If you're looking for a great local pub Blackburn Hotel is definitely worth a visit. We always…read moreorder the parmas, and they never disappoint crispy, generous in size and consistently delicious every time. It's one of those places you can keep coming back to because you know the food will be good. It's become one of our go to spots. Friendly atmosphere, welcoming staff, regular specials, live sport on the screens, and plenty of space. A venue that's well looked after and has improved greatly. Highly recommend a visit if you're in the area or local!

The thing that I liked about this pub was that the décor was rather nice, but it really wasn't one…read moreof those places that stand out from many of the other pubs. However, since it appears to have been refurbished, that was okay. Yet that was probably the only thing that I actually liked about it, because other than that this place was a pretty standard pub, with a rather limited selection of beers on tap as well. It would be okay if I lived in the area, but that is about it.

Great vibe, decent food, not-too-rowdy crowd (usually scientist/medical types from the neaby…read morehospitals and research institutes) and friendly bar staff. One star reserved for not having the special event they publicised of (of BBQ ribs and other American fare) due to "bad weather?" (it was just cold, not wet) and a misleading description of buffalo wings and celery sticks (which, upon enquiring, claimed they it was in the blue cheese dressing - sticks in a dressing, really?? I must be blind, and so was the girl next to us who asked the same question). All that aside, it's a much more plesant place than the neighbouring Castle Hotel (and Akira Japanese Restaurant - that's another story altogether). Definitely worth a try especially for Friday night drinks.

I guess the main thing that I really didn't like about this pub was the crowds, which is the main…read morereason why I haven't returned to in since I last graced its doors (though both times were to simply check it out). Okay, it is hidden away in the back streets of North Melbourne, but that doesn't necessarily mean that nobody really knows about it. In particular on a Friday night it can be a real adventure getting from the door to the bar simply to order a drink. While the staff are nice, they are also pretty run off their feet. The pub has a really nice dining room, and apparently a beer garden (though I couldn't find it, at least when I was here last), and fortunately was able to find a seat out the front of the pub. In the end, while it is a nice pub, I doubt I would return.

Steak night really good Reasonable price and good food…read moreHad an oyster too, service was really good

So this place was closed for a while and finally, in late 2014, there looked to be a bit of love…read morebeing breathed in to it. It opened, the hipsters flocked. On a hot night they would be everywhere out the front drinking pints and looking too cool for school. Signs proclaimed happy hours! $16 steak night! I wasn't convinced I'd fit in with the hipsters (am I in denial?) but the $16 steak on Tuesday night sure did sound like an appealing way to test the waters. We arrived a little after 6pm and it was pretty dead. There was 4 or 5 others in the bar and not a single soul outside. Was it too early? Was it not sunny enough? Had the hipsters moved on to the new hot spot in town? We ordered steaks ($16 for a 300gm porterhouse with chips and salad) and an extra portion of salad to make us feel better for clogging our arteries with the chips. A pint for him and a glass of Shiraz for me. The steaks themselves were okay. The flavour was good but they were cooked a little over than our requested medium-rare. The chips were super crunchy (twice fried?) and the portion of salad we ordered was, well, a bit strange. The cider dressing it was served with tasted suspiciouly like melted butter and congealed a bit on the raddichio leaves. Maybe it was supposed to do that, who knows? Dinner for two at around $60 is pretty decent if you ask me. For a resonably priced Tuesday night meal in a quieter environment then the Marquis of Lorne isn't a bad option

Sunday dinner at a loose end chose the Olinda bistro…read more great friendly staff nice menu and chose the Scallopini off the specials board nice meal !! Bar staff equally helpful and friendly nice medium ambiance with soft music as background.

Honestly, there isn't particularly anything all that great about this pub. It is basically just…read moreanother one of those suburban pubs that I tend to visit because, well, I like visiting pubs. In a way it does have some charm about it, though that is probably about it. Well, they do have a nice beer garden, and a decent sized bistro as well. However, as I mentioned, it is basically just a suburban pub, with everything that such pubs tend to entail, such as a limited selection of beers on tap. Yeah, probably not a place that I'd spend too much time at.

All of the ciders that we tried where beautiful, sadly they did not have the mojito cider in sock,…read morewhich is what we where looking forward to most. I heard it is one of there house favourites. The bees-knees cider and apple crumble cider was unlike anything I have tried before and it was a refreshing change. Good value for money with the size of the meals, there parma one of the better I have had I just wish the chicken was a little thicker. Overall all we did not leave hungry or sober.

Always a pleasure to dine here. Staff are awesome, food is delicious and cider is the best in the…read morecountry (hit up the seasonal ciders or the rose cider.) Cocktails are a firm favourite (hello Fuzzy Leprechaun). Highly recommend.

This is the downstairs section of Chin Chins, and is sort of a bar, but in another sense it does…read moreprovide extra seating. Basically the menu is exactly the same as it is upstairs, but in a way it is little different from Chin Chins. Still, it is a pretty cool place to visit either while you are waiting for a table to become free, or a looking for a couple of drinks after the meal. The staff are pretty cool, and it doesn't get too crowded. However, it is basically just an extension of Chin Chins.

Great cocktails and share plates! If you like chilli the popcorn and roti bread with peanut sauce…read morepacks a punch! We put our name down for chin chin so decided to go get drinks down at Gogo and wait. That was bout 6.50, bout 9pm after we had nibbles we still didn't receive a call for chin chin!

Amazing! Went here for dinner last night as we haven't been in about five years. We ordered the…read morelamb shank, crispy pork belly, southern fried chicken burger, kids party pies and chips and also the beef hokkien noodles. The lamb shank was cooked to perfection and contained two generous serves with mash. The pork belly was also very impressive and had a nice barbecue sauce alongside it. The Hokkien noodles, which I had with beef, was amazing. Nothing to fault about the bistro, the place is very nice and has amazing staff

8:00 pm we were having a basketball break up with 25 people. We specifically booked the restaurant…read morefor the kids play room. From 30 metres away we were accosted by an elderly resident from the next door aged care facility, who said her and her friend had come for dinner and didn't appreciate they noise from the play room. Said she appreciated we didn't want to control our children. She wouldn't leave our table and I had to ask for help. At which point the waitress said we should ask the children to be quiet for her. If you are going there for good food - think again. If you are going to go there because it's good for children - reconsider. As the old lady complained about our noise, then walked into the pokies, we hope she managed to find the quiet she so craved

Kangaroo entree was so salty. I couldn't eat it. The entree was rushed through after the kitchen…read morewas closed because the server forgot to send in the order. The Service was lacking because there was only one server for the entire busy pub who was also the bartender. Poor planning of staffing.

Brew Pub with about ten brews on tap. We each has something different and everyone liked their…read morechoice. Typically Australian, I guess, one has to order drinks at the bar and carry back to the table. Likewise, food is ordered at the bar but brought to your table. Menu typically pub like. We had Calimari, a burger and Parma. Now, coming from an Italian area in the US, I had misgivings about Chicken Parm at a Celtic type pub in Australia. I found a large chicken cutlet, breaded and fried, covered with red sauce and Mozzarella cheese to rival any Italo club at home. Oddly though, it came with fries and salad rather than Pasta. But, the portion was so large I didn't miss my ziti. There were three rooms, two with bars, one with pool table plus an upper level I didn't visit. Lots of room. Restrooms were big, multi unit facilities, one for men, one for women. I thought the men's room could have used a scrub down but, I'm old and some things bother me more than others. Three pints and a glass of house wine cost $42.00 AU .which didnt bother this US tourist since I could say it was really 25% less to me and no tip. Our room had live entertainment on this early, Thursday evening...a singer/guitarist playing songs from 50s through 80s. Outdoor seating with gas heaters for chilly nights. I thought it was a fine intro for my first night in Melbourne