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Mabu Mabu - Big Esso, Melbourne, AU-VIC

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso

4.5
4.5
368 Reviews
$A41 to $A100
Australian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.

Select a time

Booked 29 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
    $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 Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (03) 9121 0510
  • 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.
  • Neighbourhood
    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

What 368 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
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseEnergetic

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
Big Esso by Mabu Mabu is celebrated for its indigenous-inspired cuisine, offering "amazing food" and "unique ingredients." Guests rave about the "incredible" flavors and "friendly" staff. The adventurous menu, featuring dishes like crocodile skewers and emu, is expertly crafted. While service can be slow during busy times, it's a "wonderful" dining experience.
368 Reviews
  1. Karina

    Sydney

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    I had never tried traditional Aboriginal food before, so when I saw a post about this restaurant on a friend's Facebook, I decided to give it a try. A friend from Sydney was visiting, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to try something different. We ordered the fried crocodile. I'm not sure if it’s meant to be served hot or cold, but it seemed like it was pre-prepared and served cold. It was drizzled with either mayo or yogurt (I’m not entirely sure which), and while it tasted okay, I was a bit disappointed. It didn’t have the “wow” factor I was expecting and instead reminded me of deep-fried calamari that was overly cooked. Along with the crocodile, we had a cucumber salad, which was refreshing. We also tried the fish, which I think was mackerel. It was flavorful, but again, didn’t leave a lasting impression. While the experience was what I was looking for, it didn't quite meet my expectations.

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  2. Teri

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing staff. Food was incredible. Cocktails were great. 10/10.

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  3. Luba

    VIP

    Portland

    44 reviews

    4.0

    44 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We were interested in trying aboriginal food and Mabu Mabu was profiled in one of the articles we read. The service was very friendly and readily addressed all questions. The menu is short. Even with a short list, one of the items we wanted to try — alligator tongue dish — was sold out. Three dishes we ordered had interesting ingredients, like emu meat. Though, it was not warm enough temperature for the main course. Drinks were average. Later, a Melbourne friend told us that the place is mostly visited by tourists, but if you want to try unusual ingredients, like G&T with green ants, this place is for you.

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  4. Simone

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing dining experience. Everyone needs to eat here honestly it was so delicious, expertly crafted and perfectly prepared.

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  5. Craig

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    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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  6. lesley

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    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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  7. Michael

    Canberra

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 7, 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!

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  8. Audrey

    Victoria

    26 reviews

    3.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on February 5, 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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  9. Jayne

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 4, 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!

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  10. RobM

    Victoria

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the food, the service and the vibe!!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Mabu Mabu - Big Esso is rated 4.5 stars by 368 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 p.m.

Select a time

Booked 29 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
  • Neighbourhood
    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
    $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
    Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • 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.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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