The Camden Hotel — Restaurant in Melbourne

We visited on a Sunday which is actually kids eat free night so definitely one to check out if you have little people as their meals as very substantial with quite a few options and include ice cream also. I was impressed with the modern luxe fitout considering i was expecting something much more basic with the kids night at the pub brief I had gotten from my husband. Service was quite slow and I followed up with a very disinterested waitress who never came back to me. I then had to query when my daughter’s pizza was arriving and was told it was on the docket but the kitchen forgot to make it. It did come out swiftly after that but the chef obviously doesn’t have baby humans as surely you prioritise service on the kids meals if you don’t want pandemonium. We also had an issue where the incorrect, very flat, beverages were brought to us. I personally enjoyed the calamari I ordered through one of my fellow diners complained about the chicken burger. She was offered a complimentary dessert and in keeping with the theme of the evening, when it came time to pay the dish was on the bill. Granted it was the manager serving us at the counter and when I explained that it had been a complimentary gesture he wiped both the dessert and burger off the bill, but a fairly haphazard...

This has been my regular for years, so when I heard there was an updated menu, I was all for it. Strangely, when I saw it, I couldn't tell you what was changed. All of the meals I've ordered over the last couple of years were there, including one of my faves, Bangers and Mash.

I checked with staff - who are lovely, by the way - and, "Yes, it's a new menu," was the answer.

Then my meal arrived, and I wondered if what's new are the ingredients. Because what hit the table was a visual disappointment. Bangers and Mash usually means two big, fat sausages. Maybe three if you're lucky. Not at The Camden. The new menu has skinny snags, and it's just not the same.

That would be okay if they were nice. These weren't. They were loaded with salt. So much that it was unpleasant.

Food at The Camden has often been hit and miss - we'd joke that the 'other' chef must have been rostered on some nights - but this was a low point.

Which is a pity.

We'll go back, it's too convenient not to and there's other items to try, but I hope that the skinny, salty sausages are a fad because I miss the old ones. And I'd hate to have to find a new local, but if you're going to have the classics on the menu, you'd better make sure...

Lovely presented bistro area, warm and cosy, quite a few people as we went specials night as I thought the atmosphere would be lively, as it was. Staff were very pleasant, and attentive, most of the time. Choose not to have the specials, but from the menu instead we had the Rockling Ceviche to share as an entree, then my wife had the Flounder, and I the Prawn Linguine. As the other dishes being bought out, quickly to, looked great, I was expecting something equally as good looking, at least! Hmmm, the Rockling arrived, promptly, a plate awash with salsa with the star hidden under cover, 4 corn chips strutted there stuff on all sides, presumably to swoosh up the salsa, but really 4?? didn't look appetising, terribly overdone on the lime, average is kind. The Flounder, presented well, cooked properly but overall the dish lacked flavour, salad was balsamic overload, chips ok. the best of 3.. Prawn Linguine, dissapointing, pasta was overcooked, watery, no texture, sauce was lacking, as were the prawns. helping was generous tho, no parmesan was offered. A little underwhelmed, as the reviews looked pretty good, our experience was not up to par...