The Vic Hotel Footscray — Restaurant in Melbourne

I used to really enjoy going to the Vic Hotel, a great local pub in Footscray catching up and having a good time with mates. We'd often meet up, sometimes 4 of us, other nights could be 10 at least fortnightly but often weekly on a Tuesday night and enjoy a great Chicken Parma and a beer or 2. During cricket season, after training, it was a great chance for the group of us to unwind, enjoy a meal in a nice atmosphere. Sadly, we can no longer do that. More often than not the food was spot on, even if it didn't deliver I didn't mind as it was a chance to catch up with mates and I'd go there for the social aspect and would be back again knowing it was a one off.

I was excited with the new management change and how it would enhance the VIC to be the premier pub of Footscray. Sadly, it's been quite the opposite and a massive let down. Firstly, the fact that a "Pub Classic", a chicken parma has been removed from the menu is a farce. Seriously, what pub does not have a chicken parma. I'm ok with there not being a dedicated parma night, I get it, but removing that from the menu is the first mistake. How many people don't even look at the menu cause they instinctively say "Chicken Parma".

Secondly, I get the vibe that the New Management are trying to turn this into more of a "restaurant", rather than what it actually is, a pub. Some of the new menu items do sound nice however looking at the photos of these as well as the prices are hugely underwhelming. I understand costs have gone up but $30 for a burger and chips is again ridiculous. $28 for a schnitzel with some slaw just whacked over it...

I can see there are a lot more negative reviews than positive since the changeover and I'm not the only one. Please take this feedback on board so we can all enjoy a great time at the Vic Hotel again. Until now, I'll go to the Mona Castle instead that is a lot more reasonably priced, a pumping atmosphere and actually has pub classics...

Morning team,

Reaching out following my visit on the 22nd of December, for lunch with a friend. I tried posting this to your messenger, but all that gave me was a notification about making a reservation.

My friend and I were pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and were both more than happy with our chosen table in your lovely beer garden on what was a beautiful day.

Unfortunately, the food fell far short of our expectations. My friend had the chicken schnitzel, which she described as bland and dry. The chicken was dry and overcooked and the slaw, which was "slathered" all over the top of the schnitzel, was lack lustre and bland. The dish was very oddly presented. My friend didn't even eat half of her meal, describing it as too dry to digest.

I had the linguine. Again, it was very oddly presented. The prawns and mussels were chopped into pieces so small they were completely lost in the pasta, and the dish itself was swimming in butter.

It is not my intention to be overly critical, but rather to express my disappointment whilst acknowledging the fact that you have only recently taken over the premises, so maybe these are judy teething problems in your new business.

I sincerely hope that my feedback will be taken in the constructive manner in which it is intended. I would have been happy to provide this feedback on my visit, but your staff seemed to have zero interest in checking if everything was okay, even when they cleared our plates, one of which had more than half a meal left on it.

Overall, lovely pub (always has been), but menu selection lacked variety and the food, and service were disappointing, to say the...

Came in this evening to find a surprise menu and dietary change.

Was expecting a lovely coeliac friendly pub meal to find the menu has completely changed, prices soaring and no longer a gluten free facility.

Staff uncertain about what is and is not gluten free, and if things are cooked in a shared fryer. Offering to write a note on my order. We left as I felt zero confidence in the faculties and staff knowledge, especially given how serious it is if I have as little as a breadcrumb.

Disappointed in the massive changes to “pub classics”. Where is the Parma? Why is the burger $28? Where did the wide variety of vegetarian options go? This used to be the BEST vegetarian parma in a pub. I literally cried with joy the first time I ate here to be able to get a GF chicken parma, close to home at that, and now cannot.

Very disappointing, that what WAS an incredible dietary option for me is now gone. There is so few places that are gluten free or SAFE for coeliacs to eat that are in the West, and now to have one less really sucks.

Transitionally, new owners should at least have a printed gluten free specific menu, even if there’s three things on it, that half of your customers could come in and know that X, Y, and Z are going to be prepared safely for them, rather than having staff go back and forth between the kitchen to ask questions about how the food is prepared and what sauce is safe (not the gravy, apparently, if you’re wondering).

Will not...