Melbourne's Best Japanese Restaurants

His raw fish dishes are all elegant and mostly restrained, allowing the quality of the (well-sourced) produce to speak for itself. But some border on over-the-top, with gold leaves and teaspoons of caviar. The raw dishes' vivid flavours would imaginably hit a fair few diners with the realisation of "wow, this is what tunareallytastes like".
We enjoy the vibe in the Flinders Lane restaurant; modern Japanese cuisine in a modern atmospheric environment. Japanese food is one of the most popular cuisines in Melbourne. Our online  space invites families with kids to create their next most memorable weekends and school holidays to enjoy more wonderful moments together. That’s why schoolholidays.com.au japanese restaurant melbourne is making it easier than ever for families like yours to discover the best kids activities for all ages and abilities, free and fun things to do and great places to visit in Australia and New Zealand. You will also find many online classes for kids, exciting competitions and indoor activities. Grab a pair of chopsticks and keep a wet towelette nearby.

The restaurant interior has been decorated with elegant calligraphy and paintings, created by famous Japanese artists, further enhancing the authentic fine dining experience. Consistent with its interstate Saké Restaurant & Bar siblings, the stylish Melbourne location offers the full spectrum of Saké’s classic dishes and others with a more Melbourne-centric focus and flavours. Two private dining rooms, Hachi and Hotaru, accommodate eight and 16 guests respectively. This sushi bar may be nudging 40, but shows few signs of weariness, quietly rolling out the classics with confidence and finesse its Flinders Lane neighbours should envy. Case in point, deftly sliced slips of sashimi, all killer, no filler crab hand rolls, and whisper-light tempura vegetables. Those who like a hands-on approach (or first date ice-breaker) can share cook-at-the-table nabe ryori – wafer-thin beef slices with assorted vegetables and piquant sauces.
These menus boast a range of options including grilled skewer dishes, katsu dishes, pork belly and fresh sashimi. Grill Americano is Melbourne’s newest and most exciting restaurant. Specializing in wood-fired oven cooking and Josper Grill, brining you the best of Italian cuisine with a focus on Australian produce. The menu features delicate handmade pastas, specially procured beef including the rarest wagyu breeds, impeccably fresh seafood and classic Italian dishes such as pizza and arancini. The dimly lit space of concrete and hardwood adds an ounce of tradition to the distinctly modern basement space, while accoutrements such as the heavy ceramic dishes are a unique touch. The modern Japanese menu is simply spectacular, including fresh sashimi and oh-so-tender wagyu beef with teriyaki sauce.

With some restaurants charging just $3.80 per dish, a sushi train is a cheap Japanese restaurant compared to, say, somewhere that serves kaiseki set menus. Robata also offers an extensive drink menu, including sweet potato amber ale, sparkling sake, cider, a large selection of Japanese  whiskey, beer, wine and some very creative cocktails. For the perfect ending to your meal, don’t forget to try their mouthwatering sparkling sake and sakura sorbet.
CHIKA translates the izakaya, which is conventionally a cheap, casual drinking place, into something chic and high-class, closely tied to aesthetic taste and class. Not only is dining out in CHIKA a cultural experience, but also a classed one, thereby producing a sign of cosmopolitan consumption. In fact, we made trips to Tokyo to visit those places featured in the book and see what they’re like. Since our time was limited, we hopped from one izakaya to another each night and tried different foods and drinks, talked to people there and got some recommendations from them as to what to check out.
Ichi Ni Na Na, Fitzroy.Popular with the dine-in crowd, did you know all your favourites are available for delivery? Popularised here in the early '70s, our blossoming relationship with Japanese food has become a mainstay in restaurants and households across the city, where if you can't go out, you can bring a taste of Japan to you. Whether you're in the north, east, south, west or right in the center of Melbourne, there is no shortage of fantastic Japanese cuisin in Victoria's multicultural capital. However, where it really comes into its own is its fantastic Feed Me menu. For the princely some of only $45pp, the friendly team at LiHo Shokudo will take you on a 6 course tour of their best of the best.

The menu makes decision-making easy and the $7 Sapporo Draught on tap makes it one of our top cheap eats. In true Japanese style, the dining space is tiny, so getting a table if there’s more than two or three of you can be tricky, but trust us, it’s so worth it. Make sure you check them out at their new Little Collins Street location. Kazuki’s from its former Daylesford home to Lygon Street several years ago. Kazuki’s is based on the tradition of ‘Omotenashi’, which refers to an intuitive, kind and distinct Japanese approach to hospitality, it's both one of the more unique experiences and best in Melbourne. The restaurant offers both a set tasting menu and a seasonal à la carte menu, so whether you’re ravenous or curious is irrelevant—they’re both sure to satisfy.
With so many great Melbourne sushi choices available, it can be difficult to know where to start and where you should go. Don't worry, at schoolholidays.com.au we've got you covered. In her comments, the word ‘kankaku’ refers to a necessary basis for understanding a supposed essence – ‘what makes an izakaya really an izakaya’.

In 2006, Shoya received the One Hat Award in the Age Good Food Guide, one of the most prestigious restaurant accreditations in Australia. Shoya has also been selected as the Best Japanese Restaurant in Melbourne, 7 times in a row, from 2006 to 2013. Stylish yet informal, spacious yet intimate by design, Saké Hamer Hall boasts a range of beautiful spaces for functions and group occasions. Placed in our upstairs, you’ll have the best view in the house as our Robata Chefs and Sushi Masters prepare and present each dishes from the open show kitchen. The best Japanese restaurant in Melbourne CBD is Izakaya Den which is located on Russell Street, and Kisume which is located in Flinders Lane next to another top choice – Supernormal.
Providing a very intimate atmosphere and seating up to 12 diners, Tempura Hajime is a one-man operation headed by sushi chef Shigeo. Winning a Chef’s Hat each year from 2008 to 2020, every dish is prepared and cooked right in front of you, showcasing Shigeo’s mastery of Japanese cooking and filling the air with tantalising aromas. As the epitome of ‘omotenashi’, which means to go above and beyond to provide outstanding service, Chef Kazuki and Saori ensure each guest is warmly welcomed and taken care of as soon as they walk through the door. Achieving a perfect balance between simple and complex flavours, their menu demonstrates rich Japanese flavours crafted with classic French techniques using fresh Australian produce. Upon walking through their doors, you’ll instantly be immersed in their fusion of fine dining, art and design.  Surrounded by bold works from photographers including Nobuyoshi Araki and Polly Borland, their Chef’s Table and private Kuro dining room provide a contemporary experience that encapsulates the essence of traditional Japanese dining.
Dear Patrons, with the current restrictions easing on Friday 22nd of October, we are happy to finally announce the reopening of our restaurants for FULLY VACCINATED diners. Please note the new booking  sessions will be available till further announcement as stated below. We go above and beyond to ensure our customers are satisfied with our dishes and service.

The openings just don't stop and ain't nobody got time to keep on top of what's what. So behold, our eat-and-destroy list – a guide to Melbourne's 50 best restaurants. Departing from San Telmo's Latin American flavours, here the group focuses on yakitori and kushiyaki cooked over traditional binchotan charcoal.