Sidebar — Restaurant in Melbourne

Never during my four years in Australia have I ever experienced such rude and indifferent servers. We arrived (4 of us) and were immediately told we couldn’t sit at the outside table we sat at because they had a reservation in an hour. We assured the server we would leave by then. We then had to wait for 10 minutes before someone even came to take our order and we had to walk in to get a menu. We ordered cheese, meats for snacks and a cocktail. My friend ordered a rose and the server came out with an almost empty bottle. My friend said that isn’t a full glass of wine and the server said “it’s about 120 Ml”.... not a full glass. He just didn’t want to go back to get another bottle for the extra 30 ml. We asked the server if we had time for a second cocktail and were told no. So we said okay we will just have the Bill. The bill was brought out, we paid and then we were asked to leave. We didn’t plan to linger but the server said “I have to ask you to leave”. This is the gist of our very unpleasant experience. We walked past again after going to the grocery store and still about 25 minutes later no one was sitting at the table. I will never go back. Unfortunate because I have been there before for a glass of wine and it was lovely. Really depends on who is working and how they...

It had been a number of years since we last visited Sidebar, so decided to check it out for a quiet drink in what we thought would be a cosy location on a cold winter’s night in Melbourne. Although we were seated inside, we may as well have been on the street. Front door was intentionally kept open and the open back door ensured an icy jet stream flowed through the bar. Despite being a wine bar, the selection of drinks by the glass was extremely limited and, at $18 for a 150ml glass of chardonnay, not exactly cheap. We ordered at the bar, there was a left-over half empty carafe of water on the table which was neither removed nor replaced and upon paying at the bar, the eftpos machine wouldn’t allow me to complete my payment without selecting one of 3 or so pre-determined tip amounts! I registered my displeasure with such an intrusive, presumptive, and un-Australian ‘service’ and declined to pay a tip for pouring 2 drinks at the bar....

Warm and cozy in the heart of Sandringham, this bar has a nice range of snacks and share plates to pair with your cocktails. A smaller range of wines than usual for a wine bar but the offerings were certainly well chosen.

Staff were kept busy for a Thursday night, otherwise nice and attentive. Usual table service at the dinner hour and staff checked in for drink top ups as well.

A little too noisy during peak hour (7-9pm) to hear individual conversations well amongst the tables, might be better outside or at the window counter? However loved the dimmed lighting, semi formal atmosphere. Great for a drink after work or a kicker before a date night!

Ordered: salumi pizza, house pasta (nduja, tomato and chilli oil), meatballs and focaccia, soave, banana and walnut cocktail,...