Decided after browsing Deliveroo to try something different and found Colonel Tan’s. I was curious when I saw Bangkok bolognese and was not disappointed, so many different flavours going on and was absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to order again to keep sampling this menu!
Nothing better than walking in to the fresh scent of revolver. Love it there on a Sunday, it’s not bads. Food is terrific, enjoyed the company and the scenery. Also the crab is really nice.
We followed SBS food channel to this Nice hidden modern Thai restaurant on Chapel Street. Friendly staff, lovely warehouse style. We ordered deep fried snapper, calamari and red duck curry. They all taste good especial the red duck curry. Much more better than the other called “Thai” restaurant-Chin Chin. The downside is the price is bit high for the portion of the food.
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Part of the same family as Magic Mountain and Cookie, Colonel Tan's offers sensational thai food in an unique venue (revolver). I recommend getting in early and enjoying some of the authentic Banksy artwork on the intentionally delepadated walls, rumoured to be worth well into the millions. Having gone here a few times I'll usually start with the Popcorn Chicken, Garlic, Chilli & Lime Mayo and tonight was no different, always good. My partner opted for the Cashew Salad with Tomato, Cucumber, Chilli & Coriander which is very tangy and tasty. She also went with the Potato & Pea Curry Puff, which were saved by the zesty sweet dipping sauce.
Mains were the Penang Lamb Curry and Coconut Rice with Eggplant Relish which was creamy and rich, exactly how I like my curries and I added extra chili to give it some kick and Pad Thai, Tomato & Greens, which was unfortunately lacking the usual tomato flavour.
Typically I go the Thai Green Curry however after tonight I have a new favourite item on the menu! Served with a glass of Pinot Gris, all reasonably priced. This place is certainly one of my favourites on Chapel Street.
Went for an early dinner here for an anniversary of sorts. Had previously been and liked our meal but not loved it. This time we were treated to really lovely traditional Thai food. The table setting would make you think twice about even sitting down and ordering but don't be fooled the food is great. We opted for Taro dumping and lamb cigars both faultless. Followed up with Penang lamb curry and chilli chicken which had some really serious heat, but having had that dish in Thailand it was very very close to the one we had. The service was polite enough and a bit hipster to boot. A very relaxing ambience and great food to match.
Best dish: Penang curry! We loved this dish! We have been here 3 times for that. Everything has been great including cocktails. The only negative it was last time the curry was a little bit different. Hope it was only a bad day, we will be back.
Love coming to Colonel Tan, great family dinner, relaxed atmosphere. Some of the best Thai food in Melbourne. Staff always friendly and great with the kids
Who would think you could eat a decent modern style Thai dish at Revs?! Look the venue is abit seedy, retro style, old but still has cool vibe. The food makes up for any doubts you have about the venue. Good food at an affordable price. Staff were friendly and on the ball, food came out at a reasonable time. Don't expect to be blown away but still worth a visit, very intriguing!
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The food was incredibly delicious. The only reason I didn't rate this higher is because of the poor service.
Went here last night with a friend from her recommendation. I thoroughly enjoyed every meal we ordered. We ordered green curry, fat duck noodles, deep fried pork ribs & some roti bread with curry sauce. This was plenty for 2 people - we could've omitted the roti bread but let's be real - it's roti bread! Everything was delicious, flavoursome and spicy. Absolutely no complaints. Our waitresses were super friendly.
Our bill came to $86 (I ordered a cocktail) which I think was more than reasonable. I'll definitely be coming back here again!
Thai is my favourite cuisine. I would always say yes to my friend' invite to try a new Thai restaurant. We had early dinner here on Saturday. Its was quiet and has really nice vibe. Pretty cool interior design. Table settings reminds typical south east asian street food. We were offered a banquet deal of $30 per person which is really good value. We had 2 starters and 4 mains, no desserts. Our favourites were the pork belly and sift shell crabs curry. I didn't like the fried chicken, need more spices. Overall food was tasty but not as strong as it should be for traditional thai dishes. Super nice services from staffs.
Andrés Arango Escobar
+4.5
For overseas visitors this is a real immersion in the Melbournians costumes, yesterday (tuesday) the environment was very nice, they do a live show and the visitors enjoy it a lot. The food was very good i paid $66 for 2 mains an a jug of beer.
This quirky yet stunning venue operates under the auspices of organised chaos. The crew are frantically busy and get it mostly right. The food is Thai, terrific and a taste blast. Go.
I've gotta say, never did I think I'd come to Revs to have a nice dinner, & yet there we were, munching down some of the finest food this side of Saigon.
Pork belly, currys, sweet potato dumplings, pad thai & popcorn chicken were all devoured in minutes. Big portions as well for a good price. Big tick there.
The lighting & ambience is spot on as well, especially with the dj caressing our ear drums with beats so chill I nearly had to wear a jacket.
Great find this place.
Every time I come here I always get the Colonel's five spice chicken and I'm never disappointed, it's so good! I have tasted other dishes and they all pack a lot of flavor, some very good Thai style dishes. Great atmosphere for a drink and feed, especially on trivia night where banter and shenanigans are the order of the night.
We absolutely love the vibes at this restaurant! The menu is an interesting and authentic take on modern thai. Cocktails are delicious and service is great! We recommend booking! Our top dishes include the sweet potato dumplings, massman curry and chicken satay burger!
Good food, bad service.
First time in this restaurant. The food was incredible, I ate a wok coconut chicken and my wife a curry chicken. Additionally, we order a roti bread and a coconut rice (Recommended). Everything was perfect until the end, when I was helping the waitress (Asian girl) to pick up the plates and she told me "You are not helping me at all" in a rude way. That not the way to threat clients and specially if I was helping.
Unreal food and the staff and service is 5 stars. Will be going back until the place falls down, it also has a great music during dinner if you like a nice ambience.
What a great place for a night out with friends. The service, the food, the drinks and the atmosphere made this place the perfect choice.
There was seven of us and the staff were so professional and attentive we are felt welcomed.
I was also surprised by the large size of dishes with decent pricing, not to mention the amazing flavors this place is known for.
A great selection of drinks as well, with the interesting decoration I would dare and say this place reaches perfection.
Visited Colonel Tan's last night for the first time and it was great for our pre theatre dinner before our show at Chapel off Chapel. You can book which is a huge plus and I would recommend this as by 6.30 it was full. We had the fried squid and corn & coriander donuts with peanut sauce to start - the donuts were great but the fried squid was disappointing,the squid was chewy and the batter not crispy wouldn't get this dish again! The standout dish was the pork belly red curry which we shared and it was excellent would def go back for this dish!
I've always wanted to try this place out yet all hype. Nothing's special. A beef salad tastes like out of nowhere. They just put some marinated beef, some veggies in and name it salad. Quite disappointing. The coconut chicken is nice but not that special.
Overall, this place just doesn't live up to my expectation. Nice (but not friendly) service. Hard to make eye-contact and they don't seem to welcome asian(?). I do love the vibe of the restaurant though.
Love this place. The vibe is great similar to chin chin, which the atmosphere similar to Indochine in the 70s. The food is surprisingly great and of value for the price. Do try they papaya salad which is done really well. They do have a bar with a selection of exotic cocktails to match your fancy. Great place to night out with friends.
Food was so so, nothing special. They took the wrong order of a drink from my partner and at the start the wait person was trying to deny. I enjoyed the place but my partner refuses to go back again...
I've been wanting to try this place for ages and ages and on Thursday night, I finally did.
Unfortunately, I have an allergy to peanuts and a lot of the dishes were peanut heavy...
So I decided to order my own dish to not be a nuisance to the rest of my party.
After a biggish lunch and incessant snacking earlier that day, I wanted something lighter and opted for the Fried Egg, Avocado, broccoli, seeds, rice salad with chicken.
It arrived in a neat little done shape with the fried egg on top and boy it was filling!
The table also ordered chips, popcorn chick n which I also tried and both again, very good.
What's best is that it's 50% off for locals on Thursdays!! What a great concept and reward. Other restaurants should adopt this - it's a great incentive and rewards loyalty and increases return business... It helps when your food is top notch too. 👌🏼
Yum yum yum. Hidden away above Chapel Street in the infamous Revolver lives Colonel Tans. Popcorn chicken is a must (and better than KFC of course) and the sweet potato cashew dumplings. I had the pad Thai which was nice however the noodles seemed undercooked. The lamb curry is also beautiful! The service was great and it's not too badly priced. I will be back to try some more of their dishes.
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For one, the entrance to the venue was rather confusing considering it was also the entrance to Revolver. That combined with the lack of lighting made it extremely difficult for me to see the appeal of the venue especially with such a high rating on Zomato. The music was way too loud for my liking, but that could be because as a group we probably came there for all the wrong reasons at the wrong time. It was a Saturday night at 9pm and I am guessing they were catering to the opening of the club and thus dinner didn't really suit the ambience at that point in time. I would definitely make this a go to place for drinks before a big night out thanks to the funky interior design and club-like atmosphere.
Finding service upon walking in was not an easy task. We were rather unsure where to wait to be seated when we had a booking, and despite looking really lost, all staff seemed to be busy and inattentive. Once we got service however, our waiter was great! Reading the menu was difficult as well attributed to the extremely dim lighting.
Food overall was good, dishes are not exactly shareable like traditional Thai. Value wise it was slightly below average, prices were pretty expensive compared to serving sizes. The fat duck noodle was actually what I found the most worth it, it was delicious and portion wise was plenty. Green curry was too thick for my preference.
Again, I would definitely come back for drinks before a night out in Chapel, or an earlier lunch dining session would best suit.
Awesome place, lovely food and vibe.
The fried chicken was to die for, as was the starters and dessert.
Would've achieved a 5 if it weren't for the fact we had to still wait for our table, when we booked at 7, and managed to sit down around 7:15. It is also really quite loud, which didn't bother me too much but it wouldn't be ideal for a catch up.
Beautiful food and service.
Food was an 8.5/10. Flavours were delicious, squid, roti, 5 spice chicken, soft shell crab and the pork belly all were very nice. Waitress had no idea unfortunately, hoping it was the first night otherwise they need to do some serious training, beverage order wrong and slow, ordered lamb Penang and it was forgotten and was not aware if dietary requirements were possible even though we knew they had a gluten free menu. Would return due to the food being very nice
This place has a great vibe! Interesting menu with lots to choose from and really tasty food. Great for a group dinner and live dj is pretty funky! Coming back here for sure!!
This Diner Is Anonymous
+5
Given the guys who run this place also own Cookie, Magic Mountain and Boney, it comes as absolutely no surprise that the food here is outstanding. It's fresh, tasty and unbelievably good value. I've eaten here several time and it's consistently good. A friend had an engagement party here, and we were well looked after. I can't remember how much the set menu was, but it was mind-blowingly cheap - maybe around the $30 mark. Bloody good restaurant. Don't let its location in Revs put you off. This place is the goods!
Best. Everything was on point. One of the best Thai places in Melbourne. The food came out super fast. Price was a bargain compared quality and quantity of the food being served. Second time yesterday, menu changed a tad but didn't disappoint!
Authentic chefs create perfect Thai food, I've experienced dining in many high end, expensive Thai restaurants & it's safe to say they don't compare to this one; had 2 curries, crab, chicken, lamb, ribs; all cooked to perfection, even the water was filtered. Fast friendly and professional service, reasonably priced menu, also got the food extremely quickly on a bustling Saturday night. The only restaurant I believe I'll ever give 5*, the only flaw would be it's hard to find parking.
Compliments to the chef.
Colonel Tans, a regular of mine for the past 8 years..
They have updated their menu & sadly the betel leaf snapper entree is gone, it has been replaced with trout. Not quite the same texture as a white flesh fish and it's let down a little bit by the trout being slightly dry on the palette.
My duck salad on the other hand was moist, cooked well, fresh and healthy. As healthy as a duck salad is going to get I guess. The young ginger brings a great texture to the dish.
We also tried the skewers of pork sausage wrapped in betel leaves.
The green curry, minus the rice for me is always another favourite of mine. So thick and rich with fresh Thai basil garnish mmmmm..!!!!
Great food, amazing atmosphere, (like an alternative New York loft with heaps of couches and dim lighting). Friendly staff and service is pretty quick. Amazing chilli fries too. Also becomes a nightclub after 11pm, best in Melbourne. Go Friday night!
I've only tried the soft shell crab burger but it was delicious. I do intend to go back. The menu is really extensive and reasonably priced.. And you get over the fact that you're at revs pretty quickly!
Though Revolver is known for being a seedy Melbourne nightclub, Colonel Tan's was a place I was intrigued to try. It delivered on an authentic Thai experience, with tasty curries, salads and noodle dishes. If you're a local, they even knock 50% off your entree and main, though I'd be more than happy paying full price.
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Wowee! Looking for a flavour punch to the face (in a good way)? Look no further than the Colonel! I'm not talking about the Sanders variety- it's all about the Tan!
Really really impressed with how they have managed to pack so much incredible flavour into their dishes. I've already visited twice in two weeks!
Tried the following (in order from most delicious in my opinion):
1. Massaman eggplant curry with coconut rice
2. Curried Soft shell crab
3. Fat duck noodles
4. Popcorn chicken
5. Spicy beef stir fry
6. Colonels five spice chicken
7. Sweet potato dumplings
8. Pork belly stir fry
9. Chicken noodle curry hotpot
10. Corn donuts
11. Fried egg and chicken rice salad
Don't forget to order Roti!
That's just the food! Then there were the drinks! Wine, cocktails and sangria were all thoroughly enjoyed and interesting. They also have some yummy fruit infused water for the table which I thought was a nice touch.
Service was fine, no complaints there. Prices were also very decent and good value. I don't think anyone I know has ever left hungry.
All in all, a top notch restaurant...shame it's not open on a Sunday.
Colonel's Tan is definitely one funky looking place. The staff are pretty good. They were very helpful and accommodating. Dinner was tasty and I can't wait to go back and try more of their delicious dishes.
I'm sad I couldn't give this place a 5/5, the food was amazing, the atmosphere was great. But the waiter was rude and it just ruined it for us. We booked for a Saturday night a few weeks ago, they told us we could arrive at 7 but we needed to be out of there by 8:30. Our waiter was nice to start with but his attitude seemed to go downhill during our dinner for some unknown reason. We received all our food, but did not eat it and waited about 10mins for rice. When we politely told the waiter we were waiting on our rice, he responds "you need to be patient and wait okay?" The food was thrown on our table with a scowl, and he didn't respond even when we smiled and said thank you. He was so rude and intimidating that we were scared to ask him for more water. Other than that, all our food tasted incredible and we practically licked the plates clean!
Super club by weekend, super restaurant by week. The Colonel's consistency of quality is unparalleled. The 5 spice fried chicken is a staple when eating here and the bolognese is off its head and the curries all perform erotic flavour dances in your mouth. Trivia on a Tuesday is also a good way to keep the cognitive juices flowing
Worth visiting. Don't let the entrance to revolver deter you. Head up the stairs and instead of going left into the club, take a right. It also has a whole gluten free meal.
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Wow, what a flavour explosion! This has quickly become one of my favourite dinner spots which I am pleased to say. Big call but I'm breaking out the 5.0!! Well deserved.
Firstly, the decor is just fantastic with mismatched office and garden chairs and these kitschy fruit/rainbow plastic table covers. I had far too much fun than I would like to admit spinning around on this retro office chair whilst munching away on my entree. Furthermore, the waiter/waitresses would walk around refilling water which had a few cucumber/lime/grapefruit peelings which made quite the difference. Attention to detail was appreciated.
The menu is predominately Thai with a twist offering entree dishes such as Corn/Coriander/Pickled Chilli Donuts with Peanut Sauce, Popcorn Chicken, and Rendang Curry with Roti. YUM. The donuts were just particularly special.
For mains I tried the Fat Duck Noodles, Green Chicken Curry, and Chinese Broccoli with Pork Belly. All were fantastic, particularly the Fat Duck Noodles. MMMmmmm soooo fatty.
Not only does this place offer traditional Thai dishes in either wok or curry format, there are also some great salad and fusion (burger and rib) options that I would absolutely love to come back and try.
Don't even get me started on their drinks menu, you want it - they'll have it.
I would highly recommend this place, and look forward to coming back soon!
Great work guys!
Had dinner here with some friends. All the food tasted great and they even have a separate gluten free menu with items my friends who are caeliac and gf can never order. Normally I have to endure less than the real thing gluten free versions of things but not tonight. Unreal fried chicken, dumplings and squid. The drinks were also really good - get the jug of pims, such good value. Overall a great feed and will definitely be back. And yes, there is a lingering background revolver smell but it's really forgivable once you taste the food.
Definitely one of my top fave restaurant in Prahran. Soooo super duper flavoursome, authentic, heaps of options, chill vibe/atmosphere (considering how different it is during weekend nights) :) ultimate top dish definitely the Bangkok bolognaise!!! So spicy and bursting full of flavour - can't get enough of it! Deep fried pork ribs with hot chili sauce yum, the savoury doughnut are good too, another highly recommended is the lamb curry. Definitely highly recommended!
Surprisingly good given that it is at Revolver. One of the better thai foods in the area. Locals night is also great if you live in the area!
My first time there and i din't regret. It was a office lunch and they accomadate big parties!! As far as food goes - Thai fusion at its best!!
Awesome food, atmosphere and background music. Must experience this place to appreciate its energy. Service was excellence with a really hip vibe.
Thanks to this App I discovered a true treasure💎 I almost walked past the entrance, luckily I didn't... The steep staircase was literally a stairway to heaven.
At the top of the stairs to the left there was a live band playing, very cool. Then around the corner opens up to a warehouse style super funky restaurant/ bar. The decor, retro vs graffiti, soooo cool!!!
Ok ok!! The food, this app is all about the food!
I ordered a Chicken w Kaffir lime and coriander burger. To say that my mouth exploded from the taste would be an under statement 💥💥💥💥
Perfect blend of flavours!
The chips were perfectly cut and textured!
You absolutely have to go to this place, it is an absolute experience! In fact 0.5 of my rating goes to the "ambience" !!!!!!
I will be back and when I want to impress visitors with what Melbourne has to offer it will be my first stop!
Far removed from the dregs it becomes Thursday night - Sunday ( revolver )
This is a great hidden gem - mind the wait if you didn't book, and noise ( which is expected )
Food is sensational. Beef wrapped in beetlenut leaves is unreal! The curries are phenomenal try the red panang, Thai green, the kale and broccoli is sensational, fat duck noodles to die for and dumplings are brilliant.
Service was great, had a lovely waitress who was chirpy and cracked a few jokes about the name Hugh ( not me ) they were horrendous but very good vibe!
Thoroughly enjoyed and will be back.
Been here twice, and have not been disappointed! The food here is super tasty - probably some of the best Thai I have had. Do yourself a favour and try this place, you won't be disappointed!
When you walk up the Revs staircase sober you start to question your choice. Am I even in the right place? How can a scrungy (sorry Rev lovers/myself included) venue reserved for the darkest of nights serve up a meal worthy of eating? But then you walk in, glance the menu and check out what everyone else is eating. This is going to be good. And it is. The food is delicious, the drinks (as you can imagine) are great and Revs starts to feel warm and cosy again, without the rosy eyed goggles. If you're into the Cookie and Toff vibe, give it a go, you won't be disappointed.
Who knew you could eat at revolver!
Great Thai food that was pretty cheap. We had a banquet for a big group of us, everyone was happy with the food and the price.
What is not to love about this place?
Amazing space full of beautiful art, chilled music and awesome vibes. Friendly staff who approach with a smile, are attentive and help cater for every dietary requirement.. The bartenders can also make every cocktail under the sun as well as a few 'Colonel Tan's specials' such as the YOhito.
The food is full of flavour and depth. The menu is full of genuine thai food cooked by a kitchen of thai nationals and is full of flavour and depth... There is a very spicy side to a few of the dishes so ask the waitress to clarify!
Price-wise this place is on point. You can go have a quick meal and beer with your mate and only spend $40. The prices are indicative of the way the food is served which is in a diner/street fashion which almost adds to the physical aesthetic of Colonel Tan's.
I have eaten at this venue so many times already and that will not stop to say the least.
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Pinball machines, an eclectic assortment of retro furnishings, haphazard chandeliers and a DJ behind a chain-mesh fence were the first to greet us at Revolver upstairs. We were seated with a birds eye view of the kitchen, at at furniture that was reminiscent of the "kids table" at Christmas - complete with a plastic tablecloth. Colonel Tans sweet, kitschy decor is a feast for the eyes, and the menu an equally appetising affair.
We chose two starters: deep fried chilli squid- tender and tasty and smoked trout betel leaf salad - fresh and spicy and two mains: the Pork Belly with Chinese broccoli- smokey and flavourful and the Colonel's five spiced chicken- as delicious as its reputation promised it to be.
Once seated the service was attentive, although we would have ordered more drinks had it been a bit more so. I must say though, the Corpse Reviver #2 cocktail is one of the best I've had. All in all, not my kind of scene, but the food is tasty mix of Thai and Americana with a little something for everyone. A must try.
We were attracted to colonel tans after seeing the super high score on zomato. The service was okay, not amazing. The food was definitely good and solid, but it's no chin chin or Lucy Liu. Probably a good place for a big group dinner before heading out on chapel. Reasonably priced too.
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We went to Colonel Tan's after seeing the very high score here on zomato. The interior and atmosphere are unique. It is very dark and you feel like in an underground club, Berlin Style. Not very typical for a restaurant and therefor very nice and special. The music was a bit loud, but we ate at Saturday around 9 pm, so I suppose it was in the transformation to club. The food was okay, but not exceptional. We had the Massaman Curry, the lamb curry and the salad with avocado, chicken and fried egg. The curries were pretty good. The salad wasn't. It didn't have much flavour, very plain. We also had the sweet potato dumplings, which were deep fried and very fatty. Lots of room for improvement there. The service was good. We hung around in Revolver and had a boogie, which was cool, with as only remark that everyone seemed to be on drugs. We got offered pills twice and random people felt the need to tell us they took drugs. Guess we're getting old ;) also, this is sort of separate from the restaurant, although the restaurant is in the club.
ItsTrueFatKidsLoveFood
+4
Came in here last night with a group of friends. Probably the first time I've been here and the food is cooked instead of the people.
Great cozy atmosphere to enjoy dinner and have a few drinks.
Entrees were all good, however I did think 6 pieces of popcorn chicken was not much. Sweet potato and cashew dumplings were delicious though. Deep fried child squid was also tasty.
The green curry, chicken noodle hotpot and bangkok noodles were all delicious as well. Had a bite of my friends soft shell crab burger and that was very good as well.
Thursday night is a good night to come in if you're a local, as it's half price.
Yummy, fun & comfortable. 2 people can eat & drink for under $30 each: Just note Tuesday night is trivia night if you are struggling to get a table.
The Cravings Never Stop.
+4.5
Definitely an incredibly chill restaurant to have a group of friends together. The dimmed red lighting, live music, and a wide arrangement of seating create an atmosphere where you really don't care about others around you, but rather, become relaxed with your mates and food.. Service was definitely impressive, with the waiter being able to remember multiple orders, recommend specific dishes, and even help us cater to our needs. Only problem was that they didn't have the table ready by the booking time.The food... what can I say? Its definitely one of the restaurants that completely stands out in Thai cuisine. They seem to throw away the idea of balance and dose on the flavors and spices. Would definitely recommend.
I've had a permanent booking for 6 peeps at this venue EVERY Thursday since Feb 2012...and whilst I've had to cancel it every now and then because I'm not free or too busy, it should be a good indicator how brilliant this place is. The menu has of course changed over that time but with each new update the food continues to deliver and the staff are some of the sweetest people in the business. I'd recommend you try the Fat Duck Noodles, the Lamb Curry, Bangkok Bolognese, Cashew Salad and just about EVERYTHING else. If you don't like too much chilli just ask one of the staff to serve it without the chilli and they will accommodate you. Just get a group together, order a bunch of dishes and put them in the middle of the table and share its the perfect set up for tapas style sharing plus that way you can sample more of the menu.
Great atmosphere, very chill and laid back vibe. We were lucky enough to get a spot at the bar without booking in advance. Very friendly and attentive staff. The food is amazing and very well priced!
This place does have a very cool vibe, as has been spoken about by other reviewers. We really enjoyed our meal but I probably wouldn't put it up there with other similar restaurants (e.g., Chin Chin). Although the the advantage over Chin Chin is you can actually book and get a table!! The downside to the food was the starters. Both were fried (corn and coriander donuts and squid) and both came out a little cool and without that fresh crisp that you would want in these kinds of dishes. Perhaps had been sitting around a tad long before being brought to our table. The mains were good however and on the whole we had a good night and have booked again with friends soon.
Favourite restaurant in Melbourne. I live locally and would eat here at least once a fortnight. Funky vibe and relaxed atmosphere, but the food is what brings me back. Try the Panang Lamb curry and Fat duck noodles; you won't regret it.
Really tasty thai food and relaxing ambience! Colonel tan's is a must try if you love thai food and the cosy style of phrahan bars! The menu offers so many choices and you don't have to spend a fortune to eat there..it's similar to cookie but cheaper!!I really recommend it!!
Colonel Tans.. What can I say.. Thai street food meets American dinner, would be the most apt description I've heard. Funky setting, fabulous staff and amazing food. Thank you Karen Batson for this little gem, hidden away, upstairs at Revolver. It has to be my favourite place in this neck of the woods!! And the Colonels Five Spice Chicken 👌👍😊
Great food, engaging atmosphere.. Awesome vibe, great food and a vibrant atmosphere. I'd recommend to anyone who needs a late night pick me up or to simply catch up with friends.
Delicious food and amazing vibe. Revolver, my favourite club in Melbourne. What a bonus that not only can you go here on weekends for a boogie but also for some seriously delicious thai food! the food is authentic and the menu is great with so many choices. Coming here to dine also gives you the chance to appreciate the venue and how cool it is, its quirky and funky vibe is awesome. Its affordable too. Food is always fresh. Keep it up revs!
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Colonel Tan's in Prahran is located up a very long flight of stairs. Quite an interesting venue with quirky furnishing. It is the sister restaurant of Cookie (city). We had been to Cookie many times and so had quite high expectations of this place. We weren't disappointed. It was lovely and we had: Pork and prawn donuts, chilli jam (AU$12.50)- Very springy and delicious morsels. Perfect for sharing or as a little snack, you get two skewers and they go so well with the chilli jam. Betel leaf salad, snapper, peanuts, ginger, chilli and lime (AU$11.50)- A very tasty DIY salad. The small snapper bites were crispy and well seasoned. Soft shell crab and green papaya salad, lemongrass, little fish and peanuts (AU$16.50)- Perfect little salad with wonderful texture contrasts and flavour. Sour orange fish curry, acacia omelette, rice and tomato relish (AU$18.50)- Great to order if you are after something a little different. Loved the texture of the omelette cakes and the tomato relish can be added to make the curry less spicy. Service: :star :star :star :star ½ Quality of food: :star :star :star :star ½ Value for money: :star :star :star :star ½ Type of venue: Thai. Worth a return visit? Yes. Address: 229 Chapel Street, Prahran VIC 3181 Posted by
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Ah my beloved teenage years spouting angst and staring starry-eyed onto the mini-stage at Revolver. Those steep-ass steps which got you nice and sweaty before the main act is even near coming on. Hipster dancing to the Inches. Good times. I hadn't stepped back into my past for a good eight years, until I was introduced to Colonel Tan's. Passing by the empty venue area getting prepped for a gig was nostalgic, as were the toilets with the primary school style water fountain taps. Their cocktail menu is tempting as. I wanted to try all of them, but restraint, dear friends, restraint. I opted for the Colonel Royale - Lychee puree dances with Cassis in a magnified glass of sparkling. I fell in love with Cassis in Japan, apparently the Cassis Orange is one of the most popular cocktails there. It was perfectly sweet and delicious. The mix of food is largely Thai inspired, and done really well. The menu is somewhat tedious to read, with dishes that state the main dish and all the ingredients surrounding it, and losing the capacity to piece it all together in your head before you reach the price... but it all sounds delicious nonetheless.
#9 – Chicken & Bean Curd Chiko Roll We were not happy we rolled this dish, it didn’t sound great! We had no idea what to expect but our taste buds were blown away! It was very unique and surprising tasty, the little side sauce added an extra kick and some moisture which bought it up to the next level. We would defiantly recommend!
Karen Batson, the head chef of Cookie and The Toff created Colonel Tan’s. Just like Cookie, its another of her fusion Thai place. The affordable menu combines traditional Thai cuisine with a cheeky American diner aesthetic. And just like Cookie, this one is also very popular with the young and hip crowd. Of course menu isn’t identical between their two restaurants...
The service at Colonel Tan's was awesome, very friendly young staff. The music was good and it wasn't overly hard to walk in and get a table at 7.30pm on a Wednesday night, although it did full up very quickly!
Despite the addition of the tables and menus, there's no mistaking Colonel Tan's for your average restaurant. Interesting and provocative artwork, including some originals from British street artist Banksy, cover the walls and ceiling. The dim lighting gives an underground ambience, and a live dj mixes smooth, jazzy tunes in the renowned dj cage which has housed numerous international acts over its time.
Hubby didn’t tell me where we were going, with our youngest (an infant!), for good reason. It was freakin’ scary ascending the multiple flights of stairs of which I later learned are known as Revolver Nightclub’s ‘stairs of shame’. The halfway point is a cool restaurant / bar called Colonel Tan’s but during our ascent, I asked my husband if: a) he was taking us to a safe place and b) if we could turn back and please try somewhere else!!
Hello readers! Hope you had a good weekend, currently I'm suffering from Sunday night blues, occurs every Sunday night when I realise that the weekend is coming to an end :( although I must say I'm not suffering so bad today because of the long weekend coming up - hurrrrah!!! Olie and I are heading into the city to relive our uni days of skipping class for lazy reading sessions at Borders with our sausage rolls and hot chocolates, watching movies at Hoyts, shopping the entire day and eating our Harijuku crepes after feasting at Nandos - no doubt we'll have a long blog post documenting our adventures!! Olie and I had a date night on the weekend (long overdue), she found this place - Colonel Tan's, we checked out the menu thought it sounded delicious, we were a bit suss considering it was at Revolver (we judged....have you been to that place though?! :| ) but decided to head there anyway and boy were we glad we did - this place was AMAZING!! Usually we don't ponder over a menu for oh hal
Colonel Tans is located upstairs and just behind Revolver, at 229 Chapel Street Prahran. It’s a bit tricky to find, but have faith and keep heading in upstairs until you find it. Colonel Tan’s is probably the quirkiest place I’ve come across so far. It’s definitely the only eatery I’ve seen that has a DJ’s booth surrounded by a chain fence, as well as playable arcade games. It’s definitely a bar/restaurant, with the food area being more brightly lit than the bar area. I was especially a fan of the stencil art spread around the place Now I have a seafood allergy which can sometimes make eating thai food a bit of a risky prospect, but the staff were really helpful about letting me know which dishes would be safe and then double checking with the kitchen afterwards. It’s not something that’s applicable to everyone, but the extra care was definitely appreciated. Now the food here is definitely cheap, so it’s very easy to get away with less than $30 per head including drinks. Daisy and I ha
Colonel Tan’s is proudly created by Karen Batson, the lady who is responsible for the amazing cheffing that occurs at Toff in Town and Cookie inside Curtin House on Swanston Street. Clearly, you will see that the Asian/Thai influence has run consistently through each of her beloved children and shines out of the Colonel Tan’s menu. Colonel Tan’s is a great casual restaurant, serving up the people’s favourite dishes in a semi-hipster bar environment. Not to mention, that this is a much more financially friendly Thai alternative in Melbourne. You may not see the Tan name winning three chef hats any time soon but you will always see many happy faces eating and drinking in the heart of Prahran.
As a built environment created to the sense of classic oldness, I can’t find a simpler way to put it. I’m talking brick walls, lined with framed art in classic works that sets itself apart. Why not add to the splendour, menus served on wooden clipboards, set on furniture that looks dated to the old century, a contemporary and classic mix…I loved it.
...a Thai diner complete with red lighting that oh so flatters your complexion and dumplings. You don’t book, you stumble in and fold
As we wanted to eat pretty much everything on the menu, we deferred to the superior knowledge of our waitress to narrow things down. The first dish she recommended was the stirfried daikon cake with mushrooms and bean shoots ($14.50). The gooey daikon cake went well with the umami sauce and Chinese fungus. She also recommende
Though subtle, the curry sauce was fragrant and creamy, its aroma translating well to the generous chunks of chicken. Better still was the wickedly sour relish with chunks of salted egg, contrasting magnificently with the mild sweetness of the curry.
Feeling way more relaxed in the downstairs environment, we ordered Banquet Menu #1 ($69 per person), an obligatory Tsing Tao beer ($10), some sparkling mineral water ($8 per person, unlimited refills), and a few cocktails. It wasn’t long before the drinks, and then the food, started to arrive.
Adore. Should be preserved such a great spce with creative,cheap and cheerful thai fusion menu.
Hi philngil, We know the .... Hi philngil,
We know the phones have been frustrating- for us too! Thankfully this issue has been fixed. Our office hours are also Tues-Sat 11am to 5pm, or alternatively you can book online at our website.
Brilliant. Relaxed. Easy. Good food.
Such variety & so much on the menu! Haven't tried everything (yet), but everything I have tried (3-4 visits), is amazing!
I would eat there everyday if I could. The only bad thing about this place is that it's not open more often!! Everything I've tried so far has been amazing. I get the Penang Lamb curry every time I go and one of my newly discovered favourites is the 5 spice fried chicken! YUUUM! My friend is obsessed with the sweet potato and cashew dumplings.. It is quite dark in there so don't go if you want to be able to take photos or anything like that. Go if you're hungry and want to fill your stomach with amazing food.
Great vibe and Thai. Its Revolver. but before you are that trashed so you can actually appreciate the pretty cool vibe of the place.
Had fat duck noodles, green curry with salted egg and Colonels Chicken. All incredible and about $20 a head all up.
winner winner chicken dinnet
Great food and great service. Being a vegetarian there was a lot to choose from. Definitely going again.
Unexpected delight!. Whilst it felt strange having a civilised meal at Revolver, I was really, really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Thai served up by the Colonel. They offer a decent sized menu with plenty of variety, and the bar is a full spread too. We chose the Pork and Prawn Donuts, the Fat Duck Noodles, the Penang Curry, Snapper and Betel Leaf salad and the Colonel's Five Spiced Chicken. Couldn't fault any of the food and the bill was just under $50 a head (including a few drinks each). Will definitely be coming back.
Yum and fun night!. Who knew such a great restaurant was tucked away in this shady establishment! Seriously amazing thai food...like REALLY amazing! I though the dumplings were average but LOVED everything else...especially the curries and the duck noodles. Get around it! Very fun atmosphere for a weekend night!
Such a little gem. Fresh and tasty food, fabulous drink list and an unpretentious, chilled out atmosphere in retro surrounds. Staff were flat out but helpful and friendly. Will return again and again!
One of my favourite venues. Everything on the menu is absolutely delicious. The staff are extremely friendly. The place gives off such a cool retro vibe and the drinks menu is impressive. Same owner as cookie with very similar menu however with less of a price tag and better quality in my opinion!
Fantastic service, great food. I've always had great service at Colonel Tan's, particularly from the lovely Asian lady who shaved her head last year. I've always enjoyed the food and the cocktails. I always order the betel leaf salad (except for the one time there was no supply of betel leaves) - so delicious. I usually order the Fat Duck noodles too. I'm normally underwhelmed by the desserts at Asian restaurants, but the desserts here are delicious. Shame about the coconut ice cream though - it comes out of a plastic container and it's so frozen that it's still in the shape of the container, grooves and all, and you can't get your spoon through it it's rock hard. Other than that, I can't complain about the food. I'll keep going here because the food is good and the staff are lovely.
I actually like this place and the food! I was quite surprise. The food was full of flavour and not just sweet and basil like some Thai places. The smoked chicken fried price was amazing. So glad I had a few friends, so got to try a variety of dishes. Everything was quite good.
Better Thai than Thailand!. Who would have thought somewhere like Revolver could produce such high quality food, and cheap! If you live in the area, Thursday nights are half price!
The Duck Noodles, Curry Dip, Lamb Curry and Chicken curry Dip are my personal favs. Enjoy!
Awesome. It does seem weird to eat at Revolver, or even be there before 4am, but this place is awesome! Went out to dinner here with friends a couple of weeks and ago and loved it. The staff are great and the food is delicious and great value. I had the vege curry and it was so tasty, can't wait to head back and try the tofu whopper!! :)
Eating at Revs. So I thought eating a revs would be nothing but disgusting, however I was pleasantly surprised. Delicious Thai food, yummo!
Not to mention the atomosphere was great, the chairs weren't sticky, the area didn't stink, and it seriously didn't seem like I was eating at Revolva....Very impressed!!! I think next time I hit revs for dinner; I will be pleasantly surprised!
Amazing food!. Had a wonderful dinner last night at Colonel Tan's. The food is vibrant and unique, and the atmosphere 'very Melbourne' with eclectic furniture and a hipster vibe. We tried Chilli peanuts and taro dumplings to start followed by a beef salad with mint, shallots, chilli and coriander, chicken and orange salad, Panang lamb curry and stir fried pork (there was a group of us!). So many fresh flavours and wonderfully friendly service. The pork was the best dish of the night, howeverall of the food was delicious - great value for money and I cant recommend enough!
Great restaurant. Beautiful food at good prices. Really interesting menu. Highlights are the pork belly and the chicken wings. Service is good. Decor and ambience is great. Not open every night, which is a shame. Also can be difficult to make a booking for a big group, especially when there are just two 'sittings'.
Best Asian inspired food in Melbourne. Is a sister restaurant to Cookie in the city, however I think this is better. Really good value in a really relaxed setting.
Trivia night is loads of fun. Make Tuesday’s Trivia night the night to come to Colonel Tan’s with a group of mates. ‘Never Cheer Before You Know Who’s Winning’ takes the trivia every Tuesday and the MC’s really know how to get everyone involved and having a good time. The staff don’t make you feel awkward for hanging around for hours which is always a plus, you can enjoy your night and not feel as though you need to spend $100 to be allowed to sit in your seat. The cocktails are delish if not on the pricey scale of things but the food is pretty decently priced and can be described as a quirky take on thai. A couple of Banksy originals on the wall make this another good place to drag out-of-towners.
Very cool but suggest booking as we had to sit on couches which isn't ideal for sharing. Bit noisy as well so not the easiest to chat. Food was yum though
I ate here with my partner after reading a lot of positive reviews. Great setting with a very cool vibe, service was friendly and prompt, we ordered dumplings for entree, which were really great, fresh and brought to us in under 5 minutes. Mains were a veg curry and a red curry. Can't speak highly enough, will definitely be back :-)
Great room, delicious food, fun staff and helpful with allergies
Terrific Thai. Scrumptious Thai and always fun! The atmosphere is great as well as the service. Every aspect of this place hits the nail on the head!
This Place is BOSS!. Curried soft shell crab...that is all!
The other food ordered was also divine, but I have been dreaming about this dish for the last few nights...divine.
Pleasant surprise!. Have been here twice and am thoroughly impressed.... Atmosphere is unique, casual and inviting. I am a vegetarian and all the meals I have tried have been excellent! Asparagas salad - yum. Daikon cake - although I'm not that into deep fried was really impressive. Yellow vegetable curry - beautiful! Prices are very cheap, especially considering location, menu and quality of dishes... Highly recommended,
Loved the food and ambience. Serving can be quite small so fitted perfectly with my new years resolutions!!! This is a cool space but really loud.
This place was GREAT! Cheap, delicious and great atmosphere. I can't believe I'd never been here before. Highly recommend
Absolute favorite. My favorite ! ! The pork belly rules and don't miss out on the lotus root salad. Staff are great, this is my go to place.
When you tell people's you're eating at Revolver, most people gag and look at you like you're licking an ashtray. Colonel Tan's is nothing like a festy Sunday at Revs! Yes, it's inside Revs, but the food is genuinely great! Thai with a twist but without being dicky hipster food. The tofu whopper is an absolute favourite dish in this whole city. Everything is a winner though. If you live in 3182 and bring ID, you get locals only discounts on Thursday nights.
Hats off to the Colonel :) amazing place great staff and awesome food will definitely b back again for spicy Thai.
Went with a friend. Loved it. Great food and service.
Whatever you do - try the fries!. This place is such a gem! Loved the food - great flavors, great portions, great taste. Staff are always polite and friendly.
Nightclub thai food!. Ditto love this place.Thee best,the ambiance,boho vibe& soft d.j beats.
Esp.thur nites..
Fav dish:Beetle leaf & Snapper salad drenched in lime..mmm
Some of the most delicious Thai food I have ever had! The service was quic and it was steaming hot when it arrived to the table. The meal (green curry) and my friends meals all tasted fresh and light. Will be back for seconds!
A Melbourne favourite. LOVE colonel tans. Cheap and good food. Alot of people don't expect much and are then sorely mistaken. Music, food, ambient vibe, colonel tans and revolver have it in one
Good food, sloooow service. Look, I do like the food. It's tasty and reasonably priced. Although prices are creeping up to $20 mark. Once they get there it won't be a cheap eat anymore.
The service is unbelievably slow. You have to wave like a maniac to get attention. And a few of the 'too cool for school' staff will just flat out blank you and keep walking.
On Thursday night we ordered starters and a jug of beer. We received our starters and finished them before the beer even made it to the table. We waited about 30 minutes for our first round of drinks to appear and about 20 minutes for our second. I just don't understand what takes so long.
The food is good. But they do need to step it up with the service.
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Love the Colonel. My wife and i had heard about Colonel Tan's ages ago on the TV and finally got around to booking a table earlier this week. I rang on the day and was able to get a table. It was a Tuesday so I never thought that would be a problem anyway.
We turned up for our 6.30pm booking and was met by a friendly staff member who showed us to our table which was right by the kitchen. Usually I don't like this because of the noise and the constant activity nearby from the staff. I needn't have worried, I never noticed the kitchen or the staff during our meal.
We ordered drinks promptly, had a look at the menu and then ordered food within 10 minutes of being seated. It was very quiet at this time of the evening so you would expect that anyway.
Before we knew it our entree was in front of us. In my experience food that comes that quick has usually just been heated in a microwave, but the food was fresh, full of flavour and delicious.
The mains were fantastic too (I had pork ribs and my wife had the Tofu Whopper). When the meals arrive on your table, you might think they look a little on the small side, but I think they are the perfect size. If you want a plate piled high and have to undo your belt after dinner, this is not the place for you.
We don't usually do dessert but loved our meal so much that we went for it. They have desserts and dessert cocktails. I went for the Affogato Kick dessert cocktail which was vanilla ice cream with white chocolate coated coffee beans in a cocktail glass and a shot each of Kahlua and hot coffee on the side. Nom nom nom.
The venue (Upstairs at Revolver) has cool decor and the vibe is unpretentious. A great place to go just for a drink.
Also I would recommend booking a table and not just turn up. Like I said earlier, it was quiet at 6.30pm but by 7.00pm it was filling up quick and by 8.00pm it was full and buzzing. I think I was lucky to get a table booking the same day and it was a cold wet Tuesday.
We know we will be back (soon hopefully) and will be telling all our friends about it.
A Melbourne foodie secret. This place is so unknown, what I love most about it. Would never set foot in revolver but love this restaurant. My favourite; the tofu burger, sounds incredibly off putting but has great satay sauce and just yum! Only $10, so to me a tastier option than a Grill'd Veggie Burger which i tend to find a bit starchy. Great mood lighting, cool bar and all round good vibes! Great range in the menu too, i think the fusion here really works.
Was lucky enough to get a last minute booking on Saturday night and was very glad. Great atmosphere, fantastic food and cheap too. Love the way you can make it as relaxed or as fancy as you want it to be. Will definitely be back.
Surprised that anything this life changing happens in Revolver haha relaxing dim lighting, cute mismatched decor, fantastic service and as for the Bangkok Bolognaise... To die for! My water glass never emptied, food suggestions were personalized and accurate and a real effort was made to get us fed and out in time for film.
Two very enthusiastic thumbs up! New fav! :)
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Great vegetarian options, even for omnivores.. We were lucky to get a big table at Colonel Tan's last minute, and were so glad we did. The food was amazing, with a huge variety of vegetarian options (at least 12 different vegetarians mains, way more than we're used to). After a long while of looking flustered at our menus we brought a waiter over to make some recommendations, all of which were spot-on. Seven people shared four entrees, five mains, roti and rice and everyone was extremely happy (especially the regular omnivores).
The daikon cake stir-fry and the lotus root salad were the best, but everything was great, each with a unique flavour profile, so different from the standard vegetarian fare. For an entree the sweet potato and cashew dumplings were the favourites, they had a perfect texture, soft, not sticky with a crunchy outside and a sort of kecap manis dipping sauce.
We also tried the pannacotta and the Affogato Kick dessert cocktail. The pannacotta was unexpectedly amazing, and I will definitely be trying that again. I don't usually like black sesame desserts but this was exceptionally well done.
It was also really good value. For vegetarian food I find you pay a premium for well-composed dishes with interesting ingredients, but clearly Colonel Tan's has put a lot of effort into making great food for everybody. I will definitely be coming back.
An unlikely Chapel street Thai hero. Fantastic Thai that doesn't cut down on the spice (like most overly sweet Melbourne Thai establishments).
Fried Chicken is a bit over rated, but the lamb ribs more than made up for it.
Recommended :)
Awesome. Amazing food, great flavours. Cheap as well. Atmosphere is alternative, with dim red lighting and retro style decoration. Staff are friendly, service is quick, with reliable quality (been 3 times). Highly recommend.
My tastebuds had an orgasm!!! So many amazing dishes!!! The betel leaves/the duck noodles/Penang curry just to name a few. Very cool, amazing wine recommended by barman....can't wait to go back
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Likes It. The food was amazing for the price! I shared with two others and shared 3 entrees and 2 mains. I was well fed afterwards
The entrees consisted of the pork and prawn donuts - basically a fish cake like consistency formed into a donut shape, crumbed and then fried, delicious. Next was the betel leaf salad - not the best betel leaf salad I have had, I found it to contain way to many cashews and ginger, this was definitely my least favourite. Lastly for the entrees was the roti with chicken curry sauce I LOVED it sooo tasty, I couldn't stop eating it, I basically licked the bowl out - highly recommend.
Our mains were the Lamb Randang, it was beautifully cooked and the meat just fell apart, I really enjoyed it! We also decided on two serves of the pork ribs - OH-MY-LORD these were heaven!! Will definitely order again, they were just do tasty I wanted to chew on the bones all night!
My friend sitting across from me ordered the yellow fish curry - I tasted a little as she said it wasn't very good, she was right it was pretty bad, it was more like a broth than a curry - no coconut milk and pretty flavorless.
The service left little to be desired - they come across almost like they are too cool to do their jobs... which happens at a few places along chapel street.
But the food definitely out ways the service which means I will be back!
Goodness gracious! The yellow vegie curry - a perfect pool of thick, irresistible coconut curry sauce (saucy, not soupy) in a ceramic dish with a pile of perfect baby vegetables and chunky roast veg in the centre (as opposed to cooked through the sauce), served with a delicious eggplant chutney and rice (I opted for roti, however). So bloody good. That was about a month ago. I've since returned to devour the stir-fried daikon cake with assorted mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, enoki, those ones that look like sea creatures!). Boom! Scores again! My boyfriend had the yellow fish curry which was by all accounts excellent. PLEASE save room for dessert - there are only 3 options (sometimes a limited choice is a good thing!), but do yourself a favour and try the pumpkin custard with taro icecream or the incredible banana sticky rice with red bean and coconut icecream. Go to Colonel Tan's, then go and go again!
Great service, great food, would love to come more often, but it's almost impossible to get a table... Which I suppose is only testament to the fact that this is one of the best all-rounder restaurants in prahran (great; food, drinks, service, price). Only advice, listen to the wait staff, they know their stuff, and when we tried on our own it wasn't as successful.
What a treat! Staff were great - friendly & helpful. Food was fresh & full of flavour. Great vibe. Nice to have yum food at totally reasonable prices.
Pleasant surprise. For a little restaurant/bar that's part of a night club with a much bigger reputation, this place is outstanding. the service is good, the drinks menu is extensive and the food is fabulous. I had the red curry pork with green peppercorns, and what arrived was a delicious curry with lots of flavour and spice, with plenty of pork belly, all for 15$. Well worth a try; even if you don't necessarily like a typical Melbourne grungy ambience, you will like the Asian inspired food.
Love love love coming to Colonel Tan's (especially on a Thursday, being a local) they are always busy for a reason. The staff are switched on and the food is incredible. I reccomend trying everthing on the menu, it is well thought out and not you're usual Thai restaurant garb. (Lamb curry is my fave) The atmosphere is always great, and the markets on Thursdays are cute and add to the kitschy vibe. Love it.
I have been here a couple of times and absolutely love it! Such a great atmosphere and really good and helpful service. It's a great place for a group. Food is yummy. Can recommend the rendang and the savoury donuts, actually everything I have tried there was good. It's always busy so book ahead! :)
Not realizing this place was at upstairs at revolver we walked past a couple of times, then realize where it was and found our food expectations drop a little. We did not have booking so we took a seat at the bar. The food is fantastic! Ordered pork and prawn donuts for entree which were crispy outside, beautifully cooked in middle, and the dipping sauce was perfect balance of sweetness with the heat from the chilli. For mains we were recommended the Penang lamb curry which was deliciously tender, with a rich coconut sauce, and the chicken with wild ginger and black mushrooms - loaded with chilli it was a bit on the warm side, but still fresh and crisp flavours. Both bar and wait staff were really friendly and helpful. All this in a place you can order a wide range of bottled beers, or just a pint. Great value hidden gem - highly recommended.
Went to Colonel Tans last night (Tuesday). Service was wonderful. We tried both the Specials red wines. We got recommendations from our waiter on all the food we ordered. We nommed the pork and prawn donuts with delicious sauce, Penang lamb curry served with eggplant and rice, a serving of roti and the deep fried baby snapper with this amazing tangy spicy sauce! All I could say was wowee! For desert we had the banana sticky rice with red bean and coconut ice cream. I loved the coconut ice cream but where was the banana? Anyways overall the food totally surpassed our expectations, the service was top notch, I loved the kitschy decorations. The hubby says "I could come back here again". And then starts counting all the friends he wants to ask out to dinner at Colonel Tans. Go the Colonel- finger lickin good y'all.
Yum!. Love the decor and dingy lighting...menu is really interesting and everything we ordered got the thumbs up. Lots of vegetarian options too. Service friendly and efficient, although granted was not busy at 6.30 on a Sat night. Great value.
Highly recommend and definitely coming back. Worth the steep flight of stairs.
Went on a Tuesday night, and managed to get a table at 7, any later and we would have missed out. Highly recommend making a booking if there is going to be more than four of you. Food is cheap and highly satisfying, like a thai-dude food hybrid. Great atmosphere, busy and loud but very comfortable, and the waitstaff are friendly and attentive. Had a very enjoyable night. Definitely a new favourite.
Good vibe. Great food, excellent decor and vibe!! if you're looking for something cool but a bit relaxed... highly recommended!
Dark and spicy. Booked out on a Saturday night but got a spot at the bar which was actually better as we were tucked behind so it was a bit more intimate. Staff were really good and super friendly. Food was really nice. Servings weren't huge so glad we got an entree to share but in retrospect should have got one each. Definitely recommend the chicken nuggets! I think the chef was on a spice kick that night because everything was quite spicy. I like hot food but the Pad Thai (also yum) was a bit spicy in some spots. Definitely recommend though. Great spot for dinner with drinks. Also had fat yak on tap which although was a bit pricey here is a plus in my books!
I'm a fan of Colonel Tan.. Colonel Tan's is definitely one of Melbourne's hidden treasures. I came on a Thursday night and found the entire restaurant and bar high in energy and packed full of patrons. The decor has a quirky american diner feel, and there are plenty of places to get comfortable, provided you've made a booking!
Our drinks were prepared well and the food was very good, especially when the prices were so reasonable! This is not the best thai food in the traditional sense, but as contemporary thai food, it sure packs a punch!
The standout dish has to be the Betel Leaf Salad with Snapper. My tastebuds are still tingling at the very thought!
I will certainly return for food and/or drinks, although not necessarily on a Thursday as the discount only covered ONE main and ONE entree for our table.
Location is a bit odd, it's in the nightclub Revolver. The setting isn't the most appealing with dim red lighting. But the food is amazing! It is quite popular, so a booking would be recommended. Otherwise you can usually eat on the couches if they're not taken! Tues night is trivia night, very entertaining! The menu is quite interesting! I love the betel leaf and snapper salad, hot and sour soup, fat duck noodles and bangkok bolognaise. :)
Best Cheap Eat. The Penang lamb curry is a party in my mouth with roti of course. If I ever had to request a last meal that would be it!! And hey hey 1/2 for students on Thursdays. Score.
Great vibe upon entry. Very popular hang out for a Saturday night. Food took a significant amount of time to arrive. Nice meal - nice water (with a hint of strawberry/lemon/lime). portions not overly large. All in all a good night had by all.
Wow! 9/10. A hidden gem in the most unlikely of places.
We tried 4 or 5 dishes, all just superb. The best meal I've had in Melbourne over the last year. Great value too.
Funky setting within Revolver's lounge, great service.
You have to try this one, the food is simply sensational - your taste buds will thank you if you like modern Thai/Asian delights!
Pad Thai and fat duck noodles are awesome. Also betel leaf entree. Recommend
Hidden Gem. This place has some great food hidden in the unlikely site of Revolver. If you want some cheap quality Thai food on Chapel st you can't go past it.
The Colonel packs a punch. "Boom Boom... Shake the Room" if I can quote a friend!! Thats what happens when a dish is served up at Colonel Tan's. Robust, Spicy, I cant get enough. If you love Cookie then you will love this is gem upstairs at Revolver on Chapel Street. Enjoy
It started with the excellent service and ended with the truly delicious food. What a great experience! Waters topped up constantly, wine topped up without asking. And a great affordable menu. This will become one of my faves
Best food, service and atmosphere I have experienced in a long time. This is a must try !
Thai groove. It's the whole package that makes this place work. Set near the bar in the groovy club 'revolver' - colonel tans feels like great thai counter meals. The food is delicious and offered in single sized serves. The beer is varied, cold and amazing. The atmosphere is cool and the music worth listening to ( usually the result of a dj playing a deliberate chilled groove for the bar patrons).
But don't go to this restaurant - I want to keep it for myself!
Great for a quick cheap dinner! Open most nights, nothing on the menu is over $15, portions are smallish but choose a few mains to share with some rice & rotti & you'll explode! On Thursdays if you work or live in Prahran get 50% off your whole bill!! Must try are the dumplings!
Domain of the cool kids, the locals, the students, the up and coming bands in the local scene (or not so local and not so up and coming), Revolver is a pretty hip spot. David, Nathalie, Chris, Mini and myself (hi guys!), found ourselves climbing the dark staircase into a lofty space room, that was the dining room of Colonel Tan's in the Revolver, a spot that any student would feel home in. A mish mash of pre-loved couches, paint peeling off the walls, stencils scattered about the walls, old school videogame systems set up, pinball machines, dinosaur toys at the bar (that David had bounce around on my chest while I ordered)...a little rough around the edges, but still somehow tasteful. Surprisingly on a Thursday night, at 6pm, we were finding it nigh impossible to find a table anywhere, we had tried Hu Tong on Commercial Road, we had tried Tyranny of Distance and even Colonel Tan's was looking bleak as all the tables were reserved. So although we didn't get a table, we settled to reclin
Good vibes and great friendly staff!
The food was alright, especially liked the pad thai and green curry. The pork ribs were a bit too salty.
Food tastes very good.Staff who served are friendly and considerate. Ambience is very chilling and the music played is great. Place to try for food and enjoy.
Great food (had lamb curry and duck noodles), good wine selection (try the Austrian Grüner Veltliner), waiters that are able to recommend food and know their own menu (rare nowadays), tasty cocktails and a unique atmosphere. There was a DJ playing and after some time they turned the music down, perfect for having profound talks. Had a lovely evening there, would definitely come back!
Love my time here. The food was amazing . Our waitress Issy was so warm and attentive and always had a smile! Will be back!
Slight mix up with the food order but the staff were really friendly about it and gave us free beers! The meal itself was unreal. I'll be back. Great bar.
First time here last night and loved it, great set up, food came out quick and was all really delicious. Blonde waitress very lovely and accomadating, one of the male waiters not so much 😂 you could tell he didn't want to be there and wanted to get out fast. But overall wonderful food and will defo be back
This is one of Melbourne's best restaurants...inside Revolver, of all places! Spicy Thai food, great service and a unique atmosphere. Thursday nights are the most popular because it's locals night and Hans DC sets the vibe. Perfect for casual, relaxed group dinners. Love this place!
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