Moon Dog Wild West restaurant review 2024

Most are here to sink cans, watch the footy on TV and laugh at people falling off the bull— but outside of that, is Moon Dog Wild West worth your time?

Moon Dog Wild West may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy mechanical bulls— this place is for you.

Before you ask, I didn’t ride the bucking bull.

I know it’s what Moon Dog Wild West hangs its cowboy hat on, but I’d rather avoid popping a shoulder and the judgmental chorus of lols from strangers.

Besides, I’m flano shirt and a few rhinestones short of meeting tonight’s dress code — and three pints behind Footscray’s finest (Dry July is my only excuse).

I’m sure most are here to sink cans, watch the footy on TV and laugh at people falling off the bull.

Others may be super fans of the Melbourne-born craft brewery, with Preston’s wet and wild Moon Dog World and the OG in Abbotsford, running strong for 14 years and counting.

There is also an insane number of drinks on tap, 48, all made in-house (well, in Preston) including seltzers, slushies, and boozy ginger beer.

A brave bull rider: Not me, not in a million years.

If anything, westies are here for a gawk inside the old Franco Cozzo showroom that’s laid dormant on Hopkins St for yonks. Now donning a Western retrofit, she’s yee-hawing across multiple levels: complete with mechanical bull-ringed arena on the first; which lines diners around the perimeter within a sweat’s drop of the action, and is viewable from all floors.

Arcade games, pool tables and Blue’s Brother’s inspired chicken-wired stage and a rooftop complete with faux cacti garden are fun other spaces to play.

As a whole, the food was what I expected: pub gear with some generic Tex Mex influences. Some dishes were stronger than others, but all would benefit from coming out hotter than they did.

The hard and soft hybrid taco is a simple, yet genius, creation. Picture: Sam Schultz.

Double beef burger is piled high with all the trimmings— shame it was cold. Picture: Sam Schultz.

Everything landing at once didn’t help, within ten minutes of ordering — chips, ribs, burgers and tacos — resulting in a frantic scramble to get hot things into mouths. Did the kitchen pre-cook some dishes to pre-empt the sudden post-bull riders rush? It’s unclear. Was the room so cold it chilled everything at rapid pace? Who knows.

Smashing the smashed jack ($21), a double beef patty (half chuck and brisket) reminded me of arriving at a barbie late and regrettably lugging a cold pattie between supermarket white and living with the consequences. The meat nicely seasoned, with decent flavour, it’d be a knockout warmer.

Those pork ribs ($32), while tepid still slid from the bone tender, were braised in a sweet boozy cola and barbecue sauce with slight spice kick. It was one of my favourites. And I didn’t mind the jalapeño poppers, either ($17 for 5), for doing the trick beer.

They’ll be off the menu soon.

Hard and soft pulled beef brisket tacos ($20 for two) make like the kid in the Old El Paso commercial and give us have both pleasures at once. Instead of getting one of each, here the genius hybrid cradles the hard taco in a soft wrap.

The Pie of the Day did not look like this. Picture: Sam Schultz.

Chocolate sundae or a few scoops of ice cream and choc sauce? Picture: Sam Schultz.

Underrated gem, the pumpkin mole ($26), is a fine example of how to hero veg. Moon Dog do this quite well, with a number of options on the menu.

Dessert isn’t essential, I know, but at $15 a pop for three kid-sized scoops of vanilla, drizzled in supermarket chocolate fudge and four measly maraschino cherries (no whipped cream) has me questioning my life choices. Asking the same price for a mangled slice of sweet pie, this visit filled with an unseasonable mush of tinned peaches and mango, seems criminal.

Maybe stick to the churros ($12 for six), snowed in cinnamon spice and piping hot, served with chocolate sauce.

Between the neon, the yahooing and the cowboy hats, Moon Dog Wild West is one curly fry away from “insert generic American grill house name here”.

If you’re after a traditional pub experience, this isn’t for you. But if bull-riding, pint-sinking and carefree clichéd fun is your vibe, you’ll fit right in.