The main Food Court, located on the riverside of Crown towards the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, is my least favourite part of the complex. Whilst very conveniently offering a wide range of foods and being open quite late at night, it is not known for its quality or value for money.
Rhumbas
- Cuisine: Australian, Bar
- Mostly Serving: Burgers, steaks, seafood, and casual dining options.
- Google Review Score: Approximately 2.5/5
- Opens: 6:30 am-10 pm each day and til 2 am Friday, 3 am Saturday and 12 am Sundays.
- Summary: The general consensus is that for food court food, it is very expensive and that everything seems like it’s been sitting there all day and is flavourless. Apart from the food quality and pricing, the staff are referred to as being very friendly.
Ten Miles
- Cuisine: Chinese / Asian Fusion
- Mostly Serving: Noodles, rice dishes, and Chinese-inspired specialties.
- Google Review Score: Approximately 1.7/5
- Summary: This is a very typical Australian food-court-quality “Chinese” restaurant. The reviews for it on Google are very poor, citing bad service, overpriced food for the quality received and hidden public holiday (15%) & Sunday surcharges (10%).
Hutong Dumpling Bar
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Mostly Serving: Dumplings, buns, and stir-fried dishes.
- Google Review Score: Approximately 2.4/5
- Summary: Another restaurant with overly negative Google reviews, many comments about staff ripping people off and food being cold and stale
Tandoor Indian Restaurant
- Cuisine: Indian
- Mostly Serving: Curries, tandoori dishes, and naan bread.
- Google Review Score: Approximately 1.9/5
- Summary: Many of scathing reviews here, multiple reports of foreign objects contaminating the food, hidden fees, undercooked rice, incorrect charges and terrible customer service.
Cucina
- Cuisine: Italian
- Mostly Serving: Fresh pasta, salads, and gourmet pizzas.
- Google Review Score: Approximately 2.5/5
- Summary: I’m surprised to see such a low review score for this one. I had the chips here with my kids recently, and they were quite good. I haven’t tried the pizza here in years, as it does seem overpriced. I also think the person described in many of the reviews from the period in the screenshot above is no longer working there, as recent reviews are much more positive.
Saigon District
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Mostly Serving: Pho, banh mi, and traditional Vietnamese dishes.
- Google Review Score: No Google Business Profile?
- Summary: This place is relatively new, opening in 2024. Given how scathing the reviews of many of the other eateries in the Crown food court are, perhaps they have deliberately avoided creating a profile.
Man Tong Express
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Mostly Serving: Noodles, rice, and various Chinese dishes.
- Google Review Score: As there is an actual restaurant, Man Tong Kitchen in the complex, they seem to have only a Google Business profile for the main restaurant.
- Summary: Based on having a good meal or two at Man Tong Kitchen in the past, this is where I last ate when I dined in this food court. I recall it being quite expensive, but given it was based on a proper restaurant, I felt they had the most justification to charge the unusually high prices found in this food court. Based on the reviews I’ve read today whilst researching this article, I recommend this over any of the other Asian stalls.
Yamas
- Cuisine: Greek
- Mostly Serving: Gyros, souvlaki, and traditional Greek dishes.
- Google Review Score: No Google Business Profile
- Tips: Another business without a Google Business profile, I believe this is fairly new as well. I’ve definitely eaten here once before, and it seemed OK. It’s probably one of the better places to try, as it is part of a chain with locations at Grazeland and Marvel Stadium as well.
Zero Gradi
- Cuisine: Italian Gelato and Desserts
- Mostly Serving: Gelato, sorbet, and desserts.
- Google Review Score: Approximately 3.5/5
- Summary: This is one of the highest-rated eateries in the Crown food court. Most of the positive reviews are from foodies who provided Instagrammable photos of their desserts. Quite a few of the negative reviews are about the Sunday surcharges, rude staff and a few concerns about curdled and mouldy food, though those reviews are from a while ago.
General Tips for Dining at Crown Casino Food Court
- Peak Hours: Consider visiting during off-peak hours to avoid long lines, especially during lunch and dinner.
- Combo Meals: Inquire about any combo meals or specials for better value.
- Other Food Court: On level 1, near the multi-level carpark, there is another smaller food court with McDonald’s, KFC, Subway etc. You might prefer there for a more consistent eating experience.
- Surcharges: It seems that most, if not all will charge 10-15% more on public holidays and Sundays.
- Cleanliness: Due to the heavy traffic at peak times and the messiness of some of these meals (lots of rice and meals stacked on flimsy plates), the tabletops tend to get dirty faster than the cleaning staff can get to them.
- Use a bin: If you’re eating here, chuck your own food out instead of leaving it behind on the table.
- No Crown Rewards: Most of these restaurants do NOT accept Crown Rewards cards and will not help you earn
Conclusion
Crown Casino in Melbourne offers an eclectic mix of dining options, from Asian cuisine to Italian and Indian flavours. Each restaurant in this food court is quite average, or even below average. I’d recommend spending a couple of dollars more and getting something from one of the casual dining restaurants, such as the Merrywell, instead.
Note: For the most accurate and current review scores, it is advisable to check the Google Business Profiles directly as they are subject to change frequently.
