To be honest, I am more a fan of progressive cuisine and this is the complete opposite so maybe it is unfair to compare but, if I look at the worlds best 50 I prefer Gaggan (Bangkok) or Andre (Singapore) any day above Dinner. That being said, the 5-course lunch was executed well: it had some unique elements and the service throughout the experience was excellent. The stand-out dish of the day was for sure the Meat Fruit, I was kinda hoping for the mandarin but that day they served the plum. The pate was super delicious, one of the best I ever had! The first dish of the day, Hay Smoked Kingfish was also flawless, it showed restraint and was perfectly balanced. The entree, Chicken with Lettuces was very tasty but I found that the garnishes were better than the protein itself. That being said, I found the Meat & Flesh on the salty side and for a 38$ appetizer I find the amount of meat, two tiny pieces about the size of my pinky nail, unacceptable. In addition, I asked the sommelier for a cocktail suggestions and specifically stated that I did not want a sweet cocktail. He suggested the Mint Rickey which was way too sweet for my taste. Overall a good experience, would go back for the Meat fruit and the atmosphere was excellent but I wouldn't call it a flawless experience and isn't that what you expect for this type of restaurant? read more

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - Plum meat fruit, by far the best dish of the day - Australian Near Me - Southbank, VIC

Awesome, the best meal I've had this year. The Meat Fruit is too beautiful for words. The 4 mains we tried were just amazing. The tipsy cake is superb. Fantastic tasting food, with exquisite presentation, and delivered with outstanding service. read more

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I don't think anyone could write a bad review about this place and if they did I would be really shocked. It's a bit weird walking down a dead end entrance hallway only to be surprised when a hidden door opens to the restaurant. From the moment you enter, the welcome and service is exceptional, and the waiting staff are great, always ready to top up your wine and always watching you from the corner of their eye in case you want something. My son loves cooking and asked for a tour of the kitchen area and they gladly did. The food was next level, you could tell the quality of the ingredients used and the time taken to prepare the dishes just with that first bite. Great all round experience. read more

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Dinner by Heston was a fantastic evening. I have been to The Fat Duck in the UK but preferred it here as the food was more to my liking. The room is gorgeous and the kitchen is walled with glass so you can see all the action. The service is impeccable and the staff were all friendly and knowledgeable. We started with the Meat Fruit which is this cute dish that looks like a mandarin, but is filled with chicken parfait. It was amazing and the best parfait I have eaten. Next up was the Chicken and Lettuces (don't let the name put you off) and the Beef Short Rib. I loved the chicken (my dish) and it was so moist and lovely. The beef was slow cooked over 56 hours and it was still lovely and pink in the middle. Dessert was out of this world...so much so we indulged in dessert followed by the ice cream trolley. We selected the Tipsy Cake and the Lamington. The Tipsy Cake is the signature dessert and it was my favourite of the two. It is a brioche that is cooked in a delightful alcoholic custard and we were told that one chef has the responsibility of constantly spooning said custard over the cake while it is cooking. It kind of reminded me of an amazing doughnut type cake as it was so light. The Lamington is the dessert that Heston made for his Australian restaurant and it is layer upon layer of delight with a jammy centre. The ice cream trolley is worth getting purely for visual spectacle alone. Liquid nitrogen ice cream that is prepared at the table with a choice of yummy toppings served in a delicate handmade cone. Dinner by Heston is not as expensive as you would think and I would not hesitate in returning. I can honestly say that it was the best meal and overall experience that I have had. read more

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Dinner by Heston was quite a disappointing experience. I booked for a wed for 7.15pm a month in advance. We arrived 20 minutes early, but as our table was ready, we were seated straightaway. Our coats were taken away and hung in a closet. A little foldable chair was offered for my handbag and through we didn't sit next to the glass windows, we had a view of Melbourne sea life aquarium. The restaurant was dimly lit. The staff were well dressed. You walk along a dark corridor until you reach a very dark door which looks like a dead end but it;s a sliding door that magically opens to the restaurant. There are comfy seating tables on one side and the kitchen on display on the other side. We immediately had someone come up to our table with the drinks menu. When we said we weren't interested in any drinks. The waitress offered non-alcoholic drinks. We said no. She then offered us tea and coffee (before our meals - insane?). We said no again and then she didn't know what to do; so, she just stood there. Why? Then, we had another waiter come up to us who wanted to help us order. When we said we were fine (I had googled the menu beforehand and read reviews), he still wanted to let us know that the dishes were influenced by British historic cuisine with Australian flavors. Ok - we get it. He then said we must get the tipsy cake which is cake with pineapple and that it needs to be ordered before anything else as it takes 40 minutes to cook. We ordered the meat fruit, the snapper in cider sauce, the quite rare lamb with peas and gravy, and the sambocade which is goat's cheesecake with poached pear and roasted walnut. We were given complimentary sourdough bread with soft butte,r which was quite nice. The bread was soft and the butter was creamy, soft and delicious The meat fruit was chicken liver parfait posing as a mandarin with toasted bread. The parfait had a citrus and sweet taste to it and was quite flavorsome. It was also quite soft and smooth, like whipped cream consistency/texture. The snapper in cider sauce was soft and flavoursome, but nothing extraordinary. The lamb was quite bland and very tough. We should have been given steak knives. Felt like I was eating raw meat. The cheesecake was quite disappointing. It just tasted like soft goat's cheese. The poached pear and walnut were delicious. The walnut was uber smoky - like it had just come out of the fireplace. The waitress tried to sell us the vanilla nitrogen gelato for 15 bucks each and both of us had to order it if we wanted it. We refused the first time and if that wasn't enough, she offered it again. Then she tried to get us to buy coffee for 11 bucks. So pushy. We then got complimentary caraway biscuits with dark thick chocolate infused with elderflower. Now, this was unique and quite a treat. Overall, portion sizes were good, dinner was appropriately priced for fine dining, but the food was average. Not many options for the mains (lots of steaks) and average tasting. Desert was disappointing too - maybe only the tipsy cake should be on the menu. Pushy wait staff didn't help. read more

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Having booked this in October I was pretty excited when it was finally time for our dinner here. From the moment we walked through the doors I knew it was going to be a great night of deliciousness. For entreé my partner got the Meat Fruit ($38). I was very hesitant on trying the meat fruit (chicken liver parfait) but it was so smooth and it went well with the grilled bread - just the flavour of the parfait was delicious. My entreé, I tried the Salamagundy ($37), which is chicken oysters, braised artichoke stems, horseradish cream, marrowbone & pickled walnuts. Definitely recommend this as a starter, everything goes so well together and the flavours were just amazing. For mains I got the Slow cooked pork belly ($56) with spelt, lardo, baby turnip & Robert sauce. The pork belly was so soft and moist, it just melted in my mouth and that sauce was perfect. My Partner got the Powdered duck breast ($56) cooked with ale and artichokes. The duck was cooked perfectly pink and it was very tender and tasted delicious. For dessert we had the Tipsy cake ($32) with spit roasted pineapple, but because my partner is allergic they gave a side of vanilla ice-cream as well. We had to order this dessert at the start of our dinner as they need to prepare it in advance as it's a brioche dessert. It was the best dessert and the sauce that was at the bottom of the dish was delicious. Can see why everyone orders this dessert. Couldn't fault anything that night and the service was amazing. Will return to this restaurant next time we are in Melbourne :) read more

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I couldn't believe our luck, getting a table at Dinner in the opening week. It was a late booking which wasn't idea for a tired pregnant woman but I made an exception! The magic begins before you even enter with psychedelic wall art and a hidden door. The restaurant is open and spacious but feels warm and inviting. The staff very obviously knew their stuff and didn't even flinch when I told them I was pregnant and needed to ensure I ate accordingly. The waitress we had was able to go through each of the items that I should probably avoid and gave suggestions of what I could have to still ensure I had a magical evening and didn't miss out too much. We planned to have desert but entrees and mains were enough for us. The dishes we enjoyed include Rice and Flesh (Kangaroo tail and the creamiest saffron rice I have ever tasted), Salamagundy (chicken oysters and horseradish cream), Black Angus Rib eye and a slow cooked lamb special. The theatrics of the restaurant are great including the ice cream cart that makes fresh icecream table side. Well worth a visit for a special occasion if you can get a table! read more

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - Australian Near Me - Southbank, VIC

I have to say I was a bit disappointed with Dinner at Heston's after watching him on TV for so long. Based on the show I was expecting theatrics and a high quality of food. Unfortunately these two key items were lacking. I booked the private dinning room for a friend's bday. The ambiance was amazing having 3 walls of glass; 2 overlooking the Yarra and 1 looking into the kitchen. There was a box at each place setting which contained the menu (I was pretty excited to see that the menu for the evening was not the original menu I was given with the contract which only offered fish and pork for the mains). We were given delicious bread and butter but alas, there was no wine for those of us who paid $200 pp for a tasting. There was a huge gap of time before each course (approximately 45 mins) and during that time a few people had to order another bottle of wine (on top of the tasting). I have done several wine tasting before and have never run out of wine. This was also due to skimpy pours (100 ml), which was pretty sad. The only interesting presentation of the evening was the liver which was disguised as a plum. I personally don't normally like liver but this dish was superb. The smoked ocean trout was also fantastic. The risotto with the cured kangaroo had potential, however, the risotto was under cooked (super al dente) and very salty. For a main I had the chicken, which was presented in rolled form and was really a stock standard item for many restaurants. This chicken, however, was cooked perfectly and came with a side of grilled lettuce which was outstanding. Besides the presentation being underwhelming the other negative was that the sauce under the chicken was super salty. Dinner by Heston in London is #45 of the top #50 restaurants this year. I'm pretty sure the judges didn't eat the menu we ate. I think the staff in London should come to Melbourne to get the Melbourne branch up to par. The food was average overall, the wine lacking, and the pricing high. If I didn't pay so much for average food I would have given this 3 stars. read more

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - Australian Near Me - Southbank, VIC

What a lovely dinner!!!!! Dinner has arrived in Australia. For this visit, all 4 of us ordered fish dishes (not that the steaks etc are bad but for an extremely warm day like today, we thought fish would be good). We had cod, sbapper and grouper. The snapper is the best. Not only is the fish sweet and fresh, the combination of broth and garnishings made this dish heavenly. Great range of wines and drinks too Our dinner ended with an excellent range of desserts. We had the excellent Tipsy Cake ( fluffy pudding with a piece of spit roasted pine apple), Brown Bread ice cream and the nitrogen-frozen ice cream. Do try to keep space for the dessert because they are wonderfully tasty, unique and a great way to end a delightful dining experience. Book way ahead!!!! Our dinner slot was 930 pm read more

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - Australian Near Me - Southbank, VIC

3 months after I booked, the excitement has kinda die down a little, but as soon as I saw the restaurant, excitement hit me left right and center. The place is beautiful and al the staff was very courteous. The wine list was in the form of a book, it was that thick and many pages. We started with a drink at the bar. Mine was tasty but the presentation was too simple for how much it cost. It looks like there were 20 people working in the kitchen. We started with bread, then the entrée....the infamous meat fruit which is chicken liver parfait in the shape of an orange was superb and we also have the savoury porridge. The abalone got me, I had the meat fruit first and the taste was strong and substantial and the savoury porridge taste was slightly milder. Still tasty but didn't make quite an impact as the meat fruit. For main, we had the snapper and duck. The duck was divine, that's how duck is supposed to be cooked. The snapper was also delicious, the mussel broth it came in was delicious. For dessert we had the tipsy cake and the brown bread ice cream. The tipsy cake was delicious and very moreish and I could eat 2 of them, but the brown bread ice cream was a huge let down. Ended the meal with chocolate ganache with some sweet biscuits. I want to come back just to be able to try all his dishes! read more

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My boyfriend wanted to head into Crown to have a look around. I groaned. I don't like going to the casino in any city but I especially loath Australian casinos. While were were talking around I remembered that Heston had a residency at Crown Melbourne and convinces him to the third floor to see Dinner by Heston. It was a Sunday afternoon and we did not have a reservation. We walked up the black hallway with images of food and ten suddenly a door opened. They were actually able to accommodate us for lunch but we already had lunch reservations somewhere else. Instead we got comfortable at the bar and enjoyed a coffee and a few cocktails. Now, I like a good coffee but I wasn't too keen on paying $12 for a cappuccino but we were there and I needed a coffee. It was good. Creamy but not really worth $12. Next up - the best bloody mary I have ever had in my life. I'm not a huge fan of bloody marys but can appreciate something when it is done well. In true Heston fashion out came out like a glass of white wine but the tomato juice (consomme) and house made Worcestershire vodka. It was balanced perfectly and didn't have that heavy tomato puree that usually turns me off. The other cocktail were beautiful but nothing compares to the Bloody Mary - I'm still thinking about it a week later. read more

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - Bloody Mary - Australian Near Me - Southbank, VIC

We had a great experience here. Although the menu is not the same as it was during the tv series of this restaurant opening, the menu still has enough interesting new flavor combinations to make the experience different from other restaurants. We had the three set dinner. We started with the patte that looks like an orange and the dish that has like a savory panna cotta & snails. The latter one was actually delicious. Complex and flavorful. The latter was delicious but I didn't get any citrus taste. For mains we had mushroom eye steak and the cherry veal. My goodness I've never eaten veal so tender... it was divine. For desert we had the strawberry shortcake tart and the vegemite ice cream. The strawberry tart was delicious with such flavorful raspberry ice cream. The vegemite ice cream was confusing lol I enjoyed the experience but it's not something I'd order every day, although I have no regrets. The point is to try new things! We finished with complimentary mini tarts that had roasted pineapple underneath and like a basil purée on top... weird but wonderful! I must say the service was exceptional. Very attentive indeed and very polite and cheerful. read more

This is the review I left on their facebook page. -------------------------------------------------------------------- We visited your restaurant on Wednesday night to celebrate the wife's birthday, and we both came away feeling disappointed and uninspired. While the staff were great, the food was a real let down. The pork belly was almost flavourless and was completely overwhelmed by the pea accompaniment - the dish was poorly balaced. Equally, the venison was also essentially flavourless and overwhelmed by the other items on the plate. More generally, the menu lacked flair and we were both searching for things that had the 'Heston flair' and were out of the ordinary. We were both sorely disappointed. A $600 bill (albeit including wine) rounds out why the event will be remembered - for all the wrong reasons read more

Thanks to an abundant supply of cooking shows with the name sake making an appearance - people will go here in droves regardless my opinion. Were they to ask for it - I would suggest you go somewhere else. It isn't fine dining and it isn't an experience. After fumbling your way through the dark entrance trying to figure out how to get in, you eventually land in a noisy seating area. You can hear every table's conversation, you can hear the waiters talking to each other. Zero ambience or mood - unless "chattering masses" is what you were going for. Our seat gave us a view of the aquarium on one side and the butts of the staff complaining and giving orders to each other on the other. Of course, it's all about the food - and this place doesn't deliver on that either. The menu is inspired by old English and 1970's Australian recipes. No more bland a cuisine could you find and Heston delivers on that expectation exactly. Like any good English dish, the side of beans was cooked to almost mush, the steak was filled with gristle and the chips were fatty tasting. The dessert was a heroic rescue from what felt like a misery I couldn't escape. The cherry flavour was intense and delicious in mine and my partners tipsy cake was a chunk of grilled pineapple (imported from 1974 Brisbane I suppose), but the brioche was light in texture and amazing in flavour. The staff understand what they need to do to deliver on good service, they just don't have the refinement or practice to pull it off. They felt hurried rather than expert. With leadership and sound baffling they could sort out those things. I don't think there is any hope for the food. read more

Had our friends 50 birthday dinner here. Food was very good, as you would expect from Mr Blumenthal. Wine list was a huge tome of a thing, if you can't find what you need in there you have a problem...But it may take time. Staff where the best in the business, they went above and beyond. My friend and I loved their sparkling water and made a comment to the waiter, so he offered to take us out the back and show us their new Scandinavian water purifier... I love that shit! If you want a top class meal with great wine and the best staff, then you are in good hands here. read more

I can not rate this restaurant and experience high enough. I've traveled the world and been to some absolutely amazing restaurants and well this is one of them. From the typsy cake (pineapple slow roasted for 6 hours and the almost sexual vanilla cream yumminess that accompanies it) The steak perfectly cooked, served with Heston's famous triple cooked chips. My gin and tonic, my boyfriends Austrian wine. OMG this restaurant is the best I've even been too. Not to mention the view - WOWSERS. It's relaxed, laid back, ambient and faultless. It's so good we plan to go every few months. read more

This is one of those experiences that you're willing to save up for. Nonetheless, I was glad I waited for Dinner by Heston and didn't end up winning those Fat Duck ballot seats, as it was almost in the 'affordable' range. First off, I have to say, I was not expecting the view from the restaurant to be so breathtaking, but I should have probably anticipated this given it is a fancy restaurant at Crown. Secondly, the bartenders are excellent, and rather than perusing the menu I highly recommend having a chat to them about everything you like, and everything you don't like. Give them as much detail as possible. For example, I told the bartender that I liked sour, so he recommended me a cocktail with apple in it, and it wasn't bad. However, when (after trying mine) I told him that I really liked things that were so sour your face would involuntarily screw up, he produced one MUCH more to my tastes (which I was determined to remember the name of but have nonetheless forgotten!). Thirdly, the clock, that is not a clock, that is connected to the spits roasting the pineapples, is fascinating and beautifully made. Now on to the food. I'm not the most... ADVENTUROUS of diners, but I was determined on coming here that I would try something out of my comfort zone. That something was the meat fruit. And it was insanely delicious. Generally, I avoid anything... innards-y. So I wasn't really sure that I would like it. But like it I did. The artistry in the lifelike fruit is of course amazing, and this dish alone pretty much made the night worthwhile for me. It also a very generous portion, being so rich - while it comes with one slice of sinfully delicious toast (fried in some sort of fat I'm sure) you can ask for more toast if you like. I'd say the amount of pate would easily cover 3 pieces of toast, should you care to share with your table-mates. I did have designs on the pork belly which was sadly unavailable that evening, so I opted for the special of the day, a 72 hour braised beef rib. I don't think it is necessary to explain the result of this, as you imagine, so it was. And for dessert, the goats cheese cake, which is both cheese cake and goats cheese, complete with it's disguise as a soft cheese coated around the rim with ash. Another very rich, very creamy, heavenly dish. I would warn you to anticipate the richness and order much less than you think you can eat. Leaving the venue I felt quite sick, not from quantity but seemly from the severe MUCHNESS of everything. Every bite filled your mouth with flavour, fattiness, richness, over indulgence, and sad to say we didn't even have room for the optional nitro gelato at the end. It's an expensive experience and certainly an indulgence, but if you're going to do it, do it at a Heston's restaurant. It's a far cry from heading out to yet another up market modern Australian venue, and if you don't drink too much alcohol, you could get away with around $150 pp, which really isn't too much of a stretch, even if it means forgoing the Friday night take out for a few weeks. It certainly beats the $500+ for the Fat Duck, yet still delivers some unique flavours and visual masterpieces. Oh, and I nearly forgot. The little roll of butter with the pre-dinner bread was the most adorable and perfectly formed butter I have ever seen. It's the little things. read more

OK so I cheated. This is not really a Michelin 3 star because Michelin doesn't come here. Having failed miserably at trying to obtain last minute reservations at 3-Star Fat Duck & Dinner the last two times I was in England (punishment for procrastination), I was determined not be thwarted again by Heston Blumenthal's restaurants and easily got a reservation here about 4 weeks before. Thank you internet. ATMOSPHERE: Yes the Crown Casino Building that it resides in is over the top, bordering tacky. Yes the covert dark hallway and secret-ish sliding door entrance is equally over the top and highly unnecessary, but it definitely leaves you with lasting first and last impressions of what is a truly badass dining room. Stunning views of Melbourne & The Yarra River by night. Alarming yet amusing flames from the torches of the casino that interject your meals with bursts of light. And a massive open dining room with a view of a military precision level kitchen. SERVICE: Among the best I've seen anywhere. Precise, unobtrusive, entertaining, educational - simply stellar. The wait staff were knowledgeable, relaxed and genuinely seemed to enjoy sharing their food and experience with you. FOOD: I can't say I'm sold on English food or whatever updated modern version of it that Dinner presents. But it was definitely different, challenged my taste buds and left me wanting more. - Bread & Butter - Its bread and butter, nuff said - Marron & Cucumber soup - light and refreshing - Meat Fruit - Dear god this was large - please share this among four people and not just an app for 1 - Adorable presentation and a solid chicken liver mousse. - Chicken & Lettuce - I don't like chicken or lettuce but I was wrong, it CAN be tasty. - Red Snapper In Cider - Dear GOD. This is the most amazing complex sauce EVER. we were still talking about it after we came back to the US. I'm STILL talking about it. This is one I will remember for a long time. - Mashed Potatoes - I don't wanna know how much butter was in this and I don't even like potatoes, but this was gooood. - Brown Bread Ice Cream - I feel lame that I can't appreciate the yeastiness of this dessert but it was too over-powering for me. - Tipsy Cake - Yeah, the hype is real. This is good stuff. Order it. Make sure to check out the totally cool looking pineapple grill in the kitchen. COST: Considering the experience and quality of the food, at just about $100 USD per person, this is SERIOUSLY the best bang for your buck fine dining experience ever. I would definitely go back if I were in Melbourne again, or perhaps if I EVER get into the one in England. (Fat chance of that.) read more

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Dinner by Heston started in London (2011) and quickly awarded one Michelin star then won 5th place on The World's Best Restaurant list. Heston is fond of the historic British gastronomy and it also has the influence on the name of the restaurant. In the old days, dinner was a main meal whether it was eaten on midday or nighttime but on some area in UK, people still use dinner for lunch/dinner. Heston had 15 restaurant offers from around the world but he love Melbourne and that's what lead him here. Dinner by Heston opened in Melbourne on October 2015, it's the first Heston's permanent restaurant outside of the UK. Obviously that reservations is highly recommended, it has been a challenge from the very first day, lucky me I managed to get a table within their second month. Melbourne kitchen is headed by Ashley Palmer-Watts with each dish represents or inspired by historical British dish. Heston is really serious regarding his British roots and it clearly shown. The restaurant was spacious and open, decorated with dark wood tables and chair. They have some rounded comfortable sofas for some tables. The view highlighting Melbourne skyline enhanced the vibe to even more modern but classy and luxurious. The service was incredibly friendly, helpful and attentive. Even though our dinner was running a bit late because of the desserts come a little bit longer than expected and there are people waiting for our table, they still provided the best service they can. On my honeymoon in 2013, I have the privilege to visit Dinner by Heston, London and I have to say the menu is very similar to what Melbourne is serving right now. They do use some Australian ingredients to create a twist on their dishes. The menu is a la carte with a reasonable prices but a bit higher than the normal fine dining dishes, high 30's for entrees, high 40's - high 80's for main and high 20's for dessert. There is a tasting menu options but only available for chefs table or private dining room. Their meat fruit and tipsy cake is a must order. Overall, I have the same feeling as my previous visits to Dinner by Heston in London. Loving the vibe of the place and service, it's outstanding. Regarding the food, I feel the entrees and desserts are much stronger than the main. read more

What can I say, everyone basically has the same response to Dinner. The location is amazing and tasteful, the service is superb, and the food/drinks are top notch. We arrived early and had several drinks in the bar area. The bartenders are very good and are knowledgable about their drinks. We had some interesting drinks. One was the essence of Barossa, a drink that tries to distill the terroir of Barossa without any of the wine flavour. A cool idea and delicious. Similarly interesting was the bloody Mary. Colorless and served in a wine glass without and veggies, it look like anything but a bloody Mary, but with the magic of chemistry, it tastes very much like the bloodys we know and love. Our meal didn't deviate that much from the modal Dinner diner. We ordered the meat fruit (cliched I know, but as good as advertised) and the Rice and Flesh (very good and strange; people who compare the sauce to vegemite are not wrong). We paired this with a lovely half bottle of Riesling (the sommelier is excellent). For main/(US)entree we had the Powdered duck (superb) and the Snapper (simple but great). This was also paired with some interesting choices of wine. For desert we shared the Pineapple cake. Again, as good as advertised. Overall, we made some safe choices, but they were all great. We also had the side of mashed potatoes, which was as good as many of the other dishes.If I were to go again, I would chose the marrow and snails to start, the lamb and cucumber, and the deconstructed Lamington. A note about wine at Dinner. If you are interested in the Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982, they have it. It is $11,000 a bottle (where is the 1985?!?), but they have it. We had several wines and port with desert. They have a port from 1915 (15ml for $70) and several other exotic options, but if you tell the sommelier how much you want to spend, he or she will find some really tasty options. Overall, not for those afraid to spend a silly amount, but an interesting experience. read more

Melbourne's Dinner By Heston doesn't let you down. The standard is what you expect from a high end restaurant. Service is great and when we went the sommelier was amazing. Definitely worth every dollar. read more

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Loved the liver pate small plate. For main course we had fish and venison which lacked flavor. But super friendly staff who gave advice for what to do in Australia. read more

A food journey showcasing amazing techniques and detail. Attentive service and very friendly and warming. The meals are inventive with twists on classic flavors. Up side down cake and beef royal a favourite read more

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What can I say... The name says it all. Dinner by Heston was everything we could have hoped for. Experienced staff with excellent knowledge of the menu and more then happy to help. The food was simply amazing and lived up to its high expectations. If you are local to Melbourne or planning a trip there do make sure you book well in advance and try it out. read more

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Anyone who gives this place a bad review should stay at the level they want I.e. KFC or MacDonalds or any of the Irish Pubs in town. If you want to experience something different then this is the place. If you want fish and chips then go elsewhere. I was there with my daughter to experience the creativity, we were not disappointed. The food and service is exceptional. If you want to whinge about the price then you should not be there, if you want a cheap meal try elsewhere, for us we were happy to pay for what we wanted. A night we will remember for a long time. We waited an hour for our table and were happy to do so. Go there and enjoy, if you have doubts stick to Irish pubs - that's your level read more

The selection on the menu was just perfect. The menu for starters offered different types of appetizers but not overwhelming. Same with the main but I wish there were more selection for seafood. Dessert was amazing with many diff options. The ambiance is elegant so it works well if you dress for the occasion but either way the staff are professional and the service was marvelous. Great selection of Drinks and we got a bottle of local Shiraz from Victoria. Everything was timely served to you so you had time to Enjoy it all we never felt rushed because our waiter focused on our table alone. The waiter served as someone who gave us information about everything on the menu as well as provide tips of best pairings. He carried on the conversation very well through the night. He earned his hefty tip for sure. It was a great experience for fine dining and I think the prize was not bad at all it is worth it and fairly prized! You wouldn't come here if you didn't have the means to because these are smaller portions, everything is a la carte, a starter will cost $30's and main $80-170.00 USD and dessert if you wish to have one $30's each or more and of course the drinks are a menu on its own. So, I suggest for special events and for the experience I think this place is a must try and see! Great view of the city a 360 degrees of the town of Melbourne and they're clever with the presentation ask about the ice cream that's made in front of you with nitrogen :) the pineapple being roasted in front for everyone to see because their kitchen has glass walls it's amazing to see the staff work so well! You gotta try this place read more

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Reviewing Dinner by Heston should start by finding exactly where it is. It's on the third level at Crown Towers (the hotel), right by the hotel pool/spa. The door and entry is rather mysterious and leads down to a long corridor where you reach the end, and if you're like us... look to each other and look back to wall.. and then back to each other. I touched around to find ... a way to open something that I'm not sure is there, and then to my right a door slides open and the restaurant is revealed. Our service was impeccable, the view is lovely, but to be honest I enjoyed the view of the working kitchen more. Behind a full glass wall, I can watch them but can't hear them working away. The three of us selected the 5 course set menu for lunch, and I had mine paired with wine. Each glass was presented with the bottle and the story, location behind it. A little lost on me, but damn it was good wine. It's Heston, so we delighted in the mandarin that wasn't really a mandarin and enjoy the flavours and presentation of the food. Each course had a date of origin and a story of where and when the dish came from. The waiter takes the time to explain them as they are served. My daughter was impressed enough to want to keep a copy of the menu, which in itself was presented with a ribbon thick card wrapped around the menu with a food fact written in each one, each one different so we could read them all and compare. We visited the ladies room, dark, different with spotlights directly over the toilet. Make sure you check that out.. also a puzzle to get in and out of in the way of finding doors. So the entire dining experience was theatrical, exceptional, on point, the flavours were very good and we loved it being fans of Heston. All this, and I'm in no rush to go back. Loved it, glad I did it... but still, it will be a long time between drinks (no matter how fantastic the wine and home made lemonade was). Naturally it may have something to do with lunch costing just shy of $700. read more

A very special dining experience here all the way in Melbourne. A beautiful restaurant serving some of Heston's signature dishes, strange and wonderful cocktails all with great service. My fiance treated me a dinner here for my birthday and the restaurant ticked all the right boxes. The meat fruit was visually impressive and the parfait creamy and smooth. The bone marrow and snails was cleverly presented in marrow bone. Flavour was rich and was accompanied with pickled vegetables which was good to cut through the richness. The rib eye steak was full of flavour. I had Heston's triple cooked chips with the steak dish which were crunchy and soft in the middle served with a lovely mushroom catchup as well as the most indulgent buttery mash potato of my life. For dessert I had the tipsy cake which was beautifully light. You see the pineapple's used for this dish roasting in the kitchen which is a site to behold. Lastly we had the nitro ice cream which was made at our table which was a great visual experience, with the option of picking your toppings. Also do make sure you have a bloody Mary cocktail, it will be a surprise! Hard to fault this place, thank you Heston. read more

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An amazing experience from start to finish. The atmosphere is enjoyable, with gorgeous views inside (bustling glass kitchen) and out (Southbank). The wine list has something for everyone and the sommelier will direct you where you need to go. I had a German Reisling that was like liquid gold. The food is outstanding. The metal fruit lives up to the hype and is a perfect started. The Maron with prawn tartare is delicate and full of flavour. For mains the Snapper is sensational, the sauce is perfect. I tried the Vegemite ice cream for dessert, it's weird and wonderful. Salty and sweet. The tipsy tart is also good. read more

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Do not go here. Not worth the money at all. To be honest a steak and chips at the pub is better. I paid $350 for a bottle of wine that I googled and was only $40. It's disgraceful and disrespectful read more

Without doubt the greatest meal I have ever had. The experience starts before you even get into the restaurant, with a walk down a dark corridor to a hidden doorway. We were greeted warmly and seated at the bar while our table was prepared, and very knowledgeable and friendly staff helped my boyfriend and I select a cocktail each to suit our tastes, both of which were perfect. I had the Dog's Nose which was unbelieveable, like mixing gin with a dark beer, and my partner had an Old Fashioned. Once seated at our table, we continued to be impressed by the service of the staff who helped us decide what to order and gave us detailed information on the individual dishes. While we waited we had beautiful bread and salty butter. We ordered three entrees; the Meat Fruit could not be faulted, it was beautifully presented, creamy and unbelievably good. I went out on a limb and had the savoury porridge, which while beautifully presented and tasty wasn't my favourite dish of the evening, but I stress that this is due to individual taste preference than any fault on the chef's part; I've never had abalone before and now am not quite sure why it has such hype surrounding it. My partner had the hay smoked trout (which was substituted for kingfish this evening) which he loved though said he was slightly underwhelmed by the size, so I guess if you are a bloke that eats a lot perhaps not the dish for you? For mains I ordered the pork belly which again was perfection, and my partner declared his duck the best dish he has ever eaten in his life. We love experimenting with different food, so don't let the umbles put you off, they were delicious and soft. We ordered a side of green beans, having found meals aren't usually filling enough in high end restaurants but we found the mains were sufficient size (especially after three entrees between us and bread). I also had the cider gimlet with my main which paired perfectly with the pork, and the waiter was kind enough to allow me to sample the vodka they have which is distilled through various rocks etc. It was lovely and would suit a martini conoisseur. We had pre-ordered the Tipsy Cake for dessert, and despite by ever-filling belly, I had to order the Brown Bread ice-cream as well; I'm glad I did. While the Tipsy Cake was lovely and appears in other reviews to be the star of the menu, for me the Brown Bread ice cream blew it away. It was such a perfect blend of flavours, and of savoury and sweet. I'm a big fan of dark beers and it had a similar flavour profile. It was perfect. The meal was topped off with a flat white for me, and a small pot of earl gray infused ganache with caraway crackers (with a lovely 'Happy Birthday' message for me). We left more than satisfied, so impressed from the minute we walked in the door and unable to fault a single point. The bill was a pleasant surprise too, as we didn't hold back ordering and the meal was less than $380 for two; I expected a lot more. I said that this was a once in a lifetime meal, but we will most certainly be returning. read more

Wonderful experience of fine dining. Excellent food and friendly attentive service. For starters, I had grilled octopus in a smoked sea broth (Frumenty) a delight of flavored and textures. My partner, who always manages to pick something more interesting than I do, did it again with "Rice and Flesh" saffron curried Kangaroo tail. A bed of saffron rice with shavings of kangaroo which was even more delightful than my choice. My "unadventurous" main was a fillet of Black Angus that was perfectly cooked, with a delicious beef jus and mushroom ketchup. This was served with triple fried fries that I had to unfortunately share! The quality was what you would expect in such an establishment. The other main was roast snapper, which again had an excellent combination of flavored. To be healthy, we had cabbage on the side! I am not a fan of cabbage, but polished this off, may have something to do with the butter it was prepared in! For pudding, we shared a "Tipsy Cake" an incredibly light desert, that is cake infused with brandy over 45 mins and served with spit roasted pineapple. To complete our experience, we had ice creams that were made at our table with liquid nitrogen. You get offered 4 toppings- I recommend the popping apple with any other. We finished with coffees that were served with a chocolate Ganesh. As would be expected, the drinks menu is extensive. Overall, a wonderful complete dining experience. read more

British food done extremely well, as expected from a Heston restaurant; the service is impeccable and atmosphere is perfect. The nitrogen ice cream show is fun and tastes great. The experience is worth the wait, however; I'm unsure of the repeat appeal. read more

Was alright. Nice view over Melbourne. Waitress a bit pretentious. Long wait between starter and main. Meh.

i loves this place. this is the 2nd time i've eaten at this place as the first time was in London at the mandarin with my husband on our honeymoon. my 2 favourite dishes is a dish called meat fruit and the tipsy cake. excellent service and very helpful with dish and wine recommendations. i love the interior of the restaurant and it has an awesome view of southbank. we had dinner here so we got to enjoy the sunset. i would definitely love to come here a 3rd time if i get the chance read more

Man o man, can't stop thinking about that tipsy cake. Great bar selection, and of course the meat fruit is a must. One of the staff seemed a bit amateur, but possibly just a new employee with nerves. read more

Disappointing for vegans. I called ahead to ask about whether they would be able to cater to vegans and they said it would be no problem. I never expect much from from restaurants who specialise in one cuisine but Heston's reputation as one of the most creative and innovative chefs in world had me excited about what his kitchen would be able to put together. I ordered the vegan versions of the Frumenty and the Braised Celery (recommended by the waiter). It was clear after one bite that the kitchen hadn't put much thought into the vegan versions of these dishes. They lacked depth and cohesion - the chef had simply removed the animal products without replacing them with much of anything. My friend's Braised celery came filled and oozing while mine was empty. What is more, when I asked the waiter before ordering if my entree was a salad, he responded with "if you're vegan all the options are going to be a plate a vegetables", revealing just how limited the wait staff's understanding of vegan food was. The whole experience reminded me of a make-up artist who can only make up a Caucasian face and struggles with Asian or darker complexions. Are Heston's chefs only capable of creating spectacular dining experiences when they involve animal protein? Vegan fine dining is not a foreign concept - OTTO in Sydney recently released a full vegan degustation menu to cater to these new diners and chefs like Tal Ronnen have built entire careers around vegan fine-dining. As one of the more creative and modern chefs of the world, there seems to be a huge opportunity for Heston to challenge his chefs to truly think outside the box and re-think the concept of a meal, especially since the demand for vegan options is increasingly rapidly in Australia and the US. I look forward to revisiting Dinner By Heston in the future and enjoying innovative, delicious plant-based options. read more