Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

4.5

348 Reviews

$A41 to $A100

Australian

Make a booking

2 people

12 Jan 2025

20:00

Booked 18 times today

Experiences are available.

Innovative
Good for groups
Great for creative cocktails

Big Esso is an all-day bar and kitchen located on the land of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples. We are beyond proud to be bringing Indigenous food and culture back to the banks of Birrarung (Yarra). This River was once an eel breeding ground; where shark, dolphin and stingrays could be found. This place was a main source of food, hunting, cooking, and ceremony. By sharing food in this place, we hope to bring these stories back to life. 'Big Esso' is an expression in the Torres Strait. It’s a slang term that means ‘the biggest thank you.’ This is what you say when you really want to express your gratitude. When combined, ‘Mabu Mabu & Big Esso’ is what you would say before kicking-off a celebration like no other.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$A41 to $A100
Cuisines
Australian, Indigenous, Modern Australian
Hours of Operation
Tue–Thu 11:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 11:00–23:00 Sun 12:00–20:00
Phone number
(03) 9121 0510
Website
https://mabumabu.com.au/pages/dining
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Nornie Bero
Catering
We offer a full catering menu. Please visit: www.mabumabu.com.au/catering
Private party facilities
Please get in touch if you would like to book our venue for private or semi-private events.

Location
Federation Square, Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000
Area
Melbourne CBD
Cross Street
Swanston and Flinder Street
Parking details
Fed Square Parking is available via the Russell St extension.
Public transit
Directly across from Flinders Street Station
Additional
Gluten-free Options

Experiences

Feed Menu
A$75.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Feed Menu

What 348 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.4Service
4.2Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Energetic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso offers an "exceptional" dining experience with its unique and adventurous menu featuring indigenous Australian ingredients. Guests praise the "fabulous" ambience and "attentive" staff. The food is beautifully presented and delicious, with highlights including the crocodile skewer and innovative cocktails. Perfect for those eager to explore new flavors!

348 Reviews

J
Jessica
London
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
Very slow service our first drinks came out 40 minutes late, food was strange and it would have been nice to have some carb options, I think some dishes could be a better combination of more familiar flavours with less familiar to ease people into it Service generally very slow for all order. It was beautiful sitting outside and watching the sun set on a warm summer evening
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J
Joseph
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
In our opinion, if one like to try & experiment new foods, MABU MABU -BIG ESSO is the place for you. The Staff Member there is very helpful and explains the menu to a t.
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K
Kirsten
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 4 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had a great time at Big Esso last night. The server was super helpful in helping us choose our dishes. Loved trying out the indigenous ingredients and experiencing new flavours.
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H
Hugh
VIP
Canberra
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 4 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
As a Foodie Trails guide, I am really enjoying exploring the new menu. All new menu items I have tried with my guests so far have been tasty, well presented and enjoyed. The service, as always was welcoming and attentive. Thank you.
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H
Helen
Victoria
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on 31 December 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We had the $75 Feed Me Menu. The quality and presentation of the food was excellent. Innovative modern indigenous food. The wines were reasonably priced and there were some excellent interesting gins and mocktails. Staff were friendly and good answering questions. There is an outdoor area as well but a little windy when we were there. Will return and recommend to friends.
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S
Sarah
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 27 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The staff, food and service were all exceptional. The menu was adventurous using native Australian ingredients. The staff were very helpful and catered to all of our dietary needs. Highly recommend dining at Mabu Mabu.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 20 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Was a great experience, will definitely go again!!
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J
Jasmine
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 18 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Beautifully presented, delicious food. Would highly recommend! Excellent location in Fed Square, and the drinks menu was phenomenal.
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S
Scarlett
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 13 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Unfortunately we were seated next to a large Christmas party table which made it hard to engage in conversation but we would die for the artichokes and rosti. Looking forward to trying one of the large variety of drinks next time
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C
Claire
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 13 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Mabu Mabu is exceptional in every way. The menu is unique, the ambience is fabulous and the staff are attentive and lovely. I absolutely recommend Mabu Mabu.
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FAQs

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso is rated 4.5 stars by 348 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

12 Jan 2025

20:00

Booked 18 times today

Experiences are available.

Federation Square, Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000

Additional information

Cross Street
Swanston and Flinder Street
Area
Melbourne CBD
Hours of Operation
Tue–Thu 11:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 11:00–23:00 Sun 12:00–20:00
Price
$A41 to $A100
Cuisines
Australian, Indigenous, Modern Australian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Fed Square Parking is available via the Russell St extension.
Public transit
Directly across from Flinders Street Station
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Nornie Bero
Additional
Gluten-free Options

Website
https://mabumabu.com.au/pages/dining
Phone number
(03) 9121 0510
Catering
We offer a full catering menu. Please visit: www.mabumabu.com.au/catering
Private party facilities
Please get in touch if you would like to book our venue for private or semi-private events.

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

Make a booking

Additional information

Experiences

Feed Menu

Menu

What 348 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Mabu Mabu - Big Esso restaurant rated?

Is Mabu Mabu - Big Esso currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information