Review The Reserve Restaurant - Richmond

We enjoyed wonderful mothers day lunch with family and friends. One of the best and relaxing culinary experience. Wonderful staff. Thank you.

Fresco Restaurant doesn't stand out particularly well, especially when compared to other hotel restaurants in Melbourne CBD. However, there's one thing that surprisingly does and it's their MSA certified Australian black angus eye-fillet steak. It is always tender, juicy and well portioned. The steak knife just glides through without much effort. You also get a generous serving of their chips and sauce (the brandy and Madagascan green peppercorn cream sauce is easily my favourite). Their pork dishes are quite good as well. There have been changes over the years: the presentation of their grill dishes look a little tacky since they switched from white ceramic sauce cups to coloured plastic ones; and since manager Annie Wohlgehagen left the quality of service varies from professional to graduate (new manager is not great or professional, sadly), but thankfully the steaks have not changed. Make sure you take advantage of their special docket deal. I return here once or twice a year just to enjoy the steak.

Just had a coffee but a lovely quiet spot with nice view over rotunda and gardens. Helpful service and lots of space for groups.

Our food was excellent, BUT the waitress who served us, whilst she was efficient, was extremely officious, and completely spoiled our evening. Everything was a difficulty for her, it was never a case of the customer is always right. Food service was slow but I don't think this was the fault of the waitress.

Pricy. Small portion. Low quality.

Average at best, 8 people, 8 average meals!

Great service

One of the worst

Love the food. Love the service . Very friendly staff and the kids menu has a huge variety too. The flavours on the food are excellent . Venue is good too.

We came here as a group of 4, on a spur of the moment decision thanks to the entertainment book, and we had a really enjoyable dining experience. The service was lovely, all the staff were really friendly. The restaurant felt classy but laid back at the same time. We all enjoyed our meals, I was recommended the Tasmanian Atlantic salmon and it did not disappoint! The flavour was divine. I also enjoyed tasting the pork loin, which was very succulent, and the prosciutto wrapped chicken. All of us were very happy with this choice of restaurant, and given it's located by the yarra I can only imagine that the view during summer would be an added bonus!

Was taken here for my birthday dinner and was I happy with that! Lovely bread to nibble on to begin with complimentary. Then we ordered the seafood basket which was amazing as well as a delicious well cooked steak. Only negative would be the chips, just have personally tasted better. Otherwise, very professional lovely staff! Would definitely return.

Have been here a few times for the mouthwatering steak and chips. Have never been let down by it. Service is generally okay depending who is there. There was a screaming child when we went there once. The child would not stop so the parents decided to go back to their room and order room service instead. After the family left, one of the waitresses publicly commented to her colleague that the child must be a spoiled brat and how much she dislikes children. Not very professional eh? #laterpost

We used a Groupon voucher. The service was excellent, our starters were lovely. I was a bit disappointed with my seafood platter- the panko prawns starter would have better enjoyed as the main. The fish wasn't very palatable. My husband loved his steak.

We had purchased a deal which included 2 courses, entree and main and a glass of wine which was good value.   The prawn and risotto entrees were both well presented, excellent quality and very tasty.  We both ordered steak cooked as ordered served with fries and Fresco slaw very good.    Service was excellent.   The restaurant is in the Amora Hotel, carpeted so you can hear yourself speak which was good and has a nice atmosphere.

Had dinner at Fresco Restaurant with a groupon voucher tonight. Food standard was way below the groupon value let alone the actual price on the menu.<br/><br/><br/>Seafood platter tasted horrible! Fish was not fresh and had a bad smell. I could get better seafood platter for my local fish and chips shop for way smaller a price.<br/><br/>Service however was excellent hence the 2 stars. Staffs were friendly and extremely attentive.

Excellent food and service for optional indoor or outdoor dining with sweeping views of the garden and gazebos leading towards the banks of the Yarra river where we had a lovely stroll before dinner.<br/>Retired to our room in the hotel which is comfortable and elegant with attention to details. Only would have liked to see a less basic carpeted floor of better quality otherwise hotel is 4.5 star rating.

"...THE SIMPLE PROB HERE ~ SUB-STANDARD FOOD NOT IN SYNC WITH THE HIGH MENU PRICE ~ NEEDS A TOTAL OVERHAUL..."<br/><br/>Last night we experienced a 'two course meal with wine for four' at FRESCO Restaurant, Amora Hotel, Bridge Road, Richmond..<br/><br/>Yes it was a Groupon deal - $59 for 2, so $118 for 4 - NO DISCOUNT HERE - Although the menu said otherwise, the quality of fare struggled to reach the voucher value..<br/><br/>A quick summary:<br/><br/>- entree Pork Belly looked and tasted a week old..<br/><br/>- entree Chicken Ceasar looked like it had been prepared by a child; iceberg not cos, cut into little squares; overpowered by the strong mixed herb flavours in the chicken stuffing..?; no anchovies; no garlic..<br/><br/>- entree Korean Fried Chicken; soggy; wrong flavours..<br/><br/>- entree Asian Chicken Salad; pulled chicken..??; no spice; no flavour.. <br/><br/>- main 1 x Swordfish; couldn't taste it; totally lost in that pile of tomato and vegetable stew..<br/><br/>- main 1 x Seafood Basket; 2 panko crumbed Prawns, okay but thought they were from a packet; 2 crumbed Calamari Rings, definitely from a packet, grey in colour under the crumbs and totally inedible; 2 pieces of battered Cod, batter was yellow and stodgy and fish tasted unfresh; I'd say also from a packet..<br/><br/>- main 2 x 'Black Angus'.? Sirloin; steak was medium rare as asked but it was thin and grey, not browned; it did not look appetising..<br/><br/>#All the chips were undercooked, not crisp and had little black flecks; I'd guess the oil needed changing...<br/><br/>#All the little side salads were limp and undressed...<br/><br/>They asked if we'd like dessert? We had intended to, but after this lot, we declined.<br/><br/>They asked if we'd enjoyed our meal? We lied and said YES.. <br/><br/>Hey, how could you have said NO..? I just couldn't do it...<br/><br/>Anyway the space is bare, sparse, ugly - no colour whatsoever - no elegance whatsoever - no ambience whatsoever and it really all looks like it's on it's "very last legs''..<br/><br/>Sorry, I gotta tell it how it is... at some stage...<br/><br/>Visited in March 2016 for dinner.

A place with excellent potential. Despite a poor view, the restaurant itself is quite elegant and a fantastic choice for an intimate date or small gathering. It is semi-fine dining at pub/average eatery prices, so quite worth checking out. We were promptly seated when we walked in and service was polite...

Location with POTENTIAL ....<br/><br/>Got to be one of the envious spot in Melbourne; next to a park and river bank, overlooking a bridge and houses on the other side of the bank, just another typical Melbourne suburb.<br/><br/>I'm never a fan of a hotel's restaurant, never had a good experience as the ownership of the team is usually non-existent.<br/><br/>Strangely this place is a little different. From the moment you walk in, you are welcomed.<br/><br/>They care enough to explained the menu, specials, etc.<br/><br/>Food is excellent, if they can smarten up their composition and presentation this place would be buzzing.<br/><br/>We've been here twice, once inside (more fine dining set up, white table cloth, etc.) and once outside. On any good day, dine outside on the veranda overlooking the park, gazebo, river, etc.<br/><br/>Will come back to enjoy more.

Elegant cuisine to say the least. We started with scallops served in the shell broiled with a nice cream sauce and smoked salmon, followed by swordfish over ratatouille and eye fillet with green peppercorn sauce and a nice slaw (and chips with underwhelming aioli which were left untouched) -- both precisely prepared. At this price point you would be seriously challenged to get better preparation and presentation. The main meat serves were in the 250g range which is quite generous considering the high end cuts we ordered. Service was precise and kept our waters filled. The only down note is the venue which is comfortable but just a bit on the basic side, although parking was easy to find.

Unless you enjoy being seated in what looks to be a walk through hallway with no view - don't bother. The food is pub fare with expensive price tags, the music is so loud, heavy & fast they must just want you to eat & run. Definitely not the romantic relaxing venue I'd hoped from its outside allure - my fault for not reading previous reviews, On my do not return list.

The staff here are excellent and super attentive. I was surprised at the outdoor courtyard with a fish pond and the huge open courtyard with a view! The staff even brought us a gas heater as it was cold. Wine menu is great, beer menu is un-inspired. We had tapas which were really good. You have to try the steam bun crab sliders.