Review Box Seafood Restaurant - Melbourne

Service was excellent. We ordered the seafood platter for two. It was a little bit pricey but we come from the country so we were happy to pay for fresh seafood. You got one or two of each type of seafood for each person.Left with full tummy's. Would highly recommend.

Incredible food, incredible service. Always consistent and Adrian always ensures every guest has the best experience 👏👏

This restaurant offers some of the best seafood in Melbourne, along with top champagnes and wines. Service is spectacular, attentive and friendly. Today we enjoyed Daintree barramundi with crayfish segments, parsnip cream, special cray sauce and fresh asparagus spears. The crispy decorative parsnip on top was a delicious treat. Top quality crays were served to happy patrons too. This restaurant is an excellent choice for those going to the Regent Theatre next door, the great service will have you to the door on time and well fed and watered!

Amazing dining experience. Spoiled myself and had crayfish that was so fresh, superbly prepared and I can't stop telling people about it. Service is first class; responsive and fast. Yes, a little bit pricey, but that's the way it is with quality ingredients. Already planningy next visit there. Well done, guys!

Taste was amazing! It is a little pricey but I guess you're paying for high class meals so you can expect high class prices. If portions increase a little it might be more worth the price. Overall, a great dinner out.

Falling upon this highly reviewed restaurant that scored a no.3 on trip advisor, I had great expectations. The service was attentive and efficient. However, the quality of food was poor and definitely was not fresh. I booked this place for my birthday and have to say I was deeply disappointed. Definitely not worth the great reviews it was given.

Outrageously poor! I don’t even know where to start. Let’s start with the WAITING.Reservation was at 7.30, entrees arrived at 9.05. Mains were served 9.35 for 3 out of 5 of us and the other two got their food 15 minutes after us. No food is good enough to wait this long. THE FOOD. Overall the food is probably a 3/5. But the inconsistency of everything makes it impossible to even judge if the food is good or not. Pic no1, saucy was to overpowering, taking over everything on the plate. Pic no3, on the specials menu and very rich in crayfish which was awesome. But it was supposed to have saffron in it and there was not even a hint of it. Pic no7, was not even cooked, it was just warmed and did not taste anything like it has previously done (according to the guest that ordered them and been there twice before). At this point I stopped taking pictures of the rest of the food due to my patients running out with this place which I will explain in a bit. The last plates to come out were prawn dishes. We asked how many prawns came with the Main size, as suppose to entree size and we were told that is was 10 prawns. 6 prawns were on each plate and one of the plates was served without rice. apparently they ran out of rice in the kitchen. We had to notice and figure that out ourself and no compensation was even offered for the lack of rice... not even bread was offered. That is enough about the food, average. THE SERVICE. This is we’re it gets really bad. The waitress was kind and polite, nothing bad to say about her. The manager though, is rude and could not care less about its customers unless they are his friends. 5 other tables were seated after us and they all had food and payed before we had even received all our food. But the only ones to leave with a smile and without complains were the couple that seemed to be friend with the manager. We asked about our food twice before asking for the manager and when he came to us he was brushing it of and offered us a bottle of champagne, even though 2 of us were not even drinking alcohol. We were offered to have olives as we wait, assuming that they were complimentary due to waiting for SO LONG but we were charged for those. After receiving half the mains and still waiting for the rest (with the restaurant half empty) we asked to speak to him again and I was furious about how rude he is and not apologetic at all about anything that was going on with our visit there. We didn’t know what to say to him to realise that this experience needs some sort of compensation or complimentary SOMETHING to at least feel like it was worth the wait. So we proposed to have our entrees deducted from the bill and his response was “I like your style” with a smirk on his face that not even bleach could get rid off. Instead of managing the situation, he was only making it worse and he could not care less. In all honestly I would go back to give the food another chance, due to what I have heard. But I will never recommend anyone to go there or go back there again due to the service we received from the manager and the lack of even remedying an escalated situation from patrons that were willing to be understanding due to circumstances.

Absolute pleasure to be back at the Box Restaurant with Adrian & Mark and the rest of there team. Great family business always make us feel welcome we’ve brought our staff and family here many times. I love the food and ambience we recommend the Box to everyone thanks again everyone!! I recommend the Crayfish love it!!!!

Food was lovely! I would highly recommend the seafood platter. Service was definitely sloppy, had a reservation for 6:30, table wasn't ready, got to the table and had to ask for water for the table, no cutlery, no cups. Took 1.5hrs for the platter to come out, no apology for the long wait, consently had to get their attention to obtain things for the table. No napkins provided until we asked for them. Considering the location and the demographic of people that would come to this place I did definitely expect more. I would suggest the manager train up staff to be proactive and have tables ready for when reservation are booked. From as simple as not having the table ready put a downer on this place. Our totaling bill was $400 and I definitely didn't get the service that should be associated to a bill like that. Having to ask wait staff for a napkin with a seafood platter is disappointing.

Wow what a beautiful restaurant. The service was 5 star. The food was amazing. I shouted my mum the hot platter for her 75th birthday and it was amazing-we couldn’t get through it all. My daughters had entrees then one had steak - wow cooked to perfection, and the other had pasta. Both were mouth watering. Then we had dessert - again just beautiful. The dark chocolate brûlée was to die for as was the crepe pillows with hazelnut ice cream and the coconut mango panna cotta was so yummy. We definitely will go back again. The wait staff were so attentive without being in your face. We all loved it and it was extra special for my mum.

Ordered from the menu Fish and Chips as a Gluten Free option for $38. Stated when ordered that it must be GF. What I got was grilled fish and mashed potato. Definitely not Fish n Chips. For what the meal cost, certainly was not worth it. In the words of Gordon Ramsey "would you pay that amount for that?" My partner ordered a gluten free meal with potato wedges that he would have liked to have shared ....but seems the risk of cross contamination would be too high and would ruin our evening at the theatre. Certainly won't be going back.

Some of the best seafood around.We started with whitebait to share YUM. I enjoyed the Garlic Prawns which didn't have that over the top garlic flavour. I could taste and enjoy the huge prawns. My friend had the seafood risotto which she raved over. The service was great and very attentive. A little pricey but well worth the experience

We had dinner before Priscilla at the Regent. We absolutely loved the meal, entree was duo breads with oil and dukkah, for main I had the best fish and chips and my hubby had melt in your mouth cray with chilli and garlic together with Asian veggies. Finished off with 2 lovely light desserts. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful and the manager was informative and very pleasant to talk to. Highly recommend this restaurant and we will definitely be going back. Great ambience with beautiful food. Bev and Bryant.

The food was very good,highly recommend Box to anyone who wants to find a place to eat in the city then this is is the place to go

We enjoyed a sensational hot and cold seafood platter for three. Food and service was excellent. As good a seafood restaurant as I've enjoyed. Five star.

Fabulous service and the food was to die for. Any reviewers should bare in mind it's the theatre district. If your not going to the theatre �, book for around 8pm when their rush is over. We didn't go to the theatre and spent a very comfortable few hours enjoying ourselves. Highly recommended.

Excelled our expectation of superbly fast and efficient friendly service. Food were delightfully delicious. This has becoming our favourite seafood place to dine in the heart of Melbourne. We'll definitely be back for more scrumptious seafood delight.

Excellent service and fantastic seafood menu with delicious desserts. Will definitely go back and highly recommend this restaurant to all seafood lovers

We had a meal at Box before seeing a show at Athenaeum opposite. Everything was excellent we had several drinks, Parmesan herbed bread, flathead fillets, fries (awesome) and salad we shared New York style cheesecake with fresh berries finished with coffee!!! Service was brilliant couldn't fault anything, highly recommend this terrific restaurant!

The food was delicious and the waitress was friendly, helpful and professional. I didn’t have a booking but had no trouble getting a table, and staff ensured prompt service so I made it to the theatre performance in plenty of time. Reasonably priced for a city eatery.

Excelente food, also the service. The waiter Monica and the owner where very kind

Delightful meal and lovely service. Our table server was lovely and the gentleman who took our payment also very friendly (he was also lovely on the phone when I called to say we'd be a little late for our reservation) The seafood was divine - just disappointed we didn't choose the "platter" when we saw it arrive at a nearby table. Look forward to sampling more of your offerings when funds permit 😊

Best seafood in Melbourne, great service and always friendly staff. I strongly recommend and will be back !

Took a mate here for a celebration and dropped about 500 between the two of us. But we spared no expense and didn’t regret it a bit. Several nice bottles of wine, Cray to share, bugs, prawns, squid, we went absolutely crazy and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Don’t change folks.

Super friendly staff here! It’s a must do if you enjoy seafood. The highlight of my dining experience would have to be the natural oysters with ginger and , and the mussels in Napoli sauce was very tender and the spice gave it a nice kick. <br/><br/>Will definitely return for the signature lobster.

Yes it is expensive but I cannot fault the service nor the quality of the seafood. Our waitress was lovely and pre-empted all our requests. Thank you so much for a lovely night 👍😃

We got in early before a show and the place was quiet then but filled up. The service was prompt and attentive. I had oysters natural all quiet plump. Followed up with bug in mornay sauce which was tasty but a little pricey for one bug. I then ordered the prawn risotto which had six big prawns and lovely rice. I finished with a very light and fluffy sticky date pudding and ice cream. Overall a very good dining experience.

The staff are very nice and friendly, the entree were very fresh and yummmy !!!! <br/>We’ve order risotto and steak, everything went well but the steak was over cooked on the side and surface, it only medium rare in the central part, tasted so dry for the side of the steak. <br/>But the seafood were very fresh !!👍👍👍

We wanted a seafood platter and thought we would give this place a try. Great location in the CBD close to some great hotels. We had the hot seafood platter and it was stunning. Presentation was fantastic with a great variety of fresh seafood. Oysters Kirkpatrick scallops mornay, fish, bugs, prawns, muscles, calamari and sauces for everything. Very impressed. Wine list is good. Staff were polite, professional and attentive. A really love meal in a great location.

Terrible and unfriendly service - overpriced seafood platter and did not deliver. The level of the seafood was comparable to Aldi. I will NEVER revisit this restaurant and I will not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

One of the stalwarts in the city, for finer dining, even more for upmarket seafood. Pricing makes it more of a place for special occasions, but quality comes at a cost, simply. And quality the Box delivers. Greeted and looked after by accommodating staff you feel well taken care off from arrival to departure. We enjoyed the soft shell crab, the Moreton Bay Bugs and the Barra special immensely. Cooked spot on, making the produce shine with little flim flam. Not that it was needed, but the chocolate brûlée and the Bread and Butter pudding were absolutely gorgeous. Great place.

My husband brought me here for dinner tonight as part of my birthday surprise and the food was beautiful. We had a prawn cocktail and morten bay bugs in mornay sauce which were incredible. Salad was good too. My only complaint would be the service was a little slow. Thanks to the lovely waitress, I felt bad for the 2 amazing waitress staff who were totally run off their feet. They were pretty amazing under that pressure, the manager needs to remember it’s close to Christmas so it’s going to be busy. You could of easily done with at least one more waitressing. If you’re looking for a place to chat and that’s quiet to do so then don’t sit upstairs, it was very loud as it was full so it was very hard to have a conversation. We went there for seafood and we received a lovely dinner.

I really enjoyed this place...staff were lovely...food was delicious and the wine was top shelf. Venue itself is a little strange which detracts...but a must if you are going to the Regent Theatre

I paid a visit to Box Seafood Restaurant last night to celebrate my husband's 27th birthday and the restaurant's service made his birthday just that much more special. The staff were absolutely fantastic and the food was to die for. Every bite was worth every cent and the staff even organised sparklers to place on the dessert. I would love to come here again with more family and friends. Thank you to the staff for making the night as amazing as it was.

This seafood restaurant has immaculate service. Was there for lunch. Ordered the bay bugs with white wine and garlic sauce. Although it came with a strand of hair on top, the dish was immediately removed and replaced with another plate of bay bugs (waited a further 10minutes- I'd like to believe they cooked a new batch).<br/>Food was well presented. Taste could be sharper. Lacked the punch of a good rich sauce.<br/>The dark chocolate brulee was bittersweet delicious. Perfect for chocolate lovers.<br/>I think for the price, my expectation of the food was much higher. I feel I'm actually paying the premium for service and a fine dining environment.

An afternoon seeing The Bodyguard following a supposedly lovely lunch with my husband to celebrate his successful surgery for a kidney transplant turned into a disaster thanks to the incompetence of staff at this restaurant. Our mains were forgotten and the excuse of a computer "glitch"that clearly only applied to our meal was given. Food arrived 1 hour and 10 mins after we had ordered leaving us no time to eat it and the error only noticed after I asked about it. We ended up being slugged $89 for a few slivers of pita bread, 3 tablespoons of very basic dip and a bottle of wine- half of which we left as we were waiting for our mains. The less than sincere apology and being tossed a card for a free wine the next/ never time we visit still left us hungry, disappointed and frankly disgusted. No hospitality or service here I'm afraid!!

I eat out three times a week, and this is the worst dining experience I have ever encountered. The poor service and incompetence was remarkable. I’ll try to summarise:<br/><br/>1. My mother asked for no garlic as she has an allergy. They checked with the chef, confirmed an alternative sauce would be made “with less taste” then proceeded to provide a meal laden in garlic. Fortunately her allergy “only” makes her chronically ill and does not put her into anaphylactic shock. After she started feeling sick and questioned the garlic content, they agreed there was a lot of garlic in there, did not apologise or even seem to understand why allergies are important things to consider, and eventually made her a new meal without garlic. <br/><br/>2. The servings are stingy and the meals overpriced.<br/>3. We ordered our meal at 5:30pm. There was no one else in the restaurant. Our meals arrived at about 6pm. But they messed up my order. They agreed to make me the meal I actually ordered (fish) and said they would prioritise it. 30min later, more people had entered the restaurant and I politely asked if my meal was coming soon. They said yes. 15min later again, my family obviously now finished their meal, I asked if mine was coming. They said yes. 10min later, we asked to speak to the manager. 15min later, neither my food nor the manager had arrived. My father got up to find the manager and he was told to return to his seat. He said he wouldn’t until he spoke to the manager. The manager came, got angry with my father for not sitting down (he was standing quietly, not bothering anyone) and when my father asked why there had been such a long wait, the manager rudely and condescendingly told him to “stop ruining everyone’s night, the meal is coming”. Until this moment, we had been very polite, patient and had not raised our voices. I had now been waiting 1h 45min for my fish, in which time, all the other customers around me had been served their meals, even those who arrived after my “re-order” was sent to the kitchen. <br/><br/>The service and the way we were treated was absolutely disgusting, not to mention how scary their incompetence and ignorance about allergies was. We were polite. We didn’t change our minds, they messed up the orders. They then ignored us, didn’t apologise for their errors, nor inform us of why there were such delays, and then they lashed out at us as if it were all our fault. Revolting people, who really shouldn’t be in customer-facing roles. I strongly recommend avoiding this place, especially if you have allergies.

Just seafood for lunch really appealed... service was ok. Ordered herb bread, prawn cocktail, soft shell crab, prawn spring rolls, beer battered oysters and ginger garlic fried prawns. Initially she said we get bread first then everything else but after thinking about it that's too much at once and some of it will be cold by the time we eat it so I asked for the prawn cocktail and crab with the herb bread. We didn't get the herb bread but did apologise when we got it. The crab was nice and crunchy the prawn cocktail not quite what I expected and was abit chewy really. Herb bread was just ok. The next 3 dishes came and the fried prawns were ok nothing startling and also weren't tender like I'm used too felt like they were crunchy. The spring rolls were nice and the oysters yum.

Prawn spring rolls and the Moreton bay bugs with the garlic sauce are a MUST. Seafood platter is the best option as you get a little bit of everything. I have Never had a bad meal at this restaurant. Classy restaurant with professional waiters.

Wife and I Dropped in for a quick meal pre show. Excellent service to get us out before show. Garlic bread for starters followed by mains of Scallops Mornay and Garlic King prawns with a side of cauliflower and bacon gratin. Scallops were fantastic with well over a dozen and the prawns whilst less in number delighted my wife. Great value @ $100 before wine.

I let the boy choose where we were having dinner and I have to admit I was a bit skeptical when we walked in on a Thursday night, the only people in the restaurant.<br/>The starters were just ok, but my Morteon Bay Bugs main was amazing! 5 big fat bug halves for $50 cooked perfectly in a ginger, chilli garlic sauce. I could eat that everyday. <br/>My boy is a vegetarian and his vegetarian risotto wasn't very exciting but it is a seafood restaurant, but the side of chips were incredible, an absolutely perfectly cooked chip. <br/>Service was friendly, wine list was decent value. I'd be happy to go back for the bugs

Stay Away from this Restaurant! If we could rate this restaurant Zero, we would. We reserved this restaurant for dinner on our last night in Melbourne and we were really looking forward to what we thought would be a good seafood experience. Turns out we'll never know. After my wife was served her appetizer of Tiger Prawn Spring Rolls, no more food appeared. After about a 40 minute wait, we got up and left. The person behind the counter who our server told us was the owner, told us that the problem was a large party upstairs. We reminded him that this was hardly our problem. He became brusque at this point and asked us "What can I say? It's just one of those nights". With some reluctance, we settled up the bill, which included a bottle of wine and the appetizer. A perfunctory apology followed from the owner. We left hungry, frustrated and determined to let everyone know that this is a restaurant to be avoided. This has sadly left us with a bad taste for dining in Melbourne generally.

Dropped in for dinner before a show. Great food, great service. Fish and chips, desert, cider, lovely on a hot night. Not cheap but a great way to start the e evening.

Came here for a quick pre show dinner. We both had the fish and chips and a glass of wine, sparkling water and tap water. Service was great i thought the meal was expensive for the price. But i suppose you're paying for the convenience not the actual food! $105 for two mains and a glass of wine .. I'll plan my venue better next time.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and the very kind and professional staff. My partner and I came here to celebrate my birthday and we ordered the seafood platter for two $200.00, it was mainly really nice and fresh produce was used. However, I believe that restaurants should begin serving the platter in sections as the warm food becomes cold and soggy as you tuck into the meal. This would do the food justice just how the chef would anticipate the meal to be enjoyed. Other than this issue it was absolutely delicious!! 😋<br/><br/>I would return but only on special occasions due to the price. 😀

The food was great, however. The waitress spilt a hot cup of coffee onto my mothers lap which resulted in discomfort for the rest of the night. We were on our way to see a show at the Regent Theatre next door and she had to sit during the show with wet and stained clothes. <br/>When we asked for at least my mothers meal to be on the house, the manager was extremely rude and told us no and we had to pay for our meals. <br/>After my mother spoke up he told us to get out and 'people like you don't deserve to eat in restaurants'. <br/>I think this behaviour is disgusting and no way to treat customers. We were polite the whole time and at no time did we get upset and this is how we were treated. <br/>After reading other reviews on other sites it seems the owner manager does this quite often. That is, become rude and nasty when customers complain or raise an issue or if they do not spend a fortune. <br/>Its safe to say that we will not be back there again!

We had a mission to go out and indulge on quality seafood, this place definitely satisfied that fix! The seafood platter did not disappoint in any way, you could taste the care put in the preparation - enjoyed every little bit! Service was attentive and professional. Recommend sitting upstairs and taking your time, decent wine list but a little on the pricey side. There was four of us and we split it to $160 per head - service and quality of food made it money well spent, definitely go back.

Nice food if you want a nice restaurant that is not on trend so you won't need to queue which is refreshing. Not cheap but it is good quality food and staff are attentive if not a bit too attentive- sometimes you just don't need that many fills of water and your plate carried away before your dinner guest is done with their plate.<br/><br/>I found the food had too much oil and dressing and topping. I ordered the bugs with chilli and ginger but found it loaded with oil and parmesan. Luckily the restaurant were happy to serve me greens rather than rice with it which was a much better accompaniment and kept it fresher and not too heavy.<br/><br/>Two people- one glass of wine, a small entrée, a main each and a share side and share dessert came to $168.

Staff were attentive without being intrusive on quite a busy Saturday night. We had the seafood platter and could not fault it. Fantastic experience and I would highly recommend Box on Collins

Tried the Spicy Chili King Prawns and it is indeed spicy but yummy! Luckily you can have rice with it. Although a white wine matches better, i did like the Yalumba FDR1A CabSavShiraz!

I have passed this place a 1000 times in the last 10 years. A couple of days ago I finally got to eat here on a cold lunchtime in Melbourne.The restaurant is narrow with very high ceilings, concrete type floors, tiles running up the walls, wooden seats...there is not a soft surface to be seen in the very minimalist space. And on a cold Melbourne day, that was exactly what it felt like in this restaurant - cold. I would rename it Igloo on Collins, that's what it looks and feels like.So that was a bit of a distraction from teh food which is good and the service which is pretty good. Seafood is the speciality here and they do not try and over complicate it which is a good thing. Most dishes that came to our table were on point and the prices are reasonable.If you want seafood in the CBD this is a good option, just don't go on a cold day or night!

I came here on a quiet Thursday night. Nothing to hit home about, very expensive for what it was, although the food was good and seafood was well cooked. Average service. Probably wouldn't go back.

Some of the best natural oysters I've had. This to me says a lot about their basic standards and their suppliers. We sampled widely from the fruits of the sea, a mixed up selection of marinated oyster, scallops, garlic ginger prawns and garlic bugs. Without exception, the seafood was cooked to perfection and pared with harmonious flavours that didn't dominate the excellent produce. No balsamic reduction jus glaze squirts to be seen. Service was great too. It'll be on rotation now.

Great food and great service!!  My partner and I ate at this restaurant for a pre-theatre meal.  The recommendations from the waiter were superb.  We ordered the house-made bread for starters, I ordered the linguini marinara for main.  Flavours were to die for!  Will definitely be back.

Would not recommend this place.<br/>Ordered the seafood linguini and had to send it back only to receive a replacement barely better than the first. The pasta was burnt, the mussels had a burnt smoky flavour to them and the scallops were rubbery. <br/>Also ordered the Tasmania steak fillet which came with a packet mashed potato and a jus that was as runny as water <br/>Very disappointed

I came here for a function over the weekend. As a non seafood eater and this restaurant offering mostly seafood, I realise this wasn't the best venue for me to visit. Luckily, Box On Collins offers non seafood options. I had a chicken, pumpkin and chorizo pasta dish. It was a good dish, large in portion size but lacked a little imagination and wasn't hot when it arrived at the table. Make note - no complaints from the seafood eaters. The staff here are really friendly albeit a little slow in service.

Went there last night (Saturday night) for dinner for anniversary and the service was excellent and the food was fantastic. Could not fault anything and everything was fresh and came out quickly. All portions were a good amount and the lobster was so fresh and tasty.

Good, fresh seafood if all a little bit uninspiring. The menu plays it very safe offering a selection of tried and true dishes. That being said; everything we ate was tasty, the food hit the table within 15 minutes of ordering and the price was as to be expected for a CBD seafood restaurant. Low risk - low reward style dining.

Had lunch here some time ago , oysters and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Good option for lunch or dinner before or after the theatre. Recommend it.

We went before the Lion King. Food when it arrived at our table was lukewarm. It would be better to have it hot when it arrived. Service was very average. We were offered pre dinner drinks when we arrived then none of the waiting staff came by to offer us another drink. We would have loved a bottle of wine to enjoy with our seafood entree & main course. The staff need to trained to up well & push drink service ! We would have had a bottle of wine but no waiting staff came by ! <br/>Very small serves, average presentation & expensive food. Location is a positive but that won't get me back

My Mum and I came here before the Lion King on a Saturday night and were asked straight away by a pleasant man if we were going to go to the Lion King - we told him we were. We were seated upstairs with other tables who were also all attending.<br/>To start we had the pita bread and dips were soo tasty. For mains I had the steak and mash with a few scallops and my mum had the prawn Risotto. The steak was slightly overcooked but to be fair I made it very clear I didn't want to see any blood and regardless it was still very tasty, as was the potato mash. My Mum said her Risotto was incredible with beautiful flavours and really large prawns. The Scallops were ahhmmaazzing!! The service was outstanding, the price - you pay for what you get I feel. It is a bit expensive but its worth every cent. Lovely setting, friendly staff and the fact they asked about the Lion King also in my books was very commendable as they obviously got our food etc to us quickly. Will return.

Last minute decision to grab dinner Here before a show at The Regent Theatre. Both food & service was fantastic, ate trio of dips, pumpkin & chicken risotto with rocket, pear & parmesan salad. I'm not a big eater so glad I ordered entree size for risotto. Highly recommended.

Disappointing dinner. Ordinary food, rude waiter and poor service. Not worth the money and time at all. Two waiters walked past me when I entered, no one attended me until I asked. When we asked about the lobster signature dish, I just couldn’t believe a restaurant with this price would say something like: this costs you extra, you get it if you’re willing to pay. And the manager came later and said something even ruder. <br/><br/>All I want to say is, this restaurant is over-priced, over-rated, and I don’t feel respected here. Would never ever come back to this place again. Would tell all my friends the same thing too.

Ordered mushroom risotto which was bland. Asked waiter for cheese as dish lacked flavour, maître d came over and asked if there was an issue which I explained. Went to kitchen and offered to recook which was fine. The reason the maître d gave for the bland risotto "THE KITCHEN DIDNT USE STOCK WHEN PREPARING MY RISOTTO!!! Says everything I need to know about the standards of this restaurant.

Fresh seafood. Had dinner here before we saw a show at the Regent. Absolutely loved it. Very helpful and friendly staff, seafood cooked to perfection. Swordfish off the specials menu was delicious, and the salmon was delicious with crispy skin! Beautiful food, great restaurant.

Great Seafood!. Most delicious seafood i have ever eaten, compliments to the chef, and the team at Box!

The bug halves were delicious. I had been tempted to order the bug halves in honey and sesame seed but decided to order the garlic and parsley instead. I was quite happy with my choice … simple yet flavourful and not masking the original taste of the bugs.

JT’s atlantic salmon was cooked perfectly and the accompanying risotto was also packed with flavour - probably the best risotto we’ve tried this year.

Box was a little gem! It was pretty rare to find a restaurant where the ambience was admirable, the staff were friendly with a sense of humor, and the food was fine making a good addition to a perfect evening.

2ofus. Lunch time adventure.We shared Marinated octopus,no skin and succulent,next, bugs in the half shell with mild tastey sauce, melt in your mouth,and then the best flounder I have eaten in years, take the fish off the bone and the bone is still just starting to cook and it's at the table,this chef knows his fish,just beautiful. My eating companion (30years) had calamari, tender and full of flavour,you don't usually get both together, here it just happens. Great service, let the staff choose the wine,it's what they do,then sit back and enjoy the ride. Almost forgot the desert,cheese cake, the one at the top of the menu, it should be on the restricted list. Thanks we will be back.<br/><br/><br/>-----19 Nov, 2014-----<br/><br/>2ofus. Had lunch at Box yesterday, the food is better than excellent, rich creamy oysters, octopus tender, tasted so so good and then my Flounder cooked perfectly, my wife had calamari and like everything else was delicious. The staff are there when you need them,friendly, efficient and all of this at a cost that surprised both of us. Have booked for another meal before we leave Melbourne. Do yourself a favour and enjoy food you will want to tell your friends about.

Always a Winner. Love Box on Collins, always impresses!

Great Seafood. We love the box. Great seafood! Great Service! Adrian is an amazing host! The perfect pre-dinner when seeing a show next door!

I dined here with a friend from Sydney. It's Collins street location is perfect and walking distance from Sofitel and Grand Hyatt. We had mixed entree with olives and octopus. It was very delicious. The wine list is incredible with a superb selection from Australia and worldwide. For the main the snapper fillet was so fresh and the taste was so incredible that it literally melted on my pallet. The ambience of the place is stylish and welcoming. The staff were attentive to our every need. I rate the box 5/5 highly commended and look forward to dining there again.

A++. Dined here last Saturday night before going to see Wicked next door at the Regent Theatre. With even just a party of 2 my friend and i tried endlessly to find somewhere nice to eat around the CBD only to be met with confusion as to why we had no booking. After almost giving up the idea of having dinner we came across Box, an elegant looking restuarant that wasn't too packed. The waiter approached us after we had a brief look at the menu and we asked if we could have a table for two and if we would be finished dining in time for our 8pm show. He said definitly we had plenty of time and attended to us with our drinks and orders immediatly. Our food came out in such good time and the portions were plenty! Delicious food and amazing service what more could entice you to return.

Great seafood and service

We had a really nice lunch on sunday before going to see the Wicked show at the Regent Theather. Sizes for the meals were pretty good and dessert was superb..Excellent location and quiet atmosphere. Thank You.

Over priced and still hungry. Went in on a sat night for my anniversary. We had a seafood platter $ 100 per head and all u get is <br/><br/>1 morten bay bug<br/>mussels<br/>1 large scallop<br/>1 spring roll<br/>3 small prawns<br/>calamari<br/>small scallops<br/>2 oysters <br/><br/>Disgraceful. Would not recommend this place. Frozen calamari, frozen prawns. Plus u get no bread either. So many better places our there to get a way and I mean way better seafood platter. NEVER AGAIN! !!!!

Best Seafood Restaurant in Melbourne CBD!. Had dinner here last night and thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate. The service was exceptional. Best part of the night was the fresh seafood platter we shared between the 4 of us. Great value for money, could not fault a thing. Highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.

NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN!!! Ov.... NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN!!!<br/>Over priced, bland and just crap. This place need to see how it's done at Rockpool.

Gabbi. Perfect Lunch! I lunched with an elderly, frail gentleman last Sunday pre-theatre, and the staff were thoughtful and considerate in their approach and actions. <br/><br/>The food was beautiful. Started with oysters kilpatrick, a dish I had not had for many years, and it was stunning - a simple dish but when done well, could not be beaten. Main course was for him: crumbed blue-eye fillet, and me: seafood pasta - both dishes cooked to perfection. Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake. YUM (actually yum to all). It's not an inexpensive undertaking, but the ambience (gorgeous white linen tablecloth and napkin), service and food made it well worthwhile. Thank you.

When we booked we were told how lucky we were to get the "last table". The place wasn't anything near full. For a cafe/restaurant setting themselves up at this high end $$$ pricewise they need to deliver $$$ with produce, presentation and service. Mistakes were made with service,attitude and our overall decision to choose this venue. For these prices, go across the road which was full when we tried to book a place close to the Regent. PS Don't try to access the toilets by stairs unless you are In training - tedious to get to!

Had the $100 per person seafood banquet. Very average. Mussels were good. The spicy prawns had great kick. However the rest was battered, soggy and tasteless. 5/10. For that meal, I wish the price was 5/10 (50%)

Lovely and well priced. Props to Lisa the MD. She was a fantastic hostess.<br/>We told her we wanted a seafood platter to feed 5 of us and only wanted to spend $300. She asked us what we wanted on the platter and was very flexible. She started us off with fresh oysters natural and beer battered which were as fresh as I have had them. Then she followed with muscles two ways which were equally as fresh and tasty. Then she followed with the seafood platter which not only looked fantastic and had a great range it tastes just as good as it looked. All the seafood, from the scallops to the prawns to the bugs were beautifully fresh and well cooked. The only negative I have is the plate of pasta marinara which my father insisted on ordering. While the pasta was cooked well and the seafood was fresh there just wasn't much of it (pasta and seafood) and for the price I expected more. In addition the sauce was not pleasant at all. I actually couldn't work outwhat it was. it seemed like a lot of wine and lemon rather than a nice garlic oil base that I was expecting.<br/>The averna that we ordered to cap off the meal was heavily over priced at $14 a glass. We ordered 3 without realising it which means we paid $42 (we could have bought our own bottle at that price).<br/>Having said all that I thought the actual seafood was very well priced - for those of you who think the seafood is overpriced you clearly haven't been to many seafood restaurants.<br/>The food was extrenemy fresh and I would say my highlight was the beer battered oysters, scampi spring rolls and scallops mornay.

TPL. Went to Theatre last night...Grabbed a bite to eat a the box...Was served straight away by a very friendly/lovely lady. She asked if we were attending the Theatre and organised to have our meals come out quicker...Had the Chilli Prawns (Delish), service was excellent, food was terrific....Will be back for a full meal next time..<br/><br/>Great job!

Best seafood in Melbourne!! Best service!! Food is to die for!!! Will always keep coming back.

Gazman. We duct in for a quick desert and drinks, the White chocolate creme brulee was great, the flourless Chocolate fondant was simply awful the Cointreau on ice was great and the reconstituted Orange juice was horrible overall not a nice finish to an already tainted night.

The best place to go, very friendly service. Food was amazing

Awesome, best restaurant we have found in cbd, food delicious, service was excellent. Very professional, and good value considering the quality. Wil be back next year.

I have been a customer at Box for eight years. Amazing atmosphere, exceptional service, great food and plethora of wine list. This restaurant at Paris end of Collins st is a must for foodie.

Sensational food, friendly service - the friendly staff make you feel right at home. Would definitely dine at the box again, highly recommend for anyone looking for a fresh,delicious meal :) thanks to everyone at the box for a great dining experience.

Could not recommend this restaurant more highly. We had the oysters and crayfish. Without a doubt the best seafood in melbourne.

Terry. 25th October 2013. Don't bother unless you like overpriced, overcooked, undersized and overwhelmingly tasteless fish. My blue eye was the size of a muesli bar and dry and tasteless, languishing on top of a few strips of asparagus and a dollop of some weird paste spread out over an interestingly shaped plate. the little lemon and lime segments spread out in fan shape on the side made the dish look pretty but that is all it had going for itself. The greek salad was tasteless with no discernible vinaigrette and rubbery feta cubes. The only dish they got right was the beer battered chips and the white riesling was nicely chilled. But I wish I hadn't paid so much for it all, because it still sticks in my craw this morning. I think the very efficient and friendly waiter should find himself a job in a much better place.

My partner and I went to King Kong last night. We wanted to get a quick bite to eat prior to the show, so we decided to try the Box next door. After reading a few negative reviews we were interested to try it ourselves. With only an hour and a half to eat and get to the show, we were more than impressed with the food and service at the Box. We were promptly sat at a cozy table and immediately attended to. The wine list featured a wide range of reasonably priced wines and the food was amazing! I had the chili prawns (excellent for lovers of spice) and my partner had the marinara (best in Melbourne). I would recommend the Box to anyone who appreciates excellent seafood!

More than a mouthful.... Upon winning a special luncheon/theatre package, my friend took me as a guest and three others to Box for what we thought was going to be an amazing afternoon... however, that all went very sour when I left my starter untouched for a few minutes while awaiting other meals to arrive... Approached by management 'you haven't started your meal' I proceeded to get my feelers out on the calamari (which I had not eaten before, I'm not a big seafood fan, but I was keen to try something different).. my first reaction upon touching it "oooh, its a little tough, should it be".. Managements response was less than impressed resulting in a few snappy remarks, "well use your knife you lazy thing" so I used my knife and it didn't cut through. "Should it be soft?" I asked. Before I could do anything she literally snatched the plate from under me and stormed off insisting they do 20-30kgs of calamari a day and they know how to cook it.. "I'm not complaining and I want to eat it".. She whisked the plate off and in utter shock and humiliation I said I'd prefer to not eat at all if she was going to act like that.. <br/><br/>The manager then went on to insist she would forfeit out luncheon that she had 'so kindly donated' (and my friend had rightly won after paying a substantial fee for the ticket at a benefit luncheon) and she would tear up our tickets to see King Kong and we could leave if I insulted her food any further. In any other scenario I would get up and leave in a second, but as it was my friends birthday, her young 8 year daughter sitting opposite me and a good friend beside me, I felt obliged to sit in disgust and digest what was left of the meal to come. It didn't end there and the tirade continued and made for a most uncomfortable and regrettable experience. Only to be told "You're boring" on top of all that because I advised I wasn't drinking alcohol. <br/><br/>Needless to say she bent over backward once she knew we were all playing 'nice' and suggested we were VIP's and were to be ushered through the VIP lift (umm, the kitchen exit) into the theatre to our 'box office seats that were overlooking the stage'.. Hang on, I thought we were to be in some kind of royal box by the sounds of it, but alas .. no.. Row F in the stalls (no complaints, seats were great but certainly not what she was carrying on about!). <br/><br/>Update: We since have learnt that the tickets were paid for by the actual club hosting the raffle and the lunch was the only donation! <br/><br/>Anyways, 0 for service and food.. 10/10 for King Kong.

Never disappointing!. Best Lobster mornay & oysters I have ever had. Went back to the Box after a day at the races with some colleagues from interstate & again was blown away by the cuisine. Lisa suggested the lobster mornay which was absolutely sensational!! The mornay sauce was light & the lobster was sweet & juicy. We shared the oysters which were divine! Lisa's wine suggestions again were pleasing to us all & again I was able to entertain & impress my interstate colleagues with an amazing feast & the very professional & efficient staff at Box on Collins. Thank you again Lisa for a wonderful evening....<br/><br/><br/>-----29 Sep, 2013-----<br/><br/>OMG....beyond amazing!!. Went to The Box for Friday lunch couldn't believe the amount of Dom Perignon flowing through the restaurant as I settled in for the afternoon....couldn't believe the amazing quality of the seafood at this place!!! As a lover of seafood, I have travelled extensively & can honestly say, hand on heart, that this experience for my colleagues & I, far surpassed any restaurant I have ever dined at (and believe me, I have dined in many over the years!). As a professional myself, I am extremely particular with customer service.....well......I was blown away by the lovely maître d Lisa!!! She was beyond helpful, funny, welcoming, discreet & had the best smile I've seen in years! All I can say is if you are a lover of seafood or are a resident in Melbourne or have a business lunch planned, The Box is definitely a MUST!!! I will be returning there soon Thanks Lisa for a wonderful experience :-)

Disappointing. Dont trust the waitress when she asks you to start with oven fresh warm bread and some incredible Olives. The bread WILL not be warm, and be thankful if it is fresh. You dont have to order it to keep her happy. (I must say that the Olives were great though).<br/>My honest comments are :<br/>- It would be a superlative if I say that my Chilli king prawns were mediocre.<br/>- There was ZERO salt. <br/>- The coating on prawns was a disaster. Be ready to remove it before you eat the prawns.<br/>- The menu said that the prawns would be accompanied by Fragrant Jasmine rice. What it did not say was that the rice would be two spoons maximum. Either I eat like a person with a hole in the stomach, or the rice was seriously insufficient.<br/>- There was absolutely no flavour in the dish.<br/>- The restaurant is heavily overpriced. I think we were paying for the rent of the restaurant rather than the food.<br/><br/>After my disappointment with the main course, I had no stomach to order the pricy dessert, that the waitress lovingly insisted on.<br/><br/>In a nutshell, it is ok for people when the tab is being picked up by their company, where the only deciding factor is proximity to the office. I would definitely think it over to travel 20km to eat here for my local takeaway is better value for money.

Great lunch. Had a great lunch before the show king kong on Sunday<br/>Enjoyed my time there.

Exceptional service and food. Fantastic wine list. Friendly staff. Great experience overall. Coming back here for my birthday in 2 weeks!!!

This place is way over priced! Waitress was so damn pushy kept trying to make us order more than what we wanted, her and another waiter kept hovering over our table asking if we needed more drinks before we'd finished our glasses. Ordered our dishes and she asked if she could get us some "lovely bread" and olives , we decided on the bread and she kept asking about the olives!! They charge $4.50 for 2 tiny stale days old bread with oil and dukkah. Had I not been with guests who chose to eat here I would've complained..atleast serve them warm. Almost every restaurant in melb serve complimentary bread and although they rarely charge, it's always of a good quality and most importantly fresh! That was already a bad start to the night..the bouillabaisse had a good amount of fish in it but the broth was bland, had to add a heap of salt. The snapper special cost $40 and there wasn't much on the plate at all. Came with a green papaya salad with only a few slivers of papaya in it, was mostly cucumber. When asked if we wanted desserts we said no as we had a show to go to..the menus were shoved in our face and told "it's free to look" $18 for a dessert? I'd pay that at a top restaurant, not a place like this. How can you charge that price for a sticky date pudding? Definitely wouldn't come back or recommend this place

Wow the whole lobster ! Just try this dish !

Over all an Awful dining experience. Our table wasn't ready, so we were sat at a dirty table to wait. I ordered a coke zero and it was not right. Tasted like bad post mix cola, but we were assured it wasn't. I asked for a medium steak and it was cremated. To their defense they responded and brought me another steak. The risotto was over cooked, and the desserts tasted like they had been prepared hours prior to reaching us.

Great service and excellent seafood. Garlic prawns were cooked to perfection. We will be back!

The food is amazing and the service is good depending on who you get. The man who is perhaps the owner is very attentive. However I went on a Saturday night once and the waitress was very irritating. She kept cutting us off mid sentence to interrupt us as ask things like do we want to move to a bigger table as we ordered the crayfish. Our drinks and entrees were already at the table. Attentive staff are good but she kept interrupting every few minutes for one thing or another and cutting off our conversation. It was rude and annoying. However all the other times I've dined there its been great service.

Great place very intimate and the service was personalized. Don't put what looks like a small portion of food off the place at order I did and walked out stuffed. Really not that badly price especially of you wanna splash out a bit food hot and quick served. Definety recommend

Fantastic food, great service. What more could you want?! Would definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves seafood.

Great night out. Went here based on other reviews from Urbanspoon. Did not disappoint! <br/><br/>We ordered the seafood platter which was quite good if a little bit pricey but the service and decor of the rest of the restaurant was well worth it! The staff were extremely polite and attentive, if a little busy.<br/><br/>The only gripe (if that) I have, is that the restroom which was on the 4th floor, but there is an elevator you can take.<br/><br/>Overall a good place for seafood if you'd like to splurge a little bit.

We will be back. We came to Melbourne for a weekend get away until my friend suggested we have seafood tonight. We ask the concierge the hotel we stayed in and ask if he knew a good seafood restuarant nearby. He suggested box on collins which we never heard of but when we did get there,then I know why. The restuarant was a great setup and presentation as the food was fantastic.The service was pretty good as each meal they recommended was true to their words. As far as the price goes for what we ordered,you get what you pay for and we will be definitely coming back again.

Service makes it special. While on the expensive side this is the way to spoil yourself. The service from the moment you come in the door is special without being prentitious. Staff are geniunely friendly in every aspect. Menu brings some great seafood to the table. The banquet for two was wonderful if just a little to much....almost stopped me from enjoying dessert. The waiters talk you through every dish with a good depth of knowledge and the scallops were wonderful. Cannot speak highly enough of the team at Box. Very good food was made great by the service package. Highly recommended......oh yes and the wine lists is very good !

Green on being critical...but adore good food & drinks. Have been a long time reader and must say lived vicariously through so many reviews. Three kids doesn't leave much room to indulge for me and my husband, but recently had Shirley's 40th upstairs at the Box the weekend after the grand final (we'll get em next year boys). <br/>Don't remember when I enjoyed myself so much. Dan & I went the whole nine yards, booked an overnighter at the Westin left the kids with mum and just treated ourselves. We both needed to commiserate ourselves after Sydney robbed us like that. <br/>It was great to have the choice of main or seafood plates. We got to try stuff we'd never tried before. The seafood was amazing but I barely made a dent, good thing Dan likes to clean up for both of us. <br/>While it was a little over our budget, we both agreed that treating ourselves like that is now a regular thing we look forward to every month, my little slice of indulgence. Thanks Lisa!

Exceptional service!

Service great, was not impressed with the penne (perhaps their seafood dishes are better)

Ther service was great however, the wine was 400% overpriced, and the food was as good as u would get from a second rate take-away restaurant! Not worth the prices! Very very disappointed!

We booked this restaurant for a birthday dinner. The seafood was really fresh and tasty. The prices were a little expensive - $300 for a 2kg crayfish. The staff were friendly but appeared a little run off their feet.

Annie DInner. I went to Box yesterday for our pre theatre dinner ,I couldnt believe the amazing service we had, the place was packed ,our waiteress was outstanding her attention to detail was unbelievable , we were amazed how quick the food came out which allowed us to enjoy a drink at the amazing theatre next door ( try the crab cakes, and Cary fish risotto outstanding ) , we will be back for sure!!!

Lacks finesse. Cocktails - no crushed ice or decoration (other than a cherry sunk to the bottom of the glass). Wine not chilled enough. Meals not checked. Meals - large portions (and that's where the good stuff ends). No presentation, the food looked dumped onto the plate. Vegetables raw rather than cooked through and crisp. Batter on deep fried chilli prawns inedible - hard, heavy and bland, we peeled the batter off and left it. Home made chilli sauce was a thick paste smothered over the battered prawns - no balance of flavour, just chilli and lots of it. The dipping sauces were lacking in flavour and lightness. The coconut prawns were to be dusted in coconut and yet tasted of home made lamingtons in that the dried coconut case was thick and overpowered the prawns. The restaurant feels cold (in ambiance) and lacks intimacy or atmosphere. Extremely disappointing and very over priced. Wouldn't recommend or go back unless you were needing a quick and filling dinner before the theatre and you were not looking to match price to quality. You will leave feeling fed but it is not a fine dining experience or a special night out for a couple.

Not good for the time poor. Four of us booked for dinner before a show next door. Our waitress asked us twice if we were seeing anything next door and twice we told her yes. I doubt she heard though as she had a terrible habit of asking a question before walking off without an answer. We received our entrees which were all lovely. We ordered and received another glass of wine to have with our meals and then we waited and waited and waited. We cancelled our mains and as we got to the register, they arrived! Laughable. At this stage we had 10 minutes to pay, get next door, use amenities and be seated. Another customer at the register in front of us also had to leave without a meal and was highly unimpressed. The bill for 4 entrees and 8 glasses of wine (1 overcharged) was a whopping $200. On a more pleasant note, we were given vouchers for a return meal. We'll use them as the food is good. It's the service & the speed of the kitchen that lets them down. Our sour old waitress really needs to learn listening and comprehension skills.

A perfect dinner. We had a fantastic dinner at Box for our anniversary. window seat, perfect service (with perfect advice on our menu decisions ... ) and the best seafood platter I have had for years. Thankyou BOX. outstanding.

Service A1. Fresh, tasty food, nice ambience and fantastic service.

Rushed - but very good. It's 7.15pm, show at the theatre (next door) starting at 8.00pm and we haven't eaten (or booked). On the off-chance we try Box. Could they do a quick dinner for 5 and still have us out by 7.55pm? You bet; and the food was great. A pasta dish for one and the other 4 share dips and a seafood platter including calamari, garlic prawns, prawn spring rolls, fish and of course some chips. Service was fast (including the drinks) and the food was great. They had us out by 7.55pm and our only regret was that had to rush (which was our fault). We will return for a more relaxed dinner. Dinner for 5 (excluding drinks) approx $200 - and well worth it.

Amazing seafood and service to match. It's refreshing to find a restaurant with exceptional service and amazing food! We ordered a seafood plater and were pleasantly surprised. Best seafood in Melbourne and the wine list is great too. Looking forward to returning!