Great Northern Hotel image

Great Northern Hotel

Bar Pub

Laid-back 1880s watering hole with a bustling beer garden, serving classic pub grub and craft beers. People often mention great, good, beer, Great, beers, friendly, selection, staff, service, atmosphere,


Address

644 Rathdowne St, Carlton North VIC 3054, Australia

Website

www.gnh.net.au

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.40 (1.6K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 12 AM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 12 AM
  • Thursday: 11 AM to 1 AM
  • Friday: 11 AM to 1 AM
  • Saturday: 11 AM to 1 AM
  • Sunday: 11 AM to 11 PM
  • Monday: 11 AM to 12 AM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: great (21) good (20) beer (16) Great (15) beers (13) friendly (12) selection (11) staff (9) service (8) atmosphere (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 강원진 2 months ago on Google • 4 reviews New
    I recently had the pleasure of dining at your pub and I must say, the steak sandwich was absolutely incredible! The meat was cooked to perfection - tender, juicy, and packed full of flavor. The freshness of the bread and the crispness of the lettuce provided a perfect balance to the richness of the steak. Every bite was a symphony of textures and flavors. The ambiance of the pub also added to the overall dining experience. It was warm, welcoming, and perfectly suited for a casual meal or a night out with friends. The service was impeccable, with staff constantly attentive to our needs. Thank you for providing such a memorable meal. I can't wait to come back and try more of your menu. Keep up the great work
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mary N. 6 months ago on Google • 10 reviews
    What an awesome dog friendly pub. Meals were delicious, fast and friendly service and we highly recommend it with or without a furbaby
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Grace O. 1 year ago on Google
    Great Pub atmosphere. It’s worth checking what the weekly specials are as every time I’ve tried the specials they have been great! IPA braised lamb and the milky sponge cake were table favourites. Great flavour and reasonably priced! Well done Kitchen 👍🏽
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Carl B. 7 months ago on Google • 944 reviews
    Last Drinks for Jones, It was a delight having this place as a venue for a send-off for a fellow inmate who got an early release. The beers were cold, service with a smile & a story. And enough room to swing a pool que around. We didn't get a chance to eat, but I'm sure it would have been superb.

  • 5/5 Dan 11 months ago on Google
    Epic venue, great vibes and delicious beers! The Blue Bonnet collaboration is next level too! Highly recommend
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 gjcc73 7 months ago on Google • 499 reviews
    Great setting in a historic pub. Seating layout and options is good including a small private room. Ordering at the bar and good delivered to your table in a reasonable time of around ten minutes. Menu variety fairly typical of the pub scene. I got the chicken schnitzel which was average in taste, texture and price. I did ask for and paid for a garlic sauce but that never came. The chicken wings come with bleu cheese which was good. Service was friendly.

  • 5/5 Tom 7 months ago on Google • 120 reviews
    One of Melbourne's great pubs. Amazing food, super friendly staff and a great laidback vibe

  • 5/5 GTNathan G. 10 months ago on Google • 97 reviews
    Dog friendly, great food, great selection of beers, feels like pubs used to inside & has a beer garden out the back if you want to share lunch with the pooch.

  • 5/5 Michael G. 1 year ago on Google • 85 reviews
    Outstanding food! Big servings. Great value for money. Friendly, welcoming staff. Fresh, cold beer! Beer Garden very relaxing! It can’t get any better in a pub! I’ll be back!

  • 5/5 Harley G. 4 months ago on Google • 46 reviews
    I practically live at pubs in Melbourne. GNH is up there with the best. Awesome inside, plenty of space to watch some footy. Pool table, really cool bar staff that know their drinks and have playlists that slap. Dog friendly, which is great as they have a great beer Garden. Bound to see a few dogs there each visit. Foods delicious, it’s a ripper venue.

  • 5/5 John G. 1 month ago on Google • 45 reviews New
    A seriously good pub. No pretensions "we don't do cocktails" I loved hearing that. No arrogant staff, just knowledgeable, friendly enough but not intrusive, competent and comfortable. If I lived closer, this would without a doubt be my daily local. Excellent beer selection and decent liquor shelf. Food menu is pub focused and just the way it should be. High top 6 pax tables in the front, bistro style out back, no annoying long communals. Why can't we have more of this. I might even move closer when my lease ends.

  • 5/5 Luisa M. 5 months ago on Google • 31 reviews
    Great local Pub with a wide selection of beers on tap. Beer garden is spacious and a good place to watch sports on the screens provided. Comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Service is great and food is tasty and reasonably priced.

  • 3/5 Cara B. 1 month ago on Google • 6 reviews New
    The food is severely under seasoned. Service is good. The no eating in the smoking area when busy is a ridiculous rule. I should be able to choose to eat there, especially when super busy. Atmosphere is great.

  • 5/5 Michael R. 1 year ago on Google
    I’d you’re after a classic pub bistro experience, Great Northern should be on your list. Plenty of space both inside and outside, good classic pub dishes and a good selection of beers on tap. Plenty of street parking around the pub with a 2-3 hour limit.

  • 5/5 Jessica I. 2 months ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    We recently visited the Great Northern for dinner. We had the steak sandwich and salmon special with potatoes and vegetables. Both dishes were very tasty and a generous serving. The produce was very fresh and everything was cooked to perfection. We will definitely be back for more soon!

  • 3/5 Jeffrie T. 1 year ago on Google
    Could be a better Sunday Roast at $20.00. Crackling was good ... potato cake and romasco sauce, just NQR. Food ✔✔✔️ Wine ✔✔✔✔ good list and reasonable, Tassie Pinot Noir, and Balter is always good Venue ✔✔ very dark in the dining area, loud and packed, sure there was a boxing live stream. Service ✔✔✔✔ Would we go back? We'll check out their steak night.

  • 5/5 Paul D. 2 years ago on Google
    Good selection of food...usual pub fare plus a few specials. I had the pulled pork roll...which was good and just right for a 'light' lunch! GREAT selection of beers on tap. Extensive, doggie friendly beer garden / outdoors areas. One of our regular lunch spots. Well recommended

  • 4/5 Bennis D. 8 months ago on Google
    Nice service and great selection of local tap beers. Feel like the bar might have been a tad understaffed but I do realise how hard it is right now for hospo! Chips could have been slightly crispier but other than that the Parma tasted great! Nice fresh sauce and some good ham 😊 Try some of the sour beers they are delicious!

  • 4/5 Tahshin I. 2 years ago on Google
    Food and service were great. Atmosphere was really nice too, however, it was extremely busy and food took a very long time to arrive. I understand why it took so long and am not holding it against the pub, just pointing it out. It's a really popular place, so don't go in there when really hungry, hang out, have some drinks and slowly wait for your food if too busy. Would love to go back but maybe during a quieter time of day.

  • 5/5 Sarah 2 years ago on Google
    The great Northern is a great pub. The inside has a classic old pub feel but the outside beer garden is where its at. Lovely timber deck area with a great vibe. Plenty of shade for warm days, and it's also dog friendly which is 5 stars in my eyes. A great range of beer on tap, and a cider tap inside also. Great spot for an arvo drink.

  • 4/5 Hannah M. 2 years ago on Google
    Great place to meet dogs and have some beers. Big inside and also with a big outdoor space.

  • 3/5 Jaypee B. 1 year ago on Google
    Great layout and beer selection, good tunes etc. The service was a bummer though. Waits for drinks are already long enough due to meals but made longer due to aloofness and chatting to mates. Maybe an off night but general bar awareness didn't seem to be there. Basically, if I wanted hipster service there are a million other places I could choose around here.

  • 5/5 Steven P. 11 months ago on Google
    Good vibes, classic pub feel but more up to date. Food was great bit on the pricey end but probably worth it. Would recommend for a small group dinner and drinks or a possible local for anyone new in the area.

  • 4/5 Maryanne M. 10 months ago on Google
    Great atmosphere. The only complaint is that they do not serve Schooners. Only Pints and Pots. Also, with the 0.05 situation, they do not have Cascade Light or the equivalent on tap. For that matter, they do not have any low alcohol beer on tap.The Cascade Light was $8 for a stubby. As the designated driver, I had to pay. Staff are friendly. The ontap beers are also pricey. Otherwise, I would recommend.

  • 2/5 Nicholas C. 1 year ago on Google
    Staff might need a refresher course on customer service. Kind of kills the vibe when I’m treated like I did something wrong by asking for a meal and beer Other than that… The setup for sports is pretty good with two projectors and plenty of TVs. Food was quick and not bad for pub meal standards

  • 4/5 Mike F. 9 months ago on Google
    Great local pub ,great atmosphere, from watching, the Friday night footy ,or just catching up with friends, enjoying a meal ,or a nice summers night, sitting out the front ,and watching the world pass by ,enjoying a beer 🍺

  • 3/5 Melb T. 10 months ago on Google
    A regular patron said that hotel has been operating in continuity since late 1800s. Does tick the box for olde heritage inn atmosphere except ceiling is not rafters & indoor area is pretty large. The usual pay when you order, grab your cutlery, drinks & table number & wait to be served. Service is fast. A place to gather to watch your favourite game with huge screens indoors & out. Apparently clientele has morphed to more younger gen. frequenting here - was evident for lunch Fri yday. $26 for main Crumbed calamari, chips & salad & $12 for glass of Prosecco. Calamari was not so fresh but chips & salad were good. We sat in the large patio area at the back which was wet including the chairs (not rain). Could this not have been wiped down? We had to use napkins to mop up. Looks like quiet dogs on leash are allowed in the outside patio area. Overall - pleasant lunch dine in experience 👌🏽

  • 4/5 Peter W. 1 year ago on Google
    Cosy in Winter. Decent craft beer selection. Excellent parma $20 on Mondays.

  • 5/5 Debbie N. 1 year ago on Google
    I don’t have much to say, the Parma I had here is defs in my top 3 of best parmas I’ve ever had, please just order the Parma, no need to check what else they make (but if it’s anything like the Parma, I’m sure it’s amazing). Heaps of street parking near by, food didn’t take long to come out either, been back a few times since!

  • 5/5 Federico V. 1 year ago on Google
    Local pub with locals flogging it. The food is good value and quality is there. The beer selection is outstanding and the atmosphere is great. Their courtyard is dog-friendly and the visitors are friendly and just nice. Great place to watch the footy, soccer or rugby or to go for a chat with your friend. The staff is always knowledgeable and warm.

  • 5/5 S A. 1 year ago on Google
    It was packed on Wednesday night( lucky I reserved a table) Nice crowd, food is a good pub feed (kitchen is incredibly fast), staff are nice and help out a new first timer there like myself. I'd recommend this place to anyone. Lovely beer garden, air conditioned inside, very welcoming vibe even for an outsider from the other side of town. Certainly a future return.

  • 3/5 J E. 1 year ago on Google
    Recently visited on a Saturday afternoon to early evening, spent outside in the beer garden. Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff. Good venue for groups to meet. Downsides for me were the stench of the men's toilets through and in public areas which worsened over the evening, and lottery with drinks prices.. over the course of 4 hours i drank 3 pints of diet coke, and was charged $4.50 .. $7.00 ... and then $2.50. Bizarre.

  • 5/5 Phil M. 1 year ago on Google
    Great beer garden and variety of beers on tap. TVs with sport showing so you don’t miss a minute of your favourite action.

  • 4/5 Ashley D. 1 year ago on Google
    What a pub should be. Lots of space - indoors and out. Great selection of beers and good food. Also awesome for watching sports but it's not a "sports bar". No pokies either.

  • 1/5 Jackson H. 1 year ago on Google
    Ordinarily love this place, with its old school, laidback feel, killer brews and decent food. However, was extremely disappointed with my most recent visit, for my birthday on 26.11.22. Specifically requested a longer booking when booking online, and advised "this will be taken care of" by bar staff on arrival, only to find at the end of the nominal booking period (3 hrs), our party was moved along due to next booking arriving, causing no end of embarrassment/awkwardness to myself. No response from the pub either.. Let's hope this is a one off....!

  • 5/5 Michael R. 1 year ago on Google
    Premium sports pub in Melbourne! Food is top notch, good beers on tap, and the wall of puppy locals is the cherry on top!


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Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✓️ Dogs allowed
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Food
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Food at bar
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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