Short answer: order the Thor’s Hammer at Third Wave BBQ in Albert Park, bring four mates, and don’t make plans for the rest of the night.
That’s the canonical version. But you didn’t search “best bbq melbourne” to be told to trust us. You searched it because half the city calls itself a smokehouse and you want to know who actually earns it. So here’s the honest frame, the real menu, the real prices, and which of our six venues suits what.
We’re Third Wave BBQ. Six rooms, low-and-slow smoke, and one absurd 3kg hammer of beef that we reckon kicked off a whole trend in this country. More on that in a sec.
What actually makes BBQ “the best” in Melbourne
Loads of places will sell you “smoky” meat. Far fewer will sit a brisket in a smoker for eight to ten hours and let hickory do the heavy lifting. That’s the line between real American BBQ and a grill with a marketing budget.
Three things to judge any Melbourne BBQ joint on:
- Time. Brisket and pulled pork can’t be rushed. Ours go 8–12 hours. If a menu reads like it came off a flat-top in fifteen minutes, walk.
- The bark. That dark, spiced crust on a beef rib is the whole point. Our beef ribs get a 9-spice rub and a hickory smoke, 450g of raw rib down to one serious bone.
- Whether they’ll actually feed a table. BBQ is a sharing food. If you can’t put a platter down the middle and have everyone fight over the last rib, what are we even doing here.
We’ll happily be judged on all three. Here’s the food.
The food that earns the title
Thor’s Hammer — the one we’re known for
The Thor’s Hammer ($199) is a whole beef shin, 3kg-plus, that gets a 24-hour marinade and a 12-hour smoke. It comes out looking like a weapon and feeds four to five people comfortably. We make a genuine claim about this one: Third Wave BBQ popularised the Thor’s Hammer in Australia. Butchers around the country started getting asked for it after we put it on. We’re proud of that, and we’re not quietly retiring it just because everyone copied it.
Smaller appetite or a smaller crew? The Mini Thor’s Hammer ($64) is the lamb version. Same theatre, less commitment.
The smoked meats that do the quiet work
The Hammer gets the photos. These get the repeat orders:
- Black Angus brisket ($32.40) — hickory, 8–10 hours. The benchmark dish. Order it first.
- Beef ribs ($39.90) — 9-spice rub, hickory, 450g raw. The bark is the reason.
- Pork ribs ($33.90) — fall-off-tender, none of the dryness that ruins lesser racks.
- Pulled pork ($24.90) — 12 hours smoked, then pulled. Goes in everything, including you.
- Lamb shoulder ($33.90) — 6–8 hours, finished with a salsa verde that cuts through the richness.
- Wings (6) for $22.90 and BBQ Shotgun Shells (6pc $34 / 12pc $66) if you want to graze before the main event.
Explore the full spread on the BBQ meats menu.
Burgers, if you’re flying solo
Not everyone’s rolling six-deep. The burgers hold their own:
- Oh Mamma ($38.40) — the big one.
- Juicy Lucy ($33.90) — cheese on the inside, where it belongs.
- Ribsy ($29.90) and The Classic ($19.90) for the no-fuss order.
- Pulled Vrisket ($23.90) — plant-based, and not an afterthought.
Platters, for when it’s a proper occasion
The Platter of Doom ($490) feeds 6–10 and includes a whole Thor’s Hammer. It’s exactly as ridiculous as it sounds, and it’s the move for a birthday or a “we got the promotion” dinner. Smaller groups: the platter for 2 ($147.40) or for 4 ($269.90) covers a good spread without the food coma. See the range on the platters menu.
All You Can Eat (yes, really)
Tuesdays from 5:30pm we run All You Can Eat across three tiers — $69 / $93 / $119 — with a $59 drinks package if you want to go all in. It’s the cheapest way to work out what you actually like before you commit to a full rack.
Steaks (Albert Park & Hawthorn East only)
Want a steak alongside the smoke? Only two rooms do it: Wagyu Porterhouse ($109), a 1kg Ribeye to share ($149.90), and a Rump ($84.90). Worth knowing before you pick a venue.
Vegan and GF — handled, not tokenised
There’s a Vrisket Burnt Ends, an Edgy Veggie burger, the Pulled Vrisket above, and GF options across the menu. Bring the mate who “can’t eat anything”. They’ll be fine.
The honest comparison
Here’s where we earn it instead of just claiming it.
Melbourne has terrific BBQ. Some single-room joints do a brisket as good as anyone’s, and on a given Saturday you’ll eat brilliantly at a few of them. What they generally can’t do is give you a whole-shin showstopper that feeds five, an All You Can Eat night, steaks in the same building, a properly handled vegan menu, and a location near you. Most great smokehouses are one room with a queue.
So the honest take: if you want a quiet two-person brisket plate, plenty of places will sort you out. If you want an event — a table, a Hammer down the middle, leftovers for tomorrow, somewhere that’s actually a short drive — that’s the specific thing we’re built for. That’s the title we’re claiming, and we’ve listed the prices so you can hold us to it.
Which of our six venues suits what
We’ve got six rooms. They’re not interchangeable, so pick by the occasion.
Albert Park — 181 Victoria Ave (the flagship)
The full experience. Biggest menu, steaks available, the room for big platters and big nights. If it’s your first Third Wave BBQ or a special occasion, start here.
Hawthorn East — 234 Riversdale Rd
The other steak venue. East-side crew who want Wagyu alongside the smoke without crossing town, this is your one.
Moorabbin — 20 Station St
South-east local. Easy parking, easy weeknight, full smoke menu. The “we can’t be bothered cooking” Tuesday AYCE spot.
Officer — Shop 7/43 Siding Ave
Far south-east. The reason the outer suburbs don’t have to drive into the city for proper BBQ.
Ascot Vale — 508–510 Mt Alexander Rd
Inner north-west. Late kitchen, good for a Friday or Saturday that runs long.
Applecross — 888 Canning Hwy (Perth, WA)
Not Melbourne, but if you’re reading this from Perth: same Hammer, same smoke, west of the country.
And one for the diary: Gold Coast opens around September 2026. Queensland, your turn’s coming.
FAQ
What’s the best BBQ dish to order at Third Wave BBQ?
For your first visit, the Black Angus brisket ($32.40) is the benchmark — hickory-smoked 8–10 hours. If you’re in a group, get the Thor’s Hammer ($199): a 3kg+ beef shin that feeds four to five.
What is the Thor’s Hammer?
A whole beef shin (3kg+), marinated 24 hours and smoked 12 hours, served on the bone. It feeds four to five people. Third Wave BBQ popularised it in Australia, and there’s a lamb version, the Mini Thor’s Hammer ($64).
Where is the best Third Wave BBQ venue in Melbourne?
Albert Park (181 Victoria Ave) is the flagship with the full menu and steaks. For steaks on the east side, go to Hawthorn East. For an easy local, Moorabbin, Officer, and Ascot Vale all run the full smoke menu.
Do you have vegan and gluten-free options?
Yes. There’s the plant-based Pulled Vrisket burger ($23.90), Vrisket Burnt Ends, the Edgy Veggie burger, and gluten-free options across the menu.
When is All You Can Eat BBQ?
Tuesdays from 5:30pm, across three tiers ($69 / $93 / $119), with an optional $59 drinks package.
Ready to put us to the test? Book a table at your nearest Third Wave BBQ, get the Hammer down the middle, and hold us to every word of this.
