Hotel Lona — Restaurant in Melbourne

Was so excited to try this place, so devastated because we were served a very raw chicken (see photos). It initially was soggy at first bite, appeared rushed, but to find that over half of it was raw was super disheartening. The staff seemed very flustered throughout the night and we're unsure what to do by initial reaction once we told them. We asked for money back and it was given in cash. No huge apology, we left promptly.

As a bar, drinks were fine - somewhat atmospheric roof top despite heat and issues with music speakers. As a restaurant, it has a long way to go regarding service and quality of food.

EDIT: Hi Hotel Lona, I'm not pleased to be asked to remove a review - it is a review for a reason. Undercooked chicken is a serious health concern, and despite years in service, staffing delays, whatever the reason: there simply is no excuse. I could list the other issues with this meal, cold chips and little toppings for value...but instead I'm choosing to go with the biggest concern and not nit pick. Might I refer to the review as well, it was the handling of the situation afterwards that also was concerning. Protocols for how to handle these situations should be priority, having worked in the hospitality industry myself.

This review will stay, along with the hundreds of presumed fake reviews from users who only have ever posted one review, rather than google local guides like myself who rate ongoing places.

It shouldn't be on the customer to uphold a places reputation, that is on the business. I'm simply posting an experience, but will happily return, as I had already implied 'has a long way to go' - once service and quality has improved, and I'll see this through genuine reviews on this page. Can I ask how this is 'misleading' as you state? It is from your restaurant.... What's more damaging to your reputation is not taking accountability for your actions, rather providing a list of excuses and trying to guilt a customer, asking them to change a review.

I respectfully ask you see this review as a means to improve, because this experience should never have happened, ever - serious health concern we are overlooking here. I look forward to seeing you improve, and will be happy to give you another...

we go here at least once a week for either dinner and drinks or just drinks.. prices aren't too bad,, but have noticed it's not as busy/popular as when it first opened.. shout out to chris the bartender ,, absolutely brilliant ! EDIT: stopped coming to lona as food had turned to shit and then drinks went down the tubes.. UPDATE: 28.06.24 pfffft !! what a joke... friday afternoon,, we're the only ones in the front bar.. ordered a bloody mary,, sorry,, no tomato juice...☹☹☹ ok,, order an espresso martini,, it came out of the taps,, tasted like what dirty bong water smells like, 🤢🤢🤮🤮 definitely something else for 2nd drink !! went to bar,,,,,, no service,, young girl too busy chatting to a mate up the back.. threw my hands in the air after 5 minutes in exasperation,, she came running.. ordered a pina colada,, she doubled the lime juice but no pineapple juice in it..urghhh !!! but definitely drank down both my drinks as I wasn't going to pay $18/20 for drinks not consumed !! husband had 2 x pints of heineken and was happy !!🙂🙂 that's it,, we're done !! for such a great start for what was going to be a brilliant venue,, your lack of consistency has lost most of the punters who really wanted you to succeed ... UPDATE 2025 tried new place,, moon dog,, not happy.. came across to lona and this was my drink !!! did you hunt thru the rubbish to find that or is that how you normally serve...

Had a birthday lunch here for a friend and were very excited to try out for the first time. I know that being freshly open for a few weeks, there may be a teething period. I was definitely right with that. The venue is very cool, chill. The wait staff are great.

The food was pretty bad though. Garlic bread is literally two slices of wonder white with some cheese on it and not cooked properly?

The poor younger girl at the bar was the only one making drinks on a Saturday at lunch and on a hot day. Which meant people were waiting for a long time, the girl repeatedly had to just apologise. It was strange though, there seemed to be a lot of people waiting on the table even though its via QR scan, so you order from your phone, but no one helping the girl behind the bar?

Also,the kitchen seriously need to something else happening because from our experience and all the other reviews I can see, the food is the biggest of problems. Oh and don't bother ordering drinks from the QR scanner on your table, just go up to the bar. A friend had to wait 30 mins from her drink. And the birthday girls drinks never came... When we decided to do cake, they didn't have a proper cutting knife and never gave us small playes and spoons. I might give them a few months to hopefully sort themselves out before I...