Kitchen Workshop — Restaurant in Melbourne

Before I get into the actual review, let me answer a few common questions : the venue is accessible for people with disabilities, children are accepted, although you would have to access it from the Exhibition Center entrance rather than the Casino entrance (kids can't get into the gambling zone).

Now for the actual review. Long story short, we have seen better buffet around town, and by not going to this one, you are not missing on much.

First of all, the biggest problem of the place is the layout. It looks and feels like a gas station cafeteria. The way the hot food station is organised makes people queue up to get their food. But let's say for example that I want the Mexican food (located at the end of the station), I would have to queue up for roughly 15 mins to get there. If I picked up a few things along the way, that means that half my plate would be cold when I get back to my table. In my opinion, having to queue 10+ min for food in a venue where sitting is limited to 1h30 is not okay.

For the food itself : I won't be posting any pictures, because plating heavily influences the way you perceive things. The salad bar is good. The chilled prawns were there, and looked healthy. The greens and other ready-made salads were very appetising, as well as the add-ons (black olives, cucumber slices and so on). The dressings were also very good (tried the Caesar salad dressing). But it is only a salad bar, not what you are here for. Sadly, the hot station for food is very disappointing. I'll go through what I selected (which represents a good chunk of the options). Pizza was meh, and you would be better off having domino''s or pizza hut. The pasta was somewhere between traditional looking and a mac and cheese, and honestly did not do either of those things good (although the pasta itself was cooked properly). White rice was on the buffet, which in my opinion, does not belong on a 35$ buffet (lunch price). Had thyme chicken, which was average. Not tender, but at least it was fragrant and tasteful. Bread bar and butter were available, but butter is not refrigerated, which I am not okay with. Fish and chips was okay, although you can find much better fish and chips in Australia for much cheaper at your local joint. Fried calamari was soggy and over salted. Fish tacos and tacos shell were also very very average. Overall the selection is limited, and because of the queue time, half of your plate will be cold. The dessert station was surprisingly good. Highlight was the caramel mousse, which was very good. Macha mousse was also good. Tried all the little cakes, and can confidently say that the best 2 are Orange Almond cake and Red Velvet. The soft drinks have unlimited refills, and you get them yourself at a fountain area. Note that if you want a bottled soft or any alcoholic drink, there is bar from which you can order (surcharged though).

The staff was pretty friendly and helpful, although it feels like they are over-pressured by the atmosphere they are in.

For a 35$ lunch buffet (45$ dinner), I find this place to be lacking. Lacking taste, lacking atmosphere,...

There was apple crumble today on the rotating pudding which, while sweet, was utterly delicious. Everything else was largely unchanged

Update We visited just before covid struck and I never got around to posting the update. Now that I reflect I wonder if it will ever be able to operate again given buffets aren’t exactly the most hygienic of eateries and it’s probably not the safest for its key clientele of extremely elderly. My grandma would definitely miss the soft serve machine and I would miss the mars bar cake they had on this occasion

Latest Today it was much of the same for me; creamy pasta, some plain hokkien noodles and some roast beef from the carvery. They are nothing if not consistent with their offerings

Recent Another school holiday, another visit to KW with my grandmother. No news today, the menu doesn't really rotate and usually I have a plate of vegetarian spring rolls, (they are big on fried food think sausage rolls, party pies and chicken schnitzels). All quite tasty but nothing special and in terms of vibe and ambience it's pretty much pensioner central

Further update We visited Kitchen Workshop a few days after Christmas and they were obviously still in the Xmas mentality as upon entry we observed the usual roast options of beef and ham had changed to just ham. Given no one in our party of 5 ate ham and that’s the most substantial offering available we asked for a refund so we could dine somewhere else in the crown complex.

The staff were very accommodating and were able to provide a serving of beef for our table which was very tasty and did just the trick.

Update I made my quarterly pilgrimage to KW on Monday and surprisingly the dessert selection has picked up. I very much enjoyed the sticky date pudding. The rest is pretty much the same as always but for once I actually left full from overeating! I guess because all of the food is so carb heavy

Original review This is not somewhere I would willingly chose to come of my own accord but my grandmother enjoys it so we come every school holidays. Four times a year for the last three plus years and while it hasn't gotten any better it hasn't gotten any worse.

For the actual price I don't think the value is there. These are photos of two desserts I've really enjoyed on two separate occasions but it can be very hit and miss. I find with buffets I'm usually so full I feel sick but this is the only one I've ever been to where I actually don't like it enough to keep eating to that point of...

We deserved to have refund of our dinner few hours ago because we lost our appetite (five of us)..we queue up for 30 minutes as we dont have booking and as a customer for 11 years as i live next to Crown. We paid the dinner and wait for the staff to lead us to the designated table. But tonight One of the staff if im not mistaken his name is William approached and accused me that he will get the table where we are sitting because we chooses the table without permission and we should not get in to the resto without their approval...Indeed, he's so rude to tell me these" tell me who let you in and you should not do that to get in the resto without permission and i need your table now " We were shocked because he didn't asked us but he accused us straight away.. and the way he talked to us that he"s upset and rude. My Gosh i was so upset and call the manager. Upon having conversations to the manager said that the staff forget to crossed the ipad booking so it was poor communication...Also said that his staff he approached me like that because it happens before of other customers.. What an excused which unacceptable...The staff never sorry which the manager apologised but the embarrassment he did to us is done. I also asked the manager for the name of the staff and he said he's not allowed to tell me.... Gosh what a very bad customer service...I really enjoyed dining here for 11 years but this day i nearly have a heart attack ... Crown please refresh and educate your...