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Chocolate Buddha

3.1 (43 reviews)
Open 12:00 pm - 11:30 PM

Chocolate Buddha Photos

CHOCOLATE BUDDHA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - Chocolate Buddha

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Reviews With Photos

Green Salad
Ali H.

I had a delightful lunch here with my friend. We arrived without a booking, but welcomed. We were seated at the bar area for less than five minutes before being shown to our place. We were on the end of a larger shared table but with space between us and others. We ordered lunch and wine. We were talking and didn't really notice the passing of time. It was probably more than 20 mins before the wine came, then probably that long again before food arrived. But it was good. We had the Sizzling Tofu with a Green Salad, and the Shake Ramen with salmon. Both were great. Although the tofu wasn't actually sizzling, it was very hot, so clearly just cooked. I would definitely come here again. Thank you.

Smoked trout nigiri.
Shayna J.

I have dined here twice with my crazy extended family and each time I love it more and more! Chocolate Buddha is a spacious communal eating space with blonde timber and a sunny atmosphere thanks to all of the glass. Be aware the seats don't have backs, but are surprisingly comfortable. They have extensive vegetarian and gluten free options and are genuinely happy to substitute any ingredient if needed. This makes them an exceptional choice for anyone dining with an allergy. The most recent visit I had the Steamed Noodle Dumplings (prawn, salmon, water chestnut & chives wrapped in brown rice noodles & steamed, served w ponzu dipping sauce) and the Ocean Trout Nigiri. Dessert was the only gf option available, one lonely scoop of vanilla ice cream! Haha. The Steamed Noodle Dumplings were To. Die. For. So amazingly good! The noodles were soft and the prawns sweet while the water chestnuts gave a delicious fresh crunch! My Nana had these as her first ever Japanese meal and she was as impressed as I was. The Ocean Trout Nigiri was awesome too, melt-in-your-mouth soft with fresh delicious sushi rice below. Everyone on the table was very satisfied and the staff were hugely accommodating as so friendly and personable. I will keep coming back here so long as they keep letting my crazy family book huge tables.

Spicy pork ramen - easily one of my favourites here.
Eepeng C.

A friend who lives locally recommended this place to me and a group of friends from Perth for our first dinner in Melbourne. I honestly didn't know what to expect from a place called Chocolate Buddha but having dined here, I'll definitely be recommending this place to anyone and everyone headed this way. Located in Federation Square just below the SBS building, Chocolate Buddha has modern interiors and a mix of large bench style seating suitable for groups, smaller tables for a more intimate meal, and outdoor areas with heating for those chilled winter nights. Appropriately decorated with Buddhas, this place is pleasing to both the eyes and the tastebuds. Staff are super friendly, helpful and attentive. Our host for the evening, Lucas, was hilarious and definitely brought us much joy throughout our meal with his insights into each dish and friendly banter. Our food and drinks came out in no time at all and although we didn't quite have enough room for dessert, everything in the 'sweet corner of the menu' looked amazing. A few of us (myself included) ordered the spicy pork ramen which I give a 9/10, the only thing missing, the traditional ramen egg. But I guess that's why they call it fusion, because they change things up a bit. If you're a fan of japanese fusion, you'll be a fan of Chocolate Buddha. My only wishes are that (1) they stayed open later, and (2) their seats had back rests. They are more than happy to do split billing here - that's a huge plus in my books!

Shake ramen
Emily Y.

This restaurant has a great location (right in Federation Square). I was impressed with the delicacy and care with which the food was made and presented. Never experienced communal Japanese dining before, but it was a cool experience. However, be advised: it is quite pricey. Let's break it down: Edamame: good. Edamame almost always is. Kingfish and salmon roll appetizer: delicious! One of my favorite dishes. Tempura soft shell crab salad: this dish wasn't really salad; the vegetables were vastly outweighed by the noodles and crab, plus it was bit too spicy for me. Sashimi don: delicious, but ratio of rice to sashimi was way off. Too much rice, to be precise. Spicy/shake ramen: thoroughly decent. Overall, walked away feeling pretty satisfied! 3.5 star experience given the price.

Lotus root crisps with miso sour cream
Natasha M.

With no firm plans & having both just landed in Melbourne, we ventured into the city. As we disembarked in Fed Square, my friend remembered a good meal she'd had previously at Chocolate Buddha so we headed off to check it out. With a simplistic, zen style interior, the two glass walls of the restaurant give a good view on Fed Square shenanigans. All seating is at communal tables or bar-style seating so it's probably not the place to go for an intimate dinner with your lover. The style of the menu is largely shared plates. We ordered the lotus root crisps with miso sour cream, Korean fried chicken, beef ramen, vegetarian dumplings and the soft-shell crab sushi (done two ways), the last of which was my personal favourite. There's also a wide range of drinks available; my companion indulged in a couple of glasses of bubbles whilst I tried to warm my bones with a generous teapot of genmaicha. The service here, while perfectly pleasant, was not particularly observant. It's a small peeve, but having to flag down waitstaff when you want to order or whenever you want an additional drink can be a bit of a drag. This wouldn't, however, put me off going again - it was a delicious and low-key meal, perfect for our first night in Melbourne.

Chely May R.

Chocolate Buddha is easy to find, its glass walls exposes an open area with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. It's convenient, next to ACMI and situated in Fed Square. Other than this, there's really not much else going for the place. The name, why it's called Chocolate Buddha is hard to tell. There's no chocolate anywhere, and there's lots of Buddha statues, and it serves Japanese food. I'm confused even writing this review. The menu looks good at first glance, but unfortunately nothing special once you've tasted them. My eggplant was bland and undercooked, my salmon tasted plain, and worst of all, the meal was expensive. Save your money and go elsewhere.

Edamame
Clarissa Y.

I've been in here a total of twice. First time, I just passed by and took a look at their menu - and their prices. Too much for my tiny university-student budget. The second time it was my birthday and I figured that I'm just going to treat myself to a massively expensive meal with absolutely no care for the consequences. Birthday entitlement? You bet. Customer Service: Actually really really good. All of the servers were incredibly kind, courteous, and attentive. The restaurant was pretty popular so I figured that my food would arrive a bit late but it actually came decently fast which was a pleasant surprise. Ambiance: Very trendy. After all, it's in Federation Square which is a lot more classy and high-end than the typical little cafe in a laneway. You have a nice view of Federation Square, and the restaurant is brightly lit so everything seems really fresh. Food: I ordered Nabeyaki Udon and Edamame. Edamame: Was kinda weird actually. Not horrible, just not what I'm used to. A bowl of Edamame, heated up and sprinkled with salt. Typically I'm more used to Edamame served cold which is honestly what I prefer but that's okay. Nabeyaki Udon: Pretty good. A tempura shrimp, chicken, poached egg, veggies, and shitake mushrooms in udon soup. The serving was pretty large and filling and all of it was pretty delicious. --- 2 stars off for the value. The food was good, but definitely not worth the prices. You can probably find better Japanese restaurants that are far more delicious than this place. I probably wouldn't come here again, honestly. But the food was alright.

Chocolate spring rolls with salted caramel sauce and cream
Lee M.

Let's hang with the tourists on a busy Wednesday night at Federation Square. Sashimi don Broccoli Gamae-ae Vegetable Maki Kingfish maki Ramen Chocolate spring rolls Great service and the food was all delicious. This place is right by fed square so you get to enjoy the view and enjoy great food. What more could you want?!

Yummo!!
Nino D.

I didn't think I'd be lucky at today's dinner because I inadvertently ordered the beautiful Bibimbap. Alas, I couldn't handle the spice of the cooked kimchi. Just as I was that close to getting a glass of milk, our gracious waitress and her legendary manager insisted that I change my order and they apologised for not letting me know about the spice. I didn't blame them at all, but they looked after me like royalty. Love your work, folks of the Chocolate Buddha!! My replacement meal, the Teriyaki Chicken Don, was gorgeous. The others in my group had the soft shell crab and enjoy that immensely. A wonderful experience in a great setting on a fantastic day in Melbourne! A room for improvement is the smoking area. There shouldn't be one.

Chocolate Buddha
Celia M.

Chocolate Buddha has a great setting and atmosphere. On the edge of Federation Square and occupying a large amount of space the restaurant is decorated with the namesake in various sizes, and modern-meets-japanese fixtures. Its setting is perfect for a quick meal on the go, and opposite Flinders Street Station it is perfect for a quick stop if you are on your way in or out of the CBD. Long tables and a simple menu makes for carefree and relaxed dining. Service is relaxed too and not as efficient as it could be. When the restaurant is busy you may struggle to get served, but the staff are well meaning and the setting distracts you away from any bother. The tempura and teriyaki are consistent, and the gyoza tasty, but the restaurant can't seem to hit the subtleties or innovation that modern Japanese cuisine embraces. Chocolate Buddha is a great place if you are on your way somewhere in the CBD and don't have time to explore. If it's high quality Japanese food you are after then you may need to look somewhere else.

Lauren S.

Chocolate Buddha was the lunch go today and I can honestly say I was underwhelmed. The wait staff got the orders wrong twice and it was not busy at all so that wasn't the reason for the lacklustre service. As for the food well I can say for the price I probably would like my teriyaki don to be a little more flavorful and chickeny rather than the huge bowl of white rice I got with a small portion of chicken. The highlight was the lotus root crisps but even then I wouldn't be rushing back in a hurry to grab those. Mediocre food in my opinion and bad service experience leaves me not keen to head back. I might have hit and off day but cannot say I would rush back to find out.

Japanese Slipper, very smooth!

Quick recap Good Japanese Slipper cocktail 5* Beef 5* Choya Apple Crumble 5* Ambience 2.5* due to sharing of the tables with others.

Dumplings, edamame & agedashi tofu - oh my!

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

Just the most delicious early dinner..what a find for us, Melbourne newbies. Service, vibe and food outstanding .

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14 years ago

Japanese food. Modern and nice atmosphere but food is only ok. Pumpkin sushi rocks but everything else is ok. Expensive!

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Gochi - Chicken teriyaki

Gochi

4.4(9 reviews)
1.2 kmSouthbank
$$

Came here for dinner…read more The sushi was absolutely delish! After one bite it was a party in my mouth. Tastebuds were happy! I ordered salmon avocado and ebi panko. The ebi panko had prawn, cucumber and spicy mayo. Both were delicious and fresh. I also had traditional ramen which was equally delicious! It had original pork broth, thin noodles, bean shoot, spring onion, egg. and seaweed. Absolutely delish dinner!

If you had to eat the same meal for the rest of your life what would it be? Mine is SUSHI!…read more It's filling, delicious, affordable, easy and healthy! Ticks all them great boxes. As my family and I walked in to Gochi service was delivered straight away with it also being a busy environment. We were seated and served water and the menus which got me excited. I ordered the cprisy chicken, tempura prawn and cprisy salmon (with you had to ask for as it's not being on the menu). There was an order of 15 fresh sushi rolls and the wait, well I wouldn't even call it a wait. Service was defiantly spot on here with great time management. The sushi was presented lovely all cut up with ginger and wasabi on the side, yum! Everything about Gochi is amazing! -Great quality of food -Great customer service -Presentation wise of the overall place was beautiful with cute Japanese quotes all over the place. Was a great experience not only for myself but for my family with haven't tried sushi before. So it was an interesting lunch for them to finally listen to what all my bragging is about haha. See you again soon Gochi!

Photos
Gochi - Salmon avocado and Ebi Panko roll

Salmon avocado and Ebi Panko roll

Gochi
Gochi - Traditional pork ramen

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Traditional pork ramen

Izakaya Den - Comp salad

Izakaya Den

4.2(61 reviews)
0.5 kmMelbourne
$$$

Disappointed with this choice. hard to find with just a simple easel sign in an office type…read morebuilding entrance. Absolutely empty on this Tuesday night. Red flag. No one at the sushi bar or anywhere else. Moldy smell throughout which is a problem since this place is below ground. But to save a star, a great selection of sake. Menus are dirty and disorganized. Not easy food selections. Food was just ok. Too many other better options in the areas.

We were hoping for a meal of Japanese while in Melbourne, took the suggestion of Yelp and…read moreUrbanspoon, and ended up at Izakaya Den. I wouldn't say I regretted my choice, but I probably should have taken the advice of one of my friends for a place with sashimi and substantial food. Hidden down a narrow flight of stairs, Izakaya Den is a bit like a den with its cold, yet cozy interior. We didn't end up drinking anything throughout our meal, which I slightly regretted, since that is precisely what you do at an izakaya place. Either way, it was the middle of the day, so we weren't too keen. What we did get were baked scallops with a ginger garnish of some sort. The scallops were a delicious texture, just how scallops how should be, but the highlight was really the garnish on the side! We also went for the tuna tartare, which was alright in texture. Again, the highlight was the sauce. I should have gone for the tuna tataki, which seems to be the more popular dish. We also had the fish of the day (which I can't remember what), and that was really tender and baked perfectly. It wasn't salmon, though that's what it looks kinda like in the picture. The pickled daikon on the side was my favorite part of the dish - but the fish was also really delicious. It wasn't one bit fishy, and the meat just fell apart perfectly! The lamb skewers were also good, though I don't think I would order this again if I returned. They were slightly dry, and didn't taste much like lamb. At the end of our meal, they gave us complimentary house-made marshmallows! They were fluffy, not overly sweet, and quite yummy! Our next visit was Le Petit Gateau, so we didn't go for dessert... Though the food was just average to above-average, the service was really friendly and attentive, and they even hung our coats on a coat rack for us! Truly Japanese. =)

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Izakaya Den - Private dining room

Private dining room

Izakaya Den - Sliced scallops with a citrus sauce (pretty good)

Sliced scallops with a citrus sauce (pretty good)

Izakaya Den - Sushi assortment

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Sushi assortment

Akachochin - Flash torched salmon

Akachochin

4.0(37 reviews)
1.8 kmSouth Wharf
$$

This place gets 3/5 from me because I had a special -50% discount on TheFork. At full price, it is…read moreprobably a 2/5 for me. Japanese restaurant by the harbour. Most of the dishes were good, except for the sushi. The fish was fresh, but the rice was falling apart, indicating that the kitchen didn't have a good sushi chef. Service was also incredibly slow - took ages for food to arrive. What should have been a fairly quick lunch meal stretched for more than 2 hours. Worth going if there's a good discount available on TheFork, otherwise I think it is slightly pricey for the quality and the service levels.

Sometimes there's those restaurants that win you over in a quiet, subtle, way. The ones you find…read moreyourself daydreaming about when you're at your desk at the end of the day and thinking ahead to dinner... the ones that have menu items that keep you awake at night wondering how they get the flavour and the texture just so perfectly right. For me, one of those places is Akachochin. I've been here a number of times in the last few of months. Dinners, lunches, a quick snack and glass of sake before heading to other places. Every time I've left feeling happier than when I walked in. Satisfied, but not stuffed. Content. It's open and bright, clean and slick without being too minimalist. The food is presented on beautiful crockery, your chopsticks rest on what looks like a pebble but is actually a beautifully moulded piece of clay. Sake is drunk from pretty glasses that look like something from deep inside the ocean. Before I even eat anything, I already feel better about the world. For the most part the service is unobtrusive, gentle even. I always feel taken care of at Akachochin, which of course is what service is all about but most places don't have the inexplicable magical touch of giving me everything I want and need without making me feel like I've been "worked". Some of the waiters here get it right better than others and I almost feel like I should make my booking especially when I know my favourite, Mason, will be working. (Would that be creepy?) The food? Oh yes, let's get to that shall we? The Hiramasa Namerou (a chopped kingfish tartar) is the stuff that keeps me awake at night. Even after attending a lunch where Chef Kengo Hiromatsu taught me how to make this dish, I still can't quite put my finger on why it tastes so amazing. There's spring onion, wasabi, miso, seasame seeds and other goodness in there... it's such a perfectly balanced dish and texturally rocks my world with the crunch of the accompanying home made rice crackers. This is one of those dishes I could eat multiple times in a week and never tire of, though I suspect the magic ingredient is all about having Kengo prepare it for you. Also on the menu is a very fine selection of sushi and sashimi, and if your'e lucky you can score a seat at the chef's bar and watch the masters at work as they slice your fish, form your nigiri and plate everything in an artful way. It seems a shame to eat the resulting masterpieces. There's grilled items, Udon, slow braised meat dishes and all manner of vegetable items. It's easy to order a few items and then order more as your stomach demands. Come at lunch time and enjoy a $20 bento that is generous and delicious. With multiple choices available, you could be eating Chicken Udon or Grilled Pork or perhaps fried tofu with mountain vegetables. Each bento also comes with some sashimi, rice and pickles. Yes, I have a bit of a soft spot for Akachochin and hope you will too. .

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Akachochin
Akachochin
Akachochin

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Tsuru Japanese  - Almost everything we got

Tsuru Japanese

4.8(5 reviews)
0.7 kmMelbourne

Ate here with 2 of my homegirls when I was in town, I guess she picked it cus it's rated really…read morehigh lol... it's actually really good and of course I ate most of it. It was really good Japanese food. The sushi rolls, to some of the raw fish, and even the karage was just really textured well. It was exceptionally good for being a in a low key quiet area on a

Mid-high end Japanese restaurant, located in the same building as a hotel (Hyatt I think?)…read more I went there for a weekday lunch, as they do lunch specials. I went for the sashimi and sushi set ($48) which was good value for the amount of food you get, but the quality of the sashimi and sushi was average. For the set, you get quite a bit: chawanmushi, miso soup, a yakitori skewer, pickles, and the food you order. Extremely good value for the cheaper sets (I think like a bento for 20-30?) The sashimi and sushi set was a bit disappointing. The fishes given for the sushi and sashimi were on the cheaper end. I don't think there was even a tuna. They did give two pieces of scallop, which was tasty. Overall, I would have either expected one or two pieces of pricey fish, or a few extra pieces of sushi or sashimi. The rice was also cold, rather than slightly warm. Overall, it felt like an average sushi lunch, not fitting the mid-high end positioning they are going for. Tip: don't forget they have 20% off on EatClub; which if you use with the lunch offer, is great value for money.

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Tsuru Japanese  - I don't know lol

I don't know lol

Tsuru Japanese  - Placemat and backside of menu

Placemat and backside of menu

Tsuru Japanese  - Sweet potato fries

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Sweet potato fries

Chocolate Buddha - sushi - Updated May 2026

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