I recently attended a conference at this venue. It's very good. The spaces are large, airy and…read moreflexible. The location is very easy to find and the facilities are well appointed. Food over the two days was consistently good, with nice variety and good quality. The barista served coffee was extra good. Service was professional, discrete and responsive. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to come back here again. Thank you.

Food was delicious and perfect potions. The music was way…read moretoo loud which ruins the experience. Service is great

State of Grace was one of the highlights of our Melbourne trip -- an incredible dining experience…read morefrom start to finish. The atmosphere is vibrant, stylish, and full of character. From the moment you walk in, there's a buzz that makes the place feel alive without being overwhelming. It strikes a great balance between upscale and relaxed, making it perfect for a date night or a fun evening out. The warm lighting and eclectic design add to the charm and make you want to linger. Service was friendly, attentive, and well-paced throughout the night. The staff were knowledgeable about the menu, checked in on us at the right moments, and made the whole experience feel effortless and welcoming. Every dish we ordered was excellent -- not a single miss. We started with the Cauliflower & Mozzarella Croquettes, which were crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy inside. The Grilled King Prawns were flavorful and cooked just right, while the Kingfish Ceviche was fresh, bright, and beautifully balanced. The Stracciatella & Heirloom Tomatoes was simple yet outstanding, letting the quality of the ingredients shine. For mains, the Duck Breast was cooked perfectly and full of rich flavor, and the Lamb Backstrap was tender and well-seasoned. The Pecorino & Ricotta Ravioli was comforting and delicate, while the Seafood Linguine stood out with generous portions of seafood and a beautifully balanced sauce. The Honey Glaze Carrots were the perfect side -- sweet, savory, and executed flawlessly. Overall, State of Grace delivers on every level -- ambience, service, and food. An exceptional spot that lives up to the hype, and one we'd absolutely return to on our next visit to Melbourne.

Did you know there's a cinema hidden away in Southbank/South Melbourne? It was news to me too, but…read moreI went to The Backlot Studios to check it out as an event venue. Backlot is a private cinema, open to groups - think work functions, parties, hens/bucks (apparently you can play games on the big screen too). The cinema fits about 80 people and the chairs are so comfy. Big black leather seats and big double seats in the back. Unlike some smaller/pop-up movie theatres, this place gives you the proper cinema experience - dark, big screen, big sound, no distractions from the outside world. There is a candy bar at the front that will play videos (and logos if you're a business hiring it out). They have catering options or there's a small surcharge per head to bring in food/drink depending on what kind of catering you're looking at. Looking forward to heading back to catch a movie with a friend or 70.

What an evening. This cinema takes intimate seriously and although I got to experience it as part…read moreof an event I would love to find out what it is like as an everyday screening. With only one screening room they managed to really make watching a movie comfortable. Between the giant leather couches, the free private parking, the movie sound which plays in the bathroom so that you don't get left behind and the decor which makes going to the movies more authentic they really did well. To top it off they even have couple's leather chairs so that you can really get up close when your parter gets a fright. I'll make sure to post more in depth once I've experience it for real!

Revolt art space is a wonderful, amazing venue located in the suburb of Kensington, which is about…read more10 minutes away from the CBD. When I first came here it was to see one of my favorite bands (Bonjah) play on Australia day 2010. I was blown away. The huge 'factory' is abundant with art. It's visual candy - everywhere. There are separate rooms with couches filled with sculptures and paintings. It has a main stage with with ample room for standing to watch a band or performer. Performers vary from dancers to mimes to comedians to actors. Revolt is open most days - it has a chill atmosphere you can just call in have a coffee and read a book or attend one of the many events which can be found on their website. The staff at Revolt are a family - literally. They took lease of the space in 2009 and have worked hard to make it what it is today. I was lucky enough to volunteer during the 2011 Fringe Festival which was a great experience. I encourage you all to call into Revolt & check it out, if only for the visual experience. You will be amazed at this place & wonder why you have never visited there before. They serve alcohol & have bar food. http://www.revoltproductions.com/home/

Revolt is a secret pirate cave of wonderment. I want to say more, but I don't think I could capture…read morethe excitement of the first time I entered and wandered around the many rooms and spaces that have amassed in this new performing arts centre in Kensington. It's a maze, designed with both performers and audience in mind. The crew make sure you're getting a truly unique experience by either attending or using Revolt to stage your event. What's more (and the bit I think I like the most) is their philosophy of supporting new artists. For someone with a great idea but not a big plan on how to market that idea, this is possibly the place to approach to stage it. It's a bit of a secret, really, tucked down a back street in an unassuming warehouse district, but not one that should stay so.

Visiting pubs is cool, but visiting themed bars is even better. I ended up here one day when I was…read morenot working and had just been to the cinema in Brighton, so I was making my way home and decided to visit some places that I hadn't normally visited - and this was one of those places. The name really does suit the place, or more so the place really does fit the name. There are a few rooms about with some lovely, and quite comfortable, chairs. In fact, it is the rooms that really give this place it's charm, including the outdoor area out the back. Okay, it was pretty quiet when I visited, but that also adds to the charm.

I don't know why I allow this quaint little bar slip out of my mind so often when I think of places…read moreto go out for a nice quiet drink with a couple of people or hold a small function. Antique Bar has a beautiful sophistication in the air and fine cocktails, wine and beer in the glasses. The décor will take you back to an age where everyone wore a suite just to go to the corner store. I think I have just talked myself into where I will be going tonight for a couple of quiet drinks.

Great venue with a good selection on the menu and wine list to please all. The gnocchi was…read moredelicious and staff friendly. Will definitely be back.

From the owner: Looking for a great pub in South Melbourne?…read more Look no further than The Market Hotel an iconic pub in South Melbourne, with an award winning garden inspired fit out. With a focus on local craft beer, friendly service and relaxed vibes, The Market is a classic corner pub with a lot of heart. Beer is our backbone with multiple rotating craft taps from all over Australia, with guest appearances from the occasional overseas friend. Our staff are proud beer nerds and we've always got our eyes pealed for new brews to share with our patrons.

I disagree with those who say The Point Albert Park is one of the best restaurants in Melbourne…read more The decor and architecture inside this place is nothing special. I was quite disappointed actually. It has a simple reception style decor. The restaurant is located in front of the Albert Park Lake. Depending on the day or night, the view may be nice to look at. Unfortunately, the view was far from spectacular that night. I assume that the view and location is contributes to the price and reputation of this place. I can see that this place can be a suitable venue for a wedding function as there is a separate big dining function room. Personally, this isn't my personal preference in terms of architecture and space. The actual restaurant is quite small, narrow and not as extravagant as I expected. There were many other couples that night. I personally wouldn't recommend this place for date night as there are other better places to take someone on a date. Then again, the view might be more appealing during the day or during summer night. My partner and I started with a dozen of natural oysters with lemon. Half a dozen of St Helens Tasmania and half of Coffin Bay (which is actually my favourite oysters). The oysters were ok, and was not cold enough. It was room temperature or as if the oysters were sitting in the kitchen bench for a while. I believe natural oysters served at a fine dining restaurant should be served cold, not warm. I had the Seared rock lobster, veal sweetbread, Parmesan gnocchi and crepe sauce. It was a standard sized meal for a fine dining restaurant, but if you're big eater or prefer a pub sized meal then you'll be disappointed with this dish. It was actually a good sized meal for me. The lobster meat was delicious and meaty, the parmesan gnocchi was soft, fresh and had a cheesy (not overpowering) taste upon first bite. The veal was tougher than the lobster and had a slightly burnt bitter taste. This was a good contrast to the rest of the dish which is quite delicate including the crepe sauce. It was a fine dish but I wouldn't order this dish again because I've had more memorable and scrumptious lobster dishes as a main. As for the presentation, it was average and expected more creativity for the price tag and the reputation of this restaurant. My partner ordered the David Blackmore wagyu steak which was listed on the menu. He requested for the steak to be cooked medium. Upon the arrival of his steak with no explanation of the steak so we assumed it was the David Blackmore wagyu plate, parsley and beetroot my partner ordered from the menu. The presentation was simple without any WOW factor. My partner said it was good steak but slightly too salty for his liking. I had several bites and was in love. In my opinion it was very delicious with a slight charcoaled outer taste and tender meat inside. Along with the steak and lobster as our main, we had the Cauliflower, bearnaise sauce and gruyere. We shared dessert and had the Pear souffle, Poire William and Champagne sorbet. Once again, presentation was average but the taste was amazing. The soufflé was soft and fluffy on the top and syrupy at the bottom with obvious sweetness from the pear. The champagne sorbet was perfect, cold, smooth and does not have that typical strong sweet or sour sugary sorbet taste. The bill arrived for a much high total than we expected. It turns out there was a hiccup somewhere between the waiter and the kitchen or waiter and the manager. I won't go into specific dollars but I will say we were charged for an item that wasn't even on the menu and was more expensive. Luckily, my partner enjoyed his steak (except for the slight saltiness) so was happy to pay. Personally, I think there's a problem when between 3-4 people cannot get an order right. Overall, the food delivers on quality and taste, but lacks creativity in terms of plating. So I can see how this restaurant is rated on their food but The Point Albert Park needs to work on their communication and customer service. The food is pricey but you will get quality produce. Whether it is worth the money, you'll have to judge it for yourself. Personally, I'll save my money for other places in the future because I don't believe in paying for fine food with not so fine service.

One of the main selling point for this restaurant is definitely the view, so take advantage and go…read morewhen you can actually enjoy it. Unlike me, arriving there on a rainy evening I really didn't get to enjoy any view outside. Much of it was pitch black haha Service was lovely, the host even offered to go and top up our parking meter. Being a heavily rainy night, we don't want to put her in the position but appreciated the gesture. Our meal was good and on par for the price however one visit is enough for me. The reason being that although I was there a few weeks ago, I don't remember exactly what we had :/ which usually means nothing was a stand out.

The Esplanade Hotel was a cute pub and hotel restaurant. Me and family stumbled upon while…read moreexploring St. Kilda and was it a delicious, comfort meal. We were tired and this spot was perfect. The food was fresh and good. It did exactly what it was supposed to. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy, just a solid meal! Service was slow and hard to order through your phone here (maybe it was just our service) but the workers were still very kind, patient and accommodating. Definitely worth checking it out!

Just a local pub inside the hotel. Has a nice selection of food and drinks but service was a bit…read moreslow. Food was pretty good for bar food. Chicken was cooked well and nice and crispy and the fries were great.