I’v only been here a few times and tried dumplings and cocktails! I like the internal decoration, it’s dark and colorful! The only thing could improve, not smoking at front!
Staff were welcoming and very helpful. Food took awhile to come out and the portions are small. Atmosphere is nice, overall wouldn’t rush to return
This place was on my bucket list of things to eat for so long and it did not disappoint one bit. The atmosphere is amazing and is probably one of the best Asian Fusion restaurants I've been to. Definitely try the pork belly bites they were absolutely scrumptious. The only issue we had was the duck salad which was more chewy than we would have liked but still yum.
Absolutely love this place! I came here awhile back and ordered the queenie shot (tequila with a green shooter) and some fried chicken KFC to start off and it was amazeballs!! Honestly so good and such a clever way to start the night. I remember the food being so delicious and they also make incredible cocktails!
Recommend booking this place get full very quickly, but the food speaks for itself! It’s such great food and great for sharing with the company you are with!!
The drinks menu is also great
This place has an amazing atmosphere with great food for sharing and drinks! Best way to catch-up after a long week and just relax over great food and cocktails! Ahhhhmazing!!!
Really yummy food! 3rd time going here and every single time I go, every dish is great (consistently tastes the same each time) and the food comes out at a good pace. The waiters and waitresses are nice too ☺️ the restaurant is super cute inside. Great for a girls night out or a fun date! Also if you’re VEGETARIAN this place has a lot of options which is amazing ⭐️
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Rice Queen serves up some of the best Asian cuisine in Fitzroy in a quirky and fun venue that regularly drags the hungry mobs in. With a kitsch decor in quite a large area, the restaurant is a fun and happy place to dine. It can get quite busy, and sometimes a little loud, but that just adds to the electic atmosphere. The wait staff and bartenders are welcoming and more than happy to help with the menu and cocktail list.
The menu is fabulous, with lots of fresh and vibrant Asian flavours to tantalise the tastebuds. We tried some dumplings, the fried chicken and fried tofu. Each of these dishes was amazing in their own ways. The dumplings were soft and tender, and the fried chicken was delicious, dripping in a sweet and spicy sauce. The fried tofu was sensational, with it's crispy crust and oozy centre, and it's accompanying sauce was so tasty.
With so many other restaurants in this busy part of town, Rice Queen still holds her own because of the fabulous and delicious food, fabulous cocktails, great service and cool vibe. She really does reign supreme in this area.
The bar was lovely to us, they made us surprise vegan mocktails which were exquisite! Once was grapefruit based, the other was chocolate based and my favourite was pineapple based with a hint of chilli. The dumplings were steamed, soft and delicate whilst the Korean fried cauliflower was crispy and flavoursome.
Really awesome venue. We had the poached prawn, pork belly, Korean fried chicken and the squid. All dishes were fresh and really good sizes. Drink service was slow we received our small meals before our drinks despite ordering our drinks as were seated which was frustrating. Other than that a really great night- would recommend :)
A step below the top modern Asian fusion resteraunts in Melbourne, but a step above your standard Asian food venues
Vibe and ambience was pumping, although we did go on a Friday night
Drinks were great
Food was very good without being spectacular
Would go back, but would only get one dish I got this time!
Service was solid!
On a wet and cold Melbourne day there’s no better way of warming up than with great spicy Asian food. We shared Korean fried cauliflower,
Chicken ribs, spicy tofu, pork belly bao and ceviche. All excellent and too much food for two, but we made sure not a morsel was left. It might push the limits for some on the chilli front but we’re tough old birds. Staff were very friendly and shared valuable suggestions about both food and wine. Will definitely be back.
Rice Queen is one of my favourites in the Fitzroy area. All of the dishes are fabulous, particularly the pumpkin curry and the Korean fried chicken. The lanterns really add to a great experience every time at Rice Queen!
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Caramelised Pork Bites
I really like sour things so the dipping sauce for the twice cooked pork belly was absolutely amazing. It’s such a god starter dish, the sourness kick starts your tastebuds. The dipping sauce made the sweet sticky glaze on the pork taste so perfect together! The pork belly was perfectly browned and crispy in the right places. Usually, a downer for me is when the pork belly has too much fat, but Rice Queens pork belly had enough meat to balance out the fat. So far NOWHERE beats Rice Queens delicious pork belly, every bite tastes like meat heaven. Crying Tiger Thai Beef Salad I’ve had crying tiger before and I love it so I had to try it at rice queen. The first thing I did was pick out all the chilies, I wasn’t going to let them destroy my mouth. What I found every unique was how they sliced the cucumbers in a long strip, it was a bit hard to pick up with my fork but it tasted refreshing. The crying tiger beef tasted so good, the meat was soaked with “Kenny’s dressing” which tasted very tangy and sour! The dish wasn’t really filling since the salad was really light and simple but it’s a great dish to try if you want to try the crying tiger beef for the first time.
Taken here by a dear friend that really suggest me to try this Asian Fusion restaurant and wow it was a good choice. We ordered quite a lot:
- For starter, Baby bahn mi (pulled pork GF): I REALLY LIKE IT!
- Steamed dumplings (pork and prawn): Big cut and nice filling
- Papaya Salad: Not really into salads so this is just okay for me
- Smoked Cauliflower: Not expect anything from this actually since this is the first time I eat it but wow it was nice, the sauce tasted a little bit like peanut though, I wonder why.
- Slow cooked Lamb Shanks: very nice and tender, we really like it!
- Also had the chance to try Beer Lao which is surprisingly good.
So overall, this was a success visit around Fitzroy.
I came here for my birthday dinner last night and was not disappointed. For starters we had the pork belly bites which was my favourite because it melted in your mouth and the sauce was sweet and addicting. The pork dumplings were nice as well. Followed by the green curry, lamb ribs, duck salad, roti and pad see ew. I’d recommend the lamb ribs and not recommend the curry as we thought it would be more thicker and more flavourful instead it was watery and not pleasant. We ordered dessert but didn’t find anything to write to home about. Final verdict: order the pork belly bites and skip dessert! I’d come again to try other dishes if I was in the area.
Great atmosphere and vibe, service was average but the meals were great! Great Fusion Asian flavours executed well. I will definitely be returning!
I came here for a birthday and just can’t believe how much fun I had. So many good friends to chat to and really opened up about issues that we had going on in our lives. Friends 10/10
Nice retro oriental interior and it was spacious. KFC chicken ribs were nice and flavourful but bit dry not juicy felt like made from frozen chicken ribs? Slow cooked lamb shank was flavourful and so tender. Coconut milk well marinated with Thai spices and deep fried chilli gives the extra kick who those who crave it. Papaya salad was fresh and had that beautiful lime flavour. Thick rice noodle dish was best if it stayed in wok for little longer. Pork belly bites were great with beer as the fat goes well with bubbles. Overall great place for a drink and a nibble. But drinks felt a bit expensive compared to similar establishments. Overall food quality, taste, ambiance and service against price gives an overall score of 3.7*
There's a reason Rice Queen is so hyped. First off, the interior is highly thoughtful in every aspect, from the cute staff tee shirts to the knick knacks to the visuals projected on the wall. I've come before for drinks- the venue holds it's own as a bar let alone a restaurant. But you can't not try the food. Favorites include the payaya salad, san choy bau and grilled mushrooms. I suggest going with a group, as the menu lends itself to sharing.
😱Lizzie’s first impression: I love the vibes of this place - but the staff at the front needs to get his shit together. He was super unimpressed and dull it was such a shame.
🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I loved the fried chicken - they were fried perfectly, it was tasty and tender. The lamb shank curry was actually amazing - the flavours were all there and the meat just fell off the bone! Would come back just for this.
🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: the pad see ew was really chopped up - rather over cooked than anything. I was also very unimpressed with the staff who seemed to be having a bad day.
🥇Lizzie rates overall: this place is great for a group so you can have sharing dishes and it’s plenty of fun with live music and dim lights.
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It was our first time visiting Rice Queen and it was such a lovely night!
Seared wagyu beef tataki - as you can tell from the picture, the beef was super fresh and each bite had a melting sensation which I’ll never forget!
Twice cooked pork belly - these babies were so smooth and juicy that I had to chew them slowly to savor the wonderful flavors! The tamarind caramel sauce was such a clever idea balancing the sweetness of the pork belly!
Thai beef salad - I’m usually not one to order salad but this was an exception! The freshness of the salad with a tinge of chili (the spice level was just right for me) complemented the beef slices leaving you to go back for more!
24 hour braised lamb shank in coconut rendang curry sauce - the lamb was so beautiful as all the meat slipped off the massive bone! The curry was thick but a little bitter - would have liked it to be richer.
Coconut and vanilla panna cotta - I’m usually pretty picky with my panna cotta but I gotta say this surpassed my expectations! You could taste both the coconut and vanilla and boy did they give my mouth a joyful pleasure! Would definitely go back for more of this! 👄
Chocolate brownie with chocolate ganache and honeycomb - another super dessert which really hit the spot for me! The brownie was not overly sweet and went so well with the chocolate ganache and honeycomb pieces. In other words, it tasted like heaven! 🧡
If you are after a fun time, Rice Queen is the place to be with their small and large plates and also their yummy desserts! Thanks for the amazing night! 👍
Interior is 👍 however main portions are quite small considering the price ( eg the fried rice and noodles). Standout dishes were pork belly bites and crab banh mi !
Rice Queen is the perfect place to show someone a taste of Melbourne. Nestled near the end of the the bustling and lively Brunswick street, walk in the doors and you are met with an array of lanterns and beautiful flowers decking the walls. With a resident DJ on site and cool visual projections, the atmosphere is great.
The menu has a good selection of Asian favorites and is good for sharing. My friend and I ordered the chicken wings which were amazing! And perfect to start. We also ordered the pork bao and tofu bao which were yummy but didn’t have enough salad inside (luckily we had the papaya salad to stuff the baos full). We also enjoyed the chicken lettuce DIY wraps which were good fun to make.
We finished the meal with the chocolate cake and the coconut Panna cotta which were both divine. My friend ordered a coconut water in a coconut which I highly recommend. We enjoyed scraping the creamy coconut from the inside. Yum!
Can’t wait for my next visit.
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4.5
We were early diners at Rice Queen today which is probably one of the more visually stunning eateries down Brunswick street. The interior was unmistakenly asian in style. One would say “Asian Kitsch” to describe it... and I loved it.
We sat near the back under a heater so were warm the whole night. Our amazing waiting staff member, Sophie, took our drink order and explained the menu. We chose “Think Pink” which was aperol, pink grapefruit juice spiced rhubarb & sparkling wine
I had tried “Not into Yoga” before and did so again. I just love the pina colada style drink which also had a lovely citrus zing from the yuzu.
Our later evening Gimlet, was a delicious strong gin based cocktail, perfect for the gin lover.
We ordered a trio of entrees starting with Pork bites which were amazingly tender pork belly served on a thin sticky sauce with a fish and citrus dipping sauce. This my friends was a must have dish for pork eaters.
The San Choy Bau with chicken had a lovely smokey flavour. I loved the crunch from lettuce and the different size combination of ingredients work well in this dish, from the diced tofu, to the lettuce.
I have a confession to make. I have had the Korean fried chicken (KFC) before and have dreamt about it ever since my last visit. Honestly, it lived up to my memory of that incredible coating that leaves an awesome kick of chilli in your mouth that gives a slow burn. It’s served with a dipping sauce to turn down the spice. Im sure I tasted mint in the chilli dressing and amazingly it works a treat. My only advice is don't bother with the half serve, the full serve will satisfy.
For the main we shared the green papaya salad with snake beans, the fresh herbs and lime and soy dressing was a delightful accompaniment to the Penang Kway teow. These flat rice noodles, had a lovely smokey taste of the wok flavour, surprisingly it came with a sour dressing, when added to the noodles it lifted the dish giving it a fresh feel twist. I really enjoyed how this livened up the bowl as I tucked in for seconds and thirds.
We nearly had room for dessert but couldn’t pass up trying a couple and were so glad we did. The rum and raisin ice-cream was made with coconut milk and was full on creamy with the vegan seal of approval. The rum flavour shines through, the coconut texture is fabulous, the coconut milk base keeps the ice cream light and oh so moorish.
We also ordered the coconut panacotta came with a tart yoghurt smear and seasonal berries. This dish was also delicious. The panna was a low set mound but still had the wobble and subtle coconut. We really enjoyed both desserts.
Staff were attentive, fun and knowledgeable ... the perfect combination.
Thanks so much for the invite.
Service was quick and attentive, ordered chicken wings and the prawn toast which is a must to have. Is a trendy place in Brunswick and attracts a lot of people, defiantly one to go back too.
Rice Queen - Who wants to be a Princess when you can be a Queen?
Wait for it..... we got a park almost right out front of the restaurant. Remember, we're in Melbourne here. Now let that sink in. Yes, you're getting it now. Cute place inside, it was, well, you know that trendy "let's be dark" type restaurants which I find quite relaxing. We opted for "Feed Me" where the chef makes the choices. Six courses to share plus sides for $49 per person.
Quick as a flash, out came the first course. Korean Fried Chicken Ribs tossed with cumin, pickled onion and whole chillies. Served with a dipping sauce consisting of basil and mint. This was soooo Good, I had to restrain myself, I was sharing with three other people.
This is an excerpt of my review. To read the full review click on the link below.
Gorgeous interior and great service - food came out super fast.
I ordered the hickory smoked cauliflower with caramelised miso bechemel sauce and my goodness it was a flavour explosion! Plenty of vegan options (gf too).
My friends loved their dishes too.
Absolutely love Rice Queen, both via Ubereats and IRLz!
Such a cute little outdoor seating area for peoplewatching, quaint artwork and little touches of Southeast Asian cutlery and finishings that remind me of Home, but with a delicious modern feel of well-married fusion.
But enough of the interior design, the food reflects all the above qualities too, well considered menu, interesting array of choices from the region with quality fusion cuisine. I’d say the rendang might be a bit more of a curry, but delicious regardless.
Will be back for more, or continue to send envoys from Ubereats for sure. 💙
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Absolutely loved this impromptu weekday lunch at Rice Queen. No queues, laid back ambience and amazing food.
Started off with fresh coconuts - the flesh here was a tad hard to scoop out of the coconut, which I think is due to the variety of coconut itself (If I'm not mistaken, the young coconuts are softer, but you can't get too picky when you have a bit of South East Asia transported to Fitzroy!)
KFC was amazing - the spices on the chicken were 5 stars! Crispy chicken ribs with a nice tangy basil and mint sauce!
I just had to have the medley of mushrooms - they were so cutely named that I couldn't resist. Nice squishy mushrooms on a beautiful puree :)
Went on to the eggplant + tofu - beautiful flavours, fresh veges and absolutely delightful sambal!
Lamb shank rendang - Rendang has gained popularity in most respectable Asian-inspired restaurants these days, loved the addition of whole peanuts in this dish. Lamb was falling of the bone, and rendang gravy was beautiful. It didn't really have the traditional rendang flavour and consistency, I treated it more like a curry.
Roti was a bit flat, but went well with the dishes.
Will definitely be back for more.
I've been here numerous times and would give every experience 5* The restaurant is decked out with cool interior, nice atmosphere, good food intended for sharing, the staff always friendly. Good for groups
I landed in Melbs late on a Friday night and was starving! We went to a restaurant who told us that unfortunately their kitchen was closed and we he guy recommended we go to Rice Queen as they would be open. I cannot thank this guy enough for the recommendation! Food was amazing here! The chicken ribs 🍗 were spicy 🌶 and amazing! (My fave dish - they were crumbed and they were gluten free!) The pork belly bites were to die for! Squid salad was so delicious 🤤 the eggplant 🍆 and tofu dish was delicious but I didn’t expect it to be so soup like. The ambience was really nice in there. The service was fantastic. This place is a gem 💎 thanks for an amazing food experience!
Hooked in for a very quiet feed and a beer. I've always loved retro Asian and this places has it in spades. Really enjoyed the green paw paw salad and flathead dish. My wife said it was a little salty but she isn't reviewing, I am. Obviously the sweet and sour flavours made my Singha beer taste unbelievable. I could easily enjoy a lot of drinks with good company here. A smart operation.
Cool venue with fun vibe and kitch decor. We decided to share a range of the small dishes so we could try more things. Between two we ordered the pork belly bites, the mushroom medley, the chicken san choy bau, the pork and prawn dumplings and the beef tataki. Everything was really tasty but the highlight was definitely the pork belly bites. Cocktails were excellent (go for the queen killer) and staff were friendly too.
Love Love Love Love. Came with a big group of 20 so had the high tables at the front and we went with the banquet. The soft shell crab burger was to die for. Best drink of the night was the ginger mojito
Followthefoodmelbourne
+4
I really really love this place.
It’s great value, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is awesome!
Food favourites: the vegetarian dumplings (delicious! The filling is so fine but maintains an awesome texture - and they’re green!), the caramelised pork bites (one of my favourite pork dishes in Melbourne - they’re perfectly sweet and not too fatty and I love the addition of garlic chips on top).
The actual restaurant interior is one of my favourites in Melbourne. A miss match of red lanterns, cherry blossoms, vintage posters and dim lighting, this stellar venue is a sure thing for a fun feed.
So we walked In last night & what can I say... the service was terrible. It took us forever to have our order taken, then the food came out at random times so most of us had finished before the others had even eaten .. them to top it off the waitress clearing our table , had zero personality, didn't ask if we had finished just cleated our plates that still had food on them, didn't ask how it was nothing.. the food was indeed amazing lucky cause the service will turn me off forever
Absolutely recommend👌, the food the 🍷 the ambience the music, everything is just amazing in This place.
Good value for the quality and portion of the food
Lovely atmosphere from the moment you walk in. The restaurant and bar is very well decorated with lanterns and Japanese cherry blossom. The food is brilliant with a mix of asian flavours that are to die for. Can recommend the pork belly bites. Fantastic
Fantastic and funky restaurant with a modern Asian twist. The right balance between kitsch and sophisticated. Great dining experience. Loved it!
I organised a big meetup group of 18 people for the $49 banquet last night. The banquet was different to when I had booked a few months ago. This wasn’t made clear to me. The seating is very strict and we weren’t able to sit down until 8pm sharp. We were asked about whether we wanted to start a bar tab or purchase our drinks at the bar. I specifically said we wanted to go to the bar, yet the message wasn’t passed on. This complicated things at the end of the night. The roti was chewy and the green curry lacked flavour. The papaya salad was a let down and under dressed. If your communication improved between your staff, I would come back with a big group. Happy to go in a small group and give it another go. This was just my experience last night.
Don't have a bad thing to say about Rice Queen! Amazing food and can cater so well for vegans. Would recommend it to anyone who loves Asian with a funky vibe and awesome bar!
Literally saved my dad’s life.
At lunch today, Dad choked on a piece of food and if not for Adrick our waiter, who applied the Heimlich manoeuvre and dislodged it, he would’ve died. Dad was close to passing out, he would have died before the ambulance arrived.
Adrick was so calm right through, he took over when he saw my attempts weren’t working, yelled for the chef to call 000 and worked on Dad til the danger had passed. And then after checking that Dad was ok, continued with his work as if nothing had happened. What a hero. And such a professional!
My family and I can’t thank Adrick enough.
The food was lovely too by the way. My vegan Penang char kway teow had great flavours and just the right amount of chili. Dad’s vegan curry was creamy and delicious too. It wasn’t the food’s fault that Dad didn’t chew his mouthful enough!
We will be back!
Pastry.loving.foodie
+3.5
We happened to stumble upon Rice Queen as we walked down Johnson Street the other night. Intrigued by the initial architecture, we decided to venture in and try to get a table at a very busy time (7:30 on a Thursday night). We had a drink in the bar as we waited the 30 minutes to our table - not bad, I would say reasonably priced for the amount of alcohol in them.
After being called over to our table, we noticed being provided with plastic plates. I can totally understand for the sake of the kitchen hand how much easier plastic plates are, however they ended up looking quite tacky. Unfortunately for me, the chosen decor didn't provide much charm, but instead seemed to look tacky (not all the decor was Asian culture related, however the clashing of some decor to others made it look unbalanced).
We had the 3 course menu, and for $49 a person was amazing for its money for value. We had 7 dishes in total, ranging from dumplings to Korean fried chicken to salad. The standout for us was the Thai Beed Salad, which was absolutely incredible. Great choice of marinade and the charcoal on the beef added another level of flavour. Some dishes were okay, but didn't really have anything that really had a different depth to the classic version of the dish. We had great service from the staff from start to finish and loved the little dj bar and bright lights at the front; it created a club/bar vibe that still felt quiet and spacious enough to enjoy eating in.
This place for me I worth driving all the way from Manor Lakes and spending 30mins looking for parking.
The caramelised pork bites- OMG drool.
Also shout out to the KFC fried chicken, squid and glass noodle salad, baby bahn mi and the steamed bao with pork belly.
I spend lots of money here hahahaha
After looking at the photos here, I really wanted to try their salads. The spiced duck version is just yumm! It is a must try whether you like duck or not.
I've heard wonderful things about this place but my friend Cody refuses to bring me, so I am living vicariously through the reviews on this site
First time I went to rice queen it was super good however I have just been recently and the service was pretty average however the food was still really nice! It did take a while for it all to come out I think we were waiting at least 45 mins.. when the food came out as well it was semi cold. I’ll be back again but hopefully the food is not this time!
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The decor, lighting and layout of the restaurant was very trendy and everything from the lights to the food was oriental inspired. It had a very contemporary, casual feel which I really like. They have quite a diverse menu, with a lot of different flavours from all over south east Asia. We decided to go for the banquet which included: KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), vegetable and chive dumplings, satay chicken, salt and pepper squid glass noodle salad, lamb backstrap wok with steamed rice and dark chocolate; salted coconut, banana and peanut and chai ice cream. The coating on the chicken had great flavour and the basil and mint dipping sauce added a nice freshness and tartness however the flavours together weren't the best combination. The dumplings were cooked perfectly with a good amount of filling. The satay sauce was delicious and the chicken was still juicy, the accompanying kimchi side was average. The stand out dish was the squid salad. It was refreshing and the squid pieces melted in your mouth. The dressing was strong on citrus which complimented the other flavours of the dish perfectly. The lamb backstrap was quite underwhelming unfortunately. Red meat doesn't turn out very well when it's crumbed and fried. It was a bit dry and didn't come with a sauce to help break it down a little. The rice that accompanied it was dry also, making the dish a little hard to swallow. A let down of the menu was that the chicken, squid and lamb were all coated in the same crumb, hence all the dishes tasted quite similar and it got sickening towards the end. The dark chocolate ice cream was rich and creamy, the chai ice cream tasted a bit strange and the salted caramel, banana and peanut ice cream was to die for. Overall, decently priced however only two standout dishes for me: the squid salad and the salted coconut ice cream. Customer service was excellent.
Visited for an early Monday night dinner.
First of all loved the interior and vibe inside. Super cool and definitely got us excited!
We were seated straight away and our waiter was absolute excellent!! Attentive but not hovering!
We ordered the Korean fried cauliflower for entree. Dish was delish !!! Crunchy and super tasty with subtle spices! - not oily at all!!
For main we ordered the Kirin curry - vegetarian. Full of veges and just the perfect portion! Flavour was mild but very fragrant with the coriander and chilli.
Such a great experience and highly recommend!
With the spring and summer months approaching, one pines for the sunny and warm days in which Brunswick st comes into its own. A plethora of beer gardens, roof top bars and outdoor dining options make it one of the better and more desired places to set up shop on a Saturday afternoon – soaking up the sun, atmosphere and enjoying the hustle and bustle of an area that turns from good to great after the dreary Melbourne winter has passed us by.
Always enjoyed the food here.
The fried rice is some of the best that I've had anywhere.
I can also vouch for the pork belly being damn delicious.
It's often crowded and getting a table can be a problem - book ahead.
Fantastic place on Brunswick st! Love the set up inside and the food is so delicious! Great spot for first dates or for groups of friends, it's my go to.
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Good venue for groups with a vibrant atmosphere especially on the Saturday night that we visited. The service was friendly and attentive (they did forget our drinks but they were very apologetic about it).
The food was all together pretty nice. I personally preferred the starters we had- The Korean fried cauliflower was the best dish we ordered by far ! An absolute must ! The vegetable dumplings were also very good, the dumpling was super soft and the filling very nice. It was all made even better by the pickled ginger and soy they was served with.
The main was also very good but probably not as good as the entrees. The Sri Lankan curry was nice but a little too subtle in flavour for me, I was hoping for more spice, still very nice though and we happily finished the lot.
I also appreciated the fact that while not a lot of the main options alone were vegetarian, many of them could be made vegetarian or vegan.
Overall very nice meal, I would definitely come back to try out more of their drinks menu and order some more of those Korean Fried Cauliflower pieces!
Best Singapore Sling I've ever tasted hands down!
Sticky pork bites are my personal favourite. Really love the decor, great place to sit in summer, enjoying my cocktail & the warm breeze.
Love the beautiful interior decor of this restaurant/bar. We came here for drinks after dinner on Brunswick street. Lovely cocktails and great atmosphere 👍🏼
Food and cocktails are incredible!! The Korean fried cauliflower and gado gado are to die for! The restaurant has a great ambiance and great to go with family, friends whether it be in large or small groups! Will 100% be coming back again and trying out the karaoke!
The staff were super friendly and the food was amazing! As we had 15 people we ordered from
The banquet, they catered really well for the dietary requirements. The banquet food was to die for!!! It was so incredible, every dish that came out was absolutely incredible and loved by all, and it was extremely filling! Loved rice queen and I will definitely be back!
Rice Queen offers great food and a really nice ambiance. I've been here a number of times now and each time have been really happy with what I have eaten. The only negative I have is how loud it gets (when I have been there for dinner) and it can be difficult to have a conversation without screaming over the table. I will definitely be paying Rice Queen a visit again soon in the near future.
Lovely atmosphere. Beautifully decorated. Great food and drinks. Took my sister here for her birthday without prior knowledge. Was not disappointed.
A Chronicle Of Gastronomy
+4
It’s dark and moody, decked out with plastic cherry blossoms, red lanterns and a variety of other kitsch decorations. Welcome to Rice Queen. Wok fried spicy eggplant with tofu and garlic sauce ($16). Lamb backstrap wok tossed with spicy cumin seasoning and mixed peppers, served with steamed rice ($20)
Amazing stunning place, loved the interior decor and the food was absolutely delicious! Will definitely be coming back here again and recommending to friends and family about this place!!! 😊👌🏼
The Carnivor & Vegan
+4.5
Amazing atmosphere, great cocktails and a beautiful twist on asian street and good variety of vegan options and very very helpful staff...
And they take bookings 🤗🤗
Yourmelbournefoodguide
+3.5
Awesome fit out! Great for date night or group dinners in a good location.
Got a selection of items - some were better than others. MY TOP PICK: 48 hr slow cooked beef (pictured below)
I would go back to try other things!
Amazing banquet including a variety of entrees and mains! Friendly staff & incredible food...
We will definitely be returning customers :)
Highly recommend
Cool, super busy resteraunt in Fitzroy. Food is quite yum ! Staff were good. Can't wait to go back and try out some of the other things on the menu !
Great food (especially love their fried rice and squid salad!). Their banquet "Feed Me" portions are tiny. I'd normally take away food and the portions are fine for that.
Firstly LOVE THE DECOR. I could not stop looking around. I went there for my 20th birthday and decided to do the set menu (where the chef chooses food for you). The food unfortunately was nothing special. The flavours were so so and just no inspiration into the decoration or presentation. But the waitress was friendly. Had few cocktails which were tasty. Decor > food
This is the one restaurant that I recommend in Fitzroy this area. Used to go paper and scissors before. This time we wanna try something different. When my girlfriend see this restaurant has only 3.6 rate, we are just about to leave. But my decision to stay is absolutely right. Beautiful place, innovative interior and very creative seating. Food is beautiful, we order two small, one in between and one larger. My recommend is the soft shell crab Bao. Squid salad. In larger I ordered 48 hours slow cook beef rib. Good taste, but too much meat we had already. If you are a meat lover. This is definitely your choice. Next time I gonna try Thai beef salad or spiced duck when I comeback. But squid salad is beautiful. After all we had the coconut pannacotta as dessert, not too sweet and strong coconut flavor. Only one thing I wanna say, during busy time, it's hard to get a staff, as they could seat more then 80 people I think. Over all, very good place to visit. Should increase the rating.
Thoroughly enjoyed our food here. We had a cider each with ginger that was really nice. Shared KFC cauliflower which was so delicious! Bun chips, which were different & nice, veggie dumpling, nothing to rave about, but still nice & the Sri Larkin curry which was really lovely. Plenty of food for the two of us to share, would love to come back again to try some more food.
Absolutely love this place! I always go for dinner and it never disappoints! Favourite dish is hands down the KFC ( chicken ) So good every time . The fact that it's so gorgeous inside too is a bonus. Highly recommend!!!!
The atmosphere is just superb, and the wait staff are very attentive. We had the set menu and every dish that came out was just delicious. They have a bar area which is fully stocked where you can hang out after or before your meal. I will be back
Great interior and overall vibe. Good range of food for meat eaters, vegetarians or vegans. Had the soft shell crab lettuce wrap and shared the 12 piece KFC - definitely recommend the KFC. Crispy, not much bone and not too oily. Pairs nicely with the vinegar they provide. Overall bill for 3 came to $102. Service was ok - found them to be a bit pushy and didn't give much time for us to go over the menus before wanting to take our orders. Nonetheless, would come back for the fried chook
Love the interior decorations and layout of the restaurant. Such great vibes and music. Waitresses are so friendly and attentive with great mannerism. Got the vegetable and chive dumplings, green vegetable curry, vegetarian Rice Queen fried rice and roti. Everything was top notch, everything was well balanced. The fried rice was so flavoursome I couldn't stop eating it, best fried rice ever. The curry was warm and comforting with a bit of heat. The dumplings were herbaceous. The roti was a bit thick. Overall, I had an amazing dining experience and would definitely come back
Lots of good gluten free options, especially their Korean Fried Chicken which I could eat every day. Fresh, tasty and fun food and quick, friendly service. Book ahead.
Good food, menu has a lot of gluten free options which is great. However, it feels very similar to Rice Paper Scissors, just more expensive. We had 1 main and 2 entrees which along with 1 non alcoholic drink worked out to be ~$70. Overall, good to have the variety but expensive for what it is.
Quick catch up with a friend who absolutely loves this place. I can definitely see why! Love the decor and ambience of the restaurant.
Food was great!!! We ordered the gyoza, beef salad and spicy pork (forgot the name of the dish) but you create your own dish with the lettuce. It was quite filling and priced were decent for the portion sizes.
Will be back again!
Really delicious modern Asian cuisine and really nice atmosphere. The venue is really large and good for big groups. Great place to catch up for drinks accompanied with absolutely delicious snacks.
Have been trying to get here for a while and finally on Monday I was very fortunate that a friend was available for a bite and catch up. The decor was delightfully kitsch, i loved it. Red and pink fake flowers, cherry blossoms, red lanterns gorgeous. The food was great too. We decided on the kfc - yes finger lickin' good, wok fried spicy eggplant and the taco's. Yum yum. We could have skipped dessert but decided on the apple crumble and chai icecream. Meh a little dissappointing, we perhaps should have chosen something else or that our taste buds had not recovered from our mains. Next time I'm going to fast for a week and indulge in the feed me meal!! A must taste bud explosion experience.
We dropped in without a reservation but we were seated quickly, brought drinks and had the menu explained as it was our first time dining here. We ordered 3 small dishes, all delicious but the stand out was the fried eggplant and tofu. Amazing! Meals came out fast and service was excellent. Decor is like a fusion of oriental and psychedelic. We will definitely be returning!
Came here for my dads birthday and we were absolutely blown away by both the fantastic food and fabulous service. Shared a whole heap of plates including the Sri Lankan curry - a must try. We will be back!
A gorgeous energy and atmosphere at Rice Queen. They have a really cute set up. The service was very speedy. We loved the entree's! We had the pork bites and the Korean fried chicken. The mains were also good. :) will definitely be revisiting.
I've only been here once but it was incredible! Best food I've had in a long time. The bao (bun) chips blew my mind! Also had some incredible sake. All in all was incredibly impressed
At first service was great .. Very friendly and fast, then there all of a sudden was a 30 min wait in between meals which was slightly frustrating
I loved the fried chicken and pork bites 9/10 for both!!
The 48 hour beef ribs 8.5/10
The sugar bun chips 8/10
The crab banh mi 6/10
Too small of portions for dessert and it very creative 5/10
Little options for drinks if you don't like cocktails and want something creamy 3/10
Great delicious food, great service. I also tend to order with uber eats because I know you guys are my safe bet.
Love it!
Anything you get from this place there has been thought added to the food. It's always bursting in flavour and the ingredients just blend very very well :)
We ordered a range of dishes between three of us last night, all the dishes were full of flavour. The decor is amazing. The only reason I don't give a perfect rating is the lady who served us wasn't as welcoming as we expected. We had barely finished telling her our drink order and she had already walked off. But we will definitely be coming back for the food!
I can't describe how good this place is in words. The most tasty flavorsome quality food iv ever tasted. The KFC chicken was mind blowing. The pork belly pieces where so good. I can't recommend this place enough if your looking for good food and a good atmosphere.
Will def come back. Had lunch with work where some of us shared some dishes which I enjoyed all. But the best was the Korean fried chicken and that fantastic sauce.
Great atmosphere too
The chef at this restaurant serves one of the most balanced Asian dishes in town. At Rice Queen we tried the Korean Fried Chicken which was a bit above average but nothing too special. However, the caramelised pork bites were super delish and not sweet/salted at all. Luke would be happy to have 30 cubes of these caramelised pork as dinner everyday. We also tried their fried rice, which definitely helped endorse the name of the place. The rice got lots of ingredients but everything were binding together beautifully. Our last dish was the fried flat rice noodles which was smoky, balanced, and super delicious. We wanted to try their desserts but nothing seemed special though. The place looks beautiful with impressive decor and playful live DJ entertainment.
In my quest of eating my own body weight in fried chicken not called KFC.... just love Rice Queens 'Korean Fried Chicken' its tha bomb!! Come here time and time again for the same thing!!
Love everything about this place!
Great decor , friendly attentive staff and a fantastic menu.
We had booked a table for 9 of us and they looked after us so well.
The food was super yummy and I reckon very reasonably priced for the amount of food on the table.
We went for banquet D which was just brilliant.
We will be back for sure! 😊
Really love this place. Always great food and great vibes. Last time we opted for the 'Feed Me' 7 course option and it was amazing. Bao buns, KFC, tacos, caramelised pork bites...mmm! Friendly service and well priced, so we keep going back.
My wife and I are regulars here. Love the design and really enjoy most of the food. Fave dish without doubt is the Korean fried chicken, give me a bucket full and I'm a happy man!
Really cool place. Buzzing atmosphere with a great range of asian food, drinks and cocktails. Can get fairly busy so best to book a table. Would recommend!
Great vibe great food, would recommend 10/10.
Do yourself a favour and just get to Rice Queen. It's high reviews and continued popularity are no coincidence, it is a seriously delicious feast everyone should try.
Delicious!!
So glad we tried this little gem.
Beef salad so good. Shared a few plates & enjoyed everything. Service fast & didn't have to wait long for a table. 100% returning..... Yum!!
Caramelized pork bites. Another beautifully presented dish, 10/10 for presentation! If you love pork belly you are not going to go wrong with these, crispy delicious bites, the fresh chili adds a pow in your mouth.
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Love the decor and sense of occasion it helps create - a convivial, fun filled evening of good company, good food and drink to be merry.
To start - plates of sesame prawn toast and vegetarian dumplings (2 plates of each for the 5 in the group to share). Great start - particularly the toast.
Mains to be shared - two Thai beef salad (lovely but more cold noodles than 'salad'), lamb backstrap tossed with spicy cumin (excellent) and blue eye cod with coconut tom yum (fabulous).
Desserts are not interesting - except dark chocolate sorbet is excellent (and tried by all - way too much for one).
Loved the food and service was super efficient and very friendly.
Two complaints - wine list is not extensive and expensive. We live in Australia - a major wine producing country. $40 or under should not be a problem for such places as Rice Queen (2 hatted award winners - let them charge, but not in places like Rice Queen). $45 is cheapest red wine - and it's not good. It's not enough of a complain to put us off returning but more of an observation.
Other issue - music is too loud for eating. Nice to have a live DJ on a Saturday night for the bar area. But ironically, music is louder in the eating area than the front bar.
But still enjoy the place immensely. Note they have two sittings on Fri & Sat nights - any booking for dinner before 645pm means you get the table for 2 hours.
Great food, ambiance and service. Also, incredibly good with gluten free options. The fried chicken was a standout dish (and gluten free).
Had a really enjoyable dinner here with friends last night. It was a Friday, and without a booking we waited for about half an hour for a table, enjoying some drinks at the front area beforehand. My friend had a ginger mojito which had a kick to it. I had a glass of red. Would be nice if they had a wider selection of ciders.
Once we got a table, the service was friendly and attentive. The food came out quickly and the flavours took me away by surprise. The Thai beef salad and was fresh and tasty, as well as the papaya salad. The vege dumpling were very tasty and seemed good quality, with an extremely delicious sauce to go with. The banh mi also looked very good, although I didn't taste them. Would definitely recommend :)
Went on a Sunday for lunch. Décor was awesome as you can tell by the photos on here. Only a few tables of people there so not full at all, but my friend who had been before said it was packed on a Saturday night. More a dinner place I reckon. We did a $20 entrée mix with Soft Shell Crab on a sweet bun, Caramelised Pork Belly bites, pork and prawn dumplings and Korean Fried Chicken. Pork Belly bites and Crab Bun were the stand outs. great tasting plate! I ordered the Korean DIY tacos for main which came with lettuce leaf cups instead of a tortilla. basically a San Choy Bao but with Pulled Pork, Kimchi and Spicy Mayo. Really happy with my choice! Would love to go back for a dinner with a bunch of friends. Tasty Asian Fusion with good service and a unique décor!
Rice Queen is by far my favourite restaurant in Melbourne, every dish is so tasty and the service is impeccable. Highly recommend the squid salad!
Always our go-to option for high quality food in a casual, cool and fun setting. This place just about has it all. KFC is to die for!!! Love it
Good not great. Excellent service at tables. Bar a bit slow. One of the best looking restaurants I've seen. We had a large group of 20 so were made to get $40 banquet. Dumplings, chicken ribs, smaller items started delish! However mains became dull and too much bread and buns. Carb overload! Reasonable value for the quantity though. Bit rushed. I personally hated the DJ setup as its too noisy whilst eating. Geez I sound old. I'd go again and order from the menu.
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"...FINALLY GOT HERE ~ GORGEOUS DIGS.. FABULOUS VIBE.. LOYAL CREW.. NICE DRINKS.. INTERESTING FOOD..."
Okay.. sweltering today - Monday, but decided to eat lunch at RICE QUEEN, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.. They're air-conned - Cool...
So, just cos they're booked out almost ev'ry night of the week - very possible considering the karaoke resurgence.. don't despair - weekday days it's just a very simple walk-in..
Food to share:
-2 x 10 pce buckets Korean Fried Chicken - they use the meaty rib - very easy to eat, and no fatty skin - we devoured these - even sucked the bones...!!
-I serve 'Gado Gado Salad' - one of my favourite dishes - almost live on it when in Bali - kinda disappointed with the guys' rendition - pretty poor, actually...
-Pair of 'Baby Bahn Mi w Chicken' - yeah,, all good.. but nothin' to write home about...
-1 serve 'Sugar Bun Chips' - OMG.. another amayzin' thing to do with that damned brioche.. f'me who would'a thought something so simple...!!!
-Pair of 'Baby's w Soft Shell Crab' - WOW.. could have eaten 10 o'these - reminded me of something 'Gazi' does amazingly - but these ones.. well, like eating deep-fried mini tarantulas in soft little buns...!!!
-2 serves 'Coconut Pandan Ice-cream' - green.. full of coconut flavour.. creamy.. delish..
-2 serves 'Strawberry & Sichuan Peppercorn Sorbet' - icy.. cooling.. just a whiff of fire...
Drinks:
2 x LLB's - didn't skimp on the lime juice or bitters.. lots of ice..
3 x Pale Ale's - nice and cold.. light, smooth and lemony on the palate.. goes down easy..
Service:
Barbara - Gorgeous girl - Happy - Sincere..
Cost:
We'd bought 4 Groupon Vouchers - $60 [Think Deal is still current..] Extras - $50
Fat value experience at $110 for 4..
Yes, really want to go back - try some of their other stuff - word is the 'Calamari' - really good - I've travelled countries for seriously good calamari...
Visited on 18 Jan 2016 for lunch.
10 out of 10 for a quirky environment and a fun night out. Wouldn't say it's cheap but because the bar makes some great cocktails it's an awesome place to meet up with friends.
The atmosphere, the staff, the food, location... All amazing!
The music was great and the staff extremely helpful and knowledgeable when it came to the menu and picked out the most amazing bits and pieces for us.
You MUST try the KFC and the salt and pepper squid, the squid was cooked to perfection and was so fresh!
Didn't get to try desserts as we had lots to eat but will definitely give them a try next time.
Will definitely be back soon.
Came by for dinner with friends tonight & tried the salt & pepper squid salad and the fried rice with char siew & prawns. The squid salad was delicious - it was light & full of flavour with a perfectly balanced dressing. We had also ordered the sweet bun chips out of curiosity, however these never turned up! Luckily we weren't charged for them on our final bill and we'll have to keep wondering what they taste like...
Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Environment: 3.5/5
One of the most beautiful Asian decorated cafe at Brunswick street. Perfect place to chill and drink w friends and they also offer Karaoke. Will be back to try their dishes..
Yum! An awesome, relaxed (and amazingly appointed) cafe/bar/dining place that accurately relects the vibe of Brunswick St. Used a Groupon and was treated like a king! Get your hands on the KFC and a beer; chill at the front of Rice Queen and watch Brunswick St do its thing! Keep it up guys.
Amazing atmosphere and super delish foods. The service is very friendly and awesome. We had beef tataki, Korean fried chicken & calamari noddle salad. The Beef Tataki is the highlight of our night. I didn't try the cocktails this time but from the list, I definitely will try on the next visit. Very happy with my experience😋😋😋
Went here with 2 Groupon deals
The banh mi rolls and Korean fried chicken.
Really good value for money
Not sure I would pay that price for the rolls though
Overall good experience, loved the setting and atmosphere
Two Bears And A Fork
+4.5
What do you get when you combine a funky, fun fit-out, good vibes and tasty food? Rice Queen. There was only one problem with our visit, so make sure you ↓↓ click the link below ↓↓ to read my full review!
What a feed!!! The service is great, the food is some of the tastiest Asian fusion I've had in Melbourne and the portion sizes are great for value.
A limited selection for vegetarians though.
Great food, really fast service, again amazing food, you should take the banquet option, it's a really good idea if you want to taste a bit of everything.
UPDATE: I've been the again a few days ago after around 1 year, and the updated menu is great, and the I'vecream in dessert just so good.
Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere. Amazing staff. Would go back in a heart beat. Great spot for a date night and reasonably priced food!
First time here, made a booking prior as it was Saturday night. When arrive the staff were very friendly, very informative about the menu.
We select feed me which is 5 dishes serves around 2 course with sides. So. Much. Food! The KFC was the star for the night. Absolutely delicious! Great atmosphere and music, will definitely coming back soon.
Came to rice queens for the first time for lunch on a weekday to celebrate my sisters new job. The food was absolutely incredible, and the waitress was great at recommending dishes, and making sure we had a good balance of food (salad, vegetables, meat, etc.) As we were sitting and eating we already were talking about when we could come back! We had the papaya salad, fish of the day in the most amazing curry sauce we ever tasted, eggplant and tofu (never eaten tofu I liked until now! Soon good) and the duck with cucumber salad. All absolutely perfect, would definitely recommend!
Came here for a drink and stayed to try the menu. Really good quality and plenty to choose from. The pricing is very reasonable. Hope they do well. Recommend it for a good night out.
Delicious and incredible atmosphere! Dined with a large group and we had the banquet option. When I hear that word, I assume mundane dishes. However, this option gave us a great variety and all very delicious! Service was excellent, very attentive and the decor of this place is insanely good. Drinks are reasonably priced too. Only downfall is the karaoke (yes it's out the back) list needs some updating! A must try and can't wait to return.
Fernando Anthony Dimasi
+4.5
Asian fusion at its best. I love this place i have been there many times now and continue to be a regular. Why stop when your on a winner.
My fav is the soft shell crab bun and the slow cooked beef not to mention many other great dishes and if your hungry try the banquet.Bit on the pricey side but still highly recommend.
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Finally made a visit to this restaurant after hearing a lot of reviews from people. The interior looks great with all the red ornaments hanging from the ceiling plus the assortment of prints, pictures and all the other ‘interesting’ items scattered throughout the restaurant. The table furntiure is fairly basic and some of the chairs are not very comfortable at all. For six of us we opted for the “feed me” meal. The food that came out was OK, nothing special or to make you think wow this is really good. The KFC Korean Fried Chicken was good, the duck wasn’t very good as it was tough with so much fat and almost impossible to eat in the bowls in was served in. The rest of the food was as per above just OK. We had a lovely friendly waiter (sorry but I forgot her name) and service in general from the other waiteres was good. My suggestion would be to get you own meals rather than the Feed Me options for a table share. Overal it was Ok, a bit too expensive for what you without allowing for drinks.
What a beautifully designed space. So cool and quirky with great food to match. I love it here and am never disappointed. Bring all my mates to enjoy it with me. The karaoke room is so fun for a group of silly friends
Rice Queen has been a pioneer of Asian fusion cuisine for almost / over a decade now. I had missed out on visiting its former abode, but was lucky enough to try it for the very first time at its new home on Brunswick Street. We were a large group and were put on a two course banquet menu. For $40pp, they would feed us a selection of starters and a selection of mains. When we arrived, we delighted over the fact that they had personalised the printed version of our menu for the night. The menu featured a number of enticing dishes and we were excited to get started.
One of my all time favourites, always impresses those I take there. Great atmosphere, great food, great drinks and really reasonable prices with friendly service
Rice Queen is one of the many venues that serves up tasty pan Asian food, with influences from all over the world. Rice Queen was originally a live music venue with a grazing menu located on Smith St, which was opened alongside the Panama Dining Room that the team at Rice Queen already owned in the same building. This venue was sold a year ago.
Big fan of Rice Queen and now our lucky friends live at the end of their road so guess where I suggested we have a catch up over lunch?! Perfect spot for a Saturday graze with a glass of wine or a cold beer. And the best dish to have with a cold beer?. KFC – Korean Fried Chicken! Eric’s seven spice crispy chicken ribs tossed with spring onions and whole chillies and served with mint sauce – That sauce is the bomb! Our little bucket of fried chicken ribs with all their spice and crispy wonderfulness is very welcome at our table and that sauce is not just a mint sauce, it is the most heavenly dressing known! Go the 10 pieces for $20 ALWAYS!!
I have driven past this place so many times that when one of my friends suggested I chose a place for dinner I quickly said here as I've wanted to try it for ages! We decided to share plates together so just picked a few bits and then reordered more! Loved loved loved the Pork Belly Bites and the KFC! Service was pretty good and in the end was a great cheap eat! Will return for sure!
This place never lets me down, extremely good quality Asian infused menu from starters to deserts, busy place with a great decor. Friday's & the weekends has a local DJ laying down some funky tunes. Great place good prices also.
This place is awesome.
Delicious, flavoursome Asian fusion food- not terribly experimental, but really does hit the spot. Yummy cocktails, awesome decor, reasonably priced and no pretentiousness. And they allow bookings.
Gets very full and a little rowdy on weekends, especially after 8ish.
Perfect for a group dinner!
I had booked a table here for 4 a little while back and have been a regular ever since.
The decor is a perfect representation of the menu - eclectic, modern and exciting.
The menu is Asian fusion with items ranging from Pad Thai to Korean fried chicken to creamy curries.
Having sampled most of the vegetarian items, the San Choy Bao is a stand out. A rare find for a vegetarian.
The service has been attentive and friendly.
Being able to book is always appreciated amongst the busy Brunswick St eateries.
Attentive service and great food. Dessert menu was pretty limited though with choices really being just panacotta or ice cream, or variations of ice cream.
We love this place for Sunday lunch. Sitting in the window watching everyone go past eating lovely food and drinking reasonably priced wine is my idea of a great time. The Korean fried chicken is a must try and the squid salad is delicious. One time recently we went with a group and they let us use the Karaoke room for an hour for free. Such nice service and reasonable prices
Food average, goat curry was all bone and hard to eat.
Service a bit amateur but earnest enough to be good.
Yeah, food not good enough to be a stayer
Lovely food ........ Great service ....... Some good vego options ........ Music good level for food before hitting the town ...... ..........
Love it. Great atmosphere, service and food! Get the twice cooked, caramelised pork! And the KFC!!!!!!!! Easy to see why it's so busy....
Opened minded foodies only! A great place for cocktails and small bites to share!. If you want to hang out with friends and have awesome cocktails this is the place to go! You just order heaps of different things from the menu, order one cocktail after another and you have a very awesome night. Food is quite cheap and I found that for a table of 4 and with about 6 different dishes to share was more than enough. The decor here is amazing, transports you to another place. Not good for friends who think Asian food is just spring rolls and Dim Sims, come here with open minded foodies!
Good work. Had the pork bites, KFC and the DIY Tacos (Pork). All extremely well done with the Tacos very surprising. Prices look expensive but very good portions and the dishes fill you up quickly. Certainly should try and I will be back. Magnificent decor and feel
How could this not been 93%?!. How can this be only 73%? let me just say. BEST.FRIED.CHICKEN.IN.MELBOURNE. Period. Great vibe & awesome cocktails too!
Great dessert, will happily head back in for a sweet bite. It’s a cute space with gorgeous decor and a chilled out atmosphere, a little overpriced in my opinion and the service leaves a bit to be desired, but the food is pretty good. Worth a try!
Slow service, fast meal delivery. Wednesday night, 1/2 full however the staff just don't seem to be organised. One poor guy who greets the customers seems to do everything. The other staff just seem to float around and not get much done.
Finally after our order was taken things moved quickly.
Food was fresh and delicious and came out very quickly.
My advice, if its busy keep going as they just can't keep up with servicing customers
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Love the atmosphere!. I've been here twice in the past couple of months with two different friends. The first time we had reasonable sized main meals and the second time ordered a few smaller dishes to mix and share. Everything I have eaten here has been fantastic and true to the menu description which might sound obvious but it's not always or even often the case in an eatery. Good friendly service, priced for the area, quality food. I laughed at reading two earlier whinge reviews where one asked for takeaway and one for changes to the menu items and think they have a case. It's obviously not an Asian takeaway and if you don't like the dishes that are on the extensive menu then go somewhere that makes the boring food that you like! I had my own restaurant for several years and made dishes in a way that provided balance, flavour and colour with ingredients that compliment each other so yeah I can understand a Chef not wanting to mess with a 'design'. That's what they are selling, the food as advertised not "Made to order" dishes.
Good food and good service. This was my second trip to rice queen. Their food is delicious. Had some tasty rice paper rolls and the duck curry. Contrary to some reviews here the service was good and we noticed that the staff were walking around being attentive to the tables. There was a lad with darker skin who served us who was an absolute gun. Would recommend.
Pretty good date night restaurant. Cocktails - delicious
Food - amazing
Atmosphere - fun
Service - great at the start, but had trouble getting waiter's attention to order second round of drinks and bill towards the end.
Will come back.
Highlight was the KFC and soft shell crab jian ping.... and the s+p squid salad and duck leg curry.
Ok, loved EVERY THING.
Here isn't a place for boring fellows. Asian food here aren't boring at all. You won't see lemon chicken, sweet and sou pork, red, yellow green curry or so. If you are boring, you are not for here. The fusion food at this place is so fun with chef with different ethic create a menu. Full of surprises and excitement. As an adventurer, been here once will definitely be back for more. The environment is casual, relaxing and no dress code requirement. Price is very reasonable. Service is really great.
Amazing!! Went with a friend who is deadly allergic to nuts egg and seafood. They could not have been more helpful and informative about the menu. The waitress (had bright red hair) was so amazing. She would be running from our table to the kitchen to make sure the food was safe to eat. I will happily go back. The food was also amazing.
Great atmosphere, bit of a wait for a table but was our own fault for not making a reservation for a Saturday night! Food was prompt, service fantastic, dinner was so full of flavour and portions were very generous. Great experience.
KFC quality. Always quite delicious but oh boy the service is not so good. great night but the team who serve here need to get themselves togrther. been 5 times and always slow and frustrating.
Had dinner on Sat night with some girlfriends for a hens night. Place had a great vibe, good music, good service & good ambience. Initially very happy. Had the banquet which was let down by mains. Entrees were tasty especially the KFC style chicken but mains were bland & unappetising. A shame really. Would probably return again for drinks & a small bite but not for a main meal.
I have been to Rice Queen several times and it never disappoints. Having several allergies makes it difficult for most restaurants, but they're incredibly accommodating and have lots of dishes that require no modification. From the funky decor to the cocktails and the food - it's a great all rounder.
Love this place! Awesome decor and atmosphere. Delicious food! The mushroom tofu dish is to die for!
Was hard to get a walk-in table for dinner on the weekend but once you're in omg so worth it! The KFC is a stand out, and the coconut panacotta desert is amazing too! Staff picks were absolute winners, will be a return diner! So impressed
Festivus - I Like it. Ended up sharing about four entres
All very nice and looking around at other meals I am confident of the same
The ambience was good
Only negative the rush to get you out once you finished eating
I do like a chat so I would not return based on that
Love the atmosphere and the food was delish. Went here for a mid week catch-up with a girlfriend. It was perfect. Nice and quiet. The food wasn't too heavy and nice and fresh. The meat in the curry was so tender. Highly recommend the pulled pork Korean wrap! Jam packed full of fresh flavors.
Hard to fault. Everything that came with the 'Me So Hungry' banquet was great, but in particular the KFC and the sesame toast. Service was great too.
Great vegan options, lovely food and atmosphere/decor.
The place to be. Came in on a thursday night with mates for a relaxed night, and the atmosphere was great, wasn't too packed, had decent music playing and really set the tone for a good night. Ordered a few dishes to share between the few of us, and boy did they deliver! The food was fantastic, the service was very, very quick and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, definitely a place that you could come back to over and over again!
The best tofu San chow bao EVER!
Have tried both their meat & vego options and would jump to recommend either!
Fun place with lively energy.
Love it. Went to dinner here on Wednesday night after having a drink here the night before and thought the setting was gorgeous. Was not disappointed, the food we had was all vegetarian but extremely yummy.
Will be back, the only negative is the waiter forgot two of our dishes but because we had so much food they were luckily not needed.
Great atmosphere and good service! Came here yesterday and had the Korean fried chicken, home made pickles and prawn and sesame toast. Everything was good and came out quick. Friendly staff and our waitress was very helpful and let me try the tap beer before I made my choice!
Service was a Shocker but definitely a must try. Second time round and the food & cocktails were delicious. The Gado Gado with side of brown rice & fresh chillis & soy sauce... must try. My 2 friends got the salt & pepper squid salad & were loving life. The bold waitor gave us no personality in his service at all, asked him to take a photo of us and gave pretty crappy attitude also which annoyed us. Other then that, like it and will take others back to experience the lay out, ambience & food.
Oh! My! God!. The food is spectacular, the service is friendly and high quality. Famous for it's KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), but the dish I would die for is the Korean Tacos (a Korean take on San Choi Bow - with Kim Chi, Pork). Just amazing. Next time I'm in Melbourne, you will find me at Rice Queen.
Great atmopshere, perfect for big group. Loved the food. Absolutely loved Rice Queen. Had a big group for a birthday dinner and they customised a banquet menu for us (even printing our booking name on our menus). Great décor, great atmosphere and beautiful food. Can’t wait to come back and have a full plate of the KFC chicken! Housemade pickles were addictive, and the thai beef salad was amazing. Service was great. Will be back!
Quick and delicious. A group of us had dinner here last night after a long hot day at work. The service was fantastic. We ordered 4 different mains to share between us and there was plenty of food to go around. The beef curry was delicious. The food was served within 10 minutes of ordering. We will definitely be returning for the food, service and ambiance.
Went here as vegie bar was full and I've come too accustomed to the menu. So glad I crossed the road as Rice Queen is now my new favorite! Such good value for money. The banquet for less than $30 is huge and delicious. Interior is awesome, just make sure you book to get a good table.
Been here 6 times, food and drinks very tasty and great service and ambience - dont know why people are so picky - good value food for type of venue!!
Wandering past and the decor caught our eye. From the moment we entered the staff were knowledgable, friendly and accommodating.
We had the $30 banquet and it was more than enough food. They explained each dish as it came out and it was all super tasty. The beef salad is a stand out as is the KFC chicken.
Will be back.
Great taste. We stuck to the entrees, had the KFC, which was wonderful, crispy and tasty with a great sauce. The pork bites, excellent and the sesame toast, crunchy and tasty with lots of fresh herbs. I would go back for more. The place has a good atmosphere and friendly wait staff.
I had a bday dinner here for 11 people last night and can't wait to go back again!
The staff and chef consulted with me over our set menu the week before to cater to our many different dietary requirements and for $35 a head we were all very pleased (and full) with what was offered and our waitress was an absolute delight!Great evening!
What a great place, the atmosphere is fantastic, such a great space to have drinks/dinner in, it's enchanting. A d our food was really fabulous, intelligent balance of flavours, we had Korean pork wraps, papaya salad, crispy fish salad, kimchi and rice, loved it all.
It's like Chin Chin. But without the overuse of sugar and with bookings, and cheaper.
Fabulous decor - great staff that are attentive and helpful, the small dishes are spectacular you must try the ssam and the KFC - also papaya salad and pork bites are delicious. The massamang beef curry was a huge disappointment unseasoned and a very small serving for the price and forget about getting the roti it's a sad serving size. The highlight for our dining experience was our tidy gorgeous dark haired smiling waitress she is amazing. Will defiantly come back but will not be trying any of the bigger dishes
Love love love this place.... Great food, service(by the awesome and very cute Janice) and atmosphere. A great modern twist on various Asian cuisines. Will come back time and time again
Heaven for a Coeliac.. I can't possibly express the extent of my love for the (gluten free!) Korean Fried Chicken. However, I think any other kind of chicken pieces (such as wings or drumsticks) would be far better than the fatty ribs.
Also must note the fabulous and super friendly service I encountered both times I have dined at Rice Queen.
Ate here for my birthday with my husband and overall was a good experience- service friendly, most of the food and drinks great but we were both really disappointed by the Kung pao chicken which had absolutely no heat or spice flavor in it at all. I love Sichuan Kung pao with pepper corns and birds eye chillies and so I was really disappointed that this tasted more like teriyaki chicken than a really chilli dish. I even cut up one of the dried chillies and tried eating it with that but again- no heat at all. This should be mentioned on the menu that its a mild version as I wouldn't have wasted $20 on it had I realized it had no spice. The lime and coconut cheesecake was nice and the decor is impressive. Only other gripe is that throughout the meal, the smell of cigarette smoke coming in through the front doors from the bars smoking area is a bit off putting. Otherwise a decent meal and great looking restaurant.
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Delightful!. First off - love that you can book. Oh, the sense! Service was snappy and friendly - there was never a time we had to get eye contact to order another drinks / dish. Happy with that.
The decor is eye catching - I just loved looking at the bright fake cherry blossoms against the black walls and the low hanging and brightly lit lanterns... ambience was really special.
The food was really quite good - Banh Mi (lobster & pulled pork) were great, tasty morsels - the only thing was you lost the flavour of the lobster in the sweet rolls and pickled vegetables - so might stick to pork next time. The pork belly bites with green nam jim were amazing as were the sesame prawn toasts with caramel dressing. The gyoza crisps with smokey eggplant sauce were nice - if a little measly for the price tag.
DIY Korean tacos were fun and spicy, the prawn and squid with crispy egg noodles was saucy and packed full of flavour - perhaps the most surprising was the spicy duck salad with fine strips of cucumber & sesame oil which really blew my mind. The food was fresh, light and really flavourful - and we ordered dessert (which were all OK - nothing amazing there though) - and walked out feeling like we'd eaten a well balanced meal.
Throw in a couple of glasses of wine (maybe 4 or 5) and a cocktail or two and the bill rung up to $180 for 3. Which I thought pretty reasonable considering.
I will absolutely be back for seconds...
Like Chin Chin but without the wait. Prices are similar and a tad on the high side. Decor is funky and cool. Like you're in Chinatown- New York style. Great for a girls night out.
A friend and i went to Rice Queen for the first time on Sunday night, the place looks amazing lanterns hangin down, dj spinning cool grooves.. The food was AWESOME!! And the ginger mojitos are to die for.. I can't wait to go back..!!
Saturday night - delicious food. Baby Bahn Mi's must be tried- so amazing, we had them for entrees and for dessert. I shared the Seafood curry for a main which was a pretty good size for one, served with rice. Prices were very reasonable, service was quick and the drinks are also delicious. Bar staff are very friendly, and the atmosphere is fantastic... a "Im totally having my next birthday here" kinda vibe. :)
Great atmosphere, cool decor, great service and tasty food! Recommended.
Good job guys!. Me and a mate popped in on Wed night for a quick bite.. great service and the atmosphere was cool! Loved the prawn toast dish and the pork belly was awesome! Defs be back!
We came down for a meal on Wednesday night and after reading some of the bad press on here we where kind of unsure of what to expect, we need not have worried, everything from start to finish was fantastic! We where greeted promptly and taken to our table. We decided to opt for two cocktails, the ginger mojoto and the koi pond which where presented and tasted fantastic. We ordered the crispy fish salad and the Korean D.I.Y taco, both really delicious and generous portions. Worth checking out for the venue alone but food and drinks are a great extra! Seriously cool on Brunswick st.
Delicious food with great tunes. We really enjoyed dinner here. We were a large group and they catered for us with a banquet. Nice selection of yummy food and plenty of it! Relaxed atmosphere, great music, will definitely go back! Nevermind the bad reviews... Check it out for yourself!
Tasty food and good vibes. Dinner here was awesome... service was good and the place looks amazing. had fried chicken and samosas which were so tasty...and definitely get the coconut sorbet, so good!
Rice one.!!. Last nites Korean fried Chicken was seriously yum.
Nice one queenies.
We will definately be back.
The Karaoke room was the perfect way to finish.
Sorry about the messss.....
Pretty nice but nothing special. The décor is nice and fresh with a colourful and inviting feel. Ok for Friday night drinks but nothing amazing. The staff at the bar were attentive and accommodating. If your after a few cocktails but nothing outstanding then this place fits well.
Amazing food Amazing servic.... Amazing food
Amazing service
No wonder this place is always full!!
Sharing plates is definitely a must.
Really enjoyed it and the decor is fabulous, definitely come again and recommend it to everyone. Gem
Really enjoyed my prawn and squid sonething... The hard noodles were confusing at first but gave it an exciting texture. The waiter was friendly, always at hand when needed.
We are locals to Bruni st, lured in on Friday night by the bright decor and buzzing environment, We were even treated to a show by a Japanese belly dancer( I think that's only on Fridays through march though). Had some tasty food. Don't get why there are so many haters on here though?.. Don't beat a good man down.. Give it go and try for yourself.
We love this place!. The fitout is great, staff are friendly. I always get the caramelised pork, it is delicious - we love it so much we come back every couple of weeks! Portion sizes look small, but once you eat them you feel content.
We recently celebrated my birthday there and it was fantastic. The food, ambience, decor and service all combined to make for a great night.
Had dinner here Saturday night.! I liked the food very much.! The service was terrible and they rushed us out the door as quickly as they could after we had finished but that aside it was very reasonably priced and good quality food! Inexperienced staff I can forgive!
Great place!. Great decor, great atmosphere, had some really yummy food and wine which was all reasonable priced.. couldn't ask for anything more from a Brunswick Street resturant, will be coming back for sure!
Had a great night out at rice queen with 5 friends. Staff were happy to let us have a few drinks and order as we got hungry- had a great little serve of pork San Choy bow for six bucks and a few pots of tiger- others at the table enjoyed yummy things like pork belly in BBQ sauce and a tamari stir fry...yum yum. Great decor, sweet tunes, will defs be back
Pretty yummy food and awesome decor. This is very different from when it was on Smith Street, a lot smaller, but they have gone to town with the decorations which look amazing. Oh ans they have a karaoke room!!!!!!!!!
For a Tuesday it was really busy, but even without a booking we were looked after, although we waited a while at the bar.
Food is great, they seem to emphasize a sharing food idea, which I don't mind, between 3 of us we had 6 dishes which came out at different times. Great flavours and the menu is pretty large so there is something for everyone. Crispy duck salad and the spicy chciken ribs were stand outs. Pretty impressed at the array of dishes suitable for dietary requirements, not that I care as I'll eat anything.
Also had a great cocktail, not sure what it was called but it had lychees and vodka in it. It's probably better than the old place, but it's difficult to compare.
Loved it!. I walked in with the idea I was going to st Jude's for the first time. The staff seemed like they were flat out and said they were booked out but still managed to find us a table. Had entrees of lamb skewers and spring rolls and they were both to die for and reasonable priced. And mains of beef and ribs. Which were amazing as well. Didn't like the salads too much, but that is probably because of my hate for coriander. All in all it was amazing though and I'll be going back tonight
Much improved on the old Rice Queen. I wasn't keen on the original Rice Queen's food but obviously some positive changes in the kitchen with some St Judes staff amongst them. The starters were all extremely tasty. We shared the majority of them. After that we were all too full to try tge mains so I can't comment on them. Wonderful and friendly service and the decor is also great. Just one thing...if the restaurant could provide something to properly clean your hands with after eating the whole prawn skewers then it would be very helpful
Had dinner else where drive by and had to turn around to check this place out. Love the decor and outdoor smoking area at the front. Had a wine and booked a table for tomorrow night. Bookings only befor 7pm works for for me.. It's a week night!! Back with a review on food and service :)
Such a great restaurant, fun, flirty and fabulous, a night at Rice Queen is always a good one. The staff are easy going, the menu is a ridiculously delicious and the food is the best. It’s so hard not to over order when you start working your way through the list of dishes you MUST have.
Firstly – Rice Queen has moved!! A short trot from their old location on Smith Street, they are now on the hustle and bustle of Brunswick Street and are looking very at home! Still very much the Rice Queen we know and love but now with a Karaoke room!! The food is still exceptional and one of those places you find yourself drooling onto the keyboard as you blog!! For all those getting bored with big sloppy pulled pork rolls and sliders we have ‘Baby Bahn mi’ Rice Queens take on the classic Vietnamese street food with their own pickles, fresh salad, gochujang and kewpie mayo plus delicious pulled pork – YUM!! I wasn’t too bothered about the old KFC dish, over the hilarious namesake that is usually some greasey chicken with some clever twist this was a new high in the land of CHICKEN! Eric’s seven spice crispy chicken ribs tossed with spring onions and whole chillies and served with an amazing mint sauce is one of the best dishes of the year! Could go back now for those spicy, succulent
Atmosphere was lovely and staff were super friendly and attentive. Loved the food, it was delicious, packed with heaps of flavour and the best part, was that once you order, didn’t take long for food to come out. Only thing, two larger plates and one smaller plate, with veggies and roti wasn’t enough for two people, large was defs not large enough. Heaps of paid street parking.
If you’re looking for good food and good alcohol, make sure you check out Rice Queen! We were there during happy hour and got the oysters for only $2 per oyster! The cocktails were amazing and so were the food! We got the XO fried rice which was so fragrant and full of flavour without too overwhelming. We also the tuna tartare that was paired with egg salad and thin prawn crackers, it was amazing! And the staffs and bartender were super friendly! Can’t wait to come back again!
Went here for drinks & then came back for dinner. Such a warm & welcoming environment! Austin (venue manager) is so skilled at what he does & all the workers are super friendly. Food was amazing!! Generous portions & full of flavour. Loads of Vego & Vegan options plus Gluten Free options as well. Excellent value for money. Music & lighting is also perfect. Highly recommend & will definitely be back soon. Thank you very much.
Such pretty decor, great service, quick food and also so so yummy 🥰 recommend the KFC cauliflower, the lemon mocktail, and lychee cider 😋
Austin and his team are next level hospitality. Such lovely food and outstanding service just makes your heart melt. This is a great venue. Food is so full of flavour. Caters for vegetarians and gf. Will return in next day or so because it is so good
asian food in an amazing interior
🥘 beef massaman
🐟 kingfish
🍤 prawn toast
🍆 crispy eggplant
🥢 xo tofu
🏠: @ricequeenfitzroy
📍: Fitzroy
📝: Dine in this chic, dimly lit restaurant in Fitzroy. The perfect place to bring your date out for a romantic dinner lit by candle light. Such a fun and well decorated place, super impressive interior!
❤️: If you love Asian fusion with strong bold flavors, you can’t miss out on Rice Queen Fitzroy. They’ve got delicious dishes like 🥢 XO Tofu, 🍤🍞 Prawn Toast, 🇹🇭🐮🥘 Massaman Curry with a fall off the bone beef rib 🤤😍.
Situated in a cavernous space and boasting a sophisticated yet fun vibe, this is the place in Fitzroy to go to if you're after an Asian fusion feast. Choose from dishes such as the tangy and fresh Kingfish Ceviche Pani Puri, or the crispy eggplant that is a mix of sweet and savory, or the tender melt-in-your-mouth Massaman Beef Curry, or the crunchy prawn toast that is super addictive. Rice Queen definitely tick all the boxes if you're after an enjoyable meal.
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