Review Pontoon - St Kilda

Come here a couple of times over the past year and food is terrific! Plates are presented beautifully and the produce is clearly respected by the team of chefs. Pasta made in house and you can taste it in each spoonful. Coal charred meats and thoughtful plates to compliment the amazing not so flat bread always make me come back. Cocktails are pretty good too.

Nice establishment with a close view of the beach. The staff were friendly. But the food was just okay! The over hyped 'not so flat bread' which was just an inflated pita bread, seemed to be a hit for some odd reason.. The chicken was very very average for the over price. The fries were brought out very stale and cold, but thankfully the waitress brought a fresh batch out once she was told. Thanks for the experience.

Laid- back casual restaurant by the beachside. Been here a few times with friends and it's really a hit and miss honestly. Sometimes you get a good dining experience, sometimes you get a poor dining experience. You get times where your food order hasn't arrived after 40 minutes and when you speak to the staff waiters they actually don't care enough to check or rush to see what has happened or apologise for the delay 😂😂 Seriously, some of them don't look like they want to work or be there especially in the summer when its boiling hot inside the restaurant & their fed-up and just want their shift to be over because its an open-air establishment with the doors opened and no air-con. It's much easier to come here for a casual drink with mates and some nibbles instead of a large meal or bite.

Absolutely returning here and will do so many times! Good with cracking flavours, seafood and nibbles and antipasto and liquid desserts … seriously, what more can I want! Sunset dinner this evening was beautiful and the hospitality, service and kitchen was just on point!

Had some really nice small dishes as entrés here at Ponton, especially the tomatoes and the not so flat bread. The ponton-star martini was really yummy as well I’d definitely recommend it! The only disappointing thing was the lack of flavour in our mains (schnitzel and crab spaghetti lacked seasoning). Oh and btw, you need to order at the bar if you sit on the patio

Super friendly staff made us feel very welcomed. Food was excellent. Really enjoyed our experience and will be back again soon for sure!

Lovely welcoming staff from start to finish, food was lovely and we felt relaxed and enjoyed our Mothers Day very much. Thank you team - well done!

🍞 Woodfired Bread 🍋 Burrata, Zucchini, Lemon 🐙 Charred Octopus, Capsicum 🍟 Hot Chips 🍆 Tortiglioni Eggplant Ragu 🍊 Kingfish Crudo, Orange 🐟 Cod Croquettes Pontoon has itself a prime location, housed in the bottom level of the Stokehouse building right on the St Kilda Beach foreshore. It offers sweeping views, friendly service and an exciting Mediterranean food and beverage menu. On offer is a “Pontoon Experience” sharing menu at $80pp where odd numbers can eat for FREE 😱. We went for the A La Carte which included an impressive Antipasto selection as well as pastas, mains from the fire and of course desserts. The Woodfired Bread was amazing, perfect for their delicious Burrata which I can never go passed. Kingfish I prefer when it’s finely sliced but I still enjoyed it along with the Cod Croquettes. The Charred Octopus was so beautiful and tender. The only dish that dissapointed was the Eggplant Ragu pasta, sadly it was very salty and overcooked. I would absolutely recommend Pontoon for an Antipasto lunch or even sunset drinks and people watching on the deck. 😂 ⭐️ 4/5 (Great)

Good atmosphere, good vibes. Awesome if you want to have a drink and relax, but recommend going somewhere else to eat. Food was nice but over priced for what you get. My friend had the swordfish burger with chips. Burger was tiny but enjoyed it still and I'm unsure if this is some new 'hipster' thing but the chips weren't hot chips like most would think. Instead, they've opened up a bag of Lays plain potato chips and passed them off as actual food. Come on man!! Felt very ripped off and insulted!! Just all round disappointing serving sizes as we also had the prawn roll 'thing' which we payed $13 each for and was eaten in 3 bites.....we sat there expecting another plate to come out only to realise that was it. Re-evaluate your menu.... I understand the venue is beach front but that doesnt entitle you to rip patrons off. Im sure you're FOH staff are sick of hearing 'is that it!?'.

Really underwhelming experience yesterday. Staff with terrible attitude, and hardly any food for the $45 per head shared menu. 16 pieces of pizza for a table of 23 �, same with another dish. Then they kicked us off the table before we even had dessert. So unimpressed. We have emailed management.

By far the worst hospitality experience I've ever had! Today I dined here along with a number of my work colleagues for lunch, to be waiting for meals up to 90 minutes after ordering. Not only were the meal late, but they all came out at different intervals leaving many at the table finished their meals whilst others were still waiting for there's to come. My meal was the last to arrive to the table after all my colleagues had finished their meals! (Worst part was we all ordered pizzas!) Once my meal finally arrived, I had asked the waiter if this could be now given to me as take away as we needed to get back to the office as it was about 3pm at this stage (we had arrived at 1pm) to be told that providing this as take away is against their liquor licensing. After requesting to speak to the manger on duty as I wanted to request a refund, the manager returned with my change for my meal hardly apologetic for the situation saying that 'there was a big wait for pizzas today, who ordered the pizza party, not her' Totally disgusting customer service!!!! The refund was far from what I wanted! It was the fact at no point throughout our time in the restaurant did any of the staff come to check on the meals or apologies for the delay. I work in hospitality myself and understand things can get busy but there is no price to pay for basic customer service. A real disappointing experience and I won't be returning or recommending this place again!

So disappointed!!! Went to Pontoon last night for dinner and left feeling massively ripped off. My partner ordered the 'Special' lamb dish, costing $35, whilst I ordered a few of the smaller snack items, to make up a main meal. Snack items are priced well (around $12 each) and tasted good, however... my food came out 20 minutes before my partners (even though I had asked if we could try and have them around the same time, knowing the lamb would take longer), meaning I had almost finished by the time my partner's dish arrived. Given the price of the 'lamb special' ($35), I think it would be a fair assumption to think this would be a MEAL rather than a small meat dish (especially when comparing against the price and size of the snack dishes). Unfortunately not. The special arrived, and consisted of 4 (thin) slices of lamb and a crumbed broccoli floret over the top. THAT. WAS. IT. No sides, no veg.... nothing. If I had gone to a fine dining restaurant I would have expected this, but not when I had just eaten a number of well-priced, good sized 'snack' dishes. Further to that disappointment, we actually spoke to a manager about the dish, the size etc. where he actually agreed with us re the size and said it was a 'special', so it was the first time it had been on the menu. Regardless of our feedback and disappointment, no money was taken off our bill, no free sides suggested... nothing. When paying the bill, the girl who processed it for us said she also agreed and "wouldn't eat here" - further insult to injury! To give an excuse that "it was the best quality lamb and the price reflects that" - is just not acceptable. In fact, it's actually ridiculous. I could go to a premium butcher and get a decent leg or shoulder of lamb for the same amount. Poor customer service and wouldn't go back.

I remember The Stoke house 30 years ago Poonton a great place to meet for all occasdions they serve a favourite of mine Aperol Spritz, the food is tasty, they provide rugs for those who feel the chill & one of the best vantage points to watch the sunset over St Kilda. I like it 👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A lovely place to relax with a cold drink & the cool breeze off the water at the end of a very hot day. A good range of beer on tap, however they do seem to only have the more premium beers with a higher price. Wish they could offer at least a few basic local draft beers, on tap or bottle. But overall i really liked the bar.

Great place for drinks over looking the water and the food was great. The only down side, for some reason a number of the bar staff rated themselves highly and can across as precocious upstarts. Will be back

Loved the old downstairs Stokehouse, I think I will learn to love Pontoon too. Very different vibe tho. Great place to hang out. The main reason I didn't give 5 ⭐️ is I think the menu is too limited. Also the DJ was a bit loud, but that was neither here nor there.

Absolutely love the location, space and vibe. My new favourite drinking and eating place. Food is wonderful, staff are super friendly. Only downside is the wait for drinks at the bar, but it's a busy place so is to be expected.

I love the fact this space is close to the water with awesome view however it’s full on in the sense of noise ..the music is loud We had fun despite it being a challenge to hear each other .food was ok ..we only had pizza hot chips Some of the Staff very friendly ..feel sure you will have a fabulous experience..

Great experience, food, view and staff. Perfect place to be on a sunny day!

Nice views.....tasty mushroom pizza....diy sort of place, get your own cutlery glasses water serviettes etc....small serves by look of other dishes....overpriced! Ok but nothing to make it really stand out.

Coolest place on the beach, good beer, good drinks and a very good dirty bird!

Great afternoon food and relax. Top service and the frozen rose was delicious 😋

Worst new year party place. No view of any fireworks. If you are in a wheelchair, good luck, your toilet is the sales house for drugs the whole night. Never seen so many men run for a mirror to whips their noses to make sure the white powders are not visible. Bouncers are definitely not my cup of tea, rude not clever and way too much attitude for nice people. After waiting an hour for food the bouncer said that the section we are sitting is a smoking section. I asked him where the sign was that indicated that , with the reply, I am the sign , I will tell you where the smoking area is. <br/>Generally not the place for an intelligent crowd to hang out but if drugs , attitude and bad behaviour is your thing, you will feel right at hime there.

Loved this place in Summer. It had fresh salad and delicious flavours. But now the menu has changed and it was such a disappointment. The paella was dry $42. The prawn pizza was dry & flavourless $22. The burger was just a burger, no fries or side. $19 for a small burger on a plate. It was almost comical. We asked the waitress and she said it was definitely just a burger but she’ll cook some fries for us. Then charge us $11 for the fries. Tapas were very small and probably the better of the meals. Sad to say we won’t be back unless the menu changes back.

I'm sorry we didn't discover Pontoon sooner. Ok is right on the beach and has a great atmosphere. If you want to sit outside there are rugs to keep you warm. A great place for a beer. I didn't eat but the menu looked good.

If these photos don't prove just how fresh, bright and vibrant the food and environment at Pontoon, I'm not sure what will (except dining there). The Spanish-influenced menu offers so many great vegetarian and even vegan options including a dairy-free Catalan pizza on a chewy, salty base, patatas bravas (without the sauce) and wonderful charred leeks with romesco. The pumpkin is incredible in taste and presentation. A special of truffled mushroom croquettes also hit the spot. But the star of the show was the Basque cheesecake, which is rich but moussier than a standard cheesecake, and served with strong, alcohol-soaked cherries to cut through the creaminess. Add a soy flat white and you've got an incredible pair. I was dining in a duo, but Pontoon is also a large and pretty space that's great for groups.

Has defiantly gone down hill with both service and quality of food. Always thought the sevice was great here, but our last 2 visits were terrible. Food was not as good. Chips were cold and not the same as before. A shame as we loved this place!

Amazing location and beach view. Simple but stylish interior and outdoor settings. Food and service is good too. Recommend to go on a Sunday day and sitting outside and grab a drink and a bite.

Excellent location for drinks, arguably one of the best sunset spots in Melbourne. A little on the expensive side but well worth it considering the location.

Very disappointing. Overpriced, slow service and quality of food is well below average.<br/>A 2 star rating is being generous and is only based on it's location and amazing view. I would only recommend to go for a drink to enjoy the view.<br/><br/>Pontoon itself (ground level only), we went on a beautiful summer weekday night for dinner and were really excited to tick off a bucket list bar that is Pontoon.<br/><br/>We were certainly let down because:<br/>- it wasn't very busy but yet it took as long as getting a drink on a packed Friday night at a club<br/><br/>- cheapest meal on the menu was a $20 something burger with chips, that really turned out to be an exact replica of a maccas cheeseburger with a packet of lays original chips sprinkle around it (We actually thought we should have just gone a block away and gotten 4 cheeseburger meals ea instead)<br/><br/>- their mixed drinks were a standard I would expect at a dingy underground bar<br/><br/>Other notes<br/>- crowd is very mixed, a lot of internationals, backpackers, older retirees, old rich folks<br/><br/>- cutlery and condiments is just set up as per a dumpling place<br/><br/>- acoustics inside is not good if you want to go somewhere for a drink and chat<br/><br/>It blows my mind as to how it has gotten such raving and high reviews, it makes me suspicious.<br/><br/>Would only go back to have a drink while watching the sunset. That would be the only reason.<br/><br/>Disappointing.

Is a good place for summer, the table in this restaurant no matter where is the sit you can see the good view in any where. And the food is good, quickly good and the price is perfect.

It has taken us a while to get to this place as it is busy during the summer but am so pleased we finally did. The views are stunning as you are right on the beach and that is certainly a draw card. We were lucky that it wasn’t busy when we got there so could choose a table right near the view. We ordered the pizza and special jalapeño and pulled pork croquettes. A perfect combo. The pizza was one of the best I have had since arriving in Melbourne. It was a Tuesday so even better value for money. This is quickly going to become a new favorite place in St Kilda for me.

This venue is pretty cool and I love that it’s by the beach. <br/><br/>I went there with some friends to have a few drinks and catch up I’ve the festive season. We ordered one of the most summery drinks in the menu, Aperol Spritz. Unfortunately they were horrible. It was like drinking soda water. We ask them for new ones and again they were the exact same. It was such a shame because the venue was pretty but we won’t be going back for Sri is if they can’t get a simple Aperol right!

The view is absolutely stunning, however it stops there. I experienced terrible service from people who clearly didn’t want to be there. Such a dampener on our Melbourne holiday, when everywhere else we have been has been absolutely phenomenal. The food was what you would expect at any bar/cafe in the Melbourne region. I would ask the management/owners of Pontoon to really take a close look at their bar and wait staff and ask those who don’t want to be there to leave. My experience truly ruined the visit for me.

never order the chef special prawn! 5 small prawns don’t worth the money at all! It is nice place to hangout and have some drinks but not food.

Came here around 3:30pm on Christmas Eve and it was very busy. They had no seating inside so we stayed outside to dine. We ordered the corn salsa with sour cream and chives, chargrilled squid with snow pea salad and chips with aioli. The food was mediocre, some wait staff looked very upset working today and the pricing of food is ridiculously expensive due to their restaurant location (having the front beach view).

3 of us went for a late lunch. After some cafuffle with staff for a suitable table we ordered the lamb shoulder. It was a sunny afternoon so it was busy, and there's a bit of show off vibe from patrons there for a drink. But for us other than the initial arrival and seating the lunch was excellent.

We had the spot on crispy spiced eggplant chips with the aioli and slow cooked 12hr lamb shoulder which was cooked perfectly fine, is the best lamb shoulder I have never had, well done.

It's literally right on the beach so they had me at the view. I've ordered PORK AND FENNEL PINWHEEL SAUSAGE which was a bit salty so highly recommend to order a slice of bread or two on the side to get some balance. But then I'm at the beach so maybe it's meant to be salty. BEER BATTERED CHIPS were crunchy, potato creamy and the spices on top gave some nice punch. SUGARED DOUGHNUTS wasn't as good as it was described but enjoyed overall. I give this place 4 bears.

A great place for drinks during the day or night. Great food , amazing service , good range of cocktails, music is very good.<br/>Right on the beach , beautiful view. Love this place!

We went for lunch at the beginning of winter - great setting and we managed to share a table inside. Good selection of drinks and food. The price seemed reasonable and then the food arrived and we realized why, the servings are pretty small but the food was tasty - fish and chips and Swordfish burger. Had desserts too which were also tasty and more generous in terms of portion size.

Well situated on St Kilda beach a venue with great views and a drinks menu to match and the food on offer isn't too bad. Bar could do with a few more staff serving as there was a long line when I went to order drinks and food given it was a public holiday was quite surprising making the service a little hit and miss.

The lamb was some of the best I've ever eaten! Would have been perfect with a tabouli or Cypriot salad but the lettuce and radish one was still good with it. The popcorn chicken was tasty too with spicy mayo. I will definitely being going back to try more of the menu! The vibe on a Friday night after work was good too 😊

Was pleasantly surprised by how good the food is at Pontoon. Stokehouse was all about location but this reinvention is much more than that. Delicious share plates and cocktail jugs packed full of flavour, in a trendy setting and of course with a great view. Only let down is the service which, on a not particularly busy Sunday night, was inattentive and pretentious.

Worst place ever. Disorganized. Only reason it is running is clearly the location. Manager running around doing nothing. Only upside was the food.

Came for some drinks and nibbles. Had some chips, mixed salad with radish and lettuce and fried cauliflower. All were really nice! Frosé is pretty yum too!

@Pontoon St Kilda Beach <br/>Nowhere better for a sunny Melbourne summers day for a few drinks and food with friends. I miss the old Stokehouse building and was devastated when it burnt down because I have so many memories of drinking downstairs and eating upstairs, it was an institution but this feels like a reinvention and it’s great!

After several unsuccessful attempts to dine at Pontoon (it gets completely packed out if there’s even a hint of sun) my time finally came for a work Christmas lunch, also known as we had a large group and were able to book. I was pleased to learn this was going under the company budget as we really went to town on the ordering effectively trying the entire menu (note zomato menu is not current). We started with popcorn chicken which was superbly seasoned and a few humble bowls of chips which were among some of the most sensational I’ve had. Super crunchy and delicious. We tried their three pizzas too and I thoroughly enjoyed the Margherita. The food was coming out at lightening speed so I applaud the kitchen for being able to keep up. The half rotisserie chicken and chips at $28 was excellent value and the 12 hour lamb shoulder was supremely succulent, which I fashioned into little mini wraps with the tzatziki and pita. At this point I was probably on my sixth pimms (which incidentally they have on tap) and was absolutely loving life. I’m thinking what a perfect day, it can’t get any better, good food, good drinks, not being in the office this is brilliant, and then we went outside. The atmosphere is just phenomenal out there. Inside or out you’ll have a stellar view and it’s absolutely the perfect venue for summer. Overlooking the water, drink in hand, people watching- this is where you’ll find me

The rebirth downstairs of the Stokehouse called Pontoon has such a beautiful vibe. It’s a casual bar and eatery. The bar is 5/5, perfect summer location for a trending Aperol sprits. If you love a beach view then this is your place. Finding a table is a mission and on a hot summers day or night plan in advance, get there early for a table or you could be standing as no one is moving. If you plan on eating then they do have a small section of about 8 tables that can be reserved. We booked in advance and had a table ready on arrival. We spent a lovely 5 hours drinking and eating. We were not asked to leave or rushed for the table, this made the experience so enjoyable and I was happy to splurge. If you don’t go prepared and want to eat they also have spots at the bar ideal for a couple. <br/><br/>The initial service was a little slow but reasonable considering how busy it was. We were not in a hurry as the atmosphere was buzzing. We ordered crispy popcorn chicken, salt & pepper calamari, kingfish ceviche, rotisserie lamb, fish of the day which was salmon with corn salsa, Grain Salad, mushroom pizza, lemon mousse and chocolate tart for 2. The speed in which the dishes hit the table was surprising. They don’t really have a specific order, you get it as it’s ready. If you like a distinct order then I recommend you order as you go or be prepared to get everything at once. The food was enjoyable the grain salad was definitely my favorite. The only thing that missed the mark was the kingfish lettuce taco. I felt it was drenched in Vinegar dressing and the delicate taste of kingfish was not there.<br/><br/>7 years ago my husband proposed the question at the stokehouse and I was devastated that it burnt down. Thank you for rebuilding, it was just as beautiful and i can’t wait to spend more time here. <br/> <br/>My 3 Key Pointers <br/>. The drink list is amazing, why get a cocktail by the glass when you can get a jug <br/>. Perfect spot to catch up with a group of friends <br/>. You don’t have to eat but why not nibble and drink, makes the experience so much better.

Arriving on a warm night from interstate we headed straight for the beach. It was really busy but we managed to find a table on the deck. Ordered at the counter and the food was brought over as it was made. <br/>We started with a proseco and a lemon lime and bitters. <br/>Soon after the calamari , and kingfish ceviche arrived- both were amazing!!!<br/>Next to arrive was the mushroom pizza and the salad. <br/>The pizza was laden with cheese so I just had one slice and my partner finished the rest. The salad was delicious- smoky, salty and more-ish. We went back for more drinks and the bar was busy so had to wait a while to get served.<br/>A beautiful balmy night at the beach with food food.

In 2014, Stokehouse burnt down after a blaze broke out in the kitchen. It was a favourite of Melbournians, so when the site reopened in December 2016 it was no surprise how quickly everyone wanted to get back to their favourite beachside bar and restaurant - Stokehouse was then booked out from December to March 2017 in 24 hours.

On a perfect Wednesday afternoon we sat outside looking over the glass like bay. Sun was out and soaked up the chilled vibe while enjoy by some tasty food. The pulled pork plate was something special - perfect to share. And the chips w aioli were also tops.<br/>Coffee was also on the money.<br/>Great setup, friendly and relaxed staff.<br/>Loved it!

Came in for a few drinks and a bite in a Wednesday. It wasn't particularly busy. Not a bad drinks selection.<br/>The staff were friendly and there were plenty of tables seeing as it was a cold and windy day.<br/>It's pretty sterile compared to the old digs. <br/>The menu seemed pretty interesting when we read it but I'm not convinced it was executed particularly well, nothing was as exciting when the food actually arrived. We ordered a Turkish roll with brisket and when it was pretty light on filling... which was disappointing.<br/>I would definitely recommend it for the drinks and the view but would suggest coming in for a couple of nibbles and definitely not a meal.

Went here for date night during the time it first opened. Great busy vibe and atmosphere and nice crowd. Food was also tasty but a bit pricey. A great place for girls night, celebrations and to finish the week. Coming back soon

St Kilda beach views, great food. The newly built Pontoon under the Stoke house is a must to do..gourmet style pizza's, creative dishes, amongst the mix even the fussiest eater will find something they like.

Great view of the beach and comfortable and cosy seating. The food is excellent and the chef is great with smoked and woodfired dishes. We love the pizza, steak and broccolini. My toddler hates vegetables yet she ate all the chargrilled broccolini, it's just that tasty!

Pontoon was pumping out food and booze at a spectacular rate to the crowds when we stopped by on a gorgeous Melbourne autumn day. Aside from the rather uncomfortable chairs on beach level the rest of our experience was most enjoyable. Good food, an interesting beverage list and speedy service are what it’s all about at this beachside casual restaurant.

A little bit expensive considering the quality of the meal. Large variety of drinks. Not so much for food. Location is perfect and service is ok.

Great nibbles (chips are delicious) and cocktails! Always chilled and not too busy so you can actually hear your conversations 😂😂 Perfect for a Sunday arvo! My fave: the 'Beached' cocktail.

Went here at 5.30pm on Saturday for an extended family catch up/dinner. This place (at this time at least) is in no way kid friendly, unlike the downstairs Stokehouse of old. Music was pumping (you could in no way hold a conversation), tables were not being cleared/cleaned & the atmosphere was just frantic, nightclub-esq. Only got as far as ordering one round of drinks then bailed, luckily the music was loud enough that other patrons couldn't hear the ear piercing screams of my 2 year old who clearly wasn't impressed. We will not be visiting again!

Love this bar on the beach for a good drink and bite to eat! Drinks are very reasonably priced (10$ frose!!) and food is really good too. The vibe in the late afternoon turns into a party and the DJ is fantastic! Good fun in good weather with the outdoor seating overlooking the beach!

Very very intense service.... half a hotdog left that cost $16 and they asked if I was finished.... <br/>Then one waitress gave us attitude because we didn't want her to take our jug away. I felt so awkward, I'm unsure if they were trying to get rid of us fast or they just enjoy the unnecessary washing of their dishes.

Really good food for the price. One pizza, one broccoli salad and one serving of lamb cigars and 2 delicious glasses of frose for $66..oh and a killer view. Great vibe and good music, feels like a mini holiday. Thanks Pontoon!

mmmm.....<br/>We went on Sunday. Turned up at 11:15am to kick off with a few drinks.  However, they don't open until 12pm. Had to loiter in the entrance for 45 mins and we weren't allowed in until exactly 12pm.<br/>I will forgive them for this.<br/>However, I think that it is crappy that I have to collect my napkins; plates and knives and forks, for the amount of money that we shelled out for our lunch.  It is more than a canteen and I believe that they are doing themselves a disservice. Why are they doing this???<br/><br/>After ordering (and paying) at the bar, the meals came out super speedily.  They were beautifully presented and tasted exquisite. However the portions were on the smaller side. The chips were woeful. Almost embarrassing.<br/><br/>Too many people were up (not staff but patrons) ordering drinks or grabbing plates. It was busy and confusing.<br/><br/>I didn't feel like wanting to stay like we did in the old days at the original Stokehouse. I felt rushed. I felt the meal still going down my throat as I dodged cars across Jacka Boulevard back to the carpark.<br/><br/>I just dunno. Maybe a 3???<br/>The old Stokehouse was my ultimate restaurant. This one........

We have been meaning to come in since the re-open and finely did yesterday evening. <br/>loved the fit-out, cocktails, food offering and view!. We will be back soon to dine upstairs :)

It has been a while between drinks! New venue looks great. What's better than sitting looking at the water having a bevy and a bite with friends. Outside floor staff great, unfortunately bar service only when ordering. No F &C's even though they have a specific chippy? Charge a premium but serve the good stuff. Look forward to trying upstairs.

Very ok-ish. Wine list ok, food options...I guess you could find a few items worth ordering, service - it's self serve everything including 'get your own cutlery' - that's inside and out - but if you want to order jugs of beer and sun bake while people watching, it's good value. I personally would prefer to pay double and get table service and a more substantial menu...but then I'm a 44 year old local, which is clearly not the target market here. <br/>

Ok sadly I've been twice now. So loud, tables crammed in like sardines, chairs with no backs, no table service - not even your cutlery so once your food arrives and you discover this you have to battle through the crowd to get your knife and fork. I paid $20 for the tiniest pizza that was meant to be salami with about 2 tiny bits of salami on it. I had to go and have dinner somewhere else after spending $50 on this awful pizza and 2 drinks. I hate this place. Absolutely no love here. Never again!!!

Great place Amazing design and fit our second to none. Great tunes and the vibe is buzzing but the set up mmmm no table service so everything is order and pay at the bar even wen not busy and there are ten Staff standing around doing nothing they should do table service people would order more drinks for sure !<br/>The food is not bad it's a bit of a med mash up am not sure if it's really that great maybe simple would have been better here.<br/>Hard to choose snacks it could need revisiting. <br/>On a side note the fish and chips seems to be good next door but I don't think this will work in winter knowing stkilda is a seasonal market it might need shutting down over winter .

Food tasty and actually for the location not outrageously expensive.<br/>Venue itself - tables crammed in - you had to get up to let people out. Too noisy to hear people talk and staff a bit hit and miss. Some very good others pretty ordinary.<br/>Bar service only, have to get own plates and cutlery. Hopefully they will work it out...

Went here on Sunday, music just above pumping and no ability to run a tab. To be honest, didn't really entice us to stay in that respect in terms of being able or order a few more things to share with the group I went with. The pizzas were pretty good but overall very crowded atmosphere, not very welcoming. I wouldn't initiate going again. I really like chili but one of our friends doesn't so it was hard to order when the menu was a bit vague.

I'm a St Kilda resident and was really excited to hear about Pontoon opening. I've been there twice and while the location and view are obviously fantastic, the food and service falls well short of what I expect from the Stokehouse brand. <br/>Food is overpriced for what it is. Of course I do expect to pay a premium considering the location, but portions were pricey and very small. I recommend going to Pontoon for drinks only and eating elsewhere in St kilda (there is plenty to choose from, and much cheaper for the same quality!). <br/>What really lets Pontoon down is the service. The place is staffed with mostly disinterested backpackers, none of whom appear to be hospitality professionals. They are not able to answer basic questions about the menu and are not familiar with the wine list.  You have to get your own cutlery, napkins and water, again not what I expect for the prices. The owners and management should be taking the time to train their staff - it really does seem like they are sent straight out to serve without being shown anything, which isn't fair at all. For example, I ordered a bottle of sparkling white wine, the bartender looked around for ages, asked a few people questions, then eventually came back with a bottle of red wine. once I explained again which wine I wanted he went and got the correct one,  pointed the cork at my face whilst opening the bottle then spilled about half a glass worth on the floor when he opened it. Then sighed loudly and rolled his eyes at me when I pointed out that it didn't seem fair to charge $68 for a bottle of wine when part of it gets spilled on the floor. <br/>I'm sure Pontoon wil stay busy during the summer months, but as a local, I won't be supporting it during winter. I really hope they are able to improve the service and value for money.

Very hard to rate. The location deserves a 5, but service is at about a 2 - no cutlery or napkins brought out with food, no one cleaning tables (it was Christmas Eve though and pretty busy). Plenty of beer on tap to choose from, including a few hard to find beers (Balter & Stone and Wood). Food was flavoursome and not your usual bar snacks.

Third visit today, loved the Stokehouse and want to love the new version but it's taking a bit to win me over. <br/><br/>Love the building, it looks sensational. Walking into Pontoon you hit the bar and have to turn left or right to get around it. The bar is enormous and totally dominates, the seating area seems like an afterthought. <br/><br/>Hate the picnic bench seating, looks temporary, and is uncomfortable, like they're waiting for the proper seating to arrrive. The seating around the window is comfy but already stained and grubby. It's incredibly noisy, the bar staff can't hear you and you have to yell at your companions to converse. <br/><br/>Food is average at best, not as good as before - smaller serves and really you feel like they just want you to drink and the food is secondary. I'm sure these problems will be ironed out and regardless people will still go because on a hot Melbourne night its where you want to be. <br/><br/><br/>

Was so looking forward to experience the new Stokehouse after being a previous regular, and sadly watch it burn down, then excitedly watch it rise out of the sand in a new dimension....looks stunning..but form follows function!!<br/>The place looks great outside and in..that's where it stops at the moment....we were there on Sunday, a day made for the beach, lots of peeps..<br/><br/>Acoustics inside are a disaster..yelling and having to repeat yourself at the bar to place an order...really?<br/><br/>The menu lacks totally for choice, the pizzas are hipster minimalistic at gourmet pricing.<br/><br/>The back packer staff are un engaging yet ready to swoop away your plates or glasses when you're really not quite finished. The feeling was hurry up we have other guests wanting your seats...<br/><br/>I understand teething issues with new venues, but two weeks in...? <br/><br/>This newborn hasn't a personality yet..a great view, yes! But bench seating inside with backs to the window? I expected a better experience from the brand!<br/><br/>Disappointing on several levels...

Pontoon St Kilda Beach is the second out of three venues to open within the new Stokehouse Precinct and is more of a casual social space as opposed to the take-away fish and chip kiosk next door, and the finer dining restaurant upstairs.

Beautiful building, lovely detail outside with the charred timber window frames. Saturday arvo was busy and buzzy. Exciting to walk into the new space, music was pumping. Grabbed a drink and some pizzas to try them out. Sat down to eat but couldn't have a conversation as music was too loud - as the speakers are all across the ceiling there don't seem to be any quiet spot. Pizzas were disappointing, not as good as they used to be - smaller, not as crispy, less flavour - hopefully they'll improve. Then tried the fish and chips at Paper Fish - not the delicious light beer batter and shoe string fries they used to be. Crinkle cut chips just not as crispy as the old shoestring fries but a solid block of lightly battered flake was good. The music needs some fixing - at the same volume as the Pontoon outdoor space next door, but both playing different music. Drove us crazy with the beats not matching! All in all very happy to have the Stokehouse back – sorely missed and looking forward to many good times, but at this stage more for the drinks then the food.

Sadly disappointed with food today. I was a regular at the Stokehouse pre rebuild. The food was fabulous. Today we had a meal that can only be described as ordinary and exceptionally small portioned. The octopus salad was sadly lacking in octopus and tiny and the pizza was ridiculously small and pricey! In a restaurant industry offering extraordinary pizzas in Melbourne very disappointing.

My sister and I came for lunch and were disappointed. The food was nice tasting however the menu lacked simple options such as simple side salads. Service was average. No cutlery served with your meals. This included no oyster forks for oysters, no cheese Knifes for cheese. Every time you ordered something and it arrived at your table, you then had to get up and self serve your self with cutlery or a serviette, you even had to serve your own water. When you pay this much money for lunch, you would expect service with it. Would prefer to go somewhere else. I'm really disappointed as I was looking forward to going here.

All glam and no soul. We were Stokehouse regulars who couldn't wait to try the new downstairs venue. What a disappointment. Firstly on dropping my wife off at the front some twat in a pink ‘Polo’ shirt and shorts on the phone rudely told us not to park. He looked like some accountant in his ‘weekend casual gear’. Turns out he was the manager who had a complete lack of service and hospitality as we went in but was later fawning over some cashed up older couple with a fake tan and gold. <br/><br/>The food however was the worst aspect. Expensive, small and not tasty. We asked if they had a simple salad. Answer “Yes we have a smoked chicken salad, we can take out the chicken but cannot change the price.” $23 for a quarter plate of salad! An tiny 8” Pizza that tasted like cardboard (a La Porchetta reject would have tasted better), 2 50c piece bland sardines on crisp bread for $16? …they have a proper kitchen! <br/><br/>The only redeeming factor was the the interior which was fresh and bright matching the beachside location. It was busy with a buzzing vibe and views over the bay but overall it felt very squashed with drunk twats at 4pm dropping drinks everywhere.<br/><br/>We used to come hear for a combination of great food, service and the location but they seem to be relying only on their location and legacy of the former to drive business. I will not be returning downstairs or booking upstairs judging by their re-imagining.<br/>

Great view. Music loud. Food didn't arrive on time. Service was casual. Starting to go through puberty blues as recently opened. Lots of young people. Styled like home renovation. A steak, chicken salad and 2 sparkling waters was $66. Hope to try tbe a la carte restaurant when it opens.

I think it is difficult to rate the entire experience as a whole because the venue itself is stunning.  The large windows over looking the water is a perfect way to watch the sun go down.  The tables for sharing meals with were great, except it was quite difficult to hear people talk.  <br/><br/>Staff on the other hand, need to be upskilled in order to provide the best experience for patrons.  We ordered sharing options for the table, which included pizzas, a couple of meat options and two salads, and when the staff were asked if this was enough, they said they were not sure.    They were also asked for coffees and were told there was no milk and rather than just sending a team member up the street to get it to be able to make over 6 coffees, they just said no - they could provide soy coffees but that was it.<br/><br/>The pizzas came and were tiny for the price that was paid.  The flavour was below average and the cheese on it looked as though it had been out of the oven for some time and left to sit.  Whatever you do, don't order the pizzas!!!  have anything but the pizzas.  <br/><br/>Everything else was delicious - the steak was amazing, the chicken pieces so tender and perfectly cooked and the desserts were delicious. <br/><br/>Overall, the venue has a few teething problems but can only get better and ready for the massive summer rush.  Looking forward to going back to better service next time.

<br/><br/><br/>I said ' It'll get better.' It did. <br/><br/>Ok. It's still partly a construction site. But predictably, things much improved. Now you can run a bar tab and there seem to be more staff and a lot less frazzled. We had a brief lunch on a cool but sunny day. The smoked brisket toastie to start followed by a nice salami pizza. Pizza was good but blown away by the toastie. So much so, we had a further one for desert. Great draught beers but we also enjoyed an Otago Pinot ( Mount Edward ) at $78. <br/><br/>Staff a delight. And effective. A good afternoons lunch. <br/><br/>The Dec 2016 visit. <br/><br/>I loved the old Stokehouse. Mostly visiting upstairs, but occasionally brunch or lunch downstairs. I loved the place. Now about to open with the first soft opening of Pontoon, the casual downstairs part. You enter through what is still work in progress, so caution when entering and do avoid the incomplete construction. <br/><br/>Pontoon has been open only a couple of weeks, and for some strange reason, on a cold Melbourne early evening was very busy. Totally overwhelming the 2 guys behind the bar, who were expecting a quiet evening. They'll line out the staffing for sure as a 15 minute wait to order a couple of beers.....having said that, the entire F & B staff were friendly and professional. One big nit.....you cannot run a tab. So every time you go up, you pay in cash or card. Why not just start a tab and leave a card? I chatted with the staff who said 'management' decided not to have this option. <br/><br/>The food. Underspiced it is not. The prawns with fermented chilli were, if anything, too spicy. The chicken ribs were good, the lamb cigars very good and the sardines excellent. Pizza was OK with very good topping but a so so base. Prices are reasonable. <br/>Everything tends to self serve. Order at the bar, get your own cutlery and paper napkins from the sideboard, get your own tap water. <br/>The layout must have cost a small fortune. It has a definite seaside vibe ( duh ) and the outside deck would be perfect on a much warmer night. <br/><br/>The entire complex is huge. And reputedly expensive from a construction perspective. I'm convinced it'll be massively popular with the ownership pedigree and a fabulous location. I'm dying to try the upstairs Stokehouse when it opens in December, and watch the sun go down in the west.

This is my sort of place for a casual drink and something to eat. Lots of outdoor seating right on the beach good for people watching on a great summers day. No expense has been spared on the fit-out its incredible. We had the prawns which came out first and unfortunately they were way too spicy and I love spivey food, I could barely taste the chicken ribs and croquettes after that as my mouth was on fire but nothing a few beers can't wash down. Will be back over summer.

Came here on Sunday of opening weekend. As expected it is a well oiled machine. Too many times you go somewhere on opening weekend (or month even) and it's a balls up, this on the other hand was like clock work.<br/>We sat at a table that was overlooking the bay on some comfy cushions. The weather was overcast this day, none the less it was still nice to be by the water.<br/>This is a casual dining experience where you order and pay for your drinks and food at the bar, then your food is then delivered to your table, whilst drinks collected at bar.<br/>We ordered 4 plates for lunch to share, king prawns, smoked sweet potato with yoghurt, croquettes and chicken ribs. Everything was spot on. The King prawns had a massive kick to them so shall we order them again, we'll ask to end on them as the flavour was pretty intense! Still delicious though! All washed down with an Aperol Spritz and Cold Tap Beer. <br/>I'm sure this place is going to smash it as soon as the weather smartens up! Glad we got to come before this happens and we'll certainly come back. A really cool, beachy, casual atmosphere.