Bistro Guillaume

Walked past this place many times, dined here for the first time very recently, and we were not disappointed! The food and service were incredible, and because it was our anniversary we even received a lovely special anniversary plate (complimentary). We ordered the $90pp set menu and it was amazing. Next time I’m going to try the lamb shoulder which I saw in the second set menu. Absolutely loved it and had a great time! Moscato drink was also fantastic. Will definitely be coming back.

We had one of the best date nights dinners at Bistro Guillaume. Everything was amazing. My husband had the chicken as his main and oh my gosh, I think of that chicken a lot. Probably the best chicken in Melbourne. Juicy and tasty and just mouth wateringly good. My steak was good and cooked just the way I like it. But it definitely came second to the chicken. Service was amazing. They split the French onion soup into two portions without us having to ask. Which was delightful Steak tartare and oysters were fresh and delicious. Just an absolutely delightful wonderful dinner.

We had an amazing lunch experience at Bistro Guillaume. The steak was magnificent, and so was the beautiful sourdough bread. The staff here provided excellent service and took so much care for my fiancé’s allergies. They even gave us a special treat to congratulate us on our engagement. Thank you to the staff!

I’ve never tried this restaurant and decided to treat my mother to a night out and we weren’t disappointed! It was such a beautiful experience. The food was amazing. Everything we ate was just perfect and the staff were very friendly and attentive the whole night. They were able to answer any questions we had about the dishes and the service was just overall 10/10. We ordered the charcuterie board which all tasted fantastic. My mother’s trout was so fresh and delicious and my steak was cooked perfectly. We ended with the creme brûlée which was just divine. We both had such an amazing experience and would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a classy night out with amazing food and great vibes.

I had a fantastic experience at Bistro Guillaume. The atmosphere was elegant yet relaxed – perfect for a special evening or a classy casual dinner. The service was absolutely impeccable: professional, warm, and attentive without being intrusive. The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the blue tongue fish – it was perfectly cooked and seasoned, absolutely delicious! Every bite was a delight. You can really tell that the ingredients are top-quality and the kitchen knows exactly what they’re doing. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy fine French cuisine in Melbourne. I’ll definitely be coming back!

Tried the set menu – not bad, but the in-house salmon? Absolute heaven. Cheese lovers, don’t skip the cheese soufflé – rich, fluffy, and ridiculously good. The fish main was okay, but the crème brûlée and profiteroles totally stole the show (bonus points for the handsome French waiter doing the dramatic pour – très magnifique!). Service was top-tier. Next time, I’m going à la carte to try the famous steak & frites and lamb.

What a fantastic night at Bistro Guillaume. I was not aware of French foods however, I was very surprised and impressed with the menu and staff. As soon as you walk into the Bistro, you are greeted with a friendly smile and shown to your table. The service was amazing, the food top quality and the atmosphere of the Bistro was very relaxing. The best part was the desserts for me although the whole dinning experience could not be faulted. Would recommend this Bistro 100% 👌

I visited this French joint with high expectations, but unfortunately, the experience fell short on several fronts. To start, the oysters lacked the freshness one would expect from a quality establishment. While the accompanying dressing was pleasant, it couldn’t quite mask the underwhelming quality of the seafood. The smoked salmon dish was equally uninspiring—it tasted no different from any standard offering and didn’t stand out in presentation or flavor. The brioche served with it was a letdown: dry, lacking richness, and more of an afterthought than a well-considered pairing. Moving on to the main course, the steak was under-seasoned and lacked depth of flavor. What should have been a highlight was marred further by a disappointing béarnaise sauce that added little to the dish. Overall, the meal felt like a string of missed opportunities. With such a rich culinary tradition to draw from, it was disappointing to encounter such average execution. I hope the kitchen takes a closer look at the quality and consistency of what they’re putting on the plate.Its a FRENCH-WANNA BE

First time here, and may not be the last. I would definitely give it a try again, but wouldn't rush back in an extreme hurry. For a restaurant of its calibre, it took them a while to acknowledge we'd even walked in. Eventually they seated us at a nice window table, and maybe I'm starting to show my age, but we were near the live music (which is outside) and was almost annoyingly too loud even on the inside. I figured they may play French songs to create the vibe, but there was no French atmosphere at all. With that all said, the food was really quite nice. The bread they give you to snack on before the meal was out of this world, and each dish I had was really good. I had a dish off the specials board, which was Kingfish Tartare and it was outstanding. I had the Salmon Fumé for my main, which was meant to have horseradish (but didn't) and it came with a cold, hard brioche (which was the only real disappointment to the meal). For dessert I had the Chocolate Tart and it was just perfect. A nice sweet treat to end the delicious meal. Everyone's food was cooked the way they wanted, and everyone enjoyed and the service was great (they know exactly who ordered what, and it's given to the person without questioning who ordered it, and all the food came out at the same time). The decor is lovely and there's a great outlook over to the river and beyond. While it's a little pricey, if you have a celebration and are looking for somewhere nice to spend it, then this is it. I recommend it.

Had a fantastic family lunch here last weekend and would recommend Bistro Guillame to everyone. While it was on the pricey side, the food and service were both fantastic. We enjoyed the pate and chucuterie for starters, the duck, coq au vin and chicken for mains, and profiterojes for dessert. Typical of french food, it was buttery, creamy and perfectly cooked. PS- Taking french food advice from a vegan is like having a tee totaller choose your wine...

I had mussels was very disappointed. The price was 38. And I thought you would get a lot of mussels but was a very small portion. I ordered steak tartar. For appetizer. It was not good But the best thing was the bread. That gets a 10! Drinks expensive.

Bistro Guillaume is not your typical French restaurant. Bistro Guillaume boasts a modern ambiance (inspired by the colour green) excellent French fare and refreshingly friendly service. The unpretentiousness of the restaurant is well represented in its simple, yet satisfying, wine list and menu. While the wine list is not extensive, there is a solid representation of different varieties to suit most tastes. We selected the Pinot Gris and weren't disappointed. The food menu is also straightforward and also serves as your placemat. While this may be reminiscent of Pizza Hut for some, the success of the menu (and restaurant) really is its simplicity and focus on quality. Diners can be assured of a good selection of classic dishes to choose from such as French onion soup, a half roasted chicken with mash puree, steak with béarnaise sauce, pork belly with lentils or even the Plat de Jour! The only slight disappointment for me was the profiteroles for desert. The ice-cream filling was a little too firm. But overall, the stylish yet relaxed feel of Bistro Guillaume and the honest menu make its approach to French hospitality unique. Bistro Guillaume is well deserving of its Chef's Hat award.

Everybody I likes this joint, you would if you like meat, meat, meat, dairy and seafood. If you are vegan there is only one word to describe it and that is "shit". $50 set lunch menu, pumpkin soup and a plate of veggies. Yep main was a plate of veggies. EVERY side dish contained butter, cream or cheese (except mixed leaves). Hate to tell places like this that you have chefs not robots - $50 for a plate of veggies???? Please. Never to return.

The good and bad: Bad: +10% service charge on a 3,500$ bill. (tipping is not typically done in Australia) Rude waitresses. Arrogant and snotty. Bad service. No elevator for handicapped people to private dining area. Side dishes came out much later than the mains . Good: Great Steak. My husband and I had our wedding reception here and had a 2 course menu. One main with a side and one dessert per person with an open bar. When it is your wedding day and you are spending a decent amount of money you expect superb service. The waitresses were rude and it really was sad to have such a day spoilt by such behavior from the wait staff. As good as the steak was I would probably not return to this restaurant because of the service.

I came here the other night finally after constantly walking past and mentally noting that I should eat there. This restaurant is beautifully French, with French waiters who greet you with 'bonjour mademoiselle/monsieur'. The menu items are displayed on paper place mats, I personally would have liked more variety for the main course as nothing on the menu really jumped out at me. The entrees on the other hand were very playful and appetizing. We shared a charcuterie platter (deli meats) for entrée, this came served on a chopping board with piles of crunchy grilled bread. For main I had the steak (which I asked to be cooked rare-medium rare, but it came out medium). Overall I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place, but I was thoroughly disappointed by the food. I mean sure it was nice, but I was expecting a lot nicer. Actually now that I think back on it, the food was pretty average- nothing stood out. Not so sure I would go back a second time.

Recently renovated with a green theme makes it more inviting, although the bright green might be a bit too full on to my liking, and does not blend in well with the other restaurants at Crown. A quality French dining experience; where I was actually taken to lunch for a date. Red wine here we come. Great, high quality service is also on the menu, and anything red meat - especially the lamb; although the original French brasserie (before becoming a new slick restaurant as Crown are currently renovating their premises) was much better for the pallet, wallet and customer service. The wine list is a bit of a disappointment; too many in the mid to high range whereas a Shiraz in the lower price range would have been just as great. The food came out well presented, especially the oysters; however the taste was dull and disappointing. It is amazing that an oasis of calm and serenity is situated in a full on energy complex where you have drunk punters situated on the main gaming floor only metres away from you. The ambience is great; although the bright green; expensive wine list and dull food is a turn off this time round amongst organised renovation chaos.

Simply the worst service. It was everything you think of when you imagine the stereotyped Frenchmen. Rude, slow, no pride, lacked energy and just meh! Had to resort to calling the restaurant on my mobile phone to get their attention to have them service our table. It's not even like the place was busy... Only two tables (7 people in total)!!! Maybe I should've taken this as a sign and stayed away! Pitiful!!!! Redeeming factor... My memories that it used to be great.

Honestly I don't know why I went back a second time after the first experience here...On the first visit the food was average at best with rude waiters, the second time wasn't too much better... I walked in this evening after scouring the Crown Complex looking for a restaurant open at 5:30 so I would get to the Malthouse on time, sincerely hoping that there was another one open besides this place. I walked in and got a table after a brief struggle. After making a comment on time management after having to wait two hours for a main course last time I ordered straight away. Steak tartare and pot roasted chicken, I had a good experience with the Chicken last time and wanted to spice up my life a little bit with the tartare. The tartare arrived, like a mountain plonked onto a plate and 1 part steak 5 parts tomato sauce! I tried to eat it, and tried to eat a little bit more, and decided enough was enough, I put it down and treated myself to bread and tap water... Soon after the chicken arrived, same as last time, decent, hearty, nothing too fancy. After my main I decided to go with a desert, profiteroles. They arrived, and I was straight back in Tartare mode... A few years ago in Sydney a bar was taken to court for having excrement disguised as chocolate sauce in someones ice cream, this was not much better... Overall I have finally decided enough is enough and unless they improve in service and menu I ain't goin' back...

French fare on the Rive Gauche of the Yarra A large grey monolith stretching along the banks of the Yarra, with its bird-burning fire balls that launch into the night sky, the Crown casino complex is a strange beast. While it appears on the must-visit list of many tourists, locals on the whole seem to feel ambivalent towards it. Which is strange when you think that Melburnians love their food (and aren't afraid to spend a few dollars on it), and the casino is home to some high-end, well-respected restaurants. The kind of places Gourmet Traveller loses its cool over. Perhaps we can't overcome our inner snob long enough to visit the gambling mecca, instead thinking: 'We are locals, we don't need to visit the obvious places.' Well think on people, choose your eatery well and you are in for some rather lovely waterside dining. We went to Rockpool nearly two years ago - a Christmas Eve jaunt with the Aussie relatives - and returned a few weeks later to The Waiting Room (a newcomer, at the time, to Neil Perry's national family of bars and restaurants - although we recently heard that it has closed). Both were great, but we were poor. So our experiences never really translated into a decent blog post. Then off course earlier this year The Merrywell signalled a less stuffy approach to dining at Crown, and we have been back for drinks several times since we posted our review. We watched the AFL Grand Final there, so did a lot of people, perhaps confirming that this place has finally made the casino a viable place for locals to hang out. So anyway, we were invited to Bistro Guillaume and, while this place had never previously figured that highly on our foodie wishlist, we were curious to see how the chef's French fare was doing alongside the Asian offerings at Spice Temple and Nobu, and the seafood fest that is The Atlantic. Plus it is one of the few 'better' restaurants at the casino to open onto the river, making alfresco tables perfect for people spotting, a pastime we love. Walking in you can't miss the half deflated hot-air balloon lampshades. I think I like them, although they maybe also look like burst bubbles of chewing gum hanging from the ceiling, but let's not dwell on that image. Anyway, they are apparently meant to put you in mind of French petticoats or chef hats. Trappings of an upmarket bistro abound, lots of polished brass fittings, zinc-topped bar and wood panelling (French oak, I'm sure). The menu looks pretty expensive - one of those places were you wonder just how much you are going to have to order to feel full up. But we needn't have worried. Kicking things off was a generously stocked charcuterie board ($22). Although the menu is set out as entrees, mains, sides, salads and desserts, the size of this first dish quickly places BG in the realms of sharing plates, which means you can take the kind of pick-and-choose approach that we love. By all means, order three courses all to yourself, but I can guarantee you will be rolling out the doors with a stomach the size of Sacré-Coeur's dome. Country-style terrine of pork and chicken, jamon Serrano, duck liver parfait (served in a super-cute ramekin), pork rillettes, and three types of cured meats - the truffle salami was a highlight - came with Dijon mustard and toasted sourdough, extra to the fresh bread delivered to the table. It's like they almost want you to fail at the first course with the amount of carbs on offer at the start of the meal. Next, onion soup ($16) - rich, unctuous, in no way bitter or burnt, a delight. A cheese-covered rouille bobs happily in the middle of the soup bowl. It might seem on the steep side for a soup, but again, the savoury sublimeness makes it a tough one to devour solo. Then came the in-house smoked salmon with dill cream and toasted brioche. Both delicately sweet and subtly salty, the salmon was great and there was plenty of it. Again, not a starter I could finish on my own. Staff were super-efficient and happy for us to stagger our 'sharing' courses. We opted for one main - rack of lamb on a red of ratatouille, tapenade and zucchini flower ($36), which saw a heaped plate of juicy pink meat and tangy veggies delivered to our table with an extra plate. A confronting sight considering we were already half full up, but completely appeasing any concerns surrounding the price tag. And why limit ourselves? A side of crispy confit of potatoes with garlic and parsley delivered a further earthy, fragrant hit. We couldn't even contemplate a dessert, so plan next time to go easy on the pre-dinner drinks and settle in for a few hours of concentrated grazing. And, we can't stress this enough, order with sharing in mind - it is the only way you are going to manage to fit in a few different courses of this rich and tasty French fare, well executed and faultlessly delivered. Continued on our Blog...

Bistro Guillaume, located in Southbank at the Crown Casino had been on my list of places to try for some time. I have a great amount of respect for Guillaume Brahimi as a person and find him one of the more down to earth figures in the world of the celebrity chef. I met him at last year's Rockpool Winter Truffle Dinner and enjoyed a conversation with him. He did not exude pretension like some in the industry and he not only took an interest in what I do (which is hard to describe on the best of days even when not under the influence of good wine) however he is both interesting and quite savoir-faire. After dining at his flagship restaurant in Sydney a few times, I was very interested to see how he translated the winning formula, which included a view of Sydney Harbour into a bistro-like setting at the Crown Casino which overlooks the dirty Yarra River. The first thing you will notice about Bistro Guillaume is the decor. Even a cursory glance into the place as you wander past will leave you with a mad desire to visit. It certainly is not revolutionary or stately but almost whimsical with its lime green and white colours. I never thought that I was in Paris, but I did like the ambience. It made me want to sit down, have pleasant conversation and just hang out. A bistro should engage a customer in such a way, so I give Guillaume some bonus points for psychologically manipulating me in a positive way. I took advantage of the lunch special where you can enjoy three courses for $55. The highlight of these courses was the steak tartare. It wasn't the best tartare that I have ever (Neil Perry's offering at Rockpool Bar & Grill is currently my favourite) but it does come in with a high distinction. The rack of lamb met expectations but the highlight oddly enough was the zucchini flower that accompanied it. I chose cheese for the dessert course and although it was not really high quality, it complemented the experience and encouraged conversation and assisted in making the afternoon enjoyable. Upon sitting down, the service was very attentive. A couple of glasses of Mumm champagne was ordered for $20/glass. It started proceedings until a bottle of wine could be liberated from their stock and enjoyed with the food. Funnily enough, the champagne was served in Mumm glasses. The following day I purchased a Costco membership. The same bottle of Mumm, that strangely came packaged with two Mumm branded champagne flutes sold at Costco for $44. Quite a healthy mark-up at the restaurant. As the dining experienced progressed, service did not remain as enthusiastic as when we started. We were abandoned for periods and both our sparking water and wine glasses went dry at various points. It never got to the point where we were going to dehydrate or became annoyed but it was curious. I certainly look forward to returning to Bistro Guillaume and trying the roasted chicken with paris mash. I hear it is great. I certainly want to gorge myself with more steak tartare however I may drink one of my bottles of Mumm and a bottle of San Pelligrino that was sourced from Costco before walking over just for financial relief.

What a great way to finish off the night with some exceptional french dishes from Bistro Guillaume after exploring the laneways of Melbourne. We started the celebratory dinner with a fine bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut. The champagne was amazing with the taste of crisp green apples and citrus flavours it was perfect, for the balmy evening. Kicking off with a dozen of fresh shucked oysters accompanied by shallot and red wine vinegar. The oysters were creamy and naturally salty, I might have only used the vinaigrette for 3 of the oysters while the rest I squeezed fresh lemon. For the mains, I went for the traditional French bistro dish, steak and frites with béarnaise sauce. Perfectly cooked rare steak, juicy and tender with a delicious sauce that wasn't overpowering. Ending the night with a light dessert, I opted for the vanilla bean creme brûlée and I loved the moment I cracked the sweet layer of hard caramel to find the beautiful rich custard. I could have eaten two of these! Definitely a great night with great company and great food.

Well, you can tell this is a french restaurant just by walking in the front door. They've certainly got the decor down pat, though not in an over the top way. Only adding to that is the outdoor patio which is perfect for people watching along the banks of the yarra river. In terms of the food, Im not huge on French Cuisine so the food was just okay. I did really like the French onion soup, though I think that with a pricetag of $16 for soup it had better be pretty good! The roast chicken was tasty too, but honestly I chose the most familiar dish I saw on the menu, and how wrong can you go with roast chicken? So as a result I dont really think I got a feel for the real french cooking they do, aside from the soup of course. The service was impeccable. The waiters were attentive, but discreet, and catered to your every need without interrupting the conversation too much. That alone would make me happy to go back there if invited by someone, though it would not personally be my first choice.

Had to meet a friend at Crown for a movie on ANZAC Day so decided to venture off Flinders Lane and have lunch at Bistro Guillame at Southbank. Lovely weather so I sat out on the balcony that looks across the Yarra to Melbourne Aquarium. Started with a Ramos Gin Fizz - gin, fresh lemon and lime juice topped with orange blossom and cream, topped with soda. Yum. I could drink this all day. it came in a tall glass with an orange wedge. Really refreshing and tasty. Ordered half a dozen oysters natural to start. They had two types - Sydney Rock and Coffin Bay - so I had three of each for $3.50 a piece. Both delicious, and went well with the shallot and red vinegar sauce that accompanied them. My gin fizz didn't make it through the entree so I ordered another cocktail - Violet and Citron Mojito. This was your standard Mohito with a splash of violet syrup which came in a long glass too and was also delicious - the violet syrup was a nice twist. For main I had the roasted duck breast with carrot and orange purée with a side of Paris Mash. Great dish - four perfectly cooked slices of duck with the creamiest mash I've ever eaten. Overall quite impressed with Bistro Guillame. The staff are efficient and friendly, the service quite fast (which was important today as I only had an hour from soup to nuts) and the location good.

We went here for late lunch on our weekend getaway to Melbourne. We decided to share an entree and a cheese plate with some wine before heading to the airport. The service was not great, having to ask for refills for the water multiple times, and I was never offered another glass of wine. The bread and butter on arrival was delicious (I know, its just bread and butter, but YUM). It was weird that with the cheese plate, came with some toasted pieces of white bread, not even house made bread. I would rather of had that delicious house bread, or some cheap water crackers from Coles over that gross toast. The tartare was delicious, and the cheese plate was well worth it, with 5 or 6 different cheeses. We watched a couple of people walk in from the footpath as there is no method to block that entry, but there is a sign that says to enter from inside the crown shopping area. But to send someone already in, out and all the way around just to be brought back out and given a table was crazy. A simple velvet rope would do the trick..... Also, we watched a couple being sat right next to us, while there were plenty of empty tables on the patio (and the entire dining room was empty). They asked if they could have one table over, which would give them and us a bit more space and privacy, and the server said no, we save those for parties of 3 or more, do you have one more coming? So he tried to sit them at another table, surrounded by plants, with no view. Nobody else arrived in the next 45 minutes. I just shook my head at how the servers spoke and interacted with all the customers. I don't think I'd go back, despite the food. Plenty of other places competing for business.

Started off well BUT still waiting on mains for the last 40 mins. Super slow service. Will I ever get my mains? Ah! I'm not ordering dessert. Better have that elsewhere. What a boring wait it's turning out to be :-/ Mains finally arrived but wasn't impressive at all. My Salmon was the only thing good on the plate. Wasn't worth the money and wait. Skippo with this one next time.

Plain meals, ordinary service.. Had to wait nearly an hour for mains to arrive. Unfortunately when the mains did come they were extremely disappointing. Everyone on our table had a below par experience. Wine was good. Pretty decent selection. Same as the other restaurants in and around Crown. Pretty ordinary.

Excellent ambience and fantastic bistro food. Reasonably priced. Loved it. Definite must when visiting the Crown complex.

we came here for lunch and was blown away! the service was amazing and everything we ate was delicious! the pork belly was divine , and the bone marrow was so decadent . it is very rich food though so if your feeling like something light this isn't the place to go . also we got sides of fries/chips and it wasn't needed at all!

When we asked one of the staff members for another piece of cheese, we were refused as the waiter said he had already given us a piece. Someof the staff has difficulty speaking English, the food was good, however it was overpriced.

Best fish and steaks here. Great wine, great service and lovely smiles! I would eat here again in a heart beat. Merci beacoup Bistro Guillaume!