1,031 reviews
#18 of 6,781 Restaurants in Melbourne$$ - $$$, Healthy, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian friendly+61 3 9663 9882+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Tue
5:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Wed
5:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Thu
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm5:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Fri
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm5:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Sat
5:00 pm - 11:59 pm
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
CUISINES
Healthy, Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Armenian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
features
Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
Nestled down the small Melbourne Place laneway in Melbourne’s CBD, Sezar was opened in 2013 by Chef Garen Maskal and cousins Aret and Sasoon Arzadian. The restaurant continues to attract local foodies, corporate customers and international visitors in a friendly atmosphere. The menu is designed around Middle Eastern cuisine with modern twists, while simultaneously drawing influences from the owners’ heritage of Armenia. Open six days a week for lunch and dinner (except Saturday lunch), this bistro style restaurant is an ideal spot for weekday corporate lunches, a casual meal with friends or those wanting to treat themselves to a scrumptious banquet for group bookings, either downstairs in the main dining room or upstairs in a private area.
CUISINES
Healthy, Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Armenian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Top 3 reasons to eat here
Sponsored by: Sezar
1. Unique Cuisine
"First time eating Armenian and completely blown away."
timd2234
2. Diner Favourite
"Possibly the best restaurant I tried in Melbourne."
KarlJoB
3. Impressive Wine List
"Good place for serious wine lovers as it has an impressive wine list."
gpmfkp
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4.5
1,031 reviews
Excellent
698
Very good
252
Average
62
Poor
13
Terrible
6
Joe
Launceston27 contributions
Jan 2025 • couples
Staying close by we decided to adventure out and try something different.
We never have had Armenian food before nor is it something we normally would normally eat.
We were one of the first customers of the evening and seated near the bar on comfortable booth style seats. The front house waiter was extremely helpful in explaining how best to order depending on how hungry we were.
We decided to get 4x courses chefs choice after we told them of some allergies. Everyone came out perfect, there is a lot of food. The slow cook lamb at the end was probably our favourite although a close second was the Paklava.
Would recommend anyone who visits Melbourne to come visit this place.
Written 13 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SchubeyDoo
Melbourne424 contributions
Favourite Review
Nov 2023 • couples
Fantastic evening at the relaxed and fun Sezar with my wife. Both the food and the wait staff were fantastic. We chose the 4 course banquet based on the recommendation of our waiter and there was heaps of delicious food, so much that we couldn't finish it. The wait staff were informative and engaging without being intrusive. Would highly recommend and we will be back for sure.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steph T
Newcastle46 contributions
Apr 2023 • solo
I visited this restaurant by myself as a solo traveller, and was not disappointed by the level of hospitality and how delicious the food was.
The staff went out of their way to make sure that I had a lovely meal and experience.
The food, omg, the food. Make sure you have an empty stomach when you come here. The servings are generous, especially for the price and the quality of the food is magnificent. I had the chef's 4 course selection and will be recommending it to everyone.
Written 14 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maggie H
Melbourne55 contributions
June 2023 • friends
This spot is great for casual or group dining, The food is delicious, everything I tasted was amazing, from a ridiculously good humus to the spectacular desert. Amazingly large servings, and every course divine. We had the chefs choice 4 course banquet, and each course was balanced, well considered and beautifully prepared. Moreover the hosts and staff were fabulous. Warm, welcoming and helpful. We had an amazing meal, a great night and the good vibes lasted for the rest of the long weekend. Thanks, Sezar!
Written 4 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ProfPinkyLunchLab
Melbourne1142 contributions
Dec 2021 • none
My score 4.5 stars. J & I had a great lunch here a while ago. Service relaxed, pleasant & unpretentious. We had such a good time I forgot to photo all the dishes. The 5 course set menu was way too much food TBH & we would order less next time.
We had: Oysters w sumac – sublime.
Hommus & yummy lavash – best we’ve ever had.
Mushroom & cheese boreg – nice, pastry a tad oily.
Ocean trout carpaccio w avocado salsa & Garlic rice cracker - yum.
Spanner crab manti – J liked it, I thought it was nice but the yoghurt sauce overpowered the manti.
Leek kebabs – J had these & were the weak spot in the meal.
Lamb ribs – I had these. Really really good, much better than similar at RicePS.
Main was > Steamed Monkfish, Lentil & onion pilaf, mixed salad w radish – fish was great but a bit too much salt for us (in all 3 dishes).
Dessert platter > New style baklava w toffee ice cream & caramel sauce – best we’ve ever had.
Poached peaches – once again yoghurt overpowered the dish IMO.
Malabi? Custard w almonds – light as a feather with lovely flavour (yum).
Spiced cake w berries – really good & a nice solid contrast to the other three.
Written 12 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Casa62
Brisbane495 contributions
Apr 2022 • none
We didnt make it to Armenia due to Covid so the next best thing is to go to an Armenian restaurant here in Australia.
Upstairs in Russell street its dimly lit for reading the menu but has an intimate fell to it.
It was a menu devoid of any kind of carbs which I found odd, no potatoes, rice, pasta, etc. Nothing to soak up any juices. I requested some bread with our eggplant dish just to make the meal a bit more filling on a cold night.. Great if you are on a keto diet....
Cant believe that bread isn't a staple in Armenia. It certainly is throughout the rest of that region.
Authentic? not sure. Need to visit Armenia to find out.
Written 22 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wayne T 🇬🇮
11 contributions
Oct 2024 • couples
One of the best meals I’ve ever had. The quality of all the food was outstanding. Portions were perfect. The hummus was exquisite & the shoulder of lamb (1 kg) was mouth watering. Staff were very helpful. All round was the best meal we had during our Melbourne trip. 100% recommend.
Written 6 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerry R
Townsville122 contributions
June 2022 • none
We were not disappointed. We loved the atmosphere, staff, food and drinks, so much so, that we've booked to go again in August when we go back to Melbourne. We plan on trying everything on their menu. The wait staff were exceptional and made us feel important, something that lacks nowadays. I had their version of an Iced Tea and loved the flavour and how it came in a little teapot.
Written 14 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reesy7
Melbourne118 contributions
Nov 2021 • couples
First dinner out of lockdown 6, exciting!
Hummus and bread was nothing to write home about, hummus lacking in flavour and the bread was so oily I had to wash my hands after eating it.
Kataifi wrapped Lamb were tasty but tiny portion and barely warm given the kitchen was just behind us. Reminded me if lamb wrapped in shredded wheat (British thing)
Kingfish tartare was very good, spanned crab manti (dumplings) were ok, but rubbery, lacking seasoning and the yoghurt sauce was too sour tasting, not a good pairing for this dish.
Monkfish was good, again warm but nice meaty portion.
In regards to the service, when I dine out with my partner I don’t want to be interrupted by waiters constantly topping up my water. In fact I ended up deliberately not drinking my water so I could have a conversation in peace. Also no need to ask if everything is ok from time to time, learn to read your customers and let them enjoy their dinner.
Written 8 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lazzagear
London1027 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
This is a busy, bustling restaurant tucked away in a back lane. It was warm and welcoming on a cool night but the noise levels on a Friday evening made it almost impossible to have a conversation. This was a shame as the food was excellent. We chose the $60 mezzo which gave us a selection of starters and a pork main course and it was all delicious. Service was a little hit and miss though, perhaps because it was so full.
Written 8 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hotelfitness
Albury17 contributions
Aug 2023 • couples
Sensational find, a great little place tucked away down Melbourne Lane.
Had the 4 x course banquet. Wonderful size servings and delicious flavours. Chef included the lamb shoulder at our request !
The only small downside for the overall price was the paired wines :- excellent quality but felt quite miserly on the pour given the pricing. Would recommend
Written 25 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clivenme2002
Melbourne589 contributions
June 2020 • none
Took us awhile to find it, but we’ll worth the effort! In a not so lit alleyway corner is this hidden gem! Registration for patrons were written on a pen and paper.
The food were heavenly with the bread and dip of hommus will leave you yearning for more. We went for the 4 course banquet at 75$ pp and they were scrumptious. Baclava is not quite the traditional baclava but ok , crispy yummy chicken wings, bread and hommus and braised beef.
The place was just teeming with customers and I don’t blame them, the food are exceptional and superb. Staffs were helpful and attentive. Not crowded and well spaced seating is just heavenly so no noisy and rowdy people.
Just a special place for good food in a dark alleyway corner of Melbourne Place.
Written 26 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Govert J
9 contributions
Apr 2023 • business
Sezar is one of my favourite food YouTubers. He has a lot of variety and creativity in his videos. He explores different cultures and flavours through food. He is also very friendly and engaging with his audience. His videos make me hungry and happy.
Written 27 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just a slither
Chester Hill28 contributions
Oct 2022 • friends
Too difficult to decide from the wide and varied menu, so opted for the 5 course banquet.
Did not disappoint, each course was delicious with excellent portion sizes.
Restaurant was noisy, however the presentation of each course and the wonderful flavours made for very enjoyable dinner.
Written 14 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Han_McRae
Melbourne2 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
We stumbled across this place by chance and could not have asked for more in a dining experience. From the moment we walked in we were made to feel welcomed. Exceptional service from all of the wait staff. The manager was very well informed on the food & wines and talked us through some Armenian history and the dishes. The food was stunning. Cannot wait to go back
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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