• CLOSED: Johnny Mack's Vegan Family Diner

  • (6)
    4

    Closed

  • White Vegan
Vegan
American
Fast food
Take-out

Serving vegan burgers and sides along with hot beverages such as chai and coffee, and sweets (after 4.30pm). Pay as you feel /can afford. Menu changes depending on available ingredients. Previously named Mack Lentils. Confirmed closed, Jun 2017.


Venue map for Johnny Mack's Vegan Family Diner
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6 Reviews

First Review by PotatoesTho

Wuji_Luiji

Points +2512

Vegan
12 Jan 2017

Lovely spot to eat

We had a burger with chips and a noodle salad and enjoyed them both. Staff were great and the food was tasty. A lovely casual venue with a garden out the back.

Updated from previous review on 2017-01-11

TastyorNasty

Points +38

Vegan
08 Jan 2017

Support this place!

Used to be the old Lentil As Anything, and it remains a pay as you feel/can concept. The only menu is in the window, when u went it was basically a choice between two burgers as well as chips. Really friendly service, and lovely fresh food. The guy made me two burgers, both with a beetroot based patty. One had cheez and a homemade hot sauce, the other was a more creamy sauce. They had lots of fresh salad on them. the chips were freshly cut and fried, and were super crispy. There is a great, unexpected garden out the back, which apparently is a community garden too. I had a sarspirella drink, too. My non Vegan friend loved the food, too. Payment is via an honesty box near the counter. a very laid back place with a hippy feel. Highly recommended!

Pros: All Vegan, and all sauces made on-site.

Tiggy

Points +15238

Vegan
07 Jan 2017

Good little burgers, great chips

We came here for lunch for the second time after a bit of a break to give the place a chance to find its feet. There was no menu up and the chatty cook informed us of the three burger options. We ordered a couple of cheeseburgers and some chips. The burgers were quite small and simple: a patty wit a slightly tangy beetroot sauce and a bonus hash brown. For a pay-as-you-feel fast food outlet, it was fine. The chips, however, were (perhaps to my surprise) absolutely amazing: home style with skins and perfectly crisp and delicious. This enterprise is still not a big operation and still has a way to go to become a place I'd be excited to go. However, I really think it needs people to come and eat here for it to have the chance to get better.

Pros: Great chips, Pay-as-you-feel

Cons: Not a lot of selection, Not well equipped

SharnRiver

Points +8

Non Veg
11 Nov 2016

Wolf approved!

Johnny Mack's is a down-to-earth establishment with a relaxed, laid-back feel. It has risen from the ashes of Preston's branch of Lentil As Anything, and runs on the same pay-as-you-feel system, whereby payment is accepted based on your opinion of the meal, or on what you can afford.

The burgers themselves are a far cry from the previous fare available at Prentils, Johnny Mack's purposefully moving away from it's roots and standing out on it's own. The burgers are hearty, flavourful and will make you forget that what you're eating is 100% plant-based and vegan! The twice-cooked chips are also worth a mention, they've taken some perfecting but have attained a perfect balance of crisp crunchiness and delightfully fluffy inside.

The maestro behind the grill, Timmy, continues to work hard to provide the best food available, and his constant experiments are a delight to behold as he makes use of fresh, home-grown ingredients to create taste sensations! As a result, the menu is constantly changing, based on the availability of fresh ingredients.

For non-vegans/vegetarians, there is a popular belief that the best kind of vegan/vegetarian food is the kind that makes you think you're eating non-vege/vegan food. I disagree. The best kind of food is that which makes you not think about it's origins, to simply enjoy the flavours of the food for what they are alone. Johnny Mack's allows this to happen in an environment that is laid-back, relaxed and friendly. Sometimes as a non-vegetarian, there is an expectation that you will be judgemental about the food, and will receive judgement back from the proprietors/other patrons of the cafe/restaurant. This doesn't happen here. You're free to eat delicious food, in an environment that promotes unity, good food and good fun!

Johnny Mack's is still in it's infancy, and it will take a lot of support and love to get things properly up and running! The best way to do that, of course, will be to continue going there, eating food and giving generously. As this place is close to work, that's exactly what I'll be doing. I look forward to seeing what Timmy comes up with in the future, and will be following his, and Johnny Mack's exploits closely!

This wolf'll be sinking her canines into this again!

Pros: Service is excellent, Timmy'll look after you!, Food is hearty and delicious., The relaxed vibe you don't get anywhere else!

Cons: Unrefined, as it's still early days!

AlexHigh

Points +37

Vegan
27 Oct 2016

Awesome

Delicious! If you love burgers, or are vegan, you definitely need to check this place out

PotatoesTho

Points +13450

Vegan
25 Oct 2016

Potential for Macknificence

It's very early days for this pay as you feel establishment; there is talent in the kitchen so hopefully the menu continues to develop and Melbourne's burger hungry masses show them the support needed.




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