Squire's Loft Torquay — Restaurant in Torquay

My experience at Squires Loft Torquay was as overdone as the steak they served me: completely ruined and impossible to enjoy. From the moment we walked in, it was clear this restaurant cares as little about its customers as it does about properly cooking a meal.

We had a reservation, but despite that, we were left awkwardly waiting at the door with no acknowledgment from the staff. It felt like we were intruding on their evening rather than being welcomed guests. When someone finally decided to seat us, their attitude was as cold as the side dishes we’d later receive.

The manager, however, was the true disappointment of the night. Their dismissive and condescending behavior would’ve been bad enough on its own, but paired with their refusal to take any responsibility for the restaurant’s issues, it became unbearable. When we politely pointed out a problem with our table location, we were brushed off without a care, as if we were an inconvenience rather than paying customers.

The food itself was the crowning disaster. My steak was supposed to be medium-rare, but what arrived was a dry, overcooked slab of meat that could have been used as a hockey puck. It was chewy, flavorless, and an insult to the term “premium steak.” Another dish at our table came out cold, and the sides were poorly prepared, lacking any attention to quality. When we raised these issues, we were met with defensiveness and no effort to make things right.

The manager’s response to our complaints was as charred as that steak: burned out and bitter. Rather than apologizing or offering a solution, they dismissed us with an attitude that suggested they didn’t care whether we enjoyed our meal or not. It was clear they lacked any understanding of basic customer service, let alone the professionalism you’d expect from a restaurant charging premium prices.

The overall experience left a sour taste in my mouth, and not just from the overcooked steak. Squires Loft Torquay failed at every level, from service to food to management. It’s astonishing how a restaurant can market itself as a top-tier steakhouse yet deliver such an appalling experience.

Do yourself a favor: if you’re in Torquay, avoid Squires Loft like you’d avoid an overcooked steak – unless you enjoy disappointment...

First time, booked from the website. Booked a family dinner for my husband’s 50th. Website shows a beautiful sumptuous dining room but we were directed to a cold dark table at the front of the restaurant with no one else around, like a morgue. This is what they don’t show you on the website. Too dark to read the menu, music too loud. Cold. Why did we not get the nice tables? It wasn’t a last minute booking, no one else around so…??

Staff were not aware of the set menu advertised on the website, didn’t know what drinks to offer. Finally my husband got a beer, it was such a small mug the kids were laughing, it looked like a kiddy cup. We ordered from the expensive platinum menu thinking the food would make up for the atmosphere. Husband’s m/rare scotch fillet was fatty and chewy. The manager told us Scotch fillet should be more well cooked - was a lot better after they put it back on the grill but staff should have made better recommendation and been more knowledgeable for the price we paid. Not as good as the Scotch fillets we cook at home from the local butcher…..which we cook medium rare…. My daughter’s steak from kid’s menu was nasty. Cheap minute steak at a ‘steak specialist.’ Not cheap! She also ordered corn on the cob and it was not juicy just old and hard, like yesterday’s, warmed up. I cook it better on the BBQ at home. Chargrilled vegetables side was not good - a massive. mushy piece of butternut squash, a few bits of capsicum, mushroom and zucchini squeezed on the edges. We were looking forward to the sticky date pudding for dessert as we had read about how good it was, until the waitress came back saying we weren’t allowed to order it?? We were allowed to order apple crumble (a tiny amount of granola with ice-cream) and chocolate slice (biscuit base too hard to eat without breaking a tooth). How old was it? Paid over $330 for dinner, they added $5 surcharge for no reason (4 people, Thursday, winter, not a public holiday). Feel so ripped off and disappointed. I wish we went to the local pub for better atmosphere, a lot cheaper, more friendly knowledgeable staff. They handed my husband a card saying happy birthday which made up for everything NOT. A card saying ‘sorry for your loss’ would have been more more appropriate...

Disappointing Experience at Squires Loft Torquay

Our visit to Squires Loft Torquay was deeply disappointing, especially given the high expectations set by other branches.

• Unaccommodating Service: Upon arrival, we requested one main to be served alongside the entrées, but the waitress, with noticeable attitude, denied this request, stating it was "not allowed." Flexibility and customer accommodation were entirely lacking.

• Subpar Steak Quality: Steak arrived cold and poorly cooked. The meat was stringy, chewy, and appeared old, with a greyish-red hue rather than the vibrant, fresh look expected of rare steak. This was unacceptable for the price point.

• Careless Serving Practices: Staff showed little awareness, serving food and drinks over my infant who was laying in the pram instead of using the safer, accessible side. I had to intervene to ensure my child’s safety—a basic precaution that should never have been overlooked.

• Dish Misidentification and Lack of Accountability: We were served a porterhouse steak instead of the Scotch fillet we ordered. Initially, the waitress acknowledged the error and promised to adjust the bill. However, at payment, she reversed her position, citing the chef's insistence it was a Scotch fillet. This inconsistency left us feeling deceived.

• Incorrect Sauce Delivery: We ordered peppercorn sauce but were given creamy garlic instead. Such a basic mistake highlights the lack of attention to detail.

• Overall Food Quality: The steak was unappetizing to the point that I left nearly 90% uneaten. Given the high bill exceeding $750, the food quality and preparation were far below acceptable standards for a restaurant branding itself as "The Steak Specialists."

Positive Note: The female manager’s professional apology softened the experience slightly. Their acknowledgment of the issues was appreciated but could not salvage the overall experience.

Comparison to Other Branches: Having dined at Squires Loft locations in South Yarra, Mornington, Camberwell, and Essendon, I’ve consistently had great experiences. Unfortunately, the Torquay branch failed on every level, from food...