leonard's house of love

many will know, i am a sucker forfriedchicken. therefore it should come as no surprise that when i heard there was a great burger andfriedchicken place, i had to try it for myself.
the venue is spacious with ample seating both inside and outside. being a lovely day, my partner and i chose to sit outside under a big tree, and with a view into the kitchen. staff were attentive and courteous.
i ordered the hot chicken burger while my partner got the south sidefriedburger, and we also got the loaded crispy potato skins and original tenders. despite being a busy evening, food came out relatively fast. the hot chicken burger was indeed, hot. it really packs a punch and i who had ordered it while looking down at its spice level thinking my korean-kiwi heritage would surely be enough, i quickly regretted my decision. despite the heat, i still found it tasty. easing my tongue thanks to my cocktail, the tenders, the fries and my biggest saviour; the pickles. the chicken tenders and fries came out crunchy, with the sauces for both complementing them nicely. the tenders were pretty dry though.
i tried a few bites of the south sidefriedburger and it was also delicious. like mine, but without the kick.
all in all, a solid option for food and drinks with friends!

go for the beers, stay for the food, then stay for more beers. then roll home and sit on the couch in your jocks, happy as larry. 

this is my favourite bar in the south yarra/prahran/windsor area for multiple reasons, however purely talking food, i'd vote this the best cheeseburger in all of melbourne. if you like your burgers simple in ingredients (think patty, cheese, sauce, pickles, lettuce and bun), yet rich in flavour, leonard's is it. it's perfectly right. and roughly the same price as a pint. 

the rest of the menu covers all of the other american style comfort food you could want, such as loaded fries, mac n cheese andfriedchicken, all of which are highly rated, however make sure you arrive with an empty stomach, or even better, a hangover, as this food isn't for the faint hearted. best to get a few dishes and share, then wash it down with a pint or five. 

great vibes and good times.

great vibe! big courtyard. tried out the spicy dog, connie island dog, southernfriedchicken burger, double cheeseburger and chicken fries between a few of us. all were super tasty! the sausages had a great snap!friedchicken was super crispy. good neighbourhood joint for a quick bite and social drink. love the old school cabin feel, super cozy!

there may be some who's first love.
is in the color of her eyes.
i'll always remember my first love.
a greasy cheeseburger and fries.

make it a double patty.
with everything on top.
ketchup, mustard, or special sauce.
please don't ever stop.

friesfriedto a golden brown.
thin and crispy too.
a greasy cheeseburger with some fries.
no talking til i'm through.

so now you know my secret.
a greasy cheeseburger and fries.
if you want inside my heart.
make mine super size.

4.0 very good

we got in early (like real early 5:15pm) and it was already bustling. seating is mostly outdoors which we didn’t mind as it was quite humid. table was a bit sticky so i guess they could do a proper wipedown before each seating. we knocked down a pint or two of some local ipa before deciding to order some food. we were allocated a seating bracket of 90 minutes which was fine for us given the type of quick burger and beer arrangement they were going for.

we got a burger each, i had their southernfriedchicken burger which was properly seasoned with a bit of mildness to it. crispy and juicy with a rasher of bacon and good ole american cheese made it a salty meal perfectly washed down with your beverage of choice.

we also had some sides to share, we particularly enjoyed their cheese and gravy fries with the meaty feels paired with a more mild cheese to not overpower it. the cheese wasn’t stringy which can be an issue with loaded fries as it can set and clump up. i can’t turn down their onion rings and they were good, constructed well (though some stuck together), not too heavy on the batter nor too oily. mac and cheese was basic but nice and stringy.

when our time expired we walked out to see a line of 20 or so patrons lining up. it’s a very popular spot especially in summer and is a dog friendly venue.

leonard’s has some goodfriedchicken. their spicy chicken wings are actually spicy and dressed in some tangy, smokey sauce (potentially worcestershire sauce - not too sure). their sides are pretty good as well: the chicken loaded fries and mac n’ cheese were well balanced, while the curry coleslaw could’ve been a bit less sweeter.

in terms of environment, the venue is a dark, rustic bar full of old memorabilia. it can get quite crowded in there, but the service is pretty decent. however, like most old bars, it does smell like old alcohol which is a bit of a turn off.

leonard's has all your friday favourites. a good selection of burgers but really everyone goes there to get thefriedchicken burger. and all the usual suspects for sides, chips, tater tots, onion rings the lot.

great place for a team lunch or for some drinks on a friday arvo.

best cheeseburgers in melbourne!friedchicken is good too. good atmosphere. waiters/ waitresses are generally great. every now and then you get one that seems completely disinterested in their job and acts like it's a chore to serve you, but most are great.

visited leonards house of love in south yarra earlier this year with my friend!

atmosphere:
the inside feels like an old western bar movie almost, i enjoyed the mood lighting and the decor (old memorabilia)

food:
we we're ready to eat a feast and so we ordered plenty to try as much variety as possible...
- cheeseburger
- south sidefriedburger
- onion rings
- mac n cheese
- cheese n gravy loaded fried
- hot apple cider

review (5/5): 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
i had been meaning to try out lhol for quite some time after positive reviews from friends so i was super impressed when it lived up to the standard. the food was outstanding, cooked perfectly and very tasty! the drink special: hot apple cider was delightful. would recommend this place to anyone who loves burgers! can't wait to visit again soon. 🤩

who doesn’t lovefriedchicken!! and they do it well here. the tenders are juicy with a tangy spicy sauce. the burger bun is light and sweet, the burger patty edges are smoky and flavoursome. mac and cheese couldve had more flavour, but the onion rings are crispy and large. some onion rings are oily and heavy. service is great. cool place with hipster vibe.

i always feel right at home every time i visit this american drinking and dining hole. their vegan burger is incredible, albeit pretty greasy. but it's a great dish to line my stomach before i start downing whisky. if you're drinking anything else when you visit leonard's (except maybe a beer), you're doing it wrong. i also have a soft spot in my heart for thosefriedeggplant spears.

ordered a mushroom burger, double cheese burger, southernfriedchicken burger and hot glazed tenders for 4 adults via ubereats. food was very fresh and tasty. will be dreaming of the tenders until i have them again. soooo good! price is pretty reasonable too.

i’d like to give 4.5 stars.. i’m not a burger eater but i got chicken burger and i’m in love with it’s juicyfriedchicken, cheese and the bun. it’s worth to try if you’re in the area.

this is a great place to catch up with friends over a drink andfriedchicken. the chicken tenders and so crispy and delicious. the hot sauce was not as spicy as we expected but still tasty nevertheless. even the pickles that come with it are great. it can get busy but it’s worth it!

i was curious by this place because it is also the name of one of my favourite songs by east 17.

i had thefriedchicken sandwich. i enjoyed that it was on white sandwich bread. brought me back to the 90s. in a world where brioche is king, it's nice to see white bread. the chicken itself was juicy instead and crunchy on the outside. i really enjoyed it. the onion rings were pretty good.

you wouldn't find this place walking down chapel street, but enough people know about this place. it's very melbourne to seek your food, and people should seek this house of love.