We booked a table for two on a bit of a whim. We were spending a few nights in the area, a nice getaway from the city before getting back to the daily grind. A few good positive reviews on Google was all it took to convince us to give it a go - and it had a lot to compete with, as we have been to some high end Argentinian restaurants in the past where the cheapest steak was just under one hundred dollaridoos. The atmosphere was great. A nice and relaxed, pub style venue with some Argentinian artwork on the walls. The service was incredibly prompt. The waiter made himself available to his area of the restaurant and was very charming, genuine and polite. He earnt himself a nice tip at the end of the night. Sadly I forgot his name but he was a young man with mid length/wavy brown hair, reasonably tall. Thank you for being so kind and welcoming mate. You're an asset to the restaurant and I hope they treat you well. And the food was absolutely fantastic. While steak was surprisingly not on the menu, we sampled almost everything else. I couldn't pinpoint anything in particular that stood out, as it was all exceptional. As were the desserts. The donuts and ice-cream were definitely the winners here though, although I couldn't criticise anything at all. Thank you to the chef/s. The quality was unexpectedly high end and I would certainly recommend The Independent to anyone in the area looking to try Argentinian food for the first, or the tenth time. A solid 10/10 from my wire and I.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$200+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Had high hopes and it felt good to begin with. Young staff were great, the food was flowing nicely until the last main never showed up and our plates sat empty for 30 minutes. No exaggeration. When we finally got the managers attention, she showed zero care to understand what happened or to rectify it for us. We would’ve spent an extra $100 on drinks, final main and desserts but it doesn’t seem important to them, so we decided to move on. Thank you for the poor experience and attitude, we won’t be spending money here again. For the record, the young waitress had great customer service and while paying for the bill spoke to us about the issue and did everything right. Good on you. We appreciate you. In response to the venues reply: The lady at our table was hardly rude, she explained the issue and had to speak up so the manager could hear. There was nothing rude about that. You’re also wrong that it was communicated to us that the order wasn’t placed, the manager told us it was cancelled. Even if it was cancelled, then we were ignored for 30 minutes while our plates were empty and we weren’t offered another drink or dessert. Finally, if you could hear all of this, why didn’t you come talk to us? Your replies to negative reviews are inline with the service we experienced, passive aggressive. We were right there and you let us leave. Maybe you have a chip on your shoulder?

I recently photographed an engagement party here and I must tell everyone that I couldn't be happier! Please note - this review is from the point of view as a photographer. Food was top notch, service was fantastic, but here I'm telling you guys little more details lol This venue radiates warmth (both as in colours and temp lol), artistic touches every corners and a friendly atmosphere that made everyone feel right at home. Stepping inside, I really loved the cozy fireplace and the inviting warm-toned interior everywhere! The attention to detail is awesome too! Carefully selected artworks on the walls adds a personality! The good blend of natural and tungsten light - but make sure you know what time of the day you'll be shooting! Bonus point if you carry flash with gels. One more thing! I wanna say great thing about the friendly and approachable staff members! They go above and beyond with care and enthusiasm :) I heard from the couple that from the planning stages to the day of the event, their dedication and professionalism shine through, making their, and my day seamless and stress-free. 10/10. The best gem of the gembrook!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

My wife and I had eaten at The Independent for our last few anniversaries - with us both being vegan, we really appreciated not feeling like an after-thought, as all the food was always amazing! With our wedding planned for 2023, we asked Laura if they do receptions, and she said yes, and told us they could do the whole evening fully vegan for us, which was important to us. From the first email (of the 80+ email thread!) to the last, Jessica and Laura of The Independent worked through every single detail of our night, helping guide us on details we were unsure of. They allowed us to bring in our vendors while the restaurant was shut, to look over the space. The evening ended up being very well priced, and everyone (fellow vegan and meat-eaters) were raving about the food! Everyone at The Independent - from the very start, went out of their way to make our wedding day absolutely perfect, and we could not have asked for more. We could not recommend them more. Thank you so much The Independent team!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Dietary restrictions
Great with vegan and gluten-free.

Great food, nice ambience and service. For mine, it's one of those menus where everything sounds great so you need to whittle it down to a normal meal, and we still ordered too much. Two of us went but it'd be much better with 4 or 6 to share more things but they do have a chef's menu with 6? serves, and most people would be happy. We'll go again to try other things. My partner was a little cold (it was an average cold Melbourne day) as we were in a corner away from the roof heating but nothing to complain about. I suspect with a full house it'd be a little noisy in a big room with hard surfaces but thankfully the staff didn't mumble. The service was great, they were attentive, confident and friendly without being boring or saccharin. The standouts for us were the scallops, the maple carrots, spiced chicken, beef and olive empanada, and caramel ice cream with candied pecans.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$120–140
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Carrot with Smoked Maple Puree

Such a beautiful dining experience we had yesterday. We were greeted warmly and treated so well right to the very end, it’s as if they have known us our whole lives and as someone who deals with the public every day I truly appreciated that (special shout-out to our wonderful server Emily! - She was so thoughtful and helped us swap out dishes because she knew some sides were the same. She went the extra mile!) This was our first time having Argentinian cuisine and we know this place is going on “our list” as we planned on future birthdays and events back up to this gem in Gembrook. From beautiful warm bread at the beginning to melt in your mouth brisket and the glorious maple carrots with explosions of coriander in every bite to the huge serving of crunchy potatoes that I would have eaten another bowl of from sheer greediness. For dessert our cinnamon donuts were spot on and we left so satisfied. Thank you for a wholesome dining experience. We can see every thought put into the process. We will be back! Mish and Ryan.

Only recently found out about this place we only live 15 minutes away so thought we should check it out. We took the advice from front of house on what to order, I was very pleased with the meals absolutely fantastic. My daughters kids meal was forgotten this was a bit of an issue for us as we couldn’t really eat our food in front of her with no food. They were very apologetic and removed a few items and our drinks off the bill. Would of been better to have her food come out with ours but they did everything they could to rectify it, thanks for that. Would have loved if they had northen/Carlton draught/ vb to choose from on their menu as I couldn’t find a beer I liked. Will definitely come back soon.
Price per person
$60–80
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Cordero, Fried Calamari

This was a definitive experience! We booked in for my husband’s birthday dinner and it was an 11/10. The food was delicious and prepared to perfection. We had two cocktails and multiple dishes including two pastas for $250. The service was second to none, we were constantly checked in on and the chefs themselves would serve us our meals and explain each dish to us. The owner was also on service duty and was pleasant as he served us or cleared our plates. We highly recommend this amazing restaurant that really puts love and care into what they put in front of you. We couldn’t be happier with our experience here.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$200+
Recommended dishes
Chocolate Sorbet, Cordero, Homemade Bread

Booked for 5 people for a birthday, got the tasting menu as we thought it would be appropriate. Overall the food was good but we upgraded to the brisket which was the wrong choice, meat was very dry and tasteless. The dessert was a little shocking it was giving very nursing home dessert pudding vibes. Friends who dined with us have been here before and they said that last time was better. Service was a bit slow. Overall would rate restaurant 6/10. A little disappointing as well because it is mentioned to be in the top 100 restaurants in Victoria.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$80–100
Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Salted Caramel Doughnut

Visit 1: Weekend Dinner Wow. What an absolute gem of a place. We had an amazing date night / birthday meal on the chef's menu. Staff were lovely and service was excellent (and a little sassy, in a good way). The chefs managed our dietary requests perfectly (seafood instead of meat, and no nuts). Everything was amazing, but the sweet potato ceviche was something else. === Additional: Saturday Lunch Visit Had another amazing experience at The Independent, again opting for the Chef's Menu which gave us a gastronomic tour of Argentinian fare. Delicious and paced perfects for a Saturday lunch with kids playing in the play area outside.

It's a long way from anywhere - and well worth the trip This industrial looking art adorned old shop/factory in the main street of Gembrook brings Argentinean cruisen to life in exceptionaly modern interpretation of classic meals The degustation is mandatory to explore the cheifs extraordinary culinary art The wine pair is very good. The staff are attentive, informative and helpful without being over bearing The donuts are a must - so leave some room on your way through your Argentinean exploration or see if you can get some take away!

What a great place! The food, service and space was top notch. We happily feasted away over a long, lazy Sunday lunch. The ocean trout, and scallops were a standout across the 7+ dishes experienced. Our kids happily played in the outdoor space. We’ll definitely be back.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$100–120
Kid-friendliness
Our kids were happily entertained over the 2+ hr lunch with the outdoor space and colouring things provided by the restaurant.

Just delicious. Have been here a few times and while I may not have remembered what I ate from previous trips, the memory is that it was all beautiful. Tonight the winner was the crispy garlic potatoes, so great. Order a bunch of dishes and make sure you taste a bit of everything. You won’t be disappointed. Staff were excellent and accommodating also. That trait has become more rare in recent times so it really stood out.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner

Amazing food, great service. Friendly staff, Chef's menu is the best option for first timers, will never disappoint. Also very considerate with dietary restrictions. Highly recommended! Hidden gem in (pun intended) Gembrook
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$80–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Homemade Bread
Dietary restrictions
Very considerate with dietary restrictions

Wow, what a hidden gem for vegans. The service was exceptional with our waiter being friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. We tried the empanadas which were amazing. From the medium dishes we tried to beetroot and carrots. We also tried a palm tree core dish (can't remember the name) and it was certainly the highlight. Dessert was chocolate sorbet with chilli cashew - divine. Restaurant is spacious and has a great atmosphere, very cool interior design!

We tried many dishes here. The scallops were great really enjoyed that dish. The palm heart dish looked immaculate it was enjoyable. The serving sizes were both very generous. The salmon & calamari were both delicious. Loved the beetroot salad. The iceberg was ok the cheese flavour was too strong for me. Overall it's a great restaurant. The food is tasty, clean & fresh ingredients. Would recommend
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Best food I've had in a while, very friendly staff and excellent drinks. Can't recommend enough, especially if in the area, would recommend driving out from Melbourne just to eat here. Even the complimentary bread was amazing. Prices were quite reasonable for the quality of food, not to mention filling. Situated across the road from puffing Billy so could make a great pairing for a day out. Seriously, do yourself a favour and go here!

This place is bonkers. Service is like no other, I mean like 10/10! The waitresses took the time and effort to go through every item on the menu. Food was delicious, professionally prepared by the head chef here. Highly recommend the Arancinis (maybe the chef's menu, we would have done that but we were not that hungry). We had such a pleasant late dinner in this lovely little gem of a restaurant. Will definitely come back for more!

Wow what an impressive dining experience! Was blown away by the beautifully crafted food that was made with lots of love and care. Highly recommend if you would like to try Argentinian cuisine. Food was full of flavour and made with the freshest ingredients. Service was excellent and the overall atmosphere makes this restaurant a must go to.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$60–80

This is our favourite place to dive into delicious food! The atmosphere is amazing, as are the staff. We even had our wedding here last November! The process of organising our wedding was seamless & Laura (the manager) paid close attention to detail and met all of our needs. We return here often for good food, service & beautiful surroundings. Love this place!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Thank you Mauro and the team at The Independent Gembrook for such a beautiful meal on Saturday night. We have been here a number of times now and tried numerous dishes and they are all absolutely divine! Beautiful food, wine, and a wonderful atmosphere. Highly recommend!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–80
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

What an absolute wonderful place to dine! Mauro and his team know how prepare wonderful Argentinian food accompanied with excellent wines in a fantastic atmosphere! Whether it’s as a family dinner, a romantic escape or a group private dining experience I would say this place has it all! A must try and worth the drive to wonderful Gembrook !
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Amazing restaurant! Have been here a few times in different settings (Christmas party, date night and with groups of friends) and every time it is consistently fantastic. Cannot fault the food, everything is delicious and the service is always outstanding. Highly recommend.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

What an amazing meal we had tonight. Thanks to Mauro,Laura and the team for encouraging their chefs to come up with exciting ideas and create new menus. Loved all the food we had at Lebanese night. Congratulations to Nicole and the team for all the fabulous food.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$80–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

The food was amazing, we did the 5 course chef selection and it was perfect. So many flavours, a perfect share selection. Service was great- very friendly and great knowledge with what was pregnancy friendly also. A very enjoyable afternoon.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$200+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Great find in a lovely town! Comparable to dining in Melbourne- which we honestly know we are lucky and spoilt to have amazing quality food! This restaurant was great a converted car garage/mechanics very very reasonable prices for good quality food. Staff were very friendly and accommodated vegetarian requests. Local art on display for saw were interesting too!

Possibly one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Mauro's dishes are genuine, fresh and created with refined ingredients beautifully combined together in a perfect harmony of colours and flavours. A true joy for eyes and palate! An absolutely fantastic culinary experience that is worth the drive from Melbourne and wherever you are! Can I give 6 stars?

Sensational customer service. The waitress serving us last night was excellent. 5 star service. Food was good but not great. We had the banquet and 30 seconds after the bread rolls arriving we had 4 dishes all arrive at once, and had to ask for a 10 min break before the next 4 arrived all at once. Food all came out too quick and too much at the same time.

Perfect. The food was amazing the service was good and the cocktails were on point. We had our toddler with us and the team were really great at talking with her and making sure we were all comfortable. Highly recommended
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Food is bomb and unique! South American meets modern Australian food! Outstanding customer service! They had to fix the heater above our seat so we were offered free drinks whilst we waited in the lobby area. So nice of them! Definitely go for the set menu as they give you a decent spread of their best goodies. We were stuffed by the end of the meal!

My partner and I had the most amazing experience. Honesty can not fault any of the dishes. We opted for the set menu and they were able to cater to our dietary requirements with no issues. Staff were really attentive and the place feels upmarket without the pretentiousness. We will be back without a doubt! Thank you for such a pleasant date night.

Had a lovely date night here, the staff were all very happy and helpful. The food tastes amazing Will we definitely be going back here soon. 5/5
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Fried Calamari, Mini Bread Buns

Amazing food! Really loved everything that I had at the restaurant. We knew that we ordered so much for 4 people and it would be hard for us to finish all, and we had been struggling a lot deciding which dish to drop. But eventually, we did the right thing that kept all the dishes we wanted to have. The food was so good! Loved it!

You think when walking in the door a decent thing would be a hello, but it was a no, kitchen is backlogged. So rude, dismissive. A simple sorry guys we have no reservations today would suffice but the manager looked like she had enough and couldn't be bothered anymore with her job.
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

We had a lovely dinner here, the 4 of us, and had a variety of different dishes with a generous serving size. Everything we had, from meats to salad to desserts were so tasty and fulfilling. We were there on a Friday night but it wasn't overly packed so we had a nice peaceful dinner. The service was great too!

We came here for my birthday lunch and were greeted with top notch hospitality, food and atmosphere. Standout dishes were the lime cured scallops with crunchy wafer and the crumbed smoked pork belly. Highly recommended if you are in the area.
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

A real find in The Dandenongs at Gembrook. An Argentinian Bistro style menu with empenadas, meats and more. A great reasonably priced wine list including locals and some from Mendoza. Have attached a few pics and totally recommend The Independent.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

We had a terrific meal here and enjoyed both the friendly service and food, very tasty and decent portions. Well worth visiting!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$120–140
Dietary restrictions
Our dietary restrictions were wonderfully handled.

We travelled out to Gembrook off the back of recommendation from shop assistant in Melbourne... they said, “it’s all absolutely delicious, one the best meals I’ve ever had”. We left saying exactly the same. Truly fantastic food, great service and we’d go again!

Beautiful food, perfectly cooked Highly recommend this restaurant..great atmosphere & service i will definitely return.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Okay, these chips are the BEST I’ve ever had. 10 out of 10!! this should be the standard of chips. and of course, they have more than just chips. Highly recommend!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

Can't wait to visit this gem of a place again. Lovely staff, lovely ambiance, lovely food and very kid friendly. Highly recommend the trout special.
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$60–80

Best fine dining restaurant in town. It is a great sharing Argentina cusine dining experience for me... Strongly recommend for people who want to have a wonderful dining experience...

Food is alright but service is close to non-existent. Dietary request poorly managed. Don't get the hype about this place and definitely not worth the drive over.

A memorable dining experience in a charming town. Every dish we had was incredible and excellently executed, our compliments to the Chef and team.

Great food and lovely service. My family Enjoyed the delicious lunch Please bring back the finger lime dessert. That was too good …

Yum!! The food is delicious and the staff are very friendly and inviting. Will definitely come back again if I am in the area.

We had the 10 course meal and it was amazing! Standout dishes were the Ox Tongue and the Beef Rib. Can't wait to go again!

An awesome dining experience with unique delicious food and a relaxed atmosphere, highly recommend trying this place out.

loving this place，beautiful and clean. Delicious food and friendly staffs. Highly recommend the grilled octopus.