China Bar Swanston image

China Bar Swanston

Restaurant Chinese restaurant

😠 I'm writing this to warn those about their safety and also my experience. with China Bar. China Bar was always a go to, but this experience makes me never want to go back. My co-workers and I had been served by fairly rude and blatant employees for starters, we did not feel welcomed at all. I ordere... People often mention good, chicken, China, rice, pork, fried, service, staff, ordered, duck,


Address

257-259 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Website

chinabar.com.au

Contact

+61 3 9639 6988

Price rating

$ $$$

Rating on Google Maps

3.50 (1.7K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 10:30 AM to 4 AM
  • Thursday: 10:30 AM to 4 AM
  • Friday: (Good Friday), 10:30 AM to 5 AM, Hours might differ
  • Saturday: 10:30 AM to 5 AM
  • Sunday: (Easter), 10:30 AM to 4 AM, Hours might differ
  • Monday: (Easter Monday), 10:30 AM to 4 AM, Hours might differ
  • Tuesday: 10:30 AM to 4 AM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (21) chicken (12) China (10) rice (10) pork (10) fried (10) service (10) staff (9) ordered (8) duck (8)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 Tylah V. 2 years ago on Google
    I'm writing this to warn those about their safety and also my experience. with China Bar. China Bar was always a go to, but this experience makes me never want to go back. My co-workers and I had been served by fairly rude and blatant employees for starters, we did not feel welcomed at all. I ordered the honey chicken with rice and found a cockroach in my chicken!!! I was startled and in distress, this left me and my co-workers beyond disgusted and couldn't even fathom this. The worker that we confronted did not seem shocked in the slightest, they apologised and gave us a refund. I am beyond disappointed and disturbed by this experience that it has left me anxious about what I eat from ANYWHERE now. I hope they realise that I will be taking further action to this situation with the food and safety department.
    12 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Hock Sing T. 6 months ago on Google • 1330 reviews
    Rice with 3 meat combo (duck, bbq pork and roasted pork) was delicious. Especially the roast pork and Risotto duck was done perfectly. Crispy outer and juicy inside. Rice was sift and sticky and 3 layers pork was roasted correctly. Unfortunately, the bbq pork was done poorly that lack of flavour and unique taste. Serving within 10 minutes upon ordering.

  • 1/5 Ratna S. 1 year ago on Google
    Very bad attitude of the waiter. Rude to the top of it. Kids wasn't aware about no food inside, the waiter not even greet us, he keep yapping say no food or drink inside. I told him they won't drink it and where can we put this food, to assure him that my kids won't drink their stuff from outside. He walk away. Banging plates on the table, walk off when I ask for take away container (happy to pay). I have no clue what make him think that's it's okey to do so. I was seat at the back, Saturday afternoon there's 2 staff serving but the one not wear glasses just plain full rude. Food 6/10 down the hill from previously.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Johnson H. 3 months ago on Google • 782 reviews New
    Not sure why we decided it was a good idea to eat, but if you want food after a night out, China Bar dishes out quality Chinese food at a reasonable price all hours of the night. We had sweet and sour pork with fried rice, it was was tasty and hit the flavour profile you’d expect.

  • 4/5 Suvankar S. 1 year ago on Google
    I've mixed feelings about this place. 1. The food is good, the staff not so much. 2. The prices are reasonable ($16.5 for my food), cleanliness not so much. 3. Service is fast, but ordering process is unique. 4. Portion is good but overall satisfaction is less. The good: I ordered breef brisket and wonton noodle soup. I wasn't disappointed. It was tasty and I loved it. The bad: None of the staff even did the minimum courtesy of greeting before and after the dinner service. That doesn't mean they weren't professional, just curt and about their business. The place is busy, but that can't be an excuse. The sesame oil and fried shallots holders were unclean and greasy outside. The entrance is cramped as they've closed of on one side. I went at night, so not sure if that was the reason.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Jianjun Y. 1 year ago on Google
    The food is very mediocre and salty. I feel that there is only soy sauce in all meals! The hunger marketing used by the boss is very effective. There are many empty seats in the store, but the waiter does not let the customer in, making many people queue up outside to make it look busy, it's very annoying and superficial.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Alex K. 1 year ago on Google
    The second time, I will try not to come back. Since I am new to the CBD, there is not many options to have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not to mention some fast food brands, KFC, MCdonnal’s, Hungry Jacks or Guzman. So. I tried to get some asean food and I went to China Bar restaurant twice, which is near to my place but both times made me disappointed. Not only the restaurant smells dirty but the chopsticks, spoon was unclean. How about the food, it tasted DIRTY. I AM REALLY SORRY TO PUT THESE WORDS BUT THAT IS MY HONEST REVIEW!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mick K. 2 years ago on Google
    Kung Po Chicken was delicious. Plenty spicy when you break open some of those chili's. Sui Mai were plump and juicy and the Prawn Har Gow were fresh and full of flavour. Friendly fast service.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mark E. B. 3 years ago on Google
    Great food, good portion sizes and very quick. We had the honey chicken, wanton soup and drinks. Will be back.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sam 2 months ago on Google New
    Very unhygienic place to visit. Sticky tables seemed they were not wiped. Food was very bad. Ordered fried Hokkein noodles - when they were served they were floating in soya sauce - not sure why? Have been to other China Bar outlets and they have been much cleaner and Hokkein noodles were served the way it should be. Asked their staff and they did not even bother to respond. They were rude. Will not recommend this place…
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Daineal G. 6 months ago on Google • 182 reviews
    Authentic chinese food at Melbourne. Generous portion and price wise is consider average. The roast pork and roast duck taste very good also. They have food ready for vegetarian also.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 sally 3 weeks ago on Google • 294 reviews New
    This restaurant not even deserved one star:) We were disappointed with the service at Chinabar. Despite our party of five, the staff failed to inform us that we needed to order downstairs. Initially, a staff member directed us upstairs, handed us menus and a blank piece of paper to write our orders, only to inform us later that we needed to order downstairs. This inconsistency was frustrating, especially when we were told that each person needed to order a separate dish, or face a $10 charge. It would be helpful to have a sign indicating this policy to avoid confusion. Additionally, we witnessed another customer being denied a table change, which added to the overall inconvenience. Sadly, due to these experiences, we won't be returning to Chinabar. The poor customer service and inconvenience were disappointing.

  • 4/5 Merin D. 2 months ago on Google • 32 reviews New
    We bought chicken feet with black bean sauce which had 4 feet in total. Pan fried Shanghai dumplings which was yummy and had 3 pieces in total. Wonton soup which came in good quantity. And avocado smoothie which was very light in flavour. Overall good experience and they are open till late which is very convenient.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Shashank N. 8 months ago on Google • 32 reviews
    I was craving something spicy 🌶️ On a Sunday afternoon, my friends and I went to have a lunch at this place. The ambiance was good with nice lighting! I have ordered Satay chicken skewers and prawn 🍤 fried rice. Both were amazing. The peanut chutney with the chicken skewers was so tasty 😋 All of the fried rices were bland, but tastes good with chilli oil. Overall I would rate a 4/5..!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 liam d. 5 months ago on Google • 6 reviews
    I had the sweet n sour pork $17.50 My friend had the beef brisket n fried rice $17.50 Service amazing friendly and happy n food is so juicy fresh n delicious lots of flavour
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 neo d. 5 months ago on Google
    When I saw that the rate is only 3.5, I wondered why the restaurant is full when I passed by. Walked in, ordered and wasn’t really expecting anything special. To be completely honest, it’s not bad at all. You don’t expect a 5 star service when you’re not paying premium dollars. I looked at the reviews of others and find it laughable that they expect so much from this joint. Value for money is really good. Servers are friendly even though you can see that they’re already tired and most importantly, food taste good. It’s not a Michelin star restaurant to expect so much. I love that they’re open late, the restaurant is clean and most of all the food is tasty. After a tiring flight or just craving for a quick meal- this is a good spot to fill your tummy up especially if you’re into Chinese food. I’m giving it 5 stars just because I’m a satisfied customer. Not being too critical as nowadays everyone acts as if they’re Gordon Ramsay when they’re just pretend-wannabes.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Evita H. 7 months ago on Google
    I love the roast duck with rice. Many assortmemt of chinese dishes to choose from. But be sure to come for the roast duck.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Anthony Z. 10 months ago on Google
    China Bar has gone down hill, certainly not the prices. I ate most of it out of hunger. Very disappointed overcooked Lemon Chicken. (Photo below leftover chicken not edible) Fried rice is a joke compared to other places. Cannot believe that I queued outside for this. There is something better, even McDonald's further up would have been better.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Tim S. 11 months ago on Google
    Food was pretty good, just went for dumplings and all were great. Pecking Duck was good. Friends had the Seafood Laksa. Service was fairly on point. Only downside was the toilet could be much cleaner.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tong L. 1 year ago on Google
    China Bar fried rice is recommended. The food portion is big. We ordered the small size and the quantity was still ok for us. The garlic & chili oil truly enhances the flavor and can go along with any food.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 priya b. 2 years ago on Google
    If you are a chinese cuisine lover( like me) this is a must try place in Melbourne CBD. I tried their Hukkein noodle and veggie dumpling, their sauce was amazing. Inside was very busy and they had to stop service for few minutes, so probably booking would be good idea if you want to dine-in. Location however is great as you can take away (like we did) and sit across the road on campus garden overlooking the busy road with fashionistas walking by. The cost was very moderate and amazing value for its quality.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Harliv S. 1 year ago on Google
    We had lunch there and it wasn't super busy. Food was good and service was quick. I think basic preparation of most dishes is done in advance thus it food arrived quickly. We ordered 3 dishes ($42) and pricing is not too expensive compared to the size of the dish and location. There is dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu page as well:) and plenty of options for protein eaters as well. Veggie Crispy Drumstics were good entree options.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Manni 2 years ago on Google
    I’ll be very honest I love the food here specially the BBQ PORK But the staff is so rude and shows attitude as if I’m gonna eat a meal for free. Also terrible table setting as you can see it in the picture.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brenly Vince G. 2 years ago on Google
    ✅ China Bar Fried Rice ✅ Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce ✅ Salt & Pepper Chicken Spare Ribs
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Hash K. 2 months ago on Google • 55 reviews New
    Second time trying it, food is great and so much flavours, no long wait for the food and not too expensive either. Definitely recommended 👌

  • 2/5 IJR 3 weeks ago on Google • 43 reviews New
    Why do i keep coming back when i know it will be very poor quality? For 18.50 its abit ridiculous the amount of meat thats includedand there is so pak choy only cabbage. At least it is consistent wherever you go and i cant really complain about that

  • 3/5 Eddie 2 months ago on Google • 41 reviews New
    Was looking for a place to have lunch with no queues and had the Combination Fried Crispy Noodles (N3a). Initially surprised it was served in a bowl and then I saw how much soup it came with. Not ideal for fried crispy noodles. Never seen this before and it was strange to be left with a bowl of liquid after eating the noodles. Wouldn’t order it again.

  • 5/5 Beautiful K. 2 months ago on Google • 23 reviews New
    Such a wonderful place to have dinner. My partner and I really enjoyed the food as it was very tasty. The only thing we didn't understand is how to order the food and pay which was confusing.

  • 1/5 jevewin m. 1 month ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    Me and my mom went here for dinner as we are very hungry from the travel. I ordered food worth $58. My food came but my mom isn’t. I keep telling them to follow up. But the waitress said it almost there.the next table who came in late got their food even faster. But as I was waiting and the same time the foods gone cold, I’m already sharing my food with mom , 3 hrs travel from Echuca,we’re pretty munch hungry and we were even carrying a luggage. I finished my food and want to cancel the other order but they keep insisting that’s it’s already coming and they will put it in a take away box. I don’t want to make a scene in the restaurant because many Chinese people were there. So I just paid my bill walk away with disappointment. I WILL NEVER GO BACK HERE AGAIN . WASTE OF TIME AND NOT WORTH THE MONEY.

  • 5/5 Sostka S. 3 years ago on Google
    Reached at the time of closing and was starving but the staffs let us in. The foods were great

  • 5/5 baby b. 2 years ago on Google
    Best roast meal u can get in Melbourne especially at late midnight! Friendly young staff who free us tea & serve cosy-delicious Malaysian food

  • 5/5 Restless_Traveller _. 2 years ago on Google
    Menu includes Dim Sum, Noodle Soup and Roast Meats. Service is fast and brisk, what the service lacks in warmth the food doubles down is quality. Small beer menu includes VB, Crown and Asahi.

  • 5/5 Jo Y. 4 months ago on Google
    One of the best Duck rice and roasted pork in Melbourne, if u craving for it do visit this place, it’s expensive but delicious

  • 4/5 Ida’s J. 1 year ago on Google
    I don’t have a problem with the food. China bar is everywhere and they’re my one of the top list as my choices. But this place I think bit smelly and need a deep cleaning or renovation. May be it is because of the carpets or the toilets up there. Not sure. Anyway, no harm. Food is still the best. Cheers.

  • 4/5 Samantha W. 2 years ago on Google
    Not too bad. Came here for some peking duck. Tasted good. But was expecting it done up a bit. Would come back here, most food items on the menu looked great

  • 4/5 Madhuka J. 6 months ago on Google
    Tasty Chinese flavours. And is open till midnight. Walking distance from many hotels in Collins Street, Melbourne.

  • 3/5 Rouven G. 1 year ago on Google
    Food was ok. Most of the dishes are prepared and you’ll get your food within a few minutes. Beef wasn’t the best quality but ok for the price. Chicken corn soup, crispy pork and roast duck was really delicious.

  • 5/5 GT Spice Manufacturers Sdn B. 1 year ago on Google
    Beef noodle was great as the warmth of the soup really comforted my heart from the cool, breezy night. The beef was tender, and the noodles were firm and springy. The atmosphere was busy but not overcrowded. Definitely a good place to be out from the cold.

  • 4/5 Gbyepain 9 months ago on Google
    The food was excellent, fast service too, price is reasonable but the think is the toilet so dirty. They open 24 hours , highly recommend the food here

  • 5/5 Tan T. 2 years ago on Google
    All time favorite China bar to go to. One of the best among the other stores. Always busy but quick at service.

  • 3/5 Gaurav S. 1 year ago on Google
    It's been years since I visited this place, and I must sadly say a bit disappointed with not only the food flavour profile. The prices have also increased, and the quantity has been reduced. Char quaytoe had only 1 prawn. Spring rolls bland. Sorry, but just 2 stars for this place

  • 1/5 Luis V. 6 months ago on Google • 1 review
    The staff here is so unfriendly, food isn’t what you expect and prices are too much for what they actually give you, better to eat anywhere but here. We ordered two plates, one was a chicken with rice, chicken was good and the sauce as well but it was 95% vegetables, 5% chicken, I can literally count with one hand how many chicken pieces they were. Second plate was a soy sauce chicken, which actually for some apparent reason they decided to make into a soup, totally different from the photo. I would recommend eating anywhere but here. Superhiro down the road is 10x better and same price per meal.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Vida S. 1 month ago on Google • 1 review New
    Must try: 1/2 Roasted duck and china bar fried rice (so much wok hei- uncle roger will be proud) Service can be better. You just have to get used to Auntie’s grumpiness.


Call +61 3 9639 6988 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Late-night food
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Delivery

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