WAKUDA JAPANESE RESTAURANT — Restaurant in Melbourne

My experience at this sushi restaurant was nothing short of extraordinary. To say the place is huge would be an understatement. Its two levels offer an abundance of space, making it the perfect venue for large functions or parties. A standout feature is the inclusion of several karaoke rooms, adorned with soundproof tiles, ensuring everyone can enjoy their time without disturbance.

What immediately caught my eye upon entry were the unique and thoughtfully curated decorations, with the centerpiece being a century-old kendo armor on display - a testament to the restaurant’s appreciation of Japanese culture. To top it all off, they have a rooftop bar that showcases the vibrant life of Chinatown, especially on a busy night - a sight to behold.

Now to the pièce de résistance - the food. The sushi platter I ordered was truly a culinary delight. The salmon and other fresh ingredients were so tender they practically melted in my mouth. The exquisite flavors were robust yet balanced, and each bite was more satisfying than the last. Even though I don’t typically favor cooked oysters, their fried oysters were simply out of this world - a must-try for any seafood lover.

This restaurant offers more than just a meal - it offers an unforgettable experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this spot for anyone looking for a fun night out, or to celebrate special occasions like birthday parties. It’s not just about the food here, it’s about the atmosphere, the culture, and the wonderful memories you’re bound to make. I can’t wait for...

The ambience was really nice, and more of a place to have a function with friends and family. There’s loud, lively, upbeat music playing, intimate booths, and you order via QR code, so there’s minimal interaction but hard to ask for recommendations. It’s a little expensive and we thought it was your standard Japanese food, with nothing too special taste wise. There’s pages and pages of options on their menu, so maybe we ordered the wrong things or went on an off day as they have really good google reviews.

I liked the salmon carpaccio, how it was lightly seared and the sauce was nice with a subtle sweetness to it. The cooked seafood we got wasn’t that fresh- the soft shell crab was fishy and strong so it wasn’t our favourite, and the squid in the pasta was too rubbery. The fried items were good though, the mushroom fritter and gravy Mayo was a nice snack to have on the side and can’t go wrong with a seafood pancake.

tried the -

▪️Salmon carpaccio - 6 slices of seared salmon with ponzu, Mayo, red onion and mixed herbs ($16.90) ▪️Soft shell crab roll - soft shell crab, avocado, root chips, served with spicy Mayo ($21.50) ▪️Salmon and caviar sushi - salmon sushi with salmon caviar ($15.90) ▪️Octopus pancake - Korean seafood pancakes with nanban sauce ($14.50) ▪️Squid Mentai Spaghetti - stir fried spaghetti with squid, Parmesan and mentai sauce ($16.90) ▪️Mushroom fritter with...

It was honestly an incredibly disappointing experience considering that I was quite excited to return to this venue after visiting this place a few times when it was called “Wagaya”. However, today our dining experience was a huge let down starting from a huge selection of the menu being “out of stock” on a Saturday night, although this wasn’t the main issue. The items we did order turned out to be really disappointing. The “Wagyu Intercostal Hot plate” was nothing like the photo shown, and whilst I understand the photos in the menu may have some differences, the meat served to us was honestly unlike any wagyu we have had before (a strange texture) and the serving was so small we felt like it was pointless that we actually ordered a bowl of rice to accompany this dish. The bean sprouts was almost there to make up for the lack of volume in this dish. The soft shell crab rolls also had a fishy aftertaste and were missing the lotus root chips on top - I believe that these little things do indeed matter. The chicken karaage was decent, and the crunchy tuna roll was probably the only other thing that was okay even though it still didn’t match the price that was being paid unfortunately. I regret to say that I truly feel as though the quality of food being served here has dropped...