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Monster Kitchen and Bar at Ovolo Nishi - Monster Kitchen & Bar, Canberra, AU-ACT

Monster Kitchen & Bar

4 (1198)
$41 to $100
Modern Australian
25 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, AU-ACT 2601

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 3 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Vegetarian-friendly
  • Good for special occasions
  • Innovative
Monster Kitchen and Bar wanders through the ground floor of Ovolo Nishi and embraces a fresh and contemporary approach to dining, championing locally sourced and seasonal ingredients to create dishes that are approachable yet full of depth and character.

The menu is designed to be shared and enjoyed in a social and welcoming environment, ensuring every meal is a celebration of good food and great company.

Monster Bar offers a curated beverage experience, featuring thoughtfully crafted cocktails that highlight seasonal ingredients and modern mixology techniques. Our drink menu pays homage to classic cocktails while infusing them with a unique, playful twist.

Complementing our dining philosophy, the wine list is an eclectic mix of locally and internationally sourced selections, ensuring that each glass is a perfect match for the relaxed and inviting ambiance of Monster Kitchen & Bar.

The Monster is an omnivore.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • Cuisines
    Modern Australian, Fusion / Eclectic, Global, International
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–10:00 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–10:30 am All Day Dining Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Bar Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Catering
    Full catering menu can be supplied upon request.
  • Private party facilities
    Monster Salon is perfect for one-of-a-kind private events and is available upon request. Contact our events team at events.nishi@ovolohotels.com or 02 6287 6287
  • Neighborhood
    Canberra City
  • Parking details
    Underground paid public parking available
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Express Lunch

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy an express lunch in a space that feels anything but rushed. Monster has started the New Year with an enticing $35 meal and wine menu for your weekday indulgence. Available Monday to Friday. Walk-ins welcome.
    Express Lunch Photo
  • Bar Experience

    Multiple dates available
    Book your table at Monster Bar and enjoy a more casual, bar-style dining experience. Offering an elevated cocktail experience that blends modern techniques and seasonal ingredients. The menu features our own twist on iconic classic drinks, while the wine list showcases a curated selection of top-quality wines from local and international vineyards. While the food menu shares some dishes with the restaurant, the bar version emphasises smaller, shareable plates, perfect for pairing with cocktails or wine. The emphasis is on bold flavours and local, seasonal produce.

What 1,198 people are saying

Monster Kitchen & Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.0
4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 3.8Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 3.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Canberra

    Good for groups

  • Canberra

    Healthy

  • Canberra

    Good for special occasions

  • Canberra

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Canberra

    Lively

  • Inner North

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Monster Kitchen & Bar offers a dynamic dining experience with "very exceptional service" and a "calm and romantic" atmosphere. The menu includes delightful choices like pork belly skewers and corn ribs. While some reviews note inconsistencies in service and menu changes, many praise the "great quality" and flavors. A prime spot for special occasions, its unique ambiance and attentive staff make it memorable.
1,198 Reviews
  1. James

    Canberra2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Tired menu with two out of the 4 things on the Mother's day special not available. Steak didn't seem to have any red wine in the jus, kofta was a bit ordinary too. Staff were pleasant but slow and disinterested.

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  2. Nicholas

    South Australia1 review

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Busy environment, suited best to younger crowd. Staff very friendly and efficient. Couldn’t be faulted . Food good to very good depending on dish. Angus steak and chips , and cabbage plus lentils excellent . Poached pears with ice cream good but very sweet (youghurt would have been better accompaniment than ice cream). Overall recommend but more of an excellent bar with seating than a conventional restaurant .

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  3. Dishant

    Canberra3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    All these new changes to monster have been for the worst. I really don’t see myself coming back here and that’s quite a shame because monster was quite a unique restaurant and I will miss it.
    Monster Kitchen & BarResponded on April 6, 2025
    Dear Dishant, Thank-you for your feedback, we regret the changes didn't meet your expectations. The changes to Monster come about as changes to all Ovolo hotel food and beverage operations occur across all our Australian hotels. All our hotels are moving toward a more traditional all-day dining concept as we re-orient the hotel toward a more conference and events-based hotel and soon refresh our furniture and spaces. Whilst we are keeping some of the popular Monster dishes, we have moved away from the a la carte/set dining model. We value you appreciated the Monster of old, but in the current market we have had to evolve the model in order to continue to operate and meet the needs of our guests. We do thank-you for patronage irrespective. Kind regards Monster team

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  4. Roseline

    Canberra2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very exceptional service. Most of the food was very nice. Ambience was to die for.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Overall a step down from before. Ok but no longer a go to dining experience. The new omnivore menu had tasty food but that’s where the praise stops. Service was lacklustre, like no offer for extra wine or desserts after our meal. About halfway through they changed to still water (from sparkling) just dumping the carafe on the table. Our side of chips came out at the start as if it was a bar menu snack and not a restaurant side.

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  6. Adrian

    Victoria1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 10, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    I booked a table in the restaurant expecting an a la carte menu for my partner's birthday dinner, only to be told that the restaurant wasn't operating and we had to choose from a limited bar menu and sit in the bar area. Very disappointing. The food was reasonably good, although we weren't offered deserts or coffee. In addition, we were told that cocktails weren't available after 8.00pm. More like a modest country venue than dining in a five star hotel. We won't return.

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  7. Lasitha

    Canberra3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on February 24, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great Value. Big potions. Need a bit more work on matched wines.

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  8. ELLIE

    Canberra6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant was great! The service was great from the moment we walked in. Drinks and meals arrived in a timely manner. We ordered the scallops (these were our favourite dish), tuna tartare, pork belly skewers (YUM), striploin, fries and cos lettuce salad (this was surprisingly reallyyyyyy good). Everything was great quality, and good flavours! We will definitely go back!

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  9. Tanya

    New South Wales3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on February 19, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    This was a disappointing dinner. It was to mark a milestone birthday (which we advised the restaurant of well in advance). The main restaurant was closed (without notification) and everyone was crammed into a small space off the lobby. No ambiance, poor service (it took forever to order) and the food was mediocre (except the corn ribs - they were great). A very stark experience to when we went last year. We wont be returning.

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  10. Paul

    Canberra3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on February 17, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Probably the worst dining experience of my life. I ordered a Caesar salad to be told there was no bacon, so this ruled out my second option the Monster burger with bacon!! The contents of the charcuterie board delivered was not what was described on the menu and as a result it was sent back to the kitchen. The entree oysters were totally overpowered by the salsa, the green leaf salad was simply cos lettuce leaves and overly dressed. Two of my 8 mussels were not open, the sauce was overly garlicky. The chef came out but remained mute and did not discuss our issues. I will never return.

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FAQs

Monster Kitchen & Bar is rated 4 stars by 1198 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. Australia
  3. Canberra
  4. Inner North
  5. Canberra City

Make a reservation


Booked 3 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Monster Kitchen & Bar

25 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, AU-ACT 2601

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Canberra City
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–10:00 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–10:30 am All Day Dining Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Bar Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $41 to $100
  • Cuisines
    Modern Australian, Fusion / Eclectic, Global, International
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Underground paid public parking available
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Full catering menu can be supplied upon request.
  • Private party facilities
    Monster Salon is perfect for one-of-a-kind private events and is available upon request. Contact our events team at events.nishi@ovolohotels.com or 02 6287 6287
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