This restaurant opened in the 1940s and was largely a secret find. It still stays almost hidden upstairs, down a laneway, but is definitely not unknown. Visiting on a Saturday night, we were lucky to get a (shared) table in this homely decked-out establishment. The service was quick and unassuming, with delectable home-made pastas and classic Italian meals whipped up with ease from the tiny kitchen. The sauces with the chicken al Wine and the scaloppine Marsala were delicious, and the meat and vegetables perfectly cooked comfort food.
I have never had such authentic Italian in any other restaurant other than ones in Italy! Their Porcini Risotto and bruschetta are to die for. Pasta primavera was amazing as well. Would definitely be coming here again and again.
Simple heartwarming food that reminds you of a simple but fulfilling home cooked meal. Nothing pretentious. Portions are generous as well. Great place!
Cozy, no frills and well located, this is going to be in my go-to list for Italian restaurants in the city. The menu, which is on a chalkboard on the wall consists of a good range of pastas, some mains, salads and the garlic bread (which is a must) - we have two very generous glasses of wine, garlic bread, a capresa salad and two pastas and it was $80 - all in all great :) i'll have to come back and my way through the menu!
Visited on a wet Monday night and the place was bustling within 15 minutes of opening - impressive! The pappadelle ai funghi, penne calabrese and a caprese salad were flavoursome with generous servings of both pasta and protein.
The venue itself although old, is super cosy, welcoming and unpretentious. Yes the menu is written on large blackboards and there are no prices, but nothing's stopping you from asking the wait staff about the dishes? An entree, two pasta dishes, a salad, and two (very full) glasses of wine brought our total to under $80.
I was apprehensive about customer service from reading past reviews but not once did I experience any rudeness from any staff. The noise levels probably wouldn't make this place the greatest for a romantic first date but the food would definitely make up for it 🤤
The place fills up very quickly so either head in early or book!
Hard to find up the lane-way but it's cute little spot for some pasta. Simple and cheap but a nice place to take someone special for a meal.
Melbourne, Let’s Eat
+4
Small, tucked away little Italian restaurant. Very comfortable vibes. The dishes we had were cooked very well. Love how the menu items are all written on the wall. Service is fast but not the best.
Definitely will be back to try more.
Simply Italian . I delivered bread to Waiters Club in 1975 as a vacation job. I was impressed then on its authenticity and 44 years later , I’m still impressed. I had the Melanzane Parmigiana. It was excellent. I had a really nice Sangiovese , tartufo di cioccolata e caffè. I paid for 2of us and it all cost $86.
Dennis , we know that everything needs to change but after 44 years , please don’t.
See you next month. I will have the Pasta Puttanesca next time.
A presto.
The Waiters Restaurant was a recommendation by a Melbourne local.
The history of being an after hours restaurant for those in the hospitality industry, simply blew my mind - what a great idea I though. Quick, filling and tasty Italian meals.
Located up a set of stairs in the middle of Meyers lane, will have you scratching your head. But bite the bullet - walk up them, open the door and you’ll see a large family gathering.
The food was spectacular and the ability to feel comfortable in your own clothes was also a positive! Highly recommend!!!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Wanted some pasta but why is pasta upwards of $40 a bowl in Melbourne? One of the reasons why I consume more noodles from Asian restaurants these days. Fortunately The Waiters Restaurant despite not having prices on anything are $19.50 for a bowl. My colleagues consumed their bowls, carbonara made from eggs however it's got that sickly ham they use on everything.
I however was swayed by one of their specials on the board, braised oxtail and at $25.00 there was plenty of it. It had been braised in a rich tomatoey stew, a bit salty, my guess is that it had been reduced for too long over days. The oxtail meat however was absolutely perfect, melty and fell off the bone with little gelatinous pieces. The potato and beets on the side were great also.
We also got some garlic bread which were thick cuts of bread with a generous spread of butter and garlic. At $2.00 for 2 pieces, why not.
Very old school and still popular I remember coming here 10 years ago. An observation, I don't think any of the staff here are Italian so they may have changed hands over the years.
A no frills restaurant that let's the food do the talking. No menus, which for the visually impaired is really frustrating but the waitress was lovely and took the time to go through the menu..twice. Good value, generous servings. We got there at 8pm and 4 dishes were sold out so recommend going earlier. Lovely wine bar downstairs if you want to go for a sophisticated drink beforehand
I had the Pappardelle Al Polo aka creamy chicken mushroom pasta along with the special, lamb shanks.
The pasta was great but the lamb shanks were amazing. Two huge pieces and the curry that it was cooked in was just delicious.
The tiramisu tied all this up to a fantastic lunch.
Would definitely recommend this place.
Loved the location as well. Did not expect such a large crowd inside.
It’s a quirky little restaurant in the CBD - 20 Meyers Plc.
There are 2 sittings for lunch. 12pm and 1pm. The service is very efficient especially from Jess.
We went for the 1pm slot and enjoyed a few Peroni beers before settling on a bottle of Italian Chianti.
We ordered the Penne Calabrese and Rigatoni Americana. They were quite similar. The Pasta is A1. There are lots of choices on the menu including steak and osso bucco. Plenty of Italian dessert options too like Tiramisu and Affagato.
Be prepared though the restaurant closes at 3pm which meant for a speedy end to our remaining red wine.
Great place.
An absolute hidden gem that needs to be discovered by everyone. Delicious, large servings at affordable prices. Homely, buzzing, warm. be back many, many times.
I had never been here before and it was such a treat! Fresh, authentic pasta and it was absolutely delicious. Served quickly, staff attentive and not expensive. Can't wait to go back!
The wine glasses were in cups but otherwise a nice cosy place with great value!
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in Melbourne
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes