My friend and i both ordered rib eye fillet, cooked medium rare
The meat was full of sinew and fat
My friend only ate his because he was so hungry
I left a lot of mine and asked the waiter to show it to the chef
He did, and absolutely nothing was said or done
No partial credit, nothing
Disgraceful behaviour, if your food isn't up to standard, apologies and recompense should be expected
I have been going to The Royal for 30 years and this is a disappointing end

When you book a table and your time is up, you lose that table, yes that is fair would 100% after.

But if you have another table, you will not be allowed to keep that table and get kicked out half way through Australia playing Football World cup.

Then walk up to Club Paddo for cheaper drinks, better food and plenty of room and televisions all over the time.

Disappoint from the Royal ;-(

Ordered drinks on the app take over 30 minutes, so order two at a time.

We had the Long Lunch on the balcony which was a little cosy but lovely in the sunshine, overlooking the terrace houses and trees of Paddington. Food was plentiful and sensational and our server, Lidia was super helpful and friendly. We'll be back !

Had bottomless brunch as a group - the food was amazing. Generous portions, good flavours. Decor was lovely. Drinks were good, service was friendly. Able to accommodate my guest with dietary restrictions. Would definitely visit again.

Great atmosphere, great food-could have stayed all day

A decently roomy pub with a whiff of history, 1888. Downstairs bar with space to roll; upstairs there's a bar with all the choices, dining room, smaller bar room, and an outside balcony rather undersized but nice on the right day. How good are the staff? *Veeery*. Nothing is a problem. Upstairs food is nicely prepared, fresh and tasty. All in all, a royal pub indeed!

Do not book an event here. The room we selected (and paid for) was, on the night, under re-do/ construction!
We had no idea and were so embarrassed to have plaster falling off the walls, electrical cables hanging, and air-conditioning vents half hanging.
Food was overpriced, bouncers were rude and tried to call us out early.
We complained, and asked for a partial refund. All that happened was they offered for two of us to have a free meal one time... although our event was for 40+ people and cost over $8k.
DO NOT BOOK your EVENT here.

In response to below enquiry, yes, it is the correct venue. Booking was under my maiden name of Hawthorn.

Very Nice view from the upper floor! Food was what you could expect.
Feels old.

We had a baby shower in the Bengal Bar which was such a beautiful room and perfect for a party of 40 guests. We were welcomed to decorate the space with flowers, able to bump in early and stay on after the allocated time. We had a private bar with two lovely bar-tenders -Mia, in particular was amazing, not only attending to drinks but taking some pictures for us. We can highly recommend this space for your special event. Thanks again!

Great view from the veranda, food not so good.. as a local we like to eat out . Have eaten there 3 times and will not eat there again. Go for a drink then find a nice restaurant to eat at. Having said that, the manager?? Was happy to refund my meal.

Food disappointing! Soggy chips, not busy so no excuse for sub standard food. Gnocchi stodgy and couldn't taste the crab! New years eve day lunch with 3 others...snitzels OK but not the chips on 3 different plates.

Gets busy upstairs in the Elephant Bar. Rooftop is a magic spot. Main bar on the ground floor is usually quieter. Good range of beers and food is top notch.

Dear the Royal,

I was in attendance for some friendly afternoon drinks on Saturday, 12 November 2022.

While leaving at around 530pm, I went to the bathroom. As I was washing my hands at the sink, I noticed a pipe which was leaking above me.

Unfortunately, a drip from the leak landed square on my head. I then touched my hair to get rid of the water and noticed it smelt foul!

After further investigation, it appears that the drip was sewerage that was leaking in the bathroom. This sewerage was landing on the innocent patrons of Paddinton.

This is disgraceful that a nice pub with such a great reputation would not take steps to:

1. Close the bathroom off; and/or
2. Warn patrons of the condition of the bathroom.

I am very disappointed and ashamed that the royal would lack the obvious common sense to rectify the issue and let it affect its patrons.

I expect not only a reply but some form of apology. People can get ill from sewerage and I feel this is a new low.

Kind regards,
Hugh

Here for Melbourne Cup. We didn't pay enough attention to details when we were booking. There was no reserved seating. Too many people cramped into a small spot. Would not recommend for functions.

Great location but food is best avoided if it's even mildly busy. One order on our table did not come with the others, so I had to ask about it three times. I was variously told that it was on its way, that the order had been lost, and that the order had never been received. On the third time asking about it the kitchen staff suggested I help myself to the dish he had just prepared, which was.... odd to say the least. Finally someone in charge overheard all this and sorted it out. But it was not a simple thing to receive a semi-preprepared dish inside of 50 minutes. There is a lot of competition nearby so it is probably best avoided.

Just had their Whitaker dumplings from the menu. It would have to be the worst I have ever had. Coriander and chilli are not a Japanese menu item and the portion was tiny. This would be more suited as an appetizer if best. Whoever devised this should be "re-educated" or sacked. Luckily I was drunk and ate it. Never again.

Food was good, steak was great. Service was well meaning but very slow. First drinks took 25 minutes - I'm putting it down to a universal staff shortage. We were visiting to celebrate our Melbourne daughters 26th birthday. I had memories of it being a lively, vibrant Sunday afternoon lunch spot. While busy, the renovated (?) dining room felt disconnected and the room down the back with the fireplace had a cold draft coming from different directions. The ceiling heaters weren't working (according to staff) and other diners were sitting about 1m from the fireplace, right in front of it, blocking any heat. Definitely would not recommend this area on a cold day. The bathroom was dingy and cramped. We skipped dessert (due to being cold) and headed to a nearby cosy pub to celebrate. I hope the renovations being undertaken create a more ambient environment.

Great view and great food. Good vibe!

Beautiful atmosphere.lovely spot to have a quiet drink .and a meat cheese platter . great service friendly staff .. very relaxing...

Great bottomless brunch options for a large group! However, the food was basic and easily put together. Interior was beautiful though.

Pleasant staff who are on the Covid ball, well done. Enjoyed the roof terrace.

Good vibes. Great options to drink indoors or outdoors.. in private or among the crowd. Relaxed atmosphere. Plenty of dining options. Book ahead of you want a good spot.

Cute place, good beers but nobody warning you about the 1 hour delay waiting the food, if the staff warning you before I will choose other place definitely, one hour waiting for food without notice is not a friendly behaviour from the pub staff and when I ask to the staff he get annoyed and definitely looks pretty upset about my question .

The plate of 3 sliders was nice. The chips were served nice and fresh. Thank you!

Sat on the roof top last night to watch the lunar eclipse and had a bite to eat down stairs. Hands down the best chicken burger I have ever had. I will definitely be back! Thank you

Many times have been to 5 ways and wondered what the pub would be like. Walked in a scored a seat on the balcony. The cauliflower steak was a great vegan option. Ordering is via me&u and works well

Awesome venue! Great location in Paddo, really friendly staff, and always a fun crowd. Best espresso martinis in the area (according to my wife)

Multiple levels of goodness from a standard bar on the ground floor, a dining room and wrap around external balcony perfect for watching the action in Five Ways on first, function room on the second floor and up top, a small rooftop area with a pleasant view.

The food is good, the staff are pleasant and they support the local primary school (GRPS) through a donation scheme.

What s pleasure, and excellent warm and welcoming service.

Its a nicely positioned - call me old fashioned but you just cant hear a thing music way too loud - dont people want to have conversations anymore?

Nice rooftop, good service.Perfect place to enjoy with friends on the sunday afternoon!Beautiful venue!

My favourite local bar & grill. I love the pasta, meat and salad options. Service is always great.

Great old pub. All staff were fantastically helpful. Drinks decent prices