Chin Chin occupies a large, loud, laneway-facing dining room on Flinders Lane in the Melbourne CBD, and has been one of the city's defining share-plate restaurants since it opened. The menu draws on Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian hawker cooking, reworked into generous plates meant for sharing across a table rather than individually plated courses. The larb and the roti are among the most ordered dishes, alongside a rotating roster of curries, stir-fries, and a coconut and lychee sorbet that has become a dessert-menu regular. The room is deliberately high-energy: an open kitchen, close-set tables, exposed concrete and greenery, and a soundtrack that keeps the noise level well above conversational, making it better suited to groups and casual nights out than quiet dinners. There is no wine list in the traditional sense so much as a tight, well-chosen beverage programme built around cocktails and easy-drinking wines matched to spice and acid rather than fine-dining pairings. Chin Chin does not take reservations for its main dining room, so queues form from opening, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights; solo diners and small groups can often get seated faster at the ground-floor bar or in the upstairs Go Go Bar, which shares the kitchen. Walk-in waits of 30-60 minutes are common at peak times, and the restaurant does not offer a way to skip the line.
| Price | $$$ |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily 11AM-11PM |
| Reservations | Not taken for the main dining room; walk-in or bar seating |
| Address | 125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000 |
Signature dishes
- Larb
- Roti
- Coconut and lychee sorbet
Good to know
- Known for
- Share-style Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian dishes in a high-energy CBD dining room
Location
125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
-37.8172, 144.9676 View on map
Highlights
- No-bookings, high-energy share-plate dining room on Flinders Lane
- Larb and roti among the most-ordered dishes
- Coconut and lychee sorbet dessert
- Upstairs Go Go Bar shares the same kitchen
- Open kitchen and loud, communal atmosphere
Tips for visiting
- No reservations are taken for the main room; arrive early or expect a queue
- Weeknight lunch is far easier to walk into than weekend dinner
- Bar seating at the front or upstairs at Go Go Bar can be quicker than waiting for a table
- Dishes are designed for sharing, so order across the menu rather than one dish per person
- The room is very loud, so it suits groups more than intimate conversation
Accessibility
The ground-floor dining room and bar are step-free from Flinders Lane; the upstairs Go Go Bar is reached by stairs, so guests with mobility needs should ask staff about ground-floor seating.
Visit, book or contact
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a table at Chin Chin?
The main dining room does not take reservations; seating is walk-in only and queues are common at peak times.
Is there a quieter alternative if the queue is long?
The upstairs Go Go Bar shares Chin Chin's kitchen and sometimes has shorter waits, though it can also fill up on weekends.
How many dishes should a group order?
Dishes are sized for sharing, so most groups order roughly one dish per person across starters and mains.
What are the busiest times to avoid?
Friday and Saturday dinner see the longest walk-in waits; weekday lunch or early dinner is more manageable.