Mjolner in Melbourne’s CBD is like no other place in the city. It’s unique, it’s special and it’s one-of-a-kind. You can drink alcohol from a ridiculous sized horn and part-take in ritual drinking to the Nordic Gods. Before feasting like the Vikings of old, the server comes to the table and makes you select your weapon, i.e. knife, from a selection of deadly looking handles. From start to finish, this isn’t just an average dining experience, it is both eating and entertainment. I think the experience is fantastic and one that you and your friends will remember.
Mjolner is located in Hardware Street and can be hard to find. The doors to this restaurant looks inconspicuous and, if you are like me, you will probably be walking up-and-down the street trying to find the entrance. Just look for the wooden door that is all armored up and the writing above the door.
I was introduced to Mjolner by a good friend, who brought me to the venue for a special occasion. On that day, I got heavily drunk and literally fell asleep at the table. It wasn’t a good look nor was it a great time for me to properly assess whether I liked this restaurant or not. So, I made it a mission to come back and try it, but this time with a bit more backbone and more tolerance to alcohol.
During my first time at Mjolner, I had the famous horn which was filled with alcohol and the highly recommended bone marrow. The horn was difficult to drink from, because you really needed to tip the horn up in odd angles to get the juice flowing down the spout. From a spectator’s perspective, it was really hilarious seeing people try to drink from it. With the bone marrow, it was recommended that we pour shots of their special alcohol down the length of the bone marrow to infuse the liquor that runs down with the meaty textures on the bone. I think I was pouring it down all wrong. I think about 60% reached my mouth and the other 40% off to the sides. It seemed like other people who doing way better than me in the percentage stakes.
The second time around, I decided to go for less alcohol and more food. So we went with with the three course feast, which is apparently worthy of Thor and was $90 per person. It was definitely a feast alright. This time around, I definitely remembered the night and the food better. I think I preferred my experience the second time a lot more.
Like my first time, we were able to pick our weapons, i.e. knife, and they gave us shot glasses of their special alcohol. When I picked my weapon, the handle looked big, but when I pulled it out the blade was short and stubby. (Initial looks can be deceiving.) Instead of putting it down a bone marrow, we all had to take part in their ritual ceremony to the gods, which I thought was both cool and corny at the same time. I liked it. It was part of the fun.
Food-wise, we were served a huge assortment of entrees and mains. It honestly just kept coming. It was wonderful. All the dishes were delicious. For entree, we had succulent salmon with a delicious yogurt sauce, slices of beef with zesty and creamy sauces and heaps of vegetables dishes.
For the main dishes, I really enjoyed the beef and fish dishes. I couldn’t put a name to them, because it was all part of the banquet and I was enjoying the company. I was really impressed.
We finished with some delightful ice-cream sandwiches which had a hint of honey in it’s vanilla center.
The servers were brilliant from start to finish. I really enjoyed their company and entertainment. They seem to put a lot of effort into making the dining experience memorable.
It also needs to be said that the people who own restaurant really did a wonderful job making the whole restaurant look aesthetically pleasing. I was impressed with the decor and the design of the whole restaurant. I recommend looking around to spot some real hidden details and nods to various lore, e.g. Thor’s hammer.
Mjolner is located at 106 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC 3000 and is usual (non-COVID times) open from Thursday to Saturday from 5:00 pm to 1:00 am:
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