Man it was amazing food. Loved the flavours. I will definitely come back again. The flavours have so much depth and you can just keep eating. Highly be recommend and will definitely go back again. Thank you

I understand the food is not supposed to be authentic Indian but even so, with the result I was very confused and disappointed.Positives: (1) all the tandoori dishes we ordered had an authentic flavour, were cooked really well and had a lot of flavour. (2) staff were very attentive.Negatives: (1)The butter chicken tasted like nothing I have ever tasted before, the cardamom was so over powering that I couldn’t taste anything else. (2) the lamb curry was average, would have expected a lot more for the price paid.Overall, the atmosphere and venue were great. Despite the tandoor items tasting amazing, I feel like I would personally not pay $42 for an average sized a piece of fish (see picture of tandoor trout which is part of my review).I definitely think this place was overpriced (but that’s to be expected from a place like this I guess).

Delicious Modern Indian cuisine 😋

Absolutely loved this place. One of the best Places I have been to. If you are looking for a place for Indian food with a twist this is it. The food was great and the drinks too. The service was very friendly and attentive. They were quite fast with our order which was impressive.Will definitely return.

Food was delicious, service could improve! Will give them another chance and hoping the service has improved!

While I may not pay for the restaurant experience, their Thaili at the Thaili bar during lunch was while worth it to have a taste of their curries.Even though the butter chicken and lamb curry doesnt taste authentic Indian, but the meats were tender and juicy. The Pani Puri was well presented, interesting spin on a classic Indian Street food.Service was almost non existent at the Thaili Bar though.

I think this may have been our best dining experience to date.Wait staff were perfection. So helpful, designing our menu and wine to match.All the food was incredible. But if I had to pick a highlight it would be the burrata- OMG! 😋Thanks for making my partners birthday and our trip back to Melbourne so special!

This is one of the hidden gem. Indian blended Aussie restaurant. Food tastes very good. But very limited food menu. Indian dishes named aussie style. Curries are too pricey but you can order half in a size so price becomes half too. Staffs are very friendly definitely you need their help for ordering. This restaurant offers lot of varieties of liquor menu bit more than other pubs especially cocktails and mocktails. Pretty decent ambience. Culteries used for serving food are impressive. Booking is very much required. Restaurant is next to AC/DC lane which is well known for its graffiti the lanes are very small so it makes difficult to find the entrance of it. We cant see display board with the restaurant name. But checkout on the floor of entrance, restaurant name Tonka has be painted with graffiti. They have one more branch named as Coda which is an Asian cuisine restaurant.

Excellent! Loved the Modern Indian Cuisine

The surroundings, the food, wine recommendations, and service was faultless. A wonderful fusion of food where we were taken on a tantalising tastebud journey. Not only tasted good but was a talking point for every shared plate. The sommelier was supportive and demonstrated his knowledge to what would best suit us and I say thank you.

Very good atmosphere, but price not worth it , very disappointed taste too salty feel uncomfortable after u eat meal .

We had the most fantastic meal at Tonka. We had fantastic service and wait staff were very attentive and efficient.Holy. The food. Was spectacular. I thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine! It was so different to anything I’ve ever had (and I’ve eaten a lot). When people say Indian cuisine, you always think rustic home cooked meals. But this was on a whole other level! The flavours and spices were so refined to create a brilliant menu!!We would 1000% go back again. Everything was perfect.

Mouthwatering dishes. You should do the set menu if you are unsure of what to order. We were a group of 7 and everyone was well fed!! If you want fine dining Indian food this is the place to go!! Melt in the moth meat and fish and an amazing modern twist to the entrees. Highly highly recommend this restaurant 😃

Great vibe! Great food! :)

We were debating whether to give Tonka four or five stars. Honestly, we really couldn’t fault the place. All the food was delicious, the cocktails were refreshing and different, the service was polite and the decor was pleasing. We’d happily visit again. I can’t say there was a standout dish that I simply couldn’t get anywhere else, but I’d like to try and find it if we go there again.

Amazing food. Delicious, beautifully presented along with the best table service.

The service impeccable. The girls that serviced our table had a good sense of humour, the meals were well timed, and our drinks were always full.The food was absolutely fantastic. There wasnt a single dish that we didnt enjoy.Overall, it was a magnificent dining experience.

The fusion indian dishes were superb. The traditional indian dishes were nice but not great. However, the service was friendly.

I went here today for a friends birthday and oh my gosh! This is an absolute 10 out of 10 for me. One of the best restaurants in Melbourne. Everything from the service to the food (sooo tasty) and all the intricate details in the presentation of the mains and deserts, the wait staff were beautiful and took the time to make sure we were really looked after and that even included taking a few snaps of us as a group! Thank you Tonka, will be back for sure and will highly recommend to everyone!

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Perfect for a bit of trendy, modern dining. Went for lunch, but imagine it would be fantastic in the evenings in an intimate setting.Will be back again.

Best chicken tikka Ive ever had

4.5 stars for quality of the food and balance of the flavours. Service of staff (I believe James) was excellent. Vibe is nice and music selection interesting. However...value was not great (total bill $229 for 2 people with just 2 alcoholic drinks). Charging $12 for one bite size leaf with a few peas is plain arrogant. Dessert was good quality, but a tiny portion and at $22 far from reasonably priced. To add insult to injury they think its okay to charge $10 for tap water. Any place that thinks its okay to rip off customers with paying for tap water wont ever see me back.

Great food.Very friendly and helpful staff.I was pleasantly surprised.

Ambiance was beautiful! Sides and appetisers were good! However, the recommended curries were so disappointing! Butter chicken was so salty and lamb curry had a bitter after taste. I definitely have had much curries in local places. The rave about this place was quite falsified in my belief. Moreover, the pricing was ridiculous.. for what we received. However, it does have a good atmosphere and some good dishes.

Been twice and while presentation is nice, service is great and atmosphere is good, the food is just okay. I guess when I think Indian (even if it is just fusion), I expect stronger flavours and to be wowed.... just dont feel it here!!

A stunning venue with a breathtaking installation. Our waitress Caroline was exceptional and provided us with the most amazing service. She knew when we had left the table, folded our napkins, knew when we were ready for our next drink, chose all of our meals, she really looked after us. The food.... wow, wow, wow !! Not to mention the delicious, unique cocktails. An incredible experience all round and it is worth every penny!

Easily one of the best Indian places in Australia. Fantastic fusion options . The sea food and the chicken biryani is out of this world. Pricey - average per person is 50-55$ for a three course meal. Great staff members who love serving you , booking in advance is a must. A couple of parking places nearby - Wilson n Greenco.

Great flavours and service. My friend booked his birthday dinner there. Four of us had a dinner feast. We didn’t know actually what we were eating but we thoroughly enjoyed the food and wine which pair really well by a handsome sommelier.

10/10. Everything was amazing and the service was great.Specially recommend the aloo, tar tar, butter chicken

A delightful evening. The six of us quickly demurred to the waiters suggestion that we go with a banquet and she was happy to organise for us with some input on preferences. We were high on delegation and everything went very smoothly. Lovely choices of entries, delightful vegetarian morsels, chicken tikka and spiced cauliflower and other treats. Finished with lamb and chicken curries and all the food was great and well timed. Service was fantastic. All in lol a great evening.

FOOD 4/5ENVIRONMENT 5/5SERVICE 5/5Very nice staff, Very comfortable environment, and very untraditional Indian foods. Anyway, happy diwali. 😊

Food: Fantastic selection of modern Indian cuisine. Innovative takes on old favorites. Reasonably priced.Dont come here expecting a cheap Indian curryhouse like some of the negative reviewers below.Service: friendly, attentive and informativeVerdict: Would and have returned.

What a way to serve Indian food. The fusion is quite amazing. Dishes I would recommend the most is their king fish with wasabi crisps , spinach with cottage cheese (palak paneer) and duck curry.Also dont forget to try their cocktails. Their lassi cocktail infused with rum is just amazing.

Overall a good dining experience. Portions were a bit small for the price but good flavour.

Marvellous modern Indian. A fraction $$$ though. Can be noisy too

Chic Indian fusion restaurant. Amazing flavours and great service.

Gorgeous ambience with some delectable fine indian fares. went for dinner the other night with the family and i was impressed with the items in the menu. Some of the items that summed up the indelible experience were the five spices calamari, the mangalorean spiced pipis and the goan curry barramundi...simply outstanding.The service was excellent and very helpful.Will be coming back for my favourites again soon!Thanks Tonka for the wonderful experience!

10 years between visits and still as good as ever. Thanks guys

I really enjoyed the food here. It was a cute find in an alleyway with graffiti all around. Didnt know if I was going in the right direction, but saw the neon sign, walked in and they had space available for lunch. Great Indian flavours in the dishes, awesome service and a beautifully decorated restaurant

This was a lovely suprise. Wandering down an alley in the CBD we stumbled across Tonka. Great full bodied flavours and excellent service.

Brilliant atmosphere, Great service.Received a warm welcome and found the restaurant very nicely decorated.Excellent staff and great ambience.Good place to hangout. Would definitely recommend!!!

Just wow. But a amazing place. Loved the food. My wife took me there for my birthday . We ordered a tandoori chicken, Chicken briyani and mutton. Tandoori Chicken was soo juicy and tender that its even hard to describe. Very friendly staff. You to book a table atleast 1.5-2 months earlier. If you didn’t plan earlier don’t worry just walk-in for there bar menu. I’ve heard its even better.Must go and visit this place.

Delicious food that is packed with flavour and looks beautiful. Stand out dishes for us were the tuna tartare and the lamb curry. Outstanding lunch location in Melbourne

Excellent food and service. Good Indian Fusion

Food is really good and very friendly service. Relax and quiet during the lunch time.

Came here on a Friday night. Highly recommend their vegan dishes. We had a vegan friend and they were super accommodating. Lamb was tasty but a bit salty. Really enjoyed the calamari dish. Main disappointment was the wine choice. The shiraz by glass was recommended as being full in flavour which it was not. On top of that we ordered a bottle of white as well and they never came around to top us up. We had to ask if there was any wine left ( we knew there would still be almost half a bottle left). The waiter picked up the wrong wine and topped us up with wine which wasnt ours even though I confirmed with him. He didnt seem too happy when I questioned him as I knew our wine was sitting in the other chiller. Apart from the wine issues, would come back for the food.

Food was beautiful but not the service! Some of the waiters need training on how to work in a fine dining restaurant. Waiter just took the unfinished food away without asking... overall service is meh.

Great food and wineStaff are super helpful and will help make the food you want with for the numbers at the tableHad a great time with no pressure to hurry and move on

Such an amazing restaurant. One of my absolute favourite places to celebrate. A little expensive but it’s an amazing dining experience

Came here for my birthday. Food was delicious and service was excellent.

Loved the food, atmosphere and service.Decent number of options for veggies.

I had the thali lunch set at the thali bar. Lunch set is pretty good value. I preferred the lamb curry to the butter chicken. Lamb was cooked beautifully. Super flavourful and tender. Overall a pleasant experience.

Excellent service with very attentive wait staff. Book in advance. That said we came on a Monday night around 6:30, 2 people, walk-in and they had space on the bar.Theres a lot on the menu so they offer you to just take care of the selection for you. It was a good idea and we had a very balanced meal - just be sure to let them know your budget before you choose this option!The food was very tasty - try the broccolini.

One of the best places to have butter chicken in Melbourne....worth it.

We did the Tonka dinner experience and I must say It was dull food. It was beautifully cooked and presented, however flavours were all very flat, that’s how boring it tasted. Ive never been to Tonkas actual restaurant but its supposed to be better. Staff was unprofessional, keep forgetting the order, doesn’t know simple dishes or drinks name. Summary not worth in any aspect.

Modern twist of the Indian cuisine. The staff were super friendly and so knowledgeable of the food that was being served. I had come here for my birthday and the waitress had organised our dessert with a candle. They are famous for their cocktails. Definitely need to try them. Theyre as interesting as their names. The pani puri was served in a way that I havent seen before. A full of flavour. The butter chicken still had the rich aromatic taste. Could have probably had a little less cream. Served in a clay pot mushroom dhal was something I have never tried and was amazing! (Highly recommend). Lamb cutlets were fair tender. The anchari that it came with was a bit too bitter (but that couldve just been me). The pistachio ice cream sat on a bread like piece that really complimented the the ice cream. Wasnt too sweet like most indian desserts. The dark chocolate brownie was soft and at perfect texture. Wonderful blends of flavours throughout the whole meal. Definitely a fancy night kind of place but would recommend.

I love this place and I wish I lived in Melbourne so I could eat here all the time. Delicious fusion Indian cuising. Each dish has its own unique distinct flavours and textures. The drinks menu is great and the cocktails are made to perfection. We ate the biryani, the pani puri and the lamb cutlets. They were all amazing. The restaurant is gorgeous! So elegant and artistic. The bright atmosphere from the natural light peaking through the window is stunning. Perfect restaurant for an anniversary or birthday celebration or even a night out with your friends.

Me and my boyfriend spent our last night in Melbourne at Tonka and it was just fab! We didn’t have a reservation, but that actually turned out well as we were seated at the counter making it more intimate.. the dining room is nice with stylish ceiling lightings and installments, but quite crowded.The menu is structured in smaller plates, “in between”/startes and bigger / mains. We had 2 small plates (the scallop with curry cream and bottarga - not in photos but really good), shared the 5 spice calamari as starter and shared a main - the Tandoor petuna ocean trout (which was amazing).. finished with 2 desserts which were very well done - the croque meringue was delicious.The waitress took care of us throughout the dinner with valuable suggestions and was very polite. Good wine and reasonable bill.In short, if your looking for a place to have an Indian-fusion dinner in Melbourne city head to ACDC Lane and go to Tonka.. 100% recommended!!

Delicious Indian-Australian fusion food. Good service. Good wine. Loved the cloud-like ceiling decorations. Quite fancy and expensive. Cool location off a graffiti alley, looking over the Yarra.Favourites were the vindaloo tartare, Mangalore pippies, naan and best of all was the tandoori chicken with raita.Lovely, special evening

It is nice fusion stuff, easy place to go to and stay a few hours.Panipuri could he served at the end perhaps, that may be nicer.Also, could get some Indian beers and i missed seeing any lassi cocktails.Lots of whisky choices and friendly though.

Absolutely love the location, the vibe and the food. History of this place tells a story and they’ve done a beautiful job in designing the restaurant whilst keeping the original bar and DJ stage. As a fan of Indian food, every dish hits the spot and I’ve nothing but praise & compliments. The crew looks good too!

Really good place with some really yummy Indian food which took us back to our hometown. I would definitely recommend tonka for dinner with candle light. The staffs were very friendly and considerate. Had a good time with my friends.

I will be back! What a gem !Great for a work lunch as they have an express menu and also great if you have time to enjoy the full menu! We got the butter chicken with naan & rice, the king fish and the burrata! All delicious ! The service was super friendly and efficient as I said I will definitely be back ‘

We Love it.

Best service. Very professional. A unique experience and a nice twist on Indian fusion cuisine. Awesome presentation.Although the deserts has a big room for improvement

The most amazing food. We had the banquet and could not finish the amount of food. My second time there and will go back for a third for sure.

Arrived early of our booking, got us in, great service and food

Tonka was brilliant. Loved the food and the story that went with it. Service was always helpful and a conversation. Highly recommend!

Very delicious food. Excellent service.

The food was delicious.

We did the Tonka x NGV dinner experience and I must say I was a bit dulled after the food. It was beautifully cooked and presented, however flavours were all very flat, at times I wouldve loved to add at least some salt, thats how boring it tasted. Ive never been to Tonkas actual restaurant but its supposed to be better. I think this was a bit of a dampener on our Saturday night.

You have to go through an alley with interesting graffiti and when I thought the door was some sort of back door. Viola it’s the entranceGood atmosphere people are not only friendly but enthusiasticShould try their cocktails quite original. And spicyStarters are small in portion so can try more dishes. In general not bad. The tuna tartare was nice though the chips not crispy enough. The steak tartare added the Indian herbs sort of overwhelmed the taste of beef. Interesting yet making the beef tasted a bit flatMain dish was the lamb curry. Delicious

Very attentive staff, lovely setting, but a bit pricey for the portions

The food here is excellent, although be prepared to open your wallet. Outstanding spices and balance in the dishes. Good atmosphere and service.

Posh, expensive version of Indian food. But sometime the traditional recipes are best

I wish I could give this place a 5 star. Everything ticks the box except value for money.

Good food with good setting.

Food was average not great. Some of the waiters need training on how to work in high profile restaurants. Except for one, no other waiter wore mask which was pretty bad.Bathroom was pretty bad and needs quality maintenance.

Great for a work lunch as they have an express menu and also great if you have time to enjoy the full menu! We got the butter chicken with naan & rice, the king fish and the burrata! All delicious ! The service was super friendly and efficient as I said I will definitely be back. Highly recommend.

Faultless night. Still top of their game

Not a very pleasant experience. The staff seemed very artificial with the interaction.The very thing i noticed, the waiter mispronounced my name incorrectly. Well that happens.. but he laughed after he did this and it was very strange and inappropriate.At one point during the dinner, i asked a waiter a general question about the restaurant and he replied with such an air of arrogance which was quite unnecessary.The food itself, the waiter didnt elaborate on the portion size and we ended ordering a help hell lot of stuff for 2 people.Overall a very bad experience. I wouldnt go again.

Pleasant ambience n Very good presentation.Loved it.But the biriyani had from here was more like indian masala spice rice.

If you’re and Indian, do go expecting Indian food. This is overrated, fancy and you would end up being disappointed. It is not authentic Indian food- basically tasteless, colourless and odourless.

Fun place -- All food was well presentedTaste wise it was ok - Not like ethnic IndianIts different...Only go if you are willing to try differentGood ambiance

Amazing experience, but a little over priced.

Very expensive and very small portions, the behaviour of the staff is not good. Does not worth it, you can try more better places in the same price even in low prices.

Sophisticated dinner who would ever thought? Definitely worth a try. 4 of us girls had a lovely dinner doing a 3 course meal with beautiful wines to match

Excellent food. Wonderful wait staff with attention to detail and attentiveness to food allergies. Loved the options of small and large plates. Definitely worth the extra expense over your local run down Indian takeaway joint. Treat yourself.

Writing a positive review is the least you can do after youve dined at a restaurant like Tonka. The food is directly on point, not your classic Indian but with a modern, fresh twist. Highly enjoyable!

Very clean and stylish and quiet enough to have an electric conversation.Food is nice but lacks the X-factor to warrant the price.

The place is good. It really has nice ambience. The cocktails they serve are pretty good. Trust me I hadnt had those cocktail flavours before. The food is good but it wasnt really what I expected. The butter chicken tasted more like a normal chicken curry. It didnt have those rich flavours of cream and butter. We had king fish and Trout and it was really delicious. The quantity of the food they served was pretty decent. And the service was really good and quick.

All the staff had smiles. A different experience to your usual Indian which is a great idea. We were not disappointed at Tonka.From the moment we walked in we were met with super friendly staff who made us feel very welcome. The food was amazing, the service excellent.

Fantastic food... but I wish that they cook the salmon a bit longer as I told them that I can’t eat raw fish.

We were not disappointed at Tonka. From the moment we walked in we were met with super friendly staff who made us feel very welcome. The food was amazing, the service excellent. All the staff had smiles. A different experience to your usual Indian which is a great idea.

Delicious fine dining twists on Indian classics, with absolutely fantastic staff. The coconut lamb curry main is a must-try. Not actually that expensive for what you get too. Recommended!

If youre thinking about going here - do it!Amazing food selection and honestly the best flavour experience youll ever have.The wait staff were fantastic and had great recommendations.

The lamb curry and roti was incredible, the pipis and smoked trout were also standouts. Dont drive; the cocktails are amazing and the wine is divine. Their sommelier was also fun and attending to each table. What I liked most was the atmosphere - it was a super fun place to have dinner!

Never been treated so badlyAsk to speak the manager who was too busy to talk to me

Interesting dining experience. Contemporary twists on classic dishes which dont always work (for us). The food lacked bite, flavour and character which is something I never thought Id say about Indian food. The very friendly staff, unfortunately, didnt make up for the food which was a shame.

Thank you for a great experience. The service and food was great. I appreciate you taking a solo diner in the middle of Covid. Thank you.