Review Rice Queen

Debbie Nik

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.

Celine Yee

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!

Tim Firth

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.

Emily Painter

Such pretty decor, great service, quick food and also so so yummy 🥰 recommend the KFC cauliflower, the lemon mocktail, and lychee cider 😋

Felicity Wu

Places was well decorated and the kingfish was nice. Our booking was at 6:30 but the food came out so slow that the we didn’t get our dessert until 9. The rice was undercooked so we couldn’t eat it and the ribs we had was mostly fat. The staff were sweet however every cocktail order would take 30-40 minutes to get made. The music was so loud we couldn’t hear what the waiters said or even have a conversation. I understand the “vibe” they’re going for but I like to have a conversation during dinner

Jazz Bir

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

Faa Papon

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 🤤😍.

Hello. imnikki

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.

Zomatoaddict

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!

Maddiekbarnes

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

Pooka89

Used to love this place, was a regular of ours. Until one day recently we went there with a group of 6, we ordered heaps because we were all starving, it was a special occasion, we wanted to try lots and....why not? The waiter was extremely rude about it, widening his eyes while we were ordering, saying ‘WOW’ under his breathe and when questioned about it he said ‘well it’s not going to fit on the table’. After the meal and after everything was finished, we said to the waiter as a joke we were still hungry and he replied with ‘there are still some scraps you can eat if you like’. Just completely rude and disgusting. SO SORRY FOR ORDERING LOTS OF FOOD AT A RESTAURANT!! So sorry that you had to stagger the meals so it would fit on the tables, so sorry to inconvenience you! Probably never going back!

Brady M

No extras or sides with the lamb shank?

Jasmin Pradhan

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.

Trumpair

Excellent food and staff. Unfortunately had to wait 1.5 hours to be seated, despite booking. While excellent quality, servings are small and overpriced.

Kheng OMNOM

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!

Emma Louise

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

Cmzajicek

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!!!

Amirtha Lakshman

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 ⭐️

Isabella

Myself and friends thought it would be a awesome idea to come here for a birthday however we did not receive the service that we had expected. We got a serve of dumplings at the space of 40 minute intervals. It was a shame because the food was actually very good!!!! I would like to come back so would appreciate better service in the future :(

Sarah Crucitti

After a very long wait and rude staff, we finally received our food. The food was to a very high standard however the service ruined the overall experience. Dietary requests were ignored and we had to consistently remind staff to bring our food. Expected more.

Morgs71

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.

Ash.m.watters

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.

Isabella

Came here for my birthday, great food and atmosphere. The service was unfriendly but not terrible. We had to call staff 3 or 4 times to take orders for food, drinks took about 15 mins to come out to the table. We didn’t enjoy having our plates taken away when we hadn’t even finished the food. Staff don’t say excuse me when reaching over to clear dishes, which lead to sauce dripping onto of one my guests as the waitress grabbed the plate, to which she did not apologise or even grab napkins for. We brought our own cake and were obviously charged a cake fee, received our pieces of cake and waited 10 minutes for spoons so we could actually eat the cake and we were given attitude when asked. Overall we felt like an inconvenience and the lack of staffs churlish attitude towards us when we were just trying to celebrate a special occasion was disappointing. Will not be returning back to Rice Queen even if the food was amazing.

Aimee Joseph

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 :)

Jonathan Voulgaris

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!

Fatchops

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.

Andrea Porcaro

We came as a table of 7 for a birthday on a Monday evening. Given that Mondays are usually a quiet one for restaurants, you would think they’d be happy to welcome your business. We were treated like a burden- unfortunately not everyone in a large party rocks up at exactly the same time and that’s not a good reason to mistreat your customer. We experienced a lot of attitude from the wait staff regarding our ordering and timing of the party’s arrival, even though we ordered food for the whole table before they got there. Drinks took 15 minutes to come to the table. The $1 dumplings were great value. Overall the food was pleasant and pleased everyone at the table. I like that they have a lot of variety on the menu and there’s a good selection of vegetarian dishes. It’s a shame we did not feel looked after on a special occasion.

AH

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!

Taylor

They had umeshu (plum wine) cocktails, and it wasn't bad. We went in after dinner and drinks, so we only had small bites but it was okay. The restaurant was very dark that I couldn't really see my food. おしゃれなアジアンフュージョンレストラン(バー)で梅酒使ったカクテルとかあった。とにかく暗くてよく言えばムーディやけど、飲み物も食べ物もよく見えんくてどうなんと思った😅

Kathy Chen

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.

Myako Sinaga

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.

Helen

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.

Vick Eats

Great atmosphere and vibe, service was average but the meals were great! Great Fusion Asian flavours executed well. I will definitely be returning!

Jesse (The Ghost)

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

MelbfoodCritic

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*

Quince And Cheese

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 Eats Melbourne

😱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.

Eat Me!

Enjoyed this place but there was nothing overly memorable. Nice decor and the food was good however a few items were just so so. If I was a local I’d probably go again though

Dani Boudville

Been here a few times over the past year. A good place for sharing food with a decent drinks list. Asian fusion, the food is pretty tasty but the real drawcard is the decor, music and cocktails. Staff are friendly but have had dishes not make it to the kitchen a couple of times so make sure you have them repeat your order, a minor inconvenience do not be deterred. A nice restaurant for a casual/fancy dinner.

Sinfully Delicious

This place has great atmosphere and service is fantastic and waiter recommended fab wine to go with the food. Top picks were the kfc and squid salad. The lamb rendang curry lacked flavour which was a let down and the baos has more garnish then pork.

Win - FSC

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! 👍

A-R

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 !

Stephanie

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.

Espy Eats

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.

Davisco Sprincorza

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.

Only If Its Good

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.

Spirited Stardust

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.

@lukebMelb

After having this bookmarked for nearly a year, I thought it might be a good idea to finally check this place out. Korean fried chicken ribs were very good ! and so was the char keow teow noodles. The pork neck with lettuce cups was probably the least favourite. It didn't come with enough lettuce cups ( only 4). I found the ratio was abit off pork:lettuce cups. Cocktails are pricey, but pretty good. I recommend the "rice queeny" shot. It's very good.

Yorkstergram

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. 💙

Don'tMessWithMyFood

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.

Five Star Char *

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

AdzTheFoodie

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!

Matt

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.

Kate Dougherty

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.

Mj

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

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.

Coffee_cherry

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

Naz Ardalani

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

Elizabeth Wallace

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

Renee

Fantastic and funky restaurant with a modern Asian twist. The right balance between kitsch and sophisticated. Great dining experience. Loved it!

Nikki

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.

Hungry Caterpillar 🥑

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!

Joannevr

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

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.

Merrin Matthews

Sad to say it wasn't what I was expecting from the Smith Street hey day. The food was average, and over priced and undelivered compared to the likes of rice paper scissors. The service was abrupt and rude, full of interiors from multiple staff. It was late granted, but it felt like we were "handed off" to 3 different staff in the last half hour. Very much a case of backpacker only staffing, no training and new staff every 3 months

Laura Kaziavin

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

The Gastronaut

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.

Lorraine Murphy

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

Sassyfoodqueen

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!

Lisa Nguyen

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.

Soylattelover

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!

The Modern Gourmand

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.

Linnie Eats All The Food

One of my friend’s were getting married and she wanted to celebrate by having a lovely dinner at Rice Queen. Rice Queen was also a bar and it was vibrant and loud! Yes, it was so loud that I could hardly hear the person next to me. Anywho, we sat down and we were all going to have the Banquet C which costs $44 per person. Since there was just so many food and it was a touch dark so excuse the poor quality of the photos.

Mark Gayle

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.

Kat

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.

ElCompass

Came here for a lazy drink with a friend. My beer was abit vinegery. Advised the waitress who took it back to the bartender and they gave me a different beer. The decor looks great, definitely would come back to check out the evening atmosphere and try some food.

Yume Yume

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!

Sussan Grace

Hi, My name is Sussan. I called up on the 20/7/17 following up my query booking that I made online a week before but had heard anything back. The person I spoke to on the 20/07/17 couldn't find the query after 5 minutes of fiddling around with what ever he was doing and then also holding for another 5 minutes with him saying he's going to ask other staff members. After those 10 minutes, he then went on to book a table of 25 people at 8:30 because he couldn't fit us in at 8pm which was my original request. I chose the banquet with the dessert. With having 2 people that weren't eating, 1 person not wanting red meat and another not being allowed to eat any seafood. He then went on asking for my personal details as well as my credit card details to be able to finish the booking. I called today 2/8/17 and spoke to another man telling him I wanted to add two people to my booking on the date and time stated above. Again, 5-10 minutes was wasted on trying to find my booking. He then said he would sort it out and call me back. He called back. Was apologetic but was also rude. I was told no one knows or has heard about my bookin. Or not a single one of his staff members made it and he physically couldn't do anything about it but yet I wasn't offered any kind of compensation for the hassle that this has caused. He also asked me if I was sure I didn't book it for Rice Paper Scissors - seriously? I pretty much ended the conversation furiously by saying that's fine, and he then hung up on me. So what would have happened if I didn't call to add those two people? What would you have done? Would you have treated me the way I was treated on the phone? So, apparently I spoke to some sought of ghost that runs your bookings and picks up your phone's. Spooky. If my credit card is charged for not showing up on the 5/8/17 at 8:30 I will be even more furious. I have never been to Rice Queen as well as more than half of those 27 people I had coming with me. I have been excited for some time now to try it out after the great reviews. After what has happened, I will never, ever, walk foot in your doors. Fortunately, Alpha Ouzari down the road were happy to take in such a big group with such little notice. Nothing like some Greek Food with GREAT customer service on your birthday with your loved ones. Regards, Someone who will never eat at your restaurant + more.

Liz

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.

Foodie In Paradise

Love the beautiful interior decor of this restaurant/bar. We came here for drinks after dinner on Brunswick street. Lovely cocktails and great atmosphere 👍🏼

Liv Harris

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!

Molly Lowe

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!

Simmyeats.Melb

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.

Prophetmars666

Wondering around on Thursday afternoon looking for very late lunch bumped into rice queen . Was greeted by the girl who didn't seem happy with us entering the restaurant . Managed to sit and ordered our food. Food was very good touched all my taste buds but the very very disappointment was the rude waitress why work in hospitality if you hate your job . It just made our food experience worst . She bumped with one of my partners friend and instead of apologising she said"oh! God" and walked away. We were surprise . Look forward to coming back but would check is she is working the day or not .

Bree Smith

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

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)

Ashley N Sam Malolo

Atmosphere was great. The food was over priced and underwhelming. Favourite would have to be the Bao Buns.I Wouldn't go again,but nice place for a drink or two.

Sandy

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!!! 😊👌🏼

Vegbourne

Rice Queen, Fitzroy, cuisine - Asian. Another one of the hip joints on Brunswick street. The decor, crowd just puts your mood up, not to mention the various drinking holes you can wander into after dinner. I wouldn't say a lot but a decent number of vegetarian options are available- mini banhmi, San choy bao, dumplings, fried rice etc. the flavours were good but didn't blow my mind. There are just so many whack your taste buds, amazing Asian places with a plethora of vegetarian options that we just can't accept mediocrity anymore. It was a great night out no doubt and a fresh coconut always makes me smile 😊. #rating2.5

Ashlee

Service here is terrible. Our group of 5 was taken to a 4 seater table and just had another chair put at the end. The restaurant was mostly empty except for 2 tables but they put us in a corner in between 2 other tables of people when we could have been sat somewhere else at a bigger 5 seat table. Considering we had a newborn in a pram with us also! Despite asking twice to sit somewhere else we were refused and told "we will just split your food up". After being sat down for 5 minutes we didn't have any menus, we asked the blonde waitress wearing the denim dress for menus and she turned around and rudely said "I was literally just about to get them for you". We were very shocked. This review has nothing to do with the food it was fine but felt very uncomfortable and crammed in this restaurant so not very happy with the experience.

Dion Kaliviotis

Came here a month ago at 6pm with my girlfriend. We decided not to book because the weather was average and we were going to be arriving early. When we were arrived, we were correct. The place was reasonably busy but no where near full. We politely asked if we could get a table for 2, and the lady who served us responded in a rude manner, asking if we had booking. We told her we didn't and she shunted us off straight away, even though there were plenty of tables available. We said we would be happy to eat by the bar, but they don't allow main meal service at the bar. We said we'd be happy to eat in front outside section because it was empty, but that's for smokers only. So we asked when there may be a spot available and she said nothing till after 10pm, again in a rude manner, then just walked away from us. So I immediately went onto Zomato to see if I could book online for 2 people and they had availability all the way from 8 15 till after 10... We even told the attendant that we would have happily had a drink at the bar until an opening popped up later in the night, but she didn't seem to care or want us there at all. Make sure you book, in case they're not full...

The Carnivor & Vegan

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

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!

Cmtamb6

Amazing banquet including a variety of entrees and mains! Friendly staff & incredible food... We will definitely be returning customers :) Highly recommend

Manmar

Very dark restaurant. Needed the torch on my phone to read the menu. Polished concert floors & high ceiling made for an extremely noisy environment. The food was excellently, the stand out item being the mini Bahn Mi. The 48hr slow cooked beef rib was really tough, but the flavour was sensational - it was served with bao, pickles, fresh spring onion, coriander & chilli. Good place to come in a group but not recommended for a romantic dinner - too noisy.

Jamie Wild

I come here with 3 Asian friends. We order the Korean fried chicken. It was nothing like the Korean fried chicken I have ever had before and was aweful. The sauce to go with wasn't good either. We also order rice queen fried rice. It was okay but only had 1 prawn in it. It is very easy and not that tasty. The last thing we ordered was pork and prawn dumpling. They were undercooked but they were okay. As a lover of Asian food and enjoy the company of my asian friends when I go out. I definitely will never come back here as the food could be better and everything over priced.

Sharna

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 !

Tony Redman

Booked a table for 4 at 8:30pm and we're not seated until after 9pm. Not a great start as we were all starving by then! Food overall was tasty but on the small side for sharing between 4. Bear this in mind. Nothing special here, especially the service which was woeful. Over 3 hours to serve us 6 dishes. No apology or recognition of the delays at all. Give this one a miss.

Jia Sheen Nah

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.

Jess Lee

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

Calvin Zhuo

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.

VegoLover

Place gets full by 8pm on weeknights. Red lanterns and fake flowers provide a lovely atmosphere. DJ gets louder and louder as the night goes by. A few vegan choices here. San chai bao was served with black bean tofu with ice burg lettuce. It was ok. Expected more veggies as per typical Chinese restaurants. Bang mi with fried tofu was a much tastier choice but the red/chilli sauce didn't really match. It's also quite expensive at $9 for a small bun!! Organic coconut juice was delicious. Service was quite friendly but the waitresses were often found talking with other staff rather than paying attention to customers...

Let Laura Eat

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.

Madeleine Athans

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!!!!

Bruce Willis

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

Caroline Beaney

I really love the atmosphere of this place! It's probably the best thing about Rice Queen. It's very pretty! I shared some meals with a Meetup group. The food was ok, but I had high expectations because of some of the reviews on Zomato. None of it was truly amazing though. We tried the squid, Korean DIY tacos, Korean Fried Chicken, the salmon, the fried rice and the duck. I also ordered the Dark Chocolate Chilli Sorbet. The best out of what I tried was definitely the fried rice and the salmon. The Dark Chocolate Sorbet was a disappointment! Such a small dessert and the same price as the other desserts on the menu! At some parts the hint of chilli was strong but at other bits of the sorbet I couldn't even taste it! The waiter tried to up sell us to the $45 bouquet. It contains a lot of food so could be well valued but we thought it would be too much food for us. Ended up being cheaper to not go with the bouquet. The waiter was a bit disappointed we didn't order it .... One of the members of the Meetup group ordered a ginger beer but was very unhappy with it. Apparently it tasted bad. I would return to see what the karaoke is like.

Michy

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

Jessica

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

Sweet And Sour Fork

All up, I thought Rice Queen was more of a crowd pleaser than anything. The food had a bit of personality without pushing any boundaries, there are cocktails and drinks galore, and it’s all served up in a gorgeously decorated and spacious environment big enough for almost any group (as long as you pre-book). I wasn’t particularly fussed about the food, but I liked the menu’s versatility that allows for anything from popping in for a snack and drink before a night on the town, all the way to a leisurely family get-together. I can’t see myself coming back, but I can see myself recommending it to people who need to feed a fussy crowd.

Lil' Wheatard

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.

Rohin Aggarwal

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.

Bridie

I've been wanting to try Rice Queen for some time now so ordered a meal from Uber eats. I was quite disappointed that the vegan Fried Chicken (korean fried cauliflower) was really just 6 small cauliflower flowerettes with a bit of seasoning and a hot chilli. Unfortunately way over priced for the size and not very satisfying.

Annie Haak

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!

Fred F

We went for dinner here Monday night with a table of 12. With a table of 10 or more you have to chose from one of the 4 or 5 set menus they have. We ate from menu D $44 a head, which before we went we thought was not bad.. Starting with the customer service... The lady that got us our table was lovely then the lady that started and mostly throughout the night served our table was also great.. But later in the night the guy that was behind the bar started to serve us and with his shit attitude and grumpy face it really let the whole place down. He didn't seem to want to be there at all was not at all nice or pretending to be nice or interested in serving anyone. We spent a lot of money of this dinner and we were also drinking so the bill was a fair bit. With customers that are spending you would think that the least he could do was pretend or fake a smile, he couldn't even do that. I wish I had of got his name because he is not someone I would want working at my business, so he really let down the whole experience here. Lucky that the ladies who were serving us earlier in the night were amazing otherwise I wouldn't recommend to go back at all. The food from menu wasn't too bad, the food was enjoyable but a few of the people were disappointed that there wasn't more meat mains. For $44 a head you would think there would be more value as just for food we paid around $600.. Was it worth it, I don't think so.. The food is nice and most of us would go back but not with a group as you have to chose from the set menus. We also had a cake with us as it was a surprise birthday dinner, they charge $25 cake fee. I understand a fee but $25 is a bit steep. Overall the place is nice, good decor, the convince of the little area at the front to smoke, can accommodate large tables, some great staff, nice tap beers but there a few things that let this place down a lot. Rude staff is something that should not be tolerated by a boss/owner because that is a major part of a dining experience.

Aaron Smith

Lazy poor quality and low quality for twice the price How is one piece of roti bread cut in half count as two and cost $4? $19 for 6 or so slices of spicy duck? Putting tiny amounts of mediocre food in fancy delivery boxes doesn't justify double the price of a half decent restaurant. I'd rather eat the flesh of my own fingers of the bone than waste my cash ordering from here again.

Harley Stafford

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.

Matthew Casey

I have been here twice now and there is do denying it the food is delicious and the decor is lovely it is a truly lovely place bar one thing that is the staff, they were rude they were inattentive and all around ruined the entire experience. Now I would put this down to a single occasion that maybe I went on a busy night or got the wrong person on the wrong day, but it was a consistent the two times I have been and as goofd as the food is I don't consider it worth the effort of putting up with the horrid staff. There are plenty of places in the same area that offer a whole experience and for my money I will go there and be treated with respect.

Sweet Chilli

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.

K And E

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!

Ashleigh Cristine

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!

Deanna Montagnese

The service didn’t live up to the food standard experience at all - was very dissapointed. They didn’t care when my friend was served a meat dish when asked for a vegan dish - not coming back anytime soon.

Pip

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.

Elle Jaybee

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

Lovefood

the 2 is for the pork bites and the interior decor. everything else is a pass. service 2/10, food 2/10 ordered the feed me, 4 sides for $20. good price, dumpling was cold and lacked flavour, KFC was burnt and dry, crab roll was over bearing with this chilli sauce that didnt make sense. the pork bite was nice. we also ordered the squid and lamb dish as mains, but had to cancel because we were getting frustrated that our first meal was sitting there to be cleared for 1.5hr. they obviously forgot our order and blamed it on the fact that we got the banquet so therefore our mains would only come out once we finished...bull! dont go here, i'm sure there's hundreds of other eatery around Brunswick that would welcome your business more then this place.

Darian

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

Ai

Caramelised pork was super yum!!!! Omg I totally love ed this dish!!! I strongly recommend to eat it without the sauce first, and then with the sauce. You can have 2 different flavours!!! I was so glad that I ordered the pork, it was definitely my favourite. We also ordered duck leg with red curry and beef bao. Unfortunately, the duck was pretty dry and not really flavourful. Beef bao was okay, but beef was pretty greasy. I kinda felt sick after eating it. Also, our waitress took the plate while we were still eating. Overall, pork was the best but other dishes were just alright

Bonchikiwawa

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 :)

Jessica Saunders

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!

Foodie87

Not sure what the fuss about this place is. The food is very average. It was extremely loud and noisy and even though we had made reservations we still waited in the waiting area almost 45 min to be seated. Lovely interior very cool but just another modern Asian restaurant.

Hiroko Rampy Nakamura

Food was ok, but the staff.. She sat down next me during she's getting our order and she recognized that we are japanese so she tried to say 'suck my XXX' in japanese. It would be funny if we were friends but it was inappropriate.

Deecee

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.

Julesdm13

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

Tonie Amato

I was looking forward to dinner at Rice Queen with two of my friends . There was a great vibe , instantly as we walked in and the decor was incredible . Considering , it was our first time , we decided to order the banquet to sample some of the different dishes . Meals were enjoyable and generous . Service was ok but slow . However, the biggest and confusing let down was when we were served our dessert . We were served two chilli chocolate puddings , served in a whiskey style glasses , to be told that the two servings needed to be shared by three people . We were left speechless , how ridiculous . Surely chefs could of served the dessert into three glasses , considering there were three of us .We then asked for another glass, so we were able to create a third serving . What a disappointing let down and lack of common sense by the restauranteur/ chef .

Budgie

Nice set up and decor and that was it. Drinks are over priced and I feel the menu is over priced too. I have had far better food at far better prices than Rice Queen and there are plenty of good dining options around the area. This place is more a tapas joint in my opinion. Ordered the crab bun - $10 for one tiny bun with hardly any filling and it was gone in two bites. $15 for small portion of prawn and pork fried rice which was very bland and ordinary. My son being vegetarian asked if they could substitute the meat for tofu and was told it is not possible. Cannot understand why it was so difficult and this really surprised and disappointed me. They expected him to order a side of tofu as an extra. My older son ordered the eggplant dish which was tasty and well balanced with a small portion of brown rice. Again not a large serving. So we left rather hungry and not very satisfied for the price we paid for our dinner. Wont be back there and will not recommend.

Luke And Hannah

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.

Shockjockdeano

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!!

C U Jimmy

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! 😊

AP23

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.

THE_G_MAN

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!

Reviewer91

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!

Crystal Yeung

Great vibe great food, would recommend 10/10.

MJ

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.

Hungry-Caterpillar

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!!

Naveed Khan Kronholm

What a shame. Came in to the restaurant, had a late booking and was met, not greeted, by a man who didn't really seemed like he had the flair for hosting. We were asked to sit in the bar because they were running a bit behind schedule, it happens, and it was a good way for us to see what the cocktail bar was all about. Nice drinks menu, but a bartender so unaware, with such a lack of enthusiasm and with no eye contact at all - While i was standing at the bar, waiting to be served, we got called to our tabel, so no drinks for us this time. Arrived at the table we started ordering food and drinks; Bahn Mi Pork, Pork bites, Prawn Toast, Ssam Chicken, Wagyu Tataki and so on. And what a meal! The food was so well cooked, well balanced and interesting. The pace set by the kitchen was perfect, and with only a couple of flaws here and there (not really worth mentioning) the kitchen managed to deliver a beautiful meal. Halfway through our meal the drinks showed up, over diluted and with no understanding of measurements. We went onboard the next flow of meals, Thai beef salad, DIY Korean Taco and so on. - Good, but maybe a bit too fast, lacked a bit of the finesse touch that the other dishes had shown. In general the food was above middle but the service staff was beyond terrible. No understanding of hospitality, no interrest in costumer and just lack of hospitality. Staff were hard to get hold of and made us feel like they couldn't be bothered with us Food: 4 Drinks: 1,5 Service: 2

Jar-Fed

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.

Keith Lawrence

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.

Chubbylover86

Had to say was disappointed visiting this place after hearing good things and seeing the menu. Ordered the sumo deluxe banquet menu between 4 people an found the taste of most dishes underwhelming. The dumplings you could beat going to anywhere in china town, the duck had too much fat an not enough to share between 4 people and the papaya salad was not tangy or strong in flavour. The do it yourself letter wraps were tasty but as the main show piece for their best banquet menu, felt a little cheap. The pandan pana cotta dessert was tasty, however they were small an we had to share two between the 4 of us despite all ordering the banquet menu. We went to Messina afterwards as we weren't satisfied. This place would be better suited for casual drinks an tapas rather than dinner.

The Frugal Cats

Nice, colourful and inviting venue at first glance. The Korean fried chicken and the prawn toasts were amazing! Definitely the hero dishes of the night. We received our drinks after we were served our entrées. The duck leg curry was quite good while the tom yum fish was average. Staff were hard to get hold of and made us feel like they couldn't be bothered with us. The only time they suddenly got friendly was when they were giving us instructions about how to include a tip on the eftpos machine. Very disappointing experience overall. We'll be spending our hard earned $$ elsewhere next time :3

Jules

Great food, ambiance and service. Also, incredibly good with gluten free options. The fried chicken was a standout dish (and gluten free).

RosaNZ

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 :)

Sarah Latte

Ordered a cocktail ($14..) came in the smallest glass I have ever been served with. The head waiter was rude and hard to deal with. Must say, the actual waitresses were lovely. I do believe they should reconsider the staff heirachy. The fried chicken was delicious, but the Bahn Mi was a joke. Bland, tasteless and a waste of good money. Wouldnt bother to visit again, unless I won lotto and felt like throwing money away.

Carmen N

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!

Grace Darken

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!

Trinh Ly

The decor of this restaurant is immaculate and gorgeous! My partner and I got the feed me banquet and that filled us up very quickly. The dishes were pretty good. However, the duck curry lacked excitement and was pretty tough. The only let down for the night was the reception at the beginning of the night. It was disappointing that we were asked to wait 15 minutes at the bar for our table which was clearly available and already setup upon arrival. Mind you we made a booking prior. We also witnessed other parties who just walked in, get a table before us. Probably a way to get people to spend more money on drinks. Oh well.. Our service for the rest of the evening was standard and could improve for a restaurant with potential. Nonetheless, our experience here was enjoyable.

Eli Eats

Tonight I witnessed a young lady collapse at rice queen, right by the entrance way. Lee/Leah (the venue manager and duty manager at the time) managed to spend 5 seconds with the girl during the 10 minute ordeal while customers provided her with first aid. The moment she was able to get up to sit in a chair Lee made a timely appearance to ask she move as she was blocking the entrance. This place is fine, though if you're looking for somewhere where human beings matter I'd go elsewhere. Great Job! ✌

DS

I have been here quite a few times now and have always found the food enjoyable. Include the KFC and the chocolate sorbet on your share list

Ben Milroy

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

Dionne

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.

Tee Ice

"...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.

Peter F

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.

AlwaysHungry

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.

Ali T

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

J88

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..

James Yelwar

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.

Style Bite Melbourne

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😋😋😋

Kbrly

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

John

Great food and great atmosphere. That said, it is very obvious that the main intention of the manager is to get as many people circulated and through the restaurant as possible to generate business so that did ruin it us because we felt really rushed.

Dougie Thompson

The first thing I noticed was the flowers... Garishly coloured, lavish quantities of ersatz blooms lining the huge kerbside windows. The venue currently known as Rice Queen on Brunswick st. is one I am extremely well acquainted with, and quite fond of. I worked here when it was the Hideout (I once served a bowl of chips to the young Harry Potter just after the premiere of Philosophers Stone here), and it was a frequent beverage stop when it was known as Polly. I love the warehouse-y space, the post-industrial height of ceiling, and the layout. But Rice Queen's decor tops them all for spark and originality. The bright, garishly coloured flowers and accessories over sepia-toned walls reminded me of the old movies, when they had slightly over-bright technicolor added after being filmed in B&W, the colours a little too bright, a little sharper than reality could achieve. A high risk design strategy, but it paid off. There is an enjoyably fake brightness everywhere, with lots of bits 'n pieces to distract the eye, and there's a real "Miss Saigon" South-East Asian opera set kinda vibe. It's novel, fun and interesting. We ordered a kind of banquet selection, my vegan friend was well catered for in the selection of dishes provided. But someone had taken all the fun out of the food. As you might know if you've read any of my other reviews, i LOVE pan-Asian cuisine. The zing, the spice, the aromatics, the intensity and the herbs are SOOO deliciously tasty and interesting. Not so at Rice Queen. Uninspired use of ingredients. Uninteresting menu choices. Average presentation. In several dishes, the green papaya salad and the tofu, I could see pieces of chilli, but couldn't taste it? Wierd! No heat, no flavour in it at all. The fried tofu had a flaccid yet rubbery crust and little flavour. Dressings on the salads had not been tasted before they were served, way out of balance with the sour and sweet elements. The duck curry was ok in texture and flavour, but more something I would expect from a takeaway store than a Brunswick at restaurant. It seemed that the kitchen was going through the motions with no real passion for the end product. It was not bad.... But definitely falling a long way short of good. Now, the service... If it can be called that. One female staff member in short shorts and a crop top too busy striking poses in front of various male customers to serve us, we had to go and fetch our own cutlery from the service area five minutes after our food had arrived, and the bar staff seemed to have little idea what they were supposed to provide in the way of service. You know how you sometimes get the feeling that service staff are a little too busy being incredibly cool to give a shit about serving you? That's what It felt like here. Overall, it just seemed that no-one really cared about what they were doing. I usually try my best to have a positive approach to writing reviews, but there just wasn't much to be positive about here. My advice would be to go home and order some takeaway rather than eat here. You'll get much the same outcome for a lot less investment.

Alyssa Yap

It was a disappointing experience - today, we were refused to use our Groupon voucher because we were 10 mins late (called to tell them we will be running late, btw). To be treated by the manager who was really rude, unprofessional and unwelcoming is simply poor customer service. It's sad really, we were really keen to try this place but we decided to go somewhere else instead. Sat 12/12/2015

Francis_sabarillo

Good food. Although I played it safe and ordered the chicken ribs and steamed rice. Otherwise my rating would've been different as I compared the price and quality of the dish to those restaurants at Footscray and Sunshine/ St Albans. Next time, I'll try another dish. Still worth a try.

Two Bears And A Fork

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!

Foodielicious

Was expecting a lot from Rice queen, ordered the banquet degustation menu and the taste was simply not there. The place looked amazing, the staff was good and friendly but the food was a no no for the price tag....

Emily

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.

Kaz G

We have eaten here before and loved it so decided to have dinner. Booked a table and headed in. It was noisy and we got seated at a bar table. The host was really accommodating in finding us a better table but we waited while staff fixed up a set of tables for a group booking then chatted aimlessly, ignoring us. We gave up and walked out as we had not been served. We were not the only table to do so. Unfortunate as we love the food here but won't be back for dinner again.

Little Foodie

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.

Megan Linton

Poor service. We turned up optimistic for a great experience only to be met with a cold front of house manager. Long wait for drinks. Front of house needs definitely to work on customer relationship skills.

Clare Louise Wilson

Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere. Amazing staff. Would go back in a heart beat. Great spot for a date night and reasonably priced food!

Biscuit Musca

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.

Rose Clayton

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!

Nick The Greek

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.

Le_orange

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

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.

Stephanie

I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately it completely missed the mark when it came to food. The dumpling wrappers were so thick and tasted stale and the sauce tasted like pure vinegar, the curry was probably the most bland curry I've ever tasted, and the fried chicken wings were very sub par compared to many other places in Melbourne, the sauce that they came with was both confusing and not pleasant. Disappointing!!

Rennie

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.

BAddict

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

Melbourne Glutton

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.

Ali Ward

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

Shazzamataz

Food took over 40 mins to arrive and was nothing special, karaoke room was bare and completely lacking atmosphere. Wait staff were atrocious, unfriendly and surly. Def won't be visiting here again too many other great places in Melb to waste time here

Jenni Norris

We stopped in at this uber-trendy place one night for dessert and coffee. Well...you would have thought we had asked to defecate on their carpet! First the po-faced front of house [boy], then the sneering wait person made us feel about as welcome as a pork chop in a synagogue. Eventually the desserts arrived and were wildly overpriced and miniscule. My partner's chocolate thing came with entire chillis. Well that's terribly chichi but also really stupid and pretentious. Then came the final blow - "Sorry we don't do soy milk in our coffees"! WTF? We ended up parting with about $35 and I had to suffer the effects of a cow's milk coffee. Never again!

Trading Plates

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.

FoodieAboutTown

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!!

Keden

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!

Jay Jamieson

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.

Live2Eat

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!

Tasty_Gurl

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.

Occasionalist

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.

UDontWinFriendsWithSalad

Poor experience for my own birthday a week ago!! Food was great, but customer service a big NO NO. My issue was the way dessert was served for the banquet. 4 dishes between 13 people?! Two of the dishes being some sort of ice cream/sorbet that was served in a glass meaning my guests had to share out of one cup!! I ordered a vegan birthday cake from their very 'own' bakery that was absolutely awful, all of my guests disliked it. When the waiter came over to ask how the cake was I apologised and said it didn't taste right and no one enjoyed it, he cleaned the cake plates away and took it to the kitchen where to my horror I saw him discussing the cake to another female who then BEGAN TO EAT FROM OUR PLATES that had just been cleared. DISGUSTING!!! That's enough to put my whole dinner party off and never return.

Ann Dando

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

Chris

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

Rodney

Everyone at our table felt the food was pretty bland. For a somewhat more expensive Asian restaurant I'd expect something a lot more tasty than what we got. Won't be back.

Sally Shoes 33

Didn't like the food tonight, it was very tasteless. Ordered the banquet and one of the dishes was goat curry.! Goat is not a meat that many people like! Service wasn't good either. Music too loud.

Estelle Mae

Lovely food ........ Great service ....... Some good vego options ........ Music good level for food before hitting the town ...... ..........

Ambra

Enjoyable large group dinner. Enjoyed my first trip to Rice Queen for a large work group function. Loved the atmosphere and kitch styling. We had the set menu/shared banquet which was more than enough food and was served promptly from entree through to dessert. The food was great - really enjoyed everything I tried. Standout was the coconut panna cotta dessert. Staff service was lacking - at times we had to go to the bar to get drinks. I will nit-pick one menu item - Kiri Hodi - noted on the menu as an aromatic Sri Lankan vegetable curry of broccoli, baby corn potato and long beans - while Kiri Hodi is definitely Sri Lankan, the description (and actual food) was not - I would say mild thai in flavours. Overall good night & the gang hung around for some more drinks & karaoke - which seems also to be a hit. Would happily return in a large or small group.

Jhonnylawz

Love it. Great atmosphere, service and food! Get the twice cooked, caramelised pork! And the KFC!!!!!!!! Easy to see why it's so busy....

The Gini Concept

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!

Girlyswat

The meals were a strange combination of flavours which were not good quality and overpriced. It tasted like the chefs had no idea what they were doing. The chicken was tough and the Pad Thai nothing like an authentic meal. Service was average. One of the worst meals out I've ever experienced.

Porkie Pig

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

Facebook User

Finally Rice Queened. I've had cocktails in the front area before but never dinner inside so met a friend here for a catch up. Clearly others were doing the same. Not sure what is wrong with people on here but food and wine was ahhhh-mazing. I had pork belly entree (when does pork belly ever disappoint, really) salt & pepper squid and my friend had the vegan curry? all fresh and full of flavour! Felt like I was in Box Hill when I looked down at the plastic container housing forks and chopsticks but I guess they were trying to be authentic. Love the atmosphere and staff were friendly...the owner is typical brunswick st so don't get what everyones problem is lighten up a bit!

Veronica Patel

Manager/owner couldn't possibly have been ruder. Staff had no idea what they were doing. No one asked if we wanted more drinks. Avoid.

Jkcrows84

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!

Jess Carey

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!

Melbourne Patron

Equal parts vague, kitsch and regal in name, Rice Queen has been a staple of the inner north for years. Previously, it operated chiefly as the fun, cheap food option on the way up to Panama Bar on Smith Street. In its new(ish) home at 389 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy (which used to house St Jude's Cellars), it has undergone both a facelift and a personality shift, and seems to have settled into its ruling role comfortably. Spruiked as an "Oriental Diner & Bar", I must say I prefer Rice Queen as a bar. I remember enjoying the food more at its Smith Street site. It was tastier, better value and more soulful. Now, whilst still tasty, it seems overpriced and trying too hard. Side note: I do realise I use several phrases repeatedly (as well as far too many adverbs and extraneous information in general) - and "trying too hard" is undoubtedly one of them. How can FOOD try too hard, you ask? Isn't it inanimate, and therefore incapable of any kind of action Well, sure. But I am actually talking

Jacqui

Average food. Went here last night for a quick meal with my partner. We arrived around 8.15 pm and were seated quickly after being told there was a wait. After being promptly provided with menus and water, the waitress completely ignored us for over 25 minutes. I had to ask another waitress to take our order, who told us she would send someone else over. Within ordering, the food was on our table in 5 minutes. Very impressive. Except that the Sri Lanken curry I ordered was watery and tasteless. My partner ordered the Korean DIY Tacos which were ok but extremely overpriced. The place was very loud and too hipster for my liking. Won't be going back.

Mr B

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

Malbowker

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.

459493492

Service is a joke!. I heard rice queen offer delicious asian food, was so looking forward to try it out. but got turned off by the pathetic service,"we cant do this, we cant do that'...... and you call yourself hospitality?!! Dont bother at all. I would never return and give them second chance. Plenty of places to spend my money on!!

Jimmyblastoff

Friendly service, wonderful ambience & great food & sake!. I took a first time date to Rice Queen early one afternoon, and being the only customers we sat at the bar and sampled the sakes and chatted with the very friendly & attentive young staff. We decided to stay for dinner and had a wonderful time. When the bill arrived I noticed they hadn't charged us for the bottle of sake we had earlier in the evening. When I approached the staff member about this who had been looking after us earlier, he simply said that if we enjoyed the sake then that was more than enough, and didn't charge us for what was a quality bottle of sake! Very impressive, indeed! Even without the free sake, Rice Queen was fab! I would like to see the staff in white shirts with black waistcoats to add even more class to this classy establishment...

SmokinAussie

We don't "DO" takeaway!. My second attempt at leaving a review here. Probably writing a four letter expletive didn't help. Anyway, I went in there yesterday looking for something fresh and fast to go. The waiter was so smarmy "Oh, we don't DO takeaway". Good grief, the place was empty, I was in a rush, hungry and had no time to sit down. If you're any good, you take the order make a sale. If you're so full of your own self importance and want to keep out the riff-raff, take a bow fella, because I'm never going back even to sit down. SHIFTY CHEVRE was happy to look after me with a smile. I'll go back there. Take away can make up a considerable portion of your sales. Not only that, you don't have to wait on customers and they don't take up your real estate. If you wanna let money walk out the door, it's not so much about being full of yourselves.... It's more about having a stupid business practice. What a w@nker.

Mr. Brunch

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.

Melomie 12

Meh.. Small portions, unremarkable food, not cheap. So noisy on a Friday evening we left with ringing ears. I wouldn't bother if I were you.

Nene

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.

Kim

Worst experience. Went to rice queen with a group of 18 people. No one else in the restaurant expect for us. Owner was extremely rude and walked around like he was superior to all guests. When asked if he could recommend a cocktail he said he doesn't recommend cocktails as we wouldn't like what he liked. Very rude indeed. I Would recommend he hire someone else to work the floor as he was uninviting and appeared to have no people skills. Food was very flavoursome, however chilli over powered the beef salad and pork rolls and we were unable to finish them. Overall this was a shocking experience. Such a shame about the management because this place has huge potential to be great if it was in the hands of an ABSOLUTE legend.

Taste Buds

Rice Queen is a bit of tramp. Atmosphere and location are good, some staff were rude and awkward, the staff members that were rolling their eyes while looking on their team members service was a pretty clear indication that this service team aren't all on the same page! The concept of pearing a vibrant social dining setting with asian street food is great and makes for a really enjoyable experience, unfortunately the execution of the cuisine was a bit poor and the price a bit high for what you're getting. Points won for the restaurant and atmosphere, points lost for service, food and price. I will give it another go in case it was just a bad night.

Scottydewar

Thoroughly enjoyable experience.. Fantastic service from our waitress Christine (sp) and her crew went a long way to making this so enjoyable. I also loved that they had some unique Japanese beers to compliment my interesting and tasty food. Well done by all.

Foodhunterxxx

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.

Biancacasady

Rude Staff!!!!. We went to Rice Queen last weekend and had the WORST service. English guy completely rude and told us "our time was up" when we hadn't even received our desserts. The food was good but this unfriendly and outright rude attitude wrecked our night. Go somewhere else on Brunswick Street!

Chris Gulliver

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.

Laura

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.

Jayman75

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.

Foodie

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.

Foodie

Had the 48 dollar banquet - apart from the Korean fried chicken, this rates as one of the worst asian dining in my life..

Facebook User

Good but not great!. Everything came along very well to begin with, music, scene, mood and cocktails!! Food was great in regards to the Korean fried chicken, Thai beef salad etc but the chicken curry? Wtf happened there? Where's the salt chef? What school did you go to? Seriously the I gradients are perfect but there no real flavour... If you didn't forget the salt it would have been completely tied together... Get it together!!

Jasp_boy

Bring your own tortillas

EatEat

Fun Vibe. Really great place to go for a fun night with friends. Great interior, service is attentive and good variety of dishes. Worth a visit but book on weekend nights.

Dani D

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.

Alice

Food good. Service mediocre.. The food was really great, especially for vegetarians! The decor is really beautiful too. Although, even with a dinner booking we had to wait half an hour, and as soon as plates were cleared we were really pressured to leave. They don't have a take away licence, so anything we couldn't finish was thrown away. Was looking forward to a special dinner out but and although it ticked several boxes, can't help but feel a bit disappointed with the whole experience.

Hannah

Had an amazing event at rice queen last night large group of near the front of the restaurant and i felt all our needs and wants were exceled by our amazing food and service from our red head waitress, then had a yummy cake in the super fun karaoke room, incredible birthday night for my friend cant wait to come back again!!!!! Plus Kfc amazing!!

Erin_julia

Food ok, service terrible!. My friend had a birthday dinner at Rice Queen last night so I spent yesterday afternoon baking her a surprise birthday cake for the occasion. On arrival at Rice Queen, cake in hand, I am told there is a $25 'cakeage' fee. Although surprised at this (I have never heard of a 'cakeage' fee before), I accepted the fact. I had also brought with me a packet of sparklers to use as candles (great for effect - right?!), as I gave these over, with the cake, the waitress reassured me the sparklers were not needed as "the cakeage fee includes a large lotus candle which is what we do for all birthday cakes". A tiny bit peeved at this stage, at having to pay $25 for a cake I had made myself and had organised my own candles for, I accepted this and put the sparklers back in my bag - though it seems the shoddy service didn't end there. Throughout dinner, the waitress we had (different to the first one) was rude, pushy and constantly rolling her eyes when requests were made or food was ordered. This waitress was probably the rudest waitress I have ever encountered; making it very obvious to everyone that she wanted to move us on as soon as possible. This was further evidenced by the fact that, when the cake was finally brought out, myself and a couple of others weren't even at the table to sing happy birthday. The waitress had just brought the cake out with no consideration for making sure all attendees were present. Not only this, but the infamous 'lotus candle' was missing - in it's place were TWO SPARKLERS that WEREN'T EVEN CENTRED. I was not amused. The service all night had been poor, I had had enough and was no longer prepared to pay the $25 cakeage fee - I could have done a better job myself! After much discussion with the waitress and her manager (the waitress apologised for missing this 'lotus candle'), they compromised by waiving $3.50 from the cakeage fee as "this is how much the lotus candle costs" - how generous! We were planning on moving the birthday celebration to the bar section of Rice Queen, however we high-tailed it out of there and we will not be returning to Rice Queen anytime soon!

An Hindson

Love this place! Awesome decor and atmosphere. Delicious food! The mushroom tofu dish is to die for!

Livv

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

Deanricho_1999

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

Lauren Maree

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.

Sam Scriba

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.

Kelly

Great vegan options, lovely food and atmosphere/decor.

Ilikechups

Yummy!. Great atmosphere and great food. Cocktails were yummy but very small considering the price. I'd recommend it for a date night or girls night, definitely not a family place. I personally preferred the old venue, it was more spacious and had live music!

Kristine Lowe

Appalling service. We dined at Rice Queen last night with out two kids (who are used to restaurant dining and well behaved) and the minute bit of service we did receive was both rude and arrogant. It's such a shame because the space and food were great but if you are treated with such disdain it's very difficult to enjoy yourselves. We ate what we were given and because we couldn't get any service for a desert menu or another drink had to leave and go elsewhere after our mains. We will not be returning.

Joshua Wu

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!

Lynnkon

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.

Ainslie Samec

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.

Pass The Plate

I have eaten here once before and I enjoyed it so I decided to go for dinner again. The food was great and it came out super quickly. I had the Salt and Pepper Squid with Glass Noodle Salad which was delicious. My friend and I decided to get two desserts and share so we decided on the Black Sticky Rice with Coconut Sorbet and the Coconut Panacotta with Berries. Both tasted great and we were really enjoying them until I put a spoonful of coconut sorbet in my mouth and felt something sharp and hard. To my surprise it was a large piece of hard plastic. I was shocked and alerted the waitress who did not seem too suprised by it and continued to tell me that it must have been some plastic that was covering the ice cream in the freezer. She did take the dessert off our bill and did bring an ice cream cone of a different flavour for me to have instead but finding something like that in food is just unacceptable. I most likely will return for the food but I will think twice about ordering dessert.

Robert H

OK, but not great. Went here for a birthday celebration - were split into two tables and crammed against each other - set banquet was bearable but some of the dishes were very over salted with clumsy application of spices - no subtlety whatsoever - worst aspect was no table service for drinks so long queues at the bar Verdict? Friendly waitstaff, bright, breezy interior space but really noisy - food was just average A big loud venue that's not really my scene - seemed very popular though - hipster 'ironic' sort of vibe - to be honest a bit tired these days - time for casual dining to forge a new path, but hey, this type of operation is cheap to run.

Jonna Lindell

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!

Biba

Meh. Overpriced Asian restaurant for white people.

Phoebe Spalding

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.

Catherine.bowler

Wouldn't endorse. Unfortunately quality of food was spoiled by service from waiting staff. I handed my entree plate to waitress to make room for my main, she took it from me then placed it back on the table as if to suggest "thats not my job", it stayed there as I ate my mains on what felt like the smallest table in the room despite a reservation. Then we ordered 4 bottled beers after our meal, they took so long to arrive, at least 20 minutes we decided to leave, as departing saw them sitting on bar. Had to argue with the guy on register whether or not we would pay for them... we didn't! Its a shame, so much potential as great spot and fit out but i wouldn't recommend.

Steph

Over-rated and pricey. I have eaten here a couple of times with friends and while the food is delicious and the staff are nice I think it is over priced. You can eat the same quality of food elsewhere for a lot less and without needing to book a table and wait in line. The decor is funky, the location is great, the food is tasty just over-priced and over-rated... I dont get the lines and urgency to book a table here?

Damien Hills

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.

Foodie1

This place is over rated and I am afraid also over priced for what it is. That said we enjoyed most of our meal, we all had the banquet. not able to take left overs with us . none of the table of 5 particularly liked the sweet chilly drenched chicken that was provided to us in fact I would call it disgusting. The service was so shockingly bad, the timing of each course was rushed, we couldn't get drinks unless we asked several times and we asked for the bill 4 times. The place was busy but I would have said totally full or packed. The cocktails at the beginning of the night were good. Starters in the banquet were good. They were happy to deal with meal requirements and allergies

Jessica Honey

On numerous occasions now I have found the bar staff are so rude here, they leave you waiting while they chat amongst themselves. They refuse to make eye contact, a quick 'I'll be right with you' seems to not be part of their vocabulary and they seem to pick and choose who it suits them to serve when and if they get around to it. Otherwise this place is great the floor staff are very pleasant and the food and setting is great.

Lopha

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!

Lana McLean

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.

Jessica Griffiths

Great restaurant and delicious food. Didn't make a booking and easily got a table for two. Food comes out quickly and the service is attentive. Could very easily become a new favourite of mine!

Sophie Einöder

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.

Claire

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!!

Ambre

Zomg... Why do I buy into this hipster rubbish. Service is appalling and food is so much better elsewhere like Victoria st or china town. Don't bother.

Kasey Vanilah Ryan

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.

Cate Leonie

Mediocre - but must try their KFC. Our meal was enjoyable, but nothing too special. The one thing I would go back for is the Korean Fried Chicken - amazing flavour in the batter!

Kirsty N

We had two main meals, the schezwan chicken and lemongrass poussin. Didn't enjoy the schezwan at all, the sauce resembled something that had come out of a packet. The portions were large and better to share rather than an individual serve. The cocktails were hit and miss, my mai tai had ways too much time in it, and didn't hit the spot. An eclectic venue but didn't live up to Melbourne reputation that you can get great food everywhere ...... Overall disappointing

Cafe Cathy

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.

FoodiE

The entrees were great KFC, Soft Shell Crabs and the Pork belly was fantastic! The mains was a hit and miss. I really enjoyed the spiced duck, the Penang Kway Teo was bland, the Green chicken curry had very little chicken and salty. Overall I enjoyed it and I would go back and try some more entrees.

Jessica Manz

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!

Kj_44

Good atmosphere, hit and miss food. I dined here with a friend last week, and although the service and atmosphere was good, unfortunately the food was a hit and miss. We ordered the pork belly bites and KFC to start, and they were pretty tasty. The KFC was quite generous as well, so if you're not very hungry, you could just have that. For mains we had the pulled pork tacos and pad thai. The pulled pork tacos were quite tasteless, and the pad thai was awful. Overcooked, oily, no flavour. We ordered the pad thai with chicken, and there were two tiny pieces of chicken to be found. I can recommend the entrees that I had, but definitely not the pad thai. If I do go back, I'll stick to the entrees I think!

Isnice

Looks good - everything else bad. I was really excited to go here as it looks so beautiful. Unfortunately, the food is very poor. It is bland, poorly / lazily put together and expensive for what you get. I expected so much coming here and unfortunately I was disappointed. The atmosphere is great, so don't bother unless you are just going for a drink.

Joshua Ackman

Disappointing. So disappointed with this place. It looked so good and fun from the street with the colourful front, I love Thai/Malaysian food, and was looking forward to it. The noodles were bland, the dishes all boring...I imagine it could appeal to people who aren't all that familiar with good Asian food as it was dumbed down so much. The room had no vibe, and the staff all seemed indifferent, lacking knowledge, and generally appeared like they'd rather be somewhere else. So many other good places around, I can't imagine these guys will be around for much longer. Many other places far more deserving of your hard earned money.

Orian Ibraheim

Not quite sure.... Being to the great Cookie and Chin Chin in the city which my father and I love, we decided to head down to Rice Queen to expect the same on a rainy Melbourne night. When we walked in we were amazed by the paper lanterns that glowed above us and that feeling you get of being overseas in an exotic little Asian town. We were sat down in a cozy little corner which we liked and attended to straight away. Ordered the flat fried gyoza crips and KFC (korean fried chicken) to start us off. The gyoza crips were bland and had no flavour... wasn't at all like gyoza. The chicken's seasoning was quite pathetic and lacked in flavour and the crunchy texture of a deep fried food. I love my papaya salad and had to order one... came out in this little ramekin dish smaller than my palm and was not spicy or salty and was little in quantity! Then shared the green curry with prawns in it with brown rice. Prawns tasted like they had been in the freezer for a couple of months and were overcooked. The curry was also very watery and lacked in spice... and brown rice was dry. Overall the best thing about this place was a little pickle dish we ordered with the entrees at the start. Overpriced, little food and misleading.

Pella Jaye

Had the San Choy Bau today and it was so bland- had to add sauce from another dish to make it half tasty. The other dishes we had were also quite average - very overpriced and definitely will not return here... There are too many other awesome eat outs in Fitzroy to waste your time/ money on this one.

Alwayshungry

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.

Ramone De La Vega

Foods not bad but don't bring a pram here. We were literally the only patrons when we went (5pm) and the manager made a big fuss of how difficult it was to place us somewhere that we'd be out of the way. We felt really unwelcome. -----14 Aug, 2013----- The KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and pad Thai were awesome! Customer service wasn't great but we left very satisfied. Will be back again.

Sugar_licks

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

Trav

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

Nikki M

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.

Emmilio

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.

Thinkindave

Service isn't their strong point.... I dropped by this place recently for my sister-in-law's birthday and I honestly wanted to like it. The website and menu looked promising and, on first glace, so did the decor. I was a little unnerved when the waitress greeted us with a half-smile and then seemed confused as to what to do with us but I let it slide thinking, "Hey, that's just the Brunswick Street way." Thankfully the barman soon took control and things started well with cocktails all round. I should have twigged that there would be problems to come when we were seated, given menus and then left to our own devices. No explanation of the menu or where to order, no reading of the specials, not even an offer of a drink to sit and ponder with. Just a tedious wait. "Do people not offer you drinks when you sit down anymore?" I asked my fellow diners. It would not be my last disappointment. I could rant for a while on the terrible quality of RIce Queen's service but I feel that the following highlights should suffice to convey my point: - Both mine and my partner's glasses were cleared after starters with no offer of a replacement. We're not drunks (It was a Wednesday and we drove home) but it was a birthday after all! - After deciding I'd have to catch and kill my own I went to the bar to source a pot. I stood in next to two waiters and in front of a barman who all seemed oblivious as to why I might be there. Perhaps I was looking for directions? "Do they not WANT to sell drinks?" I thought, "That's where their profit its!" - After sitting for 30 minutes after starters we noticed that while there had been roughly twenty customers present when we'd first sat down there were more than twice this number now and all seemed to have slipped past us in to mains. An enquiry placed with the waitress did immediately produce the food (which, of course, meant it spent the better part of that 30 minutes sitting under a heat lamp) but no explanation or apology accompanied it. There were also two other things I should mention which weren't service related. Firstly, the beer list was, quite frankly, pretty ordinary. Not bad, just really nothing to boast about. Secondly, the naan bread, which deserves a special mention. At only $3 I wasn't expecting much but I certainly didn't expect it to arrive in a bowl the size of a matchbox and to have about the same surface area. Honestly, charge me 8 and give me something worth ordering. All round the food was actually quite good but it was hard to appreciate given the quality of the service. Definitely a "dislike" from me.

Fergusginnane

Rice Queen 7/6/13. Over priced and disappointing. To top it off the service was terrible. WIll never go back again- too many other options on Brunswick Street.

Sandy Jeffries

Great Decor...Food Not So Great. Rice Queen's ambiance is excellent, street appeal 100%. Been for cocktails before and all quite nice but they do love their ginger flavours. I figure no colds for me this winter. Food service was so quick that we got to talking about how much of each dish is very pre-prepared. The roti (Single piece $3) was very cold and set into a blah doughy blob. Kung pow chicken sauce was very strong and not at all balanced, quite unpleasant. Pad thai was basically noodles with a lot of bean shoots (worst Pad Thai I have had). Green curry chicken was the best dish on the table. Quite hot so don't order it if you like mild curry, but it had some good flavours happening. Overall, very disappointed. I suggest go for drinks and maybe tapas but for the price of the mains, walk on by, well if you aren't hypnotized by the glow of the Chinese lanterns.

Ruby-Jean

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...

Mistermister

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.

Wes Champion

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..!!

Merrie McCulloch

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. :)

Anna

Worst service & ripped off. This was the second time I was here with a large group of people who were all spending a LOT of money, and who have worked in hospitality all their lives or own pubs in Melbourne, so are completely aware of how difficult it is to deal with people who are drinking all night. However, after only 30 minutes there everyone had the same story; "we swore we would never come back here again after we were treated so rudely, and now we are back and it's worse" If it wasn't for a friends birthday we would have left. If you buy a round of 5 cocktails at $17 each, you would not expect to be spoken to like an idiot, let alone would you be happy to see the bartender not even fill the tiny glasses to the top, but then pour the remainder into a larger glass on his bar, presumably saving it for later, since we overheard a girl in the toilets who worked there say how drunk she was. Each time one of us went to the bar we were treated worse. Honestly, I have NEVER been treated so badly in a place before. Go there if you feel like being degraded.

Chloe

The atmosphere is lovely, but the food is expensive for what it is, but tastes ok. Most of the staff are lovely,except for one blonde girl who appears to be in charge, she is rude to customers and staff, she gives the place a bad atmosphere

Tommy Rodger

Great atmosphere, cool decor, great service and tasty food! Recommended.

Wes Campbell

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!

Dhruv Chawla

Hit and Miss. Went there for dinner this tuesday. This is a very fun little place with a great atmosphere and exciting interior. The cocktails were pretty good and even the wine selection is intensive with some real good wines. The food is pretty limited as expected it is a gastropub. The food overall (mains and entree) is a sort of hit and miss with some dishes standing out and some being overcooked or too intense with flavors. The service needs improvement as the staff had to be reminded to bring the dishes in on the table and remove the empty plates. Overall a good place on fitzroy to have a few drinks, the foods needs consistency though.

Ashlee Khan

Great wine, service okay, but food is definitely not all that tasty. Need more seasoning and the Morton Bay Bug and Mint roll tasted like dirt. This place has gone down hill since moving from their smith street location.

Zak

We dined here on a Saturday night and were hoping for some great food judging by the nice decor and decent review. But were utterly disappointed. We ordered two small and two large dishes. All of them were very blunt. They lacked seasoning and did not even come close to decent Asian food we are used to eating. I suggest you go somewhere else.

James Finn

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.

Kelly

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!

Kaytee

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!

Grace

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.....

Sebastine Fox

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.

Patty

Rice Queen Review. Good atmosphere, good service and to top it up good, clean food with lots of flavour. Recommend the crispy fish salad and for dessert try the Pandan sago.

Jeff Tin

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

Patrick Doyle

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.

Jessica Jones

Don't waste your hard earnt cash. Firstly I had to ask the bar tender for my $6 change after paying for some drinks. Secondly we were with a large group and there were not enough seats, we were advised to wait till a table next to our friends cleared at the bar. We ended up finding a spare table inside at the front and asked for menus, the waitress came back and said we cant eat at those tables (even though other people were). We were then advised by our mates that there was a spare table, we checked with the waitress that it was available, only to be told 5 minutes later it was reserved in a rude demeaning tone. That was it, left without eating. Save your time, poorly organized circus.

Avril

Enjoyed the decor ... destroyed by the food. Sunday night with friends for food , we were headed to one of the other asian restaurants but as always remembered i loved the look of RICE QUEEN so we checked out the menu and headed in !! upon arrival we were seated which was perfect and then approached by one of the waitresses who had a face like I DONT WANNA BE HERE i inquired about the wine and asked could i taste a bit and it was like i asked her to give birth to a child !! After tasting the wine i was ready to order and did not get any service for at least 15min after our arrival *i must point out at this stage her head was resting on her colleagues shoulder and there wasnt alot of people in the restaurant * Anyways eventually we ordered our food and within 2min after our order our food was basically thrown down on the table we ate this crisp breads which were ok but soon i realise they were actually our gyoza which we paid 10 dollar for and we thought they were complimentary which we would of praised for but obviously realised they werent ... our next dishes were pad thai which was great i gotta admit but we ordered the calamari and prawn dish , After we started to dish out we realised there was not one prawn in the dish so we called the slapped ass waitress over and she said ... oh yeah we will get them to fry up a few prawns ... At this stage i was done if u wanna be somewhere like China Bar well then dont be so cocky .. i love food and travelling but in all places this had to be for me a overall THUMPS DOWN !!!!!!

Rachel T

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.

Felicity Cogan

Dont waste your time. I dined here for dinner last night and its a shame the food was not very good. The decor of the restaurant was fantastic. Will definately not be back.

Come Dine With Me

What the hell?. I had my first try of Rice Queen since it's relocation to Brunswick st. I had heard reports that it had improved since it's Smith st residency. It was found that it has certainly had NOT improved and was very disappointing. We ordered entrees to start which were beyond bland and then decided we could not risk ordering mains so left the restaurant. The food was below average which is such a shame because it is a lovely place to go and sit in.

MIssyJ

I want to marry the pork belly. It's always weird to read reviews of a place and wonder if I went to a total different place! I really like Rice Queen, I've been there 3 times now on a Friday night. Great because compared to some great places on Brunswick Street, its not too noisy even when packed. A couple of favourites: *Fried gyoza crisps (sort of like thick fried wonton wrappers) with a silky smoky eggplant sauce and pickled things * Lime and coconut cured fish, chrysanthemum leaf, mint, lettuce and red radish - i could eat a bucket of this tart salty dish with its gorgeous fresh herbs and yummy fish. * Soft caramel pork belly, lap cheong sausage, star anise - melt in the mouth delicious gelatinous pork belly with a carmel soy sauce you will drink from the bowl. I love the cocktails - esp the ginger mojito and the espresso martini. Nice efficient friendly service. My part of the bill tonight was $60 most of which was the 3 drinks I had!

Liz

Horrible food. We had a table of 8 people and only 2 people's meals were edible (who both ordered the same thing). Everyone else's meals were disgusting. There was pork belly which was a plate of quivering gelatinous fat, a dry noodle dish with a very unappetising sauce, and the list goes on. Do not recommend.

Tom Whitty

Bad service and shocking cocktails. Absolutely avoid.

Chocolate E Claire

Bad service! The prawn toas.... Bad service! The prawn toast was a stand out dish, but others were average. Probably won't go back

Erik C

The food is unfaithful and boring. But the service was excellent. If they improve the food, gonna be perfect mix i swear :)

Hummus

What a shocker.

Gabi Petrilli

Rice Queen can hum on my..... So to give you a bit of background we (being my housemate and I) live around the corner from this establishment. Not being in a rush to try we have only in the last couple of weeks decided to have a meal and a drink at the place as we wanted all the 'hype' to die down. No need to have bothered really...J and I are very good at picking our times to hit up the local places seeing as we are the locals and not tourists who come through on weekends. The first time we walked in the place was 3/4 empty, we asked to have a quick bite at the bar and a drink and were told that we couldn't eat at the bar but we were welcome to have a drink and wait an hour for a table. Sorry? Did I hear that right? Off peak, 75% empty and an hour wait for a meal. Sure, whatever you reckon. Clearly we were not touristy enough to warrant a meal. Second time (yesterday) J attended with her out of town friend and whilst the place was clearly quiet they were told the kitchen was closing (it wasn't, another waiter confirmed this) and that they 'couldn't eat at the outside table but were welcome to have a drink' because APPARENTLY all of a sudden you can't eat out in the garden area of the restaurant even though every single day over the last 6 months we have walked past and there are people EATING IN THE GARDEN AREA :/ what tha?? Is there something we need to know? So the ladies left highly disappointed. Appalling. Suffice to say we will never go back and spend our hard earned cash to eat some povvo version of much better asian food that we can get metres up the road or even a short tram ride in the CBD. Well done Rice Queen.

Lucy Lu

Bit disappointing. Four of us were crammed on to a tiny table, an issue when the nature of the food is share plates. Food was tasty, although if you don't like it super hot (chilli hot!) be careful what dishes you select. Service was extremely slow, with drinks sometimes taking over 15mins to arrive. Rice Queen was good for a relaxed night out, but wouldn't rush back.

Tasha Potter

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.

Ewils

Lovely decor, that's about it. SMALL portion sizes, tastes weren't quite there (added hot sauce in hopes of saving it), ordered two servings of prawns and they came separately (waiter seemed dismissive when we asked him where the 2nd serving was). When we saw how small the serves were we ordered another dish. Not worth it for the price you pay. Don't come hungry!!!

Shny

Seriously??? I can't beli.... Seriously??? I can't believe how busy this venue is given the lack of quality in food and service it offers. Great fit out but food is bland in interesting and poorly executed. Service is the same.

Mark Rycroft

We recently celebrated my birthday there and it was fantastic. The food, ambience, decor and service all combined to make for a great night.

Vic Cook

Loved the place and decor etc but the food was a little under par if u ask me... Not quite right.. Couldn't put my finger on it, just not the right tastes and flavours.

Fitzie

Lost her crown - won't be back. When she was on Smith St, Rice Queen was a regular favourite last minute choice. She hasn't survived the move to Brunswick St. The eclectic fit-out that suited the squatter-style Smith St digs now seems forced in the new cavernous (read loud and echo-y) space (used to be Polly's). It was bad from the start. We were seated after struggling to find the greeter - she was hanging out the front having a chat with friends. We commented to each other on how uncomfortable the seats were - small round bucket seats are a stupid choice for dining. No worries because she moved us 5 minutes later having remembered that section was actually booked (turned out to be a hen's night - more alarm bells). We were seated further back at a table with an ill-placed swinging lantern, annoyingly at head height and casting a red pall over our table. More uncomfortable chairs - and I snagged my pants on the cheap wicker. The once groovy basket of cutlery now looked cheap and grimy. Our orders were taken quickly - lamb for me and two smaller dishes for my partner. Her dishes came in two minutes (salty and oily was her summation). Then my drink. (raspberry ginger and lime mock tail - quite good if overly sweet). Ten minutes later, I asked a passing waitress where my meal was. She gave me a lecture about how food from the grill takes longer, cross examined my partner about how clearly she had ordered her meal and eventually left. Another 5 minutes later, she returned to criticise our waitress for her sloppiness in bringing my partner's meal so quickly and my meal arrived. It wasn't worth the wait. The lamb was cold and tough (the sign of an inexperienced kitchen), the roti doughy and raw, the yoghurt and macadamia sauce weak (one nut) and the salad limp. Everything that worked for it on Smith St works against it on Brunswick. Now it's just another Joe's Garage style round 'em up and wring 'em out joint. Perfect for hen's nights.

Dianne Dancer

Cute to look at but that's where it ends. A night out after work was spoiled by chosing to eat here. We had booked for 5 people, and arrived at the time we had were booked, and were shown to a table that seated 4. There was not even a chair in place for the fifth person. That should have been the first clue that things are not well run. We were handed menus and asked immediately if we wanted drinks. No time to even read the menu to see what we could choose. That should have been clue two that the wait staff are either not trained well or under instructions to get things moving fast. A plastic tray filled with help yourself chopsticks and cutlery looked cheap and nasty, not something one would expect for even this price bracket. This should have be clue three that this is a place that has problems as to what it should be. We started chosing the meals that we would like and placed our drinks order and when these arrived, we placed our meal order. After about 40 minutes, the meals turned up and from there it just got worse. My meal consisted of tough as old boots lamb with sinews, a huge cabbage leaf purporting to be a salad, and the pineapple salad would have been a scant two tablespoons full and tasteless. The yoghurt topping arrived several minutes after the meals did. The other meals were little better. By this time we had been there about 75 minutes, most of it waiting for the meals to arrive. Trying to make the best of it, we thought we might try some desserts to try to find something good about the place. The waitress approached, but instead of offering desserts, coffees or more drinks, baldly told us that our table was booked for another group dining arriving in about 20 minutesand they needed our tables to make up enough seats for this booking. We were made to feel that we weren't wanted and should move along immediately. The waitress left and as we sat there trying to decide what to do, another one approached a few minutes later and slapped the bill down on the table. So much for any thought of desserts and coffees. This place fails badly. The food is very ordinary, and not well presented or tasty. The service is poor and if the attitude is to get multiple seatings in one evening by making customers feel unwelcome, then they do succeed. Don't waste your time and money here. There are so many other places within a few minutes walk that are far more deserving of your patronage. We will not be back, and we will not be recommending it to anyone. Sad, because this place could be excellent if it looked into its attitude towards customers and the quality of food on the menu

Eb19

The papaya salad has no papaya in it. We were served a salad of bean sprouts and cabbage, was tasty enough but not the dish on the menu. We politely asked our waitress about it she went to the kitchen and came back with the explanation that the papaya looked and tasted like bean sprouts because of the acidic dressing they used. Interesting that she said this, because we didn't even mention the word bean sprout when we complained. Not impressed rice queen. Have eaten Asian food including papaya salad (with papaya in it!) in many places in Melbourne and Asia and will not be taken for a ride.

H

Was impressed with the setting but that was it. The $40 bottle of pinot noir we ordered tasted like vinegar and the service was even more disappointing. In response to the bad wine, the gentleman explained that that was how it was supposed to taste and condescendingly said that they can assist us with our wine choices next time. The unfriendly and unhelpful service added to leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Foodie B

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!

Julianne Scullino

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!

LittleL

Also take it or leave it. Can get much better food locally at much better value, but if you are after the atmosphere and cocktails it's abit of fun.

ThisIsWhatIThought.

Pricy for what you get. Atmosphere was good. Food was good. Do not order roti, $4 for half a normal square of roti. Making it $8 for the normal amount. Service was good. But the 1.5hr sitting was not enough. The dishes could've been served in nicer bowls. They looked like WW1 bowls. Not too happy about that. The ambiance is gorgeous. But the pricing could be nicer.

Jim

Very slow service. Had a dinner booking with set menu for 20 people on a Saturday night. Showed up on time and had to wait 30 minutes for our table to be available. Food then took about an hour to arrive. Drink orders over 20 minutes with some forgotten completely and still delayed after multiple follow ups. That said, staff were apologetic for the delay and errors and provided a complimentary shot and and extra dish. Unfortunately it still ended up being a disappointing experience and food was ok but not exceptional. Won't be back again.

Patrick

How do I say. I have decided not to like or not like, as I can't really say. (after sleeping on it, it's a dislike.. I won't be back in a hurry) We, 4 took a large range from starts to middles to ends... It was good but I'm not in a position to rave about it. The best dish out of 7 was the prawn toasts, they were great but really everything else was just unmentionable food - not overly flavoursome and no wow factor... Which for this type of resto with this type of investment has become the norm in my view. Kaffir leaf cocktail lacked flavour, think it was pure vodka - didn't complain!

Happyharriet

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

Connie75

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.

Bekka Beek

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

Erin

Take it or leave it!!. Not very impressive....entree and mains came out sporadically, which is not good when you are dining as a group. Not a lot of choice with the menu. Overpriced for the size of the serving. Waiting staff didn't think to clear the table before the mains came out, and had to be asked to clear the table whilst they were trying to fit all of the main dish plates onto the table. Waiting staff took all of the cutlery and napkins off the table before we had finished eating, and therefore had to ask for a napkin! I could find a much better place to eat at and spend $40pp for entree, main and a glass of wine!

EJK

So disappointed. Confused and flustered service. Overpriced, average food.

BoyTimex

Went with a group of friends and spent $750 on food and drinks and were moved on despite still trying to order more and protesting. The people in my group were in no way offensive. This place seems to have a desire to fail - they will succeed.

Julia Craig

Attractive decor but poor & confused service. Tables far too small for 'sharing style' which is a shame in such a large space. Overall disappointed

Justybot

Pretty but lacking. They have done a great job with the large interior space. Kudos for that. Food was a let-down value-wise. I appreciated the generous amounts of side salad (albeit mostly lettuce), but I couldn't help comparing what we received on the plate to another similarly-priced Asian-influenced restaurant - Chin Chin. The two of them are currently worlds apart in terms of quality. I would come back for a quick drink with a visitor to Melbourne, but wouldn't plan to have a meal here.

S_Melbourne

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

Scarlet

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 :)

Good Food Chaser

Awesome decor. Don't get c.... Awesome decor. Don't get chargrilled chicken dish- for $26, we got 3 tiny chicken wings and some salad. Felt so ripped off. Other dishes were ok.

Daniel Harman

As a local I was keen to check Rice Queen out, and it didn't disappoint. Great, friendly staff and really tasty food. Try the goat curry!

Secret Temple

Overall, my problem with the food is that it combined flavors that were not only overpowering but that seemed to have a little contest as to who would be manage to be so pungent it could make my taste buds go into suicide mode. Either dishes barely had any meaty taste (or fishy), which could be a problem when they do contain it.

FoodieAboutTown

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.

FoodieAboutTown

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

Minda Barley

Our wet and rainy day was certainly drying out thanks to this injection of spice.

Eat And Be Merry Crew

For many years, I have wanted to dine at Rice Queen. I first noticed RQ when it opened up under the Panama Dining Room in Fitzroy. I knew nothing about it, except that I liked the name. Skip forward many years, we made reservations at RQ, which now is located on Brunswick Street. Outside, is sort of nondescript. However, inside, it's a glorious riot of colours. It's an eclectic mix of Asian styles, done up in a camp-ish sort of way. Lots of faux flowers, the waitresses are decked out in cheong san, and there's a lot of warm mood lighting. Our waitress was exemplary - she very politely and kindly informed us that we should order soon, as there is a time limit on our table (we arrived late and we were too engrossed in a gab fest to realise that we hadn't ordered). It was a wonderful example where delivering an awkward message with tact, humour and diplomacy makes a world of difference for the dining experience. After a bit of deliberation, we ordered the four mains to share. The m

Review Rice Queen - Fitzroy