Mr McCracken
Mr McCracken is a single-location fine dining restaurant, bar and functions venue in Essendon Fields, Melbourne, serving modern Australian cuisine to local diners, corporate clients and private event bookers under the St Kilda Venues hospitality group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersEssendon Fields, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mr McCracken does
Mr McCracken is a single-location fine dining restaurant, bar and functions venue located at 1A Larkin Boulevard, Essendon Fields, Melbourne, within the Essendon Fields Business Park and below the Hyatt Place hotel. Founded in October 2017 by Executive Chef and owner Matt Dawson, the venue is operated as part of the St Kilda Venues hospitality group, which also runs Republica, Captain Baxter, Encore Event Centre and Toorak Hotel. The core offering is modern Australian cuisine built on ethically produced Australian produce, delivered through a seasonally updated à la carte menu, handcrafted cocktails, a sommelier-curated wine list, and craft beers. Four distinct event spaces — Main Restaurant (40-75 guests), Bar Lounge (20-40), Front Bar (40-60) and Main Bar (up to 120) — enable private functions for corporate and celebratory occasions, complemented by live music every weekend.
The business runs a direct-to-consumer model with no proprietary technology platform. Reservations are managed via SevenRooms, gift vouchers are sold through NowBookIt, and marketing is executed through organic social (Facebook, Instagram with #instalove), a blog, and an email newsletter. Revenue is generated from three streams: food and beverage sales (à la carte dining and bar), private event hire with minimum-spend requirements, and gift voucher sales valid for three years. Pricing structures include a $40 weekday lunch menu (entrée + main), Friday happy hour ($6 pots, $8 house wine), and an $18 staff pizza special for Essendon Fields workers. The venue operates Monday-Sunday from 12pm, with a 15% public holiday surcharge and 7.5% Sunday surcharge, and targets individual diners, corporate clients and private event bookers in Melbourne's inner north. Mr McCracken has no disclosed venture capital or private equity investment and operates within the corporate umbrella of its parent hospitality group.
Mr McCracken firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mr McCracken
- Legal name
- Mr McCracken
- Website
- https://mrmccracken.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mr McCracken is a single-location fine dining restaurant, bar and functions venue in Essendon Fields, Melbourne, serving modern Australian cuisine to local diners, corporate clients and private event bookers under the St Kilda Venues hospitality group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mr McCracken industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurant
- NAICS
- Special Food Services (7223), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical) (THAHAKAK), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Private Chef & In-Home Dining Services (HSACAGAE)
Keywords
Where Mr McCracken is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Essendon Fields
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mr McCracken business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Food & Beverage Sales: Core revenue from à la carte dining, casual bar drinks, cocktails, and wine. Restaurant serves modern Australian cuisine with seasonal menu changes.
- Private Event Hire: Revenue from hosting private events including Christmas parties, birthdays, communions, baptisms, and corporate dinners. Function spaces have minimum spend requirements met through food and beverage purchases.
- Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for dining experiences, valid for 3 years from issue date.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $40 Lunch Menu - entrée + main |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour Drinks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Essendon Fields Staff Pizza Special |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Vouchers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Mr McCracken product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mr McCracken is a casual dining restaurant, bar, and private functions venue in Essendon Fields, Melbourne, serving modern Australian cuisine made with ethically sourced Australian produce. It operates four separately bookable event spaces (Main Restaurant, Bar Lounge, Front Bar, and Main Bar Exclusive) accommodating groups of 20 to 120, complemented by weekend live music and gift voucher sales.
Product overview
Mr McCracken is a single-location fine dining restaurant and wine bar venue operated by St Kilda Venues hospitality group. The offering centers on restaurant dining with an A la carte menu of modern Australian cuisine, complemented by full bar service featuring cocktails, curated wines, and craft beers. The venue operates multiple event spaces for private functions accommodating groups from 20-120 guests. Ancillary offerings include gift vouchers, live music entertainment, and promotional lunch and happy hour deals. No platform or modular product architecture exists—this is a traditional hospitality venue with service-based offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Restaurant Dining Casual dine-in restaurant service offering modern Australian cuisine built on ethically sourced Australian produce, served across à la carte, set, kids, and dedicated drinks menus for individual diners and small groups.
- Bar Service Front bar and bar lounge beverage service offering wine, beer, cocktails, spirits, and a dedicated drinks menu with a Happy Hour promotion, serving walk-in and seated guests.
- Private Event Venue Hire Bookable private function venue offering across four distinct spaces (Main Restaurant 40-75 guests, Bar Lounge 20-40 guests, Front Bar 40-60 guests, and Main Bar Exclusive 50-120 guests) for birthdays, engagements, corporate events, and celebrations, with food and beverage packages and optional weekend live music.
- Gift Vouchers Digital gift vouchers redeemable at Mr McCracken, purchased online through the NowBookIt platform for use across the restaurant, bar, and functions.
- Live Music Entertainment Scheduled live music performances held every weekend at Mr McCracken, supporting the dining and bar experience and available as part of private function hire.
Quantifiable outcome
- Awarded Best Casual Dining (Metropolitan) at 2019 Australian Hotels Associations (Victoria) State Wards for Excellence
Companies that use Mr McCracken
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Mr McCracken technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Mr McCracken partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Airport Saints Netball ClubminorAirport Saints Netball Club, established in 1960, is one of the oldest and most respected sporting clubs in the area. Mr McCracken is proud to be a key part of the City of Moonee Valley and Inner North West community, active supporters and sponsors of local sporting teams and community initiatives.
- PEGS Hockey ClubminorEstablished in 1953, PEGS Hockey Club is an inclusive family orientated club with proud history within Hockey Victoria competition. Partially affiliated with Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. Mr McCracken supports community-centric mindset with all welcomed.
- Mount Zero OlivesminorPart of Mr McCracken's mission to focus on Victorian produce. Head Chef Adam Baughan uses Mount Zero products including Frantoio olive oil, farro, freekeh, and split faba beans. Featured on Mount Zero Hero monthly chef blog series.
- St Kilda VenuescoreMr McCracken is part of St Kilda Venues hospitality group which owns and operates beachside venues Republica, Captain Baxter, and Encore Event Centre located at the St Kilda Sea Baths.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Mr McCracken competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Republica: Sister venue within the St Kilda Venues portfolio offering beachside dining, bars, and events at St Kilda Sea Baths; directly comparable as a same-group casual/fine dining and functions concept in Melbourne.
- Cumulus Inc. Iconic Melbourne all-day dining venue by Andrew McConnell offering modern Australian cuisine and a strong bar program; directly comparable as a Melbourne casual/fine dining anchor.
- Chin Chin: Long-running Melbourne casual dining and bar venue with vibrant atmosphere and high-volume service; comparable in casual full-service dining, bar trade, and event-friendly spaces.
- Movida: Group of Melbourne Spanish-inspired restaurants and bars known for tapas, cocktails, and events; directly comparable casual/fine dining format and group event capability.
- Captain Baxter: Another St Kilda Venues property at St Kilda Sea Baths, operating as a bar, restaurant, and event space with similar service offering and target customers to Mr McCracken.
- Tipo 001: Melbourne casual pasta bar and provisor-style venue with strong cocktail offering; comparable in casual dining format, inner-Melbourne location and cocktail-led bar positioning.
- Coda: Melbourne CBD venue combining dining, bar, and live music/DJ programming; closely comparable as a multi-format venue with strong drinks, dining and entertainment proposition.
- Encore Event Centre: St Kilda Venues' dedicated event and functions venue under the same parent group, sharing the corporate/private events customer base and operating model with Mr McCracken's function spaces.
- The Toorak Hotel: Owned by Melbourne Hospitality (St Kilda Venues' parent umbrella), operates as a pub, bar, restaurant and events venue in inner Melbourne with overlapping casual dining and function offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Grossi Florentino: Established Melbourne fine dining institution with private event and function capability; comparable as a benchmark Melbourne fine dining operator with events business and strong brand recognition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mr McCracken social profiles
Digital presenceMr McCracken compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Mr McCracken financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mr McCracken leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Mr McCracken funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mr McCracken M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mr McCracken
What does Mr McCracken do?
Mr McCracken is a casual dining restaurant, bar, and private functions venue in Essendon Fields, Melbourne, serving modern Australian cuisine made with ethically sourced Australian produce. It operates four separately bookable event spaces (Main Restaurant, Bar Lounge, Front Bar, and Main Bar Exclusive) accommodating groups of 20 to 120, complemented by weekend live music and gift voucher sales.
Is Mr McCracken a public or private company?
Mr McCracken is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Mr McCracken founded?
Mr McCracken was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mr McCracken based?
Mr McCracken is headquartered in Essendon Fields, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Mr McCracken make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Food & Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Event Hire and gift Vouchers.
Who are Mr McCracken's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Republica, Cumulus Inc., Chin Chin, Movida, Captain Baxter, Tipo 001, Coda, Encore Event Centre and The Toorak Hotel. Grossi Florentino is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Mr McCracken have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mr McCracken.
What industry is Mr McCracken in?
Mr McCracken's product category is Casual Dining Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAG, Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAHAKAK, Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical). Its NAICS code is 7223 and its SIC code is 5810.