Review Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse - Melbourne

Price on the steep side but nice steak and black ink spag. Open concept kitchen, good to watch while waiting for your food

What a beautiful night - thank you Team Conrgats on your second week back open! 2 for 1 cocktails in Happy Hour - yay :) Wonderful, perfectly cooked steaks for main Tiramisu to die for....and to top it off, great service! Great to be back in Melbourne and can't wait to come back soon!!

Good hospitality tonight at the Pretty Boy, the steak was beautiful and juicy, entree we had the tuna and veal was well balanced, the squid ink spaghetti was delicious and flavorful, we finished meal with tiramisu was very strong coffee flavor we really enjoyed it! Our waiter Theo was really nice, recommended good wine to match our meal, we appreciate that! We will be back soon!

Nice palate of flavor in each dish. Although the name of restaurant is steak house itself but their other dishes beside steak are more outstanding. Strongly recommend the gnocchi and the zucchini flower dish in entree menu. Last but not least, don’t expect too much for the cocktail here.

Despite the steakhouse name, Pretty Boy serves a great vegetarian spread. And despite being in a hotel, it's a nice, intimate dining destination whether you're a visitor to Melbourne or a local. There are lots of interesting meatless dishes on the menu, including lightly fried and stuffed zucchini flowers prepared with a tempura-like batter and a roasted wedge of pumpkin served on a bed of beans and purple cauliflower. The truffle gnocchi is another vegetarian option that makes a wonderful and hearty main. Even all of the sides are veggie, allowing plenty of options for a great feast sans the steak. That, being said, my partner did try the traditional tasting menu and had plenty of good things to say about the meat dishes. We both enjoyed some strong and tasty cocktails to accompany our meals. The espresso martini is more subdued and made with St. Ali coffee while the Campania Floyd's is sweeter and made with house limoncello. The wine selection is also great and includes a few natural varieties, while the beers are a mix of local and imported Italian. I recommend you save room for dessert if visiting Pretty Boy, as the chocolate molten lava cake makes a decadent and delicious final bite. For a lighter alternative, try the creamy bowl of pannacotta topped with meringue and freeze-dried fruit.

Service was alright. Pretty standard. Didn’t offer menu till we asked. Beef was quite tender but a bit fatty. Staff mentioned it come with salad. So we expected to have a bowl of salad but could not see any bowl coming. Asking staff where salad was. She said it’s under the steak. I was quite upset with a few unknown stickers called “salad”. Not even have any green leaves. I might not come to visit again.

I didn’t realise this was a hotel (Novotel) restaurant until after I had made a reservation, but was pleasantly surprised. Surprisingly for a 4 star hotel restaurant, the dining area is quite high-end with stone tables, nice bar, plates and cutlery. The service was amazing - smiles all round, competent staff and lots of touch points to make sure everything is going well. We ordered the five course “feed me” menu and were blown away. Lamb ragout was a standout, although the beef was also incredible. My only suggestion would have been to have a little more variety in the salami plate, but this not a big deal given the salami was delicious.

Great steakhouse in the heart of the CBD. Around the corner from hardware lane and inside the Novotel hotel. Pretty boy is an awesome Italian steakhouse with a menu that delivers amazing steaks as advertised. Totally fallen in love with their Kobe Wagyu Sirloin steak best cut I have had in awhile! Their truffle gnocchi is dangerously addictive especially combined with the burrata on menu. The venue is modern and sets a great ambience for a dinner date or a great catch-up with family and friends.

Visited pretty boy steak house to try their dry aged steak and it did not dissapoint! <br/><br/>There is a lovely decor inside the restaurant with nice cornered window seatings with ample natural light. <br/><br/>The menu has a good range betweens pastas, fish, steak and many more. They do have vegetarians options on the menu. We decided to try their kobe steak and dry aged steak along with pasta and sides. I like how they have a good range of sides and its cheaper if you get 3 sides<br/><br/>The truffle gnocchi was something different! The truffle flavours went really well with the gnocchi and it was such a brilliant dish. The steaks were amazing, my favourite has got to be the kobe steak. It was tender and cooked nicely, we ordered medium rare and it was on point. We went with a truffle butter sauce and it brought it to another level. <br/><br/>We really enjoyed our meal here and would highly recommend their steaks and pasta

I want to start by saying that I would love to return and try different dishes probably (like the pasta etc). But based on what I had tonight... unfortunately it wasn't that impressive..<br/><br/>The steak were a little chewy (even though cooked well). It tastes a little bland, including the sauce... And the sides were also just so so (also on a bland side) we ordered fries, asparagus and greens.<br/><br/>Tiramisu had a good coffee taste but it lacks texture. And chocolate fondant was only so so.<br/><br/>However, the service was impeccable, the atmosphere was beautiful and I really wanted to try the squid ink pasta but I decided against my own will tonight. I really want to come back and try different dishes because I really do think they can do better!

Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse cannot be put into words. Very rarely do I come across a fine dining restaurant that makes me want to come back again and agin until I try everything on the menu. The staff are highly intelligent and the flavour combinations are truly something else. I already cannot wait for my next visit

If I could give this place a higher rating I absolutely would. From the service to the organisation in the kitchen to the food was immaculate. Food was out of this world some of the best I have ever had. We were seated at the bench where the kitchen is and we had the pleasure of watching how it operated and everyone has such a high level of respect for each other, it was very refreshing to see, we came during peek time and visibly seeing how busy the whole restaurant was, every single staff member made the time to interact with my partner and I. The chef recommended us a dish and even went into detail about how it was prepared. Coming from a hospitality background I am always observing how cafes/restaurants are run and pretty boy by far has been the best I have ever been to. Absolutely amazing work to every last detail, we will definitely be back.

3.5 out of 5<br/><br/>Just goes to show how important service is, a lot of reviews on here mentioning great service, however ours was mediocre given fine dining prices<br/><br/>The good stuff:<br/>Food is overall of very high quality, our entrees were very nice, presented well. Mains we tried the wagyu and non wagyu which were all very good, tender, and melt in your mouth, a little undercooked but i've noticed a lot of restaurants doing this recently. Sides were all very nice, especially the texture of the salad. Choc fondant dessert was fantastic, the citrus sorbet matched well. Nice atmosphere venue, not quite the typical traditional fine dining <br/><br/><br/>The Bad stuff:<br/>we had had empty water glasses, water bottles, drink glasses the entire meal, and we had to serve our bottle of wine ourselves. Also asked for dessert menu, waitress didnt come back. Balance between price vs service not good enough. Kobe Wagyu 9+ tasted good but I dont think its the real stuff from Japan, the real stuff is marbled like crazy and you dont need a knife to cut<br/><br/>Overall, enjoyed the meal. Thank you

Lovely waiting staff who strike the balance between professional and warm. The zucchini flowers were good but a bit plain compared to the succulent flavours and textures of the fig prosciutto, truffle gnocchi and baby barramundi. Classic, almost unfussy fine dining done right.

My Rating: 4.5<br/><br/>I never thought to find an Italian steakhouse in a hotel. What a hidden gem! Delicious food, excellent customer service and centrally located restaurant. <br/><br/>🔆LOCATION🔆<br/><br/>Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse is situated on the first floor of Novotel/Ibis Hotel on Little Lonsdale Street, between Elizabeth and Queen Street. It is only a short 6 minutes’ walk from Melbourne Central.<br/><br/>For a restaurant hotel, we were quite impressed with the spacious dining area. There are 3 separate area’s including the main section which has the large open kitchen, walled section with another dining space and a curtain drawn for private large functions.<br/><br/>🔆SERVICE🔆<br/><br/>The customer service at Pretty Boy is impressive. Exactly what you will find at a fine dining restaurant which you wouldn’t even expect in a restaurant hotel. The only thing that I would really comment is staff speeding through the menu highlighting each section. Could have easily slowed down and introduce or highlight food items otherwise could have just left us to view and return to assist us with any questions.<br/>Throughout the night, our waiter was very attentive, asking us how our meal was, if needed a top up on drinks, and general nice short conversation here and there which is very rare these days from waiters.<br/><br/>In my reservations I had indicated it was a birthday celebration, and the waiter had good attention to detail as post our meals, he advised us that management has offered us complimentary drinks in which my friend was very excited and ask if wine would be included as he was enjoying his red wine so much, the waiter smiled and said he will try his best and see if he could make it happened. He disappeared quickly and came back within minutes and advised with a happy smile that he has arranged that. As I don’t drink alcohol, he offered a special house mocktail which I readily accepted. Upon leaving the restaurant our waiter offered to help us take photos and even gave us a drink card each for Floyd’s Wine Bar which is on the second floor of Novotel Hotel.<br/><br/>🔆MENU/PRICE🔆<br/><br/>ENTREE: <br/>Kingfish Crudo, tomato essence, black garlic mayonnaise, capers, olives, $17.00<br/><br/>San Danielle prosciutto, roasted fig, ricotta salata, vino cotto, mizuna, $17.00<br/><br/>MAIN: <br/>Chef's Top Cut Kobe Scotch Fillet 350gram, $95.00<br/>(Sauce options with steak includes: red wine, mushroom, green peppercorn, truffle butter, horseradish cream, Sicilian salsa)<br/><br/>Nonna’s Favourite Pasta, $33.00<br/>(Gnocchi, black truffle, porcini, portobello ragu)<br/><br/>SALAD: Radicchio, green bean, cherry tomato, balsamic, $9.00<br/><br/>DESSERT: Summer Berry tart, ricotta, grappa, $17.00<br/><br/>🔆VERDICT🔆<br/><br/>The Kingfish Crudo was nicely presented and tasted delicious. The fish was well marinated and full of flavour. <br/> <br/>The prosciutto however was a little disappointing, flavours was not balanced enough. The mizuna mustard leaves were not enough to lighten the heaviness of the roasted figs which were quite sweet. <br/><br/>Gnocchi was a small soft pillow of goodness, light and fluffy. It’s the first time I’d seen gnocchi in such small pieces which I think is brilliant, so much easier to consume and enjoy. The dish was well cooked and had just the right amount of black truffle to give it the flavour. The mushroom and sauce complemented well. I’d definitely return just to order the Gnocchi black truffle. Simply delicious! A standout dish.<br/><br/>The Kobe scotch fillet (350grams) yes was expensive, however with TheFork 50% promotion, it was a no brainer to indulge! We ordered it medium rare and it came out perfectly cooked and well seared. It was easy cutting along the marble grain of the meat. The meat was tender and very tasty. The shredded cabbage, parsley and parmesan salad that was on the plate with the scotch fillet was refreshing and complemented well with the meat. We had option to order a sauce for the scotch fillet and we opt for the truffle butter. But to be honest, sauce is not needed at all, as the meat itself was quite enjoyable alone.<br/><br/>Our salad of Radicchio, green beans and cherry tomato was quite a small serving which was disappointing. It was an OK salad, nothing to really mention.<br/><br/>I was already feeling quite full when my friend said that we should order dessert. Normally I would always jump at wanting to have dessert, but on this particular night I wasn’t sure if I could fit it in. The summer berry tart was very colourful and they kitchen staff had “Happy Birthday” written in chocolate which was a surprise for my friend. The berry sauce was a little too overpowering but still quite tasty. We requested without grappa (as I cant take alcohol) and they added a scoop of berry sorbet which was tasty and refreshing. Balanced well with the lightness of the tart.<br/><br/>Note: at time of posting this review, I had revisited Pretty Boy just for the black truffle Gnocchi! Same quality and consistency. Delicious! =)

Nice ambience. Good place to socialise. Our table wasn’t ready so we got given a 2 for 1 drink card for the bar upstairs. The drinks were great up there. Recommend the Yuzu one. Food took forever to come, waiter for the size of one of the meals wrong. Probably a 30 min wait each between antipasto > stars > mains and desserts. Pappardelle and mash were probably the highlights. Everything else was average/below average. Portions were small for price. Even with the 50% off deal on TheFork.

😱Lizzie’s first impression: Sophisticated, best pasta and great service. <br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I was sceptical coming into this place as it was one of the hotel’s restaurants but I am very glad I did. The pastas we ordered were absolutely gobsmackingly amazing and I wished the dish never ended. I tried the squid ink pasta with crabs and chilli. It was simply impeccable – al dente, plenty of flavour, good amounts of crab, the perfect dish in my eyes. We also ordered the wagyu ragu parpadelle and it was also quite yummy. We tried a side of greens which were Asparagus and it went well with the goats cheese and crushed almonds. <br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: I wish more people knew about this place because I will be certainly telling everyone about it! <br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: Loved everything about this place – the staff were exceptionally nice and catered to our needs. There are great vibes up there and really the small sign at the corner of the building doesn’t do this place justice!

3.5*<br/>Truffle gnocchi was fantastic. Good flavours and gnocchi was light and fluffy.<br/>Rib eye streak was disappointing. Lots of fat (not marbelling) and gristle which was inedible. I enjoy a bit of char on my steaks, but the char was very heavy on this one and was a little unpleasant. Considering the price I expected a better steak -have had better steaks for $20-$40.

4.0 Very Good<br/><br/>Located within Novotel is this spacious Italian restaurant specialising in steak but that’s not the only thing they do well. We made sure we had our food in multiple layers to get the full dining experience.<br/><br/>We start off with a cocktail each, I tried their Amaretto Sour which had that distinct bitter almond taste, reminiscent of amaretti biscuits. Quite a bit of head on it but very tasty. We later moved onto a local red later that night to have with steak.<br/><br/>For primi we started off with some chargrilled sardines in a simple basil and green chilli dressing. It had a nice burnt taste to it, the bones on the fish itself weren’t as soft as I’d expect from cooked sardines and were a bit spikey, still edible however. We also shared some fritto zucchini flowers which were nicely crispy and filled with goat’s cheese and a bit of ricotta and kumato underneath.<br/><br/>The pastas followed soon after and they were the highlight of the night, I really wished we got main sizes! We got nonna’s favourite which was gnocchi in black truffle, porcini and portobello ragu. The black truffle did not overwhelm in flavour and pairs well with mushrooms as it always does. Gnocchi was cut small so you get little pillowy morsels in each bite. My friend who dislikes truffles tried to have more than his fair share, once again I always have to lead the way in making firm decisions such as this. The pappardelle in wagyu ragu was just as good, pasta was al dente and the meat was tender and packed flavour.<br/><br/>For steak we got their 800g 30-day dry-aged rib eye steak, medium rare as requested and pre-sliced for easy sharing. There were a couple of pieces that were a bit tough from the sinew but other than that it was smooth sailing. We had some sauces on the side of Sicilian salsa and red wine (both included), not particularly required as the steak can hold its own. We also had some fries to the side which were crispy but didn’t have a strong rosemary flavour to it.<br/><br/>For dessert we had their tiramisu which was constructed to order and served with a scoop of coffee ice cream, I particularly enjoyed the crispy wafers they threw in and the smooth mascarpone. We also had their chocolate fondant which had a pleasant cakiness to it. To the side were some stone fruit (peach) and a lemon sorbet, quite sour. I tried pairing this with the fondant and as expected, did not work. Treat as two separate entities on the plate.<br/><br/>If you come here, make it a priority to load up on those carbs, the pasta dishes were strong standouts. Or why not rock up early to Floyd’s bar for pre-dinner drinks? (I think it should be a separate segment on Zomato, it’s a completely different menu and on a different floor)

Steak was as tough as leather and had no flavour which is disappointing for a steakhouse.

The gnocchi here was pretty good, as was the tiramisu. We were a bit underwhelmed with the steak however, which was a little chewier than other comparable priced ones, however overall meal wasnt too bad.

Both boyfriend and I were blown away by the food here. The steak and it’s delicious fattiness melts in your mouth and the ragu is absolutely delicious and served in a large portion. There is an extensive range of dry aged steaks available as well as lots of alcoholic drinks. Also loved the focaccia bread and it’s ricotta and tomato dip - we ended up ordering two plates! Will definitely be back next time in Melbourne.

Will come back for:<br/>+ French fries<br/>+ Squid ink spaghetti<br/>+ Kobe scotch fillet<br/>+ Chocolate fondant<br/><br/>You would never think that one of the best steak houses is located at a hotel but for me this is one of the rare ones. We came by here for dinner and was blown away by how much flavor and care was put into every dish. Really, I couldn’t fault any of the dishes we shared. But I would definitely come back for the list above. The French fries were super thin, and fried super crispy. The squid ink spaghetti had loads of umami and texture. The Kobe scorch fillet was a bit of an indulgence (it’s pricey), but melted in your mouth and was deliciously beefy. And the chocolate fondant had that satisfying ooze through the middle and was naughtily delicious. Service was exceptional as to be expected in a fine diner. Not something you would come to everyday, but if you were to splurge for a special occasion, this place is a great option.

Gnocchi is a must! We'll try steak next time.

4.5<br/>Fantastic! I’m always a little wary of hotel restaurants as I feel they are normally overpriced with average food due to the ‘captive audience’. Craving steak and saw this place on EatClub and thought we’d give it a chance. From the moment we arrived, I found all the staff enthusiastic and genuinely wanting to be of service. It’s so refreshing to eat somewhere that everybody appears to love their job! We started with the crispy spiced squid which was delicious but had only a small amount of ‘nduja hidden beneath it - I could have eaten a whole lot more of the ‘nduja! The zucchini flowers were good but perhaps could have used a little more ricotta filling - jam it full of filling in future! The truffle and mushroom gnocchi smelt sooooo good and tasted fantastic as well. Our steak was cooked perfectly and the accompanying broccolini had the perfect snap to it. For dessert we shared a tiramisu and while it was good, it wasn’t unforgettable (as a house speciality should be), and was served in a glass. Brilliant meal though, and kudos to our waiter, Nathan!

Hidden little treasure, took my colleagues here for dinner an everyone fall in love with the food :)<br/><br/>I would highly recommend the kobe steak and truffle gnocchi they both melts in your mouth :)

Despite the steakhouse name, Pretty Boy serves a great vegetarian spread. And despite being in a hotel, it's a nice, intimate dining destination whether you're a visitor to Melbourne or a local. There are lots of interesting meatless dishes on the menu, including lightly fried and stuffed zucchini flowers prepared with a tempura-like batter and a roasted wedge of pumpkin served on a bed of beans and purple cauliflower. The truffle gnocchi is another vegetarian option that makes a wonderful and hearty main. Even all of the sides are veggie, allowing plenty of options for a great feast sans the steak. That, being said, my partner did try the traditional tasting menu and had plenty of good things to say about the meat dishes. We both enjoyed some strong and tasty cocktails to accompany our meals. The espresso martini is more subdued and made with St. Ali coffee while the Campania Floyd's is sweeter and made with house limoncello. The wine selection is also great and includes a few natural varieties, while the beers are a mix of local and imported Italian. I recommend you save room for dessert if visiting Pretty Boy, as the chocolate molten lava cake makes a decadent and delicious final bite. For a lighter alternative, try the creamy bowl of pannacotta topped with meringue and freeze-dried fruit.

The ceviche smells a bit different so I made a mistake by putting a piece into my mouth and I feel a bit nauseous after I went home. I like rest of the food but I have to give an average rating unfortunately.<br/>I love the steak, it was really good. Better than a lot of well known steak house. The barramundi is a bit boring.<br/>The pasta is quite tasty, full of different tastes.<br/>The dessert is nice and light.<br/>

Went here twice. Once as a couple and the time as a group of six. I had the Kobe steak both time. Had it with the truffle butter. It was amazing, so amazing I had to bring my friends to experience it with me. Everyone enjoyed their dishes and the atmosphere.

I first attempted to book the 50% off Fork Festival but the date I wanted was booked out.<br/>One email just to see if they had any spare tables on the night I wanted and just like that, it was offered to me. 👌🏼<br/>When arriving, staff were so kind! I was celebrating my birthday and they had come out with a glass of sparkling for myself and my partner.<br/>We shared the crispy spiced squid - we agreed it’s the best squid we’ve had in a long time!<br/>I ordered an al dente squid ink pasta and my partner ordered what he called the “best steak he’s ever had.”<br/><br/>This restaurant was absolutely faultless.

- very average food for the price they charge<br/><br/>- extremely slow service<br/><br/>- no waiters are even around to pour water or even offer service and no attention given to customers. I’ve had empty plates of finished food sitting on the table for 25mins+ and if they do come they just walk past<br/>(Photo posted showing you most of the time the waiters aren’t even around to do anything)<br/>

Review closer to 3.5 stars<br/><br/>Located on the second floor of Novotel hotel, the newly opened (Nov 2018) restaurant serves modern Italian, with some interesting, though not always successful twists. <br/><br/>Roasted figs with prosciutto- the figs either weren’t in season, or roasting method chosen meant that the figs weren’t as sweet as usual. So balance of flavors was off (6/10)<br/><br/>Kingfish- was fresh but came with too many competing flavors, fresh pomelo (highlight), pesto, crispy overly salted artichoke chips, salmon roe. Each individual element was great. And separately when eaten in combination with the kingfish was still tasty, especially the fresh citrus tang of the pomelo- and Kingfish Yum! But when put all together was a confusion. (6/10) <br/><br/>Truffle mushroom Gnocchi- Felt like it was a bit of false advertisement, only a very subtle truffle aftertaste. The portabello and porchini mushrooms however were excellent and perfectly seasoned. Gnocchi themselves were fresh, a bit small in size, and though they were pan fried, they lacked the crispiness that other reviewers have described. Probably best dish of the night (7/10)<br/><br/><br/>they had a special deal of<br/>dessert and coffee $16<br/>Or<br/>Pannacotta and lemon cello $20<br/><br/>So of course we had to try desserts!<br/><br/>Pannacotta - was a too light in flavor. Lemon cello jelly was the only burst of flavor. The dehydrated apples were there probably for texture but tasted out of place (5/10)<br/><br/>Lemon Cello- was meant to be made locally specifically for Pretty Boy! Delicious <br/>I suggest you forgo the pannacotta deal and head straight for the lemon cello! (10/10)<br/><br/>Bombolone- freshly made, a little too dense but nicely covered with cinnamon and sugar. Winter pear and rhubarb jam were perfectly accompaniments. However cheesecake ice cream- while delicious on it own, clashed when eaten with with the bombolone. We just ended enjoying them separately :) (7/10)<br/><br/>Staff were genuinely friendly, clearly were making an effort but could be more efficient and attentive. layout of the restaurant- which is separated into two rooms may reduce efficiency as our server was constantly jumping between the two. <br/><br/>Overall enjoyable evening but I think the menu had a few too many twists/ unusual competing flavor combinations. So I recommend that you stick to the more classic items.<br/>

Best truffle mushroom risotto I have ever eaten topped off with a standout Chocolate fondant with honeycomb. In room dining also provided for Novotel on Little Lonsdale. I will stay again for the food. Sensational

They welcomed me with a table to wish me a happy birthday. Attention to detail, I appreciate. The pasta dishes (we ordered 3) were cooked to perfection. Their approach is more of a highlighting flavours not a smothered in sauce - if thats your thing. The steaks were also cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth. Only critic is that the steaks were extremely salty but did not deter us from cleaning out plates - we just had extra drinks. Overall fantastic experience.

Floyd’s Bar offers great happy hour deal with all our drinks $5 each. The wedges we ordered were also pretty good.<br/><br/>We ordered a range of starters, the best of which was the kingfish ceviche. My porterhouse steak was ok, and whilst cooked to medium rare perfection, needed a bit more seasoning. I did not like the crumbs that were sprinkled on top. Good value with 50% off food, as we booked via The Fork. Although not perfect, our waiter tried hard to please and was very friendly!

The Kobe Scotch Fillet with Truffle Butter was divine! We all also really enjoyed the truffle gnocchi! Atmosphere was also beautiful. Thanks 😊

Pretty Boy and his gangster crew crossed the border last weekend for one night only to celebrate Bastille Day 2019. Pretty Boy&rsquo;s Executive Chef, Michael Smith created a 5 course French inspired tasting menu filled with flavour and surprise, inspired by his time-spent working alongside the legendary Chef Jacques Reymond.

I was on the hunt for new Italian when I came across Pretty Boy. I was keen to try the gnocchi with all the amazing reviews. We entered via the ibis hotel and it’s easy to navigate to the restaurant with a large sign and elevators close to the entrance. We were seated in view of the bar and open kitchen. We ordered all the favorites including:<br/>- focaccia with prosciutto butter (I pictured prosciutto infused butter but it is actually chunks of prosciutto in the butter. The focaccia was average and some pieces were dry but the combination was interesting)<br/>- kingfish (I wasn’t a big fan of this one either, it’s served with what I can describe as a cheesy pesto with grapefruit and artichoke, there’s too much going on)<br/>- truffle and mushroom gnocchi ( the gnocchi was inconsistent in size and texture, my first three bites were soggy and mushy, then I had a few with a nice texture, there was no crispness like I had read in other reviews. The flavor was nice but the Parmesan was overpowering the truffle even when I had taken some of the shaved parmesan off. It was also very salty. <br/>- Kobe steak (the steak itself was cooked to medium rare perfection, very tender and fatty as you would expect. Lost points for being served on top of a slaw and topped with mushrooms and some kind of crumb. I think they’ve over complicated this dish and with the high calibre of beef, it’s enough to serve on its own. <br/><br/>Overall it was an average dining experience. Service could be more attentive as we were waiting for menus and to order whilst staff were talking amongst themselves. Food itself has great potential with a few minor tweaks. It’s a new restaurant so bumps are to be expected. Great Kobe steak for a decent price.

Part of the new Ibis hotel, Pretty Boy sits on the entire 1st floor, with a central showcase kitchen.<br/>It's got dim mood lighting, it's modern, clean and there is just so much space.<br/><br/>*Squid Ink Tagliatelle - can't fault the flavours, it had a good hit of seafood and garlic. The clams were tasty and there were little crunch from the breadcrumbs. However the pasta was WELL overcooked. On each bite, it just turned into mush - they could have overestimated the cooking time for fresh pasta vs dried, but this is a rookie mistake.<br/><br/>*Whole Baked Barramundi - well prepared, the fish was (mostly) deboned for convenience and the waitress was good enough to notify us (didn't bother me either way). The white fish had good natural oily flavour and the gremolata on top was tasty.<br/><br/>Service was professional and attentive, and I could tell she was well trained.<br/>I'd probably come back to try one of the steaks, as it is called a steakhouse after all!

I wasn't expecting much from Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse because they've barely cracked a 4.0 on Zomato, but they blew me away.<br/><br/>Ordered:<br/>🍝 Nonna Favourite: Gnocchi, black truffle, porcini and portobello ragout ($32.00)<br/>🍰 Tiramisu: ($15.00)<br/><br/>Review:<br/>This is the best gnocchi I've had in Melbourne so far. The Gnocchi is pan fried which gives you that crispy edge but still be soft, pillowy and cute in the center. It works perfectly with the denser, more savoury taste of mushroom. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!<br/>They add a generous drizzle of olive oil and sharp parmesan to really give the dish a kick. This dish is flavourful and portioned just right - absolute kudos to the chef! <br/><br/>Being seated in front of the chef's table provided some great entertainment. Watching the bustle of the kitchen, the preparation and the preparation of my meal made it a truly memorable experience. The chef dynamic with her workers was really humbling and it's clear to see Pretty Boy has a great culture. <br/><br/>The service was also great. We had people asking us if the food was okay (it was delicious), and explain the story behind pretty boy italian steakhouse. It was pretty fun to hear!<br/>Interior with all its decorations and choice of glassware was beautiful, elegant and classy. <br/><br/>For all these great points - although the price of $50pp was a little steep - incredibly justifiable.

Please do not believe the online reviews. We had the 6 course feed me menu and every course was a pleasant surprise. Portions were perfect, suited two hungry male diners perfectly. Mind you we are big eaters. Highlights were the truffled gnocchi and the Wagyu steak. Cheesecake was how nonna would bake it. So glad that we came, and we will definitely be back. Grazie mille!

The problem with a promised 5 course Feed Me Menu is when you leave still Hungry and Not Fed! and are still questioning why you got the 'Feed Me Only a Little" menu whilst ordering takeaway McDonalds 5 minutes after finishing "dinner"<br/><br/>Offering a 50% discount off and then cutting back on the servings by about 50% equates to a Great Promise but a disappointing Under delivery - There is no Value. If I paid full price for the $55 feed me menu and got what I got I'd be hungry and livid...luckily I was only hungry<br/><br/>To share 2 small bowls of spag bol (which by its nature is meant to be a hearty meal) between 5 and then get told that the 240 gram steak on the "Feed Me" menu is to be shared between 2 people, making it 120 grams each and then to receive only 2 steaks between 5 and having to ask for another steak just so each person can eat more than 100grams of steak. <br/><br/>The food was not bad, but nothing amazing. The staff were friendly enough but not too caring about our stomach rumblings and moaning's at lack of food. They seemed to have unsurprisingly heard it all before judging by other reviews. <br/><br/>This restaurant is masquerading at being a real Italian Steakhouse and is doing a very poor impression of it.

We only came here for a drink. We went to Floyd’s. You need to go inside the hotel and take the lift to go to the bar or restaurant. The place hidden (I love it) Not too busy, very good service and drinks! Definitely would come back again to visit. Perfect late afternoon drinks after work

UPDATE - May 2019.<br/>9/10<br/>As promised, we (7 of us) are back and delighted.<br/>Solid, simple, well cooked and well presented Italian food... classy, comfortable, modern, streamlined surrounding, central open kitchen that exist, full of action but not interrupting your dining pleasure... and lastly, team of enthusiastic, attentive and full of smiles kinda service floor team, great concept and recipe for success... is there's a need for a big name TV chef?<br/><br/>Wishing you the best...<br/><br/>PREVIOUS<br/>"Feed Me" please ...<br/><br/>7/10 RRP 58.00/pp for a 5 course meal. 5 of us ... started with some shared Focaccia bread with loaded butter, olives and calabrese, great, no problem. Then it went down hill ... two serves of Spaghetti Bolognese, salty and too small for 5 (2 girls), followed by two serves of 240 gm perfectly cooked medium rare tender Wagyu Rump, Onion Rings on top and two bowls of French fries, clearly just too small for main (thank God, the manager was alert and served another one) and closed with individual delicious Panna Cotta.<br/><br/>It was a surprise for a restaurant hotel to be this appealing ... located within the new Novotel, lift to the 1st floor, spacious, well fitted, chic, clean cut, fresh, airy, fantastic open kitchen with plenty of exhaust, more than enough to expel those "unattractive" cooking smell.<br/><br/>Small, but potent wine list, great selection of Italians and Australians wines ... there are other drinks too.<br/><br/>Great service by the team, neat casual uniform, polite, pleasant and fun, we should come back, hopefully by then they've fixed the portioning issue. JT-10/05/2019.

Got:<br/><br/>- Focaccia with prosciutto butter. Sounded interesting but turned out to be just bits of prosciutto in the butter. Okay.<br/>- Braised pork belly. Not bad. Pork belly was rather dry.<br/>- Black truffle gnocchi. Nice flavours, but the gnocchi pieces were way too small to fully appreciate.<br/>- Orecchiette with rainbow trout, lemon and fennel. Most interesting dish of the night. Nice zesty flavour.<br/>- Scotch fillet. This was the biggest disappointment of the night. The steak was dry, chewy and devoid of any juice.<br/><br/>Good ambiance, friendly service, long wait times. Food was okay but unfortunately there is no compelling reason to return (having used my Entertainment Book voucher!)

Went on a Friday night staff were very friendly and looked after us. <br/>We didn’t go for the feed me menu decided to order ourselves. Had entree gnocchi which was amazing and then steak which was great too! <br/>We went for a special occasion and it was lovely.

Really amazing italian food, amazing place and affordable as well. The 5 courses feed me menu is only $55, you won't find a better deal. All the dishes from the course exceptional.

Pretty boy italian steak house is an amazing place. We really enjoyed dining here. We were invited to try the 5-course menu. Starting with soudough with prociutto butter and prociutto with balsamic caper berries. Great way to start the meal, nothing to complain there. For mains, we then had the ovem baked fish with preserved lemon funnel and gnocchu with black truffle, porcini & portobello ragout. Probably one of the best black truffle gnocchis out there. It was so satisfying. Will definitely come back for more. For dessert, we had cheesecakes, another delicious dish.

5 course tasting menu: Good food & ambiance, small portions, no steak, terrible service<br/><br/>Our group of 6 came here to give this new steakhouse restaurant a try yesterday (Saturday night). Initially, we had a good impression of the staff when they placed napkins on our lap as we settled in our seats. But after that, the experience of the dinner all started to go downhill.<br/>We had the "feed me" tasting menu of 5 courses for all 6 people. Our first red flag was that the waiter asked for how many? I said again for 6 people then we proceeded with your standard dietary requirements.<br/>When our table ordered some wine, it took a good 10-15 minutes for the glasses of wine to arrive. At first, we didn't notice this delay as our group was busy chatting.<br/>Our appetisers of bread, olives, butter and meat slices arrived in 2 sharing plates for 6 people. It was delicious but I personally thought the portions were small. And the ladies, didn't mind too much not eating all those 'carbs' anyway to notice the portion size. Our next entree course of gnocchi with truffle (small size) came again on 2 small sharing plates. Our group meticulously tried to portion the small tidbits of gnocchi and realised, we were not given a serving spoon to go with it. We waited for another 5 mins for the sharing spoons to arrive. The gnocchi was flavourful, mostly due to the strong truffle aroma. I personally enjoyed it. "Another 'carb' meal", "small portion" , "it is entree" I told myself. All good. Our group was about to order 2nd rounds of wine. We had trouble getting our staff's attention. For both refilling our water glasses as well as ordering in more wine. This time the 10-minute delay was more noticeable now. Our mains arrived. We had 2 small plates with 2 pieces of chicken portions each (making 4 in total) and another 2 plates with a small 'the size of my hand' grilled baby barramundi each (making 2 pieces of fish). Our 2 sides of salad and potato fries arrived as well. We were waiting for perhaps a third plate of a pair of chicken portions and another plate of fish. After waiting for 3 minutes, we joked, how can we share 4 small chicken pieces between 6 people? 2 pieces of fish? Instead, when we asked a waiter to come in and checkin on our situation, she looked at our situation-somehow amused. When prompted exactly regarding our dilemma of how we portion this small main sizes between 6 people, she looked apolegetically, and immediately said, "oh, sorry, let me get you some knife cutlery so you can share." Our group fell silent, and was shocked. Even some of the ladies who didn't eat carbs all night were looking forward to eat a more substantial selection of meat & salad dishes. While the men were anticipating some tasting of a steak or pieces (it's an italian steakhouse after all) But our expectations didn't materialise. We joked about calculating how much better off we were if we ordered 'a la carte' , as we saw 2 plates of sizzling steak come towards us, only to be served at an adjacent table. That is where it dawned on us, our glasses need refilling again. The service was slow, to the point, that one couple has to leave early without eating dessert. Dessert? Already dessert, our 4th or last 5th course? It seems that either our bread, olives and meat slices were our 1st and 2nd, Or that our mains of chicken and fish were our 3rd and 4th courses. It seemed odd because there were only 3 occasions they cleaned our plates between courses,including this one,prepping for dessert forks. Before our desserts arrived, the four of us who are left in the table, joked that finally, we can have proper portions of a chocolate cheesecake each.<br/>We asked for the bill. We waited for 5 mins only to see the same wait staff saying'she forgot'. We waited another 10 minutes<br/>We thought it was just that they were short staffed, but no, they weren't. It's a new restaurant, systems were not in place as it seems they were going off with keeping things to memory and forgetting things.<br/>Our bill arrived, checked it after reviews of overcharging, and saw being accurately charged 6 tasting menu & wine. Complete disappointment.

What dinner? Rocked up at 8pm with a booking for 5. Took 10 minutes to even get anyone's attention. Finally the manager came to say the table would be another 15min. Was directed upstairs for a drink. 15min later, manager said another 10 minutes. "Conservatively". I said really? We left after that. No phone call after to tell us a table was ready. Just completely forgot about us.<br/><br/>The staff looked an absolute mess, everyone was flustered. Plenty of pissed off diners. Even a guest that wanted to pay was waiting forever. The manager seemed to be apologising to everyone. Another couple walked out. What is wrong with this place?<br/><br/>Oh and the atmosphere and decor was reminiscent of an underground carpark. For a new hotel, you'd think you could have done something sleek and sophisticated. But no. Grey tile flooring. Grey walls. No windows. Lighting was so bright it was like a hospital ward. Tip: dim those down lights, and put some candles on the tables.

Sadly my friends and I won't be going back here. We had high hopes after some of the reviews we'd read and I was celebrating my birthday (cause to get everyone together!) but the meal was not a winner at all. It took us an hour to get our antopasti of sourdough and butter, our meals came after 2hrs of waiting (and starving!) after I had to ask where they were. A friend actually gave his meal back as it was inedible. Staff were friendly but it was understaffed with only 2 floor staff for a Saturday night. It was just not a great experience at all.

So this was kind of a gamble coming somewhere for dinner for our anniversary that I had never even heard of but all I can say is wow. What a beautiful restaurant hidden away in a hotel complex that you would never expect. Very typically Melbourne, hidden away in a lane that you would never find unless you were looking for it. But I can definitely recommend a visit to Pretty Boy Italian with their amazing food (the gnocchi was a standout) and very hospitable staff who did not disappoint. Will definitely be back.