Tempura Japanese Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

Having read lots of great reviews, decided to visit Tempura. Disappointed when walked in as I heard the conversation of the workers were not in Japanese. Giving a benefit of the doubt, ordered a couple of items.

Hand roll sushi: not the best. Agedashi tofu: not the best, the broth used is definitely not the usual for proper agedashi tofu. Salmon teriyaki bento: not the best, the sauce provided for the salmon tasted the same as the one used for agedashi tofu. Tempura don: the tempura were fried with normal batter, not the Japanese tempura batter. Again, the sauce for the tempura was the same one used for agedashi tofu and salmon bento.

Overall, as an avid Japanese food lover and having visited Japan numerous times, I can say this is not an authentic Japanese eatery. Having said that, every people's taste is different. This review is purely based on my...

This restaurant is one of my local favourites and honestly without a single incident the food has been perfect every time.

The tempura potato chips are basically like Japanese crack. Addictive and absolutely delicious. Seriously. The dons are perfect, they're generous with the portions and the price is really reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food you get.

Eating in is a real experience that takes me back to when I visited Japan, and eating at home, gosh the food is so good. I really can't recommend them highly enough.

Another specific shout-out to the tempura chicken wings. They're juicy and tender and delicious every time. Everything is good. Really good.

If you're a straight up no nonsense Japanese katsu curry fan, look no further. One of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. Try it for yourself,...

I had an unpleasant and disappointing experience at this shop on Friday (30th May 2025) I walked in to order lunch, and instead of being greeted or acknowledged as a customer, the staff member simply pointed at an Uber Eats order that was ready for pickup—without saying a word. It was clear she assumed I was a delivery driver, based solely on how I look.

This kind of casual racism is unfortunately still too common in Australia. Making assumptions about someone because of their skin colour or background is not just offensive—it’s discriminatory. I came in to buy lunch, not to be silently judged or ignored.

Every customer deserves to be treated with respect, no matter who they are or what they look like. I won’t be returning, and I hope this business takes a moment to reflect on how they...