The Waiters Restaurant

Great old school Italian restaurant with great homestyle food. No frills, just good food and good atmosphere. Not a big place, but that just adds to the vibe. Byo is a bonus that you just don't get anymore in the CBD. Will definitely be going back!

I visited 8 years ago and loved it so I decided to come back again after all these years. It was just as good as I remember. I can’t believe I let so many years so by in between visits! There are no prices on the menu, only names on a chalkboard. The prices aren’t unreasonable and are well worth it. They range between $25-$35 on average. Definitely worth a visit. Good, hearty, wholesome Italian food

Absolutely amazing hidden gem of Melbourne, with a very cosy and intimate environment between customers and workers. The Roast Lamb Shanks were very decadent, and well priced for the quality. However there is no disabled or elderly access, as the only entrance is at the top of a steep flight of stairs.

Amazing (and surprisingly cheap) Italian food, fast friendly service, super lively atmosphere. Be aware you may need to share a table with others but it really wasn't an issue. Started with bruschetta which was fantastic. Risotto was super flavourful, the best I've had. Not heavy like others and the parsley elevates the dish. Rigatoni all'amatriciana also amazing! First time trying and it was a great dish. Perfect amount of saltiness and spice. Tiramisu also was just wonderful, so creamy and delicious. 10/10 will be coming back

This restaurant was recommended by our tour guide from Go West. This spot is a hidden gem and hugely popular with the locals. We were the only tourists during the time we were dining. Reservation is a must to secure a seat as advised by our guide. The menu is on the chalk board with no indication of prices; but to our pleasant surprise it is reasonable. We ordered 3 items on their special menu: Lamb Alla Romana, Gnocchi, Osso Buco. Meat was so tender and matched well with our BYO from Balgownie Estate. A big shout out to Michael from Go West for the recommendation! So satisfied to end our visit to Melbourne on this note!

Pasta is great.. love the minestrone stew too... if you are here thinking you can have a decent conversation... think again... it's pretty noisy.. and you have to shout or raise your voice to be heard... The Marinara is a little spicy... highly recommend the bolognese!!

Hidden away at the top of a flight of stairs you will find reliable and quality pasta served in a no-frills lively dining room. Service is quick and efficient. A unique aspect is that the menu is written on the blackboard - taking one point off my review as they do not publish the price of each pasta dish. It really is a mystery to the price of everything. Groups of two may share a larger dining table with others, communal dining table style. I wasn't so keen on this but we did it anyway and it was perfectly fine - this is more casual than formal after all.

We went on a Friday night which is the only night you can’t book a table we got there at 6.30 and had to wait 45 mins but that’s ok went across the road for a drink. Loved the food and its byo no corkage.. awesome Not expensive rustic old fashioned Italian atmosphere loved it. All our meals were great

Great old school Italian restaurant with great homestyle food. No frills, just good food and good atmosphere. Not a big place, but that just adds to the vibe. Byo is a bonus that you just don't get anymore in the CBD. Will definitely be going back!

I visited 8 years ago and loved it so I decided to come back again after all these years. It was just as good as I remember. I can’t believe I let so many years so by in between visits! There are no prices on the menu, only names on a chalkboard. The prices aren’t unreasonable and are well worth it. They range between $25-$35 on average. Definitely worth a visit. Good, hearty, wholesome Italian food

Absolutely amazing hidden gem of Melbourne, with a very cosy and intimate environment between customers and workers. The Roast Lamb Shanks were very decadent, and well priced for the quality. However there is no disabled or elderly access, as the only entrance is at the top of a steep flight of stairs.

Amazing (and surprisingly cheap) Italian food, fast friendly service, super lively atmosphere. Be aware you may need to share a table with others but it really wasn't an issue. Started with bruschetta which was fantastic. Risotto was super flavourful, the best I've had. Not heavy like others and the parsley elevates the dish. Rigatoni all'amatriciana also amazing! First time trying and it was a great dish. Perfect amount of saltiness and spice. Tiramisu also was just wonderful, so creamy and delicious. 10/10 will be coming back

This restaurant was recommended by our tour guide from Go West. This spot is a hidden gem and hugely popular with the locals. We were the only tourists during the time we were dining. Reservation is a must to secure a seat as advised by our guide. The menu is on the chalk board with no indication of prices; but to our pleasant surprise it is reasonable. We ordered 3 items on their special menu: Lamb Alla Romana, Gnocchi, Osso Buco. Meat was so tender and matched well with our BYO from Balgownie Estate. A big shout out to Michael from Go West for the recommendation! So satisfied to end our visit to Melbourne on this note!

Pasta is great.. love the minestrone stew too... if you are here thinking you can have a decent conversation... think again... it's pretty noisy.. and you have to shout or raise your voice to be heard... The Marinara is a little spicy... highly recommend the bolognese!!

Hidden away at the top of a flight of stairs you will find reliable and quality pasta served in a no-frills lively dining room. Service is quick and efficient. A unique aspect is that the menu is written on the blackboard - taking one point off my review as they do not publish the price of each pasta dish. It really is a mystery to the price of everything. Groups of two may share a larger dining table with others, communal dining table style. I wasn't so keen on this but we did it anyway and it was perfectly fine - this is more casual than formal after all.

We went on a Friday night which is the only night you can’t book a table we got there at 6.30 and had to wait 45 mins but that’s ok went across the road for a drink. Loved the food and its byo no corkage.. awesome Not expensive rustic old fashioned Italian atmosphere loved it. All our meals were great

Still on our must visit list This Melbourne institution is still on our must visit list for Melbourne. The food is good, the service is fast and friendly, the portions are generous and prices reasonable for CBD Melbourne. BYO for no corkage charge is amazing!! 10 March 2022 Hard to beat! We had another amazing meal at this hole in the wall restaurant in Meyers Place at the top end of Bourke Street. The food is cooked and seasoned beautifully (it's a pleasure to eat al dente pasta when overcooked pasta is the norm), the service is fast and the prices are reasonable by Melbourne CBD standards. BYO wine is free and the service is friendly! 27 September 2017 Home style Italian food This popular spot serves tasty, home style Italian food at reasonable prices. We had garlic bread, salad and 2 delicious pasta dishes for less than $60. BYO with no corkage charge was a bonus.

A real Melbourne institution. Up a narrow staircase off Meyers Place. Hard to spot if you don't know what you are looking for. Strictly controlled times and the place was packed. Authentic great Italian food. Staff are friendly and a little quirky BYO wine.

It was a Friday night and we'd been to a few bars in the CBD, and then decided to get something to eat. We were taken to The Waiters Club by a Melbourne friend who said it was an "open secret" of Melbourne. We went up some stairs to a full restaurant with 1960s budget decor and newspaper clippings from over the years on the walls mentioning the restaurant and including photos of the founder and his son (who's now the owner). We were served by the owner and told it would be a few minutes wait for a table as one group was just finishing. We ordered the 3 mains from the chalk board with no prices, along with a bottle of red wine, a garlic bread and a bottle of Peroni. We decided to stick with the classic "Australian-Italian" dishes like chicken parmigiana, as that's probably what they did best. The food wasn't too bad, but nothing special, although the portion sizes were good. The total for everything came to $90, which I think is a little on the high side for what it was. Not too bad overall, but I think The Waters Club is something more of a Melbourne institution that's living off it's name and history rather anywhere to go for an good Italian dinner.

this place is hopping- Melbourne's little secret. loved it! the food was fantastic and the staff is awesome!

It's a cute restaurant tucked upstairs off the alleyway. There are no prices on the menu. The pasta is around $20. The wine around $10. The service is reasonable, but they try to kick you out right after you put your fork down. The food is decent, but there is better and fresher pasta elsewhere (the pasta is dry pasta).

Got the late night boozey-starvings? Want to stuff your face with pasta and drink wine out of hard-to-knock-over tumblers? Yes? Then head to The Waiters Club to be among like-minded individuals. Conveniently located upstairs on Meyers Place among a glut of bars, The Waiters Club does for Italian food what Supper Inn does for Chinese. It's all function, not style, the menu has the standards with serving sizes that are value for money. Don't come here if you want to be fawned on by the staff - they churn the food out pretty quickly, and the tables are packed in so tightly that by the end of your visit you may have trouble getting out again. You can pick which pasta you want with your sauce - which is good if you've got a spot of OCD like me and prefer to have linguine marinara instead of spaghetti. Oh - and although it's not explicit on the menu, they do both wine and tomato based marinara sauces - just ask. Honestly, I have no idea about the other menu items since I always go for the marinara, but I've never heard anyone complain. It's pasta - how can it be bad?!

Like Pellegrini's, the Waiters Club is a stalwart of the Italian food scene in this town. Formerly known as the Italian Waiters Club way back in the late 1940s when it first opened, this was the late night hangout of Italian and Spanish waiters who would congregate here after work for a game of cards and plenty of vino. It's not too different these days except that everyone else has caught on to the beauty of the Waiters Club's simple approach to hospitality. Fast and no-fuss service will see you fed a massive plate of delicious pasta and a glass of wine in no time at all. Just remember to book because this place gets very crowded, especially with crowds drifting upstairs for sustenance from the many bars below deck.

The Waiters Club or Restuarant as I think it's also called is an example of one of those great little discoveries you get with Melbourne. Hidden up some stairs off a lane off Bourke St and opposite Loop Bar this place has a great cosy atmosphere as you feel like a guest invited into someone's home. The simple and practical layout of the area adds to this effect while the owners pride in his "home" is evident by the excellent customer service and the history in the articles along the walls. The simple selection of Italian fare on offer ensures the service is fast and the food is high quality. All of this at a decent price! I'm a little wary of writing this post in case it becomes too popular and crowded. But some places are too good not to praise.

Located down an alley and up a flight of stairs is Melbourne's iconic 'Waiters Club'. This Italian restaurant scores high on the kitsch factor, the décor has remained unchanged from the era of flares and platforms complete with wooden veneer walls and laminex tables. I really enjoyed my first few visits here, the cozy vibe and novelty of eating in a time warp. Menus are scribbled on blackboards adorning the wall without a price list, which can feel confusing, but asking a waiter for confirmation isn't hard. The food can be hit or miss; I think the trick is not to order anything overly "fancy", sticking to the classics may help avoid disappointment. I had a fellow diner unimpressed with a gluggy risotto but I was unable to empathise as I shoveled down a delicious fettuccine carbonara. The restaurant is often busy/full and calling for a reservation is advised. Mains are between $15-$25 and the restaurant offers BYO, which may be part of my willingness to return.

Originally discovered this place about 5 years ago, I have recently been re introduced and have been here 3 times in about 3 months. A really great authentic experience, no post fixtures or fitting, they don't even give you a menu. It's wholesome Italian fare ordered directly from a large chalk board. A garlic bread, 2 great pastas and a bottle of the house red will set you back about $60.00 I really love the waiters club for fast, fresh pasta.

The Waiters' club is essentially the Italian version of supper inn. Up a laneway, and then a staircase and into a noisy and crowded single room with tables and chairs that are probably unchanged since the early 80's. Menu's are on the wall with no pricing, and there's also specials. This is one of the place where it actually feels like you've gone to someone else's house and they've cooked for you. The food has a real home cooked look and taste to it, as opposed to being styled like a restaurant dish. The prices are good for what they are, but other than that, it's all pretty basic. Wine is served in a water glass, so even if you do byo, it may not provide a benefit.

No menus. There's one blackboard for meals, and another on the opposite side of the restaurant for specials. So if you happen to be sitting at a poor angle to either one, then it's tough luck. Also, there are no prices listed, which makes you wonder whether they charge everyone the same. The service was good. Food came out promptly and the waiters never made you feel like your table was forgotten (you'd hope not, given the name). Portion sizes were decent, but the food was a bit bland. I'd hazard they refill the salt and pepper shakers at least a few times a day.

Made a booking a month ago and then rang and confirmed one prior. Even then when we turned up we were told they did not have a booking. The person who manages the place said he answers all calls and he did not receive a call from me. When he checked his mobile, my call and name was clearly there. May be good food but very bad customer care. Don't go if you have large group and want to ensure you have a table reserved.

In Melbourne on business and came here with some locals as this was one of their places to go for good Italian food in a local setting. Nice easy relaxed setting, nothing fancy but you get great food.

Was i impressed with the kitschy, 1970's nonna house fit out? Yes, it's cosy and feels like home. The abundance of old Italian men doesn't hurt the vibe either. Was the service good? Yep. Pretty dam good in fact. Great food? Another YES. It's the type of simple but tasty pasta I crave at least three times a week. Servings are good, good enough to leave you satisfied without making you hate yourself. But the price?! Hrrnmm... This is where I was left disappointed. Menus are written on blackboards with no prices shown. I'll be honest I was expecting a cheap meal considering the fit out and the serving size, take into consideration the city location i'd be willing to add a few dollars. But $20 plus for a pretty basic Italian menu left a bad taste in my mouth as we left the place. I'd be more inclined to drive to my nonnas and feast for free unless desperate times arose and I needed an immediate pasta fix. It's good, but nothing you couldn't get on Lygon Street for the same price but more food and better ambiance.

If you have been going to here for their amazing carbonara for 15+ years like I have, don't bother anymore, I usually only go maybe twice a year, but went today for my birthday and the carbonara was disgusting, totally different, whether they changed the recipe or chef, don't know, but what a huge disappointment, will never go back ever again !!!

I am thanking my friend who turned me on to this place. What an absolute gem! You come here to eat well. Outstanding menu and prices. Excellent, excellent wait staff. On every trip back to melbourne, I will be visiting this place for sure. Yes, there are fancier Italian restaurants in Melbourne, but you won't find a better feed then at this one.

Went there for lunch with some work mates and the waitress scared me with descriptions of how big the Roast Veal was so I ordered the Penne Putanesca instead. It was probably the best Putanesca I've had in a long time. However I'll always wonder what could have been if I had ordered the Roast Veal (turns out it's not that massive, I just need to stop asking women if they think a meal portion is huge or not)