Harlow — Restaurant in Melbourne

I was invited as a guest at Harlow, an old pub with a modern take on decor and dining. Along with two of my young adult children, who are themselves, excellent reviewers, we came for the Bottomless BBQ lunch. None of us had eaten breakfast but by the time we left, we were satiated with a delicious selection of food. Our host was Ben Lougoon who proves to be an energetic and all-round ideal manager for Harlow. His customer service and attention to detail ensures everyone's needs are attended to. Along with his staff who are well trained in hospitality, I couldn't fault how we were looked after. From the exterior, Harlow appears like many of the old pubs within the area but its had an upgrade that hits home with locals and visitors from afar. Cleverly keeping the front bar as authentic as possible, the changes start as you move towards the rear where it opens out to a several large areas that can accommodate 100's of people in different spaces. There is the terrace, the outdoor beer garden area that is set over two levels. The beer garden is cleverly covered with a retractable roof, means its an 'all year round' space for patrons and on a sunny November day, proved to be 'the' place to be. There is also a rooftop function space that has some interesting plans coming up, as well as a private area at the basement of the pub (perfect for small corporate or networking groups with a capacity of around 20) and then a funky underground bar area that apparently is popular for the late night visitors. As we left, we were also shown the upstairs private function space with its own bar and can seat 60 or standing room for 160. With views of Church Street and at night, the lights of Melbourne, it would be a nice spot to book out for say, a Christmas Party, reception, or general gathering of friends/colleagues. Now let's get to the food. We sat outside in the beer garden area that has comfortable benches scattered with cushions and warm, modern timber tables. We shared drinks of wine, cider and lemon, lime & bitters (someone has to drive). On each table are the mandatory items of sauce, napkins, cutlery but also a QR code which if you scan your phone's camera across, you'll see the menu on your phone - pictures are worth a 1,000 words and they certainly had us ready for a culinary treat. The first tray to arrive was a spread of the most delicious potato salad, curried cauliflower with raisins (nice touch), coleslaw and macaroni cheese along with large pickles and buttered bread. Ahhh, it felt like being at Gran's house. The next tray had 'drunken lamb ribs' which were my favourite but my kids found the 'pork butts with a dirty hippy coffee rub' the best. But let's not stop there. The tray was brimming with smoked cheese kranskys, beer brined chicken wings, more pickles and VB drenched onions and Harlow hot sauce. The portion size of each was generous and frankly, we only just made it through everything with our bellies bursting by the end of the meal. It took 90 minutes but we got there in the end. For $59 with bottomless meats and side salads plus a great selection of wine, beer and spritz - it's great value for money. Bonus - there is also a DJ to take the atmosphere to the next level. There are weekly specials available and I'd suggest you go to the Harlow website to check out what's on and what's coming up. I would highly recommend Harlow for anyone who is looking for a venue, for a gathering, to catch up with friends after work, to watch a game on the large TV screen, shoot some pool with mates or generally, just hang out. The food is brilliant and the service is second-to-none. Well done Team Harlow. Notes: There is seating on Church Street if you want to sit out the front. Wheelchair accessible including a lift to all floors. Kid friendly. Dietaries are catered for - just let the waiting staff know and they'll do their best. Billiard table and large flat screen TV in bar. Parking can be challenging just because it's Richmond but persevere and you'll...

I attended a birthday dinner at Harlow in Richmond on a lovely Saturday evening in March. We were seated on the balcony, which was the perfect spot to watch the sun go down over the outdoor area. Our group had a couple of long tables to spread out, and there was a TV at the end of the balcony along with easy access to the bar, where we grabbed plenty of drinks throughout the night.

The location is great, just a short walk from East Richmond Station and close to the city. Harlow has a really welcoming vibe, with heaps of space both indoors and out. There are DJ booths and dance floors downstairs, function spaces upstairs, and a bistro and bar area on the main level where we were dining. We ordered drinks when we arrived, I got a well made lemon lime bitters and a beer for my girlfriend, which she really enjoyed.

We used the QR codes at the table to order food and went with a serve of chips and the pork belly bao. The chips were pretty standard, but the bao was a standout. My girlfriend and a few others at our table absolutely loved it and it quickly became a group favourite.

What I really loved about Harlow was how versatile the venue is. Whether you’re there for a casual meal, drinks with mates, or a night out dancing, it caters for all of it. The place is full of cosy nooks and open areas to relax or celebrate with friends and family. While we were there, the dance floor downstairs really started to pick up, adding to the atmosphere. There’s also a rooftop area and spaces upstairs for private functions, which looked great.

I’d definitely recommend visiting if you’re in Richmond. It’s got a great energy, the location is super convenient, and I’m really keen to go back and try the boozy brunch I’ve heard so much about. Harlow is a top spot worth checking out for your next night out or...

We attended the rooftop drag brunch. It was 37 degrees and their sunshade kept automatically opening due to "malfunctioning". This meant we were sitting in direct sun on a very hot day in Melbourne summer. We had to ask multiple times for our water to be replenished and for more drinks to be given to us. The service was honestly very poor, probably due to being understaffed I assume. Our particular server was very dismissive of our concerns. I eventually asked for the manager after our multiple concerns were ignored. He was great and suggested we move the tables out to move partially out of the sun which somewhat worker, however this was at the end of the experience. This resulted in multiple people getting sun burn, some people feeling nauseaus and one person getting mild heat stroke. Considering this is a rooftop venue in Australia, there should be contingencies for hot days like yesterday.

Another staff member later asked if anyone offered us sunscreen which did not happen.

The music was far too loud, you have to constantly shout at people the whole time to be able to hear each other.

I personally won't be coming back however I'm sure in cooler weather it would be better. Though I truly don't believe the bottomless drinks was worth $79pp considering no one could taste any alcohol and no one left feeling even tipsy.

Positives: The manager was lovely and the woman downstairs was also really nice. The one server on the rooftop with piercings was also very lovely and apologetic. The...