit n miss but now with the atmosphere so uncomfortable as well. we will not be back. Light a fire people (and that doesn’t mean a $2 shop candle on my table), put some salsa on your nachos, get rid of the shop bought slimy sauce on your parmas n make your customers feel welcome!

the beer garden is lovely, varied tap options & the bar menu is good but some areas are in need of a lot of TLC. i booked the dining room for a party & we had to request a few blown lightbulbs be replaced, it was so dark in there. plus for $55 per food platter i was quoted as feeding 10 guests each, they hardly fed 5. person organizing the event did not respond to my emails & i had to prove i paid the deposit on the night when i had already paid it 3 weeks beforehand & previously confirmed receipt. not entirely impressed with the level of organization for pre-booked events but otherwise a nice place for casual drinks

Usually good. $18 for a burger on $12 burger night is not good. Albeit, the burger is on sliced bread, not a bun but it's the only burger on the burger menu that is not $12 and the bread just covers half the burger. You can sell a $20 burger for $12 but not an $18 burger. How would you react in this situation? I'm disappointed.

The food is not good!!! We have been coming to this pub on and off for 8 years. 5 years ago I invited 60 people to the pub for my birthday. It's always been our local go to. However the food has got worse and worse. So in disappointment we go elsewhere for a while and return hoping things have changed. Had the eggplant Parma last night. It was deep fried mush, encrusted with over cooked cheese and I think some Napoli in there on a bed of boring frozen chips. My husbands chicken Parma was dry and the standard salad is always a disappointment. I understand we ordered the $15 pot n Parma deal, but come on! This is so below standard, and I'm glad we didn't pay full price. It's not that hard to get it right.

Great service by staff, food is average to poor and bloody smoking allowed in beer garden!

Look. I may be a little biased. I'm a regular at the EC, and I'm very close friends with a bunch of the staff and one or two of the dudes that live upstairs. But I reckon that qualifies me to give you a real, tested opinion on the joint. It's the best. Three years ago when I first started visiting it was pretty great, but a bit dreary. Since then, particularly with the arrival of Hannah and then Omar behind the wheel, things started brightening up ALOT. These people love their venue. Don't forget - it's their local too. They want great things to happen there. They've been actively encouraging relationships between local brewers, musicians, artists and all manner of performers and creatives who need a place to do their thing. Craft beer sessions so that staff and locals can learn about beer side by side. Welcoming local crazies inside for a pot and a chat without a trace of snobbery or sarcasm. Constantly brainstorming ideas for specials and events that will keep punters interested and feeling included. They're about the people and they're really good at making that Public House exactly that. Long live The Castle (Five stars - if you reckon less yer a nerd and get outta here - off to tankerville with yiz)

Thanks for paying your staff penalty rates on public holidays. Glad to eat & drink somewhere that looks after its workers!

Lovely friendly place relaxing as you can bring your dogs and the food is great too It comes highly recommend fun fun and more fun xxx

It was a great pub and played great music and best of all it had mulled wine and could of sat there for the afternoon

Staff are good. Food is good. Trivia night is good. Vibes are good. Good. 5/5 would good again.

Great food, family friendly, age friendly, table tennis and welcoming, friendly staff. Great to see such a mix of clientle. We love coming here and never feel out of place. Don't ever change.

This is our local and we can't get enough of it. The staff are all ace and the food is great - we're particular fans of the roo burger (wish they'd bring back the sweet potato chips though - those babies were the bomb). It's everything you want your local to be - easy, relaxed, no neon lights or pokies, and no wank. If you don't like it at the Edi, we're happy for you stay at Crown casino or the Sports Bar or wherever and let us enjoy the chilled vibe here

Great, worth venturing inside or in the lucious beer garden.

Thanks for a great arvo/night, yummy food & beer and for being very accommodating of our loud but fun kids- we had a great reunion with everyone

Thanks so much was a great meal thanks again

One of Melbourne’s best pubs. Kid friendly and great drink and music. Only thing is please update the toy box! It’s getting a bit ragged!

What a great old school pub this is! I stopped here for a pre drink before meeting a friend for dinner and I was really impressed.  The size of the pub is humongous with an awesome beer garden out the back.  <br/><br/>I walked in and loved the look of the bar, there was a great selection of tap beer and some mulled wine - yummy.  I was set back in time with the 70's style wall paper, kind of nostalgic and I loved it!  Staff are super friendly and overall a really great experience.<br/><br/>I can't wait to come back in summer and sit out back with a nice cold beer.. or two

A really nice ambiance and friendly staff, but definitely cannot recommend the food. Came here for the parma night and it was awful, chips were like cardboard and chicken tasted like it had been under the heating lamp for a long time. I wasn't able to eat it unfortunately!

Great beer garden, dog friendly. Good selection of beers on tap and ample seating inside and out. Just had some snacks, the pork belly was crunchy with the fat being rendered into gooey yummess and the saganaki was served with toasted bread, balsamic and hummus hidden underneath. Solid pub.

Food was amazing. Ambience was friendly & easy going. Can't wait to return. We had kids with us & they could walk around safely & yell as loud as they wanted without drawing attention to themselves. Not too loud though. Relaxed atmosphere, everything I would expect in Brunswick. Plenty of parking on surrounding streets

It's a regional styled pub with Bit of mix and match going on. Seems popular with locals and has a very relaxed vibe. Good place to chill just very very casual. Roo burger was delicious, with the kangaroo cooked to perfection. Portions a tad small and the chips a bit under average. Can't give more than 3 stars on this occasion.

Apparently this is my friend’s hideout spot. Anyway I came over for drinks and some food. I enjoyed my vegan bean soup and sourdough bread. It’s was worth a try. More vegan options would be great too that are healthier than burgers but hey it was good soup for cold night.

The back garden is s great place for a summertime meet up with friends. Decent pricing and For the vegetarians - the haloumi burger gets a tick

What the hell happened here? The first time I came here (we had just landed back in Melbourne from overseas and were starving and every kitchen of every restaurant in the area was closed… except for this one…). We came here not expecting much but I would just order a chicken parma or something suitable for a random pub I had no references for... But then I saw the specials and they had these barramundi that sounded great. Without expecting much I ordered it and I was delighted at how good this thing was! I was so happy to find this "hidden gem" so close to our home. Fish was beautifully cooked with a lovely crispy skin, not over done. Beautiful potatoes and a lovely beurre-blanc type sauce to go with it. Heaven... since then, we've had the burgers a couple of times and they just OK. They are not bad mind you, but just not good enough to come here for them whilst you have so many other great ones around the area. Then... I get choked up when I think of this... then we went again but in the mood for more serious food (not just a burger and a beer) and I "knew" they would deliver... well, I saw their normal menu and looked at everything and it also sounded kinda horrible... but, this was the place that had served me that super delicious, well executed fish not that long ago so I decided to trust the chefs and ordered the fish (even though it sounded really bad actually). I thought I would learn something... Boy was I mistaken! This thing was just pulled out of who the hell knows where... really. The combination of flavors (some not-very-nice spinach sauce and a pineapple salsa! - I know, it is my fault for ordering something like that) was not at all pleasing. I wouldn't even call "amateur". It was just plain horrible. But I just couldn't get over it so I kept thinking... how was it possible... there is just no way that this was the same chef... OK, so the other chef left... fair enough... but still! The pub owner who hired that other chef, couldn't possibly taste this food and think it was acceptable... So, and all jokes aside, my only conclusion (though I am obviously speculating here) is that that day that we first went there, their chef probably called in sick and they had to hire someone from like Chefs on the Run (an agency that will send a chef for the day in emergencies) and this guys just looked in their fridges, saw what he had to work with and simply designed a fish special around it... it is the only reasonable explanation I could come up with. I was put off from ever going there again... I may join my neighbors for some beers there but would stick to their acceptable burger if hungry.

Ordered two parmas here. Tasty but at nearly $50, way , way, too over priced for pub grub. The unpolished atmosphere, the uncoordinated chairs and the hippie vibe does not alight with the prices charged. Definitely not a gastro pub.

Nice little old school pub in one of melbournes oldest standing hotels. Dont expecta lot in terms of interiors but ambience is good as the place is busy mostly specially on Thursday evenings coz- its the Parma night. You get pot and parma for 15bucks and i would say one of teh best parmas i have had. We end up going back here again and again.

Great pub, good food and so many different areas, only down side is that the staff aren't very friendly and the beers are well over priced!<br/>I do love this place, but beer prices are disgusting.. why rip off locals?

The vegetables in the pasta were fantastic, cooked perfectly and tasted fresh and full of flavour. The pasta itself was a bit overcooked and soft, and the pasta sauce needed more salt / seasoning. <br/><br/>The nachos were pretty disappointing - not enough of the toppings, a tiny amount of cheese (only on 4 chips!), and the guacamole definitely tastes processed / like it comes from a tube. The chips themselves were great though. <br/><br/>The back dining room was a bit cold, though the music was good and at a nice volume where we could still talk easily. The decor in the dining room is definitely vintage / kitschy, but there are quite a few bits and pieces that don't fit like boxes covered with fabric and some empty crates lying around that detract from the atmosphere. Friendly staff.

Hungover as hell but managed to drag myself (read: be dragged off) the couch and I'm glad I did. A nice pint of Noble Boy Pale Ale and a damn fine burger and chips has sorted me right out. Handy hint, pay the extra for bacon. Other options on the menu looked good and a great selection of tap beers means we will be back...

Don't you love a good local pub! <br/>Come here at least once a week for a great Parma or burger. <br/>Love the atmosphere and vintage decor of the place! <br/>

Edinburgh Castle is out down the road local pub. <br/>Generally go down there for the Monday night 'roo and wine', the roo is fantastic... I don't know what it is, something about the sauce and way it's cooked that keeps me coming back. And for 15 bucks can't go wrong. <br/>All the night specials are pretty ace. <br/><br/>Staff are friendly and beers on tap offer a good range.

Some good vegetarian options, but not a lot of Vegan. Most veg options have cheese as a major component. The veg bean pie was delicious, but at almost $30 itsy over priced. Gastro pub prices but grungy Brunswick vibe.

Runs a good balance for any occasion, Monday roo is worth traveling for as is the back garden and beer selection. Also just found a judge dredd pinball machine out back so I know we're I'll be living for a while!

Worst food I've eaten in ages... seriously McCain chips and guacamole from a tube.. yuck! Go for the drinks and a late night out but eat somewhere else before hand and save yourself the disappointment!

Understated pub (which I think is a good thing).  I really liked the burgers and fries.  Better than average pub. Lots of parking is a plus.

Good burger, unpretentious but a bit unremarkable- service good, nice live music a great pub to drink and catch up with friends, but nothing to hurry back for

It has the potential ....<br/><br/>Old Pub, go to suburb, easy parking, huge space ...<br/><br/>First, must have a clean dunny .... Toilet, can be vintage but must be clean and preferably you can't smell it from the outside.<br/><br/>On the food side, lacking in everything for what you are charging between $12-30 price range.<br/><br/>Can just rely on a $10/glass of wine and a Trivia night, that's the only good one, thanks to Mrs. Smith.

Difficult one to review for me as its my local and have had many different experiences, but as I write this only 'not so good' ones spring to mind.<br/>My staple diet is pretty much either pizza or parmas. I only have the parma here. It's good but on the pricy side. The beer 'golden ale' is also good but on the pricey side, after saying that.... I don't mind paying more for a cask beer.<br/>The service at the bar can sometimes be a experience in itself. Many a time Iv been waiting on my own for service on a seemingly quiet night with 3 or 4 people behind the bar and sill having to uncomfortably wait for service while they all seem to be running around looking busy but not actually doing anything.<br/>What really grinds my gears are the bloody kids! I'll go for a quiet drink after work (5.30pm) with a friend and by 6pm the bar is half full of young kids running around screaming & shouting uncontrollably while their parents sit & ignore them. It can feel like your stuck in the kids play house at McDonalds at times.<br/><br/>Why do you still go here? you may ask. Laziness.... as it's a stone throw away from my front door.

Nothing fancy, a nice pub to catch up with friends. I quite liked my food though, we got the macaroni and cheese bites, which were absolutely amazing, I could've eaten the whole plate by myself. The barramundi was nice, but would've been nicer if the skin was crispy, the chorizo on the the other hand, was far too crispy, the paella had good flavors as well and we really enjoyed their sticky date pudding.

A great pub to grab a meal and some drinks. Many seating choices - the more bar-like interior, a bistro dining area and an outdoor courtyard. Really enjoyable veggie burgers with chips and delicious tangy sauce and the menu tends to rotate a bit seasonally for good variety. A standard place to catch up for dinner!

I go here all the time for thier burgers and that excellent tomato sauce, but last night I ordered the steak and it was perfect. This place is unpretentious and always packed with Brunswick locals. It has a relaxed vibe, frendly staff and well above average pub food.

If there's one thing you need to know about the Ed, it's that their chips come with the best tomato sauce in Melbourne. It's made by one of the chef's family, and is the amazingly flavourful Te Mata Sauce from Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

I love this place. Moved to Brunswick a few months ago and we head in here at least once a week for great food, atmosphere and beer on tap! Daily specials are always yummy (and even better there is always a vegetarian alternative!) If you haven't been I would definitely recommend.

Nice pub food (crispy chicken burger was tasty), OK service (mainly DIY but staff friendly enough). Music was a bit loud inside (it was just barely after 6pm), so we sat outside in the beer garden area which is huge and pretty great, except for the smokers. Seems family friendly too, but the smoking is a big negative for me.

We went for the roo and wine on a Monday and I was blow away with the quality of the food. An absolute bargain at $12!! I've had the pie previously that was very good.

Oh man why did they have to change the chicken burger! It was the ultimate best chicken burger. Then they did that wierd chicken burger with the Asian fusion? Dude. Just go back to that buttermilk burger. Kablamo.

Nice big pub lots of different tap beers and a typical pub style menu, limited options but great food. Has to be one of the best cooked steaks Iv had

Great local pub good beers on tap like 4 pines which is my favourite. The food is great pub food. There is a great big beer garden out the back which is great in summer to relax with friends to have a few beers. Definatly recommend it to anyone

Meh.... I came here on a friend's recommendation for the parmy. It was really average especially for the price. Bar tender was a bit cocky... $26 for two pints of local beer. Wow. Just not worth it at all. Sorry but everything was pretty disappointing.

The Edinburgh castle is a warm, inviting pub, love the open fires, love the horseshoe bar, love the beer garden out the back (complete with another fire and ping-pong table) and, much like last week, love all the little nooks and crannies around the place.<br/><br/>

Been a favourite but last visit was disappointing. We always head to this pub for chicken parmas but our last visit was so disappointing. The parmas were very average, the chips have been replaced with the same shoestring chips you find in McDonalds, and the salad way too oily. Then we find out the pub is looking for a new chef. Won't be returning in a hurry for our chicken Parma fix.

Fantastic beer garden. Great beer garden. Good service. Food isn't fantastic, but it could be a lot worse!

Delicious Roo!. Visited this venue a few weeks ago, I think it was a Saturday or Sunday arvo and there was live music in the rather impressive beergarden, people up and dancing made for a great atmosphere and the Roo was incredibly delicous!

Great food, great service! Always keen for a night at this place.

Fabulous happy staff and super steak, needless to say, excellent wine as well. Toilets need a desperate update.

Hmm not so great today. Food so so and service surly. Waitperson brought ice-cream to table less than 5 minutes after dumping down our mains. When I said it was too soon and the ice cream would melt she was v cross and asked if we had specified that the sweets should come out after the mains. Really?? When I said that should be a given she asked if she should take it back. I said "what do you think would be reasonable?" Very very cross!! Still waiting for ice cream to re-appear. Ok. Took 25 min from the time we finished eating mains. Not too bad and new waitperson who was brisk but not rude.

What a beautiful Castle. I wrote this review shortly after my experience at this little gem of a place. It's so so nice to have a gay friendly pub in Brunswick. I thought the barman was particularly sexy. He had beautiful eyes and a calm demeanor which made me feel at ease with the size of my parma. Thanks so much

The EC is always a favourite. It's got a great chilled out vibe and I've never had a bad meal here. Today we took the kids for lunch - what a secret little lunch place. They had toys for the kids, happy bar staff and burgers for $10. What a bargain!! I had the chicken burger and it was amazing. The others had wagyu burgers and judging by the speed with which they were demolished I'd say they were pretty happy with them.things I like about EC - great food, menu changes regularly, family friendly, heaps of vegetarian options. I forget what a gem this place is!

The roo was sensational, the wagu burger delicious. Coburg bitter is very drinkable. Great atmosphere like a comfy lounge room.

We had a private function here, and they were FANTASTIC! The manager was accommodating and very friendly. Great finger food and beer options! I highly recommend this place, I can't fault our experience!

Great food. Clean plates all round! We'll be back

Burgers are so much better! Waguy beef burger was delicious! Amazing to be honest. Chips were thin and cripsy just perfect. The bun had the perfect texture to hold that juicy thick patty. Cheese was stringy well melted and the burger stayed hot til I finished. ( I am not a fast eater!) Will come back !!

The 'popcorn chicken' at this pub is just amazing - reason in itself to go! Other meals have been a bit of a let down (stale bread..). Chilled atmosphere, top notch location, reasonably priced, decent enough service - the kind of pub you can the kids to.

Wednesday nights. Go for the wagyu burger! Only $10 on Wed nights! It's actually much better on weeknights, more salad, or actually some salad and more chips. Quality lacks a bit on Wed cheap burger nights but still a great deal. Juicy burger but not too wet if you know what i mean.

Watch out. Although it ticks many boxes, the food here is mediocre. This is not an understatement - the burgers are plain, covered in a French's Mustard (hot dog mustard) and the buns are too glutenous.<br/>Contrary to other reports the staff aren't mean. However, they are clearly flouting smoking laws - there are inappropriate awnings out the back that become de-facto smoke houses. Do not take any child here.

The staff are pretentious and too "cool" to be taking orders. Food is OK but overpriced.. $10 for a pint?!? There's many, many better places in Brunswick.

Meat = good. Bloody good burger and fried chicken sanga - 10/10!

Delicious free range snitty. Loved the salad. 8 of us enjoyed the food. 2 for 1 before 18:00 is a real winner. Loved it

Delightfully good. Tried the castle on recommendation from a friend. We went with our 2 year old. Great place to have a meal out with kids without having to worry too much about them. Our 2 yo enjoyed playing with other kids and dancing to the band. Good honest food. We will be back

Lunch break. Sooo comfy and welcoming. Best burger and the chips I've had in a long time. I'll be back...

Fantastic pub food. Stodgy, winter warming, comfortable, hearty, beer filled venue.

Quite simply the best burgers in Brunswick. Always talk the missus into getting the pulled pork burger so I can have a bit!

Went there for my birthday and a few other times is wonderful particuly there spag bolg and fish and chips

Service is not the best but the food is great ..... Good hearty meals reasonably priced with the added bonus of understanding the vegan factor ...

Fave local. Love the roo burger. Love the juicy pork belly. LOVE LOVE LOVE THE CHIPS!

Returned Disappointed. After visiting the castle week in and week out for a couple of months, what a shock it was to return on Wednesday just past to find that the menu had changed.... No more awesome Vegie burger.. The meals that remained on the menu are a shade of what they were the week before. My Parma was watery and small. Its a great disappointment that i can only assume resulted due a change of chefs. If I only I knew where he went. No more Castle visits for us- sad days.

His place is just awful. Slow rude staff, they had run out of Sauvignon blanc - they're a pub! The food was awful and expensive. <br/>The ambiance is grubby and brown. I hated it and totally resented spending $200 on wine and meals for my family. Never going back. <br/>Don't bother.

A turn for the worst. I'm very sorry to say this, but after 6 years of visiting the EC, I don't think I'll be back for a long time. The staff have always had dodgy attitudes and some meals are better than others, but overall it's usually ok. However last time I was there I decided on the chicken pie with mash and gravy - it also came with salad which I thought was a bit strange (surely mash and gravy would go better with vegies) and I saw other items on the menu had carrots, broccoli, etc. So I asked if I could just have some vegies instead of the salad. The surly waitress told me that the chef wouldn't be very happy because everyone was trying to alter their meals, but she'd see what she could do.<br/><br/>The plate came out with a pie, mash and literally 3 pieces of lettuce - neither a salad nor vegies - then she said 'oh wait, you wanted something different didn't you', took the meal and returned with a big pile of frozen peas/corn/carrot in place of the lettuce. I couldn't believe they dished this crap up for $20+ at an inner Melbourne pub. I've had better feeds at roadhouses in the middle of nowhere!<br/><br/>If anyone in the northern edge of Brunny is after a good pub meal, ditch the EC and head to the Courthouse down the road.

Mediocre food and lots of Attitude ~ !. Over 10 years in Brunswick, and over 10 years seeing the Edinburgh Castle evolve from a "dive" to a pretentious eating venue.<br/>The Edinburgh does not know how to treat a customer.<br/>Kangy steak special on Monday's is good ~ but the staff have attitude and do not mind actually offending a customer. <br/>The mains are getting more expensive all the time~ and the burgers are getting greasier ~ the staff still give you " I could not give a damn about you". <br/>Ask for anything you will be sneered at. <br/>With all the competition in Brunswick ~ you can do a lot better !<br/><br/>Try Alasya (BYO and they are friendly) or Penny Black, Post Office Hotel (superb and same price with friendly staff). The Retreat Hotel, Bridie O'Reilley's ~ in fact ~ try anywhere else!<br/><br/>If you really have to try the Edinburgh ! go to McDonalds ~ cheaper ~ and they will treat you with respect. Have a drink somewhere else after Macca's ~ ! <br/><br/>Out of 5 stars ~ Food 2 to 4. Staff 2 to 3 (if they're in a good mood)

Cannot speak more highly of this extremely accommodating venue. Staff were creative with kids craft basket to keep them occupied and really delicious food, also free ice cream on really hot day, absolute winner.

BOOM, BURGER TIME. Sup smoke pack, this dogg felt like king of the Edinburgh Castle last week. I went in expecting dreads and patchouli but then remembered this ain't Northcote. I racked up a $10 cow burger and smashed it back, feeling grateful for my bovine brother who gave his life to run down my chin and nestle amongst my chest hairs. AROOOOOOOOOOO!!!! It had tasty sauce, bangin' bread, and a texture to howl about. Man, what's a dogg to do but come back for more? I was up in the joint one hour later the next night and did the same ol' thing. Except this time the brother who brought it out looked like Steve Irwin, with his whack shorts. Sheeeit, least this place got them CHIPS! <br/><br/>Also worth mentioning is the superb selection of craft brews and Pinot Grigio, as well as the archipluvian decor. I was delighted to find a steam ale on tap, amongst other supernaculums.

Interesting food, sensational price!. Don't come to the Edinburgh expecting your usual pub grub, or you will leave sorely disappointed! This is about the only time I can see anyone being disappointed here, though, as the food is spectacular and the prices are insane. A date and I ate here for $19 between us, and left too full for comfort! She had a calamari salad, which she claims was very nice, and I had a chickpea and haloumi pie which, while not a flavour combination I'd have ever thought of, was beautifully balanced and surprisingly moorish. It's a dish I'd love to try again, but the last time I went the amazing veggie burger and marinated olives distracted me!<br/><br/>Other than the food, it's your standard Brunswick pup feel. Spacious, with pool tables, booths, music and cold beer on tap. The window bar is a lovely place to start your night with a pint around sunset. <br/><br/>One of my favourite pubs in the area, I highly recommend it!

Just downloaded their menu- how can it be vegan friendly when there are no vegan dishes?

A great Brunswick local never disappoints. Great Brunswick atmosphere, relaxed, great honest food, boutique beers on tap and a selection of good wines by the glass, nice anytime - lunch or dinner. Awesome beer garden and awesome bar and dining areas. The number 19 Tram has a stop right outside the pub on Sydney Road ( cnr corner Albion St).

Average Food, Above Average Staff. I came here on a trivia night, upon entering the hotel it was very casual and had a great vibe. All the staff where very friendly and down to earth. However, when i received my meal it was very bland and average. <br/>If you are looking for a nice friendly atmosphere and not too concerned about food being filled with flavour then you may love this place

Soo good. I remember going to the edinbugh when i moved to brunswick about 3 years ago and hating it... this place has changed alot for the better!!! FOOD IS MENTAL. Parmie is always a good choice but lately i have been going for the pulled pork burger (3 times in the past 10 days)

Great local. The roo & red wine special on Monday nights is a winner. So is being able to chose sizes in traditional pub dishes like fish & chips or parma - you can get a good-sized half parma or a large full one. The meals are all very tasty and they do change some of the menu items from time-to-time. The vegie burger is yum yum (so sad they took the deep-fried tofu burger away though!), I haven't had a bad meal yet and we go most weeks.<br/>I have never had a problem with the service at the pub, and never had to wait long at the bar even when they're quite busy. Staff are friendly and responsive, not snooty or too Brunswick-cool at all.<br/>The pub is very child-friendly, especially for the 2-4-1 meals before 6pm. It's a bit grungy but that's the look they're going for and it's a nice relaxed place.

Good. Vegie burger was awesome! As were pumpkin pasties. Not too pricey. Came on a Saturday night, was happy to still be able to sit somewhere without heaps of noise. Great pub.

Awesome burgers!! Yum!!

Best steak. My steak was amazing. Great quality meat, perfectly cooked. My friend had the burger and said it was the best in Melbourne!

Doin my Edin it's so good. Long time fan of pub grub AKA pubstep movement...<br/>the beef burger with pickles is DELICIOUS. also the chicken and leek pie is stellar. service is cool and they have lil trivia posters on the wall.

Excellent food, catering for some dietary requirements. A big let down is the space itself. Dining area could do with a clean. Sticky tables, chips mushed into carpet that is probably the original from when it was built, grubby seats and Nanna's yellowed wallpaper. I would usually overlook the odd negative but add them all up and I begin to question the sanitation of this place when handling food....

Beggars can be Choosers. I never understand why this place is so busy on a Friday/weekend.<br/><br/>The staff are so rude, it’s a wonder they even open their doors at night. Like customers (you know, the ones paying bills which pay their wages) are some kind of inconvenience. The most rude, arrogant staff I have ever had to deal with. They speak down to customers with such superiority, like somehow they are kings that bless us with their existence. <br/><br/>Used to consider this my local (during the summer) because it’s got a nice beer garden, and it’s great on warm summer nights. But it’s now gone downhill to the point where I never bother. <br/><br/>The most overpriced alcohol (beer/cider) on tap in Brunswick (except for maybe Albert St Food & Wine). Seriously. The menu is limited (and rarely changes) and the staff need lessons in manners. <br/><br/>The title says it all, beggars can be choosers: i.e. there are literally too many pubs/bars in Sydney Road Brunswick. You don’t need to lower your standards just to get a drink and feed by going to this dive.

Best pub on sydney road. Cool joint, best on sydney rd. Kangaroo is great

Gourmet pub food. Free music. Cosy space.

Kangaroo burger with aoili is AMAZING so much more than pub food - great<br/>Prices good selection of meals we have since moved house and I miss it<br/>As we used to visit it at least twice a week !!

Food ok. the staff??!! rude!. So me and two good mates head here for a lunch. 2 for one! great- i think... <br/><br/>we order three meals and run a tab on my credit card. the waitress/bar girl rolls her eyes at my comment "what if we order three meals" then states- "is this a real credit card?"- wtf!!!. aaah yes i reply politely.."the visa logo on the bottom right corner under the ANZ logo...." <br/><br/>she then rolls her eyes again, and...pours us a jug of cider and gives us 3 pot glasses. <br/><br/>i ask for some ice in a glass. jeeez!! talk about pulling teeth! sorry for asking!..<br/><br/>we make out way outside and sit. its cold. we look at the heater- sign states ask for help, dont attempt to light ourselves re danger risk etc. fair enough. we get her attention- its like we are interrupting her day! still no complaints made on our behalf though :) <br/><br/>we smile and laugh at how she must be having a bad day etc etc... so we then get our meals. inside now, cos the heater aint doin much.. decide we might as well make up the fourth meal and order another- the serves were pretty average and me and my mates were starving... i ask is it possible to pack the fourth meal to take away? eyes roll AGAIN!. she states "aaah, we're not the type of place to do takeaway' ... sorry for asking! patronized i agree to eat it there. its clear we are keen to take advantage of the two for one meals by ordering a fourth. <br/><br/>note- tab running, no separate payment at this stage. no comments made. we eat, finish up and while im assisting her to clear our table by stacking the plates for her (with her bad day in mind etc) she snatches the plate from me and says 'that's fine i've got it" through clenched teeth!!. whoah- does this girl really not like me? i could only think of one possible factor- is it cos i is Asian? my white mate and his white girlfriend and i are still thinking about that one. maybe she actually really really like me?? <br/><br/>...so i go to pay. yep- you guessed it,we are charged the fourth meal as separate to the other three. i state- hey, that's not really fair. they're the rules i'm told. can i speak to your manager- same story. i didn't kick up a fuss. its only 20$ more, but hopefully its a 20$ well earnt if i can influence you all to EAT SOMEWHERE ELSE!<br/><br/>these people were rude, unhelpful, patronizing and i felt i was being hustled and ripped off. i hope this reaches you and you think twice. and to the staff at the Edinburgh castle hotel in Brunswick.. good luck in life. i've seen what can happen to business's like yours. glad we get our feedback out there- thanks urban spoon.

Great value local. Great value $10 Wagyu beef burger on Wednesday nights. This place is grungy and raw- just perfect for what you would want for your local pub. <br/><br/>This place is not for the gourmonds. However for good food, good prices and a value meal would highly recommend.

Roo night!. Enjoy the kangaroo deal on a Monday night - casual, unpretentious spot, always enjoyable.

Atrocious. I ordered the calamari and chorizo salad and was disappointed to find one and a half small slices of chorizo in it. The calamari was flavorless. I hate complaining but felt insulted so took my dish back to the girl on the till, who shrugged her shoulders in response when I politely said I wasn't happy. I said I'd like to speak to the manager and she said if I took a seat she'd arrange for someone to come and speak to me. Nothing happened so after 10 minutes I asked a passing waiter if I could have a word to a manager. He said he was a manager and asked what the problem was. I explained why I was unhappy and he offered no apology, seemed very uncaring and offered a free pot as some kind of feeble consolation prize. The worst thing about this experience was not the food itself but the terrible service. A real shame. Head to Woodlands Hotel or Penny Black just up the road for a far better experience.

Love the half size Parma - just enough :)

Lovely sunday evening at the EC. I have been here a few times now and really enjoy the atmosphere and food! yeah there are often parents with their children, but i think its kinda nice, just shows how relaxed it is. <br/><br/>I've always enjoyed the food, the steak was wonderful, chips even better! aww and the staff, music and beer garden were great too. big yay!

Chef should attend Burger 101 course. Call me a bogan but I reckon that the ability to cook a decent hamburger should be one of the first classes a chef should have to pass. Forget all the fancy stuff, even a corner tuck shop can cook a decent burger for about $12 with chips so why can't a pub do it for $20? It's not difficult- don't overcook the meat and serve it on reasonably fresh bread- other than that, its hard to go wrong. So based on a previous good experience at the Castle, I ordered the waygu burger which the menu says is cooked medium unless otherwise requested and served on a brioche. What I received was a dried out patty on a day old bun. My partner had the snapper special which by all accounts was very good but one good dish is not a free pass for serving a lousy one. And there are too many choices in Melbourne to bother trying to play the odds.

Love this place!. We've eaten here twice and I've had great food each time! Not sure what other people are complaining about but perhaps there is a lack of consistency? I like that there are some different variations other than the traditional pub food as I am definitely not traditional in my tastes, but a picky friend dislikes this.<br/><br/>I had the steamed green beans w pistachio (delicious! amazing!) and shared the sharing plate with a mate. Both were great but I was disappointed the chorizo was a salami not the fried chorizo sausage with dressing that we expected.<br/><br/>The second time I had the falafel burger which exceeded my expectations and was huge! I'd ordered it after much debate and then immediately had menu-regret. Alas, in the end I was very glad it was my choice and I loved it (although I did abandon the turkish roll partway through.)<br/><br/>The ping pong table, outside fire place and friendly staff make me glad this is the closest 'local' we have.

Is this a mothers group? Why are there always children here ramming me with their tonka trucks? Good food, tho.

Specials oclock. Not a bad place considering the two for one deal weeknights before 6pm. The food generally lacks the finesse of other pubs in the area but the vibe is decent, old skool, and a decent courtyard with ping pong table to boot.

Why? Why? Why?. Why did I let my friends drag me here? Cause it's cheap? Is that the only reason people stomach the food? Greasy, tasteless and burnt. Thats how our food came out. I ended up ditching my pasta and buying a kebab across the road. We should have just gone to a nice restaurant. Never again.

Mixed bag. 4 meals - 1 good, 2 mediocre, 1 poor.<br/>Good meal from the specials. Vegetarian meals poor, and the quinoa salad just didn't match the menu description at all.<br/>This was followed by poor service re: trying to fix the issue.<br/><br/>Good range of beers - but food just too inconsistent.

Good beer and beer garden, but.... The food quality needs to improve, if this place is going to attract the hordes. They've evidently sunk a bit of cash into sprucing the building up recently (and extending the beer garden), which has been good. A bit more attention and care in the kitchen will take it to the next level.

Fantastic casual place. So far have been there twice and loved it. First meal was the Sydney Rd falafel burger and the Sticky date pudding. Warning - the meals are massive! The pudding is amazing. Second trip I had the Pumpkin Arancinis, Sweet potato pot pie and that awesome pudding. Stuffed myself full. Many places to sit and relax and take in the music. Awesome atmosphere and staff. Cannot say enough about how good this place is.

I have finally found a pub where if I cone straight from work, I'm overdressed. A wonderfully disguised gem with one of the best beer gardens in Brunswick, the service is lovely, the food is divine, and the atmosphere unpretentious. Live music, relaxed surrounds, and pear cider on tap has put the castle on top of my list. Recommended to anyone who doesn't dress, eat or drink to be 'ironic'.

Pretty average food let down by minature servings and a lack of vego food. Good for wowsers as the bar staff couldn't be f'd serving anyone but regulars (why you'd become a regular is beyond me).