Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. Australia
  3. Melbourne
  4. City Centre
  5. Melbourne CBD
Mabu Mabu - Big Esso, Melbourne, AU-VIC

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

4.5
4.5
342 Reviews
$A41 to $A100
Australian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 7 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Good for groups
  • Great for outdoor dining
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 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm
  • 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.

Experiences

  • Feed Menu

    A$75.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Feed Menu
    Feed Menu photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 342 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
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Energetic

342 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Was a great experience, will definitely go again!!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Jasmine

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    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.

    Is this helpful?

  3. 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

    Is this helpful?

  4. 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.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Alex

    Melbourne

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 10 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    So pleased to find indigenous inspired food at Fed Square. Ambience could be improved with more comfortable seating to make this more than a cafe. Cocktails were fab -the show stopper was the coastal negroni, and the green ant-Tini was potent and quirky with two green ants floating. Highly recommend the crocodile skewer- was simply delicious as were the warrigal greens and cauliflower salads. Friendly and attentive service made for a great night.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Liam

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 10 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome food, well done, good value considering how hard it is to get some of the ingredients in terms of supply. Great staff and loved the atmosphere there.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Sean

    Melbourne

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 10 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Fantastic food, but the service was stretched and could do with extra staff when busy. However, we had a very enjoyable meal with great flavours and so different to standard restaurants.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Dominic

    Melbourne

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 4 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We went here to bid farewell to a friend who had visited and had a great evening. The food was interesting and tasty, we all really enjoyed trying the new different flavours, and the staff were friendly. It's not a cheap place, and whether you think it is value for money will depend on how you think of food - don't go just to fill up, but rather to explore and enjoy! We certainly did, and I'm looking forward to finding another excuse to go again next year :)

    Is this helpful?

  9. Stefano

    Melbourne

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 30 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Crocodile appetizer: excellent! Emu (kamu) appetizer: excellent! Duck (digidigi) appetizer: excellent! Nornie's soup: excellent (!!), but for the flour-like round thin side dish wich was burned

    Is this helpful?

  10. Kate

    Melbourne

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 23 April 2022

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Staff were great, menu was brilliant... In theory. Food was flavourless, really needed seasoning and got cold quickly. Not a great sign when the drinks menu is better than the food one.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso is rated 4.5 stars by 342 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 7 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

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 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm
  • 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.
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Restaurant Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable International Ltd. Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo