Yaki Jin Ormond — Restaurant in Melbourne

3.5/5 stars 🌟

Great experience overall and such a cute restaurant. Most seats are booth style which makes everything feel very private and cozy. The wagyu was the highlight, and I loved the little hot plate that you cook it on. The dish selection was modest, but there were loads of different salmon nigiri to try. Freshness was decent, and they were my second fav dish after the wagyu.

Unfortunately, the sushi rice was way too sweet, our chicken skewer was raw (were we supposed to cook it again on the hot plate ?!) and gyu katsu was very chewy. Not deal breakers, but not super great, altho I would still come back.

I really like the concept of the plsce, it’s super similar to how yakijin planes in Japan function, but I think the execution could be a little bit better. The ordering system was a bit clunky, as waiters were constantly busy and sometimes you have to wait a while to get served. And then the drinks are ordered online? I would suggest moving everything online or having ipads at tables or assigning certain tables to staff.

Other than that, the host was lovely and checked in at the end which was nice. I’d also recommend booking in advance (like we did) since the place fills up...

I recently dined at Yakijin Restaurant in Ormond and had an amazing experience. This place is a true gem for lovers of Japanese cuisine, offering a wide variety of delicious dishes including freshly made sushi, sashimi, panko prawn, yakitori, and more. The best part? It’s all you can eat, and the quality of the food is far above what you’d expect. Every dish was prepared fresh to order, beautifully presented, and absolutely full of flavor.

What truly made the night special, though, was the service – especially from Nicky, one of the waitresses. She was incredibly helpful, friendly, and attentive throughout the evening. Nicky took the time to explain the menu, gave great recommendations, and made sure we had everything we needed without ever being intrusive. Her warm attitude and professionalism really stood out and added a personal touch to the whole experience.

If you’re in Ormond and looking for a place that combines top-quality Japanese food with an all-you-can-eat option and outstanding service, Yakijin should be at the top of your list. I’ll definitely be coming back and next time, I’ll be asking for...

Absolutely no complaints about the food and service. Granted there weren’t many tables, the food came quickly after ordering. Their salmon tasted fresh and their gyukatsu was soft and tender. The other food (i.e. pork skewers, agedashi tofu, chicken katsu curry etc.) we had were also good. The ice cream to end the meal was also creamy and delicious. For $50 per pax, i would say is a fair amount.

I just wanted to add that if you are expecting the same gyukatsu you had in Japan, you would be setting yourself up for failure. It is very different due to the difference in beef but i found this to be a very good local version.

Some suggestions for the restaurant to consider: Have a bowl of plain rice on the menu. We ordered the Wagyu Don just to get rice for the kids to eat with the curry sauce. If you have pasturised egg or onsen egg to eat with the Wagyu beef, that would be a great hit. A slightly thicker and crispier crust on the gyukatsu would be better as you’d have the different textures between the tender beef and the crispy crust.

All in all, i would recommend to others...