robert burns hotel

robertburns- hola!. the guys that run this place get it. the steak is unbelievable - the kind where you wish it didn't end. the service is spot on - they understand their cuisine and are great at recommendations. you need to book two weeks out for the weekends and friday nights. their bar meal is a feast in itself. looks like a dodgy local on the outside but stunningly spanish on the inside...

since it was established in 1861, the robertburnshotel has seen various iterations with the most recent being a spanish themed restaurant. new owner and proud publican, gerry nass is making a bold move to refresh expectations of how to enjoy a good time at this local pub. this improved incarnation sets the bar high when it comes to pub dining, and is set to reclaim robertburnshotel’s title as a landmark collingwood pub.

a talented new chef duo have joined the crew - celebrated italian chef, danny russo from russolini is collaborating with former atlantic group head-chef, david maclean to reignite the menu. think modern bistro meets nonna’s kitchen.

we loved tasting our way through the new menu. to start, the charred octopus was an absolute highlight. the octopus was incredibly tender while retaining a robust structure courtesy of being expertly cooked and well-seasoned by the heady squid ink which delivered a luxurious salinity and also enhanced the flavours of the octopus.

the burrata was similarly delicious. this cheese sensation demonstrated that unforgettable dishes can sometimes be very simple. in this instance, a ball of unadulterated burrata simply paired with pickled persimmon and prosciutto. when the outer solid mozzarella shell was cut, we loved how the creamy interior of soft, stringy curd and fresh cream revealed itself. the sumptuously rich yet sensibly balanced flavours were sensational.

for mains the fish of the day, (on this occasion, a whole flounder) exceeded expectations. cooked to absolute perfection, the natural sweetness of the very fresh fish was allowed to shine through.

also very notable, was the reimagined chicken parma. lightly crumbed chicken breast was topped with prosciutto, tomato, melted buffalo mozzarella and served with a side of fries. simply beautiful and a must have when at the pub.

you can be friends with salad at robert burns. we recommend you try the roast cauliflower salad. this was a true crowd-pleaser - an amalgamation of caramelised roasted cauliflower florers, burnt leeks, hazelnuts and rocket topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds and heady parmesan.

dessert time continued to please. the almond coconut panna cotta was texturally perfect, just barely holding its shape and boasted complexity with a subtle sour "twang" courtesy of being served with rhubarb and strawberries.

the tiramisu was yet again, delicious - traditionally made and utterly comforting.

on the drinks front, fine wine is available for every palette or if you prefer a stiff drink, there is a solid cocktail and spirit list. an extensive selection of classic aussie and craft is set to impress with 14 tap beers and ciders and more than 30 tinnies in both standard or longies.

located on the corner of smith and easey streets, this new phase in the life of the robertburnshotel is an exciting one. we simply cannot wait to return.

robertburnsmay look like your standard northside pub on the outside, but on the inside is a cute, cosy dining room serving "elevated pub fare" plus great cocktails. the space is warm and a welcome a mix of vintage and contemporary, featuring wicker seating and tartar floors and walls. the menu is large and heavily italian-inspired, with sections for veggies, pastas, proteins and small plates. the vegetarian options are scattered around the menu so ask if you need guidance.

i was advised to try the green tomato salad which is light and fresh and served with straciatella, one of my favourite cheeses. i was also recommended the cauliflower, which is incredible. it's roasted to a point where it becomes smoky but not too crisp and served with salad, roasted asparagus, pecorino and hazelnuts which add a great texture.

for mains, i tried the super soft and fluffy gnocchi which almost had a filled dumpling consistency. while lots of pub gnocchi can be too dense and lacking flavour, this one had perfect amount of both. my partner enjoyed a parma which he also voucher for heavily. if you eat seafood, the squid is beautifully presented and apparently quite good as well.

from the cocktail list, i can recommend the pink lady and the robbieburnssour - both light and sweet and fruity and refreshing.

went to the robertburnshotel for dinner last night with the family, i’d heard about about this place so the expectations were high. we had a number of shared plates between our group rather than individual meals. i was expecting a myriad of flavours with the selection of dishes given this is place with a spanish theme, but unfortunately everything i got to try was on the bland side. i not normally a person that likes food overly spicy so i was a bit confused about what i’d experienced. my daughter said the same, the food was decent and couldn’t be faulted other than it lacked a bit of flavour. between us we tried at least 7 different dishes, everything was ok but nothing was memorable. the place was nice and the service was very good but overall the experience wouldn’t draw me back in a hurry.

3.5 robertburnsoffers a slightly upscale spanish dining experience that doesn’t break the bank.
however, with new owners at the helm, it’s evident that some fine-tuning is still required, both in terms of execution of the food, namely the headline paella, as well as the attentiveness of the wait staff.

happy hour was quite a rush at robertburnshotel on friday despite all of melbourne freaking out over a little bit of rain. fortunately it was welcoming inside and the drinks were still flowing.

i tried both the $10 happy hour cocktails... the pisco sour & the espresso martini. they were both well made and tasty. i love the raw egg white foam and tanginess of the pisco sour and this was my favourite of the two.

i also tried the otherside cocktail which was a wonderful blend hendricks gin, cucumber and citrus.

the from bar area offered spanish tapas while the dining area out back offered more substantial but still largely spanish fare. the interior is quaint classically presented.

i visited robertburnsfor the food social hosted spanish feast. loved all the different courses like cold cuts, garlic prawns, croquettes, grilled meats etc... the sangria could have been better. but totally loved the paella, one of the best i have eaten.

it's great to see that even after years of my absence from not visiting the robertburnshotel, even though i've had one a great many times dining here at in the past .. this place is still a fine classic ..everything was yummy .. and staff were just fantastic

robertburnshad been recommended to me by someone who said it had the best paella. having tried the seafood paella by simply spanish, i couldn't think it could get any better. i jumped onto the website and was enthralled by the variety of paella on the menu. rabbit, squid ink, seafood. ...

plus happy hour from 5-7pm

i was sold. i quickly made a booking for a friday evening for two.

i arrived there around 6.30 and was offered seating straightaway by the host. there is outdoor seating as well and with it being a beautiful warm day in march, we decided to sit outside. we were told to wait five minutes at the bar while we waited for tables to be cleared. we ordered pisco sours for 10 bucks each and were quickly then ushered to our seats.

the outdoor tables are slightly bigger than the indoor ones and there is a slight canopy like covering. it's quite beautiful.

our pisco sours were delicious. we ordered the seafood paella which is 25 per person and two people must get it. which i think is very pricey. but oh well. we also got the tuna salad.

the tuna salad was just some canned tuna with spinach leaves. one quartered tomato, one egg and some cucumber. nothing special.

the seafood paella arrived in a large paella pan with four prawns, some calamari, two mussels, two clams and that was it. quite disappointing in terms of amount of seafood. the rice was quite chewy, stuck to the base of the pan and tasted quite burnt and dry. very disappointing. very overpriced for what we got.

service is great. venue is great. drinks are great. perhaps better for drinks and small bites i think.

robertburnshotel is what your house looked like as a kid. except it's 2017. while the entrees started off strong and the croquettes were particularly delicious, there is unfortunately not much i can say for the mains. the seafood paella is fairly bland and not very "seafoody" at all. as we didn't try anything else off the menu i can't comment for the rest of the food. service was good and the wait staff were all attentive.

tried the seafood paella, shared with the hubby. i was expecting the flavours to hit me in the face but the rice was lacklustre and stodgy. lacked any seasoning, tastes like tomato paste and rice.
my night was topped off with a cockroach crawl across the couch to me.
was my first time to the robertburnsand will be my last.

the only negative is that it's quite pricey for food and drink.
i like the atmosphere. the staff are often friendly and attentive.
the rabbit and chicken paella is my favourite dish out of the ones i have tried. it is a taste sensation. it's not a huge menu and it was a tiny bit difficult to cater for my pregnant friend.
if you are cashed up and you'd like an enjoyable meal please organise a visit to the robertburnshotel.

the robbieburnshas been serving decent spanish food for many, many years. while previously it served larger and more old-style dishes (the sopa de mariscos was amaaaazing), it now serves more modern-style tapas and smaller dishes.

while nostalgia wishes the old robbie was back, the current incarnation still does a good job. if you haven't eaten much tapas or paella it is still a good candidate to try, but unfortunately for me i don't find this venue overly exciting, and i think you can do better at places like anada, movida and lourinha for similar style food.

the decor is pleasant; the robertburnsis an old collingwood pub and icon, and it is done up well enough. the courtyard out the back has a modern theme with a bit of greenery, and is a lovely place to sit in warmer weather. staff are professional and friendly. the wine list is also reasonably good.

a nice safe bet.

this was the second time we have had lunch at this hotel.  because there were 12 of us, we managed to secure their wine room.  this sectioned part of the hotel is fabulous - surrounded by lovely wines.  we all ordered their lunch specials.  whilst everyone enjoyed their meals, i could not believe my fantastic rump steak.  big, juicy, cooked to perfection.  unbelievable.  it is so so good.  and i do not often eat meat but at robertburnshotel they do the meat to perfection.  all for $14.00 - and we will return every couple of months, our friendly group of 12.

had a quick afternoon bite at robertburnshotel. not your typical hotel food, because they do spanish food! we had the chorizo and jamon croquettes. it was pretty good. we will go back for the monday 1/2 price paella and the tuesday spanish film!