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This is a great Greek styled restaurant...with a twist. Often there are other influences which are brought to Greek/Cretan dishes which takes food to another level.
Bookings are suggested as it is usually full when you walk in, but like any good host they will do what they can to get you in or suggest a time to come back.
As a regular I have always started with mixed dips and saganaki. The dips are exquisite and for me some of the best that I have had. The saganaki is also of prime quality. Then it becomes interesting.
Having known Phil at the early stages of his culinary journey I have often been a guinea pig for his new ideas. I now simply tell him to feed me and he will give me a range of dishes which are great in isolation but meld well into a dinner. Often they will be a dish that he is thinking about using on the menu and wants my opinion.
When I am with others he will discuss ideas to see if they are suitable for my guests and it makes a very personal and exciting way to dine. Not knowing exactly what is coming out but savoring every morsel is such a pleasurable way to dine.
Sometimes they are dishes that I wouldn't normally order, like vegetarian dishes but he does them so well. The other night he brought out some grilled yellow zucchini with feta and pomegranate which would almost turn me vegetarian...but i emphasis almost.
Phil also suggested some grilled garfish fillets. They were on skewers, lightly grilled and other than some lemon were a simply but pure delight. Again fish/seafood is not high on the radar but they were spot on.
The other dish was a Cretan sausage made out of chicken but with Middle Eastern influences of pine nuts and spices. Grilled to perfection and served piping hot another great selection.
We were too full to enjoy dessert there, but a nice piece of galaktoboureko taken away would finish off the meal perfectly.
The staff are friendly and professional, the chefs cook everything to perfection.
The first time you go there examine the menu and specials and try what you like, but for a great experience simply let Phil or his staff feed you and have a culinary adventure.
Being Greek - I am a very hard critic when it comes to eating Greek food out. Bahari ticked all the boxes for my friends and I. Service was great, atmosphere was warm with Greek music playing in the background, Food was divine we found it hard to choose as all menu items sounded sooooo good. The slow roasted goat was very good, the fasolakia tasted just like my mum makes, the roasted piperyes were perfect, bazanriosalata was a favorite on the table as were the kolokithokeftethes....trying saying that after a few red wines! In summary I will definitely recommend Bahari when I am asked where can I go to eat Good Greek Food! Thanks to the staff and the amazing Chef's at Bahari.
Probably the best dining experience I've had for a long time.
As soon as you enter you're greeted by the owner and treated as an individual. Staff are attentive, the menu creative and innovative and the food outstanding.
This is how restaurants should be managed and how Greek food should taste.
Can't recommend it enough. Anyone who hasn't tried, do yourself a favour.
This place has Absolutely the best food ever highly recommended to anyone who loves Greek food you won't be disappointed with the service or the food do yourself a favour and try this place make sure you book its very popular!
Everything was delicious and there was more than enough food for us with the $45 set menu. The deserts were So divine.
We have recently come back from a few weeks around Greece and this food was even better.
Loved the authentic Greek food! Died and gone to heaven good! Sitting in the window on the hands was fun! Good service, good wine and reasonably priced. Would definitely go again.
What a fantastic discovery in buzzy Swan Street. Joined 12 friends to celebrate a special birthday for our friend Lesley..... and we all agreed...fabulous traditional style Hellenic food and wine...such variety; personalized service from friendly staff.
I absolutely loved Bahari. It deserves all the amazing reviews, it's been receiving. The atmosphere is great and everyone that works there, including the owner is super lovely. The food was the best I've eaten in a long time! Will definitely be returning back and shall spread the word about how great Bahari is!
5 star service from the second we walked in. My boyfriend and I are vegan so they made us amazing special dishes which were just out of this world. Anyone should come here, dankest food in a long time.
The food is to die for here ! The staff and the way they welcome you really makes you feel you have known them for a very long time !
The best food we had eaten in a while! Great atmosphere and service. The owner was so passionate about the food he serves that he took the time to explain how he made the dessert that we loved. We will be back for more!
Great food, plenty of flavour and the staff are friendly and very efficient, great venue for a night out with family/friends.
My most favourite restaurant in Melbourne.... Fantastic atmosphere!
There is nothing on the menu that will disappoint
Bahari is pretty great, as soon as you walk in the door the staff are attentive and the food is incredible. We were a large group and Philip created a great banquet for the group. We had a really enjoyable evening. Thanks to Philip and his staff for the awesome dinning experience.
I booked this place for my birthday, and they took fantastic care of me and my friends. Had a banquet and the food was delicious and we all left with bigger bellies. Thank you very much for making the birthday that much better.
Will definitely be coming back.
Just celebrated a friend's 30th there, the food is amazing, the bread, dip, lamb, cauliflower salad.... There was so much food, and the stuff are so friendly and helpful. we had a great time there, thank you so much Xxx
Delicious, fresh, extremely tasty!
I’ve ordered twice in the last fortnight and it’s such a treat. Lovely team and so helpful. Delivering far beyond the reaches of many restaurants so thank you! Veggie and lamb souvas Devine, chips delish, fresh salad and soft crumbly feta. My favourite is the trio of dips. The best in Australia in my view (and I’ve tried hundreds of Greek restaurants searching for authentic flavours ). Thanks and I’ll be ordering again soon!
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My previous reviews have been deleted unfortunately. And not by me.
I've been here a few times and the food and service has been excellent. I recently got some home delivery of a lamb shoulder souvlaki with chips, a vegetarian souvlaki 3 dips of taramosalata, smokey eggplant and tzatzaki with bread, some haloumi cigars.
My lamb shoulder souvalaki was delicious, although the chips tasted floury. But overall this was really good as the lamb was perfectly cooked.
My partners vegetarian souvalaki was good, it contained zucchini fritters but there was too much soft cheese.
The haloumi cigars were good but very sweet with lots of honey. They were very tasty and great as a sweet dish.
Of the 3 dips, the smokey eggplant was delicious, and the dips tasted better the following day.
Overall this was a solid experience and definitely worth a visit.
Previous review April 2016.
I went to this restaurant tonight with 3 friends. We all tried the $45 banquet which was amazing. Really tasty food, starting with dips with hot bread, (similar to roti bread) then onto mains with salads and meats then a mixed desert with delicious ice cream and sweets. Yummm haha
If you want to try some great Greek food and an amazing beer, we tried to Greek Pilsener then this is the place to go!
We'll be back!
Went for the set Privè menu which was outstanding. The food just didn't stop coming and it was incredibly tasty. The roast potatoes, trio of dips and Halloumi cigars were a stand out
I have been coming here for years, it is the BEST MODERN GREEK FOOD YOU WILL EVER EAT 😍 Not only is it modern, some of the dishes like the lamb and pork shoulder taste exactly like my yiayia's, which is a HUGE compliment! I honestly think the food here is BETTER than the Greek food in Greece!
Not only is the food one of a kind, the customer service is some of the best you will ever find in Melbourne! You honestly feel like you are walking in to a family👏
Do yourself a favour and BOOK a table in asap, you won't be dissappinted!
This
We come here a lot especially for special occasions! The food is always outstanding and the staff are always lovely! Philip is amazing and always treats us so well! Such a great guy and a beautiful restaurant in general 💖
Great food, so tasty and not pretentious. Service is great and so friendly. Had the best meal. The baclava was amazing.
Really really delish Greek food! Ordered the $40 banquet and also the haloumi fries. The haloumi fries are sensational and it’s a must order! The $40 menu includes dips w warm breads 🤤 calamari and haloumi. The mains were this sensational pulled pork and lamb. I don’t normally like pork but this was amazing. It also came with potato and salad. For an extra $5 we get this shared dessert platter which was really delish.
The service was friendly and the Adelaide Hills Rose really hits the spot.
What can really be improved was the calamari- it wasn’t as fresh as it could be and also the haloumi was slightly salty.
Will come back for:
+ Trio of Dips with Pita
+ Fried Whitebait
+ Lamb and Beef skewers
Came here for a bite with some work colleagues, and was pretty impressed with the service and the food. The dips that came with the grilled pita breads were flavourful, and delicious. The fried Whitebait was also great “beer food”. I also liked their skewers; juicy, charred to perfection and smokey. Service was friendly and super quick. Prices are reasonable for what you get. You can see why this place is so popular with the locals. Will definitely be back for more!
Lamb is perfectly cooked, whitebaits are crunchy & not too salty, grilled octopus is divine, chicken is delicious. One of the best in Melbourne!
Best Greek restaurant we’ve been to, and we’ve eaten at many over the years ( parents in law are from Sparta ). We had the $48 banquet in celebration of my daughter Emily’s birthday, and a baklava with candle and a happy birthday song by all staff and the owner Phillip was a huge surprise to complete the evening. The dips, bread, Saganaki, tender tasty chicken and lamb etc were faultless. Highly highly recommend!
The food here was fantastic - we ordered a bunch of small plates to share and it was just the right amount of food. So much flavour and quality in the food. My partner is celiac so thank you for having so many lovely gluten free options :)
What an amazing Greek feast we had tonight, we loved all of the dishes! The herbs, flavours, char and smokiness in the dishes were spot on - with fantastic service to match!
We indulged in:
1. Trio of Dips + Pita Bread (tzatziki, melitzanosalata & taramosalata)
2. Kolokithokefetdes (zucchini & feta fritters)
3. Horiatiki Greek Salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion, peppers, kalamata olives, feta, capers, oregano, EVOO & red wine vinegar)
4. Chicken & Pork Kalamaki (skewers)
5. Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder (lemon, rosemary & EVOO)
Brought my wife here for her birthday and the food was fantastic. Phil Vakos greeted us at the door and he made sure the waiters looked after us during the night. We had the octopus, pork jowls, calamari, dips and zucchini fritters. All tasted great. The best dish of the night was the baklava cheesecake and the halva ice-cream. These dishes are a must. Phil Vakos is one of the best restaurant owners around. Great service from the whole Bahari team.
Can recommend the banquet option. Service excellent. Lamb & pork slow cooked melt in the mouth full of flavour. A must is the potatoes crispy and delish. Warm flat breads and dips very nice too. Offer of free shots at the end a lovely surprise ! Good times
Absolutely amazing!
FOOD: So I was going just to try it because I absolutely LOVE greek food and thought I’d give their Tzatziki a shot and boy... was it LIFE CHANGING. It is the best tzatziki or Greek dip I’ve ever had in my entire life!! I don’t know how they did that but the flavours was so amazing! It’s creamy, flavourful and for $9.50, you are getting a TON. The pita was amazing as well with a hint of garlic which I could never complain! I’m definitely looking forward to coming back and trying their other stuff (Saganaki, you’re next 👀)
SERVICE: From my experience at my favourite Greek restaurant, the service was kinda meh there but the service at Bahari was so lovely! The team are friendly, cheerful and helpful! Props to the servers for giving A+ service!
I love Bahari and can understand the super high ratings and am not ashamed to say I’m gonna contribute to the high rating! Best tzatziki EVER!!
Bahari is a great spot for wholesome Greek food. The restaurant itself is small and cosy but the sure do serve up a feast. We ordered saganaki, dips, octopus and lemon lamb for the two of us and it was more than enough to put us in the food coma. The dips were amazing with warm fresh bread. I loved the octopus even though the boyfriend isn’t a big fan of octopus so I had most of it to myself. But the lamb was truly sensational. Drowned in lemon, herbs and oil, it just falls apart and melts in your mouth. The portions are big so pace yourself when ordering.
4/5 stars -
Food:
I ordered the saganki, trio of dips and lamb shoulder! The dishes were great. I really enjoyed the saganki and the lamb shoulder absolutely melted in my mouth. For me, the dips were a bit of a let down as I did not rly enjoy the flavor of the dips.
However, I saw some interesting items on the food menu such as octopus, stuffed eggplant with feta and so forth and I look forward to going back and trying them next time!
Service:
The service was quick and efficient. The waitress was attentive and the food come out very fast.
Ambience:
Nothing too special about the decor.
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We came here for a 6:30pm booking, the first session ends at 7:45pm so by the time we ordered we were down to an hour left. Mind you, the food came flying out so they definitely were aware of our time constraints, we even managed to squeezed in dessert! Staff were very friendly and even Philip Vakos popped by our table a couple times to have a quick chat.
First to come out was the saganaki, really you can't go wrong with grilled cheese. It was perfectly seared and dressed with oregano and lemon juice. We also had saganaki scallops which is where we were educated as to the meaning of "saganaki" (we knew what we ordered thanks to the waiter). The tomato sauce had feta and light herbs and served with some fluffy pita bread, very homely.
We also ordered a serving of their croquettes which came surprisingly in bite sized balls. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, I aliken the flavours to a Big Mac. I could pop those all day long! The octopus however we found was less vibrant and a bit dry, it did however have a nice char grilled flavour to it.
For main we had the lamb shoulder which had been pulled and seasoned with lemon, rosemary, garlic and EVOO. Really soft and not as gamy as I've sampled as of recent. I was craving some roast potatoes and it hit the spot, perfectly seasoned and creamy but could have been more crispy (I actually thought they were smashed). Beetroot salad was a great accompaniment and I enjoyed the walnuts that gave it that extra crunch.
For dessert we had their baklava which was wonderfully flaky and although sweet, not overly so. The raspberry ice cream cake however was slightly icy, it was topped with pistachios and accompanied with a halva ice cream which had a nice nuttiness and spice to it.
We ended with a complimentary shot of Ouzo, reminds me a bit of Sambuca. I'd suggest planning your time slots carefully as we were rushed and weren't able to fully enjoy the meal, no fault on their part. Nice price bracket and you'll leave feeling fed.
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Tonight we chose Bahari to catch up with a group of friends. This restaurant had been in our radar for quite some time now so excited to check it out.
The menu read well with lots of delicious sounding Greek dishes and much of the menu was taken up with banquet options. We had a mixed group of vegetarian, non pork eaters and so opted to order for ourselves off the a la cart menu.
Vegetarians were satisfied with halloumi chips, zucchini and feta fritters and rosemary lemon roast potatoes plus a delicious beetroot salad.
Us meat eaters opted for a double serve of
Lamb shoulder which was tender and juicy and just a tad on the salty side. We enjoyed the flavour of the chicken skewers which were quite generous in size. Those chicken skewers rocked garlic to the delicious extreme.
The food came out so darn quick and attentive waiting staff were very good at keep us watered and predicting our needs
For dessert we shared the firm custard syrupy galaktoboureko slice which was my favourite dessert while other were quite captivated by the pistachio raspberry ice cream cake. Another hit was the walnut and chocolate cake served in a ramekin with a scoop of delicious halva ice cream. We thought a perfect way to end the night on but our waiter had other ideas and shouted us a round of ouzo shots to see us out the door.
A fun fast night out.
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I chose Bahari for dinner with friends after another friend recommended the venue. I found it a little irritating to book due to no online system but apparently they are going digital shortly. It’s a relatively intimate venue famed by owner ex Masterchef contestant Philip Vakos with very friendly service.
The efficiency of the kitchen is astounding, I’ve literally never seen food appear so fast. We ordered a whole lot of sharing dishes and found it to be pretty good value. We had the obligatory pita and tzatziki, beetroot salad, saganaki, haloumi chips, calamari and feta and zucchini fritters. It was all about the main event for me, lamb shoulder and we ordered two serves of this for the four meat eaters among us.
I found this to be a bit too salty but the flavour and succulent texture was enjoyable. I was most impressed by the rosemary and lemon roast potatoes although they were quite oily. The chicken skewers were also yummy, very moist and tender.
Dessert it definitely worth saving room for. We had two of the specials which are certainly worthy of being elevated to a permanent position on the menu. A stunningly presented ice cream cake and also a chocolate and walnut creation topped with salted caramel and halva ice cream.
I don’t generally enjoy the grainy texture and traditional flavour of halva but it works really well here as an ice cream. We also tried a Greek classic the galaktobloureko which had a subtle vanilla and lemon flavour. All six of us were very happy with our overall experience (and the complimentary shots of ouzo) which is quite a feat
Hospitality here is on point and the food is perfect for sharing with a larger group.
I chose Bahari for my birthday dinner with girlfriends and it didn't disappoint. There were 7 of us which ended up being great as we got to eat a bit of EVERYTHING and there was nothing we didn't like.
We were served like queens for the evening, seated right infront of the kitchen where we were able to see all the dishes flying out. No request was too hard, they even brought the dessert plate out with a candle so everyone would start singing. Great touch and will happily recommend.
Dishes we tried and all were good:
Trio of dips with warm bread
Saganaki
Slow cooked lamb
Grain salad
Beetroot salad
Baked haloumi
Wild mushrooms with feta
Moussaka
Fried calamari
Pastry wrapped prawns
Haloumi cigars with honey (least fave)
Halva ice-cream & baklava (PERFECT FINISH)
If you feel like a quick fix of Greek food then Bahari is the place to eat! ! Exceptional customer service with delicious food that will make you feel
Like you’re back in the Greek islands. Always can relay on Bahari for a delicious feast
If I could give this restaurant more stars I would - seriously incredible. Had 18 people for dinner here to celebrate my partner’s birthday and it was perfect. They gave us the room upstairs which was beautiful, the food was exceptional and the staff were all lovely. Could not recommend more.
I have visited this little gem many times, I have yet to be disappointed.
There is nothing I can fault from the food, service, value for money, it's an absolute must for those seeking fabulous food!
Classically Delicious!
I came here with a few friends and was eagerly ready to try this much heard about Greek style restaurant.
We ordered the large feed me option and boy was there a lot of food!
The four of us struggled to finish all the plates, but boy did we have fun trying!
The food was Devine! Classic Greek flavours and beautifully and simply presented dishes.
The staff were really friendly and welcoming, although when asked for suggestions on what to order, our young staff member didn’t really have much to say. He seemed a bit new.
I had a great experience here at Bahari and would recommend it to my friends.
Thanks for the huge dinner. It was delicious!
I’ll keep this short and sweet with a few amendments.
Ambience= 9/10 Lovely, a little dim but theu have more lighting now
Service 10/10 everything was explained thoroughly and allergies catered for too
Speed= 10/10 Food kept on coming out faster than we could eat
Food= 10/10 Amazing and will be back
Value= 10/10 we went for a feed me menu style and was soo full by the end
***Just went recently with a large group and had the $55 banquet. It was filling and beyond delicious. The manager or owner was surprised we could finish all the food given. The waiter was awesome and made us feel very homey and welcome. Amazing food and experience once again!
No wonder this place is a local gem. Comforting dishes served in just the right portions. Their Greek salad was one of the best versions that I've had. No issues with ordering anything on the menu.
Excellent food and service! This is the 4th time me and my boyfriend have dined here and we have always given it a 5 star for everything. We will dine here again.
Bahari is yet to disappoint. Been here a few times now and the food has remained at the same standard. Delicious authentic Greek dishes with some that have twist to them. The owner is very friendly and helpful this has not been passed on to his staff members. Will be visiting here again in no time
We went there couple of times already. Great customer service from the owner of the restaurant, always making sure of his customers are happy. Really tasty food would go back again
Staff were lovely, the service was on point and most importantly the food was delicious! Even got a complimentary shot as we left, will definitely be coming back!
I'm a regular at Bahari with both my girlfriend and family, after coming so many times we have ordered extensively from the menu and I haven't had a single dish that wasn't fantastic. Some of the absolute highlights are the smoked eggplant, the moussaka, the pulled pork, the lamb shoulder and the chicken meatballs. Phillip the owner is extremely friendly, attentive and all around great for a chat. Would highly recommend Bahari to absolutely anyone.
The food at Bahari is some of the best Greek food I've ever had! The service was amazing from beginning to end and you can see the incredible passion and love that goes into each dish. Would highly recommend to all
Love this place, great food, lovely atmosphere and beautiful service. Thanks Bahari we’ll definitely be back. 👌🏼👌🏼🙏🙏🙏😊😊😊💯💯💯💯💯💯
I quite enjoyed the dishes here. Very well rounded and tasty. The slow roasted lamb shoulder was a highlight. The skewers you can miss as they were subpar. I couldn’t decide between the potatoes, the trio of dips or the traditional Greek salad so I got them all! Amazing
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I went here with a group of friends last week. We were seated upstairs and the place looked new and the decor was nice, especially the giant beads on the door.
We decided to order the $40 menu with dessert. The menu looked delicious however we didn’t get a choice of mains. I forgot to take a pic of the entrees so I don’t remember everything we had but the highlight for all of us was these cheesy balls. The mains were slow roasted lamb, pulled pork and salads. The table was split on the opinions some preferred the lamb however I found it more bland than the pork but they were both delicious. I was so full be the time the meat came out that I couldn’t eat much.
I did have room for desserts though. I love Greek desserts, the baklava and halva ice creams were delicious, some of my friends didn’t like the halva ice cream though. The galaktoboureko was the highlight, I have a weakness for anything with custard.
The service here was mostly good however a waitress who was less friendly than the other staff poured less wine, I went to the bar and said something and they gave me more.
Fresh and simple Greek food!
I've been here a couple of times now and they have been pretty consistent aside from a few odd things.
Stand out foods: the char grilled octopus and the slow roasted lamb shoulder. We also ordered the havala ice cream which was a bit icy but the flavours were there!
Came here with a group of 6, and decided to get the $50 banquet which was great as you can choose which dishes you wanted for entree, sharing plates and the mains. Overall, the food was beautiful and they serve great high quality meat/seafood. The place itself is very luxe and modern, loved the Greece vibes. As the service was slow due to kitchen difficulties, however, the manager gave us an extra plate of lamb and salad which was great. Would highly recommend this place!
Loved this place! The food is so delicious, the service is wonderful. They understand friendly, personable service which is fantastic in my books. The coordinator at the front door was on top of things the whole time and visibly looking at tables throughout to make sure he’d see if tables needed anything.
Food was incredibly prompt as was our drinks, atmosphere was cosy and wonderful for small intimate gatherings.
+ Great service, delicious food and wonderful atmosphere.
- Suggestion for outdoor heaters overhead or standing.
Great service, matched by beautiful food. The dips were flavoursome and fresh, the calamari light and crisp, the haloumi was tasty without being overpowering with bite. Souvlaki’s were great albeit I would probably prefer them without the chips. That said great lunch with the Mrs here and will definitely make the effort to come back.
Great ambience & even better food. The specials were a highlight. Loved the dips and haloumi fries. If I lived in Melbourne I would be here all the time !
Jessica Brisbane Foodie
+5
I have been here 3 times now and have been so lucky to just walk in. I have enjoyed all 3 meals in particular the meatballs. I recommended Bahari to my friends as it’s great comfort food.
Best Greek food in Melbourne. Excellent banquet and plenty of food. Everything is delicious! Nice homely atmosphere. Definitely recommended. Need to make a booking
Bahari is a Greek restaurant in Richmond created by Philip Vakos who was an ex contestant on masterchef. The food is humble, honest and absolutely delicious. I love when you can go out to a restaurant and feel like you’re eating a real home cooked meal. Bahari the hellenic palate - trio of dips
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Bahari The Hellenic Palate is a Greek restaurant that combines all the essential Greek ingredients and flavours into exquisitely put together dishes. You are immediately greeted with a warm and inviting interior, setting the tone for sharing-themed dinner.
My partner and I began by ordered the Prawns Kataifi, an incredible prawn-pastry combination that goes hand-in-hand with the aioli it comes with. It had just the right amount of crunch – only complaint was that there should be more aioli! Next came the lamb cutlets; the succulence and flavour of the lamb was so good that my partner and I spent the next few days with a lamb fixation, trying to (unsuccessfully) replicate Bahari’s creation. It was a simple yet effective addition to our dinner. We also ordered the Chicken Souzoukakia in Spinach & Feta Sauce, large meatballs that melted with every bite. The meatballs were complemented by the to-die-for cheesy sauce. This was a dish that evaporated before my eyes. Finally, just in case we hadn’t had enough meat, we ordered the Pork Jowl & Haloumi Croquettes. More meat and cheese? Yes please. The only thing to note here was that it was too salty for my liking.
Other than that, it was a memorable dinner, and we will definitely be back!
This is a must try place if you’re looking for delicious Greek food, great atmosphere and fantastic service. Everything on the menu and specials menu sounded delicious and it was a hard choosing which ones to try. We started with trio dips and pita bread which was perfectly grilled and croquettes stuffed with pulled pork and haloumi which was delicious enjoyed hot but once they cool down you can taste the fat that they are cooked in. For mains we had skewers, beetroot and feta chips. We couldn’t decide on meat skewers so got all 3 which were all delicious and perfectly cooked. Loved the salad and feta chips here which went perfectly with the skewers. The moussaka was my least favourite dish and a tad bland and needed more salt. What made the evening memorable was the outstanding service from the team who greeted us and ensured that we were well looked after and explained the menu. I would definitely come back here again.
Had a lovely dinner here with my friend. The food was amazing. I will go back. We had the saganaki and zucchini and feta balls. The pulled pork was fantastic.
Always love the food ad Bahari. Went with a group of mates on Friday night and we ordered plates to share. The pulled pork is such a tasty dish!! A lot of care and effort goes into each and every dish.. great place!
Amazing food. Ordered prawns wrapped in shredded wheat, whitebait with aioli and chargrilled octopus for entre. Octopus was nice but oregano sprinkled on top over powdered the flavour of the octopus and was too gritty (should have used fresh). The prawns were lovely with a light crisp texture and the whitebait was just beautiful!
For mains we had moussaka, pork and chicken skewers, slow braised kid and slow cooked seasoned lamb.
The skewers were tender and flavoursome, the kid was delicious and melted off the bone although it needed a side dish as it became a bit rich towards the end. Unfortunately, the moussaka was very ordinary. It lacked flavor and depth and had very little vegetables in it. The top layer of bechamel and cheese was far too thick and gluggy like glue. All you could taste was mince and cheese. However, the show cooked lamb was out of this world! The best dish of the night by far!
Friendly staff and great service, would highly recommend.
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Dined here for lunch with a large group. A banquet was the obvious choice for the 10+ diners. What is appealing about the banquet options here is that you can select your own dishes for each section of the banquet from a fixed list. The obligatory dips weren’t optional but the three selections of tzatziki, taramosalata and eggplant dip were pleasing. The only quibble was the taramosalata was quite vinergary which overpowered the usual fishiness of the dip. The pita- bread offered was soft & doughy, nicely charred and lightly oiled & topped with oregano. Nice start. Next few dishes were really tasty; zucchini fritters, saganaki fried cheese & ouzo infused char-grilled octopus. However, the fried calamari with a light tempura-like coating was tough as shoe leather. Next the mains; Chicken skewers nicely marinated, well cooked & very tender. Pulled lamb shoulder...hmmn. What I tasted was soft & tender but it had a really strong gamey lamb flavour & was rather bland other wise, lacking seasoning or anything else to cut through the strong fatty lamb taste. Two salads finished of the meal. The usual Greek salad was light & fresh & a ‘Cypriot’ cabbage salad, which was really a tarted up coleslaw with currants and a heavy handed smattering of dill, which overtook the other flavours. Dessert was optional. Some of our party indulged. I got to sample the Halva ice-cream which had a delicious & not too sweet nuttiness to it and a light, not too syrupy Galaktoboureko (custard filled filo pastry) Over all very good quality fare but one disappointment in each of the banquet sectors. Staff were friendly, attentive & accomodating. (Also very patient with a large rowdy group) Will recommend and will more than likely return with a much smaller group to try other dishes from the a la carte & specials menu.
Slow roast lamb shoulder is really juicy and tender. Rich flavour. Calamari is fresh and well seasoned. A Good place for Greek cuisine. Will come back again
Unforgettable meal. Incredibly friendly service from the staff, the meals were incredible and portions were large enough to share around the group without feeling like you missed out. Do yourself a favour and save room for the candied bacon baklava, easily the best dessert I’ve ever had.
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My goodness the set menus are great value! Honestly, the amount of food was overwhelming, our poor waitress was probably so over how indecisive we were.
We got the $50 menu for the table and my favorite part was definitely the starters; they all sounded so good and we got to choose FOUR! I'll definitely come back and just order a bunch of these.
-The zucchini flowers were ok, perhaps a little too salty and too oily for me.
-The chicken meatballs were good, that green sauce is to die for.
- The saganaki was the most unpopular, far too tasty, we should've gotten the haloumi.
- The pork jowl croquettes were AMAZING, that pork was so flavorsome, I could've had 5 more.
Oh and before all of this we also had some dips and a HUGE amount of bread. We should've gone sparingly with the bread considering how much food was to come, but it was so good we couldn't help ourselves. The eggplant dip was really good as well, the others unmemorable.
I think we were too full by the time the mains and salads came out, thank goodness the portions were reasonable. I was impressed by the chicken, I dont usually order chicken when I'm out, but these skewers were well cooked and tasty. The lamb was disappointing though, fatty and underseasoned, but I am told it tasted better the next day. We all loved the cauliflower salad.
Overall a really fun dinner. I'm glad I chose it for our friends' birthdays. Will definitely come back
Had a table of 14 for my birthday last Thursday night. Had originally heard about the restaurant whilst looking for leads at work, and noticed the near perfect reviews they had on every site. They did not disappoint. I would go as far to say that the banquet we had was the best meal all round I've ever had at a venue. I could not fault one dish, and my friends and family all loved it too. They were accommodating to me being a pescetarian while the rest of the table ate meat, and when asked if we could add an extra serving of everything on the banquet, they happily did so. Thank you for a wonderful meal and great night. Our money was well spent. Will definitely be back.
Where do i even start with this place? Hands down, this has to be one of the best Greek restaurants in Melbourne without a doubt. Have been here on a number of occasions and will continue to come here and recommend it to others as the food is delicious.
Love how they use different flavors on traditional meals and give their own twist to the dish. Have to say, i have pretty much had the majority of the menu but the standouts for me are the saganaki, octopus, lamb cutlets, lamb souvlaki, zucchini fritters and halva ice cream for dessert (this is too die for!).
Great little venue, reminds you of restaurants in Mykonos by the water. Staff are great and always happy to suggest new dishes, big wrap also to Philip the owner who is always up for a chat and will go above and beyond in making sure you leave his restaurant one happy customer, such a gentleman.
If i could give you guys more stars i definitely would, cannot wait to visit again!
A Chronicle Of Gastronomy
+4
After his stint on Masterchef in 2010, Philip Vakos opened up his own place right here in Melbourne, with business partner Stell Kaponas. Bahari offers Modern Greek, or as they like to call it, Gringlish, in an intimate setting.
the BEST Greekin Mebourne! I dont even know where to start I could eat here everyday for the next 1000 years and still want more! Love the zucchini dishes
A wonderful dining experience at Bahari in Richmond!
Everything was interesting, new and tasty too.
Definitely recommend the kid goat, which was juicy and fell straight off the bone. First time trying kid goat for me, but trust me... it’s not that much different from lamb! We also enjoyed the zucchini and feta fritters (hats off to you if you can pronounce the Greek name for them), the haloumi “spring rolls” 😂 and the beetroot salad. Would definitely go back for more!
P.S. Be sure to get in early and book cos it’s seriously popular.
Had a superb dinner! Amazing service, food came out really fast and everything was fresh and delicious!! Everything was perfect. Would definitely go back for more.
We ordered the $45 banquet, choosing calamari, octopus and fritters for entrees, with lamb shoulder and chicken skewer for main dishes. All of the entrees were enjoyable but the standout dish were the zucchini fritters, which were delicious and crunchy without being greasy.
Considering how good the entrees were, we had high expectations for the mains but were a little underwhelmed. Something was just lacking, but it must be said that both were cooked quite well. The chicken was succulent and the lamb was soft, albeit drowning in oil. The banquet provided quite a satisfying amount of food and we opted not to have the add-on desserts.
Overall, a nice restaurant that is definitely worth a visit.
I have been to Bahari a few times because the menu is just so delicious.
If you are a lover of Mediterranean/Greek meze style food, you have to give these guys a visit.
Al the food is very high quality and tasty, I recommend ordering the octopus and lamb.
If you can, go with a small group so you get the opportunity to try lots of sharing dishes.
Also, order the Trio of Dips, who knew dips and pita could be so good!!
The staff are really friendly and attentive, and the restaurant has a great relaxed atmosphere.
Went out for a lunch with my girlfriend and we are amazed by the food and service. We ordered saganaki, pork sausages, lamb shoulder and a coleslaw salad. We absolutely loved every dish. What stood out most was the lamb shoulder and the salad! Service was attentive and the waiter was really nice and patient when we asked him for recommendations. It was our first Greek experience and I have to say I am in love. Totally recommend this place to everyone.
Ordered-
- Dips and bread
- Pork croquettes
- Fried cauliflower
- Meatballs
Dips and bread & croquettes made an everlasting impression. I cannot get over how succulent the pork was when I split the croquettes in half with my knife and fork. The bread was so soft and not hard like most bread at other Greek restaurants, and the dip was so creamy. Highly highly recommend!!!
Joanne | Melbournecitay
+5
All I can say is.. wow! Every dish in this restaurant was superb. I would recommend the saganaki, zucchini fritters and beetroot feta salad. Would come again anytime, although I’m all feta-ed out now.
Went here last night for dinner with my partner. Food was fresh quick and relatively priced. The staff working were excellent and the highlight for us. Great little spot on Swan St
Yum yum yum....love love love!! Dined at Bahari last night with a large group of friends and enjoyed every aspect of our dining experience. Wholesome and generous servings of delicious food (trio of dips with warm pita bread and zucchini fritters were amazing and not forgetting the pulled pork), genuine and attentive service staff, lovely and casual ambience all combined to make a recipe for a fantastic night. What a shame the parking in the area is limited to 2 hours 😔😔😔 Would have loved to have savoured the experience just a little bit longer if we could have. Philip Vakos your hosting and chef skills are impeccable 😊😊😊
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We dined at Bahari for the first time in a group of 14 tonight. Some from our group had already been before and highly recommended it.
What a great surprise been greeted at the door by Philip Vakos himself.
This restaurant is fantastic. The food is beautifully made. Tasty Greek food.
We went with the number 2 set menu
It was delicious. Couldn't fault anything.
From starters like homemade dips, saganakil and fried calamari to yummy melt in your mouth lamp shoulder and pulled pork. Their salads were delicious too.
The staff was extremely efficient abd attentive.
Philip Vakos helps out, speaks with customers and meets them with a smile as they walked in.
Will definitely be going back. 🌟🌟🌟😍😍😍
Saturday 24th February
I booked a table at Bahari for my husband's birthday just for the 2 of us. We had the banquet for 2 plus dessert.
OMG!!! The Baklava and Galaktoboureko with Halva icecream is just devine!!!
I'm sure I've told many THIS PLACE IS FANTASTIC!!
LOVE IT!!
We could not fault anything both times.
Philip Vakos is so perceptive of everything in the restaurant. A real people person who will greet you as you come in the door, seat you at your table and come back countless times to make sure everything is ok and if you need anything else.
Will definitely be going back very soon.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
It’s very rare that I feel the need to review a restaurant as soon as I get home. But that’s just what happened after dining at Bahari. Firstly, on a Saturday night when we visited the place was bustling so it was a good think we booked. I immediately loved the vibe of the place. The wait staff were attentive and suggested one of the three banquet options. We selected the $45 option which allowed us to select a number of dishes, which turned out to be too much for us to eat! I highly recommend the saganaki, haloumi, fritters, slow cooked lamb and pulled pork. And how could I forger the bread, dips and salads. The only reason I didn’t give this place a 5 is because the waitress who we settled the bill with gave us a bit of attitude when we asked to pay a portion each on our cards. Her attitude aside, the rest of the wait staff were wonderful and we will be returning.
Busy place & you realise why once you’ve eaten there. The food is fresh and lived up to its high ratings. We enjoyed every dish we shared and the lamb skewers were just delicious.
What would you consider a good meal at a restaurant? Is it just the food, the wine or the company? Do you need all these three ingredients to have a great meal? How do you know food is really good at Bahari? When there is limited talking at the table because everyone is just focused on demolishing the food when it is served. And the food came to the table quickly too. When everything is cleared from the table, you lean back and smile at each other whilst still savouring the lingering flavours on your tongue. That was how our meal went at Bahari. The food was the star, the service was attentive and we were really happy. We had the pulled pork, meat balls, chicken skewers, rosemary potatos, fried cauliflower and pita bread to mop up all that wonderful delicious sauce from the pulled pork and meatballs. A decadent chocolate mousse to finish off a perfect meal. Absolutely delicious meal.
Booked in for Friday night based on the good overall rating. It was nice & casual with efficient service. We started off a range of starters- dips which came accompanied by fresh pita scattered with herbs- eggplant, taramasalata & tzatzicki. We also had lovely crunchy white bait which was accompanied by aoli and the octopus which was cut into tender small portions. We had the mushrooms sprinkled with feta and the zucchini fritters- all delicious. We were almost full by this time but willingly tackled some mains of lamb shoulder, Greek salad and moussaka. The concept of sharing all the dishes is really great as you get to taste everything and I really enjoyed everything and felt this place deserved it's high rating.
We had an early sitting and opted for the banquet menu which was 40 for 5 entrees and 5 mains. We all agreed that every dish was amazing. The trio of dips (roasted eggplant was my fav) and sagnaki were delightful Greek staples and the zucchini fritters melted in my mouth. Plus both the Greek salad and the beetroot salad had delicious dressings(and the feta so smooth and creamy). The chicken skewers were succulent and juicy! Staff were very attentive and even though we had a set sitting we didn’t feel rushed. If you like Greek food, this place has a high rating for a reason!
Really good quality food and service. We come back every time we come back to Melbourne. Order the lamb, kolokithokeftedes and haloumi honey fingers.
Came here for my birthday this month and everyone enjoyed themselves. Great service and delicious tasting food. We had the set menu and were all really full from the generous portions. Would have liked some grilled chicken in the set though. Totally Recommended!
De.lic.ious! Great authentic Greek food. Everything pictured was delicious. Place fills up quickly so be sure to either make a booking or go on an off day.
I absolutely love this place. They have my favourite red wine, make sure to get the touriga 3 dark horses. Everything on the menu is yum but you must get the taramasalata with hot bread and the lamb!
Came here with 3 other friends for dinner and the banquet options are great value for money ($40 or $45 including dessert). The appetisers were delicious, with personal favourites being the trio of dips with warm bread and halloumi cigars. However, the mains were a bit disappointing in comparison. The slow roasted lamb was the only winner with a delicious jus. The cabbage salad was oddly bitter, the fries with feta were more like feta with a side of fries, and the chicken was dry. Dessert was a shared plate and we chose galaktoboureko, the chocolate brownie special and halva ice cream, which were alright. Overall it's a reasonably priced food for the variety provided but perhaps it's reflected in the mediocre quality. Front of house was attentive but their recommendations fell short of our expectations.
Went here today for my sister's birthday lunch. We have been here numerous times and the banquet is always delicious and great value for money. I had a very VERY extensive list of foods I cannot eat (many of which are staples to greek cuisine) and the staff were so helpful and accommodating at making me seperate dishes that I could eat, all of which were still delicious. Could not recommend enough!
By far the best Greek food I have had in Melbourne. The zucchini flowers, saganaki and service were highlights. Plenty of gluten free options too
Delicious food,good service and friendly staff👌🏼👍🏼we ordered few entrees(dips,octopus and mushrooms) and lamb shoulder.Everything was so tasty,the lamb was melting in the mouth.Well done👏
This place is great! We called on a very busy night (Richmond winning the grand final) and were kindly accommodated - including our requirement for a pram space. The host who greeted us I can only imagine was the owner also and remembered us from when we called. The wait staff were prompt and knowledgable including about the newly created (that day) dessert and the ingredients origins and flavour. All the food was delicious and we were even given and substantial tasting of a wine we hadn't tried before.
Would definitely go again.
Absolutely delicious food! Didn't really miss a beat, octopus was as good as I've had and the lamb was really tender and tasty as were the kalamaka skewers. Yummmy. Dips were good but not great, and I wasn't a fan of the prawns and calamari was a bit stringy. Overall though, one of the best Greek restaurants in town.
When u go there have to reservation dinner time!!!
Especially mushroom is so wonderful it's juicy♡♡
Additional the all kind of food is salty so have to order wine👏👏
And almost food is GTF
A lovely cozy spot on Swan St to get fully satiated with Greek food.
We popped in and ordered the trio of dips which were very tasty, accompanied with soft and light pita bread. Moved on to the eggplant which was absolutely delicious. The textures and flavours were amazing.
Then we had the whitebait and which was perfectly fried, accompanied with a very tasty lemon aioli. The octopus was great too.
We completed the meal with a Galaktoboureko which was light and sweet. A perfect ending to a wonderful lunch.
The staff were extremely friendly and hospitable. Felt like we’d known each other for ages. Will most definitely return.
Came here for a private event upstairs - absolutely stunning venue for functions or a meal. The food was beautiful - I don’t have a photo of the lamb but that was my absolute favourite, as was the desserts, cocktail and the smoky eggplant dip 🤤 very attentive staff as well
Decided to try this place as we were going to an event around the corner, and what a great choice we made! Each dish we ordered was beautifully presented and full of flavour. Definitely recommend saving room for the desserts. Shoutout to the great service we received as well, made for a great overall experience
If I could give more than 5 starts I absolutely would. Fantastic food. Excellent quality, taste and such a big portions. We ordered the banquet (the bigger one) and we have enough left over to bring back home. The entrees were amazing.
Had some really tasty takeaway from here. The serves are a bit small for the price but the flavour of each and every dish was awesome - even once reheated at home. The octopus and calamari are both must tries. Also loved the cheesy eggplant rolls and the grain salad.
Can't rave enough about this place. Booked for a work event last night for 18 people and the service and food were exceptional. Absolutely no-one left hungry. The staff were great and a special mention to Abbey - there was nothing too difficult - thank you!!! Great for a group, will return and would not hesitate to recommend. P.s. get the octopus.
The food is so delicious. Everything was cooked perfectly and had so much flavour. We wanted to take photos but accidentally ate it all before we got the chance!
The staff are so attentive and friendly and seemed just as excited about our order as we did. The owner, Philip, popped by our table for a chat and he was such a lovely guy. You can see how well he treats his staff and that they actually enjoy working for him. That made the experience even better. We can’t wait to go back to Bahari again and will definitely be recommending to our friends.
Great place for authentic greek indulgence. Friendly and attentive staff. Their saganaki, wild mashrooms, lamb shoulders, eggplant,.... are so good. I have been going there for years and i think they deserve all the glory they get. Very well priced too which is even a bonus. I wish they wouldnt close their kitchen so early at nights. I think at 9 it s all game over there. Highly recommend
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