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Mabu Mabu - Big Esso, Melbourne, AU-VIC

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

4.4
4.4
355 Reviews
$41 to $100
Australian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 27 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for groups
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
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
    $41 to $100
  • Cuisines
    Australian, Indigenous, Modern Australian
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 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.
  • Location
    Federation Square, Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne, AU-VIC 3000
  • Neighborhood
    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
    Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Feed Menu

    A$75.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Feed Menu
    Feed Menu Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 355 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Mabu Mabu - Big Esso offers a unique culinary adventure with "innovative modern indigenous food" and "exceptional" service. Located in Fed Square, it delights with adventurous menus using native ingredients. Guests praise the "beautifully presented, delicious food" and the "phenomenal" drinks menu, featuring standout cocktails like the Coastal Negroni.

355 Reviews

  1. Michael

    Melbourne

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    I did a reservation, when I arrived the server told me that they could give the services en one hour and 30 minutes , Why do they ask you to make a reservation?

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  2. Steve

    New York City

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was incredible a treat way to taste local flavors!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jan

    Melbourne

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Delicious and unusual food in the heart of Melbourne, perfect for a casual dinner with friends.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Alison

    Melbourne

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    The food was delicious and came quickly but the restaurant is very noisy as it’s all hard surfaces and the chairs are a bit uncomfortable if you’re sitting for a while. I would certainly try it again.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Nadia

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful to share outstanding First Nations cuisine in the warm and welcoming Big Esso!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Shaun

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Highly recommmend, if you only have time for one meal in Melbourne make it this for a delicious and unique menu

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  7. Florian

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Wonderful and knowledgeable service, fantastic dishes with great opportunities to discover new tastes and textures.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jessica

    London

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 10, 2025

    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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  9. Joseph

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 5, 2025

    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.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Kirsten

    Melbourne

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 4, 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.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso is rated 4.4 stars by 355 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 27 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
  • Neighborhood
    Melbourne CBD
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • 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
    Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • 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.
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