the nomad cafe

very disappointed, food average, atmosphere cramped, loud & tacky, service lacking & uneven. we dined during the supper rush and the small dining room was packed. it hard to move around being larger people, space is very limited. it was so loud i could not hear my wife and have supper conversation. interior was tacky with expensive, cheesy art, unimpressive tile floor, and globes dangling from ceiling. i think the building was previously a gas station and then the pita pit. there is no liqueur here like cocktails or martinis so i ordered a beer. server told me she had a belgian dark beer on special and after a long wait (they couldn't find it) brought out a bavarian (german) dark wheat beer which was good. i told her belgium and germany were different countries. when i asked what harissa seasoning was on the fish she did not know and said she would find out and never did get back to me. the servers going to the adjacent tables barely cleared our little dining area, there is so little room in this place. chicken soup was very good. salads were nothing special. our chicken dishes were average + (chicken cordon bleu) and below average (chicken francoise). the potatoes and zucchini side with one was soggy and the grits with the other tasted weird. i asked the server about desserts and she said they had pound cake and finally said it was tres leches cake. usually, tres leches cake is called tres leches cake. anyway, the cake was excellent and out coffees were brought out a few minutes after the dessert was served. my wife's regular coffee was very good but my cafe con leche tasted like italian cappuccino so i had to add sugar and cream. servers were slow to take empty bottles away and i had to ask for a new chilled glass for my second beer. we were really disappointed and will likely not return.

definitely not worth the money. i had heard mostly good things about nomad cafe and thought we would give it a try. service was severely lacking and the timing of food delivery was terribly off. the food was tasty but not worth the price for the service and aggravation that went with it. my dinner experience was spent with the entire table angry for the lack of service.

great place, excellent food. i've been to the nomad a quite few times. the food is almost always excellent and the servers/owner are always friendly. the steak, soups, chile rellenos, drunken fish, nachos, tikka sandwich, and specials i've had were always excellent. i had a salmon special once and the salmon was a little too done for me. but everything else has always been good. i would say the desserts are very small for the price- but they are excellent. if you like something a certain way- tell them. i should have told them i like my salmon barely cooked.

my fiancee and i stop for lunch on a monday 3/4/13 yes monday they are opean!thank you! both of us have benn servers for a combied 50 years plus so it was very refreshing to be welcomed at 2 pm and feel rushed because the kithcen was closing between lunch and dinner...not here they open and stay open thnk you again..now the food outstanding everything was excellent food servec this is our new and will be for a long time faviorite place you rock dont go by give it a try!!!

best place in melbourne (and beyond). professional service, good prices, fantastic fish tacos and curry.

outstanding, so good both my husband and i were so impressed with this dish. it does have a kick (spicy) and is a little messy - ask for extra napkins, but very very good, did i say how good this was!!!!


-----19 jan, 2013-----

i had this, while very tasty, not enough seafood. i even took half home thinking maybe the bulk of seafood was in that half and it wasn't. this is good, but i wanted more seafood.


-----19 jan, 2013-----

this was a very nice restaurant, small and quaint, about 12 -14 tables. prices are great for the food and the presentation you get, actually expected it to be higher in price. first the good ... our food was delicious, everything a treat. our favorite was the dirty wings, a appetizer, outstanding dish, great twist on a favorite, it is alittle spicy and a-little messy, but it will be my meal next time, we both loved it. my husband got the drunken fish and i the seafood burrito. both were good, but i probably will not get the burrito a second time, really wanted the "seafood", yet i felt there was very little seafood in it for the price, a lot of beans and rice, good flavor just too high a price for so very little seafood. my husband loved his drunken fish, it has a great taste and was a nice thick piece of haddock. my sangria (home made) was also great and the chips and salsa they served were some of the best i have ever had. cons - it was our anniversary and they said they would reserve us a table by the window, but did not and our waitress while nice didn't seem super knowledgable about the food, you could tell she was searching for responses, not a horrible thing, but i like a waiter or waitress who is familiar with what is being served. i will go again, the meals i saw being served looked fantastic, i truly feel you will not be disappointed.

great place. we went to the nomad for the first time last week. the menu choices, the food, the service, and the ambiance were all great. others have gone on our recommendation and are equally pleased.

such a nice surprise. we've been there about 3 times now. every time it's been really nice. however, i can't decide on what to get so i get the same thing, the steak salad with french fries. my husband and other friends get something different and they've all liked their dishes too. the service has always been good and friendly. i will say that the special's are slightly pricey for what you get per my husband who had the mahi special about 2 weeks ago. like the ambience.

i love everything i've had !!! i'm looking forward to my next time there!

absolutely incredible...experienced tastes never had...fresh...quality...diverse...something for everyone and a great value...our new fab! try it!!! (no i don't work here haha)

a great spot. we've eaten lunch and dinner here many times and every meal has been fantastic. the place has everything going against it - it is in a former gas station, the parking lot is a disaster and it is difficult to get to. the menu is about as eclectic as they come - if you can't find something you like you probably aren't hungry. the service is excellent and the owner is very involved. the prices are surprisingly low. the meals are served quickly. the place is very small, it is hard to imagine getting in for dinner without a reservation. this is one of my favorites.

how could i forget: surrounded by fresh rasberry preserves


-----24 aug, 2012-----

delicious, my new favorite restaurant.

delicious!. i made my husband take me there on a busy saturday night. i had a glass of wine, we split the jalepeno popper app. i got the carne asada and he got the drunken chicken. they also served a small portion of homemade chips and salsa :-) the whole meal....was amazing! they timed the meals well....everything had a bit of love evident from the food, to the excellent wait staff. the outside looks kinda like an old dive, but please don't be fooled! it is a wonderful meal awaiting you inside. very eclectic menu and well thought out. my wine was good as well! we had house salads with our meal and the house dressing is just lovely! my husband doesn't even care much for "salad" and he ate every bite! i am a self-ordained foodie and i highly recommend trying this place out! make reservations too!

wonderful. truly amazing place, the food is always excellent. favorite friday lunch spot!!

really good experience.. the food was really fresh, very tasty. i had a chicken wrap which was a lunch special. it came with a cup of soup and a pasta salad on the side so it was a good deal for lunch. my wife is trying some crazy diet where she cant eat any carbs so they made her a dish with all sauteed veggies, a small salad and seasoned chicken with a cilantro line sauce. she was delighted and nearly licked the plate! service was great, casual atmospher, the outside of the restaurant doesnt do it justice. they should jazz it up a bit so everyone wont be turned away by its so-so appearance.