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About
“Tasmanian Beef Specialist” Located in the historic art deco Luck’s Butchery shop in Launceston, Tasmania, Black Cow showcases grass fed, free range, hormone free, dry aged, premium Tasmanian beef including brands from Cape Grim, Robbins Island Wagyu, Great Southern Pinnacle amongst others. A flexible pricing structure and side dishes designed around fresh, local produce allow guests to create the dining experience they desire. Also sporting a well-priced wine list with a heavy emphasis on local Tasmanian wines with some full-bodied reds thrown in for good measure. An energetic atmosphere and friendly professional service completes the Black Cow offering. This casual Bistro style has been a
Special Diets
Gluten Free Options
Meals
Dinner, After-hours
CUISINES
Steakhouse, Australian
FEATURES
Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Reviews (1,374)
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1,339 results
Traveller rating
861
288
124
44
22
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LanguageEnglish
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Traveller rating
861
288
124
44
22
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All reviews steak potato galette truffle rocket salad sashimi pork belly bread scallops cooked to perfection butcher shop eye fillet wine list melt in your mouth pinot noir special occasion monday night visiting launceston
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Reviewed 3 weeks ago

My wife and I went for an anniversary dinner . Monday night , and the Bistro was full . No wonder , it was fabulous - food , wine and service . A great experience .

Date of visit: February 2024
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Reviewed 13 January 2024 via mobile

I have wanted to visit this restaurant for a number of years. It was worth the wait Warm engaging and professional attendants managed the flow of people in the compact and inviting space. Once we were seated and presented with menus we were conflicted by...the fabulous and enticing selection. The meats we had were all stunning - we shared amongst our family group and they were awesome then there is the wine list. Absolutely mind blowingly impressive - there are more wines on this list than many Sydney restaurants. I cannot express how very impressive the list is with international, National and local brands We came home satisfied and vowing to not eat again as we wanted to preserve the memory of our wondrous meal. I totally rate this restaurant as 10/10More

Date of visit: January 2024
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 13 January 2024

It has been 5 years since our last visit to Launceston and we were keen to revisit the Black Cow. It was great then and is even better now! My wife and I shared a mixed dozen oysters which were fresh and beautifully presented. We...shared a 650gm rib eye on the bone and it was magnificent! Perfectly matched with a Zema 2016 cab sauv. I don’t usually do deserts but was tempted by the crème brule which was a 10/10. Our waiter Jasper was delightful and is a real asset to BC.More

Date of visit: January 2024
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Reviewed 10 January 2024

I ate here on a Wednesday night and it was full, which gives a good indication of the great food and service you can expect. The main meal of eye fillet steak was cooked to perfection and I also ordered a quite large side rocket...salad which was very tasty . Their home made bread is exceptional. I also had some scallops in the shell, also excellent. I had an IPA with my appetiser and glass of Cab Franc with dinner. The staff are very attentive and pleasant to interact with. This particular night the noise level was low even though it was full.More

Date of visit: January 2024
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Reviewed 9 January 2024 via mobile

Very busy little restaurant in the middle of town. We arrived right as they opened at 5:30pm without a reservation and were lucky to get a table. It filled up very quickly. The food was delicious from start to finish. We got 6 scallops and...6 oysters to start, then the cheapest steak on the menu at $55. Both steaks were cooked perfect medium rare, though my husband requested medium. They were so soft and tender, and I highly recommend the truffle bernaise sauce. The desserts were ok. My dessert wine didn’t quite make the minimum line on the glass, but after a long day of wine tasting in the area this wasn’t a huge issue. Great professional but friendly attention from staff. We’d definitely visit again if in the area.More

Date of visit: January 2024
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Reviewed 27 December 2023

Prompt and attentive service and recommendations from waitstaff all evening. Corey served my table, and was exceptional. However, this venue is all-in on steak. It is their specialty. But-for a market fish dish, steak is all they offer as a main. You would trust they...would do it well. To that end, in my opinion, the excellent waitstaff were let down by the kitchen. The image attached depicts a steak which I asked be cooked medium-rare. You be the judge. They offered to re-cook it, but I’m dining with others; why would I disrupt the flow of dinner service at my table to accomodate a kitchen unable to do their single task adequately? Perhaps the chef takes Launceston’s dining community, which appears to be a transient and tourist-dominant crowd, for granted.More

Date of visit: December 2023
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Reviewed 16 December 2023

We had high hopes for a great evening out, a pity it was only just alright. Maybe I was expecting too much (a top chef and fine wines, etc), but was let down on both aspects. I really wanted to try their Cape Grim beef...Ribeye on the bone, but I was advised that the smallest serving they had was 700g and that it often served two guests. I explained I like my steak rare and my wife likes hers well done. I asked if it could be grilled half and half, ie half well done and the other half rare (normally not a big deal for a skilled chef). The waiter said he would check with the chef and came back stating: "the chef does not feel like doing that tonight" !!?? WTF?? Should I perhaps come back when he may be in the right mood? The second worry was the wine...I really developed a liking for Tasmanian Pinot Noir from the Coal River Valley in Tasmania, but that was not on the menu, next best bet for me was a glass of a Barossa Valley Shiraz which I ordered. The waiter, a young chap, said that the wine was a premium wine ($55 a glass), I said that was OK. Next thing the wine comes out - pre-poured in the glass and placed in front of me. It was supposed to be kept under the Corovin seal, so I asked to see the bottle. Ten minutes later the young waiter comes out with an unopened bottle.... What was wrong with pouring it in the glass at the table, as is usually done elsewhere (for much cheaper wines..)? The wine was actually only just OK, I've had many a $30 to $35 a bottle Brarossa wines that tasted similar, if not better than the one given to me. Another strange thing happened during the evening, a waitress came out with a dessert before we had our mains, she was then redirected to another table.. it happens, but confirms our feeling that the service was rushed and the room crowded. Needless to say, we cancelled the reservation we had for the next night.More

Date of visit: December 2023
Helpful?1  
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Black Cow, Owner at Black Cow Bistro, responded to this reviewResponded 20 December 2023

Hi Peter, Thank you for taking time and leave us a review. My apologies for your experience at Black Cow Bistro. We are slicing those rib eyes at optimum thickness and have to sear and rest the steak as a whole for the best experience....More

Reviewed 27 November 2023

Amazingly delicious food, wagyu was fabulous, impeccable service and great wine, wine a bit pricey. Heartily recommend

Date of visit: November 2023
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Reviewed 13 September 2023 via mobile

Beautiful restaurant. The service was impeccable. The baked scallops were absolutely amazing, perfectly cooked and seasoned. I had the Scotch Fillet with garlic Demi glaze and it was the best steak I have ever eaten. Perfectly cooked, melt in your mouth, INCREDIBLE. My husband had...the eye fillet and it was also perfect. Our sides of salad and pumpkin were also absolutely scrumptious. My husband was also treated to the best Amaretto Sour he has ever tasted. We would absolutely come here again, worth every cent!More

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed 4 August 2023 via mobile

Excellent service and the best steak we have eaten. Cooked to perfection. Thank you Cathy and other wait staff for a lovely evening enjoying 3 courses of the tastiest food served so beautifully. Well done Black Cow.

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed 5 July 2023 via mobile

If you love steak..this is the place for you! All of us had different cuts and different requests on the cook and each steak was perfectly done. The staff were helpful and personable. Even though we visited on a Wednesday, the place was full and...humming. Really worth a visit but make sure you book first.More

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed 22 May 2023

Very cramped seating down the middle of the very tiny restaurant. Felt more like a cafeteria, noisy, fast, food was good but not exceptional for such a high price.

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 11 April 2023 via mobile

Just wonderful food if you really appreciate well cooked beef and veggies. The deserts were also amazing. Friendly and helpful staff, a great night. A real experience .

Date of visit: April 2023
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Reviewed 23 February 2023 via mobile

This restaurant will not disappoint. The signature dishes are their cuts of meat. We had the eye fillet and it was perfectly cooked medium/rare. The accompanying potato gratin was just as good as the steak. We had the rocket salad and sweet potato as sides...and they complemented the steak beautifully. To begin with we tried the kingfish shashimi and pork belly...both divine. Excellent service. Highly recommended.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed 23 February 2023

We ordered the small 180 gm eye filet ($53) and the larger 300 gm one ($75) and both arrived perfectly medium rare and absolutely delicious. The accompanying potato galette was very tender and tasty. The rocket salad ($12) was great as well. The White Russian...cocktail ($24) was lovely. Now the wine. Since Tassie reds are lighter than we like when having a beautiful steak we opted for a McLaren Vale South Australia Syrah that we had never had, the Ochoa Barrels Syrah ($78). It was the most insipid, foul tasting wine we have ordered in recent memory. Not that we order wine based on alcohol content, but this wine was 11.3%. Ridiculous for a McLaren Vale Syrah/Shiraz. Whoever selected this wine for the wine list must not have tasted it or maybe tasted it after a dozen other wines which caused non-working taste buds. The service was friendly and efficient. The thumping techno music was a bit off-putting but once the place filled up with people it was slightly less annoying. The food and service are the stars here.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Questions & Answers
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Travel58255882623
7 April 2021|
AnswerShow all 2 answers
Response from Stillwatermanagement | Property representative |
Short answer no, we are fully licensed and are recognized for having the best list in Tasmania (according to the wine list awards last year). If it something very special it needs to be cleared by the sommelier first (to... More
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septreves
24 October 2017|
AnswerShow all 5 answers
Response from Stillwatermanagement | Property representative |
We do not have a dress code
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BLACK COW BISTRO, Launceston - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Black Cow Bistro

Black Cow Bistro is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4