Review Hell Of The North - Fitzroy

Great ambience and decor, starting from the cute doorway. The food was excellent. My favourite was the pork and gruyere donuts, I could eat an unlimited amount. The glazed carrots and kale were also divine. The staff were very attentive. My one complaint is that we were only allowed to get the set menu (which I knew in advance so it's ok) but they didn't tell us what was on the menu for this night. They also didn't tell us we could customise it but I noticed all the tables around us were able to request or exclude specific dishes. We figured it out by looking around and were able to exclude a dessert at the end. I'd visit again for the delicious food but next time I hope they'd be clearer about the set menu if they're not allowing ala carte.

A stand out modern French cuisine. All the dishes are very well done and tasty. Portions and prices are also reasonable. One of my favourites is the pickled mussels. Service is also good, attentive staff. A hidden gem in Fitzroy. Been here twice (pre covid and post covid). Both times we have had good experiences.

We had such a great experience!! The service was outstanding. I hadn't been spoilt so much in a very long time!!! The food was delicious and flavourful!! Thank you 💟

Excellent service and ambience serving delectable food. The setting am ambience is very romantic and it gives you a vibe of having been transported out of where you’ve come from to a very relaxed and cosy almost homely feel. The music volume was just right playing golden oldies that dissolved away when you were chatting but would reappear when you tuned in. The food was great and served at a smooth pace from one course to another. Though there were things I would change, all around a week thought through menu. The mocktails, Snow White and Pink Panther, were really tasty. Would recommend to those that don’t have alcohol and those who do too. Lastly the creme brûlée was magnificent. I’ve never had a tastier one. The caramel used sugar on top was just right and the slight butterness complemented the sweet and smooth creme that just melts in your mouth. Will definitely return and most definitely recommended.

We had a great time there. The food was delicious. We ordered prawn from entrée (normal), chilling cheese from small dishes, spring lamp from large dishes, selection cheese and burle from desserts. The staff was helpful and lovely. I recommend this restaurant.

They've closed their doors but you can still book via open table. So then you show up and it's now a different restaurant, OKO, who don't have your reservation and who aren't on Google yet. Luckily the lovely people at OKO fit us in and we had a nice evening.

Super disappointed in the food and lack lustre service. Felt more like a rough country pub than a elevated inner city boutique restaurant. If the food had been amazing I would not feel the need to review. Good if ur into wine and not fussed on what ur eating while being drunk.

Great food, and reasonably priced. French inspired menu. Was part of a group so had to have the set menu. There was plenty of food and everyone was sated. My favourite was the pork main.

This place was well worth the trip to melbourne fantastic food and a lovely server doing a great job helping to make the night as comfortable for us and our kids. We will definitely come back again

We had the set menu and it really was spectacular. Every, single dish. The tartare is still on my mind. Excellent wine and beer.

Despite the very off putting name, I thought Hell of the North was superb! Went there for Sunday lunch for my birthday....The food was sublime, we had the parfait, the croquettes, Mussels, souffle, slow cooked beef and frites.... we shared between 4 of us. Dessert was lemon meringue and a stunning creme brulee. I was very impressed with the service, very knowledgeable but in no way pushy, only there when needed. Absolutment Magnifique!!

Worth the trip over the Yarra! Wonderful food, wonderful wine, wonderful service....what a great place this is! I cannot fault it, we had the pork belly, cheese soufflé, brocollini, pome frites, croquettes and a beautiful Stefano Lubbiana sparkling. I will be back.

Amazing restaurant. Great service, food and wine. Shared the set menu with friends. So much fun. Great atmosphere... highly recommend

Have been twice and both times superb. The $65 Feed Me does not disappoint add a great wine list to top it off. Marvellous

Second time here and not disappointed. Food was amazing, had the feed me option which had a great selection from the menu. Staff were fantastic and they also have an amazing wine list. I will definitely be back.

Amazing! Have been meaning to try this place for a while and so glad we did. Enjoyed the "feed me" option and a few bloody marys (fantastic by the way). All the food was incredible and we loved the way the degustation was really done as a true meal. The service was amazing. All dishes were so good but we loved the ocean trout, scallops and the chocolate, pear and macadamia dessert! Definitely recommend and fantastic to see Melbourne doing great French food.

.The service we received was warm and friendly .... we chose the feed me menu ..designed to share .. portion size was rather small . Expectation of what we expected just a little disappointing for cost .... Ravens gold beer was awesome

Visited Hell of the North just for drinks, fabulous wine list, great venue and staff extremely friendly! So glad we came here!

Love this place - staff fab, food gorgeous, wine sublime, ambience cosy = just go

Nothing bad to say. Awesome food, staff, decor & would highly recommend.

Great dinning experience. The staff was fun and knowledgeable, necessary with the food and wine that they serve!

Fantastic place, first visit, won't be our last. Food, service and ambience were great.

We had a fabulous dining experience just before lock down and we hope the local community supports this great little business to keep afloat through take away etc. Can’t wait to return when things calm down. Everything was delicious I couldn’t fault a thing :) Ambience, service, fresh and quality ingredients, great flavours - all top notch here.

Not worth the hype at all, it was a let down considering 4.5 stars. Had the liver parfait, gnocchi, rump with butter and pork with ratatouille. We had a hair in our food to which the waitress said ‘oh but none our chefs have hair’ lol. It was taken off the bill though so that’s okay. Only decent thing to as the gnocchi.

We went as a family, and all enjoyed every dish, I am unable to eat dairy and they managed to accommodate me in every course. There was not a morsel left on any plate, with extra bread being provided to mop the juices and dressings

Spontaneous visit, the place is very cute, with hand stamped napkins, service was friendly, we got the 5 course menu, however was very disappointed on the items they choose to deliver, feel like they just tried to give us the cheapest dishes on the menu, specially the chicken dishes, was really awful, we couldn’t even finish it. On top it all the noise in this place are incredibly loud really made us uncomfortable.

We ordered feed me menu and told the manager we don’t eat pork. But were served 2 dishes with pork in it. Entree was salami. Also the last 2 wine given were very plain. Nice atmosphere but surely overpriced.

Ordered a couple of things, some unique dishes, great nice warm ambience, but average service. Brought my girlfriend for dinner and called beforehand to see if they could do something, they said they could do a candle with dessert but they forgot - which was quite disappointing. <br/><br/>Chicken liver parfait cornetto and the pannacotta was quite unique and special, but everything else was alright. <br/><br/>We also got the pork donut, tartare, trout and salad.<br/>

I liked it a lot! Came here on the day before my 4 wisdom teeth extraction (yikes!) to enjoy a last chow and I was not disappointed. Situated just along the main street in a quaint brick house, it’s perfect for a romantic date night or, if you’re like me, comforting solo dinner :) Would definitely be back!

Have read rave reviews about this place in our neighbourhood Facebook group and have to say they were spot on about service, staff and quality food. Really enjoyed our time here and loved the food particularly the delightful starters. The tartare and chicken liver parfait standouts there. Oh and the creme brulee!

One of my all time favourite restaurants in Melbourne. I love that the entrance is a big yellow door embedded in a side street. It really makes you feel like you’re being transported to a different world once you walk in. The selection of food is always fantastic and I always get the beef tartare and chicken liver parfait when I visit, it’s just sooooo good! I also love that they do late night desserts because I have the biggest sweet tooth and their creme brulee is a must-have every time I go.

Absolutely delicious food!!! The servers were extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the food. Had some great recommendations. Place was cosy and lighting was just right. Tip - look for the bright yellow door to enter. Food was perfection - every bite & every sip of wine - could not fault it!

Great food and service. The wine list is reasonable. We had the duck, fish and the pork donuts. All great. The pomme Frye’s were somewhat average. Otherwise great meal.

I took my husband out for a birthday dinner. On first impressions this restaurant is inviting appealing with attentive staff but unfortunately the food was nothing special. Entrees were nice but not great but my main was overpriced and I felt I lost interest half way through the meal. I ordered the muscle. The choices were very limited for those who don't eat red meat. It was disappointing that the French onion soup was made with beef stock and a restaurant of this quality was happy to pass on the credit card surcharge onto their customers. Overall this restaurant felt like an average experience. I can't imagine going back.

We came here for dinner on a Saturday. We decided to go with the 5 course menu and we weren't disappointed. The French onion soup was to die for and I thoroughly enjoyed the ox cheek which was melt in the mouth tender. My partner enjoyed the fish dish but I was hoping for more of a crispy skin on the fish. The pomme frites were absolutely delicious as well. We had a lovely night and will revisit to try other menu items soon.

Service was painfully slow. We went with the 5 course feed me options and it took far too long between courses. We felt very neglected by the wait staff, waiting half an hour to be offered another drink, then having to remind them again that we'd ordered drinks just accumulated to a very frustrating experience. 75 minutes into service and two courses in we asked if things could be sped along as we had a show to get to. The wait staff were so rude, telling us that this was our fault, we should have told them at the start and they didn't want to rush us. Well we certainly didn't get the feeling of being rushed but we sure did get the feeling of being an undervalued customer. Maybe a heads up at the start that service is likely to take 2 to 2.5 hrs and/or that you're under staffed would be really helpful for future diners. We ended having to cut our meal short, leaving very hungry and very late to our show. Also the sparkling water was flat.

Really lovely space and fantastic food. Love the old Europe feel here. I had the duck and the cauliflower gratin with a cocktail. Highly recommended.

We had a really nice dinner here! The service is friendly and attentive. The food was lovely with good flavors! My highlight was the beef tartare :) I absolutely loved it! The ox cheek with the parsnip purée and the sauce were delicious, too. I wouldn’t order the brussel sprouts as a side again as they tasted kind of burned, but maybe that’s just my personal taste ;)

I had an exceptional evening here the other day for a friend's birthday. From the start, the night was a treat. A warm welcome from our waitress put us at ease, and her attentiveness throughout the evening made the whole experience wonderful. We opted for the "feed me" menu, and dietaries were catered for swiftly and easily. The beef cheek was a particular highlight, though the satisfying "crack" of the creme brulee was sadly missing (though we ate it late, so no doubt the kitchen had closed by then and they'd been refrigerated. There was a beautiful pinot noir on the menu for a great price at $60. All in all, such a heart-warming evening. A perfect example of everything a fine dining experience should be. Thank you!

Great for group dining. We went with the set menu. Overall nice flavours but felt it would have been a better option to order a la carte so we could get dishes more to our liking

Came here for a friends birthday dinner tonight, had the 3 course feed me menu. Food was quite good, really enjoyed the mussels marinieres and chicken liver parfait. Bavette with bone marrow butter was decent. <br/><br/>The service for the night was a letdown. Initially, upon ordering, we were already informed that the table was booked until 8:30 only and that if we ordered that 5 course feed me menu, we would be pushed for time. As a result, we opted for the 3 course menu. The first course came put immediately, however the second and third course came out at a painfully slow pace. The third course was delivered to our table at 8:25. At 8:30 the bill was thrown at our table. The waiter, who looked quite stressed reminded us that the table was only booked until 8:30. We were shocked and has to eat our final course very quickly, without the opportunity to enjoy it. Upon leaving, we noticed that no customers were waiting for our table. There is no situation where rushing your paying customers due to your own lack of time-management skills is acceptable. Absolutely mediocre service, will not be returning.

My partner and I went there for our anniversary dinner. We tried the feed me menu as they took all our suggestions and the portions are not too big and u can eat as much. The guy at the bar who I’m assuming was the manager was lovely and very helpful. Had some great preseco until our table was ready as we didn’t have a booking which wasn’t a long wait. <br/>Would definitely go back and try the rest of the me u.

It’s our first time to visit this restaurant for lunch. I like the booking system via Zomato as I can book it at night time and it’s so handy. The restaurant is located in this little quite side street with plenty of parking but mainly in 1 hour ticket spot. The yellow main door and so iconic and the building itself is so classic too. Love every single dishes and we get to share the starters and side dishes among four of us. Ic Tongue is perfectly cooked, so juicy and soft. Beetroots are surprising well paired to blue cheese. Main dish Port come with pork skin cracker is another surprise. Fish of the day is well present with cauliflower & purée. Beef taste too good too. Will come back next time for dinner.

What a fabulous restaurant with fabulous food and impeccable service.<br/>I loved it and, hands down, it is the best overall food experience which I have had in a while.<br/>I am really looking forward to returning.<br/>Thank you Hell of the North!

Came here for a friend's birthday and it wasn't too bad. We did the $75 per person feed me menu. I thorougly enjoyed the pate, beef tartare, fish and mussels. The duck and creme brulee was somewhat a let down. Overall, not too bad, would go back to try other food in the menu.

Celebrated a girlfriend’s birthday there last night. Food was great! We got the “feed me for $75” per person. Honestly speaking, it was actually quite worth it having that! <br/>Can’t remember all the names of the dishes, we had ocean trout, beetroot w blue cheese and pecan nuts, chicken liver parfait in a cone, pork pate, mussels, chips, roasted pumpkin, fish, duck and pork loin w crackling. <br/><br/>My personal favourite was the duck dish. Yummers! <br/><br/>6 entreés and 4 mains - $75 . DUDEEE.... <br/><br/>Corkage is a little pricey $25 per bottle. But why not, its a frickkin birthday celebration. Wont be spending that much if it were just a casual dinner.<br/><br/>Mark and another lady served us that night, they were both remarkable! Introduced and helped us out a lot! Well done guys!

Trendy restaurant. The food just didn’t blow us away. It’s verging on fine dining, but the dishes all seemed to play it very safe. It’s flirting with French ingredients with a modern minimalist and clean presentation. We just felt it was a bit pedestrian, and the service a bit rushed. Not a reflection on the individual herself, but she was also attentively serving a large party next to us among other tables. Wouldn’t return or recommend given the calibre of exceptional restaurants in Melbourne.

The service in this place is absolutely fantastic. Staff is all friendly, even giving us a suggestion of not ordering too much. The starter of something crispy containing duck cannot remember the name of it and the onion soup is appetizing. Overall a nice experience. The portion was big enough but the service could be a bit slow maybe because I was way too hungry and just wanted my food to come out quick. A good place for date night!

Absolutely like this restaurant! The food came out super quick and it was all very good. The service in this place is absolutely fantastic. Staff is all friendly, even giving us a suggestion of not ordering too much. The starter of something crispy containing duck and the onion soup are appetizing. The atmosphere was good and the restaurant was nice. I will be back.

Was super excited to try here. The meal was quite hearty. The parfait and the beef tartare tasted like it should .. but nothing amazing. The mussels were quite plain. The pork was okay. Creme Brûlée was good. I have yet to find the best French restaurant in Melbourne

Been there twice and have not been disappointed at all food was great and so was the service ! 10/10 would come back for more .. maybe tonight ! ;)

Had an absolutely sensational 4 courses with the owner Mark lending his knowledge on wine selection and offering his tips for the menu. Could not have enjoyed it more, terrific establishment and amazing food and wine. Thoroughly recommend to anybody and everybody.

We had the feed me menu... Generally the food is pretty good. The entrees were lovely and the dory fish which was the fish of the day was great. The disappointment came when then beef arrives. It was cooked beautifully but the texture of the meat is not good hence it was hard to chew. As the saying goes, good beef melts in your mouth. This marble 3 beef is no where near. We return after having 2 piece. The highlight was the sides which was the pea a la francaise... Delicious. Dessert came and my husband and I were not impressed. Overall it was disappointing for me considering the high rating this place has.

Everything was so delicious. Service was quick, friendly and professional. The only feedback would be that they didn’t let us know how long the wait would be. We arrived on time for the booking and had to wait for 15 minutes which we didn’t mind but it would’ve been nice to know the wait time. Otherwise, keep up the great work team!

Really high quality and great experience for French food. Friend recommend this place, love the place in a quiet area, staffs are friendly and professional, Given us some advice for food. Nice place and happy to go back.

Was surprised to find this hidden gem. The food was surprisingly great and people are very friendly. Highly recommend, you won’t be disappointed

Welcoming myself back on the food exploration with a treat today. Hell of the north...<br/>Look I'm going to rate the food first and be fair<br/>Beef tartare : 7.5/10 like a very pleasant - reminds us of the big mac sauce but more fancy sauce.<br/>Cured king fish: 6.5/10 accompanied with a very acidic pear<br/>Liver parfait: 7/10 had a very nice Shiraz jelly on top.<br/>Look again i'm stating it here now. The way me and my partner eat is we spend all morning studying the menu reading zomato figuring what we would like to dine with so when we arrive at the restaurant we order our food asap.<br/>Today we had a booking at 8:30 and it's 9:43 and our mains have not arrived yet.<br/>Our water waiter ALEX was exceptionally rude I'm not sure if he was prejudice that we were Asian or if my partner was wearing a t-shirt and that upsetted him but let me list examples of our disgusting service<br/>1. We ordered sparking water and sat down. A couple who came in 5 minutes after us also ordered the same and they were served first . He even came to their table with two sparking water bottles to do a fancy pour. My partner then mentioned that we had also ordered sparking water and as he came to our table he poured in a manner where the table was wet to the point that the owner (Chris) came and made a joke about how messy I was and that luckily I was cute. Umm, no it was your waiter just dumping water on us as we asked for the second time.<br/>2. Second time he served water, he obviously went to pour the tables with the Caucasians first then coming to ours and making a substantial mess on the floor. We observed all the tables around us and their water was always filled up. Alex even asking the couple next to us about their meal if they needed anything us leaving us with empty glasses.<br/>3. The third time Alex poured our sparkling water he poured it half in my partner's glass with splashes on his phone and no apology.<br/><br/>He was passively rude looking at our empty glasses and filling everyone but ours for no reason.<br/>We are not a rude couple, we say thankyou every time someone pours our drinks or cleans our plate to be treated this way because of either our clothes or our ethnicity is absolutely disgusting for this day and age. I am a customer, I came here to eat and order just like everyone else.<br/><br/>4 tables who came in after us, ordered after us got served their main before us. We ordered our food at 8.35pm and to be served our main at 9.47[m is ... Well not the best.<br/><br/>Oh by the way, don't order the gnocchi it's a 2/10 at best - very floury.<br/><br/>When we paid, we got no acknowledgement no apology from both Alex and Chris even though we had asked about our mains 3 times during the 30 minute wait.<br/><br/>Overall a very unenjoyable experience. I am extremely upset because I didn't think racism was still a thing in Australia quoting that in Melbourne there is a big Asian population. This is really upsetting because I don't know what I've done wrong but to have someone ruin my day like that is very heartbreaking.<br/><br/>Definitely not a place I'd be coming back to again.

Really great food, smooth service and friendly staff. Crème brûlée was amazing. Quite expensive but worth it for the quality of the food. Good spot for a romantic dinner. I will surely come back again.

Food and service was good but abit slow for the food transitions. I order the asparagus, fish and steak plus creme brûlée for dessert. The highlight for me was the asparagus. The service is good as they notice the bunch next to me was Abit too noisy and change our seat in the midway through our meal

😱Lizzie’s first impression: I had really high expectations for this place as I’ve heard many good things about it - but unfortunately I don’t think it hit the wow factor. <br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: The pate is delicious and smooth, the beef tartare tastes fresh and the duck was cooked perfectly. I highly recommend the duck dish as the pickled onions matched well with the duck. <br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: The asparagus dish was a let down as it tasted a little bland and definitely not worth the price that it was. <br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: A great place in the busy area of Fitzroy, but I might have to try the other dishes in order to change my mind about the restaurant.

Came here for my partner’s birthday. The service in this place is absolutely fantastic. Staff are all friendly, even giving us a suggestion of not ordering too much. The starter of something crispy containing duck(cannot remember the name of it) and the onion soup are appetizing. Regarding the main, I think pork belly is better than the other. I reckon pork belly must be the best option if you don’t know which to order as it’s hard to make any mistake on cooking pork belly.

There were a few hits and misses for me. Service was lovely as waiters were super welcoming and friendly. Favourite was the chicken liver parfait. It was quite interesting with the jelly on top - nothing like I’ve had. The slow cooked beef was also very nice. It was rich and flavourful - what u would expect from something slow cooked for hours. However the remaining dishes I didn’t enjoy as much. Overall it was rather an expensive meal for what it was especially the fish.

Great food, interesting ambiance, very friendly staff and overall a fantastic meal!We had the feed-me menu for lunch - birthday celebration. Terrine, scallops, kingfish, chicken, radiccio salad, pommes frites, creme brulee.<br/>Fantastic will definitely be back. Excellent value for this price point ($75 pp).

Nice and cosy restaurant tucked away down a side street off Smith Street. The staff were all really nice and made it an enjoyable evening.<br/><br/>We started with the croquets which were delicious little morsels of fried tastiness.<br/><br/>For mains we got the Oyster Blade which is a 12 hour slow cooked meat which melts in your mouth. As you can imagine the fat is almost gelatinous because it’s been cooked so long. I think the flavor was Vegemite savory tastiness.<br/><br/>We also ordered the chicken which was nice enough. Cooked really well as in the chicken was moist but the flavors were simple verging on bland. Good thing we ordered a side of fries which brought a bit more flavor to the palate.<br/><br/>For desert we ordered the crème brûlée which was monster sized! Honestly I’d come back just for the crème brûlée so so good! We also got the lemon meringue which was great. Just note, it’s super dooper sweet x2, which is ok because I like that. But letting you know in case you don’t.

Yesterday I tried the $50 feed me lunch special. It is a shared menu and you get the choice of either a meat or seafood menu option. Make sure you decide prior to going to the restaurant which option you want since everyone on the table has to be in agreement with the option that is picked. In the end we used a coin toss to decide 😂 the coin decided that we should have the seafood option. <br/><br/>We ended up getting:<br/>- Chicken Liver Parfait<br/>- Cured Ocean Trout<br/>- Mussels <br/>- Kingfish<br/>- A salad <br/>- Cucumber and grain dish<br/>- Prommes Frites<br/>- Creme Brûlée <br/>- Lemon Meringue tart <br/><br/>All this food was shared among 11 people. The staff ensured enough portions would be presented of each dish so all patrons could try each dish. I was very impressed with the amount of food that we got to try. Looking back on the menu we definitely got our money’s worth, which pleases me since not all feed me menus are good value. <br/><br/>Drinks are also not included in the deal so you have to pay extra for drinks which is fair. <br/><br/>My friends loved the kingfish the best. My favourite were the mussels! The Creme brûlée was delicious as well. The lemon meringue tart was a bit too sweet for even me but looked absolutely beautiful. <br/><br/>I appreciated the space that the restaurant sat us in. We got our own private area. Only complaint that I wish there had been better lighting. It was quite dark. <br/><br/>Staff were all friendly. Great experience over all and I think quite a few of my friends will return in the future!

Went to Hell of the North on a Saturday. We didnt book but went in super early so we can get a table. There is a 2 hours seating it seems to be plenty of time. <br/><br/>Ordered a Rhubarb ginger cocktail to start with and it was very refreshing. Couldn't choose so we had the feed me option and it was quite lovely. Started with cured ocean trout then a cheese snack. Main was fish and Pork Belly and dessert was Creme Brûlée, chips and salad was provided as well. We also added on some croquette because they looked so good when staff brought them out for other tables. <br/><br/>Overall a nice experience. Portion was big enough but service could be a bit slow may be because i was way too hungry and just wanted my food to come out quick. A good place for date night!

The gnocchi was awesome, but as I had heard rave reviews, I had expected a bit more from the dining experience.  Quaint, very Melbourne location.

This place was just AMAZZIIIINGGGG! This was just like heaven served on my plate. We opted for a feed me menu and I think it was the best decision we have ever made. They had a veggie option too so that was perfect. But everything served on the plate was just mind blowing starting from entrees to desserts. The best was the gnocchi and the creme bulee. Can’t ask for a better dinner. <br/>Thanks guys! <br/>Service - 5/5<br/>PS - Was so busy enjoying the food that forgot to take pichhaaas<br/>Ambience - 5/5<br/>Value for Money - 5/5<br/>Food - 5/5

3.5. I did have high expectations for dinner here considering its reputation, and unfortunately the food didn't quite reach those lofty heights, but it was still a good meal. We started with the pork and veal terrine which was ok, although the beetroot relish was probably my favourite part of the board. The French onion soup was a little salty, whilst the duck and mushroom croquette was delicious. For mains, we shared the mussels which were nice, the pork belly which was ok (skin could've been crispier), and the oyster blade which was quite tasty. We didn't quite have the belly room for dessert (or the time), but I would be keen to come back to try some of their other dishes.

I went here with three girlfriends for my birthday dinner at the 8.30 sitting. Food was delicious, particularly enjoyed the duck and mushroom croquettes, the chicken liver parfait, and the kingfish and pippies dishes. From the dessert menu we tried the creme brûlée and the Sweet potato chestnut and maple syrup ice cream which were both delicious. Service was friendly, they guided us appropriately and food timing was good. The restaurant itself is in a beautiful old bluestone house. Definitely date worthy, but equally a nice place for a special meal with friends.

This was my second visit to Hell of the North and again it was a great experience. We chose 7 dishes to share, being the duck and mushroom croquettes, chicken liver parfait, French onion soup, cheese soufflé, pork belly, slow cooked oyster blade, spiced cauliflower and spinach side and creme brulee. All were delicious and nothing disappointed, same as our last visit. It is a cute casual and cosy atmosphere and I would say this is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne.

My time in Hell was awesome! <br/>Okay so once you’ve found the entrance, (pro tip it’s the large yellow door - yes, it looks like someone’s house but there’s a sign next to it) you step into an intimate dinning area with an amazing bar, there’s more seats off to the side but we were sat in the immediate dining area. Staff & the service were excellent; we got the Feed Me option and everything was delicious.<br/>The restaurant was dark so it’s hard to take the perfect insta picture, but the setting has a great vibe; perfect for a celebration dinner, date night or just somewhere a bit posh in Fitzroy.<br/>It’s competitively priced, the only down side is finding parking (but that’s a minor inconvenience and well worth it once you’ve started eating)

This is one of those places that will Just blow your mind away !! We are so glad we order “feed me” option and it was just mesmerising degustation experience !!<br/>Staff was so good and informed us about the everything which we ate .. each and everything was perfect and you can’t pick what’s best !! But for sure sweet potato dessert was the group favourite ..<br/>Also the pork n veal terrine and gnocchi Parisienne are not to be missed !<br/>Definitely give it a go !

Today was our second visit and still impressed with the service and food. We felt welcomed from the moment We made a phone booking till the moment we left . This is rare as we had our baby with us and today she was a fussy mess. Staff were very accommodating and offered us the empty private dining room so that we could all sit and have a meal. It was wonderful. Will surely be visiting here again.

Mind blown. I’ve seriously had Hell of the North on my list for two years and I’ve finally had the pleasure of eating here and honestly it is one of the best meals I’ve ever had!<br/>The meat, the gnocchi... everything was 10/10. <br/><br/>Make sure you go here and thank me later. <br/><br/>Thanks HOFT for your amazing food, drinks and hospitality x

3.5 three visits <br/><br/>Friendly staff and cozy environment. This place offers a variety of wine choices sourced from the globe- wine drinker would love here. <br/><br/>However I did find food at dinner are somehow nicer than those at lunch.. Likewise the vibe is better at its dinner session.. <br/><br/>What I like- cream brûlée, Mussel pot <br/>What I don’t like - beef tartare, chicken liver ( not the best I had compared to other restaurants of same level) <br/><br/><br/><br/>

A wonderful location and wonderful presentation. In a renovated stone cottage/bar, with various rooms and layouts to choose from, this restaurant promises a lot - while the table layout is good, the chairs are not the most comfortable. The wine list is pretty good, but struggles a little on the local variety. The food delights with a $75 per person degustation approach (but they don’t offer matched wines) or a la cartel and share plates - but for me it just lacked that deep rich flavour generally expected of French food. The pork belly, while nice was not properly rendered and the special pasta was missing any strength in its flavours. The gnocchi was very good and steak tartare pleasant - but where is the egg? Service was very good and efficient - great explanation of meals and foods. The deserts where good with the lemon meringue a stand out.

Went the ‘Feed Me’ option. Didn’t regret. As a keen cyclist I was drawn to this restaurant by its name taken from the Paris-Roubaix race. You don’t need to know this to enjoy a meal here 😄

Located in a quaint spot off from Smith Street. Hell of the North blew expectations. Dining was at your own pace and servers were brilliant at their jobs.<br/><br/>Extensive bar menu gave you many choices and you definitely needed to get a glass/bottle of red for this dine.<br/><br/>The pork and veal terrine was brilliantly balanced with the beetroot chutney and this was a good choice for nibbles before our mains. Sour dough was buttery and really cut right through the different flavours. Although I wasn't a fan of the french onion soup, expecting the caramelised onions to be slightly sweet, the soup was rather salty. Luckily this was split between my partner and I, couldn't finish it by myself if I tried.<br/><br/>We decided to go seafood and meat for the main. The mussels were well seasoned in the sauce and we enjoyed the sour dough to mop up the sauce. Thanks for recommendation from the server. Sauce was not overpowering but fennel kick really did it charms. Oyster blade accompanied by a side of chips was really nice. Cooked like in a braise and was soft when cut into, sauce was sharp but the mash helped sweeten it down. Regret getting chips as we were excited for dessert, but there's always next time!<br/><br/>Spot to definitely go to whether it is to dine or to sit right at the bar. Great for dates and mood lighting is a winner.

This could have been great,<br/><br/>The thing that ruined the meal was the head front of house, I don't know if he owns the place or something but he was talking about his bodily fluids a lot to a young woman sitting next to us? and trying to impress her by asking her to baby sit his children while also talking about his bodily fluids....<br/><br/>Now look I'm no prude but this dude was loud, really erratic and worst of all corny just so, so corny we had to listen to this dirty looking dude for like 45 mins. I'm young and I don't go out to drop $250 on food and wine often, thats a fairly big deal for me. But when and if I do I down want to here some atrociously corny weirdo talk about Duromine and his own fluids. <br/><br/>BUT <br/>Beef tartare was great, chicken liver parfait was off the charts, the oyster blade was wild super comforting thing to end on, would recommend all of those things. The building is great, perfectly lit the mix of exposed blue stone, timber, white walls and wine bottles works perfectly. The young guy serving us was fantastic helped us out with wine recommendations and seemed like a lovely human. <br/><br/>Overall this was ruined but the gross dude with the beard at the front of house trying to be cool. The man needs a shower and to chill.

Had a great experience at Hell of the North during my visit. Awesome little hidden gem behind a yellow door in the north of Melbourne. Feed Me menu is recommended to ease the pressure of ordering from the extensive selection of French dishes, all of which sound divine. Liver parfait, pork belly, and creme brulee were standouts. Everything is shared so take this into account when coming; you won't receive one plate per person per course. Portions were however generous, left me full, and were easy to share / split amongst a larger group of five. I would recommend cracking a bottle of red or white whilst dining here - the wine selection is impressive. Interior is chic and moody. I would recommend.

It was a great experience, the place is hidden jem in the northern suburbs. If it's your first time to go there just find a bright yellow door behind some bush... walk into a space rarely lit, relaxing & set you in a mood for great food and drinks. Highly recommend their cocktails particularly pomme parfumée and turbo paloma, both are quiet refreshing. Pomme parfumée is touch of sweet hint of apple sweet, bit sour, the flavour just perfect. Food wise, portion is just right for sharing, we had the beef tartare, chargrilled broccoli from the vegetables selection, oyster blade & chicken with vin Jaune, all were amazing, balanced flavours, chicken cooked very well, very juicy...beef was so tender, just melts in your mouth. Just can't have enough of these amazing flavours. Now lastly, we had rooms for deserts, ordered crème brûlée and choc, ginger & roaster almond ice cream, both were very nice, highly recommend the creme brûlée... it was soft, sweetness just right. In sum, great place for a date night, business dinner, friend catching up dinner... whatever the occasion this place is just amazing. Keep up the good work guys.

Took my lovely fiancé here for dinner tonight easy parking along the ally was abit hard to find behind the bushes but once we found the entrance and walked inside it was very relaxing. The food here was not bad the beef tartare was good but the king fish was the star very juicy and the skin was crunchy abit salty but worked well. Overall good place for a night out

Great service last minute booking and kid friendly. Great value had the 5 course option. Delicious food! Awesome wine list. Will definitely go again!

Fantastic entrance and service! They explain every little thing to you when they bring it to your table. How it’s made, ingredients. The pork and gruyère doughnuts were yum, as was the tartare. Bisque was too thin for my liking but still tasty. Worth a meal definitely :)

Fantastic night !! We were spoilt from the moment we arrived. The “feed me “ option is the way to go for a group of 6 with the king fish ceviche and the John Dory being the standouts. <br/>Good wine recommendations added to the night and we’ll be back<br/>Thanks

Love this place! Went there with a friend a while ago. <br/>We had 3 fancy desserts. They were amazing but the portion was quite small comparing to other restaurants.<br/><br/>Really like the vibe and deco here !

I would give Hell of the North 4.5<br/>The restaurant is hidden behind the bushes, pretty had to find. Just look for a bright yellow door for entrance, you won’t miss that. <br/><br/>Hell of the North served creative French cuisine with large selection of wines. Brick walls, dark wooden features made this place look like a French boutique restaurant. <br/><br/>We didn’t pick the set menu, and overall dining experience was great! <br/>#pork&Gruyere doughnut#-decent size of round doughnuts filled with shredded pork meat. It was crunchy but soft inside, such a great way to enjoy shredded meat with a heavenly coat of soft and fluffy doughnut! Highly recommend ~<br/>#beef tartare#-diced raw beef mixed with seasoning and herbs, served with extra thin and crispy bread slices. Fresh, simple but had lots of flavour. Even though it was raw, you couldn’t taste much. <br/>#gnocchi parisienne#-Persian gnocchi served with pine nuts, crispy kale. Differ to traditional Italian gnocchi, those gorgeous used choux pastry, so they had air pockets inside and made them extra light and fluffy! Definitely should try them! <br/>#mussel&apple cider #-mussels steamed and served with cream fraiche and apple cider sauce. Those mussels were huge and steamed to perfection! So fresh and so tender~ if you love mussels like I do, then you should order it. Maybe add #Pommes Frites#(fries)to dip in the sauce and enjoy the sauce. <br/>#creme brûlée#-classic French dessert, simple yet so delicious! The base custard was very smooth, rich but not too heavy; the top sugar caramel coat was extra thin, it did add extra texture but just melt in your month at the same time. Glad that we ordered this dessert to finish our nice meal at Hell of the North. <br/>

Wow! what a great experience. The food is top notch. The service was great. The only thing was they fit 7 of us into a 6 seating table despite my early booking. Really enjoyed my meal there though. I will be coming back for sure.

I’m a pretty handy home-cook, but it’s restaurants like this that show you what real chefs can do. The food is divine, every morsel on their feed-me menu is a revelation in gastronomy. It’s completely Yum! Great cosy decor and the wait staff are polished, friendly and attentive. I had a table of 20 close friends here for my 50th, everyone was so impressed. And for what you get, it’s a real 5/5. I wouldn’t change a thing. <br/>

My two besties and I came here for a 30th dinner on the 7th March. After we rang the bell on the wrong door for 5 minutes we finally realised we had to find the yellow door haha.... it wasn’t entirely my fault; there was girl standing in front of the door taking a picture as I’d walked past and was blocking the restaurant sign! <br/><br/>The place is dim, clearly into their wine as it’s lined up all along the walls. We were tucked into a corner with three other tables which was nice and cosy. We had a really outgoing and friendly waiter, and he made the experience fun and enjoyable for us. I didn’t take any pics of the food sorry but rest assured, they were all presented beautifully. We went with the feed me menu and indeed they did! The waiter was happy to accommodate us by including some of the ala carte dishes we were interested in so we got some surprise dishes and some we didn’t want to miss out on: perfect!! <br/><br/>A really nice place for a date with that special someone or just good friends you love to have a yarn with.. <br/><br/>Highlights of our meal were the beef tartare, and mussels. Everything was cooked to perfection!

First time here and I was most impressed from the min walking through the yellow door. Service was friendly , fun& efficient. The food was delicious with perfect presentation. I had the pork doughnuts for entree & Duck for main and both perfect. Felt very at home here and can’t wait to come back!!

Definitely meets a standard of a fine dine restaurant. Great service and I would definitely recommend their feed me menu option. My highlight was their pork cutlet, each fork full simply melted in your mouth. Their mussel was also flavoursome, especially when it was cooked with a dash of cider. Would love to take another visit here again.

This was our third visit to Hell of the North. Great service as always and a nice cosy dining room. Food was great, particularly the gnocchi parisienne and chicken liver parfait. The other dishes were perfectly cooked with decent flavour as well, but we felt that we enjoyed our previous visits more. This is probably just due to differences between seasonal menus and our personal preferences. One warning, the cocktails here are quite strong! We definitely recommend Hell of the North for uncomplicated food executed excellently.

My boyfriend and I came here for our early Valentine's Day dinner this year. We had the Feed Me menu, which was $75 per pax. We started out with the cured kingfish with tomato and sundried tomato skin. Amazing appetizer. Then came the chicken liver parfait - was pretty interesting, very dense and rich. We had white wine mussels, which was pretty standard. The pork cutlet was a tad too tough for our preferences. We also had some green beans and italian anchovies - was not bad. Tomato salad was also served and the tomatoes were great! One thing this place does an amazing job of: tomatoes. Creme brulee was served at the end, which was not crispy enough. <br/><br/>Overall, we loved the atmopshere of that place. And the price was so worth it - we were stuffed.

First visit though it’s been on my list for ages. Great food, professional service and a friendly relaxed vibe. <br/><br/>Pork & gruyere doughnut - pickled zucchini, sheeps curd - potato & celeriac terrine, leeks, mustard- gnocchi Parisienne, Jerusalem artichoke, pine nuts, kale - Milawa duck breast, braised red cabbage Madeira jus - beetroot & white chocolate, yoghurt, pistachio.<br/><br/>All good but particularly enjoyable were the celeriac, gnocchi and beetroot desert.<br/><br/>And the best Bloody Mary we’ve had in ages.<br/><br/>Sit out the back it’s a bit quieter or <br/>in front for a little more buzz.

Great food, beautiful decor and very friendly staff. All the food was cooked to perfection, the tartar is a new favourite. <br/>The tasting menu was great value for money and we all left full and satisfied.

I loved this place. We were there late and the full kitchen had closed so we could only order from the supper menu but they had some delicious french style goodies! Their parfait, the terrine and the beef tartare (oh their beef tartare!) were big highlights! We've been meaning to be back to enjoy from their full menu.

Hell of the North is truly a hidden gem in the streets of Fitzroy. With its secretive yellow door, you would never have walked in if you didn’t know about it. Upon arrival we were greeted by very friendly staff, and seated immediately. Service was fantastic throughout the whole night, and the atmosphere is very nice.<br/><br/>We decided to get the feed me menu - and boy was there a lot of food! The menu consisted of the ocean trout rillettes, beef tartare, John Dory, mussels, pork cutlet, gnocchi, iceberg, and dessert - creme brûlée and mango coconut sorbet. For 3 people, we couldn’t finish all the food, although every single dish was absolutely delightful - especially the mussels and the gnocchi! The creme brûlée is perfect and surprisingly light! <br/><br/>Despite being very full, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, and I would gladly come back again.

The dish is really simple, and taste soso. And it takes 40 minuets for the main dish, taste just like woolworth roast chicken. Also the service is not good, I’m not sure because we are Chinese or not. Anyway bad experiences.

The service here was efficient, polite, and impeccable. As far as food went, it’s definitely up there. We ordered a Beef Tartar and Chicken Liver Pate for Entree, and there were no regrets! Both were wonderfully done, very flavorsome, and the bread was spectacular.<br/><br/>The steak for main was a little more overdone that I’d have liked it and a little bit more sauce would’ve been nice. The cheese soufflé is a MUST GET. The onion purée goes hand in hand with the flavor of the cheese and it’s so light, fluffy beyond belief. Would also HIGHLY recommend the chicken— I don’t usually tend to like chicken breast, but the breast parts were so tender that it’s impossible to dislike it. The flavors were beautiful in addition to the greens and the baby corn that the meat was wrapped around.<br/><br/>All in all, it was a little bit pricey but well worth a visit on special occasions.<br/>

Was very hungry when we came here for dinner on a hot night. The wine list is really good and the building it self has a lot of character and had a nice feel to it. The food was first class. Absolutely loved the fish. The mussels were so good I think I can go back just for them. The service was also great. The host was very accommodating and had good knowledge about the menu and the wine list.

Love the secret, yellow, no sign door that’s oh so Melbourne. Amazing food that’s share based, so it makes it more fun and gives a better atmosphere. We just keep coming back here.

I did feel like I was in “Hell of the north” tonight. There were four of us dining, me being the only vegetarian. When the entrees came out, I wasn’t told which dish was vegetarian & were given only two tiny slices of cold bread to share amongst the four of us. Not sure why they were skimpy on bread, considering the next table were given a slice per person. Anyways, I had to ask for another 2 tiny slices of bread. For mains, I had the gnocchi which was delicious but the portion was tiny. I was still hungry after eating entree AND main. When desserts finally arrived, there were only 3 dishes. The creme brûlée was my favorite but again the portions were tiny. When the bill came, we were charged an extra $4 for donation which I thought was very sneaky. I believe the restaurant should ask the customers first before putting the donation on the bill. I paid $60, had poor service, left hungry & angry. I have to give one star.

Dined with a group of 8, we were tucked into a private corner and were taken care of so well. We had the “feed me” menu. The highlights for me were the pork donuts, the mussels and chicken with black garlic. We quite enjoyed the tomato salad with dehydrated olives too. The dessert was top notch - chocolate was rich and creme brulee left us wanting more even though our tummies were so full. Service was impeccable and i would recommend this place to anyone!

I was there with a group of others, in a private room, last week.<br/><br/>Food was great...but the service was questionable. Apparently, the boss and staff feel the best way to treat guests (who are paying their wages) is to interrupt when guests are speaking. Rudeness at its best...and weren't they good at it!

We ordered the liver parfait, cheese soufflé (the stand out), pomme frites, porterhouse steak , mussels and cream brûlée. <br/>Let’s start with the good: good atmosphere, good service, great soufflé. <br/>The bad: tasteless fries <br/>The worst: burnt sugar on the brûlée <br/>And the rest was all average. <br/>I was expecting more from a 4.6 rated restaurant. Don’t think we’ll be back unfortunately.

Beef tartare was very nice - texture and seasoning was great: 4/5<br/>The skin on the chicken was delicious 5/5<br/>Service very helpful and friendly too, and decor is lovely

Best food I've eaten in ages. After finding the subtle yellow door entrance Beautifully cooked dishes, beautiful flavours, wholesome and filling. The menu is simple but charming. My only gripe is that the gnocchi was too soft. The winelist average. Service was amazing! I want to eat there all the time!!

Beautiful food. ‘Feed me’ is definitely filling and great range of foods. Wine list delightful. Atmosphere is darkish and feels completely away from the hustle and bustle. Staff are approachable and helpful. It can be a little exy, so if you’re on a budget it’s probably not for you!

Came back here for a friend’s birthday dinner. It was packed. The chicken liver parfait and steak tartare are just as good as I remember them. Although, I still don’t understand why they choose to serve the parfait with brioche rather than sourdough! The parfait is buttery enough, and has more room to shine with a savoury, more dense bread. <br/><br/>The mussels are also delicious, but I needed a vessel to mop up the lovely salty juices. The lamb for me was a very big disappointment, although the side of broccoli was bang on, slicked in luscious amounts of oil. The creme brûlée was silky smooth and the strawberry meringue dessert was okay, but nothing special. The service was great. Definitely get bang for your buck here.