Review The Lincoln - Melbourne

Wonderful little pub with oodles of character and old taste. A good selection tasty beers on tap & hearty pub meals (won’t go in for the Barra again, though). Their sticky date pudding absolutely hit the spot

Service was really good, food was the type my mum use to cook back in the UK. Only downside was the UK draft beer was way to cold. Brits love there beer 'celler' temp, not ice cold. Apart from that, staff were friendly and atmosphere was just right for the occasion.

Amazing place with an amazing atmosphere. They have a great selection of beers and even better food. I had the Sherlock Holmes Pork Ribs and it was absolute heaven. I'll be definitely going back for more.

Fantastic food with great prices and huge portions! Friendly accommodating staff, cute interior decor and nice selection of drinks on tap

Consistently good and cozy English pub. Can't ask for more; good food, good beer and good service. Lady was cheerfully checking everybody's Vax cert and everybody was happy to show.

I got myself Scotch Fillet Steak 🥩 served with chips, salad and mash potato 🥔 Friendly service, tasty food!

Great British Pub with delicious food and drinks . The daily roasts are always fantastic and the Parma as great too. They have some great British beers on tap. Make sure you get some of the gravy as it is chugable.

After going down the stairs below street level you will feel transported to a old London pub. It's warm and welcoming, the staff are bright and efficient, and the traditional English themed meals are excellent. Generous servings, and value for money. Wide range of beers, ciders and wines. A great environment, suitable for all.

Had a great dinner here. The service was excellent and the food fantastic my steak was melt in the mouth and delicious and OMG the sausages were out of this world wish I could buy them! They make their own Not cheap but worth it Definitely recommend this place

Came here for dinner a few nights ago and had a fantastic meal! Excellent service, great food and a very extensive drinks list! Definitely recommend!

Extremely nce traditional pub, with a hint of contemporary style. Bar tenders never too pushy, clever advices on ales. Pub food in the traditional with touch of gourmet... To be adviced

This is definitely at least a four star business, good value, good quality, good service, but it gets an extra point anyway for the publicans cheeky smile. This is how you want a pub to be.

Great food, average service by one staff member. Looked disappointed when we ordered drinks. Never brought back our change from a $600 bill; assumed we’d left a $40 tip. Seriously, this staff member should not have gone to work yesterday. Other two staff members were great, hence 4 stars.

At Melbourne's second oldest pub built around 1850 and i gotta admit it's pretty impressive, i love the bar it looks like the original one for the pub. Great staff and awesome service. Happy birthday to the guy - staff member at the bar - Adelaide visitor ☺

Had my 50th there Saturday night , sensational old style pub venue, one of the best . Thanks for contributing to the celebration !

Fantastic food. Fantastic wine. Bernaise was to die for.

epic amount of food and "down to earth"-normal management! Love it, must go every time I am in Melbourne.

Great old historic pub. Spotlessly clean throughout particularly the toilets. Really good menu for an old pub. Had a good atmosphere. Will return.

Great little pub great beer . Friendly staff great location.

Brilliant night, great food with great friends in a vibrant friendly atmosphere. Staff are great old school going round talking to your punters! How novel! The excellent Brit pop tunes that were pumping were the icing on the cake. Thanks Ian and staff, great place!

The food, the wine, the friendly smiles from behind the bar....what's not to love? You will appreciate all that is old in this "rumoured to be 2nd oldest pub in Melbourne" from the floors to the large wooden bar. A cracking wine list and a great selection of meals from tapa style to larger portions. The lamb ribs, tartare, quail and chicken pate are divine. Will be back!

Great food the staff were very friendly, variety of boutique beers which come at a price .

overpriced 'sirloin' that wasn't sirloin cooked medium despite asking for rare and overpriced at $40 for basically a shit meal. thus place used to be awesome but is now shite.

The homemade noodles were fantastic, very cute place, service was pretty nice the staff was friendly, great place to dine in.

A cool little pub on a great corner location in Carlton that was absolutely buzzing on the Friday afternoon that we popped in for drinks. Inside and out was packed, which is a great sign. It has the typical pub decor, but the ambience is cool and relaxed.<br/><br/>I found the service to be really good and staff were very nice. Our drinks were great, and there was a pretty good selection. Judging by the popularity of the place, The Lincoln seems to be loved by the locals, and after our experience, I can see why.

Nice venue, not too noisy at lunch time when we were there.<br/><br/>Several lunch time specials for $18.<br/><br/>Tempura fish with potato salad, $18 lunch special price, was nice, the fish was cooked well.

Saturday steak was really tasty and good price.. 35$ includes house wine 🍷.. will be back for sure! The sourdough with garlic herbs butter was excellent

Terrific food but not worth the price tag! The entrees are nice, but one includes some smoked kabana which appears purchased from the shelf!<br/><br/>The portions are extremely small and the alcohol is ridiculously overpriced. Almost $15 for a pint of beer.

Phoaw where do I even start. Probably with the atmosphere, you know what, not bad. Wait staff were pretty good. But here lies my issue, 24 bucks for a below average fish and chips. Tempura, more like manure. Nah jks but seriously it was just average batter. Carn, dress it up a bit. Also what’s with having potatoes in every meal? See ya never<br/><br/>Oh and the portions are tiny

Lo and behold— I stumbled upon this weird little pub on a random weekend. Atmosphere: 0. Service 10/10. Menu was limited but hot damn, everything was tasty af and totally worth returning for. Commendations to the <br/>staff and also the wine list. The Lincoln rules ✊<br/><br/>

Fantastic place for drinks after work - friendly staff but it does get quite busy after 5pm, so if you have any birthdays/farewells/friday after work drinks events, i highly recommend you book.

Great pub, average restaurant.  Haven't been for quite some time to eat here, previously the experiences were fantastic. However, it's not what it use to be food-wise. The pub itself is one of my favorites in the area; friendly, wonderful atmosphere and just a fun place to be. But, the food this time around was unfortunately not matched to the price. Probably my biggest issue with the dining experience, we ordered the set menu and the steak made up part of that. Unfortunately, the table wasn't even asked how we liked the steak to be cooked. Which we felt was a pretty big miss. The other dishes were ok, but again not for the overall price of the meal. The experience just felt like it lacked a bit of heart and thoughtfulness.

Got this restaurant recommended and of course it has a high score here on zomato. The dining room didn't have much atmosphere (although more then most pubs/hotels I have to admit). Service was quite good and all meat organic or free range which is a big plus. We started with the crab and the croquettes. Crab was very nice, croquettes were just ok. Then we shared the market fish which was ridiculously small for the $36 it costs. The fish wasn't great, the accompanying veggies were yum, but not much (1 tiny potato, 2 snow peas, 1 or 2 grean beans, 1 stem of a broccolini and a bit of kale - not enough!). Lucky we had the triple-fried chips which filled us up. They were recommended by someone on zomato, but I am not convinced by them at all other than they made sure we had enough food. The riesling was good, very easy drinking. All and all we spent a bit over $120, for which I would've expected better.

Great local pub. We came here for a photo shot. Everything looked so good and very photogenic! Afterwards, we ate it all, it was so good. I especially liked the coleslaw, the fries and salmon.

Now i won't review this place as a pub, because the dining room is set aside as a small restaurant. The prices are restaurant equivalent, and the quality has clearly surpassed that of the local pubs nearby. We came in craving steak and thats just what we got.... says no one ever. we started with a few canopy style things. small bitesized pockets of flavour including the crumpets, spanner crab in prawn crackers and also their fried chicken which was a bit of a miss.. but that took us to the steak which was super tender and served up with crunchy house made chips and a thick sauce bernaise. Service was ok but food took the show.

Always walking past this place and it's always full. So one Friday when we felt like pub food we thought why not?! Its pub food with a nice upgrade, the mustard and cheese croquettes are simply gorgeous and I was left wanting more! The bangers and mash was hearty and satisfying. Nice atmosphere for drinks also.

I absolutely love this pub. A great, relaxed feel, a great wine list and delicious food. Everything here is really great and they take bookings too. Win!<br/>I recently had the chicken snitzel with garlic butter, coleslaw and chips. It was simple but so delicious! I highly recommend!

Was looking forward to a good steak for our anniversary dinner but to start with, we waited more than half an hour for food to arrive and the table next to us who ordered after us got their food first. <br/><br/>The steak looked fine when it arrived but it turned out to be the most sinewy piece of meat I’ve attempted to eat. No matter how small I cut it, it was still difficult to get through. I got tired of trying to cut and chew and had to have it returned. <br/><br/>Service was quite curt in response to my complaint although I was offered another steak or something else. I decide to go with fish and chips instead. That turned out ok but it did ruin my expectations for the evening.

The food at this pub used to be fine. What happened? Just because deep frying is possible doesn’t make it mandatory. This is not Glasgow. Limited options and all unhealthy unless you want to pay upward of $30. Which you don’t because the food is atrocious. <br/>

The Lincoln was a delight. Awesome pub we just could not believe we hadn't visited before. Everyone behind the was knowledgeable and very nice. Good selection of beers. Awesome food. We ordered the Lincolnshire (house made) sausage and mash and the chicken schnitzel. The sausages were excellent and the chicken schnitzel was awesome. Super juicy chicken with a delightful outer crunch; delicious garlic butter; tangy, very homey and fresh slaw to cut through it all and nice chips. We'll definitely be back! Recommended.

As part of a food photography course we were taken to the Lincoln to shoot some of their dishes (which we then ate). I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of all dishes. They were delicate, well thought out and delicious! My favourites were the spanner crab crackers, fried chicken and the cheese/tomato dish. <br/>The interior is very much a ‘pub’ atmosphere with my favourite spot being their outside table area if it’s a sunny day. Perfect spot for some drinks and delicious gastro-pub style food.

Doesn't live up to the hype, unfortunately! Food was subpar - decently priced for the counter meals.  Service, on the other hand, may need a little fixing. Some servers were rude and showed little acknowledgement for us, and the only acknowledgement we received was a snarky comment about the juice we had brought in. Bad customer service for a place with great potential.

YUM! Really impressed with our visit to The Lincoln. Everything we ordered was delicious, great quality and super appetising to look at. Gotta love a menu that sounds so appetising too! To start we had the spanner crab prawn crackers - lovely little bites. For mains we had the sea bream with peas, bacon & potatoes - delicious - and the Cape Grim sirloin with chips - also delicious. Even the house-made sourdough was outstanding. Service was friendly yet professional, and ambience also good. Price was fair for the quality and portion sizes. Didn’t have room for dessert, but it all sounded fantastic, and impressive that it was all gluten-free. The chefs here are clearly very passionate about their cooking... you could taste the love and care that went into the meal preparation. One of the beat meals I’ve had in ages. Looking forward to going back again soon!

Really fantastic food! We had the cheese and onion croquetta which were amazing and the house made prawn cracker with crab and the trumpet with smoked mackerel pate. All delicious. For our main we had the lamb shoulder. It's very big and can easily feed 3 or 4. Perfectly cooked with and the mash and pumpkin it came with were superb.<br/><br/>Extensive drinks list with plenty of wines, beers and whiskeys on offer. Great service and friendly staff. Definitely recommend!

Brought my parents for dinner. Mum can be a tightwad and often says things like "I could make this at home" (although she's often right) but she loved her meal here, which was blue eye with pumpkin puree, little roast Dutch carrots, currants and pine nuts. She actually said "Why doesn't my cooking come up like this?" Triumph! I enjoyed my vegetarian meal of white beans, celeriac and kale even though I'm not a vegetarian, it was just full of flavour. Great friendly staff who knew their stuff too. Excited to find a genuinely great pub nearby.

Walked in. No chicken parma on the menu. Walked out.<br/><br/>Frankly this is disgusting and un-Australian. This isn't a pub, it's a joke, and they should be referred to the Human Rights Commission for this.

Lovely food and atmosphere but a very disappointing experience on the whole.Two of our ten meals came out long after the rest. The manager was incredibly rude about it and didn't apologise. He reluctantly gave us a refund, after insisting several times that it's not something they do, like I should be grateful. <br/><br/>Won't be returning.

Came here for a Scarf dinner tonight on a coolish Melbourne evening. This was the best of the five Scarf dinners I'd been to previously and my companions agreed. The food, wine and service were all terrific. We loved the Bianca Vigna prosecco, one of the best I've tasted. The Tar and Roses Sangiovese wasalso nicely satisfying. The entrees, mains and sides were all terrific. I had the pork rillette and Lincolnshire pork sausages for mains. I loved them both. They were both thoughtfully composed and were lovely and hearty to eat. My companions reported the same with their entrees and mains. Together with each of the sides, the mains made for immensely satisfying meals. The sides were a revelation in fact. Service here was wonderful. The trainees blended wonderfully with the regulars and did a superb job. This is a nice venue. We were very impressed with the space, the wine, the good and the service. There was an upbeat feel across the space as all was in harmony tonight. On this experience, I would certainly recommend the Lincoln.

DO: The pork tonkatsu, fish, mussels and fried chicken starters. <br/><br/>DON'T: Forget about the beers and wines. Pretty good selection. <br/><br/>TIP: Parking is atrocious. Get there early and book ahead to reserve a spot.

Yummy beer and super yummy food too. I had a delicious cauliflower salad. There was a fun vibe. Good service, very friendly staff :) cute tunes playing. My friends and I ended up staying long after dinner - fun night.

My partner and I came here for Valentine's Day, it was our second visit. Our first impression of the place was positive, so we thought we'd visit familiar grounds. They didn't disappoint. Probably because I was on the verge of "hangry" I opted that we go for the "Full Lincoln" 8 course degustation. Each dish was delicate, delicious and clearly made with care. Walked out absolutely stuffed and satisfied. The staff were also very friendly and helpful! Thank you for making our Valentine's Day delicious!

Enjoyed a great lunch with a starter of cured meets, then a beautifully cooked rump steak medium rare cut in slivers. Then we had a cheeseboard for desert. Great service, ambiance and food. <br/>

Came here last Monday for a long lunch with friends.<br/>The service throughout the day was great - super friendly and very knowledgeable by all of the staff (thank you!)<br/>Such a beautiful menu, it was hard to choose. We ended up sharing a couple of entrees then the 1kg grass fed tomahawk, clams with burrata and sides - all were fresh, super tasty and well cooked. Had a creme caramel for dessert which was also bloody delicious. <br/>The Lincoln also has a banging beverage list from local brewers to awesome winemakers. Winning. Can't wait to return!! <br/>

Really nice food, just perfect week night dinner or friday drinks. We liked the ambience. Recommended for a group of friends seeking a casual jolly evening.

More of a gastropub than a corner drinking hole, the Lincoln does slightly more complex food, executed well. It's still not too fancy but is more expensive and careful than your typical pub Parma.<br/><br/>The fish with mussels in broth was delicious, and the schnitzel covered in crispy panko crumbs over a perfectly cooked fillet with acidic cabbage balancing the richness. <br/><br/>A calming restaurant atmosphere good for an intimate catchup, with not a TV screen to be seen.

The Lincoln is my local.  While we miss the former owners' 'neighbourhood nights' with great quality $13 bar meals, the current owners do a good job.  I have taken many friends there over the years.  My major gripe is a repeat error in serving inferior steak cuts.  This week they charged $55 for a 400 g 'strip loin' Cape Grim steak.  I asked what the cut was and the waiter did not seem to know exactly.  The meat, whilst cooked to perfection and accompanied by a delicious sauce and spinach, was gristly and we struggled to cut the meat using a standard knife.   Previously we had enjoyed a 500g rib eye on the bone for the same price which was lovely and tender.  We had given up on the Lincoln over a year ago because of a similar drop in the quality of the steak (swapping sirloin for flank if my memory serves me correctly).  If you charge $55 for steak (excluding sides), serve a premium cut or be prepared to lose customers.   Won't be back until I see quality steak cuts on the menu.

Came here for a mid-week boozy lunch and was pleasantly-well-more-than-usually-surprised. The menu here is somewhat eclectic, and the cultural origin of the food belongs to no nation in particular, so lets call it modern Australian-Pub-Fusion.<br/><br/>Shared the fried chicken ribs (excellent), the grilled prawns with kim chi (interesting twist, also excellent), cauliflower, pomegranate and buckwheat (amazing!), cos lettuce with house curd (great), and the spatchcock (very good, but my least favourite on the day). <br/><br/>Service was very friendly, and food came out well paced. The wine list is also up to standard. While not cheap, represents decent value for money.<br/><br/>Thoroughly and unconditionally recommended.

Excellent well crafted fine dining dishes by The Lincoln team. Had the half Lincoln - chef's choice of 5 dishes $45pp and left w a big smile! Tasted a couple of French/Asian inspired dishes like duck liver pate, grilled prawn w kimchi and Barley mushroom seaweed. Absolutely loved their house bread + dessert of Lemon curd honey marshmallow!! Will be back to try more dishes.

Came for a work lunch of over 10 people. Had the fish n chips. It was a decent sized portion. The fish was piping hot which was a pleasant suprise considering the number of plates that they had to prepare. The chips were in a wedge style and they were fluffy and crispy. Food was pre-ordered and when we arrived it came out soon after 'together'. The staff were friendly and helped us move all cutlery when we wanted to move tables. Price is average of nearby places. All in all a good experience.

Had dinner at The Lincoln after a couple of drinks for St Patrick's Day at The Last Jar, just up the road. What a disappointment! I have never seen this place full and now I know why. My boyfriend ordered the rump steak, I had the flounder with mussels and my friend ordered two entrées- the cheese platter and fried chicken ribs. I'm a huge fish fan but my flounder was terrible. The skin was slimey, the whole fish was swimming in the rich sauce and no sides or greenery accompanied the dish. The rump was terrible too. The well done steak took over 40 min to come out and it was medium at best. Small portion size too and again no side salad or mash. Having spent over $100 I can safely say that it was money not well spent. A gastropub, you are not Lincoln. Won't be eating here again.

Surprised how good this place was. Lovely food, nice wine menu, you should definitely give this place a try. Friendly staff too. We'll be back.

Amazing food! Came here for a drink expecting bar food to be served. But the quality of food that just kept coming out of the kitchen was phenomenal. Delicious!! Yummy!! Finger licking good!! I can't recommend it enough. You'll be pleasantly surprised that they're not charging $100 per head for such quality food!<br/><br/>This place re-defines what bar food is all about. Amazing, good tasting and absolutely amazing. Can't recommend it enough. Try it to believe it. Go for the $60 tasting menu! You won't regret it!!

Just had Sunday lunch at The Lincoln. Food was great, service friendly, only downside they were really quiet, undeservedly so! We had a selection of different dishes that we shared & everything we ordered was really good. We loved it & will be back for sure. Dumb founded at how quiet it was, considering how good the food was, they deserve to be more popular. Get down their people, you won't regret it! Highlight was the lamb shoulder with pickled fennel & yoghurt!

Winter is here. And it has hit with such a cold vengeance that I find myself with a constant craving for either piping hot noodles or a hearty, meaty, potato-y feed. Fortunately, there are no shortages of restaurants offering either of those options around Melbourne, with plenty of gastropubs serving the latter. I was recently invited to attend a bloggers dinner at The Lincoln; a historic gastropub in Carlton, and I would like to thank The Lincoln and Reymond Communications for this opportunity.

Second visit to the Lincoln and it was just a good as the first. <br/>Intimate pub that is really inviting and food that goes above and beyond pub food. The menu is designed to share with small medium and larger options. <br/>There is a definite Spanish influence -croquettes are great, fabulous slow cooked short rib, meatballs and charcuterie plate. Then there is the Asian influence - spicy spicy kimchi, pulled pork roll. <br/>Craft beers on tap and a good wine list. Service is top notch but this team has been in the Melbourne food scene for sometime! <br/>Takes the "local pub" to a new level.

What makes a great pub? Is it great food? The warm atmosphere? The beer line up? The welcoming staff?. A trip to The Lincoln Hotel in Carlton had me pondering these questions on the drive home. And I came to the conclusion that the answer has to be “all of the above.”. With so many pubs in Melbourne, you really need to be mastering every element to stay on top of the game. And the new owners of The Lincoln Hotel – Iain and Stella Ling - appear to be doing just that.

Hotel Lincoln is one of Melbourne's oldest pubs. It's been on the same spot now for 162 years and some of the patrons have been going there literally for decades. New owner Ian tells me that it's been interesting for him and his wife to meet with clients that know the place so well and have such varied stories to tell about it. 'It's a bit of Melbourne history'.

MoVida Aqui’s ex-manager, Iain Ling has taken over historic Carlton pub, Hotel Lincoln. While the iconic pub’s architectural features have remained the same, the food offerings have been revamped. . Having assembled a dream team with Lachlan Cameron (Supernormal, MoVida Aqui) running the kitchen, Emma Ramos (Le Bon Ton, The Everleigh) behind the bar and Paul Guiney (most recently floor manager for Brooks) running the floor, Ling has breathed new life into the Lincoln with a menu that pushes pub boundaries.

When you walk into The Lincoln it’s immediately got that beloved local pub vibe – brimming with regulars enjoying after work drinks at their favourite watering hole. When you venture around the back though, the establishment takes on a different feel, thanks to the quiet space set out for that sit down dining experience.

We are so spoilt in Melbourne. Here "pub food™ usually means carefully prepared burgers, amazing steaks and locally sourced, fresh ingredients. However, every now and then a pub comes along that ups the ante even further. I was first impressed by The Lincoln Hotel in Carlton at a Spanish Acquisition tasting, when a stunning cheese with perfect chewy bread was served to help soak up all the sherry. I hadn’t forgotten the wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen, so when I was invited to check out the menu I was so there.

Would I go back? Yes. Yes. Yes. The food was surprising and delicious, service was friendly, and both were enjoyed in a relaxed environment. I can't wait to revisit.

Might be the best pub food I've ever had, my top 3 pubs being this, Builders Arms Hotel, and Marquis of Lorne. "The Lincoln" , an 8 course set menu which is different each time is great, highly recommended. The food comes out fairly slowly, which is fine if you're drinking, but may be a bit slow if you aren't. They also have an interesting selection of beers, not quite my taste, but it is constantly changing, and I usually find at least one beer I really like.

Had a lovely salmon dish. Very nicely done. However, the portion size far too small, by the time it arrived a good 50 minutes had passed. My friend had a fried cauliflower which was expensive considering what it was. It ended up being pretentious. Service was bizarre. Stick to beer at this place.

Food was really tasty. Courses came out way too slow and portion sizes were very small. Left feeling hungry and overcharged at $45 per person.

No pretence here, go and eat and drink!. Cracking wine list, great cheese croquettes then delicious sausages with mash. Love this pub.

Hotel Lincoln (sometimes known as The Lincoln) in Carlton is one of the oldest pubs in Melbourne. Its most recent incarnation has turned it into a destination gastropub since new owners took it over late 2014.

Can you fall in love with a pub? I think I have. This has been our local for years however we went rarely in the past as the place was dull and unwelcoming despite the quality food. NOW, great staff- most important aspect of a bar in my books. Place runs like clockwork and still has a friendly vibe. Food is great. Nice variation in sizes of dish which I like. They've only taken the place over at the end of 2014 so I'd disregard reviews on here prior to that.

Jury is out for me, wanted to love it, did enjoy elements of it, but as a whole it kinda left me wanting. Maybe the menu choices we had weren't quite right but we sampled a fair few items and all had potential and were good but that's where is kind of stayed. <br/><br/>Menu was well written, looked balanced and sounded great, drinks list looked sensational, but whilst the surface seemed very polished (unlike other reviews by the way, our service was great) it seems the Lincoln is trying to be a combination of things and spreads itself too thin rather than just nail each dish. <br/><br/>Even the chips were hit and miss, charcuterie plate was below par in this day and age and the mash was glue. Simple, but that's the point. It misses it.

Yummy. Recent ownership change has made quite a difference. The beer selections are interesting and well suited to a meal or a session. And much more thought has gone into the food. It's yum and fun.

A great place very impressed loved it..

After a recent late lunch at the Lincoln, I can state that it has made a deserved returned to my radar...The greatest change is in the kitchen and menu. The menu is void of typical pub grub like fish n chips and chicken parma. Don’t expect any parma and pot deals here. But it also steers away from the pretentious gastro-pub transformations. The menu is segmented into ‘7 Oz’ palate ticklers, ‘Schooner’ sharing serves, and ‘Pint’ mains to be accompanied by ‘Pot’ sides. For a sweet end, go with the ‘For The Road’ desserts.I think the menu is well-thought out, there is something for everyone.

...the service is top notch, the food is stellar - and they do the most amazing charcuterie and steaks you could ever hope for. The Head Chef is Ross Beeley, who has worked under Michael Lambie and Neil Perry.

I walked past this Hotel Lincoln like a million times already on my way up Cardigan St. to Lygon St., but I've never took notice of it before. But both my dear friends, Jenna and Eddie, kept insisting that I simply have to try their steak and my impression of this old corner pub would change immediately, and well, forever. Although they're as foodie as I am, but truth be told, I didn't really believe that it could be THAT good. I mean c'mon, don't you all agree that the building does give out a dodgy vibe? So of course, the fine dining settings did take me by surprise. I stepped in the front door thinking that we were going to be dining at the pub front bar area, whilst at the same time wondering, "Ah, how good could a steak at such a place be, really?" But when Jenna led me into the other side of the building, I was completely amazed at how there were two sides of Hotel Lincoln packed into one - the aforementioned traditional corner pub front bar atmosphere and a fine dining restauran

I don't think I have ever had a bad time at Hotel Lincoln and I have certainly never had a bad meal there. Around since the 1850′s Hotel Lincoln is a good bar, great pub and gorgeous restaurant. It's quiet for lunch and that's probably not a bad thing as we giggle away and catch up!! The decor is cool! It feels decadent but not over the top, comfortable and a nice place to be. The staff are just lovely and are experts in the art of telepathy! They know exactly what you need and when you need it! They are helpful, accommodating, knowledgeable and nice! We opt for the charcuterie and the oysters, a dozen little creamy, salty gems arrive with lovely fresh lemon and a green chilli chutney. I am in heaven! One totally natural, one with a touch of lemon and one with the chutney - AMAZING!! I don't usually bother with anything on my oysters but this chutney is damn good! YUMMMM!!! The charcuterie is superb! Duck rillette - so gorgeous, rich, earthy, delish Port wine prunes - enough said! ....

This unassuming bar delivers much more than it promises. With traditional pub grub at the front bar section and delicious fine dining in the restaurant area at the back. It is the best of both worlds. Here are some pictures from the various time that I have had the privilege to dine here. Well priced and well executed, this is a local favourite of ours.

Trying to make it in the gastro-pub scene, despite the white table cloths and mood lighting, the Lincoln doesn't quite cut it. There are two dining areas, the dining room and the bar. The m

Cute location away from bustle of Lygon. Fantastic food and professional service. Love it!

You can thank/blame the duck enabler for this one. I had heard through the twitters that Hotel Lincoln had a duck pie on the menu, so on a Friday night, after a couple of hours of indoor climbing at Hard Rock, I wandered up Cardigan St with my sister and

My brother and his wife just had their first child recently so weren't able to make it to my birthday dinner proper. Dad suggested having another (!) family birthday dinner a month after to make up for it. The initial choice was the lovely Station Hotel i

What a great place to visit, the food is fantastic, the atmosphere is friendly and the service is $&@$& outstanding.

Fantastic. Food and drinks were first class. Had a range of the dishes to share.....and all were fantastic. Service was excellent and drinks were paired with ease and professionalism. The atmosphere was friendly and warm. Certainly will be back. Well done

Laid back @ a sweet spot. Diagonally opp. my RMIT Uni building 56, it's a quiet traditional pub that has a loyal clientele. Their beer choices and sides are good, although I find the mains a bit pricey.

100% 10 out of 10. Absolutely brilliant. Best service, great atmosphere and the food ........... words will not do justice. Gnocchi was superb. We'll be back for sure!

Food was lovely but a older male working behind the bar was so rude and arrogant while taking our order that I would not go back there on principle. There are plenty of places to eat that serve great food AND understand customer service so I would suggest to others to avoid the Lincoln, unless of course arrogance and rudeness is your "thing".

Bossy, pretensious staff, but great food. Came in last week and while great food here, the older, head waiter (I think he's the owner) is a real twat. You feel like you are inconveniencing him by being there. Was stared down like a hawk when trying to decide what to order. Our burgers were served and table set-up by a friendly, young waiter who seemed to be doing all the work in the place while the owner just standed behind the bar with the bartender glancing at us while we ate. When done he bluntly asked if we are going to have another drink or not. Felt very uncomfortable and pushed along the whole time like you are there as profit and not as a human being. Used to pop in for a drink now and then without having to deal with this guy but now I'm not sure I'll be back at all.

Very good. Enjoyed eating here last night, all four of us had different dishes, all cooked very well and constructed from good produce.

My local is a pub with history, tales to tell and a surprise that never fails to impress my friends when I invite them over for a meal. <br/><br/>The bar and it's ever present clientele are typical of most Aussie pubs, busy, noisy and the need to push through the crowd to get to the business end of the bar. It is the walk past the toilets and on through the dining area that the surprises start to creep in. Here you leave the bar-meal district and climb the gastronomic levels that lead to food nirvana. Three levels of service exist here. The counter meal, an area for that quick meal you promised your friend or work related buddy and the 'service and food is everything' dining experience that is truly memorable. We took choice number three.<br/><br/>Art Deco minimalist design complements the spacious table arrangements that allow host and guests to partake of food and wine that is carefully offered to complement discerning palettes. Great care has been lavished on the menu and wine list and the choices -our group contained a vegan and diabetic- were all cared for by chefs and waiters dedicated to fulfilling the expectations the decor had set. <br/><br/>The evening provided us a gastropub experience without the pretentiousness great food is sometimes drenched in. Your ordered and then got on with what an evening with friends is all about. Great food, wine/boutique beer choices, good company and staff that know their stuff and are proud to show it off. There is no need to go into what the food was or why it all came together so well as this is the real surprise of the evening. Experiencing it is the only way this review will hit its mark. Spoil yourselves. You deserve it.

Very pleasant - bit noisy - but staff are friendly - kitchen busy - but kept the standards very high. Popular and cheery - parking was better than expected!!

Lovely restaurant with delicious food but way too expensive. 170 dollars for entree and main for 2 with one wine each is too much- unless for a special occasion. Also just a mention that if you require gluten free food you need to keep reminding the waiter. He couldn't seem to quite "get it"

Although overly expensive, we had the opportunity to enjoy the Lincoln whilst they ran their 50% off special and enjoyed our meal greatly. The steak was overcooked but service impeccable, servings generous. Would we come back again? Only if there was another 50% event...

Who could possibly afford to drink here? its nothing special but charges like a herd of wounded elephants

Had the wagyu bresaola - amazing. Duck rilette - incredible. Wagyu eye fillet main - best steak I've ever had. The thrice cooked chips were perfectly done. <br/>Dessert took it to a whole other level - deconstructed lemon curd cheesecake was like nothing we'd ever had before, including lemon thyme. And the coffee & chocolate delice was rich, over the top yet perfectly balanced. Staff were amazing and the ambience was lovely. Definitely, definitely recommend.

Disappointing. Went to dinner at Hotel Lincoln with expectations of a good meal and came away disappointed - very small serves at high prices, nothing special to justify them. Supposed 'triple cooked chips' were sad and not crisp, and there were about 8 in the serve!

Rude staffer means will never go again. This was a regular weekly stop on the way home from work. Having been served by a friendly waitress who remembered our order from a previous visit, we next got a waiter who was very rude. Amazing what an effect one person with a bad attitude to customers can have.

Often go here for lunch, varied menu- quite a big meal if you are only after something small! Always really good service and great for a drink after work on a Friday! Love the pork dumpling broth from the lunch menu and courgette fritters from the bar/snack menu.

Great food, great service, shame about the music. Had a great meal here earlier this week. Can't fault the service - the waitress was on the ball and knew her stuff. The charcuterie plate was well put together - loved the duck in particular. The steak was to perfection (according to partner) and the fish I had was well matched with pickled eggplant and an avocado puree. The sides were good and lots of them. Apple tart with cinnamon icecream was a perfect way to end the meal. The only downfall was the room itself - well set out and fabulous decor was let down by odd music (not needed at all) and lighting which was a little too bright.

Lovely Experience. Lovely bar with lots of wood panels and a kind of art deco feel. Come here for the steaks! The cuts are very good quality and well cooked, and opt for a bowl of the hand cut chips. Wine list is good for a pub and it's easy to find something appropriate to drink.

Charcuterie Platter is to die for, great way to start a dining experience!<br/>We have dined in the Bar and in the Restaurant ... great results for whatever the occasion. Knowledgeable "mine host" with expansive beverage skills(have a gander at his wine list) , sensational staff, always enjoy our time at the Lincoln.<br/>Cruiser

Pub food with finesse. Did not visit the restaurant this time, chose to eat some food at the bar instead. We were not disappointed. Restaurant menu is available at the bar, but there is a blackboard menu with half a dozen or so simple dishes to choose from. Also they have charcuterie and cheese platters and a range of desserts available.<br/><br/>We chose beef chill with rice and avocado salad, fish cakes with chips and salad, had a glass of wine and two glasses of the draft craft beer for $60. Great value, excellent service, knowledgable staff and food prepared with finesse.<br/><br/>I recommend the pub fare from Hotel Lincoln.

Amazing. Could not fault this dining experience even a little bit. We had entrees of zucchini flowers, smoked salmon and field mushrooms, and all three were meticulously prepared and presented, and the flavours absolutely lived up to the aforementioned elements. The mains of eye fillet, sirloin and kingfish were equally as incredible, everything cooked to perfection and as per individual request. Wine was beautiful, and the staff were so lovely. The best meal/dining experience we have had in years - definitely recommend to anyone and everyone

Very nice indeed. The charcuterie was very very delicious especially the rillet and pate like thing. The goat was flavorsome although there were a lot of smashed bones and I had to pick almost every mouthful. My partner's rabbit pie was hugh and even he had to struggle to finis<br/><br/>Service was good and friendly but it was a very quiet night and there was only two other tables. <br/><br/>Thumbs up to the evening

Impressed. I've driven past the Lincoln Hotel plenty but only ventured in for a Christmas lunch this week and was impressed upon entering. The atmosphere inside is warmer and more attractive than expected. <br/><br/>We had a selected lunch menu to order from which I sampled the asparagus & soft boiled egg, sirloin main and banana parfait and mousse dessert. The entree was a highlight, I will coming back just for that - the asparagus sat on a bed of some kind of dill hollandaise sauce that was delicious! A colleague from Adelaide happened to order the same lunch as me and was also impressed as were others who had ordered the pork entree and main gnocchi.

Great food, great pub. For a number of reasons, the husband & I haven't been out much without toddler in tow lately, but we jumped at the chance of free babysitting to indulge in a child-free lazy Sunday lunch. Our choice was Hotel Lincoln in Carlton. We came with growling stomachs and high expectations. We weren't disappointed. <br/>While we had a relaxing drink at the bar, we feasted our eyes on the gorgeous art-deco surrounds and the menu which focused on good, uncomplicated, seasonal food. You can dine in the beautifully and tastefully decorated back bar dining room or opt for a more relaxed affair in the front bar. We opted to stay in front - closer to the action!<br/>As soon as we were seated, we were served a bowl of chewy, thick and very moreish bread. I'm told that their bread is made in-house. For entree we chose to share the chickpea falafels with tahini. Warm, fluffy in the inside, with a crispy outer, these were perfect. A bite of chilli was cooled by the tahini. <br/>But I was really looking forward to my main, the tuna nicoise salad. Let me preface my next comments by disclosing that I'm a tuna nicoise snob. How often do establishments get it wrong - over cooked egg, beans not crispy enough, no anchovies, creamy dressing, the list goes on. But Hotel Lincoln gets it right on every front. A very generous portion of grilled Yellow Fin tuna sat atop a heap of clean, crispy, fresh green beans, a perfectly cooked egg, plump, ripe tomato wedges, garnished with white anchovies! It was glorious! Even the husband - who does not normally eat tuna wolfed down half the tuna steak! <br/>But it wasn't just my dish - Husband's choice of Cooper battered fish & chips (from the specials board) was also cooked to perfection. Crispy, a light batter, fresh fish, a decent portion of chips and salad all washed down a Little Creatures Pale Ale. <br/>My only complaint? We didn't have enough room to try the desserts! And what a problem to have. Highly recommend the Hotel Lincoln - great food, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, this is one of Melbourne's stand out pubs. <br/><br/>The Hotel Lincoln is one of the stand out gastro-pubs in Melbourne

Ive seen the bar staff look at their watch if you walked in after 930 during the week and have closed early on a number of occasions (possibly when the boss wasn't around) all this is a Shame as this pub is our "Local" and on paper a very good one. things seem to have improved of late though we don't often think of going in due to our previous experiences. Give it a go but don't go too late! Very good food.

One of Melbourne's best gastronomic pubs, fabulous food, great service, highly recommended.

The Hotel Lincoln is very unassuming from the outside but really something else from within. It has a very extensive wine list and impressive food but be prepared to pay, not cheap, but very good

Love it. I have eaten in the formal dining area a number of times now, and it never fails to impress. Most recently, the dining room has been revamped and is dark, seductive and sublime. The autumn menu was fantastic and our party of four delighted at each of our main meals and the four additional sides we ordered. Including 2 desserts and a bottle of wine, it was a very comfortable price for a delightful meal. Service was also very attentive, friendly and not intrusive. Highly recommended.

Won't go back. We had dinner in the back dining room. It took over 90 minutes for the food to arrive even though the restaurant wasn't very busy. I had barramundi fillet with a middle Eastern twist, which was good but not nearly enough particularly given the $32 price tag. I certainly won't be back.

Not what you'd expect from the outside. From the outside, the Hotel Lincoln looks like nothing much: one of those old-fashioned pubs found on almost every street corner in inner Melbourne, that hasn't changed in a hundred years or more.<br/><br/>Go inside, skirt round the bar, and you'll be very surprised. Tucked away inside is a very formal dining room, with an atmosphere that can be a little intimidating if you just dropped in for a parma and pot.<br/><br/>You can choose to eat in one of three areas: (a) in this formal dining room; (b) in the bar area next to Cardigan Street, or (c) in an area between the bar and the dining room. In Area A, you order from the fine-dining menu only; in B, from the blackboard bar menu only; and in C, it seems to depend on which waiters are on duty and how obliging they feel today. On a good day, they'll let you order from either menu, which is my preference.<br/><br/>I've eaten at Hotel Lincoln perhaps four or five times, always at lunchtime, and I've never been served a dish that was less than satisfactory. Some have been exceptionally good. There is clearly a lot of talent in the kitchen; they know how to select good produce, and they cook it with great skill and care.<br/><br/>But I do have a criticism. It can often be difficult to find a dish on the fine-dining menu that I feel like eating. There is a strong emphasis on heavy dishes with powerful, meaty flavours. These are not my favourite foods, especially at lunchtime. I look at the dining room menu, and once I've subtracted dishes such as duck, venison, pork belly, osso bucco, steak, sausages, brains, kidneys, and the like, there's really not much left to choose from. And I at least do eat meat; if you're a vegetarian, your choices from this menu are limited indeed.<br/><br/>I must emphasise that I'm not criticising the execution of these dishes in the least. My (mostly male) dining companions all have carnivorous inclinations and hearty appetites, even at lunchtime, and have been perfectly content with the range of dishes on the fine-dining menu. I have occasionally had a taste of some of their dishes, and I can't fault the execution. This is seriously impressive food - as far as it goes. All I'm asking is for the chef and management to give a bit more thought to the overall composition of the menu. Specifically, I'd like to see some lighter dishes to help balance out the robust ones, and I'd like to see some more vegetarian choices, or at least more dishes where the meat is just one component rather than the centrepiece.<br/><br/>Which is why I much prefer to order from the bar menu. It's substantially cheaper, but that's not the reason why I like it. It simply has many more dishes on it that I feel like eating: light, snacky things; shareable dishes such as fritters, crab cakes, and samosas; Middle Eastern and Asian inspired dishes; and good old plain pub food such as fish and chips.<br/><br/>On balance, I do like the Hotel Lincoln. But if they'd just tweak the fine-dining menu a bit, I'd like it a whole lot more. Look, all the food is coming out of the same kitchen - why not just have a single combined menu that covers all the eating areas? That's all it would take to change my rating from "I like it" to "I really like it". I don't see the point of trying to maintain the fine-dining vs bar menu distinction.<br/><br/>One other thing worth mentioning is that the food can occasionally take quite a while to appear on the table. If you're not in a hurry, then that's not necessarily a bad thing; good food does take time. But I'd never choose Hotel Lincoln for lunch if I had an afternoon meeting or appointment. On one occasion my companions and I would have liked to order dessert, but we'd already been there for well over two hours and had only just finished our main courses, so we had to leave.

Quality food, generous servings. A great all-rounder and, given the quality and huge servings, pretty good value too. The grilled tuna steak was perfectly cooked and the Freekeh + cauliflower salad matched it beautifully. Nice bread with pink murray salt + unsalted butter and the casual yet helpful service (that could be better) made our lunch a success - well done Lincoln, I'll be back.