The best Beef in Balaclava | Sluurpy updated in May

En Izakaya

91/100 (970 ratings)

Restaurants

Japanese

Asian

Japanese

Asian

Vegetarian Friendly

Dinner

Lunch

Tuna

Salmon

Prawns

Tempura

Fish

Sashimi

Beef

Eggplant

Salad

Crab

Sit down

Japanese

Asian

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Dinner

Lunch

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

Ilona Staller

91/100 (926 ratings)

Restaurants

Australian

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Dinner

Lunch

Meatballs

Croquettes

Beef

Pasta

Duck

Risotto

"We were really looked after well. The food was superb, as was the company. Thank you Jessica van Nooten for an amazing lunch, every dish just perfect..."

Helen Hill

"A menu to delight all tastes. Friendly, and attentive staff and a fantastic relaxed atmosphere. Could not find fault with this place and would..."

Tamara Hickman

"Never disappoints. Have eaten there on many occasions, both for lunch and dinner. Order the Twice baked Crab Soufflé with Prosecco velouté (on..."

Lys Tildesley

"A great place for a drink and or dinner. Staff are a amazing food and service is excellent. This should be a must visit on everyone's..."

Di Lederman

"Fantastic steak as per👍👍love this place never disappoints👏👏the staff are soo..."

Joy Flynn Mrocki

"We have been to Sunday lunch twice and loved it. Pastas perfect -- Bombe heaven -- Expresso Martini for my partner hit the spot -- waiter a gem. Do..."

Jon Laing

"Another great dinner at Ilona Staller. Our birthday celebration party of eight enjoyed the 3 course chef’s choice menu and the food was delicious..."

Jacqui Bridge

"I love this restaurant - the staff are fabulous and they are warm, hospitable and provide great service! The food is brilliant and the wines..."

Kristina Lan

"Great food and brilliant service! Just perfect! Lovely waiter (I guess I can't say waitress) who was incredibly helpful and knew exactly what we..."

Catherine O'Shannassy

"I had my birthday lunch there on Sunday for 28 people , I can't speak highly enough of the restaurant , the food ,and the staff. A very enjoyable day..."

Ken Pickersgill

"To the amazing staff at Ilona Staller, thank you so much for making my birthday the best! The food was delicious, the room looked amazing and the..."

Chelsea Brooks

"I took my Mum yesterday for her birthday. We have such a lovely meal. I had the Oriechette which was absolutely divine. The staff were friendly,..."

Karen Hough

"Thanks everyone for another lovely evening at Ilona Slaller, it's one of our favourite restaurants in Melbourne. The staff are wonderful, the food..."

Dean Bowen

"Ilona Staller is located in the Art Deco building on the corner of Carlisle and Nelson Street in Balaclava. This is a lovely spot for a fun casual..."

Melbourniancritic (The Melbourne Experience)

"What a great place for a drink. The service was excellent! The staff were great and the barman, fantastic.I really felt like I was in a..."

Timinmelbourne

"One of my favorite local places, which has fabulous in season food, and amazing service, such a great quality experience all around. It always..."

Cherie Carmody

"I had a barramundi, not life changing but very nice. Excellent service and bread and butter at the table as a starter. Nice decor. Would return...."

Jumpingjojo99

"Have been here a few times over the years. Lovely resteraunt. Quality food, everything was pleasant from the sides to the dessert. Would reccomend...."

Johnny

"The food is always very good, and the service assured, friendly but professional. Everytime I've been there (and I've been there lots), I've always..."

Bellyporking

"The service was fabulous and generous. Food was also great and typical. Decor could be lacking a bit in creativity but its bright and positive...."

Jeeth John

"Celebrated our anniversary here tonight and it was amazing!!! Best crispy pork belly i have ever had! Attentive staff, great food, cosy ambiance:..."

Big Fat Layer

"We had set menu and it was great! Everything was yam , no complains whatsoever! Just the waitress that was interrupting every minute thru the..."

Food Lover

"My mum had her 60th here last year. This review is very overdue. Dom was fantastic. She sat down with my mum and made sure everything was planned..."

Yum

"Booked 16 people here for my birthday last week. The staff went beyond & above my expectations to ensure that everyone was happy. Had one of the best..."

IrenaGro

"Nice cozy little place have been here a few times the service is great and the food is also great I especially loved the stuff zucchini flowers it..."

Paul Delaney

"We attended a private function here and were so impressed with not only the food but the staff were just wonderful. Nothing was too much trouble and..."

EmmDee

"Very nice restaurant. Stopped here for an impromptu dinner with local fans of the restaurant. I had the beef cheeks which were absolutely superb. ..."

Two Sheds

"Wonderful, quirky ambience for private functions upstairs, and always accommodating (even with [well behaved] children) downstairs. Sometimes the..."

Stephen Harrison

"My favourite special family occasion spot, and dinner with the 'girls' spot. The service is charming and friendly 90% of the time. The food is..."

Emma Leslie

"5/5 - The most beautiful lunch today!! My new fave area in St Kilda East - so much to choose from and a lot of hidden gems like this. You'd..."

ToorakM

"I would give it a 3.7!Not my first time here but this time the food was more delicious! I had the lunch special - minute steak with chips ! Wow..."

Suburb Review

"Been here a few times. A restaurant in a cosy setting, with modest fresh food. The servings aren't massive but what you do eat is generally cooked to..."

Foodisgood

"I was here a couple of weeks ago for a birthday. I typically come with the family for the 'Steak and Shiraz night' on Mondays. This includes a yummy..."

Kim

"Went last night for my Birthday, food was very nice, highly recommend. Entree was tuna carpaccio, main barramundi and dessert pannacotta. Loved..."

Littleguy11

"Went here for dinner last night and was impressed. Absolutely beautiful decor and architecture, the bar is an impressive centrepiece feature in the..."

Biting Mammal

"Outstanding on every level. Brilliant service. A ridiculously delicious menu, The steak melts in your mouth and their pasta specials are always ..."

Macfoodie

"A lunch disappointment. I returned for lunch ( after a great dinner at the restaurant a year earlier) and expected a wonderful lunch with..."

Mike B

"Amazing! Staff are wonderful and the food? Omg!! Seriously..."

Carla Warren

"Great food and service. Had the $15 lunch special which was a bargain. This is the sister restaurant to Cicciolina. Tried to book there but phone was..."

Susan

"Never Disappoints. What can I say, but this is one of my favourite places for lunch or dinner in Melbourne. When arranging a catch up with friends, I..."

Bella Ramsay

"Went here for a birthday dinner and was immediately greeted by friendly staff wishing happy birthdays. Ordered entrées tonight and I had the..."

Chlma

"What sensational food! Had tagliatelle with lamb ragout it was sublime! As was others in my parties..."

Morts

"Best Restaurant around. Absolutely amazing, I can't get enough of this place, every dish is so divine, the service is impeccable and the wine list is..."

Jules

"Happy Customers.. Service was good, we had the $35 lunchtime meal and it was delicious. The steak was tender and the fish soup very tasty. A very..."

Stefaniac

"Monday night dinner was absolutely delicious, the wine was superb and the service..."

Carlisle

"Amazing eye fillet and truffle mash- and I'm very fussy about my..."

Caz

"We had a function for 12 people and were treated to lovely service, absolutely delicious food and wine and an all round amazing time. Staff were so..."

Tlfern

"Just come home from a very enjoyable dinner!.Awesome food, very good service!best service received in Melbourne so..."

Neil

"Can be excellent value. We went on a Monday when gorgeous oysters are two dollars each and perfect steak and a glass of shiraz is $25. Will..."

Feeding_frenzy

"Delicious. Went there with my family for my birthday. My mum said "best steak in a long time", and the rest of us finished our pastas with big grins...."

Kyles0

"Great dining experience. “Went there with my wife and another couple. For all of us, our whole dining experience was superb. What has particularly..."

Davinacharles

"Exceptional service and wonderful food. I went to Ilona Staller with my family to celebrate my graduation. Firstly, I was very pleased that I could..."

Julia Eats Melbourne

"Fabulous!. We eat here quite a bit, both with and without our kids. The food, wine and service is consistently fantastic. All the floor staff are..."

Honey Mouse

"Great service and excellent food. Very satisfied! Yum yum..."

Tasty Tucker

"Came here tonight for my birthday and loved the food. To be really honest the service could do with a polish for the price but it wasn't bad. The..."

JJ77

"Yes yes yes. My fave restaurant by far. Always great welcoming homely service and food always perfection. Love it..."

Andrew Jones

"I had dinner here last night and once again it was a complete winner. The trout entree is amazing and the lamb both my partner and I had was..."

Foodie B

"Love. Shame they don't do weekend breakfast anymore, was far superior to the others nearby, better value and no..."

Jim Toast

"Delicious!!. I have been a Cicciolina fan for a long time. This week for the first time we went to Illona Staller. Once again the chef Virginia got..."

Vic King

"Love this place, a bit expensive so wouldn't be going there all that often but the food was..."

L_b_c_e

"My local. I love Ilona Staller, and always return for the stalwarts on the menu and the ever changing specials. Spag Mazza is a winner, as are all of..."

She Who Eats

"Love this place. Where's the love button? Best food and service on Carlisle..."

Musicagentsaustralia

"Great service, good food. The service at this restaurant is first class. The food is of a very high standard. They were doing breakfast up until a..."

Vickibonbon

"Impressed. Took the hubby here for Valentines day dinner upon several recommendations from friends & family and we were beyond impressed.I had..."

Jackie Dzienciol

"You just know its going to be good. I really thought I'd done a review for the first time we visited Cicciolina's sister in Balaclava in January but..."

Carmilla5

"Just divine!. AMAZING food and service. Simple, clean food and fresh, exciting flavours. Professional staff, always makes for a great..."

Bluebird

"Great!. Hands down one of my best restaurant expiriences..."

Kevin O

"Balaclava magic. I went here on Wednesday night, keen to back up my fabulous experience last week at Illona's sister restaurant Cicciolina in St..."

Amanda McConnell

"Faultless, flawless, impeccable, the perfect dining experience. From the polite, friendly, attentive but perfectly professional waiter to the to die..."

Cali33

"My favorite resturant. I love this place! The staff are always super friendly and switched on, the decor is stylish ( I love the 1970s chicken..."

ParisKat

"Great. Love this place. Really relaxing and conformable atmosphere. Good service and great food (generous too). Will definitely be back for..."

Ben Quick

"Absolutely fabulous. From the minute we arrived, the service was fantastic. Our super friendly and attentive, fun waiter Jonky was outstanding and..."

Arlie

"Up late an just great. My girlfriend an i rocked up at 9.45 after i had finished working, from the moment we entered to the moment we left it was an..."

Micka Lomonaco

"Been here a couple of times and both times have just been fabulous. Great food great service, love..."

Clive Smith

"Crowd pleaser. I love it everytime I come here. Its relaxed and un-pretentious. The food is always tasty and well executed. A good old fashioned..."

Jeff

"An awesome venue. We increased our numbers at the last minute and the restaurant was very accomodating. Our waiter was very funny and the service was..."

Dee

"Nice. For dessert I implore you to try the Creme a la Coeur. It will blow your mind.Tonight was my 4th visit to Ilona Staller in 7 months..."

MrJonahK

"Local gem. I love this place, the food is great the service excellent....... what else can I..."

Jazz

"Have had dinner at this restaurant several times. I ate the fabulous rib eye steak and it was cooked perfectly. I had a wonderful waitress serve..."

Vasilios Donoudis

"Great food and service! After a truly horrible experience at Tulum. We had a pleasant dinner here. The staff were very friendly and happy. Always..."

Robbie Sewell

"The service was fabulous and generous. Food was also great and typical. Decor could be lacking a bit in creativity but its bright and positive...."

Jeeth John

"Excellent food. Very reasonably priced for the quality. Friendly and helpful..."

Hayden Fung

"Beautiful decoration, great ambience and friendly efficient service. Everything we had was perfectly cooked and amazingly tasty. Almost impossible to..."

Rob Jack

"Great food, atmosphere and service..."

Breanna smith

"Loved it - dinner was awesome, all the food was excellent - cocktails and dessert were all special..."

Jane Foreman

"Really really friendly great staff. They made the family I was with exceptionally welcome, bringing out colouring material for the children, never..."

Jerome Santamaria

"Me and my partner love this place! They have a great selection of food and drinks on their menu. Food is excellent and staff are very friendly and..."

Reset

There are 3 restaurants

Cuisine

Dietary restrictions

Meals

Structure

Dishes

Best Beef in Balaclava

Ranking

Sort A-Z

near you

Filters

Lozza MW

Pierre

Li Lisa

Hello. Imnikki

Marychaann

Two Sheds

Kleistors

Sianyj90

Daniel

Bicksar

Marcela Badim Rocha Lima

Maggie

Sam Difference

Hithere

Maddi

Love2Eat

Jessica Smith

Maria Williamson

Jake

World In A Bite

Daniel Cohen

The Breakfast Bandit

Kayla Stacey

Benjamin.white.1986

Lindy Lang

MrsChoosy

Mat’s Munchies

Hector Adams

Jeremy K

Lisa

Emily

Good Food Reviewer

Dashy

Daizele Gayle Gabriel-Valencia

Shauliko

Andrew Goldsmith

Cameron

Mac Smerdon

Vangelis Stamatopoulos

Phil

Andrea Pagani

Jacqueline Celeste Puglisi

Suburb Review

Madeline McKenzie

Elizabeth Sutherland

Two Sheds

Jeremy Koadlow

Ayushi Mukherji

Julien Vincent

Helena Klapas

Ory

Vincent Huynh

Jose Carlos Lopez de Romaña

Melbourne Lifestyle Blog

Lily Steiner

M.

.itadakimasu~

MF

Eating Sushi

Flying Forward

Cynthia Giang

Nelly

Droolfactor

Dave Pham

BonBonV

Lozza MW

Samantha

@twogoodtoresist