Asian cuisine: the best places to taste it in Balaclava

En Izakaya

91/100 (970 ratings)

Restaurants

Japanese

Asian

Vegetarian Friendly

Japanese

Asian

Vegetarian Friendly

Dinner

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Beef

Eggplant

Salad

Crab

Tuna

Salmon

Prawns

Tempura

Fish

Sashimi

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Japanese

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Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Dinner

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Mid-range

"Hidden along the quieter end of Carlisle Street in Balaclava, this Japanese eatery could easily be missed. Promoting itself as modern Japanese, En..."

Melbourne Lifestyle Blog

"I have been coming here for years and just realised I have never written a well deserved 5 star review. This is a quiet, smaller..."

Lily Steiner

"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..."

M.

"Had the following dishes:Tuna and spring onion yuba – The raw tuna seems to be partially minced with finely diced spring onion, wrapped..."

.itadakimasu~

"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..."

MF

"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..."

Eating Sushi

"Venue - it's a cosy venue with tables a little close together. Some Japanese features and architecture (like heading to the bathroom) scattered..."

Flying Forward

"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..."

Cynthia Giang

"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..."

Nelly

"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..."

Droolfactor

"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..."

Dave Pham

"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...."

BonBonV

"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..."

Lozza MW

"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 !!..."

Samantha

"Absolutely love this restaurant! Modern Japanese tapas is delicious!!! This quaint little restaurant serves up the most interesting and tasty food...."

@twogoodtoresist

"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..."

Check Please

"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..."

Foodinfocusz

"Very chilled vibe. Came in at 4:30pm and were the only ones here. Food came out at a reasonable pace and was absolutely top notch. A little bit..."

Jack

"It's a lovely place for japanese fusion.While it does sit on the pricey side there are some real gems on the menuThe eggplant..."

.xLngo

"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..."

Paul

"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..."

Custard Queen

"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..."

Markmulcair

"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..."

Emilia

"This nifty little Japanese place is great. First thing to notice - the service is amazing! Staff are very polite, helpful and attentive to detail...."

Brungiel

"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..."

Ashleigh Paul

"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..."

DAMMIT JANET I LOVE FOOD

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

Jack

"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...."

Jl

"Really enjoyed dinner here. The tuna sashimi was exquisite, it was topped with a wasabi dressing and pistachio nuts. Delicious! We also had the..."

Netty

"Had lunch here today and here's a brief outline of what we thought of it:- Decor/ambience: Quite good, the dining space is clean and modern,..."

Kimmy_desu

"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..."

Edward Schweitzer

"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..."

Kirbz-t

"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..."

Maurice Bisaccia

"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..."

Kefalonica

"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..."

Shanton

"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..."

Cltyw

"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..."

What's For Tea

"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..."

Tanya Lee

"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..."

Michelle Flanagan

"Highly recommend and the service is excellent, must..."

Will

"Quality Japanese food for the discerning palate. Developing an addiction for the tuna sashimi (with wasabi pistachio sauce, unbelievable!) and the..."

Angie St Kilda

"So amazing! Food was beyond good and staff were excellent. They are very accommodating to vegans and vegetarians (for vegans: just mention it to..."

Molly

"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..."

Foodiejs72

"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!..."

Sarah

"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..."

Simon B

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

"This is my neighbourhood gem, have been going to En Izakaya regularly since it opened. Always top quality food and amazing service. Andrew (owner)..."

Brunchlover

"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..."

Feeding_frenzy

"Oishii Japanese. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the ox tongue. The ox tongue was perfectly cooked and is definitely one of the best..."

Hungry Hippo

"Excellent Food. We really enjoyed the food here, especially the Kingfish Carpaccio. Servings are not large, as befits this style of Japanese, bit we..."

Babyboomer

"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..."

Hungry Little Hippo

"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..."

Matt

"LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!. This place always hits the spot!It's a party in your..."

BetterbeWTC

"Cozy, quaint & splendid. Went for a nice family dinner and wanted to try something new. En Izakaya was perfect, from there cozy environment,..."

FrequentDiner28

"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..."

AJ

"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...."

Mike Hunt

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

Shane

"Respite from the generic. Izakaya s - good ones - showcase a brilliant fusion of Japanese and western flavours en izakaya is no exception. The design..."

Artfutures

"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..."

Siobhán Jones

"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..."

NDAJ

"Most amazing Japanese I have ever had. Very unusual dishes and very tasty but also delicate and not too heavy. Service was..."

Rosalyn Gladwin

"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..."

Kim Hennig

"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..."

C_bright

"Amazing meal!! Best in..."

Sam Lynch

"Great Japanese Restaurant. We had a delightful Japanese dinner here. Service was friendly and helpful, servings were ample and the pricrs reasonable...."

Grome

"Awesome!. Fantastic service. Cute set-up.AMAZING food.Very well presented. And best of all -..."

Louise Miles-Hallal

"Great Japanese. Went last night. Service was fantastic, staff very knowledgeable.Im vegetarian and although the pickings were slim, ordered..."

Jason

"Excellent menu and fusion of modern and traditional Japanese cuisine. Great for sharing. Well presented and good balance of flavours..."

Nicholas Bowman (Online Game Time)

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

Paul R

"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...."

Fabian Yanez

"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,..."

Ryo Sekine

"Great little Japanese Izakaya. Plenty of options to choose from. Great flavour, but as this is Japanese style tapas, portions are small. Price wise,..."

foodandtravelbyretta

"Authentic Japanese atmosphere, service and outstanding menu,..."

John W Newey

"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......."

Madison

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

Marietta Univaso Navarrete

Saigon Street Eats

89/100 (868 ratings)

Quick Bites

Asian

Vegetarian Friendly

Asian

Soups

Vietnamese

Vegan Options

Vietnamese

Vegetarian Friendly

Vegan Options

Dinner

Lunch

Pho

Café

Soups

Vietnamese

Asian

Takeout

Seating

Wheelchair Accessible

Dinner

Lunch

Cheap Eats

"A place that caters for singles or couples but not large groups. Just when I was craving for a warm soup dish after a long day at work, this place..."

Foodie Musketeer

"Best Vietnamese in the area for sure! The staff are great, they always treat us in such a friendly, warm manner. The restaurant is cute and cosy,..."

Ashleigh Michelle

"So great to find a casual Vietnamese place with vegan options! My dad and I shared some dumplings to start, which were delicious, and we each had a..."

Always Hungry

"We had to pick up some fresh oysters from a chef friend of ours in St Kilda and this place was on the way, so we thought why not.We shared..."

Jojo Armani

"It’s a big call but I think this is the best pho I have ever had. I ordered from Uber eats so I can’t say anything about the service but it was..."

Haley

"Love this place. Many great options for vegans which is ideal. The pho wasn’t too salty, I’m salty enough so this was rad. Great service..."

Lilly Hooper

"Beautiful contrast of texture, flavor and temperature. The pork was grilled perfectly, tender, juicy and full of flavor that’s so deep into the..."

Ferry Gondo

"Oh my goodness. The Banh Mi was absolutely delicious, the mix of pickled vegetables with the warm chicken and delicious sauce was just divine. Plus,..."

Suzie

"Amazing food! Ordered a buhn, chicken wings and pho! Delicious, pocket friendly, food for the soul. The staff too is very friendly! ☺️ keep it up..."

HogUp

"I really enjoyed the mushroom and tofu pho I got delivered off Deliveroo! And this is coming from an avid meater. Loved it. Super keen to try some..."

Kiki

"Brilliantly Fresh ! The wonky tables and chairs added to the ambience . Looking forward to trying out the rest of their menu .The Pho is..."

Zac A Christofas

"The bun with grilled chicken is delicious! Pho is so so ... I wouldn’t say it’s that authentic 🤷🏻‍♀️Service and atmosphere..."

World In A Bite

"We eat at Saigon all the time and love it, whether its a quick chicken Bahn Mi takeaway for lunch or a noodle soup or spring roll salad for dinner...."

Pranks SAHA

"Simple fresh easy to takeaway. Prawn spring rolls are good. They accept card payments for any price which is unusual and helpful. Interiors need an..."

Claire Hannah

"Hands down the BEST little Vietnamese joint I have ever set foot in ! Everything was fresh AF and the PHO was off the chart amazing. The..."

Hunter Ford

"This is our favourite local takeaway to get when we don't feel like cooking. I regularly get the Crispy tofu papaya slaw and the Pho. The food is..."

Tara-Lee Mitchell

"Delicious food! Friendly and hospitable service! Felt like I was on the streets of Saigon! Their pho is to die for, and the spring rolls ain't too..."

Bonnie Lee

"Delicious food (including vegan pho, banh mi and other options), friendly staff and a pleasant atmosphere. I often come here with my partner and we..."

Cliff Fuller

"A tiny Vietnamese restaurant with limited seats and service. We were left standing there while figuring out how to get the food. The waitress just..."

Saladzzz

"I too usually go down to Springvale for my usual pho fix, but I know when I'm strapped for time and have a pho craving this will now be my local go..."

Food-is-life

"I went into Saigon Street Eats on Sunday night for a take away chicken pho and was absolutely blown away! The Pho was so so delicious and flavourful,..."

Gemma Ernst

"I rate this food! The bun and pho are delicious and fresh and the staff were lovely and accommodating for the large number of us that flocked in...."

Kelly F

"Absolutely love this place! Such good pho and vermicelli noodle salads! Everything is super fresh and tasty as well as very reasonably priced! Great..."

@twogoodtoresist

"Can't fault this place, YUM!! Usually go for a Pho fix down Springvale, so happy I found this little piece of Vietnam on Carlisle St!I..."

Se4no's Kitchen

"Actually the BEST place in Melbourne for PHO.... Hands down. Since I found this place, not a single week had gone by that I don't come..."

Kyle Trenbaum

"We ordered a heap of little things to try - chicken wings, rice paper rolls, spring roll, banh mi and prawn dumplings. It was all good! The highlight..."

Piggy Pigstar

"Saigon street eats catered for my son's 21st with pork buns, chicken buns, rice paper rolls and chicken skewers with all the delicious sauces...."

Charles O'Sullivan

"Great for casual eats - staff were friendly, the food was fresh & delicous. Had beef vermicelli noodle & prawn dumplings... so good! Definitely..."

Jonno Quieros

"I usually get Pho from Victoria Street but it's not the easiest place to commute from my place. I was so surprised that the Pho was so good and..."

Kasy

"Great food and service. The beef and beef balls noodles, chicken noodles and fried spring rolls are great. The soup is so good for a cold day. Love..."

Crystal Koh

"Casual, fresh, extremely delicious Vietnamese vegan options including vegan tofu rice paper rolls, vegan spring rolls (ask for no carrot dipping..."

HonestCharley

"I seem to have developed a bit of a Pho addiction the last few days! 🤔 Must be this cold weather ❄ Shiitake mushrooms and tofu with extra..."

Clare S

"When I can't be bothered cooking this is my go to place. Fresh, flavoursome and cheap. Recommend it to all my friends and family. Its cash only, my..."

Ihoward

"Hole in the wall Vietnamese take away shop. Generous servings for an extremely low price point... my $13 vermicelli noodle bowl was enough for two..."

TheSkinnyFoodie

"I looove this place! Pho is delicious, the beef balls are the best I've come across - so full of flavour! Have also tried the spring rolls, chicken..."

Kikadee

"Double D-Licious!!!!!! Sorry Victoria Street...you're fired! I came in sick, tired and alone and the staff were so lovely and insisted I take a seat..."

Whitney Spears

"Great vermicelli in the pho, salads and spring rolls.The lunch specials are simply amazing.The pho broth is flavourful, but not too heavy..."

Laura P

"Really tasty, unassuming Vietnamese. Everything on the menu is fresh, tasty and served in generous quantities - the Bun is especially tasty. If..."

Wilsonwilson

"Best place to get pho in St Kilda east. Always consistently good food and service. Friendly staff and good variety menu. Would highly recommend...."

Manny Fab

"Fairly decent pho, huge servings and the team are super friendly. Fresh and light ingredients, always consistent. Would be great if they delivered as..."

Stace Bianca Lenthall

"Decent Vietnamese food in Balaclava! Lightly flavoured- not too heavy. The lunch deals are great value for what you get! The staff are really..."

Suburb Review

"My husband and I recently ordered some catering from Saigon street eats for his birthday. The food was a massive hit and the service was great. Kim..."

Rio Stern

"Very good pho and vermicelli salads! I keep coming back for more because it is always delicious, cheap and fast. Would be helpful if they got eftpos..."

Jessica Smith

"Located in busy Balaclava, this little eatery is now a local favourite of ours for a quick meal. Good Pho and Vermicelli Salads as well as a..."

John Hockey

"Impressive takeaway options. Rice paper rolls and spring rolls particularly impressive. All other dishes very fine. Liked the service too. Very..."

Two Sheds

"Nice fresh Viet food with a good vibe that I'll be going back for. The Banh Mi are right up there. Other payment methods other than cash would be..."

Michael

"This is the best pho on Chapel St and pretty competitive on the whole-of-Melbourne pho scene too. With Saigon Street Eats it's a case of what..."

Yoni Meinrath

"This place is fairly small and isn't particularly ambient, although it's not stark either. The staff are friendly and welcoming, the price is right,..."

Kate

"Fresh, friendly, tasty and cheap. What else do you want from a local favourite? But needs to start accepting other payment methods than..."

Vadim Gribov

"Small restaurant but good to just have a quick bite for lunch or dinner. I ordered the cup of pho and rice paper rolls. The cup of pho was the..."

Steph

"Great food, very tasty and healthy. Great price, very good for the size of the dishes and the area. Nice casual atmosphere, I'll be back for more..."

Emily Macdonald

""Where's Saigon?""Vietnam.""Oh so it would make sense that they have Vietnamese street food.""Yes, it would make sense.". LOL at the time when my..."

ARTACOeats

"Great location and super busy which says it all really!! Fresh and tasty fare typical of Vietnamese cuisine and friendly, enthusiastic staff. Will..."

Foodinfocusz

"A great restaurant. This restaurant can beat any Victoria St place! Am a regular here. The prices are reasonable with plenty of meat and good broth..."

Maximus

"Got the Grilled chicken Bun here sometime last year and it was really good. Normally I only go to Indochine for Bun but loved it here. The service..."

Vinny

"I recently moved in the area and this was the first place I dined to. This place is usually busy and no wonder why! Cheap eats but very delicious...."

Faye

"I have searched high and low for a great southside pho and I finally think I've found it. lovely clean broth full of flavour. will surely become a..."

Yaya

"Delicious Pho!. So impressed with the Pho at this joint. I felt compelled to write a review as it's the best I've had in Melbourne. The chicken was..."

In-Ma-Belly

"Delicious, cheap food. The pho was incredibly tasty and for $5 for a take away pho - it was a bargain. Staff are also very nice!Rice..."

I Love Food

"Best viet food in st kilda. This place is great - simply a warm, friendly, very reasonably priced eatery that also serves great quality, tasty food...."

Fletcher Le Tet

"Great place!. Visited this evening on the recommendation of a friend. The pho was really good, a great depth of flavour and a decent serve. Staff..."

Perez

"Decent food. The food is really good and there is definitely an authentic feel. The staff are lovely but perhaps a little inattentive. The decor..."

Caity_d

"Pho to die for!. I'm a big fan of Pho and I have to say, this place have nailed it! I'm a little sensitive to MSG and after eating a large bowl of..."

Foodninja

"Amazing Vietnamese food! Will be back. I've been living in St Kilda for years and I often frequent Victoria Street for Vietnamese food, but so happy..."

Yomamafrozenyoghurt

"Loved it! Cheap, no fuss, delicious home cooked Vietnamese with very generous servings! :) very happy..."

Melza912

"Welcome addition to Carlisle Street.. Had the spring rolls for lunch the other day and they were really nice and filling. Will go back and try other..."

Jef

"Came for dinner Friday night. Great to see the small place busy. Seating is a little squashy but staff very friendly and super polite. Had mixed..."

Emma Leslie

"Quick and authentic. Great new little restaurant on Carlisle. Had the chicken wings and chicken pho. Both were very nice. Only complaint is at $8 for..."

Ryan Miranda

"Authentic beef noodle soup and mouth watering spring rolls - a must try!. Visited Saigon Street Eats today for lunch with my husband. Great to see an..."

Slitteri.aus

"Cheap place with really good food for overwhelmed weeknights, etc. No alcohol. Superbly flavoured broth. Fresh and textural everything. Kept a bag..."

Emilie

"I currently have to restrict dairy and soy from my diet (breastfeeding an allergic baby) and the team at Saigon Street Eats went over and above to..."

Alexandra Gill

"Very decent pho, comparable to the ones in Footscray, Richmond or Springvale. The soup was tasty and full bodied. The beef was nice and..."

Tricia Ho

"I had lunch combo A for $18 (Bahn Mi, spring rolls and pho cup) and I have to say wow! So delicious and friendly staff. I would definitely come back!..."

Will Kim

"Love the dumpling soup. The vegan broth is full of flavour but not as salty as many others. We eat here..."

Vanessa Hutchinson

"Ordered the cup size pho while my husband ordered the Large size pho. This is the best pho we have so far! The portion is..."

Binh Nguyen

"The food is great but EVERY time I get the Pho takeaway they don't include the sauces and even the leaves, lemon same chili.. So disappointing when..."

Michele Phyman

"Lovey Vietnamese food and affordable. Really worth it and good for all to come..."

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