Almina — Restaurant in Melbourne

Really thoroughly enjoyed Almina. A great location on the water very relaxed and the PERFECT place to enjoy a day with a friend catching up, relaxing with the family or for a big celebration! A lot of people enjoying Shisha and the easy to order from menu complete with great, value for money banquet options. The food was very tasty & it's a restaurant I will certainly revisit time and time again for sure! I sat inside in the cosy corner with a lovely view of the water the restaurant and the outdoor dining area and literally enjoyed relaxing for hours and hours... Next time I am keen to try the enjoy the atmospheric toasty outdoor dining area which had really come to life by the time we left. It was a cold Melbourne evening on the waterfront in Docklands and it was absolutely perfect walking through there with the heaters and blinds for the diners enjoying the lovely backdrop of nightlights and ambience. I was excited to try this place and it exceeded expectations. If I had to make any criticisms I would say staff could be more attentive especially at quieter times and when serving a banquet to 2 people we requested the food not all come out at once as we wanted to take our time yet everything came out so we really didn't get to do that. The lovely chargrilled meats, the chilli snapper, the chicken was all going cold while we were on dips and salad. We really wanted to enjoy it over the time we had there and there were only two other tables with hours before the dinner rush so it seemed regardless of our two requests to slow it right down the kitchen just wanted the order out & weren't really interested in what the customer wanted. There were several staff of yet it was difficult to get their attention to order drinks or have cold food & our plates that had been sitting in front of us removed even when they were in the vicinity. Also for such a quiet time and lovely big venue I was surprised by some things that for a restaurant such as Almina... I expected cleanliness & great service. The state of the toilets left me thinking, this would be very unpleasant at peak times & even a bit surprised by the lack of attention to detail in the actual restaurant. Where we sat the window sill was filthy and my friend had a fork that not only had completely bent prongs was soiled with dry food & the waiter who seated us didn't even notice so she had to ask for fresh cutlery... they didn't refresh our water once when coming to the table and it wasn't until we left we came across a friendly staff member who seemed hospitable & happy to be there themselves. Regardless of these things... I would highly recommend the food the location and the ambience... I think it's a great place to enjoy good food with good company and Shisha if you...

A Lebanese Gem in Docklands: Almina's Culinary Delights

Last week, I had the pleasure of dining at Almina at Docklands, and it was an introduction to Lebanese cuisine that I won't soon forget. The Almina mixed grill was a revelation, particularly the lamb kafta with toum which was succulent and richly flavoured, leaving a lasting impression on my palate. The rice was the perfect accompaniment, fluffy and aromatic.

The cheese samboussik was a delightful parcel of cheesy goodness, and the assortment of mixed dips with pita bread was a flavorful journey in itself. So enraptured was I by the deliciousness of each dish that I completely forgot to capture the moment with photos - a true testament to the food's allure.

Ending the meal with a traditional Lebanese coffee-Rakwi, was the ideal conclusion to this feast. It was robust, fragrant, and a new favorite of mine.

The service mirrored the excellence of the food; the staff were incredibly welcoming, contributing to an atmosphere that felt like family. Yet, the setting was versatile enough to be perfect for a romantic date or a relaxed evening with friends.

As my first venture into Lebanese cuisine, Almina has set the bar high. I am already looking forward to my next visit, eager to delve deeper into the rich flavors that this cuisine has to offer.

Ratings: 5/5 - For an authentic Lebanese experience with a side of warm hospitality, Almina at Docklands is a must-visit...

I walk into an Arabic restaurant expecting someone Arabic that can actually understand the food to explain The menu to me. I asked one of the girls for mansaf she called the other waiters to ask her what mansaf is and she told me she does not understand what I’m talking about and she left me and she came back later to ask me if I’ve made up my mind yet? My response to her was I simply asked for lamb mansaf she called the thrird party colleague to help me with my order, And she explained to me that she knows what I’m asking for and she will help me and when I get my food I see it completely different to what I asked for. I asked 3 people there that I wanted lamb mansaf and in the end I get rice with chicken breast because apparently “you need to try new things” that’s what she said. I really liked the place but Come on man the staff seriously need to be trained. Not worth driving an hour and half to get there and they dont even try to understand what I’m asking for. I usually go to Rivera and the staff there are highly understanding and actually help you with your order. I don’t usually leave a bad review for any business because I understand it can be hard to run but this time I was really unhappy when I try to explain myself to 3 people for a simple lamb mansaf for a pregnant friend that felt like masnsaf and I drive 1hr and half to get there and don’t get what I asked for thats what makes me really unhappy with...