Review En Izakaya - Balaclava

Excellent menu and fusion of modern and traditional Japanese cuisine. Great for sharing. Well presented and good balance of flavours overall. Reasonably priced and a nice cosy but not overcrowded atmosphere on a Saturday evening. Friendly and attentive staff.

Very nice. Really good service and food and very reasonably priced.

So happy to have finally tried this local place out. Went there with high expectation due to so many recommendations and it did not let us down. There was one obvious dish that really stood out and it was the Kingfish skewers in miso paste. If they are still on the specials board when you go there, make sure to order that! Itatakimas!

A little celebratory dinner here a few weeks ago. It has a charming ambience and great for a night with your partner. Each dish is presented well, though I think the portions were a little small for the price. Favourite was the seared tofu and eggplant with miso - highly recommended. Okonomiyaki was a little too dense.

Great little Japanese Izakaya. Plenty of options to choose from. Great flavour, but as this is Japanese style tapas, portions are small. Price wise, it's on the expensive side. Will I come back? Maybe, but not in the rush.

Authentic Japanese atmosphere, service and outstanding menu, delicious!

My new favourite place! It’s becoming a weekly thing. Love the slow cooked beef dish and the sesame chicken thigh dish. The tempura prawns.... mmm! I need to venture to new menu items, but it’s so hard to move past these. Really friendly service to

Beautiful and delicious! Excellent service and atmosphere. I’m happy I found real Japanese food in Melbourne, absolutely recommended.

Soooo pricey for the tiny portion you get! I was shocked by $18 snapper size of my palm (fingers excluded of course!). Can you believe 4 fried veggie balls for $14? They won't let you know on the menu, of course. Flavour was ok but nothing really wowed me. Far from authentic Japanese izakaya. Huge disappointment.

Unfortunately i was so disappointed by the place as it had good reviews. Firstly, i would say it is like an expensive japanese tapas place - small portions for a lot of money! I've had worse quality - but i have had much nicer quality. The oysters were not attached to the shell (as a fresh oyster should be!) AND barely the size of a 10 cent piece!! Personally i would never serve up such terrible oysters at that price! (plus for 4 of us we got 1 each) There are no actual "meals"to order - so you definitely go away hungry. The bill was $230 for 4 of us and no real food to speak of. The Soba noodle salad with calamari was the largest size (and not so big - the bowl was about 15 cm in diameter - plenty of noodles and the odd slither of calamari. The salted prawns was a small plate (the size of a side bread plate) and barely prawns - I would call them shrimp - and all of them with the heads and tails on. <br/><br/>Honestly, with the great competition in Japanese restaurants close by - i would NOT recommend you waste your money here - the place is not BYO either. <br/><br/>The service was fantastic - but not enough to bring me back - the worst and smallest oysters, the smallest and shocking shrimps and barely any calamari - even the sushi wasn't the freshest - edible, but not so great.<br/><br/>Desserts - if you LOVE green tea, you'll love the tirimisu because they actually sprinkle the whole top with green tea leaves (like the flavour throughout wasn't bitter enough!!!)

Hidden along the quieter end of Carlisle Street in Balaclava, this Japanese eatery could easily be missed. Promoting itself as modern Japanese, En Izakaya may not be traditional, but it is authentic. The décor is sleek with touches of Japanese wood features to make you feel right at home in a real ryokan. The lunch time I was there, the service strengthened this, with a single woman serving with grace and politeness.

Tried the lunch set here and I got like three different little dishes, izakaya style I presume.<br/><br/>The one that I liked a lot was the Tuna sashimi with creamy wasabi sauce and pistachio crumbs. The tuna felt fresh, a bit dark in colour, and had the pleasing texture on it. The wasabi cream had enough wasabi punch without overpowering the fish. The crumbs gave an extra nutty taste while providing some crunchs.<br/><br/>The Miso Salmon was okay. A bit towards the dry side and I prefer my Salmon to be a bit raw in the middle, which was not the case.<br/><br/>The Salmon Tempura was the one I got dissapointed. The seasoning was lacking thus a bit bland and dry.

I have been coming here for years and just realised I have never written a well deserved 5 star review. <br/><br/>This is a quiet, smaller restaurant in the middle of a shopping centre I often frequent. You walk in and feel peaceful, relaxed and ready to try everything. It is predominantly cooked rather than sushi but they do have sushi and sashimi and all of it is high, high quality and wonderfully done. <br/><br/>One of my very favourite dishes is Tuna Sashimi with a superb wasabi and pistachio sauce, it is a must try. I have come alone for lunch and with friends for dinner and no one has ever been disappointed. They have lots of vegetarian options which are all done delicately and beautifully, the plates look like picture. I have had so many things there, the wage and tofu is so different from any other places I have tried it. They have eel that is just heaven in your mouth. The dishes are small so look to enjoy and savour rather than fill up - but you do leave very satisfied <br/><br/>They have lunch special menus which allow you to try 4 small portions together that also come with the best miso soup you have ever had, it incorporates different types of seaweed rather than just the flat green, and the taste, especially in winter, as it comes warm and nourishing is also special. <br/><br/>Yes, another highly recommend.

On ANZAC Day eve we were grateful to find a romantic restaurant open for dinner! The interior was moody with stylish drop lighting and the service was fast and friendly.<br/><br/>The menu was sharing style, with dishes from the garden, sea and paddock and averaging around $17 per plate. We ordered the:<br/>- Tuna Sashimi (w/ spring onion, soy & wasabi dressing),<br/>- Hokkaido Scallops (sashimi & nigiri sushi) and the <br/>- BBQ Ox Tongue<br/>All dishes were elegant, balanced and extremely tasty! I particularly enjoyed the wasabi dressing on the sashimi :) Although, the portions can be quite small for a very hungry person!<br/><br/>Overall, an intimate atmosphere with delicious Japanese morsels, however I think a full meal would cost more than Zomatos suggested $80 for two. Although, we do go to town on our dinners!

AN ABSOLUTE RIP OFF !!!  NO FLAVOUR !!!  TEEEENY PORTIONS !!! STAFF COULDN'T CARE LESS WHEN WE TOLD THEM WE WERE NOT HAPPY!!!  SO DISAPPOINTING ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE LOCALS !!!!!    TERRIBLE !!!!!!!!

Had the following dishes:<br/><br/>Tuna and spring onion yuba – The raw tuna seems to be partially minced with finely diced spring onion, wrapped in tofu skin and lightly fried; served with five pieces accompanied with a lemon wedge and some sort of light soy sauce dip. The tofu skin was thin and crisp and the tuna was soft and meaty. It didn’t felt greasy at all and tasted quite flavourful (maybe a little bit of salt was mixed into the tuna) even without the lemon or soy sauce. Squeezing in some lemon juice and a dab of light soy sauce made each bite more vibrant and flavour packed.<br/><br/>Onsen tamago' tsukune – This is a three layered dish; first there was a mash potato base which sat on a small pool of slightly thickened sweet soy sauce. Then sitting on top of the potato base was a big piece of mince pork meatball; and finally topping the meatball was a soft steamed egg sprinkled with Shichimi (Japanese spice). The potato was soft but not fully mashed and had some diced carrots mixed in it; tasted pleasantly sweet with the sweet soy sauce that resembled a very mild teriyaki sauce. The pork meatball was tender and very meaty; savoury but not salty with a hint of sweetness possibly from the little bits of carrot and onion mixed in the meatball. Finally the soft steamed egg was smooth and extremely delicate with a creamy yolk, and the Shichimi seasoning added a salt and spice flavour to the egg. All three components worked well together, each adding a different texture and flavour to the dish.<br/><br/>Panko crumbed chicken thigh fillet – The chicken thigh was sliced open and stuffed with spicy yuzu paste and shiso herb, then coated with panko crumb and deep fried. It came with three pieces of chicken, a handful of shredded cabbage and a lemon wedge. The chicken was tender and tasty with a hint of spice and herb, and the yuzu flavour was quite pronounced and fragrant. The chicken skin added additional flavour and you don’t really notice the skin because it was combined perfectly with the panko crumb coating which was thin, flaky and crunchy. A little bit of lemon juice added a citrus kick which completes the flavour profile of this dish.<br/><br/>BBQ calamari and Yamagata soba noodles – The soba noodles were covered with white miso and vinegar coated rocket leaves and some grilled BBQ calamari, then sprinkled with some tempura crumbs. Soba noodles were served room temperature, soft but not soggy; very mild tasting with the white miso and vinegar dressing from the rocket leaves. However the rocket leaves were slightly too bitter for the most part; dominating the sweet and vinegary dressing. The calamari had a nice bounce to it; wasn’t too chewy or rubbery and you can taste the sweet BBQ glaze; wasn’t enough to balance the bitterness of the rocket leaves but at least it was healthy tasting. <br/><br/>Sorbets – This was served on a big plate with three scoops of sorbet incorporating Japanese flavours; each scoop was a blend of two flavours and placed in separate bowls. The flavours of all three sorbets were paired well and you can taste both elements of flavours; the watermelon and umeshu combination provided a light refreshing sweetness, slightly sour with a hint of alcohol taste; the green apple and shiso was sweeter and less sour than the first with a clear minty herb taste; and the yuzu and honey was the sweetest out of the three, fruity, fragrant and sugary. The sorbets had a slushy like texture, very refreshing and packed with flavour. <br/><br/>Overall it was a satisfying meal; the dishes were contemporary and innovative, well executed with ingredients combined to bring out different flavours and textures, nothing over seasoned. The soba noodles with BBQ calamari and rocket leaves was the least exciting, slightly disappointed because the bitterness of the leaves overpowered the dish. Otherwise the rest of the dishes were well balanced and tasty. Not to mention the unique pairing of flavours in the sorbets were amazing.

Had their wagyu beef burger set lunch menu and it was good, even though it is a fushion resto but taste wise was authentic japanese, not chinese as mostly jap resto out there. <br/>The ambiance of this resto was good and comfy, service was a bit awkward but friendly and fast. <br/>Overall good experience, and will go back.

Food (7/10): came here for a pre dinner meal and I wouldn't say the food was amazing but it certainly wasn't bad. En izakaya serves Japanese tapas for a premium price. As they do tapas, the serving portions are tiny but range between $15-20. I honestly feel it wasn't worth the money for basic food. Their menu is very small so it makes ordering quick. We ordered: <br/>* Salmon and kingfish sushi (7/10): the sushi was nicely made and presented. The fish slices were cut neatly however the kingfish had a slight fishy aftertaste. <br/>*Okonomiyaki (7/10): this dish was nice with a perfect amount sauce without it being too overpowering. The mushrooms added a nice texture and crunch to this dish which I loved. The downside is that it is tiny. The batter also wasn't mixed well as I found chunks of pickled ginger clumped up on one side of the pancake. <br/>*Son in law (6/10): this dish tried to be creative but failed in many ways. As soon as we received the dish, the meat and egg quickly slid off and collapsed just after I took a photo of it. The egg was slightly over cooked. There was also an inconsistency in temperature of the overall dish as the egg was ice cold while the meat ball and mash were hot. The meat was a tad bit too salty for me while the mash didn't really add to the dish. <br/><br/>Service (9/10): service was great. The staff made sure our glasses were filled and was very attentive. <br/><br/>Ambience (9/10): nice interior ideal for a date. Chairs are super comfortable which makes for a great dining experience. <br/><br/>Verdict: probably wouldn't come here again as the dishes were pretty average for the price point. The menu also doesn't give me a reason to return as there's not a lot to offer on the menu.

Venue - it's a cosy venue with tables a little close together. Some Japanese features and architecture (like heading to the bathroom) scattered throughout the otherwise modern looking interior. It's not too loud in here, so quite comfortable.<br/><br/>Food - like the venue, it's a fusion of modern and traditional Japanese techniques. Best to order 2-3 dishes per person, as it's a tapas style fare, although there are a few larger dishes. A lot of the dishes are very appetizing so hard to go wrong. Only thing I would say, is that the dishes didn't come out in order of flavour/richness/size - just seemed random.<br/>A very good wine selection, which pairs very well with the menu.<br/><br/>Service - mostly Japanese staff, quite attentive and friendly.<br/><br/>Would I go back? Probably not because I feel like a experienced it, but I would recommend to visit. The food is actually very good.

Had a lovely dining experience here for dinner on a Wednesday night. Looks a little on the fancier side of casual dining, but carried some nice, good vibes. The staff were very polite and prompt in service, and extremely attentive too. All dishes were well balanced in their seasoning, and came out within reasonable time. Good, quality produce - especially with the sushi and their wasabi. Pricing was reasonable and left feeling full without being stuffed.

The plating is really lovely, the tuna with wasabi even better. The sorbet is really more of a granitta, either way again a knock out. Salad also really nice, the rest was not quite as good. Unfortunately, the salmon tempura was dry, the misu soup was salty and missing that depth and warmth I love about it.<br/><br/>Some highs, and some average moments...<br/><br/>

All five adults enjoyed a close to perfect Mothers Day lunch today. We ordered 9 dishes, plus rice for under $40 a head. The menu is modern, diverse and has something for everyone. The flavours were clean and not overly complicated but tasty. The service was tentative. Decor was contemporary and warm with nice mood lighting.<br/>Very satisfied! We will be back soon to sample the other dishes on the menu!

This place sells itself really, the photo's are accurate, the restaurant looks really nice inside out. Staff are friendly. I went here on Valentines day and ordered the the Valentines day set which comprised of 7 dishes for roughly $70 ea I think. It was more than enough, sets don't usually fill me up but this place does a great job at giving a variety of dishes to test your taste buds. Their menu is constantly updated with whatever's available in the season so that's a good sign of fresh produce. <br/><br/>If you like sushi and quality fish, this place doesn't disappoint. I'd recommend making a booking though, it is quite a popular restaurant. I will revisit this place in the future, it's definitely worth checking out if you're into Japanese/sushi cuisines.

Great modern Japanese food at affordable prices. Friendly service and a good wine list. Book a table for an evening meal as it's often packed out. They do takeaway too if you can't get in. Fabulous Japanese tapas. Yummers!

Went here last Sunday when it was hot so major relief inside! Beautiful experience as the restaurant was empty but we knew it was meant to be great food and so it was! Ordered the lunch set meals: beef and the seafood ones which hubby and I shared. Everything had complex flavours and high quality cuts etc. Only downfall for me personally is the miso soup which was rather fishy which I just don't like but many do 😊

Everything was amazing !!! I love it ! Must order the wasabi sauce on raw tuna and tuna wrapped in tofu !! Thank you for the good food !! .....

Absolutely love this restaurant! Modern Japanese tapas is delicious!!! This quaint little restaurant serves up the most interesting and tasty food. Our favourites include the seaweed and saganaki salad, the miso tofu and eggplant dish and the salmon fritters.... YUM!

OMG. We visited for lunch and chose from the luncheon menu. We opted for the vegetarian option. Miso for starters, rice, salad x 2, tofu and aubergine miso and veggie burgers. Every mouthful was stunning. Thank you. Go.

We opted for En Izakaya’s lunch set menu plus we ordered a couple of extra dishes as most items on the menu sounded very enticing! We thoroughly enjoyed ‘From the Garden’ also ‘From the Sea’ set menu options and thought they were both really good value. The other dishes we chose were both fabulous even though we really didn’t need them! Service was friendly and professional and will certainly return to try out more of their lovely food.

Very chilled vibe. Came in at 4:30pm and were the only ones here. <br/>Food came out at a reasonable pace and was absolutely top notch. A little bit pricier, but you get what you pay for and honestly this sushi was amazing.<br/>Customer service was good too

Ok had a few bits and bobs the crab nori roll was nice <br/>That's a bout it I ordered a dumping and started eating it as usual and put it in my mouth and bit into it <br/>And a lava like filling came out and burned my mouth like to a third degree burn . <br/>Bloody shocking I was in a shocking pain very very bad the next day my mouth was so burnt that the skin. In the roof of my mouth totally peeled off in a sheet of skin the size of my whole mouth.<br/>The worst burn or pain ever .<br/>Food with such heat should be warned by the waiter <br/>There was no warning it took me 6 weeks for the wound to heel never again I told the waiter she rolled her eyes !!!!!<br/>Never again

Came here with a large group for Father's Day lunch. Were were told that the lunch set menu would be small sized dishes and advised us that the a la carte menu would be larger. However much to my dismay the dishes were smaller than the other dishes and was not worth the price tag attached to them. There was no quality or quantity. The ox tongue was not tasty enough to warrant the $16 for 7 or so tiny pieces. The duck was only 4 pieces and did not taste great for the that price either - they must've thought that it was peking duck to have charged that amount. The Wagyu meatball was the only saving grace for this place and needless to say will not be coming back here and would not recommend it to anyone else unless they liked getting ripped off and left with holes in their pockets.

came here on sunday just passed and the place was FULL, had such a high hopes for a wonderful night as I got recommended by a friends and family to try this place, but did not deliver in Atmosphere and service . Every thing we ordered was great with interesting flavours, fresh and presented well for a small place like this, food came out bit slower than I hoped for but been busy I can understand, as I was in the industry long time ago. but going to give 4 out of 5 for food . (not my main point)<br/><br/>But the thing I just cant get passed is the service, they tried so hard to be attentive but just did not happen, the girls who brought out the food seems very rushed and just place the food on the table with out explanation, drinks took a while to come out, even when there was 4 o n the floor. OK so it was busy I'll give it that, and well I do understand that too. but would of been nice if we got a bit more service from them.<br/><br/> In my experience if the food deliver in quality and taste, I think service should as well, but this didn't happen. So service gets 2 out of 5 <br/><br/>And to top the night off this was the most disturbing and most uncomfortable experience i ever had in a restaurant, i think it was the manager, he lost his cool, he was screaming to the girls in the kitchen and the floor staff with not a very suitable language in the restaurant, it was like watching "Hells kitchen". Don't know the full story but I feel that using the words considered to be offensive to some in the full restaurant, makes me don't want to come back, and felt so bad for the girls who works there, if that was me back in the days I would of walked off, and I feel that if the staff was non-Asian i think most people would of walked off on the spot. <br/><br/>And because of this Atmosphere gets 0 out of 5<br/><br/> <br/><br/>I'll give this place a another go maybe during a week, just because I liked the food and want to try more and may be when I do come next time I get more service with a smile.

It's a lovely place for japanese fusion.<br/><br/>While it does sit on the pricey side there are some real gems on the menu<br/><br/>The eggplant miso dish is a must if you like those elements.<br/><br/>The soba salad was too much salad. I had a garden of rocket on my plate.<br/><br/>California roll.... why can't they just make it even? Lol

Terrible value for money. Serving sizes were minuscule. While the food was alright, it was hardly exciting. Flavours were very muted. Perhaps bland would be a reasonable adjective. For $16 you received about one or two bites worth of food. Won't be returning.

I have been here 5 or 6 times over the past couple of years. Always a good experience whether the great value lunch deals or nice dinners. Highly recommended.

Went here after having post Japan holiday blues and the food here blew my mind. If you're thinking about going here- just do it! It's pricey but a very special and crazy delicious experience. I can't wait to go again, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I don't give out 5 star ratings easily ;)

The food here is excellent. As others have mentioned, this is authentic Japanese food with a modern fusion-y twist. There is a good mix of sushi/shashimi type cold meals, and cooked meat and seafood dishes. We particularly recommend the mouth-watering Very Slow Cooked Beef, and the Tuna Shashimi with a deliciously creamy spring onion/wasabi sauce. <br/><br/>As with many Japanese restaurants, this is not "cheap eats" The serving sizes are quite small, and a dinner for two will likely set you back $100 or so, not counting drinks. Come here to savour the food, not to fill up an empty stomach!

Truly a hidden gem in Balaclava /St.Kilda East, theres not many restaurants here like this. Its situated on popular Carlisle St, but slightly harder to find- just look for the light up en Izakaya sign at night. Its near tree house lounge on the corner.<br/><br/>Delicious, fresh, delicate, fine-dining like authentic Japanese food with a bit of a fusion twist, without losing the authentic Japanese flavours! We really enjoyed our night. Order a Japanese beer or some fine wine as it compliments the food!<br/><br/>Perfect place for a romantic date night with its dark and elegant interior. A really nice spot! Fine Japanese dining without the price tag! Great and hospitable service- book your table soon!

My hubby and I went for dinner at En Izakaya and had a great experience. The food was amazing, service was friendly and as first timers there we asked for recommendations and were not disappointed.<br/>We had the tuna sashimi with wasabi and pistachio dressing, braised lamb ribs and the eggplant and momen tofu. The quality and freshness of the fish was amazing, the presentation spot on and everything was very flavourful. I am a very picky customer and like to make lots of critics but could not find anything wrong with the dishes. The restaurant had a cozy, comfortable atmosphere. Not too fancy, nor too casual, a perfect place to go on a date or with friends. Dishes can be little pricy for their size, but you pay for what you get and its worth it, real quality meal.

Very nice food but unfortunately around $100 for two people, the $45 was inaccurate

This nifty little Japanese place is great. First thing to notice - the service is amazing! Staff are very polite, helpful and attentive to detail. Next, food is lovely and tasty. We are the tuna sashimi (beautiful pistachio and wasabi dressing), seaweed salad, tempura vegetables and okinomiyaki - which was the highlight! The only slight let down: decor/ambience needs a little work, as does the drinks selection. But all in all, En Izakaya is a winner.

My partner took me here for a surprise, as I love Japanese. The food was divine, and the service was lovely. They brought out each serving one at a time, with only a short wait in between, guaranteeing perfect eating. They also ensured that the serves were brought out from lightest to heaviest, meaning that we were able to enjoy our food at its best. The waitresses were very attentive and friendly, the food was delicious. Shall be coming back!

The dishes here were delectable and well presented. Our waitress recommended 4-5 dishes to share between two people which turned out to be just the right amount. Service was attentive and the decor sleek and modern. I must return one day to sample their $17 lunch set menu.

One of my favourite Jap restaurants in Melbourne! Love the food! Lovely small restaurant with a great atmosphere too!! Highly recommended!!!

Love this gem!! Consistently good and of a high standard!! Been here a few points and always walked out happy. good customer service too. Keep it up.

Really enjoyed dinner here. The tuna sashimi was exquisite, it was topped with a wasabi dressing and pistachio nuts. Delicious! We also had the dumplings, a salmon dish, wagyu beef on tofu and tempura broad beans with salmon. Everything was delightful, very fresh and full of flavour. The service was also excellent. All in all, a very pleasant dining experience. We will return for sure.

Had lunch here today and here's a brief outline of what we thought of it:<br/>- Decor/ambience: Quite good, the dining space is clean and modern, feels very comfortable and relaxed.<br/>- Food: Not overly exciting, but definitely nothing to complain about. I had the vegetarian (from the garden) lunch set while hubby had the meat (from the paddock) one. The vegetarian set was better in terms of value in my opinion, it consisted of a small soba salad, two pieces of fried tofu and an eggplant all with red miso on top, and two fried sweet potato dumplings in tempura style. Both lunch sets also included a miso soup and salad each. We liked their miso soup because it seemed to be actually home cooked instead of using instant stock miso. The meat set comprised of a beef burger patty and some chicken pieces. The presentation of all the elements was very aesthetically pleasing, great for photo-taking. They were sufficient enough for us as we had some snacks prior to coming, but people coming on an empty stomach or with big appetites might not find it fulfilling.<br/>- Service: Only one guy serving, which was enough because it wasn't too busy. He was polite and did an excellent job. <br/>As my review is only based on the lunch sets, I cannot comment on other items on the menu but the main thing is, don't come here expecting an authentic Japanese meal. The food is more of a fusion style and everything about the place is pretty westernized, from the decor, to the taste of food, even the menu is all in English with no Japanese terms. But then again, isn't fusion food the trend these days?

Great wine list and reasonable priced. I am not a huge Japanophile so cannot comment on the authenticity but the food is delicious and specials spot on. Service is efficient and friendly.

This is probably one of the very few places that you will find exceptional authentic Japanese food in Melbourne. The service is great, the food is exceptional . Make sure you try the Tofu!!!. Once you have been here you may find it hard to find a better Japanese restaurant in Melbourne.

Food was over all pretty good but no gyoza on the menu which was disapointing. Service fell below average... Staff seemed rushed and was hard to get there attention despite having 4 staff for approx 40 people. Could be a better experience. Wont be back.

Went there with two friends on 11/6. At Lunch they have these fantastic 17$ menus. I took Seafood Menu: Tuna sashimi, Salmon Fillet and Fried Salmon with Hazelnuts. Included Salad and Rice. <br/>Then we ordered á la carte a selection of sashimi.<br/>Lovely service! Suggested!

Nice food. I’ve been there several times. Food is always very nice, but they should be more careful about their rice. It’s somehow dry and yellowish. Japanese food can never be perfect without the right rice.

Delicious tilt on Japanese. Unique twist on Japanese. Too many great combinations to list. If you know your Japanese fare, give it ago - wont' dissapoint. Service was great too.

A drive through Balaclava sees us heading down Carlise Street towards St Kilda to a small trendy little Japanese restaurant for tonight’s dinner. En Izakaya, a newish and very trendy restaurant boasts a huge selection of small Japanese dishes with a modern twists. Quality ingredients, wagyu meat dishes, Hokkaido scallops to list just a few. Great meal reasonably priced for what they serve – 8/10.

Braised Otway Pork Belly is AMAZING if you like pork belly (which I love love love).Miso Pumpkin Soup was on the specials board and it's a cross-cultural experience. If you are going to this place - you really need to get into the spirit of the Izakaya - learn to share your dishes - it's like Japanese tapas or dimsum. Don't assume you will get the one dish and it's yours alone.

As you know Japanese is my favourite food, so I was so excited to stumble across a gem in Balaclava. En Izakaya is at 277 Carlisle St and has a warm atmosphere as you walk in. It wasn't a planned booking, we just walked in on a Thursday night and there was a few tables spare. The menu is designed to share, so all small plates of beautiful food in 3 groups - from the sea, garden & paddock. We began with the Sticky Rice Coated dumplings filled with chicken, prawn & ginger. I've never had dumplings like this before and from the first bite I was impressed. The rice was a unique addition to these juicy dumplings. We then had the Crispy skin chicken filled with spring onion and potato mash. These were chunky succulent pieces and the soy, mirin and garlic sauce complemented them well. The Tuna & spring onion wrapped in tofu skin and snap fried was a twist on the traditional sushi rolls. I love anything tofu, so did enjoy these delicious packages. Next up was the show stopper, the highlight of

When we arrived at 7pm, the place was less than half filled. But gradually it was fully packed as the night goes on. Did notice the crowd was made up of majority matured locals.

I have a confession to make. When En Izakaya debuted with 3 stars in Cheap Eats this year I didn't understand what the fuss was all about, but that was because I thought it was a different place on Carlisle Street. Some foodie local I am - woops! Clearly

We have eaten here several times and introduced other friends. The food is great with different takes on Japanese flavours and dishes. I love the rice dumplings and slow cooked dishes as the tastes are rich and succulent. Definitely not your average Japanese restaurant, it stands on it's own.

Great food. Went here on Valentine's Day, great food and venue. Highly recommend the pork belly and beef dish. Great place for a date, will definitely return!

One of the best Japanese restaurants about. Food is inventive, fresh and delicious. Service is attentive and the place is always very busy.

Highly recommend and the service is excellent, must visit

Quality Japanese food for the discerning palate. Developing an addiction for the tuna sashimi (with wasabi pistachio sauce, unbelievable!) and the tofu and eggplant with miso paste. A lovely matching wine list and range of sake. <br/><br/>This place is a winner. Small though - you should book.

Poor Japenese food and zero atmosphere. The tuna sashimi and Panko chicken were both huge disappointments. Thank god for the decent beer and wine. Won't be going back.

So amazing! Food was beyond good and staff were excellent. They are very accommodating to vegans and vegetarians (for vegans: just mention it to staff and they will show you specific menu items). Our favourites were the sweet potato dumplings, pork belly, and seaweed salad! 100% recommend :)

Awesome!. Third time at this restaurant and it just keeps getting better. Andy (no he's not a friend but makes a point of introducing himself) and his staff make you feel relaxed and the food is awesome. Modern take on Japanese, I suggest getting about 6 dishes for 2 people. You will be happy!

Still Great place to be.. Been here a couple of time for last 2 years or so, as we live bit far from Balaclava. This place is still one of the best Japanese restaurant in Melbourne, they offer original and interesting dishes to share, I do admit some are not my favorite but Tuna sashimi, eggplant and tofu and now our favorite dish is a new dish on the special board Wagyu beef WoW are the stand out. quality if each dish here is amazing all the seafood tast fresh, even cooked seafood like the salmon is cooked to perfection.Sake list have not changed, it would be nice to have bit more selection or even a tasting of different sake like lots of different Japanese restaurant do now. special wine on the special board is amazing, this time was a gruner veltliner, this was a one of the best wine I had,(my wife didn't thought) The beer on the Tap is nice and new haven't seen them before. And last service is good, or they try, some time they are too busy to attend to everyone but they do they best I guess. but when they do the girls are always polite with a smile. <br/>Will be back for sure when we can or in town.

From great to gruesome. Used to love this restaurant ... but, alas, they have become tired and complacent and the standards have dropped. The specials board has been the same for the past three months ... a sure sign of laziness. The food has gone from great to gruesome. The calamari dish came with two slivers of squid, swamped by a plate of rocket. When we politely pointed out that we had ordered calamari - not a plate of rocket - our dissension was greeted with outright hostility. "the chef said that's the way we always do it", the waiter said. Well, we'll do it our way as well ... we'll never go back.

Food fine but no value. Im probably biased against tapas but it seems the popular anthem for this style of food is get less, pay more. 300 dollars between five. one shared bottle of wine and left hungry.

Fantastic!. I chose En Izakaya after reading reviews on Urbanspoon and we were not disappointed.<br/><br/>Great sharing plates, we has specials of sashimi scallops, fabulously fresh sushi and sashimi with a twist, pork belly oozing flavour. <br/><br/>Lovely wine list. Great, friendly service. Loved it!

We'll be back!. Thank you for such a lovely lunch. Between the four of us we shared 8 dishes. All were beautifully presented and tasted delicious! The waiter was lovely and knowledgable, adjusting the portions served so we could all try a piece. Can't pick a favourite dish as they were all deliciously different. Definitely not your run of the mill japanese. Can't wait to come back and sample more of the menu.

Simon Beeton. This place is a gem. We discovered in our day living locally but still return now were living in Mentone. Great food, authentic atmosphere and perfect service. Keep up the great work.

Love this place!. Love this place. Personally didn't like the ox tongue but everything else was perfect . Will definitely come back!

This is my neighbourhood gem, have been going to En Izakaya regularly since it opened. Always top quality food and amazing service. Andrew (owner) and staff will always make you feel special.

Delish. Absolutely amazing. We had bar seats which was excellent - luckily we called around 6pm on a Saturday night as we got the last two spots in the joint (all bookings). Really friendly and sweet wait staff and the owner was happy to talk about his experience in the world of Melbourne izakayas. We ate lightly seared scallops from the special board, the sweet potato dumplings, "a grilled piece of salmon" (delicious), son in law tsukune and the sticky rice dumplings (my equal favourite). The two of us were quite full after that and some warm sake and cold shochu. Will be back for sure - made me want to travel to Japan, and that was the pretty toilets alone. :)

Not sure what all the fuss is about.... It's interesting, that reading the reviews, there are so many positive comments. Personally, my experience went the other way. It was my birthday and my family decided to get take away from EN Izakaya. <br/>We returned home and opened our food. We had purchased six main courses between four of us. They fit into four japanese-style obentou boxes and I literally wasn't sure if we had been given six entrees or they had left a dish or three out. When removed from the atmosphere of the Carlisle St location; from the lights, the architecture and the table service, there was nothing to shield the food itself for what it literally was. Expensive and small-portioned. It wasn't the best Japanese food I've had, it was good (granted my salmon was a little overcooked). I've lived in Japan, so I've definitely had an authentic experience to compare it with. Given the cost of this meal, and that we were all eating again an hour later, it really put a dampener on what should otherwise be a really enjoyable occasion.

Oishii Japanese. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the ox tongue. The ox tongue was perfectly cooked and is definitely one of the best I have ever tried. The sashimi was fresh and the meals were presented very nicely. The service was friendly and attentive. Will definitely be back again to try the other dishes!

Excellent Food. We really enjoyed the food here, especially the Kingfish Carpaccio. Servings are not large, as befits this style of Japanese, bit we found 4 dishes plus miso quite sufficient for two people. Service was good. Sake list is a bit limited though,and I am not a big fan of 300 ml bottles - this is an area I would like to see improved here. Would definitely return.

Absolutely love this place! Is on the dearer side for someone who has a huge appetite but it's so worth it. I highly recommend the sashimi salmon with wasabi mayo, the tofu & eggplant or pretty much anything on the menu!! You can't go wrong. Nice vibe, great staff.

Nothing to fault here. Great food and service in a warm and welcoming environment. Whole menu was good but the BBQ calamari salad was surprisingly tasty.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!. This place always hits the spot!<br/>It's a party in your mouth.

Cozy, quaint & splendid. Went for a nice family dinner and wanted to try something new. En Izakaya was perfect, from there cozy environment, beautiful crafted features, rice paper walls and food to match too. If you like Izakaya style (Japanese tapas essentially) then this is the place to go!! Food is beautifully flavored, well balanced and cooked to perfection. Soft shell crab crispy with a well balanced vinegarette and braised beef that literally melts in your mouth. And wait for it... all at a great and affordable price!!! So visit this little hidden balaclava gem, and enjoy, well worth it!!

Food, service, & atmosphere were all wonderful. Delicious enough to come back for more. Highly recommend the Tuna Sashimi, however, best to ask for the wasabi pistachio dressing on the side. Best Tuna I've had in Melbourne yet. Reasonable prices and terrific servic.

I booked this restaurant for a Sunday night at 6:30pm. I arrived a little earlier and was seated straight away. It's a very cosy place, and allowed my girlfriend and I to just chill out. It was a very good d&m atmosphere for us. <br/><br/>What did we order?<br/>- soft shell crab. 9/10 very tasty!<br/>- oysters. 10/10<br/>- pork belly. 10/10 - the meat was amazing and was surrounded in delicious sauce! <br/>- duck. 9/10 - my girlfriend loved this!<br/><br/>We would definitely return again.

I love japanese food and this place is overrated. Nice fit out and pleasant staff however the food is very very ordinary. I cannot understand why it has good reviews and it is also overpriced. <br/>Try "Machi " on Grey St. Compare the difference.

Flawless as usual. Every dish was perfect. The calamari, pork belly, the fish, the salad, the wagyu beef, the wine, the service. I love this place. When you go make sure you speak to head chef Kota! Just makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable :)

Not sure why the ratings are so high.. nice decor and staff, however only 2 of the 4 dishes we ordered were edible. trying way too hard to be unique at the expense of taste in my opinion

Sunday night been here an hour no food service is shocking can't even get a beer forget this place

Lovely, but a few reservations. Lovely atmosphere and thoughtful, tasteful decor. Charming and friendly service. The food, sometimes, lacked a bit of oomph, such as wasabi almost completely lacking in the wasabi school prawns dish, and the overemphasis on sweet in the sauce accompanying the bland spring rolls. Ox tongue was fabulous, but really needed the rather small powdered chilli on the side,. equally interesting was the vegetable stew with necessary accompanying wasabi. I get the feeling that some dishes are toned down a bit, restrained from reaching their full potential. <br/><br/>The deserts, positively, were amazing. Maybe I'm a little hyperbolic about it, but the green tea tiramisu is the best and most interesting tiramisu in the world, and the green tea and banana ice cream, with a tiny bit of offsetting dark chocolate is really, really fabulous too.

Great food & service, the sweet potato dumplings are a must!! can't wait to back!!

Respite from the generic. Izakaya s - good ones - showcase a brilliant fusion of Japanese and western flavours en izakaya is no exception. The design of the izakaya is also important to get right - identifiable by a single external hand made lantern to the comfy upholstered benches and no overbearing music to distract from the calm ambiance and well executed timber work throughout it's on the money here w non invasive service fine wine list and a menu blending a sublime combination of east/west. Downside? one important detail was missing: as it's winter there should be heavy curtains on the front windows and door to keep the cold out and ensure patrons are cozily ensconced from the outside world.

Fantastic!. We love this place! The owners and staff are so friendly and the food is always exceptional and so reasonably priced. The tuna sashimi in particular always has us wanting to return for more. Also the seaweed salad is amazing, just brimming with all different sorts of fresh tasty seaweed. And the cod, wow. Actually it's all great. Definitely go here you won't be disappointed!

The staff were very friendly indeed! However, the food was average. The sake soy marinated grilled cod was too salty had too much soy in it. The Seweed brewed vege was average too. We don't expect big portions but at least good taste. The only thing we likeed was tuna wrapped in tofu lightly fried. Overall, it was bit pricy for that taste and atmosphere.

A bit different to most Japanese restos. My partner thought it very good. I thought it ok. Servings a little on the small side and somehow I felt a little unsatisfied. Mabe its a chick food thing. Maybe it was my mood on the night.

A very authentic japanese experience. Many flavours reminded me of the more interesting dishes i ate in Japan. You probly need 3-4 dishes per person to walk out full, which wouldn't make it a cheap eat. But there is a lot of variety compared to most well priced Japanese Restuarants u find in aus. <br/>Definitely will return.

Most amazing Japanese I have ever had. Very unusual dishes and very tasty but also delicate and not too heavy. <br/>Service was faultless.

Tonight we at at En Izakaya for our son's birthday and the food was out standing. The highlights were the thinly sliced grade 9 Wagu beef served with silky tofu and the grade 9 Wagu meat ball served with sweet soy sauce. Bursting with traditional Japanese flavours and the presentation is outstanding.

Perfect service and great food. The service here was flawless. The food was divine. Portions were a little on the small side but tasted so fabulous that I didn't care.

Amazing meal!! Best in Melbourne!

Gone downhill. I've eaten here many times over the past 2 year and tonight was very disappointing. Ordered dumplings filled with sweet potato, carrot, mushroom which were very bland. Tempura salmon fritters also bland, small and over priced at $18 for 3 fried fritters. The snapper special at $17 was a very small piece of snapper on a plate, very disappointing. The tofu and eggplant dish was delicious as always and soba noodle salad light and refreshing. Sadly Left hungry and went to yo chi for dessert to fill the gap.

Great Japanese Restaurant. We had a delightful Japanese dinner here. Service was friendly and helpful, servings were ample and the pricrs reasonable. We had porkbelly, prawn and duck dishes and they were all excellent. We will return soon.

Awesome!. Fantastic service. <br/>Cute set-up.<br/>AMAZING food.<br/>Very well presented. <br/>And best of all - affordable!

Great Japanese. Went last night. Service was fantastic, staff very knowledgeable.<br/><br/>Im vegetarian and although the pickings were slim, ordered a few dishes and each of them was amazing. <br/><br/>Everybody from our party loved each of their dishes.<br/><br/>Highly recommended.

Stop don't go there. Ok - 2nd time to try this place - wow special board exactly the same as a month before - alarm bells - new special on the menu - squished sardines - no wait that was me crammed into our seats so close to the next table that I felt sure to be getting an invite to Passover. Another wow never had sashimi of octopus - wait that's the raw bit in the calamari salad we ordered - over priced and servings so small you would be sure it was 1942 and war rations are in place. NEVER AGAIN!!!