Review Vasko Restaurant Functions - Ivanhoe

I've been looking for another favourite restaurant lately with no luck. Until yesterday, when I found Vasko. Right atmosphere, right lighting, right temperature, yummy food and excellent service. The only reason I'm giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is because of pricing. It's a bit dear but I guess I can put up with it as I do not go out for dinner very often these days. I'll come back and bring my friends with me!

We held a function at Vasko Restaurant and we’re pleased with their excellence service, great food and drinks and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Thank you for making it easy to host our event.

Beautiful and delicious meals. Been here twice and never a dissatisfaction. Food were flavorful and cooked to perfection. Services were wonderful as well. Poliet and knowledgeable. Will return again.

Have been coming here for years and years and haven't had a bad meal yet. The atmosphere is really nice and caters for all, great place for a date night, or a family dinner. The staff are so accommodating and attentive, and the you really can't go wrong no matter which dish you order. Highly recommend the arancini and the creamy napoli penne. Our group can also never go passed the seafood spaghetti.

Surprisingly busy for a Monday night. Venue is a bit noisy. Cevapcici (Balkan sausages) were really nice. Fries were good. Tiramisu had the perfect consistency, but no flavour, which is surprising considering that the menu mentioned Baileys, Frangelico and Kahlua as ingredients. I tasted none of those liqueurs, which makes the price of $16 pretty steep.

Great family run Italian restaurant. Usually pretty busy as the food is so good. Super friendly and warm. Awesome variety of foods including seasonal seafood. great place to have a dinner date or family dinner. A bit pricey but well worth it in my opinion.

Thank you for a exceptional meal. Will DEFINITELY be back. The chocolate pudding is phenomenal.

We have been coming here for many years now. Every single visit both the food and the customer service has been exceptional. We have recommended Vasko to many family and friends. Who have all been experiencing the amazing food and lovely service provided here

I found the ambeince pleasant, the menu varied and interesting. The service was mixed. One server was friendly, helpful and prompt. The other seemed to be disinterested in our meal and seemed to be grudgingly prepared to serve us. Perhaps a little tough but that seemed to be the view of the group. We ate a range of food and all meals entrées were tasty, interesting and generous. The offerings on the menu were all pleasing and choice was difficult. I would definitely eat there again, but I would want to feel valued by all staff.

Easily the best restaurant in the area. Family run by people who care. Delicious food always . Modern Italian with a hint of The Balkans. Highly recommended. �

We had my sisters 21st birthday in the function room it was perfect and such a great night. The food was amazing and the venue was just perfect all of the staff were lovely and so accomodating to all of our needs. Will definitely recommend you to all and have more functions with you guys thanks again.

We have been coming to this restaurant for several years now. The food is wonderful and the hospitality of the owners Vasko and Maria is outstanding. Such a wonderful family restaurant. We love it and highly recommend it.

Great service and environment great place for a party. Very well looked after. Totally recommend to anyone

Loved the food great wine list attentive staff made you feel welcome

On Saturday 30th July, we celebrated Alan's surprise 50th birthday. Perfect venue in the function room, delicious food& plenty of it, staff are fantastic & very accommodating. Thanks for a great night David & staff. Albi & Alan.

We went last night for my birthday and what an amazing food experience. A fantastic place to eat and the staff were excellent. Definately recommending to all of our friends and family.

Absolutely amazing, authentic food!!! Can’t thank you enough for the fabulous service.

It was my 1st time there last night, I went with my daughter, my best friend and her daughter. I can't wait to go back again! :) We enjoyed being there, the atmosphere was polite, efficient, very welcoming, most of all..... the food was delicious!!!! We had bruschetta, My meal was the lamb risotto, just thinking about how full of flavour it was is making me hungry atm lol, I'd definitely go back again, thank you!

That was the best lamb shoulder of my life!! Thanks Dave!!!!

Amazing food and amazing dining experience! Vasko, Maria and her family and staff are great! My wife and I have had many special dinners here and look forward to many more. I always finish dinner with the chocolate pudding dessert. Thanks guys.

Great food /staff. 5 stars will always be back family night x

very expensive, food was too salty & oily, even the Maco Alcohol was expensive, they didn't even play Maco Music, the male Toilet upstairs where too Humid, I couldn't even breath, I nearly fainted, my group will not return or recommend.

I’ve had 3 experiences at vasko, all have been just okay<br/>Service is friendly enough<br/>The venue itself is long and narrow<br/>Food is said to be Macedonian or Balkan but is pretty just stock standard modern meals<br/>I’ve attended a function here also and everything ran smoothly Although I will say I feel like they’re always understaffed!<br/>Just good

Absolutely LOVED coming to Vasko’s! extremely friendly staff and quick service!<br/><br/>tonight some friends and I watched the AFL prelim against Collingwood and Richmond so we ate dinner with the footy on the TV! the atmosphere was crazy, everyone super excited about Collingwood winning (WOOHOO)<br/><br/>i ate the chicken risotto and some cevapcici and i loved both! absolutely amazing flavours throughout the food, generous food portions and really quick to come out! <br/><br/>thanks for a great night Vasko, ill be back :)

Lovely looking place with a nice, relaxed vibe. Food was good but somewhat small for the amount they charge you if anything. Was disappointed however at the amount of time we waited for our main - counted 45 minutes since ordering. Staff were lovely though so that was a positive for the place.

Went to Vasko's for a celebration dinner. The staff were absolutely amazing.. friendly, experienced and looked after their customers from the moment you walked in till the moment you left. Exceptional quality meals (especially the salmon, chicken parma with mix of cheese and mushroom risotto), would highly recommend. Definitely will be back again!

We been here numerous times and have always experienced fantastic dishes and service. I especially love the pork belly and the steaks! Not to mention the deserts, if you have room!<br/><br/>Would recommend this place to anyone who is after somewhere romantic for two, or for a group of any size. Surroundings and ambiance are also A1 as well. <br/><br/>Looking forward to visiting again soon. <br/><br/>Keep up the great work, Vasko and Maria!

As a family, we could not be more disappointed after hosting our beloved father and grandfather's wake at your restaurant. We are embarrassed by the lack of food provided to our friends and family despite the exuberant price we were charged to host this important occasion in your space. Disgraceful!

Disappointing!! Very expensive for a function and quality and amount of food is below standard. I would not recommend it. Plenty of other places to eat around Ivanhoe that are better quality.

Yum! Fresh beautiful food and friendly attentive service! This restaurant is always busy and I know why. Consistently fabulous, stand out food! I always feel looked after and love the menu options! The ricotta gnocchi is my favourite. Yum<br/>5/5 for my favourite restaurant

Upon revisiting Vasko for lunch today unfortunately my two vegetarian friends & I were disappointed. Firstly the entrée dish that I really wanted to have wasn't on the lunch menu so I decided to choose one of their lunch specials of Spaghetti with Black Tiger Prawns at $22.90, it was just average & yes they tried to even overcharge me for that a $29 until it was brought to their attention and finally I chose their Crème Brûlée which seriously was their only savoir and the best part of my experience. My two vegetarian friends were also very disappointed to find a dish they'd both really enjoyed in the past here had been removed from their menu. Service provision by the young waitress was just average, overall a real disaster. The 3 of us vowed never to return, a genuine shame from what I described in the past as a 5 star dining experience.<br/><br/>The Juror's Verdict: Food 3.5, Service Provision 3/5, Will I return: No<br/><br/>Phill Jury (food critic & writer)

This place surprised me, in a good way! Not a huge menu but plenty of enticing meals to choose from. The food was fresh and the portions were generous. My spaghetti with prawns was made more interesting with a sprinkle of fried capers and chilli. Market fish which was pan fried rockling on couscous with grilled asparagus sounded simple but when done well, as this was, simple is good. We had a tiramisu to share amongst 4 and it was actually too much. Oh, and they have the best kids menu I have ever seen. Proper meals, just smaller.

Had dinner here last night and it was absolutely delicious! We ordered the cevapcici to share as entree and they were moreish! I chose the veal involtini and it was gone in no time. Perhaps the only negative would be that it was incredibly salty with the prosciutto and the jus. Perhaps having a slightly lighter sauce would help but that didn't stop me polishing off my meal. There are plenty of gluten free options which is great to see. The owners and staff are so lovely, they make you feel like you're in their home. We are sure to be regulars going forward!

Amazing family restaurant. The food is consistently good, fresh and ambience and service impeccable. David is the best restaurant host I have come across and his knowledge of wine and alcohol is second to none. If you are looking for a great date night, special occasion or even a function, Vaskos is all class 😍.

Great place! Had lunch for a birthday here and it was beautiful. Service was fantastic and the staff were very friendly. The food was also delicious..tasted very fresh! I had Spaghetti with prawns and apart from having quite a bit of garlic through it, it was yum! Good place to know of and definitely will be coming back. :)

This is such a nice local restaurant. Great food and great service. My husband and I came here last night to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We've just had twins so they were in tow with us. They were very accommodating with the large pram and the owner was so lovely congratulating us on the twins arrival. It was our first outing with the kids and vasko made it a breeze.

So after several years of dining here.. I seemed to have overlooked reviewing this fine restaurant. However, tonight I am reminded why I keep returning. I've never eaten a meal which has ever disappointed me. I can honestly say. I have checked in on facebook and uploaded pictures of meals I've ordered here. But tonight, I met the lovely Maria. The mother, matriarch.. the Scililian.. and what a pleasure. I finally ordered the pork belly.. and let me just say.. there was somethg special sitting in front of me even before I took my first bite. I suspected slow cooking for an 8 or 9 hr period and was pleased that I was correct and confirmed by Maria.. how could a piece of pork so magnificent, be slow cooked in less than that? The crackling was so crisp and delightful.. the crunch I needed after savouring that melt in yr mouth pork belly meat. I can't believe I had never chosen this from the menu before! The black gold that is the jus which accompanied.. if only they sold this in little bottles. I would pay big bucks for a bottle of that deliciousness!<br/>Desserts so delightful.. Vanilla ice cream with fried cappers n a drizzle of olive oil.. that sweet and salty goodness works in yr mouth let me tell u. And I have to thank Maria for the complimentary chocolate fondant, chocolate sauce which oozed out as you broke open the pudding.. and presented with a birthday candle for the birthday guest I was with. Nice touch. A big thank u to u for such a kind gesture. X<br/>And we finally met the chef and hubby.. . who I had always viewed from a far.. as he busily worked away.. it was a real pleasure to chat and meet the man with the blue eyes, behind the fantastic meals... Vasko. 😊<br/>Love yr work to all. The boys (sons) who always greeted me in the past and were just as attentive as their parents. I simply forgot to write about Vasko on this forum. However, there is a reason they have been around for so long. An icon in Ivanhoe. The food speaks for itself. Good food made with love by passionate pple who care, will always sell itself.<br/>Until we dine together again.. 😀 Lotty..

A tad on the pricey side but the food is delicious, and the service is great. Very kid friendly - my son absolutely wolfed down the Pasta Napoli which was delicious!!

Vasko is a popular spot in Ivanhoe, with its Mediterranean cuisine, but The Trough had not eaten there for several years. A lunch with three family members provided an occasion to update us with Vasko and we came away happy. There was a good value $21.90 lunch a la carte option, including tea/coffee or a glass of the house wine (Shiraz or Sav Blanc) along with a good range of pasta, risotto and salad dishes. The lamb salad was a hit with tender lamb pieces in a well dressed salad. Be warned, Vasko seems to use a fairly salty fetta which may not fit all tastes or dietary needs, but that was the only quibble. Other dishes we tried included the moussaka (pictured) and chicken risotto. The moussaka was excellent, served with a simple salad. The risotto was very good, with nice flavour and rice with a slightly nutty texture, though there was an excess amount of oil left on the plate after finishing. Service was friendly and efficient, though perhaps a trifle slow, but the place was very busy and we lobbed without booking. The Trough will return to Vasko as the menu warrants a little more exploration, and the quality of food and venue inspire confidence.

Just been to Vasko for Christmas lunch. I have never written a review before. This was the most disgusting food I have ever had. We where sat out the back in amongst the rubbish from the 12 sitting because our table was in full sun inside. We actually left as the main course was served. I am so disappointed as we took my parents there. I would expect so much more for Christmas Day. They didn't even offer to give us back the $150 deposit that we paid. Will never go back again!!

Vasko has an amazing atmosphere with great food. Service is impeccable! Friendly family oriented staff. Perfect for functions and work lunches! Pork belly is to die for!

Went here for dinner about a week ago on a quiet night. I had Cevapcici entree, black prawn pasta as the main and the creme brulee as the dessert. All wonderful and cooked to perfection. The main was deceptively generous, and this was a common theme at our table. Service was wonderful, but as it was a quiet night it was not unusual. If there was anything I would do over it would be my choice of wine, as it did not match my meal and tasted quite tart.

We went to Vasko on a recommendation and we weren't disappointed. Front of house was a great character and he set the vibe for what was a nice night out. All the meals seemed fresh and creative. Lost a star because there was a little too much pork on the menu for today's Muslim on the go. Definitely will return. Try the field mushroom

Superb. The spaghettini was cooked perfectly - light and fresh - and the balance of ingredients matched the menu description. The Movenpick ice cream with sea salt, the chocolate pudding and the toblerone tiramisu were delicious. It was apparent that the family who own this business work well as a team and that they love what they do. They care about the food they present and the service they provide. A place to return to for sure.

A lovely dinner with warm service. Came here for dinner with the folks on Monday. I have to say I was surprised at how great the food and the service was after looking up the rating on urban spoon. <br/><br/>This place was great! The staff were friendly and attentive. The winner of the night was the lamb special entree which we shared. It was perfectly cooked with a delicious citrus and potato puree. <br/><br/>My main was the impressively named " The Balken" a spiced burger pattie with roast veggies. Very tasty and cooked medium rare so it was still lovely and pink in the middle. Next time I might order something a bit acidic as a side dish. <br/><br/>The folks were equally impressed with their huge steak and tasty looking chook. But I didnt have any of it so I'm not going put words in their mouths. <br/><br/>Overall I had a really good dinner and hope that like me you won't be put off by the relatively mediocre rating, try it for yourselves and give this place some more points!

LOVES IT!. The food is fantastic, fairly priced, service is impeccable and staff were friendly and attentive. Met the owner - lovely people. We will definitely be going here again.

Even at 9pm - a favourite of families with toddlers. Avoid.

Followed Vasko to Ivanhoe. We used to dine as Vasko's when in Macleod and were thrilled to find them again in Ivanhoe. I took a large group for dinner and nothing was too much trouble for the staff and owners. This is a family run business and there is love in every dish.<br/><br/>Previously I attended with work colleagues and friends and have not once been disappointed.<br/><br/>The function room at the rear looks amazing and I am planning to have a function there one day soon. <br/><br/>The staff are also happy to accommodate with bill splitting which is handy and smart for a restaurant to close to the hospital where so many of us can sacrifice meals and need to bill split.<br/><br/>Thanks you all at Vasko's - we will be back

Good reliable food at Vasko. I hadn't visited Vasko in quite some time. We turned up on a Saturday night without a booking but were seated straight away. I've always loved the ambience of Vasko and I wasn't disappointed this time.<br/><br/>The bruschetta is always a firm favourite and we decided to start with that - along with a glass of French champers and a red selected by our waiter (both excellent). The bruschetta was fantastic as always.<br/><br/>My rockling main was a tad overdone, but delicious nonetheless. My partner's seafood risotto was terrific according to him.<br/><br/>The staff at Vasko are always friendly, helpful and accommodating. We will return to Vasko for really fresh food cooked really well. Enjoyed our night immensely.

Please beware Make sure you.... Please beware<br/>Make sure you check the price of any mezzo offered. We has a hefty $180 added that we were not expecting. Very sneaky of the owners son. Will not be going back there or recommending

Had dinner there tonight with a friend! Excellent service, glass was always full, had brushetta beautiful bread with the sides of tapenade, basil pesto and fresh tomato salsa it was fantastic to strat with my friend chose the pork belly which she loved I chose chicken risotto beautiful nutty tasting rice loved the flavors and followed by dessert which we chose self sauceing choco pudding <br/>Delicious! ! And greek donut tasted homemade soooooo good! Love our time here great atmosphere and beautiful food and service will be back!

Fantastic. Great food and atmosphere<br/>My favourite is the calamari salad & the home made cevapi sausages. <br/>Can highly recommend.<br/>We also recently attended a function that was brilliantly catered for with fie food and great service. Thanks for a Good night all round.

Overpriced and the owner is beyond rude. Will not be returning. Food was okay but would rather throw my money in a bin than give it to that horrible man.

Terrible hospitality. Average food, nothing different to a standard Italian restaurant. <br/>Talked to a staff member and discovered, workers didn't get paid time and a half Christmas or any public holiday. Additionally not allowed breaks when working over 5 hours. Never would eat there again, neither recommend it!!

Nice place. I believe the restaurant is owned by a macedonian which is reflected by some choices on the menu.<br/>My wife and I like it and recommend it.

Home away from home. I love it here. I get so homesick for Europe and Maria makes me feel like I'm part of her family here. Food is amazing too. Thank you!!

Awesome service, very friendly. The food was absolutely amazing, best I have had in some time and the prices were quite low for such a high standard!! The atmosphere was very relaxing, would recommend and intend to return.

Good food, wine and atmosphere. Friendly and helpful staff. Have been here many times over the years and never disappointed.

Took our two little kids for an early tea and it was great. The owner was super helpful and patient with the kids. The kids menu was healthy and yum (no chicken nuggets to be seen). And our food was delicious.

Yumm!!!!!!!!!. Reading through the reviews and some of the negative comments annoyed me. I dined there last night and absolutely loved it!!! Yes it is a little pricey for an outer suburb restaurant BUT it dishes up some great food with pricey quality ingredients put together with a higher degree of culinary talent you rarely find in outer suburban restaurants. Sure you can have a $15 ravioli dish that came out of a packet and was mixed with some tinned tomato at your local "Italian" restaurant,,,, or you can have fresh made squid ink prawn ravioli at Vaskos for $25 (which were amazing!). <br/><br/>As for the hamburger,,, it's a "Pleskavica" traditional Balkan dish. Beef and pork pattie which is not to be served between buns and generally served with pickled vegetables or coleslaw. <br/><br/>Ambiance ok, though food and service fantastic!!! Highly recommend!!!

I have been to this restaurant several times sometimes food I'd great but today for lunch very average My biggest beef is the flat sparkling wine that is topped up with a freshly opened bottle The second glass we got was even more flat. This is not the first time The service was good but food overpriced . Not happy

This place has the most amazing quails chargrilled ! The whole night was just lovely

Great Place to eat. Have dined at Vaskos on several occasions also celebrated our sons 21st. Menu small but as Gordon Ramsey says this is positive as you know it is freshly made. Food is lovely. Service has always been excellent. Staff attentive. Would and have recommended to others.

An Oasis. We are frequent lunch time diners and rate this restuarant very highly. The menu is not extensive but every dish we have had,has been first class and by today's standards,reasonably priced.<br/>We also like the idea of eating at a family owned restaurant.

Yum! Went with a girlfriend last night to celebrate Galentine's Day, we've gone for the last few years bc we adore it. Maria and the team always make you feel fantastic the service is great and the food well wow love it. My only suggestion is please bring the duck confit back. And if you haven't been there before save room for the dessert. Choc pudding and Greek donuts - bellisimo

Crap service, crap food, over priced.<br/><br/>First off, it took way too long for the waiter to even give us our menu, then brought me the wrong beer.<br/><br/>I ordered the pork belly with crackle. Too bad the chef didn't know that the crackle is meant to crackle!! <br/><br/>Partner ordered the 'hamburger' which was just an over salted pattie with old vegetables. There was not even any buns.<br/><br/>If you're going to pretend to be 'fine dining' and charge people high prices then I expect a higher quality of food and service.<br/><br/>Don't recommend and will not return!

Great lunch spot. Went here for lunch and couldn't fault it! Food was beautiful and the fitout is very very nice. Great spot!!

Fantastic place! Every time we eat at Vasko's the food and service is consistently of a high standard.

The food is ok, the service is good but I don't understand how they can charge $30 for a single meat patty (minced meat) and some veggies. It's far too expensive for what you get and the food isn't spectacular to justify the price tag.

Good service and food - recommend!. We eat there semi-regularly and have always found the service really good - friendly and prompt - and the food is lovely. They do a great lunchtime deal with a glass of wine or coffee and a main meal.

Dont understand all the hate. Best cevapi and have never been disappointed with any of the other meals. Basically, haters gon' hate!

Lunch. My friend and. I had lunch at this restaurant recently and unfortunately we were both very disappointed.<br/>The food was average and overpriced. The staff, although pleasant, were more interested in keeping warm and wearing a coat than they were in explaining the menu to us.<br/>We will not be back.

We had a lovely meal there last night. Service was good. Don't know what you're on about. Have been there a number of times now and always a positive experience.

We've eaten at Vasko on a number of occasions and have never been disappointed! The owners and staff are always warm and welcoming and the meals are consistently delicious as well as reasoably priced. Dinner to celebrate a birthday last night was no exception....my home made ricotta gnocchi was rich, tasty comfort food with a touch of class! As always, we were very well looked after...we'll be visiting again!

Good food, friendly staff a bit overpriced. We had an enjoyable evening there, despite the place being packed and incredibly noisy. The food was good, no real surprises on the menu, but not outstanding. The staff were very friendly. The wine list small but perfectly adequate, including some nice varieties and excellent tasting wines. To sum up, though, the food is somewhat overpriced for what you get. For the money I much prefer Enoteca Sileno in Lygon Street.

Has changed name back to Vasko for no apparent reason (same owners & staff). Disappointed with last meal there - very boring, monotonous vege options. Don't have mushrooms in both entree & main when there are so few choices! And the risotto was undercooked or something - still tasted grainy.

Super friendly staff. Great food and stylish fitout. Ivanhoe has been looking for a place like this.

Over Priced. Friends and I attended this chic establishment for dinner on a Saturday night and were greeted warmly by the staff. Its fair to say the service was very good but the food was a let down as it was not up to the standards of comparable establishments. Pricing for such food is simply too high!

It's Ok maybe I had the wrong dish. Do you ever feel you just ordered the wrong dish?....The Spahettini with prawns, cherry tomatoes (not enough), garlic and chilli was nice....but honestly I could have made better myself...don't you hate that! But the Barramundi with the seafood sounded beautiful but as I was there for a casual quick lunch I didn't feel like paying double $$. Hopefully they have more experienced staff working at night...than they do on Saturday afternoons as they are pitching at a premium market... Worth another try.