Just finished a quick lunch at my favourite Japanese joint. I'm a big fan of their bento box…read morespecials for lunch, at $18 I haven't needed to go any further. The Tempura bento is great, with veggies and seafood tempura, miso soup, sushi & sashimi, rice salad and a small starter it's bento heaven. The ingredients are fresh service is friendly and fast, making it a great place to eat. The volcano roll at $17 is a little pricey but just about my favourite sushi. Yeeees

I went to Hibachi for lunch after seeing its 5 stars on Yelp. And what a disappointment it was!…read more I'm vegetarian, and restaurants can usually cater to me pretty easily. But not at Hibachi: the waitress repeatedly asked me if I was allergic to sea food. No I'm not, but being vegetarian should be reason enough not to put fish in my dish! The chef couldn't whip up something without fish stock in it, making me question how fresh things really are there... I ended up having a vegetarian roll, which was quite good but cost me 18$! My friend had a bento menu and was not that amazed by the flavours, although I have to admit there was a lot of food on the tray. One place I'm sure I won't go back to!

This place is an extremely confusing From start to finish I…read morewas a bit complexed about what this place was trying to achieve Came here drawn by the nice aesthetic and vibes good mood lighting and big sign saying Veganism outside Sitting down we were given a menu with WAY too many menu items - this is usually a recipe for disaster but once again it was confusing in how it didn't disappoint but didn't really blow us away either ... The dishes we ordered were massive servings but while they were good in some areas like taste perhaps, it failed poorly in areas say how well the dish was put together. Eg the laksa was tasty but way too rich, the Udon was nice in balance but lacked flavour in the soup Super confusing Extensive drinks menu (very extensive) And a bit on the more expensive side but definitely portion sizings to match Very interesting and confusing :D

Updated review after eating there a second time. I was a bit overzealous the first time whilst in…read moregood company and enjoying a couple beers. This time I came in for lunch and was greeted with the same fast service. I tried their signature tonkatsu shio ramen, which was as described as a milky broth with a decent amount of toppings. However the broth could have had a bit more pork taste, not sure how long it is cooked to really draw out the flavour. I was a bit disappointed when enquiring about condiments commonly found on every table in a ramen shop, there was none (chilli oil, pepper, sesame seeds, etc.). They were going to charge $2 for chilli oil. What?! I accepted the togarashi red pepper instead for free. Thankfully the beer I ordered was up to par. Their selection of craft beer is quite uncommon for most ramen shops and is a definite draw here. I still feel it's a decent place for entrees and ramen, especially standing out amongst the long road of Vietnamese shops.

As this is a review for the food/service/ and ambiance, I shall discuss all of these different…read moreissues. I recently visited Kazuya Cuisine and I wish I could go back to December. The service was so bad, it was like they had bad blood with me. They never gave me a reason for the way they treated me. They just acted like I was invisible. They made me feel like I was the last great American dynasty, but not in a good way. The quality of the food was poor and not at the correct temperature. It was a cruel summer for my taste buds. The dishes were bland and boring, nothing like the sparks fly I expected. They served me cold as you sushi and wildest dreams noodles. The restaurant was not clean and well-maintained. It looked like a place where the lovers go to hide away. There were stains on the tablecloth and dust on the shelves. It made me feel like I was in exile. The atmosphere was dark and gloomy, like a haunted house. The lighting was too dim, the music was too loud, and the design was too cluttered. The restaurant lacked a clear brand story and personality. It did not impress me with a great view or a remarkable ambiance. I would not recommend this restaurant to others. You need to calm down and find a better place to eat. Don't say yes to this place, just run away now. You deserve something better than this. You belong with me, at a restaurant that makes you happy. A place where you can shake it off and have fun. A place where you can see the daylight and feel the love story. A place where you can be fearless and speak now. A place where you can be yourself and not worry about anything else. Kindest Regards, Vishkuma Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour - Melbourne Night 2 and 3 atendee.

Seriously great Japanese. I came here on many…read morerecommendations from work colleagues. We had an an assortment roll selection, tempura prawn bento and chicken teriyaki bento. All absolutely fresh and super delicious. Probably the best Bento I have ever eaten. The chef is super nice and will make anything you like really. My friends always have the chicken katsu don and they love it. This place will definitely be our go to place for Japanese now. They don't deliver but you can order ahead online and pick up later.

I got here early for lunch. I ordered miso soup $2 and a curry chicken bowl $11. Both were great!…read moreThe curry sauce was delicious and the chicken was slightly crispy and delicious too. Reasonable prices but more important was how good the food tasted.

Really great escape from the horror that is Harbour Town shopping centre. Simple clean decor,…read morefriendly staff and speedy service, but the real charm is the menu. A decent variety of fare, some traditional pieces and some more modern varieties. Definitely try the bento boxes and the donburi.

I was very impressed with this restaurant. Upon entering during the lunch rush, it was obvious they…read morehad a good system down pat. There is an ample selection of items: a well stocked sushi takeaway section, a deli counter to choose your own bento and what I came to try, the ramen! There are a few udon and ramen choices: veg, chicken and pork (chasiu). I opted for the pork ramen (@ $12.50) and went upstairs to wait for my order. Less than 10 minutes later my mid-sized bowl of ramen arrived. Happily, all the right elements were in place for a satisfying bowl! A generous portion of egg noodles, several tender slices of pork, a creamy rich broth, bamboo shoots, seaweed, fishcake, green onions and roasted garlic. The serving size was perfect and however filling it was I could not help but to continue to slurp it down. Staff were friendly and attentive and the space was well accommodating. It was clean and well stocked. They cater to the NAB lunch crowd so the professionalism is well matched. Prices are reasonable and I walked away very happy with my meal. I recommend the spot for your next business lunch or casual outing. It is well situated near Southern Cross Station and Etihad Stadium.

A new docklands fav. Japanese done well…read more Opened below new nab building. This two storey restaurant will sure impress . Very well displayed and lay out. Food was reasonably priced and was presented very nicely. I orders the Katsu chicken bento box and received a mixed of different items. Was tasty and cooked nicely. My new fav jap in docklands. Must try if anyone is out this way. this will now be my Friday special lunch day.

My wife and I are visiting from the States. We love sushi and were lucky enough to find Shoya on…read moreour first night. The fish was incredibly fresh and delicious. We sat at the sushi bar and watched Chef Shigeo work. What a treat! The man is wizard with a knife. I think we're going back tonight.

We would never have discovered Shoya at all had it not been for the small write-up it received in…read moreThe Age Good Food Guide. So off we ventured to Melbourne's Market Lane one Friday night with a strong craving for good Japanese food in our bellies and our minds. Shoya is a large, multi-levelled restaurant so there's never much trouble getting a table. We opted for a regular table rather than the horigotatsu style (sunken tables) or seating by the sushi counter. I have now been to Shoya twice and the only seating I've yet to try is the by the sushi counter, but I can tell you that the sunken tables are more fun than the regular ones. Their sake list is excellent and I really recommend overlooking the wine list for a good sake (not that the wine list isn't good, but you know, when in Rome/a Japanese restaurant...) or placing your order with your very professional waiter and letting them match a sake to the dishes you've selected. By the way, if the menu gets to be too much, there is no shame in opting for the degustation or omakase. This way you know you're letting the chef show-off his best and finest dishes to you. Order from the menu though and you will be rewarded with immaculately clean and balanced flavours. Try the agadashi dofu and the Hokkaido spider crab legs (lightly battered and fried, and to die for).

The pork dumplings were great, finely packed in delicate skin, perfected pan fried and full of…read moreflavour. Sadly, nothing else was stand out. The soft shell crab was served cold and swimming in some sort of salad dressing. It tasted slimy, and it was not clear on the menu that this dish would be served cold. The chicken was fine, salt and pepper were nice additions. Most mains were accompanied by chilled mashed potato and a 'pub style' collection of mixed salad leaves. Nothing impressive here. The worst part of the evening was that all dishes were served in such quick succession, literally minutes. What was meant to be a casual Saturday eve dinner (with a byo bottle of great Heathcote red) felt very rushed, more like a 10 minute work lunch.

Got taken here for a quiet date night as I love Japanese food and we are always looking to find…read moregood Japanese cafes/restaurants to try. Came on a sat night - the place is quite small with friends staff. I wished the heater had been turned up as it was quite cold. I loved the decor on the walls! We ordered a few things to share infusing soft shell crab, jap hamburger, and another main and 2 desserts. The soft shell crab was not what I expected - it was cold and soggy and that was not mentioned in menu as a cold dish. It wasn't pleasant at all. The hamburger on the other hand was delicious - juicy and soft pattie full of flavour. We loved both the desserts -matcha creme brûlée and the fish pancake with red bean filling.

From start to finish, Kisume provided a delightful dining experience for our honeymoon. We sat at…read morethe sushi bar, which provided an entertaining environment and excitement for our chef's tasting order. All of the food looked incredible! Our courses included the kingfish sashimi, assorted sushi, ponzu chicken, fish substitution for angus steak, cos lettuce and hazelnut dacquoise. The kingfish was unlike any other sashimi we've had with the truffle sauce. All of the sushi was incredibly fresh and flavorful. I wish we lived closer to dine here again soon!

We booked Kisume after a fantastic experience at Chin Chin. Kisume did not disappoint! We didnt…read morethink there was room for improvement during our week of phenomenal food in Melbourne, Kisume proved our assumption incorrect and amazed us with the brilliant food and service ! Lovey decor and lively ambience. The scallops and the kingfish was the highlight .