Minamishima is one of only a few restaurants in Australia to achieve three hats from The Age Good Food Guide. Koichi Minamishima, the restaurant's owner, has spent his entire life honing and mastering the art of traditional Japanese food, particularly omakase. Koichi has established his name as a famous sushi chef since moving to Melbourne in 1998, serving only the best sushi that meets his rigorous standards.

With a strong commitment to offering an enjoyable experience for his customers via the art of sushi, every detail is meticulously attended to. When possible, fresh local food is used to bring the strong traditional flavors of Japan straight to your dish. Minamishima's omakase menu features an excellent assortment of handcrafted nigiri sushi that highlights the chef's expertise and technique. Their menu includes dishes like Hokkaido king crab, otoro, Japanese wagyu, and bafun uni, all of which have been properly prepared to guarantee that no quality is lost. Private rooms with their own private sushi chef and connecting sushi bar are available at Minamishima for a more personal dining experience. You may also enjoy the great Minamishima experience in the comfort of your own home with their Minamishima At Home option, which is available for pick-up and delivery.

Address: 4 Lord St, Richmond VIC 3121

Website: https://minamishima.com.au/

Kisumé, another restaurant that stands out as one of Melbourne's top Japanese restaurants, can be found along Flinders Lane. This three-leveled restaurant specializes in classic and traditional Japanese cuisine, as well as its own distinctive interpretations, using fresh Australian produce.

You'll be immediately immersed in their fusion of great food, art, and design as soon as you enter through their doors. Their Chef's Table and private Kuro dining room, which are surrounded by bold works by photographers such as Nobuyoshi Araki and Polly Borland, provide a contemporary experience that embodies the spirit of traditional Japanese dining. Crispy pork and kimchi gyozas, kakiage prawns with mushroom and asparagus, and foie gras with grass-fed beef tenderloin splashed with yakiniku soy sauce are among the delicious dishes on their menu. The scallop nigiri and kingfish sashimi at Kisumé, a strong contender for the greatest sushi in Melbourne, are a must-try for anybody visiting for the first time.

Address: 175 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Website: https://kisume.com.au/

Kazuki and Saori Tsuya are a husband and wife team who own Kazuki's Restaurant on Lygon Street in Carlton. Kazuki's Restaurant, which is strongly influenced by the traditional Japanese adage "ichi-go ichi-e," which means "to treasure every moment," reflects this principle to its core.

Chef Kazuki and Saori are the epitome of 'omotenashi,' which means going above and beyond to offer exceptional service. From the moment they enter through the door, each client is warmly welcomed and taken care of. Their cuisine offers rich Japanese flavors produced with classic French techniques using fresh Australian ingredients, striking the perfect balance between simple and complex flavors. Their tasting menu includes unusual ingredients such as chrysanthemum, Moreton Bay bugs, and oxtail, as well as more traditional flavors like crispy duck, succulent tuna toro, chicken liver, and fresh salmon — plus a 22-page wine selection! Kazuki's Restaurant seems more like entering a home than a restaurant, making it the ideal spot for spending quality time with a loved one while tasting some of Melbourne's best Japanese food.

Address: 121 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053

Website: https://kazukis.com.au/

Little Ramen Bar is located on Little Bourke Street and serves some of the most delicious ramen dishes you will ever taste. There are no packet mixes or frozen broths in this kitchen! Little Ramen Bar's team starts preparing their exceptionally delicious ramen broths as early as 5 a.m., while most Melburnians are still sleeping in their beds.

The four basic yet key ingredients in their famed soup are ginger, onions, garlic, and pig bones (including some other secret ingredients). With a commitment to offering the greatest ramen Melbourne has ever had, their chefs welcome any feedback and make minor adjustments to guarantee that each ramen is prepared to perfection. A classic Tonkotsu soup (cooked for over 10 hours for optimum flavor) with spring onions, seaweed, bamboo shoots, and slices of BBQ pork is available on their menu for classic ramen lovers. If you prefer your ramen spicy, try their tan tan men ramen, which is made with chili-infused broth and spicy minced pork, as well as chashu, nitamago, and corn.

Address: 5/346 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Website: http://littleramenbar.com.au/

Izakaya Den 2029 on Russell Street stands out as one of the most distinctive Japanese restaurants on this list, taking creative inspiration from the Blade Runner sequel. As a new relaunch of the original Izakaya Den, you'll find some old favorites on the menu, as well as some new bold dishes.

Jarrod Di Blasi, the restaurant's head chef, has worked tirelessly to create an izakaya cuisine with bold flavors and a few surprises. Steamed Murray fish with dashi and ginger, sumiso with BBQ pork belly, and seasonal sashimi with wasabi sauce and crystal seaweed are among the menu items. Nama yuba sashimi, kiritanpo with miso-glazed roasted rice, and fioretto cauliflower with shiitake mushrooms and pine nuts are among the vegan options. Aside from the tasting dishes, imported Japanese beers, and traditional sake, Izakaya Den 2029's underground restaurant features a cozy yet contemporary atmosphere. This is established through the use of long, narrow rooms with a mix of dark timber, dim lighting, and a cement interior. Izakaya Den 2029 is your perfect place for a late-night snack, a drink, or taking in the unique aesthetics while eating a delicious Japanese meal.

Address: 114 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Website: https://www.izakayaden.com.au/

Kenzan on Flinders Lane has been one of Melbourne's greatest Japanese restaurants since it first opened its doors in 1981. It has received several honors including a Chef's Hat in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2019. Because teleporting to Tokyo is still a long way off, the next best choice is to go to Kenzan.

Kenzan, which specializes in traditional sushi, has been serving customers old-school-style meals like grilled eel and bluefin tuna belly long before Melbourne fell in love with the Japanese cuisine. Fresh, thinly sliced sashimi, pan-grilled salmon drizzled with teriyaki sauce, and lunch boxes with prawn dumplings, sushi rolls, and miso soup are all available for lunch. Their dinner menu has nabe ryori (Japanese hot pot) with thinly sliced vegetables and Japanese marbled beef cooked in sukiyaki sauce or a clear broth with sesame and ponzu dipping sauces on the side. If you're going with a group of friends, you may order sashimi and sushi platters, gyu teriyaki, agedashi tofu, misoshiru, and more from their sushi bar or book their chef's recommended banquet course.

Address: 45 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Website: https://www.kenzan.com.au/

Shoya on Market Lane, which has three levels and includes a sushi bar, fine dining area, and traditional tatami seating, is driven by a desire to offer contemporary, authentic, and traditional Japanese fine dining. Shoyu's decor, which is adorned with elegant Japanese artwork and calligraphy, quickly captivates your eyes.

Shigeo Nonaka, the restaurant's Head Chef and Founder, has won several honors for Shoya, including Best Japanese Restaurant in Melbourne from 2006 to 2013. Their menu is continuously changing, with dishes and ingredients that push the boundaries and use century-old traditions to offer the purest and most delicate flavors. Shoya's degustation menu includes decadent dishes such as lightly miso grilled golden perch with duck liver and sun-dried mullet roe, whole tempura Hokkaido crab leg dusted with green tea salt, and gently smoked sous vide lobster tail with Kabosu butter sauce, in addition to casual lunches. Head up to the executive lounge on the top level to warm up your singing voice for a round of karaoke for the best way to end the night!

Address: 25 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Website: https://shoya.com.au/

Tempura Hajime in South Melbourne is a great place to impress your friends or clients if you're searching for a Japanese restaurant. It's only a wooden door with a small sign on the outside, hidden behind an office building. However, on the inside, it's a completely different world.

Tempura Hajime is a one-man operation run by sushi chef Shigeo that offers an intimate atmosphere and seats up to 12 diners. Every dish is prepared and cooked directly in front of you, showing Shigeo's skill in Japanese cooking and filling the air with tantalizing fragrances, winning a Chef's Hat each year from 2008 to 2020. Chef Shigeo's selection of delicious tempura with mixed seaweed salad and Japanese wagyu beef layered on top of vinegared sushi rice are among the outstanding dishes on the Tempura Hajime dinner menu. Tempura dishes such as eel, John Dory, scallop, nori, potato, and sea urchin are available for lunch, depending on what's in season. Don't let the small space deceive you; Tempura Hajime delivers one of Melbourne's top izakaya experiences.

Address: 60 Park St, South Melbourne VIC 3205

Website: https://tempurahajime.com.au/

The Robata Japanese Grill, the newest venture of the San Telmo Group, which also operates Pastuso, Asado, Palermo, and, of course, San Telmo, has already created quite a stir as Melbourne's newest hot restaurant. Robata (meaning "fireside"), located in the Herald Sun building on the corner of Exhibition and Flinders street, specializes in its own unique interpretation of the classic Japanese grilling style known as "Robatayaki" (meaning "fireside cooking").

Robata's cuisine will take you to ancient Japan with dishes like tonkatsu with cabbage and fried pork cutlet, beautifully grilled fish with a side of Japanese mustard miso, and chirashi handrolls filled with caviar, salmon, tamari soy sauce, and avocado. You must also taste their yakitori (grilled chicken), which comes with your choice of chicken breast, wing, thigh, or heart flame-grilled with spring onion, cured yolk, shio koji, yuzu salt, and other ingredients. Robata's drink menu includes sweet potato amber ale, sparkling sake, cider, a vast range of Japanese whiskey, beer, and wine, as well as some inventive cocktails. Don't forget to enjoy their delicious sparkling sake and sakura sorbet for the perfect end to your meal.

Address: 2 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: https://robata.com.au/

Experience the creative flavors of Nobu, one of Melbourne's greatest restaurants, in its contemporary, stylish surroundings. The bar offers a large selection of great cocktails, sake, and wine, all while viewing gorgeous river views. The restaurant's enduring popularity and loyal following are a testimony to Nobu's unique take on traditional Japanese cuisine.

Peruvian flavors are combined with Japanese cuisine to create a dish that is both interesting and exciting. Fresh Australian seafood cooked with Nobu expertise is featured on the menu. Tiradito, a Peruvian dish of marinated fish sliced paper-thin, is one of the signature dishes. Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño and black cod with miso are two more popular dishes. With such a high level of recognition comes the unavoidable is expensive prices. Nobu is worth it for lovers of high-quality Japanese cuisine.

Address: Crown Riverwalk, Crown Melbourne 8 Whiteman Street Southbank

Website: https://www.crownmelbourne.com.au/restaurants/premium/nobu/info-booking