leonard's house of love

i visited on a thursday night (around 8.30) and the venue was pumping. leonards is located off chapel street, in an old federation style home. the interior feels 70’s inspired with many paintings and decorations. there is no table service and no formal dining area; however that is not needed. the service is basic, order at the bar, take a seat and find a table. i ordered the xxx chicken wings and eggplant tenders. i was immensely satisfied with both. the chicken wings had a fantastic amount of spice to entertain the tastebuds, a crispy and thin batter and moist, succulent chicken. i’m already craving another set. the eggplant tenders were also notable, with a delicious ranch sauce to complement them. i’m sure i’ll be back again.

this place was aight overall. what i loved was the atmosphere and beer selection. it was a cool place to hang with the crew. the food was ok and only ok. the really hot wings weren't as hot as i thought they would be. the chicken was hot and tender. however, i didn't feel like i got my money's worth. it is expensive for what it is... which is probably the same for most american inspired joints.

great vibe, awesome burgers and the mac ‘n cheese is superb. brilliant dive bar setting, friendly staff and a sensational playlist as well as tap and bottled beers. fabulous.

this would have been a 3.5 but what the hell has happened with this update!! grabbed food and beers here on a friday night...everything tasty. try the mac and cheese.

is there really anything better then leonard's south side fried chicken burger? throw in a slice of pineapple and a splash of chipotle. no there isn't. their chicken is as good as it comes..juicy juicy mmm

been meaning to put a post up on leonards for a while. have had leonards a handful of times and really rate it. staff are nice, food is good and the space is very cool.

had the “double cheeseburger” and the “hot glazed tenders”. 

the double cheeseburger consisted of two beef brisket and short rib patties, two layers of melted american cheese, burger sauce, pickles and lettuce. the patties were dense but tender with a good ratio of fat to keep the patties juicy; the cuts of beef used for the patty probably contributed much of the flavouring to the patty; very meaty and savoury. the melted gooey cheese blended well with the patties; the first layer of cheese was between the top bun and the top patty and the second layer of cheese was between the two patties providing full coverage. the burger sauce was sort of mixed with the cheese which provided a savoury cheesiness to the bite and the mild vinegary pickles helped cut back the fattiness of the burger. the lettuce was quite essential to balance the amount of meat in the burger, but more so to keep the bottom bun from getting soggy.

as for the hot glazed tenders, it came in a basket consisting of three decently large pieces of fried chicken tenderloins covered with a layer of hot sauce, two small pickled cucumbers and a chipotle mayo dip. the chicken was tender and the thin outer coating was slightly crunchy despite being drenched in the hot sauce. the hot sauce was spicy and definitely has some heat to it; together with the chicken it provided a well-rounded savouriness to the bite. the chipotle mayo was optional as the hot glazed tenders were already flavour packed, though it does add a creamy texture to the bite which might also reduce the heat a little. finally the pickled cucumbers helped pace the eating; it acted like a palette cleanser by changing up the flavour.

overall the meal was tasty and satisfying; the burger was meaty, cheesy and filling, the flavour was certainly beyond good. the chicken tenders were great too; both texture and flavour wise. the hot sauce on the tenders was more than just mildly spicy so if you have a low tolerance to hot spice then it’s probably better to go with the original tenders which also come with the chipotle dip.

best burger in melbourne hands down. staff are absolutely ace too. i bring my doggos, and they’re treated like royalty. couldn’t recommend this place any more.

the place is nice, the decor is cool, the staff seem friendly and quite attentive despite how busy it is. i had a mushroom burger and it was very tasty. the bun was very sweet, which depending on your taste could be good or bad.

the reason i give this place such a low rating is, when we were leaving one of the bouncers was apparently trying to decline someone entry to the venue, and obviously wasn't doing so professionally. one of the potential customers started recording on his phone and the bouncer, instead of using this as an incentive to be on his best behaviour, he grabbed the phone from the fellow's hand and started going through it trying to delete the footage. it looked like the actions of some back alley thug, not really the kind of person that you would want to be responsible for the protection of your clients. the management obviously needs to take more care with whom they choose as security guards.

came here tonight with the mrs and loved everything about it. probably the coolest looking bar/restaurant along chapel. the decor is set in the 70/80's with a southern bar kinda feel. the fried chicken burger i got was one of the best i've had. the cheeseburger was also very good! potato gems to die for! brooklyn lager on tap tops it off. bookmark this place if you haven't been , you won't be dissapointed.

it is stupid how good the burgers are here. the place feels like some sort of american dive bar, with unreal food...but i cannot stress to you how much everyone needs to try the burgers. so so good.

went here last month and only getting around to leaving a review . staff are so busy entertaining each other they don't have time for the customer . the whiskey sour was 80% foam /froth and for 20 dollars you expect a proper drink

the best popcorn chicken ever!! leonard’s house of l❤️ve has nice staff, great food and reasonable price! 😍😍😋😋
i recommend fried mozzarella and popcorn chicken.

it's rare to find a great food place that is also a rocking bar. we rocked up (hungry af) on a friday night to cranking tunes and a great atmosphere and left with full bellies and our standards of fried chicken thoroughly raised.

everything is beautifully deep fried but not too much. and individual flavours come through nicely. the sauces are smooth but not too fatty.

we got charcoal chicken nachos, egg plant fries, tex mex chips. and between three people we had to be rolled out.

legit the best fried chicken we've had in this city.

the americana charmer, leonard's house of love. you will find it in an old, renovated heritage home nestled between two commercial buildings on the doorstep of chapel street. the house of love embodies all the essence of a boozy american diner.

this is the place to be if you are looking to sink some good beer and eat tasty food in a relaxed setting. i would highly recommend the cheeseburger or the double (if appetite permits). the fat to lean ratio of the brisket and short rib makes the meat tender and flavoursome, and paired with simple ingredients and right amount of condiment, it is arguably one of the best burgers around.