This is the best Pub in Melbourne!!! If you're looking for a decent Pub meal - than I highly recommend you try it this place. Got the best piece of Steak in Melbourne!! Its not like your average Pub food - like the whole Chicken Parma or your average Beer Battered Fish & Chips - The Builders Arm goes way beyond that!! This must be put on your list of Restaurants to try!! Highly recommend it!!! It also has great vibe and feeling towards it!!!
Terrific, old traditional pub, updated with food and decent beer. Small beer garden/courtyard with a mature tree and ivy on the walls. Friendly staff. Good food. And, on Christmas Eve, it wasn’t crowded!
Front bar respectfully treated, heritage features stunning. Run by one of Melbourne's food icons this place is in great hands. We dabbled in some of the Asian offerings and we were not disappointed. Love 'The Builders' long may it be preserved to this level of integrity.
Oh how pleased we were on our first visit to Builders Arms- we enjoyed the food, their great wine list and the laid back spacious set up of the Bistro. Definitely not your usual 'hotel' - BA is on another level and would definitely return to try out their other dishes.
Upscale pub grub. Delightful Art Deco fitout, and a small menu that has something for everyone. Food is fine. Wine menu is considerably more impressive. Kitchen seems a bit slow. Floor staff are on their game though
Stylish pub. The decor is lovely but understated. The menu is a bit all things to all people but still pretty good. My companions and I had a good time here. My dish was the chicken parma with mozzarella and fenel slaw. A lovely offering it was too. It’s a fine place. I’d happily return.
This was the venue for our recent work Christmas lunch. Service was excellent, as was the food. Great place for a pub meal in Fitzroy.
Sunday Lunch at the Builders Arms can't be beaten. Traditional Chicken Parma with a twist is the go to on a cold wet winters day.
The atmosphere is relaxed and the bar staff are on point. The service staff and food was to die for. I had an issue with my meal and not only did the staff act promptly and offer to remake the meal, they offered a full cash refund upfront. Good old fashion customer service with the right spirit. Will be back for sure and sing there praises.
In a competitive restaurant market as inner Melbourne. It's great to experience real service. Five stars.
Gene Isaacs
We were a large group and ordered the fixed menu, great value, fantastic steak and fresh ingredients all done well and with care. Service is good and the wine menu is also very good. A little noisy but well worth the visit.
Not the best pub but not the worst. Decent beer selection, good location, slightly above average crowd and service. It's nice on a warm day when you can sit out the front.
I love to come here on their steak night on Monday. Definitely one of the best $19 steak night I’ve ever tried in Melbourne. The portion is pretty generous. However, one night we came here for the steak night, the portion for the chips and salads were small compared with the ones we had previously. Overall, we always enjoy coming here even for drinks only
I came to the builders arms with work for a small Xmas lunch/ afternoon. I wasn’t actually sure what to expect but we had a delicious fine dining style meal with great wine and plenty of atmosphere. We close the set sharing menu and where not disappointed, the cod dip was smooth and creamy, the oysters seriously fresh, those that had the slow cooked meat said it fell of the bone and my fish was exquisite. We all had panacotta for dessert that wobbled well, a lovely vanilla flavour.
KD
Had the Sunday Roast which was a little exxy at $36 but was soooo good!! Was a funny crowd for a Fitzroy pub, very few people from the neighbourhood is my guess, more of a destintation for the southside set.
$7 schooies of Vale Larger and 19 bucks for 250 grams of Meatsmith porterhouse with chips, salad and sauces on a Monday. I’m a fan of Meatsmith meat, so not surprised the steak was great and was cooked to perfection. I ordered medium rare and it was a true medium rare, still very pink.
Place was really busy too so vibes were good.
We came here for lunch on a Friday at midday. We decided to order the whipped cod roe to share, the fish pie and the porterhouse steak with a side of onion rings. The whipped cod roe was to die for! The fish pie was nice but I wished that there was more filling in the pie as the seafood was abit scant. The porterhouse steak was also cooked to perfection and well rested. I would recommend this place to anyone.
A bit fancy for a pub. Was impressed with the serving size of my veal parma. It was delicious and highly recommended. You have to order and pay at the counter but service was great and the food didn't take too long to be served.
Great place for an after work catch up with some mates. The dining area is good, although it feels a little empty as there is so much open space and not many tables. There is a super simple menu...I had the steak which comes with fries and salad and pepper sauce. It was probably one of the best steaks I’ve had for a pub...I dare say it came close to Rockpool standard. Cooked to perfection and I love how it was sliced which made it more interesting to eat. Salad was simple, different types of lettuce with a dressing and the fries were good. Would definitely return for the steak alone.
Sophisticated pub style venue with attentive staff. The dumplings are great and the "Ricky dog" is even better, especially with lunch time prices. Great spot to have a drink with friends
Old school pub with an industrial vibe. Cozy place, but you're charged for the hipster locale. In saying that the service is also second to none. Great meeting place before heading off elsewhere.
Every time that I come here is a different experience. But today I was more than satisfied, the staff is so good an attentive in general at the restaurants of this group. I definitely come back with this kind of service.?
A pub with a great atmosphere and great food. We had the baked trout (outstanding) and half chicken (very good) as well as potatoes (always too many) and a tasty broccoli and preserved lemon salad. Eating out in Melbourne is always a pleasure as food is serious business in Melbourne. Small but satisfactory range of wine by the glass and you can start a finish with a cleansing ale. Easily accessible by tram and a must try.
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Builders Arms Hotel epitomises the sophisticated modern Australian pub fare. The highlight of my experiences here was the whole roasted rainbow trout. The fleshy fish was fresh and had a lovely hint of French (I suspected it was the burnt butter). The roast pork with "best ever" crackling is also a must-have to share between few people, albeit some parts of the meat was slightly dry and required mustard for enhanced taste. The fried cauliflower starter was also quite Cumulus-esque which I really enjoyed. Though I really liked the freshness of the mussels, I wasn't the biggest fan of the curry taste in its sauce. Otherwise, the sides at Builders Arms were very quality too, along with an extensive wine list! Overall, I've enjoyed my dining experiences at Builders Arms. It's perfectly wrapped up with the divine dark chocolate and orange truffle. The price you pay for the quality of meals here is very justified. However, I've rated this place lower than I'd liked due to slow, uncoordinated, and unfriendly service. The inattentive staff here seemed to have thrown decorum out the window and wasn't very hospitable especially when it came to moving tables (we were rushed out due to a two hour booking slot), and getting the bill. But when it comes to food and wine, you can't go wrong with anything related to Andrew McConnell so I definitely won't hesitate to come back for the food in hopes that service would improve.
Attended a friends birthday here last night. Beautiful food amazing service. Very accommodating. Would highly recommend.
Excellent pub with mostly friendly team who make you feel welcome. Their food is a smashing hit, really tasty bar food, simple is perfect, like the chicken schnitzel with iceberg lettuce. Doesn't sound much but the thigh chook is tender and perfectly cooked. Or try the classic New York Reuben sandwich... TASTY!!!
If you are really hungry or there's a small army in your crew you cannot go past the western plains roast pork. OMG the crackling, the presentation, the feeling of satisfaction you feel when you see it coming to the table, not to mention the food envy looks you receive from people on other tables. It's a real must to share. Brilliant Saturday afternoon long lunch goodness.
The other thing I love about builders is their rotisserie serving up coal smoked roast meats. Perfect pub for a quick beer, to stop a while or spend the afternoon!
A little good and a little bad. Went there expecting great things as I've read plenty of top reviews. I'll start with the good- our staff were keen and happy. Attentive and lovely. The food was pretty good. We ordered most all of the appetisers and they were smashing. The jamon balls were spot on. I ordered the fish pie and my wife had the parmigiana. Both were delicious. But we simply couldn't find a good wine on the menu. We tried one by the glass which tasted flat, almost like it had been opened over night. We ordered a bottle but there was nothing which really moved us. The bottle we settled on was the best of a bad bunch of Shiraz. Mixed review.
Don't judge a pub from the outside. Looks like a very sad pub from the outside. Step inside it's very modern and serves some great pub food. First time visit but would easily come back.
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Came here for a weekday dinner to catch up with some high school buddies. I want you sure what to expect but it's association with cumulus Cutler and Co. meant I was willing to go in blind.
The bistro side is decorated in traditional wooden paneling with hints of modern decor. It sets a nice relaxing environment, great for chilling with friends.
We choose to have the prawn omelette as a starter which was delicious. Piping hot and still slightly runny, it was rich and tasty with a good seafood flavour. The aioli went really well with the flavours, delicious.
For my main I chose the chicken cooked over coals with a cold beetroot and chickpea salad. The chicken was well marinated and very tasty. The salad provided the necessary greens to offset the amount of chicken on the plate.
For the side we started a plate of roasted potatoes, delicious starchy goodness.
For dessert I chose the homemade vanilla and chocolate ice creams. The vanilla was fragrant from vanilla bean and the chocolate had the perfect balance of dark cocoa and sugary sweetness.
Overall I enjoyed my meal and the service was pleasant. It's a nice relaxed environment however due to all the hard walls the dining room got quite loud with chatter once it filled up.
Two Bears And A Fork
+3.5
Great atmosphere and staff on that night were very hip & trendy. There were 7 in our party, each ordering something different, great place to have a laugh-out-loud and not worry about offending anyone else. The food was good, nothing spectacular for the price. The main meals are very meat oriented and I didn't feel like a plate of veg, so just got some sides. Would happily meet up with friends again here, but not sure we'd trek back as the menu is very boring for a vegetarian. (Sorry, no photos, was having a bit too much fun to remember to take them! ha!)
This Diner Is Anonymous
+4
Really solid place to eat. The burger is amazing, and the bar snacks hit the spot as well. The al fresco tables on Gertrude Street are perfect for watching the locals go about their business. The drinks are reasonably pricey, but it's a beautiful establishment so worth a couple of extra dollars. A great local.
Reasonably price relative to the quality of the food. Interesting wine list. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Open long hours, so a good choice at times that other restaurants are closed.
We came as part of a progressive drinking / dining experience and we were not disappointed , good quality food and reasonably priced. Slightly above par for pub food.
The definition of gastro pub! The food here was fantastic, which was complimented by well matched beer. The interior was the right balance of modern contemporary and classic style. The pie was to die for.
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Our party of 8 gathered at the Builder's Arms for a sunday arvo long lunch. Having not been there before I was expecting a simple pub meal but this place is no basic pub. They have clearly pumped a lot of money into turning this space into a sophisticated and welcoming spot families and groups to come together for great food.
Service was very friendly and they guided us with our food selections well. We shared an array of started that included whipped cod roe with toasted turkish bread, salt and pepper school prawns and the Jamon serrano, fried bread, smoked peppers and parsley. All were pretty tasty and left us wanting more. The cod roe and bread probably the favourite.
For main we opted to share two of the Boston Butt Pork Shoulders. Along with sides of Roast potatoes, garlic and rosemary, House chips, aioli and Chopped broccoli, freekeh salad(quality!) . Note that you need to allow 1 hour for the pork. Two pork shoulders were easily enough for our group of 8 to share even if the wait staff said they should be shared between 2-3 people. I'd say 3-4 with sides.
The pork was pretty impressive with prefect crackling. It was perhaps a little bland and we could have done with some more condiments to liven it up a bit.
Overall though this place was prefect for a group lunch and i wouldn't hesitate in returning at all.
Came here for brunch and had the BAH Breakfast. It was nice but not something I would rush back for. May be a little overpriced. Decent coffee. Overall it had a nice ambience at lunch time and friendly staff.
Some of the best pub food in Melbourne, top 3 for me. Standout dishes for me were the Whipped cod roe, and the fish pie. Everything we had was really good, with exception of the chips with aoli, which were below average. They have a nice selection of craft beers, and had one in particular(A Rye Pale Ale by Bridge Road Brewers) I liked so much I asked where else I could find it. Turns out it was a special run, and this venue have the only 40 odd kegs!
Absolute delight!. Love this place! The fish pie and the pork shoulder are amazing! However make sure you have at least 4 people for pork - advertised for 2, but it is HUGE!!!!
Great beers on tap, food was delicious and all staff very friendly and professional. Will definitely be back!
Epicurean Of Southbank
+4.5
You could mistake The Builders Arms Hotel for any corner pub and probably be misled into thinking it is just another drinking hole if you didn't know any better.
A really friendly crew behind the bar who certainly gave the impression they enjoyed being there as we did!!!
Oh dear, as I write this post, I’m trying to think of the next time I’ll get to visit Builders Arms. I’d definitely get the prawns and the omelette. I’m already drooling thinking about this…
We moved on to a couple of glasses of wine and one of my faves, mussels. 1/2kg Sea Bounty mussels, saffron and aioli came in a cute little pail with a slotted enamel spoon for serving. Tasting of the sea with the right amount of garlic, it was more....
Historical Pub. Really fun atmosphere....food took a while but was nice.
Old pub with lots of history, nice for a get together on a Sunday afternoon
We visited for a group lunch yesterday and had the set menu. The meal was lovely with highlights being main ( eye fillet or fish pot pie) and magic dessert. Service was subtle but attentive. Drinks by the glass are expensive and the prosecco serves are small. However, a great lazy long Saturday lunch!
There's a reason this place is always packed. Good food, helpful friendly service and our waitress recommended us really amazing wines.
Different Meaning of Pub Food. Had the Whipped Cod Roe for appetizers to share with some delicious artisan fluffy bread, I had the Prawn Omelette with Aioli & smoked paprika & my partner had the Pot of Curried Mussels for entrees then for main course we had the Plains Pork Shoulder with with Piquant Apple Sauce & for dessert I had the ice cream & sorbet & my partner had the pear & honey. Everything was divine & this clearly is no normal pub food I can tell you that. We also had some oysters & they were fresh & succulent! It was a little bit noisy as you would expect from a pub but the food & service was overall excellent.
Classy pub grub!. Stopped by for dinner with visiting relatives - fish pie had a delicious sauce eagerly mopped up with beautifully flaky crust. Excellent hot chips. Great rump steaks. Great wine choice. Very helpful staff. Don't pass the mandarin sorbet and dark chocolate salted caramel cups!
Pretty much fab, but guys, don't serve salsify with branches. The food was sensational, the staff labourisly slow, whilst knowledgable and enthusiastic. The bistro was half full, the noise levels were bordering in unexceptible. Good echo effect though. Worth a try.
Never disappoints!. This is by far my favorite place to eat and take people too. never disappointed. the bread is amazing as an appetiser. I've had the chips there with aioli and it has been perfect everytime. best chips in Melbourne. I've had the fillet steak twice, both times cooked perfectly and tastes amazing. the pork butt .. just irresistible. I mean it's the best thing out there!! I love this place and will continue to go there while I can afford it!!! 5 stars!
I absolutely love this place.
Professional staff, good food, good drinks and a relaxed vibe.
My girlfriend and I are regulars here and have never had a bad experience.
I strongly recommend the bistro for a great pub meal.
I had the prawn omolete really nice and a good size for an entree I also had a side of kipfler potatoes that I could not eat as they were too vinegary
Lovely staff, great wine and tasty food what more could you want!
Mr Pucci has fun. Always have a great meal but it's really loud if you're going with a group.....Maybe Mr Pucci is getting old
Yumyum yum. This is my favourite Gastropub on the north side of the river. Apparently its the same team behind chin chin or baby pizza who designed the place and menu. I've eaten here twice and the food is to die for. Meat dishes so succulent that melt off the bone. Salads fresh and beautiful to look at. Price points a little high but worth splurging on!
James Fulford-Talbot
+4.5
A great place for a relaxing long lunch. V good Bloody Mary, a wonderful chocolate desert and a great fish pie. Great service too. So good we went back the next night.
Love the new look and menu. Amazing food & service. Would recommend for a hot date!
Steak!. Decided on the Builders Arms for a mid week dinner out. Ordered the steak and was not disappointed... and after a long time thinking about it have decided it was the best steak Ive had. Its a big call, but was true on this night. Great service. Will be back for sure.
Great food, too pricey. Great atmosphere but light can be too dim to the point of sleep inducing. Food was amazing. I don't even like duck but I fell in love with the salt water duck entree. Curried mussels were pretty decent. My porterhouse steak was cooked to perfection. My friend is a lamb connoisseur and he said his lamb shoulder was the best out there. Service was great, waiter knows what to recommend.
The only critic is - Too Damn Expensive.
Came for sunny Sunday lunch,lovely service and fantastic asparagus special and ribeye!Will be back!!
Had a lovely unexpected visit here. Thoroughly enjoyed my Fish pie full of beautiful plump salmon pieces topped with light flakey pastry. Staff were professional & accommodating with a sense of humour. Will be back.
Delicous. Enjoyed a fantastic lunch at the Builder's Bistro. Started with anchovy toast and the whipped cod roe (possible my favourite dish, its so incredible light). I had the whole river trout for mains, which was perfectly cooked. My brother's dry aged porterhouse was full of flavour. We finished it off with a couple of scoops of sorbet and then back to the bar for a few more drinks. The wine recommendations were spot on and service was friendly and knowledgable. Can't wait til the next time.
Loved the bistro for Saturday lunch, we shared the fish pie and the lamb shoulder with a salad and fries, together with the yummy ice cream for dessert, was all delicious. Attentive service, will definitely return.
Steaky breaky heart. Oh lordy! I had the porterhouse and it might be the best steak I've ever eaten. Simply melt-in-your-mouth standard. Sure, it's a little pricier than your average pub meal, but come on, who's game enough to order a steak at a Fitzroy pub these days? The service was friendly and professional, but the place could feel a little 'cosier'. We were seated towards the toilets and it felt pretty draughty and bare. Be sure to end the meal with some of that blood orange sobet - 2die4!
Love it. What's not to love about this place. Again, Andrew McConnell dishes up what he does best. Quality food, service, ambience..
The actual space is so refreshing, for years the place has screamed potential and now it's finally realised.
Food- cod roe dish, amazing, fish pie a total winner and the rotisserie chicken was bizarrely sensational. Another great local added to the area, thank you!!!
The new Builders menu is great and the broccoli salad was amazing!
Smashing!. Walked in on a Saturday and asked for a table for 5 - staff happy, friendly and accommodating! The renovation is wonderful! Food was great! We will Definately go back
A nite to remember.... A landmark public house on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. The essence of the Builders is unchanged after more than 150 years of trading, but in new hands it is restored and renewed. Myself and mate attended the Bar & Bistro where the counter meal reigns with a drop of beer before settling down to our meals. We decided to share an entree plate of cold smoked river trout, cucumber, mustard and dill {$14}. For mains we had slow cooked lamb shoulder, artichoke, parsley, anchovy and olive {$32} and wild barramundi, cauliflower, burnt butter and lemon {$35}. With sides of house chips {$7}. For dessert we decided to share Steamed suet pudding, lemon,brown sugar,runny cream {$15}. For drinks we were happy with on tap a couple of Carlton Draught {$4.20}. The ambience was perfect and could not fault the surroundings and service.
Beautiful food, served to share.
quality ingredients, perfect flavor combinations and portion size
A great experience. Went to the Builders Arms on a busy Saturday night with a group of about 10. We had the set menu which was exceptional - the steamed mussels, served drowning in aioli, were wonderful, and the whipped cod roe was creamy and delicious. Also fairly good value at $65 per head - and we were stuffed by the end! Unfortunately the porterhouse steak was a bit of a let down. Great experience but not in a great hurry to go back.
Great staff, knowledgable and no attitude. Enjoyed everything we had, especially the starters and entrees.
Excellent in every way. Great food well Executed, expert staff and nice atmosphere. Will be back for more.
Will be back. The food at the Builders is as you would expect from Andrew McConnell, seriously good and from our experience, good value. Our highlights from the bar menu were the Sea Bounty mussels with saffron & aioli (yum) and the whipped cod roe with Turkish bread. The bar has a great feel to it, the original tiles and circular bar have been retained and service is still very pub-like. Yep, pretty happy to have this place back.
Came here for a meal recently that was unfortunately a bit lacklustre. The sausage was very salty and could have used a bit of mash or something to balance it out. The stracciatella and anchovy toast was good but the tomato dish was also a bit underwhelming. Service and drinks were nice though - I appreciate the extensive selection. Would just love to see more beers that mirror the quality and uniqueness of the wine list.
HIGH-END PUB FOOD - A good experience here, helped along by attentive service from the outset. All pronounced the creative meals to be very good, although I thought my main lacked salt (petty, perhaps, I know). The menu is progressive, which means that the portions become larger as you move down the list. There are some highly-priced items to be aware of, but we were very happy overall. In summary, good meals which are reasonably priced, but you need to be aware of the expensive options, which includes the drinks. The coffee was somewhat bitter and therefore disappointing.
Somewhere between a pub and a fine dining restaurant with the best of both worlds. Would love this to be my local. Staff are happy and helpful, and the food is delicious.
As pubs go, this is a good one. The food is good, albeit expensive. This is one of Andrew McConnell’s string of restaurants. Over the years it’s had, along with the bistro, a fine dining restaurant in it, then a hipster Chinese restaurant. They’ve since knocked down the walls inside and opened it all up, and now only serve bistro pub food - which is better! The spot roasts are great. Great place for a long boozy lunch.
One of the better pubs in Melbourne... good range of beers, if perhaps a little pricey, and a very decent kitchen for the bistro. Great atmosphere where quite a diverse range of people fit in just fine. Nice little sidewalk section where you can relax and have a drink watching the world go by.
Best fish dish I have ever had - and I’ve eaten at many specialist fish restaurants. My whole rainbow trout had heavenly crispy skin and was perfectly cooked inside with its butter and almond sauce. Loved the heirloom tomato dish too. A totally memorable meal for us all.
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