Criterion Hotel — Restaurant in Victoria

to say this was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had is an understatement. Went there a couple days after new years and granted it was busy but regardless, still the worst service I've ever experienced in my life. I walked in and waited 5 minutes before being acknowledged where it was me who had to ask the bartender if we can have a table which he replied just find a table and sit wherever. After being seated did not get acknowledged again and had to seek a waitress out myself to get the table cleared and wiped down to which she begrudgingly sighed, rolled her eyes and nodded. Following this I waited 20 minutes for a lemon lime bitters that was ordered on the QR code. Waited a total of one hour for the food to come out where the chips were cold and once the waitress did come to clear the table she only got rid of the previous drinks and left the previous customers food sitting there on the table. The waitress then proceeded to only bring one glass for 3 customers when I asked for some table water and never proceeded to bring the rest. Not once did I feel welcome there, or as if anyone actually wanted customers there every single waiter, waitress and bartender was rude, unprofessional and just down right miserable. The waitress being fully aware of everything that happened not once even apologised or gave any reason for the hour long wait for food which the food was very average at best. I can understand it being a little busy with a few tables packed but a sorry or acknowledgement would have made it acceptable but it seemed like not one single person in this restaurant cared. I never write reviews but this was deserving of it given how embarrassing the...

Our last night of holidays was meant to be special, but instead it turned into a real letdown. We picked this venue because it sat beautifully on the lake and looked like the perfect spot to finish our trip but sadly, it couldn’t have been further from what we hoped for. The calamari, which was one of the dishes we were more excited for, came out tasteless, oily, and unpleasantly crunchy. The spring rolls weren’t much better just average, nothing memorable. By the time the mains arrived, we were still holding onto some hope, but that quickly faded. My prawn linguine was simply plain pasta with only a handful of prawns scattered about, no flavour, no effort. The prawn salad across the table from myself was just as disappointing it didn’t come close to what you’d expect and wasn’t specified as it was on the menu and was topped with raw noodles that were like plastic. What really left a bad taste, though, was leaving the restaurant only to see the kitchen staff laughing and playing around. It was upsetting to realise that while we were sitting there feeling let down, the people preparing our food seemed to care so little about what they were serving.

This was supposed to be a lovely ending to our holiday, and instead it felt careless, hollow, and deeply...

Disappointing Dining Experience at Criterion Yarrawonga

We recently booked a dinner at Criterion Yarrawonga for two families, including several children’s meals. Unfortunately, the experience left a lot to be desired. To start, the children’s meals were served first, but the rest of the meals came out in random intervals, making it impossible for everyone to enjoy their food together.

One of the major disappointments was the $60 steak, which had shriveled up like a cleaning cloth and was paired with a jelly-like mushroom sauce that was far from appetizing. The chicken Parmas were clearly pre-cooked and cold when served. To make matters worse, the final meal arrived so late that the child who ordered a cheeseburger seemed to have aged from 15 to 18 by the time he finally got it.

As if that wasn’t enough, we had to ask for the ice cream we had ordered, and when it finally arrived, it was dropped rudely on the table without a word.

In short, if you’re willing to spend $500 for a dinner that feels more like daylight robbery, go right ahead. Otherwise, I’d suggest looking elsewhere for a more...