Mezze Bar Acoustics

The Challenge

Opening a new restaurant is always a balancing act between atmosphere, design, and function. For Mezze Bar, a modern hospitality venue in the heart of Mordialloc, the vision was clear from the start: create a warm, social dining space inspired by shared plates, conversation, and energy.

But like many new restaurants, the acoustics were never part of the original design conversation.

As soon as the venue opened its doors, the problem became obvious. Hard surfaces dominated the interior — polished floors, plasterboard walls, glass, timber, and minimal soft finishes. During service, sound reflected endlessly around the room. Conversations overlapped. Background noise built up quickly. What should have felt vibrant began to feel loud, tiring, and difficult to enjoy.

This is one of the most common issues in hospitality acoustics today. New restaurants are often beautifully designed but acoustically untreated. The result is excessive reverberation, poor speech clarity, and an uncomfortable dining experience — especially during peak hours.

For Mezze Bar, the challenge was clear:
How do you reduce echo and control noise in a restaurant without changing the design, closing the venue, or compromising the atmosphere?

The Solution

SoundFix Acoustics was engaged to assess the space and provide a targeted acoustic solution focused on echo reduction and noise control, not soundproofing.

The first step was a detailed acoustic assessment. Reverberation time measurements confirmed what the staff and diners were experiencing: sound was lingering far too long, particularly in the mid-frequency range where human speech lives. This made conversations harder to follow and increased overall noise levels as people instinctively spoke louder. The solution was not to “cover everything” with panels, but to place the right acoustic panels in the right locations. We designed a combination of ceiling acoustic panels and wall panels to absorb reflected sound energy and bring the reverberation time back into a comfortable range for hospitality environments. The goal was simple: reduce echo, improve speech clarity, and restore balance — while keeping the restaurant’s visual identity intact. By focusing on sound absorption rather than sound isolation, the treatment addressed the real issue: excessive reverberation caused by hard surfaces, not noise coming from outside the venue.

The Installation

One of the most important considerations for Mezze Bar was minimising disruption. Restaurants don’t have the luxury of long shutdowns or invasive construction works. SoundFix handled the entire acoustic panel installation process with this in mind. The selected ceiling acoustic panels were installed strategically above the main dining areas where sound build-up was strongest. These panels work by absorbing sound before it can reflect back into the space, dramatically reducing overall noise levels. Their placement was carefully coordinated around lighting, services, and ceiling features to ensure a seamless finish. Complementary wall acoustic panels were installed in key reflection zones, helping to further control echo without overwhelming the interior design. Panel colours and finishes were chosen to blend naturally with the restaurant’s aesthetic, ensuring the acoustic treatment felt intentional — not added as an afterthought.

The installation was completed efficiently, cleanly, and with minimal interruption to operations. From the venue’s perspective, it was a simple upgrade. From an acoustic perspective, it was transformative.

The Outcome:

The results were immediate and measurable. Post-installation acoustic testing showed a significant reduction in reverberation time across all critical speech frequencies. Where sound previously lingered and bounced around the room, it was now absorbed effectively by the acoustic panels. In practical terms, this meant: The overall noise level dropped noticeably during service. Conversations became clearer and easier to follow.
Staff communication improved across the dining floor.
The room felt lively — but no longer overwhelming. Most importantly, the dining experience changed. Guests could enjoy the social energy of the space without feeling fatigued by noise. The restaurant retained its buzz, but with comfort and clarity. This is the real value of professional restaurant acoustics. Not silence — but balance. For Mezze Bar, the acoustic treatment ensured that the space worked the way it was always meant to: a place for shared food, shared conversation, and atmosphere that enhances the experience rather than competing with it.

Before-and-After Acoustic Results

Before installation: 0.76 seconds

After installation: 0.45 seconds

Overall reduction: 41%

Mezze Bar’s experience reflects a broader trend across hospitality venues.

Restaurants today are designed to look great on social media, but acoustics are often overlooked until after opening. Hard surfaces amplify noise, and without ceiling acoustic panels or wall panels, echo quickly becomes a problem — especially in busy service periods.

Professional acoustic installation solves this by controlling reverberation, improving speech clarity, and creating spaces people actually want to stay in longer. For hospitality operators, this translates directly into better reviews, longer dwell times, and a more enjoyable workplace for staff.