Best Japanese Restaurants in Melbourne 2023

The World Loves Melbourne was invited as guests of Mr Miyagi to sample its dinner menu with some new options. We enjoyed the new shared dishes presented artistically and full of flavour, technique and concern for texture and balance. After establishing itself Mr Miyagi still has its mojo, and is in fact ever evolving. A longstanding institution, Kenzan is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne – they’ve been slicing market fish and pouring sake for almost 40 years now.
It’s nine small bites like rolled omelette, scallops, torched unagi and more. Yakimono is the brainchild of owner Chris Lucas, who spent three years living and working in Japan and exploring their late-night izakaya bars. Located over two japanese takeaway Brighton floors with an outdoor terrace, this Japanese eatery is nestled in the heart of Melbourne’s fashion district and certainly packs a stylish punch—food and decor alike. Picking Melbourne’s best Japanese restaurant is no walk in the park.

The A La Carte menu is light on the sushi joint stand-bys, but features plenty of other favourites like Chicken Karaage, Wagyu Tataki and Chicken Teriyaki. However, at this neat dining spot, the real stars of the show are the Set Menus, which come beautifully presented in multi-compartmented wooden trays. The experience is like eating from a jewellery box of filled with your favourite pieces.
Is offering up guests their personal rendition of Japanese gourmet cuisine with an added modern gastronomic take. The menu shows off an eclectic variety of Asian flavours all made from Australian ingredients. Their signature dishes include the now famed tuna sashimi tacos, as well as salmon ceviche and coconut kingfish. Just when you think you’ve tasted the best sushi Melbourne has to offer, try Mr Ryu. Komeyui name and logo symbolises a group meal where family and friends gather together and sit around the table to enjoy a traditional Japanese meal.
The Tuna, ponzu & tagarashi above was a killer start with clean fresh flavours. We are proud of serving genuine Japanese cuisine and strive to deliver the best to our customers as a whole team. Eight Japanese chefs, led by the master head chef with 14 years of experience in Japan and over 20 years in Australia, work together to ensure excellence. Many alumni chefs opened their own restaurants after obtaining skills, knowledge and experience at Kenzan. Our menu allows you to choose from exquisite sushi and sashimi or an extensive a la carte selection, offering the diners genuine Japanese while also catering for their needs. The meal is complemented by a vast selection of wine, sake and other drinks of your choice.

You won’t find anywhere more calming and wholesome to have breakfast than Japanese café 279 in West Melbourne. Here they serve musubi, triangular rice balls wrapped in nori and served with a variety of toppings, which veer both traditional and modern . The calm, minimalist space invokes instant relaxation, with considerate touches like hot hand towels and blankets making you feel at home.
Andre McConnell is the mastermind behind this fantastic restaurant. The menu here is constantly changing and the food is designed to be shared. Kenzan has been dishing out authentic Japanese cuisine since it first opened its door in 1981. Besides this, they also serve a range of cocktails, sake, whiskey, and a variety of wines . Here is a list of some of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne for you to try. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes  at day time.

Expect cold dishes, donburi and hits from the Hibachi grill. Take a seat at the stone counter for a 10-course sushi degustation, or order an assortment of sashimi, miso-marinated black cod and savoury steamed custard topped with foie gras à la carte. Izakayas are Japanese bars where the eating is just as important as the drinking.
Their char-grilled king prawns are always succulent and come with a wonderfully tasty yakitori sauce.  From sushi dishes, izakaya, gyoza and sake bars, Melburnians are spoiled for choice and can be transported to the streets of Tokyo in an instant. Melbourne is a city that is renowned for its culinary excellence.