Don Don Francis St — Restaurant in Melbourne

This place is one of those gems that you only hear if you are smart with your money, know what cash looks like, and are ok to not be seen in a fancy place whilst in the city.

Don Dons is an amazing lunch spot and I cannot believe that you can get something so amazing for under $10. But I am jumping ahead….

For a cashless guy like myself, I was caught out because I didn’t have any on me. Luckily I had both my friends TW and AN to cover for me (thanks team). Needless to say in both cases I had the Don Don box. And in each case I was nearly unable to consume all of it. And as a big eater, this surprised me.

Not only that, they had a very innovative way of serving. You ordered your food downstairs and by the time you arrived upstairs, you had it ready to be collected! And the bar prices aren’t bad either!

Firstly, the beef and chicken were cooked so amazingly that it seemed utterly flawless. Tender and soaked in Don Don’s own special sauces, these are a delight to behold.

The rice was fluffy and the strips of grated seaweed that coated it was simply perfect. Word to the wise….they have chilli flakes on the table. FOR THE LOVE ALL THINGS HOLY DO NOT PUT THEM IN CLUMPS. That is all. They maintain their powdery consistency and there is nothing worse than believing that the worst of the spicyness is gone only to have the crumbling monstear rear it’s ugly head in the back of your throat. And no. There were no loud sputterings from this reviewer. Thank you, high pain threshold.

In the end, this is such an amazing value for money that you’d be remiss to go anywhere else.

Also for all those that don’t know, yes…. there is a Don Don in Francis Place. Yes, you’re welcome. Now Go…. why are you still reading this...

There's nothing I love more than stuffing my face with juicy meat so when I and a group of friends found ourselves starving in the city, Don Don's was resoundingly recommended.

We made our way from the greatest railway station (Southern Cross) in the world and after a short two-minute stroll through Francis St. we reached this hole-in-the-wall. It'll be on the right when facing east towards Parliament.

The vibes are immaculate. I cannot explain it in words. Walking in to the restaurant, you climb up the stairs into the pick-up windows and kitchen. The small (by restaurant standards) dining hall is clad in wood and just feels warm almost foreshadowing your culinary experience.

The food. Oh my god. We ordered a Pork Curry Don, a Beef Curry Don and 2 Chicken Curry Dons. All about $17.90-$19.90. The juicy meat I referenced in the opening line was the pork I ordered and the chefs made it shine, literally and figuratively. The skin was crunchy, the meat tender and it melted away in my mouth. The curry was perfectly seasoned and just perfect for the cold winter afternoon. Even the pickles on the side were so lovely and even though they didn't add much, the meal would've been incomplete without them. I had a little bit of my friends' food as well, as one does. Their food was equally as good as mine and I kind of wished that I was able to stomach four meals.

It was unfortunate that we had to leave but I felt good in my heart knowing that I had had good food and that there's this little place in the city serving some of the best Japanese food for pretty cheap actually.

TL;DR - Lovely warm place with a warm meal for a pretty reasonable price.

9/10 from me. 100/10...

I've been coming here for some time now. The service is always quick and friendly.

I had No 2 on the menu Buta Teriyaki Don or roast pork w rice and salad.

This place can be a little hit n miss at times depending on the time of day but today was spot on.

The pork was soft and hot, the plain rude good and the salad nice too.

Overall this place still represents great value and it's definitely worth a visit. Just off King Street in the CBD.

Early 2018

I’m back on my Japanese food journey again. I just can’t get enough hahaha

I’ve been to another Don Don store and I’d heard about this place so I was stoked when I found it, totally randomly.

There is a always a cue outside but the service is absolutely fantastic, and the staff are extremely attentive. I was inside and I’d ordered straight away and I’d sat down for about a minute and I was asked what I’d ordered. Wow that is amazing service.

I ordered a mixed bento box of chicken and beef. The beef was really good but the chicken was a bit dry and there was some gristle which I know ppl don’t mind but I just don’t like it. But the flavour was ok.

But this place is amazing value, so for the price I can’t whinge and the service aaa excellent. Oh the drinks, the wine is $3.50 a glass and the beer $3! Whatttt??? Hahaha that’s cheaper than going to a...