Press PLAY to listen to Tony Leonard’s full review!

Railway Hotel

35 Anderson St, Yarraville

Phone: 9687 2034

11 October, 2024

A balmy Thursday night brings the payday crowd out in droves to Yarraville Village, with a dazzling array of leisure spending options in this cache-dripping, lilliputian part of the Western Suburbs of Melbourne.

From the Sun Theatre in the mini-mall replete with all tastes and specialty shops to satisfy, to the general bonhomie that exists here, it is doubtful that many more parts of Melbourne suburbia have this vibe.

Yarraville wasn’t always like this; you already know that.

But the excellent reminder of a working class past is steadfastly retained in the Railway Hotel with an absolutely sound offer to please all.

And confirmation on this Thursday night was a buzzing pub replete with families.

Once trading as a very, very traditional Blarney Stone Tavern, the two-storey pub looks modern with new timber furnishings dominating down stairs, comfy chairs well spaced in the dining room, and a separate area for the blue baize pool table. The bar is extensive in length and choice of taps, while the dining room is well serviced by attentive staff.

Upstairs is a semi enclosed rooftop area for functions/gatherings with a view up and down Anderson St, so narrow Mr. Magoo can see clearly across the road sans coke bottle glasses. Good spot to take in both the sport and music.

Pokies: No
Tab: No

A fine pub menu, lots of favorites and well presented. Examples of the entrees are fried calamari, semolina dusted, garlic mayo, lemon, ($18 entree/$26 main), fried buttermilk chicken, harissa mayo ($18) and an increasing common item on pub starters, house made sausage rolls, tomato chutney ($18). Around eight starters to choose from.

Mains, too, read well and are right priced. You have your beloved standards such as, beer battered fish & chips, house salad, tartare sauce, lemon ($28), hand crumbed chicken parma, house salad, fries ($29), pie of the week, (beef/Guinness) mash, peas, gravy ($29), sitting alongside, lobster tail linguine, prawn, onion, confit garlic, chilli, white wine ($36) and pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, Asian greens, master stock, pork crackle ($35).

Drinks have the right mix of commercial and independents, and offer Railway Draught, with Furphy, Stone and Wood, Little Ray Hazy.

Per wine glass offers (about $12.50), but the choice is vast from producers like Rockbare, Giant Steps and Sticks.

Again, the prawn & ginger dumplings, sesame seeds, fresh chilli, soy sauce ($20) were very good and while you do pay a premium for Cape Grim steaks, a fully plated, grass fed scotch fillet 300gm ($46) cooked rare, served with chunky hand cut potatoes, asparagus & green beans wrapped in prosciutto, pepper sauce, was a fair price for this meal.

Lot of happy people in the pub, as a very chatty (not noisy) vibe filled the room with tales of school or work from that day. That’s what a proper pub atmosphere is about.

In very good hands, a very well run pub the Railway, Yarraville, is.

Part of the Village forever.

SCORE: 14.5