The Tower Hotel - Hawthorn

Name: Tower Hotel

Address:686 Burwood Rd,
Hawthorn VIC 3122

(03) 9882 2347 ‎

Food: Australian - Pub
Average price: Entree: $10, Mains: $20, Dessert: $6

Complimentary: Nothing.

We ordered dinner:

Mains: Eggplant Parmigiana - $18.90


This was warm at best, with cold rocket and baby spinach leaves throughout which I didn't like as it made it more like salad than a Parmigiana. The eggplant was fine, as was the sauce and cream. The bocconcini cheese was a little dry but the sliced tomatoes were fine. This would have been better with something like potatoes in place of the salad leaves in the layers.

Tower Burger - $21.90


This had a beef patty, bacon, fried egg and cheese.Ryan thought it was a bit boring - the meat was overcooked and therefore a bit dry. The egg was nice, the bun was was too stale. The chips were average.

Roast Turkey


This had sliced turkey breast, roast potatoes and pumpkin in a gravy sauce. Nanna enjoyed her dish.

Porterhouse Steak


The steak was well cooked and came with a tasty mushroom sauce and steamed vegetable sides. Mum liked it.

Tuscan Meat


This came with various meats on a skewer, gravy coated fries, fried egg and Greek salad. Dom thought this was fine.

Drinks: Lemon, lime & Bitters - $4?


A bit small, but typical of its type.

Iced chocolate - $6


This was ok, a bit sugary and cheap chocolate-y.

Cost: Around $142 for 5 mains and 5 drinks, everyone paid upfront separately.

Service: OK - food was brought out fairly quickly but obviously it's a pub not a restaurant so there's no other service than that.

Atmosphere: Casual/family friendly. The slot machines are completely separate from the dining area which has plenty of natural light and well spaced tables. There were lots of family's dining when we ate.

Parking: Ample - lots of street parking, on Sunday at 6pm it was almost empty.

Website: http://www.thehawthorn.com/

Hours: Mon 12am-4:30am, 8:30am-4:30am; Tue-Sat 8:30am-4:30am; Sun 10am-12am

Would I return: No. OK but I've been to pubs with nicer food.

Builders Arms Hotel - Fitzroy

Name: Builders Arms hotel

Address: 211 Gertrude St
Fitzroy 3065 VIC
Phone: (03) 9419 0818

Food: Australian
Average price: Entree - $13, Main - $23, Dessert - $12.

Complimentary: nothing.

Entrees: Crispy pig's cheek with garlic sauce, quail's egg and salad of radish & parsley - $15.


Ryan thought this was nice.

Meat plate of pork rillets, pate & terrine of the day - $16.50.


Ryan hated everything he said "I would only eat this if I had been on Survivor."


Mushrooms & truffled egg yolk on toasted brioche - $13.


The mushrooms were lovely, although the enoki mushrooms were quite rubbery and difficult to chew. The egg yolk was laced with gorgeous truffle, however the brioche was a little stale and lacked that sweet butteryness. Overall the entree was nice.

Mains: Onion tart with witlof, walnuts and gorgonzola - $18.


This was horrible, the tart was complete mush, and sweet but not a nice caramelised onion sweet - almost what I would imagine cat food to be like. The witlof was furry, and the gorgonzola was quite hard and much too bitey.

Sides: Fries - $6. These were greasy and came with a side of mustardy aioli for $2.50.


Desserts: Apple tart tatin with vanilla & cinnamon parfait & butterscotch sauce - $12.


The pastry was completely soggy and both the apples and the parfait were drenched in an extremely bitter butterscotch. The parfait was so frozen solid that I had to use two spoons to try and break a bit off. It tasted like cheap cream with a hint of cinnamon.

Cost: $83 for 3 entrees, 1 side, 1 main and 1 dessert.

Service: Barely none. We were standing in the dining room for 5minutes before the waitress appeared. You order your meal at the booth where you pay upfront and also grab your cutlery. If you want a drink you have to go back out to the bar and bring it back with you. We asked for our entrees and mains to be brought out together - we waited 40mins before they arrived.

Atmosphere: The noise level is quite loud as along with the loud punk-ish music they play in the dining room the sound from the pub and bar area travels trough. I felt the red, white and black flower and paisley motif complete with rooster heads was trying to make the pub feel like it was something it clearly isn't. Although the room, if taken on its own merit, is quite comfortable, it is extremely obvious you are not in a restaurant. The velvet booth seats are very stained and the waitress is wearing cargoes with holes. I didn't feel like hanging around and was glad to leave.


Parking: Street parking - a little busy as the majority of street parking is Permit Zoned but it is possible to get a car spot.

Website: None.

Hours: Fri-Sat noon-3pm
Mon-Thu 6pm-10pm
Fri-Sat 6pm-10pm
Sun 2pm-9pm

Would I return: No - would rather a pub feel like a pub and not a wannabe restaurant with self service.