Benchwarmer — Restaurant in Melbourne

ORDERED: 🌮 King Fish Tostada (2pc): with crispy wonton skin, yuzu kosho ponzu, cucumber, onion, takana, coriander, tobiko, chives ($20.00) 🍟 Benchies Fries: with aonori salt, benchies mayo ($13.00) 🍔 Fillet O Fish: with panko-crumbed rockling, takana tartare, hi-melt cheese, pickles, milk bun, miso butter ($15.00) 🍜 Rolled Rice Noodles (V): with grandma sauce, mushrooms, cashew cream, nori XO oil, pepitas, crispy curry leaves ($18.00) 🥒 Cucumber Salad (V): with yuzu kosho ponzu, wakame, takana, whipped tofu, sesame, candied aonori peanuts ($16.00) 🐷 Shio Koji Pork Cheek: with gochujang glaze, wasabi verde, fresh herbs, lemon, aonori ($25.00)

This was $53.50pp between two people! No surcharge by paying through QR as well 🤭🌟❤️

REVIEW: My favourites of the night were: Shio Koji Pork Cheek. Incredibly moist, tender, and melt-in-your mouth. Packed with collagen. What an incredible peace of protein that really took on the gochujang glaze. It worked well with the wasabi verde and the squeeze of lemon on top! 🩷 Fillet o fish. Toasted milk bun, incredibly crispy rockling, creamy tartare and tangy pickles. A dreamy fish burger that's perfect to share with your bestie. 💛

Least favourite? Rolled rice noodles. 😔 It's incredibly savoury, a richness that comes from grandma's sauce. It was quite a chewy dish. If possible, potentially pan-frying the rolled rice noodles could give it some interesting texture!

Service was incredibly friendly. They checked on us multiple times 👀, thoughtfully brought us a knife so we could split our burger, offered to turn on the heater to keep us warm and most importantly - KEPT THE FOOD COMING!!! 🥳 The atmosphere is relaxed, great music playing with bass and the back area can definitely hold groups (6 people comfortably). Even though we booked online and only street side was available, we were happy to be sitting in the decorated outdoor patio in...

⭐️ Yakisai Vegetable Yakatori Set ✔️ Kingfish Sashimi ✔️ Pork Gyoza

Benchwarmer is a bar and bottleshop located in West Melbourne. The focus here is on their passion for craft beer, as well as offering small bites and a casual, neighbourhood spot to catch up with friends. You’ll find share tables and a small outdoor courtyard. 🍻

Their rotating tap and fridges offer drinks to dine in or take home, featuring exclusively limited edition brews. The food menu is Japanese inspired, with both Izakaya and yakitori style dishes designed to eat with one hand and drink with the other. The chef has experience working in a Michelin Star restaurant in Taipei and locally at Supernormal. 🥢

The Yakisai Vegetable Yakitori Platter showcased smokey flavours and each item was well seasoned. The Gyoza were very tasty. Both wines we tried were ok.

Overall, I liked the food here, there’s a good vibe and would probably stick to the beer selection. Service could have been more attentive but it is a laid back spot. Great option in the area for the exact purpose they’re...

I brought my lady to Benchwarmer after seeing the awesome Bernie Deiter's Kabarett gig at Meat Market, and we were extremely impressed. I had been recommended Benchwarmer by one of the gents at Bracket Brewing in Sydney, and I'd booked a table for me and two mates visiting from NZ next week ahead of seeing The Red Clay Strays at Festival Hall, but wanted to check it out in advance to ensure it was the right pre-gig spot for us.

Jackpot!!

We had fantastic service, superb beer and drinks selection, cool vibe and the food was truly outstanding. There were a few menu items that were sold out in the early eve, but our lovely and helpful waiter Manato said it had been a very busy Saturday and he made some great alternative recommendations and suggestions. Manato was wonderful, attentive, friendly and made our evening all the more enjoyable.

Can't wait to be back at Benchwarmer next Thurs arvo/eve and show off one of Melbourne's gems to my...