Jimmy Watson's Wine Bar Restaurant

Pretty good food and service. Ilike how the cafe look and the ambience of it. would definitely come back with friend for another visit. recommended.

The service here is as spectacularly average as everyone says, but the food was actually quite good. We had a Christmas lunch here and managed to snaffle one of the outdoor tables, which has a beautiful view of Lygon Street. Service was extremely slow, and friendliness ranged from indifferent to reasonably engaged. The pinot noir is excellent, as is the rose. I had the agnoletti for lunch, and it was tasty though perhaps a little overseasoned (luckily I happen to love salt). The chocolate dessert was rich and hard to finish - definitely fine to share one between two! This place is an institution and the restaurant itself is imbued with charm and history. If the service could be lifted several notches it would surely be one of Melbourne's must-go destinations.

Steamed mussels in fish broth, Beetroot risotto, and essential Melbourne. William Dargie's portrait of Jimmy Watson hangs in the bar; it's next to the dining room of small tables with bentwood chairs on the terracotta floor, and early each evening in the bar - a place of neutral ground where all are equal - the people of the City stand, each with a glass of wine, relaxed, but remain alert, discuss politics, arts, cricket - remembering the time when players behaved like gentlemen and didn't bowl bouncers or make remarks in earshot to put a player off his game - and all other events that are vital to a City. There might be academics - some good and some, well...second raters on a nice little earner, and journalists - some good, some hacks - lawyers, brokers, IT folk, architects - some good, some fallen into other areas; the odd eccentric, or two trying to endear themselves with a "Permit me to buy you a drink," and then just like Roddy Martindale in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, they spread the latest scuttlebutt (which is their conversation) after opening with a:  "Shall I tell you about...?" On a high level there might be a noble faced retired judge or QC perhaps, and artists, the odd salesman who might have driven in from a retail barn in the burbs for the delight of the premises and to reassure himself that civilisation exists; there are retirees (but usually for lunch) who have known Watson's since the 60s, and politicians, both present and past (some finding themselves upstairs in a private dining room to discuss grand ideas), and it all makes an interesting mix; and you must have something to say, even if it's about politics back home in "The States", or London. Upstairs outback in the open air and underneath in the Wolf's Lair a younger generation meet, students and young 20s. It's a magic place, Jimmy Watson's, where Watson senior (son of Jimmy), greets people visiting for lunch or perhaps a glass of red or sparkling at the bar and has an amusing remark or observation on current City events for all, while sons Nigel and Simon, polished in white shirts and ties, move swiftly around the establishment seeing that everything is ticking along nicely ... Pumpkin pizza and, duck and pork terrine: At home in casa Bilfranki in Herston, Brisbane, Jett Rink remarked to raven-haired beauty and slightly built Cindy-Lou that Big Daddy and Tennessee Williams were really just driving down to Jimmy Watson's in Melbourne because Big Daddy liked the pumpkin pizza and duck and pork terrine, and at the thought of all the dishes on the Jimmy Watson's menu Jett at that moment considered driving down in the McLaren with Cindy-Lou at the wheel, but then wondered again, for the second time that morning, if Cindy-Lou could be expecting and he asked her if he could help in the kitchen. "No thank you my little Stuffed Badger, and by the way, Big Daddy rang in while you were sleeping to say Tennessee had bailed-out last night at Phillip Addams's cocktail party in Sydney and will now fly down to Melbourne, while he'll drive on to Carlton in Melbourne, alone." "Well, that was a big sentence," said Jett. "Check the Campari, Edna Ferber's coming for lunch!" Cindy-Lou returned and broke Jett's gentle serve, which made him smile. Meanwhile, Big Daddy's dusty but beautiful 1930 Stutz Black Hawke Roadster with canvas down was feeling the unexpected Melbourne heat and he pulled up in front of the Magnolia Court Boutique Hotel in East Melbourne, got out and remarked without humour in reference to the Stutz car motto: "The car that makes the day better!" Though he was in fact proud of his vehicle making it from Brisbane on his grand tour to Jimmy Watson's for a Saturday morning gathering of owners with grand touring vehicles, and he much looked forward to seeing 1929 Bentley 6s with blowers, Lagonda saloons, Alvis's, and other senior exotics. Big Daddy walked through the lavender garden into the Magnolia Court Boutique Hotel and asked if there would be a room available, and a few moments later was pleased both with his room featuring a marble fireplace, and the very, very, reasonable price for that room. After a good soaking and a 15 minute power nap, he rang through to Jimmy Watson's and asked if Tennessee had arrived; a few moments passed, then someone with a southern accent spoke: "Big Daddy, this is Gore, where are you?" "Good to hear you, Gore, I'm in East Melbourne." "That was quick, Tennessee said you'd be hours yet; we're just having a delightful Jimmy Watson's sparkling with Sigmund from Eltham, and I do say the Watson clan running this fine establishment have been marvellous." "I'll be there in five to ten, Gore; order me a duck and pork terrine and a bottle of Cannibal Creek red, will you?" Big Daddy rang off and thought as he dressed: "Won't be a problem getting a street park in Melbourne; none of that 'don't park' yellow line madness they have in Brisbane! And they call Victoria the Nanny State!...I hope Gore remembers to order that bottle of red to let it air...I'll follow the terrine with some steamed mussels in fish broth; heaven...I hope they've got a table in that nice cool courtyard with the greenery...I'll have to get someone to drive me back here later in the Stutz...Everyone wants to drive a Stutz!" Big Daddy viewed himself in the mirror: in a fresh linen suit, Colonel Sanders tie and trimmed goatee, and thought with a smile: "Duck and pork terrine." To many,
Jimmy Watson's means Melbourne.

An icon of local history with levels of service that rarely exist today.

Amazing food that is not too fancy or complex and one of the most interesting wine lists in Melbourne.

Good service and ambience. Food slightly below average; expected better for the price. 6 oysters were nice and fresh, definitely the best part. Fisherman's basket and roast beef had preparation and presentation of your average highway diner.