Review Locanda Restaurant & Public Bar - Melbourne

Fantastic cocktails and such friendly staff. There chefs really know there trade well. The steak was beautifully prepared and presented extremely well on the plate. We had three different cut of meat and they were all cook to perfection. Our family really enjoyed a great night out

We had a small lunch reception after a registry wedding at Locanda Private Dining and Deli. The events sales coordinator Emma was so helpful with any requests before the event. Sheyenne, Daniel and Nancy made sure the lunch event went so smoothly. Their customer service exceeded my expectations. They were on point, helpful and friendly to all guests. The staff also helped me to setup the venue perfectly. I was just floored when I arrived to see how beautiful it all came! The food was amazing and so beautifully present from the yummy canapes to the plated meals! Our guests were so happy and left full. I'd also like to thank the Chef for presenting our wedding cake so beautifully with fresh berries and cream. As a bride with a hospitality and events background, I would highly recommend Locanda for any events in the future. THANK YOU TEAM!

Excite your taste buds with the signature house dryed beef steak and yummy porterhouse steak 🥩, it was perfect. The Expresso Martini is on another level.

Locanda restaurant is located on the ground level of the Rydges hotel. We tried both breakfast and dinner menus and were extremely satisfied every time we had meal. Service was great, nice atmosphere and a great meals selection available on the menu. The dishes we tried were well-balanced with a great combination of high quality ingredients. The highlight of the night was the wine suggested by the waiter. Kids meals were good too. one of my kids had cheeseburger with chips and it was delicious. The other meal was margarita pizza, which I think could have been better: mozzarella was of a high quality, but it was just not enough of it and pizza ended up being too dry. Main meals were good and side dishes had a variety of healthy selection. Kids meals included drink, main and dessert for $15. Overall restaurant prices were what I expected.

Enjoyed the food, drinks and the overall ambience and service. The desserts were perfect too, that finished off the meal nicely. 😊

Bar staff are not helpful or friendly. We were told by one girl that certain beers were available for the happy hour special only to be overcharged and told by another staff member that the beer we ordered wasn't included after being poured, and forced to pay full price. Terrible service.

Great food. Fabulous atmosphere. Perfect pre-theatre venue. Highly recommended.

Like the hotel, this is actually 3.5 stars as there were a few points of redemption. Overall food quality is good but needs to be a lot more up-front with dietary information and provision. My wife and I had breakfast included with our stay and did wonder what was available for vegans. Soya milk is available for cereal but pastries are a no-go. In terms of cooked food, the beans, tomatoes, and hash browns are all vegan. Tasty as well! The mushrooms are cooked in butter, which is a big shame as they have lovely chunks of slow-roasted garlic. There is no dairy-free butter (!) available, but at least the white and brown bread is vegan. There's peanut butter, at least. The bowl of avocado is covered in chunks of feta cheese, which sucks. We were able to request our own bowl of avo, which went a long way to a good brekkie. Needs seasoning though! The coffee is actually legit excellent and they make a lovely flat white with soya milk. This is worth a star on its own!

When we arrived, it wasn’t busy and we ordered within 10 minutes. Our food came out long after other peoples who arrived after us. They wouldn’t change spicy salami for prosciutto on a pizza which we couldn’t understand why however the chef wouldn’t allow it. We ended up ordering the spicy salami one anyway and as per the menu it says that it has ricotta. When the pizza came out, there was no ricotta however there was shaved parmesan. We questioned this and they said that it’s shaved dried ricotta. It definitely wasn’t but even if it was, it should say that on the menu as we were looking forward to chunks of ricotta. Pizzas were warm. Calamari tasted fake. Salad, polenta chips and chicken club sandwich were delicious. Their toilets are very low to the ground and poor lighting. It is a shame as it’s across the road from the theatre however we definitely wouldn’t recommend nor go back.

Did not enjoyed the taste of food.vey Expensive.The quality of food was poor.The staff were polite.Did not enjoyed it.Never will go back.<br/>Good for drinks.<br/>

Service wasnt the best. Mains had came and we still yet to get some water on the table or even a glass of water. Snapper was okay. Pumpkin pizza had heaps of flavour. Zucchini flower was nice. French fries were crispy. Waited 20 mins for my soy flat white

Came here for the buffet breakfast and was really underwhelmed.<br/><br/>The bake beans were just weird, the omelette had burnt onions through it.<br/><br/>Terrible coffee too. <br/><br/>Not great

Great spot for Pre-show / Event drinks with a verity of cocktail,Mocktails,Tapas and desserts available. We tried the Black Forest pav and I have to say this black forest pavlova has to be one of the best I have had in a while. Great atmosphere #locandamelb #melbournewithkidz 🙌

I came to this restaurant with my friend last month for dessert and we could not have been more disappointed. We ordered the apple crumble cheesecake and the blueberry yuzu cake. The presentation of the cakes were beautiful however, when we actually tried it, this was far from what we expected. The texture and taste was quite strange, personally I would describe it as something like refrigerated cookie dough? Now I know some people may find that appealing, but that type of texture in a dessert is not my cup of tea. My friend thought it tasted like a custard tart that is almost out of date from Coles. Aside from the dessert, the restaurant's atmosphere was very intimate and classy. The staff were also quite friendly and attentive. I think if I were to return in the future (and judging by the reviews and popular dishes) I should only go here for dinner. Unfortunately for today, my review will have to be one out of five because the dessert was very underwhelming.

We had a great work function here at Christmas- staff were very attentive and food was beautful. Its a great spot if you want that "private dining" feel. Was perfect for our event.

We recently hosted our end of year celebrations for 34 guests in the Locanda private dining area. We started with drinks and nibbles in the deli which was a lovely area to chat and mingle.<br/><br/>The atmosphere in the dining room was warm and inviting but still very elegant. Our 3 course limited choice set menu was delicious, not one complaint from the whole group! The service was amazing and the night was perfect. Thank you Locanda team!

I recently had my end of year Xmas function here for 11 of my customers.  The food was absolutely outstanding as was the service!  Highly recommend!  Was great for a group but also had some beautiful tables for a more intimate setting.   Every dish we ate was a stand out so hard to pick just one - steak was cooked to perfection if you are a steak lover.

Dined here for dinner last night with friends for a bday celebration. Dinner is set menu, select 2 or 3 courses. We all opted for 3 courses. I had the pork belly for entree, lamb shoulder for main, cauliflower gratin as my side & choc fondant for dessert. Everything I ordered was delicious & very filling. I also had a ginger beer mojito. Service was friendly. In the entertainment book so we got a large discount off the total bill.

We wondered over for Friday night drinks to catch up with an interstate work colleague.<br/><br/>We needed to head somewhere warm and cosy as we were freezing cold ecckk.<br/><br/>What a delight to walk into this cozy bar with a blast of hear air to warm us up.<br/><br/>We enjoyed a couple of glasses of reds as well as a serving of wedges. We were quite suprised to also be offered appetizers a range of dumplings, pork pieces and spring rolls what a treat it was.

I had my 40th birthday dinner for 24 people at the Locanda private dining room and I have not stopped receiving feedback from my friends and family about how good the food and wine was and what an absolutely amazing, warm and ambient environment it was! Everyone had a ball and I had the best night ever :)I cant thank Jenelle, Sophie and the team for an a more perfect night. It ran absolutely perfectly and I couldn't have asked for a better venue to celebrate my 40th! Outstanding job to all xx

We have been for their breakfast buffet. Loved the variety to suit all tastes. We will be going soon again. Keep an eye out for their vouchers on Groupon or cudo etc

Every month my fiancé and I would go try new restaurants and hope to enjoy some good food and Locanda had delivered. Very relaxed and enjoyable food was on point and the salmon was to die for delicious

You will see a lot of crowd over here everytime.<br/>Go on Friday for free snacks along with your beer!<br/>The place is spacious.<br/>Nice place to spend your Friday eve!

Staff were really nice and very prompt with taking orders etc. Food was really good too, but only set menu was available. Would defs come back for a pre theatre meal ☺️

Visited Locanda last week as I was craving their truffle fries I had a long time ago hosting an event here. Based on their reviews I thought it would good to bring my partner along and experience double the dishes and fill my craving. <br/>We had the three course menu:<br/>- pork belly w corn puree, brussels sprouts (i hate corn but this was yum)<br/>- kingfish ceviche w mango, radish<br/><br/>- eye fillet with pink peppercorn sauce<br/>- scotch fillet with mushroom sauce<br/>- truffle oil fries<br/>- locanda garden salad<br/><br/>- chocolate fondant<br/>- macadamia cheesecake <br/><br/>Overall the service was great but the fries REALLY fell through. There was no taste of truffle oil whatsoever (just salted) and when I notified the server, they weren't sure of what to say. My entree plate of pork belly was burning hot when it arrived at the table, so unsure of how long it was sitting under the heat lamp. The eye fillet was ordered medium rare but came out medium and was tough for me to eat. The pink peppercorn sauce was not enjoyable, very earthy and sour tasting. Cheesecake wasn't bad but needed some accompanying relief like something tangy.

We ate here before watching a show at Her Majesty’s Theatre. I ordered the two course pre theatre meal and my partner ordered the three course meal. While the meats seemed a little dry in both the pork belly and sirloin ordered by my partner, they were still tasty and filling. I always love the fries with Parmesan and truffle oil here.<br/>We were running a little late the night we ate here and the staff were very accommodating and allowed us to come back for our dessert after the show. We really appreciated this as they remembered us and our orders when we came back. <br/><br/>

We had such a wonderful experience here, we had the "Pre-theatre 3 course menu" and every dish and side we ate were absolutely delicious. We couldn't fault anything, it all arrived perfectly on time, full of flavour, good portion sizes. The service was also exceptional, both waiters were extremely pleasant and helpful, especially the lady with the red hair. Wonderful value for money especially compared to other more up-market offerings we've tried recently. I would much prefer Locanda over a restaurant like Rosetta for quality and value. We'll be back.

My partner and I visited this morning for a quick weekday breakfast buffet before running errands in the city and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food here. Everything was absolutely delicious and pastries were fresh, making the overall experience worth it. Would return next time, it's a shame we weren't able to sit and enjoy it for longer as we had a super busy day ahead.

We went for the 3 course option. The food was terrible. Pork belly came with super tough crackling that will kill a dog if you throw one at it, the staff told us it is supposed to be that way. Fish of the day was overcooked as well. Pea soup was very average. The dessert are horrible too. My partner was amazed that they can even messed up with the vanilla ice cream, lol... it has a weird taste inside the vanilla ice cream. We wouldn't be back here again

I found Locanda Restaurant & Bar on the internet after frantically trying to find somewhere for dinner before going to the theater as I forgot to book anywhere. Thank goodness they had bookings available. Once we arrived we found the restaurant to have an inviting ambience. We were only waiting under 5 minutes to be seated. The decor was very tasteful a great place if your on a first date. The restaurant staff were very friendly and helpful. I had special dietary needs and they were only too happy to accommodate me. We ordered from the pre theater menu. We ordered a entree and it came to our table quite quickly. I had the Pea & Ham soup, truffle cream & Serrano ham. It was presented beautifully and tasted amazing. The mains were just as delicious. Through the whole night the staff made our dinning experience delightful. I highly recommend this restaurant if your looking to eat in the heart of the city. I know I'll definitely be returning.

Great place, great food and lovely dining. Only thing is if you say it's your birthday, you only get wishes from Staff. (No cupcake, no sparkle :/ ) There's no idiosyncratic form of celebration for a special occasion. Other than that, would highly recommend!

Really lovely spaces, with quality food and<br/>beverage offerings available! We loved the look of the floor to ceiling wine<br/>cellar at the back of the restaurant... Melbourne must-do!

If you want below average service and food so salty you'll need to dive into a fountain for water (because your waiter won't pay you any attention to bring it to you) this is the place for you! Upon waiting in line for our seats we told the host that we had a reservation, she proceeded to walk off without any acknowledgment and then stated that our booking was not there due to a "system error". Decor is nice but the seats proved wildly uncomfortable and when we asked to adjust them the response was "that's not possible". Wine glass was clearly under filled. Entree consisted of salty calamari, left half of it. Main was a "medium" steak cooked till it was black and tough, salty chips and you guessed it, salty salad! Would not return here, ever, ever, ever...

We had an after work function on a cold Autumn Friday night. The organiser ordered roast whole suckling pork. The meat was amazingly tender and juicy. Wines were great. The antipasto and starters were cold meats and seafoods. The venue was a little crowded for our big party. There were come cocktails and finger food before the sit down dinner. We didn't go for a show but it was a Friday night and outside was very busy. We were fortunate to have a chianti ordered to go with the roast meats and enjoyed the wine.

Date: 23rd July 2017<br/>1. Booked online, received confirmation text- when we arrived they didn't have our booking.<br/>2. Wait staff less than friendly, unhelpful <br/>3. Heaps of noise from bar area<br/>4. Two types of music Jazz and rock but played at the same time so just a jumbled noise<br/>5. All meals over salted including calamari , chips and salad! Only two slivers of mushroom in my mushroom sauce medium steak more like well done<br/>6. Didn't bother with dessert - coffee lukewarm <br/>Would not recommend.<br/>1.5 for location and decor only

Went there for dinner and had the worst experience ever! Thought it was a luxury restaurant due to the high prices, it turned out to be a sports bar! Waited for a while to get seated and to be served with entrée. Queried their vegetarian with no egg options and all they could come up with was a watery flavourless risotto for main and a cheeseboard without crackers for dessert! The waitress tried to "educate" me that all the puff pastries and ice-creams in the world contain eggs and that Italian cuisine is hard to cook without eggs. For entree, my hubby ate calamari which was very salty, but otherwise bland. Tart had a chewy base, but tasted ok. The steak had no sides besides chips and the mushroom sauce was very salty. They eventually brought out lavash in place of crackers for the cheeseboard. We went there for a nice date with good food - not for bad food and bad service.

Service is amazing, immediately served and waitresses were lovely and very attentive. Food was delicious and filling, but would like to see a little more on the plate for the price. Ordered the steak (highly recommend) and a side salad or vegetables would be appreciated for the $. Otherwise, can't fault - will be back.

My food was amazing. My boyfriend started off with pork belly and that was tender! I had the scallops and my goodness, brilliant! I then went to the salmon for main, seasoned well, cooked amazingly and the mash was nice! Nothing to fault here. He had the pasta and loved it. Brilliant place to go.

I was a bit worried as it looked like a sports bar/ strange red but the food was pretty good. We set a set menu and the portion size and taste was good. Great location so perfect for those who want to eat dinner before seeing the theatre

Restaurant and room service seems to share the same food/menu. Had chicken schnitzel with red cabbage cole slaw for lunch and have to say, not bad but not great either. Another lunch option was my late night pizza.. meatball spinach with truffle mayo. Once again, not bad... but not great either. Brekkie is nice here.

🙌🏻Very nice atmosphere🙌🏻, and great customer service, especially from the manager. Only thing is that the steaks do not come with anything (🥔mash/chips🍟/🥕vegies/salad 🥗etc) and therefore was a little plain. 🙅🏽🙅🏽‍♂️Overall a fantastic place for a great dinner/dessert service. 🍰🍮🍤

I would go as far to say that the photos on zomato look amazing... but the real life venue was a REALLY. BIG. LETDOWN. Upon walking in the place itself looked like a sports bar - somehow this restaurant wad listed under luxe dining on zomato ans it is far from it... Respite this we were seated quickly and given menus. I asked the waitress about vegetarian options and her reply was 'well its obvious' .... REALLY?! but there after we were served by another staff member who was very lovely. To my dissapointment the food was not good. The corn fritters were burnt and raw in the middle. My parter ordered steak that was $40 of tasteless and dry - mind you we had to pay for sides seperately! On top of the the pasta i ordered was wrong in so many ways. Im not hard to impress with a pasta but i couldnt stomach more had a few mouthfuls. We both left our plates looking untouched and unimpressed. I will not come back even if the meal was offered free. Poor service on behalf of one particular staff member, poor food quality at ridiculous prices and a not so great venue.

On the safe side .... got to pleased everyone.<br/><br/>Corner Exhibition & Little Bourke St. It's always going to be a tough gig running a restaurant within a hotel, especially within the CBD/Chinatown precinct with lots of options.<br/><br/>Hotel's restaurant is usually safe and boring, not great and not bad, a few breakfast, dinner and coffee sessions later I can conquered.<br/><br/>Not a fan of Buffet breakfast, although they've got the latest Schott's food warmer gear on the benchtop.<br/><br/>Modernly set up with a bit of Rustic feels, vibrant, not too loud, great ambiance, especially the hanging verandah overlooking the City & Chinatown, perfect place for a Summer early evening hangout.<br/><br/>Seems to be popular with the conference crowds - upstairs.

We visited Locanda on invite from Rydges Melbourne as a pre-show dinner before heading off to Circus 1903.<br/><br/>This is a good italian restaurant on Melbourne's busy Exhibition Street, at the north of Chinatown. <br/><br/>We had a range of menu items to taste, including the beetroot cured Salmon with gold beetroot, fennel and burnt orange, and the Kingfish with tarragon infused kipler potatoes, sultana ragout and red wine jus.<br/><br/>They had a good selection of wines and my favourite dish was the eye fillet with cauliflower and roasted artichoke gratin, pistachio crumb, wilted spinach and peppercorn jus.

This place is perfect for functions - my sister organised a birthday dinner for me here. They are affordable, and the service is friendly and quick. I  had the calamari for entree, steak for main and lemon cheesecake for dessert. Each dish was prepared nicely and tasted great.

Thank you to the Locanda Events & Private Dining team.  I hosted a birthday luncheon for 50 guests and the event went really well and was enjoyed by all.  Food was great and the staff were excellent, very attentive and helpful with all requests. The space was perfect for our party size and the use of a separate pre drinks area was a bonus.  Most importantly the guest of honour was thrilled with her party.  I would definitely recommend this venue for a private event - very affordable, sophisticated space, great location, excellent staff and good food.

Food was dreadful. Avoid it at all cost. On the bright side, the duty manager was apologetic and gave us free deserts which turned out to be average at best.

We came here for Christmas lunch, expecting something really good for $150+ per head. Unfortunately this is quite possibly the worst venue we have ever been to although the staff were helpful and we had a decent Italian wine. Food absolutely appalling and the lowest quality - totally unprofessional for anyone in the restaurant game, stay clear of this place, it's incredibly tacky.

Love heading to Locanda for a quick affordable pre-theatre meal. Walking distance to HMT and Princess Theatre. Pork belly is delicious and they have a great selection of wines available. Have also experienced the Private Dining Room for a friends engagement, and the space and food were lovely. Highly recommend this place.

The Christmas buffet is an absolute must.<br/>Travelling with my entire family from Perth, we were so pleased with the service & the extensive range of fresh seafood & Christmas hams.

The staff encountered in the Bar area, and the restaurant , were both competent and friendly. The design of the restaurant provides a perfect atmosphere to enjoy a meal with friends and family. Our entrees included Trio of Bruschetta, Pork Belly with Apricot and Sultana Chutney. Mains included Dry Aged Black Angus Eye Fillet with Pink Peppercorn Sauce,  Lasagne, Quinoa Salad with Warm Chicken. I tasted all meals and was very pleased with the presentation and quality. We will definitely return .

Acceptable but not an outstanding experience. The food and the experience doesn't seem to have kept up with the culinary scene in Melbourne.<br/><br/>We came here for a pre-show dinner and figured the set menu was a good option ($49 for three courses). Without detailing each and every dish, it ranged from the stingy (trio of bruschetta was miniscule), to the boring (fish of the day was crumbed and well cooked but with little to know sauce and other sides???), to actually quite delicious (tira misu spot on).<br/><br/>It's hard to complain when the set menu is quite reasonably priced but if we had bought the mains at the a la carte prices I would have been much less satisfied. Service is fine but lacks finesse and overall I just felt a bit unexcited by the whole event.

We went for a friend's birthday dinner. Food is average, however service is very slow and the waitress is very bitter and unfriendly. They keep on forgetting things we ordered and we have to remind them several times. We expected more as this looks like a high end restaurant. <br/>Wont come back or recommend.

We chose Locanda as the venue for my mum's 60th birthday, and I have to say - it was flawless. We had so many guests comment on the lovely venue, and the food was a total hit! I really can't speak any more highly of Locanda.<br/><br/>The staff made everything easy from the start. They were helpful, and very accomodating, and even lets us hang around a little later while they cleaned up, which was lovely and very much appreciated. The food was great (the pork belly was a big hit), and they were very helpful for anyone with dietary requirements. (The espresso martinis were also amazing, although I learned that the hard way... hello, hangover, my old friend)<br/><br/>The team's help in the lead up was fantastic, and made everything so seamless and easy - I kept thinking I was missing something! It was all just so simple. <br/><br/>I would definitely recommend Locanda for a smaller venue party.

Not Impressed<br/><br/>Dinner at the restaurant was overpriced for what you get, I got the $40 eye fillet steak -that came alone; no vegetables sides etc, just steak and sauce, both indeed were not real flash.<br/>The steak was overcooked ( I had asked for medium rare) and was tough and had no flavour, same goes with the pepper sauce.<br/><br/>Then came dessert,<br/>This was ok. <br/>I had custard panacotta with rhubarb coulis <br/>Superb<br/>That I'd give a 4/5, but the serving size was enormous.<br/>All in all, not a great experience, would not go again<br/>Breakfast is from a trough, beware.

Seeing a show across the road so it seemed convenient to eat so close. We had the 2 courses, entree & main. Tasted good, but ridiculous portions, so so so small, it was actually embarrassing we had to eat again after. <br/>Value for money - no <br/>Go back - no

Organized a private function here, received raving reviews about venue, staff and of course the food.<br/>Definitely a lovely place to hold a function

My blue eye cod was nice. Sides were unmoving, fries seems like it's from McDonald- I didnt taste any truffle! Then came the desserts, I had the mille feuille which was as soggy as the tiramisu!

We went to Locando before we saw 'Matilda'. The atmosphere was really nice and the wine was delicious. The wait staff were really friendly, humorous and attentive which added a lovely vibe to our dining experience. The food was ok, maybe a bit over priced for not much.

Went just for drinks. Small party. Early in evening Saturday night. Plenty of selection for table...booth, table, bar stools, inside or outside, good tables outside. Well set out. Pleasant surroundings. drinks menu well presented. easy to choose.. Not too long. Cocktails board extensive.

Do: the calamari, the steak and the pana cotta. <br/><br/>Don't: think that it's just for hotel guests, anyone can come. <br/><br/>Tip: the private dining room out the back is very intimate and cost effective for set menus.

Had buffet breakfast here and it was fantastic! A wide range of hot and cold breakfast foods; toast, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, sausages, hash browns, muesli, smoothies, baked goods, congee, Asian buns etc. So much choice! Everything was being topped up as required and there was plenty of food. Great value for money.

Perfect option for dinner before seeing a show at the Comedy Theatre. The pre theatre menu is great value (2 courses for $39) and certainly worth considering. For entree I ordered the pork belly with crushed peas and crispy onions and for main I went with the fish of the day which was grilled swordfish with parsnip puree, eggplant and roasted beetroot. Both dishes were lovely and refined. My only criticism is that the service was a bit slow and at times a little dismissive.

I booked this restaurant for my small wedding reception of 7. They promised a nice table as it's a special occasion, but we ended up with an awkward one set in between dining booths. We needed to give way every time people came in and out of their booths (I was in my wedding dress!). We had the 3-course set menu. Pork belly was good, but the calamari was too salty and had a weird soft texture. For the mains, the angus steak was served with chips on a hot plate, which reminded me of those cheap diners in America. The taste was very average. My friend had me try her carbonara as it seemed undercooked, and it really was. It barely had any sauce in it too. The dessert had to be followed up twice with their staff and came out an hour after we finished our mains. But it was not worth the wait after all. The cheesecake I ordered is probably 90% sugar and 10% cream cheese. Suffice it to say, none of my guests finished their meals. I was embarrassed that I picked this for my wedding reception and upset that I had to pay for such lousy meals.

We came here for valentines and unfortunately at dinner service they were out of a lot of the dishes. Pretty poor planning. <br/>The calamari was pretty bland, I have had better from a supermarket packet.<br/>The advancing were lovely though and for main the steak was cooked to perfection. <br/>Don't think I would be back again but if you're trying this place out stick to the steak it was delicious.

Unfortunately mediocre "Italian". The prices reflect a much better level of service and food. $30-$50 mains with sides additional at $8ea. Even when the mains came out, the sides didn't arrive for another 20mins. On the bright side, the barramundi was cooked well, and most of the sides were tasty ("seasonal vegetables" was steamed broccoli and carrots...) I wouldn't recommend it.

Had breakfast here for two straight friggin' weeks! Imagine the same food over and over everyday. Gosh! It must be hard for some, but not me =). I love breakfast food! Selection is wide, food are freshly prepared, quick for refills. Can't say much for the staff, 'coz some just passes you by like they're there just for fixing tables and all, no big deal. While others really take time to say hi, ask about the food or whether you're havin' a fine time, makes you feel welcome.<br/>And oh! First time ever to taste Vegemite is in this place, it kinda stuck in my head =).<br/>Lovely interiors. Cool place.

This Christmas we only had 3 of us in Melbourne so rather than spend too much time and money on lunch we decided to venture out to locanda. I was a little excited knowing there would be a full buffet and general excitement as I didn't know what to expect from the day. Sadly as soon as we walked in it felt like a huge disappointment in regards to atmosphere. No decorations, no Bon bons nothing .. It didn't feel like Christmas at all ! The buffet itself was impressive with the seafood being the highlight. However with a mass of crabs there was one thing missing, a crab cracker ! Fairly important to actually be able to crack through that shell and all I could think about was that huge amount of waste. A little attention to detail goes along way and with such beautiful produce it was horribly disrespectful. The service was impeccable and the lady that served our table was outstanding, so much so we left feedback to her manager. The meat was fairly bland and dry, however that would be my only complaint to the food. The atmosphere could have been improved ten fold with little cost to the restaurant. Even some back ground music that had a Chrissie tone playing in the back ground would have been nicer than the top 40 plasma music videos playing over the bar with no sound. Very strange ... All in all we had a good day but didn't feel like Christmas and we left early which is unusual, they definitely could have got a couple more bottles of wine out of us but oh well ... Money stays in our pocket. <br/>

My favourite place for Tiramisu. This place has the best tiramisu in town. I've had the beetroot tart for entree and eye fillet steak for main. Loved the entree but the main was just okay. My favourite part was the tiramisu. I would go back only for tiramisu.

Yes, I'm in Melbourne. I get around a bit (don't tell anyone). This is a work trip and the function was at Locanda. We had a separate area reserved just for us, somewhere around 25-30 people, with our own very attentive waitstaff. Our meal was three courses with a choice of three options in each course. The consensus around the tables was that the food was very good. I can comment on the squid, beef and then the white chocolate dessert. My squid was very oily, to the point where I couldn't finish it. My steak was very nice until the middle, which was a bit too red for me but there was no option to order your meat to your preferred level of cooking. The white chocolate dessert was very very fine! One other comment is that the lighting was very low for those of us with failing vision. Overall though the dining experience was very good.

Everything was fantastic. Great food we had the beef and some calamari along with some salmon and pork belly all were delicious. Service was spot on and very friendly. Would return

Italian & steak in the CBD<br/><br/>Appreciated the complimentary bread and butter to start however, we were left waiting for long periods to order our food and drinks.We also had to keep reminding them to bring out drinks that we had ordered. I only received the glass of wine I ordered to go with my main meal when I had nearly finished eating it! <br/><br/>We shared the calamari as appetiser and then the Atlantic Salmon and steak for mains. They did not come with sides so we also ordered roast potatoes and broccoli. The food was ok but very expensive. The cocktails, on the other hand, were very enjoyable.<br/><br/>The ambience is somewhat lost due to the presence of a busy bar on the other side of the restaurant.<br/><br/><br/>

I hired the private dining room and deli for my lunchtime wedding ceremony and reception in October 2015. Ana the functions coordinator and the staff that were on hand helped the day go by so smoothly without a hitch! The service was amazing, as was the food. I wasn't really sure what to expect as I hadn't tried the food here before my big day, but everything from the entrees to the dessert were super delicious and portions were very large! I had the slow cooked pork belly, atlantic salmon, and orange and chocolate tart. Friends said the steak was perfect but chicken breast was a little dry.<br/><br/>I wasn't able to try the wine due to my pregnancy but friends and family commented that the wine was good. The rooms are a little on the dim side, but I added white curtains to the wall along with some fairy lights as decorations which brightened up the space a bit creating a warmer ambience.<br/><br/>Because the venue isn't specifically for wedding functions, I found that it was a lot more affordable compared to places which cater for wedding packages (I chose the 3 course meal which is $65pp and added a bar tab of $500 which did go over by $300). Also, the restaurant is very flexible with decorations which is an added bonus!<br/><br/>Highly recommend Locanda private dining for those looking for venues on a budget!

Booked a table for 15 for a birthday. Great service to not force a set menu on us. Can't review everyone's food but must say no one complained. Drinks service was solid, brought quickly so getting rowdy was easy. Seating arrangement against the wall is odd wouldn't do it that way personally but meh, each to their own. <br/>I had a steak... was noms noms. Perfectly cooked and bloody, seemed like the beast was still walking around when cooked. Zomg the dessert cake was off the chain. Worth every penny.

Entree calamari was tender & tasty. Good job on the steaks - all at the table were pleased. Sides of green salad, steamed veggies, & roasted potatoes were good. Black Forest dessert was rich & velvety. Excellent service, especially the lovely French waitress & the batman named Carl. It is a hotel restaurant & the atmosphere is a little lobby like, but still cosy. Overall a positive experience.

Beautiful ambience. Dim lighting. Great waiters and waitresses that get assigned to your table. Very generous portion sizes. Very elegant location.

“BREAKFAST BUFFET..JUST GORGEOUS..!!”<br/><br/>On Saturday morning, five of us had breakfast out.. a lovely treat.. <br/>I didn't have any expectations.. hadn't heard much about the Rydges Hotel, or the LOCANDA Restaurant on its lobby level..<br/><br/>Well...it was gorgeous...it's not a huge selection, but everything was fresh..very fresh..and very enticing..<br/><br/>I started with chilled OJ, then moved onto a bowl of compote peaches with natural yoghurt and a creamed raspberry coulis topped with a good quality crisp fruit and nut muesli. Yum..!<br/><br/>Also on offer: a selection of other juices, a selection of other fruit compotes, mango puree, sliced melons, whole fresh fruits, bircher muesli, fruit smoothies, breakfast cereals, sliced cold meats, cheeses, gourmet breads, savoury muffins... <br/><br/>I followed up with well-browned spicy chipolata sausages, crisp quality bacon, grilled herbed roma tomatoes, fresh fluffy scrambled eggs, sauteed well-seasoned whole mushrooms and sauteed spinach. Seriously yum..!!<br/><br/>They had a variety of sliced breads, including a gluten free one, with efficient fast toasters, jams and toppings and real dairy butter. <br/><br/>Also on offer: well-cooked crisp crunchy hash browns, a gourmet baked bean mix, perfectly poached and boiled eggs, and Asian dumplings. Fried eggs and omelettes were available on demand.. so too American style pancakes - real maple syrup.. <br/><br/>The cold things were nice and cold, and the hot things..lovely and hot.<br/><br/>I finished off with tiny strawberry and raspberry muffins and petite danish pastries.<br/><br/>Gourmet coffees - good cofffee - were available on order, and help yourself to long blacks and 5 varieties of teas, including a couple of herbal offerings.<br/>I really loved the big glass container of iced water with lemon slices - such a wonderful way to promote and then cleanse the palate.<br/><br/>Thoroughly enjoyed it... can't wait to go again...<br/><br/>Cost: $30?? per adult (We paid $16 per adult with a Scoopon Deal... Unbelievable Value...!!!) <br/><br/>Visited on Saturday 5 Sep 2015, with family, and a friend, for breakfast.<br/><br/>##HEY.. since that review.. we've been back to LOCANDA for breakfast.. twice.. at the end of Sep 2015 and again yesterday morning...<br/>On both visits - THE QUALITY and THE CONSISTENCY remained the same - SUPERB...!!!<br/>They MUST have a fabulous team working inside that kitchen, cos this sort of achievement.. in such a busy eatery.. is not so easy to accomplish...<br/><br/>AS YOU CAN GUESS, it's become my Melbourne Hotel Breakfast Buffet fave...<br/>Oh, and I can't wait to go again...!!! LOL<br/><br/>Visited Friday 23 October 2015 with family.

I organised a lunch at Locanda Deli and Wine Cellar to thank our corporate partners.  We had 12 guests who fitted comfortably around the marble table creating an environment that engenders conversation.  My guests and I thought the food was amazing in taste, quality and quantity.  The staff were attentive and supportive from the event organisational perspective through to execution.  This venue is great for small gatherings and I would highly recommend Locanda.

They look good, I'd really want to try it some day, I guess whenever I visit there I'm hitting you guys :D I just hope it's all good when I come :p

I had booked the private dining room for my birthday. I had only viewed the photos of the private dining area before my time there and I have to say the place is absolutely beautiful in person. We had the $85 pp course (3 set menu buffet style)My family and friends had a wonderful time at the restaurant. Our waiter was extremely attentive and assisted us with all of our orders and queries we had through out the night. The food was top quality and definitely delicious. Thank you to the chef who carved up the roast for us, he assisted us in removing most of the bones from the meat which was extremely considerate. Everyone left with extremely full bellies and had to waddle out of the restaurant. A big thank you to the entire team; the chefs, the night supervisor and waiters who assisted us in making this an memorable event. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.Only small thing - Due to OHS, we could not take away any of the desserts which was a bit of a waste but that isn't the restaurants fault.

Went here for lunch on a Tuesday. This place must be able to seat 120 at least. We were there for two hours and we were the only ones in the place. We did not see another soul.<br/><br/>So it was a surprise to us that after seating us our waiter disappeared for about 20 minutes. After this time we sent one of our party off to find him. 2 minutes later our colleague returns with the waiter in tow..."Do you mind if we have a drink?" we asked.<br/><br/>Things progressed, drinks were delivered and drunk and some 20 minutes later we set off to find the waiter again. We did find one, this time a female....there were two waiters! serving 6 people (our table)! This was a surprise to us and like any waiter would, she took our food and drink orders.<br/><br/>Some 20 minutes later, no sign of anything, food or drink so one of my colleagues set off again. you get the picture.<br/><br/>When the food finally arrived it was mixed. The menu is pretty short and to be honest, pretty simple. Most home cooks would fancy they could have a reasonable crack at the dishes listed. I went for one of the simpler offerings - Veal Parma. Really, really dry veal, really really oily salad. The accompanying chips were very good. All the other meals came sans any accompaniment whatsoever - just the steak or just the chicken. So we hastily ordered some salad and chips dishes for the table. Hint to waiters - if you know the meals are not served with any salad or vegetables, perhaps mention it at the time the table first orders the meals.<br/><br/>All in all this place was a chore. Boring food cooked just OK, no atmosphere and god knows where the waiters go during the lunch period? Too many great options nearby to bother with this place.

Great food and fantastic service! Will be using the private dining space for future events, the Deli is simply stunning. Thank you for a great night out!

A mixed impression. We came for a pre theatre meal and for $39 for 2 courses and $49 for 3 courses, prices are quite reasonable. The customer service is very formal, but commendable and expected for such a setting. For entrée we had pork belly and fried calamari. Pork belly was tasty, but small, and the parsnip puree tasted a bit like lard. Calamari were very well done and in excellent quantity served in a dim sum steaming basket. Mains we had lasagne, cooked very well, and the Angus sirloin which was a bit thin and dry at medium rare. Chips that came with the steak were great. So I'm not sure. I think dishes are a bit hit and miss here. Clearly the pre theatre menu is designed to be quicker and easier, and the normal menu looks much more enticing. If I come back, it will be to try the normal menu

With an option of bar, restaurant or private dining, these guys have the trifecta, and to be honest, the food was a lot more tasty than I was expecting. There was oysters, salt and pepper squid, crostini, poached duck and freakin amazing spicy pepperoni and prosciutto. Yes to everything, please. My plate was piled high and my portion control issues were in overdrive.

You know those times, when you are invited to an event and you don't know anyone else (apart from the host)? I usually feel quite nervous beforehand but last night has proven again, that those events are often some of the best. Locanda is part of the Rydges Hotel on Exhibition St and consists of the restaurant part and the private dining room. Sleek slate floors are surrounded by floor to ceiling glass wine cellars. Definitely a cool location! Head Chef at Locanda is Paul Griffiths, winner of Publisher’s Choice ‘Chef Of The Year” 2007 and Finalist in the AHA ‘Chef Of The Year” 2014 State Awards, so it sounded like we were in for a treat! <br/>When I walked in I was immediately greeted by the friendly staff and asked whether I would like an Espresso Martini to start off with. Yes please! After mingling with the other bloggers and the guys from Zomato we meandered over to the buffet.

LOVE. It's a winner.<br/>My fave place to dine-out in Melbourne. <br/>Great staff, tasty fresh food, consistency, reliable, delicious - breakfast and dinner.<br/>:p it's def a fave of mine

We looked for assistance when it came time to pay the bill but found it frustrating getting any attention. Finally, one of us mustered up the courage and walked up to the bar where there were a few wait staff chatting and asked to pay our bill.

Watch out for the dodgy wait staff!!!. The meal was okay, however a restaurant in this price range shouldn't have a tacky big screen with sports playing. <br/><br/>The food was okay. Nothing to write home about. My bill was $106 for two people. They charged me $121. I should have checked as I was leaving- but it reasonable for me to trust the staff to not just tack on their own tips. <br/><br/>Will never go again!

No happy. Went to Locanda Restaurant on Saturday 20-Dec 2014. Ordered Grilled Chicken Breast was not happy with the size It said Sweet potato chips just 2 on the plate and at $28.00. Been to this restaurant before and stayed the night at Rydges Went on Saturday because it does GLUTEN FREE for my husband Have to think about going back to restaurant

AMAZING BUFFET BREAKFAST! W.... AMAZING BUFFET BREAKFAST!<br/>We went here for a delicious buffet breakfast and were absolutely spoilt for choice!<br/>There's the hot brekky with your Grilled bacon, sausages, hash browns, boiled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, spinach, grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms.. And so much more!<br/>Heaps of cereals and pastries to choose from! Sweet and savoury muffins.. Fresh fruits and yoghurts.. Several types of tea.. Cheese, continental breads.. And more!<br/>Adorable smoothies in bottles.. Porridge, cold meats! So much choice!<br/>We left very very full, amazing value! <br/>Everything was so delicious, homemade quality food and fresh! A lot of buffets end up serving cold old food, but this one was lovely and hot and fresh!<br/>Staff were lovely and the decor is very appealing.<br/>Absolutely love the chalkboard jars the tea was in, and the gorgeous bright coffee cups! We came with a voucher, but it was amazing so we'd definitely return and pay full price! We will definitely be back!

Pre show dinner. With all the mixed reviews was worried, but as a thursday night this place was reasonably quiet, so the food came quickly-so quick, we didn't have our drinks yet which is nothing major.We enjoyed our 2 courses, then decided to have dessert, we had that much time. Again all the food was great, portion size adequate, time perfect.<br/>We will gladly come again for dinner, pre show or for just a night out.

Very poor experience. Do not eat here, went with my wife for the pre theatre meal on Saturday before seeing Les Mis. To start with the waiter was cracking very unfunny jokes, when we didn't laugh he said we hadn't heard or understood him, we had. The starters were satisfactory I had pork belly my wife had double cooked cheese soufflé. The mains were a disaster, I had the steak which was tough, the roasted garlic was stone cold just out the fridge and the "crispy chips" were a soggy half cold mess. My wife had the salmon with stuffed cannelloni and ratatouille. The pasta was raw and cold and the ratatouille was also cold. The meals served were extremely poor and of exceptionally low quality ingredients, frozen cheap chips for example. We left most of our meals as we could not wait for replacements as we were going to see the show. Our waiter asked if we enjoyed our meal and I explained the dire experience. The manager came over to us and asked what was wrong, I explained. She told me the chips often didn't come out crispy, I asked her why they were described as such on the menu, she said good point. We were offered a free coffee. Enough said. Dire low quality food, dire service both waiter and manager

Great Evening!. I hadn't been here before, but booked when a friend and I went to see Les Mis. We were delighted. The food was excellent, the ambience great and the service was terrific.<br/><br/>Would go here again any time!<br/><br/>Liz

Nice food, but overall a negative experience.. It didn't start off well, they didn't have us down for our 5:30pm booking, we even had phone call time and date on my mobile to prove it. We arrived 5:40.<br/><br/>Like most we were off to see a 7.30pm show. We went in for the 3 course for $50 show special. We all ordered all 3 courses relatively promptly, we did think it should have been a little quicker given they knew we were off to a show. <br/><br/>Nice selection of wines but...I ordered the first one based on the year (2012) and they bring out a 2011, not being a snob here but '11 wasn't really a good year, so chose another different 2012, this time they bring out a 2013, not good service, but we took it as time was starting to get away from us.<br/><br/>While our drinks are just about gone without any sign of said food, waitress comes back to inform us the kitchen won't be able to provide 3 courses in time for the show, how disappointing! So effectively we had 2 courses in two hours, sorry but not got enough. Just made it on time to our show across the road. <br/><br/>The food, while tasty, it was on the cold side, just as others have mentioned.<br/><br/>Overall, we are fairly open minded people and give benefit of the doubt, but sadly we walked away with a negative experience, and in fairness could not and would not recommend it.

Recently dinned at the Locanda Italian Steakhouse. The overall experience was fantastic! The service was brilliant...the waiter on both nights was very attentive, the food was delicious..of very high standard. On the second evening at Locanda we dinned with a party of six having the Pre Theatre Menu. Everything was timed perfectly so we finished at 6.45pm and headed off to the show. Couldn't of asked for better service. We defiantly will be dinning at the Locanda Italian Steakhouse again.

Kevin. I was one of eight that recently dined at Locanda on a Friday evening. All felt the overall experience, including: service, food quality, ambeviance, wine selection and cost was very favourable. The only concern is that the fish of the day was slightly over-cooked. That aside it was a terrific evening.

Disappointing!. Very disappointing! Booked 6pm for dinner pre 7:30pm theatre performance. Shown to our table, no menu provided, no drinks offered, not even water. No service at all for 20mins+. Finally had our order taken only to wait another 30mins+ for drinks which only appeared after seeking out a waitress for some service. Entree finally arrived 15mins before show due to start. Yes, entree tasted delicious BUT we had to leave before our main dish arrived or we would have missed the start of our show. As this restaurant markets itself as a pre theatre dinner option I and my guests were sadly disappointed! Clearly they overbooked for their capabilities on a busy Friday night :(

Great spot to take children. We had a great waitress (Ingrid) and the menu was really well suited for our children (aged 7 to 12). Good wine list. The steak was good - ordered two cuts both medium rare - one was perfect and the other a little over. Good vegetables as sides.

Amazing food and professional, yet friendly service! Had a delicious dinner with a group of friends and the entire experience was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Will be back!

Severely disappointed. Restaurant was not even busy and service was terrible. Waited 15 minutes to order a drink and entrees. Entrees were fantastic, mains were terrible. For a Steakhouse, I have cooked better steak at home, it wad tougher than leather. My wife ordered a lasagne and this tasted like it was bought from Woolworths pre-made. We then sat around finishing our wine and had to go to the counter to pay as even after 25 mins of talking they didn't bring the bill over.

It was amazing Finally a pl.... It was amazing<br/>Finally a place with class AND cooks your steak perfectly<br/>I get rare and partner gets medium<br/>Normally we don't both get what we want or one is too cold, both so perfect we were speechless <br/>The sides were yum! And ask them to suggest wine - they have talent for picking a good one! <br/>I will be coming back! <br/>Thanks :)

DO NOT GO HERE. Ridiculously overpriced, poor quality, poor service. <br/>Upon arriving we were seated, and then waited around 40 minutes for our main, before we asked the waitstaff to check on them. Almost instantly they arrive, stone cold, which obviously lead me to believe that they had just been sitting in the kitchen as no one could be bothered to take them out. The food itself was extremely small portioned, bland and $35 is an exorbitant price to pay for a piece of chicken breast with vegetables. Not only were the potatoes served with it cold, they were also HARD. The place has a terrible atmosphere and the drinks were served at room temperature. <br/>This is just truly terrible, I don't see where all the positive reviews have come from. All I can say is, whatever you do, do not go here. There are about 10 cheaper restaurants on the same street with 10 times better food.<br/>JUST DON'T GO HERE

Amazing. Had dinner at Locanda last night for my birthday, it was an absolute pleasure!<br/>The staff were very friendly and accommodating, the food was magnificent and the overall experience was enjoyed by all.<br/>It definitely is a venue that I will be visiting again and can definitely recommend it to anyone who's wishing to look for a nice restaurant with a good variety of food!

More than exceptional experience it made our Easter.. I brought my cousin and her son to an extremely important and sensitive family dinner to Locanda Restaurant . Simon Lok was on hand attentive, professional nothing was too much trouble. I am a UNICEF ambassador and had just arrived from assisting in building a school for children that had been walking three hours one way to get to there school no shoes , returning in the dark hyenas nearby,over dinner we were planning our charity climb for Mount Kilimanjaro this October . Donate at gofundme.lets climb Mount Kilimanjaro . <br/>But it was Simon that understood around our conversation true professionalism. Offering exceptional service at all times and ensuring all ages needs were adhered to my 15 yo second cousin, my cousin and myself. <br/>As an entrepreneur of two hotels several restaurants and a student accommodation near a university in Northern brazil I understand customer service. I also have lead recruitment and training for nearly twenty years for Qantas Airways in Sydney Melbourne and London. I really really recommend that you sincerely recognise this man for his impeccable sense of delivery and care for the customer.<br/>At one point I tried to put a private tip in his pocket he refused humbly and said I just wanted you to enjoy your experience Mr.Walsh <br/>I felt I had to take the time to let everyone know just how amazing Simon was on my stay in Melbourne. <br/>Hi highly recommend this restaurant because if Simon. 10/10!!<br/>Kind regards <br/><br/>Darren Walsh <br/>Dagzee@gmail.com

No problems here.. My wife and I attended here for dinner 01/03/2014 just prior to seeing "Grease" at the theatre across the road.<br/>We received excellent meals and excellent service even though we arrived later than our booking time and cut it a bit fine for the start of the show.<br/>My wife had the calamari and I had the Pasta dish "Orichiette".<br/>Both meals tasted great albeit a bit on the small serving side. My mains sized meal was a bit skimpy with only three prawns and the rest mainly pasta shells.<br/>The price was satisfactory with our meals costing fifty two dollars. This included the two meals, a house wine and a pot of coke. Note also that this price included the ten dollar discount for staying at the Rydges Hotel otherwise would have been sixty two dollars.<br/>I'd have no problem in visiting again and recommending people; particularly for conveniences sake if you are at the hotel and/ or going to the theatre.<br/><br/>Auto Academy - mechanic in moorabbin

I went to locanda on a Sunday night and had the rib eye steak which was delicious and perfectly cooked. The staff in the restaurant were friendly and the food arrived in a timely fashion. ALTHOUGH we moved across to the bar lounge afterwards for a drink, the woman at the bar refused to make a Rye old fashioned and several other cocktails claiming they "don't make those" despite them been on the drink list. She also declined making these drinks in a very stern and uncompromising manner. She offered no reason as to why she would not make these drinks. After finally deciding on a drink from their cocktail list she had to check with her manager if they were able to make it and then continually had to ask his advice on how to make the drink and then halfway through its preparation realised they did not have enough ingredients and had to leave to go get more. In fact since I begin writing this review my drink has still not been made (It was a Moscow mule). Locanda makes lovely food but due to my experience at the bar I will not be returning.

Came here for dinner as part of a Dinner Bed and Breakfast deal. We had a gret choice of some well cooked and presented entrees and mains. The staff we nice and the ambience lovely. (we had a booth in the restaurant). I would recommend this place to my friends.

Solid. Had a quick lunch before a show across the road. Excellent meals for the price. Quite a reduced menu for lunch but still plenty of variety. Serves were very good size and service was good for a hotel restaurant.