Review Il Gambero - Melbourne

C.A.T. TV

Definitely amazing gnocchi! They're a must have!! Service was fast and friendly. The marroncino was excellent, but the chocolate mousse and crepes were so-so. The gambero's famous garlic prawns were good, but was quite expensive for just 4 pieces of prawn.

Leenathelawyer

I’ve been here twice in a month. I love it so much! Great food, friendly service and very well priced too. I recommend the carbonara, and any pasta with the homemade gnocchi, which is truly homemade. Grab a wine glass and enjoy. Highly recommend.

Mike Graves

I don't like to bag a place, I try to be fair and objective. Staff. Friendly, a little slow and the front of house manager really tries to look busy or ponder about walk ups, when it's 50% empty Cleanliness. Restaurant fair. Toilets well presented but urine odor. Food. Pollo Fettuccine. As Manu would say.. WHERE IS THE SAUCE?? bland under seasoned compilation of pasta and other things. Truly disappointing. Show a pic of where is that sauce Lamb Cutlets. Sounded great, looked good. Again zippo seasoning and tasted like frozen meat thawed. Not $46 main. Focaccia bread. Pretty good. They weren't busy, it was 6 at night .. but sadly this is a restaurant that needs a major rethink. Starting in the kitchen. Not a Sat Night dinner venue.

Lincoln J Lim

Great atmosphere and wine. The tempranillo was beautiful. Thin crust woodfire pizza was pretty fire as well. Would love a bit more saltiness on the carbonara though.

Maggie Triantafillou

Excellent experience here. Friendly staff welcomed us in. Took our orders quickly and food wasn’t long after ordering. My white wine was cool and crisp. I ordered the il gambero spaghetti as a main. It was absolutely delicious. The prawns, vegetables and herbs were fresh and it had just the right about of chilli. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious. The atmosphere was relaxed, great place for families. Loved it. Would came back and recommend to family and friends.

James Aslan

Walked in and there wasn't anyone to greet us besides kitchen staff. It was clear they were still organising the restaurant as they had just opened for the evening. We had to sit ourselves down and wait for a waiter to eventually provide us menus. The arancini we ordered for entree were nice, crispy on the outside and tasty on the inside, but took too long to arrive. The table next to us who ordered after us had already received their mains and left before we got our mains. The mains were good. So it was just the service which was a bit disappointing

Melissa Darley

Found this restaurant just walking through Lygon Street and was not disappointed. Food was delicious and staff were friendly.

Duyen Tran

Quite delicious and generous portion sizes, staff there are also super friendly and accommodating

Jess Watts

Great service, great food! Very attentive and made our dining experience easy (even with 2 young ones). Oysters, seafood platter and Frankie pizza were amazing!

Gloria Previti

The food was great But The waiter We had did Not have a clue what He was doing ! When I asked for the white bait He asked Me to show Him on the menu... ahhh it was A special !!!! Then When Our meal came out We got Entre and main at the same time Hubby and I were sharing the entre !! But Food is Great there ..

Jessica Munro

Amazing food and service! On our 6 night holiday in Melbourne we ate here on 3 separate occasions and were mind blown. Best carbonara I have ever had in my entire life and staff were all super attentive and friendly. Can't wait to come back to Melbourne to eat here again!!! Highly recommend to anyone wanting a delicious meal!

Michael Ortiz

The roast potatoes had been in the oven too long and reheated and put on the plate, the risotto was Luke warm with the frozen seafood thrown in and stirred through. Last time I will be coming here. Service was good though

Ella Renwick

Heaps of options for someone who is gluten free so that was amazing! Impossible to find gluten free options for Italian food usually. Loved it!

Kim Power

Coming down from Darwin for work I was lucky to have amazing friends surprise me by taking me to this fantastic restaurant. My taste buds were tantalised from the beginning with this incredible huge entree of ( apparently medium) garlic cheese bread 🙌🏽 Three of us couldn't quite polish it off as I didn't want to not eat my main ... I wish I could remember the beautiful Italian name for my main 🤔 Chicken Con Ga... ultimately it was incredible 👌🏽Grilled tender succulent chicken breast in a marinade of mushroom sauce/gravy topped with advocado ( my fave ) and beautiful green perfectly cooked broccoli.... the staff were absolutely beautiful ensuring my experience here will always be one of my favourites. Extremely grateful for the pleasure of eating in this beautiful ( Bellissimo) place . Thank you 😊

Werner Sutanto

Frequented this place when I was at univ 38 years ago. My fave was their spaghetti marinara. So sampled again recently, the quality is still the same, ordered a pizza, calamary, wow blast from the past, just as good as far as I can remember.

Luke Rigo

We made a booking, we got there and no one was actually willing to have our table ready... Anywho the food is nasty pasta, the lasagna was stone cold like, icy Then our other pasta was just plain old nasty, ingredients were not fresh, way too much bacon in carbonara, seafood was out of a package, pasta was not cooked like ewww

Lisa Grumley

The food and service here is exceptional. Our new fave place to dine 😀

Carol Fernandez

All the food we had was amazing . Bought back childhood memories of when dad used to take us. We will be back

Mandy Hafey Strongman

Have been coming here for years and years and it never disappoints. The food is absolutely fabulous with the best focaccia ever! Love it

Paige Beriman

I can't speak highly enough of our experience here. Food was exceptional, service was without fault. We had an amazing night and I highly recommend it to others.

Angela Limanis

Love love the seafood taster platter!! Always guaranteed a great meal

Carmen Stephens

My partner and I have been here many times and it has always been fantastic but today my partners lasagna was burnt my cannelloni was over cooked and even the chips weren't nice don't know what has happened but won't be back for awhile

Urbanette

The food here was good. What left a really sour taste in our mouth was a credit card surcharge. We appear to have been charged around 2.5% without any advance warning whatsoever. I would've used another card or paid cash if I had known. It left us very annoyed. Make it known to the buyer before sneaking in a charge which we did not expect.

Aditi

We had a plate of bistecca alla gambero, which is a 500gms of an eye fillet steak topped with oyesters, prawns, mushrooms, even macaroni, scallop, also white wine and roasted veggies like broccoli, pumpkin and potatoes, along with napoli sauce. The whole combination was so heavenly in taste that we will definitely go here to have this same dish one more time. Also this dish is highly filling for two people. It kept was full for hours and hours. The steak was medium rare, and it was really juicy and so soft, loved it simply! The whole package is delectable and lip smackingly good. Even the ambiance was very Italian and the staff was really warm and friendly. A highly recommended restaurant on Lygon Street, Melbourne, Australia.

Helen Liu

Food was well priced and good portion. I think it is authentic and tasty. Although the garlic bread and chicken parma are both on the salty side. Last time I came service was very slow, but this time is much better.

Dran

Wanted a quick meal before movies and I only ordered penne calabrese. The spicy taste was done to perfection just like the pasta. Perfect comfort food in a nice cozy environment inside and a little away from the busy madding crowd of lygon. Partner ordered mushroom risotto and she loved it.

M3lissa____

Found them on the entertainment book and thought we will give it a try. They definitely did not disappoint, they serve authentic Italian pizza and pasta. I really liked the idea of the pasta for two, where you get the options to choose a few pasta of your choice and its perfect for sharing. The décor is lovely inside and the staff is really friendly. Will definitely be back again to try the other pasta options.

Foodie Voucher Queen 👸🏻

🍕 Pizza 5/5 ⭐️ The best way to measure an Italian’s restaurant standard of pizza is to order a margarita. Il Gambero’s margarita calls for a second serving! Their pizza base was tasty, crispy and flavourful. Not sure how they made such a simple tomato base pizza into such a delish meal. We also ordered the smoked salmon pizza, equally good and the base is drizzled with olive oil. 🍝 Pasta 4.5/5 ⭐️ We got the seafood pasta and went with the olive oil base. It was done very nicely and the seafood were fresh. They gave alot of mussels but I was hoping for more prawns 😂 👯‍♀️ Service 5/5 ⭐️ Friendly and authentic Italian hospitality - meaning a little humour here and there. Their service do brighten your dining experience. Price $$ Standard Lygon street pricing, an average regular sized pizza ranges between $15-20. Main pastas start from $22. 💰Tip💰 Il Gambero is on Eatclub, I came in with a 30% off Eatclub voucher. They’re also on Entertainment book with 25% off.

Ji Song

Had a wonderful lunch with friends at this little Italian restaurant. Ordered the Il Gambero and Angnello pizzas, and both were great!! 😊 the service was also attentive and polite. Happy to recommend and looking forward to eating there again.

Bon Bon

I walked passed this restaurant so many times and never thought of trying until today. the interior decor is very welcoming and warm. the staff and managers are very friendly and attentive. I really like their eggplant chips coated with polenta. I reckon its probably the best eggplant chips I ever had. crispy outside and soft inside. the marinara gnocchi is very delicious and fresh. the lamb shank we ordered also comes in generous portion with mash potato and spinach. I enjoyed my dinner and would definitely come back.

Meg Gro

Regular dinner spot for my family and I. Welcoming Italian restaurant with rich, nourishing, tasty food. Have tried nearly all the pasta & risottos on the menu. Pasta platter is a great option for sharing! Friendly staff in a nice setting down the quiet end of lygon - win win win!

Mullsy

My kids and I are very frequent diners at Il Gambero. I only rate 2-3 Italian joints on Lygon St and Il Gambero is at the top of my list. The Marinara pizza with extra garlic is a must.. as is the garlic bread... as it the veal cotoletta with spaghetti bolognese... as is the Furphy on tap. The kids are well looked after, with some much better (and generous) options than your standard kids menu, like the penne carbonara.

Ajcajc

Had a family lunch here on a Saturday with 14 in the group including little kids. The restaurant was very accommodating with great service. Nice decor that seemed quite new, clean and warm. All the food seemed to be of a very decent standard with an excellent menu including kids meals. The only negative comment was the oysters were expensive. Further south then the main hub of Carlton restaurants which is good. Not touristy or using cheap ingredients. Would recommend & would go back if in the area/meeting centrally.

Rennie

Back after a very long time and I had to admit I was really impressed with our meals. The interior looks fresh and contemporary. There's ample seating inside and a few tables out front, perfect on a warm night. We had a great waiter (German background), friendly and able to make a little fun with us as well as making some suggestions. We shared a bruschetta, it was excellent, lovely tomato and balsamic in just the right mix! We then shared a pasta Marinara, cooked just right with a good quantity of mussels and clams in a good sized serving. Then the eye fillet with a blue vien sauce, cooked just right for medium rare, tender and superb with a full flavored sauce. The only let down of our visit was the guy behind the counter at the till, he was a little rude to some of the customers that were leaving whilst we waited for our table to be set due to the three of them wanting to work out an equal share for their meals. Then when we left, not as much as a thanks for coming, see you again soon, not even a grunt. I would have scored a 5, lucky it wasn't a 3, be more polite to your customers!

Lil’MissNyonya

Our first time at Il Gambero after deciding to try a different spot from our usual on Lygon St since we had the Entertainment book voucher and we were not disappointed! Service was friendly from the time we walked in, we were greeted by the friendly maitre d’ and given a table. We ordered two mains from their specials - Linguine vongole and Rib Eye with broccolini and mash and two others from their regular menu - Gnocchi Marinara with napoli sauce and from kids menu - ham & pineapple pizza. Also noted they have a good selection of choices for the kids menu too! Food quality was decent and portions were generous. Overall dining ambience is casual yet classy and spacious. Prices are fair for the dishes. Will definitely be back!

Xuanly

Food is good and atmosphere is lovely too! My partner and I had the princess pasta (not too saucy and has a tinge of spiciness which we love) and the super pizza (taste is pretty good and generous with the toppings). Overall, we would definitely come back again! Would want to try the more authentic pizzas next time. :)

Crabapples For Lunch

Had pasta delivered for lunch today. We ordered the spaghetti marinara and fettucini parmigiana (eggplant and peas). We ordered the entree sized for both, and the portions weren't technically insufficient, but they were by no means generous, especially when you compare it to Cafe Correttos down the street where the entree size is more than sufficient. If you're a big eater, the entree size will probably not be enough. The taste of the food was just average. The marinara tasted ok, but the amount of seafood wasn't a lot compared to other restaurants in the area. The spaghetti's texture was ok. The fettucini was pretty soft though, however that would partly have been due to the food being delivered. The eggplant cubes in there weren't particularly tasty - we have had softer and more flavourful eggplant elsewhere. Overall, we weren't particularly impressed with the food so we are unlikely to dine here again.

Kris L

Il Gambero is the place we frequent with family and relatives. It’s a homey restaurant that’s great for large groups. The pasta and pizza offerings are good, so is the wine list. Prices are also affordable and one of the great value places along Lygon Street. Our favourites are the fettuccine dimattina (chicken & avocado with creamy Napoli sauce) and Mark’s special pizza (garlic & herb thin crust, salami, bacon and prawns with caramelised onions). Unfortunately their service is generally a hit and miss for us - either really good (when they’re busy like Friday nights) or really poor (weeknights).

Karma Clarke

Have eaten here quite a few times now. I think it is the best value pasta on Lygon street. It is delicious- perfectly aldente, full of flavour and the entree size is just right for lunch. The eggplant pasta is my fave. Service can be a bit off- depending on who you get, but the food is so yummy that I don’t mind. I have also tried ‘nonna’s meatballs’ - which is lovely rich tomato sauced meatballs with crunchy bread and a little salad - really yum. Recommended for well priced tasty pasta in a nice environment.

Emmy_femmy76

Lovely food. Their pastas had generous portions of quality ingredients, not just overloaded with pasta. The staff were also very friendly and super efficient. Will definitely come back.

Megejane

Had takeaway but the restaurant was also very nice inside. Really nice arrabiata gnocchi and very friendly and quick service. Quite a few vegetarian options.

Cass Windsor

Good quality, traditional Italian food at a great price - have been a few times and would consider it a go-to if I’m in the area and looking for good simple Italian - nothing fancy. Service is friendly and the place is always busy.

Trang The Foodie

The PRINCESS pasta was GOOD!!! I love mushroom and prawn so this is exactly what I want. The sauce was just perfect, not too cheesy or dry. Highly recommend!!!

Stelyios

Located in the heart of Melbourne's Little Italy, Lygon Street, Il Gambero is a delightful Italian restaurant turning out fresh, high quality Italian dishes, particularly pasta. Service is always prompt (even during busier times) and waiters are always there to provide tips if you remain undecided with the abundance of choices of pasta on the menu. We often choose the pasta sharing platter and choose three different varieties, tomato, cream and vegetarian based. You never leave hungry from this place and this with a side of garlic bread or bruschetta will leave you wanting more but unable to see the sight of food. The Fettuccini Dimattina, Spagetti Carbonara and Gnocchi Vegetarian are our favourites. Special mention to the Amatriciaia and Pollo which are also delightful when combined with the correct choice of pasta. For a authentic Italian experience which will leave you feeling satisfied and coming back for more, Il Gambero is the place to be.

Liang Xue

The sweet potato was cooked nicely. We came here for a friend’s birthday, and I found the service quite disappointing. It took a longer than expected time, and when the food did arrive they forgot to make one of the dishes that someone ordered. And when they did bring their dish over they did not make the right one. Hopefully their service has picked up and improved since then.

Food Expert Puru

Located on Lygon Street amongst the Italian restaurants hub, this outlet is quite visible from a distance although the decor and displays could be better. 5/10 for ambience. We visited on a Sunday afternoon and were warmly welcomed by the owner and seated comfortably. Staff service is average though owner is very courteous. 6/10 for service. Wine list is average with exception of few Shiraz-Merlot drops on menu. Food menu is exhaustive and plenty of options available in veg as well meat in 3 portion sizes. We trued bruschetta, garlic bread, veg pizza, chicken pizza and cannelloni. The pizzas were excellent and so were the breads. Over all food is awesome . 8/10 Corkage seems to be tad expensive given the ambience, location, restaurant rating. Revisit : Yes

The Casual Diner

Il Gambero is right opposite Argyle Place Park in Lygon, and we came in here to pick up some Italian for dinner. We ordered the Super Special Pizza (which had a nice combination of hot salami, prawns, bacon strips on a thin crust), the duck risotto (great flavours with loads of duck stirred through a well cooked risotto), spaghetti marinara (this was loaded with bits of fresh seafood) and the polenta eggplant chips (a little soggy but great flavours). Servings were all very generous, flavours were true and the the service prompt and friendly. Good spot for a touch of hearty Italian food.

Don'tMessWithMyFood

Truly holds onto traditional Italian values where good food is best enjoyed sharing, and in groups. Reservations here are easy and a must if coming in a big groups. Kids welcome. Heaps of seating available. Service attentive and prompt. The Dimattina pasta - chicken, avo, pesto, dash of cream and Napoli sauce is a staple, and the Meat Lovers Pizza will satisfy a true carnivore. Sticky date pudding with plenty to share. I tend to organise group dinners here for birthdays, gatherings and when I have visitors from outside Melbourne. Has never disappointed 👍🏼

Nick

Went with a group of around 20 people, and was thoroughly happy with the food, service and venue at Il Gambero. I ordered the mixed platter of pastas, the Mark's Special pizza, calamari, chips and few desserts. All were great.

Bloomingalways

Cane a few nights ago, food overcooked and too dry , the cashier stole our changes, will never come back again because of the dirty staff! Please don’t keep the change without asking your customer, it is such a disgusting behaviour and have really disappointed me. It is such a shame that you offered such service and such food quality.

Brunos Food Safari

Place is nice and cozy with a nice atmosphere. Pizza that was gluten free based that my wife ordered was a bit undercooked. Base tasted pretty crappy. I didn’t have the normal but that of course probably would of been good. We both had however pastas which were fantastic. If we didn’t have the gluten free based pizza I’d of given these guys a 4.5.

Luiz Fellipe Lopes

Love the food. I’ve had the princess gnocchi and a pizza recently, both great. Definitely worth coming back. Staffing is very friendly and checked in many times to make sure we were fine. One thing I didn’t like was that even though they are advertised on Liven, they didn’t accept it for payment nor didn’t provide the discount. If they’re advertised there and I got to know about their restaurant on the app, using the app for payment is the bare minimum I would expect from them.

Susy Leonard

First time here was fairly full but sat us quite quickly as others were leaving (waited about 5 mins) I had pollo con gamberi it was really nice you could taste the freshness and quality of the food was cooked well...my husband had the eye fillet with peppercorn sauce he too enjoyed it...definetly come again

50% Coffee 50% Food

Good food , big portion and with reasonable pricing. We order two pasta il gambero and parmigiana. Definitely recommend the il gambero as the Napoli sauce is really good with a hint of chili and fresh not frozen prawn. Parmigiana is a almost vegetarian with eggplant and peas.

Good Food Good Mood

This is probably my least favourite offering from the famed DiMattina group. Prices are okay atmosphere okay food okay all just a bit meh. When you are located on the lovely Lygon st there's plenty of competition for delicious Italian and this fell a bit short for me. The DiMattina pasta, a signature dish found across their other sister restaurants was excellent but the evening lacked the warm Italian hospitality I was expecting

BH

Reliably the best Italian restaurant on Lygon St. Whilst not the cheapest and not the largest sizes (order a large pasta even if you don't usually) it is always excellent. The pizzas with garlic (as opposed to tomato) bases are definitely recommended.

M. A.

Very average food. I found a very long hair in my vegetables. My hubby had the marinara, it was dry and tasted as though it was a day old pasta. Not happy to eat here again.

Rebecca King

Rude elderly waiter, he was rude from the get go and we should have left. Have read a few of the reviews and a lot have had a similar experience. Never again, don't bother! Not asking for much, just to be treated like a human and not a dog.

Angey

I visited their sister restaurant in Queensland last summer (Marios) and I fell in love with Italian again. So as soon as I returned I took hubby to Carlton. As seafood lovers we had the seafood taster plate as entree! You could never go wrong with a platter that looks like that! I then had a seafood marinara which was juicy and succulent and divine and so too did hubby! Generous servings! Can't wait to re-visit!

Brendaterriti

Neve ever ever again!! Took my fam here for a casual lunch after an awesome outing at the museum, thought it be handy to use my 25% voucher from my entertainment book. Apparently they couldn't accomodate 2 x folding umbrella strollers and 1 x pram,the front half of the restaurant was empty with only a handful of people, we were kindly invited to sit out at the front in 13 degrees under a heater which didn't do much for a 6 month old baby & a few young kids. We shared a couple of large pizzas and a lunch special pasta. Upon paying, the ignorant cashier refused to accept my voucher (within date with no other conditions ) as we had ordered a lunch special??? I offered to pay the lunch special in cash to seperate the the remaining full prices items to be reasonable. No, he became even ruder and refused to accept this payment method advising we would need to bump our lunch special from $10 to $16 then add the full price pizzas for the discount to take effect. Upon calling his boss, it was recommended it be settled at certain amount. When we received our change, they short changed us $10.00. LOW LOW LOW. This may not feel like a big amount or deal, but when you treat customers like scum don't expect great reviews or people or return. Lygon st is filled with an array or good quality restaurants & great customers service don't bother coming here!!! I was forced to add a rating, it would be 0 otherwise.

Finn & Filo Downunder

Pizza Super for lunch. Nothing to complain.. asked extra blue cheese to my pizza, all as ordered. Pizza size was good, definitely enough for one person. Nice dough. Really fast and good service.

@melbourne.cheapeats

Excellent service, great food, good ambience Enjoyed my birthday dinner here. Our waiter was very patient with our group and very helpful, will be back. Used the entertainment book and they accepted two cards- great place and would recommend to others

FFFS Thoughts

Had a birthday dinner here for a party of 8, and it was horrible. First of all the elderly gentleman who seated us was rude and rather up himself. I really did not like his attitude. I absolutely understand sometimes we just have bad days, but when the nasty attitude is directed at your party, and not those seated at tables near you, you have to wonder. So onto ordering the food. Ordered garlic bread as a starter. What we noticed from the food going around to all the tables that night, was it was all charred. So we received garlic bread which was burned along the edges, so yes it was unpleasant. The mains of the night, from the very lack luster pizza to the charred steak, was that poor quality food is a engrained part of this establishment. Only redeeming quality was the other wait staff. They were very lovely and made great conversation. Absolutely do not recommend.

Edgar Darmawan

Another of my dad's favorites. Pasta was not bad although a little overcooked. The white marinara was a particular highlight though. Other dishes were just alright.

Gursharan Chana

A good italian restaurant serving up the classics. Ambience is nice and the service efficient and friendly, prices are reasonable. Worth a go.

Jean

This is a lovely place with great food, drinks and wonderful service. The price is also very reasonable if combining and sharing with family and friends. Stand out dish was the delicious Frankie pizza. Highly recommended!

Rachel Ritz

Very rarely does a restaurant nail entré / mains & dessert but these guys did. Highly recommend this beautiful establishment. Thank you 👌🏻

Rachel Yuanyuan Wang

Friendly and accomodating staffs, great authentic Italian food. The bruschetta (fresh tomato with vinegar and olive oil on a pizza base) is "done just the right way", according to my Italian company. I'm amazed by how the simplest combinations make the sensational taste. They r also very generous on the prawns and bacon in the spicy prawn and bacon risotto, of which I only managed to finish half - even it's just a entree size. It's such a satisfying and filling meal after a big day.

Madeleine Allbright

Went here last weekend for the second time, the service level dropped. Fried Calamari, Gnocchi and BBQ Chicken pizza is definitely a must try!

Coco

Had the seafood platter for 2 and the spaghetti princess. The seafood platter looks like it's value for money. It's got battered calamari, huge cold prawns, fresh oysters and kilpatrick oysters, Morton bay bug, skewers of grilled seafood, grilled fish, mussels in a garlic and tomato style, fries and salad. It could feed 3 people if you have it on its own or 4 people if you order other mains. Thing is, some of the seafood weren't fresh. The fresh oysters were slimy, my friend had one and we didn't touch the rest. The flesh of the Morton bay bug was soft and mushy, another sign that it's not fresh. The mussels came cold. The cold prawns although huge were quite tasteless. Would refer the calamari to cut in bigger pieces. The only thing I enjoyed in the platter was the grilled fish. As for the spaghetti princess, the sauce was runny and taste bland. But with some Parmesan and chilli flakes it tasted ok. Pasta was a little bit overcooked. Portion size was a little small for a main size. Service was good though as the staff came often to check if we needed anything. But when I gave the staff feedback that the seafood was not fresh, she didn't do anything about it. Don't think I'll be back any time soon.

Queen G

We were a large group and the restaurant was full but the staff were very friendly and accomodating. Meals were served quickly and there was no issues. The upstairs decor is really nice....

Luke And Hannah

Lovely venue, friendly service but average food. We were here during the Christmas holiday period and luckily this place was still open and got a table for two ready for us. Here we started with the Mussels Casserola (3.0), which was just average. The mussels were a bit small to be honest. They were neverless soaked in napoli sauce so their natual flavour got a bit lost in the overwhelming tomato sauce. Though the sauce was nice and balanced, we would much prefer if the sauce was tuned down a bit to leave room for the mussels to shine. For mains, Hannah got the Il Gambero Pasta (3.5) which was basically tomato prawn pasta. The prawns were fresh, firm, and tasted good. The sauce was balanced and all the ingredients combined quite nicely. But again, it was not a dish that would create a lastingg memory or an impression that would warrant a return from the diners. Luke got the Supreme Pizza (3.5) which, similarly to the pasta, good but that was about it. The prawns were tasty and well-seasoned. The crust was thin enough and pleasant to eat. The capsicums and olives helped deliver a flavourful Italian dish yet, we sure have had better pizzas. Overall, it was a nice Italian place, but we wouldn't say it is our top choice.

MF

Lovely service! This Italian restaurant is easy to find on lygon street. The staff are really friendly and are willing to help you to decide what to order. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have oyster on that day but the scallops were quite nice. Food portion was also very generous. There is also a special dining area which is suitable for a large group of friends.

Hello World!

Il Gambero located in Lygon st, and it's speciality is Italian and seafood! We ordered a seafood plate and a marinara pizza. They all tasted good, seafood was fresh! The grill job was right there with balance of taste and tenderness! The only thing to mention was the seafood and the pizza went cold very quickly (we sat close to the air conditioner), The food therefore tasted less good with the time passes. Next time, we will sit outside!

Timbo

The rating seems appropriate as I am not a pizza and beer man - but more of a person who loves good food, spice, uniqueness and individuality. Now I don't have much to boast about with this place however I did have a pizza which was exceptional, and would rate a 4 on any day of the week. One of the special and unique pizza's that I did have was filled with blue cheese, pancetta (or prosciutto) and some other goodies. I give this a complete positive - which was followed by Italian beer (very nice), red wine (what can I say, always a winner) and washed down with a few lemoncello's. The second pizza was not as good as the first and possibly consumed post a few of the refreshments - but the initial pizza is worth a try. I will return...if only for that pizza.

YummyMummy

We come here twice a year or so, somehow this was different. The pasta was on the oily side and the flavours weren't as strong. The marinara didn't have much body and wasn't as full of seafood as last time. We had the pasta mista and a pizza - enough to share between two adults and two kids... The wait staff were friendly and attentive.... A little too much so with multiple staff popping up at the table in quick succession. Still a satisfying meal, but hope it returns to its previous standards..

Nickinya

Dinner was perfect. The food was top quality and the staff very attentive. We had pizzas and pastas and deserts Will return as well worth it.

Amy

Came for dinner recently. Prompt and friendly service & good food. Had the Il Gambero (GF), spicy prawn and scallops risotto, spaghetti bolognese and chicken avocado pesto fettuccine. The gluten free pasta was surprisingly good and the sauce was super tasty. The risotto was really creamy. Food also came relatively quickly. I loved that we had chili flakes and parmesan on the table so we could add as we please... nothing worse than calling waiters over 20 times a night for more parmesan and they give you a single flake each time...

Melbourne Epicurean Juror

Lunched today at 11:15am at Il Gambero & I chose their Pollo penne entrée size (Pan-fried chicken pieces, mushrooms, spring onions and cream) which was served within 15 minutes of ordering (mind you I was their only customer at this time). I really enjoyed it and was sufficient for a lunch meal, I was also impressed with the size of the stainless steel Parmesan cheese container (many restaurants are stingy with their Parmesan). Then for dessert I chose their tiramisu (home made served with vanilla ice cream) at $11.90 and when served my reaction to the waitress Helen was "wow, that's almost a meal in itself", it was quite a large portion and yes it was pleasing to my sweet toothed palate. Service provision was impeccable and I loved seeing Helen's smiling & cheerful approach, it makes one feel that she really appreciated me coming to her establishment. The décor was somewhat bright & cheery and the background vocal pop music was at a perfect level to be heard over. The Juror's Verdict: Food 4.5/5, Service Provision 5/5, Will I return: Yes, highly recommend Phill Jury (food critic & writer)

John Regos

Tasty food. Good kid options. Kid meals are $10. Actually real calamari and it was very tender. Served with salad. Service was ok. Extensive menu that includes pizzas pastas and other items like steak etc. Nice venue.

Lambchop.urban

The pasta was so much better when we last visited this place. At the recent visit, the pizza (mark's special) was a stand out. Also, generous serving of feta in the spinach salad. Excellent service, esp. the lady waitress attended all tables with a smile.

Eatcoffeelove

Very nice place for family dinner. Generous food and taste good. Can tell the place is kids friendly, and it makes me really happy for it. Pasta is nice and good starters for appetite.

Flaming Goose70

Had my husbands birthday here and were seated in their private function area which was lovely and quiet. Disappointed with the food. Variety of mains were ordered along with Pizzas. Pretty average! Service was good. Owner went out of his way to serve the birthday cake to our guests.

Nick

The food is really nice but the desert is super disappointing. The peach cake was so dry and tasteless and the tiramisu was average. Overall, the grilled fish was nice but the side of chips were soggy.

Tony

Went here due to solid zomato reviews. Starters of arancini and garlic bread both underwhelming. Arancini ho him and garlic bread tasted a bit stale. Got veil with spaghetti which was ok but nothing to ring home about. Sorry zomato got this one wrong

Zohaib Salmon

Where do I start? I read so many great reviews about this place, maybe my expectations were too high. Entree: mussels casserola. Far too salty! I hardly think $18.9 is a fair price for 8 mussels in salt soup! It would have been better if there was much less salt from the kitchen so i could add it to my taste at the table. Mains: -gnocchi il gambero: home made gnocchi...? More like undercooked balls of flour. The sauce lacked flavour and im almost certain the prawns came out of a frozen packet. -Spaghetti marinara: we sent this dish back to the kitchen as it was completely tasteless when it arrived at the table. Only for it to come back with napoli sauce mixed through. It didnt fix anything and again; the prawns were disgusting. What a horrible dinner. My partner and I did not finish the meals as we just couldnt down another mouthful. I filled my stomach with 2 bottles of coca cola. Which was by far the best tasting thing i consumed at the restaurant. I told the waiter the food was well below average, he said he will pass it on to management. Just under $100 later and im feeling hungry and extremely disappointed. Waiting staff we fine. Friendly and keen to assist. However, i firmly believe i have had a better meal from the frozen section of Coles. Maccas run on the way home!

James Fabian Farelli

They have great pizza: lovely, fresh base and toppings! Best value for Italian food on the street! Trendy and modern venue, with a great atmosphere.

Justin Jub Bai

This place is great! Went at about 8pm on a Friday night. The place is really nice with truly homely feeling food! Had to wait a little for wait service however the food definitely made it worth the wait. Had the Spaghetti Bolognase, Lasagne, Nona's Meatballs and Hand-cut potato chips and all tastes delicious!

Foodielicious

Very tasty italian food with a lot of choice in the menu. The prices are a little bit on the high end of Lygon's street standards but the service and food counter balances that.

MM

I'm biased, my cousins work and are part owners, so I always love the food and atmosphere - reminds me of my childhood. Great Italian food served with love and a family spirit.😃

Franji

We came here as we had a voucher in the entertainment book. We had an early meal on a Saturday night. Service was excellent & the menu had lots of choice. We had entree serve for main course, more than enough & we ordered a side salad too. The gnocchi was amazing. We will return again & so happy to find a decent Italian restaurant in lygon st.

Shelly

Great food and great service. The menu is very diverse with lots of delicious options. It is a little expensive compared to some other Lygon options but I still think it is worthwhile.

Isaac Barzilal

had the wagyu beef with broccolini and chips ... underwhelming. Not bad for a mid-week dinner, but that's about it. service was soso ... didn't get our correct and then expected us to compromise with an incorrect dish.

Lindsay

My wife and I had Friday lunch using the discount from the Entertainment Book. The restaurant was very busy but the staff still provided excellent service. They were very friendly and prompt - not just our waiter but another 2 staff who stopped by our table to check on us or clear plates away. The smoked salmon bruschetta was very tasty but too big an entrée even though shared between the 2 of us. If we had realised how large it was, we might have opted for another entrée or ordered smaller mains. I enjoyed the cannelloni and my wife enjoyed the il gambero (seafood) fettuccine. My wife likes a lot of chilli on her dishes and the pasta met her requirements. After those 2 courses, we were too full too enquire about dessert. Friendly, efficient service and good quality food at a reasonable price.

Juan

Brilliant gnocchis! Fresh, smooth and delicious dishes. A well located place to visit with family and friends for reasonable prices. Service was really good. Recommendable!

Meilia Clarissa Tejasoewita

When I went here, I was greeted with the restaurant's good ambience. Really love eating their Dimattina Fettucini!! I like it as they served it with avocado, chicken and napoli cream that wasnt too creamy. So yummy! My friend was ordering their pizza and the pizza's crust was crunchy. Not to forget, it tasted good. Overall, eating at Il Gambero was a good experience as the price was not too expensive too.

Luke

Il Fantastico! Beautiful Italian food, good prices and friendly staff. The only downside is that we couldn't get a refill on our drinks after the initial order...we were seated outside and no staff really came out unless bringing food. Everything else more than exceeded our expectations...yummy!

Emma Harding

Excellent experience overall. There was a short wait for a table but was well worth it. Their focaccia herb and garlic bread pizza was a nice entree and their "princess" pasta was absolutely delicious!!! The prawns tasted fresh and succulent and the entree size was filling enough for myself and my friend. They were also nice enough to make alterations to our meals, despite the fact that it was a busy Saturday night. The service was friendly and attentive throughout. Will definitely be going back there again.

Madeleine Scerri

Il Gambero consistently provides friendly and efficient service with delicious and filling food. Often on Lygon st I can feel like I am being pounced on when decided on a restaurant for dinner however you will not get this at Il Gambero. Once you walk inside you are greeted and found a seat or told the wait time which is never very long. If there is a wait they sometimes hand out garlic bread to keep everyone happy. The gnocchi is my favourite and they are nice enough to make slight changes to dishes-even during busy times-showing how they really do want you to enjoy your meal. I always feel welcome and never rushed here which can be a rarity in Carlton.

MelbourneVita

Pizza is quite good, but the mains on the other hand were nothing to rave about. I had the chicken parma which was nothing flash and the husband had a steak which was tender, but covered in a not so great sauce. Can't say we'll be rushing back.

Sunny Days Melbourne

Il Gambero On The Park - You Have Definitely Hit The Mark!. We used to visit this pizza joint in their old location when we were students This place is a lot swankier than the previous place We had lunch on a Sunday and had a pleasant time The food and service were both great We had the Marks special pizza which was pretty amazing The Caesar salad and spaghetti carbonara were excellent as well We will be back!

Daniel

Chicken Parma. Succulent chicken; perfect amount of topping; nice variation to the salad accompaniment; potatoes were crisp and fluffy. Great service. Very satisfied.

Lgh_1

Poor service and average food. Poor service- had to wait a long time to get a menu, had to ask for water and garlic bread arrived after main course. Food was nothing special. Will not be back>

Nona Tukang Makan

On the contrary, my pasta didn’t turn out well. It was….

A Chronicle Of Gastronomy

Compared to the multitude of Italian restaurants on Lygon St, the frontage of Il Gambero is relatively quite dark and unassuming, but upon walking in we were surprised at the clean, modern and airy space inside. The entree special immediately caught my eye. The perfectly crispy shell enclosed the fragrance of truffles, and mushroom, pancetta, and rice. The restrained dab of aioli on top gave just the right amount of moisture to the complement rice. The Spicy Tiger Prawn and Scallop Risotto released delicious aromas when it arrived. I was pleased with the amount of seafood included in it and the chilli spiced up the creaminess a bit. It was quite rich and cheesy though and it quickly became filling and almost difficult for me to finish.

Neysavaleria.lcbmeta

They serve fresh pasta and prompt food service. I am going to make another visit for sure!

Foodlovesmymouth

8/10 - P2 who used to work at a pizza store and loves Italian food said the food here was good too =)

Mochii

Overall, pretty good Italian food.

Maria Papa

Nice food. Great service. Gluten free friendly. Nice food. I had pan seared prawns. Good quality & quantity. Staff friendly. Well priced

Glenn

Dined there saturday night and a comedy of errors, table of 5, 1 meal, a salad was delivered after we had all finished our meals, pasta was ok, cooked well. Offered desserts for the table due to the delay in a meal, then told no only 2 desserts you can have. Meals came out ad hock and slow, so pity eating together.

Wilzt

Best gnocci you will ever have!. A range of pasta to choose from but you should try the gnocci!

Delia Perez

Yummy!!!. What a lovely place very good atmosphere and the food is delicious. We tried a pizza and a pasta and their antipasto entree Delicious wines too Loved the sparkling Shiraz from Barossa Attentatve staff

Miss Olives

Absolutely delicious pizza! Ordered the il gambero and the mexicana, they tasted so fresh and the crust was so yummy! Not too thick not too thin, soft and yet with a crisp base ,yum yum yum! Good service also, manager(I assume) was warm and friendly :) Will be back for that il gambero pizza again, juicy tasty and fresh :)

Josephine

Fantastic!!. We booked the courtyard/atrium for a party of ten, all old school friends having a catch-up. The area was perfect, service impeccable and food was excellent. We had a 12.30 booking and didn't leave until 5 pm, and at no stage were we rushed or hurried to finish up. A big thank you to management and staff at Il Gambero for making our day so enjoyable.

Pollyflower

Excellent Service. Superb food and service on Monday night last week. Despite a mix up over our order staff were professional and took care of our concerns. Our waitress was a girl from the North of England and and I dont know her name but she deserves a mention for her polite manner and servicing us with a smile. Highly recommended.

Drim Srim

Very happy.. I came here with a total of 8 people and was very impressed with the service, here are some of the reasons why. 1) I booked online with under 24 hours notice. The website advised that if you do book under the 24 hour cut off, you would need to ring the restaurant to confirm your booking. So once I read this I popped a reminder into my calendar to follow up before we went to the restaurant. Well, there was no need to! The restaurant manager had emailed me AND followed up with a phone call. I was most impressed. 2) Il Gambero's website is informative and easy to navigate (and accepts online bookings, as long as you book within 24 hour notice). 3) We were seated promptly and staff were very friendly. 4) Food was delicious! We were all swapping food and tasting each other's meals and we enjoyed every dish thoroughly. 5) Meals came within a reasonable time. 6) Great food for reasonable prices. 7) My nephew made a comment that made my heart melt. He said he was having such a lovely evening and mentioned how much he loved the food. Thanks for a great night Il Gambero!

Mightymoe510

Consistently Great Food. My wife and I really enjoy coming to Il Gambero on the Park. We originally discovered it by accident but for the past few years have enjoyed the food, service and consistency. We always go for the mixed pasta platter to get the most value!

Mon

Wonderful gem down the other end of Lygon Street. Was very pleasantly surprised when I took my mother to eat here. Portions were generous and the service friendly. We didn't wait too long to have our plates served up and everyone seemed to be having a nice time. I think this restaurant is overlooked because its down the city end of Lygon street but is a real gem. Thank you to everyone

Jennifer Lea

I'm in love. Last night we dropped in with some friends and I didn't know what to expect, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with prompt and friendly service. I am a stickler for good hospitality. I'm just gonna list all the good things from last night. 1) The waiter who looked after our table was really nice and attentive. 2) Drinks came out quick 3) The pizza was seriously good (think base, crispy, lots of cheese) 4) My stuffed ravioli with lamb shank was off its head (awesome) 5) Everyone ordered something different from chicken, seafood, pizza, pasta and steak and every one loved their food. 6) I had the chocolate mouse and my friend had strawberry crepes; I can confirm that both were sexy and tasty. 7) The atmosphere was nice, with good lighting. I have no complaints and I will definitely come back :)