Review Courthouse Hotel - Melbourne

An old style pub in North Melbourne with a strange dining area for food. The food is typical pub style, large and heavy. My vegetarian burrito was very flavoursome and tasty. We also attended the function room upstairs for a play, the space was cosy and well-air-conditioned on a very hot summer day!

Supremely friendly and helpful staff. It's worth booking the upstairs room for a function and coming early for dinner. Meals are competitively priced and they cater well for dietary requirements (there is even a gluten free beer on tap). It's generally pretty easy to get a park nearby on weekends.

The dining room of the Courthouse hotel used to be in a beautiful wood-panelled room with white table cloths. It is now in a tacky, awfully decorated space, with plastic chillis and carpet art. Service was friendly but the food was ordinary. Watch for hidden extras such as $3 extra for mustard!

Fine. Okish food. Nothing crazy awesome. Great beer. Good specials.

Great vibe, friendly staff and the food was great. It's very cozy on a winter's night.

Can't fault the food. It was tasty and exactly what the menu said it would be. That said, the menu was rather boring and not much jumped out as "Gee I'd love to have that". The waitress also told us that quite a few menu items were available that night which was surprising considering that it was 6pm on a Saturday night. We live in regional Victoria and have more interesting dishes in our home town. You would expect that a city pub would be better.

very good menu with lots of interesting choices There are two eating areas, the front bar and the restaurant. The bar has bar stools and benches whereas the restaurant is proper tables and chairs. Service is very polite and the wine list quite extensive. Prices are moderate for this area of North Melbourne. My only slight grumble (and this might just be me) is that on weeknights the restaurant can be very quiet (as opposed to weekends) which make sthe dining experience a little "lonely"

Bar: Friendly service at the bar. Plenty of choices. Prices are average for the area. Was pretty quiet by about 9pm. Restaurant area: food is okay. I was a bit disappointed with my steak. The chicken Parma my friend bought was much better. Verdict: Okay but wouldn't return.

The food was fine and the service above average. But the place was almost empty at lunchtime on Thursday. How can this be? It made the experience a little sad.

Had an extremely disappointing experience here.<br/><br/>Came to see a 730 show on a Wednesday night (the show was actually very good) so arrived about 630 for a drink and food beforehand. My friend arrived about five minutes after me and after a quick look at the menu I ordered a Parma and she the fish special- ordered around 640 to 645.<br/><br/>After waiting half an hour we were getting a bit concerned that the food had not arrived. I asked the bar staff and explained we had tickets to the 730 show. They said there had been a rush of orders prior to ours and assured me our meal would be next out. Perfect. <br/><br/>Fifteen minutes later (and after I saw several other people get their food) still no food. I returned to the bar to see what was going on as we now needed to go take our seats for the show. Two staff said they would check on things and disappeared. While I was waiting for them to come back, the fish came out. <br/><br/>A different staff member, who I assume was the manager, informed me the Parma was coming. I asked whether we could take the food with us into the show- no we couldn't. Asked if he knew whether the show would start immediately or if there would be 10 minutes or so before the start so we could eat and he said he couldn't confirm. I then said in that case we didn't need the food (mind you the Parma had not come out at this point).<br/><br/>At that point this person became quite aggressive and made comments such as 'well you shouldn't have ordered 15 minutes before the show' (I mean it was 45 but who's counting) 'I'm offering you a partial discount so I don't know what you want' (common courtesy perhaps?) 'I don't know why you are wasting your time talking to me when you could be eating your food and then go to the show' (you literally just told me you weren't sure if the show was immediately starting - as it turned out the show did start straight away) and 'so what we should just leave the food on the table?'<br/><br/>It was honestly quite baffling how rude this person was over what was probably a simple kitchen mix up or perhaps they were just slammed at the time- when I checked on the meal 15 minutes earlier they could've just told me the meal would not be ready in time and we could have eaten after the show with another drink. Not ideal but not a big deal either. These things happen.<br/><br/>I was (grudgingly) given a refund for the two uneaten meals but was honestly left with such a bad taste in my mouth. I never leave poor reviews but this was an awful experience. It's a pity, because the food looked good and there was a decent drink selection. Also a convenient location right near the tram stop.

I had a pre dinner drink here and the pub was really busy. It’s fringe festival time.<br/><br/>This is a nice pub on Errol Street, the range of beers was good.<br/><br/>The service was really friendly and polite and I ordered an O’Briens Brown Ale. This is a gluten free beer and for $10 a pint it was really good value. And it was popular too.<br/><br/>I didn’t realise that it was in special until I sat down because I always try to buy an independent beer/brewer wherever possible. <br/><br/>And they sell my favourite cider, Coldstream which is great.<br/><br/>I was going out for dinner which was a pity as someone is about to tuck into a parma and it looks delicious. Mmnn hahaha <br/><br/>I’ll be back!

Came here for dinner on a Saturday night after walking past & deciding to give the place a go. The decor isn’t as ‘pretty’ as the pictures show on here, but nevertheless felt like like a typical pig. The waiter that served us was friendly and funny & very prompt, took all our orders & drinks were bought out to us quickly. We all opted for different meals & were all pleasantly surprised at how tasty they were, all finished, few more drinks and were on our way. It was surprisingly quiet for dinner though. Only us & three other people.

Tradition pub vibe with modern but relaxing rest twist. Understated from outside but inside the bar and lounge area are rather charming. Greeted and served by two very friendly staff.<br/><br/>The restaurant area was quiet but very clean and inviting. We ordered chicken parma's and a steak. Everything was served rather quickly and was very tasty.<br/><br/>Only criticism is that the salad had too much dressing which made it somewhat soggy. Great value for money and The Courthouse Hotel is in the Entertainment Book so we enjoyed a 25% discount.

If you just sit at the bar it is a good experience. The food is what let's it down in the restaurant. It would be better for them to serve a more traditional pub grub menu rather than trying to do something more refined and failing.

Not a lot of atmosphere. But meals very disappointing and over priced for a pub. No presentation on the food. There are definitely much better places around North Melbourne to patronise.

The stupidest thing you can do when you take over a good pub is immediately change everything. These guys took over and ripped all heart and atmosphere out of the place, and got rid of the hand pumps. That was an awesome and unique thing that the Courthouse had going for it. My English husband and I used to love going for pint of real English ale. Now they serve just the standard uninspired range of beers. No thanks. We've not been back. Such a shame, a lovely little unique pub it once was. Ruined

I've wanted to go to the Courthouse Hotel for years, well I think I left my run too late as the glory days are definitely in the past. It was fine, but was severely lacking in atmosphere so I doubt a return visit is in store. The dining room was empty on a Thursday night, we sat in the bar area along with a handful of other diners. Carlton Draught was fresh from the tap. We ordered fried calamari to start which was really quite good. Then we ordered a steak and the BBQ pork ribs. The steak had a wonderful charred flavour and the chips were cooked well. The accompanying salad was straightforward. The ribs was really one big rib (I was expecting a rack of ribs) and the meat was tender, but a bit dry with little seasoning. The sauce was served separately, maybe 1/4 cup in volume. Again I was expecting ribs covered in sauce. The potato skins were delicious and crispy. The bar staff were bored as there was no one to serve and it's an uncomfortable feeling being stared at while you are eating. Entertainment Book offers 25% off. I feel sad for this pub.

Food tasted like it was made by someone who has given up on life...and a ripoff pricewise. I ate 3 hours ago and still feel queasy, feeling totally stooged.<br/>AVOID

Overpriced and your average pub does better food, my housemates and I won't be going back. There are a lot better options in North Melbourne 👎

Went here years ago and remember having had a nice interesting meal - it has since changed hands and I think the menu is a bit hit and miss - my friends rated the burger and pulled pork highly but everything was a bit deep fried for my taste

So disappointing to see this once great pub turn into a sub-par boozer. Gone are all the great craft beers on tap, replaced with a contract with Fosters Brewing to only stock bland Matilda Bay stuff. Bottled beer is better, but at $9 and up, it doesn't exactly encourage you to sit in for the afternoon. <br/><br/>Tried two bar snacks at $12 each. Bread was clearly out of the freezer (and didn't look that good to begin with), Chorizo was soft and mushy. Feta was clearly straight from the deli isle at the Foodworks. This place used to have a 'hat' in the Good Food Guide.<br/><br/>The service at least was friendly. Other than that, I hope that the current owners sell-up to someone who will take care of the place before it becomes an apartment block.

Tonight's service was an absolute disgrace. <br/>I will never come here again. Do not waste your time or money. To add to the terrible customer service, our orders were wrong and then we got cheek at the registers for not wanting to pay for the food that we didn't order or eat! <br/><br/>It could not have been worse, My friends and I left hungry and offended. <br/>Very very unhappy!

Absolute disgrace on such a special day - Mothers Day. Do not waste your time and money on this place. I live in the next suburb and have been dying to go here.<br/>So we booked a table for lunch on Mother's Day.<br/>I actually don't know where to begin.<br/>We were seated in a Lounge Room area with no other Guests and none of the tables were set when we got there.<br/>The Parma, snitzel, pie of the day and pork dish for entree for all sold out by 1pm.<br/>Very unprofessional staff. Looks like a family business with no hospitality experience.<br/>Waited over an hour for our meals with no apology and nothing even offered for the 2 year child we had with us.<br/>Huge disappointment. Will never go back or recommend. This place had a good reputation but i'm thinking there must be new onwers

-good take on pub classics .... Cathy and I like this joint as it has good takes on pub classics. It has a relaxed atmosphere that reminds us our favourite pub back in Adelaide.

Not worth visiting. Went there for a drink with some friends and decided to stay for dinner. We had ordered eggplant chips for a snack. This miserable basket of "chips" arrived that were barely crumbed and were undercooked. Things did not improve with the main courses. One of us had the lamb rump which comprised three small pieces of meat with some peas and a swipe of pea puree (no other vegetables). The "carrot gnocchi" was pieces of gnocchi with some carrot grated over them. The steak was fairly ordinary with chips and salad.<br/><br/>As a local I would like to recommend this place. However, there were only about 4 other people in the diningroom for a Friday night which is not a good sign. All I can say is that the meals were mean, dull and uninspiring.

A pioneer of the gastropub phenomenon, the Courthouse has been serving fine food in an old-school brown brick pub setting since way back in 2002. The front bar matches the pub’s exterior – simple, utilitarian, the kind of place where blokes in Hard Yakka gear and steel-cap boots wouldn’t look out of place. But the restaurant is a completely different story. The look here is art deco classique – wood panelling, ceiling roses and angels clutching the lampshades. The food is classic to match. Simple European (mostly French) fare that makes the most of local and in-season ingredients, with just enough fuss and bother to make it pretty special.<br/>

Needless to say, I have returned quite regularly, sometimes sitting in the bar and sometimes in the adjacent room, which is less atmospheric but more roomy.

A past favourite of mine, I really wish I had better comments from my recent lunch at the Courthouse. The Courthouse is still the best restaurant in North Melbourne food quality-wise. Its price point is well beyond the typical North Melbourne fare, and this removes a substantial proportion of patronage since cheaper food is across the street. I’m not sure how it will cope if its customer base has shrunk, and it would be a great shame if cost cutting should be invoked to balance the books. Food presentation and quality is undoubtedly there, albeit the small inconsistencies.

Next was the Hargreaves Hill Brewery Admiral Nelson IPA teamed with Terrine of Pheasant, Cumquat, Port, and Smoked Game Chips by The Courthouse in North Melbourne.

The chips were fantastic. When I think of great beer battered chips these are what I picture. Perfectly crunchy on the outside giving way to velvety soft pillows of potato inside. Well seasoned, Heaps of them, served beside the parma – A tick in almost every box, any sort of dipping sauce would have made these a 10/10.

The Courthouse Hotel has been great to enjoy that quiet boutique beer and have a chat with your friends.

the classical panna cotta.

The fish was cooked to perfection. Crispy skin, beautifully tender inside. I've had bad experiences with Salmon where chefs have overcooked it but this was perfect. The roasted Tuscan red onion, watercress, olive and caper salad accompanied this dish harmoniously. Very pleasant.

My friend had the quail , which I note, did look delicious.

The Court House is one of the best known gastropubs in Melbourne. With an Age Good Food Guide rated restaurant and counter type meals at the front bar, it now also does an English style Sunday roast lunch. Our lunch was served in a small upstairs room, well lit with natural light, white painted walls and bare wooden floorboards. Other than the moderately weird view through some partially open curtains into an old bathroom, first impressions were good. Nice space, sparsely decorated with tasteful decor, professional staff who seemed keen to be of assistance, tables not too close together. The roasts are effectively typical home style roasts but prepared to restaurant standards. My roast pork came with roasted potatoes and fennel, and a ring of char grilled apple. The pork was moist and slightly salty tasting, the crackling firm but not hard. What I enjoyed most though was the roast fennel, not a vegetable you see all that often but slightly sweet and with a strong but delicate flavour.

Running in its present form since about 2002, the Courthouse is a great multitasker, marrying a classy Euro-feel bistro with a front bar that takes craft beer seriously. I love the intimate dining room with its Art Deco (I think?) light fittings, fireplace and dark wood panelling that feels straight out of Paris...

The duck and chorizo croquets were great, crunchy, light and delicately flavoured.

It's pretty much a match made in heaven: I know that when I've had a bit too much beer to drink, I start to crave cheese pretty badly. So when I read about North Melbourne's Court House Hotel having some sort of beer and cheese matching...

What happened??. I went to this pub before and after it changed hands. It used to be a lovely local with great food. Now, the food is so basic but overpriced that you are far better going to one of the local TAB pubs like the Limerick for basic pub grub. I had the salmon which was undecooked, and a customer on the table next to me was also sending his back for the same reason.<br/><br/>Aside from the poor food, I also had a horrendous experience using my groupon..both my mother and I bought them and both of us had difficulty booking 3 weeks out from expiry. In the end they could only accomodate for 1 grouping. We were told on the phone that they had been having to "turn away full paying corporate bookings" to accomodate all their sold groupon s and groupon had told them they "had done everything that was required of them". On the night (the second last night of the groupon expiring), at least a third of the tables weren't filled - obviously being kept for 'full paying customers'. <br/><br/>The table service itself was very good, the young lady was professional and attentive. My thanks to her for making a bad experience slightly better.<br/><br/>Won't be going back. I'm so sad this beautiful old local has been so badly mismanaged.

Used to be good. not so much anymore.. I've been eating here for years. Unfortunately I won't be anymore. The standard have slipped substantially. What used to be very good service is now average at best, friendly and helpful but average. Food is ok, but terrible for the price.

More like a storage room that a bar. Used to love the Court House and the exceptional food in the dining room. Now it has significantly changed with the new owners. The staff were courteous and the food average but why leave the stands for the outside table sitting in the main bar on a tarp. Understand that they did not want to put them outside but move them into another part of the pub that is not being used. The patrons today were few and far between as other Errol Street establishments were packed. I am sorry to say that unless they have a rethink the business will be broke by Xmas.

Terrible experience. Just like the previous review I attempted to make a booking today . The woman who answered the phone and identified herself as the owner refused to take our booking ( it was with a groupon voucher and I have also contacted Groupon) Our son has been in treatment for cancer for several months and about to undergo another major surgery. I planned for us to go as a family before he returns to hospital. The woman on the phone if she was the owner should be ashamed of herself. She was rude and aggressive. I work in the local area and i will never ever go there again.

ABSOLUTELY RUDE & NON-ACCOMODATING !!!!. We contacted The Courthouse Hotel to make a booking. Initially they accepted our booking but when we told them we had a groupon voucher, they immediately refused our booking stating we had 6 months to use it. We have been trying to get a booking now for several weeks and was told every time that they are fully booked. We could not use the voucher earlier on because I was going through a medical procedure and that prevented us from going out. We explained this to the lady over the phone, even then she was so rude and refused to take our booking. We will never visit this place - EVER!!!! Such rude reception.

Horrible service. Just got off the phone trying to get a booking for a voucher that is about to expire and had to deal with the worst person ever! Fair enough I had 6 months to use the voucher but you don't have to be a schmuck about my having to forfeit my voucher! After all you have just earnt my money without having to do anything! <br/><br/>Always wanted to try this restaurant but with this kind of service I don't even have to try your restaurant to swear off it!

Growing in Stature. A North Melbourne local that I have seen revitalised by the new owners. So, I held my 50th Birthday last night. We booked The Lounge and had a fantastic night and were well looked after by management. The food as always was good. We ordered the bars meals which you can't go wrong with. An awesome night was had by all. Good food and good drink. A place that is becoming a vibrant hub of Nth Melbourne.

The BEST Chef in North Melbourne. This pub has transformed a typical pub meal into food that you would expect to see in a high end expensive restaurant.....but the prices are more than reasonable...that combined with a great wine list and super service this is A MUST TRY..

I could not believe it!. This place used to be a truly special space with delish bar food, top notch gastro pub style meals, always intriguing wines by the glass from around the globe and of course beautiful beers on tap.<br/><br/>Well sadly im here to report its all gone! My wife and I were totally shocked by the service and food we received last Friday night was beyond comprehension. Terrible entrees, main was super avegare for $35 steak and the dishes made me think of the food at roadhouses! <br/><br/>The most upsetting thing for me was the disrepect these people are showing to this grand old pub and its beautiful history.<br/><br/>This is your warning, dont go there!

Would not recommend. Ambience was good, wine list good (on the pricey side) food was extremely ordinary. The<br/>four of us ordered the Fish and Chips and all were disappointed. The fish had definitely been<br/>frozen (not acceptable at $25) and on top of this asked to leave as they were closing at 10.30<br/>on a Saturday Night!!! So much for trendy North Melbourne, will not recommend or return.<br/><br/>Carolyn/Essendon

Don't bother going! I loved the old court house and was excited about going tonight only to be completely disappointed. The lovely old dining room is gone, replaced with tacky decor in a new room. Its like a really bad cafe from the 90s. Food was avaerage for the price. Beer list caput, nothing exciting to report. I'm glad it was only two of us. I would have been embarrassed to have taken friends or family considering I would have talked it up based on my previous experience. If you want a lesson on how to ruin a fantastic pub / resturant. Check it out.

Friendly service, great food and wine list.

New owners. Terrible. The old Courthouse was fantastic. Quality food, great wine list, fantastic choice of beer. Tonight, first time back. New owners. Lights too bright. Beer list terrible, red wines - about 6 to choose from. Food terrible. Absolutely horrific. Never going back. What an absolute shame. I had to go and re order dinner from urban burger across the road. Never never never again.

Love it ! Favourite place to go for drinks. Have eaten here many times and food is wonderful. Highly recommend!

Fantastic Service. A friend and I decided to to try out the Courthouse Hotel on Errol street in North Melbourne for dinner on a Tuesday night. <br/>We were blown away by the fantastic service & delicious food. The owners were chatty & friendly as was the server we had - very attentive & nice service without bing overbearing. <br/>They were happy for us to just have soft drink & water with our meal, we weren't made to feel bad about not ordering wine (prices were about normal for wine in a restaurant, we just weren't drinking at the time).<br/>I'll definitely be back, thanks!

Needed lesson in hospitality.... This morning decided to have breakfast at this rather plain establishment, greeted and seated , order for beverages taken OK, however downhill from there on, orders for breakfast taken , served quite quickly ( we were 4 of 6 patrons ) the meals were not a patch on that which is available in the Errol St local area , grossly over priced for that which was presented , two poached eggs on sourdough ? Which was supposed to be toasted, merely heated, the noise from the kitchen was similar to that which you would experience in a child's play ground. I was asked if the meal was OK , I suggested the bread was not toasted , this was relayed to the kitchen, from which I heard the comment it was toasted, I cracked it and took the evidence into the kitchen. I got an apology, to late the chef had already upset me, a retired chef & teacher of 43yrs in the hospitality industry. I will go back to experienc the much advertised ,Sunday Roast, let's hope it's OK...

Felt very welcomed. My husband and I went there on a groupon deal. Service was fantastic, and our host Nile was very attentive. Food was great too. We are coming back

Oh No!. As locals who frequent the Court House, our drop in to check things out since the new owners took over was disappointing to say the least. I'm sad to say that this pub now best resembles a below average, suburban cafe. Unfortunately, we decided not stay long enough to sample the food, but hopefully it is better than the pub feels. The ambience is none - TTFM was playing on the radio, there were Facebook and Twitter signs on the tables and bar man had no clue about customer service. All we wanted was good food and wine .... and unfortunately felt this pub was not going to deliver! The heart has been ripped out of the Court House and as locals we are devastated!

So so. Food was ok but new owners have no clue about hospitality

Great food and location.Family friendly ,good prices and great host.

Great ambiance. Classy, lovely pub. The restaurant food was divine. A bit pricey. But worth it.

What has happened here. The Courthouse was once a great gastropub. The new owners need to do a great deal to bring it up to an acceptable level. I do not recommend.

What a shame! This used to be our favourite pub. Was a great place to spend a Friday night. Great food (premium price but quality), excellent wine and far too many awesome beers. As a beer snob it was paradise, especially given the cosy front bar and great service.<br/><br/>We've been back once since the change in ownership. Suffice to say its all changed and not for the better. It's a real shame. We won't be back.

After a couple of terrible experiences in 2012, the new management have really revitalised what had become an overpriced horror show. <br/><br/>Finally Errol St has a good pub with great healthy menu and good beer. Not sure about what the other reviewers are on about - the last owners almost destroyed this grand old institution.<br/><br/>Protip: order the tapas menu, a couple of pints and your Friday night is set.

What the.... What's happened to this place???? Not good.... new owners do something before its too late!!!

We've been here for lunch and dinner now, and there's a great choice of drinks to match the high-quality food and service. <br/><br/>With some nice improvements, this pub feels much more welcoming than in the past, and sitting in the sun outside makes a great start to a lazy Sunday. <br/><br/>I'll definitely be going back.

Bad verdict for new owners of The Courthouse. This used to be one of the best gastro pubs in Melbourne, but no more. <br/><br/>The new owners have destroyed everything that was great about this place.<br/><br/>The imaginative food, the amazing service and the excellent beer matching has all gone. <br/><br/>The food this time was fine - but nothing special - and it's now overpriced. <br/><br/>I won't be coming back in a hurry.

What have they done!!!!! Ne.... What have they done!!!!!<br/>New owners, terrible atmosphere, boring beer and canteen food. <br/>I used to love this place, but they have turned it into something worse than ordinary. <br/>Avoid at all costs until there are some ever newer owners.

What a shame. Was such a great little pub, now it's just a pub. No imagination in drinks list or menu. Just another pub

The change in ownership has led to lackluster food and a loss of charm. The quality of the food has dropped, but the prices have not. The atmosphere that was so great about The Courthouse is gone and so are all the great beers. It is now just your average pub.

As others have said, terribly overpriced for what is served. When I pay $36 for 2 tiny lamb fillets & some beans, it better be bloody amazing! Unfortunately it wasn't. The lamb was tough, the beans were quite raw, it was a case of chasing them around your quite empty plate & trying to get them in your mouth before they rolled off your fork! There was nothing to tie the meal together, very bland. The pea agar sheet showed some technique, well bravo for the chef! However when a small sheet can obscure most of your meal, you're in trouble. Our waitress was lovely, but I wouldn't go back in a fit.

Great meal. Had a great beef pie in the front bar. I like this pub as a good local.

Good quality. The service is good, as is the food, but a little pricey for the portion sizes. Not a lot on offer for vegetarians though. The pub itself is comfortable, and quiet enough to enjoy quiet conversation.

Drank and ate here for 3 years. It's. a ok Pub, but every Drink is $3 more than the metropolitan pub 5 mins walk away. It's a ok pub but the attitude and higher prices really suck. Do yourself a favourite, walk 5 mins to the metro - the staff there treat you like friends, give you a taste of any beer before you choose and all pints are less than $10 for well conditioned great beers. Go to the courthouse for over priced but ok drinks and food - the only think I can't stand is the attitude and poor service. The exception is one waitress that is world class and should move on before being jaded and negative like the other people working there. Ok place but bad attitude and boring + expensive. Much better places near by - shame as the place could be great if it lost the attitude.

Whilst the food was very tasty & well presented it was totally overpriced in relation to the quantities given. One if the main courses for $38 provided two very small cutlets, a small stuffed artichoke heart and very small piece if root vegetables. Chips and other vegetables had to be ordered separately and these also were small portions. The hotel is presenting itself as providing a fine dining experience and whilst the surrounds are very pleasant someone needs to suggest that customers don't mind paying for an expensive meal that is of fine quality but they do mind going home hungry!! The portion sizes need to be reviewed by the chefs!

Not a common place. Me and my girlfriend were a bit turned off at the entry, confused about the pub s looking, BUT, the actual restaurant was in another section and there the atmosphere was really romantic.<br/>The food was delicious, although the serve was not that filling, infact we ended up ordering 4 desserts.<br/>A bit overpriced, but at the end we both liked it.

Resting on laurels. Finally, after years of promising we'd try The Courthouse, we went for lunch. Surprisingly quiet, but promising atmosphere. Drinks service was fast and good, food service was a tad lackadaisical. We were disappointed in our meals ... not for the styling or the meals themselves: both were fine. But, for the price, surely entree prawns and entree scallops should contain more than two prawns and two scallops. Even three and I would not have complained. I fear they're banking on their reputation to get them through.

Worth revisiting. I was initially put off by a somewhat shabby exterior and stiff interior, however, the food was amazing! The menu was surprisingly modern and innovative, given the decor. <br/>We had a dozen oysters to share, then I had a haloumi watermelon salad with olives. Oysters were fresh, served with a refreshing salsa, haloumi salad was soo good! Definitely worth a visit and a revisit!

Verdict : Guilty of being good. Always have such a blast here. Great boutique beers on tap. Friendly staff. Small but good bar menu.

Ravioli - fail.

Never disappoints. The Courthouse is a favourite of ours; we've been regulars since living around the corner. The wine list is well selected and dishes executed with flair. Service is very professional, attentive and discreet. Always a good night. The only challenge is not over indulging....Love your work guys. Linda & Dave.

Went for lunch with a group of 8. Because we didn't order entrees we were told there would be a bit of a wait!!! have never had that happen before. <br/>Food was underwhelming and half the hot food ordered was cold. Not going there again.

What a shocker !!! Os the chef a twelve year old that has never cooked a thing before ? That's what it felt like at the courthouse !!! What am almighty joke

We went tonight for a friends birthday... Having heard great reviews I was expecting greatness! We arrived at 8pm and did not eat until 10pm! The service was sooooo slow and diabolical that I became irritated and then realised that the waiter was pouring wine only to the 4 men on our table and completely ignoring the women!! I had to ask twice for a refill of wine and for the menu to choose another glass! When Stacey (the birthday girl) asked for the desert menu, the waiter said ill clear the plates first and then left our plates until last...another waitress helped out and served us well, obviously our initial waiter was struggling. Overall fantastic food and wine but terrible service. 5/10

Disappointing. Clearly the Chef here has issues with people asking for minor changes to a dish.<br/>A friend ordered fish of the day, crumbed flathead, she asked for the coleslaw to not be included as she has an intolerance. The waiter promptly told her she could not have vegies or salad instead. <br/>The chef does not allow substitutions! Her plate arrived with crumbed fish and 5 hand cut chips and half a lemon wrapped in gauze/muslin. No tartare sauce or aioli or any other condiments. What a plain dish.<br/>My other friend asked about the veal special, and was given a detailed description by the waiter who then had a brain snap and said it was no longer available!<br/>She then asked for steak and wanted it cooked medium to well done, which I know chefs do not like! She was then told by the waiter he would see if the chef would cook it the way she desired. Tense moments passed, it was affirmative! Bless him.<br/>My dish of green coloured ricotta gnocchi came out and was ok but slightly bizarre looking on the presentation side.<br/>To top this off, you cannot order a skinny latte post meal, only regular or soy milk! <br/>So 4 of the 5 of us did not order coffee.<br/>We will not be returning.

Overpriced, bland food. Steak was akin to a piece of meat you would find in a steak sandwich. Won't be back.

Dog food?. In response to Tom Carr's recent post and in defence of The Courthouse, as a regular punter I'd like to counter that The Courthouse often has more than 8 boutique beers on tap from all over the country; that the fish of day (which I often enjoy) has never cost me more than $28; and that the staff are only ever friendly and informative. I like it!

Pretentious atmosphere accompanied with dogfood. Few beers, tiny servings of food, fish of the day : $40. much better food in this area,

Food fantastic. Great food, wine and service. Highly underrated as a restaurant while the little bar in the corner is somewhere I could spend a lot of time.

Classy pub food - nice beers. Had lunch here during the week and the food was absolutely lovely! It's a bit pricier than average pub food perhaps but it's good value once you've tasted it! Portions are not too big so we managed to squeeze a dessert in - although they were not as good as the entree/main/side had been. Lovely interior and barman was friendly. And they have a few craft beer on tap instead of the standard CUB ones - nice!

Maybe we were lucky, but unlike a lot of reviewers here we had a beautiful dinner. It would be one of the best in a long time with very informative and friendly staff. Not really busy when we went, which was surprising as apparently they were booked out, but maybe it was booked to be busy later (we had to leave early). Had the crumbed feta for entree which was nice, then the vegetarian mushroom gnocchi which was the best gnocchi I've ever had. So tender and delicate, it puts other gnocchis I've had to shame. Also not drenched in a creamy sauce which most restaurants seem to do to hide the blandness of the gnocchi. A beetroot, almond, goats cheese and orange salad was delicious and looked so pretty on a plate. My porterhouse steak was perfectly cooked and not grissly at all. It also came with a 'jenga' cube of delicious crispy, then light and fluffy chips. Lovely wine, not cheap but probably on par with other places. The whole meal was surprisingly not really expensive. I don't live locally, but I will make the effort to return for more of the delicious good. Hopefully it lives up to my now very high standards!

Rude - don't bother. A most puzzling experience had Sat night. Wandered into the Courthouse and asked a rather grumpy frazzled bearded staffer if it was O.K to sit near the bar and order a meal. He disdainfully pointed us to a table as though we had asked a major favour. Then wandered up to the bar to order and were met by the most bewildering stupid barman I have ever encountered. He would not contemplate letting us pay for our meals up front separately and insisted I leave a credit card behind the bar and run a tab for our group of 4. Worse still we all struggled to understand him plus had no clue as to the range of craft beers they had on tap which looked great. Food was good but not great and we could not help but notice how stressed and uptight most of the staff were. All in all, not a relaxing experience and not a venue I or my friends will frequent again.

Never Again. Over priced food and terrible, pretentious service with small serves that do not live up to the price. There were five of us dining, two meals came out 40 minutes before the other three meals. Yes it's a pub, but with a menu that expensive you at least expect meals to arrive together. You can do much better for the price, I'll never be back.

Don't bother. I dinned there for lunch last week and perhaps we were there on the wrong day but I’m not going to go back to give the Court House another chance. We were a table of two and sat down at the same time as a table of 8, the waiter looked stressed and run off his feet though at the time it was just our two tables in the restaurant. He got our first drink order quickly though it took forever to arrive, by the time they did we were ready to order our meals but we didn’t get the chance, our waiter dumped the drinks and left. We shared a duck liver parfe and some oysters to start, they both tasted like they had been there since the weekend, by how quiet the place was I wouldn’t be surprised. Mains were tasty but nothing worth mentioning and sat on our table long after we were finished. We would have ordered dessert and a coffee each but we were ignored and didn’t get the chance. After failing to flag the waiter for the bill I stood up to pay at the counter, a rude gustier on my behalf but I had ran out of patience, that took a long time too. – Go somewhere else

Brilliant dinner and excellent service. Contrary to the other recent reviews, we had a great experience at the Courthouse and will be back. We had the entree special of oysters with champagne jelly (picture attached) and the star of the night was the chateaubriand (also pictured). Cooked to perfection and lovely accompanying potato mash and salad. Plenty of food all round. The waiters were attentive a happy. Overall a great night!

Disgusted diner. Last Saturday night (2 June) we had the unfortunate experience of dining at this hotel.<br/>As we had not booked, and the dining room was booked out, we were ushered into a very, very dark and dingy corner of the saloon bar. <br/>After going into the main bar to see the menu and its exhorbent prices I decided on the Steak with hand cut chips @ $27 (plus $9 if you wanted side dish with it) while my wife had the "fish of the day" (plus $9 if you wanted side dish with it) which conveniently had no price beside it. When Our meal arrived at the table I looked at my partners fish of the day and all i could see was a little green patch of some sort of salad, I asked the waiter where the fish was and he said under the greens. After moving the greens we found 3 tiny fish fillets! I have never seen fillets so small! surely the fish had been filleted by a surgeon! on estimation I would say each fillet measured approx 10cm x 4cm and wafer thin. <br/>I complained to the head waiter and was told it was "John Dory" and that it was an expensive fish, yet when we paid on ordering I found the price to be a staggering $38, surely enough to get some resemblance of a fair meal served up!<br/>I felt total embarrassment for my wife, and I felt insulted to have been subjected to such a miserable meal.<br/>I have never complained about meaI sizes ever before in my many years of dining out.<br/>Maybe the proprietors should remember that the establishment is only a pub in North Melbourne, not a restaurant in Toorak!<br/> I will never ever go back near the hotel and advise others to consider their options also.

Worst pub meal!. Dinner for our group of 6 (birthday celebration) disappointed. Main complaint was the main of porterhouse steak - 3 of us couldn't finish it: tough, stringy, gristly and tasteless, inferior quality meat. Beef was cooked rare despite all requests to waiter for medium to well-done steak. This basic dish surely doesn't require the expertise of a superior chef, only that high quality meat be served as requested! <br/>At the price paid in an award winning, so called gastro pub, surely this is to be expected. A duck dish (although of meagre serving) and the curry pie were of reasonable standard, except for the pie lacking any noticeable curry flavour!<br/><br/>To their credit, staff realising our disillusionment offered the three (still hungry!) diners a dessert on the house. Ironically those who ordered the Quince Pie didn't appreciate its rock-hard pastry with tiny serving of over-sweetened quince. <br/><br/>Atmospheric downstairs area by cosy fire is attractive, but we were unceremoniously led to the basic upstairs area, despite an early booking for six. Notice to management: an urgent review of your staffing and meat quality is required . The professionalism of a female waiter was an exception to the night's failure to please.<br/>Presently this pub is not a suitable venue for a special Saturday night dinner. We will not return!

Pretentious menu, tiny servings. Great if you are on a diet with a big wallet. NIce decor and choice of beers but for value food nearby, go to the Town Hall Hotel or the Limerick Castle.

Impressed. LovedThe Courthouse. Went Friday night for dinner with three friends. The food was great. The Wagu was cooked to perfection and all meals were all the perect serving size. The desserts were amazing,

Disappointing. Dinner at the Courthouse last night was really disappointing - tried the bar meal before and enjoyed it but wouldn't recommend the restaurant. First the service was woeful, we had to ask for the wine list, menus took ages to arrive as did service through out and very pricey for mediocre food. The zucchini fritters were burnt and the sea bream - more a bistro dish.

Great beer, disappointing food. Having eaten at the Courthouse Hotel a few times, but in the last couple of years, we were very disappointed with our meal this evening there. <br/><br/>Firstly we found the menu a little misbalanced, certainly in the mains. 3 fish mains, 2 steaks, 1 duck and a couple of veggies. I'm not expecting any pub classics on the menu, but surprised no chicken or their old wonderful liver. <br/><br/>We ordered the eggplant moussaka and the porterhouse with horseradish butter and hand cut chips with a side of brussel sprouts with bacon.<br/><br/>Whilst I'm a lover of salt, I never season when I eat out, normally finding a dish properly seasoned by a chef. however I was very surprised to find my chips and in particular my steak unseasoned. The hand cut chips (8 of them) were nice, however I thought they could have been crisped up a bit more, I've had better elsewhere. The steak was very well cooked (rare) but the horseradish butter could have a had a bit more oomph. Small things but at $26 it should be better.<br/><br/>Howver biggest disappointment was the $22 eggplant moussaka.It came out looking quite inviting but was quite poor. There was only a small layer of eggplant, with lots and lots of sauce and caramalised onion and quite a large dusting of dukkah. The dukkah was clearly there to add flavour, because there really wasn't much flavour elsewhere in the dish.<br/><br/>The beer however was excellant. 3 ravens stout on a handpump and a very rare mountain goat gilbert. <br/><br/>Still a pub with a nice atmosphere. Drinks have always been good here, but the food needs to raise its game again.

I came here a few years ago and the food was nothing to write home about. Today though, for lunch, we had some of the best food we've had out in a long time. We shared entrees of falafel, chicken 'fingers', labne and pickles and a charcuterie plate. They were all excellent, although if you're hungry I would recommend the falafel as the most generously sized. We ordered some sides with the mains because we thought they might be too small - we shouldn't have worried because they were quite large, I had the kaitifi prawns, four large king prawns on a beautiful lentil salad with a zingy Harissa mayonnaise. All of the other mains were equally as impressive, and the service attentive despite the dining room getting very busy at about 2pm. I would definitely recommend this restaurant - it is a bit pricey, but well worth it.

Front Bar humming... Tonight the front bar and the side room were absolutely full to capacity. Food was still awesome and, despite the full house - the staff were still attentive to the children's drink orders.. Once again a great experience..

Best on the street. Quality Food in a Quality establishment, you`ll pay top dollar but its nearly worth it<br/>Would recommend it

Never disappoints. The Courthouse never disappoints. The front bar is fabulous, great to catch up and enjoy a beer or wine. The menu selection is amazing and the choice really does match the wonders that is offered I. The main dining room. Sometimes the front bar is a poor sibling of the main eating focus, not here. Delicious! One of my favorites - spectacular service, delicious food, and ever an changing bar on offer.

I was 50/50 on The Courthouse, I loved the wine list, detested my entree do not order the chickpea battered tuna, potato and artichoke salad, the tuna was not fresh and i felt a tad icky for the next few hours. However I adored my main the grilled spatchcock, chickpea, silverbeet and flatbread, lemon and oregano. The waiter was brilliant and for three people we paid around $200 including wine for two courses which made for a nice evening out. The dining room is cosy and the atmosphere is unpretentious. I would go back and next time avoid the tuna. A good pick for dinner in the colder months.

Good tasty honest food. Great scallops and gnocchi , really tasty resh with great customer service.