Terrible spot and can see why it was empty on a Saturday evening. Dated decor, poor finishes and needs a serious rethink to be charging it's prices. Overpriced, arrogant / lazy chef who believed his oily food was good and justifiable. Then sent the poor waitress with lies about quality when on a par with hungry jacks. Honestly wouldn't revisit for any reason and wouldn't be surprised if it was to be closing soon. See pictures for how bad this kitchen nightmare actually was! read more

Campari House - Oil from the terrible pasta dish sent back. 2nd one equally as bad. Inedible! - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Nice location on Hardware lane. Friendly staff just not very efficient. Super slow service. Had to ask server numerous times for things. Had ravioli and a gnocchi dish. Bother were over cooked and lacking flavour. Very disappointing. Good wine read more

Campari House - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

We made a booking for Champagne Breakfast at Campari House after receiving a Red Baloon voucher We found Campari House on Hardware Lane, bustling with customers. Upon arrival, the waitstaff couldn't find my booking but was able to find us a a table immediately. The voucher was explained in precision and we found the wait staff to be super friendly and prompt. Our waitress was generous and professional. Whilst I realise the place boasts multiple levels, I can only make comment on the ground floor and outdoor area of the restaurant/cafe. The ambiance was comfortable, we found the crowd to be older groups and some families. Campari House on a Sunday is not a rowdy or hip style establishment. It comes across as an old school restaurant that is focused on serving food, champagnes, and you've guessed it, camparis. I'm giving this establishment 1 star for the great service ( prompt, friendly), 1 star for the venue itself ( multi level, multi function, unpretentious ambiance), but just half stars each for food and value. I didn't find the dishes to be particularly creative or special, they tasted average. However i must note that The Works breakfast in particular is very big, and therefore value for money. But I wouldn't come back for the dishes alone. I will go elsewhere if looking for great meals, but might consider coming back to check out the bar and rooftop area of the establishment as suggested by other Yelpers read more

Campari House - Champagne breakfast - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

A bar that has 4 different levels? Holy Hell! And every one of them is different? Crazy! Such is Campari House - a venue that has been getting us drunk since 1968, but has recently been refurbished to bring in the youngsters again. This is one place that will make your parents say; "Campari? I used to get pissed there too!" I have enjoyed a tipple or three at Campari, in fact I even held my birthday on their famous rooftop. They have some fantastic function packages for the three other levels - for instance, you can get a booth for 10 people and a round of shots! But kindly their functions manager gave me a few tables on the roof for free. A great night was had by all, especially me - the birthday girl got a free cocktail! And we partied to the wee hours until they ushered us down in to the lower levels. I highly recommend Campari if you are looking to hold a function - it is perfect for birthdays, engagements or Christmas parties. It manages to be classy and elegant but with a party atmosphere. Throughout the week it is generally filled with a corporate crowd for after work drinks, they have a great happy hour, some fantastic cocktails and great little munchies. The ground level boasts an a la carte restaurant and views of the gorgeous Hardware Lane, perfect for people-watching with a glass of vino. Just be warned, there are so many stairs in this place that you'll feel like you've climbed Everest by the end of the night. read more

Campari House - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Tl:Dr Fantastic service and great pizza. Tried the godfather and enjoyed the thin crust and cheesy topping. The staff are super friendly and helpful. We barely had time for a quick conversation before our pizza showed up. Nice atmosphere and the rooftop bar has a good vibe. read more

Campari House - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Brekkie on a sunny, Sunday afternoon outside was lovely. The food was delicious, servers prompt and friendly and the atmosphere great. One of the nicest breakfasts I've had in a while! Chandon and fruit platter to top of a yummy meal :) read more

Campari House - Mushrooms, some cheese (forget) and sour dough toast with hashbrowns. - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Had a lovely lunch here today of butternut pumpkin risotto with hazelnuts. I noticed there were several pizza options with interesting toppings which would be good to share and were also available with a gluten free base if you preferred. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available, today outdoors seemed popular with smokers so we chose indoors by the window which was comfortable, allowing you to look out to bustling Hardware Lane but not be downwind of the smokers. I'd like to come back here for a pizza and drinks on the rooftop bar. read more

Get ready for the big stair climb because this rooftop bar is about to become a regular haunt again as the weather heats up. Central, reliable and a place that everyone knows, this is a great meeting place to catch up with friends in the city. In winter the roof is covered by a large red tarp. Looking forward to it coming off again this Spring to enjoy a nice beer and pizza in the sun. I've been downstairs for lunch which was quite good too. Just a good casual spot all round! read more

After a nice meal in a cozy laneway? Check. What about a private party? Yes. Can I entice you with a rooftop bar fully decorated with umbrellas, old doors pieced together to become a wall and cacti? For sure! Having visited on numerous occasions, Campari House is a good place to take visitors and locals with it's wide selection of drinks and food to suit all taste buds. Mind you that during summer it does get crowded on the roof but going straight after work on a weekday usually allows you to snag a spot. read more

Overall great ambience, and very attentive service. Menu consisted of a good mix of dishes, all done to a decent standard. I had the rib eye; the steak was cooked very nicely, however, its accompaniments were far from excellent. There was some grilled brocollini which was ok, but there were also 3 heavily-marinated vinegar artichoke hearts that did not go well with the steak at all - I'm not sure what they were thinking with this combo. Nevertheless an enjoyable meal overall. Also had a look at the function room upstairs awhile ago, it's a classy space and would be great for birthdays etc. read more

A great little rooftop bar, nicely laid out, great staff and a great vibe. Probably best for afterwork/early drinks or winding down the night. I went there with my cousin on a Saturday night and it was a nicely mixed crowd of suits and trendy revelers. They have a good selection of beers and ciders. I haven't tried the food but it's definitely on the agenda for my next visit. read more

I only visited the rooftop bar, but I must say I'm very unimpressed. Way too busy (stood for the whole 2 hours), stayed in a queue to order drinks for 15 mins, and was then told they needed to change a keg (now I ordered three drinks surely not all three were dry), so a further 15 mins later I paid $22.50 for three schooners (one cider, one Heineken and one Boags) - no apologies for the wait. Nice paintings on the wall, the rest I can take or leave, there are better in Melbourne (unless you want to be thirsty) read more

A marathon hike up an artfully graffitied staircase will lead you to the Campari rooftop bar. A circus tent like roof provides sufficient shelter from the elements but leaves enough of the city skyline visible to remind you that you are still well above street level (I have been told over summer the roof is replaced with sun umbrellas). Monday -Wednesday evenings the bar has a $10 cocktail selection that is interesting and go down well, though I could skip the citrus/Prosecco cocktail next time. The bar is a comfortable blend of knock off drinks and social gatherings. Astro-turf, oversized wine barrels and a recycled timber door feature wall all add to the bars interesting eclecticism without feeling shabby. The bar food is ok and good to share between a group; pizzas, crinkle cut chips and cocktails mmmm classy. read more

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I found Campari House when I was actually looking for somewhere else recommended down the road, only to discover my intended destination was shut on Sunday mornings. We liked the look of Campari House, plus there were a reasonable number of people eating tasty-looking breakfasts so we decided to give it a go. The place has a lot of character that I really enjoyed - including the paintings mounted on the ceiling. The coffee was very good and our breakfasts were excellent. I was really pleased we ended up having breakfast here. I was also intrigued by the reports of the rooftop bar in summer and am now determined next time I am in Melbourne to investigate the possibilities of beer and pizza upstairs. read more

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Ah hardware lane. I seem to have the misfortune of completely forgetting where all your cool venues are. Wasn't on the other side? Is it really here? Regardless, Campari house is great. I haven't been down to the lower floor, but the lounge area is well decked out, and the rooftop is as I remember it. It still remains, a cool little hang-out spot. hoping for many more returns. read more

I rather enjoy this place, downstairs, the middle and the rooftop! My lack of 5 stars.......I always get very very very drunk here, soooo not really their fault I spose haha. Oh and so so many stairs, but hey good buttwork out so maybe ill chuck that star back on. I find the bar tenders super knowledgable on all fronts, beer, wine, cocktails, the lot. They also have my favorite cider on tap, james squire cloudy apple come at me all day everyday. The cost, also pretty damn reasonable given the location. All in all, a very good place to meet up with friends for a drink, chat and a really good time. The food, I have had a few of the nibbles which have been lovely, I am yet to try the pizza's but they look sensational and are on my to do list. read more

An immediate plus for me was the fact that Campari didn't have staff out the front harassing people walking by, begging them to come in to eat. I ate here recently with a group of family from out of town. It was mid week so it wasn't to busy with only a few other tables. Our meals were delicious. I opted for the squid ink linguini with crab meat and cherry tomatoes - divine! The meal sizes are good and reasonably priced. Wait Staff were friendly....When we could get them to the table. It really seemed like they just didn't want to be there. Meals came out very quickly after ordering. read more

Campari is famous for it's rooftop bar. And pizzas. I totally get the whole love for the rooftop bar thing, but the pizzas are terrible. At least the ones I've had. They either come out burnt, cold, dripping in oil, or they don't come out at all but you still get charged for them. The restaurant down below faired a little better. The twice baked cheese soufflé was nice however being paired up with a salad which consisted of chunks of blue cheese was a bit of an over kill. However, the appetizers we ordered were amazing. I highly recommend the pork belly. The skin was crispy and the meat beautifully moist. read more

Campari House - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

The seating downstairs at entrance is great and warm with the heaters. The pork belly is to die for! Will definitely come back for more! Yum

With a rooftop beer garden, ground floor restaurant and 2 more levels, campari house should be suitable for most

This had amazing mains. Which my friends got. Not being hungry, I got the summer vegetable medley. I got about 5 cherry tomatoes, 4 half empty peas, and 3 pieces of buffalo mozzarella. It cost $15. Wine was good though. read more

Good pizza. Nice range of taps. Bartender who opens umbrellas for all tables excepts ours when it starts to pour. Maybe he's used to pouring the taps instead. read more

Campari House - Bars Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I've only been here for drinks and so far i really like it. Funky drinks and friendly staff make it even that more awesome. Definitely will be back to try some food read more

Moving on, we arrived at Campari House on Hardware Lane for the XXL BBQ, which promised to boost BBQ skills, while you discover how marinades and spices can be matched with booze. The event was about 70% capacity with a few dozen people booked in. Things started off well with The Mercer cocktail - a sweet gin-based drink that hit a summery note as we were out in the open on the rooftop. This was matched with a Korean-Style Babrbecued Skirt Steak with ginger and spring onion sauce, served in a lettuce leaf and eaten with your hands - it was messy but the tangy sauce matched perfectly with the slightly sweet cocktail. A single BBQ as you would find in any backyard was set up in front of the bar. We were ushered up to the BBQ where the chef took us through the menu - outlining that it was difficult to come up with a typically 'Aussie' dish so decided to play with international ideas. Onto the hot grill went the BBQ Pork Spare Ribs. It was explained that the pork was firstly boiled before being grilled and turned quite frequently. I had previously just done ribs in the oven so it was interesting to see if the BBQ would produce the same quality. Once cooked, plates were allocated to each table and each person had two ribs with a side of very mustardy slaw. The main comment from the table was that the fat was still quite congealed and the constant turning ensured the it didn't get a change to melt. Dish two was the Greek Lamb Cutlets with a yoghurt dressing. The cutlets were cooked medium-rare and we each had one each to gnaw on. Ideally I want more than one small cutlet so the small serve was disappointing and the semi-tzatziki had no real flavour. Time was getting away and we stuck around only to have the fish course - BBQ Fish and Chips with sauce grib served with James Squire Golden Ale. The fish was cooked perfectly but the potatoes, which were also cooked on the grill, were much too hard and starchy in the centre. The sauce almost made up for the downfall. We then had to run - the event was supposed to finish at 3pm and it was now 3.30pm and had another event to get to. So we missed out on the BBQ banana split - said goodbye to the chef and went on our way. This all leads me to my point.... Speaking to a few other attendees who had been to a few other events on Friday and Saturday, we found that there were quite a few disappointing stories coming out and it got me thinking... Has the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival become more quantity than quality? I was initially disheartened to hear that the Broadsheet Cafe, which popped up last year in Bourke St laneway, was off the cards for this year. The idea was to build the ultimate Melbourne cafe with the city's best beans and baristas taking it in turns to run the show. Each operator, including Seven Seeds, Dead Man Espresso, Market Lane, Proud Mary, Five Senses and The Premises, showcased their unique roasts, tastes and techniques. This concept suits Melbourne perfectly. This year, instead of the cafe, they went with the Broadsheet Bar concept. This time you will find yourself across the road from Journal in another barebones space but lacking the charm of the cafe. The bar will feature the likes of of The Everleigh, Seamstress, Bar Americano, Der Raum, EDV, Bar Ampere and Black Pearl - but imagining what the cost of the cocktails will be, I seriously question whether they will be of a standard that you would get should you visit the individual bars separately. My guess is the more people waiting, the faster they will need to make the cocktails. So why did they replace their cafe idea in the coffee centre of Australia - just a bid to expand their liquid empire? Going back to the original questions of quality versus quantity. At the event we attended, people were dumbfounded at the amount of choices available in the MFWF Guide. Their main question was how did you know you were going to get your money's worth? A tricky question indeed. The BBQ event was $70 and it was argued that this event was below the standard expected. Yes they would be impressed if there were over at a friend's place for lunch and were served the same dishes - but after choosing this as possibly the one event to attend they were disheartened by the amount and what they received. Another Melbourne Food Blogger - My Second Helping - had a similar experience and detailed the farce in the post 'A Gastromomical Gaffe' at Fenix restaurant which you can read here. Has the MFWF become too big for it's boots? The 2013 festival needs to be scaled back and not include events that are just there to make a buck rather than feed eager attendees and showcase their exceptional chefs, wait staff and food. While there are budget events - and we all love a free movie in Fed Square - are we really expected to fork out between $150-$250 for just one event and pinning your culinary hopes and dreams on a wing and a prayer. They need to look at their pricing structure. read more

Chef food, good drinks and nice ambiance in this laneway classic. The rooftop bar up many flights of stairs has a beautiful view of the skyline to boot. read more

Pumpkin sliders and arancini are delicious. Loved the venue and that the roof closed when it started to rain.

Thoroughly enjoyed the Campari Platter but was shocked to find we had been charged $65 for a bottle of house white. To say $65 is ridiculous for a bottle of house white is an understatement and I won't be back. read more

I booked the function room for a sit down dinner for 50 people. The food was fantastic, and there was plenty of it - we got sides of chips and salad for the table, and a beautiful fish dish and sirloin steak. I am often booking functions for various clubs/work etc, and the food was spot on for the price. The canapes were also thoughtfully made, and clearly not just from a packet. The staff were great at also dealing with dietary requirements, and made sure that the GF guests were catered to. The room was ambient, and we were able to use the AV equipment for no charge. Thanks so much for a great night, really appreciate it when I can find a helpful, delicious and good value function spot. read more

Nothing like a party on a rooftop to kick off the weekend. I rate the Campari house rooftop as one my favourite rooftop drinking establishments in Melbourne. Popular with an afterwork crowd, it seems to attract less of the "awkward mismatched clearly collegues not friends" crew and more groups of apres work friends meeting up to wind down. They make a great Mojito and the service is friendly and attentive. The rooftop packs out pretty quickly and sometimes has a line, but if you don't make it up there, there are several other floors which also buzzing. On one floor. there are booths that you can completely close offf and have your own private little drinking establishment. I've been here a couple of times when floors have been booked out for private parties, so it's good to know that Campari book out rooms for organised punters. I've also had breakfast here on the bottom story. It's not your gourmet breakfast option, and reminded me of the morning after in a London pub. But the accompanying Bloody Mary was top notch and I'd happily come here again after a hard night to refuel. A good option. read more