State of Grace — Restaurant in Melbourne

Could not be more disappointed with our experience at State of Grace. We had a reservation for 1.30pm yesterday and when my husband & I arrived (exactly on time), we did not see any staff at the reservation desk to seat us. After waiting for 5 minutes, we approached the bar as the bartender was the only staff member we could see. He wasn’t the friendliest of people and we felt like we were interrupting him. He picked up his iPad, found our name and without a word, we followed him up a flight of stairs to a ‘dining room’ He pointed to a table and promptly left. My husband & I sat there for 20 minutes without a single staff member coming up stairs. (There was a group of 6 people sitting at another table who had already got there meals before we arrived) but other than that, the dining room was empty. My husband wanted to leave but because this was booked as a special meal due to it being part of my Christmas present & seeing Pink in concert, we decided to stay. I eventually went downstairs to the bartender who originally seated us and asked if there were any staff to serve us! He said he was the only person on & asked what we’d like to drink. I asked for a bottle of Chardonnay ($77.00 which you can get at Dan Murphy for $15.40). He then asked what we would like to eat & took my order at the bar. He then proceeded to open the bottle of wine, put it in an ice bucket & put 2 wine glasses down. I have NEVER been expected to carry an ice bucket with a bottle of wine & 2 glasses up a flight of stairs to our table … ever!

Eventually our food arrived……a very average chicken Kiev, a side of carrots & seafood linguine. $174.00 later we left feeling completely disappointed and ripped off. Could not recommend to anyone!

UPDATE I would just like to acknowledge that since I posted my review, I have had a follow up phone call from the assistant manager Michael apologising for our bad experience. I was very impressed and grateful that he took the time to contact me as they take reviews, and also their reputation very seriously. Michael has generously given me a full refund and has also invited my husband & I back to enjoy a complementary meal which is very much...

The food was good(ish) but everything else not so much. We had booked table in restaurant Saturday 1pm for 4 of us, upon arrival were directed to the rooftop bar as restaurant was closed due to a lack of staff. OK so rooftop bar was cold and the waitperson asked if we would like heater on, yes please. She didn't turn it on. We asked another two staff members to turn heater on, neither of them did. We had to order using table app however not all items listed in restaurant menu were available on app. Also asked for coffee and were told that coffee wasn't available (seriously Melbourne winter, outdoor dining no coffee!!). The rooftop bar area hosts a Mad Hatters tea party Saturday afternoons and all the staff seemed focused on this and we were definitely an afterthought. Had to ask for side plates to share entrees we ordered and we also asked for water which we never got. The entrees, warm olives, arancici and croquettes were delicious while the mains, gnochi with mushroom sauce were delicious however two Porterhouse steaks were chewy and fatty and interestingly on the physical menu they were priced at $38 while on app price was $42 and the fish (barramundi) was cold. The sides, rocket salad and fries were good. We didn't try dessert as we were all dying for a coffee so we had to leave to get one however on way out when we were asked if we had enjoyed our meal I said disappointing could not get coffee and he responded in surprise that they did coffee and offered to make it for us but we decided to go elsewhere. So our experience at State of Grace was not what we...

Five-Star Review for the Incredible Magician William at State of Grace Bar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I recently had the pleasure of experiencing an evening of mind-blowing magic at the State of Grace Bar, and I can confidently say it was one of the most extraordinary nights of my life, all thanks to the amazing magician, William! From the moment he stepped onto the scene, it was clear we were in for an unforgettable experience. William's charisma and energy lit up the room, capturing everyone's attention right away. Each trick he performed left us all in awe—whether it was sleight of hand, card tricks, or illusions that seemed utterly impossible. I genuinely felt my jaw drop multiple times throughout the performance! What impressed me the most was not just the magic itself, but how William engaged with the audience. He brought a personal touch to every interaction, making each spectator feel special. It was clear that he not only wanted to showcase his incredible talent but also to create a shared experience that would leave us all buzzing with excitement. The ambiance of the State of Grace Bar perfectly complemented the evening, providing a cozy yet vibrant setting that allowed the magic to shine. The combination of great cocktails, a lively atmosphere, and William's astonishing magic made for a...