Hardimans Hotel

3 Reviews on “Hardimans Hotel”

• Espy Eats

  We called into this really nice pub for pre dinner drinks tonight. I must say the new fitout of this classic pub building works a treaty the bar has a great variety of unique beers on tap including local Kensington breweries. The do a great Aperol Spritz too which always goes down a treat. One of the nicer spritzers the good lady wife has had she claims. I had the Moon Dog Beer Can Tropical Ale which was summertime in a glass.

  February 15, 2019, 5:34 pm

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• Andy The Magpie

  Having visited Hardimans Hotel in two of its previous lives, it was an absolute pleasure to dine here a couple of times recently after its magnificent new fit out.
  Being big bright and open, there are a number areas inside and out, both at ground level or upstairs to enjoy good beers and wines.
  Of course the kitchen at Hardimans is doing a fantastic job.
  Meals are generous and good value.
  Service could be a lot better.

  January 19, 2019, 9:57 am

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• Melissa Kate

  Finally had the chance to try out the new Hardiman’s Hotel last Monday night. This has been a highly anticipated visit as Mr B & I have walked past the construction site nearly everyday for the last year waiting for it to open. The premise to this story is that I think Kensington has been really looking forward to having a large, modern pub. Somewhere everyone can feel welcome. Where the food is decent and the facilities comfortable and inviting. Upon my early days visit, Hardiman’s certainly delivers on some of those wishes.

  The hotel now shines like a golden beacon in the middle of the shopping strip on Macaulay Road. It is inviting and visually impressive. Much more enticing than its previous incarnation. The bar and lighting glow warmly as you close in on the establishment, and when you enter you soon can tell no expense has been spared on fittings, furniture and decor. What you will also notice though is exactly how shiny this place is. For want of a better descriptor Hardiman’s is very white. There is no art work or theme. It’s a lot of various shades of white, dulled by dimmed golden lighting, green chairs and black font where required. Very chic…but admittedly bare.

  The downstairs floor space is filled with a mixture of dining tables, leather bound curved booths and bar stool/bench combinations. There is a noticeable lack of lounge or relaxed space inside, giving the interior a feel of an upmarket gastropub where you would only go to eat rather than have a few pints with your friends. Meals are ordered at the bar though, so there is some intent to be a regular pub. There are also a lot of TVs with turned down sports channels playing. Maybe one too many. The long overdue, outside space is where I imagine you are going to find everyone in Summer relaxing. Well appointed, lit and even heated for the colder months. Something that we really have missed in Kensington.

  Food and drink here was my highlight. Great local beers available…and when I say local I mean Kensington’s own Henry St & Bonehead Breweries. 20 taps of exceptional variety and crafty goodness from all over Victoria and beyond. Service was new, (a little confusion about table numbers and orders, but nothing unforgivable) but genuine and friendly. Mr B’s capricciosa pizza was generous and my pan fried gnocchi tasted beautiful. Prices are reasonable, but not the cheapest you can find. Also…weirdly there was no coffee available.

  I had mixed feelings about my visit to Hardiman’s. It is certainly an improvement and will cater to a lot of people in Kensington…but maybe not everyone. I left feeling a bit confused about what it wants to be. There are no weeknight specials or happy hours, which takes away from it feeling like a pub. There is certainly a decent menu, food and dining space, which tells me its intent is to be a top dining contender in Kensington, but who opens a restaurant without a coffee machine in Melbourne? The ambience is also let down by sport on TV everywhere you look, the non descript background music and the starkness of the decor. If I was to judge it solely as a pub, I’d say it has an amazing bar and drink selection and a very nice outdoor space, but I wouldn’t call it a beer garden. And where’s the relaxed indoor space? A couch or comfy chair around a coffee table wouldn’t go astray. These things that I like may or not come, and if they don’t I can’t say it’s exactly what I hoped Hardiman’s would be, but it’s not a bad place and still worth dropping into for a nice pint and meal nonetheless.
  mrbsbroke-barsbeersburgers.blogspot.com

  January 5, 2019, 7:02 am

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