Taku Japanese — Restaurant in Melbourne

We had a family dinner here, spent a lot of money and left hungry.

Saw 4.5 star reviews so thought this was a safe bet for a good night out.

The restaurant is cozy and has a nice feel to it. It was surprisingly busy for a Monday night.

The menu is large. The food is presented well and was all quite tasty. However the portion sizes are very small. Considering the portion sizes the food is actually quite expensive. We had to buy food on the way home to feed our teenage son.

We ordered the yaki tori; it was tasty; consisted of 3 skewers of string like meat you could almost inhale. I’ve never seen chicken skewers this small.

Nigiri sushi for my daughter was fresh, tasty and well presented. However each nigiri was about 3x2 centimeters of fish on rice. So had to order 3 plates to fill her up and she is only 7 years old.

Tako Yaki was decent with 5 small balls and tasted good.

Kara age was delicious but one serve of four or five pieces 2x2 centimeters…

The black cod main was very good - but wafer thin on literally on the tiniest bed of vegetables you have ever seen. No rice with the dish either. Rice was extra and served in small tea cups.

Our parents ordered a sushi platter which came on a huge plate, well presented, fresh fish; but were still hungry afterwards.

My wife ordered the teriyaki salmon and was adequate in size. Needed to order rice separately.

The service was lacking. Took at least 1.5 hours before main of miso cod came out and all dishes came out at different times. Long waits between food.

No trouble with the initial ordering.

We went to order tempura ice cream off the menu but was informed it was not available. So we went to Lickt in Ashburton for desert (which is fantastic). Two scoops and a brownie here was bigger than my main meal and entree combined at Taku.

I have eaten at many Japanese restaurants and sushi bars, I have never seen portion sizes so stingy. Food was actually quite good, but service wait times and portion sizes vs cost means won’t...

Embarking on a culinary journey at Taku Japanese was nothing short of a delightful experience, each dish narrating its own exquisite tale of flavours and craftsmanship. Our taste buds were treated to an exceptional variety of dishes, both from the sea and the land, making every bite a discovery of refined tastes.

The California rolls were a masterpiece of balance and taste, expertly prepared and showcasing a fusion of textures that left us craving more. Similarly, the chicken karaage was a revelation, its perfectly crispy exterior giving way to succulently tender meat inside, a beautiful harmony of crunch and juiciness.

Our exploration continued with sublime salmon nigiri, each piece a testament to the chef's prowess in selecting and presenting seafood that seemed to capture the very essence of the ocean. The pork gyoza was another highlight, exceptionally tasty, each bite bursting with rich, savoury flavours, wrapped in a delicate, perfectly steamed dumpling skin.

However, it was the miso duck pancakes that truly stole the show. This dish was a delightful surprise, combining succulent duck with a sweet and savoury miso glaze, all encased in a soft, fluffy pancake—a culinary masterpiece that was both innovative and comforting.

The service was as impeccable as the food, with attentive and polite staff ensuring our dining experience was seamless from start to finish. The ambience of the restaurant complemented the culinary delights, with beautiful mood lighting setting the perfect scene for a memorable evening.

For those in search of their next favourite Japanese dining destination in Melbourne, this establishment comes highly recommended. It's an experience that captivates both the palate...

We love going to Japanese restaurants but I must say the experience on a Saturday night was not a great one. Ambience: Table for 4 was tight. If you sat on the side next to an aisle you would be bumped into all night by other diners walking past. It’s a busy restaurant with tight furniture and not much space.

Service : Our waiter sadly was not great. He clearly did not understand our orders or lacked communication skills. We had to ask for cutlery and then explain we wanted knifes and forks. Drink ordering was difficult but at least we got the drinks we asked for. Entrees came out staggered over a half hour period but worse was that one main course came out with the entrees when we said nigiri platter was for the mains. Then a salmon teriyaki came to the table and we were still waiting for two more entrees. The food: Nigiri 🍣 is tasty but they are small. My prawn taco was delivered with the waiters hand touching the food and it was not on a plate. Poor presentation and terrible food handling! Vegetable gyoza were ok. Main dishes such as Chicken teriyaki was ok but not filling. Side serve of rice was tiny and basically two spoon full sizes. Duck pancakes had minimal meat and dipping sauces was so small that it was empty after 4 pancakes were dipped into it. The restaurant had 3 out of 6 desserts available so we did not have any. In summary: The restaurant was busy but we won’t be rushing back. Our male Waiter training. A female trainer did poor water professionally but Sadly it was not the high end quality experience that we had expected. Melbourne has many better Japanese...