Dyers Steak Stable — Restaurant in Victoria

If you’re looking at photos from previous reviewers, please manage your expectations that what you get won’t match what you see. We know that past reviews only share of one’s experience at a certain point in time and doesn’t guarantee ongoing offerings, Our 2 stars rating are from the food quality and our experience today. It’s disappointing that this place hasn’t held up to the reviews. So for clarity, I’ll break it down to 2 parts: the changes and then our experience.

CHANGES noticed for others’ consideration: The menu has changed and now in a laminated sheet (not in a folder), which also has some changes to what comes with the steak (no more butter or sauce included). This is common for a business to meet ends meets. Now all sauces are $5 and condiments $3. The steaks and beef wellington does not come with greens anymore (which is not listed on the menu, so that’s alright). The entrees are now in serving portions and prices rather than per piece (which works either way).

EXPERIENCE: Dyers can cook their meat very well. We had a big table and most of us ordered beef, and it was consistently cooked to preferred doneness. The wagyu scotch fillet was really good - as should one expect for paying around $120 for it.

The disappointing part is everything else. We order 3 serves of foccacia (2pc/serve). It was all served in 1 bowl (which is fine), but we were only given 1 little piece of butter for 6 slices of bread. The bread wasn’t even proper foccacia; looks more like a crunchy slices fried in oil. Considering we were a table of 10, good service should look like considering that we had to share around the 1 bowl of bread and little butter across the long table.

Our entree plates were also swapped out before we are half way through the bread. So imagine having to wait for 1 bowl of bread and butter being shared around, and then by the 4th person finally started to spread the butter, they’ve come to take your plate. So there was some juggling of bread being held midair while the plates and knives were swapped.

We only found out 20 minutes after ordering that they ran out of one of their entrees. Then we overheard that the table behind us who arrived after us were able to get the entree. Perhaps their order was put into the system first, which happens. But it would’ve been nice finding out earlier.

The mains were underwhelming. The pork cottoleta was under seasoned, and there wasn’t any salt or pepper available. So those who ordered sauces shared, and they also used the sauces from the salads and greens for flavour. The cheesy gnocchi didn’t taste of much and was so stoggy. If feels like eating firm mush.

The beef wellington was only pastry and beef — there wasn’t any paté or prosciutto in it. The pastry was not crispy. There wasn’t even a nice brownness on the top crust. The serving was small, which at least was consistent to other people’s photos. But it doesn’t deliver what $69 worth should.

The saddest part was how little amount of chips were served with each main and steak. It was probably half to 2/3 a small serve of maccas chips (same shoestring chips too). The beef wellingtons came with mash that’s ribbon piped onto the plate, which was about the size of a chocolate eclair. Considering how affordable chips are, there’s nothing else served with the main (not even garnish) — and that each main is $50-$70 — it really felt like not worth the money.

The greens were decent and well priced. The garlic green beans were punchy and good. But they only came out half way through our mains, with some of us pausing mid dinner to wait for the greens to accompany our mains. It’s sad having a meal where you need to rely on the sides for flavour and variety.

A few of us ordered lemon lime bitters, and it didn’t taste right… either it’s bottled or some off-brand premix. Another reviewer said their coke also tasted like off-brand cola. So perhaps that adds up.

To sum up, it’s disappointing when a steakhouse can cook their meats well, but can’t deliver on...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Carnivore’s Paradise at Dyers Steak Stable

If I could give this place six stars, I would, but apparently, that’s “not how ratings work.” Well, neither is steak that is this perfect, yet here we are.

From the moment we sat down, it was clear we were in for something special. We started with bread (because carbs make the world go round) and scallops so delicious they almost made us forget we were here for the beef. Almost.

Then came the main event: a rib eye and a scotch fillet so juicy and tender they should have their own fan club. And let’s talk about that Café de Paris butter—I don’t know what kind of wizardry is in that stuff, but I’d happily put it on everything I eat for the rest of my life. The sides? Maple carrots that made me question why I’ve never put maple syrup on vegetables before, Paris mash smoother than a jazz saxophonist, and chat potatoes that were, frankly, way too good to just be called “chat.”

Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, dessert arrived: a crème brûlée so perfectly torched that we seriously considered ordering a second round just to see if it was a fluke. Spoiler: it wasn’t.

To top it all off, the owner and chef took the time to check in on us, which was a lovely touch—though honestly, they could’ve just walked by, seen our blissful food comas, and taken that as confirmation that everything was perfect.

Dyers Steak Stable isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a religious experience for steak lovers. We’ll be back—possibly with...

Expansive list of wines by the glass, kept in great condition using Corovin System. Varied selection of heritage brands and heavy hitting classics, as well as some contemporary and emerging producers. Well balanced bottle list hedging to classic but including some exciting emerging varieties, all suited to the food and atmosphere. We quite enjoyed the Trijsberg Carmenere, Bests Cabernet Franc, Bannockburn chard, Tahbilk Museum Marsanne and Taltarni GSM. Service was friendly, calm, informed and very familial from all staff. Our main server (I have forgotten his name I’m sorry) was obviously very knowledgeable and had we not been just cheating on our dry july and playing a tennis tournament, im sure we would have happily orddred anything he suggested. He even invited us back next time to try the béarnaise as we had booked in last minute and missed out on it. The steaks were exceptional, properly cooked and rested eye filet for my guests, and a lovely and homely Wellington for myself. Next time I would order extra sauce and mustard for a little xtra kick. The quality of the base stock for the sauces was evident. Delightful. We would have tried them all! Overall what a great little find in Ballarat. Do one thing, do it well, and people will be happy and come back again and again. And we will...