Pretty Little

5.0

48 reviews

$A41 to $A100

Australian

Top tags:

Google Review
*****
This place is an absolute gem. A very intimate experience, the owner Mike and Chefs Mikey and Laurent are gifted people who make you feel at home. Food is absolutely incredible, so much flavour with seasonal ingredients. Amazing local wine pairings. Cannot speak highly enough of this place!

features include:
Open plan kitchen with food prepared directly in front of our guests.
Warm and cozy lounge with fireplace for winter.
Secluded, rear private courtyard.
Engaging and vibrant dinner party setting.
Seasonal set menu.
Wine and beverage pairings.
Private dinners available.

Make a booking

No. of diners

2 people

DateTime

30 Mar 2023

20:00

Booked 2 times today

Experiences are available.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Australian
Hours of Operation
Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(03) 9525 8730
Website
http://www.prettylittle.com.au/
Payment Options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Mike Harrison
Private party facilities
The dining space is available for private bookings for up to 21 guests from Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Private events at Pretty Little are like having your own private dinner party with chefs who cook and serve a set menu right in front of you along with your own private waiting crew.

Location
296 Carlisle St, Balaclava, AU-VIC 3183
Area
Balaclava
Cross Street
Chapel Street and Carlisle Street
Parking Details
None
Public Transit
Balaclava Train Station directly across the road
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Vegan

Experiences

Pretty Little Dining
Multiple dates available
All dining at Pretty Little is a set menu; six-courses @ $120 per person. Wednesday and Thursday seating time is at 7pm. Friday and Saturday seating times are 6pm and 8:30pm. All bookings for the first seating at 6pm have a maximum table allocation of 2 hours, after which time we require the table back for the second service.

What 48 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

5.0

5 based on recent ratings

5Food
5Service
4.9Ambience
4.8Value

Noise • Energetic

Diners' Choice Awards

Melbourne
Best Overall
Melbourne
Best Food
Melbourne
Best Service
Melbourne
Best Ambience
Melbourne
Best Value
Melbourne
Innovative
Melbourne
Great for fine wines
Melbourne
Good for special occasions
Melbourne
Australian
Inner City South
Best Overall
Inner City South
Best Food
Inner City South
Best Service
Inner City South
Best Ambience
Inner City South
Best Value
Inner City South
Innovative
Inner City South
Healthy
Inner City South
Great for fine wines
Inner City South
Good for special occasions
Inner City South
Vegetarian-friendly

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Filters

KH
KylieH
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 16 March 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful experience, Mike & the team delivered a casual yet polished service and the food and wine pairing was terrific. Would highly recommend and already have!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 4 March 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Thank you Mike for a wonderful dining experience. The six course degustation with matching wine was exquisite. The service was amazing. The waiters and head chef were very friendly and welcoming.
LM
LeahM
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 1 March 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This isn't just about food, its about a dining experience. The small team make you feel welcome in their home. Strongly recommend dining here with your special other or a group of friends.
F
Fifi
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 16 February 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great little local restaurant with a personal vibe (you’re served by the head chef!) All of the food was presented beautifully and was delicious. Highly recommend
SH
SarahH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 15 February 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food, lovely host, and great wine list. We love the concept and experience and will be back!
SF
SueF
Melbourne
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on 15 February 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff were extremely attentive and friendly. The food and atmosphere were both great.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Melbourne
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on 20 January 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing! Such a great experience, all the food was cooked perfectly and Mike and his team are fantastic hosts. Would recommend this for special occasions.
RB
RikB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 24 December 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Outstandingly tasty food and very kind and attentive hosts. The 6-course meal was well balanced in flavours and seasonal ingredients. Portions were good in size together with very interesting wines. A vegetarian option is available on request. Thanks for the lovely evening.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 16 December 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful Restaurant, great concept around communal dining and top notch food. The matched wines hit the mark too. The hosts were so engaging. A very special experience.
C
Chester
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on 15 December 2022
overall4food5service5ambience3
Enjoyed food and concept but was way too noisy to have a meaningful conversation and would therefore not recommend
Pretty LittleResponded on 21 December 2022Hi Chester, Thank you for sharing your concerns about the noise level and I hope that you can look past this in regards to understanding the atmosphere we are creating here at Pretty Little. I often don't recommend dining with us when people are looking for a quieter venue, as we are purposely trying to create a vibrant and engaging dining experience. having said that, it does upset me that your expectations weren't met. This is actually the first time we have had someone raise the noise level as a concern but we will definitely take your feedback on board in order to help us improve. I hope one day you might dine with us again Chester, perhaps for a different occasion. Kindest regards, Mike.
AH
AmeliaH
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 10 December 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, great atmosphere and wonderful staff. Always have a wonderful time at Pretty Little.
LM
LeahM
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 9 December 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Foods beyond delicious! The service is personalised. The name says pretty little but the flavours are not
OT
OpenTable Diner
Melbourne
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on 9 December 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food and overall great dining experience with great host
c
claire89
London
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 18 November 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing experience from start to finish, can’t fault! Wonderful food, service, wine!
TP
ToriP
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 10 November 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely outstanding, the service, food and vibe was unreal. Intimate and fun!
AD
AverageDiner
Exclusive
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on 10 November 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
How is this place not more well known? From the moment you arrive, the staff make you feel at home. This is literally like you are having dinner at the house of an amazing chef. Food is spectacular...the wine pairings are perfect. Cannot fault anything. Highly recommend and will definitely be back
GO
GregO
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 9 November 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Exceptional food and wonderful staff who were great to talk to.
T
Thais78
Melbourne
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 29 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
What an amazing experience, thank you so much we will definitively be back :-)
MG
MichaelG
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 29 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
In a word “awesome”. If you are looking for a true dining experience this is the place to go. The food and service are outstanding and I highly recommend the matching wines as these are wines you wouldn’t normally find. 11/10.
KC
KathyC
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 29 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place for a communal meal where you interact with the great staff and chef. Food that is fresh and local.
SQ
SuziQ
Victoria
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 28 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
An incredible night! The food was phenomenal, the wine exquisite and the service outstanding. A unique & true gem, we can't wait to go back
AH
AlisonH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 27 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Pretty Little never fails to be a pretty amazing experience. Mike, Mike and Laurent always as warmly welcoming to their table, delivering an exquisite dégustation menu paired with exceptional wines. Perfection every time.
T
Tash
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 22 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic food, wine and atmosphere. A definite favourite and one I recommend to everyone!
JM
JosieM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 14 October 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere. Service and food wonderful!!!!!!
L
Lazloticus
London
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on 1 October 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
Excellent varied, seasonal and interesting dishes. Nice theatre with a sort of family style dining with everyone on the same table. Great wine list, though a few of the matched wines could have been better and perhaps didn't enhance the dishes, though each wine itself was excellent. Probably wasn't quite enough food, perhaps a little bit of bread to eat during the meal would have solved that. I do recommend!
N
Nick
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 29 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Pretty Little is the true representation of neighbourhood gem. Exceptional food and services every time we dine. Given that many of the customers who were there are repeat guests, it confirms you are in for a consistently exceptional experience.
CM
ColinM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 24 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Pretty Little is far and away my favourite Melbourne restaurant and I'm constantly looking for excuses to take friends and visitors along so that I can relive the experience. Mike1 is a gregarious and engaging host as well as an excellent sommelier. He consistently finds hidden gems from Victoria, Tasmania and beyond to perfectly complement each dish. Mike2 and Laurent are incredibly creative chefs, and their evolving, seasonal degustation menu combines painstakingly sourced seasonal ingredients with a clear passion for preparation and presentation. On our last visit, the team accommodated a vegan, a vegetarian, a pescatarian (and a token omnivore) with grace and we were all picking off each other's plates by the end of the night! Couldn't recommend Pretty Little more highly.
BB
BryanB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 24 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
It's a must try. The service is perfect. They make you feel like an old friend as they serve you amazing dishes.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 22 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Pretty Little is such a unique dining experience with honestly some of the best food I have had the pleasure of eating in a long time! Well done Guys 🌼🙌
WB
WillB
Victoria
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 21 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went for my partners Birthday, the food was amazing, the service top-notch but the wine pairing was what made it so special. Thanks for making us so welcome 🙏
A
Andrew
Melbourne
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 15 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of our favourite places in Melbourne. Mike and the team are incredible.
T
Tash
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 9 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
A favourite. Outstanding food combined with a wonderful “feel”
RD
RickyD
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 2 September 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely amazing food, wine, cocktails and service. All staff were very friendly and made us feel very comfortable. Highly recommend!
SF
ShianneF
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 20 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The perfect place to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Such a wonderful interactive experience of food tasting sensations, we also loved the wine matches that went with the different courses. Very intimate setting, you feel like you are having a meal in the chefs home. We absolutely loved it.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 19 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, great service!
TM
TraceyM
Victoria
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 13 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food is sublime and the matched wine option is excellent
JM
JMac
Sydney
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 12 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Mike is the most gregarious host, the food is outstanding and the wine matching was spot on. A dining experience not to be missed! We will most certainly be returning (again).
R
Richmond3121
Melbourne
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 6 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
An amazing & creative menu, everything was delicious and the service was excellent!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 5 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of my favourite restaurants
AG
AllyG
Hawaii
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 5 August 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
A wonderful concept having a communal table where you can mingle with other guests as well as the two chefs and owner/host. It felt like a fabulous dinner party. The food is fantastic and apparently changes regularly. The wines are great as are the cocktails. Overall it we had a great night visiting Pretty Little and would highly recommend the trip to Balaclava to try it yourself we will definitely be back.

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

Pretty Little is rated 5 stars by 48 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

No. of diners

2 people

DateTime

30 Mar 2023

20:00

Booked 2 times today

Experiences are available.

296 Carlisle St, Balaclava, AU-VIC 3183

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
Chapel Street and Carlisle Street
Area
Balaclava
Hours of Operation
Wed, Thu 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm
Cuisines
Australian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Parking Details
None
Public Transit
Balaclava Train Station directly across the road
Payment Options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Executive Chef
Mike Harrison
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Vegan

Website
http://www.prettylittle.com.au/
Phone number
(03) 9525 8730
Private party facilities
The dining space is available for private bookings for up to 21 guests from Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Private events at Pretty Little are like having your own private dinner party with chefs who cook and serve a set menu right in front of you along with your own private waiting crew.

Pretty Little

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Pretty Little Dining

Menu

What 48 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Sort by

Filters

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

How is Pretty Little restaurant rated?

Is Pretty Little currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information