Minamishima

There is a reason this is one of the best rated restaurants in Melbourne. Everything is perfect. Went the extra yard to assist us celebrating a birthday and were very accommodating with dietary requirements. Awesome.

I can't say I was overly impressed with Minamashima. I had the omakase and left hungry as there weren't enough courses. The service was flawless. However, unless you are a seafood expert, it's difficult to distinguish and appreciate the sushi served as they all taste pretty similar in flavour and texture. I also don't like how you have to call up to make a reservation. Additionally, many of the dishes you see in the reviews are "add ons" that cost an extra $100 per person.

While the food here is undeniably outstanding, it comes at a premium price, and each sushi piece is a testament to the chef's skill and experience. Impressive, no doubt. For sushi enthusiasts, it's a recommendation.

BUT, my experience was tainted by abysmal customer service. The chefs excel, but the waitstaff need some serious coaching in embodying Japanese culture, standards, and expectations.

1) The seating arrangements were a debacle. Guests should know what to expect when booking – whether it's a middle or corner seat. On my visit, I got stuck in a corner despite requesting a middle seat for the omakase experience. The waitress simply brushed it off as first-come, first-served. Fair, but why didn't you inform me during the phone booking? I'm paying top dollar for a $300 luxury meal, not a $30 food court deal! $300 for a basin tap view? Tell me, or charge accordingly!

2) A staggering 80% of the waitstaff were unprofessional and had bad attitudes. I overheard them cursing each other. In an authentic Japanese dining setup, this is unthinkable. Do you witness this in Japan? (Don't tell me to go to Japan – we're in Australia!)

The most frustrating part was the manager and staff's defensive responses. They kept saying, "this is not the usual standard, this is not promised, this is not our blah blah blah. " If you can protect yourselves that way, why not establish clear seating rules upfront? It took someone like me to point out this flaw!

Overall, the Japanese chefs' standards and sushi quality are top-notch. I'd pay $150 for the food but a big fat $0 for the customer service experience and definitely $0 in tips!

I know this review is harsh, but sometimes improvement comes the hard way. I've already given this feedback to their management. I hope they can embrace change efficiently, just like the culture they represent!

If there is a store that is overhyped, it's okay to go there, but don't say "first" or "ceiling" in everything. If you didn't have such high expectations, you really wouldn't be so disappointed.

The service is professional, but too mechanical and devoid of warmth. This is not the way Itamae Omakase should be used.
The fish ingredients used are average and the processing techniques are not amazing.
The sushi relics have no sense of air at all and are quite solid.

The decoration is very good/the atmosphere is also good

A sublime kaiseki experience with incredible dishes demonstrating fabulous technical cooking and balanced flavours n textures.

The presentation was beautiful and service gentle and very attentive.

Such a fantastic night with memories that will last a long time.

Impeccable in every way and the specials are always worth ordering.

Also worth noting that Minamishima-San is always open to custom requests (ie.uni handrolls) if the ingredients are available and he will chat with you about what’s possible

I was surprised that we could have “Real “Japanese Sushi course in Melbourne! Must try Sake (Japanese Rice Wine) &Wine pairing (+$190)

Upon entering, I was instantly transported to a Netflix doco called "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". Now, there was no Jiro here but everything else was 素晴らしい
We sat at the sushi bar and watching the chefs do their work was like watching poetry in motion. Everything was meticulous and regimented. The waiters were alert, uniforms were crisp, service was impeccable.
Seating at the sushi bar comes with a caveat though, it is only for 2 hours and when those 2 hours are up, you are expected to politely leave. If you choose the sushi bar please make sure to set a timer for yourself and respect it.
The sushi was amazing but for me the Hokkaido beef took the crown, just melts in your mouth.
Definitely worth a visit at least once.
Arigato!

Fresh, delicious sushi! While some of the new omakase in melb seem to be taking a more contemporary approach, minamishima continues to retain the traditional japanese style that i love!

As only one guest, chefs kept me waiting and not serving food from 6pm till 7pm except a bite of starter. Couples who came later were all served before me. Then chefs started serving food overwhelmingly one by one without gaps. Two-hour session was truncated to 1 hour. Found a piece of bone from nigiri. Such an interesting omakase experience. Can do better.

Amazing experience. Beautiful atmosphere and delicious food. Sat at the sushi bar and had the omakase menu, worth every cent. It will ruin other sushi for you

What a splendid experience!
I am Suisse and can sometimes be difficult to please however, this is the third time my partner and I spent the evening savouring refine delicacies and observing Japanese precision at its best!
I strongly recommend the extra that they offer as additions to the menu.

Was hugely disappointment by Minamishima after looking so forward to trying it. $10 just for water, as well as an overpriced meal at that doesn’t justify both the small servings and the uninspiring food, I was saddened at how I just wasted $290 (including tea and water). I would say yes the ingredients are fantastic, but the meals itself was just okay.

An outstanding fine dining experience, exactly what you would expect from a 3 hatted restaurant. Service was fantastic, as was the moreish food and overall experience. We opted for the standard omakase chef's table for $265 per person and were not disappointed. You get 11 nigiri and a number of (5?) other small dishes in between (including a delicious dessert), we left satisfied. The extra dishes you can add are quite expensive ranging from $35-100 per serve like the gold leaf roll which was $100 for 4 small pieces. I think we would've been too full if we had opted for this. Regarding dietaries, most of the dishes when we went were seafood except for one or two wagyu beef options. We would happily return for a special occasion again.

OMG WOW! Pricey but delicious and well worth the experience. We had the matching sake, which we enjoyed a lot. Service as you'd expect - perfect and professional. Walked out with super full tummies. The best Japanese restaurant in VIC!

The atmosphere was very lovely, the service staff were very attentive. If you are booking make sure you are seating directly opposite the chiefs, as this is an essential part of the experience. The sweets were the best, other dishes on the standard menu were ok, and the presentation was very good.

An incredible once in a lifetime dining experience. We had a private room and didn’t need to pay any extra. Be prepared to pay $500 a head if you want to enjoy great wine and sake alongside the most delicate nigiri.

Great place for Omakase and eating by the sushi bar. Every dish was top notch.

Obviously on the pricier side but worth it for a special occasion.

Words cannot describe, but I will do my best. With each mouthful I died and was resurrected with a newfound understanding of the possibilities of life as we know it. The war on drugs would be over if everyone experienced the impossible high I experienced last night.

We added a sushi roll and asked to take away. I clearly remember a lady said”ok” but when we left and ask for the take away roll, they said it is illegal to do take away. I was surprised why they said “ok” but finally they didn’t give us the food. The worst fine dining experience Ive ever had!