The Hof Downtown — Restaurant in Melbourne

We booked The Hof Downtown for our wedding reception this weekend and everything was really amazing!

By booking the venue as a group booking and paying for a tab instead of a set menu, we didn’t have to pay for expensive function prices. The meals all came out at relatively the same time anyway for 30 people. We booked for lunch on a Saturday and given it isn’t a busy time, we received the whole area on the upper floor and were given our own bartender up there or for ordering more food. We received at least 20 x apple schnapps shots on arrival and they even let us bring our own cake in with no extra charge outside of the weekend service fee.

Our guests ordered a great variety of foods from the pork knuckle, pork belly, rib eye steak, jager schnitzel, salads, pretzels, chips and more. We have eaten at a lot of German venues in Melbourne (and recently in Munich) and this bier hall was right up there in the top quality of food with many compliments from the guests!

The staff were very friendly with congratulating us, putting romantic songs (and dance songs) on a great music playlist as well as controlling the volume when my father was about to say a speech. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and it’s clear that any recent bad reviews have just been of people planning poorly before trying to rush to a game at Marvel Stadium. Everyone was much nicer and great with service than any other Melbourne venue we have been to in a long time!

We had room for a little dancing (mainly the children) and they even had a TV we could have used for connecting our Apple TV for a slide show if we wished (oh and 2 choices of great weisse bier on tap is appreciated too).

We had a great time and will be back to try more of the food options others had and we...

Sadly, the absolute worst experience ever.

We made a booking for 5.30 as we had little kids and we had tickets to shows at 7.30. We arrived for our booking lined up at the door and our table had been given away while we were waiting at the door even though we were on time. We got put outside in a back corner and pointed to some tables. We had to clean the dirty tables and chairs ourselves and set it up.

We ordered via the app straight away and after 40 minutes only some drinks arrived. Being a busy Saturday night we knew we wouldn't have time to go else where so waited it out.

At 6.50 I went and asked if we could cancel our order because we had to leave to walk to the events. The place was over packed, no one had any food, and complaints were pouring in. I was told 15minutes, I explained it would have to be takeaway as we had to leave.

At 7.15 we still had no food lucky I had snacks for our toddler the older kids were starving. I went back in and had to get a refund and leave. They refunded us for the food only, we still had to pay for the drinks.

They kept taking walk ins over booking and kept pushing people onto tables when they couldn't cater to the people already in the place. We won't ever bother going back it was the absolute worst. Five hungry kids, five hungry adults, then we had to run to the events with hungry kids and try...

I've been coming to this establishment for many years. I've attempted to support them through various COVID closures and apparent changes in ownership. I'm now done.

Spending a significant amount on main courses for my family to eat, I cannot believe how far this place has fallen. It's lucky that the kitchen has window access so you can see exactly who is to blame for their disgusting food output. How on earth can you mess up Nurnberger sausages? $25 for 4 simple little sausages, that came out boiled to within an inch of their life, bouncing like a squash ball, rather than grilled as they are supposed to. There wasn't any colour on them, were basically inedible.

When I pointed this out to the wait staff that it wasn't how that sausage should be prepared, she couldn't have cared less and did nothing to make sure I was happy with my meal. She offered to inform the chef that I was not happy. Completely ridiculous. Thank god I didn't add a tip to the cost, since their staff is too lazy to bother taking an order these days (all by QR Code).

The chicken schnitzel ordered by others was also mostly left behind.

Do not, under any circumstance, go to this place. 10 years ago the food was amazing, now it's a travesty. The only reason why I would suggest going is to get a beer before the football, they don't have to...