Daikokuten — Restaurant in Melbourne

Staff are always so kind and patient whenever I come here! I have been on a few occasions when I have been in the Auburn area, and I think I keep coming back to try all the different things on the menu!

They get pretty full during lunch - easy to reserve online or walk in if only a small number of you or if you are alone. Easy to order via QR once seated or tell the waiter and order from the front.

I had a biscoff latte during one visit - can’t say I liked it too much as it’s really just biscoff syrup or spread mixed in. It clumped on the bottom. Coffee taste was stronger than the biscoff itself. Coffee is always good here though - oat latte/capp is my usual.

For meals, I’ve had a ham and cheese croissant toasted, a smoked salmon bagel, forbidden garden poke bowl with salmon, and a prawn brioche sandwich. Ranked, I’d put the poke bowl first, brioche second, and equal third the bagel and croissant.

The poke bowl is so filling. Serving size is generous. All the flavours go very well together and everything is so fresh. I surprisingly loved the purple sweet potato croquettes! Wish I took a photo of it. It was presented really nicely.

The prawn brioche sandwich (pictured) is so good - I bit too much mayo for me but other than that it tasted like love at first bite when I tried it! The sweetness from the brioche really balanced out the mayo saltiness. Crunch from the panko prawns also good. I do not recommend trying to eat with your hands! 😂 It gets very messy - use the fork and knife!

Not your typical brunch/lunch place - mainly Japanese dishes. Lots to choose from though if you like Japanese cuisine.

Other things - Parking is street parking. There is a bathroom you can use if you need one.

Staff always...

A disappointing and overpriced experience I visited this restaurant with high hopes of enjoying some authentic Japanese cuisine, but I was sorely disappointed by the quality and quantity of the food. The menu prices are exorbitant for what is offered, and the service is slow and inefficient. I ordered a spicy tuna and crab onigiri, which came with a soup and a small bowl of salad. The onigiri was supposed to be filled with tuna and crab, but I could barely find any traces of them inside the rice ball. It was bland and dry, and not worth the $21 +$7 (for the crab onigiri) that I paid for it. The soup was watery and tasteless, and the salad was wilted and soggy.

My partner ordered a curry rice with katsu chicken, which costed $25. The chicken was overcooked and tough, and the curry sauce was bland and watery. The rice was mushy and sticky, and not in a good way. The restaurant also missed this order, which took them 25 minutes to prepare the dish. We were in a rush, so we did not bother to return it or complain.

The restaurant is not worth your time or money. There are better options elsewhere that offer more delicious and satisfying food at a reasonable price. I would not recommend this place to anyone who loves Japanese food or values...

Had a catch up brunch with a friend here and it was great. The menu is extensive - I was surprised by the variety on offer. I had the tempura udon noodle soup, chips, and hojicha latte, and my friend had the original brekky set with a chai latte. Everything was delicious and came out super fast - I think we waited 3 mins before the food came out, which is a ridiculous turnaround time.

There were just a couple of things that were a little less than ideal. It's supposed to be QR code order but unfortunately there are a couple of glitches with the ordering system (like some items are marked sold out when in fact they're actually on sale) so we had to order through a waiter in the end. Also the ambience is quite loud as the hard decor and walls don't really dampen the noise, so at certain points it kinda felt like we needed to yell to be heard. And finally, although the food was great, it's a little overpriced - you're not getting value for money, but I guess, given the current economic climate, that's to be expected.

But the service was great - the staff were super attentive and made it a pleasant experience. So overall, I think I still recommend coming here if you're looking for a cute Japanese...