Review The Kingston Hotel - Richmond

It’s been a while since we dined at the Kingston and it was always enjoyable. The “new” Kingston after extensive renovation delivers three excellent spaces with great attention to quality fit out that provides a relaxed character and atmosphere to each space. We had lunch in Marble & Pearl, a refined dining room with a focus on Australian beef and local seafood, all cooked on a parilla charcoal grill. Even though it was the official opening day and finishing touches were still being applied, the service from the staff was attentive and friendly, and we were well looked after by Renata. The miso glazed marrow bone was excellent, as was the panko-crumbed John Dory. The retro prawn cocktail was nice but would have benefited from more prawn meat. The 300g O’Connor’s hanger steak from the parilla had a great depth of flavour and was served with house-made green and a red chimichurri on the side The wine list is well curated to match the food on offer and caters to a range of budgets. Will be back.

The Kingston had a really good start for an opening night... Clearly the renovation is still a work in progress and some of the floors near the bathrooms provide an "uneven" passage. Renovation work aside, there is a feel of opulence which suits the menu and it is warm and comfortable. For a gourmet pub with premium prices the team need to focus on making sure the food is exceptional, facilities are clean and diligent service is maintained. The menu is large and ambitious yet there were a number of options including items from the wine list which were curiously written up as being unavailable. However the manager made up for this with his attention to detail and great customer service. The entrees were exceptional and items like Caviar offered a theatrical start to the meal and a once off dining experience. There were a number of teething problems including over cooked steak and a hair in a dessert, which on a normal night would have been grounds for serious complaints. With pasta dishes more food is often not a good thing. Aside from one overcooked steak the meat selection and flavours were terrific. Other diners in our group were less impressed and commented it all needs a lot of work. Overall we had a positive dining experience and will return after giving their team sometime to fix the opening night issues.

We visited during a soft open. The service was fantastic, very friendly and professional. My partner had the Surf and Turf which had a HUGE lobster tail, she enjoyed it immensely. I had the eye fillet and from the first bite my mouth exploded....it was an amazing cut!!! Thanks for amazing food and service we will definitely be back very soon!!!

We dined at the new Kingston Hotel last night our local. Chris the manager is very friendly and chatted with us which was lovely. ...Love the new fit out and ambience. We sat next to the gas log fire...Perfect on a cold winters evening. We ordered the Fish pie and spaghetti beef ragu were both delicious. Looking forward to another lovely relaxed evening at the newly renovated Kingston Hotel...

Was great to be back at the Kingston. We were warmly welcomed back by the old and new staff especially Chris and Jon. A great variety of seating options and lovely meals Just a small suggestion, any chance of having somewhere to hang our coats? Looking forward to our next visit.

Fantastic food (amazing menu), staff were exceptionally welcoming and friendly and when they didn’t have the cocktail I wanted on the menu they were happy to make it anyway. Renovations are outstanding and I can’t wait to go back!

Excellent fitout, upgrading the past while retaining the old character. Great food and beer range. Glad to have my local back & hope they do well in a tough market.

Really lovely food, ambiance and good service. Staff still learning the ropes but really are doing a great job Good variety on menu. Definitely be going back

Literally a hole in the wall type of joint and oh boy the place hides a good chill vibe with an amazing courtyard. Delicious finger lickin' food, charismatic staff with hilarious banter, it almost like you're just hanging out with friends. Really busy on footy season, and please don't miss steak night.

Love the food, the ambience, the service, the beer. Salty beef salad, calamari with pistachio crumb to start with. Both taste so good, portions are just right. Eye filet and tuna yum!! To wash it all down, cold beer-Furphy-made in geelong. Two very happy and satisfied customers.

Great pub for a beer, pub meal (the burger is killer) or a special meal from the restaurant. Something for everyone here.

Been a few years since I’d been to this place . What a gem it is ,that I’d forgotten about . Great menu , substantial wine list and all delivered by friendly , attentive staff . Will be back soon

Last night I attended a farewell dinner for one of my workmates and we had the best night thanks to the fabulous staff. Nothing was a problem and our many requests were readily met. I would not hesitate in recommending this lovely place, tucked away from the hustle and bustle and nestled amongst some of the most beautiful terraced houses in Richmond. Thank you for making our special night even more special �

Not sure why I was charged some shitty $0.19 surcharge on my beer. Only place in 3121 that has it. Nice boozer but don't charge crap sneaky charges on beers. Never got told I'd be paying the extra charge.

I went to a work reunion at the Kingston on Sunday 25th October. It is the second time I have been here for a function, and I cannot recommend it highly enough The venue was great, the staff friendly & helpful and the food delicious. A+++++ Thanks to all the staff - you were great

Always a great meal at The Kingston. Ample selection, nice wine list and great kids' menu. Staff are engaging, very helpful and have fun with the kids.

It's our goto place for pre and post footy. Been going there for thirty years. The renovated toilets are long overdue. The restaurant is great and the staff are very friendly and welcoming.

This pub is THE BEST. Great, staff, fabulous food and ambiance. And it’s on our doorstep. How lucky are we?

What a great find ! We were actually walking past going to another venue and stopped in for a drink, This is a great Pub, it,s much bigger inside and out the back than it appears. The Food was great and the staff were lovely, such a shame it's 9 hours from home !

I would rate for 5 stars, but I ordered a RARE stake and they brought me a Medium one.. Besides that, everything was great!!!

We booked the restaurant for a breakfast. Hot, hearty food and great service.

Great food Great atmosphere Great service Our place to eat before the footy or concert 5 min drive from the G

Friendly staff, beautiful food great spot to catch up with friends

Was brought here by a friend and found it very nice. It's kind of a funked up pub and has a lovely quiet alfresco space as well as a dining area and of course, the bar. The menu is comprehensive and a wine list that was appealing with the choice available. Dietaries catered for.<br/>Staff were very helpful when I was struggling with what to choose. The crab angel pasta was nice with good portion size and tasty to boot. <br/><br/>Wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly. Parking can be an issue but persist. Beware the parking inspectors.

Public holiday before grand final and a big group of us had booked for lunch. Yes they were busy but it must have been expected. Took ages to take our order and then over an hour for our meals to come out. Our parmas looked like they had been under the griller for an hour. One of our party complained and they did deduct 25% from the bill. Disappointing.

Good portions and the manager here is so friendly! He should give hospitality lessons to ask K the other waitstaff out there on what real service looks like. The food is tasty pub fair and the area of the back looks newly refurbished and is very elegant with clean lines.<br/><br/>The calamari entree was pretty standard but the crab angel hair pasta was really delicious ave generous portion. I also enjoyed the zucchini stands tossed in their for an extra dose of my daily veg :)<br/><br/>Warm friendly atmosphere, will return

Great food and great service at a very reasonable price.<br/>We had delicious battered prawns for a starter which were incredible. I had steak, and the others had spaghetti and salmon which I was very envious of haha.<br/>We ended with a mouth watering Fondant which I would come back for even if the rest hadn't been as great as it was!<br/>The waiter also really knew his wine which was awesome!

We bought a Groupon for this hotel and decided to try this fancy place out. The 4 of us were greeted by the hustling environment and the complexity of the place. On first arrival, we were directed to the back of the hotel, where the nice dining area was set up (the front part of the hotel is the pub area). We were the first to arrive, however, by the end of the night, the area was filled with local families and other groups who were meeting up over dinner. <br/><br/>I ordered the calamari for entrée. The calamari was cooked to the perfect crispiness and I was sad the serving size wasn’t bigger- I could have eaten many more calamari as my main! The gluten free Roasted Duck Breast caught my eye as a main and I also tried the T-bone. The serving size wasn’t very big, however, the food was delicious. The Duck breast was cooked extremely well and the topping was thin and crispy, a great addition. The sauce accompanied the duck breast perfectly. I was really happy with my choice of main. <br/><br/>Whilst I forgot the names of the 2 desserts we ordered, the pear, cream and crumble in one of them was AMAZING. I was so tempted to order another one, it was just that good. For me, that dessert was a 11/10. Delicious! The other dessert (the one in a cup in the below photo) was average to me. It consisted of meringue with some berries- strawberries and raspberries- a 6/10. <br/><br/>The only let down was the waiting time and perhaps the serving sizes could have been bigger as I left feeling as if I could still eat more. <br/><br/>Overall, having the groupon meant the meal was great value for money. However, I wouldn’t pay normal prices for the dishes at this place.

Nearly a full house on a cold Tuesday night in the restaurant located at the back of this hotel. The 4 of us shared polenta chips, fish croquettes and tender calamari for starters. After a one hour wait for the mains to be served, we all enjoyed the eye fillet ( the diced potato it is served with is more like a room temperature potato salad ), ravioli with pumpkin in sage butter, and grilled tuna with a room temperature “ratatouille” style of thinly sliced red and green sweet capsicum on top. More points if the veggies were served hot. The anchovy crisp was a lovely crunchy element to this dish. The chocolate lava pudding for dessert was delicious.

We sat down for all three courses for 3 and a bit hours. Service time is very very slow. Food was good. Make sure you know your order before the menu is even set down. Waited for the menu for 15 min then an extra 20 to take down our order. Nice looking restaurant <br/>

It was pure luck that allowed us to stumble upon this hidden gem. The Kingston is the whole package, impeccable service and delicious food. Highly recommended:)

What a lovely old pub! And such a beautiful dining room out the back. I had the brisket with sweet and sour salad. Loved the salad, but found the brisket a little tough as compared to my son’s brilliant BBQing technique. For mains I had the pumpkin ravioli which was sublime. So rich I was unable to eat it all, but boy was I feeling happy. Staff were lovely, atmosphere great. The only downside was that our meals took a very long time to come out.

the pumpkin pasta was an absolute hit! the steak was average and the duck was a no for me. long 25 min wait for the chocolate fondant but definitely worth it! very rich and fudgy and had come straight out of the oven !

Awesome traditional style hotel with a gastro pub menu. I ordered the tuna steak with pepperonata and the green salad as a side. The tuna steak was delicious and perfectly cooked. The side salad was simple but generous. They may have been a little heavy handed with the dressing but not excessively so. Will definitely be back to try the steak night special- $15 is a bargain and the steaks looks phenomenal.

Great value with the voucher. Busy pub with a fine dining restaurant out the back. Delicious food. Great service although meals take a long time to come out.

A truly wonderful dining experience.  We had the calamari, kaarage chicken, scotch fillet and the lamb shank, all of which were flavoured beautifully and very much enjoyed.  It should also be mentioned that the portion sizes of the entrees are impressive!  We had to force ourselves to stop eating so that we would have room for our mains!  Our waitress was also extremely friendly and helpful.  We will certainly be back!

This is definitely one of the nicer Melbourne ‘pubs’ out there. The atmosphere was great, we particularly liked the huge outside area and beautiful big windows. <br/>For food, we grazed on a charcuterie board, mushroom pies, beef pies, French fries and oysters. The service was lovely and the drinks were very reasonably priced.

We came on a mid week date night , nice local pub feel that opens up onto a large bistro/ outside dining area. The deal we came on was good value , $44 two mains and 2 entrees or desserts and beer or wine.<br/>Started with the Beetroot Carpaccio and Salted Beef Salad , moved on to Eye Fillet and The Burger. Well priced , well presented , good service and good food ...give it a go.

Tastefully renovated ... F&B may not be interested ... maybe.<br/><br/>Good find, but well hidden ... could be a perfect dining or drinking venue for footy, not far from the G.<br/><br/>Renovated and expanded grand old pub, it comes with a Beer garden and a newer and formal dining section at the back. Lots to like with its renovation.<br/><br/>Food wise, good selection, entree and dessert were better than mains;<br/>4/10 $35.00 T-bone was tough and NQR, although their accompanying Vietnamese inspired salad is impressive.<br/>6/10 $30.00 Tuna steak, Tuna was a little overcooked, Salasa verde was served near cold on top of the Tuna, great composition but best to served the Salsa verde on the side of the Tuna.<br/><br/>Service was slow, young floor team, worn out by the Friday footy crowd or simply not interested in customer dining experience or feedback. JT-06/04/2018.

Beautiful classic local hotel. A hidden gem in the middle of suburbia. The wine list was impressive, with a lovely range by the glass. Entree fish soup special was exceptional. The spanner crab handmade angel hair was a lovely main, although a little more crab have been appreciated through it. The duck was the dish of the day, cooked perfectly & quite generous. The beetroot carpaccio was a disappointment - don't be deceived by the fancy name, it was pretty much just thinly sliced beetroot. We will be back to try other things, esp. $15 steak night - a little more affordable!!

Great food, exquisite bar tending from Connor. West Richmond’s finest. Great setup and great variety of beers on tap. Menu is very interesting!!

TOP NOTCH! We came on a Cudo voucher..... man o man it didn't feel like it. The best gastro dining experience we have had in a while!<br/>It was Easter Sunday and the kitchen was a little pressed... but the food and lovely staff- especially a young female french girl....OHmazing!<br/>Calamari....yum (could have done with a wee bit of aioli- which we asked for and got no troubles)... beetrrot carpaccio...YUMMO.... eye fillet- exceptional and lamb cutlet- delish... all washed down with a beatiful pinot grigio!

Love this place and enjoy the Wednesday night steak night. The steaks are delicious and cooked perfectly. Definitely worth booking in advance as they book out quite fast.

Been to the Kingston many times over the last 15 years and today I was reintroduced to this place through mutual acquaintances who wanted to meet in this venue.<br/><br/>A discreet pub that looks rather non-descript from the outside and not outstanding from the front, the place is a piece of history in Richmond. Running on a long block with a wonderful outdoor area, formal dining room and nice front bar, I was very pleased to be re-acquainted with this place.<br/><br/>An old building build in the 1900's, the decor does hold some historical value (which was noticed by my father who is in his roaring 80's).<br/><br/>Food as follows:  <br/><br/>1. Calamari for entree was tender and well worth eating. Would have been positively accompanied by a tangy dipping sauce (if it was on offer) but the quality was very positive. Cost approx 15!<br/>2. Beef salad (entree) - great mix of food, flavours and combinations. A classy dish.  Cost approx 15!<br/>3. T-Bone steak was as good as you can for mid thirties...but ask for the jus or mustard as this requires prompting.  Limited sauces come with the great quality steak however worth noting from the venue ... a bit of pepper sauce, Jus, mustard or Bernaise would have been an added bonus.  Cost approx 35!<br/>4. Duck fillet - quite sizeable and a nice taste but did not have any punch.  Needs something on the side to give it a kick but a great dish. Cost approx 32!<br/>5. Lamb chops - good hearty dish that filled the spot.  Meat was tender and came with a nice pile of peas.   <br/><br/>Wine - a great selection and reasonable on the pour.  Fine dining was in a lovely environment with table cloths and the usual but no bread rolls accompanied the food.<br/><br/>Overall, not inexpensive but food is good.   There are also pub deals when the footy is on which appear to be reasonable value.<br/><br/>Not a bad place....will return for the specials.

One of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. Absolutely delicious. Perfectly cooked. Well portioned. The only thing I would say is ask for chips instead of the kipfler potatoes. Staff also incredibly friendly and welcoming. I feel lucky to have stumbled upon this hidden gem. Do yourself a favour and pop in for a meal here sometime

Had dinner here for Father's Day. I would have to say the service from Alex was amazing! He made us all laugh and we really enjoyed being served by him, thanks Alex you really made the dinner amazing. The food was really good too, in particular the MASH yum!!!

After a disappointing result at the footy we headed to the Kingston Hotel in Richmond with the the better half's family. The smart old building sits on a quiet street not far from West Richmond station. The front bar area is fairly traditional too and you can also eat here. We headed down to the restaurant, which has a more formal feel and views into the garden area. We ate fairly early and alone for the first part of our meal. The menu is the same as that in the bar area.

We were accommodated on a table for 9. Lovely spacious dining room with white table linen. Water was presented and poured whilst we perused the menu. We ordered the duck, calamari, bangers and mash, seafood pie and beef pie. All pronounced vary good. The wine list was excellent and we enjoyed a stephano lubbiano Pinot noir from Grantham Tasmania. A good experience

The food here in the fine dining area is excellent. We came to celebrate a birthday and the four of us enjoyed outstanding meals that were superbly cooked and how good it was of service to have our dishes arrive at the same time, something which rarely happens at home in Perth! My fillet was superbly done and the best I've had. It was a thick, generous steak medium to well done that was cooked evenly throughout and the sides had a lovely crunch and flavour. It was mouth wateringly good. The beans and jacket potato were the classic fillet compliment and prepared brilliantly. The Wild Duck Shiraz/Malbec wine from Heathcote we ordered was an excellent accompaniment to a superb dinner occasion. I shook hands with the chef. Highly Recommended if you like a food (and wine) experience!

Extremely disappointing. While I do understand pub fare is typically not vegetarian friendly, this took it to a whole new level. I ordered the 'pasta special' which was broccoli and pork sausage orecchiette (without the sausage) and didn't think twice as I've had some lovely vegetarian broccoli pastas in my time! What I received was pasta with large chunks of steamed broccoli, chopped tomato, and a tiny portion of Parmesan on top. Not only was it completely tasteless and thoughtless, it cost me $28.00 (while my colleagues had steak for $15).  Obscenely expensive for such appalling quality! I won't be returning.

Good cheeseburger (although a bit small). Cheese was generous and a decent servings of chips, served in a little basket which was cool. Clean pub and pretty good staff.

I organised a surprise party here a little while back for a friend.<br/><br/>What can I say?<br/><br/>The staff were fantastic - so accommodating and making suggestions of their own to make it an extra special night. The food was excellent ! They catered to a whole host of dietary requirements and managed to make the cocktail food absolutely delicious - no one went hungry! They were very well priced, great value, fantastic service and couldn't have been more professional. They helped me set up an AV presentation on the TV with a slideshow and got the fireplace going which gave it such a lovely homey feel.<br/><br/>Would recommend this venue to absolutely anyone!

I loved it here. It was a quiet afternoon and we had the garden almost to ourselves.<br/><br/>We had the antipasto platter and pate to share. It was absolutely delicious. The pate was up there with the best. <br/><br/>The guy behind the bar was really friendly<br/>and welcoming. I'd definitely recommend this place and we look forward to going back for another lazy afternoon.

Came here for lunch with friends. Good selection of beers and the food menu was appealing. I had bangers and mash, which looked deceptively moderate in size but I struggled to finish. The Kingston burger looked pretty impressive and everyone else enjoyed their meals. Will definitely come back for a rematch...

Bar staff were very friendly and inviting. The food was if a very high standard, tasty and well presented. I don't know what was wrong with the waitress we had in the dining room however she was totally disinterested and non engaging. She was more interested in setting up for dinner service while she should be looking after patrons having lunch. Waitress spoilt an otherwise terrific lunch. <br/>

Fantastic! Food was delicious and quick to come out, service was great and it is awesome that you cater for so many food allergies and dietary concerns. Thanks! :)

How can you run out of duck breast at 7.30 on duck and pinot night... An average pub meal at best. There a plenty of other small pubs out there in Richmond (i.e the Royston, All Nations, The London) that are just of a different standard.

This week we sought out a parma fit for a king down at the Kingston Hotel in Richmond. We arrived, ordered and after 20 minutes our royal meal was before us. <br/>The first thing we noticed after digging in was the incredible taste of the chicken - fresh and full flavour, these guys definitely put some serious effort into the chicken and crumbing. <br/>Napoli was on point and the bird was served with classic pub chips, can't go wrong. The only let down was probably the salad. <br/>The size of the meal was quite smaller than what we're used to, leaving us craving more but overall we very much enjoyed the Kingston parma, it's definitely another one to add to your list. <br/>8/10

Booked a table here last Thursday night. It just happened to be steak or pie night. All three of us ordered the steak and a few sides. All steaks cooked as per each persons order. The steaks served were of a good portion. Three meals, a few house wines and a closing out coffee all for well under $100 <br/>Staff friendly, service prompt. The place is a little dated but hey how cares really. Hidden off the main strip of Richmond. Who knows you might even see that bloke that used to compare Count Down hanging around I hear he live in close proximity.

Took Codalicious for Duck and Pinot night. Great value ($25 for a choice of two duck dishes and a glass of Nanny Goat Pinot noir) and very good quality duck.

Used to eat here twice a week. Well there is great sadness here. In the last 2 weeks the menu has been changed. What was an inventive, thoughtful and totally delicious menu has gone. Fresh veggies, delicious gnocchi and Flintstone style steaks are no more.. Please reconsider !!

Nice pub grub in nice surroundings. Hard to fault really. Unpretentious, friendly and very good value. We ate in the dining room which is a very pleasant space. My porterhouse was nice. I'd choose it any day of the week. The wild duck creek Shiraz went down very nicely as well. A bouquet for our waitress Saskia too. What a charming person. I wouldn't call this gastropub, I'd just call it good. Sad to think that some pretentious twat in a Rodd and Gunn shirt will come in and change all this one day while jacking up the prices by 50%. Experience it while you can.

Standard it all honesty. It looks, feels and tastes like your average pub which is disappointing. Living in Australia you always seem to get the urge for some good pub food every now and again.. and most of the time I get disappointed. It has almost become my pet hate. This place has a weird layout and the staff can sometimes not be that friendly, but to me that is all extra as I want good food, but this place doesn't deliver...

Best value steak night in town! Love that it comes with scallop potatoes and rocket salad. Steaks are gradually getting smaller, which is a shame. Still can't go past it though.

Had dinner here and wasn't all that impressed. The food was ok, and the service average. <br/>It is pub food but at more inflated prices and it's not the kind of place that I'll be rushing back to anytime soon.

Wow. Really appalling service. We went to sit at a table only to be shooed away by a staff member and told the table was reserved, which we later find out were her friends.<br/>The waitress looked after her "friends" table and pushed their meals through. 2 of our 6 meals came out, which the 2 were ordered first. The "friends" received multiple dishes and cooked meals and finished while we waited another 20 mins before saying anything. All sorts of excuses come through. "You ordered a well done steak so the other 3 are coming out with it. The "well done steak" came out medium and we still waited another 5 mins before my barramundi came out. Lies and bad service continued. My dish had what was like a tub of salt poured on it. The salt was added after the dish was made, which makes me think it was added by a waitress to be spiteful. I was too hungry by this stage to send it back but it was inedible ordinarily. <br/>We've had our birthday parties and after game meals and all sorts here and this is what we get. Not the usual staff that are in here. Spoke to the head chef, all I got was more excuses. Appalling.

Kingston hotel is a great place to sit down and have a coffee or delicious dinner. The manager Al is very friendly and accommodating to his patrons. My friends and I now come every Wednesday for the great food and staff. We would definitely recommend Kingston hotel to others.

Not good. Came here for a meal with the f am and left hungry. Absolutely gross food!!!!! Didnt realise that pasta wpuld be bathed in butter and filled with fatty cheese. Not exactly health food! Sliders had poor flavour combination and were served with copious mayonnaise! !<br/>Seriously would not recommend

We had a very poor experience this Mother's Day. The service was so bad we even cleared our own plates at one stage. We waited one hour and a half for mains. The Gorgonzola gnocchi was bland. I had goat for main. All it was was meat with no sides. Won't be going back.

Very nice. Probably the best fish and chips with salad I've eaten

My meal was very nice, but I wouldn’t regularly eat at The Kingston, although the resort-like restaurant and beer garden seem to be calling my name…

Thursday night is usually Palooka night, but my boss's retirement shindig was on at the same time so I needed to prioritise. We headed over to The Kingston straight after work for dinner and drinks. The front of the joint looked timed and original, while

So good! 3 steaks (with flavorsome sides) plus 3 pints & a plate of scrummy doughnuts for dessert $80 - thanks for coming! Great value & really surprised at how great the steaks were on steak night. Terrific service in beautiful garden view restaurant out the back. Fabulous pub. Winning.

Kid friendly. Food was tasty (had the porterhouse and donuts). Publican was great with the kids.

Expensive and way under par. Or over par. The bad one.. Chicken mango salad (24 dollars) was crud. Jug of cider (26 dollars) was spendy. Had a bad time.

Worst parma ever.. Unfortunately this was a disaster meal. Went with a group of friends and it was not good. Dry, the tomato sauce was bitter and not nice at all, the cheese was not even close to melted. And the steak, ordered medium it came out well done, full of fatty bits and tendons. (their main attraction is steak night during the week - hmm) I could have just been a bad night but unfortunately for us it was no good. <br/>On a more positive note: drinks are averagely priced and service was really good, efficient and friendly. Welcomed as we walked in and waitress was lovely! <br/>this could have been a great local for us but we won't be back.

Fantastic Steak Night!<br/><br/>Great atomsphere and good wine list :)

Top notch!. Excellent. Had a small birthday lunch for 6 in Richmond on a Sunday. Ordered a variety of food and everyone was more than satisfied with their selections. Service was great too. Will be back!

Festivus - Steak yes please. Had the steak on steak night!<br/>Did not disappoint<br/>Actually the best steak I have had in regards to cheap steak nights<br/>Nice place too

I love this place!! Especially the cute guy who manages the bar Simon??

Beautiful atmosphere, delicious food, reasonay priced and didn't have to wait more than 20 minutes for our meals. Will definetely come again!

Best Pub Food!. This pub is great...the staff are excellent and the food is absolutely top notch. Can't reccommend it highly enough! New Melbourne fav.

Best Hotel at the moment. So Good, we all raved about our food - a perfectly cooked medium rare steak, steak tartare, fish and chips, the pie of the day and lobster ravioli every dish great. Reasonably priced as well. <br/>It was nice to be back as I hadn't been there for years but it will be a favourite now.

Deserves to be wildly popular. Ive eaten here 4 times and it has been great every time. It's got a great local pub atmosphere very relaxed and friendly, good drinks list but where it really excels is with the food. The food is High quality and well priced. The homemade pasta and gnocci are outstanding. More substantial dishes like confit duck and steak are better executed than many fancier places where you would pay considerably more. This would be a perfect spot to have a family/friends function as plenty of room, friendly service and won't break the bank. Whenever I go I can't believe people aren't queuing out the door it's so good.

Have been twice in 10 years, both times took 90 to 180 mins for food to appear and although delicious was a meagre serving, not worth it, plenty of better venues to patronise! We were all starving and had to ask for bread as none was available.

I used to like this place. So tonight I brought 4 overseas guests and some new locals. <br/><br/>At ordering the rude blonde waitress condescendingly said "our starters tend to come before the mains" after we asked for our starters to come first. An hour later, no food at all. Upon enquiring the status we are advised our orders hadn't printed, so she wrote them down and we may have some free drinks. Then the printer started working so our starters came and the mains took another hour. We are then told "no free drinks, it was all good."<br/><br/>Anyhow, more rudeness later.... All leaving unhappy. Don't come here. Dumb waitress, dumb manager, dumb printer.

My favourite local. Whenever friends or family come down I take them here. It has by far the best steak, as well as lamb rack and pasta dishes - all presented nicely. If you want to impress and you're in Richmond, eat here!

Hidden Gold. You could quite easily drive past this hidden nugget nestled away in this leafy side street. we however travel from Rosebud to the Kingston for their quality food. Have not had anything half bad as yet nor do i think we ever would. Last Sunday nights Pork cutlet and pork & fennel bangers were fantastic. The entree zucchini flowers were of another level. we both asked "what is this food doing at a Pub". I recommend this place with confidence to all i meet knowing they will never EVER be let down. Great work to all involved in this venture.

Steak night here is definitely worth it! Generous sized, quality steak cooked just as I asked with chips and salad. Whilst I had wanted mushroom sauce, I was told they just do mustards or garlic butter and glad I had the garlic butter it was delicious! Our order must have been forgotten as we waited an hour for food, but it was overall well worth it!

Steak night. $14 Steak Night is great... Ask for rare and it arrives rare.. Scallop Potatoes tasty,salad fresh... Great Value...

Best steak night in Richmond. Hats off!!

I've been to the Kingston a number of times over the years, coming from the suburbs to eat the steak especially. Probably the best steak in melbourne at a very reasonable price, the hand made pasta is another favorite of mine, restaurants in the suburbs still stuck serving dried pasta in outdated napoli and cream sauces so it's worth driving for.<br/>The menu seems to change often so there is always new things to try to keep me returning. <br/>The service is not bad, sometimes there is a funny old bloke up in the bar but he was wearing a collingwood scarfe which is probably the only bad thing about this place.<br/><br/>Recommend

Came up kings for lunch. Monday lunch, sun was out and was heading to fitzroy, but the place was shut so I detoured to escape bridge rd, saw the Kingston. ,looked great in the sunlight, parked right outside and walked in, was clean, warm, well lit without being too Bright..<br/>Asked if the kitchen was on, and it was.<br/>Had some great areas to sit, a bar at the front, some tables at the rear, a great beer garden covered in trees and great tables, and a top up market dining area for dinner on nights.<br/>I elected to sit by the window in the casual part of the Kingston where the winter sun streamed in.<br/>Looked at a great menus, and selected the porterhouse, at 25 dollars, and included was some potatoes and a salad with balsamic and Parmesan cheese.<br/>15 minutes later, my meal was promptly served, by the manager, who was polite and informative.<br/>Salad was excellent, potatoes with butter and garlic exquisite. Now to the steak, I was thinking it was around the 320 to350 g mark and cooked 95 percent to how I ordered, medium rare, with some nice fat, and at least an inch thick...<br/>Was a juicy steak and could not really fault it at 25 dollars, great stop off for me..excellent satisfying steak, with excellent sides included!<br/>Had a drink, read the paper, then off to work again.<br/>Well done Kingston..

Hot bar staff. Have been to the kingston a few times now. Just moved to the area. Good food for a reasonable price ($14 porterhouse on a Wednesday is a must!) and I enjoy the company of the young group of female staff - very good looking and attentive. The chocolate cake is incredible and does not belong in a pub.. it's very well presented and equally delicious. Saganaki is also yum. good local.

Two divine evenings!. Tonight was my second venture to this quaint but charismatic neighbourhood pub. And boy am I impressed. While tonight's bustling steak night was dramatically different to our quiet Sunday night dinner, they were equally as impressive. It is not often these days you find the winning combination of exceptional food and service. I thoroughly enjoyed the lighthearted, flirtatious banter between the girls... and a few of the young men. We shared the snapper and rabbit mains, and it is safe to say that I have never had a bunny that tastes so good, nor a fish for that matter!

Amazing Steak Night!. Just finished an amazing steak at the Kingston Hotel! $14 for a HUGE porterhouse with potato and salad. Steaks were cooked perfectly and the service in the restaraunt area where we were seated was impeccable. Both our waitresses were very funny and friendly. Will definitely return!

Great Night, Great Service!. This was our second visit to the Kingston Hotel, we dropped in after the footy a few weeks ago for a few drinks.. Great atmosphere, and had a great time chatting to the tall barman and the spikey haired man who were a laugh! <br/>The first time we came here was the steak night.. We loved the $14 steak deal, perfectly cooked... But didn’t realize you had to book, luckily we could squeeze up at the bar.<br/>Thinking of trying the duck and Pinot night next...

Kicked out!. We have been coming for years for the steak night. The 'Plate' said we had til 7.45pm before the next sitting, however we were told to leave at 7.30 because the next customers were annoyed at having to wait. Table was rudely cleared - very embarrassing. We won't be back and won't be recommending.

We were told that the restaurant was booked out, so we sat at the bar. subconciously observed the patrons & the restaurant remained empty for the duration of our stay. scnitz was dry, chips was good, eye fillet was below average shoulda got the pork belly instead. have had nibblies in the past & its been pretty good. 6.25/10

Great Local Gastro Pub. Had lunch in the courtyard here recently on a lovely sunny day and really enjoyed it. My group of 4 shared a number of items on the menu including the mini beef burgers, the chipolatas and the calamari and it was all very tasty and good quality. Would definitely return.

Service in this place is shocking! So so bad i could brew beer in the time it takes them to first take my order and then pour my beer! The food is ok last time I ate at this pub my steak was tough yuk!

Fantastic food,unfriendly bar staff.... Having recently moved a few doors around the corner ,we have eaten a few times at the Kingston,Sunday lunch sitting outside is lovely on a nice day ,the food is fantastic ,love the entree potato rosti with trout and quail eggs, never have we ordered a meal and been disappointed ,that's where the good news stops.....the wait for meals is very long,make sure your not in a hurry, the bar staff are very unwelcoming ,learn to smile and chat,it's your job ,diners pay your wage, we are taking friends this weekend again,maybe the staff might crack a smile,

Waited too long for food. Steak was overcooked but cold! Kids pasta was tiny. My 5yo left hungry. The only positive was the young waitress who looked after us, she apologised and took items off our bill. The older waitress from the bar was just rude - if the Kitchen can't handle a full pub before the footy then change the bloody menu! Not good enough Kingston.

We arrived at 12:30 as a table of 11, we didn't leave until nearly 4pm at no fault of our own.<br/><br/> After being told that they don't split bills so we needed to order and pay together, The mains took over an hour for the first one to arrive at the table, two at a time with spaces of at least 5-10 minutes between each. The last main served was well over half an hour after the first person had had their plate cleared. After speaking with management twice during this period we were offered complimentary deserts. We weren't the only table to experience this, it was essentially the whole place. chefs just couldn't get it together today. It wasn't a great meal because of the messy food service and general disarray of the dining room but I would consider going back with a MUCH smaller table to give them another chance simply because the food was exceptionally good for the price. All in all they comped us over $100 to apologise and I guess that is a pretty big "I'm sorry" I would suggest giving this place a go if your not in a rush or in a large group.

Late but great. Recommend by a friend who lives in Richmond, I booked for 5, we had 3 family members down from Sydney. Easter Monday, Hawks and Cats in the restaurant lunch before the MCG game. 2009 Three Drops Chardonnay and a great Heathcore 2009 Tar & Rose Shiraz to start our lunch. Sometime had passed and our meals had not arrived. Our waitress apologised and offered a complementary bottle of wine. Another waitress appeared and told us some creative accounting would be applied to our bill.<br/>Our meals finally arrived, all outstanding, worth the wait. Normally one would not think about returning to a restaurant when the food is late. But the cheerful up front approach by staff and the amazing reduction to our bill demonstrated their commitment to customer service.

Class act. A very impressive menu elevates this trendy eaterie into the category of 'gastro-pub'. Accordingly, the price range is relatively steep. Definitely great value for money though. I had the calamari salad with citrus dressing and it went down a treat. Service was surprisingly swift, given how busy they were.<br/>I would happily dine here on a weekly basis.

WEDNESDAY STEAK NIGHT. Steak night at the Kingston can not be beaten, but you must book. I waited 3 weeks for my first table booking and have been nearly every week since<br/><br/>Wine list is also great and plenty of wines by the glass and not very expensive!<br/><br/>Great bunch of staff too, very accommodating, not over the top and in your face!

Fabulous food.. I could have been in France!! Top quality execution and beautiful flavors.. We had the charcuterie.. Quite superb!! Followed by veal tortellini and a brilliant barramundi dish with fennel and caper sauce.. Inspired!! Leafy beer garden was a lovely setting for this delightful dining experience!!

Just OK...The oysters granita were probably the highlight of the evening; fresh and full of flavour. For the mains however, the mussels were somewhat bland and the steak was on the tough side. And for the service, while being compident, it was not the most personal. On the whole, if a pub is going to charge restaurant prices, it's not too much to ask for restaurant quality food and service.

Cold food and very slow service. We went here last night after a friend had been raving about their $14 steaks for a long time. We were seated at the back, quite close to other tables so the noise level meant you were almost shouting to the person opposite you.<br/><br/>It took about 15 minutes before we could grab someone to order drinks, and we never received menus. We were offered pie or steak. We chose 4 steaks, 3 medium rare and 1 medium well. These were the only two cooking types available.<br/><br/>45 minutes later the steaks arrived. My medium well was medium rare, and the medium-rares were more of a medium-well. Two of our pates were cold, so it wasn’t very nice having to eat luke-warm steak and cold potatoes. The salad was also overloaded with parmesan so you couldn’t taste anything else.<br/><br/>They took 2 of the plates away before the people had even finished them, and they left the other two for 40 minutes. <br/><br/>We wanted to order dessert and struggled again to get a waitress. Once we ordered, it took 45 minutes to arrive. The pastry on the lemon meringue tasted off, and the crumble was very watery. The crumble also constituted mainly of oats so there wasn’t much ‘crumble’ about it. The chocolate torte was ok but again was overpowered by vanilla and almond extract.<br/><br/>The price was ok, $170 for 4 people. But with the long wait time, the cold food and the noise level we won’t be back again.

Pretty consistent. As a local the Kingston Hotel ticks a lot of the right boxes. Staff are friendly and attentive and the food is generally pretty good. Last time out I had the snapper which was bathed in a nice white sauce, and my friend had a steak which was supposed to be medium rare but came out medium. The Kingston is like a lot of pubs in Richmond, it delivers pretty good value but there is a lot of choice and the menu could do with an update. I go back because it's consistent which is sometimes not a bad thing.

Steak was lovely. No table service for drinks. Seemed under staffed but not really that busy. Friendly, apologetic waitress.

Crap, if you like two pieces of pasta on your plate, or some crazy croutons then this is the place for you, otherwise chose somewhere a little more decent

We have been to the Kingston a few times on people's high recommendations, all 3 times we have left disappointed. The last visit was a Friday night. The food was below average and either overcooked or undercooked. The staff behind the bar were lovely, however one waitress there has a serious attitude problem (we've had her a couple of times) and she does not want to be there - she makes everyone well aware of it.

My porterhouse was overcooked and the lamb shoulder dish was a bit weird, the staff were more interested in watching tv! Apart from that a beautiful pub

Poor value and food in set price menu. Set price menu for Mothers' Day - $45 a head was very poor value. Just two courses and coffee was extra. First there was no bread offered. Several on our table had the fillet steak, with asparagus wrapped in undercooked bacon. Some others had the pumpkin agnolotti which came in such a small serve that we thought it was an entrée. It was served with sage and pine nuts in a butter sauce, but was under seasoned and undercooked. I don’t ever add salt to a dish but this needed it. <br/>Dessert chosen was apple and rhubarb crumble – very ordinary crumble topping. The fruit needed sugar. It was not enough to rely on the icecream on top.<br/>All in all, most disappointing, and poor value for $45.

Excellent service. When we ordered a burger each for the kids, it was suggested that they share. Burgers are huge but really good. Excellent chips.

A group of us had a great lunch here over Easter weekend - the food was delish, I had the calamari, the palmas also looked fantastic, will definitely try one if those next time! Also the staff were brilliant, we had 4 babies/toddlers between the group and the staff couldn't have been more helpful and accommodating. Thanks guys!

Steak Night!. Went last night for $14 steak night! I've been meaning to try it for ages, so many people tell me about it. Definitley have to book though I think. We didn't wait too long considering how packed it was. I really liked my steak but I couldn't finish it because I was so full. It was a really good atmosphere too, we were sitting near the windows that overlook the courtyard, great view at night!<br/><br/>What is that dressing on the salad? It was delightful!

Well worth it!. My family and I had a beautiful experience at the Kingston last Saturday night. We came in for drinks but the downstairs dining room and interesting menue drew us in for dinner!<br/>For anyone who likes seafood pasta, I suggest you should try the squid ink fettuchine...delicious!

Very poor, rude service. Was a busy lunchtime, but staff took a long time to get to take our orders. When one of our party asked if we could order, the staff were rude from then onward. Desserts took over one hour to be served after ordering even though by that time the bistro area was quiet (as well as getting orders wrong?. Wait staff sitting around instead of serving. Very bad experience, I will not be going back.

Average food, average service. I really wanted to like this place as I just recently attended a wedding reception there for two friends who consider this place their local. It's a great place to have a drink and relax, but that's where it ends. <br/><br/>My friend and I were seated at the dining room (when the waitress finally noticed us). After about 10 min, no menu's and no offer to order a drink. Please note, the place was less than half full so really no excuse for the slack service. After finally flagging someone down, it took almost an hour to recieve our food.<br/><br/>I absolutely love salt and pepper calamari, however, the one at the kingston seemed to be salt WITH calarami rather than the other way around. I am not one to leave food on my plate, no matter how awful it is (I went to boarding school for a year, if you didn't like awful food, you'd pretty much starve), but in this instance it was so salty I could barely get through half it. Even when I tried separating the batter, it was still beyond inedible. My friend seemed to enjoy her pork belly though, so perhaps it would just an off night for the place. <br/><br/>In the end it took us 15 minutes to get the bill, when i finally got my hands on it I noticed that they hadn't charged our drinks. Once again, I tried to flag down the waitress as previously working in retail, I would really appreciate when people fessed up when there was something wrong with the bill. When I was completely ignored by the staff (as if they were doing me a favour for existing), I just left it. Perhaps it was a gift for the fact that I couldnt finish 3/4 of my meal?

Excellent! (a few years ago, at least). This place was one of my favourite pubs for a long time. The food here was always above average in price, but also above average in quality, which was fine by me. A few recent trips, though, indicate that the quality has dropped significantly. Not only that, the staff here seem to have gone from consistently friendly and warm to offhand and, sometimes, plain belligerent.<br/><br/>They also got rid of the comfy chairs in the front bar, therefore taking away the other reason I used to love coming here.

Nothing special. Standard pub meals, can be a little on the expensive side. Beautiful beer garden.

Hmmmm Not Sure!. I had heard such great things about The Kingston. Certainly an upmarket atmosphere! Crammed with young trendy guys 'n gals. Eye candy abounds in this place. The food however was disappointing. Wednesday night is steak and pie night. The pie (beef and burgundy) was just ok, with a hint of gravox assaulting the taste buds. The pastry looked like it hadn't been cooked - pale and flat. What happened to puff pastry? The calamari was sickly sweet and tough. Ok, I know it said citrus calamari - but it tasted like it had been sprinkled with sugar. Staff young and friendly, but the food needs more attention. Still debating whether to give it another go.

Delicious mains but overated entree and desserts, sound better than they taste, good atmosphere, worth a look

Fabulous. The staff are pleasant. The food be never fails to satisfy. A blue steak order actually delivers a blue steak! Try the Rabbit Three Ways it's absolutely delicious.

Almost there. Another one of those change of ownership change of consistency venues, ala courthouse north melbourne. A 30 dollar steak here used to have about 50 dollars worth of value tucked inside it. A 30 dollar steak now is worth about 18 dollars. Its still a value pub on the melbourne gastro pub circuit, but its the last 10% that makes all the difference and this one doesnt quite get there.

Pleasure Palate. Had dinner @ Kingston for the first time last night. Very tasty indeed. Had the braise pork and side of greens...the flavors were wonderful. Staff were efficient and very pleasant. We will definitely be returning!

What a pleasent surprise, We went along on Fathers Day , six of us first timers to the Kingston but it wont be my last for sure. Could not have asked for a better location to celebrate our day. Food terrific, good variety more than I expected being a Pub but over all I think these places are really made by the staff. How good were they for such a busy day. Natalie and Tom in particular made it that much more special keep up the good work guys, your industry needs more like you. Barry

Good night out. Went down for a relaxed meal, just moved into the area,<br/>I was expecting standard pub fare and was pleasantly surprised by the extent of the menu and the standard of presentation.<br/>Service was relaxed which won't suit some - but we thought it was okay. Pricing up there, but don't mind if the quality is there.<br/>Give it a crack.

Delicious!. We went there as a group of eight on a busy Saturday night. I had the lamb rack and it is the best restaurant meal I have had in years. <br/>The other people's food looked great too. Staff were genuinely friendly and we didn't have to wait long for food either. <br/>Only downside which is no fault of the Kingston is that parking is in very short supply. If you drive you might find yourself a long way away.

Very good curry. Dinner last Tuesday night - had a great chicken curry. A bit noisy in the front bar with a Trivia night - some unshaven old bloke kept getting up on a stool and yelling out answers to questions. I'd sit in future in the side room or in the dining room.

Visited the Kingston for lunch on Saturday, we hadn't booked and it was very busy. The staff were happy to find us a table in the restaurant and we enjoyed a long lunch, my lamb sausages were delicious! Great food and service, I'll be back again soon.

Great Sunday Lunch. I go to the Kingston on their Wednesday night steak night every now and then but I havent been during the day in a long time. The beer garden is great and the place has a really friendly local atmosphere. We had the burger and calamari out in the beer garden what a great day!

Very Disappointing. This was one of my favorite places for dinner. I was extremely disappointed last night at the Kingston Hotel attending for my birthday. After spending over $500.00 the food was not up to standard had the Duck which was dry my partner having the Portahouse which was like eating rubber, the Calamari was terrible stuck together this was extremely disappointing. The worst of the evening was the extremely rude waitress attending our table who I was told was the floor manager. I have never come accross such a disgruntled woman working in hospitality. After dinner while clearing the table my mother had asked if the same owner was still running the Kingston as the food was not of the standard it use to be. Her surly snappy reply was yes his son has now taken over and 99.9% of people are happy with the food and walked off. We then asked for the birthday cake and it was presented on the piece of cardboard from the box it was brought in on. Obviously a plate was too much trouble. After paying our bill and proceeding to leave the establishment my mother had commented to the waitress how rude she had been throughout the evening and her reply was I didnt like you either now you can leave. Will never return and the other 10 people will definately not either. Absolutely Disgusted.

Bad and rude service. Attended the kingston for my sisters birthday 08/09/2011. Food was very ordinary and service by the female manager on this night was disgraceful.<br/><br/>She was very un professional and extremely rude. After spending nearly $600 dollars in this establishment the 10 people at our table will defiantly not be back.

Best steak I have ever had. Big call I know! Yes it was $34 but divine. Will be back.

Great local pub. Not sure what these bad reviews are about - we have recently moved nearby and are loving having the kingston as our local. We've had consistently good meals and the staff have been great!

Unfortunately didn't live up to expectations. The food was poor, the service was worse. Much better options close by.

Sadly we were let down by our mothers day meal here. Very average food. They would have been better doing their normal pub food menu, but we were locked into their set menu. The beer garden is probably good for Friday night drinks but wouldnt recommend for special occasion.

Dissapointed. Have been looking forward to dining at the Kingston for many years, having heard of its reputation as a foodie pub. Finally an opportunity arose on a Saturday night with friends. Unfortunately our expectations were not met. I would only give the food about 6.5 out of ten, the service only 3. <br/><br/>For drinks the offering was ok, but a little limited - no White Rabbit beer (current fave), but a good selection of wines including by-the-glass, and reasonable prices. <br/><br/>Decided to go straight for a bottle of red - Brothers in Arms Shiraz from McLaren Vale was a great choice.<br/><br/>Unfortunately - pet hate number 1 - menus handed across the table, when there is plenty of room to go around. Shows the wait staff are a bit slack. Then the bread came out with lovely little bowls of pepper and salt, but no oil or butter. Must have been a night for fry rations!<br/><br/>My wife started with the mussels, which were well presented but pretty ordinary. I had the soup which was fine, and our friend shared the antipasto which was conventional. Pub food.<br/><br/>Two large adjacent tables made for plenty of noise, and less than attentive waiters, so a bit of a struggle to get their attention.<br/><br/>Mains sounded interesting enough, but the Italian sausage/mash/potato combo although beautifully flavoured was cold. My lamb was casserole-style served in a bowl with breadcrumb coating. Good flavour but dry, and our friends' calamari was like a bar snack.<br/><br/>It did make it difficult at first that the waitress had forgotten to provide cutlery, then disappeared.<br/><br/>All over just a little under-whelming. Reasonable food, showing signs quality but let down in the detail. Service poor for a restaurant with a reputation to uphold. Atmosphere ok but very noisy - definitely not the place for an intimate dinner. <br/><br/>We won't be going back any time soon, given the variety of choice in the area, and much better options on offer. <br/><br/>Try the Grand Hotel in Burnley Street (if you can get in) or the Boozy Rouge instead.

Brilliant steak night!. At the beginning i was a bit sceptical of the quality of a 300g porterhouse for just $12 but it was fantastic, it was cooked to perfection, very generous serve. the creamy scallop potatoes it comes with are great too. <br/>the general atmosphere of the place is fun and relaxing for a wednesday night.<br/>I will strongly recomend the Kingston Hotel to anyone who enjoys good food.

$7 for a glass of soda?!?! A bottle of San pelligrino I'm happy to pay that for... A glass of soda from a post mix, unlikely!

The food quality is going downhill. First time i laid eyes on the parma, it looked delicious, but i was having the squid that night.<br/><br/>second time i laid eyes on the parma, it was mine and it was disappointing. rubbery chicken and rubbery cheese... very very standard =(<br/><br/><br/>-----27 Aug, 2010-----<br/><br/>Bugger.... Went back to the kingston to try the parma and wasn't very happy.<br/><br/>while the chicken breast was thick, it just wasn't juicy, the tomato sauce tasted like it came straight from the can and the mozarella on top was rubbery and tasteless. i think i can sum up the whole meal with the word tasteless.

This grand old pub has gatronomically lost it's way. $26 for a very ordinary red beef curry, a cold serving of eye fillett that left me needing more food. The eye fillet was replaced, however the order of fries placed at the same time took twice as long as eye fillet to arrive. Drink service at the restaurant tables was well below par for a pub that us pretending to be more....