Dolly pairs a moody underground dining room with an $85 four-course menu, polished service and a $58 wine pairing worth adding.
Dolly knows how to make an entrance.
Tucked beneath Le Méridien Melbourne on Bourke Street, the restaurant begins with a walk down a beautiful Art Deco spiral staircase. It sets the tone straight away. You feel like you are heading somewhere hidden, a little dramatic and far more interesting than your standard CBD dinner.
The room has that moody European feel that works so well for date night. Low lighting, a polished dining room, and enough atmosphere to make dinner feel like an occasion, without the place feeling stiff or overdone.
Quite a few couples were dining while we were there, and honestly, it made sense. Dolly feels built for that kind of evening. It has the right amount of romance, but it still feels relaxed enough to settle in, enjoy the wine and talk normally across the table.
The signature menu is $85 per person, with the option to add a wine pairing for $58 per person. We did the wine pairing, and I am glad we did. It made the meal feel more complete, especially with a menu that moves from oysters and scallops through to steak and crème brûlée.
The kitchen is led by Bordeaux-born, Michelin-trained Executive Chef Hervé Borghini, and a clear European influence runs through the menu. It does not feel fussy. The dishes are polished, but still familiar enough to enjoy without needing too much explanation.
Dinner started with a seasonal oyster served with blackberry mignonette. It was fresh and clean, with the blackberry adding a nice lift without taking away from the oyster itself: a simple opening bite, but a good one.
The seared scallops were one of the best dishes of the night. They came with ’nduja cauliflower, citrus gel and rye crumb, which gave the dish a good mix of heat, crunch and acidity. The scallops were cooked beautifully, and the ’nduja added just enough richness to make the dish more interesting.
For the main, we had the MB2 Porterhouse with pommes frites and sauce Robert. The steak was cooked well and had that classic steak-and-fries comfort that is hard not to enjoy. My only small note is that I would have liked a little more sauce. I am someone who likes to dip steak into sauce properly, so that may just be personal preference, but a touch more would have made the dish even better for me.
The petite leaf salad was a good side, with red wine vinaigrette, pickled onion, radish and seed cracker. It brought some freshness to the table and helped balance out the richness of the steak and fries.
Dessert was the spiced crème brûlée with house-made biscotti. It had the crisp sugar top you want, smooth custard underneath and a gentle spice running through it, which gave it a little more warmth without taking it too far from the classic version.
Service was warm throughout the night. Everything was served with a smile, the pacing felt comfortable, and the team made the experience feel easy from start to finish. That always makes a difference, especially in a restaurant with this kind of setting.
Overall, Dolly is a very strong CBD dining option if you want something with mood, polish and good value. The $85 signature menu feels fair for the food and setting, and the $58 wine pairing is worth adding if you want to make more of the night.
Overall Rating ★★★★☆ 4/5
Dolly gets a strong 4 out of 5 from me. The room is beautiful, the service is warm, and the menu delivers a polished underground dining experience without feeling too formal. I would have loved a little more sauce with the steak, but as a date night spot in Melbourne CBD, Dolly is an easy one to recommend.
Grand Jazz Dinner Show
Dolly is also hosting The Grand Jazz Dinner Show on Saturday, 27th June 2026, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. The underground dinner-and-show event features live jazz from The Night Creatures, with tickets including show admission and Dolly’s four-course signature menu.
Tickets are listed from $91, with the dinner component valued at $85 per person.
Where: Dolly Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, Le Méridien Melbourne, 20 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
When: Saturday, 27th June 2026, 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Event: The Grand Jazz Dinner Show at Dolly
Book: https://melbourne-insider.au/event/the-grand-jazz-dinner-show-at-dolly-le-meridien-melbourne/
