The Hawthorn Hotel — Restaurant in Melbourne

My best friends & I decided to have our end-of-year family get-to-gether at this location to try somewhere different to our usual, The Auburn.

My partner & I were the first to arrive & were told to either place our orders for food or drinks via online app or at the bar.

Our large booking consisted of 5 groups/families. The whole evening, no staff member came to our table unless it was to bring drinks out that were ordered via app. We had to relay the instructions ourselves on placing orders. Table service is a thing of the past. Maybe that's the issue here. Waiters were there purely to bring patrons to their tables, bring food/drinks to tables from the kitchen, or take orders & serve drinks at the bar. No one ever came to our table to ask if everything was ok, to place orders when ready etc.

Majority of us placed our orders via the online app, and all within the same time frame, all within minutes of each other. For our table, there would have been a total of 5 orders/dockets received by the kitchen. Now, I understand that all the food that was ordered by the same table, within the same time period will not all be served at the same time.

My partner and I ordered a medium rare steak and the chicken parma with extra gravy at 6:37pm. My friend placed her order at 6:35pm. Food started to be served quite promptly by 7pm. The same dishes that I ordered came out, but as I could see that they belonged to another one of my friend's order/docket with her kids' meals, I directed the waiter to place it with them.

Time passed, and as my partner and I patiently waited, we ordered more drinks at the bar. Everyone's meals, even those who ordered after us or even other patrons who were seated a while after our large group started receiving food, were served their dinners.

At 7:15pm, I approached the staff member (most likely the manager for the night) who initially seated us when we arrived and I kindly asked if our order was coming as everyone on the table had received their food. He promptly dismissed me by saying, "It's coming." and walked off without even asking what I had ordered and then to follow up with the kitchen.

I sat back down and thought, how would he even know that our food is coming if he didn't even bother to ask what we ordered??

Another 10 minutes passed, and by this time almost everyone had either finished or almost finished their meals. I walked up to the bar as this was the only place I could see a staff member and asked him if he could check on our order as everyone had received theirs and we were still waiting. I showed him my confirmation email with my order that was placed almost 50 minutes ago and he went to the kitchen to check.

10 minutes later, at 7:40pm and 1 hour after I had placed our order, the staff member who went to check on our order brought our food out. The extra gravy that was ordered was also missing from the chicken parma's plate. I had to quickly ask the waiter for the missing gravy before he disappeared. NO apologies were given at all.

My steak was piping hot = rushed cooking and not rested. It was medium rare when I first cut into it, but by the time I was halfway through, it was medium. My friend who was sitting opposite me had ordered a medium rare steak, and it was still medium rare until her last bite compared to mine which became medium when I was halfway through.

My partner's chicken parma just didn't have the same enticing and consistent look as the others that had come out earlier. It was slightly messier in appearance with its rushed assembly and lacked lustre. We ate our food promptly and left as we were now running late for another engagement we had to attend.

A couple of hours later, my partner started having an upset stomach which then led to the next 2 days off work for food poisoning either due to poor hygiene practices or undercooked chicken by the kitchen staff, as our order was rushed!

Overall, we are not impressed and will not be coming back or recommending this venue to...

Oh dear. So disappointing again. The latest instalment of the saga begins upon entry to the venue for Mother’s Day lunch which was booked for 12:30 and prepaid. Nice enough staff wearing a headset greets us and asks if we had a booking. It took a few minutes of back and forth from iPad to bar but eventually found what was surely the only booking for 2 on such a day. She pointed to another staff member who will “show us to our table”. Great, that meant take 4 steps towards our assisted table and point to where we were seated and then walk away. Within mins someone pointed to the lovely gift on the table and asked mum if she wanted the comp glass of bubbles which she accepted. The waitress looked at me, smiled and walked away. I guess I’ll drink water on table. Maybe someone comes and explains how we order with no menus or is it known we’ve prepaid so just sit back and enjoy. Who knows but it’s very exciting. Well 13:15 rolls around and nothing. I finally got up from table and asked headset girl. No idea but sent someone who just started her shift came over and asked how we were. If we were having the Mother’s Day roast, what was the protein? I’ll have to go check. If it’s lamb is there mint sauce? At 13:51, 2 plates of lamb comes out and no mint sauce. Food ok and Vegas very good. Am I missing something? Seems too many headsets and I pads. We had a similar exp Melb cup day overcharged drinks that none could explain ( ($45 for 1 vodka red bull). Do...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Hawthorn Hotel with a mate, and I must say, it was a delightful experience from start to finish. The ambiance of the restaurant was warm and inviting, with a cozy yet modern decor that made me feel right at home.

Now, let me tell you about the star of the show, the Chicken Parma. It was absolutely fantastic! The Hawthorn Hotel truly knows how to prepare a mouthwatering Chicken Parma that leaves you craving for more.

What made the experience even more enjoyable was the incredible value for money. I visited the Hawthorn Hotel on a Thursday, when they offered their Chicken Parma for just $18. Considering the quality and portion size, it was worthwhile . I couldn't believe I was getting such a delicious meal at such an affordable price. It made the dining experience all the more satisfying.

The staff at the Hawthorn Hotel were attentive, friendly, and provided excellent service throughout my visit. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant was lively and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for a casual dinner with friends or a relaxed evening out.

If you're looking for a fantastic dining experience with a standout dish, I highly recommend visiting the Hawthorn Hotel and trying their Chicken Parma. With it’s incredible value, it's a winning choice that...