D U M B O — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I’ve tried both dine-in and takeaway so far, and here’s what I think:

Beef Burgers – Absolutely 11/10. These are genuinely great burgers. The patties are perfectly seared, the cheese melts beautifully, and the buns strike a great balance—not too oily, not too sweet or dry. Even the pickles are top-tier.

Southern Fried Chicken Burger – 3/10. This one just didn’t hit the mark. The thicker parts of the chicken felt slightly undercooked, and the bun was nowhere near as good as the ones used for the beef burgers—it fell apart while eating. Definitely disappointing compared to the beef options.

Fries – 7/10. Pretty standard fries, but the addition of vinegar is a nice touch that I welcome.

Cheesy Mac Balls – 1/10. Not a fan at all. They were far too salty, mushy, and tasted like they were made with overly processed cheese.

Onion Rings – 4/10. They were okay, but not worth $9. Very similar to Betty’s Burgers’ onion rings, so nothing special here.

Honorable Mention – The mustard bottles at each table. 0/10. If you like extremely pungent, spicy mustard that makes your eyes water, this one’s for you.

Staff and Service – 11/10. The team here is absolutely phenomenal. They’re friendly, attentive, and create a great dining atmosphere.

Overall, I’d come back, but only for the smashed patty beef burgers—they’re the real stars...

Really wanted to love this place, but experienced too many issues to enjoy our visit.

It's a classic example of style over substance, don't really understand why a smash burger place is being positioned as a mid-to-high end dining experience when the food really is just what you'd find at Broken Hearts. Prices would be acceptable if the chicken burgers weren't comically small - imagine a Zinger patty then divide that by 3 - that's how thin it was.

Smash burger and Mac n cheese balls were really nice, but again it's comparable to Broken Hearts. What really ruined the experience was the service and wait time - took around 45 minutes for 2 burgers and the Mac balls, and it was clear that the FOH staff were just chilling and not really caring about the antsy customers who were also waiting way too long for food. They also didn't bring out tap water (I politely asked when my partner ordered his beer) which, when it was clear they weren't busy (on their phones quite a bit), just came off as inattentive. Had to get up to find a server to ask again after the food finally came out.

Disappointed, I'm sure they can work on these issues and improve but yeah, won't be back...

If you’re a burger lover, Dumbo in Hamilton should definitely be on your radar. I stopped by recently and was seriously impressed with the quality of the food. The burgers were incredibly tasty — juicy, flavorful, and cooked just right. What really stood out was how well-balanced everything was. They didn’t skimp on the sauce, but it wasn’t overdone either. Just enough to bring everything together without making a mess of the bun.

But let’s talk about the real MVP: the salt and vinegar fries. Wow. Hands down some of the best fries I’ve had in a long time. Perfectly crispy, with that sharp tangy punch of vinegar and just the right amount of salt. I’d go back just for those.

If I had to nitpick, the only downside was the vibe from the staff — they weren’t rude or anything, but not particularly warm or welcoming either. It felt a bit transactional rather than friendly. Nothing that ruined the experience, but it’s something that stood out considering how good the food was.

Overall, I’d still highly recommend Dumbo. If you’re after a killer burger and unforgettable fries, this place delivers big time. A little more warmth from the team and it would’ve been a...