Tumbarumba Motel & Elms Restaurant

We had high hopes for our Group (14) dinner and The Elms was certainly a lovely place to walk into. There were two other sets of diners (one couple, one group of four) plus our table, so not a large amount judging by the number of tables. The service can only be described, at best, as ‘Random’. Our pre-dinner drink orders were taken … 10 received their order, 2 had incorrect drinks and 2 never arrived. Not the greatest of starts! Still awaiting the delivery of the last two drinks (staff reminded), we all placed our meal orders. One diner wanted two entrée-sized meals (not an entrée and main) and this order was a ‘challenge’ for the staff. It was pointed out that the table of two diners had the only floor-standing ice bucket when one was requested. After a while (fair enough there were 14 of us), two meals arrived … as these were as ordered we told the diners to start eating … hmmmm … the only issue at this point is that the table of four had only been served two of their meals and these two should have been theirs! Really?? It took quite some time (all served meals eaten) before any other dishes were served on either table. The table of two also didn’t ‘escape’ this level of service .. whilst they received all their food, they were assured upon buying a bottle of wine that they could take any remaining with them … until the time came to leave when they were told they could not! We were the kind recipients of their leftover half bottle, plus the floor-standing ice bucket. However, upon the couple leaving, three members of the staff rushed out to follow them to check they had not taken the ‘errant’ bottle of wine! Finally, we were all served and 13 meals were very good with one steak being rather overcooked for medium-rare. The food, when it finally arrived, was very good and extra points as the plates were also warm. We believe we may have been the first diners for some time but there was a lack of service understanding in the team and much training is required. Speaking to some locals the next day, it appeared that they had had a similar experience with only three of their party of four being given their meals and this was pre-Covid. One piece of advice may be to ‘ditch the iPad ordering’ and listen to what the customer is actually saying/ordering. Whilst not too expensive, the service level took ‘the edge off’ what would otherwise have been a lovely night. Summary: good for food, less than average for service.

Despite its claim of being a finalist in a statewide restaurant competition, our experience at this restaurant was rather disappointing. Right from the start, we were only offered sparkling water without the option of tap water, which seemed insincere. When we ordered a bottle of wine, we weren't given the chance to taste it first; the bottle was simply placed on our table without even having our glasses filled. Two of us ordered the lamb shanks, which were dry, lacking in flavor, and didn't have much meat, completely missing the slow-cooked quality that this dish should have. The service, however, was mostly efficient and friendly.

I would definitely return to this restaurant for both lodging and dining. The dinner was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is elegant and felt quite special. The staff were very accommodating. I would highly recommend this place and will definitely be returning in the future.

During our stay at the Tumbarumba Motel en route to Melbourne, we discovered a hidden gem in the Elms Restaurant. The motel offered us a spacious room with all the necessary amenities for a peaceful night. Despite its older exterior, the inside rooms have been recently renovated, giving the place a modern touch. The restaurant itself had a chic and modern décor that wouldn't be out of place in a fancy city eatery. We were pleasantly surprised by the exceptional food and high-quality local wine, all served with top-notch service. We will definitely be returning to stay and dine here on our next trip from Sydney to Melbourne.

The decor and ambience of the restaurant was great and the menu was nicely balanced. The wait staff were nice and friendly. We ordered lamb cutlets but these were over cooked and tough, and not quite the quality I was expecting for $40 with a salad. My partner enjoyed the chicken Ballantine. The salad portions were large and we enjoyed the potato croquettes. The local Pinot Noir was nice. We enjoyed it overall.