Rare Steakhouse Downtown — Restaurant in Melbourne

Ok, not the best. Ordered the Carrara Wagyu, the best steak on the menu under the ‘Downtown Specials’ with chips and the Cajun Sprouts. $105, which I feel is a reasonable price for this cut of meat, with the sprouts and a beer came to just over $150 as a meal for one.

The meat was lovely. Seasoned and cooked to medium rare. What let it down was the sear, which let’s face it is a good chunk of the steak experience.

Now, you could say that for the thickness of the steak (around 12mm) that any more sear would have overcooked the meat. This is true, however there are techniques (ie starting with a cold cut) amongst others that allow the extra sear without overcooking, also ensuring the pan is hot enough before putting in the steak, which I feel was the likely oversight.

Having said all of this, the restaurant control the thickness of the steak so if they can’t ensure a good sear, they should be cutting it thicker, notwithstanding there are arguments for cooking a steak ‘rested’ at room temperature.

Cajun sprouts were nice although very salty, around twice as salty as they needed to be (and I like a fair bit of salt). Like I said earlier, the steak was salted perfectly so they know what the right amount of salt is. Less salt and they would have been amazing.

Chips were better than your average, but I didn’t go here for the chips.

Service was fine. Everyone was polite but nothing spectacular. Waitress couldn’t really tell me about steaks so had to get someone. Not a drama but for a famous steak house, I think the service staff should be knowledgeable about the menu (which isn’t extensive)

Presentation, just ok, a steak and chips on a plate, nothing to set it apart from a half decent pub from a visual perspective.

Overall, I feel there’s considerable room for improvement as all the areas for improvement are well within the control of a restaurant, especially a well regarded steak house.

I got in just after 5pm and was the only customer at that time so l can’t allow for them being ‘busy’.

Also want asked how the meal was so never had the opportunity to pass on...

TLDR: Expensive for what it is, average food and unprofessional service. Better steaks, food, drinks and atmosphere at a pub!

Not sure how this place has such high ratings when they are so many amazing pubs in Melbourne.

Ambience: Table for 4 we got was right in the middle of the dining room, felt quite out of place. Furniture pretty dated looking like in a cheap restaurant/cafe. Also very loud acoustics in the dining room. Not great for a place with expensive food & drink. Totally acceptable in a more casual restaurant.

Food: $6 for oysters - would pay this elsewhere no problems, but not when they were small, weren’t super fresh and served with lemon only, no mignonette. So $6 is pretty hard to stomach! Cocktails were $25 for standard house spirits. I would expect this price at award winning cocktail bars that have created signature cocktails. Not for a basic cocktail... Steak was tough despite it being one of the more premium options selected of the cut. To end, we had the sticky date pudding which was absolutely delicious… until I bit down on a hard date seed! Service: Water doesn’t get topped up, can’t get anyones attention, in the end have to fetch pitcher ourselves. Unsmiling, expressionless waitress came to take the plates away, tried to inform her of the date seed in dessert, but it barely registered a response. Probably a grunt as she took the plate away and walked off abruptly. No apology or even saying she would inform the kitchen. Someone could have cracked a tooth on it!?? Same waitress almost impossible to flag down to get the bill, extremely curt in her responses, even despite us leaving a tip as the waiter we had before was good.

Average food is excusable but poor service is absolutely intolerable and leaves a bad taste in your mouth especially after such an average meal. Why is it called hospitality when you cannot even muster being polite or a smile.

There are so many restaurants/pubs in Melbourne to get a steak with much better food, ambience...

Real Steak Downtown is a steakhouse located on the corner of Flinders Lane and King Street in Melbourne. The restaurant specializes in serving high-quality steaks cooked to perfection. I have dined at Real Steak Downtown have praised the quality of the food, particularly the steaks. I found that the steaks are cooked to perfection, with a tender and juicy texture that is sure to satisfy even the most discerning steak connoisseur. The menu also offers a variety of other dishes, including seafood and vegetarian options. In terms of prices, Real Steak Downtown is considered to be moderately priced. The prices are slightly higher compared to other steak restaurants in the area, but the quality of the food justifies the cost. The staff at Real Steak Downtown are friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive to the needs of customers. I had excellent customer during my visit. Regarding the location, Real Steak Downtown is situated in a prime location in Melbourne's central business district, making it easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. The interior of the restaurant is elegant and sophisticated, creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for customers to enjoy their meals. I found that the restaurant seems to prioritize maintaining a clean and pleasant environment for customers to dine in. Parking can be a challenge in the area, but the restaurant is located close to public transportation options, making it easy to access. I found the Real Steak Downtown is a high-quality steakhouse that offers a variety of dishes at reasonable prices. The steaks are cooked to perfection, and the staff is friendly and attentive. The restaurant's location is convenient, the interior is elegant, and the overall environment is clean and pleasant. If you're in the mood for a delicious steak in a sophisticated setting, Real Steak Downtown is definitely...