Khao Man Gai Restaurant — Restaurant in Melbourne

Today, I tried Thai Chicken Rice for the first time at Australia’s first-ever Thai Chicken Rice restaurant! @khaomangaimelbourne is located in the heart of the city, at the end of Hardware Lane on Lonsdale St.

Khao Man Gai translates to “rice oily chicken” in Thai, and it’s the Thai variation of Hainanese chicken rice. Although both dishes may appear similar, they have distinct differences in preparation methods and flavours.

The Khao Man Gai chicken is typically poached in a flavorful broth until it becomes tender and juicy. It is then served on a bed of rich and savoury rice cooked in chicken broth. The sauce served with it is a tangy and savoury blend made with fermented soybean paste, garlic, ginger, chilli, vinegar, and sugar, adding a delightfully spicy kick. As for the soup, it is a clear broth infused with garlic, ginger, and cilantro.

Between 2, we shared: 🐓 - The Combo [$20.95] - both steamed & fried chicken, on fragrant rice - I liked the steamed chicken, while my brother preferred the fried - great combo to get a variety of both 🍛 - Massaman Curry w/ beef [$18.95] - rich and aromatic with a good balance of carrots and potatos to tenderised beef 🦐 - Green Curry w/ Prawns [$18.95] - very creamy with a slight kick 🍚 - Fragrant Rice [$5.5] - incredibly flavourful!! We actually ordered 2 extra bowls of rice to finish the curry 🫓 - Roti w/ Peanut sauce [$4.5] - the roti was sooo flakey! 🍨 - Fried Banana w/ Icecream [$10.95] - a new menu item! A must order 🧋 - Thai Milk Tea [$5.9] - tastes like Thailand 🥥 - Coconut water [$6.5]

I’d honestly recommend every dish that I tried tonight! It was such a great feed and I’d come back for more! The staff are absolutely lovely! They’re also open for lunch if you work around the city. It was pretty busy tonight, but luckily there...

Saw someone in Thai community posted this restaurant as “a must” to try for Chicken Rice once you’re in Melbourne. Well, here I am in Melbourne and unfortunately (in my opinion) it is “a must” to AVOID.

The decor is normal, nothing to write home about. Got a greeting by a universe face sign of “how many guests for a table?”, sat there and ordered via QR code.

We knew from the menu outside that one meal price range is between $17 - $20 and up, totally fine for “a must” try food.

While we were waiting for our meals, we counted around 8 staffs working, not ONE came and asked or offered us for the table water (there are no sign of self water table serving). The meals served and we stunned.

FIVE pieces of chicken on top of rice, serving with soup and sauce. Eh? Did we ordered kids meal?!

The taste is not matching the price! No Wow factor. They said “simple is best”, this is down south “blend”. Normal chicken and normal sauce. What I like the most is the rice. The restaurant main selling point is “Chicken Rice”, meaning Chicken and Rice should be the reason for you to come back, and I’m glad at least you got the rice right!

Once we finished, came in the waiter to collect the plates. No follow up about the meals nor ask whether we were satisfy or not. One can assume that with all the negative reviews about the restaurant, the manager should ask FOH staffs to follow up and get some useful comments to improve the restaurant? (Maybe they don’t care?)

Well, if you still want to try out this place, think of it as you invest $20 for your meal, to cross this place out as “a must” not to waste your time...

You step in and it immediately feels like you’ve discovered a hidden neighborhood gem. The room is functional and friendly, with a few tables close to the steam of the kitchen, casual chatter, and the focused precision of chefs as they plate up bowls. The hum of knives hitting boards and pots bubbling is a welcome backdrop. Ordering is straightforward, you tap a shoulder, say “khao man gai,” and the familiarity of the dish simplifies the moment even further.

When your plate arrives, it’s a quiet masterpiece. Poached chicken-tender and perfectly seasoned, sits next to fragrant rice cooked in the same chicken stock, each grain separate and soft, not mushy. A bright green garnish of cucumber and coriander brings freshness, while the trio of sauces, a sweet ginger-vinegar, a chili-lime punch, and soy, allows you to customize each bite. The poached egg on the side adds creamy richness when you need a break from the sharper flavors. It’s deceptively simple, but the balance makes it addictive.

A few things made it even better. The dish arrives precisely when you expect it, still hot and steaming. Portions are generous but never wasteful, a single plate is filling without feeling oversized. The staff keep the space clean and efficient; even when it fills up, plates disappear fast and empty tables reset quickly. Prices are kind on your wallet, this is honest food, clearly from hands that respect the dish.

If you are after a comforting, clean, perfectly executed bowl of khao man gai, this is the place. Come hungry, taste each sauce layer, and let its gentle confidence...