Review The Meatball & Wine Bar - Richmond

A group of us girls came to The Meatball & Wine Bar in Richmond for dinner. I love the homely and romantic atmosphere of this Italian restaurant. It feels very warm and inviting. We ordered a range of meatballs, and I particularly enjoyed the chicken meatballs in creamy mushroom sauce, as well as the gnocchi, and burrata and bread. Thank you for the delicious food and excellent customer service. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a delicious Italian meal in Richmond!

This was so yummy, like seriously, so yummy. Got the spaghetti and meatballs with a glass of wine (only $25!!), burrata and meatballs with rustic potatoes. Came with a serving of bread as well. The food was incredible, service was nice and ambience was great. I’d definitely come back here again and it was great value.

Service here has not dipped one bit. The meatballs (beef )were good but they were a bit one dimensional. I know they are just need to taste the beef and I dig that. I know they're baked that I also dig like a shovel. All I'm saying is that they're was no real depth.

Amazingly delicious, I was thinking about it days after. Go for the creamy mushroom sauce and truffle oil! The burrata is yummy too. Really great ambience with jazz music and a warm fire place going. Recommend that you book in advance :)

Very cozy restaurant with a nice atmosphere. Great comfort food! We shared our meatball meals. I enjoyed the pork and chicken meatballs the best, didn’t really like the beef but my husband liked them all. The sauces were tasty but would of liked more sauce then what you got. The pasta and potato sides where also good. Great service and great drink options. Will definitely come again.

Delicious and authentic, accompanied with by a warm inviting atmosphere. 10/10. ☄️

I don't understand how they don't have Tiramisu on the menu but apparently it's coming. We had room for garlic bread and wine with the beef meatball/creamy mushroom/pappardelle/truffle oil and chicken meatball/salsa verde/peperonata combos. Our server was great, friendly and attentive without pretense.

Lovely place to visit for some beautiful meatballs. Everything was tasty and fresh. Service was fast and formal enough. The drinks menu is vast. Only didn't give five stars, because to be honest, I could've had more meatballs in the serving. Definitely worth a visit before a match down the sports precinct.

Had the most fun and delicious dinner kit from Meatball & Wine Bar - everything was super easy to prepare and all the different flavour combinations were fantastic. Highly recommend this to anybody looking for something fun and different during lockdown. The box has incredible value with a grazing platter, orange & fennel salad, garlic bread, spaghetti & meatballs (or a main of your choice), doughnuts, tiramisu and a beautiful bottle of wine - Amazing! 😍

Who goes to a meatball restaurant and order a charcuterie board? WE DO! And boy oh boy are we glad we did. The board was abnsolutely delicious. Everything was fresh and tasty and perfectly complimented all the elements on the board. New fave… honey parmassan cheese. Wow delicious! Will definitely return for meatballs… it was juust a little too warm when we popped in and wanted something refreshing and light.

This place was pumping on a Saturday night after the footy, but the affable Manager was happy to squeeze my friends and I in for a late dinner. I'm not normally a big fan of meatballs, so opted for the veggie version with polenta and a mushroom sauce. It was filling and very tasty. The sides of bread and olives were also great.

What is better than a good ol’ meatball! Not much really! This place didn’t disappoint! We started with a meat and cheese platter that was absolutely delish & very generously portioned. We then followed with pork meatballs with Italian tomato sauce swimming on a bed of risotto blanco - OMJesus was it divine! Rich, punchy, nonna style sauce, a beautiful creamy well cooked risotto & that meatball...oh that meatball! The let down was the spaghetti and meatballs we also ordered for main, the sauce was just... missing something! Unlike the meatballs & risotto is didn’t wow me at all. While both the pasta & meatballs were well cooked, we are nothing without a mean sauce!!! Service was good & decor has that dark & simple wine bar feel. They also hosted a lovely drinks list with very few frequent flyers on the menu. Overall, a nice experience - I will be back!

Great food and even greater service. Meatballs were very well prepared and the homemade pasta was fantastic. Loved the Buffala entree as well. Place was full of life and the music was good!

Been here a few times and haven’t been disappointed, foods comes out quickly and is delicious, staff are polite and attentive, will return in the near future

The meatballs with the red Italian sauce were absolutely amazing. The staff on tonight were extremely kind and attentive, definitely deserves 5 stars.

Let me start by saying I have an Italian mother in law, so heading to a meatball restaurant was always going to be risky.<br/><br/>Came here after a long day at the tennis. Place was busy and we headed inside. It was small and dark - my dad had to use the torch on his phone to read the menu. Dad ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and I ordered the huge veal meatball with gnocchi. Both dishes were a bit bland. Dad’s was a bit spicy and my huge meatball was a bit dry. There were only about 12 small cubes of gnocchi on the plate with a tomato based sauce and one slice of garlic bread on the side. I feel there could have been more gnocchi. Wait staff were very helpful and friendly.<br/><br/>Ok place if you’re craving carbs but keep food expectations low.

Tasty cheeseballs and okay meatballs... expected them to be out of this world. Just tasted like Ikea meatballs to me. Maybe one day I may be back to try the bigger balls.

Tonight I was looking for something different to eat so I found this place w a 4.1/5 rating on Zomato. <br/><br/>The service was ok although the 2 staff appeared bored standing around. After my partner and I sat down and had our orders taken another table was seated and to my surprise they got their dinner first w the male manager running in to serve them. <br/><br/>About 10 mins later my partner and I got out mains and side. <br/><br/>We ordered garlic bread which appeared to be stale when we got it. Or if not it certainly wasn’t fresh. <br/><br/>For mains we ordered beef meatballs w a tomato sauce and polenta and for me fish balls w a pesto salsa verde sauce on polenta. <br/><br/>The mains were ok but they were very plain, so I was grateful for the seasoning on the table. <br/><br/>I was going to get a glass of wine on the specials board but for almost $14 for a 150ml glass or $48 for 500ml of wine, I didn’t bother!

I’ve come in Saturday night with 3 people before an event at the MCG, we had a booking and there was only one person working.<br/>The food came out and it was terrible!!!!! I feel like there was a lot of potential.. but was soo let down

Ahh this place is so good! Great vibes & the meat balls are actually amazing. I got some sliders & creamy meat balls to share with a friend & it did not disappoint! The meat balls are actually super filling & we didn’t finish them all

Simple concept done well. I love the variety of meatballs there are on the menu and I like how you can build your own meal . <br/><br/>I really enjoyed the polenta base or the mash potato as the base

Come here on a Friday night with some friends and had to wait about 15 minutes for a table which wasn't too bad. I ordered the beef meatballs with red sauce and the creamy polenta and they were very pleasant. The polenta was my favourite part of the whole dish as it was super creamy! The meat balls were good and so was the sauce. Place is really small so it is best if you eat and then leave as it is not ideal to hang around afterwards. Service was good also despite how busy it was, but do be prepared to wait for a seat.

Such a simple concept, meatballs & wine, but made so tasty! This is our main go to place on Swan st before any gig or concert we need to attend. My favourite combo is the Pork meatballs with pesto on the veg of the day... never disappoints. The service is always friendly but can be rather slow depending on how busy they are. The price is also very reasonable.

We had dinner at Meatball & Wine Bar last night ahead of the Paul McCartney concert. It was a cozy little venue and full inside so we elected to sit in the sun outside. Service was initially a little slow because they were short staff but this improved over time. Quite possibly they hadn’t anticipated the crowds of oldies such a concert would produce for an early dinner.<br/><br/>Ordering was an easy concept with meatballs being the dominant menu item and punters choosing their meatball, sauce style and what we wanted the meatball on. <br/><br/>I chose the pork with fennel & sage meatball in s tomato based sauce on s bed of smashed spuds. Very very tasty meatballs and a highly Parmesan rich tomato red sauce made for a delicious combination. They have GF pasta should you need and vego options too. <br/><br/>A good selection of wine, local and European and some very local craft beers (Collingwood & Heidelberg West).<br/><br/>Really easy meal and good service, once the staff levels picked up.

A pretty busy venue. Nice friendly staff and a good atmosphere. A good venue to come in a group and to share a few meals together. Sharing plates are great.

Great meatballs especially with mash but the spaghetti was sort of lacking in punch. Meatballs and mash was great. Space is a bit crowded but intimate

On the night we went to Meatball & Wine Bar, my partner and I were looking for something relaxed and romantic with rich and hearty food and that is exactly what we got! The dimmed lighting and candle lit tables set the tone for a wonderful meal. The restaurant wasn't overly crowded or rowdy, which was a nice change from the other bustling places along Swan Street. While the food wasn't overly complex or imaginative, it was tasty and substantial and certainly worth a second visit. I was too hungry and excited about my pasta to take a picture but the desserts got a look in and they were amazing. The staff also made for an excellent experience as they were all friendly and welcoming and our table was ready and waiting for us on arrival, despite only booking 15 minutes ahead of time.

You. ruined. my. birthday. night. <br/>The rudest manager ever. Shame when the other staff were so lovely. Left without ordering food. Would rather spend my money at a place that treats their customers with kindness and respect.

Similar to the city one, this place serves delicious meatballs. This time i got the pesto with polenta, the pesto sauce was a bit stronger than what I expected however overall the meal was still very delicious.

I like marvelling at beautiful old buildings with its grandiose and intricate facades and interiors. I was thus lucky to arrive at Meatball & Wine Bar before sundown, as I got to appreciate the architecture of the building, and more importantly read the menu, before they started dimming the lights once darkness has set in. And dim the lights they did. My eyes only solace was the candle placed on every table, and the bright fluorescent lights streaming in from Coles opposite the road. In all fairness, the lighting did not affect the dining experience to a great degree, and in fact it gave us something to laugh about. <br/><br/>The food, however, caused my partner to shed a tear. The meat and cheese board was quite average, and we didn't particular enjoyed the selection of cheeses. For his main, he ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, and boy was he disappointed with his choice. It was very bland and dull - both the sauce and the meatballs, and the only saving grace was that the spaghetti was cooked al dente. He was hungry, and he didn't liked food going to waste, so in the end it was salt and pepper to the rescue. I had way much better luck with the pork meatballs I ordered. It was definitely so much more flavourful and well-seasoned, and same goes for the green sauce. Unfortunately the creamy polenta was a tad runny, and spoilt an otherwise perfect dish. <br/><br/>My partner just couldn't get his taste bud to agree with the food here, as he took one bite of the gingerbread ice cream sanga and handed it back to me. His loss, my gain. I had no complains whatsover. The cookie was soft and chewy, and the ice cream was smooth and creamy.<br/><br/>What did impressed my partner was the service. The polite fellow can be described as 4As - attentive, accommodating, affable and approachable.

This place is absolutely off the chain!! Loved it!! The service was fantastic and the food was great! I ordered a dish called Game Of Thrones and all I can say was wowww!!! I'll be back without a doubt.

Nice venue, small but not overcrowded, which makes for a nice atmosphere. The service was great, they catered for various allergies within our group of 8 with minimal fuss and the food was top notch. I went with the chicken meatballs with creamy sauce and house made pasta and it was great, while I also tasted one of the vegetarian options and it too was really good. The sticky date dessert was amazing, I could if eaten 10 of those! Great place to go with a small group or as a couple.

Definitely not your average meatballs here. I got the the pork balls with the red sauce and they were really juicy and meaty (rather than full of other fillers like breadcrumbs) while my friend got the single, big ball (also looked delicious). They were also pretty generous with the tomato sauce (perfect for the dipping the garlic bread). Left really full.<br/><br/>The main downside here was the waiting time: they only had 2-3 staff for a Monday night, but when the tables started filling up, service was slightly strained but still friendly. Also, as it's pretty fancy, it's not the cheapest eat around.

Nice meal and wine here. Sat at the bar as we did not have a booking. Meatballs were tasty and sauces rich. I had the pork and wife had the beef. Good atmosphere and friendly service.

I can't say anything bad about the food here. Food is always good, always consistent with the quality and flavour. Staff are nice to. The salads are very nice especially the fennel and orange, ambience is nice and great for a date night!! Good selection of wine and beers. Make sure you try the pork meat balls and get it on the polenta!! Absolutely to die for!!! Oh and the garlic bread! Yummm yum

Meatballs so many to choose from, Pork, Chicken, Beef, Fish, Vegetable.. great sauces combos. You can mix it up and have meatball sliders 🍔 . Went with fish tonight, awesome 👏 came with a parsamen cracker.. Richmond venue set up in a beautiful historic Victorian building, added to the dining experience.

Came here for my sisters birthday. Pretty good food. Staff were very attentive and friendly.<br/>Wasn't completely blown away but it was a good lunch! Good service always scores good points from me. Would recommend.

I came here with a group of my girlfriends to celebrate a birthday and we were very pleased with the venue. Meatball and Wine Bar has a very relaxed and cozy vibe. The interior is gorgeous, love the whole rustic look and the bar set-up. I also loved the unique concept of the 'meatball' throughout the menu. The food here was very enjoyable. It was fresh and the meatballs were moist. However, there were no crazy standouts.

Came into Meatball and wine on the off chance, they where busy but the service was great.  i have to say i enjoyed the meatballs and picking your own sauce and everyone was super friendly. Happily go back again

No，don't do it people. This place is so overrated and overpriced，with really patchy service.<br/><br/>We got the sliders and chicken wings as entrees，sliders were ok but chicken wings were so average.<br/><br/>For mains we went with the pesto pasta with chicken meatballs， and gnocchi with pork meatball. The pesto pasta was extremely bland，with barely any meatballs (probably a blessing in some respect given how bland it was)， and the gnocchi was barely there，there was only like 6 small bits.<br/><br/>The price you pay for what you get was totally whack，so overpriced given the average quality of the meatballs.

Walked in on a Friday night and has a horrible experience with their service. I don't recommend going here as the staff were very rude. We decided to walk out of the restaurant without ordering any food.

Great place to grab a bite and a drink with such a good atmosphere! Would be a really nice place for a romantic evening. Staff were fabulous - great waitstaff and food was pretty quick to arrive and tasted great! I ordered the veg meatballs with green sauce on creamy polenta. Had just the right variety of different flavours and they all complimented each other well! Would highly recommend popping here for a visit for any occasion. Loved it!

Nice place to catch up with friends, the chacuterie board was good and the meatballs and potato smash were delicious. I wasn't a huge fan of the pork meatballs myself, but loved the beef ones. Also had the whoopie mac for dessert, again I wasn't a huge fan as it was a bit doughy for my liking but my friend loved hers. Nice wine selection too (I mean, you have to have a glass of wine with a restaurant name like this!) and the decor of the place really adds to the vibes. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

Casual spot to be fed and watered. Pick the meat ball, pick the sauce, pick the side. All pleasant. No specific standouts. A good backup Option on the Swan St strip near the station.

We had beef meat balls with polenta and beef meat balls with beans. Polenta was too liquid, beans were undercooked. The meat balls were ok (too many herbs, but this is a matter of taste), although too expensive, considering that it's almost 7$ per ball (22.50 for a portion). The place is very nice, the staff is super friendly and they have a decent selection of wines.

Last night I ate dinner at the Meatball & Wine Bar. The restaurant looked quite nice but was very poorly lit inside.<br/><br/>We ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs and the Meat and Cheese platter. <br/><br/>We both liked the taste of the meatballs - they were very delicious but I thought the dish needed more sauce. It was quite a bland dish if you took out the meatballs. The garlic bread that came with the Meatballs was also very tasty and better than the bread that came with the platter (but then again I love garlic bread so much!!) <br/><br/>I thought the platter was quite small for $28. I've spent the same amount of money at other places and gotten a much larger platter with a greater variety. I was disappointed that we only got two cheeses! Normally you would get 3 at other places. The first cheese was quite nice but could do without the honey that was poured on top of it. The softer cheese was very bland and nothing special. The pickles were definitely a highlight for me and my favourite part of the platter. The meats were all nice too. <br/><br/>The staff member who served us was quite knowledgable and was able to tell us that the platter wouldn't be big enough for 2 people to share as a main meal. <br/><br/>This place is definitely ideal for those finishing work a bit later in the Richmond area since the kitchen is open until 9:30pm and the place is open until midnight for drinks.

I don't believe in giving anyone 'Bad' feedback, yet I will give constructive f.bk instead.<br/>I understand overheads, location etc but way too overpriced for meatballs that are not spectacular. The spagh was way overcooked the sauce was undercooked. The meatballs were repeating on me all night long. With meatballs you should taste the pork and beef not seasoning mb a little garlic but not cajun or whatever else was in there. The Baffula would have been great without all the crushed herbs etc on the board. Or atleast specify because it was quite over powering. The pork sliders were good according to my partner.<br/>Presentation and service is a must with staff. Eg. Brush your hair in the morning, don't be too pushy with drinks to begin with. Most of all smile. <br/>Will try this place once more in the near future.

You've done it again! Beef meatballs in a Napoli sauce with beautiful pasta. Love this place and the wait staff were just hilariously friendly. Bit pricey but worth it for the outcome. Something so simple is executed so well!

I visited on a Wednesday night and the place was still packed full! I shared the Parmesan with Honey to start with (it came with a small piece of focaccia each) with a glass of Sangiovese which was lovely. Meatball & Wine Bar offer their classic spaghetti with meatballs for $10 on a Wednesday and it comes with garlic bread, so the choice for main was a no brainer! I have to say the pasta sauce was impressive! There was a hint of chilli in it which I love. The meatballs were good as was the pasta. The service for us was fairly prompt. Overall it was an inexpensive and very pleasant experience at Meatball & Wine Bar

After reading reviews of poor service, we were somewhat prepared for this to be an issue, but we had no idea just how bad this actually was. We originally booked for 2 via online system, and rang to change to 3 with plenty of notice. When we arrived, they had only set up for 2 - not the worst thing in the world, but it went so downhill from here. We waited 30 mins for menus only to eventually grab them ourselves from the counter. It was 45 mins from being seated we eventually flagged down a waiter and asked him for service. Eventually we had our food order taken by a nice fella, however he told us he had just come in off the street to help out as they were under staffed. We were served white wine in stemless glasses as they ran out of wine glasses (7.30pm!) and were compensated with a carafe instead of the 3 glasses we ordered. Wine was nice but expensive for 500ml ($42). Food was good, the parmasan entree went down well, meatballs were tasty but tomato sauce was a bit plain and under seasoned. We were told we would have something taken off the bill in response to how long we waited, but this didn't happen. I have no idea why the management aren't doing something about the service issue, when clearly this is happened time and time again. Its a shame, but we won't be going back in a great hurry.

I give it a 3.5 for the food only. Service has been below average 2/4 times I have been there. I understand it's busy however, they have a "don't really care" attitude whilst telling you how long you have to wait. The last time I was there it was quiet, 1 waiter was fantastic, the other extremely rude. Just no consistency. Shame as the food is great.

I took my gf here for an impromptu Friday night meal and we were overall, a little disappointed, with glowing sentiments from the City's Wine & Meatballs not shared with Richmond's: the staff left us for begging 25 min for a menu, only to be served and then barely even cared if we enjoyed the meal. Loved the meatballs, burrata, a cold cheese dish was quite frankly, gross. And flavourless

Whilst we enjoyed our food (I had chicken balls with green sauce on mash), the service tonight left a lot to be desired. We were left waiting several times, empty water bottles were not removed and only replaced after requesting twice. We also had to ask twice for dessert menus. One of our wine glasses was chipped and the soft drink was flat. I was provided with a replacement for the soft drink on request which was also flat so I did not bother ordering another this time. Would not rush back!

Popular little place on Swan. Not bad for a quick bite. Service is generally good. The food has some nice flavours. Portions for the price are a little small. I'd say this place is nice but not amazing.

Featuring a steadfast menu of delectable balls the menu is delightfully simple and uncomplicated: offering a range of handmade artisan balls (beef, pork, chicken, fish, and vegetable), an option of sauces and bases, plus daily specials.  Every meatball delivered from the kitchen is made with Australia’s best quality meats with the origin of the produce made completely clear.

Much better option than the 'other' meatball establishment in the city. Juicer meatballs and nicer staff. Nice lunch out with friends and would be happy to come back.

Either things have gotten worse or I'd forgotten how average this place is. Nice fitout and a strong concept do their best to hide the fact that this is a small step up from Pizza Hut. Very average food at big prices. Even the balls are pretty bad. Craving a good quality spaghetti meatballs, do yourself a favour and go to city wine shop. Cheaper and worlds apart.

Bad service. Food was terrible and it took 30mins just to get water on the table aswell as them forgetting our bottle of wine. Never going back again.

I don't understand how you can have the word meatball in your name and it not be the most mindblowing ball of meat..so disappointed.. suggest rebrand: meh & winebar

Service is a bit slow and it's not busy but the food's awesome and definitely worth the wait!<br/><br/>Desserts are to die for and the ambience is pretty good for a night out

In for an early dinner yesterday with some old friends. The staff forgot to put our order in. There were 2 other tables occupied so it wasn't frantic or busy.  Won't be back.

I had an exceptionally great experience here. My 3 girlfriends and I came here for late lunch. We all started of prosciutto di san daniele and salami which are both cured meat and cheese platter with glass of house wine. We had beef meatball on a red italian tomato sauce and pork meatball on a white cream sauce. The food we picked from the menu were all good especially the beef meatball! Delicious! Customer service was impeccable. The waiter was hilarious and helpful. I highly recommend this place.

Vegetarian meatballs were nice, lacked a bit of flavour but the presentation was nice and it was enjoyable! Just needs more flavour!

As the name suggests, the meatballs are really good. They usually have a special meatball dish each week which provides variety if you go there frequently. The place is small so booking ahead is recommended

Good service and atmosphere.<br/><br/>Unfortunately the food was beyond dull. Expected so much more if they are supposed to specialise in meatballs... Avoid the cannellini beans as the base for your meatballs. Potentially on the small portion size for the price as well...

Overpriced wine; very few vegetarian options; intrusive music -- you can't be social in a bar when you can't hear the person next to you. Not coming again.

Great staff, funny bartender, food was amazing, the cocktails where the real winner, had the witches potion, it was amazing, the others all sounded great, can't wait to go back and have the others

Yumm simple food!<br/>Had the meat balls on soft polenta and tomato sauce (classic) and it was perfect! Fair prices and friendly staff. Can't wait to go again!

Great weeknight wind down dining spot, which is conveniently situated at the bottom of our street. Value for money is excellent coming in around $40 per head for dinner & drink. I'm a big fan of the chicken, pistachio and muscatel balls with white sauce & pasta. Yum!!

Yummy to the max! Hardy meals and anythin with balls, I'm in!!! The specials change all he time which is great because I'm a regular! Would love to be able to make a reservation but you can't have everything.

Dry sliders - pork was tasteless and not seasoned <br/>Meatballs were also very dry and overlooked, no taste, slopped on a bed of polenta which was not creamy and tasty, and a sauce that tastes like one out of the old Legos jar.<br/>Made the mistake of going back again and unfortunately against my want a third time. <br/>If you sit inside at night prepared to not see your food, it's pitch black! And the music at all times is blaring. So conversation is off the table. It's like a club with worse food! <br/><br/>Waiters argued in front of us about who's table it was in relation to a tip... Granted they knew the menu and specials very well and service was good. <br/><br/>Do not recommend one bit.

Love this place! I came here just last night and the food was absolutely fab! <br/>Great vibes, good music and awesome food :) <br/><br/>Can't thank staff enough for also finding my purse

I was hesitant to try this restaurant as I thought $20+ for 3 meatballs was a bit steep... But I'm glad I did!<br/>I had the special pork and beef meatball (one giant meatball) sitting on a creamy tomato sauce with gnocchi. It came with a side piece of garlic bread. Whilst the flavours were good, I definitely could have use a larger portion size. <br/>I also tried the special entree chicken ribs with buttermilk sauce. Wow the buttermilk sauce was amazing. My dining companions and I were using it as a dip for our bread until the bowl was clean! I also liked how the chicken ribs were grilled and not deep fried.<br/>Had a nice cocktail on the side, and I was a happy girl.<br/>It even inspired me to cook some of my own home made meat balls. Great concept!

I've been going to the Meatball & Wine Bar franchises for a little while now, and have always enjoyed their meatballs because they just taste so good! The fact that they have meatballs other than beef already make them special.<br/><br/>I gave them a call to come in with about an hours notice and they were more than accommodating. We sat in the bar area which was very comfortable. It was nice to see the bartenders do their thing. <br/><br/>I noticed the prices had gone up from last time I was here. We ordered the same amount as we normally do (3 servings between 2 people), bit of a mistake as they had changed their serving sizes! You get a lot more than before. I think we'll have to stick with one serving each from now on. The meatballs themselves were very tasty as always. I personally love the fish meatballs here. I normally team it up with a green sauce and creamy polenta, so good! I've experimented with a lot of different combinations and this one is by far my favourite. Another combination I love is the beef meatballs with red italian tomato sauce with potato mash. Check out their sliders and salads as well.<br/><br/>What stopped me from giving this Richmond venue a higher rating was that it was extremely noisy and I left the place with a hum in my ear. They were pumping really loud RnB / rap music which made me feel like I was in a club. It was virtually impossible to talk. I would not recommend this venue for a date night, go to the CBD one if you want a bit more peace and quiet.

Balls of meat, sure. Actual meatballs... Not this place. The blasting white boy gansta rap and the place being dead empty should of been a key indication of what the place was about.<br/>Got the cold cut and cheese platter, nothing is tasty as parmasan rind, man do I love me some bottom of the barrel cheese! <br/>The pasta I got was as good as you could get from a tin of legos and the meatballs wouldn't give Ikea a run for their money.<br/>Cutlery was a bit dirty and our share plate came with a complimentary hair on it straight from the cabinate, I do love free things with my meal. Skip it, make the meatballs at home and save your $60.

So there are meatballs and there is Meatballs' meatballs. And their meatballs are delicious, no question <br/><br/>The wait staff were friendly, courteous and suitably attentive without being intrusive and added suitably to a very enjoyable visit.

Mmmm who doesn't love meatballs? The special of a giant pork and beef meatball smothered in a creamy tomato sauce with the added sustenance of gnocchi!! Highly recommend. Yum yum yum! Only down side is that you can't actually see what your eating, waiters even provide a torch so you can read the menu! 😳. Well worth it though!

I celebrated my 27th birthday here with 3 of my bestfriends and wow!!! Loved the food. But the atmosphere was the winner for me. The music was loud but not too loud that so u can have a conversation without yelling. The music choice was perfect they were playing old school hiphop and rnb which was rhe winner for me. I was danceing and eating in my chair at the same time. Love it.

Really disappointed in the service we received Saturday night from 1 person in particular. A young guy with blonde hair and a short beard was upset that we bought along 2 kids with our booking of 10. As we weren't aware it was an over 18 venue (there was nothing about it in the confirmation email or text) he was kind enough to let us stay anyway and the kids were really well behaved.<br/><br/>We were seated and as we did so, the guy turned the music up. Assuming that was just to fulfil the vibe that Meatballs goes for, we ignored it. We had our phones out to read the menu as the lights were quite dull and I watched him walk over and turn the lights down more, knowing we were doing so. It seemed to us that he was trying to drive us out. I now wish we had have just left then.<br/><br/>When he was taking our order, we got blunt answers. "can we change the slider meatball flavours?" "no." "do I go to the bar to order a drink?" "all table service" (and still didn't take the order anyway). It got to the point were we were uncomfortable being there, especially when he spoke rudely to 2 of our older friends who were having trouble hearing him over the music.<br/><br/>I work in hospitality myself, so I watched him for a good while. He went to all of his other tables and took their order, got more drinks and more drinks and had a laugh with them.. but not once did he ask us if we would like anything else (there were 10 of us and we all would have had 2-3 rounds each had we been asked).<br/><br/>As I was leaving, I asked the really lovely young girl if we can split the bill, she said we can. I went to pay and this guy said they don't, I mentioned that my work also uses that Pos system and that I know it is possible and he said "its house policy that we don't". At that point, I told him how disappointed I was that he felt the need to be so rude when we were not rude to him at all, seemed to us this was only because we bought in 2 kids.<br/><br/>After that, he offered no help whatsoever to a 61 year old lady who was with us who wanted to pay her share. She got out her phone and added it up herself and dropped some coins and he just stood there. Assuming it isn't house policy to be unhelpful and blatantly rude, I again made my disappointment known to him. He seemed to not care at all, and for this reason I wanted to share my experience. I know how hard it can be working in hospitality sometimes and that is the reason that I usually have a lot of patience and understanding for staff, but this was totally unnecessary behaviour. <br/><br/>I would like to mention that I realise this doesn't reflect the company as a whole and that we otherwise would have had a great experience, unfortunately, the way he conducted himself has over shadowed it. It seems the me that he was too focused on maintaining a certain vibe and clientele that we didn't fit in to. Really unfortunate as I have been to the other 2 restaurants and had an awesome experience.

I would like to give Meatball and Wine Bar 10/10 as the food was fabulous, however the service and experience was less than desirable. Yes music and dark spaces are fun for a Saturday night, but I don't want to sit in pitch black darkness listening to Soulja Boi while I shout across the table to my date. <br/><br/>1.5/10 <br/><br/>Would not recommend. <br/>

Great food and friendly service.<br/>At the beginning, I could not understand how a place can focus its entire menu just on meatballs. But all was delicious; meatballs, sides and the wines. Service was really helpful and in our case, patient. Nice bar atmosphere and busy even on Monday.

A friend had read that the Richmond outlet of this was the better of the three so decided to give it a try.I arrived early and was met at the door by someone I thought was leaving. No this was the staff. No greeting, no acknowledgement and I felt he was actually blocking my entrance. Not a good start. When I mentioned I was meeting friends "awesome" was the response and he left.It only got worse. There was 1 other party of about 8 there and they had finished their meal yet after what seemed to be a long wait, decided I'd order my own drink. Wait staff was too busy on the computer to ask me. Anyway things did not improve and suffice to say the service really let this establishment down. It was as if we were doing them a favour by being there. The food was tasty and good value. I notice another review where management have promised to do extra training. My advice to the wait staff. Just be pleasant and attentive to your customer s needs. Stop trying to be ubercool because It " ain't working". would I go back? Sorry, No.

I didn't get to try the food! We stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a drink. Unfortunately all beer taps were off due to a gas malfunction - not their fault. I had a fabulous cocktail special Witches Brew that was peach, passionfruit and dark rum. I was so busy chatting we forgot to eat but the lovely staff kept us hydrated for over 2 hours. The food looks absolutely delicious so I will definately be back to try it.

Nice place. Good food at a decent price ($20ish each without alcohol). I like the beef meatballs the most, with potato or polenta underneath. I thought the pork and orange meatballs were a bit too orangey and sickly by the end but that's the only thing I have had that I wasn't as keen on. Quick and efficient service both times I have been.

The food is lovely and the staff were friendly enough, but they were playing the worst skip hop I've ever heard and it drove us out unfortunately.<br/>I know it's a personal taste thing and there are a lot of people that like 360, Remi and the Herd but I'm not one of them. Won't be back if they play that crap, by all means play hip hop I normally love it. There's just something grating about those artists.

Amazing food! The beef sliders with green pesto sauce were amazing! And the dessert a sticky date pudding with salted caramel ice cream with a shot butterscotch sauce was amazing! Definitely a great meal!! Would definitely recommend this place!! Service was 5/5 and atmosphere very chilled back with good music.

I had dinner here on Friday night. A group of us booked a table and arrived at 8pm, we were greeted by the host who was very friendly and accommodating. We had the meat and cheese board to start which was delicious followed by a selection of the balls and all. I had the pork balls with the pesto sauce and fresh vegetables. Absolutely beautiful! We had a bottle of the carpe diam which was suggested by the waitress which I would highly recommend. We even shared a dessert which was the sticky date pudding with ice cream and butterscotch sauce! The service was of a high standard and we all be returning. What a fun atmosphere, good food, great wine and awesome beats. Can't wait for another night here!

Nice... Butt!. The food was good - balls tasty and flavoursome. The service was friendly... I did however have a problem with the menu advertising wine by the 250 or 500ml though... Where do you sit down to a nice meal only to be expected to complete simple arithmetic to work out the cost of a bottle of wine? <br/><br/>Here's how it played out: <br/>Us "waiter what wine would you reccomend?"<br/>Waiter "I like the Italian selection on the menu, not on the wine list"<br/>Us "I trust you, sounds good! Could we have one of the white and one of the red you have suggested please?"<br/>Waiter "a bottle of each?"<br/>Us "ahh yes please"<br/>Waiter "sure no problem"<br/><br/>So what's wrong with this conversation you ask? Well... The wine suggested was charged at a rate of the cost of the 250mm amount plus the cost of the 500mm amount on the menu (to equal a 750ml bottle). We could barely see the ml sizes on the menu the txt was so small. Also all the wine list prices were by the bottle - why is the menu different! And since when do you have to add two menu prices together to get the price of a bottle!!! We would have paid it anyway but now we feel like we've been deceived by both our waiter and the menu. Oh yeah and the garlic repeats on you afterwards

I came here on a Thursday evening for my friend’s birthday. We chose this place based on all the hype it has raised and we were looking for somewhere that takes bookings. Our booking was for 8pm and we arrived on time and were asked to stand to the side while our table was being set up. This was not an issue as the staff were very polite. The Meatball and Wine Bar is the perfect spot to go for a date. The lights are dimmed and there are candles on every table, creating a romantic and intimate setting. There is a good vibe, music playing in the background, contributing to a vibrant atmosphere. One of the perks of this restaurant is that the outside tables are surrounded by heaters, which is great for winter and for people that wish to smoke.  Entrance to the Meatball WB Inside interior Outside seating with heaters The service was truly top notch. Our waiter kindly explained how the menu works, allowed us to make changes to some of the menu items, and w

Both the beef and pork balls are awesome, but the surprise is the polenta – it is definitely creamy, with beautifully balanced rich flavour that doesn’t overpower the balls or detract from the sauce. The combination of sauce/ball/sotto palle is the main dish that they do, so it better be good – and it is. To break it up a bit we had the Caprese salad which is mainly classical with some very tasty croutons, and nice fresh heirloom tomatoes, but needed a bit more of the mozzarella.

Instead of heading to the typical Italian restaurant for pizza or pasta, head here to have a simple yet tasty side of the filling meatballs done right. We walked into a rustic brick walled building with a beautiful (yet simple) bar and simple furniture.

Good service. The girl who served us was very friendly (blonde with a UK accent). Unfortunately our food was slightly cold but it came out pretty quick considering it was busy. Still quite nice but please make sure its a bit warmer next time as luke warm mash isn't as good!

Ben's coffee is delicious!!!

Best date night. Date night with my boyfriend and loved the attentive waitstaff and very knowledgeable bar staff. <br/>The music was the best part though, no other spots get this right ! I don't mind a bit of old skool rnb with my dinner . Very happy !

First time here and I love it... The meatballs where awesome. I also had the sliders by far the best I've ever had. The service here is absolutely fantastic.. For the dessert I had the Whoopie Mac all I gotta is amazing you must try it... Overall and great restaurant with an incredible atmosphere.. Enjoy!!!!

Overpriced food for not much at all.. My husband and I caught up with friends of ours. The menu is so hard to read, all over the place, three balls on eat plate (odd number is so frustrating and there were four of us), and it was so overpriced for what you get. They need to consider perhaps asking how many balls you would like so you at least get to try one each. We had to ask for the dessert menu as we had been waiting for it for quite some time. Won't be back.

Pathetic attitude and poor service. Given this place a try a few times and every time, I wonder why I return!?<br/>What a shame that this place has the potential to be above average but the attitude of some staff, just pathetic.<br/>Arrived, place was not at all busy, and happily sat outside, on what we were told, an unreserved table.<br/>Table was dirty and was NEVER wiped down. Had to almost jump up and down to get menus from the waiter looking after the section.<br/>AGAIN, had to get the attention of the waiter to order drinks and food.<br/>Meals came out in decent time and, as usual, were ok.<br/>About 30 mins after being seated, when we still had alcoholic cocktail drinks on the table and were just finishing food, we were TOLD to finish up as other people wanted to sit outside.<br/>We gulped down our drinks, paid the bill and walked out.<br/>I walked back in to complain about being rushed out and how appalling we were treated.<br/>Supervisor/manager gave a half hearted apology and seemed not to care much about our pathetic experience.<br/>Left feeling very unsatisfied and I do not want to return!<br/>Staff can make or break you. I don't understand why the owners tolerate such attitude. Do they even care?

Below average food and disgusting attitude. Firstly I want to separate the above - I am not writing a bad review of the food, because of the bad attitude of the staff - the food was seriously crap. But what was even worse, was witnessing a woman being told to leave because she had an 8 week old with her. <br/><br/>Sorry Meatball and Wine and Bar, but if you want to a run a successful restaurant in Melbourne, you are going to have to do WAY better than that. And stop being pigs - there was no need to be rude to her.

Mums not welcome - get back in the kitchen?. 8 weeks ago I was welcomed into this establishment - I guess I fit the "hipster" bill. Last night I popped by for a dinner with my new (8 week old sleeping bub) and the waiter rudely rattled off a list of reasons why he thought we couldn't stay. Our pram was in the way - we happily moved it, turns out the manager didn't want a pram in the restaurant "full stop". When the excuses started running dry, the waiter told us that it was a 18+ venue. I reminded him, as a guardian of my 8-week old, I wasn't about to let him drink under age, nothing that the bar was serving anyway! I told the waiter that I felt like I was being discriminated against, to which he shrugged his shoulders and showed me the door. Perhaps next time you are going to throw me out of your restaurant for having had a baby, you could at least try to be polite and apologetic. Your "women with babies should stay @ home" attitude is a little outdated and won't be tolerated in this city ... even in Abbot's Australia. Your wanna-be hipster front won't fool anyone - you are incredibly uncool. Never again.

Decent food, friendly staff.. Came here for dinner on NYE with my husband, as we had been to the city restaurant and really enjoyed it. The staff were friendly, pretty run off their feet being NYE and we had to remind them a couple of times for drinks that we had ordered. Ordered spaghetti and meatballs, sliders and a salad. The spaghetti and meatballs dish came out so covered in cheese that I had to scrape most of it off as it was far too much and I don't usually eat cheese on my pasta. I really feel like it should be optional, or at least mentioned on the menu, so you can ask for it to be taken off. The pasta and sauce were both delicious however the meatballs a little lackluster- I likened them to Ikea meatballs!<br/>Salad was very, very basic for $10 and a little soggy. Sliders were delicious and the wines we tried were also very good and reasonably priced. I probably wouldn't return, the food and experience/staff were good, however the food is a little expensive for the quality of what we received.

Amazeballs. Great food, awesome staff<br/><br/>And a rocking good time!!!

Great service!!. I came in late for drinks and dessert the other night. The bar and waiting staff were really accommodating. Their signature cocktails were yummy, especially the Ladyquila and the waiters know their wine. Their Whoopie Mac desserts were beautiful. I recommend the Pistachio Meringue!

Fantastic Balls!!. A collegue and I went to Richmond Meatballs and Wine on friday night and we were both so impressed!! For such a simple concept the food was very varied and absolutely delicious!!! we had the cheese and meat board. delicious and genorous serving. then we had the pulled pork special sliders that were so so good! tender and tasty! To finish we had The fish balls with a pesto sauce. I was unsure of how fish would work in a meatball but the chef obviously knows his stuff and they were delicious. My highlight of the night. Topped off with a beautiful glass of wine, it really was a faultless dinner.<br/>Thanks and we will definately be back.

Bloody lovely. Had a lovely meal tonight with my girlfriend. Great ambiance for a date! Service was brilliant and the wine flowed. Cheers for a great night guys

Average. We just came back from lunch at MBWB and I have to say it was ok, nothing special or outstanding, a bit too expensive for what it is.<br/>Service was ok, the waiter didn't know the name of the pasta they serve and he brought the specials lunch list when we were ready to order.

Amaze-BALLS. Although they were busy, we felt very taken care of. Lots of wine and good vibes.

Awesome!. Place was amazing!! Alex was the best service ever - the girl deserves a pay rise!!!! Food delicious, service even better!! Thanks Alex - you're were so great!!

Wow!. 3 of us Went for dinner Monday night quickly seated, Not long afterwards the host asked if we minded moving tables to allow a table who had an extra person show up to swap so she could join the two tables so they had enough space for the extra person. We had only ordered drinks plus we didn't have a booking so it was fine for us and we even got put on a bigger table! We thought it was very considerate of her to make sure the tables where comfortable by doing the swap. She then came up to our table and thanked us and then got our first round of drinks! Could not believe it what awesome hospitality we where totally happy to move but she really looked after us which is very rare from restaurants these days, the other staff where super happy and attentive this place has a great staff team backed by some seriously awesome tasty balls! I had beef red smash as recommended by the waitress YUM! Perfect atmosphere for friends to catch up, we will be back!!!! Didn't get to thank the girl for the awesome night but I hope this does the trick

We all love balls. It's rare that you find a restaurant in which the service match the food. And it was absolutely fabulous! I'll be back again..and again...and AGAIN!!!

Service must be what people go back for, as it cant be the food. Waiter was fantastic, gave me a great wine based on what i like that wasnt $1000. really freindly, and great banter. <br/>Food was nothing to write home about and actually made me feel pretty ill afterwards, the best bit was the bread and oil. Ive heard a lot about it and its always busy , but im not so sure why now... but maybe I made a bad choice of meatball and sauce combo!

Heard a lot and they delivered. I had heard some great reviews about this place and wasn't dissappointed...the food was good, but service was excellent (waiter had a good knowledge of wines and was able to suggest a few for the table) atmosphere only added to an enjoyable evening

Yum!. Food is so delicious. Restaurant a little small but worth the wait for a table.

Ordinary Food Bad Attitude. Have been there for lunch and food is only just passable. I make better meatballs at home and from that know what a swindle the prices are. Had a friend that wanted to try it so I booked book for 7pm only to be rung back and rudely told that they only do sittings at 6pm and 8pm. Are they for real!!! For meatballs that need a bout 5 minutes prep. Between that and the ban on kids, they must easily be front runners for the biggest tossers in the Melbourne restaurant scene.

Suck a Meatball. Service = average<br/>Food = average and overpriced<br/>Atmosphere = OK<br/><br/>If you have no interest in the food being served and are content in eating something to the standard of a mashed up McDonalds burger but at 4 times the price, this place is for you.<br/><br/>MB&WB is a perfect example of all show and no substance.

Poor. Really really bad

Very nice food, burgers need a side dish as it isn't enough to fill you up. Music is very loud and lighting is quite low.

I've been enough times now to know that I don't need to go again. Last night I ate at Richballs for the third and final time. The two previous times I've eaten here I've had quite pleasant experiences. Tasty comfort food and friendly service. <br/><br/>However, last night the experience was ordinary. It felt like they were understaffed maybe? For example, I was the last of our party of four to arrive and it took nearly 15 minutes for someone to come over and ask if I wanted a drink and then another 10 minutes before that glass of wine arrived at the table. So 25 minutes in and no drink. <br/>Once the food and wine finally arrived the music was turned up waaaaayy too loud. I'm saying this a young person who likes crowded pumping venues, not someone out for dinner with their gran. I'm out for dinner at 6.30pm on a weeknight, I don't want to have to shout to the person sitting 20 centimetres away from me over Kanye. <br/>There are times for a wine bar to pump up the tunes, and early in the evening on a Wednesday is not one of them. <br/><br/>Overall I think my verdict is that the food is simply not more-ish enough to return with service like that.

I'm a local to the Richmond area and have dined at Meatballs a number of times in the past and found the service and food wonderful, however when I went back yesterday with a group of people that I'd talked this place up to and I left very dejected. I'd booked a table at 8.00pm which we were made to wait to be cleared for 25 mins. If that wasn't bad enough the horrible waiter that greeted us and ask us to wait was not only down right rude he offered no apology or reason as to why we were left waiting and even managed to pop behind the bar for a drink and a chat while he left us waiting. Needless to say we left without eating. Meatball you might be the trendy place at the moment (which could account for the attitude of some of your staff) however if you continue to treat your customers that way you won't stay trendy for long!

We had a bad experience here on Saturday night. The waiters were great at ignoring customers, challenged us on our order when 3 sliders came out instead of 4 and then never came to collect bill so we couldn't leave until i'd waited at the counter and gotten pushed passed by waiters for about 5 minutes. The food was overpriced and basic the cheese/meat board contained little and we got the wrong order with our meatballs... Not going to rush back

Delicious. Went here for a birthday last night. <br/>Very good vibe, excellent music and very nice wine. <br/>We had the set menu for $45 and wine starts at around $60 per bottle so it's not cheap but it is very tasty. <br/>meatballs and side dishes were all very good and they also looked after the vegetarians.

Great place!. We live very close to this place and have eaten there nearly 10 times now, never once have we been disappointed!!! such great value for money, amazing food, friendliest staff and they pump the music. We literally cannot get enough of this place!! see u again soon MBWB

Good balls. Nothing more nothing less u get exactly wat u pay for and it is good price good wine simples

You Obviously Don't Make Enough Money from your Meatballs!. Referring to your comment to John Dalton:<br/><br/>""Hi again John Dalton. Restaurants are able to pay their staff and overheads by marking up products. Some items have a greater mark-up than others in the hope of finding a suitable balance which offers customers value for money and a great dining experience with quality service - which is what we try to do each and every day. Sorry you didn't have a wonderful experience with us. MBWB"<br/><br/>I agree with him, I recently dined here and was not impressed with the mark up. I understand a 100% mark up is typical of any restaurant... However 200-300%? Places a disappointing feeling on the dining experience that you guys work so hard on building.<br/><br/>Your staff must be paid significantly above the award rate.

Unfortunately noisy. My first visit to this place was really good - spot-on comfort food, great staff and fantastic charcuterie.<br/><br/>Last night (early Sunday evening) was an odd experience however, and I won't come back. After being blasted by (an admittedly fantastic '90s playlist), we found it wasn't conducive to drinking wine and enjoying each other's company. Once my old man arrived, we decided that the music was way way too loud and thought we'd politely ask to turn it down before beating a retreat.<br/><br/>The first staff member was absolutely fine about it, and said that unfortunately it was part of their business model and request of the boss to crank up the tunes. We said unfortunately we'd have to leave after our wine and get our dinner elsewhere. Thus far it was a totally polite exchange.<br/><br/>Another waiter came by and said that happily they could accommodate us. Normally they'd pump up the tunes Fri and Sat night, but as it was a Sunday night they could certainly crank it down again. As they were so good about it, and the music was turned to regular (read: can talk to each other), we ordered our very yummy meals and decided to stay.<br/><br/>Halfway through the meal - eg too late to leave in protest - the music was turned up again to levels that we had to shout at each other. As the staff were so lovely about it, I can only presume that the boss is a bit of a prick, had returned to the restaurant, and told the staff to turn it up again to maintain his 'business model'. If your business model involved pissing off perfectly pleasant customers who buy your food and who got there by good word of mouth, then by all means, good luck with that.<br/><br/>We finished up as quick as possible (without ordering dessert), got the bill and hightailed it out of there to somewhere far nicer down the road.<br/><br/>Neither relaxing nor pleasant on a lazy Sunday night. Will not come back, and will not recommend to anyone else.

Went here for dinner last night and it was great! Although it was super busy the staff were very accommodating and when we were placed after a bit of a wait, the good was well timed and quite generous. Will probably be back if in Richmond again!

Great food great atmosphere. Great food and great service. Started with the mini balls the wasabi sauce is awesome. Then got the pork balls with green sauce and polenta was amazing smashed it withthe orange and fennel salad, winners all round would highly recommend getting in and giving it a crack.

We will be back. After heading to Swan St to have lunch at another venue, we unfortunately encountered an unpleasant experience there. Having been to MBWB in the city before, we decided to divert to MBWB Richmond instead, and were yet again not disappointed. The charcuterie was in a league of its own - fresh, tender, and full of flavour, and we tried the chicken/chorizo special and the pork balls w/ salsa verde and polenta - both delicious in their own right. And the service was incredible - intimate, tailored and refreshing. So glad our plans went awry this afternoon - and we will definitely be back!

Best Meatballs Ever. I've always walked past this place and thought about visiting but never have. Took the opportunity today when looking for a late lunch and did not regret it. I had the 'Balls N All' Chicken meatballs with the red sauce option and home made pasta. Meatballs were perfect, right size, moist and delicious. Accompanied with a small slab of bread which went great with the meal. Can't wait to get back here.

The food might be nice...but I wouldn't be able to confirm that! I waited for a whole hour and my order never showed up. Staff kept saying that my order will be ready in 10mins but my food did not arrive despite multiple reminders. You would think that since the staff forgot to put my order through, they would rectify this by ensuring that the next order out from the kitchen is mine. They did not do this. They just made me wait longer. Staff was apologetic but that does not compensate for my time. I walked out.<br/><br/> Management responded to my review stating that it was a busy weekend. They conveniently neglected to mention that when I placed my order, the venue was empty! Staff was just inattentive.

Just fab! Just lovely. Arri.... Just fab!<br/>Just lovely. Arrived, would you like a glass of prosecco to start, perfect! <br/>Then a good wine list, admittedly staff knowledge wasn't great but they admitted that so I don't mind at all. <br/>Ordered the food they suggested including a special for the night. <br/>From start to finish I can't wait to go back - simply amazing

Meatballs were great but come on guys let's get realistic on your wine choices... How can your dishes sit at a $20-$25 bracket and you are charging $35 for 500ml or $50 upwards for a bottle?! <br/><br/>I am happy to pay for a quality bottle but when I search online and see the 500ml we ordered at $35 for $10 a bottle or even $52 for a $17.50 bottle I shake my head. <br/><br/>Get real!

Affordable, lovely atmosphere, attentive staff, simple but really well done and tasty food!!! Really enjoyed it.

Pretty good for a meatball hater.... I've been scarred as a child by meatballs. The dry, tasteless lump of the late 1980's that took up residence in your throat for 15 mins before heading down the hatch made me vie never to touch any spherical meat for the rest of my life. Then A friend invites me to a place that is dedicated to them. Holy mother of all things cruel. No way. My hesitance to agree to this restaurant - understatement of the year. <br/>Saga aside, I went. Meatballs done good in the last 30 years. No dry tasteless crappola here. I went for chicken. Delicious. I dream of the day I reunite with them. Had the burrata too... Delicious, but a bit pricey when dining for two. Service was great & very attentive. No qualms on the cost of the balls - they are so filling, I guarantee you won't leave hungry. And seriously, if you are still a ball scarred hater like I was & this review can't convince you - just go for some dessert. The cookie sandwiches are out of this world. Well played Meatball... You've convinced this sceptic.

Dined here last night with a friend. Service was great and the food was incredible. Highly recommend the beef meatballs with red tomato and also the lamb meatballs with couscous and yoghurt.

This place is all hype and no substance. Arriving 5 minutes early seemed like a hangable offence judging by the way we were greeted by the sour faced lady at the door. No smile no hello just looked at her watch and looked for a table. The place was so dark you can hardly read the menu and the music is soooo loud everyone is shouting just to be heard. The guy who looked after our table was very friendly unlike the woman on the door. The food was very overpriced. $26 for a couple of mozzarella balls and a few slices of prosciutto was a bit rich. $21 for 3 smallish meatballs with sloppy lumpy mash and then to cap it all off a $18.38 service charge for wanting to eat on a Saturday night over Easter! At no stage did anyone mention the surcharge. Not on the phone for the booking, not from Ms Happy on the door or the table staff. It was a pleasure to leave. NOT recommended at all. No guarantee that anything is freshly cooked. Everything seemed like<br/>It was just stewing in a Bain Marie. Blah

Amazeballs. Came here with friends on a Monday night and loved it! Food was delicious - we enjoyed being able to choose our own sauce and base. Wine was great, staff members were friendly and helpful and the music really set the mood for a fun night. Really looking forward to visiting again.

Yummy yummy meatballs and perfect potatoes and pasta. I'll be back soon.

Meatball and wine bar is amazing! <br/><br/>Wait staff are so friendly and accommodating! The two boys on the bar and the lady with the short (purple?) hair were absolutely divine to deal with (Friday 11th April).<br/><br/>The food- ohmy lord so good! It's yummy and filling and there is the right drink to match for all tastes! <br/><br/>Will be coming back! Kudos to you and your staff. I never liked meatballs, but now I do ;)

Very disappointing. We came here for dinner for a friends 30th midweek. Service was slow and the staff were not very friendly. Food average. When asked to bring a cake out which we brought with us they said no. Overall a very disappointing experience.

Ate here a while ago, was amazing. We had all the specials, delicious! Great service as well on a slow afternoon.

Please don't ever change the music. This place has the best playlists in Melbourne.

Love meatballs and wine in Richmond. Have been there around 6/7 times now. Portions are way bigger compared to the one in the city and food is better. Can't beat a quick, good quality meal with some good wine.<br/><br/>Also the staff here are always great. Never have had a complaint!!!

As soon as you walk in the door you can just feel how great the atmosphere is. Food was the best I've had in years and the whoopies mac to die for! If your ever here ask for Rowan. Great service and so friendly.<br/><br/>Oh and they also play awesome music.

I want more balls in my mouth.. Lots of likes. yummy balls, competent and cool staff.

My husband and I decided to eat at Meatballs on a whim last night and were pleasantly surprised by the great food and stellar service. We were promptly sat and offered drinks and had the opportunity of sampling a red wine before committing to buying a few glasses worth. Our waiter was knowledgeable and made tasty suggestions for combinations of meatballs and our food was out quickly. I can agree with everyone else when they say the place is loud though, especially being sat next to the kitchen where there seemed to be some large speakers.<br/><br/>All in all: a great experience. We will be coming back soon and looking for our excellent waiter Jarod

Not Impressed. My Experience of meatball swan st richmond was that of dissapointment.<br/>I had made a booking for six people for 6.30 pm on a saturday night .<br/>the night before at 10.20pm i received a phone call to ask if we could come in at six as they do two seatings of 6pm and 8pm . I said that we would be closer to 6.30 but would be done by 8. Seriously 10.20 pm ? On the saturday morning at 11.30 i receive another call asking the same thing . Again i told them 6.30 but we would be out by eight . I arrive for dinner at 6.25 to once again be told we need to be out by eight . this happened on two more occasions before 8 pm. Seriously for this pushy and annoying service alone i would not go back . Food was so so ranging in price from $18 for two meatballs to $24 for ribs . on the drinks list the cheapest bottle of red was $52.00 . Meatball you really need to look at your customer service as it was wrong .

Very nice restaurant and the food is amazing. Service was brilliant and food came out very fast! Only downside is that it was very loud and noisy. My friends and I were shouting across the table at each other. Decent pricing, around $20 for a meal. <br/>Side note: if you're wanting to celebrate a birthday there, forget about it! Apparently the owner hates celebrating birthdays, so no candles or cakes allowed!

Bouncing to new heights. Enjoyed my first experience with Meatball & Wine Bar. Attended with a group of colleagues; ordered drinks and the meal. It was excellent! A brilliant design of meatballs and a hearty side to complement your digestion. The service was prompt and polite (even with my co-worker attempting to rewrite the menu) and the food was delivered hot and tasty. My only feed back would be for an entree with a taster of the variety of 'balls' you had - I just couldn't make up my mind beforehand! I'll be back with friends and the missus soon!

A shame that the food is good. A smart, simple concept that delivers on tasty food, too bad the treatment of customers can be deplorable. 3 of us were seated outside on a share table that could fit 6 people. Note: this was not my first time. Here is what happened:<br/>1. Ordered an extra side, didn't come with food, no mention of it coming, decided to cancel it, turns up at table 5 mins later with the waiter saying he was 'too slow to the kitchen'. How convenient.<br/>2. People turn up during our meal and fill the extra 3 spots. (No issue with that) the issue arose when a 4th person wanted to join them... We were still eating and they didn't fit - not our problem, but yours.<br/>3. Given bill without being asked after we didn't order anything after our meals (let the food digest a bit please). We continue sitting and the group next to us starts getting bigger.<br/>4. Interrupted by a waiter that informs us that they had given the table away the moment we were handed the bill and expected us to move on, he asked 'is that okay?', I replied that it was not okay to which he just shrugged.<br/>5. We move along, but as we drive past we notice that the spot we were sitting at was given to the ever growing party next to us, who had sat down whilst we were eating and not 'after the bill was given to us', as your waiter had argued.<br/>If you want a fast turnover of customers then you should warn people before they sit down that conversations should be kept to a minimum, you are there to eat after all. (Just like Miss Chu does!) Secondly, don't lie to your customers when it was very clear what you were trying to do.<br/>I expect that kind of treatment at a cheap Asian restaurant, not here.<br/>Rude.

My girl friend recently went out for dinner here with her friend. There was a serious incident that occurred and hasn't been followed up to our expectations. I won't go into detail. But not happy with it.

Ambience Plus!. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Meatballs Wine Bar in Richmond. The menu is creative with clever combinations. Thanks Enrique and Talitha for great service and hospitality!

I agree Meatballs is a nothing restaurant<br/>For real food look elsewhere

Meatballs and Bulldust. Turned up at 6 pm Sunday night for a quick dinner; 4 adults and 3 teenagers. Only one table occupied inside with a 4. Waitress stoped us at door and said only usually take 7 people if we order a banquet...told her we didn't want one...reluctantly offered us a table with stools. We asked for a table with chairs and she said no because they like to keep the tables for groups of 4. We offered to seat the 4 adults on one table and the 3 teenagers on the other. She didn't like this and needed to 'ask her manager'. who said yes. Then followed an argument about whether he should have approved us. When we left less than 2 hours later the place was still not full. These guys don't want your business and prefer feel like a poor relation at a wedding.

I love big balls. This is such a great invention, big balls, little balls, creamy balls, salty balls. They're all delicious, the service is great and nice location. A good hearty meal and good value. Everyone should be exposed to these beautiful balls.

Enjoyable Meal. Came here not knowing what to expect, and glad to report our meal was really enjoyable. Great comfort food for a cold Melbourne night! Love the chilli oil that is on each table, a little goes a long way, I think I'll have to pick up a bottle to take home on my next visit. Also really enjoyed the lemonade, not drinking that night it was a pleasant surprise to get a homestyle refreshing lemonade rather than your standard soft drink. Keep up the good eats!!!

Worst Host EVER!. We are local residents of Richmond and enjoy our dining experiences, last night we decided to try Meatball & Wine Bar, we arrived at the restaurant at 7.30pm and the four of us were seated immediately as the restaurant was not full.<br/>We had had a lovely waitress who explained the menu and served our first round of drinks. We ordered starters and main meals for the table. <br/>Shortly after this we received a phone call from some friends who were in the area and invited them to join us for dinner as the restaurant was only at 50% capacity (it was after all a Monday night), lucky for us our 4 friends arrived approximately 25 minutes later and the table next to ours had become available. <br/>Our friends spoke with the male host and asked to be seated at the vacant table next to ours but he refused to seat them there because the table was set for 5 people not 4 (Prior to our friends arriving there were only two dinner guests on the same table), the host insisted that our friends MUST sit on the communal table because in his words 'I want to maximize revenue from the 5 Seat table', we pleaded with him to allow our other 4 friends at the vacant table next to us but he would not allow it. The table wasn't reserved for other guests it was just vacant, waiting for a group of '5' people to arrive. <br/>As a result our friends left the restaurant, and as a group out of principal of the matter we decided to cancel our food orders, paid for our drinks and also left. <br/>I am so disapointed that the host would not allow our guests to sit with us, we discussed this when we arrived at our next dinner venue and all agreed that this would be reasonable if the restaurant was busy or if it was a peak period but not on a Monday at 8pm when it was at 50% capacity. <br/>As a result at 8pm on a monday night the restaurant lost not only 4 diners but 8 because of the arrogance of the host and we won't be back.<br/>Can't comment on the food because we didn't have any....

Food's great and service was great, but!. Came with some friends of mine ordered a wide selection of dishes including sliders, biltong, pork beef chicken meatballs with red Italian tomato, super mb potato smash which wasn't quite a potato smash, portion sizes could be bigger but food was good. What threw me off and I'm not joking i tried to move my plate when they brought out plates, i found a meatball stuck to the bottom of my plate. I wanted to tell the waiters but didn't want to throw off the vibe and plus i had company. because i was in a good mood that night i let it slide but still. so food, great, service, great, plate ordeal, no no. Would i come back?

Limoncello frizz omg.

Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. Bar staff were extremely attentive & helpful. Great atmosphere & food was delicious although desserts may be slightly overpriced ($12 for 2 biscuits & ice-cream). Will definitely be back!

New favourite. After having recently been to the original meatball & wine bar in New York I decided I needed to give the Melbourne version a shot. Loved it! Tried the samboy jerky (salt and vinegar) for appetiser with our delicious cocktails (get the passionfruit one) then I opted for the beef balls with tomato sauce on the greens of the day which was broccoli. Was a really tasty combination and not too heavy which meant I had plenty of room for dessert! Was tempted to go for the whoopie mac but instead tried the special which was chocolate hazelnut sundae with pine nuts, white chocolate shavings, biscuit crumb and chocolate sauce. Tasted just like a Ferraro rocher! Yum! Staff were also very friendly and made good recommendations. I'll definitely be back.

No Faults!. I've never been a fan of meat balls until now! The food was delicious, the staff were friendly and overall great atmosphere. My sister and I had the beef meatballs with the red Italian tomato sauce with 'something vedge' (broccoli) along with a side of grilled mushrooms, absolutely delicious.

Had a great time at Mb&Wb, couldn't fault the service and great tasting food. Clever concept of serving meatballs with such variety. Will def be back:)

Great brunch. We went there for brunch and were pleasantly surprised by the Gingerbread, Thick Cut Bacon & Fried Egg with Golden Syrup. Great combination, very tasty. We've also tried the Grilled Mushrooms & Green Eggs, which is scrambled eggs with pesto; and the Whipped Avocado & Ricotta on Toasted Quinoa bread; and grilled breakfast balls. The dessert on the blackboard looks very tempting, but we were too full afterwards. Hope to go back another time for dinner & dessert.

Rip Off. Only the second Italian-themed restaurant I've been to in 5 years and I was ripped off a second time. I noticed the signboard outside and thought $16 for 'Balls and All' would be worth a try.<br/><br/>After being seated I was handed a menu that stated 'Balls and All' was actually $18. OK I thought, I can excuse that, perhaps the signboard hasn't been updated or it's a takeaway menu (it actually is the takeaway menu but it's not too clear).<br/><br/>When it came time to order I was also offered the special 'Moroccan Meatballs'. I asked if it was also $18 and was told it was so decided to try it.<br/><br/>When the meal arrived it was only lukewarm/cold and instead of the expected Moroccan sauce I ended up with a flavorless white sauce. The only saving grace was the couscous that the meatballs were served on, but even that began to taste dry and starchy towards the end.<br/><br/>Final surprise, after wandering in to pay the bill I was advised that the 'Special' meatballs were actually $21. I paid it but a $6 self-commissioned tip for average meatballs seems a little excessive.<br/><br/>Lessons learned:<br/>- Don't order an off-the-menu 'special'. The waiters will make up whatever price they want when it's time to pay.<br/>- Don't go to an Italian restaurant unless you're prepared to provide the waiting staff with a hidden 25-30% tip.

Fail to Disappoint. Went in hoping for a hearty, wholesome homemade meal, and was at first not warming to the service, but was pleasantly surprised, and probably to quick to judge in the first place. Great food, attentive and informative staff. I had high expectations, and they were fulfilled. For all of the above - a must!!

Love love love the tea service. These rock stars use Storm in a Teacup teas from Collingwood.<br/>Perfect.

A gem in Richmond!. I regularly eat and drink at M&WB on Flinders Lane, and thought I would check the new place out on Swan Street (my local area). Was incredible impressed. Cool vibe, friendly staff, and that same fantastic food.<br/><br/>Congrats guys, it is fantastic to have a quality place to head to in Richmond. We need more of these types of places locally!

Simple Love. I've eaten here a few times. In all the half hustle and bustle around 7pm. Which every night, it's seems fit to state. The menu is simple. Easy. Tasty. The ox tail sliders we had, absolutely sensational. The fennel salad...a dream. Mixing all of the dishes we do together each time we come, and the nice chit chat with the waiters, it's as cosy as a nice spot by a tiled fire with chocolate strawberries and cognac. Thus, is all ofcourse because I love to sit at the bar and graze. Sitting at the tables is another story. <br/><br/>Be communal in this place. Rub shoulders with strangers. This way, you'll feel much more included in the dining hall greatness. And share-dine all of your food. It's the only way these days. Thus, you taste, everything. Delish.

Amazing Find!. Was looking for a place to eat before the Pink concert, and stumbled across this fantastic place! We were greeted by our gorgeous waitress Summer, who looked after us all night. We decided to do shared entrées, that Summer organised for our table, which consisted of a selection of cured meats, mozzarella, and mini burgers. They all melted in our mouths, and the flavours were to die for! For the main meal we were planning on ordering a serving of meatballs each, however Summer kindly advised that two serves between three people would be enough. There was a perfect amount of food for everyone, and I couldn't recommend it more. Never been a fan of meatballs, but these meatball aren't ordinary meatballs, they are absolutely incredible! We finished off sharing a Whoopie Mac dessert and it topped it off. Overall a fantastic experience, that left us wanting to return! A special thank you to our wonderful waitress Summer, she was fantastic!!!

Love It. Thank you so much to the team at meatballs richmond. I had heard great things from and friend and it all exceeded expectations. We were greeted at the door by a lovely host ( spunky brunette in a bowler hat ) who then made sure our night ran super smoothly from getting a table, to beautifully recommend wines and yummy dessert. I love it when hosts really make an effort to check up on guests. Very happy. I'll be back to try the sliders

I visited Meatball & Wine Bar in Richmond with 2 friends this weekend, after hearing great things about their food. Really enjoyed the meal and our waitress was fantastic.<br/>However, at the end of our dinner we were made to feel 2 feet tall by the 'hostess' at the door. After their misunderstanding with 'overpaying' and presumed tips, we were then told very rudely that 'your change is now being taken out of our tip jar'.<br/>Such a shame that a nice meal and evening was completely dampened by her attitude, and I will not be returning on that basis.

Loved it, the food was fantastic! The service wasn't that great! I was there with a group of friends and we were being rushed because another 'group of 4' were wanting a table! They just wanted us to go because they were clearing everything up before we had finished! I wouldn't go again. The experience wasn't memorable for the right reason.

Great Great Great. Not sure why the negative comments, went there with a friend 17th Aug (Sat night) at 7pm, knew they didnt take bookings and thought we'd chance it. They were busy and said there would be a 45min to 1 hour wait. We added our name to their list and went across the road to get a drink, 45 mins later they called to say a table was ready - yay! When we were seated the staff were friendly and professional, and the food and drinks both came out really quickly. The quality of the food was awesome too, and the servings quie generous (not sure why people say they arent). Will defnitley be back!!

Came on a Sunday afternoon. Service was very quick, we received our lunch within 10-15 minutes of ordering which was great. Will definitely be back

Nice Surprise. We popped in for dinner one Tuesday night and it was packed. The door girl was not the friendliest perhaps due to the fact it was packed, but beyond that the other staff were very helpful and friendly.<br/>The food was great, the highlight was definitely the lasagna. That should be a permanent feature on the menu.

Terrible service, overpriced food. Food is absolutely not worth the money and the service is unbelievably rude and pretentious. Don't waste your time or money on this place!

First Restaurant since moving to MEL from Perth. First saturday night in Melbourne and my friend and I who have both moved from Perth wound up here.<br/><br/>Initially we left as the place was noisy and packed, we were surprised their main dishes are infact meatballs, lol.<br/><br/>Eventually we returned here and as serendipity had it, (and as the waitress told us), that if we wanted to sit outside it was first come first served given how busy it was. Luckily, 2 couples left as soon as we arrived around 8.30 so we had a great table near the heat.<br/><br/>food was actually delicious! i had the pesto chicken meatballs with a side of broccoli (covered in thin melted cheese, yum!), and smashed potato. Whatever cheese they use for the meals is outstanding.<br/><br/>Portion was a bit small, but I was feeling good after eating it and quite full.<br/><br/>!

Not sure what all the hype is about. Went here last week in the afternoon as I had heard good things.<br/><br/>Server got our order wrong.... no apology... nothing.<br/><br/>Had the sliders. Three of them, but you have to have the same meat and sauce?? What's the point??? May as well be a burger. If you could choose three different meats and sauces I would get it. Something to do with process we were told... erm... they are meatballs and sauce!<br/><br/>Anyway, food was not too bad, but not too good either for the price. Better places in Richmond for sure.<br/><br/>Will try the city one as friends have said it's much better.

Disappointed. We attempted to book for a work lunch here and after a very long phone conversation about their "6-8 maximum only" and "banquet only" options, I should've known I was in for a pretentious experience.. but we decided to wing it and just "rock up and see if we can fit in" at his suggestion. We showed up and there were about 2 people there. hmm. So we got seated, ordered drinks and when the wine came out it was an interesting experience. A condescneding comment about how we should know who's glass is who's, we were then told off for helping out by moving our glasses closer for her to pour! THANKFULLY this moody Miss didn't serve us the whole time.. we just had appearances from her and all her hipster comments throughout- making it an all round unpleasant expererience. It's a shame, the Flinders Lane one is awesome. Staff are friendly and unpretencious. There really is no call for that type of attitude ever, but particularly if you have just opened.. and in Richmond.. To make matters worse, they won't accept criticism, deleting all negative reviews from their Facebook page! So if you are ok with rude service and hipster attitudes, by all means visit this place, but you better get in early just in case you can't fit with all of 2 or 4 people in there over lunch..

I walked into meatballs with my gluten intolerant, vegetarian friend and cheekily asked, do you have meat free meatballs? The Waitress smiled and said, we sure do! And boy were we happy we stepped into this place. As soon as we entered, the decor was just gorgeous, we fell in love with the place. We had the vegetable balls on Polenta with red sauce and the fish balls on mash potato with green sauce. You could tell the quality of the ingredients was exceptional and the food was absolutely delicious. The service was impeccable with the wait staff being friendly enthusiastic and attentive. A place of gluten-free bread arrived complimentary with our meal and being two girls we were surprisingly full on one serve of meatballs each. Now I found out they even serve breakfast and make home-made crumpets with honey so I'm on my way again right now! I love the place and will be frequently there. Thanks for the great experience guys.

What the?. Arrived at 6:30pm on Saturday with my partner and our 4 year old. Were turned away because apparently they "don't accept children after 6pm".<br/>Excuse me?!<br/>Rude and discriminatory.<br/>PS: Some parents raise well behaved children who know how to frequent restaurants and act in a civilized manner. I presume you reject children because you assume they are all loud and annoying?

Best Waiter in Melbourne!. So being Richmond locals, we have attempted to go to Meatballs at least a dozen times without luck (I am not much into waiting 90 mins until a table becomes available) so we tried our luck at around 6pm on a Sat night and were seated immediately.<br/><br/>Our waiter was unbelievably good! He was passionate, energetic, knew his wine and knew his meatballs. He shared his opinion, sought ours and provided us with impeccable service totally in line with the Meatball vibe.<br/><br/>The balls were good - are they worth a 90 min wait, that's up to you. The service is worth all the wait in the world!

Love the meat. We had a banquet on Thursday night, and the meatballs was simply deciduous. I would come back here again.

Patience required. Painfully slow service, half an hour fine but to wait over an hour is just annoying. That said the food was delicious and the staff very friendly. Will be back.

Lack luster balls. Seeing the queue outside just made the expectations higher. However the flavour was a letdown. The pulled pork sliders were bland and so were the meatballs. Only the chicken wings which were on special were quite good. <br/><br/>Service was alright but not particularly welcoming. Maybe they think they don't need to be

Really vibrant but small and very busy , only seats around 40, but the service was good And the food was excellent

Will definitely be back!. My group of friends and I decided to try this place out on Saturday night as we had heard so much about it - we knew there would probably be quite a wait, but were prepared for that. Lovely lady at the door took our names and said it would probably be 1 1/2 hours - this was fine and we went across the street for a drink or four. Got a phone call an hour later which was awesome and so headed over. Really nice ambience and atmosphere, guy who took our drinks was amazing - really knew his wines and what to recommend! Service was the best I have had yet in Melbourne, and food was good! Variety of options, funky menu, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and well-priced! Can't wait to bring friends and family here when they are over from NZ!

Stumbled across this place yesterday morning for brunch. Menu was quirky without being scary and food DELICIOUS!! Staff were very friendly and made great suggestions. Hot chocolate was amazing and best I've had in along time. Can't wait to go back again!

Ridiculous price for a cured meat platter. meat balls were average, nothing special. Only attend if you have a mega craving for 'balls' in your mouth. I lost count at how many times our waitress mentioned balls.

Excellent new local. I had dinner here with my sister last night and we were both incredibly happy with the food and the service. The staff were incredibly friendly and were only too happy to talk us through the menu. The food was fantastic and the serving sizes were really generous for the price.<br/><br/>I highly recommend it.

My boyfriend and I ate at meatball wine bar tonight and were very disappointed. Firstly our starter never arrived and our main meals (pork meatballs with green sauce on veg and chicken balls with white sauce on beans) had interesting flavors of nuts and herbs but by no means were they yummy. The flavors just didn't work for us. The only positive was that it was cheap! For a similar price I'd prefer to go up the road to Fonda or RCH.

Yum and lovely! Loved it!. The balls were delicious (pork with red sauce and polenta, and special wallaby balls). The staff were really attentive and down-to-earth and nice, really nice. Even the door lady was lovely. <br/>You need to book ahead, then there is no waiting for tables (we found a bar while we waited for a table).<br/>The food came out within 15 minutes of ordering and was perfect. <br/>I've been having wild daydreams of balls ever since. Mmmmmm balls.

Am a regular diner at the Flinders Lane restaurant so I made the assumption that the new Richmond location would be just as good - it was far from it. Although the food was on par the staff and ambience were nothing close. Staff were arrogant and had a try hard feel whereas Flinders staff are genuinely nice and don't try to upsell every item you order on the menu. Advice: wait a little bit longer on Flinders Lane and you'll get a much better experience.

Pretty good.. Came in on opening night and the food was exceptional (especially the ice cream sandwich). Our waitress was also lovely. However, we were given the wrong bill and overcharged $25. I didn't notice until I got home so called just to let them know (not expecting a refund). Left a friendly voicemail and never heard back. Not ideal. But I would definitely go back for the food!

I had heard great things from people about the city store so was excited to have one in Richmond. I was a little underwhelmed though, it was only ok. The beef balls were pretty good, but the pork ones had way to much fennel and the chicken ones didn't have a heap of flavor. You couldn't really tell which one was which between chicken and pork! <br/>The potato underneath was good, but the pasta I didn't like, it's just lasagna sheets, I think a smaller pasta would suit better. Ours was a bit cold when it came out as well which didn't help. It was nice, but when you specialize in something you need to excel.....

Had dinner here on a Thursday night. Was worried about having to wait for a table but my husband and I were offered seats at the bar as soon as we arrived. The bar staff were fantastic, very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. We started with a delicious special of pulled pork sliders. I had the chicken balls with pesto and white beans, delish! My husband had the beef balls with tomato sauce and smashed potatoes, delish! We finished with a chocolate and caramel whoopie icecream sandwich, delish! Can't wait to go back!

Basil!!!. We walked into the half-empty bar on a Sunday afternoon & seated ourselves... to be greeted with a frosty, highly supercilious "Can I help you with a table...?" (One would have thought the answer to that question would be self-evident, however... )We were then made to vacate the (vacant...) table & told to wait in the doorway (of the half empty bar...) until it was possible to seat us. Thus we removed ourselves to the Naughty Corner, where we were ignored for a further 5 minutes... at which point we came to our senses & walked out the door... <br/><br/>Too early for Meatmother or Swan St Social, so we went to good ol' Public House & had some excellent Pinot Gris, delectable salted cod croquettes & spectacular fat hand-cut chips (although the aioli has changed - and sadly not for the better...)<br/><br/> May I suggest Missy With The Attitude heads down the road to Noir or Bouzy Rouge & observes how to wait a table with grace, charm & professionalism... and may I suggest my fellow diners give Meatball a miss - unless you like a lavish serve of Basil Fawlty-esque condescension with your meatball...

Good, but stale focaccia. Good meatballs, I could taste the high quality meat. Service was attentive, but overall a slow lunch (1.5 hours for mains and deserts). In Richmond on a Wednesday, I think most guests want a 1 hour lunch. At least, I certainly do! We commented around the table that to focaccia was not fresh and quite stale. As I make my own focaccia bread, this was disappointing. However-as the rest of the meal was great, we didn't mention it. Otherwise, there was a little too much salt in the pasta cooking water for my tastes.

Came here this evening as its nice and close to our Richmond home. We had a great time at the city venue and the same if not better this evening. Our waiter behind the bar was just fantastic, having said that all encounters with all the staff were great! You have certainly hired a great team. We had the mini balls and Burata cheese board for entree, wow that Burata is amazing! I had beef meatballs on creamy polenta (silky smooth) and my husband had the pork ribs with slaw - they were just fantastic, just slipped off the bone, and the BBQ sauce was super yum. The caprese salad was so fresh and simple yet flavoursome. I love the idea if takeaway menu however I think I will enjoy dining in as the atmosphere is perfect. I am a hip hop girl and your tunes tonight were right up my alley! Keep up the good work guys! Be back soon :)

Excellent local. Not a fan of meatballs but liked the idea. We went in a table of four so tried all the meatballs. Great way of trying the whole menu. I would recommend. Service was excellent. Portions were perfect size, not too small, not too big. Great local restaurant.

Delicious meatballs! Chicken with white creamy sauce on mashed potato was the best! Great service from friendly staff. Will definitely be back :)

Classy looking joint... Seriously overpriced and disappointing. $18 for three undersized meatballs, served on a thin tomato sauce, watery serving of pasta, atop a cheap plate that sets your teeth on edge every time you touch it with your knife. I feel I just got taken for a ride. There were 6 staff behind and around the bar chatting, polishing glasses and drinking coffee & carefully ignoring any of their customers. Pretty uninspiring.

Where is the sauce...my balls need to be saucier... Stopped by 7:30pm on a Wednesday & were advised it would be an hour wait, no probs, popped to The Post Office and they called my mobile when they were ready.<br/>We were seated and kinda forgotten. Had to ask for menus and a little bit of attention after 10 minutes of sitting there getting thirstier and hungrier. Luckily the bar staff over heard our moaning and attended to our booze and mozzarella needs with vigour. Wine by the carafe is good rort - where they get you to pay for a bottle, but give you less than a bottle! Smart them..dumb us.<br/>Two of us ordered beef balls, with red sauce on mash, and the other chicken balls with white sauce on polenta. General consensus was there was not enough sauce or seasoning. I'll go back to try something different as it's a local, but not when I am massively hungry. It's just not enough. The meatballs I had at Baby were like 500 times tastier, saucier and twice the amount of balls! Seriously...and it's not even their specialty!<br/>We were also quite drunk, luckily it was busy and loud and our awesomeness was easily absorbed. The vibe and staff were great, as was the ice cream sandwich dessert. Lucky for dessert really, as their balls certainly didn't satisfy. Bill came to $160 for 3 of us.

Ho hum...interior is fantastic- but that was the best part of the meal. We visited for lunch- quite late and it wasn't busy. It took aaaaaaaaggggggesssss to get 2 serves of meatballs. I actually had to ask where they were!? I was asked, 'are you in a rush?!' 'I said, 'no, I am just hungry and we have been waiting a long time!'<br/><br/>Although, the service is polite and knowledgable, the food is too expensive for such simple fare. Sure they tasted good and maybe made of Victor Churchill meat (having been to this butcher i am guessing M & W Bar would be paying an arm and a leg to pay for VC's million dollar fit out) but at the end of the day, they were just meatballs.<br/><br/>Last week I dined at Mamasita's for lunch and I am gagging to go back. I just don't feel the same about Meatball & Wine bar. I don't feel inclined in the slightest to return.<br/><br/>Perhaps it would have a fabulous ambience in the evenings, and the food should be incidental to the drinks?.... I don't know... I just wasn't sold. It is a shame, as i wanted to love the place.<br/><br/>7/10 <br/>Returning? Most likely not.

I was in there the other night, really over priced restaurant... It doesn't cost much to make meatballs. Not much taste in them... Decor was nice, service was pretty poor. I think they could do better.

If you like the Meatball and Wine Bar in finder's lane you will love the new addition in Richmond. However even if you don't know it or felt you wanted to try something new you have to try Richmond as it brings high ceilings and a different decor with true Richmond style to a proven and trusted high quality food experience. Try it for something new and try it for something you already know and love

Been to city version and Richmond one is very average. sloppy service, high prices for bland meatballs and crap focaccia. better places on Swan st to eat

Can't get enough of this place!!! Finally a reason to visit Swan Street! Get in early, or be prepared to wait a while... Worth it though!<br/><br/><br/>-----24 May, 2013-----<br/><br/>Service is incredible, food is even better.

My Mum's meatballs are pretty awesome. Mine are... okay. Considering they are effectively just lumps of meat, it's hard to see how anyone could turn them into AMAZE-balls and make a whole restaurant out of them. The original Meatball & Wine Bar on Flinders Lane opened roughly a year and a half ago to a strong reception, and still seems to be going well. Fortunately, MWB recently opened a second venue on Swan Street - so close to my work, I had no more excuses not to play ball.

The Kurobuta pork balls (think wagyu of pork), minced together with fennel seeds, sage and orange rind were delicious. These balls were nestled in a smooth comforting polenta,  draped in a green pesto salsa verde, and speckled with grated parmesan. Halloween  Balls We also ordered the Special of the Day, which were the Halloween Balls - a pair of large lamb shoulder

So you might be wondering, "What's a vegetarian going to eat at a meatball place?"  and that is definitely a good question! Shawn, however, had already sussed out the menu and spotted 'vegetarian' options for me there...

I am one who regularly shows up to places on a recommendation basis. After hearing a few good things about the amazing meatballs served at this restaurant, it was time for me and the boy to pay Meatball & Wine Bar a visit, my treat. The only downside to the night was that I had chosen to go on a public holiday which incurred a 15% surcharge to the food bill and that I was terribly sick. Okay so maybe it was two. By the end of the night I was almost ready to freeze to death and pass out in the car. But enough of me and more about the balls. The meatballs weren’t exactly cheap but you you are given enough to be satisfied with your what you paid for. I was afraid that three meatballs would not be enough to satisfy my appetite, but they were just right. And if by any chance you were still feeling peckish afterwards, there are some sides to add to the order and even dessert to try. They apparently do a mean ice cream sandwich but being sick as I was, I was struggling to finish everything of

Who doesn't love a good meatball?  The Meatball & Wine Bars are taking off around  Melbourne, their most recent location is on Smith St Collingwood, which I was lucky to attend the opening to.  Unfortunately I only got to taste one meatball slider so I made it my mission to actually sit and dine in.  So off I went down Swan St to their Richmond restaurant for a weekday lunch.  I liked the casual bar atmosphere of the place and could easily see myself here on a Friday night, having a few knock off drinks and some balls.. My client was straight on to the Meatball Sliders ($18) and boy was I envious when they came out on the wooden board.  The balls are housed in a brioche bun with layers of cheese, pickles & tomato sauce.  Yep, they are as delicious as they look. For the main meatball course nicely titled 'Balls & All' ($21), you get to choose the type of meat your ball is made of, what sauce is layered on to it and what you would like it to sit on.  I went for the traditional option;  angus beef meat balls, with italian tomato sauce on a bed of chunky potato mash.  These were some of the tastiest meatballs I have had in a long while, probably since the ones I had at Neil Perry's Rosetta.  The potato mash had chunky bits in it and I would return here just for the mash alone! Very impressed with my visit to Meatball & Wine Bar and I am happy to say, I'm now a convert!