Good food but not crazy ambiance or must try. The food portion is a bit tiny. Miso fish took a pretty long while. Cool visual of the food at least read more

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Had always wanted to try Nobu in the US and finally got our chance. Server did an amazing job guiding us through the menu and helped us select 5 or 6 items. Manager/sommelier helped with bottle of wine- perfect selection. Yellowfin tuna was terrific, tuna taco was fun. Spicy tuna maki was so good we ordered another serving AFTER our dinner! Black cod - really nice. The cappuccino dessert was very unique- we shared it and loved it! Wonderful evening read more

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Best Nobu restaurant & experience to date! Quality/Quantity - We got the Melbourne Seven Course Nobu Omakase. See pictures. Looks like my 7th course, dessert, picture got deleted or is missing, sorry. Well this has been my favorite Nobu to date, and we have been to a few. This was not on our list to visit and we weren't even hungry, but we saw it and made the impulse decision to go. Plus we did NOT expect so much food, especially since all our other Nobu restaurants were not as generous. We left so full. his experience exceeded out expectations. I also got a glass of white (NZ Sauvignon Blanc) and red, sorry, I can not remember which red I got. Also available - Happy hour from 3pm to 6pm from Monday to Thursday. Atmosphere - Good size, 2 story location. Beautiful decor, including the bathrooms. Table, booth, and bar seating available. Open 7 days a week from noon to 10:30pm or 11pm. Events available, see website. We also got seated next to the window by the fire show. Again, sorry my pictures are missing; I guess it did not get uploaded. Service - Excellent. Friendly, nice, and proactive. Price - $440AUD. FYI, by the time of this review, the Melbourne Seven Course Nobu Omakase is now only $190AUD, a $5 savings; lol. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your successes and successful partnership with Robert De Niro and Meir Teper. Congrats on your 13 hotels and 50 restaurants. Lastly, congrats on your 2015 valuation of $500M with the 20% sale to James Packer. read more

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Nobu was so good they took are coats for us so kindly and are food was amazing are food came out vrey fast except for the mini tacos they were so good but they were expensive some really close to $20 and it was bight sized so they should bring it out quicker or make it bigger or even lower the prices but these were super delicious anyway read more

Not much one for "chain" restaurants, it's taken me forever to get to Nobu here in Melbourne, as I figured it would be fairly overrated ... and it is a little. The menu is nice and extensive and the food is really good and fresh, but ever so slightly overpriced. Presentation is great and the staff are helpful in answering any questions you may have. I must say I never like in any restaurant that food comes out all at various times. Three out of the four of us were eating and the fourth was waiting forever for their main. We went to eat out together to EAT TOGETHER. It's a little frustrating, though I know it's the "trend" in many Japanese restaurants. Parts of the meal were incredibly rushed, and they take your plate away before you've even finished your mouthful at times, and that's a little overpowering; not a fan of that kind of speed service. It wasn't a relaxing meal. However ... the food itself is really good. We all enjoyed what we ordered They specifically asked if it was a special occasion when booking, and even made mention of it again at the front desk, but why, I don't know, as they didn't even offer a piece of fruit with a candle in it. Would I return? Probably. But I do know of other Japanese restaurants in Melbourne that I personally love more and are more reasonably priced and enjoyable. read more

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Black cod was excellent and a large portion. Service was great and servers were super nice.

1/10... what was supposed to be a romantic/enjoyable dining experience was soured, by the misleading drinks menu. We ordered a $80 bottle of Reisling wine which was never denoted anywhere on the menu that was only 6% alcohol compared to a usual 14% and paying for a premium price left us very disappointed. When we raised our feeling of being cheated as it tasted nothing but apple juice, we were told it was our mistake and nothing could be done, as the bottle was opened for us (which was going to happen anyway). No where on the menu does it state it was a half strength wine, which we thought was very sneaky. When we raised our disappointment with the manager she stated the wine wouldn't be taken off the bill, but we could be compensated with "a taco"... which felt like a poor excuse to resurrect our dining mishap. She was not helpful at all, nor tried to alleviate our feeling of being mislead. Trying not to harp on the wine fiasco, we decided to put that behind us and it being my boyfriend's first Nobu experience, which I had talked up, having previously dined there. It was lackluster at best. The decor was outdated, tables scratched, paint peeling off the walls, the once " premium crown restaurant" is no longer. The food wasn't anything to rave about, my boyfriend likened it too, a glorified food court with fancy napkins. Which I could end help but laugh and agree. We wouldn't return anytime soon, there are far more superior restaurants which the experience would be more enjoyable. And if you were wondering... our "compensation taco" never came, and nothing was comped on the bill... which we didn't raise at the end of the night, as to not spur the night. Nobu do better.... read more

Every Nobu I have been to has been excellent and this was no exception. We had never been to Melbourne or this location before so they gave us free edamame and welcomed us so nicely. It is located in an upscale mall/casino/hotel. read more

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First time in Australia. Been to many nobu's. In other locations before. This one beats them all - to the bottom that is. Service was not enthusiastic. Check in was poor. Portions we're obscenely big, mushroom soup was not fully cooked. See Bass was very good and actually would convince me to try again. But I'm leaving tonight thus thankfully will not need to contemplate. read more

Love there miso soup! And the spicy tuna roll. Service not that great. Takes too long to take a order. Way understaffed.!

Too loud to have a nice conversation especially if you have hearing impairments. The food wasn't great either. We ordered a Scallops with Spicy Garlic or Wasabi Pepper $36, and a Baby Spinach Salad Dry Miso $ 25. The Scallops with Spicy Garlic had no taste and the salad barely had any dressing. Overall not a pleasant experience. I give it 2 stars for the service: the first person who help us was very nice and lowered the music volume to accommodate us. And I gave it 2 stars for the food. read more

I have been to Nobu globally and I felt that the service is very rushed and I had the world's smallest piece of miso black cod here. I think you would be better off having the 8 course omasake as you would have a better range of dishes. I was travelling and had organised the booking ahead of time. I have a cold and hence couldn't taste much and opted for the shorter course. Quality wide is comparable to NYC, Miami, London and Milan. The service here was not great and they kept on wanting to take dishes away when it's not finished when the restaurant was not full so it was not like they needed the table. read more

Nobu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

Nobu serves among the most luxurious Japanese food Melbourne has to offer. That is to say: you get what you pay for. Great ambiance, quality service and fresh ingredients are the basic foundations of this restaurant. However, it can be very busy so it's not exactly a quiet or 'private' dining experience. I was seated on the lower ground floor so your experience may vary if you were seated elsewhere. The food is not your standard traditional Japanese cuisine, as some dishes have a slight twist or modern approach that makes it more unique with some fusion vibes. They offer variations to traditional sashimi where it's flavored with various sauces and garnishes which are uncommon for such a traditional Japanese dish. They are still scrumptious; though it may be more suited for those who are adventurous with their Japanese dining. All in all a very satisfying experience. We paid roughly $450 for a meal for 3 with some alcohol. read more

Ever since eating my way around Tokyo, Australia's version of Japanese food just hasn't tasted as good as I remembered. That was until I tried Nobu, a fantastic Japanese option. For me, The miso cod was a stand out. I have never before had fish prepared to that degree of flakey tenderness. The Japanese tacos were a real treat too as was the crisp tempura. What also really impressed me is that the bar can make a seriously decent cocktail. Each guest at my table was particularly taken by their order. No cocktail envy here! read more

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It's Nobu, so this review is less a matter of 'is it good?' than 'how good is it?!" We went for a lunch special, available Mon-Fri, which I recommend to those on a budget but who still want to try some fine dining. For $50 my other half got an entree (we got a large bowl of prawns which she said were the best she had ever had), a main (the salmon was a decent size and delicious), dessert (that whisky crumbed coffee thing is out of this world!!!) and a glass of wine. Not bad at all for $50. For the same price I got a sashimi platter. Much like I judge an Italian place by their pizza (what's pasta?) I judge Japanese by their sashimi quality, which was of course excellent here. You don't get much bang for your buck serving size wise though, and to be honest I've had just as good sashimi elsewhere at a third of the price. Not a complaint, just a comment. Worth a visit just for that whiskey coffee dessert thing even if Japanese isn't your thing! read more

Nobu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

I have to say the food was definitely delicious. Found bones in the black cod, maybe busy but eater beware I suppose. My only criticism was being downstairs when I requested an outdoor setting, they kept saying were very busy, yet plenty of empty tables upstairs and downstairs. The lighting was way too dim downstairs, I simply could read the menu and the menu is very confusing for a first timer. Not as clean downstairs as it looked upstairs. another wait staff members took our plate before asking if we were done. I wanted to keep the wasabi and ginger for the next dish. But I will try again and definitely not downstairs or when they are less busy. read more

Is it weird to call Nobu a chain restaurant? It sounds weird, but I guess its kind of true to some extent. A very high end chain, but a chain nonetheless. I think a huge part of its appeal lies in its famous name, which developed not only because of the chef, food and service, but also because it is so often inhabited by celebrities in Las Vegas, New York, London. The thing is,I do think Nobu has great food, and great service. It is undoubtably an enjoyable restaurant to dine at, and I would be happy to go back. It is pricey, but you do of course have on overall great experience. However, do I think its better than every other Japanese restaurant in Melbourne? No. I think that there are amazing Japanese chefs here in Melbourne, and amazing Japanese restaurants that deserve the same recognition - and Nobu is one of many great Japanese restaurants in this city. read more

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Great, personalised service; fresh fish; lovely decor; expensive. This pretty much sums up Nobu, doesn't it? If you're going for the new style sashimi, I highly encourage you to select what fish you'd like instead of leaving it up to the chef -- it seems like when you leave it to them you end up just getting the standard: salmon, a few types of tuna, etc. Also give the marinated black cod miso a try: it's the signature dish, and it's been marinated for three days! And of course, don't forget to sign your Crown Signature Membership card to earn points when you're trying to avoid looking at the price on the bill. read more

Nobu - Female chef hand crafting my sashimi dinner - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

Nobu, fine dining? I'm not so sure. The food was adventurous in terms of flavours and textures, and commensurately priced, but the atmosphere and the sheer size of the menu made it difficult to settle in and really enjoy the food. I guess it boils down to your definition of "fine dining", really. For me this is not a fine ding inexperience, a popular and rowdy bar with fancy expensive food yes. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a good bar as much as the next person, but the menu's size and the noise levels didn't really allow me to get a feel for what was on on. We had the 6 course banquet. I guess if I wanted to impress out-of-towners this could be a good place to go? we wont be rushing back thats for sure. read more

Nobu - Salmon tartare - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

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(This is my 100th Yelp review! Yay!) I had mixed feelings going into Nobu. It's a chain now, and often that means there's some element that's lost. A bit too commercialised, a bit too common, it's hard to explain. But at the same time, surely all those rave reviews can't be wrong right? Well. It was a mixed bag. It wasn't an utter letdown, and the overall experience was enjoyable, but would I go back? Maybe. It seems to be a hit and miss kind of place. We ordered, the yellowtail with Jalepeno, the beef tataki, and the toro tartare for cold items, the chawanmushi which was a daily special, the black cod miso (of course), the duo of duck, and the pork kakuni. Hits and misses my fellow Yelpers, hits and misses. The hits: The Black Cod Miso. This dish was actually worth the price of admission. If you'd like to imagine what it tastes like, imagine buttery cod fish, market fresh, done like char siew. Yup. The miso was this umami-sweet coating that was just amazing. I honestly didn't expect to like this, I've had miso cod at 4-5 other places when it was all the rage and quickly gave up because I never liked it. But this... this was miso cod on another level altogether. The Chawanmushi. A very very large portion (since it's for sharing), with tomato... relish/fondant of sorts, morel mushrooms, and one slice of black truffle. The truffle, egg, and tomato combination really works, and it was such a great palate cleanser as the dish that bridged our cold and hot courses. Also a hit, the cocktail I had. Nobu has seasonal cocktail menus, and many many many choices look delicious (but I only had one as I had to drive). The cocktails here are legit my friends, and also worth checking out when you dine. The service was also excellent. Friendly and accommodating. Our waitress actually handed us the wrong menu for drinks (giving us one with the autumn list even though we were squarely in winter). I noticed that it said autumn, but figured oh, maybe they haven't released the winter list yet, and ordered something off that menu. She apologetically came back later and told me I had to order off the winter menu instead... and while I was perusing, the bartender came with my original order anyway. I liked that they made it anyway, though maybe they could have explained things clearer since he just plopped it down without saying anything. The misses? The Yellowtail. It was... sashimi, with a slice of Jalapeno. It didn't not work, flavour wise, but it didn't wow us either. The beef tartaki was just smothered in ponzu sauce and we had real problems tasting the beef over the sauce and the onions and deep fried garlic. The duo of duck was a bit hard to chew, and felt a little directionless in terms of taste and texture. The pork was... well it was melt in your mouth, but it was a bit overwhelmingly porky. There was some attempt to diversify the flavour with some spicy miso, but even that dab of sauce was lost in the strong pork taste. Now, I like pork. And it was good pork. But it was JUST pork and it got kinda boring kinda quickly. The toro tartare wasn't a miss. But it wasn't a hit. It was an interesting dish that... well. Was a tuna tartare. I've had similar for cheaper. So overall, it feels like Nobu is the kind of place where the menu is so wide that you kind of need to know what to order. Some of the items are definitely winners... but some of them are really off target. And while variety is great on a menu... leaving diners the chance to choose something NOT amazing is generally a bad idea. My last thought is that I'd definitely not describe the cuisine here as Japanese. There're just too many heavy handed dishes and not enough craft and subtlety that really defines Japanese cuisine. Maybe international with Japanese influences, or South American with Japanese influences... but definitely not how they describe themselves: 'Japanese with South American influenecs'. Nah-uh. read more

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Very expensive, but absolutely awesome food! Went with a group and didn't know what to order so the waiter ordered for us. It was all great. And a lot of food. Great for people watching along South Bank. read more

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One of the worlds most recognized Japanese restaurant and most undeniable recognised for its innovative Japanese cuisine. An expensive night out but well worth the adventure. Nobu has an exceptional price tag, which also implies exceptional service and this is by far the case. Its lavish surroundings all but add to the intimate dining experience and leave you wanting to soak up more of its rich atmosphere and delve further into the culinary world that Nobu promotes. Nobus special hot dishes include Tempura baby tiger prawns with a creamy spicy sauce. Abalone with shitake ,enoki and abalone mushrooms in a light garlic sauce. You can expect to pay around $35-$45 for these dishes. White chocolate passion fruit. Martini highly recommended. read more

Nobu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

If you want a great Japanese place, then this is the right place to go. The service was fantastic, had a memorable night that I have shared my stories with many. Food was delicious as always, will definitely be back again. The beautiful design of this cafe makes this place a pleasant one. Sushi Bento is my love. Everything was delicious! Do not hesitate to visit this place. read more

Finally delicious sushi! If you want to eat real sushi and not the typical fastfood sushi that you find all over Australia, that really isn't sushi to me, this is the place to go. The tuna and yellow tail melt In your mouth like butter. The service is great but be prepared to pay for it... Try the desert too. I had the special of the day, white chocolate and tea cheese cake with green tea crumble topped with pork jelly and tea ice cream... Very creative and delicious. The pork jelly was sweet and unexpectedly delicious. read more

Nobu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

Nobu is a high reputable restaurant in crown. Its cuisine is a modern East meets West, with strong Japanese influences. When you enter, you are lead down a flight of stairs into their dimly lit dining area, where all the staff greet you at once by saying 'irasshaimase' (Welcome). The ambience of the place feels intimate and up class, and staff appear very professional. This isn't a place you go expecting a big hearty meal, instead- it's an experience of different flavors and textures. Be sure to try out their signature 'Black Cod Miso' dish. This is a very popular menu item for good reason. The fish is basted in a miso sauce and cooked to perfection. We usually order 1 each! The food here is exotic and exciting, it's a must try restaurant for those who consider food as art. read more

Nobu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Southbank, VIC

We went here for my partners birthday last night and it was just awesome. I didn't expect anything other than great. I had been to the Nobu in New York years ago and I am glad to say that both experiences were equally enjoyable. Nice to see that a highly renowned chain is holding up impeccable standards. We started with a 'bamboo' of cold sake. Nothing bad to say about that. As our server explained the menu for us, we decided on a whole mixture of things. I ordered the Kelp Salad, Mushroom Tabon Yaki, Vegetable sushi roll, (all vegan) and my partner ordered oysters (which he ordered another round of them he loved them so much) Tiger prawn tempura in creamy jalapeño sauce, 2 Nobu tacos (lobster & yellowtail) and Black Cod butter lettuce. I also had a Nobu signature cocktail with gin which was delicious. All the dishes came as they were made and all had the most incredible clean flavours. So delicious. As it was my partners birthday, the meal was topped off with a complimentary scoop of coconut and ice-cream & Yuzu sorbet. (Both vegan so I could enjoy as well) It was so sweet of them to do that for us. I really love Nobu, and would highly advise people to take a loved one there. read more

Last night my friends and I ate at the hyped-up and famously renowned Japanese restaurant, Nobu. We were immediately seated downstairs, near the bar area. The interior of Nobu is very 'New Style' & simply contemporary Japanese, with dim lighting, wooden floors and natural textures. We started the night with some edamame beans and cocktails - first was the Lychee Coco Ice, which was wondrous, however a bit deceiving with a giant ball of ice in the middle of the glass meaning the drink itself was probably only filled one third of the way but still delicious. Our other drinks were the White Chocolate & passionfruit martini, peach & mint margarita and the mango & coconut daiquiri, all of which were phenomenal. We decided to move upstairs to begin our self-made degustation meal. Four sashimi tacos filled with yellowtail, salmon, lobster and snow crab were our starters and they were TO DIE FOR! Next up was the lobster with wasabi pepper sauce and the wagyu gyoza with goma ponzu. The melt in your mouth lobster, topped with the sauce was outstanding, but the favourite dish of the night had to be the wagyu gyoza...there was so much taste packed into these little dumplings and the accompanying goma ponzu is a match made in heaven! Next course was the abalone with a light garlic sauce, again also superb and then came the final round of gourmet sushi rolls: Unagi shrimp, salmon tataki, Squid uni and their signature Hot Spicy Tuna. All were exceptionally beautifully presented. To finish the night we had to try their famous dessert the Bento Box with hot chocolate fondant and green tea ice cream. It came in a square box shape bowl and honestly...come here just to try this dessert. Every bite full was intoxicatingly extraordinary. Nobu is by far the best Japanese food in Melbourne. read more

Another city, Another Nobu. No, that's not a bad thing - it's just that this point we are on something like a third or fourth generation copy of the original. Not at all the worst of the copies (that distinction belongs to the Dubai branch in my personal experience...) but certainly not vying for the best either. My greatest disappointment was somewhat surprising; it was the quality of the fish itself. Melbourne is an excellent city to dine on seafood from the very highest to the most modest varieties and I would have expected a lot better quality from Nobu. The ambiance of the room, the service and the overall experience were excellent. My hold back on the stars lies squarely with the lack of innovation and quality of ingredients. For this price point I typically want a combination of excellent ingredients, stellar composition, and top class ingredients with a liberal dose of originality. I've been fortunate enough to have dined in 7 different Nobu restaurants including the original. The Melbourne version was just not up to the level I expected. If you've never been to any other Nobu, it's certainly worth a try. Just don't think that you've experienced the best Japanese cuisine or even the best Nobu has to offer. read more

Over the last five years, I can count the amount of times that I have returned to Nobu Melbourne on one hand. Once I had planned to eat there after a very long relaxing afternoon at Walter's Wine Bar but I was too intoxicated and instead opted to visit Maccas. There was another failed attempt to enjoy a relaxing lunch there a few months ago however I arrived too late for service and instead retreated to the Meat & Wine Co. However I did finally get my act together recently, made a dinner booking for two and only enjoyed three beverages from The Den before presenting myself 45 minutes early for my reservation at the restaurant. We were escorted to seats at the bar by a very attractive and vivacious hostess and informed that our table would be ready shortly. I stated that there was no rush especially since we were so early and I was confident that the barman would look after us. After walking 20 metres from The Den to Nobu, we had developed quite a thirst, so a carafe of Hokusetsu Daiginjo cold sake was ordered and delivered in hollowed out piece of bamboo. Later we were led downstairs to our table by yet another attractive hostess. This is where the experience becomes conflicting. Nobu Malibu was dark and intimate. Downstairs at Nobu Melbourne is a larger busy room that can get loud and it isn't just the patrons that one must contend with that creates the noise. Strangely they play music through wall mounted speakers and at times you feel like you have to talk over the tunes which doesn't nicely integrate into the ambiance. It works well at Izakaya Den but it serves as an annoyance here. This is what I remembered primarily after my first visit in 2007 and things have not changed as of this writing. With such beautiful and sometimes delicate food, I find the ambiance a bit of a turn off and it distracts from the great fish. On my last visit I experienced a nine course set degustation menu and the restaurant managed to present all of the courses to us within one hour. Although I left full, after paying the bill I thought that it was not a relaxing experience and felt very rushed. I was looking forward to ordering individual items this time around with the hope that the routine would be drawn out a bit. The first dish that was delivered was the Tuna Tatake with Tozasu. It looked and tasted great. I thought it was a perfect start and was ready to forgive them for playing the music as because the dining room was not packed, it was not that loud. Like magic, as soon as the six pieces of tuna were devoured, one of the two Nobu signature dishes, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapenos arrived. It was truly a work of art and polarising tastes fought to be noticed in my mouth. I wanted to lick the plate clean however at this point I still had not drank enough sake to begin acting like a fool. After finishing the amazing Yellowtail, a minute later the Sashimi Tacos arrived. There were four mini tacos, each filled with a different variant of sashimi: yellowtail, lobster, crab and salmon. Sadly the taco shell overwhelms the taste of the fish and you are left wondering what it is you ate after adding some of the salsa that was provided. I really wanted to like this dish because of my love affair with Mexican fish tacos, but I just couldn't. Before taking on the last three highly anticipated dishes, we enjoyed a Nobu Shooter of Uni, which was delightful. The most expensive ($45) cold dish, the Toro Tartare with Wasabi, Soy and Cavier then arrived. This dish, like all of the others was presented beautifully. The first taste transports you to a happy place where thoughts of gridlock, social media, sin and vice literally disappear from your being as you savour this delectable tartare. As it is delivered in a small bowl of soy, to enjoy the last remaining morsels you are forced to be rude and drink from the bowl, or should I say slurp up the last bits up like a heathen. Sometimes being rude and exhibiting a table manner related crime is acceptable and in the case of this dish, it really is. The Swordfish with Grape Spicy Shiso Ponzu then arrived. I looked at my watch and only 45 minutes had lapsed since we sat down. Once again, I started feeling rushed but then again, I could not wait to start deconstructing the last of the cold dishes that we ordered. This was the best presented dish and if there was ever one that I wanted to take a photo of and post on this blog, it would be this one. Another stunning dish, both visually and on your palette. You are left wanting more. There are two "signature" Nobu dishes. The first being the aforementioned Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalepeno. The other is the only warm dish that we ordered, the Black Cod Miso. Although it is not visually stunning, the fish literally melts in your mouth and resembles dealing with soft butter in a hot pan. It was perfect. This is an excerpt of a very long blog post, but I think you get the point. read more

This was my first time at Nobu! I had an unlimited budget, as I won a gift card with quite a hefty limit! Suffice to say, it was one of those rare occasions where looking at the right hand side of the menu (ie prices) was not necessary at all! FOOD: Think high quality Japanese ingredients and produce, cooked with a modern twist and then served Spanish tapas style (so good for sharing). The menu has a good range of Japanese cold and warm dishes. But i can only talk about what we ordered: 1. EDAMAME SOY BEANS WITH CHARRED SALT: That charred salt makes it taste like the beans were grilled over charcoal! Was munching on these the whole night. 2. YELLOW TAIL SASHIMI WITH JALAPENO - excellent piece fish! You get about 5 slices that is encompassed by an acidic juice (almost ceviche like). The Jalapeno gives it that spice flavor but hardly any kick at all - overall the dish was good enough to make non-raw eaters wanting more! 3. SUSHI DINNER (PLATTER) - This was an assortment of your stock standard sushis (tuna, salmon, roe, uni, unagi, octopus, calamari, yellow tail, omellete ...) you get about 20 pieces. Overall very fresh - but nothing spectacular or memorable. 4. SQUID PASTA WITH LIGHT GARLIC SAUCE - Spectacular! the squid is so delicate and soft, not chewy at all. The squid ink flavor is amazing and the vegetables are so well cooked, they tasted like meat when blended with that garlic and squid ink jus! 5. BLACK COD MISO - Undoubtedly the most memorable dish of the night for me! Simply Amazing. I think this was the one dish which was truly a reflection of the technique that Nobu imposes on its cuisine. The fish is immaculate prepared and cooked to absolute perfection (unlike any fish i ever tried before) its marinated overnight in a Miso based black sauce and i think i could have eaten that cod raw it was so flavorsome! The sauce on the corners are also sweet, but it complimented the fish (which was also somewhat on the sweet side) so well! Save the pickeled ginger stalk for yourself - its a great way to cleanse the pallet afterward. 6. CRISPY OYSTERS WITH CREAMY WASABI AND CAVIAR - Even if you dont like Oysters - you WILL love this dish! Great textures, the oyster is wrapped in a hair thin glass noodles and deep fried, topped with a creamy wasabi mayo and some caviar. Its crunch, then soft, rich then light. So good we ordered it twice more!!! 7. BABY TIGER PRAWN TEMPURA WITH CREAMY SPICE SAUCE AND BUTTER PONZU - The sauce on this dish was so banging that i even ate the lettuce leaf that served the prawns were served on. Its sweet with a good hint of spicyness which went well with the tempura prawns! 8. FREE RANGE PORK BELLY W/ HONEY MUSTARD & APPLE GINGER AIOLI - second best dish of the night for me! Every layer of that belly was AMAZING! Crunchy skin, then creamy fat intertwined with salty meat of pork! And with the sauce - oh man! 9. DUCK BREAST W/ SPICY SANCHO SPICE AND CHERY TERIYAKI - This dish reminded me of a french style of serving duck. The sauce is reminiscent of an orange sauce that Parisians often used to accompany this delicate protein. 10. WAGYU - We went for the most expensive slice on the menu. 6 slices for $100! HAHA. If you have never tasted wagyu - then this should be your first! Everything they say about this cow will come to light once you taste this piece of meat! Is it worth $100 - well if you want a steak dinner go to Rockpool! LOL The sauces are an after thought - though they still do a good job of enhancing the flavor. 11. TEMPURA - Stock standard! (still fresh and well cooked) but not much difference from what you would order at any other reasonably established Jap joint! DESSERTS: -SIGNATURE BENTO - Warm Choc. Fondant with Green Tea Ice cream -WHISKY CAPPUCINO with CREME BRULEE, -JAPANESE DONUT - chocolate filled with berry coulis and almond ice cream. -SPICED POACHED PAIR on vanilla creme brulee and raisin ice cream and soy caramel sauce. ---- OVERALL AMAZING ------ Desserts are my thing and Im just lost for words! SERVICE: - Hot blonde hostesses working the front then delivering you to; - Japanese waitresses who know how the food works and taste! (dont be afraid to ask them for advice they are very helpful) DIshes were served surprisingly quick. You can request that they all come at the same time, but they can't promise this. Nonetheless, once one dish came out, i dont think we waited longer then 7 minutes for the next one - we were often caught lacking space on the table as the dishes just kept on coming!!! AMBIANCE: Its a hot place for dates and mates! They have intimate booths. Coporate type four seaters. And the joyous big round table for up to 10 people (i think) - so good for groups of friends. PRICE: Its fine dining so you should know what you are getting into from the start. I dined with 3 other people and we spent just over $700 with all the drinks and about 20 dishes were served to our table. So a big bill (to me anyway). read more

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Outstanding from the moment we arrived. Service was excellent, our waiter spending time with us to go through the menu to explain both the Nobu signature dishes and how to structure our food experience. Every dish is deliberately understated, allowing the quality of the ingredients to shine through. Definitely worth a visit. read more

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The restaurant bucketlist is getting smaller, after finally getting to Nobu last night! I eat a lot of Japanese, I mean a LOT! The sashimi came close to the best I've ever had (best Sashimi scallops & kingfish that's for sure), and the Wagyu Tataki w/garlic chips & ponzu was easily the best Tataki I've ever had (again, I've had a lot of it). For someone who eats quite a bit of seafood, I rarely order a cooked fish dish. The black cod miso (Dennis' choice), was A-MAZING. I want to go back right now just for that. The wagyu gyoza I could probably pass on, the mushroom toban yaki I'd definitely pass on (there was an odd fragrant taste I wasn't a fan of). Big thumbs overall up for the food though. Drinks are another story. Ordered Jack & Coke. Didn't think anything of it till I got the bill. Apparently I was drinking JD single barrel. And for $17 a pop! If I had've realised, I would've sat on it for longer without the cola! Anyway, rant over, I'll be back (just without the Jack!) read more

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My wife and I love having random spectacular foodie encounters, and our first trip to Nobu truly delivered on this. We'd spent a few hours at our favourite cocktail bar, The Waiting Room, just around the corner in the lobby of the Crown Casino hotel area, and were hoping to get in to Rockpool, but, Australian Open meant that the wait was at least 1.5 hours so we decided to look for a plan B. Nobu had a 15 minute wait and we opted to have some sake in the bar area upstairs. There was a live DJ playing (ugh, ick) which detracted significantly from the ambiance, but we're just not into that kind of thing. Once seated, we made a selection of dishes, and the staff, knowing that certain tastes may clash with one another, brought things out in the order that would be the best on the palate. It was a fantastic touch that allowed us to truly enjoy a "flight" of Japanese style delicacies for a few hours. The red snapper with dried miso started us off, but the beef tataki and baby calamari were our favourites. Staff was extremely friendly, the food very fresh and we had a truly fantastic time. Since we had NO expectations, and hadn't read up on the other Nobu experiences, we went in open to anything. Update: After way too long, we went back for a second visit, and it was even better! The waitress was incredibly knowledgeable and noticed what we were enjoying the most and made some phenomenal suggestions. We ended up having a whole-fried (Tempura) snapper and Wagyu cooked on a hot salty stone -- O M G. Both were astounding. Having this sort of interaction with the staff really makes the experience that much better. One downside: I really don't like the music. It sounds like one continuous Euro-dance type track and was a bit too loud, made having a conversation just a bit tricky. Other than that, the food and drink and service were spectacular! read more

In conclusion, Nobu does not disappoint. It still has it's grip on me after all this time and it still remain one of the best Japanese fine dining in Melbourne. read more

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Sorry to disappoint with 3 stars, but I think Nobu is a little overrated. It probab;ly intrigues people who watch too much Iron Chef... (I did at one point of my life, and that's why I tried Nobu...) Tried the omakase package for $120 and the fish was OK, the sauces were nice but slightly on the salty side (I'm also a soya sauce on everything type of person so...). My friend ordered the cod with miso sauce, nice sauce also, but fish was just OK. I don't know why the fish weren't so fresh...maybe because we went on a weeknight where it was quieter than Fridays.. Overally..overpriced for too little satisfaction. read more

My son & I visiting Melbourne for his work assessment in summer internship program. We had the cerviche, salmon skin salad and jalepeno yellow tail. It was his first time and he really enjoyed it. I found the tataki with garlic flakes strongly flavored. Very noisy restaurant but part of the experience. Much larger than the Nobu in Perth. We ate at the sushi bar as we didn't want to wait. The black cod miso was sublime. Must try..The salmon skin salad was fiery. read more

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My Nobu experience was completely unplanned. We were in Melbourne for a long weekend, couldn't decide where to eat and went with Nobu almost as a joke. At risk of sounding cliched, it was a magical night... amazing food and wine, five star personalised service, dark and slightly mysterious lighting, the hum of people thoroughly enjoying themselves around you... someone else picking up the tab. Maybe I was under the spell of being treated to an exotic fine dining experience while on holiday... but for me everything was wonderful. The food was so delicious and looked so tempting that I even tasted beef... for the first time... ever. Yes, this 28 year old, lifelong vegetarian had a bite of a beef carpaccio dish (uh huh... RAW beef) because it looked so flavourful. I don't frequent restaurants with the standard of service provided at Nobu very often. Partly this is because I'm not entirely comfortable being waited on so intensely and feel it's wasteful to be so decadent. The service was beautiful though... and while it's not something I need/want too often, it was genuinely a pleasure to experience the knowledge and skill of the ninja-like wait staff (try dropping a chop stick... just for fun... it's amazing how fast that thing is retrieved, replaced and suddenly accompanied by a fork!). read more

Nobu is one of those top notch restaurants that you'll probably only visit for those special occasions during the year. Dinner the night we went was a friend affair however, and I went with a group of my girlfriends during a trip to Melbourne. It is seriously an experience I'll never forget. Unfortunately for everyone else left back in Sydney, they can't get rid of me bragging about how good their food was. I was juggling between a roasted duck dish and a roasted pork belly, and at the waiter's suggestion, chose the pork. Wherever he is right now, I want to thank him. My eyes glaze over just thinking about this dish. The pork dish came with a nashi pear sauce instead of the traditional apple sauce, and it was a perfect combination. The pear was chopped into the tiniest cubes imaginable and mixed with a glaze. At first when I looked at my plate I was disappointed to see six small cubes of meat in front of me, layered with that wonderful fragrant sauce. The pork belly was so perfect - the fatty, crispy layer on top was PERFECT, with the delicious meat underneath so soft I could literally split it in pieces with a little pressure from my chopstick. I didn't realise how rich the dish was until I could feel my cheeks burning. Rice had to be ordered separately, and I was absolutely starving by the time I had my meal, especially because there was a long wait for all our dishes to be served at the same time. From memory, that meal cost around $60+ but it was absolutely worth it (I remember thinking I would pay $10 for every portion again and again). Definitely recommended. Try the pork, it was seriously the best I've ever eaten. read more

I have been to Nobu in Los Angeles , so was hoping for something similar... Alas not quite as good. I have been doing sushi for a while; globally - so not a novice... Ordered: edayame , seafood ceviche, dry miso spinach salad, Sashimi;o-toro, yellowtail, and red snapper. Results- Edamame was a bit overcooked and several pieces brown. No keysabe available ( why not?) Yellowtail, snapper, ceviche, and toro -/were just ok. Best part was spinach salad- delightful blend of flavors. Overall a bit disappointed. Service was good, however why they refused to let me have 2 glasses of water is a bit of a mystery.. read more

Excellent food as usual as fresh seafood is Australia's treasure ! Love the sushi bento box on Saturday lunch ! Great hot sake but a little pricey for house sake ! Salmon roe on rice is delicious and add a roll what more do you need read more