Izakaya Domo — Restaurant in Melbourne

From the moment I walked in, it was clear that this establishment has a lot of character. The ambiance, with its warm lighting and tasteful decorations, set the tone for what promised to be a memorable dining experience. Fortunately, we were seated near the wall, offering some respite from the bustling laneway outside. The traffic from nearby diners and pedestrians could make the experience slightly challenging if you're seated closer to the alley. If you're planning a night out with friends and enjoy quiet conversation, I’d recommend requesting a more secluded table in advance.

However, my optimism quickly waned when it came to service. Despite it being a busy evening, I noticed a marked lack of servers circulating the floor. Getting attention was a bit of a challenge.

As for the food, I opted for the salmon nigiri, which was prepared and cooked to perfection, but the real standout was the beef tataki - though I couldn't help but feel that the accompanying sauce could benefit from a bit more seasoning to truly elevate the dish. I also tried the yuzu mocktail, but unfortunately, it was a bit too bland for my tastes. A more pronounced citrus punch might have done wonders.

My dining companion chose the $36 five-skewer set, which was a bit of a letdown in terms of value. While the portions felt disproportionate to the price, the scallop wrapped in bacon was a delightful bite - tender, flavorful, and rich in smokiness.

One unique touch that did catch my eye was the theatrics of the wagyu beef ramen, which was torched...

Izakaya Domo is a hidden gem with a unique entrance that instantly sets the mood—walking through a candle-lit alleyway makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a little corner of Tokyo. You’ll pass another restaurant first, but keep walking and you’ll find it at the back. The decor is atmospheric and really transports you to the streets of Japan.

We ordered a variety of dishes, and honestly, everything tasted great. The standout for me was the assorted yakitori, especially the mochi skewer—grilled to perfection, chewy, and absolutely delicious. Another favourite was the unagi rice bowl—so tender and packed with flavour.

The staff were friendly and helpful when explaining the dishes and how to enjoy them. However, the only downside was the experience towards the end of the night. Although the restaurant is open until 11pm and no one around us was rushing to leave, we were repeatedly asked about payment while still enjoying our meal. It felt a bit pushy, especially since we were about to order more food. We had to make one payment when I asked to order the octopus karaage, and was told to pay for it separately right away, which was confusing and off-putting. That moment dampened the experience a little, and I decided not to order more after all. The restaurant should just have a rule, pay everything during order if they are so worried.

Overall, the food is top-notch and definitely worth trying, but I do hope the service around payment can be improved to match the rest of the...

This place definitely does not deserve the high ratings it currently has. Service was not good at all

We (4 people) arrived around 1:20pm and were not noticed by the many staff that we were waiting for a table. There were many tables along the wall, however we were seated by the walkway on two small tables furthest away.

After 10min of placing our orders via the QR code, none of the staff had offered us any water and I had to chase them down.

Our meals came our extremely slow. Mum had finished her unagi don before dad's ramen came out. Dad had finished his ramen long before our Tataki sets came. We waited 30min before asking the staff where our meals were, after watching other tables get their same sets, even though they came after us. We had to follow up with 3 different staff members before we got our meals. And when the sets arrived, they came on different trays, with missing sides despite being the same set.

One of the staff apologised - of the three we followed up with. We were hoping for a free drink or discount for the long wait and inconvenience, however we got none of that. I'm not here for the freebies, but I definitely left the restaurant very upset

Food tasted good, albeit serving sizes insufficient. Service ruined it all, price was...