Japan Inn

The food was great and had a nice range to choose from. Was pretty busy and our table did need to wait on some dishes but overall it was a lovely experience.

Lovely service was above and beyond what one would expect
Food had some really good choices my only thing was tempura batter needed a bit of salt but that's a personal taste thing do your self a favour check it out

Had a beautiful dinner with my family. Food was and service were great. We were super impressed with the waiter, he was under the pump but didn't miss a beat, well done!

Fabulous service staff are so friendly
Food was reasonably priced and mostly tasty especially the eye filled delicious well worth the visit

Disappointed. Staff lacked experience and understaffed. Got our order wrong had to repeatedly ask for our meals. Waited 1.5 hours for my son’s main meal. Was once our favorite Japanese restaurant

Summary: not a great experience

I booked a table for 2 at 7: 30pm on a Saturday.

Read a lot of great reviews, so I was quite excited to try out this restaurant, but I left feeling rather disappointed.

PROS:
- we were served with a generous portion of pickled bean sprouts which tasted great (albeit a bit salty) while waiting for one of the waitress to take our orders
- food came out quickly, despite being super busy
- the tempura and the miso scallops were definitely the highlight for us - in terms of taste and presentation; it was impeccable.

CONS: the raw sashimi was not edible ️

This was the main reason for me writing the review. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who happened to draw the short end of the stick - but the sashimi just ruined what could of been an excellent meal. It was really disappointing especially after trying some really good entrees. Mains were just average.

I ordered an entree (9 pieces) of maguro (tuna) sashimi.

For some reason the sashimi was last to arrive on the table. Contrary to what others had experienced in the reviews, it was the worse sashimi I've ever had. I actually couldnt swallow it, because it smelled and tasted extremely fishy (it was a warm day so it might have gone off). It was the only dish that we could not finish. If it had arrived first, I would of cancelled the rest of our order after trying it and went elsewhere.

The food was incredible, so tasty and well presented. The staff were attentive, happy, and kind! Loved my visit!

The freshest, most delicious Japanese you will find anywhere in, or near the bayside region. There’s a reason why this little gem has been running for more than 2 decades.

Favourite local restaurant! Food quality is 10/10, staff are always so lovely and provide really fantastic service, even when super busy.

The servings are big, food is really tasty. The sashimi is very fresh too. We came on a mid-week but they were very busy. We were lucky to get a table, but suggest booking a table in advance.

Went there for a birthday and was pleasantly surprised, it was fantastic. Casual but not fussy service and mains were under $30. The caramel cheesecake, pictured below was breathtakingly crisp and sweet. Our waitress was lovely and very attentive, they even gave us a discount because our food was a few seconds too slow. This shows how much the staff at Japan Inn are committed to excellence and great service. Please come and do yourself a favour, this is truly amazing restaurant!

I came to have food between my work break there are lot of tables empty but the guy said come after 10min, is he racist to think i dont eat japanese food? I’m indian btw

What a delightful gastronomic experience! We had the banquet which I feel is really worth every cent that you pay!
I would return to enjoy the banquet many times over. The translucent fish gleamed enticingly on the plates. The light tempura batter that coated our seafood and vegetables, crunched and melted in our mouths.
The service rendered made us feel so welcome.
Highly recommended for any occasion.

Good food and service. But they brought everything out too quickly. I want that keen on the chicken dish but the tempura was good

The food is excellent and the main reason for coming here would be to taste what the chef can do.

Unfortunately this is offset by the service. On a busy night the restaurant is understaffed. They are reactive rather than proactive - you need to call the waiter over if you want something otherwise be prepared to wait a long time for service.

Also noticed there are spider webs on the ceiling and mosquitos on the walls which detracts from the atmosphere. Certainly some areas to improve.

This was our first visit to Japan Inn. Even on Tuesday night was fully booked. Obviously people like it. Unfortunately I can't give 5 stars because there were some things which are possible to improve.

Service was good but it looks creazy to serve people with 2 staff only, running from table to table and trying to be organized and please everyone.

Athmosphere is ok but somehow cold without any music at background.

We have decided to take banquet. Tempura was tasteless, I believe there was no any seasoning.   Likely they never run of soy sauce.

First time here. Best flavoursome food I’ve experienced in such a long time. Presentation of food was spectacular. Will definitely be back.

Excellent food && beautifully presented.
Staff efficient & friendly.
Very authentic Japanese food.
A great night.

I have been here a couple of times and they are amazing! The food and atmosphere is the most authentic i have seen in melbourne.fish is high quality and you can tell this food is made with wisdom and love.

During lockdown we ordered some takeaway from Japan Inn (we're new to the area and haven't dined in yet). The service was prompt, efficient and right on time, and everything was beautifully prepared and delicious. Very generous servings too. Can't wait to dine in when things reopen! Very impressed.