Society reviews . (Restaurant) in Melbourne (Victoria).

Society

156 Reviews

100 Comments

Restaurant

Restaurant

80 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Description

Here you'll see all the information of Society, Restaurant in Melbourne (Victoria)

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Situation

Service hours of Society

Busiest hours

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Saturday

Comments of Society

E. L.

I was impressed with the food and intend to return and try Lillian terrace next, I think the style and menu would suit me more. As for the dishes I tried at the dining room, it was delicious. Stand out dishes - wagyu rib cap main, tuna entree and the apple maple cream dessert that had maple leaves. The lobster ravioli was enjoyable too but it didn’t feel as special as the other 3 dishes mentioned. I found the service to be attentive.

M. P.

Went to the Lillian’s terrace part of society for lunch. Staff were very attentive. Extensive wine list. The food was good, not exceptional (given the amount I had heard about this place, I expected more). I think the best thing was the wine list (if you like wine, you should check it out)

M. L.

Absolutely incredible experience in the main dining room. Ignore all comments referencing ‘average food’, this was really something else. Incredibly inventive food, stunning presentation, amazing flavour.. huge wine list, attentive staff and a beautiful setting. Having eaten at most of Melbourne’s best restaurants, Society is certainly on the highlight reel. Try the tuna / jamon, quail, tartare, lobster ravioli and the tooth fish - deserts were also special.

J. A.

Went for dinner last night. Sounds like they had just recently changed the menu. The food and cocktails were all amazing. The staff were friendly and attentive, and very knowledgeable about the dishes.

I. H.

A beautiful and luxurious restaurant! From the moment we entered to the moment we left we were amazed by how stunning the venue is. The food, service and wine were all beautiful! A big thank you to the team here for looking after us so well!

C. B.

Really enjoy dinner. Mistake with bill few extra wines added to the bill we did not order. a bone found in my ocean trout i almost swallowed. Food was tasty but expensive overall a good experience.

H. t.

The portion sizes were a bit too much on the smaller side considering the price of the items . The food itself was tasty but not incredible, staff were attentive , beautiful decor and the drinks menu is extensive. Good experience but slightly underwhelming.

R. G.

Lillian Terrace Review: Good food, but just missed the ✨ mark ✨ The entrance to the venue is very inviting and they also have cloaking / storage for bags which is always a plus. The drinks menu is endless, but I went with a classic Tom Collins. It was a bit on the sour side, but a good effort. 4/5 The vodka lemon lime bitters was dangerously smooth, and exactly what one wants out of a drink. 5/5 Entree - Oysters, a classic and very fresh. Definitely recommend. 5/5 Main - The fish of the day was "John Dory" which had great presentation, but lacked in flavour. The portion could have been bigger but that's fine dining for you. 3/5 To share dish: Crispy skin chicken. Most definitely worth the price. The seasoning was up to standard and definitely made you want more. It would have been better accompanied with some veggies, but it was tasty regardless. 4/5 Cake of the day: A must try, if you're not keen on anything in particular. The lemon tart meringue was the highlight of the evening. Highly recommend. 5/5 Coffee: Good quality coffee, perfect way to finish the night. Service: Absolutely amazing, our server was perfect and very attentive to every need. Price: Some of the mains I would not consider worth the cost, but the "to share" and cake of the day make it worth the trip. Overall: Good setting for an anniversary, or dinner date. Be careful with the dishes you pick, a wise option would be focusing on the entree + sharing dishes. 4/5 overall, hopefully a better experience next time.

G.

Incredible night. Firstly, the staff made it the most wonderful experience - warm, welcoming and incredibly knowledgeable. They looked after us from the moment we arrived at the entrance on a rainy, cold Melbourne night. The food is some of the best I’ve had in Melbourne in a long time. It’s clear to me the people giving neg reviews have never been. Don’t listen to them. Just go. You won’t regret it. Already booked to go back and lunch at Lillian’s.

M. G.

Society is an absolutely beautiful venue - perfect for special occasions. We started off with the milk punch cocktails, oysters and delicious lobster ravioli. But my favourite has to be the tuna and jamon, I could eat 3 of plates of these easily. We ate steak and toothfish (my fave main) and my partner loved the dessert. Great service - very attentive

m. g.

There is nothing not to love about this restaurant. The venue is beautiful, the service was attentive and the food a visual and delectable delight. I highly recommend the Caviar Martini and signature Lillian cocktail, they were luscious. Society is simply a stunning dining experience.

M.

We went here for a birthday dinner and despite all the hospitality staff shortages around Melbourne due to covid Society is an exception! Service is amongst the best you’ll experience in Melbourne. Goes without saying the food was delicious, dessert is a must - we went the blueberry tart (a less common option relative to the metropolis from MasterChef). Wine list is seriously impressive Bit pricey for what it is - each course is about $10-20 higher than equivalent restaurants in the city (50 for an entree, 70 for a main, 35 for a dessert …. 8.50 per oyster) Main reason for 4 stars though is the space, like all the new venues in 80 Collins, it doesn’t feel quite right - for what I’m sure was an expensive fit out it seems cheap somehow. We did go during daylight however, maybe it relies on dim lighting. Shame they didn’t nail it… check out gimlet, food is as good if not better at a lower price point, better atmosphere and much cooler space

D. K.

Very crowded and noisy. I was expecting it to be like Sepia... it is not. Raw materials of the food quality is great but not inventive like a fine dining place. Society is not fine dining Sepia is. Society is fine for a loud noisy crowded dinner after pub on a Friday night after work occasion it is not suitable for a date or a celebration. Society is like taxi kitchen. Nothing wrong with it just go there with lowered expectation.

M. T.

Society restaurants didn’t disappoint! Each dining room has their own a dedicated menu. The staff were attentive. The food was a plate of art. Here’s what we ordered: 🥂 Lillian 🥃 Banana Milk Punch CONFIT FENNEL Mandarin, stracciatella SEARED SCALLOP Labneh, sobrassada BURRATA & HEIRLOOM TOMATO Lemon, basil CARAMELISED SHALLOT TATIN Vino cotto, horseradish SPANNER CRAB LINGUINE Lobster oil, tarragon GRILLED LEEKS Persian fetta, pumpkin seed praline POTATO CHIPS Chicken salt Reservations are a must. Looking forward to booking a table in the Society dining room to try their other menu.

M. M.

Brilliant food that absolutely lives up to the high expectations. The room is quite noisy but not intrusive. Well worth the effort require to get a table.

A. H.

It's high class but that goes hand in hand with rather high prices. Go for the potent drinks & fancy ice cubes, and stay for the welcoming staff members. Don't go if you're being made to skip the Sunday morning smashed avo to save for a house deposit..

C. -.

Society is certainly grandiose. How much of it is for optics and social media and how much of it is backed by genuinely good food, wine and service? The exclusivity of the venue starts almost immediately. You’re greeted by a security guard at the bottom of the elevator on Collins Street entrance. As soon as the doors of the elevator open to Society you’re met with a heavily manned concierge, individuals offering to cloak your coat and take your name and shuffle you to your table. I dined at Lillian Terrace. Service was friendly. Somm appeared to have sufficient knowledge of the wine list. Onto the wine list - extensive. I’ve read they have 10,000 bottles in their cellar. For optics or practicality? I will leave for you to decide Bread served was extremely average and not in line with what I’d expect at a fine dining institution. Cold and stale - in desperate need of an improvement here. I’m happy to report that other than the bread, the food was very good. Starters were indeed aptly named as they were the star of the show. All the seafood ordered was fresh, interesting and flavoursome. The mains were good but played second fiddle to the starters. The shallot tatin was the highlight. Mains overall weren’t super exciting, or innovative but overall the food was extremely well executed. With regards to cocktails - the jalapeño gilson was delicious. I’d skip the Lillian cocktail as it tasted a bit like cordial - very sweet and not very much else.

S. F.

My second visit. Last time the ravioli was underdone. This time it was perfect. Recommend, if consistency is achieved. Also recommend the Murray Cod. The space is buzzy and nowhere near as "fancy" as the socials would lead you to believe. You can even wear "nice" shorts, but I suspect only tennis-month ppl would do this. Staff is well trained & knowledgeable. IMO the food is overpriced, and whilst I do support public holiday surcharges, you can add hundreds of extra dollars to your bill when already-expensive wines are also surcharged. Not Melbourne's Best Restaurant. VdM still is.

D. P.

Friendly staff from the moment we arrived. Great vibe around the place. Exceeded our expectations and the food particularly was delicious. Well done to all. Will be back again

A. F.

Lovely experience for my birthday 🥳 Food, service and ambiance was on point. Thanks Lauren who was new but very helpful and pleasant. They have a plethora or well trained staff that put up with my banter well. The meals are rich and pricy but very well done and we were extremely satisfied. I had the duck which was well prepared. The seafood platter entree was amazing! Special note was the wine list. OMG if only I was a tech billionaire I would never leave. The French sommelier was knowledgeable and entertaining. Thanks Loic! They even brought out a beautiful cake for my birthday 🎂 nice.

D. V. D. W.

Simply fantastic! One of my favourite dining experiences in Melbourne. Although pricey - worth every cent! The service was exquisite, and the food was exemplary. My favourite dishes were the tuna entree, the snow crab main and the fish dish! The snow crab I simply don’t have words for - so much flavour packed into something so simple. Well done - what a great pick for Melbourne dining!

K. L.

A lot of hype about this restaurant, the food was very good, unfortunately let down by very average service. Lots of staff standing around looking sharp, but not much attention when it comes to the patrons

D. H.

Feel compelled to write a positive review for Lillian Terrace as I feel all the harsh commentary is completely unjustified - had a great time there last night for dinner. Service was attentive and very friendly, atmosphere / venue decor is worth a visit alone and the food itself was top notch. Scallops and crab linguine were real standouts. Evening capped off perfectly by finishing a bottle of wine on the outdoor balcony. Overall highly recommended and do not be put off by the naysayers!

C. F.

Beautiful dining room & atmosphere, the blonde young man who welcomed us & checked our coats was lovely. Highlights were the Tuna Jamon, Lobster ravioli & the Blueberry tart. Sommelier was kind enough to show us through the wine cellar. WOW! Bathroom lighting is ethereal 🤩

C. S.

Cocktail selection was minimal and mostly pretty basic, traditional cocktails with some enhanced ingredients but for a higher price, however there were a few unique ones in there. Service was great and accommodating without a booking later at night.

S. Q.

The decor and the interior is beautiful, food was not bad but nothing was amazing. We went to lilyan society. Had the set menu, it was filling but very average. Nothing special for the amount of money you pay.

C. J.

They put too much focus on their wine list, so maybe that's why the food is pretty normal, wasn't surprise to me at all. $450 for 2 ppl including 2 glasses of wine.

G. D.

Fancy food and superb service. Shout out to their attention to details.

J. K.

Superb fine dining experience. Was kindly greeted on the way in. All the waiters and waitresses were professional. The food was exceptional, stunning menu of choices. I really enjoyed the seafood, so fresh and melting in your mouth, the sashimi scallops, prawns, everything was delicious and so beautifully presented. The shared main course of beef was always melt in your mouth, I especially loved the daikon bone marrow side dish, everything just worked together with the beef!

I. B.

Society is what high end dining should be! 1) Exceptional service 2) Amazing Food 3) Knowledgeable staff 4) Staff v Patron ratio On Point 5) Beautifully clean venue (coming from a cleaning company owner) Cannot recommend Society enough! Blown away (Sunday Lunch)

M. D.

The restaurant is stunning and so is their hall and waiting area. Food was pretty good, despite the cost, however service was non existent which was quite disappointing after all the anticipation. We waited 45 minutes for our booked table (which we made during lockdown and was postponed many many times - not their fault). Were sat to wait without apologies or updates until we asked for our table at the host desk, on arrival the lady had told us our booking was yet to be allocated. The waiter that looked after us was lovely but you could tell he was jammed and trying to catch up. No introduction, no explanations ...! I would probably wait 6 months to give it another chance or go on a real quiet night. All the staff were trying their best and it was very busy.

J. p.

Amazing food, great service, the staff were really helpful and knowledgeable. The ambiance is perfect. We’ll be back.

M. O.

My partner and I decided to host our small engagement dinner at Society. From start to finish we were overwhelmed with the fantastic customer service from all staff. The food was meticulous in taste and presentation , with all four parents happy with their meals despite being extremely picky! We plan to return as a family as the atmosphere made for a memorable family experience. Thank You Society!!

B. R.

Popped into the Society Lounge last weekend. It was packed, but service was fast and friendly. Impressive snack menu, the choux bun was super delicious. Good wine by the glass and cocktails selection. Great spot for a drink after dinner.

m. c.

We ate at Lillian Terrace which is the brighter dining area with more lighting and spacious seats. Food was good. But I'm not sure if I will go back just for the food alone. 🤔 ambience definitely! Oh service was top notch.

S. R. A.

Would i say this was one of the best, if not the best dining experiences of my life... yes. Was it the fact that it was my 60th Birthday, only partly. The food by Martin Benn was beyond great, the service excellent and friendly, nothing was too much trouble. The ambiance provided by the architecture and decor was faultless, loved the chandeliers which were allowed to standout without other lighting fighting for space as often can be the case. I do think we had a lovely table courtesy of my birthday, however that is as should be when you go to such a special restaurant as this for a very special occasion. A big thank you to Chris Lucas for having the courage to continue the long journey that it took to open society after so many setbacks. I will be back and I'm not waiting for my 70th.

H. M.

Exceptional food, exceptional service. Only slight criticism is that the background music is too loud with non-acoustic surfaces

S. V.

Attended Society today, food was outstanding, Metropolis dessert just amazing, but the service was just exceptional. Our server Caroline Simpson was attentive beyond belief. I can see she takes incredible pride in the restaurant and her role. Highly recommend Society for sensational food and exceptional service.

C. T.

An incredible space. We dined in Lillian Terrace - the bookings for the Dining Room seemed scarce. Delicious euro inspired food, well priced and great views of the city. The steak and scallops were clear highlights, as well as the Society Champagne. Must visit!

T. K.

Beautiful venue but the food was just not worth the price tag. Service was ok - again not exceptional - waiter forgot to put our entree order in and our table wasn’t ready until 20 mins after the reservation. I just expected more from such a pricey place, there are so many better venues in Melbourne. I don’t get the hype.

D. N.

One of the best dining experiences I've had. Beautiful atmosphere, very classy & romantic. Every dish was spectacular. My standouts were oysters, crab, rib eye & beef tartare. All desserts were fabulous but the blueberry tart surprised me the most with the slightly salty, fresh & crispy textures. The vesper martini was a delight! Thank you to the wonderful team at Society & eveyone in the kitchen for making this a very memorable dining experience!

B. C.

Great to try a new fine dining Restaurant in Melbourne, now things are slightly more open. The Metropolis desert was featured on Celebrity MasterChef and is well worth picking as a finish, but I would recommend sharing, unless you really have a sweet tooth.

D. G.

Enjoyed a very unique dinner at the Lillian Terrace with dishes and drinks on offer that you won't find elsewhere in Melbourne. Looking forward to coming back

L. S.

Amazing meal, amazing service, amazing interior design. I’ve eaten at many of Melbourne’s top restaurants (e.g. Attica, Lume) but this takes the cake on each flavour, price and atmosphere. You can have a great time and be full with a few drinks for $250, and work your way up from there based your appetite to spend on higher end food and drinks. Can’t recommend enough!

K. M.

An exceptional experience at Society. Amazing starters, delicious and stunningly presented desserts, together with quiet a few options for drinks. Service was amazing, all staff were very attentive and refined. Definitely recommend it and looking forward to going again.

M. M.

A group of 3 of us came for a few pre-dinner drinks at around 4pm on Friday as 'walk ins' at the Lounge. It was easy to get a table then but the lounge quickly filled up. The cocktails were generally priced at around $26 which is at the pricier end but they were definitely worth it. We tried the crab sandwich which was delicious! The best part of the entire experience was our waitress, Nes. She was so knowledgeable, enthusiastic and hospitable. She really made our drinks feel like an 'experience'. She really was AMAZING! I have lunch and dinner booked for the future and hope to see her again as her recommendations were very on point. Great work, Nes :)

S. C.

Food are amazing and such a good atmosphere. -1 star for garden salad. Tasteless and just look like Woolworth prepackaged salad for 11-12 dollars not worth it. Please remove it from menu or change dressing please. It embarrassment for fine dining. The spanner crab pasta is really yummy

G. C.

We visited The Terrace a couple of weeks after opening and it was a bit underwhelming. Fairly noisy and the lack of trained staff was very evident. Overcooked chips and condiments arriving after half the steak was eaten was symptomatic. Fairly disappointing. We were a little apprehensive for our next (pre-booked) visit to Lillian's a couple of weeks later. A huge improvement. It's a different menu, excellent food, attentive staff and quieter atmosphere. It was a 5 star vs 3 star for the original visit. Expensive but still decent value and we would certainly return. The Terrace might have suffered from untrained staff shortly after lockdown but it was chalk and cheese in the service and quality, so it's Lillian's for us.

A. P. d. V.

We loved it here! Great atmosphere. The lobster ravioli , steak tartare as starters were outstanding and the Duck and Toothfish were delicious. Sweets also put a great end to our dining experience.

A. C.

We enjoyed a sensational dinner with gorgeous pre dinner cocktails 🍸 we had the privilege of a kitchen and cellar tour and some of the most wonderful desserts worth saving room for 🥂🥂🥂 a true dining experience for anyone visiting Melbourne.

F. P.

We ordered the lobster ravioli, the toothfish, the cod and a potato side. We found the lobster ravioli to be quite mediocre - the pasta had a gummy texture. The two fish mains were really good, but the toothfish stood out a bit more. Overall, the food was good but we felt it was overpriced for what you got. At this price point, there are many other places you could go to that I think provide a better value for money.

N. A.

The food and services was impeccable. Better than vue de monde. The ambience was perfect and every part of the venue had attention to detail. It felt luxurious and high class compared to other venues. So happy with the food and the service. .

D. T.

Not sure about these subpar reviews, we dined last night in society's dining room and everything was delicious. The aged beef tartare and Rock lobster were definitely some of the highlights of the dishes we tried. Service was also very good, and look forward to coming back in the future.

F. R.

Great service, foods not worth the price. Portion size is small. Pleased with the wine and cocktail list.

J. H.

We had lunch with long time friends from our RMIT days. We each had an entree & a main. The food was tasty & very well presented. Service was great as well. All 4 of us decided it will be a place where we are more than happy to frequent. 😊

J. M.

One of the best experiences- company dinner in private dining room- exquisite meal and the chef was amazing. Definitely an experience to have if you can.

S. M.

We booked dinner for my husband and I right after they opened, but due to lockdowns our reservation had to be postponed on multiple occasions. Society were courteous enough to give us a phone call and reschedule each time. Can’t believe people would 1 star a restaurant due to them not being able to open in line with restrictions. Really looking forward to dining here for my birthday in December!

A. G.

The caviar martini hit the spot. Food was excellent. There was too long a gap between the entrees and mains. The metropolis dessert stood and and overall was a good night out.

f. H.

Been in lillian terrace and the restaurant looked so beautiful already the welcome at the lift downstairs and the first drink in the bar lobby launch are just beautiful experince to have. Also the food absoulutly amazing , the service was actually very very good , The waiters tried really hard to keep up with the volume of this busy tripe of restaurants in society. Because of lockdown and they probably just basically open now new again. The service was a bit slow , but im sure they improfe. I give them 100% a other visit . And i know it will be good.

T. M.

Excellent lunch. Brilliant atmosphere. Wait staff professional and attentive.

A. Z.

Lovely modern décor, excellent food and great service. Only rating 4 stars as pricing is higher than what most people would be able to frequently visit unless it was a special occasion I suspect. I will be back however.

T. M.

Finally after three attempts (due to lockdowns) to experience Society the wait was so very well worth it. Oysters, tuna, wagyu and the fabulous 'Metropolis' made famous by Nick Reiwoldt with outstanding wines to match. Excellent attentive knowledgable staff. Expensive? Yes, but you get what you pay for. I will return. Thank you Society

J. G.

Some dishes were divine (eg the seafood entree platter), but the experience as a whole didn't completely knock it out of the park for dining at this pricepoint. Would not recommend the wagyu main. Not bad, just not good _enough_.

K. &. D. S.

We had a booking but had to rescheduled due to the latest lockdown. We were contacted by the restaurant and given many options. Extremely happy with their service. As for the 1 star reviews please describe the dishes you had on your visit. I would like to know which were sub par.........oh wait. You didn't actually go did you??? Grow up!

J. G.

Excellent service at the dining room. Didn’t love the balcony at all. Too many mistakes with orders (4 mistakes in 1.5 hours)

C. S.

From the moment we arrived in the lobby a staff member escorted us up to the restaurant where we were met with a highly professional team that took our coats and seated us promptly . It was a Wednesday night and I felt like I was dining in a fancy restaurant in New York , it honestly feels like that. We decided that oysters were a must and the pea entree is out of this world. Followed by the lobster ramen and wagu cap with mushroom antlers and of course truffle mash . I can’t even find the words to describe the dessert, we had a chocolate block that represented the building and inside was a delicious combination of Black Forest flavours. Honestly I have never tasted food combinations like it . It so amazing that we have world class food and service on our doorstep. A truely five star experience.

A. V.

Lucky enough to have experienced society in our mid year Melbourne lockdown respite - very, very good and can’t wait to come back. Beautiful layout and incredible meal we all enjoyed

C. M.

Beautiful dining room, complemented by exquisite food. Beverage service was fast and knowledgeable. A wonderful special occasion destination.

A. B.

We had the most incredible experience, amazing long lunch, impeccable service. The best addition to Melbourne's dining scene and I cannot WAIT for you to reopen.

C. B.

Had an early dinner in Lilian Terrace. Food was delicious, and service was professional and knowledgeable. Really enjoyable experience.

O. S.

The best oysters I've ever had. Stunning interior and the service provided by the staff was beyond excellent.

K. F.

The most delicious food and the waitress was the most beautiful person so happy to explain and helpful. Had a beautiful time.

T. D.

Please ignore these one star reviews .When here for a celebration the food and service was both amazing .I’ve been to many fine dining restaurants in Melbourne and this was just as good if not better !!!!

A. S.

Very nice venue. Could do better with the food though. Just a slight improvement required in that department.

D. W.

Exquisite space and amazing service. A destination. The desserts were exceptional.

T. H.

Amazing setting, great friendly staff - fantastic food and cocktails- Jim is a superstar . We will be back

d. m.

Reservation cancelled due to covid restrictions, and yes rebooking will now be painful - but YANG, come on - not their fault and am sure its not much fun to ring up paying customers and turn them away. Good luck and hope the launch goes well

H. M.

A very beautiful designer corporate restaurant… with stunning food and amazing wine, a true hospitality experience by wonderful staff, thank u

S. H.

The food, service and ambience of Society were incredible. Don't leave without trying the Lillian cocktail!!!

P. F.

Beautiful venue and great service. Amazing wine and cocktails.

L. M.

A magical experience! Our meal was divine and the service very attentive.

K. Q.

Excellent food, excellent staff and service, and beautiful environment! 😊❤

J. F.

Beautiful place ,staff very professional and beautiful food ,yes its expensive very nice

S. P.

One of the best world class restaurant. Luxurious fine dining Experience.

p. c.

Great food, wine and cocktails

D. F.

It’s a fantastic set up and space, the food whilst small is delicious. The service is fantastic, I would recommend eating a small bite before you go, portions are on the small side and it’s very costly. Also, they don’t allow you to bring in a birthday cake- good to know as we brought a birthday cake and they wouldn’t allow it due to their license.

M. T.

Beautiful fit out! Loved the look and feel of each of the sections. After an unconfirmed booking in the dining area online due to a technical glitch, the front staff still attempted to accommodate a table for us and we were lucky to be able to dine in The Lillian Terrace. Everything from the entree to dessert was really tasty. After hearing mixed reviews on the service, we weren't sure what to expect but every interaction point from the front staff to our dedicated waiter was great - but fine dining, be prepared to spend! Would definitely go again to try more on the menu!

G. M.

Reviews have it completely wrong!!! Service and staff are great and really welcoming, especially Nes who went to go to lengths to ensure we had an amazing experience. Would 100% recommend :)

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