The Elpho, as it's affectionately know, is my local for another week or so. It's off the beaten…read moretrack, so to speak, so it's definitely a 'locals' pub. There aren't too many passers-by out this way unless there's an event on. Staff are very friendly and know everyone by name. The current owners reopened the pub almost a year ago after a kitchen fire that saw the Elpho closed for about 3 years. They remodeled the interior so it's fresher but still retains that country pub feel. The kitchen is open Wednesday through to Sunday and offers up your average pub menu and the food is tasty and pretty well priced. A burger with chips & salad or a parma will set you back around $15 or something like crumbed lamb cutlets are $20 (and I can vouch for them being freakin' delicious!). Downfall being that it's hard to pick when they're going to have a quiet or busy night. It's always safest to call up and book a table just in case because we have been denied meals in the past due to unexpected busy nights. We held an event here in August and they were very accomodating, admitting that they wouldn't be able to cater for the number of people we were expecting so they organised a woodfired pizza van to set up out front for our hungry attendees. When a few hundred people turned up (many more than we expected) and drank them out of kegs and stubbies the owner drove into town to purachse more alcohol for everyone. Now that's a commitment to customer service! They have a huge beer garden out back and stock local brews from Harcourt. They even have their own pale ale on tap. It'll be sad to leave this local behind but we're hoping to use them for another event in the future.

Decent quality food, good value. nice ambience. not really kid friendly.read more

Family friendly with great selection of food and fast service. Worth your time. Will be back. Good…read morevegetarian options. The plate size was generous. Happy and friendly staff. Upstairs is food and outdoor dining; while downstairs has a pool table and I think music so more club/pub. Ample car parking but can get full so get there early - it's popular for a reason.

Hands down the best pub in Castlemaine area (worth the short drive or gorgeous bush walk from…read moretown). Great ingredients, top noch chef, awesome front of house Scottish hospitality. The locals in Chewton are a tough bunch to please and they're happy! Front bar has classy grub and some hearty AF classics like the pub chips - with gravy & cheese! Treat yo self.

This place looks so inviting and quaint from the outside but inside it's totally different. The…read morelocals stopped and stared as soon as we walked in, mind you, we only live 5 minutes away from here. And it's as though the barman was going out of his way to NOT serve us, serving everyone around us. Oh no! Outsiders? A female? People with tattoos? I don't know, but it was strange. Finally he decided to take our orders but the whole process was confusing. Do we order food from the bar or from around the corner? And there were a couple of different menus for different sized meals. Once we made our order we decided to sit in the beer garden away from everyone glaring at us. We waited ages for our food to come while people who'd arrived after us received their meals - and it certainly wasn't busy. We overheard 2 different tables of people complaining that they'd received the wrong meals. When the food finally came out it was pretty average. I mean, you kind of expect them to step up their game if you're going to wait forever for it but it definitely wasn't worth the wait. After we had finished our meal a waitress actually brought out our meals AGAIN. Somebody in the kitchen was obviously very confused and unorganised. I wouldn't recommend stopping for this pub but if you're in Chewton for some reason maybe just stand out the front for a quick drink and move along.

Love it best food ever steak night is the best time you can 5 stars so good love and why do we have…read moreto have 85 characters

The steak was cooked perfectly throughout, a good quality piece with some nice charring and great…read moreflavour. You can choose from mushroom, peppercorn or garlic butter sauce, the mushroom sauce is rich and compliments my gorgeous steak perfectly. The beer battered chips are YUM! Crispy coating, soft interior and a winner! I can imagine a big bowl would go down well on a night after work with a few beers!... read more at my blog

I really wanted to have an Aussie steak while staying in Australia. The Railway Club Hotel had…read moregreat reviews on trip advisor and luckily was close to where we were staying. The best way to get to the restaurant is by car and there are tons of street parking. You could take a tram if you don't have a car. Dinner reservation is a must. It is recommended to book a couple days before, and they do not take any walk-in once they are booked fully. I was debating between Eye Fillet (their Fillet Mignon without bacon-wrap) and Scotch Fillet (Rib Eye without T-bone), but decided to go with 220g (8oz) Eye Fillet. My steak was perfectly cooked medium rare as I ordered and the meat was very tnder. I ordered a side of garlic and truffle oil sauce and it went well with my steak. They do bring out horse radish and 3 different mustards free of charge. It was bit surprising Aussies use mustard for steak but it was very good. Every steak comes with thick cut chips (they mean fries) and was sooooo good! I loved them as much as I loved the steak. My husband's salmon was bid too bland but surely generous portioned with two huge jumbo shrimps. Their price is very reasonable for the quality and quantity. I would definitely come back here if I was in Melbourne again.

Raw shrimp from surf and turf. Waited 90 minutes for mains. Even the bread rolls have been…read moredispensed of. Maybe inflation is really biting, apparent with the undercoverage from the wait staff. Maccas might be more in line with expectations

It may be in the middle of nowhere, but it's a bloody good pub!…read more Radio Springs is the most fantastic and weird mix of a tiny little local, constantly buzzing with the inhabitants of Lyonville, and quite a fancy restaurant, offering some pretty delicious (though not super cheap) dinner options. I had the steak with garlic sauce which was pretty damn drool worthy. The chips & vegies on the side were great too. Radio Springs is a little bit like visiting someone's house- you can sit on the open verandah area and have a beer if the weather is nice, feast on dinner around the fireplace with a live band in the background if that's what suits, or head around to the red room at the back, where you'll feel transported to a different era in the rather elegant and dimly lit dining room. This one is worth a visit for the overall experience. Don't expect a regular restaurant as this place is in a world of it's own, but I'm not complaining!

Between Dalysford and Trentham in what can be called inner rural Victoria, or more to the point a…read moretown called Lyonville, places like the Radio Springs are a bit of an oasis. the place had a wonderful eclecticism going on, and when you walk into the rather small space we found the walls held up be several musicians playing very laid back tunes together. The music is ragtime and 1940s things and the bartender is nowhere to be seen. It's only when the song had finished and one of hem stands up and walks round the other side of the counter that it sinks in. This is pub full if the most intimate of locals, locals from all around. There are actual hotel facilities (unlike several places in Melbourne called a Hotel, which are in fact only a pub). From what I heard they're reasonable rooms and in nice surroundings when the sun's up.

I've only been here once, but it as a great experience. The staff is extremely friendly and full of…read moreknowledge. The wines are absolutely delicious Sam well. This place would be a great place to stop by and have a nice cozy drink on an afternoon just to relax.

Just what Ballarat needed. Awesome selection of local wines with some great international options…read moretoo. This places oozes with ambiance - a must visit if you a wine lover visiting the region!