Review Garden State Hotel - Melbourne

Loved this place. Built beautifully with a living tree in the middle. Meals amazing, bar staff amazing, only thing was waiter who seemed to be to concerned with young ones. He said we could order from table with code, said we don't have one on our table and je said oh well order at bar. Didn't mind that at all, just seemed very flippant instead of speaking to maybe his manager. Anyways we had a great time.

Booked a table for 4:30, took me about 20 minutes for someone to serve me at the bar to take my order, as I was completely ignored and over looked. At 4:50, was told I couldn’t order food, as the kitchen wasn’t open yet, I couldn’t even preorder. I asked the barman to come back to me at 5pm, order for food was placed at 4:58pm and went through. The chicken was dry and not good quality, it was also very loud. Go to this place just for the drinks, not for the food.

I never knew such a beautiful space exist in the city. Spacious and the decor is beautiful. There’s an Italian restaurant being opened up in a few days. Came in for lunch with my colleagues although some found it hard to order through the app, not much vegan options and the service can be improved. Well we are coming out from a long lockdown so gotta cut them some slack. I’m sure it will pick up. Beers on tap, can’t beat that on a sunny afternoon.

Great service and atmosphere. Had a lovely lunch at TippyTay. Some things were more reasonably priced than others, but everything was tasty. The Negroni fountain was fun!

We had our Christmas party here where we reserved the top section which had a small balcony. The space was perfect for a group size for upto 90 ppl specially it was a hot day. Just the acoustics could have been better as it got really loud. Then we went to their bar in the basement level which was great for our after party

Lovely place, full of natural light, friendly service and great food, in fact maybe the best steak sandwich ever!

Not a bad pub and service was good. Food was only fair. Gets very busy. The toilets need attention

Good atmosphere. Drink service is slow oh a buddy night. But food was very quite still. The cheese burger is VERY good. As a lover of rum, I am really interested that this place has 8 different rums, compared to the usual 2 or 3.

For what is generally a go to spot of ours for all birthdays and events has now become a location we shall never step into again. When security guards are agreeing that the way management speak to their patrons is both aggressive and unprofessional and recommend us better nightlife locations, there is clearly a issue here. For the floor manager to both threaten and bait occupants into a possible altercation clearly shows his lack of interpersonal skills and dispute resolution. The way that the manager spoke to female occupants at our table was disgusting and should not be tolerated in any scenario whatsoever. Personally, I believe there must be a serious review of all senior management. Would not recommend this venue to anyone anymore.

We spent the entire day/night here yesterday and there were some highs and some lows. We were booked into the restaurant. The staff were so friendly, knowledgeable and professional for the 5 hours we were in the restaurant. The drinks were amazing, especially the espresso martini! The food, not so much:( we all had the $55 option and the fish was full of bones and not enjoyable at all, the lamb was delicious on the end pieces but the middle was pretty much still raw and the fat on the lamb not rendered properly so was chewy and unpalatable, the rest of the food was ok. We then moved to the front bar where we had fabulous service once again, beautiful cocktails and great bar food (the cauliflower friyters were to die for!) and had a great time. We took a table next to another group of women in the garden area in the middle and that is when we got to see some rather unusual behaviour from your staff. Security and what appeared to be management advised this group they had to leave due to being drunk and unsteady on their feet, however kept bringing them drinks?! It seemed the way they were being treated was a little ageist to be honest and they were creating a situation where these women were becoming quite upset and angry and we were being asked if we were in this group. Wasn't pleasant to be a part of nor to watch. Customer service from these two was horrid. We then made our way down stairs which was lots of fun! Service was great, music was not great initially but finally improved. Sophie the bartender was fabulous and by far had the best customer service. Overall, I would come back but wouldn't eat in the restaurant again I don't think.

Huge place - plenty of atmosphere, can be a bit noisy - music was a bit loud. But enjoyable and food good

The venue is great but I was quite disappointed with the food. We had a reservation in the restaurant Garden Grill and I found the food very average for the price. We got a few dishes and shared amongst 5 people. We got a dish on special and a few of the entrees and mains. I was really excited to try your venue and I am disappointed.

Appalling customer service! Was there with a group of girls and they were so rude and unfriendly. Wouldn't recommend this venue for anyone that wants to have an enjoyable night because it's unpredictable. The bouncers are on a power trip. Much better places to go to in melbourne.

Absolutely amazing venue, went there yesterday for the first time for lunch. The food is way overpriced ($7 for ONE pork belly with green onion steam bun, $7 for ONE sticky beef with sesame and cucumber steam bun) and don't even bother with the steak! $25 chewy, and horrible definitely not worth it. I will go back for drinks but not for the food �

Very impressive. Celebrated my birthday there on Saturday night & we felt like rock stars. Had our own private dining room...the food was delicious & the staff were amazing. Cost was reasonable for such a great venue.

Incredible modern and textural reincarnation of the old Rosettas. Such a great vibe, good service and great food with an extensive wine list! ...Hard to fault!

Disgraceful experience after lining up for over an hour. I wasn’t let in after being apparently ‘too drunk’. Myself and my friend hadn’t even had one drink, very confused as to why we weren’t let in

Had an amazing experience here this weekend at a function! Service was fantastic and so was the food! Would definitely recommend!

If you want somewhere to have a drink and talk forget here, needed to yell our conversation as terribly noisy venue to the point of a headache 🤕

Quality place . Great atmosphere. Would recommend it 😄

Due to poor service of Sasha. Clearly just there to try to impress ladies.

Uncooked chips! Couldn’t even try to eat them. Waiter said it was a mistake. Worst place in Melbourne during our 10 day visit.

Fantastic service and delicious food and drinks, we had our Xmas party there last night and we really enjoyed our night, the service was very attentive and the atmosphere has a really great vibe about it, thankyou

Great place, great food and drinks and awesome atmosphere however too overcrowded.

We organised a birthday dinner at the Garden state hotel. We found the waitress looking after our table (Darcy) to be impatient and condescending.<br/>The food was average, drinks were good and service horrible. <br/>She was very rude to us especially whilst we were all very polite.<br/>Maybe she was having a bad day but can we really use that as an excuse for bad behaviour. <br/>Don’t think any of us will be returning anytime soon!

For a pub vibe it's excellent, nice seats and lighting and greenery. Standard good quality parmy

Not worth the money paid

We tried to go here on a a Saturday night. 3 girls and we got turned away at the door for being ‘ too intoxicated’. We had had nothing to drink. This place is racist and disrespectful. Would not go back.

Came to dine at Garden State Hotel on a sweltering hot day - and it was worth me going out.<br/><br/>Ordered:<br/>🍝 Mushroom Linguini with truffle pecorino + chilli ($22.00)<br/>🍗 Victorian Lamb Shoulder with grilled spring vegetables, artichoke chips + pomegranate glaze ($32.00)<br/>🥗 Rocket, parmesan and pear salad ($6.00)<br/><br/>Review:<br/>The mushroom linguini was to die for. Although creamy, the earthy flavours from the mushroom really grounded the dish. The smattering of fried twiggy enoki mushroom kept things snappy and fun... my friend and I both really liked this dish!<br/><br/>Our overall selection (especially forgoing the chips for some veggies) kept it all very healthy and balanced. We walked away feeling really satisfied.<br/><br/>The dining area, Garden Grill, is located at the very back of Garden State Hotel. It looks upscale and the environment is very classy. It's kept a distance from the bar and the crowd, giving you nice space to breathe and dine easily.

I called into Garden State to help with a hangover from our Christmas party (elsewhere) the night before. One of the worst hangovers in years was somewhat elevated by a big serve of chips and one of their tasty burgers. Others in the group had hair of the dog but they had much younger livers than me so I stuck to my lemon lime bitter. Handy location and their chips were truely exceptional. <br/><br/>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br/>Previous Review<br/><br/>3.5<br/>Today we stopped here for a catch up lunch and it was very very quiet post the long weekend. With the kiosk being closed we ordered off the regular menu. <br/><br/>We chose a chicken Parma and a chicken schnitzel, both came with salad and chips.<br/><br/>My schnitz was moist and I thought a nice portion size for lunch, it was not too large and had a nice crunch, I also enjoyed the salad greens and chips. <br/>KD

We had our work Christmas party in the downstairs area of Garden State last night and whilst the space probably wasn’t adequate for the number of guests I was very impressed by the staff and the copious amounts of food. I’m usually starving at those sorts of finger food events and literally chasing waiters for sustenance but on this occasion there was such a abundance I was having to decline. I enjoyed the prawn spring rolls, beef sliders, prawn tostada and mini shepherds pies. Definitely a cut above your average canapé.<br/><br/>By the time the more substantial items came around ie some mini kebabs I was already full. There was also a very fancy looking sausage roll. The only dish I didn’t enjoy was named super greens and was some kind of veggie packed rice paper roll but I suppose they need to cater for all dietaries. The rest of the venue was heaving as ever. It really is an impressive pub <br/><br/>Original review <br/>Super busy ALWAYS. Random Wednesday night? Good luck finding a table. Even for two. Huge space but jam-packed. Nice spot for a drink, all levels have cool decor but pretty unimpressed by the food. It's also a bit inconvenient in that you cannot order food on the bottom floor which was the only floor we could find a spot to sit. <br/><br/>After a strong cocktail I walked to the top floor and ordered a parmagiana without mortadella as I didn't want ham, I was told by the person serving me that mortadella was cheese to which I replied I am pretty sure it's ham. I ended up saying parma with cheese no ham and lo and behold when I received my meal it had ham on it. Once I peeled that off it was dry yet somehow greasy and utterly tasteless. <br/><br/>They need to work on the menu as there were some pretty average choices which led to me ordering the Parma in the first instance. In short, go for a drink but remember to eat first.

Looovveeee the garden state hotel. It’s like stepping into another world. Smack bang in the middle of the city but when inside it feels like you’re miles away. Gorgeous decor, delicious food and fab staff. Tick, tick, tick!

Visited on a Sunday around lunchtime. Only the main bar open, at one point I counted 8 people waiting (including me) and only one staff member on duty. Some others came later but it was a lengthy wait to order. Ordered a bottle and 3 glasses, and 3 meals. Order was repeated and correct. Paid (surcharge to use eftpos). Sat down, checked receipt, only 2 meals on docket, had to go back and line up again to re-order third meal which predictably came later than the other two. My veal schnitzel was ok but for $34 I was expecting a more generous serve of mash and sauce. Overall impressions: don't care service attitude, and overpriced mediocre food and drinks. 2 stars given for the nice seating options inside.

This is a fantastic spot located on Flinders lane right behind the 101 Collins St building. Its quite big inside but it's always buzzing with people. We ate in the public bar and beer garden where we were seated in a comfortable booth. You need to order and pay at the counter, and then they bring the food to your table. I ordered the mushroom linguine with truffle pecorino and chilli. One of the tastiest pastas I've had. The cheese burgers and the grilled chicken burger looked equally delicious. I will definitely come back here again.

4.3 out of 5. There’s much to like here. This is a well known Flinders Lane bar restaurant space. I recall it as the former Rosatis. It’s very impressively done, I’d have to say. It’s quirky but very good fitout. We were here for a Scarf dinner and that made the experience even more impressive. We thought the food here was excellent. I had beef carpaccio which was superb. The salmon for main also had me stumped. Both dishes looked fairly humble. But, they were both really good. The salmon might be the best I’ve ever had anywhere. The flavour in both dishes was seriously impressive. My companions agreed enthusiastically. We also loved our salad, fries and bread. The bread is about the best you’d have anywhere I reckon. The wine choices were most satisfactory too. Service was pretty good throughout from the student servers and most impressive from the supervisors and permanent staff. All servers were friendly, cheery and efficient. With all the above this was a lovely night. This struck us as a fine place and we’d certainly return anytime.

We booked to visit here tonight, randomly my booking was cancelled, I called up and they booked me in again (very good service), for some reason no booking confirmation came. Might need to look into this! <br/><br/>Any who! It’s a stunning venue, no doubt highly recommend coming here.<br/><br/>We dined in the second restaurant, I can’t remember the name but not the fancy one haha. <br/><br/>I ordered the fish, I mean I expected a little more than what I got for $39, think it should come with a side salad because it’s quite small. But maybe that was the cost of the fish, I dunno. <br/><br/>Partner got the Parma. I had a taste, it’s nice. I don’t like Parmas though so I ain’t one to give an opinion. Friends all got the burger and it was huggggeeeeeeeeeee! You won’t go away hungry after eating this! <br/><br/>Overall, we liked the dining experience. It’s a lovely restaurant and recommend if you go with a group and want to hear each other talk this is a good section. Food is good, reasonable price (what you would expect) and the dining area is gorgeous!

Great environment for a late afternoon meal, the steak sandwich lunch meal (+ drink) was yummy. Lots of places to settle down comfortably for a couple of drinks.

This end of Flinders Lane is a treasure trove of dining experiences, and the Garden State is right up there with them, even though it's essentially a pub. However this is not your usual pub, as it's a beautiful venue with great food, drinks and atmosphere.<br/><br/>This place is always buzzing; whether it's in the front bar, or the back garden area... this place goes off. It's a really swanky place; with a gorgeous decor. The back garden section has so much room and natural light, and it's definitely a step up from your usual beer garden.<br/><br/>There is a great drinks list, and the staff make a great cocktail. The food menu is a step up from pub grub, and delivers on taste and quality. We have always found the service to be friendly and timely, even though it does get really busy here.<br/><br/>The Garden State is one of those places that just feels right. It's popularity is down to the fact that there is a cool but relaxed vibe, and it's the perfect place to catch up with friends.

Garden State Hotel is a hub often utilised as a Friday drinks venue and it isn't hard to see why. Beautiful ambience with fauna strewn across the scape makes for an enjoyable, almost European esque experience indeed.<br/><br/>Today we had lunch with some colleagues to which I opted for the classic Parmigiana. Now I have a running theory, that a pub/bars food can be determined heavily by the quality of their Parma. The Parma here? Exceptional. One of the best and enjoyable across melbourne for sure. The chicken is so tender, not tasting processed, and made fresh with amazing cheese and toppings. The chips are enjoyable, much like the salad too. A very solid Parma that is worth coming to try out indeed.<br/><br/>Whilst drinks weigh on the more pricey end, you pay for quality service, ambience, and food that is genuinely restaurant quality, and a standard far above similar establishments. Great food all around according to the other dishes my colleagues ordered too. Highly recommended.<br/><br/>Food: 4/5<br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Ambience: 5/5<br/>Value: 3.5/5<br/><br/>Overall: 4/5

Overall a good place to hangout, good vibes and spacious venue, I come here quite often to hangout with friends. However my recent experience I had with this place made me wanting to leave a review to remind people always be careful with how much they charge you for drinks. Few weeks ago I was charged for over $50 for a glass of rose and gin and tonic, after I told the bartender there’s something wrong he then realized that he was charging me for a bottle of vodka?? I’m not too sure what’s on with this to be honest. The other night I ordered two whisky sour which cost me $48, and I thought they were just expensive like that. However, recently I saw this drink on the menu and it should only cost $16 each, rather than $24 each which I paid previously. Lastly I want to mention it’s getting harder to order drinks at the bar due to the packed crowd, my recent ordering experience has not been smooth at all, most bartenders are friendly but few male bartenders who work upstairs seem unapproachable.

Poor service and staffs are not friendly. Not recommended. Not worth spending here.<br/>The food wasn’t that great but very pricey for snall portion.

Called in here for a drink with friends. This pub is huge inside so don’t be concerned about the small entrance. There are 3 levels inside with a bar on the ground floor so you don’t have to walk all the way up to grab a drink.<br/><br/>They have a reasonable selection of craft and commercial beers here. And the punters seem friendly enough.

I was lucky enough to attend a special “Pop Up Brunch” at the Garden State Hotel! 🌿🌼@gardenstatehotel<br/><br/>In collaboration with ST ALi coffee roasters @st_ali and Byron Bay-based Kombucha brewers, Bucha of Byron @thebuchaofbyron all came together to create an amazing three-week pop-up breakfast and lunch space in the heart of Flinders Lane. #whatacollab<br/><br/>Firstly, the selection of delicious fresh juices, kombucha on tap, brunch bowls, handmade protein snacks and of course, the BEST caffeine fix from the amazing team at St ALi was on point!<br/><br/>The interior was gorgeous at the @gardenstatehotel , so many different little places inside. 😊👏🏼 We met Steph who was running the event, she was lovely. We tried two of the brunch bowls which were great, nice & fresh & something different. They had a nice variety, here & all so healthy! 🌿😋👌🏼

Yeah so Trisha told me to write this review .. it’s a good place; what’s there to say. We went for her bday, she shouted chicken wings..:.. what more could you want. Good host: anyway, she’s going to America . All I can say is salutè

😱Lizzie’s first impression: I come here often for drinks but little did I know they have a basement for a restaurant style food. <br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: the food was amazing - the pasta I had was cooked well it was a truffle oil pasta. It was al dente and tasty. The drinks are also done really well here. The fries are cooked perfectly - crunchy and delicious. <br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: the lines on Fridays are ridiculous and there are never any seats left but that’s a bar for you! <br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: I was super impressed with the food menu and I’d definitely come back for more food.

I waited an inordinately long time for bar service which I accepted due to the size of the crowd until it became ridiculous. I was holding my credit card in view of the bar staff to indicate that I was waiting for service. A nose-ringed barmaid finally approached me and informed me that she would not serve me because she found my holding of my credit card to be rude. She then spoke into the ear of another barmaid and then neither of them would serve me. Who does this so-and-so think she is? She is employed to give service, not to give vent to her personal moods and reactions and certainly not to refuse service to non-intoxicated patrons who are waiting patiently. Vote with your feet and do not give your business to venues that employ rude staff such as this. There are plenty of other bars employing courteous staff. I will certainly not be back.

Atmosphere and drinks were fantastic. <br/><br/>Steak was very tasty, but a little over cooked for my liking. It was nice, but not delicious and i would say not worth the price tag. However the restaurant is a great meeting place for friends, good atmosphere and will certainly go back.

Different places within one bar/pub. Plenty of room and a variety of atmosphere, ambience and light. Great for after work drinks or a casual night out.

Worst staff ever. I'm the VP of an ad agency who hosted clients at Garden State Hotel last night. We were waiting for our foreign guests in the bar but having difficulty locating them outside (they were lost) so I popped my head out twice to see if they had arrived. The bouncer (male/tall-ish) aggressively said to me, "If you come out one more time, you can't come back in." It was only 7pm and I was sober; I am also in my 40s and have never been threatened in my life. Not to mention, our male guest was molested by a female patron upon arrival. There are loads of more respectful establishments in the city where we can happily (and safely) utilise our expense account; this one is a disgrace to Melbourne—0 stars.

I find this a tough one. Last night a few of my colleagues and I went over to Garden State hotel, we all had a great time, the food was amazing and staff friendly, however not all of us could experience it, it seems that if you are an African you can’t actually get into the door. So for the half of us that could get through the door we had fun, but waking up today I feel embarrassed and sad for my friend that this is still happening in 2018.

I had a dreadful experience in booking the Balcony Room at this hotel. As soon as I had paid the non-returnable deposit a range of hidden expenses were applied. In the end, the final bill for my function was far higher than expected and sadly, quality of the food and wine was much lower than advertised. Really costly, really disappointing and dubious business practices.

SSV: Super Sexy Venue. I've been here quite a few times just for drinks; great bar. Recently ate here and the food is excellent, we had antipasto and tapas with drinks. A perfect venue for a boozy afternoon.

Garden State Hotel is located on Flinders Lane in Melbourne. Right in the middle of the city, it’s a stunning venue, opening up to a huge space inside. From cosy corners equipped with fireplaces, a rose garden, to a multi level courtyard with seating & plants, it really is an oasis with so many different areas to explore. <br/><br/>We visited recently as part of their pop up brunch event & started with mandatory coffees as we had a look around. With healthy options of various salad bowls & fresh wraps as well as kombucha on tap, it was a perfect relaxed setting for a low key brunch. I particularly enjoyed the selection of bowls, the chicken, chilli & soba noodle salad was light & fresh & the tofu burrito bowl was full of flavour. We also enjoyed a Nutella cronut for a sweet fix. <br/><br/>I absolutely loved Garden State Hotel, such a beautiful venue that I need to revisit at night for some drinks & to appreciate the beautiful lighting. Thanks so much for having us.

Absolutely beautiful place for Friday night drinks and gatherings. The interior is gorgeous and I would suggest trying to get there early or you may have to wait in line (for ages).

Went to the Garden State Hotel pop up thinking that it would be something different or special. There is actually only a very small and very mediocre selection of banana bread/ carrot cake and yoghurt w granola. Paid something like $7 for a granola which upon inspection only took up 3/4 of a box and it wasn’t even that great which makes me extremely grumpy. 🤬<br/><br/>

It was my first time going to this place and honestly I was confused on how to get inside because there were so many areas. Anyway. The best lunch I ever had in a while! I loved the hints of flavours and it took me a while to figure out what the cream was (horseradish). It can be dimly lit at times just because of the window roof so I’m not really a fan of eating in the dark. Waiter was attentive and the restaurant was just beautiful! There’s a courtyard ;) srsly instaworthy

I’ve been up Garden State a couple of times and always enjoyed my experience. <br/>The first time was on New Years Eve where I purchased a ticket that included drinks and food - good value for money and the items on offer were great. <br/>The second time was on Saturday for lunch and a couple of drinks. I have the polenta chips, a lamb bao and a fried chicken bao - all of which were delicious. <br/>The overall vibe of the venue is great and I love the fit out.

Loved it, nice place to come for a drink or to watch the footy with mates! Great atmosphere my favourite was the beer garden, was just nice and warm and relaxing 😎

Went there for drinks a couple of times. It’s way too noisy and packed. Had a bday party downstairs booked in rose garden but still need to wait a long while to get in. Not impressed.

Tried to order a non-alcoholic beverage from the menu; was told no longer available (menu changed) and was made to pay $14 for an awful "pineapple vodka." Zero stars if I had the option to select.

Saturday night drinks... love the atmosphere at the garden state, issue can be getting a table but we were lucky enough to get there on time to find out. It can be a bit noisy but what to you expect from a bursting bar.<br/>Great drinks & love the decor.

I'd visited Lot 7 which previously occupied the Flinders Lane site a few years ago. From the outside there werea limited changes, but inside the Garden State Hotel things were quite different. The timber heavy bar dominates the front section. The rest of the large building is broken into smaller spaces, our table for 5 was in the Garden Grill towards the back of the building.

Garden State Hotel has a very lively and chic greenhouse atmosphere with its central atrium that gives an amazing view of all levels. We ordered espresso martinis which were very well made. Definitely an overall positive experience with a lot of credit to the building's lovely interior design.

Came here recently for a meal. We had the special wagyu with mushroom sauce...wagyu was quite gristley. Also had duck special and while that tasted great it did need a sauce to go with it. We also enjoyed the chocolate nemessis dessert. Staff were very friendly and solid drinks menu.

This place is awesome!! Very nice architecture and great ambience. Only downside, it’s expensive. It’s the only place in melbourne that I’ve paid 16 dollars for a pint of ginger beer. <br/>HOWEVER! I’ve recently gone on a bao spree trying to find the best bao... up to this day, this is on my top list without a doubt! Do not leave this place without trying out the lamb bao!<br/>Don’t even bother mixing it up with another, just go for two (or three even) lamb baos. A must!<br/><br/>Edited: went back for the fried chicken bao and the polenta fingers, you will not be disappointed! <br/>Go for the Lamb and fried chicken baos!!

Great service and the food was amazing! Really enjoyed the beef tartare, duck parfait and roast chicken! Highly recommend this place for dinner with a few friends

My first time at Garden State Hotel and my goodness it’s gorgeous! I had no idea what lay beyond it’s finders lane doors. Garden state can almost be described as a tiered bar complex divided in terms of levels as well as sections. We sat in the public bar middle section looking down on the lower floor which was (in my opinion) the place to be! We had a wonderful multi-floor view and could admire their stunning lighting fixtures. We started with drinks and decided to order some food. My friend chose the steak, whilst I opted for the green chilli and brassicas pasta. This may sound a little strange but it was amazing! One of the best pastas I’ve had in a while, and vegetarian! <br/>I cannot recommend this place enough, I absolutely loved it! Everything from the ambience to the food/drinks.

Horrible service and no respect from the service or security at all. Never going back again. Avoid at all costs. Too make it even worse, the drinks are also ridiculously overpriced.

Walked in on Monday for Lunch, was pretty quite but its place that gets super packed. Very well planed and segregated venue. Great atmosphere, quite a few beers to choose from and yummy food. We choose to order the food at the bar, sadly he got the order wrong which we realised after our food was served. But everything on the was delicious and well plated.  <br/><br/>We got the Cauliflower Fritters and Green Salad and few beers.

I found this venue beautifully designed and well maintained. Our party of 8 got seated on a long table, in a comfortable alcove, separated from the rest of the busy restaurant. Even though this venue appears to be strict at booking, they were happy to accommodate 4 extra guests that showed up. Food was good quality, but they do get very busy, be prepared to wait. One thing that was annoying, was that they didn't bring out fries that was supposed to accompany 3 of our mains, even though the waiter apologised when she brought out the mains and assured us the fries would come soon, the fries only came after we had finished our mains and had complained to another waiter. It only takes a few minutes for fries, a venue that charges through the roof (I mean, we got charged for tap water!) should be able to handle fries. We had to put our names down to make it to the dance floor downstairs, we got tired of waiting so most of us left for another venue, they apparently called my name a few minutes before closing, luckily I was already enjoying a dance floor all the way in Fitzroy. Wouldn't bother going through that again.<br/><br/>Friendly, polite and professional staff, made for an overall enjoyable evening.

Always busy and always good. Great atmosphere, plenty of beers to choose from in the bar and if you are lucky enough to score a table booking, good food.<br/>We had an early Saturday evening visit for dinner in the Garden Grill.<br/>Snappy attentive service with wait staff definitely a cut above average. The specials in addition to the standard menu were carefully and knowledgeably explained.<br/>Starters were the snapper croquettes and the duck parfait. Seriously good!<br/>Mains were slow roasted Flinders Island lamb and Parisian gnocchi with a side of leafy green salad.<br/>Presentation, flavour and portion size of these dishes was absolutely spot on.<br/>Excellent and extensive selection of wines with Anthony-Sabastian Tran, the Sommelier guiding in a friendly, unpretentious manner.<br/>Fantastic value venue.

Beautifully decorated and a great interesting decor. The Bulmer cider was tasteless and slightly warm. The area is unsuitable if you have any physical restrictions unless you grab the seats right next to the front door. A little rabbit warren like. A lot of money has gone into this place. No smoking is signposted thank goodness because everywhere I go in Melbourne the young beautiful people are smoking. The cider and wine was to pass the time prior to Chinny chin chin so we indulged in a little cheese platter. At $24 have a look and make a decision yourself but it was teeny tiny. The Camembert was amazing and the brown on the side was apple sauce with vinegarette.

Shared a delicious meal before heading out for music last week with an interstate friend. Great service, friendly and competent! Quite rowdy in the front of the venue but lovely and quiet in the leather booths in the Grill out the back. Highly recommend the zucchini flower and prawn dumplings !

This place has become a regular spot. Love the vibe at Garden State wheather its Friday after work drinks or Saturday night its always vibing. The bars are busy but you can always Get a good drink fairly quickly made. Dance floor is a bit of fun to bust some moves.

Good place for a few drinks, very hard to get a table as it’s always busy. Have seen people with snacks but haven’t tried the food myself. The cocktails are good and made pretty quickly. Love the design of the building, great space spread over multiple floors all with a different vibe.

Ive came here a couple of time but each time the food was pretty terrible. I order the fish taco special this time and I was constantly pulling bones out of my mouth finished but a "fishy" taste. I mean the chips were ok but how can you mess up chips.

Good ambience but a big let down in terms of value. The gnocchi portions were tiny, however would recommend the Nicola potatoes. <br/><br/>I'll stick to bar food if I go there again

We had a large party and the fixed 4 course menu, great service and able to cover dietary needs. Food was well done and with care, wine list is extensive but a little on the expensive side.

Cool bar out the front but it gets really crowded. We ate in the back restaurant which had awesome service and delicious food. A must try is the beef tartare!

Food was just okay but the service was great. Wait staff were very friendly and attentive. We had the set menu for tennis. The entrees were fairly good but the mains (fish & roast lamb) were over cooked and chewy.

Now you can actually get lost in this bar...with the multi level entertainment.<br/><br/>We came here for post dinner drinks with whisky sours which were expertly made to fantastic whisky drys too. Service was quick and with a multitude of bars spread across the different areas there was little wait time.<br/>We wondered down to the bottom level where we enjoyed music from the 80s and 90s. It was so packed for a Friday night but we managed to find a table so that was great.

This is a cool split level bar in the heart of Melbourne. It gets very packed but this creates quite a good atmosphere. There is a dance floor downstairs in what they call the Rose Garden. The night I went it was very full and hot and the music wasn’t the best (but this is obviously subjective). All in all a fun night. They have a restaurant too which you can book, and gets you priority access to the rose garden.

Had lunch there with some colleagues. Had to wait a while to be seated despite it not being busy. I ordered a gnocchi dish which was nice but the portion size was way too small for the price of the meal. Won’t be back.

Oh noooooo! You don’t!! Pros the beers and selection is very good but that’s about it. We popped in for a beer and burger and the burgers were terrible, so bad we took one bite and left it. The staff must be use to this as she walked up to our table asked if we’re done, saw 2 full burgers and didn’t even ask if everything was ok. Very below par on the food and the service. Refund customers for crap quality food over $40 for that junk...

The interior is surprisingly large once you head past the front bar, and you'll find a lot of tables and booths available. The courtyard is pretty popular but in general, the place is pretty busy at most times.<br/>I've been here twice for drinks only, so it's not a full review on the other dining areas. <br/><br/>Although in terms of snacks, the polenta chips were pretty average - a hard exterior but not crispy, and the inside was quite dense and chewy. It didn't have the grainy texture I was looking for. The dip did have a nice initial hit of spiciness that mellows out.

We had a work Christmas party here at the weekend and it was the most disappointing function I’ve ever been to. An inadequate amount of food for everyone and I’m gluten free and therefore couldn’t eat most of the canapés so I was given three mouthfuls of broccoli and kale - this had been booked for months and they were aware someone was gluten free. I won’t be going back and I won’t be recommending it to anyone.

Just had a work function here. The canapés were astonishingly good. I can honestly say I’ve never had better canapés. Wow. Keep it up guys. Recommend it for your next work function.

Many moons ago when The Dear Luncher walked the grand halls of 101 Collins St on a daily basis, this particular venue was an Italian restaurant of some description. The memories of this venue were good, but they have now been well and truly surpassed by the current state, which is the excellently named Garden State Hotel. Vast interiors would only partially describe just how well set up this place is. The sectioned off quarters allow for all sorts of options in dining, drinking or just chilling. At the moment, there is an IPA tap takeover (refer to pic) at one of the rear bars. This is simply one of the greatest things ever. An entire bar dedicated to Indian Pale Ales. The Dear Luncher sampled the home brew Garden Ale, but also the Jedi Juice – incredible.<br/><br/>For lunch the lamb burger was devoured. This burger is available in the public bar zones for $20. The Dear Luncher has not had many lamb burgers in his time – but this might change now due to this particular experience. The meat was compact and converted into a burger style pattie better than anywhere else experienced. The combination of flavours delivered by the fennel and the dressing was exquisite. The chips were next level good.<br/><br/>Truly blown away by this experience The Dear Luncher simply cannot wait to return. For the IPA tap takeover if nothing else. Please make this permanent, GSH.

Absolutely love this place. Garden state hotel is divided into sections, the first section is the public bar then you can walk through to the beer garden, behind the beer garden is their restaurant (garden grill) and the basement they have another eatery name Rose Garden. What a brilliant idea. It caters to different crowd and of course different mood. And no matter where you choose to sit you will get fed. <br/><br/>We choose to sit at the beer garden last weekend in the afternoon which is really good. We love the music played and the food. So public bar and beer garden is more on like grab you seat wherever you want and place your order at the bar counter or kiosk when you are ready. The menu is ready on the table for you. This concept sit well with me especially on casual /girls day out. I don’t feel rushed or oblige to sit on the table shown by the wait staff. Even though it is order at the counter or kiosk service they are efficient in delivering and clearing the table which is good because we wouldn’t want our empty bottles and glasses sitting on the table. <br/><br/>- Market fish with capers and fennel salad : the fish is cook to perfection and the salad is fresh with a hint of sourness. Love it. <br/><br/>- Polenta and machigo chips : it is very crispy on the outside and cook the perfection inside however taste wise I have had a better ones.<br/><br/>- Grainfed striplion with chimicurri : the meat is cook to perfection and rested at a good duration. Chimicurri accompanies the meat well. <br/><br/>The service is top notch. The staff was very tentative and helpful. Definitely exceed my expectations of service for beer garden. <br/><br/>While the food and service is good I was hoping for the food to be at larger portion. <br/><br/>Will definitely return.

I've been here previously for hectic Friday pre-dinner drinks but this time around I'm here for some grub. A little online research tells me there's 4 levels, never noticed I thought it was one level with a dip in the centre. <br/>We ordered at the kiosk, I got the scotch fillet with cafe de paris sauce. When it hit the table I was salivating, the buttery sauce was half melted all over the juicy steak, it was glistening in the sun. Whilst all the rich flavours were apparent in the sauce to make it a classic steak frites, the steak itself was a bit sinewy but where it wasn't it was great and nicely cooked.<br/>Shame they didn't have the lamb shanks, my workmate was looking forward to enjoying one but the menu on Zomato is out of date (check out their website instead).

Huge, busy place! Took a while to get a table and ended up in the kiosk area (but ordered from the larger menu). Polenta chips were great, carrot and quinoa salad was great and refreshing and my friends enjoyed the steak and the chilli pasta. Drinks were tasty. A bit too busy for my liking and lines were down the street as we left, but I would happily come back at a less-busy time.

How freakin’ big is this place? I swear to Jesus I’ve been lost in there at least twice. Bloody love it though. Front bar, cocktail area, beer garden that’s smack bang in the middle and pretty sweet, easy service. Another Sand Hill Road winner 👌🏼

Very nice spot. We’ve only visited the bar/beer garden section. A bit busy on a Friday night but not too crowded. Excellent choice of drinks, and some bar food of an average quality.

My top cocktail: Gin Gin Mule! This place has an amazing fit out but watch busy periods - including Friday after-work because you may be waiting a while for a drink... yet to try the food here.

Came in for a few cocktails and were absolutely mesmerised by the venue. <br/><br/>So many levels. The decor is amazing. The venue is ridiculously good. Must go and suss it out. Great place for a first date. <br/><br/>The pornstar cocktail was a huge hit with us. Food and snacks however were not as good as the drinks. But when the venue has won my heart and I will definitely keep coming back.

Readers that have been with us a while (and have a ridiculously good memory) will remember that we tried to visit the Garden State Hotel once before, back in August of 2016 - However the gods weren't on our side that night, we couldn't get a table at the absolutely packed pub, and we wound up doing an impromptu redo of Transport instead.

Garden state hotel is a gorgeous bar with many rooms and settings/ambience. Their current feature menu of cocktails named after different staff members mothers is gorgeous! We loved the passionfruit one! They also have cheesecake doughnuts which are next level. While we only had a short visit, we can't wait to go back and experience more! Stunning!

Poor food poor service terrible attitudes towards customers rude disrespectful security never ever ever again will I go to such a disgusting venue!! Avoid this place and spend you're money elsewhere!

I usually recommend Garden State. However, yesterday i had a really bad experience there. I was celebrating my and boyfriend's Bday. We were in a group with more than 30 people. Around 1am a short blondie lady say for my boyfriend that i should leave because she believes i was intoxicate. I also work in hospitality and have RSA. At this moment, i went to talk with her about the normal procedure of RSA. The first thing when you think the person is intoxicate is ask questions and after offer water. What she didn't do. And when i was trying to have a conversation to show that i wasn't intoxicate, she just ignore me. Call the security, who aggressively put me and boyfriend out. Their conduct and the way they treat a customer is a shame. I definitely change my opinion about them.

Wow wow wow! My hubby and I spent a weekend on more or less a discovery trip. We ate at several places on Flinders Lane and the Garden Grill was by far our best experience. <br/><br/>Honestly, we didn't know what to expect. We were just told by mates that we had to go there, but as we dined, the food was unexpectedly fine. A few hours later, we found out the chef was Ashly Hicks, who's restaurants we've dined at before! How we did not know that this was his project, we have no idea. We had the feed me menu, and it was sensational, though the food could have been better paced, but then again, pennies!<br/><br/>What made out night SUPER SPECIAL was the sommelier/manager Anthony. Working in hospitality, we known the value of good staff and this singular person was out-of-this world good. Halfway through our meal, I couldn't help but tell him that he was great at his job. Watching him work the room is definitely something that I will take back to our own venues. Will be back on our next trip!

I’m not averse to lunch being my first meal of the day, especially on a Saturday, which is how I found myself at Garden State Hotel ordering a steak at the early hour of 11.45 in the morning. Garden State Hotel is a bar cum restaurant with an expansive courtyard out the back, perfect for sunny wintery days such as the one we had when we visited, or even better on a summery day if UV rays and sweaty armpit patches are your thing. As it was, Garden State Hotel was relatively empty at the early hour that we visited, and we were told the kitchen would only start taking orders at midday.

Tried out the theatre pre dinner meal deal...had delicious prawns with lime and pork main .. and wine to compliment the meal .. great fast service if in a rush to catch a theatre show .. the restaurant vibe is relaxing and elegant surrounds.

Place looks amazing and is beautiful inside. Decor, music everything is on par. Waiting 1hr for<br/>a meal due to a "muck up" in the kitchen is pretty poor service. Venue only had about 15 patrons so it was hardly busy. Wait staff didn't seem to care that my order had been forgotten. Won't be attending again.<br/><br/>The meal it's self was delicious full of flavour but a tiny portion and was not value for money.

How to describe Garden state; It’s the epitome hit and miss.<br/>If you’re going to the Garden State hotel and need to eat, stick to the stuff from the kiosk.

Garden State Hotel is a huge space in the CBD. It has a variety of spaces - cocktail bar, atrium, function area. The atrium in the middle is the star attraction - a multi leveled, leafy, airy and bright area. A good selection of drinks available with a variety of menu options too.

Whilst our group spent over $2k here at dinner with lovely service, once we got downstairs to the dance floor I got robbed of my belongings and then my partner got kicked out for doing literally nothing - the security here are on a power trip... horrible experience please don't do it to yourself.

A place with very good vibe, but sloppily made lousy cocktails. If you look for the dance floor, head straight to the underground "Rose Garden". If you want a quieter place to chat with you friends, take the lift to the "Observatory" - Live music is bae.

I had lunch in garden grill recently. It was a Thursday lunch, reasonably busy, but far quieter than when I went in December. Still, there was a good vibe and I had my friend and I had a great time catching up.<br/><br/>The food was lovely, particularly since I am aqua/veg. All the veggies had such intense flavours and the fish was so well cooked.<br/><br/> I have to say that the service was exceptional again. The waitress was engaging without being overbearing, and I really appreciate that Anthony, the Sommelier, remember me from when I had dined perviously, and once again, the two wine suggestions he had for us from a small but charming list of bottles was impeccable. I've been to several restaurants like Rockpool and Vue de Monde with a biblical lists, but the wine is never a fully realised experience such as this one.

Garden State Hotel carries some wonderful vibes perfect for those Friday Night drinks; nothing too seedy and their staff service is pretty good. Love the lush greens and how large the place is. Food is average and nothing remarkably memorable.

Came here tonight with two friends. The place is stylish but darkly lit.<br/>The service is excellent and I have no criticisms at all over the wait staff.<br/>The food was absolutely delicious but incredibly small portions. Don't come here if you're seriously hungry- you'll be left wanting more- all three of us agreed we were going home to eat! Which, after spending over $250 (between 3) isn't a great sign!<br/>We started with some hummus and flat bread at the bar and some wine.<br/>When we were taken to the grill room, we started with bread and butter and oysters. All good.<br/>For Mains, myself and one of my friends had the fish special and my other friend had the mushroom main. <br/>The sizes were tiny! These are appetizer sizes at best and not really worth $28, despite being absolutely delicious. <br/>We also had some lovely cocktails.<br/>This wasn't a bad experience and everything I ate tasted good, but I hate going home from dinner hungry. <br/>

Overpriced with small portions sums up this place.<br/>Between 4 people, we ordered bread, 2 mains and 2 sides. First off, the bread was $4 per person. The waiter allocated us '2 persons worth' of bread, which was 4 tiny slices of sourdough. $8 for 4 slices of bread?? Not sure if the bread was laced with gold leaf but I can't see how they rationalise charging $2 per slice for some peasant food. <br/><br/>The mains were nice however considering the price, portions were small even though we were told by our waiter that what we had ordered was enough. We ordered potatoes as a side and only received 3 small potatoes for $11<br/><br/>Nice food but definitely not worth the price and won't be coming back.

Lets make this clear.... I'm reviewing the restu-"rant" not the bar. <br/>Decor and vibe is great and I love that the bar is a follow on venue after dinner. <br/>Ordered the beef tartare, bread, some pickled white fish which I forget the name of, dutch cream potatoes, and the lamb shoulder, pork cutlet and the waygu rump. The entrees were fantastic really enjoyed them however the mains as you can see from the photos all had a very similar taste and look to them even though there are 3 seperate dishes here. When 3 guys are ordering at a table for dinner and the waiter suggests that our order is enough and that "we will be full"  we expect to be full. Not even close, there's nothing worse than a waiter who tries to estimate what I or my entourage can or cannot eat, and once you've had the last meal you're not going to go and order another main and wait either!

Been wanting to try this place for a while, cool venue and vibe, always bustling. This section is trying to be too fancy for what it is though. Food was ok..a bit bland and pricey. Staff were not that friendly either. Would rather sit in the other section and get a Parma next time! $8 for 4 pieces of bread..come on. Pork with lime was quite tender and zingy, lamb shoulder was also tender but not very flavoursome.

<br/>Our CBD doesn't really have anything else quite like this. Garden State Hotel offers an oasis, its own village in the heart of the busy bar and dining strip that is Flinders Lane. We visited on a Sunday afternoon to kill some time and grab a bite to eat in between sessions at The Melbourne Writers Festival. Upon entering, we were a little overwhelmed at the sheer size of the venue – it does, after all, have capacity for 840 patrons. Jake, the on-duty manager, gave us a tour and also provided us with the low down. He described Garden State Hotel as a venue that you could come to 10 different times and get 10 different experiences.<br/><br/>I may be showing my age here, but this venue is the reinvented space of the old Rosati's, which back in its hey day (late 80's, 90's) also exuded an ambience of something grand and quite special. Perhaps the site lends itself to delivering a wow factor.<br/><br/>The team behind this venture is also the team responsible for the Prahran Hotel, Bridge Hotel and Terminus – and the look is very similar. Under the one roof, there are different themed bars with multiple drinking and dining options. Ashly Hicks, ex-Circa, oversees the various menus throughout the venue.<br/><br/>You can’t go wrong here – there’s something for every occasion. If you’re in the mood for somewhere dark and cosy with booths and a fireplace, then the traditional public bar on the ground floor is perfect. On the other hand, if you fancy being outdoors with lots of natural light, greenery and lanterns, then head out to the beer garden. Here you can enjoy pub classics with a modern spin, or if you’re in a rush, there’s also a kiosk offering express meals such as toasted mortadella sandwiches, with self-order screens – perfect for that quick lunch, if you work nearby. Or, if your occasion calls for a greater level of sophistication, then the Garden Grill area towards the back of the venue offers a la carte dining, and contains a feature oyster bar serving freshly shucked oysters and ceviche. And there’s more… Down below, there’s a basement cocktail bar – The Rose Garden saloon. Plus upper levels, such as the balcony dining room, which offer private dining and function spaces with city views, catering for events of various sizes.<br/><br/>So upon entering the Garden State Hotel, make your way to the area that best suits your mood or occasion. We opted for lunch in the beer garden, and enjoyed our meal. We shared some starters – chickpea chips with yoghurt, and fried prawns with lime and aioli. We then shared soy chicken with coriander, ginger, sesame seeds and lime, served with six milk buns, allowing us to put together our own sliders. However, rest assured – if you’re after more traditional pub classics, we noticed chicken parmas and cheeseburgers on the menu too.<br/><br/>It's a big venue, and from what I’ve heard, they’ve been slammed with success since opening their doors just one month ago. I do get the sense, though, that the staff are working things out as they go along, and learning to manage the demands of their patrons. Following my request for chardonnay, I was told they’d completely sold out of an order that was delivered only two days prior. But surely that's a good problem for any new business in hospitality?<br/><br/>All in all, this is a place I would recommend, especially if I was entertaining a visitor from out of town. It's pretty impressive. I also like the idea of being able to walk in, knowing that you’ll find a table or space at the bar without a reservation – there's something quite refreshing and spontaneous about that.<br/><br/>I look forward to coming again soon and enjoying a different Garden State Hotel experience. I'm thinking that cocktails at The Rose Garden Saloon could be fun?<br/><br/>

Trust me - practically all of the negative reviews are about THE WRONG PLACE! <br/>Don't be misled by some of the reviews!! The negative ones are for the bar in front. <br/>The garden grill is one of the best restaurants I've been to in all of Melbourne. <br/>The chef used to run Circa the Prince. <br/>Some of the best service I've experienced and all round great food. Try it, you'll be glad you did.

Unfortunately not a great dining experience. It's a pub. Many places close that serve far better food. Go for a drink not a meal. The Parma was without question the worst I've ever eaten, and that's coming from a very large sample size !

Came here for drink and tho the crowd is very good be prepared to have long waits to order drinks! Very popular but a good place to dance chill and be social. The bar food is average but the cocktail waiters are friendly

Great service, very attentive. Lovely food and wine. I love coming here with my girlfriends before a night out! All of the food is prepared well and very tasty!