Quarters — Restaurant in Melbourne

We dined in today with another family for my birthday and left pretty disappointed at some very ordinary service. They have QR codes to order which is fine for somewhere cheaper and less formal but not somewhere like this with really high prices. My husband opted to order inside to ensure we got a few minor menu alterations right. We got four main dishes and a few starters. When he questioned the amount ($250+) he was told it was due to a 10% surcharge. It still didn’t really add up but he came back to the table to see if he could work it out. Our food took a long time to come out and was quiet staggered, which was ok as it was busy. My husband’s $36 main meal was last to come out but there were three of them! We assured the waitress we only ordered one and that the other two must have been for another table. She checked with the kitchen and the docket said we had ordered three. This now explained our huge bill. She then said we ordered them, we had to have them and tried to put them on our table which we told her absolutely not. So we asked to speak to someone more senior. To our shock the manager arrived and doubled down on things saying it was out fault as we’d ordered three, the girl taking our order had read it back to us (it was incredibly loud/echoey in the restaurant) and their policy was to not offer refunds. We disputed this until the manager finally gave in and brought cash back to our table. She did not even offer to refund it back on to our card which would have been preferred. These were $36 meals plus a 10% surcharge. The kids and I were clearly already eating different meals - it was a mistake but it was their mistake to own. What’s worse is it could have been resolved really quickly and easily but the manager was terribly rude and made us feel awful. It also created a scene we really could have done without. We then were left to sit with dirty plates all over our table for the rest of the time we were there (and I had a whole fish so it was a plate full of a fish carcass) and overall it was just a really disappointing experience in what is a really lovely setting. The Yarra valley has loads of lovely places though. Pick...

We went to Quarters for a late lunch on a public holiday. As expected, it was busy. So when we arrived, we asked to be put on their waitlist and were told that they would call us when a table becomes available. We were happy to wait. We grabbed coffees and sat just outside the restaurant.

After 30 minutes, a number of people started finishing up and some of them also started to leave. Instead of being offered a table, I witnessed how Sheridan (the person at the reception) just started allowing people who just walked in without a reservation to take whatever table was available. “Just take it”, she says to a guy who just arrived at the venue, completely disregarding the waitlist with names and contact numbers of people who have been waiting onsite for more than 30 minutes now. I had to go and talk to Sheridan after witnessing this to calmly and politely ask for a table, seeing that it’s now a free-for-all situation all of a sudden.

We, and the other people in the queue, were given tables much later than those who just walked in without a booking. So what is the point of asking people for their names, contact numbers, putting them on a waitlist, telling them that they are going to be notified as soon as tables become available when this said waitlist is just completely disregarded?

When you are finally seated, you will be instructed to scan the QR code and pay online. Then, you get your cutlery, plates, water, etc. yourself. So there is really not a lot of direct service involved except for when they deliver the food to your table.

The food was okay. The pizzas were fine, but we’re too soggy that you could not lift up a slice without having the toppings slide off and fall onto the plate. The wedges and crispy whitebait were tasty but did not have enough dipping sauce. You can ask for more sauce, of course, but don’t expect a smile when they deliver it to your table.

Perhaps the experience would have been at least enjoyable had we not received such poor service at the reception.

Don’t not go to Quarters. But if you do, keep your...

St Huberts is a vineyard with a long history in Yarra Valley. They have undergone a significant redevelopment and reopened their door as Hubert Estate since 2022.

Hubert Estate comprises of St Huberts Cellar Door, the Quarters Australian Restaurant, the Harriett Wedding & Event Centre, and The Gallery of Art.

I visited the Quarters for dinner during Easter Holy Saturday on 19 April. It is a very popular restaurant in Yarra Valley, so I made a reservation in advance. I arrived 30 minutes earlier, but the staff was very helpful and attentive. She re-arranged a table for us so that we could sit down 30 minutes earlier than our original booking.

The Quarters mainly offers modern Australian and European-inspired dishes, and the signatures are their handmade pasta and woodfired pizza. All the dishes that we ordered were served quickly and they were very delicious. Even the bill had been charged 15% for public holiday surcharge, but we were satisfied with everything that they offered, including the ambience, the quality of food, the outdoor environment and the art gallery etc.

I highly recommend this restaurant for family dinner on Saturday. Perhaps the best arrangement is arriving at Saturday afternoon say 3:30 pm or 3:45 pm (last wine tasting is 3:45 pm on Sat) to enjoy a wine tasting before dinner, then enjoy the sunset from the little crest and let the children to run / roll down from the crest before dinner would be...