Review The Terminus Fitzroy North - Fitzroy

At $28 for a Parma, I had hoped for something amazing. What I got was really a bit average and chewy. Also what I didn't get was ham on my Parma. We have been going out for a Parma each month at different pubs across Melbourne for years and can't say I've ever had a Parma without ham before? Not even an option to add it on the menu.

Nice place but unfortunately the food leaves a lot to be desired. When I paid $40 for a steak I expected to get a good piece of steak and a nice salad not just some green leaves. Steak in a pub in the inner north averages $30, I don't know how this place can justify charging so much

I love the Terminus. It has been one of my 'go to' places for many years. The bar and beer garden are exactly what I would expect from a Fitzroy style pub with the mix of great friendly, social vibes and a great array of not-so-standard drinks on the menu. The restaurant has changed a little from years gone by with a refresh of decor and menu. Personally, I felt the old menu (and quality) was a little better, but you can be the judge of that. Oh BTW - don't expect beer garden pub-grub in the restaurant, it is a stand-alone restaurant of High Street Quality in its own right.

One of the best pubs in the area. One of the first to really embrace craft beer. I love how they have a regular selection always available and a rotating selection of new, super interesting beers. The layout is great with very distinctive sections with different personalities. All of this is paired with great food.

I love this place. Great atmosphere yet chilled and child friendly. They always have new beers to try out. Staff are very helpful and big fan of the Cape grim eye fillet steak. Highly recommend

Busy, bright, noisy, lovely staff, great modern pub menu choices. Most meals have been better than alot of pub offerings. Inside and outdoors dining in a few areas. Fully covered courtyard and footpath dining under umbrellas More formal restaurant entered from the side street. Big choice of craft beers and well priced wines. Just a great local.

A++ for friendly/helpful front of house. $19 Thursdays Burger and schooner definitely value for money. Scotch fillet was very disappointing for quality and quantity. For a lower price you could treat yourself to a 400gm rib-eye on the bone, 500gm T-bone, 350gm porterhouse, 300gm Scotch fillet at a popular chain steakhouse.

This place is just what you want in a pub. Quite a large venue. There is a wide variety of food and drinks. Had the chicken parmigiana and it was beautiful , this place is dog friendly so I've heard, it is a great location close to the city but easy to get to and heaps of parking around the streets

The place itself is fine but the bar staff are really rude. I went last night for my sisters birthday, was there for all of about an hour before we moved on to somewhere that wouldn’t treat us with such open hostility. One of the bar staff cleared my friends food away while he was in the toilet. I tired to tell her he hadn’t finished it yet when she turned around and snapped at me that that of he wasn’t finished he shouldn’t have left his cutlery sitting on the plate. I was so taken aback by her hostility that I just put my hands up and she stormed over to the bin and chucked it out. Half a plate of food which, as it turns out, he hadn’t finished with. I then went to the bar and I won’t go into the details of the whole conversation but again I came away feeling like I had just been verbally abused for really no reason. I’m a polite person and I had only had one schooner at this point so far from drunk. In short a really awful experience. Which is sad cause I had been wanting to check this place out for a long time. Shan’t be back. Plenty of other places nearby that seem to be able to mange at least a base level of human decency.

I think it's forgotten how important the Terminus is in shaping craft beer in Melbourne. Just a great venue led by Dave, obsessed with providing great beer to everyone. Cannot complain about that at all.

After hearing a friend's great recommendation of the Terminus my partner and I changed our original date plans last minute, and booked a table for 2 in the dining room. When we arrived we were greeted with friendly smiles and amazing attitudes from every person of staff that we interacted with. The dining room area is stunning; it was warm, welcoming and had a great vibe, especially for a date! We ate oysters to share, and each had a steak and finished with the panna cotta. Each dish was delicious! And we left with full tummies and full hearts, not before leaving a well deserved tip! We will definitely be back again <3

Beautiful food, great beer garden and excellent service - eaten here twice and both times the whole group were impressed �

Awesome place to eat, drink and be social! The kiwi beers they had on tap were awesome!! Definite place to be :)

My Indonesian tofu curry was the best of its type I have ever had but my kids' meals were pretty average - the fish they use for the kids meals is very strong tasting for grown ups let alone kids and the burger meal contained an overlooked patty that was way too much for a kid to negotiate. Nuggets meals at next table for kids very overcooked. So one big thumbs up for my meal but the kids left hungry and that is always a bad outcome! 😕

Staff and beer are great ..Chicken parma a fail !! dry almost burnt and tasteless..

Friendly staff, great food, and grouse rotating tap list. Thanks for always bringing water out for Sugar. HI DAVE!!!!

Rad pub with great beer and excellent pub food! An excellent AFL pub too. All games on TV here which is the best!

Great food with a huge variety of boutique beers. Really impressed and loved the tastings

My favourite pub in Melbourne. Fantastic pub meals in the main dining room, with a great selection of asian inspired dishes in the craft beer bar. Wonderful location in Clifton Hill easily accessible by train, and half way between great night spots in Northcote and the Brunswick/Smith Street location so it's a great jump off point to go out after dinner if you feel like it. I'm a weekly visitor now for all reasons listed above.

The food is absolutely fantastic!! Compliments to the chef!

Fantastic food, amazing craft beer menu and brilliant staff!

Another example of an outstanding craft beer venue in Melbourne with great selection of craft taps and bottles, other beverages of a similar high standard and fabulous food. The Termi burger is a popular option for very good reason. Staff are friendly and know their stuff. Service is great. One interesting piece of trivia is that the pub may have held the largest ever gathering of people named Dave in the world at one time, one of whom is considered particularly sexy

The Pacific Ale tasted like dish water, nothing like it is in the bottle. The barman tasted it and said, its not infected...but wasnt interested in replacing it. Fortunately the Fixation IPA was much better.

Just had a Chicken Parmigiana and beautiful crispy cooked to perfection, and with the FRESH tomato sauce and superb cheese it was a delight, and the lovely beers made it all the better!

I almost fell out of bed reading some other reviews saying things like "best pub food in Melbourne".<br/><br/>Most steaks are over $30. The last time I ordered one, I was amazed that the chef didn't know how to cook it, and then rest it properly. When I told them, they said they'd get me another one. The next one they brought out was slightly more correctly cooked (closer to medium rare as requested, but still way to overcooked), but just as tough, as if it had been frozen.<br/><br/>The parma is on par with your average Hume Hwy roadhouse.<br/><br/>They use frozen chips.<br/><br/>A "Crumbed" barra basically resembles a deep fried version of something you'd see in the supermarket frozen section. In fact, it actually may have been.<br/><br/>The food has been a consistent failure. There is absolutely no care whatsoever about the food here.<br/><br/>

Great food in a cosy pub restaurant that is enhanced by a beautifully warm log fire. Great ambience for those cold winters nights.<br/>We loved the food and all the pub classics were there as well as some really good restaurant quality dishes.<br/>The only downside to our evening was the confusing bar policy of not allowing you to buy a drink from the front bar (that has a vast selection of awesome beers) and take them with you into the restaurant area.<br/>Our group of friends got a stern talking to from the management about the ‘policy’. We did plead our ignorance and mentioned there were no signs to which the reply was ‘it’s just the policy’...<br/>We all felt like naughty school kids!<br/>I do think when you have a pub that prides itself on a great selection of the most ‘hipster’ of ‘hipster craft beers’ you should at least make it clear that if you are dining, these drinks can only be ordered from the restaurant via the waitstaff and not from the bar area. Call me old fashioned, but I actually like to see what the beer looks like and have a chat with the bartenders who actually pull them about what they would recommend. <br/>Apart from those policies- it’s a great wee pub.

Called in here for some drinks with a mate. This is a friendly pub with some great craft beers on tap.<br/><br/>The service was friendly and welcoming.<br/><br/>I tried an Urban Alley Brewery ‘Urban Ale’ which I haven’t seen before. It was good, slightly hoppy and easy drinking. <br/><br/>Then I had a Boatrocker Stout which was delicious. Slightly toasty, malty and perfect for a cold night. <br/><br/>This place is definitely worth a visit. And it was not hard to see why this place was packed.

Bloody great pub with awesome happy hour options and locals deals on Monday nights. The service is always top-notch and they have huge selection of craft beer. <br/><br/>Bonus for also having dog friendly spaces in the rear courtyard.

We love it here, best pub ! It’s consistent and the food it’s alway tasty, great prices and a cozy room!! Staff are helpful .. a must try is the lamb shoulder and bao buns

The best pub food in Melbourne, hands down. Great service and atmosphere. Consistently leave satisfied. The chicken parmas and steaks in particular are very good.

Had a booking for 14 people in the dining room, food was delicious (steaks and specials particularly) and service was top notch. Thanks very much.

Pretty ace pub. Great chips and great vibe. The food is a step above your average pub food with a wide selection of modern Australian goodies. A solid feed.

i have been coming here for a while now, dropped in tonight for a quick bite. Service tonight as always was excellent. Monday night so it was quiet in the dining room the front bar was busy. Tonight i had the bavette, cooked medium rare and rested to perfection with a pepper sauce. Delicious cannot fault my meal.<br/><br/>Beers galore on tap. Excellent wine choice by glass or bottle.<br/><br/>Yep will continue to keep going back. Thanks !! Would give you guys more if i could.

What a pleasant surprise. When you walk into the dining area it has a real pub feel including sticky tables. We were not expecting much from it. We ordered the cauliflower with babaganoush, salt and pepper calamari, bowl of chips and from the specials board the homemade linguine with seafood. The wait was long but my gosh the flavours were amazing. Glad we opted to steer clear from the pub classics and tried something a little different.

Top quality produce cooked to perfection. Beautiful flavours. Great, friendly service. Excellent value. And they have separate menus to accommodate gluten free and dairy free dietary requirements - 100% hassle free. Looking forward to my next visit already.

The Terminus is everything a good gastropub should be; relaxed atmosphere with a diverse menu including both refined dishes and the usual pub fare of steaks and parmas.<br/><br/>I was last here about a year ago and still remember how delicious their haloumi chips were, so of course, we had to order them this time. Unfortunately, I think they might have made the chips a little too fancy? They were probably more like fat wedges than chips, but the pickled fennel and dukkah went with them perfectly. <br/><br/>Our other dishes were quite tasty as well, I thought the gnocchi were fluffy and light and the baba ganoush was very well seasoned. My only complaint would be the chocolate stout cake, which tasted re-heated and a little over cooked, we were really stuffed by this stage anyway, so didn't really help either.<br/><br/>(I've been trying to post a review for the Abbotsford Terminus hotel instead and almost cried when I couldn't find any of my dishes on their menu, almost docked some points for it haha)

Got the beef burger which I found a bit bland. The whole thing fell apart into a mess of soggy bun almost immediately. Chips were a bit floury but o.k. but at $24 i expected a lot better. Friend said his parma was average and overpriced.<br/>Not bad but very average overall. We ate in the bar not the dining room.

Visited here with two girlfriends on Friday evening. The front bar was so busy (footy), so we dined in the main dining room. Our waiter for the night was absolutely amazing. Friendly and attentive, couldn't ask for anything more - I can't remember his name but he was the best waiter I've had in a long time. My friend and I both had steaks (I had eye fillet), and the other a parma. The steak was cooked perfectly, but perhaps lacked a little bit of seasoning. The only really disappointing thing was the chips. I swear these have changed. My husband always used to get them and they were handcut and very different to what we were served. I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely be back, particularly with the amount of gf options!

The 4 of us had a great dinner in the dining area.<br/>Very delicious food. The steak was one of the best eye fillets I've ever eaten.<br/>And the swordfish special was the winner on the night.<br/>The service by all 3 girls was genuinely excellent and makes you want to go back.<br/>This would be a great venue for a date night as it's not noisy even on a busy night.<br/><br/>A score of 4.5 out of 5 only because it's slightly pricey. You get what you paid for I guess.<br/>Thanks Terminus and see you again :)

They do a very good Parma that's for sure. Nice wine and seems to be plenty of good beers on tap. Enjoyed the relaxed vibe. Great staff and I thought the service was excellent in the dining area.

We were a group of four adults plus a kid. I struggled to find something on the menu that was appealing but my partner headed straight for steak territory. In the end my fish and chips were pretty good and my partner really rated his scotch fillet. Dad's chicken Parma was huge but it tasted only so-so. We were also offered steamed veggies instead of salad which was a nice offer but what came out was just one big piece of plain broccoli :(<br/>While the food is decent, I'd take marks off for: ambience and furniture are tired and in need of an update - especially in the weird dead end area where we were seated (which felt a lot like the local RSL club in my partners hometown) Also, the accessible bathroom didn't have a lock on it at all and the women's bathroom was kinda unpleasant.<br/>

Had a large group dinner in The Dining Room which left me fairly disappointed. The beer garden and public bar seemed to have a great range of tasty sounding dishes and plenty of vegetarian options however due to the weather and our large group, we relocated to the dining room. Advised that the alternative menu options weren't available, I settled for one of two veg main options: parpadelle (the other, essentially a fancy salad). It was heavy, oily, lacking flavour and I couldn't finish it. I guess, as they mention, there's a focus on steak but being Fitzroy, I'd expect more alternatives. On a positive note, the gentleman serving was really lovely and very knowledgeable. Would return to the other areas however not to The Dining Room.

Food was really nice, but service was incredibly slow. All lovely staff but on a not-very-busy night, we had long wait times for a few things - bar service, table clearing. But again, great food.

Normally the steak is good. Last night the $35 porterhouse was tough and not medium. Definitely not a $35 steak. On the flip side, the salad which has been tired in the past was fresh and the dressing was good.

The Terminus is one of Melbourne’s top craft beer venues, and has 32 taps featuring a rotating selection of around 16 different beers at any given time.

Great pub. The front bar and beer garden is relaxed and friendly with a good selection of beers and I like the Asian style bar snacks. They have classic pub dishes on the menu too. I have also been to the restaurant out the back a couple of times which is more of a nice family style restaurant with a much bigger menu. Both meals I've had have been fantastic, and the service and environment is great.

Not bad!<br/><br/>Checked this place out last night. It's a decent option, but don't rush.<br/><br/>The venue is okay. It needs a little attention to detail and the menu is nothing extraordinary. But the food was good. The chicken burger was great and the Parma okay. <br/><br/>Run of the mill weeknight dinner was a decent option. Wouldn't be opposed to going back, but I won't be making this my new local.

I Had the porterhouse steak last night. It was tasty. Hand cut chips are really yum. It was a busy night but service was prompt and friendly.

We've been coming to the Terminus years, and after returning after a hiatus I'm upping my rating from 4 to 5. The food is just bloody fantastic. We had the best meal I've had in ages, ordering share plates from the Asian menu. The Termie combines great food with the genial atmosphere of a pub. Couldn't be better

Watched the footy here on a Friday night and ate some awesome chicken ribs and fries. The desserts are on point! Highly recommended and really friendly team. Not really a fan of pub like places although this place was really nice. Got to give it a go!

Solid pub meal. Shared entrees (calamari and lamb ribs) were tasty. Fish and steak mains also cooked well. Spatchcock was a little disappointing. Cosy atmosphere in the restaurant. A reliable fuss free local.

Firstly great beer selection, Table service was well below par. We had to wait an hour for our meals as did others. Seemed like there wasn't enough staff. I ordered the rib eye to be medium came out nearly well done, not juicy at all to as I would expect from a rib eye, wasn't going to complain at the time as I was starving, my partner ordered the pork shoulder was basically pork fat with a little bit of pork. Not sure how others rate it but our experience tonight was not that enjoyable

It really depends on how you feel about a place that puts a lot of effort into rebranding themselves a gastropub. It's exactly as you're now imagining. I like beer so the food is immaterial. The food I did try was ok enough, save for the confusing double kitchen, double menu situation.

This place has a really nice vibe and good food, not the best Parma I've ever had but their Asian style drinking snacks are good especially the sliders. Not cheap though for pub grub.

Great range of boutique beers and ciders. The Craft Bar menu is delicious - from Bao to salads to good old f&c. Lovely garden bar and good tunes. Welcomes families too.

We went there for the fried chicken. The buttermilk fried chicken turned out to be overly greasy and a little overdone, I didn't enjoy that very much. J had chicken parma which he said was alright.<br/><br/>Nice atmosphere at the dining room on the left side, with an alfresco area. A word of advice, I didn't see any signage anywhere to clarify this - they run 2 separate kitchens, so there are 2 different menus. When you walk in the front door, the dining room on the right has the menu with the fried chicken. The dining room on the left has the menu with chicken parma and Asian fusion food. We wanted to order from both menus, but the server said they don't normally do that and will make an exception for one time.

Great food, great beer, great venue, just a total bummer that such a great venue has been hijacked by the pram crowd and their screaming offspring.

Great beer selection.  Good spot to sit outside.  Ends there.  Refused to serve us when we were 'standing at the wrong part of the bar' (in front of some beer taps), more fat than meat in the lamb, service with a scowl.Might drink there, wouldn't eat there again.

Located on a busy intersection in Clifton Hill the pub still has plenty of parking out the back. Next to a tram stop as well so you can have a few drinks. Food price is a little more on the high end. For instance, $25 for a parma. However, I would rather pay a few dollars more (it's still reasonable) and have a quality meal.

Could be the greatest pub known to mankind. Quality parmas and brews available. Normally a few bountiful babes floating around the premises also which is an added bonus

I used to go to the bar here to pull birds but after a while I found there wasn't a lot of substance to these wraith-like beauties so looked to the menu for sustenance. And by golly it's good. These guys know how to cook a steak! Get together with a friend who likes a feed and head for the dining room, you won't be disappointed:)<br/><br/>La di da nuggets.

The food was really disappointing. The pasta wasn't silky it was burned and chewy. We let the waitor know and got no reply from the chef. The steak was fatty and low grade. Holumi chips soggy. Wanted to like this place because the renovated side is really nice and the "premium" was really run down so we thought the food would stand up but it didn't. Poor pub fare with a high price tag. 9$ edamame, get real!!! Service on the other hand was superb.

The portion of food is generous, love the chips, crunchy and not oily. However I find the green salad Is little too oily, maybe too much olive oil. Happy hour 4pm - 6pm beer for $5/ cup.

Ok so the last time we went wasn't great but this latest visit has been fantastic so I've upgraded my review to 4.5!!!<br/><br/>BEST FRIES EVA😋!!!<br/><br/>Well done guys keep up the good work !! 😊<br/><br/>

Ate in the lunch dining area adjacent to the bar this afternoon as the pub wasn't yet serving. My sister and I loved the asian fusion bar food. The pork belly bao was handsomely crisp, and salt and pepper calamari with slaw was very fresh. Will be back, but not as the designated driver next time!

Food was quite good but no dessert on offer at 9.15 is unacceptable when patrons are still eating their mains? Surely the wait staff could have alerted us that the kitchen was closed as such an early hour?

I'd highly recommend the specials... The lamb shoulder for two was a stand out, and has been for many years! The terminus offers excellent pub food at reasonable prices.

Great selection of beers and good food make this a regular haunt of ours. You get the best of both worlds with the old school pub feel in the front and modern looking craft beer bar out back. Staff are generally lovely and helpful.

Seafood platter is exceptional & the steaks are nice. I really love the beer selection here & it combines with the food well. Could be slightly more affordable as a pub but still excellent.

Went to the Terminus for a Paint the Nite event, but had dinner in dining room first.  I had the pork belly and the poached pear and both were delicious.  The paint night was also great fun, nice Artist who managed to guide me into creating a painting that is good enough to put up on the wall at home and really nice group of people.

My boyfriend and I had a date night here on Monday (1st of June) as we had booked tickets to Paint the Nite which was held in the upstairs function room. <br/>I couldn't praise both the venue and Paint the Nite enough. <br/>We started downstairs for an early dinner. I ordered the porterhouse steak (under $30) and my bf the angus burger. <br/>I've never seen anyone down their meal as quick as my boyfriend smashed that burger! <br/>My steak was perfectly cooked and the chips & salad sides were great also. <br/>We then headed upstairs for Paint the Nite. We were welcomed to our seats by an artist. Canvas, paint, brushes and even an apron were supplied. <br/>The room was packed and everyone was really friendly. I absolutely love the artwork that I created. <br/>Such a great Monday night out, I didn't think there were things other than the movies for a date night during the work week!

Love this place, but hate that they put Carlton draught on the craft beer side over the weekend. I understand there may be footy on, but that's why there is the other bar - why should the rest of us lose a solid craft beer option for such swill.

Sounds good, looks good, Ain't.. Got two chicken parmas and calamari. Calamari was good, crisp, slightly stingy portion size for $16 but was a decent & tasty plate. The parmas were despicable. The slaw had no acid or seasoning in it, just a weird green apple concoction with a bland unidentifiable dry white 'dressing'. The Parma itself was a thick chunk of chicken covered with sincerely crap & tasteless Napoli. No flavor let alone depth, just a hunk of bland meat. My partner kept saying, 'Well, I guess it's edible'. Not for me. No way I'm ordering again from this kitchen. $100 should a couple of decent plates & beers. Shame.

Unfortunately the lunch chef has changed. My Banh Mi's roll was not brioche, and was stale. Also the pork was non existent and the little but I did get, was dry. <br/>Please bring back the old chef and menu back because it was excellent!

After the more recent debacles on the Burger Hunt, Damo mentioned that he knew a pub that did a half decent burger, it just happened to be in walking distance from his place, and we’d be passing it on the way to the train station. Decision made and off we trotted to the Terminus Hotel. On arrival we were greeted by a friendly barman and an extensive selection of craft beers. Conversation ensued as to the merit of various craft beers and then on to locations around the world that have more expensive beers than Australia. We all agreed that there are perhaps only three or 4 location around the world where the beers are at least as expensive as they are here. God it sucks to have to pay such ridiculously expensive prices for a cool refreshing beverage in Melbourne… Ah well, anyway, so after ordering a cleansing libation, we moved on to food and ordered the burger. For $23.90 – yeah, we didn’t check the price before we ordered – you get a Wagyu beef burger, on the requisite Brioche bun, Dijon mustard, mayo, a sweet tomato relish, lettuce, cheese, tomato and some nice sharp pickles. You also get a side of nice pub chips. The Burger itself was a nice change from the rubbish I’ve been getting recently, and it was nice to get a patty that was made pretty much exclusively of Beef, well seasoned and juicy and pink. There is still hope out there! The patty was covered in a melted slice of cheese – not strong, probably a mild cheddar. The Sauces were good, and I particularly liked the mustard, which I’m pretty sure was a nice Dijon. There was also a pretty sweet tomato relish thing, which I’m sure could work, but with the very sweet and cakey brioche bun, the burger overall became just too sweet. Bacon and onion would really have rounded out the sweetness and improved the burger by quite a bit – the burger just lacked balance. If you are going to do su

The following are restaurants that are great for large groups, have a fun noisy atmosphere and are happy to take large bookings without upfront payments (those places are the wankiest *cough Chin Chin).... It looks like any old pub from the exterior, but you would be mistaken. The menu has a European flair, in addition to the pub classics. Steak tartares and spanner crab risottos sit comfortably amongst steaks and parmas. The massive dining room, black ambiance and open fires, creates an environment that is cosy on a winter’s night. The service can be a quite haphazard with large groups, but the desserts blew any hard feelings away. Great place for a group gathering.

Flavour wise it was deliciously Smokey and had lovely black char-grill marks on it which helped the natural beef tones. It also had a somewhat creamy texture on the tongue. I did feel however that it was not given a heavy enough seasoning, lacking slightly in salt although both pepper and salt were available on the table.

The Terminus Hotel at Clifton Hill (or Fitzroy North- the suburb titles are almost interchangable) is an absolute package deal; craft beers on tap, a really solid local wine list, astoundingly good food (forget gastropub, this is the next level) and the classiest beer garden in Melbourne. A fairly recent fit-out has seen the drive-through space converted into a very well designed casual beer garden. Even as it fills, and it does fill, the layout avoids the claustrophobic jumble of chairs and noise that tamper the vibe in many a beer garden. The renovation around the craft bar is also very elegant and there is still the option of the original pub-like space on the other side for those that prefer old school. I have to mention the Craftbar menu too- freaking bao at a pub! Be still my beating heart- buns and beer, why have I not tried this yet? On this occasion we were celebrating a new job so steak was called for. We were organised and booked for the dining room. Our waitress was delight

From the outside, the Terminus Hotel looks like every other pub in Melbourne. The front bar has trivia nights, sticky carpet and spiffy lampshades. But out the back, past the ATM, lies a secret: a warm, cosy, stylish restaurant serving hearty gourmet dinners.

From the moment I pulled up out the front of the Terminus Hotel, I knew I was going to like it - the massive ‘Mountain Goat’ beer sign hanging over the door was proof enough it was a pub for me - The front bar was busy and bustling with people, some loyal regulars and others obviously just popped in for an after work pint. With an abundance of big wooden tables, sport on the big screen and a cosy lounge area to the side it’s definitely a pub I’d be proud to call my local

Each steak was perfectly seared on the outside and beautifully juicy and pink on the inside. It was evident that the meat sourced was of a good standard and there was great pride and care taken in the preparation of the

We read the hype and we just had to try it. The blogisphere has been full of tales of the rebirth of the Terminus Hotel. A "name" chef had hung out his shingle outside a well loved Clifton Hill Pub. The pub now had a restaurant, and the pub itself had a m

I've heard that they have excellent food, including steaks, parmas and burgers.

Rude staff, an unlimited choice of supremely average craft beers and overpriced pub food. #draughtnotcraft

Nice enough beer list but bartenders could use some manners. Lovely beerlist and food. But why did the bearded chino-sporting barman treat me like an absolute idiot who was requesting the parting of the red sea? Such a shame when places achieve a level of popularity which allows the casual staff members to walk around like powerhungry demigods. Might give it a while before we return.

Love it. Super friendly and the food is awesome. What more do I need to say? 9.5/10

Great selection of interesting beers - I tried the tropical fruit one from Byron Bay. Tasty parmas were served up quickly in the bar area, which is new and modern and has a beer garden. Thanks guys!

Not bad at all. Food was good . Beer fashionable . Liked the old terminus, but this is ok.

Very disappointing. Expensive meal that did not deliver in the slightest, I went home disgusted, never again

Function Room Review. We held a 25th Birthday Party in the upstairs function room on Friday the 26th of September and had a perfect night. Great service, beautiful food, excellent craft beers, relaxed atmosphere, happy and impressed guests. The whole night was a stress free breeze. Top marks to Dave and the team. We can highly recommend the Terminus.

Not Gluten-Friendly. It is very disappointing to see that no gluten-free options are marked on either the Craftbar or Gastropub options, yet this pub has a Gluten-Friendly status on Urbanspoon. The pub should either update their menu to include gluten-free options or remove their Gluten-Friendly status as this is not fair to other operators who do the right thing or to gluten-intolerant/coeliac customers.

Amazing food. We went to the Terminus Hotel again last night and the meals were amazing. They have really taken it up a notch since about 7 months ago with food and service. The steak and Parma are amazing.

Craft beer menu a step above average. Small touches make the difference in the Terminus Hotel's craft beer (aka "pub") menu. Beautiful cheese on the parma, deliciously crunchy chips and generous servings. Also many more interesting and varied items on the menu - salmon salad was well-seasoned and generous with the fish. Only complaint is the salmon was overcooked and tough.<br/>Good range of drinks available too at reasonable prices.

Great food, friendly service .. the only thing you could do to make it better is move it to within walking distance of my house!

Unusual Review. I have not been to this pub and will make my first visit tomorrow night. We are moving into the area soon and this would be our local. Fingers crossed!

Come on Termi get it together! Finding it hard to keep the love in my heart after some very average meals. We love the atmosphere and as locals we really had high hopes after the revamp. But slowly the food has been going really down hill. Last night, a semi quiet sunday night,decided to go to the dining room for a change...the waitress had no idea what was going on, the wine was average and took forever as it wasn't cold..I know this sounds narky but its a pub...cold wine and beer can be expected. The food when it arrived varied between soggy, undercooked...actually the chicken tortellini was literally uncooked in places. And cold. The termi chips that are usually a winner were a sad soggy mess and the salt and pepper squid seemed to be missing ingredients. Not sure if its new chefs or different management but whatever has changed its not good. We want to love the Terminus as the fit out is fab, good location and solid beer list. But at the moment the food and service doesn't come close to justifying the prices.

Craft beer and incredible food!. Craft beer, tick. friendly staff, tick. great food, tick! As a lover of craft beer, there really isn't anywhere I've been with such knowledgable and approachable bar staff. They let us try some of the guest taps to choose our favourite. We also had the rib eye in the gastropub which came out perfectly cooked. Will definitely be back!

Very disappointing. Food was ok, certainly nothing wrong with it, but just ok. Found the prices to be a little high for a standard pub steak. The service was terrible. Floor staff seemed to have an attitude and everything seemed too hard. Someone needs to remind the staff their job is to look after the customers, not treat them with disdain as though they are an imposition. Won't be back.

Please treat your customers with respect. Firstly, the food at the Terminus is very good - credit must go to the chefs for their great work. Unfortunately, this is spoiled by the unwelcoming attitude of some waiting staff. I was disappointed this weekend to see one of the waiters go up to a new mother with her baby and tell her off in front of the restaurant for not having spent enough money! Their table had left a large pile of notes as a tip and appeared to have ordered plenty from the menu, which is not particularly cheap. One wonders what the requisite amount of money is to be treated with respect. Our own group was also treated with a fairly curt attitude, as if the staff were hoping for a higher class of customer. Showing common courtesy to your clients is easy and a basic starting point for anyone in the restaurant industry. Why is this not obvious to the staff at the Terminus?

Disappointed!. Given all of the glowing reviews I am even more disappointed to be writing this. The food was lovely, however the staff were AWFUL. From the get go we had a lot of attitude from the waiting staff (despite us being very friendly) and when we left one of our party was taken aside and told we didn’t spend enough. Well, Terminus here’s to not spending any more in your establishment. Not only is it outrageous to be told this, but also terrible that the waiting staff was sent to tell us this and the manager couldn’t even be bothered to say it to our face. None of our party (16 people) will be returning... and we’ll be sharing this with our friends. Maybe next time you should think twice about telling a large group they don’t spend enough, especially given there was no spending limit in the first place!

Great food, service, drinks menu. The title pretty much says it all. I hadn't been to the terminus in 15 years so was pretty blown away by the changes. The restaurant was really comfortable, not too loud and the service was excellent. The Negroni was the best Ive had in Melbourne. Had the 300 gram steak, an absolute cracker.<br/>Will definitely be back.

Nice fitout and atmosphere but very unpleasant staff. They have a good menu, but the green papaya salad I had was average (fried chicken balls in bean sprouts). Would not rush back..

This hotel and it's staff are FANTASTIC! We recently had my Mum's surprise 50th birthday party here in the upstairs function room. It was such a great night and it was all thanks to the wonderful staff! The service from start to finish was impeccable and the food was amazing - truly delicious. I highly recommend this hotel for any occasion, big or small! We will definitely be returning for dinner and functions in the near future! Thanks Terminus :)

Such a disappointment.after having some exceptional meals in the past, the standard has sharply declined.we shared two entrees of fried haloumi and salmon which were simply presented but full of flavour.i choose the 10 hour pork belly as a main and it was absolutely appalling.the texture was rubbery, the skin was not crisp and my knife struggled to cut through it.it was like it had been stewed and had hardened rather than tenderised through the cooking process.it had no real flavour or sauce attached and chewing each mouthful was an unpleasant experience.would have left it on the plate except I was so hungry but the worst pork belly I've ever tasted.definately no fine dining experience.my friends had the salmon which looked nice enough -but a pretty basic dish and the chicken Parma -again looked like every other piece of bloated and overly processed meat.hardly the stuff you'd cross melbourne to taste.im afraid average food which is too pricey for what it is.i would be more than happy to pay $30 for a beautifully cooked main but not for second rate food.wont be returning til some major changes are made.

It used to be a great dining experience .... I ate there recently. It used to consistently have excellent food and great service. Those days seem to be over. The food is cheap cuts, badly prepared and over priced. I won't be returning.

The beers too fancy, too floral, too fragrant, too fruity, too smokey, too bitter and the only other option is carlton fraught. The burgers too expensive. It's a burger and chips not a lobster in diamonds.

Favourite Parma here!

High Price for a Tough Steak. I had a fabulous steak at the Terminus a few years ago along with delicious hand cut chips but last week i was sorely disappointed with a return visit. I haven't been eating out for a few years having become a sole parent and have to watch the pennies. I was treating myself last week though and decided to go all out and order the Scotch Fillet which was nearly $40. The steak tasted really good and had a nice outer texture but it was tough. I have had much more tender and easy to chew steaks cooked by amateurs. The chips were ok. The best part of the meal was the broccolini which we ordered on the side. But at $10 - it would have had to have been great. my dining companion had a rump steak which was also tough to eat. So - really - to get excited about having a meal out - which happens only a couple of times a year, to push the boat out to order the expensive cut and to come away feeling disappointed is a real shame. I hope they find their former glory soon for other diner's sake!

Really good steak , i had a Rib eye which is really good and my partner had special steak which is good as well .we are coming back soon !

One of the poorer customer services experiences I've had. We were the only ones in the bar and wanted something for the kids to eat - very, very hard work to get a bowl of chips from bistro to bar. Some training for staff wouldn't go astray

Down Hill Fast. I am a local and have always loved the Terminus BUT never again will we eat in the bistro. Might give the Craft Bar a go one day. ??????<br/>Better lift your game in the bistro there is to much competition out their, can't put up with reheated hand cut chips, steak I could not even chew.<br/>Not worth loosing clients over cutting corners, you just might cut yourselves out of business.

Great, really enjoyed my time at the terminus for dinner last night. The cheese portions were a bit small but delicious. My steak was very good it was nicely charred on the outside, so it had a beautiful crust. It was perfect inside and well rested too. It was very flavoursome. Haven't had a steak so good for a while. It was a great rump. The bearnaise was great too. It tasted house made- awesome. Thanks guys will be back

Disappointing when your local goes posh. As is our regular want, my partner and I came to have a meal after work at our local, The Terminus. In the front bar we ordered fish and chips and the market fish. Since our last visit, though, apparently you can't order fish and chips in the front bar any more. Chicken Parma is still there but fish and chips is only available next door in the new bar area. So we moved over there but there was nowhere to sit. We traipsed back to the bar, and asked again if an exception could be made. <br/><br/>Unfortunately not: Friday nights were busy and now there were 2 kitchens - one for a bar menu and one for the 'posh' menu (which served the dining room and the old bar area). The bar is still a bar - with 2 big telly screens in corners and old black 80s tables - with the only difference being a tea candle on each table (a cute touch I thought when we entered). So when the manager explained how it was too busy to organise the fish and chips (the dining room was half empty, by the way), we just ordered 1 x market fish. <br/><br/>The blue eye was beautifully cooked, though came with carrots not the advertised cauliflower purée. For $34.95 in the front bar of a pub it felt a bit lean on. Clearly you needed to order some fries or something else on the side to have a filling meal. We might still do the dining room with our family for a special occasion but as to the regular work night we'll probably head down to The Fox on Alexander Parade. Let us know when fish and chips sits beside the Parma on the front bar menu.

Great food and great beer! The banh minis are a good feed for a good price. Will definitely be back.

Great beer and food, shame about the garden. I hate to start a review negatively, but it is so disappointing when you go to a place that has such a perfect outdoor area and you are simply made to feel not at all welcome in it, because you don't smoke. <br/><br/>The main attraction for us to visit the Terminus Hotel was the outdoor area. But, the entire area was full of people who were smoking. <br/><br/>I fully understand that people have the right to smoke, but alternatively, perhaps owners of food and drink venues should also fully understand that non-smokers have the right to not smoke. It would make sense to put the smoking area out front of the hotel, which is a public area. But, the smokers are encouraged to congregate in the nicest part of the venue (in the garden), and as a result, the non-smokers can choose to sit outside and breathe in secondary fumes, or sit inside (which is still nice - just not outside).<br/><br/>Now that we have gotten that out of the way, I do have to say that I was very pleased with the food and the craft beers at the Terminus. A great menu with some interesting options in the Asian fusion kind of area, and spectacular beers on tap. I had the Pacific Ale, which is so difficult to get on tap, and it went perfectly with my fish and chips. It was all very nice, although some mushy peas would have made it perfect.<br/><br/>It's becoming a bit of a pattern, but I am just really disappointed that so many places make it so unpleasant for non-smokers. Summer is the time you want to be outside, having a drink and something yummy to eat with your friends. If a venue decides to have an outdoor area, non-smokers also like to be out there, so why not focus on making them happy, rather than the 16% of population who do smoke.

"Longtime loyal customers disappointed"<br/>Been customers for a number of years, for the bloody good steak and ambience. The fact that the chef has changed makes sense. Steak and handcut <br/>chips lackluster. My steak was colder than room temperature, evidenced by the solid state of the garlic butter which refused to melt. Oily salad. And the prices have gone up at the same time?Feel bad saying this, but overall disappointment.

Fantastic beer food. The Bao is sensational. Beers are awesome.

Didn't mind the beers/atmosphere. Ordered some 'hand cut chips'. They were massive soggy potato wedges. And the pepper sauce was runny and tasteless. If you can't get a bowl of chips right what hope have you got? Wouldn't eat here again.

My go to place for all things craft beer! Fantastic n brave offerings on tap

Dymo. Chick Parm wins again. Busy last night great to see. Very friendly and efficient service nice work guys !

YUMMMMM!!!. My friends and I often frequent the Terminus after a netball match and I have also recommended this place to several other friends. The food is AMAZING!!! I don't now what they do in that kitchen but even the simplest dishes are full of flavour. The steaks are always cooked to perfection and they have absolutely nailed the asian salads. I recently had the rare beef soba noodle salad and the papaya salad, which were both fresh and tangy and delicious! Not to mention the massive selection of beer and cider!

Fantastic food, the shared plates/starters are especially good (we had a scallop special and pulled pork tacos which we amazing). The steaks were great and an impressive beer list. Service was friendly and efficient. The dining area is a little dark and not hugely appealing on first entering but the food more than makes up for this. Highly recommend this place.

I'd make this one of my regular pubs ! Thoroughly enjoyed the food , service and ambiance !! My burger was spot on as pub burgers go !!

Fantastic staff, delicious beer and incredible steak. Had the eye fillet with chips and mustard - beautiful!!

Best steaks we've had. This is where we love to go for a special occasion. Any excuse will do really. Very hard to go beyond the steaks which have fantastic flavour and come with handcut chips and a salad which is just ridiculously good. The staff are always very friendly and they have a great range of beer on tap and wine. Dessert menu is also always interesting and seems to change regularly. My only complaint is that we often get put on a table for two just inside the door - there aren't all that many tables for two in the main room or I guess they need the flexibility for big groups. So it can be a bit noisy from the kitchen or from the thoroughfare of people coming and going, cold from the door opening to outside etc.

Sooze. Excellent Food. Great Beer/Wine. Good Service. A great pub if you want to go out and have a decent steak (rare in Melbourne). The food portion are on the large side. We will be going back to sample the Dessert menu next time.

Unsatisfactory dessert experience. Am at home feeling bitterly disappointed by the empty calories I consumed by devouring a tasteless choc/hazelnut pudding & thereby wasting our great dessert opportunity; which let's be honest, is a guilty pleasure we all look forward to! When we first received them - there was no 'pudding' about them, despite the waitresses' professed 'self serving, oozing dark choc' description. They rightfully replaced our dry cakes - however our 2nd attempt was scarcely any better; in fact one was STILL solid in the middle. After waiting now 3/4 hr we were still made to pay for 2 dry choc puddings which we were not happy about. I'm sure main dishes are good here, but do not be tempted by their elaborate dessert descriptions as they will only leave a bitter NOT sweet taste lingering. :(

Great service, fantastic food. We had steaks, some sharing food (YUM brisket sliders) and some great sides. Everything executed perfectly and well presented. Good service and very nice ambience - love the bluestone wall in the dining room.<br/><br/>Really faultless.

RUDE staff! Will NOT be back!

Beautiful and absolutely fulfilling. The best rib eye I have ever had. Oh and the thick cut chips were devine with the jalapeño mayonnaise. Even the salad on the plate was perfectly dressed. Definitely worth trying. The soft pork tacos are also delicious. Could just eat those but that would mean missing out on the mains. Friendly service as well.

Well the steak was good, not the best I've had.<br/>And that's where it ends.<br/>The beer was crap, one that I had smelled like a bergamot tea.<br/>My mates bourbon and coke tasted like Malibu and coke.<br/>Will not be returning.

Second time lucky. EDIT: On encouragement from management we have since returned and were shouted a generous round of drinks. The food (parmas, okonomiyaki and tofu) we sampled on the refurbished side of the bar was delish - fresh and generous serves. Staff were casual but attentive and all requests were accommodated smoothly. While we had a bad first experience, I would like to commend the Terminus on their handling of a tricky situtaion after the fact. We will likely be back again soon!<br/><br/>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Our team plays mixed netball across the road on Monday nights and was looking forward to road testing the newly renovated Terminus. It looks schmick from the outside, while the old bar remains relatively untouched.<br/><br/>We ordered a range of share plates and a couple of jugs of beer: char-grilled calamari, cheese croquettes, broccolini and fries. The menu was not cheap and food alone cost us $42. What arrived was a pile of strongly smelling 'calamari' on a bed of green rocket and gremolata. While the dish was attractively presented, it had such an overpowering fishy smell it could only have been the cheaper squid. After all five of us sampling and not liking this dish with a soft texture, overly smokey flavour, and something smelling NQR about it, we sent it politely back. <br/><br/>The bar tender took the plate, neither offered an apology nor a refund. When we enquired as to the fate of the dish we were told the Manager would come right over. Half an hour later, still no manager. We decided to leave amid bar staff apologies. <br/><br/>The other food: broccolini was overcooked and doused in a very strong sauce, the croquettes were cheesy and rich and the fries crisp and moreish. Nothing special considering the cost, and two croquettes and half the broccolini remained on the plate.<br/><br/>The Terminus is sadly overpriced, the food we tried was below average and customer service very poor.

Visited on a cold Monday night.<br/>Excellent service, comprehensive wine list and great boutique beers.<br/>I had the pork belly which was delicious.<br/>I will be returning.

First time here tonight, great atmosphere. The low lighting in the dining room makes it feel intimate.<br/>Meals were great, reasonably priced and of exceptional quality. The pork belly was juicy, steak was cooked to perfection (medium rare as requested) and chicken parmas were a good size and made from a real breast fillet. I'd highly recommend this pub for a good quality meal. We will definitely be back!<br/><br/>Oh and the beer selection is bloody amazing!

1st time. First time here last night; Immediately welcoming atmosphere/fit-out, Epic Craft Beer selection, classic front-bar for the team-sport type & great beer garden/bar for the rest of us.<br/>Menu is great, from light snacks in the bar, to main meals in the dining, everything I saw come out looked amazing, and everything I tasted was even better.<br/>Snag a table for 4 in the Craft Bar area with a few friends and you've got yourself a great night.

We've dined here a couple of times in the month - both in the old front bar, and the new 'Craft Bar and Beer Garden'. Everything is good - from the more pricey main meals to the cheaper pub fare. King Salmon was delicious, cooked in butter. The Wagyu Beef Burger was 'the most expensive burger' my friend has had but also the tastiest by far. Last night we had pulled pork - banh mi (okay, so it wasn't authentic but it one of the best things we've tasted and still dreaming about it) and a tasting plate of bao - this food went so perfectly with the beers.

Inconsistant. We went here with a party of four and ordered two tacos, slow cooked pork and zucchini cakes. One person got their tacos in 15 mins the rest of us waited about 50 for ours, the cakes were dry and boring needed a salsa or sauce of some kind? Pork was tough but tacos were pretty nice. The chips were ok but a bit over done. Overall our party was pretty disappointed.

Lovely experience.. Booked the dining room at seniors time (6pm) and were warmly greeted on arrival (even though the dining room door said closed). We made the stupid mistake of eating a late lunch & following a seniors dinner time and were gutted to view the menu and feel like we were just still too full to grapple with it. As a result, we ordered some of the share items & sides as well as dessert. The sliders with brisket were tasty and the mustard packed a punch. The calamari was so bitey & citrusy - really delicious & fresh! The chips are out of this world crunchy and the broccoli & farro salad was nicely flavoured but I expected it to be warm so the coldness was a shock. <br/>The desserts were nothing short of amazing. Etonian mess was fresh & crisp with apple slices & sorbet and the pistachio & chocolate fondant was rich & hearty. <br/>The service was top notch. We had a lovely attendant who was on the ball all night and was chatty & polite. <br/>Next time we come back (yes, there will be a next time!) we will ensure starvation mode day of, because the pork belly & steak varieties not were enticing on the menu but they looked incredible coming out to others tables.

Nice night. We booked in the dinning foe 8pm to have dinner with some visiting friends. Everyone had steak except me and thought they were super yummy. My salmon was nice but i do with the other reviews that say that it is a bit overpriced. They do do a great job and the recent extensions look fabulous however it is not really a pub you could call a local, special occasions maybe cause we certainly cant afford a local where glasses of wine go for $8 a glass and most steaks are 30-40 dollars. We will be back, just not that often :)

Yum!. Great food and service. Entrees was great and pork belly was Devine! Would recommend trying the desserts too!. Great night out and can't wait to go back and to check out the new bar.

Ordinary pub food. I was really excited to have a meal here having read mostly glowing reviews of this place. I was quite sorely disappointed by the food that we ordered. Definitely not worth the long wait (normal Sunday afternoon crowd at 3pm) nor the price.

Could die waiting. Waited 55 minutes for a burger. Hipster waiter clearly didn't care and made no secret of the fact.

Impressive. We had a light dinner and drinks at the Terminus last night and shared the hanger steak with beetroot mousse and celeriac purée and the soft tacos with chipotle pulled pork. The hanger steak was cooked a little rarer than we expected, but meant that the steak wasn't tough (as hanger is inclined to be if overcooked) and full of flavour. The beetroot and celeriac were perfect accompaniments and it was a simple, classy dish. The pork tacos were generous in their proportions and the flavours were balanced perfectly. We thought the apple slaw was a nice touch. Will be back!

Ahhh, steak. The Terminus has been a semi-regular haunt for a few years now and is still a great place for a steak. Had a dry-aged Rump that was cooked perfectly to order and went well with a few different beers. Will be interesting to see how the renovations will change the venue.

Staff were lovely enough. the food......I wasn't impressed. Very fatty steak that wasnt marbled enough and an Asian inspired swordfish dish with not enough tasty accompaniments. For the price and wait I expect great food. Overall 5/10

Awesome Food Here. Amazing food, fresh and substantial with options for Gluten free diners. Kid friendly without being a "family restaurant". I would recommend for anyone wanting a good quality food experience.

Good. Went there with a group of 8 for Sunday lunch last weekend. Dining room was impressive and comfortable. Service was friendly and attentive. I ordered the kale bisteeya with chickpea salad. The salad was great and I wanted to love the bisteeya (pastry) but the kale was overpowered by a really strong red curry type of flavour - and I love lots of spice but it was just too much. Others enjoyed the slow cooked lamb and swordfish and the salad side dishes were really good. Overall mostly pleasant experience.

Really?! Hosting a Childrens Party in the Public Bar?!. I am just not at all sure when this became acceptable!? 3 sets of parents, children, presents and so much noise. And then when a complaint was made to be told 'we are family friendly'. Aghh!!! The children were so very loud and the parents so totally agressive and bullyish about their 'right' to disturb all the patrons.<br/><br/>It was a Sunday early evening at 5.30 pm and they had just arrived with no intention of moving anywhere. And it was the 2nd time in a month I had been disturbed by large groups of children at this place. The one prior to this the parents sat their noisy tribe near my group of friends but away from them. Unbelievable. <br/><br/>This used to be my favorite pub but not any more. I haven't been back. Perhaps the Terminus should just purchase the Day Care centre next door and combine the businesses. That should please all the those parents with no parenting skills. It is a PUB! Please Terminus get your act together.

Good pub food. Great stuff here always consistent

Great steaks!. Best pub meal around nth Fitz and Clifton hill. <br/>Lovely big tables and atmosphere too. <br/>Perfectly cooked medium rare eye fillet. Delish!

Value for money and the steaks are excellent, never had a bad one yet. Other people in our group had the chicken parmas and they said they are<br/>One of the best they have had, you can't go wrong eating there.

RIP Terminus. Alas, the Terminus is no more.... this good pub is now a kindergarten and has been taken over by parents with screaming kids or "pre-teens". So if you feel like a beer with friends on a Sunday arvo at 5.30pm, you will have to share the pub area (yes, pub, not restaurant) with parents who believe it is appropriate to have an under-6 years old kids birthday party at a pub.... good environment for children.... really???<br/>Twice in a row on Sundays I had to leave as the screaming from kids was so annoying. Plus, i dont' go to drink and smoke on kids playground so believe pub should be for adults . (Can't believe it has to be said!!!!)<br/>Plenty of other places around and anyway, it was getting overpriced: good food, but no miracle in the kitchen.

TERRIBLE experience. Don't eat here!!!!! Went a few weeks ago with a group of 10 - most of the meals where ok but I ordered the slow cooked pork belly - it was soooo tough and dry I had to ask for a steak knife to cut it! Seriously!<br/><br/>When I sent it back the waiter argued with me saying he would not give me a refund and he inspected the meal with the chef and insisted it was fine. He refused to get the manager for me and the chef refused to come and talk to me about it. The waiter continued to argue - I told him to call the police cos I was NOT paying for that meal. Can believe he kept arguing with me. He did take it off the bill but there was a line item on the bill saying "CUSTOMER REFUSED TO PAY" - I mean how rude can you get!!!!<br/><br/>I will never go back there again, neither will any 10 of my friends or anyone I know that lives in the area. Just bad form and very average food! Dont bother.

Tasty! Despite its student-like interior - well at least in the front bar (the dining room looks much more sophisticated!), The Terminus has very tasty beers and a very tasty food menu to match. I've had dinner here before but most recently had a Sunday lunch. We chose to order a selection of the small dishes and they were great! Pork Sliders, Beef Sliders, Beef Tacos, Duck Spring Onions and Chorizo & Green Olive Croquettes. Tasty! Would I eat here again? Yes!

Great food, but under staffed and little pricey. Waited far too long for our meal. Would go again but would avoid sat & fri nights.

Almost a great evening. We've been here a number of times and think it's really good. HOWEVER they are understaffed for the prices they are charging. And although they promote the buying of wine by the glass it takes 15-20 minutes to arrive from the bar(?!) It would have been faster to walk out of the restaurant and buy drinks from the bar ourselves.<br/>Sort yourselves out, Terminus and you'll retain customers.

GREAT food bad service. I have to say I had the nicest salmon I had ever eaten at Terminus, if it's on the menu when you go please try it it will blow your mind! the pork belly + steak was apparently great, the fish +chips not so much. The food is worth the wait and the price. But the wait:: order straight away. Like, as soon as you sit down. I went with about 9 people, already hungry, who made the mistake of chatting over drinks for about half an hour, and then ordering. BAD MOVE. The food came 45-50 minutes after we had ordered (when we were all starving) The staff are good at checking up on drinks etc but the food takes ages to come out so be warned (they even admitted they were under staffed)

Good Food & Beer Pub. We eat here a lot so I thought it's time for a review. This place has a beer focus and always has a great range on tap which changes frequently so every time you visit, they'll have a new beer to try. Great range of steaks. Highly recommend trying the lamb shoulder to share too.

Glass half full. Dined here on a Thursday evening, in the dining room. Entrés (oysters & olives) took ~20 minutes to arrive?thankfully the wines were in hand. Following their arrival the early concerns dissipated and add a couple of well cooked tasty steaks and a great crème caramel to finish it all made for a good solid meal. Maybe a little more focus on the floor could be welcomed but we went there for food and liked what we had.

Good menu, great choice of wine and beer. A hidden gem and worth a visit. The restaurant is lovely and no dearer than the bar.

Fab!. I think I may have already written a review but can't remember...<br/><br/>BEST steak and parmas around! <br/><br/>One night they were super busy and the food took quite some time, so they gave us all a round of whatever drink we wanted for free! <br/><br/>Love it here, very trendy!

DON'T BOTHER - THE PITS !!. Will start by saying that the staff in the front bar were great. Very engaging and chatty- however once we we went into the dining room it was pitiful. Female waitress was snotty and had no idea of the concept of service ! Meals came out 45 mins apart and when we questioned this she advised us that she didn't want to "overwhelm" the kitchen ! After an hour and 45 mins of waiting for our mains both my husbands and mine were just a raw piece of steak on a plate with a minute teaspoon of sauce. I'm sorry but when you are paying $36 for a main course you expect better than that. Overall was appalled at the attitude of dining room staff and disgusted with the meal. My advice would be to avoid this venue and take your patronage elsewhere!

Brilliant. Just ate there tonight. Service was exceptional. So was the food. Everything was just right. I had the eye fillet and it was perfectly cooked. My friend is a vegetarian, and she had tortellini. Both of us very very happy. Will be going there again. YUM.

It had been at least 6 months since we last ate at the Terminus and the menu has certainly grown in that time. There are so many options to choose from that naturally we ordered too much food. Great service and everything was tasty. Children's meals are generous and if I was 5 I'd order the fried calamari every time.

Don't get the fish n chips. Burger looked sensational but not the fish n chips. Couldn't tell what was fish and what was chip! Good atmosphere tho!

Quality service + product.. Great quality pub food, consistently good steaks. The new entrees like sliders and chicken tacos are good too. Bar staff are great, friendly, quick and knowledgable, and all staff have great knowledge of the rotating selection of beers and dining menu. Best pub in the broader area on a cold night.

Beef cheeks!. My oh my! My partner ordered this dish tonight, and I tasted it before he devoured it. Beautifully succulent, flavoursome, melting meat in a rich dark port-flavoured jus. And on a perfectly prepared purée of celeriac and also beet root. With horseradish too. It was absolutely spectacular. My twice-cooked goat's cheese souffle with a lovely complex salad was also gorgeous. But I'd love to try the beef cheeks one day. They must be done in a slow-cooker. . .mmmmmm. Wintery!

No thanks. I had eaten here twice 2 years ago and loved it but my most recent experiences have been entirely negative. Yes I get it you don't book out your bar but when we walk in looking for a table at least be polite to us! We were happy to have a drink and wait for a table but left after bad attitudes from the staff. Another experience involved me sending back my food to the kitchen for the first time in my life! Steak that had clearly been contaminated with a cleaning agent- on the same occasion they had already lost our bill and been rude about it-- So disappointing because I used to rave about this place. The Royal Hotel a few mins away is my choice now. Much better.

Really good food ! And a good choice of beers on tap .

After a few attempts we finally secured a booking. Could not fault the food (spinach and chickpea hot pot with haloumi, great flavours and very tasty), nice wine and hubby really enjoyed the dessert however waiting up to 15 minutes to order a drink and then longer for food can be tiring. This was also on a slow Tuesday night. Makes me wonder how they cope on the busy nights? Overall, based on the quality of the food - I'd go again.

Hidden Gem. I could barely contain my suprise when I was taken through to the dining room at Terminus Hotel . The fitout of the restaurant is gorgeous - all old-school with a warm atmosphere. The service was attentive and fast. The food offer is eclectic and suits the area. I had the swordfish and they accommodated my dietary requirement by serving it was the best orange and fennel salad I have had!

High class pub grub. Pleasantly surprised at the quality of food at the Terminus. Went with a group of 6 and strongly recommend getting a few starters to share - esp the crispy rice paper rolls, croquettas and grilled calamari which was tender and flavoursome. <br/>The rolled chicken was deliciously moist and served with a novel approach to polenta - soft fried cubes - reminiscent of a Venice favourite - crema fritta, definitely moreish . The parma was huge and the sides were above average in quality. Any more than $21 would be pushing it because after all, its still just a parma. The hanger steak for two to share was amazingly delectable. Served pre sliced upon a bed of lettuce with ponzu dipping sauce and pureed kimchi which I think detracted from the flavour of this cut. If you prefer your steak medium to well, dont waste your money on this because the Hanger arrived at our table caramelised to perfection on the outer, with a seductively rare and glistening centre. We ordered the triple cooked chips were Heston's chips come to life. They were crunchy McCrunch-Crunch and the side of parmesan aoili was not needed.<br/>The only thing trumping the Hanger Steak was the pure bliss that was the Banana Creme Brulee. Had many a citrus based brulee in my time along with the traditional and was quite sceptical ordering this dessert. However, the moment the crisp shell was shattered and the spoon sunk into the silky custard it was understood - this dessert was not for sharing. Not with kids, partners or even old sick grandparents. I wanted to take this brulee to a quiet spot and revel in its decadent wickedness. The caramel was flecked with roasted nuts and had an underlying saltiness that complimented the sweetness of the brulee perfectly. Last but by no means least, the milk chocolate ice cream with its smooth creaminess completed this little piece of heaven on a plate.<br/>Food alone we paid $60 a head and for a pub was a little exy but the quality of ingredients and complexity of some of these dishes was money well spent. The wait staff are super friendly and knowledgeable which is a bonus when wondering what chimmichurri is. <br/>A great range of wines, boutique beers and fashionable ciders makes this an excellent place for casual family gatherings or a long overdue catch up with great friends.

The best steak.and the 3 times cook hand cut chips.... Had the grass fed 200g eye fillet...rare.. Bloody beautiful....

For those of you who complain about not getting service, perhaps you are at the bar. Try venturing out to the dining area for table service. The terminus is hands down the best place for great food, wine and service. We are never not satisfied. Its hard to find a place that's always good... Terminus is. Highly reccomend!

A great (second) meal here.. Booked late and got last table for 2 on Friday. Had 2 "Share" starters & one main, + share cheese plate.<br/><br/> Prawn tortillas were ordinary, prawns over-done. But the seared beef/ horseradish/marscapone/ truffe oil was superb. Ingredients well balanced & truffle flavour coming through. Main course slow-cooked pork belly best I've had - fat rendered well without making meat dry and with great crackle. The slaw of fennel and apple great with it, emphasising the light star anise & orange sauce. A very large serve. No need for a side of anything.<br/><br/>Cheese plate was OK. After early advice, the kitchen removed cheese from fridge well before needed. Choice of Tassie Pyengana cheddar mysterious as this is greatly over-rated; the brie could have been out longer in order to get more gooey.<br/><br/>Service great except for one 20-minute period. Not cheap but nice to have good selection of craft beers on tap. Wine choice limited but good.<br/><br/>The gents toilet needs mention - why can't publican get this right - urinals didn't flush, exhaust fan missing from hole in window and light fittings damaged. General stench of "Aussie pub" could be fixed. Just as well there are 2 intervening doors to get to the dining room.<br/><br/>Overall, a great place.

Had a great night with a group, fantastic service. Food was mixed. Pork belly great, prawn tortilla nice, eye fillet steak way too tiny for $37.90 - generally dishes were very generous sizes. Desserts v well received. Enjoyed the privacy of the long side room and overall was a fun night.

Delicious food at good prices. We had a delicious meal here. The prawn soft corn tacos were a great starter, and we shared the pork belly (really tasty, and a very generous serving) and the polenta, haloumi and mushroom salad (nice fresh ingredients and good flavours). The dessert we had - peanut butter parfait, salted caramel, peanut crumble, chocolate Chantilly cream - was great as well, although next time I want to try the chocolate pistachio pudding, dark chocolate sauce, pistachio ice cream dessert! <br/><br/>The portion sizes are quite large, and they have some more interesting vegetarian options and a good selection of wine. We will definitely be back!

Avoid the fish and chips. Wish i'd read 'Bitterly Disappointed' before recently ordering fish and chips. I'd have been disappointed if a non-descript fish n chips shop had charged me $10 for this, not the $22 I paid here. Tasteless fish (apart from a slight bitterness) in a hardy slab of batter, with dehydrated chunky chips.

Can't wait forever for service!. My wife and I walked in at 6:20 PM on a Friday afternoon, having heard good things about this place, and it being in a good area for repeat visits. We stood at the bar patiently waiting to be greeted or served, by either of the two bar service staff, who were standing at the other end of the bar, having an animated conversation with each other and a person seated at the bar having a meal. Other than this one customer, the place was empty. We waited. And waited. Then went to a nearby table. Then came back to the bar. And waited. And waited. While the two bar staff continued their animated conversation. And then we just ... left. Scratch this place off our list.

Love it. Gee we love the Terminus Hotel...we love this is our local...they cook the best steaks in town! I had fish this week and it was also amazing. Keep up the great work guys...we come back week after week cause you are so good.

This pub is right on the mark. Delicious food that is always well presented. A very good wine list and a good range of on tap beers. One of the best pubs in Melbourne.

It is a shame this old favourite which used to be so good has gone downhill so much. The food and service used to be great, but a change is chef and it began a downhill slide... everyone has off nights, but after three bad meals in a row including meat that wasn't cooked, a burnt dessert and food so doused in oil that it was inedible, I have moved on. There are better places locally and more reasonably priced for the overall value. Give it a miss.

Amazing steak. I am usually pretty hesitant about going to a pub for dinner and I think 'gastro pubs' are pretty wanky but the steak here was amazing, the hand cut fries were amazing, even the leafy greens were dressed perfectly. Teamed with a delicious Bridge Road Brewers IPA and great service, it was a perfect pub dinner experience!

Bitterly Disappointed. Having heard great things we called in for lunch on a Saturday. Was surprised by the drab atmosphere and cold interior. Receiving at inedible plate of fish n chips ensured I wont be returning.

The best steak of life. This is the best pub meal I've had. The eye fillet with pepper sauce is next level. The Oysters are always great and if they have the Parsnip soup with truffle oil or Lobster risotto on the menu - do yourself a favor and get right amongst it. Great wine and beer list also. The steak is so good it's only rivaled by France-Soir (where the Bernaise is better but the Termy pepper sauce is beyond words...) - I honestly can't remember a better pub meal. Oh it's not cheap but BOY it's good!

One of the best steaks in Melbourne. I always order the eye fillet. For $38, I don't think its too pricey. Considering the delicious triple cooked hand cut chips & salad that come with the steak, its a reasonable price to pay.<br/><br/>Steak is always cooked perfectly, service is reasonable and restaurant doesn't get too noisy.<br/><br/>I'm coming back here again and again to satisfy my meat cravings!

Nice beers and quality food. Went to the Terminus for the second time last Sunday. First time had been okay but perhaps a bit too pricy for our taste but decided to give it another go as the place seemed to have potential, particularly with that nice range of microbeers on tap. And the beers were still good and so was the cider. Could pick quite a few things from the menu and food was nice and tasty with some dishes bigger than expexted such as the beetroot salad. Quality of the food was decent and other half loved their steak and the chips that went with it. My parsnip soup was lovely too and just what the doctor ordered on a cold winter's day. Surroundings overall are nice although it was quite cold - didn't seem to deter families with kids though as there were quite a few of them. May have to try the bistro next time as that appeared to have a fire, or else come back in summer and try the beer garden perhaps. Still not quite sure if the prices for some of the dishes are justified either but the beers are good and food is nice - what more can you soetimes want?

We visited the Terminus a few months back, don't be fooled by the outside, this place is the real deal. Arguably the best pub food in Melbourne. Service was attentive but not too much, the steaks were incredible. Highly recommended!

Good steak and wine and beer. So i go to this place all the time because it has awesome steaks. There are about 10 to choose from and are nearly always cooked perfectly. Also a great wine list although pretty expensive so if you are on a budget you may want to stick with beer. They change the beers regularly which is kinda cool although if you just feel like a coopers green (which i often do) then it can be a bit sad when they don't have any. If you don't like steak there's some nice looking other things although i haven't tried them (apart from some starters which have always been good). So basically i recommend you get the steak if you are a carnivore. My GF is vego and she gets a bit sick of the same old same old vego things on offer so probably don't go there too often if you are vego. This place is better on weeknights - i find Friday night too busy and filled with annoying idiots. There is a seated dining area out the back which might be better on a weekend. The staff are all pretty friendly and generally helpful.

So over-rated - on. Very disappointing experience - fish oozing oil & salt; unresponsive staff; couldn't finish meal it was so salty (or 'seasoned' as the waiter described it), won't be returning until they have yet another change in chef

What's with $26 for a very average burger? Sheesh. Lower the price or create something spectacular.

Margaret Bortolotto. Fabulous hotel, had a fun night with friends, great food and great service will venture there often

Went as part of a group, booked well in advance. They put us on 2 tables even though the restaurant was only half full! Sloppy service, no steak knives before the steaks had arrived, a little less chatter at the till wait staff. Went here a year ago and it was sublime!! We had an even bigger group and sat on one table, don't think I will be going back in a hurry.

Ricotta Gnocchi. The gnocchi was solid and stodgy, the sauce was salty and not thought out. This dish - the only vegetarian dish on the menu was very disappointing. My boyfriend ate the dry aged rump steak. At $37 we expected it to be good, but it was overcooked, tough and had a chemical after taste.<br/><br/>I had the Eton Mess for dessert and that was lovely.

Quality food here, very nice chicken Parma, some interesting beers on tap, good selection of wine by the glass, good deserts too. Awesome steak selection with about 10 to choose from!

Great steak and chips. I've been here a few times and reckon their steak is awesome and the chips are the best in town. Good wine list too.

Beef Burger. Super disappointed with the beef burger from the Terminus. Yes, presentation was delightful but the taste of the burger resembled the saucy tang of Hungry Jacks. I could have saved myself $15 and just gotten a Whopper from HJs.<br/><br/>The chips were nice though - thick and crunchy with basil aioli.

Gatropub or just modern pub grub. The term has had quite a workout over the last decade, with star billing to The Botanical, Half Moon, Station, The Graham, Courthouse and more recent entrants such as the Middle Park and Barkers. <br/><br/>Terminus Clifton Hill is one of many hotels re-inventing their kitchen and wine/dine options. It certainly is well ahead of the "Parma and a Pot" brigade, as it offers a small but interesting list of first and main courses and includes vegetarian options dishes. It doesn't specialise in the way The Station in Footscray does with meat, nor does it morph from gastropub to restaurant in the way the Graham in Port Melbourne has.<br/><br/>It is a relaxed, if a little noisy, pub with a dining space to cater for small and large groups. We dined there on a number occasions in 2010 and were pleased with the service and the food. The wine list is well thought out and offers an interesting range of whites and reds, and there is a good beer selection. It is, pleasingly, good modern pub grub at reasonable prices.

What a shame.... Went there for lunch with high expectations given the great reviews. The snapper with paella rice, braised fennel and red pepper sounded delicious. Unfortunately, what came out was a small piece of fish, perched atop a tiny scoop of rice, swimming in soup with clams and mussels. Now, there was no mention of shellfish on the menu description of this dish. It was a very disappointing dish. Sirloin steak was cooked as ordered, but the sides were average - oily unseasoned chips, overdressed salad, bland pepper sauce. Really wanted to like the Terminus because it has such great potential, but they need to lift their game.

Head up the road to the Royal Hotel instead. We tried out the Terminus because our local is closed on Monday nights, and it was nowhere near as good. The food, service and prices just couldn't compare. So check out the Royal Hotel instead.

An hour's wait for a parma. I have been here twice now and on the first visit, my table waited for 45-50 minutes for our food (which I thought may have been a once-off) and on the second visit, we waited for 1 hour. This was for mainly fish and chips and chicken parmas! I don't understand how they think this kind of wait is acceptable.

Love the food - just bring back Local's night!. As a regular for almost 2 years now I have seen the menu go through a number of incarnations. When I started going to the Terminus it was to take advantage of their very reasonable $15 menu on Locals Nights (Sunday & Monday) which are now just a distant memory. Then the kitchen went through a renovation & served only pizza's which were good value, nothing spectacular, but tasty all the same. And then in early 2010 Matt Merrick took over the kitchen and now our local is a full blown Gastropub with a mouthwatering menu that rivals his former colleague, Sean Donovan, of Station Hotel fame. For a Northsider, there is no reason to travel West for a steak fix from the Station anymore - the Termi is en par. Sadly however we just can not justify the prices and so our ritual Monday night dinners sitting in the bar are now a thing of the past. Absolutely love the food, the service & the atmosphere - just won't be seeing you so often anymore.

Great Food, Great Value. We went to the Terminus Dining Room last night and had a fantastic experience. Greeted by a toasty warm room with roaring fire, funky decor and friendly staff, we quickly had drinks in hand and fresh crusty bread on the table. <br/><br/>After reading reviews that portions would be generous, we decided to forego entrees and head straight to mains. We weren't disappointed. My friend and I shared the Ribeye (designed for 2) which came with shoestring fries, caramelised shallots and a green salad. WOW. The steak was cooked to perfection with that delicious charred taste on the outside and meltingly tender pink flesh inside. The chips were perfectly salted and crisp and served with a moreish rosemary aioli. The salad had the freshest mix of baby lambs lettuce and rocket, cherry tomatoes and red onion with a light dressing. We also got a small dish of fantastic bernaise on the side. Our friends had the burgers - a terrific burger using great quality mince, tangy feta and a tasty relish. The burgers were good, but the steak was definitely the star of the meal! We were all absolutely stuffed after just a main, but couldn't resist trying the chocolate and pistachio pudding with double cream. We shared this between five - which you think would be ambitious - but the generous serve and incredible richness meant it was just enough! <br/><br/>All in all, this was a great meal in a great atmosphere for a very reasonable price. We will definitely be going back.

Good quality pub grub. We went here one evening last weekend. Managed to get a table by calling in the middle of the day, but it was probably the worst table in the house - right next to the door leading outside (and to the toilets) and also next to the food preparation area.<br/><br/>The food was excellent with large servings. We all had starters and mains and had no room for desserts. The menu is online and is mostly standard pub grub but done nicely, plus a few extras that you might normally get in a fancier restaurant. There was a range of steak options and mine was beautifully done (rump I think). Two on the table shared the roast chicken, which was apparently very nice.<br/><br/>There were a few glitches in service (no bread and a lost coffee order) but generally it all went smoothly.<br/><br/>If we hadn't had that sub-standard table it would have been a much better experience. We'd go back but next time we'll know to make sure we are in the main part of the dining room. We'd also probably skip or share starters and maybe share desserts instead.

Better than decent food, however their timing could be improved. We finished our two mains by the time the waitress informed us the other three mains had been forgotten! For the prices asked, $20-$30, the service is pretty sub par. Nice brews on tap though...

Terminus serves consistently good food and some really nice wine options too, but it is very loud and the tables are somehow annoyingly placed. It's restaurant-quality food and prices, but feels like you're squeezed into a sports bar.

Great Pizzas. The kitchen is currently being remodelled, but the pizzas are superb? Cool bar with great music. Once the renos are done, this place will really be sensational. The new meny looks fantastic

The Terminus is definitely a pub, with great food like the gastropubs I remember fondly from London, with the casual attitude, orders taken at the bar, and the option of just grabbing a drink if you like, or maybe it was just the grey damp weather outside that brought back the memories! Well I'm actually an Aussie citizen these days, so it's good I've found a pub that seems to combine the best of both worlds, and certainly one I'd happily go back to.

Thanks to the font of beery information that is The Crafty Pint , the Australian Beer Writers' Guild convened at the Terminus Hotel in Clifton Hill recently. Good god, the menu is superb, as is the massive dining room.