We ended up here after our trip to the nearby pier to see the adorable penguins. It was a weekend…read morenight and we didn't have reservations but they were able to find us a table which was very appreciated. The interior is nicely decorated, with a big outdoor terrace that overlooks the water. It was pretty chilly so we stayed inside, but one nice day it's definitely worth doing. There's an extensive sake list, and plenty of beer but I stuck with iced tea which changes regularly. Mine was a lemon rosemary which wasn't too sweet at all. For food, we started with edamame that came with a lovely spicy dipping sauce. That was followed by some skewered meat which they specialize in and you should definitely get - they're reasonably priced and a great accompaniment to drinks. Finally, we had a rainbow roll from their well curated sushi menu. My husband said it was some if the best sushi he's had recently - definitely very fresh. Service is friendly, and if you aren't inclined to dine in there is a dedicated take out area.

I must say, my last visit here was the most disappointing. Your restaurant is only as strong as…read moreyour weakest link, and there was a few weak links that night. The food is always good. It's always fresh, and tasty and beautifully presented. In this regard, they didn't let us down. But the service was so incredibly bad. They clearly forgot someone's entree, and instead of just owning it and admitting it, there was every excuse under the sun and most didn't even seem plausible and varied from wait staff to wait staff. I'd rather just know for sure that something has been forgotten, so we have a realistic expectation of when to expect it. I just don't think they either cope when very busy, or their staff just need more training. Other than the bad service, I have to compliment them again on the food. Every dish was delicious and looked good too. My favourite was the Tuna Tataki (picture attached). Really, really good. Pricing is a teeny bit high, but I guess average considering Japanese food is a bit pricier than other cuisines. Parking isn't always great, so I like coming to the earlier seating so there's a better chance for a parking space. The decor is good, but the chairs a bit uncomfortable and heavy to move when adjusting yourself at the table. But overall, I think if the food at a restaurant is good enough, it sometimes outweighs some of the negatives.

Oh man, dat chutoro sushi. Melt in yo mouth…read more We were told from someone that has lived in Japan for most of her life that this was the best Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. I haven't tried that many classic Japanese restaurants here to vouch for that but it's probably true! A very authentic Japanese experience. We couldn't get seats at the sushi bar as walk-ins to try the Omakase (chef recommendation) so opted for a sushi sashimi combo with chutoro sushi and wagyu sushi in addition to the asparagus tempura. Could not fault anything. In particular, we were most impressed with the toro nigiri. Holy shiz. It melted. There's something about how they do the rice, we were more impressed with the tuna in nigiri form than as sashimi so that speaks volumes for how they do their sushi. Yummo. Lots of people had sukiyaki around us (or possibly shabu shabu) and it smelled like awesome. Next time Melbourne, next time. Excellent service too.

This is my favourite Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. Very traditional place, just like Yokyo…read more Staff are great. Try the Toro "tuna belly" sashimi or sushi, it's incredible. Here the sushi has only small amount of rice, proper Japan style. The sushi and sashimi platter is amazing, the Prawn Dumplings, Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, everything here is just like real Japan! Love it!

Visiting from California…read more This is what sushi is supposed to taste like. Everyone is Japanese here. I had the omakase. They took so much attention to each piece. Each one had its own personality with a sear, a marinade or a garnish. Rice flavoring was perfect, as well as rice to fish ratio. Price point was reasonable as well. I'd come back next time I'm in Melbourne!

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.

This place was excellent! I love a conveyor belt Sushi restaurant from time to time, and this place…read moredelivers! I walked in and was given a small table next to the belt, and was amazed at all the different dishes coming out. You can also order using your phone, which I did- beer and Saké, which was brought to me within a minute! I also ordered some Sushi that was not on the belt, and it came quickly as well! There were two servers running around, but they were cheerful and funny, and very helpful. I grabbed several plates, and everything I had was fresh and tasty- AND- QUALITY. There are seats right next to the belt, but there are some tables as well, if you want a more normal dining experience. When you are done, they count up your plates, and then you pay at the register- I was amazed at just how cheap my meal was! I will happily come back here again!

Great selection, fair prices. You might take a few minutes to figure out how plate colors work…read more Fresh sushi!

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).

Great food, service and atmosphere. Fresh, budget friendly. What's not to love! Great selection…read moretoo!

The BEST sushi train I've been to in Melbourne. Pay by plate price. Can custom order from the menu…read more Super friendly and accommodating when I asked for gluten free soy sauce. The salmon and all the sashimi is so fresh. The unagi... omg... melts on your tongue. The best I think I've had yet. It's soooo easy to rack up a huge bill here, everything is so good! The mandarin jelly is soooo refreshing and delicious for afters. Can also recommend the mochi! Just love it. My best tip is to sit in the seat furthest from the front door so you get first choice of the freshest served sushi as it comes around. I'm worried about sharing my tip because then I'm afraid everyone will do it and steal my favourites from the sushi train before they get to me. Update: We just went again Friday night and they've got this amazing at-table-app you can now use to custom order and an amazing delivery system! So fun!

Mmmm, I love Japanese. It would have to be one of my favourite cuisines, and Yokohama certainly do…read moreit justice. The restaurant itself is nice, well set out and the decor is classy. The staff are friendly and polite, and the service is fast. The beef teryaki is awesome, nice and tender meat with a sweet yet tangy sauce. Also delish is the chicken cat suits. Okay, so it's not called that, but it sounds something like that and is so so yummy. Tender chicken with a crispy crumb and a tangy dipping sauce.

This restaurant is definitely the number one japanese restaurant in melbourne. I just tried it…read more It's surprisingly good!

This place is good for both grab-and-go as well as sit-down meals. Near the entrance, you have the…read moresushi bar with pre-made rolls you can pick out and get instantly. If you are looking for something more filling such as udon or a bento, that is available as well! Ambiance: A modern look with an Asian touch. The place is very clean, which is always a plus. They have their chopsticks in a container at each table and get this - multi-coloured chopsticks! I was thoroughly intrigued hahaha. Their music... could do with some change. I mean, sure it is just music and it should not be a big deal, but playing Korean pop at a Japanese restaurant? Also Katy Perry when she's singing about sex? I looked awkwardly over towards the little boy to my left who can't be more than 8 years old and his mother. The bathroom was a bit weird because it doubled as a storage room. There were boxes all over and shoes on the floor. Customer Service: I had a young Chinese waitress (I heard her speak Chinese to one of the chefs) and she was nice enough. It felt a bit awkward though because sometimes I can tell that she does not really know what to do when the customer is busy deciding on an order. She just hovered over my table standing and waiting while I was looking at the menu. Food: I ordered Gyoza, Salmon Sashimi w/ Chicken Bento, Miso Soup, and just regular water (not bottled). The food came at respectable times and had a great value as well. The menu is displayed right outside of the restaurant as well as pictures and labels of many of their different meals all over the restaurant. The complete menu itself seems to have a lot of variety, so I would trust to find something you would like here. They have bento boxes, sushi, ramen, udon, curries, rice bowls, etc. She gave me the Miso Soup first. It was pretty tasty. You can't really go wrong with Miso Soup though. Next came the Gyoza (5 pieces) and that was absolutely delicious! Soft, and still juicy on the inside! Yum! Finally came the Bento, but that could do with some work. It came with Salmon Sashimi, Rice, Chicken, and some sort of mash that tasted terrible so I just left it alone. The Salmon Sashimi and the Rice were good, but the Chicken was fried and was way too buttery in my opinion. The only flavour I was able to taste from it was just butter, so I had to constantly eat it with large scoops of rice for it to be edible. NOTES: ~ No split bill. ~ The seating isn't cramped, but with the structure of the tables I don't recommend it for large groups. Maybe 5 people maximum. Overall, I would come here again. This place is cheap and has a lot of variety. But the food was just alright.

Bento boxes for everyone! This place really does live up to it's tag line- Simple Japanese. The…read morefood is worth walking off Lygon St for. There's three areas of this small venue. Inside, outside and a sushi take away window. The food was fresh and suitably Japanese. Which is always a pleasant surprise. The staff are friendly and attentive. Price wise you can't beat this place for good quality food. $21.80 for two adults having lunch and soft drinks. *note this is a cash only venue.