Prior Thornbury — Restaurant in Melbourne

Could have been 5*, but for the last 10 minutes 🙁

Our experience was ruined by a LIE from one of the staff. And I'm a person to whom that sort of thing matters, so I doubt I'll be back (shame as I was planning to make it my new local!).

Pros: good environment, if somewhat loud; great looking menu (we were planning repeat visits so we could work through all the dishes we wanted to try); generous servings of pretty nice food and coffee; and attentive staff.

Cons: quite loud (I could barely hear the person with whom I was dining); and the LIE!

The LIE: setting the scene, it was Sunday brunch o'clock and they were reasonably busy (but, importantly, there were a few empty tables). Within a literal minute of my companion finishing, we were presented with the bill and asked to leave because the table was reserved in 15 minutes (which is absolutely fair enough, although we should have been told that when we ordered). But, when I enquired about their booking policy as we were paying, I was told they only accept bookings for groups! I questioned this as we were sitting at a table for two. I was then informed that they would create a wait list if people were waiting for tables (again, fair enough) EXCEPT, when the staff member with whom we were speaking turned to show us the bank of people waiting, there was no one there. Further I easily counted at least four empty tables (and saw more outside as we left)! I didn't take it further because it's hardly the fault of the staff member with whom we were speaking but come on! Another 10-15 minutes and we would have left anyway, so what was the point of lying to us? I would understand if they wanted to turn over the tables if there were no free tables (I have worked in restaurants, so I'm usually aware of table turnover and whether I have outstayed my welcome) but there were numerous free tables and no people waiting! Such a silly and pointless moment that has ensured I won't be...

Took my mother out for Mother’s Day and sadly it was a very poor disappointing experience.

The wait staff were rude and unaccommodating. Upon arrival we informed that we weren't permitted to be seated at our table until the other 3 members of our group arrived. They said that they only seat entire table bookings at one time. We were advised that we must wait outside. The other 2 members of our group arrived while the last member drove around to look for parking. Remember is was Mother’s Day so parking was at an all time minimum and it took ages to find. I then asked if just the 4 of us could be seated at our table of 5 and was declined again and told to wait outside until our last member arrived! If they had any business sense, they would have seated us all upon arrival and we could have ordered and drunk extra coffees/juices while we waited for the other members to arrive.

The food took ages to come out but we never complained about the wait as we knew it was busy, but the unappreciated part is once the food arrived we were pressured by the wait staff to eat it quickly to clear the table for the next sitting. They brought the bill straight over at the 45min mark and began to pack up our table.

They also were not accommodating with food allergies/dietary requirements and we were told by the wait staff that no changes were permitted as it was busy. One of our guests gave up and decided to not order any food as the staff were being very unreasonable and not accomodating at all.

In conclusion, it was terribly poor service overall. I realised that this place clearly just likes to make up their own rules despite them not be printed on their website, or on signs, or verbalised at all! The staff just like to say ‘no’ a lot. Not very welcoming, accommodating or even just respectful and polite as a general courtesy to it patrons. Worst service and experience ever.

First and last time that I’ll be...

I had been keen to eat at Prior for a while now. Aesthetically pleasing interior, cool. 10 degrees outside, door wide open, seated in the draft. We requested to be moved to a different table. They refused us until we asked again.

I ordered the avocado smash, feta, with haloumi & sourdough, as its stated on the menu. I was utterly stunned when my plate arrived. As a European kid, I've eaten a lot of haloumi in my life, and never have I ever seen haloumi resemble paper. Paper thin haloumi slice, I didn't know it was possible.

Great flavours atop the sour dough, avocado fresh but feta? 1 cube. That's it. Charging exhausting prices and not actually putting the ingredients into the dish? I was really stunned but too exhausted by the state of the world right now to complain, almost defeated, and based on other reviews, food was missing from other customers meals also, should have read the reviews. Lastly I ordered an oat matcha latte to take away.

The cup felt light, I open it to find a quarter of the matcha latte missing, tastes more like oat milk, with diluted matcha. I ask the waitress why the cup wasn’t full, they said that they made it in a small glass, and then poured the contents into the take away cup. They assumed that I wouldn’t notice, or that I didn’t really deserve what I was paying for, $5.80 matcha latte. As I did notice, they offered to “fill it up with oat milk.” To dilute the non existing matcha flavour down further. I declined. They didn’t offer to remake it. We paid and left. I was so embarrassed.

Things have been so hard on us as a community for so long, but this is what you get when you take yourself out. Literally being shafted by supporting local businesses. Not only are we being driven into the ground with inflation, but your local cafe charges high end prices and literally cuts your meals down in half. I'm absolutely floored by...