Review Uncle Collins Street - Melbourne

5/5 Hospitality Uncle Collins Street was our chosen place to.celebrate 4 years of our stay in Australia. To be honest, hospitality was just perfect. Even after being very busy they were able to accommodate us. And then the attendant went out of his way to.take care of me. Food is amazing, no complains about it. We took the set meal which allowed us to sample so many beautiful things. We went ahead and ordered special cocktails separately....Which were very very average. We also shared a dessert (not included in the meal plan), which was not that great. The reason we rated it 3 as opposed to so many is because whatever we ordered was definitely not uncommon or unique. They are something that you would have sampled at other pocket-friendly restaurants. (Our personal opinion though)

Uncle served Modern Australian-influenced Vietnamese cuisine. Inside was a very nice cosy vibe, especially since we were seated by the window with a nice view of Collins St. We ordered the pork hock and grilled broccolini, and dessert was black sticky rice. Was told to order some entrees as the mains would’ve taken some time to come out, so we did. But half an hour later only the mains came out and no sign of the entrees so we ended up canceling the entree order. The mains were delicious; pork hock was tender and flavourful and came with the refreshing lettuce wrap, and grilled broccolini came with a nice texture of cashew nuts and fresh yuzu vinaigrette. My favourite was the dessert, the black sticky rice was of the right sweetness and came with the even sweeter candied banana, creamy coconut ice cream and peanut praline. The table we dined on had this weird super sticky surface which made the drinks and dishes hard to pick up/move around. Service was pretty prompt, staff were friendly.

Love the place and its vibe. The food was amazing- Vietnamese flavours with a twist. The cocktails were even better having name and reference to Vietnamese flavours as well.

Love the food here. Vegan pho is delicious ! Love the roti bread with miso sauce and the edamame beans are 10/10. The Manager Peter is amazing ! Made our experience even better. Definitely worth a visit.

I had sweet corn to start with and then barramundi that was swimming in tomato sauce with lots of chilli. The gluten free choices are very poor and not yummy...

Great place with great atmosphere. People were very helpful and understanding when I wanted to move due to another customer next to me continuously coughing. Pho was surprisingly good. Worth a visit.

Great ambiance and friendly staff. Like some others said, can find this easier by looking for the sign as it's quite discreet. I like how they have two sizes of the pho which suits smaller eaters or if you simply want to try more things. I found the broth in the pho bo a bit too salty, but loved the Viet iced coffee.

Having dinner here was one of the best experiences I've had in a restaurant in a very long time. And definitely in my top ten ever. The food was delicious. Those in my party who drink, said the custom cocktails were outstanding. Everything was lovely to look at too. They clearly take pride in all details. The staff provided incredible hospitality and were so accommodating to my dietary requirements that they even made sure the other portions in our shared plates were not affected making the meal amazing for everyone. If you have FODMAP, gluten free or any other requirements they can provide a special menu with detailed ingredients to make selection easy and clear. I have never been offered that in a restaurant before. They made our night brilliant and we were literally the last customers to leave as they didn't rush our celebration. We will be back.

Had an unfortunate situation where I ordered my usual brand of beer however in this case it was a light beer as that is all they had on the menu in that particular brand. The waiter was happy to swap it for a different drink & took it away but then the arrogant manager returned a short time later and brought back the opened beer and said they would be charging us for this anyway, which I thought was very unprofessional and very poor form, considers I never intending to order a light beer in the first place.

Went to the opening night of Uncle On Collins Street and the food and service was outstanding. They are right on point with the décor and ambience. The food was plentiful and tasty. The staff were friendly and gave great recommendations. Pigs ear bhan mi a highlight as was the wagyu steak. Will definitely be hitting Uncle in the city up again.

It was not my first time here last night. Overall I've had great experiences previously but last night's service was something to note. We were not pleased when our waitress upsold more food and turns out, we could barely finish our mains. In addition to getting our orders wrong, we also mentioned that we wanted to leave room for dessert but she was adamant we needed more food. 5 women with 4 entrees (individual serves except the smoked eggplant which she made us order 2 serves and a black wild rice to share), a bahn mi each, 2 main courses and a side dish. Of course we would not have wasted good food but would have preferred a less pushy wait staff who will guide us appropriately and not eavesdrop into our conversation.

Ate at uncle collins for a friends birthday last night and was super impressed. The staff were very attentive and catered amazingly well for a number of various dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian and pregnancy. The venue is breathtaking and staff are always really friendly and helpful. I absolutely recommend you try it out. Particularly amazing restaurant for larger gatherings and having the great banquet option. Check it out!

I have eaten here several times and generally satisfied. I attended tonight with a friend for a birthday and was encouraged by a young waitress to try the banquet for 2 persons. We agreed to have this but I must say how disappointed and underwhelmed we were. Small half size serves were delivered and further disappointment encountered when desert was substituted for the 'corn' only to receive a 5 cm 'slither' which was mostly the 'cob'.. Like other reviews we left hungry and less than happy with the 'tired' staff. Also unimpressed with the waitresses lack of menu understanding and portion sizes served, especially for 2 grown men who stated they 'eat' and love food but will still recommended the 'banquet' !

I had a great experience and really enjoyed the food. I was so surprised when I walked upstairs to how nice the outdoor area was! The staff were all really lovely and the meals were all delicious and so affordable. Before going to the restaurant I actually ordered Pho from Uncle on Deliveroo aswell and that too was awesome! I will highly recommend and will defiantly be going back and taking my friends �

Wow this place is amazing !!! The atmosphere, delicious cocktails, friendly service but what about the food !!!!!!! So good chicken wings , pho, Bao and the Pigs Ear Banh Mi so good .. we can't wait to come back !!

Ate at st kilda yesterday. The chicken bao was good, pigs ear banh mi really nice with cruchy seasoned slivers,though in a brioche bun, not baguette. The beef fried rice was lovely, as was the lychee cucumber tea. The tiger prawn entree was pretty foul though. The 3 prawns were mushy in texture, no crisp bite and the flavour was dirty. There was some prawn heads in the dish, which had no insides left, so we thought that that was what had given the dish a distasteful flavour. The response by the manager was a bit average, no discount for the sub standard prawns, so i wouldn't be rushing back.

I've eaten Vietnamese food on a few occasions and I love it but my meal Last night was mind blowing It was so good I will be back and the service was also Outstanding

Food is amazing. Very cool venue. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Only reason I didn't give it a 5 was because food was a bit slow coming out. Otherwise I definitely recommend it.

I received a gift voucher for my birthday for Uncle and was blown away by their delicious food and friendly service! Will definitely be back again, what a hidden gem!

Amazing food staff were absolutely gorgeous couldn't recommend more highly �

great atmosphere and the staff are friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. we had a group of 10 and did the banquet, with some vegans and GF the waitress explained clearly to each of them what parts of the meals they could eat and explained the substitutes they would be receiving. food was delicious and came out regularly. 5 � for you guys!!!

Absolutely delicious food! Interesting menu, good pricing and is amazing for anyone with allergies or dietary requirements! Great service and a gorgeous outdoor/indoor set up. Definitely my new local dinner spot 🙏❤

2 sittings on Saturday night needs kitchen and staff coordination, rather than late serving of (delicious) meals, up to 10 mins before departure, and requests for dessert orders 10 minutes before departure.

Great atmosphere, delicious food, toe tapping music, friendly service. What's not to love. An all round nice place to share a meal and chat with friends and family. Loved it!

This place was amazing. Each course beautifully presented and tasting delicious. Service was outstanding. If I went again I'd book the outside space as it looked lovely 😃

Lost count of how many times I've had my Uncle fix. Consistently exceptional food and service. Very fortunate to enjoy this local gem.

Perfect for date night. Very friendly service. Roti and pho was absolutely delicious. Vegetarian friendly menu.

Loved the atmosphere at this modern vietnamese restaurant that is located at the top end of town on collins street. <br/><br/>Had the burrata which consists of heirloom tomatoes,pickled papaya,thai basil,puffed wild rice and barrel aged fish sauce. The puffed rice adds crunch and the thai basil provides an aniseed heat. <br/><br/>Good food and good service is always a big win for me.

📍Uncle Collins Street, Melbourne<br/>A hidden treasure located around the intersection of Collins St and Spring St - you won't be able to find it unless you look for the red "UNCLE" sign! After going up a flight of stairs, you enter into a spacious dining area decorated with babboo trees and plants. I personally really liked their setup - very refreshing in a way kinda felt like I was in Hawaii LOL. I wanted to grab something light so ended up getting Mini Pho ($9) and Pig Ear Banh Mi ($7).<br/><br/>Mini Pho Bo (Traditional Beef Noodle Soup). I enjoyed its broth more than noodles. Not only was the broth nice and hot, it had a pleasurable level of depth/heaviness. I assume the broth was made with beef since I saw tiny pieces of shredded beef in the broth. I liked how it was hearty without being too oily. Pig Ear Banh Mi (Crispy Pig's Ear Banh Mi w/ pickles and peanuts). Banh Mi wasn't exactly Banh Mi.. lol Instead of using a baguette, it was made with fluffy burger buns - I guess it's a part of their modern twist - meh. Pork Ear was good - thinly sliced and deep fried. Went beautifully together with Sriracha sauce :)<br/><br/>Would love to come back to try other menu options<br/><br/>@melbfoodie_mark<br/><br/>-<br/>#melbfoodiemark #Uncle #vietnamesefood #pho #banhmi #melbournepho #melbournebrunch #melbournevietfood #melbournecafe #melbournefood #melbournerestaurant #melbourneeats #melbournelunch #melbournefoods #melbournefoodie

Uncle was a very nice surprise! <br/><br/>I wasn’t sure what to expect at all, but it was such a good quality meal. It wasn’t too pricey, even though when I was walking in I was worried it would be. <br/><br/>We ordered<br/>The pho chicken and vegetable <br/>Tofu banh mi<br/>Edamame <br/>Wok tossed Broccoli <br/><br/>The size of the regular pho was HUGE. Such a great portion size, very tasty I also got added vegetables and it was filled to the brim. <br/><br/>The edamame was actually my favourite. The best edamame I’ve ever had. It was like bbqed with a lot of salt and was genuinely just so delicious. <br/><br/>All in all service was friendly, fast and the vibe was awesome. <br/><br/>I will be back for cocktails and more edamame. <br/>

Order one sticky chicken and pho.<br/>3 stars for chicken wings. 0 for pho. The rice noodle for me too bad. Obviously, the chef doesn’t understand spirit of Vietnamese food, the most important point for pho is soup from beef bones boiled more than 6hours. Here the soup comes from beef meet , this is totally different. Must use eye bird chilli to taste spicy as soon as possible. Here is wrong. <br/>Pho is spirit of Vietnamese food, no stars for here.<br/>But entre chicken wings very good!

Food and drinks were really tasty but the serving sizes were really small and difficult to share between 4. Also quite pricey considering the small sizes.

I have been to Uncle St. Kilda a number of times and is exciting there is now a branch in the city.<br/>I came here with some of my work colleagues for lunch.<br/><br/>Uncle is a modern fusion Vietnamese restaurant so their variation is quite different to standard authentic Vietnamese.<br/><br/>One thing you may not know is that all the crockery - plates, bowls etc are made by the owners wife. Very unique pottery design called Fork Ceramics.<br/><br/>🔆LOCATION🔆<br/>This hidden treasure is located at theParis End Collins Street, nearer to the corner of Spring Street, right on Collins Place. You wouldn't even notice this place if you weren't looking for it.<br/><br/>Go up a flight of stairs and you enter into a nice open space dining area, with the right side against the wall have bench walled off seating for more privacy. The light shades look like Vietnamese bamboo hats they very nice and modern.<br/><br/>🔆SERVICE🔆<br/>We arrived at 12.30pm with an appointment. It was a bit empty during a week day, but as we sat down, the restaurant started to fill up very fast.<br/><br/>The service was very slow. The waitress seemed like she was all over the place. We didnt get any water on our table when we asked. We were a table of 5 and had placed our order before the table next to ours but all their food came out before ours. We couldnt understand why.<br/><br/>The wait was extremely long and it was very disappointing seeing that we only had 1 hour lunch break. As we were so pressed for time, we had to quickly eat and dash so it wasnt an enjoyable experience. Our orders came at very different times and my colleague still hadn't got hers, so we tried to chase it up, the waitress was not very friendly.<br/><br/>🔆MENU/PRICE🔆<br/><br/>Lime cured hapuka, coconut, pomegranate & chili onbetal leaf, $7.00 each<br/>Tofu manh mi with pickes and peanuts, $7.00 each<br/>Crispy pig's ears banh mi with pickles and peanuts, $7.00 each<br/>Tempura fish banh mi with nori, pickled ginger and kewpie mayo, $7.00<br/>Chicken tenderloin steamed bao x2 with Vietnamese mint and spicy pickle, $15,00<br/>Pho Bo - traditional beef noodle soup, $9.00 mini size<br/><br/>🔆VERDICT🔆<br/><br/>Was looking forward to a nice lunch, but unfortunately we all left feeling a bit average with the whole experience.<br/>The banh mi were extremely tiny for the price we paid. What a rip off! Understand that its a modern-twist to the traditional but seriously even the bread for the banh mi wasnt the right type of bread, crunchy and tasty!The pigs ears was yummy as usual (one of their famous dishes). The tofu was so-so. Tempura fish was was not bad.<br/>The Pho Bo was a disappointment. Ok so I ordered the mini size which I take it as entree for $9 but geezus the portion was tiny! The soup base was extremely heavy and I just didnt enjoy it at all.<br/>I prefer traditional Pho Bo.

Came here for lunch today and it was a very nice hidden place upstairs on Collins street. Got the beef pho regular sized and the bowl was pretty small. So you can imagine the size of a mini - it seemed to be smaller than the size of a palm by how the staff showed me with her hands.<br/><br/>The pho broth was nice and hot, and I added in hoisin sauce and their chilli sauce which had a really special taste to it. There were a lot of different beef cuts inside eg cubes, sliced and melt in mouth pulled beef style. Really nice lunch but $16 was a bit expensive for a small portion.

I have so many compliments to the staff of Uncle, they are so accommodating and welcoming, and happy to explain the menu and provide their recommendations. <br/><br/>The food never disappoints.

We went to Uncle with friends for an easy dinner. It was our first visit, but our friends live just nearby and had been before. They were full of praise. and they were right. We started with edamame wok fried with nuts and chilli salt, and it was like rediscovering the simple Japanese dish. After that, I had barramundi in a ginger broth and my wife had pho with chicken. The barramundi was sweet and fresh chilli added just the right amount of bite. And the pho was, according to me wife, lovely. Our only criticism was we both felt the stock was a little too sweet. After that, desert: a chocolate tart with passion fruit sorbet and meringue drops for me. Perfect. And to top it off the staff were funny and polite and engaged and the decor was relaxed and quirky. Perfect night. Almost perfect dinner.

Excellent experience at Uncle on Friday night. After being squeezed in at the last minute I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but the service was friendly and professional and the food was absolutely delicious. We ordered a range of the smaller dishes. I tried the Hapuka betel leaf, the fried zucchini flower filled with laughing cow cheese, the soft shell crab lettuce cups, the school fried prawns and the pigs ear banh mi. I loved all the dishes but the pigs ear ban mi was a particular stand out. Cocktails also looked tasty. Will definitely be back.

Had lunch here, ordered lunchtime quickie which include edamame, chicken bao and fish curry with coconut milk rice and roti. Chicken cooked perfectly, tender and tasty, freshness from the pickled salad. Friendly service. Great ambience.

A pretty Vietnamese restaurant located on Collins Street. Went in a group of four, we ordered the lunch set of $29 pp for two, so that we can try their other dishes. The lunch set consisted of coconut on betel leaves, which was basically just tasted like coconut. Then, there was five spice edamame with peanuts. The edamame was very salty, but some people might like it. We ordered soft shell crab with lettuce wrap, which wasn’t included in the lunch set. The soft shell crab was pretty bland. The dipping sauce had a bit of sourness, which was refreshing. Moving on to the larger dish was the buttermilk chicken from the lunch set, which was served together with fries and slaw. The slaw was refreshing, although we only ate half of it. The fries were not crispy at all, and it was tasteless, I’ve made better fries at home. The butter milk chicken wasn’t coated well, the skin came off of the chicken. The skin was well-seasoned, but the chicken meat was bland. We also ordered one main off the lunch menu, steamed barramundi. It was probably my favourite dish out of all. The flavour wasn’t too strong, but it was a nice, light dish, that reminded me of the steamed fish from Chinese restaurant, but lighter and less salty. For dessert, we had the specials on that day, vietnamese coffee creme brulee. The sugar on top was too thick, making it too sweet and a bit sticky. The creme brulee itself was really buttery, my mouth felt very oily after eating. It wasn’t like a typical creme brulee, it was more like buttercream for cakes. I liked the coffee taste, but the texture threw me off. Overall, I don’t think it’s worth the price. The price was quite expensive, and I can definitely get better food with a lower price. The food here was very overpriced in my opinion.

Friendly service with nice decor and delicious drinks. Food portions were pretty small which is not what you would normally get from a Vietnamese restaurant. This is expected though as it is on the fancy Collins st end of town. Being of Vietnamese background, it is important to note that it is a modern Asian fusion, not just "Modern Vietnamese". All in all though it was a pleasant experience.<br/>We had the sticky chicken wings, crispy pig ears banh mi, tamarind glazed lamb shoulder with Peking pancakes and the Clarence river school prawns, silken tofu, white fungus, garlic shoots and cured egg yolk. For drinks, we had the non-alcoholic gin and tonic, and the Vietnamese iced coffee.<br/>We got hungry so started eating before taking photos. So the photos aren't the best!<br/>

This review is for their Chicken Pho, yet to try out other food from their menu:<br/>We usually go to Twenty Pho Seven on Russell St on a weekly basis however they are currently under renovation so decided to give this one a go, we ordered medium size chicken pho as the mini one looked tiny, it came out about similar size to small one from 20 pho 7, less chicken but more noodles, and of course more expensive (due to their location i guess) however the soup base is better, so tasty. As I was picking all the chicken pieces, was surprised to find out they were not all chicken breasts as you can tell from the colour (dark) and with some tiny skin and bone attached to some of the meat! You get 100% chicken breast meat from 20 pho 7. Not sure if I could request to have just chicken breast. <br/>Tip: If you have a big appetite, definitely order extra meat unless you having something else from the menu.

A place at the bar to see the action, served by the professional friendly bar tender<br/>It is refreshing when staff provide sound advise on your order preferences (and advise when it appears to be too much)<br/>The food and service excellent. Many restaurants with similar menus (modern fusion asian) however Uncle does it well

Always on my list for entertaining big groups with a fabulous menu of Vietnamese fusion favourites, suited for sharing. A good place to take friends or visitors for the hip, casual vibes, trendy interior and fun drinks.

To say that this is an absolute standout is an understatement. From initial enquiry, to special requests, wait staff, recommendations to food and overall restaurant experience. This is a must go. I've visited Uncle a few times now, across lunch and dinner and I have to admit I'm never disappointed. The staff are always informative, accommodating and know their menu well. I couldn't speak higher praise for this restaurant. I will 100% be back for more amazing dishes. Thanks Uncle, even though we were last to leave you didn't once make us feel like we were the last to leave like some places. You guys are awesome and provide the true restaurant experience!

Decided to try this place after recommendation from a friend. We came as group of 6 and ordered few dishes to share. Pork hock is one of her recommendation so we ordered that, i think it's done ok but the sauce it's too sweet for my taste. Beef brisket is quite good, mango salad is fresh, and tofu with shrimp is nice but I think for the size and price is too pricey. We also ordered fried rice, brocolli salad, grilled roti and sticky chicken wings. Overall the food is okay but nothing special.

I had dinner here last night with family - it was delicious! We asked one the lovely staff members, Peter, to please select some dishes for us. He chose the perfect selection of dishes, and provided very friendly and attentive service. The restaurant is spacious and pleasant - nice music that isn’t too loud, and enough room between tables so it doesn’t feel crowded. I would highly recommend Uncle to anyone looking for amazing food and professional, kind, and helpful staff. Thank you!

You wouldn’t know it looking at it from Collins Street, but walk up the stairs and feast your eyes on a very tidy layout. Uncle’s Collins Street branch is very pleasing on the eye. The Dear Luncher did not take any photos of said layout. You know why? Because the Uncle website already has a million photos that show off how good they look inside. So go to their website you lazy pr1cks.

3.5stars <br/><br/>I am pleasantly surprised by Uncle! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I order it through Deliveroo but the two Phos were delicious and it was a very big portion. The rare beef was tender and the beef brisket was melt in your mouth. <br/><br/>We also got chicken wings but I thought while it was flavourful it was a bit of a letdown. Maybe too much batter?<br/><br/>I wasn’t quite happy with them charging extra $.5 for chilli either, because normal pho would at least come with a little bit of chilli and no chilli was given at Uncle.

A great place to go to celebrate events because of the engaging service and delicious food. Worth your coin for that special event!<br/><br/>Ordered:<br/>1. Black wild rice: with nuts, grains, chilli, fragrant herbs & a panko crumbed hen's egg ($17.00)<br/>2. Crispy pigs' ears banh mi: with pickles & peanuts ($7.00 each)<br/>3. Pho Bo: Traditional beef noodle ($9.00)<br/>4. Black Angus Scotch fillet MS+5: with celeriac puree, kim chi and sorrel & fermented bean curd butter ($37.00)<br/>5. Master stock crispy pork hock: with banh hoi, lettuce wraps, fragrant herbs & nuoc cham ($42.00)<br/><br/>Review:<br/>Everything was undeniably tasty. However, the Black Angus Scotch fillet rose above the rest. With its delicious celeriac puree which I somehow mistook as potato but the bean curd butter was a perfect complement to the juicy slice of beef.<br/>The crispy pigs ears was interesting - incredibly crispy and fun to eat, the straws had a tendency to get between my teeth but were fun nevertheless. Thank god it didn't come out looking like ears!!<br/>Growing up with Viet food by my side, the traditional beef noodle stock wasn't quite traditional, but had an interesting flavour to it. An interesting take but unsure about the label as "traditional".<br/><br/>The service was incredibly engaging and worth the coin since we were celebrating a birthday event. I would highly recommend it for a 'treat yourself' but within reasonable price (cough cough crown restaurants).

Uncle is a really funky space. I like the decor, especially the windows. The wait staff are also very nice. Of the ones we ordered, my favourite dishes were probably the wild rice salad and the stir fry broccoli (garnished with little garlic chips!!) (anything garlic gets me excited).

horrible experience<br/>a group of 9 of us (all girls) had lunch here. We had the quickie menu which was $29 per person and we were left all hungry! The $29 set menu consist of one mint leaf with some coconut as the appetizer, one piece of corn on a stick, some rice, and some braised chicken breast to share. The food was very average and nothing special. The point is for $29 person there simply was not enough food! everyone was still hungry at the end! horrible horrible experience!

Came here for a relaxed catch up with the girls and was not disappointed! Staff very welcoming from the start and the amazing service continued throughout. All the wait staff were brilliant! <br/>Whilst it was a busy Friday night, it didn't feel hectic, room was calm with a friendly atmosphere.  <br/><br/>Food was all delicious - would highly recommend the crispy pork hock and the chicken tenderloin boa. We all shared several dishes which were brought out at just the right times. Cocktails also tasty....<br/>Only thing we didn't like was sitting at the high table, very challenging for a shorty to get onto those chairs and was a little uncomfortable. Tables were big though, and it didn't feel like things were crammed on there, like it sometimes can when sharing things. <br/><br/>Definitely coming back (would have come back even if the food was bad, purely for the excellent service)!

Friendly staff, great food and drinks! Went here for my friends birthday and had a great time! Good atmosphere and so much food on the banquet menu!

Took Codalicious here for her birthday and given her love of Modern Asian fare, she loved it! I obviously have been here many times prior, in my role as Chairman of the Modern Asian Advisory Board, so guided her through the extensive menu, chock full of awesome dishes. The bao and Banh mi section is sensational. I’ve had most of them and would recommend the slow cooked beef rib bao, and the prawn as well as the pig ear Banh mi. The pork hock in the main is a signature dish and a must have. The venue is funky with a great soundtrack and helpful staff. The big windows onto the Paris end of Collins Street make it seem bigger than it is and would be great for a summer session.

Very satisfied with the food and service. We came after lunch time which i think is the best time because we didn’t have to queue for a table. I am highly recommended their master stock crispy pork hock. Very crispy and super delicious!

What a fantastic surprise!! Beef rib Bahn me was exceptional! Great Pho...lovely host...all round good experience!! Not expensive at all!! A few good beers and nice wines...normal city prices for drink! Will definitely be going again!<br/><br/>

This was my 2nd time here and it didn’t disappoint. Pigs ear sliders were delicious with a kick of spice and the ham hock is to die for. It’s falls off the bone, is sweet, crispy skin...yum. Great service too from staff.

The Uncle Mary (Bloody Mary) is delicious! And the short rib bao...the sauce is amazing! Highly recommend this dish it’s 10/10. Ordered the mackerel and the wings - found the meal nice but sauces were too sweet for my taste. Service was excellent - definitely a stand out.

Really enjoyed the food here. Tried the beef bao, spring rolls, tongue & cheek, fried rice, beef shin curry and whole snapper - and they were all great dishes, with the bao and curry being particular highlights. Service was really friendly and knowledgeable.Only real downside is the fitout, the wooden benches and chairs we were seated at were rather uncomfortable, and as others have mentioned, the restaurant is very loud. Had the table next to me not luckily been empty it would have been quite unpleasant.

My sister organised a midweek dinner here after reading about it in the recent delicious100 list and it lived up to the expectations. Despite being midweek, the place was packed so we went for a drink nearby to wait until we were called to let us know our table was ready. Food was delicious - my favourites being the flavoursome lime cured hapuka, tender chicken bao and crispy caramelised pork hock. Staff were fantastic, friendly and good humoured and even climbed out onto the roof to get my sisters phone when she accidentally knocked it off the table and it fell out the window!

We arrived on a weekday and had to wait for a table, but luckily they text you when your table is ready so you can go for a drink while you wait. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and we loved the ambience of the restaurant. We ordered a cocktail each to start, and my Mekong splice was a great choice if you enjoy creamy cocktails. We ordered a whole range of dishes, and I genuinely liked them all! So fresh and full of flavour. But the standouts for me were: crispy pigs ear bahn mi (the flavour combination of the meat plus the salad and sauce is amazing), the raw kingfish (always a winner), the lime cured hapuka (again another winning flavour combo in the betel leaf), the school prawns (again the flavours of the crispy prawns with the salad/dressing was just divine), the chicken bao (the chicken tenderloin itself was so succulent) and the pork hock for main (caramelised crispy skin, and the lettuce wrap combo is just delicious!). I’m aware that there are a lot of standouts, but the flavours of the dishes were just incredible, and I will most definitely be returning here in the future.

I would have rated Uncle higher because the food was terrific, plentiful, well presented and varied. The service was professional albeit slow. The downer was the noise. Punishing and making it impossible to converse.

Very good. The menu has good variety and the flavour combinations are interesting and tasty. The betel leaf and the whole fish were my favourites. Attentive, friendly and appropriately understated service that didn't feel like it was trying too hard. An excellent atmosphere. I will definitely return.

Great night out. Midweek dinner. Staff were friendly & attentive. Shared some smaller dishes, some banh mi, a main and sides. Lime cured hapuka was heavy on the coconut & light on the pomegranate. Prawn banh mi and the sticky hot & sour chicken wings were impressive. Shaking porterhouse main was great to share. Strawberry tart for dessert.

A vietnames fusion dining. I really love it. My fav would be the pork hock and pork ears banh mi. Very flavoursome. Yummmmm!!! <br/>Service was amazing! Definitely recommend!!!

really really expensive and not enough food not enough choice -nothing interesting or adventurous   really disappointed stick to Victoria St ;

Hapuka betel leaf which tasted like cold coconut clag was followed by beautiful beef pho full of flavour and different cuts of meat. one awful dish one great one Unfortunately the next dish ordered was not to be seen despite repeated attempts to catch waitresses attention. The time delay was critical as the seating on uncomfortable small stools became excruciating. Chairs seemed reserved for bigger groups. By the time the final dish arrived I was too uncomfortable to eat it so just paid and left. While I understand the uncomfortable seating may be to to reflect the street food vibe -such seating is only tolerable when such vibe is reflected in price and speed.

Fusion Vietnamese done well.Girls night out with a reservation. Attentive staff members, and I appreciated the fact that we were not rushed through our meals. Good variety of beverages (we went for the mulled wine which seems to be my recent favourite). <br/>Had the raw kingfish to start, prawn banh mi (Brioche instead of baguette - which I preferred), fries and porterhouse. <br/>Will be back to explore a bit more of their menu!

Nice atmosphere for a night out. Spend $56 pp including cocktail. Recommend the cheek and tongue. Like the presentation of their dish. Fine dining for Vietnamese food. Friendly staff

Umm have complicated feeling about this one : great setting and dinning environment , it was warm and decorated nicely. Food however is very greasy and salty , which contradicts to what you would normally expect from Vietaminese food . we had the $59 pp menu , most of them are okay, but the fried rice is too salty to eat even I always have high level of salt tolerance . <br/>Definitely have potential , will give another try to other dishes.<br/>Update in nov 2018: went again last month, absolutely loved it this time . I think they changed the menu and every dish now is very pleasant !!

King fish- delicious <br/>Tried the uncle.knows best <br/>We weren't really explained what each dish were so I'm.going to guess from the menu. Normally when you choose a degustation your waiter would ask you what you Like and don't like so he knows what dishes suits best. This did not happen. <br/>1. Betal leaf - felt like we were eating coconut favoured grass<br/>2.school prawn tofu - soemthing different, nothing special <br/>3. Chicken wings - ok<br/>4. Mackerel - weird, not a good weird. <br/>5.tropical fruit salad w honey comb - bomb! <br/><br/>If you still want to try this place out, I would suggest going a la carte then the uncles knows best.

A modern Vietnamese eatery tucked away upstairs in the Paris end of Collins St. Our colleague had been here a couple of times and highly recommended the beef ribs bao and pho, so that's what we ended up with.<br/><br/>The dishes were fresh and tasty. The beef rib was full of flavour and so tender, paired with a Vietnamese salad. My friend also enjoyed his pho and commented on the flavours of the broth. The portion sizes were fairly small so you'll need more food if you're hungry.<br/><br/>We loved the bright and airy setting and attentive service, where they checked if we had to leave by a certain time. Considering we were the only ones there at the time this caused another colleague more alarm than appreciation. It was false alarm however as we got our meals very quickly.

This is my second visit to Uncle and I'm pleased to say I've been really happy on both occasions. On the first visit I did a 'lunch time quickie' which was a great way to try a few different things of the menu. I can highly recommend this as a way to introduce you to the delights on the menu. <br/><br/>I really enjoyed the chicken pho ga on my first visit, so this time I ordered the main size. It was fantastic, peppery, tasty and tangy, with plenty of noodles and chicken. The menu gives you an option to upsize the chicken quantity, but I definitely don't think it's necessary. My brother had a the lime cured harpuka on the betel leaf to begin, (delicious & fresh) and the braised beef short rib bao has his main (lip smackingly tasty) and we both shared the fries. <br/><br/>All dishes were super fresh and packed full of flavor, it felt somewhat naughty having such a delicious lunch during the week, but as it was not a stodgy heavy meal the guilt didn't last long! Who could have thought you could get so much flavour in your lunch break. We were in and out in just under an hour, which was perfect for the lunch hour deadline. <br/><br/>I'm looking forward to going back again.<br/><br/>KD

So I had "Grilled Sher Wague Brisket "<br/><br/>First I thought it would be an ordinary brisket but my God it was just amazing .. so delicious and tender .. every bit was just wow :) <br/><br/>Chicken wings from starter menu was pretty good too ! <br/><br/>100 percent Recommended

We went as a group of four. Three of us had specific dietary requirements i.e. 1 coeliac, 1 vegan, 1 fodmap.<br/>The staff were amazingly attentive to our needs. Exceptional service. Amazing food.

Good ambience and very friendly service. Both the prawn and crispy pork ear banh mi were very delicious. The chicken wings were cooked to perfection and we highly recommend this dish. Both tapioca fruit salad and ice cream desserts were awesome. The grapefruit drink was good but the lychee drink was average. Beef pho was too salty. We will be back again to try out the other food.

One of my colleagues was getting married so we decided to send her off with a big lunch. There were about 12 of us all up. As we headed up the stairs with the illuminated handles, we were intrigued and slightly anxious about burning our hands. <br/><br/>Being a large group, we ordered the lunch time special which came with:<br/>1) edamame beans: super tasty but also super salty ... probably why they were super tasty. 5/5<br/>2) betel leaf with coconut: interesting but much prefer other toppings apart from coconut. 3/5<br/>3) banh mi: this wasn't my kind of banh mi ... I like the roll to be baguette like and this was more soft, maybe it was even brioche in taste. I had it with the prawn but the popular order around our table were the pig ears. The prawn was nice but the pig ears were like eating crackle and that was nice too. 4/5<br/>4) fried rice: this was tasty and I had no complaints. 4/5<br/>5) chicken wings: the marinade and sauce wasn't the best but I was still pretty hungry so ate it anyway. 2/5<br/>6) bean sprout salad: tasty but not out of the ordinary. 3/5<br/><br/>We also had a cucumber cocktail of which I forget the name. It was OK and service was friendly and prompt. <br/><br/>Overall, the dishes were not bad but the quantities were on the low side. We left feeling like we should stop by the foodcourt to top us up. I find that sometimes when you're in a large group, the actual quantities that get served may be less than if you were a group of 2 despite a per head charge. Doesn't happen everywhere but it does happen in some places.

Faultless. Amazing flavours. I went with a group of colleagues and every dish was spot on 👌. I think it's very well priced given the clear skill in the kitchen. Sublime and secured a spot in my top 10 restaurants in Melbourne.

I really really like this place. The waitstaff are attentive and fun, the drinks (including cocktails) are delicious and the food is beautiful, fresh, uncomplicated Vietnamese, a little bit fancy but not too much. We tried the fried rice, the chicken bao (my favourite and my hot tip!), the pho, the spring rolls, the beef bao, and the Bahn mi. Everything was absolutely superb!!

We both asked for the ‘Uncle Knows Best ($59.00 per person)’. It was a wonderful way to try a variety of dishes and finding unexpected favourites that you may not have otherwise ordered.

Just had quick lunch here for the 2nd time. We couldn't get a table for 3 without a booking so had to sit at the bar.<br/>They have some of the best bao & pho in Melbourne. The chicken bao was especially tasty. <br/>Service was quick & friendly.

Ordered via ubereats from Uncle. We had chicken pho, beef pho, hot & sour wings and beef & corn fried rice. The pho soup tasted so salty we could hardly finish eating them. The hot & sour wings could have been better if we dined in instead of take away. At least the fried rice wasn't a let down. Will not eat from there again.

Yum! Crispy pig ear brioche loaded with mayo, the tender and melt in your mouth beef with crunchy tempura green beans, the fresh barramundi with a side of cucumber and pomelo salad. All yummy but quite rich so be prepared for an assault on the tastebuds and get some of the fresh side salads to balance the mains. The service was friendly although a tad slow. All in all a lovely experience with inventive food in a convenient location. Would recommend.

A group of 4 of us came here for dinner on a Saturday night after reading about the Pho cocktail. I must admit that I had low expectations for the food as nothing on the menu really seemed to jump out at me. However, I was extremely surprised, all of the dishes were packed full of flavour and were very generous serving sizes. The only dish that I was disappointed with were the Szechuan pepper fries, although the fries seemed like a boring dish but the Szechuan pepper sounded great, it turned out that they were just extremely salty french fries (just like Maccas to be honest). Between the 4 of us we ordered the Sticky hot and sour chicken wings (1 per person), braised beef short rib bao (+2 bao buns), wagyu brisket and the crispy pork hock. We did also order the shaking porterhouse cubes but they forgot to give it to us. Fortunately we were actually really full so could not have eaten it if they hadn't forgotten. <br/>The main downfall was the wait times. There was a massive wait between the starters and the main dishes (min 45 minutes). As we were enjoying each others company it didn't feel too bad but it was a noticeable length of time. We were there for 2.5 hours and that was only with starters and mains.<br/>Also, the pho cocktail that we went for was VERY disappointing, the closest it got to being like pho was the aroma which was slightly spicy and herbaceous. The flavour was purely of whisky. <br/>I would like to try the St Kilda venue to see if the food is just good.

Delicious Vietnamese food- incredible flavours. The staff are so friendly and attentive. Cocktails delicious and price reasonable. I'll be back!

The Clarence River School Prawns ($16.5) is a new addition to the menu, and is an exciting cold salad full of varying flavours and textures. You’ve got the crunch of the school prawns contrasting with the tender silken tofu, and crispy white fungus mingling with sweet garlic shoots. The whole dish is dressed in a rich chilli sauce that bears the lip-tingling spiciness of peppercorns, mellowed out by a hint of sweetness.

Dropped by here late Friday night. <br/>Have been to Uncle in st kilda and expected it to be more of the same.<br/>The venue has the same feel, clean, simple finish. Ambience great. We sat at the bar and got absolutely nurtured by Pete. As a negroni drinker and in the throws of negroni week, we ventured one of their Phogronis, a negroni made with pho spices. I seriously found my happy place. Excellent. My partner and I wanted something light to eat and this is where the city Uncle outshines its counterpart. The food was top notch. Not that St Kilda isn't. The city one just wins as far as its selection plus the attention that the staff place in describing the dishes as they hit the table is just superior.<br/>10/10 would return here<br/>And Pete, if you read this- we stole one of your phogroni bottles. <br/>Think of it as advertising 😉

We've actually been here quite a few times and I keep meaning to write up a review but after last night I felt impelled to. I could rave about the delicious food -crispy pigs ear buns, pork hock, and new favourite the crispy school prawns with tofu are some standouts- as well as the also delicious cocktails and interesting wine/beer list but that pales in significance c.f. to their absolutely delightful wait staff. In this part of town there are just way too many factors involved in making it on or near 'Eat Street' but the thing that really seals the deal for me here is the human interaction. Some might say they are way too friendly, over enthusiastic or involved. But I want the advice and the jokes and enthusiasm. And we haven't even met those that cooked our delicious food or shook & stirred our cocktails. Front of house staff, you do your establishment proud. Keep it up! We will see you all again very soon!

Had a lovely time at Uncle for lunch on the weekend my favourite was everything 😄😄 BUT if I got to pick which dish I like the most would be a pig ear bun and crispy pork hock DELICIOUS 😋
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

A week ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited by Uncle Collins Street to sample a few items on their menu, all centered around Vietnamese cuisine. Located close to the end of Collins Street, a few blocks away from the Parliament station, the restaurant exuded a warm, relaxed atmosphere, perfect for winding down after a long day at work or even for hosting a small celebration.

Cool upstairs modern Asian eatery. Was the perfect spot for a quick and delicious pre theatre meal. Food was amazing and they have some wonderful share options.

Uncle is a very modern Asian eatery with loads of Vietnamese influences thrown in. Even the simple and traditional staples like Banh Mi and Bo Luc Lac were given a creative and contemporary twist.<br/>While the majority of attempts at the ‘modernisation’ of traditional dishes by many fail to satisfy the tastebuds as much as their original counterpart, the innovations that Uncle implemented created an equally, if not even more appetising rendition of the unadulterated versions.

We visited Uncle for lunch during the week and I will be returning!  None of us were overly hungry so we only sampled three dishes - the hapuka and pomegrate on betel leaf, the green rice prawn bahn and the short rib beef baos.  The prawn bahn was my absolute favourite -  so yum and flavoursome, the short beef rib baos were also delicious but something was missing - perhaps a flavour punch sauce or more sticky, flavoursome goodness!  I probably wouldn't try the hapuka again - it was pleasant but not a wow dish.    The service was attentive and friendly. I''m looking forward to returning to sample more dishes!

I came here with a friend for her birthday a few weeks ago. I surprisingly hadn’t heard of this place before but I’m glad we tried it!. The food and drinks here are delicious! We ordered a few cocktails at first to celebrate! I got The Paris End and my friend tried the Uncle Tom’s Collins #2. The drinks were great we ended up going for seconds!

Dined in with a group of 5 people on a Saturday night for a friends birthday. All of us had such an enjoyable time. We decided to order the set-menu on account of having a hard time choosing between all of the dishes. Everything that the chef prepared was amazing, and all dietary requirements were perfectly dealt with with 2 of the dishes actually prepared as separate servings; which I thought was very thoughtful.<br/><br/>What made the evening that much more enjoyable were the amazing wait-staff whom were super attentive, very polite and up for a chat - which wasn't a bad thing!<br/><br/>Throw in some great ambiance and an interesting selection of alcohol and great cocktails and you've got yourself a winner. Overall I couldn't fault the place and will definitely be back in a hurry.

Uncle is a asian fusion restaurant chain that has recently opened up another restaurant in Melbourne, this time on the paris end of Collins Street. Its the perfect place to go for a great pre and post theatre meal. Uncle is pretty well hidden, just look out for their iconic restaurant sign and follow the directions upstairs.

The team behind Vietnamese food success story, Uncle in St Kilda have just launched a new restaurant in the CBD. A welcomed addition to Melbourne’s culinary scene, Uncle Collins St adds an innovative and premium Vietnamese offering. Located on the New York end of Collins St, Uncle exudes informality, with the large airy space accented by rustic, urban finishes.

Uncle has long been a favourite for Vietnamese food in St Kilda, so when news broke of a second location in the city, much anticipation was building as Melbourne eagerly awaited its opening. It’s located on the top end of Collins Street on the first floor of what was once an office building, making it a convenient place for pre- and post-theatre meals. There are large fold-out windows, which tonight are closed to block out the chill. A mixture of small and communal tables are arranged in different sections of the single-level restaurant, as well as a handful of booths to cosy into. Come nighttime, the lighting dims and the room takes on a multicoloured hue, accentuating the laid-back and fun atmosphere.

Had such a nice lunch yesterday at Uncle. <br/>The food was really really good. We had the kingfish, and wings, pork ears burgers and the crispy pork as main. Couldn't fault the food at all. The staff were lovely. I found this one better than st Kilda and enjoyed the food a lot more.

A awesome addition to the CBD dinning options. Great location and brilliant interior. Our party of 7 was seated in a booth and this was perfect for a group dinner. The $59 Uncle Knows Best banquet was perfect and everyone mentioned how full they were. Service was spot on, attentive but also very casual. Highly recommended.

Vegan options were pretty awesome. <br/><br/>Staff were super attentive and really helpful. <br/><br/>I had the uncles choice which is there selection of food and loved every dish. <br/>

We came here for a Christmas function and it was absolutely stellar!<br/><br/>Great food which kept on coming and made with quality produce. Good listing of beers and wines and we would happily come back with a group and share some plates as there's lots to try. Definitely do get the lobster rolls though!<br/><br/>Book in advance as the venue can pack out pretty quick.

Popular St Kilda Vietnamese restaurant Uncle has brought its magic to the city with a newly opened Collins Street home. Located on the first level of an renovated office building next to also popular Mamasita, Uncle adds modern culinary creativity to some classic Vietnamese dishes combined with tree level views of the inner city.

For those who are unaware, Uncle is a modern Vietnamese restaurant by Rene Spence and Dai Duong that fuses Vietnamese flavours and influences with modern Australian ingredients and other Asian flavours.

Excellent food and service! I could not recommend Uncle highly enough<br/>The decor is amazing and the vibe in there is unlike anything anywhere else - good music, great service and impeccable food! <br/>Quick service also but I would recommend booking if going at lunch time. <br/>Try the chicken Bao and the Barramundi, couldn't fault it! Definitely going again and again

Uncle feels like a special discovery I want to share. On the advice of our waiter (ask them, they know!) I had the lime and coconut hapuka on a betel nut leaf, wild rice with crumbed hen's egg,  chicken bao and the wagyu brisket. The flavours were en pointe across all. Also tried the Paris End cocktail and can't recommend enough, especially in warmer weather.

I recall visiting Uncle in St Kilda a few years back and it was nice enough but wasn't enough to lure me back and to make that North of the river to South of the river journey. But now that Uncle is in the CBD and on the tram route home on Collins St, a visit is so much more convenient!. I'd arranged to meet my girlfriend Kirsty at 6:30pm on a Thursday evening for a post work catch up and I was around 20 minutes early. There was no queue, the welcome was warm and the wait staff were happy to seat me at a table whilst I waited. Refreshingly different to neighbour Mamasita where getting a table before the whole party is there is night on impossible.

Such a beautiful space with a great feel about it. Highly recommend the Pho, beetle leaf, Wagu and the chicken wings. Uncle is sure to be a great success!

I visited Uncle Collins last night with my husband and absolutely loved it. It is fresh and light and feels really fun and lively and spacious. We started with the oysters and the edamame, which was delicious as it had peanuts and chilli salt mixed through it, we then went on to the Chicken Bao which was very tasty. . The service was a little slow at the beginning but picked up towards the end of the meal. The Uncle Tom Collins is a must try with a fresh and summery feel. For main the wild rice and poterhouse cubes, which were recommended by our waiter and I would definitely have them again! I have to say that I will be back to try more as everything looked really delicious and we could not fit in dessert but the snow cone looks interesting!! A perfect evening!

Lovely service, fun, casual atmosphere - really fresh Vietnamese. Sat in the sun looking over collins street having the "Paris end" cocktail. Was a great experience.

Sleek fit out, even if a little IKEAesque. Food was excellent. They cater very well for dietary requirements, and despite no symbols (e.g. V) on their menu out the front, they brought us a special menu with all the alterations they provide. I'm vego, my partner is a flexible FODMAPer. The beetle leaf, and rice paper mushroom chilly bean stir fry were both amazing. As you'd expect from modern Vietnamese, a fresh flavour pervades, both zesty and chilly. On the downsides, it was strange that we were offered a terrible table at the entrance even though the place was quite. Also disappointingly, even though I got a meal without the fish, I was charged the same price. You have to pay extra for soy in your coffee, so why would you pay the same if you subtract the most expensive ingredient from a dish?

Very thankful Uncle opened in the CBD, because I have not managed to get to St Kilda despite my best intentions. The fitout is fantastic, with a great view of some City greenery through its big windows. I'm very lucky I went with friends so we could pick a few items from the menu. The shared entrees were generally very good, except for the Bao which are a little bland. The mains were the real stars though. The pork fell off the bone and the beef was nice, although it could have done with a little more bite. Given the location, it looks like they're aiming to make Vietnamese that will suit more palates. Great service, as well. I'll return to try now of that menu!

Wonderful experience!! Catered for large group at short notice. Lovely big picture windows to enjoy the greenery of Collins St from above. Service was very attentive and efficient - catered for all needs! Food was delicious - clean , fresh flavours and wide choice for all! Be back for the pig's ear and brisket!!! Thank you for your hospitality!!