Usta Restaurant — Restaurant in Melbourne

We went here for a late fathers day lunch/dinner. I haven't heard the best reviews for this restaurant but still thought we would give it a chance. We arrived at the restaurant at 4:20pm, the restaurant was still quite and not too many customers around. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice.

I had made a booking online for 5 people and even though there were bigger tables that we could be seated on, that did not have a reserved sign on them and the restaurant was not busy, but we were seated on a table that was suitable for 4 people.

Which again was ok, but I found unprofessional.

Once waiting to be seated for around 4 - 5 minutes when we walked in, even though the staff looked our way, some staff have turned heads and kept going on with there own work, rather than seating a group of 5 on a reserved table of 5.

On the table of 4 that my family of 5 were seated on was only 4 cups, 4 utensils and 3 menus. Which again I found unprofessional.

We ordered x3 the Usta burger which was nice, but one of the patty's in the burger was still a little pink on the inside, not fully cooked. We also ordered the kids shish meal and there was literally 4 pieces of meat and a cup of rice, now I understand this is a kids meal for a reason, but I have been to many restaurants where they have placed a decent amount of kids food on the plate, I found it to be quite stingy. The meat on the kids menu was chewy and bland, the rice was nice but still needed salt. We also ordered the Tripe soup, it was a good serving size but extremely bland and tasteless.

Overall we found the food to be bland and not the utmost quality, the restaurant definitely needs to do better with there seasoning selections when in comes to there food. There is salt and pepper on the table, but when you go to a restaurant you expect much better taste in the food you order and pay for.

Also Everyone's food came out at a different time which was frustrating because it was suppose to be a family fathers day lunch/dinner and we wanted to eat all together and we all ended up eating at different times.

Service is slow.

In previous reviews on Google, people have mentioned that the staff are slow, disorganised and a little in there own world, doing there own thing, and not quite fluent in English, I can state that this is true. Some of the staff struggle to understand English and you need to repeat yourself and also speak in Turkish for them to understand you.

I didn't find the staff to be rude though. They were somewhat friendly.

And before I forget to mention, there was a dirty fork on our table that needed to be replaced for a clean one.

Our overall experience wasn't the greatest it was ok.

The real question is, would I go back again, or recommend this business to others, with everything that I have mentioned above, and there pricing for there taste, quality of food, most probably not.

It's such a shame as it is a local restaurant and would have loved to go back.

We have been to many other restaurants that are less expensive with great tasting food, quality of meat and no time delays.

As a paying customer i think they need to take all criticism good and bad to there advantage and bring there A-game to the table and improve and strive to do better for customers to keep coming back and to enjoy there experience.

Comments excepted not excepted by the reataurant, that's on you Usta.

Hopefully there will be a rebirth of this restaurant for bigger and...

🌟 Exquisite Culinary Experience at Usta! 🌟

I had the immense pleasure of dining at Usta, and I am simply blown away by the exceptional experience they provided. From the moment I walked in, I was met with warmth and attentiveness that set the tone for an unforgettable evening.

What truly stood out was their impeccable attention to detail when it came to accommodating my dietary restrictions. I have both a dairy and soy allergy, which can often make dining out a challenge. However, Usta went above and beyond to ensure that every dish presented was not only safe for me to consume but also an absolute delight for my taste buds.

The chef's creativity truly shone through in the special meal they crafted for me. Each course was a masterpiece of flavors, textures, and aromas. From the appetizers to the main course and the exquisite complementary Turkish tea, I was treated to a culinary journey that I will cherish forever.

The staff's knowledge of food allergies and their dedication to making my dining experience exceptional was heartwarming. They answered my questions with confidence, and their genuine concern for my well-being was evident throughout the evening.

But it wasn't just the food that left a lasting impression; it was the entire ambiance of Usta. The décor, the friendly staff, and the overall atmosphere combined to create a cozy and inviting setting that made me feel right at home.

In a world where finding allergy-friendly dining options can be a challenge, Usta stands as a shining example of how it can be done flawlessly. They turned what could have been a stressful experience into an evening of pure enjoyment, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.

If you're seeking a Turkish culinary adventure that not only caters to your dietary needs but also delights your senses, I wholeheartedly recommend Usta Thank you for a truly remarkable...

Definitely wouldn't return here. The service alone was.. an experience, and not the good kind. The older lady (I think the owner?) Just had a resting mean face and our group felt incredibly unwelcome from the moment we walked in. They tried to squeeze a group of 11 of us (incl 3 kids) onto an 8 seater table.. till we requested a larger table and we had to really insist to get it. The place wasn't even busy so we can't understand why they wouldn't allow us on a larger table of 12 to fit our 11 people. The other reviews are true they don't offer (or give) table water without a charge. Extra bread is also a charge. For what you get the price is certainly not worth it, the food was good but not amazing.

We had to ask for table plates to even begin to share the dips and bread. After about 30 minutes of finishing what we thought were the entrees and some sharing plates like lahmacuns and pides and dips etc, we were waiting and waiting and wandering why everyone was just (oddly) staring the entire time.. so the lady comes and starts clearing our table and I asked her if she was giving us new plates to which she replied no.. and I mentioned we were waiting on 2 mixed grills and she apologised and was surprised and checked the order - even though the waiter repeated our order to me as I ordered for the table and I heard him say 2 x mixed grill, it was apparently never ordered.. so they offered to make it but we really didn't want to be in there longer than we had to. Won't be returning.

They also didn't have shawarma (shredded meat) which was really...