Published:
July 19, 2024
About Waurn Ponds Hotel
Classic pub dishes, plus TAB facilities, pool tables and live sports on TV, in a contemporary venue.
Dine in
Takeout
Delivery
Service Options
Highlights
Sports
Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Cocktails
Coffee
Hard liquor
Small plates
Wine
Atmosphere
Casual
Planning
Accepts reservations
Children
Good for kids
High chairs
Kids' menu
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible restroom
Wheelchair accessible seating
Dining_options
Lunch
Dinner
Catering
Dessert
Seating
Crowd
Groups
Payments
Credit cards
Parking
Free parking lot
Free street parking
Plenty of parking
Map
Waurn Ponds Hotel Reviews
What used to be a lovely bistro has really gone downhill. The menu is very limited and consists of no more than bar food - yet they are still charging bistro prices. The food (which came out staggered so some of us had finished our meals before the others even arrived) was OK but really not worth the price tag. When we went to get dessert we were told it was closed even though the desserts were still on display in the glass cabinet and we couldn't even get coffee. We figured this was our fault for not realising that new policies had been put in place and that everything now shut down at 8pm on the dot on a Friday night. But it was disappointing that our glasses and plates were removed as soon as we put them down - whether they were finished or not. The Waurn Ponds bistro used to be somewhere you could have a birthday celebration or just meet with friends and relax. It is now a disappointment and we will not be returning.
- Debbie Ball
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
We ordered 4 Parmas and they were awful. Very dry and half cold. We were there a total of 32 minutes and that included entree which was garlic bread, which the mains arrived at the same time. Never again.
- John Williams
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Went there on Sunday for lunch, the staff, service and the food were great the prices were reasonable and the atmosphere was excellent 👌. Had lunch today excellent service and the food was great 👍
- Karen Mc Auliffe
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Went there Australia day with 6 0f us for dinner, was greated by a lovely lady also took us to a table, same lady took our meal order, we then wanted tea,and coffees, this was at 8•10pm i was told by the man there sorry coffee machin is switched off, i couldnt believe it the lady there was so apologetic, i askedher for her name and it was Mary .You know the waurn ponds hotel need more waitresses like her, old school, we will only come back because of mary
Always smiling•Thank you Mary
- Kathy Drew
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Went here last night (22\9\23). Hardly any diners at all in the place. Thankfully I got my receipt with the time on it. They brought out several meals that we did not order. Most of us received our meals within 15 minutes, except for 2 of us. We told them 6 or so times that we were still waiting on 2 meals. After 50 minutes of waiting and another complaint those meals finally came out (everyone else had finished eating by then). I went and complained about the length of time waiting for those meals and demanded a refund for them which I got without argument. 1 of the kids meals basically tasted like pasta with tomato sauce on it. Not good service at all, has definitely gone down hill (right to the bottom in fact) since I was last there. WILL NOT BE RETURNING AGAIN.
- Melanie Houghton
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
We had a party there, they were really helpful, had a separate room which was lovely. Had the room from 6.30 to 9.30, then moved into the sports bar.
Meals were great, prices pretty much on par with most places. They allowed us to have a cake and supplied the plates, knife and spoons free of charge.
Would recommend if you were looking for a venue for a party that served meals.
- Yip Nip
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Very excellent service by a lady called Mary.Nothing was a problem to her very caring and happy nature.Well done and I will tell my friends and family.
- Angela Ziemann
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Very busy at about 6pm ordering meals. Meal didn't take too long. The steak was cooked perfectly. Very enjoyable meal. Great place for a night out. Will come back soon.
- Peter and Angela “Peter and or Angela”
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Two medium rare steaks and it was almost perfectly cooked. One was slightly under and the other was slightly over. It was steak night and the meals were great value. Service was friendly and although we waited 15 minutes in the que to order the meals came out quickly.
We will certainly be back to try the meals again.
- Chris Quirke
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
This dining venue is in a great location right at the end of the Geelong Ring Road. It has a large car park, and plenty of seating inside. They do cater for group bookings large and small.
The meals came out quickly, and were reasonably priced.
The letdown however was the quality of the parma we had. The crumb was soggy and over sauced. It was however a generous cut of chicken, thick though the middle. It had the right amount of cheese/ham but again, too much sauce ruined it. Chip were cooked perfectly.
We may try again down the track.
- Josh Houghton
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
the turn around time from order to meal delivered to table was insane for such a big bistro and with how busy it was the meal itself was very resalable size and taste
- Davina Narrainen
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
The food was amazingly delicious; the portion are gigantic
I could eat much of my soup coz I couldn’t swallow but my baby loved it and my husband loved his lamb shank
The pesto bread is very original and a delish
- Carmen Grixti
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
My sister and I had a meal here, steak night. The service was exceptional. A lady served us, her name is Mary. She waited on our table, she was so professional, friendly and hard working. Wish I could say for the rest of them. Please, more like Mary, very dedicated.
- Carole Vermay
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Lots of staff , ordered with friendly staff were great . Ordered first on our table sadly received ours last .
Ordered the aracini balls disgusted to be charged $17 for 4 little balls smaller than a golf ball even the staff said she agreed it was a rip off ( tasty but ) sadly they didn’t care just walked off also ordered wedges the most oil logged sickly wedges I’ve ever had we asked for no spices so I’m assuming they kept them in the fryer twice as long because they were oil logged .
Say won’t return the meal and price were disgusting ,not a place to go if wanting a quit meal it’s like a kids play park
- Angus Smith-Gorman
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
I have been to the Waurn ponds hotel twice this month first for my 50th birthday party in the function room and then back for Easter Lunch today.On both occasions the service from Mary was thoroughly outstanding she definitely goes above and beyond for customers and should be commended for her work ethic and attitude
- Michael Erhardt
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Had the fish n chips which was OK but have had a lot better.... Basic pub food. Service was good though.
- Marlene van Krieken
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Had Sunday lunch in the Bistro. Waitress called Mary served us. What an asset to this hotel. Friendly efficient and helpful. When you have good staff it should be recognised
- Nathan Jones (Nato)
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Had a ribeye, it was over priced, and was full of fat that wasn’t even cooked itself, a few people on my table ordered the same thing and was just full of fat and definitely wasn’t worth the $45 that it cost. Service was very slow, 45minute wait on a half cooked steak is a joke. Toilets were out of order and had to go outside. I would say next time they could do this or that better, but unfortunately there won’t be a next time. Absolutely disgusting.
- Sarah Adams
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Great kids meals and play area. The garlic bread, surf and turf, seasonal veg, with duck fat potatoes was amazing.bsolid menu, haven't had a bad meal here yet.
- Mark Cary
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Food was not nice, steak was pounded flat and tough. Asked for medium rare received well done, potatoes had roots am still attached and were undercooked.
- Angie Riches
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Floor staff friendly enough however once we had ordered it is like we were not there. Only one other table in whole establishment was seated whilst we where there and sadly still our steaks came cooked the wrong way around. Thus I struggled through an undercooked steak and hubby persisted with an overcook steak. Also the gravy needed to be corrected as came out the wrong type of gravy. Luckily I had ordered gravy to be on the side so this made this correction an easy fix. The rib eye (not cheap) was extremely tough. The porterhouse was full of hard gristle and did not have the best of steak flavours. Shame as we were hoping we could make this a semi regular treat. We won’t be back. To be spending the type of money we did we will go to a steak house. Not good guys. Not god at all. We are not being overly fussy we just want what we pay for and for our food to be of an expectable level of quality for what we pay for and for our steaks to be cooked right.
- Chelsea Malseed
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Fastest bistro service I've ever witnessed! A table of four ordered a parma, garlic prawns, and salt and pepper squid. Meals were on our table fresh and ready to eat only EIGHT MINUTES later! Very reasonable serving sizes and plenty tasty for pub food. Thank you!
- edith full
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
family meals in the pub have always been really good BUT last night we waited on 2 meals for nearly an hour, they kept bringing out meals we never ordered. the kids pasta was awful.table cuttlery wasnt set up for all people.the egg in the burger was really runny. so dissapointing
- GalliardJaws
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Completely stuffed up our reservation. Gave our table to some old farts before we got here and we were forced sit up the far corner, miles away from where we initially booked. No sorry offered and staff were argumentative when questioned about why this happened. I've been here quite a number of times and it's sad to see the quality of service drop to this level. Will not be returning.
- Paul Cornea
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Chicken curry - bland, basic
Beef salad - good flavour but beef overcooked and dry
Garlic prawns - bland, basic
Duck spring rolls - basic basic basic
Grilled pork chop - cooked well but accompaniments overcooked and burnt, no finesse at all
Lemon pepper Calamari - marginally ok, chips cooked well.
Nothing worth note here. Would find better food at Feast buffet in Norlane.
Service was disinterested, amateurish, yet earnest when spoken to.
A jug of coke 17.50
A jug of soda water 17.50
Bit overpriced for post mix drinks.
Looks like a nice family place. We came on a Monday night seems like lots of kids making ruckus in play area which is fine. Would return if the food was better. 2.5 stars out of 5 but have to come down to 2 stars as it's either 2 or 3 stars and 3 stars is too much.
- Mar Lea
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Casual hotel with pub food. We had the burger and pot special, beef and chicken burger, both were delicious and plentiful. Great for a stopover
- Dean Bennett
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Battered Flake and Porterhouse Steak
Both 6/10 $28 & $23.00 Steak Nite plus $2 for tomato sauce
- rajiv mishra
19 Fri 2024 at 02.19 pm
Amazing Australian Pub Food, great service, Amazing staff at Bistro, loved every moment of my meal
- Leissa Kelly