The Royal Hotel Essendon

Due to COVID the normal ambience of The Royal Hotel wasn’t there. They only opened yesterday and we were in the early seating, however while the Chicken Parma’s were enjoyed, and we enjoyed our own company the atmosphere was really lacking and it felt like a huge hall with 3 people in it.

The service was excellent and the food was served really quickly. The food was really quite good. Steaks were cooked as requested, salt and pepper calamari was tasty and really tender. My son enjoyed his chicken parmigiana and the curry was also excellent. The staff also provided a free dessert for my son for his birthday (which was really generous of them). The only negative was we had to leave by 8.15pm due to Covid-19 restrictions.

A great place for a meal the staff members are so lovely, very welcoming attentive and really take care of all your needs. Definitely recommend this hotel

The service was great and they are doing there best to get through Covid. Cost cutting on the food quality was pretty disappointing

Got a good deal as we are both seniors, it was a strange atmosphere due to COVID restrictions but obviously not really the Royal’s fault. Food was good and we got the two courses for under $13

This is the 2nd time I have made a booking during COVID to be madly rushed with no other diners after us. The venue has not conveyed "their" licensing rules properly whilst I am bringing people in to ensure some sort of revenue for my local, other venues are following the "actual" rules. Disappointed to have pumped thru close to $800 in 2 sittings for a below par experience.

Food was good and the service staff was friendly and accommodating. The place was quiet due to the COVID situation but inspire if it, the quality of the food didn't disappoint at all.

Lovely lunch out! Because of restrictions on numbers, the atmosphere was quiet, but the staff is pleasant, food is plentiful and tasty, and price is reasonable. They usually have a great roast, but not yet on the limited menu. Just the reality, not a complaint.

The staff were very friendly and very conscious of COVID restrictions. Food choice is limited but we realize this is due to the COVID limitations. Would have been good to have a stir fry options? May be choice of 2 desserts, sticky date and warm apple pie. The roast chkn was presented very nicely, good to have roast pumpkin. Parma nice and soft, not hard or crunchy. Beer cold. Pls make menu font bigger, as hard for seniors to read. Excellent value for everyone, especially Seniors with lunch for less than $10. Many seniors will not be able to use computer to book thru FORK. Please check phone messages. Sitting in the middle of a spacious dinning room without many patrons/plants/room dividers felt a bit odd, but lovely to be out again and enjoying the hospitality. Well done guys.

Service was excellent. I spoke with Prue on the phone to alter the booking. She was extremely pleasant and professional. The meals all arrived together (there were 9 of us) and were all warm. They organised for us to pay separately. Drinks were easy to purchase from the bar. It was a very friendly atmosphere.

The food was good, air conditioning was blowing too hard, but service was good, prices reasonable, would go there again for sure. Car park available right at the door.

I would never go for New Year’s Eve again!!! No atomosphere SoloM faces on staff food was really not good and to top it off didn’t even announce it was new year when the clocks struck 12 very very disappointed it felt like no one cared it was New Year’s Eve . Will not be returning !! Too many negatives