Uncle Don West End — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Overview Uncle Don is an outstanding little Japanese joint in the West End on the corner of Melbourne and Manning Streets.

Food My wife and I lunched here on a Sun afternoon. We started with a plate of charred edamame beans ($7) followed by the chicken katsu don for me ($26) and the mushroom keto don ($24) for my wife. The charred edamame were nice and crunchy, the perfect way to whet your appetite as a starter. And what followed was excellent. My chicken was delicious, with finely sliced pieces of succulent and tender chicken in a crumbed batter and served with katsu sauce, shallots and something called “fukujinzuke'', which is a red pickle, but thinly sliced and it gave the dish an extra kick to it. It was neatly presented on a smart white striped plate. My wife was very happy with her mushroom don, which had chunky pieces of shiitake mushrooms, with onions, peppers, broccoli and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Service This is where Uncle Don excels. We had taken the precaution of booking ahead for a Sun lunch, which was just as well because when we arrived at 12.30pm most of the tables were taken. We were immediately attended to by a super friendly and smiling waitress, who showed us to our table. Ordering can be done at the front counter or by using an app on the table. Because we had a few special requests, we did our ordering at the counter and it was quick and seamless. Within a few minutes, my beer arrived, followed soon thereafter by the meals. This place hums like a well oiled machine, and it’s all done with a friendly smile. Our special requests were handled well without any issues. This is how all restaurants should be in the service department as it just makes the whole dining out experience a pleasure.

Atmosphere This is a smallish place that’s been tastefully decorated with tiled floors, sturdy wooden furniture, high ceilings and strong lighting. The effect is to create a casual, relaxed and laid back vibe. When we arrived the place was quite full, although it did thin out as closing time of 2.30pm approached (it reopens again at 5.00pm for the dinner service). Acoustics were fine and we were easily able to converse and even though it was a chilly winter's day, the inside temp was quite warm ensuring that we were all comfy.

Cost This is where things get a bit tricky because sadly, thanks to the disaster of hyperinflation, eating out is now rapidly becoming an unaffordable pastime. Altogether, for a schooner of lager (or “larger” as it says on my receipt), a small bowl of edamame beans and two modest main meals - one chicken and one vegetarian - we paid a whopping 71. A cash payment saved me a further cost by way of the hated “credit card surcharge”. A year or two ago, we would have got change from 50 for this lot. On this count therefore, Uncle Don only scores an “average” because 14 for a schooner of beer is just way over the top, although I do understand that most of this is the beer tax imposed by our own govt to fleece every last cent out of their poor citizens.

Toilets There are no toilets in the restaurant per se, so you need to grab a fob off the front desk and go into the next door building. I found it a bit hard to find, until the helpful waitress pointed me in the right direction. But they are clean and well maintained, with male, female and disabled cubicles.

Parking Being so close to the city we decided not to drive, but rather to take the pleasant ferry trip and hop off at South Bank, from where it’s a fairly easy 20 minute walk.

Summary Overall, we had a fantastic lunch at Uncle Don’s in the West End, with fresh, tasty and delicious food, a pleasant, relaxed and laid back atmosphere and fast, friendly and efficient service. There are clean and well stocked toilets, and plenty of pub transport options to easily get you here. Despite the sky high prices, which is what we have come to expect from dining out anywhere in Australia these days, we will...

Visited Uncle Don's today and was pleasantly surprised on the high quality food of this restaurant. We were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and seated very promptly. I looked around and the staff were very attentive to keeping the restaurant clean such as wiping the glass door and making sure all the tables were clean and had cutlery.

We ordered the Wagyu Steak Don, Chargrilled Chicken Teriyaki Don, Eggplant Chips Tower and the Baked Cauliflower with Miso Cream. The Wagyu Steak was grilled perfectly leaving a nice char on the outside and succulent medium rare on the inside, at first I thought the price was a little expensive for a Donburi but the serving size was very generous and definitely value for money, I also liked the dollop of fresh wasabi, it complements the steak very well. The Chargrilled Teriyaki Chicken was also great value for money with a generous portion of perfectly grilled chicken on top of fluffy bed of rice. The chef was quite accommodating as one of our party did not eat soft egg and he customised their egg to be well done. The great meal didn't stop at the Donburis, the side dishes of Baked Cauliflower and Miso cream was very delicious as was the stack of eggplant chips.

I would definitely recommend this restaurant for high quality and great value and look forward to trying other dishes at...

I couldn't be more happy about the arrival of Uncle Don in South Brisbane! Nestled at 154 Melbourne Street, this spot is rapidly winning hearts—and it's easy to see why.

Specializing in Donburi, Japanese rice bowls, Uncle Don offers an impressive selection of over 20 varieties, catering to all dietary preferences with options for vegetarians and vegans. Every visit has been amazing, leaving us eager to come back again!

The Pork Katsu Sando is a standout dish that's so delicious, you'll want it all to yourself! The Baked Cauliflower with miso cream is absolutely divine, that I've developed a bit of an obsession with it! The Parmesan Karagage Chicken is another must-try, along with the baked Tenkasu Salmon don and the irresistible miso soup and charred broccolini with truffle soy.

The staff at Uncle Don are incredibly welcoming and friendly, which adds to the experience. The restaurant's bright and fresh ambiance adds to its charm, making it a delightful place to enjoy a meal.

Uncle Don is a little gem in South Brisbane and is a must-visit. Highly recommended for delicious and authentic Japanese cuisine!

Note: Servings are...