Review Ebi Fine Foods - Footscray

Great fish and chips, nice crispy batter that isn't too thick. Fish tastes fresh and flavourful. Owner is very friendly. One of the kids serving can be a little shy serving customers, but they'll sort you out ;)

Food: Great quality! Great variety! Service: Exceptional people. Lovely staff, very friendly and accommodating. Location: Main road, with plenty of parking around, Outdoor seating available. Value: The bento boxes may seem a little pricey, however they're definitely worth it for the quality and size. Summary: Rumours were flying around. Original Japanese owners have left the shop to new management that don't deliver. However upon first visit, we were impressed by the service. Perhaps just to build up the rating? However it has been very consistent and the owner is super nice. She has a keen eye for fussy customers and make improvements as soon the opportunity arises. For example, a customer complained about the standard miso soup that had been serving for a while, which was immediately upgraded to a higher quality recipe as soon as this happened. Will return, and can't wait to see what they bring out next!

I used to come here about 5 years ago and loved the food then, and still do. Recently had the fish bento (twice!) and miso soup, both delicious, and great serving size of fish. The tofu cheesecake (based on iron chef recipe) is very smooth 👌🏼

Fabulous Bento Box. I did a take away prawn with teriyaki and it was wonderful. Crunchy salad and pickles. Lots of prawns and other yummy sides. Highly recommend

We loved our delicious sushi platter last week! Thanks for your time and attention to detail in preparing it. Highly recommended!

Small Japanese take-away place with just a couple of indoor and outdoor tables for dining-in. Lunch time sushi and bento boxes are way above average Melbourne quality and excellent value.

Always good. They seem busy at dinner time although so they never let us wait over 20mins. Impressive! Fast service, delicious pork belly bento❤️ I always have the pork belly bento when I'm lazy to cook but want to have nutritious delicious meal. Love it 💜 and my partner loves Katsu curry, I love their salmon sushi rolls too❤️

Had 2 Bento boxes takeaway, duck and teriyaki chicken. They were hardly Japanese flavours, in fact each box had a Vietnamese pork ball while the chicken was just 'grilled chicken'. The workers were speaking Vietnamese, so clearly is Japanese food cooked with Vietnamese influence, not exactly what I was after. The worst part was the duck had an off smell and taste, had to throw out.

Lovely people and food! Highly recommend the wagyu! �

We have been to the restaurant twice and twice have been impressed with the quality of the food and friendly services. Have had the waygu bento box and salt & pepper squid and they were fresh and delicious! We will be coming back and recommending to friends and family.

Most delicious Fish 'n Chips I've ever had! The people are so lovely as well which makes a huge difference. It's only a takeaway but it does have two bench seats and tables outside and two small tables inside plus seating for six or so at the counter. Salads are divine, I always love my fish battered, their batter is so light and crisp, and eaten with the pickled veggies they really cut through any grease, not that there was much to talk about! A lovely experience, full marks for numerous Veggie friendly choices as well!

Great food again tonight, fish was wonderful. Sadly the chips were a little over done but still all good.

Lovely people and delicious food. You saved me tonight - thank you!

Wonderful, friendly staff and delicious food! Thanks guys!

Amazing!!! Lovely friendly staff & great food. Had my first chicken curry katsu here and blown away by how delicious it is! Husband says it's the best one he's ever had. DEFINITELY coming back!

Got a flyer in the mail and decided to try Ebi. I was really hoping it would be delicious as I love japanese food I was pretty disappointed all round. I suppose you get what you pay for. Unfortunately I will not be going back there and think there would be better else where.

We love Ebi! BEAUTIFUL food, beautiful staff. Even our fussy toddlers approve! Thanks so much. x

Excellent food! All staffs are super friendly. Will come back very soon.

Hi john please put 12 of each big and small candles aside for me cheers susy

I love ebbi, the best Japanese in this side of town!

I am a regular customer of Ebi but last Saturday I went in & advised that my wife is Allergic to Soy and asked if they could make something without any Soy. They said the tonkatsu was soy free so she ordered that. After having a few bites if rice she noticed the rice had sprinkles on it and was worried it was made from soy!!! We called Ebi and they said yes it was. Seriously Ebi how idiotic can you be! We checked with you and you then add a soy additive! My wife was violently I'll for the next 48 hours. When a customer tells you of an allergy you MUST TAKE it seriously. What if she had an anaphylactic shock and died! Beyond stupid is the least I can say about Ebi & it's staff. Not happy at all.

Excellent food,service and yes japanese feel.

The food is just the best no matter what you get.

Some of the best Japanese I’ve had in Melbourne. It’s truly authentic <br/>Like the food you would get in a local shop in the suburbs of Osaka. <br/>Keep it up Ebi !!!

We loved 😍<br/>This is one of our favourite local Japanese places. This is a family run business and the owners are also super friendly when we come here, my favourite dish would be the katsudon or Japanese curry. They also have very daily specials!<br/><br/>We disliked 😖<br/>Nothing really !

We are so so happy that this cute little local Japanese joint exists! And our fussy 9 month old has also given them his tick of approval!<br/>First of all this place is very cosy so call ahead to reserve a spot if you want to dine in. We ordered pretty much everything on the tapas menu which was delicious but the standout for me would be the crab croquettes (which the little one smashed down two on his own) and the panko oysters! For mains we highly recommend the bimbambap and the chicken katsu curry. This place is def bang for your buck! Can't wait to come back and try everything else!

had the 3 fish bento box<br/>food is cooked well<br/>if you are in the area, definitely give it a try!<br/>there’s no much seating around - it’s like an old fish & chip shop fit out

Ebi Fine Food is the definition of a hidden gem! The last thing you would expect to find in a small suburban strip around the corner from the Western Hospital is a hybrid Japanese restaurant and gourmet fish and chippery.....it almost feels like a dream!<br/><br/>Their beautifully cooked seafood is paired with perfectly cooked chips - crispy on the outside but fluffy and warm on the inside. Their bento boxes not only look delicately attractive but are tasty and satisfying. I can't get enough of lotus root chips - whoever thought of that deserves the Nobel prize for food. Always check out their bento special of the day. <br/><br/>And finally, the tofu cheesecake....when I first heard about it, I went "what the?" but after having it a few times now, I go "more please!"<br/><br/>Service is prompt and everything is served with a smile. It's always an epic time at Ebi!<br/><br/><br/><br/>

My score 4.25 stars (for F&C’s).  J & I got TA from here on Thu 31st Jan & had lunch at a park further up Essex St.  Ebi has a small (dimly lit) cute interior with a couple of tables inside & outside, plus seats at the bar facing the kitchen.  Easy place to overlook, nestled in a small group of unassuming suburban shops in a fairly quiet street.  Discovered there is only ever 1 “fish of the day” choice for trad F&C’s (you can get salmon done other ways though).  This day FotD was Flake – not my favourite 😞, J is partial to it though.  Decided to go with it as it was pretty late & lots of recommendations on Zomato for their F&C’s.  Flake > Have to admit it was VERY good 😋.  2 ample sized pieces; fresh, tasty & not at all oily – the batter has nori in it & was up there with the best we’ve had.  Chips > Plentiful & were nicely chopped, resulting in very even chunky shapes (good attention to detail) - beautifully golden, just the way I like 👍.  Also they had the salt tossed through them in a bowl - more attention to detail (Manok in Kingsville do it too - oh yeah & Macca’s 😂).  It all came with 2 serves of yummy Japanese mayo & 2 large wedges of really fresh “greenish” lemon (or it may have been a “yellowish” lime – it did have a slightly limey smell 😀).  Overall, VERY good flavour & very good value 👍 (our “Large” was $16 for TA).  Best F&C’s we’ve had since moving to Yarraville & Ebi is going to take some beating to not become our “local” – can’t wait to have some again & try the Salt & pepper squid too...

The food here is great & staff are lovely & attentive. The shop is super cute, small but you feel at home. <br/><br/>We ordered the fish & chips as well as the Wagyu Beef bento. Prices are fair & servings are generous. It all tastes great, cooked perfectly & seasoned well.<br/><br/>We didn’t give a 5 rating, because there were several bones in the fried fish. I always assumed fish & chips to be boneless. so please be careful with kids. <br/><br/>The rice in the bento was your regular Chinese style white rice. I expected sushi rice or koshihikari. <br/><br/>Other than these points, the food & dining experience was very good.

Had a takeaway fried fish bento box - a little pricey for what it is. <br/>Lovely koshihikari rice, which is short and slightly sticky. Fish is still firm and juicy inside the thickish batter.<br/>Maybe the locals are starved of anything remotely Japanese. Maybe I should have stuck to what it's known for, and that is the Japanese fish & chips.

Tucked away in a quiet street of Footscray lies a nice little cosy japanese restaurant serving great japanese inspired dishes. Would definitely come back! The place gives out a nice ambiance coupled with friendly and efficient customer service, what more do you require? The wagyu beef is juicy and tender whilst the fish 3 way just oozes umami...hats off to you chef.

Friendly staff and nice comfort food ! A place to usually takeaway but there are. Few seats if you want a quick eat. A small place close to the neighbourhood, makes it easy because there aren’t many other restaurants around!

Ebi is one of my top picks for Japanese food in Melbourne, and a go-to spot in Footscray. The staff are so friendly and always willing to accommodate me with a veggie bento even though it's not on the menu. Their veg takoyaki are to die for! (As is the savoury mochi.) They are also one of the few places around to stock Hitachino Nest, one of my favourite Japanese beers. This place is a 10/10

Small little restaurant tucked in a small strip of shops in Footscray. Ordered the Prawn Bento ($19 - bit steep) which did not leave me disappointed. Rice was cooked nice/firm and prawns weren’t over cooked. Would have been a bit nice to have a bit more soba or eggplant (the highlight of the dish) instead of the raw greens but nevertheless, an enjoyable meal. Also, customer service was 10/10 - as there were no toilets around, one of the staff members let me use their staff toilet at the back. ✌️

Would like to know why this restaurant is so highly rated on zomato. Very bland, boring soba salad and generally awful bento box. Moist incorrectly cooked rice with battery weird chicken served with more bland soba, supermarket bag salad and substandard side dishes. That being said service time wasn’t too bad and the staff were nice

Small cozy restaurant in an old fish and chip shop. The staff are very friendly. Small portioned bento boxes ranging ~16+, has a selection of alcohol.

Come by this quaint shop which is located on streetside tucked in a quiet residential area. <br/><br/>Deceptively, the menu sheets are basic and feel relatively cheap. But there's the handwritten menu, the positive service and since you're holding the menu sheets for a few seconds anyway, it doesn't matter too much. <br/>Following the Zomato reviews, I ordered the chicken katsu curry and was not disappointed at all. It's filling and packed with a punch. It’s a dish with the small details: from the seasoning on rice to the small carrots in the curry which adds that extra texture and flavour. The chips are crunchy, and through the window I caught them using the tossing technique to perfectly coat the chips with enough savory flavour that you could still dip it in the accompanying dip and not be overwhelmed.  <br/><br/>It's a lovely place to go, any time of the day, that’s worth the price if you’re in the Middle Footscray area.<br/>Would recommend for small groups (1-4) since it's quite a small store, but there's outside dining for the marginally larger groups. <br/><br/>Ordered: <br/>Chicken katsu curry: chicken schnitzel with creamy curry on rice ($17)<br/>Chips and dips ($6)

The edamame was fresh and cooked perfectly, and the chicken katsu curry was hot and flavorsome. The portioning of sauce was just the right amount too. My partner and I had underestimated the distance to pick up our order, and the staff were so lovely and hospitable in finding us a table so we could eat. We will definitely be back!

Great food and service! Wish there was more rice in the bentos though. Maybe that's why I'm always left wanting more! Love that they try to learn your name, adds to the already homely feel :)<br/><br/>

We loved the food here, the service was pretty good as well. It's a tiny place with not many tables to dine in. We tried the pork belly Benton box and the katsu chicken curry rice both dishes were very good. Best thing to do is call ahead and order your food if you want to avoid waiting times.

Tasty and well presented food. Bento boxes are great. But the wait time can be long at dinner as this is a little shop and popular. We ordered takeaway and waited outside the restaurant, as it was standing room only inside, for 50 minutes before our order was ready. Normally not a problem, but we were initially given a shorter estimate and it was dark and 9°C.

The best fish and chips in the area comes from a Japanese restaurant. Strange but true! Great little place. New owner has maintained the high quality set by the original manager. I do think the menu could do with a proper refresh though!

Ebi is a cute little restaurant in the middle of nothing in Footscray. I found it a little confusing, it's a Japanese restaurant that also does a "fish and chips". Assume this is to keep the business going, but the chips are pretty horrendous so if you're after a fish and chips fix, steer clear. That said, when they stick to their roots (Japanese cuisine) they kill it. Great bentos and gyoza. Restaurant has no ambience so take away a Better option.

Reminiscent of Japan, this little restaurant is a tiny space in the middle of nowhere. It's all very casual and the staff are really friendly. We tried the confit duck and plum sauce spring rolls, which were crispy and piping hot (beware!). I couldn't get much taste from the filling though, and I'm sure I wouldn't know what was in it if I hadn't read the menu. We went with the three-fish-three-ways bento, and the slow cooked pork belly with braised daikon and egg bento. The tuna was a bit over. The braised pork, daikon and egg was pretty good, although the cut of the meat and size of the pieces was not what I expected - it was a bit too big and dry. Both bento were good sizes with a good variety of components. They were okay, but not amazing to warrant such a high rating score. The only way to sum up my experience: it was all just okay.

Well worth a visit. Best Japanese in the West. Super authentic bibimbap and outrageously tasty Japanese fusion calamari, perfect for Friday night 'fish n chips'. Lovely people to boot.

Ordered the tonkatsu pork bento box today. Pork was a bit too dry and chewy for my likings. I like my veggies with dressing or some kind of flavour, it was too plain for me. Didnt think it was really worth the money as the portions were small, didnt satisfy my belly. My boyfriend however, did like the wagyu beef bento box, the sesame sauce was on point, so that was a plus. Overall, it was nice to try and service was good.

Ordered the pork belly and spicy chicken bento boxes. Was quite disappointed as they were very salty. <br/><br/>Full review at phoodphinds@wordpress.com

Love Ebi. Really friendly staff, great food, well priced and cozy. The place is quite small but that seems to make it all the more special. My preferred Japanese lunch destination in the west.

Love it! My new favourite local japanese place.<br/>We had the crab croquettes, gyoza and a bento box each. Everything was delicous, top quality and reasonably priced. The owners & staff are super friendly, very attentive and made us feel really welcome. Tiny restaurant, but has a busy, fun atmosphere. We really enjoyed ourselves. Will definitely make a habit of eating here!

Always great, fresh, tasty dishes - and easy on the wallet too!  Pork belly is FAB-U-LOUS!<br/><br/>We always get take out after a run at the local dog park with Jacob.   Tuesdays used to be "Pizza Night".  Move over pizza - EBI is the new king!<br/><br/>The owners are wonderful! Cheerful and accomodating.

My rating is by 50, 10 for environment, 10 for service, 10 for taste, 10 for quality, 10 for serving size.<br/><br/>The shop is very small, not large enough to take your partner to, more of a student dine in, a little misleading to say casual dining, 3.<br/><br/>The service was fine due to the counter being a metre from my seat, but they were friendly and time efficient, 6.<br/><br/>The taste was good, good enough for me to go again if in the area, 6.<br/><br/>The quality was good, could not find any issues, 9.<br/><br/>The serving size was small, not enough to fill me on one meal, and for $17 average price per dish, not worth it. I have to pull them down for that, 3.<br/><br/>It was too small to dine in but take away is fine, not to mention the heavy smell of fried food.

Amazing, great quality food, coupled with uber friendly and warm service! Starters were yummy - special shout out for the crab croquettes. Bento sets hv so much attention to detail. Every element was wonderfully made. <br/><br/>Owners are down to earth and super nice!!<br/><br/>The restaurant is a little small, so if you're planning to go in a big group, be prepared to sit at either the bar or outside. Trust me, it's worth it.

[LUNCH CRAWL] Ebi’s previous owner, John has retired and new management has taken over for the last year and a half. A little fact that we weren’t aware of until after we finished our meals. Ebi is now managed by the lovely new owner who worked with John previously and has retained most of the working staff. I have to apologise to this lovely lady because her name escapes my worrying short-term memory. Even under new management, Ebi Fine Foods maintains it’s original glow with flying colours. It’s like a movie sequel that doesn’t suck.

Warm and friendly service. We ordered the croquettes which were quite creamy and the perfect temperature (usually I burn the my tongue from the hot filling). We also got the Wagyu beef Bento box and Pork Belly bento box. The Wagyu beef was very soft and tender and kinda reminded me of Japan! It was topped off with creamy sesame sauce. The pork belly was tender and what we expected. A little pricey for Bento boxes but we would definitely visit again soon.

This place is super cute with lovely staff. We went for a Friday lunch, the three of us sat outside and each got a bento box. We had prawn, soft shell crab and the fish three ways. All delicious. So great to be able to get good Japanese in Footscray. Have also heard the fish and chips is great. Will be coming back!

I'm a regular here and have found that the change in ownership has not affected the quality or deliciousness of the meals. Lovely friendly team, great Japanese food with a twist. Chili crab bento is always awesome, the vege balls, duck spring rolls and crab croquettes are great as starters. Enjoy!

Ebi Fine Food serves up some pretty fancy fish & chips! Fish tastes really great, and the accompanying salad / noodles goes really well with it. My only gripe is the chips were a bit think - but I like chips sliced a bit thinner than most. We also ordered the pork belly bento which tasted great and was also of high quality. <br/>Friendly service, I will be back. It seems to do a good trade in Footscray's back streets, which suggests the locals love it. They're really lucky to have Ebi as their local takeaway.

Awesome service and great food! Had a special soft shell crab bento & veggie balls (vegetarian version of takoyaki) - amazing. Will definitely have to return

Adorable and incredible little restaurant in footscray serving fine quality delicious Japanese food and fish n chips! My boyfriend and I went around 6 for an early tea and we ordered: veggie balls and prawn gyozas for tapas, and a grilled fish n chips to share. The veggie balls came out first and oh my goodness. The restaurant lets patrons decorate the walls in sharpie and so many people had left messages saying 'get the veggie balls!' and we could see why! The four veggie balls were served with Takoyaki sauce and mayo and they were freaking delicious. We fell in love with the strong yet delicate flavour a and textures, especially that sauce! The prawn gyozas had real whole prawn in them and were pleasantly crispy on one side but in no way oily, sooo yum! Onto the fish and chips - the grilled rockling was very lightly crumbed, and so tender and creamy almost. Chips were thick and crispy with plenty of mayo, and served with a yummy pickled Japanese veggie salad with a bit of cold soba noodle with a sesame-like dressing. We both loved loved this food and were so impressed. Customer service was absolutely gorgeous, the staff were so pleasant and it had a really friendly family atmosphere, I know we will become regulars in this lovely little Japanese place in such a good location. And after paying we got to draw on the walls and we said how much we adored the veggie balls and i drew a cat. Recommend to go earlyish since it's a small place :)

Duck Confit Spring Rolls, Crab Croquette and Prawn Gyoza: the spring rolls were the highlight; texture was rough battered but filling was nice. Crab croquette similar to other ones I've tried; that is, couldn't taste any crab and only potato with one corn kernel. Cooked well though. Texture of prawn gyoza was nice and smooth, just needed a bit more flavour, which I suppose is what the sauce is there for.<br/><br/>Bento Box (3Fish 3Ways and Pork Belly): items needed to be temperature hot. Only rice was warm and nothing was hotter than the rice. However staff later apologised for this. The other negative is just that one of the fish was burnt black. Pork belly is a recommend though - soft, melt-in-mouth texture and tasty flavour. Overall, the mains were enjoyable and would order again. I noticed they seem to either add spring onions or sesame seeds on their dishes.<br/><br/>Miso Soup: strong miso flavour with various and plentiful vegetables.<br/><br/>Tofu Cheesecake: this was the absolute highlight and one of the best desserts I've had. It included a maple-coffee syrup to go along with the cheesecake. Definitely worth a try despite being $9.

In the back streets of Footscray near the Western Hospital, you will find EBU Fine Foods. A small Japanese restaurant amongst a couple of other small businesses. <br/><br/>We ordered fish 3 way bento box, vegetarian balls and chicken katsu bento box. All the food is made fresh to order which demonstrates standards of this small local business. All 3 dishes ordered were delish!<br/><br/>Adding to the intrigue of this business is the daily specials that are located on their Facebook page... Clever social media marketing strategy, to direct traffic to keep returning.<br/><br/>Decor needs updating to match the quality of the food being dished out. Apart from this everything from the friendly service to the food itself is of high standards for a small business.

Just went to the food place today with some of my friends after our outing and have to say the customer service here and the food was absolutely amazing and on point. The lamb cutlet special bento box I ordered was really amazing. The way it was cooked was really good, with the flavours and texture quite good. I also have to say that the tofu cheesecake was also quite delicious .i would recommend this place to others who want a good Japanese eat out :)

The novelty of eating fish and chips in a crammed yet cosy Japanese shop is hard to wear off. More so when the beer battered fish of the day are soft and fleshy and enveloped by a light and crunchy batter. Definitely able to rival any fish and chips joints out there. The chips are average, this may be due to my volatile taste bud and I would prefer a bit more salt or seasoning, but it is definitely crispy and hot. Being a Japanese restaurant, you of course cannot just live on fish and chips. This is where the bento boxes come in. Although a bit pricey, it is very filling and taste sensational. Personal favourite - pork belly (drink the soupy looking sauce, you won't regret it) and fish 3 ways. Keep an eye out on their Facebook page for the fish of the day and also the bento of the day. Do call ahead and put in your order for takeaway if you plan to eat during peak dinner times; otherwise it is crazy busy and despite a descend into chaos in such a small space, service never wavers.

Wonderful food and lovely Chefs. fantastic food and wine. I really love the bento and bib and bab. I would love to go here every day and it

If I could pick up Ebi and my move it next to my place I would in a heart beat. I can only hope the Essex St dwellers realise how lucky they are to have to this gem literally right on their doorstep. The duck spring rolls, the takoyaki balls, the Panko crumbed lamb cutlets...how do I love thee, let me count the ways...<br/><br/>Given the postage stamp size of Ebi you'd do well to book yourself a table and they also offer BYO wine with no corkage which only adds to the appeal. Overall Ebi comes highly recommended, and at around $30 ph it represents tremendous value for money with first rate quality.

Excellent food. Ordered gyoza, edamame, spring rolls, bento boxes, panko prawns, soba noodle salad and all of it was terrific. Would definitely recommend this place.

A nice little surprise in the Footscray back streets. The bento's are great, and the special is always worth asking about. Have also tried the calamari (Japanese style) and chips for 15 bucks - got a huge serving that took me into the next day. There's a homemade vibe to the food, not mass produced like Japanese takeaways in the city and in high streets around Melbourne.

Ate in on a Saturday night. Staff were friendly, but the wait was ridiculous. Ordered at 7, food did not begin to start getting cooked until 7:43. Yes it was that ridiculous, that I was timing them to the minute. Food did not come out until 8. I can understand if it was busy. But it wasn't. There were many other people who came into the restaurant after I sat down, who had ordered take away and they had to wait at least another 30 minutes. This place was one of my favourite go to's when Grant and John were running the show. It's very disappointing to see such a nice restaurant turn south. I won't be coming back until Grant or John is back. I really. Hope for the restaurants sake that they do.

Love this place for the wonderful service they have and the amazing food they serve. My usual go to is the Tonkatsu Pork Bento and I've yet to be disappointed.

Review date 1/3/16<br/>We got take away today and was really disappointed. The food did not taste the same as previous times. Really under seasoned and dishes were tiny! Looked really shabby and to top it off was not pleasant to eat. <br/><br/>Love the food here. <br/>Restaurant is however small. But, that does not change anything except makes it more cosy. Everything I have had is great!!!! From the take home sushi packs to the dine in dishes. <br/>Love the place. Tots recommended.<br/><br/>

I recently returned from working overseas and hadn't tried Ebi since it had changed hands. I used to eat here on average, twice a week. I was really hopeful that I'd return to the Ebi I knew and loved, but unfortunately not. Little details go a long way. Veggie balls overcooked on the outside, undercooked in the middle, soggy whitebait, and undercooked eggplant had me soon realizing that my favorite haunt had been lost. Not enough variation in the daily menu. No bar snack? Chips are now your usual generic fish and chip shop rubbish compared to the old ones. I'm super disappointed. I loved this place, but I guess the two linchpins in John and Grant really were the key to this little gem. 2/5 for me. 12 months ago the score was a 5/5.

Mid week meal; delicious food ( daily special was spicy pork bento box and the best salt and pepper squid ever) , courteous service and well priced.<br/><br/>Will be back for more.

We discovered Ebi hiding in the back-streets of Footscray a few years ago thanks to the Footscray Food Blog.  I remember that my favourite thing about Ebi was that you could order either super crispy fish and chips with a Japanese-style potato cake, or you could go all out Japanese with a bento box or grilled fish on rice with mushrooms.  With the recent rumour of new owners at Ebi and my new diet, I decided it was time to give Ebi another go to see what they could offer in terms of gluten- and dairy-free seafood-vegetarian goodness.

Great dinner and friendly service. We ordered mixed chicken bento (bento of the day) and teriyaki chicken bento and they were delicious! We will definitely come back.

Pleasant dinner and friendly staff. A cool little backstreet hangout in wefo. Meals were well priced and cooked on the start. We had a nice time<br/><br/>Matt - www.breadwinethou.com

Come here all the time with my girlfriend and we love it here, owner and staff have changed but quality still stays the same. We will definitely keep coming back.

Looks like new owner(s) have stepped in so John and Grant are gone, good luck. am a weekly regular, some supply issues with the chips and the beer, will give them a chance and new owner has apologised for variation in chip supplier, duck spring rolls and service otherwise is still up there, so will be seeing what happens in next few weeks.

Japanese food cooked by an Aussie, might be blasphemous to some. But when it’s this good, I’ld happily swap for Ebi’s unique bentos over the hoards of average izakayas and sushi bars in the CBD. Hidden away in the suburbs of Western Footscray is a seemingly discrete fish & chip shop that has been converted into a Japan

My boyfriend loved his Fish Three Ways Bento- I managed to try a bit before he gobbled it all up and I thought the crispy whitebait was delish! The tempura-like batter gave it a nice crunch.

I think I’ve started to grow a deep fondness for this little gem. Overall, great staff, a relatively close proximity to my house and consistently satisfying and exceptionally good quality food; what more can I ask for. I would highly recommend!

...“pork cooked three ways” ended up being a bento box containing a sausage, some chorizo and a couple of pork patties. Tasty? Yes. But it didn’t quite register on the Japanese tasting scale! Let’s just say that I was surprised, but not in a good way. Salmon bento Not sure what happened to the photo, but this was the “pork cooked three ways” bento box of the day. Odd! Luckily we also got some dessert to take away: black sesame panna cotta. Now I must confe

They do good bento boxes – my favourite is the ‘3 Fish 3 Ways’, which changes daily. They also serve Jap ‘tapas’, namely gyoza, croquettes, veggie balls (takoyaki), spring rolls, and miso soup. Their grilled fish on rice and mushrooms is also quite delicious.

Both were served with a portion of yummy yellowy chips and this amazing nipponese salad complete with pickled Bamboo shoot (which I actually loved) and crisp slice of lotus root.

I wouldn't deliberately make my way here again for the bento, but I'm also curious about the classic fish and chips. So...I'll see you then :)

The bill came to only $49 which was such fantastic value for a generously portioned, inventive and delicious dinner.

Ebi Fine Food is a gem of the West, serving up Japanese delights and arguably Melbourne's best fish and chips. This is what I love about Melbourne - shining jewel restaurants in unassuming locations. The locals are well aware of Ebi and this restaurant boasts a legion of local regulars.

Hidden away in the little streets of West Footscray is yet another well-received restaurant that can be easily missed. Disguised as a typical take away shop, the establishment actually offers some good quality Japanese food that can give some of the bigger names in the Japanese restaurant business a run for their money.

The calamari, like the pork belly, is perfectly cooked: chef stood over the fryer for less than a minute and dispatched beautifully cooked salt-and-pepper calamari worth travelling across town for. The prawn gyoza were nicely presented in a bamboo boat

Friendly staff and good food, with an interesting variety on the menu - great local, will be back.

Dear vegetarians, EAT HERE! The vege bento box is even better than the meat ones, and it's the best Japanese food of my life! Have a chat with the friendly chefs while you're there =)

Bento here is very good but unfortunately I can't recommend the fish and chips

Great bento boxes well presented. Expensive, but worth the money.<br/>Owner doesnt look Japanese, but he is there doing the cooking

Awesome.. Tick tick tick. Thankyou. Yum.

Terrible. Soggy calamari for the price you pay is defiantly not good enough, also the fish was very oily wont be returning.

Semi-regulars dismay. I come here on a semi-regular basis, I live walking distance from the great little resturaunt and love eating in. The last two times I have come here however, it has been sub-par at quite expensive prices (which I really don't mind paying if the food is actually good). My mother and I journeyed around to get some food the first time, only to come home with the food and for it to be awful. Soggy calamari isn't great when it's 17 dollars a pop for a handful of calamari with a small side salad isn't ideal. Past transgressions forgiven, I went back around a second time for take-out. Starving hungry I over ordered for myself, getting a serve of the calamari for my short journey home along with an original katsu. Waiting for my food, I was so surprised/mortified at food production line. The Indian woman stuffed my order up putting the calamari with chips instead of salad, then used her bare hands to retrive the calamari which had been sitting in the bay for a good 5 minutes on top of oily chips. Her hair was everywhere, obviously the owners don't value food hygiene, she really should be wearing a hair net or hat. Once again, soggy calamari after it had been sitting in the bay for 15 minutes. I really should have learnt the first time. <br/><br/>I would suggest to go here, but eat in (if you nab a seat!). It's pricy, and dissapointing when you know how good the food can be, but Ebi haven't provided a nice meal on the past two occasions. Really dissapointed.

Chefs and staff are lovely people!. We found this nice little place on Urbanspoon, wanted something healthy and different from the neighbourhood. From my memory this place use to be a Fish and Chips shop so when we stumbled across it we almost wanted to walk away. Lucky we didn't! Bentos boxes were decent, suprisingly good wagyu beef, the quality we would usually expect from an expensive restaurant. The chef seems to know everyone that were there (except us of course). <br/><br/>I had a great dining experience at Ebi and we will definitely come back. Please add RAMEN to the menu! I am a big fan of ramen but have not really found anything similar to the ones we had in Japan! I COUNT ON YOU!

I am a fan. They are always trying something new here and I like it. Recently they even started making their own ice cream. I was dubious as to how ice cream with miso would taste but it seemed to work. The bentos are good too without the overload of sugary meats and deep fried vegetables other places seem to have. The venue is very small, most locals get take away. Recently they tried to buy out the florist next door so they could expand but failed.

Japanese food in a fish and chip shop? Risky business plan? Yes. Pull it off? Yes. There's some seriously good food here. Bento boxes are great. Tofu cheesecake (really? Really!). Really decent service, but different than fine dining. If you were looking for a 'chef's restaurant' you found it.

Fresh and tasty with friendly service, and really well priced. Had edamame, sushi, and the highlight was the vege bibimbap. Delish!!!

Restaurant prices for take away stand quality food. Too expensive.

Vegan bibimbap here I come. A great dish including (ginger?) marinated tofu.

Excellent fish and chips! The batter was crispy, golden, with a good balance of flavour. The pickled salad was unique and we could not stop munching on the chips. Had calamaris too and they were equally amazing. its now our favourite fish and chip place to go.

Fish and Chips disappointment. I had take away fish and chips from here last week but unfortunately was left disappointed. <br/>I had the chips and calamari with 2 extra pieces of the fish. <br/>The chips were a bit too oily and the calamari was under done. It was soft and just not crispy on the outside. The fish were ok though. But not the best I've had. Because this is not your average fish and chip shop the price is more and therefore I was hoping for a bit more quality. However I have had Bento from here previously and liked it a lot. <br/>The takeaway fish and chips. Maybe not so much care taken in.

Brilliant. Simply wonderful food. Lovely atmosphere. Generous, cheery and professional staff. Great Japanese wine / beer / sake list. It truly is a hidden gem. No wonder it's always so hard to get a seat!

Absolutely charmed. Fish and Chip/Japanese fusion? Genius. Thank you Ebi for helping me to kick off my long weekend in the most marvellous style. Friendly staff, great service, and fantastic food. My fish-three-ways bento box was amazing (what WAS that delightful goodness on top of the eggplant?), particularly impressed with the pickled vegies. It's a tiny little place hidden away, which only adds to the charm. I hope to make many more visits.

Our favourite place to eat in Melbourne. My wife and I are regulars at Ebi Fine Foods (three to four times a week). So to say that this is indeed our favourite restaurant is an understatement. We love it. We have withdrawals from it if we don’t get it.<br/><br/>In the five years my wife and I decided to give up cooking failed dishes at home, eating out has been our passion. We have dined at all kinds of restaurants – from fine dining to the humble fish and chips shop – in Melbourne to Asia and America. Of all the places we’ve been to, Ebi would have to be the most delicious and well-priced restaurants we’ve dined at so far.<br/><br/>-- BENTOS -- <br/><br/>As a big Japanese food fans, the bentos are nothing but perfection in our opinion. The wagyu and fish three ways in particular are just sensational. <br/><br/>Wagyu bento scotch fillet (10/10). The wagyu beef scotch fillet bento is cooked to perfection. The meat itself is succulent, juicy, marbled nicely, and has the perfect condiment - sesame sauce - to accompany it. As a big wagyu beef fan, the meat rivals that of many Japanese restaurants specialising in wagyu beef. Not bad for a fish and chips shop.<br/><br/>Wagyu bento rump (8/10). The wagyu rump bento is second to the scotch fillet only because I personally prefer a higher marbling content on my wagyu beef.<br/><br/>Fish three ways (10/10)<br/>The fish three ways dish changes on a daily/weekly basis so you'll never get sick of the one fish three ways bento. I cannot say I love one particular fish three ways over another - so far they’ve all been delicious. Yes, all of them. My personal favourite is the sashimi salmon and barramundi (cooked in any way). <br/><br/>-- TAPAS DISHES --<br/>The smaller tapas dishes are simply bite sizes of amazement. The must-tries are: <br/><br/>- veggie balls (9/10)<br/>- duck confit spring rolls (10/10)<br/>- crab croquettes (8/10)<br/><br/>-- DESSERTS --<br/>The desserts here are the perfect way to finish off your dining experience here at Ebi. <br/><br/>The must tries are:<br/>- Trifle (10/10) if it’s available. But be quick because this dessert sells fast.<br/>- Tofu cheesecake (8/10). <br/><br/>-- PEOPLE --<br/><br/>No dish achieves deliciousness without a touch of TLC from the chefs – and that’s exactly what the they deliver with every dish they prepare. As foodies, my wife and I are passionate about our food and the service equally. We’ve been known among our friends to never, ever return to a restaurant if the service was bad.<br/><br/>Ebi's staff hits the mark in both food preparation and service, particularly the head chef. The staff are extremely warm and welcoming, making you feel more like a part of the Ebi family than customers – a rare trait with any restaurant let alone a fish and chips shop.<br/><br/>-- AMBIANCE --<br/><br/>Yes it’s a small fish and chips shop so it does tend to get very full, especially on busy nights (Fri/Sat). Bookings for these evenings are definitely essential.<br/><br/><br/>Last word:<br/><br/>Don’t take my word for it. Go try it!

Cosy, friendly, authentic flavours. This café makes me want to go back to Japan! The food has the strong, earthy flavours I remember from the little laneway and railway station restaurants I ate in. The 3fish3ways bento box was substantial by Japanese standards, with the rich mackerel and house-cured salmon balanced by a variety of pickles. My companion also enjoyed an entrée and dessert (duck spring rolls, and red bean spring rolls with green tea icecream), but that's not a criticism of portion sizes - I'm sure Japanese teenagers eat just as much.

Natsu matsuri. Big thanks for the free bento and iced teas at the Japanese summer festival this year. You guys are legends!<br/>On the side note, it's refreshing to see a bento composed of fresh side dishes

It was ok. My partner loved it but I was underwhelmed by the Bento Box. I think if it was priced a little cheaper, I would be more forgiving. It wasn't bad, I just had better bentos elsewhere... Prefer Ajitoya in Seddon.

Ebi is our favourite, food & service are always excellent! Hubby & I were over the moon tonight to see them open again after the Christmas break, we needed our Ebi fix! Highly recommend them & check out the tasty range of Japanese beers.

Excellent food every single time. Try the bimbimbap. Best this side of Korea. Their bentos are great too. Love the fish 3 ways and pork belly. Great value. Love the salads they put together with it too

We were served by the cook of the cafe who greeted us with gusto and enthusiasm. We ordered bento boxes: chicken teriyaki ($16) and fish 3 ways ($18). At the risk of sounding ambiguous, the chicken teriyaki exhibited good texture and flavour contrasts. The fish 3 ways (raw salmon in sashimi marinade, seared tuna and a species unknown shallow fried in a light tempura batter) were excellent in addition to the bento extras making up the box.

Fantastic fish and chips. Fabulous fish and chips, perfectly crispy batter on the fish and golden, crispy chips. So glad we found this quirky little shop, the service was fantastic as well. Definitely going to be our new local!

Last night went for dinner, very busy! Despite that food was excellent and staff were really nice. Thanks! <br/><br/>PS: yummy yummy soft shell crab!!

Okay place, but not worth the hype. Great if you live in the area as Footscray isn't known for great japanese food. But I reckon for the price you pay you're better off eating somewhere else in the city for more authentic japanese cuisine.

Ebi is always a pleasure to eat at. The food is beautifully cooked and the serves are generous.

Pretty good quality food, fried battered prawns were delicious and customer service was lovely. I had the 3 way fish which was great! Eftpos facilities were available which was convenient. Only critique is place is very small, reservations should be made to eat in. Actual facilities were ok! Not a place family meal out, maybe local couples or takeaway.

The kind of local place you dream of. We've recently moved into the western suburbs and part of the adventure has been looking for and finding our new favourite places to eat. Lucky for us that Ebi, a local gem and our favourite new local eatery, is just a short walk away. Although it sticks to authentic Japanese flavours, Ebi doesn't serve your typical Japanese fare. Everything on the menu (which is suprisingly extensive for a tiny place) is fresh, tasty and fairly priced, including the ready-made handrolls. They're licenced too and have a range of craft beers and sake available. Service is always very friendly and professional and it's always a pleasure to see the obvious care and respect the staff have for each other and for what they do. Now, leave Ebi to us and go find your own favourite local!

Great food. Unfortunately one of the senior staff is grossly rude and arrogant, inflexible and headstrong. I hope it was just a bad day for him and that he's not always like that. It would be awful to work for him!