Robata Melbourne

Absolutely beautiful atmosphere, worth every cent.perfect spot for a date or catch up between foodies.

Just an amazing spot Cocktails we're on point, the food was excellent. The sashimi platter just Soo so good

Came here for a birthday dinner and had an overall solid experience.

The good: All the skewers, especially the chicken ones were really good as they really picked up the char flavour and the sweetness of the sauce. The cocktails were also really good (especially the ones with umeshu)! The entree octopus was also very nice

The not so good: honestly the other dishes weren't all the surprising or unique. They all tasted good don't get me wrong! But none of them really stood out to me as being amazing or unique in flavour. Could definitely be ordering error but it was what the experience was. Also one of the waiters kept coming to ask us if we were done and wanted to clear the plates even when there was clearly food left. Not too sure what she wanted to do and the interaction was very awkward. She even asked us in the middle of the meal "how was the steak? Was it perfect? " And left after that question. Very weird to be honest.

Overall I really liked the place, the food was nice and the atmosphere was nice. You could talk freely and not be over powered by the music or others talking. The price is very expensive though and for me I'm not sure it's worth it. You should still come experience it for yourself if you've never been!

AMAZING food. The quality was outstanding.very full of flavour and so tender. Had the kingfish sashimi, black opal wagyu short rib and the karate chicken. Service was 10/10! Definitely recommend.

Had an awesome meal and the service was very good and attentive - the only negative was a bit of a longer than usual wait between courses but it didnt detract from the quality of the food.

Lovely food, dismal service! We visited with our son for our anniversary & were sorely disappointed. Second drinks arrived before first - hot sake that was actually tepid; more than an hour’s wait between courses. No one seemed to know what was going on. Charged different prices for several items than what was listed on menu when ordering - & for water also? Quite a sum (nearly $400) for what amounted to a strange night. Expected far better, just puzzling really! We won’t be back.

Robata is a Japanese restaurant that offers an exceptional dining experience. The food at Robata is simply outstanding, with vibrant flavors that capture the essence of Japanese cuisine. From the perfectly cooked and flavorful grilled dishes from the robata grill to the fresh and beautifully presented sushi and sashimi, every bite is a delight. The restaurant's lovely atmosphere, with its warm and inviting ambiance, traditional Japanese décor, and cozy seating arrangements, adds to the overall charm of the experience.

While the service at Robata can be a bit strange at times, with occasional confusion and communication issues, it doesn't overshadow the enjoyment of the meal. The focus remains on the exceptional quality of the food and the pleasant atmosphere. Overall, Robata is highly recommended for those seeking an authentic Japanese dining experience, where the delicious cuisine and lovely ambiance create a memorable and satisfying visit.

Robata came up on my Facebook feed and thought I'd give it a try. I am so glad I did. Exceptional food and loved their cocktails. A must if you love Japanese food. Can't wait to go back.

What an amazing experience at Robata.

The service is flawless. Our waiter explained the whole menu and answered all of our questions. The options on the "Feed Me" didn't stand out to us so we just ordered from the a la carte menu.

Literally everything we ordered was amazing. The edamame, it had a smokey chargrilled flavour to it. The pork belly skewers were fresh off the grill and so juicy. We went all-in and got the assorted nigiri platter, this is charged at market price which was around $90 - great variety and had everything I wanted. The highlight for me was definitely the Mount Macedon Cornfed Duck, the meat was so tender and the crispy skin topped it off really nicely.

Hard to choose from their cocktail and dessert menu because everything sounds good. Will have to come back for another round soon.

Overall great vibe and service. Great addition to the Melbourne food scene. Well done!

Absolutely amazing experience, my first time ever eating at a Japanese restaurant staff were super kind and explained everything and made sure our forst experience was the best we could have had. The the portion sizes were good for the price we spent alot of money to try as much as we could for our first time and I must say I could not eat anymore by the end.

Loved our lunch today. Wonderful produce delivered with delicious flavours! We will be back! Great serving team too.

Caveat: maybe I caught them on a bad day.

I haven’t heard AMAZING things about Robata, reviews have always been mixed depending on who I ask. But when they were awarded with one hat I felt I owed it to myself to try.

And boy did they fall flat. How on earth, really, was this establishment awarded a hat.

TLDR: I would not recommend to anyone to come here, not worth the money for the inconsistent flavor profiles or the service,

The nitty gritty!

Cold dishes out in 30, amazing, drinks out in 15, delicious cocktail btw, decor is so gorgeous!

Cold dishes - Kingfish, my personal taste palate did not enjoy the bonito cream, and lime gel in addition to ponzu is a little overpowering, way too much acid not enough balance. Marketfish ceviche definitely had some good flavors going however.
Wagyu tataki wrapped enoki, nothing to be wowed by, there was so much lacking, I kept searching for more flavor that wasn’t there.

Now, An hour 15 wait for Yakitori and tempura asparagus? Come on. My food even knew it had been too long because by the time the wagyu short rib had arrived on the table it was actually lukewarm-cold. What should’ve been a delicious bite of wagyu short rib in all its fatty glory, was that gross bite of thickened fat that you get when a dish is no longer piping hot. Such a shame because the flavors were actually delicious and I bet it would’ve blown my mind if it were hot.

The tempura asparagus was on the specials so we ordered; absolutely nothing special about it. Don’t get me wrong, the tempura batter was thin and perfect but I was eating bland fried asparagus. Seasoning on the side did nothing for flavor, I had to dip it into a plate of sauce from another dish.

Meatball Yakitori - I was looking forward to this one and boy was it over seasoned, if it’s designed to be dipped in a sauce with cured yolk then maybe dial back on the seasoning, I literally could only eat half and could not bare more. It was washed down with a cocktail….

I did really like the pork belly Yakitori tho! Delish, fatty and fresh off the grill, incredible seasoning and cook on it, the meat was so tender!

The scallops… with Tobiko I mean yes texturally amazing, but there was no flavor? If half the flavor from the meatball could just transfer over that would be perfect

Mains: tofu steak, shumeji mushrooms
Sides: chargrilled zucchini and gem squash, kipfler potatoes w mentaiko mayo

Tofu steak has got to be the absolute highlight of my night here. DELICIOUS! So much flavor in the sauce, such a surprisingly little spice kick, so well balanced with the subtly of the tofu, I would give up meat for this tofu, and the umami of the shumeij mushrooms just added to the little parcel of joy that was this tofu steak.

Look, don’t order the zucchini and gem squash.so much potential from these two ingredients that can be such a vessel for flavor just ruined, some big chunks of bland charred veggies on a bed of mayo. That’s what it really comes down to, feels like there was no thought that went into this dish.

The potatoes confused me, I don’t know if mentaiko is the right ingredient to add to the mayo on the potatoes as it has such a strong saline taste to it, so perhaps my tastebuds just weren’t accustom to this combo.

So the wait was long, underwhelming, our waitress may have been having a bad night? I don’t know, she was incredibly short with us, blunt, abrupt, filled out water from such a height it splashed my friends face, no apology? I was honestly appalled.

Maybe I’m being harsh, but in Melbourne’s food scene, to have good food is the norm. To have average food is acceptable. To have been awarded one hat and have such an inconsistent execution of your dishes and service, is just a waste of my time.

What a feast! We had the most amazing dinner, the try-everything menu. A very fair price, outstanding staff and incredible cocktails and green tea icecream. We loved it.

It pains me to leave this review because I really had high expectations for this place. I was excited to try it out and it came highly recommended from friends.
I’ll start with the good, the small share plates were great, we ordered;
Edamame, nicely chargrilled and popping with salt flavour.
Yakitori chicken meatball, balanced texture with a nice char taste glaze
Tuna takaki, yuzu kosho mayo, the tuna fillet was fresh and perfectly cooked, and the yuzu kosho mayo was brilliant complimentary dipping sauce infused with a noticeable spice kick that is well balanced.
The Black Opal wagyu short rib, soy glaze was a great cut of Wagyu that was packed with charred fat flavour, the cuts were tender and perfectly cooked.

Finally, the main course, and the let down of the dinning experience, The Stone Axe wagyu inside skirt 200g, MBS 8+ with red miso sauce. This was probably one of the least pleasant steak experiences I’ve had. The cut itself was closer to the rare side (no option offered) and the cut was plagued with ligaments and tough parts. The steak knives could barely cut through. This was the premium steak offered on the menu and priced at $65, it was disappointing the steak did not reflect the premium price. Whilst I understand this is not particularly a steakhouse, I expected more from a Japanese Grill especially at that price point.
Overall, the atmosphere was nice and the service was good.

Had my first dining experience at Robata and it was fantastic! We had the $80 set menu, and the food was delicious - from the pickles to the amazing sashimi and yakitori, to the steak main - it was all fantastic. The serves were very generous, and we actually couldn't finish it all! The service was also great, staff were friendly and helpful, dietaries were well looked after - and a great drinks menu too! I can't wait to come back and try more of the menu - and to have more of that seared salmon sashimi, yum!

Average food at a high price. Staff were really friendly however they did rush us to order by coming over four times within the span of ten minutes. Wasn't a bad experience but won't be eating here again.

We loved every dish from the humble edamame to grilled pork belly and wagyu steak. We will be back to try other dishes on the menu. Great service, friendly staff and quick enough service.

We were served a set menu through Luxury Escapes dinner and show package and the meal was delicious. I’m a huge seafood lover however, so I deeply wished I had instead just ditched the package offer and ordered off the menu so I could have enjoyed more of the amazing sashimi, seafood and sides options rather than the chicken serves. Drinks were amazing and service was friendly.

Great variety of yakitori and some additional mains. Sometimes there are some special beers for selection.

Fantastic, my first introduction to Japanese food- always been to scared as raw and fish i never thought the menu would please me.
When a restaurant has an open kitchen to view all, you know they have nothing to hide.
Menu i still didnt know what to expectbut the food we orderes was just perfect in every way. Highley recommend, and ask for a seat at the kitchen bar- best seats in the house i find.