Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

Name: Mabu Mabu - Big Esso
Address: Federation Square, Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne, AU-VIC, Australia, 3000
Telephone: (03) 9121 0510
Price range: $41 to $100
Rating: 4.5

4.5

364 Reviews

$41 to $100

Australian

Make a booking

2 people

18 Feb 2025

19:00

Booked 16 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for groups
Innovative
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
$41 to $100
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
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

What 364 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
4.5Service
4.1Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Melbourne
Innovative
Melbourne
Gluten-free-friendly
Melbourne
Vegetarian-friendly
Inner City
Innovative
Inner City
Gluten-free-friendly
Inner City
Great for creative cocktails
Inner City
Healthy
Inner City
Vegetarian-friendly

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso offers "outstanding" and "innovative" First Nations cuisine, with unique indigenous ingredients that delight adventurous palates. The "friendly" and "knowledgeable" staff cater to diverse dietary needs, while the "phenomenal" drinks menu enhances the experience. Some find the atmosphere lively but seating can be uncomfortable. Overall, a "unique" dining adventure in Melbourne.

364 Reviews

C
Craig
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The most amazing food we’ve ever tasted. Ther service was a little slow but there was an event on and a heap of people around. Did u mention how good the food was? The young woman who served us who also said we smelt nice was so friendly and inviting. Would love to know her name so we can praise her. But omg the food was amazing.
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l
lesley
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The only true Australian food beautifully presented and tasty ..emu who knew this was delicious .. would have liked more desert options maybe some native fruits ..cocktails very nice worth trying a few ..really enjoyed
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M
Michael
Canberra
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 7 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the “Feed Me” menu. The staff accommodated me not being able to eat oysters, providing a different dish that I could eat. The food was ah-maz-ing! So many new foods that I haven’t previously tried! The service was excellent especially with the waitstaff explaining how the menu worked and each dish. Definitely coming back and telling all my friends and family to give it a go!
Is this helpful?
A
Audrey
Victoria
26 reviews
3.0
26 reviews
Dined on 5 February 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We have dined here a few times before. This time the food was not flavoursome as what we remembered. The cucumber salad was nice but badly presently with big strips of cucumbers. The emu steak was tender. Unfortunately we find the meal bland.
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J
Jayne
Greater Boston
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on 4 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service, unique amd delicious flavors, good value. The mackerel, pineapple rice, squid, and okra were all so good! Really pleased that we gave this great restaurant a try on our short visit to Melbourne!
Is this helpful?
RM
RobM
Victoria
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 1 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved the food, the service and the vibe!!
Is this helpful?
J
Jed
Melbourne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 1 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was nothing short of outstanding! The emu steak was a bit on the pricey side, but totally worth every penny. If you’re feeling adventurous, Big Esso should definitely be on your list.
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K
Kirsten
New Zealand
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 30 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food - truly unique ingredients and flavours. So satisfying and great options for various dietaries in our group (vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten free). Staff were friendly and helpful and the location at the back of Fed square is great, you can still enjoy the vibe but from a chill distance.
Is this helpful?
A
Andrea
Melbourne
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 26 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time dining here and I can't fault it. From the moment we got in, the staff was friendly and attentive. Explained all the dishes to our group of six and were given good advice on what to have as we had meat eaters, pescatarian and vegetarian amongst us. Everybody was happy with their meals, experiencing some new flavours. Bih selection of drink oprions too. Will definitely be back for more!
Is this helpful?
M
Michael
Melbourne
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on 22 January 2025
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?
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso is rated 4.5 stars by 364 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

18 Feb 2025

19:00

Booked 16 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
$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.

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

Make a booking

Additional information

Experiences

Feed Menu

Menu

What 364 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Mabu Mabu - Big Esso restaurant rated?

Is Mabu Mabu - Big Esso currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information