Review Samurai - Hawthorn

One of the oldies ob the street, definitely a good one to go for and usually will have a queue during peak time. Thumbs up for the price staying relatively low and good quality of food stays!! Always ordered the same thing that's prawn katsudon :) Complementary tea makes up for the disappointment for being asked to pay the bill and leave after finishing our meal.

all this five dishes only $45！And the unagi bento is so delicious with so many traditional japanese entrees！very nice and cheap experience！

Sushi rolls are delicious. Bento box has large portion. Reasonable prices for all the items on the menu. Can’t book - they do first come first serve.

matcha milk shake - very nice - 9 out of 10 option to upgrade to brown rice - fabulous for keep it people - 10 out of 10 curry - okay - 8 out of 10 eggplant - nice - 8 out of 10 chicken don - quite good - 8 out of 10 food size - reasonable for the price - 8 out of 10 price - very reasonable - 10 out of 10 location: - convenient - 10 oit of 10 parking - a bit hard - 5 out of 10 seating - a bit full on a friday night - 6 out of 10 - mainly for takeaway on friday night

I've been coming here for years and Samurai never fails to impress with its consistent quality and very fair prices. Literally one of my favourite Japanese restaurants of all time! 💛🍱 The bento has so much variety and value, all this for under $15, it's a must-order for me every visit. The matcha milkshake is also a longstanding favourite, it's more like a thickshake which I absolutely love. Can't wait to return!

Go here regularly as it's our local cheap and cheerful. My partner and I usually spend about 40 bucks to dine in and we seem to get one of everything. It's super consistent, service is great and it's quick! Only caveat is sometimes you might have to wait outside in the sun/rain but to me, that's a positive! Love this place

Best Japanese restaurant in hawthorn! pretty nice dishes and cheap prices.

Went on a whim because it was cheap and I needed to go somewhere close, but it was absolutely amazing! Delicious food, especially the chicken katsu don, I’m in love and definitely becoming a regular! 10/10 would recommend

To the counter lady who takes orders, processing payments and hand out take aways. <br/>If you can’t ‘do three people’s jobs at one time’ (the exact sentence you said to me), then hire more staffs. <br/>You don’t make a fuss to your clients. <br/>I was talking to one of your colleagues to get my order not you!! You were serving other customers, and you just turned around and asked me to wait. <br/>Finally you found my order you said ‘see I can’t do three people’s jobs at one time’!<br/>You also said that the staff I was talking to was from the kitchen. So he is not allowed to talk??!!<br/>I hope you pay your staffs with the right money and you really should work on your customer services. <br/>Btw if anyone think the restaurant is authentic Japanese, it’s actually owned by Cantonese people.<br/>Everyone is stressful during this pandemic. <br/>I don’t think I deserve to be treated like this after a long busy shift I had worked as a nurse. I was literally in a very good mood before this happened.

Great sushi with good price.

Cheap and cheerful resturant; very fresh and tasty food.

Located along Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, Samurai is a good option for affordable Japanese. This cosy restaurant has an extensive menu, offers fast service and represents good value for money.<br/><br/>Visiting for dinner I order the Zaru soba and salmon sashimi. The food came out quickly and was light and refreshing perfect for a warm day. Overall I enjoyed dining at Samurai and rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5.

The food is of great quality and there’s a huge variety to satisfy any Japanese cravings. It is a very clean environment, but the acoustics are a little annoying when there is a full house. It was extremely loud downstairs on a Wednesday night, it was hard to communicate and I could hear other tables yelling to hear one another throughout their conversations. The modern renovation of the place is nice though, it creates a comfortable atmosphere (also fun ordering via the digital tablets). Always back for more - especially the homemade matcha cheesecake

3.5 stars. <br/>Stripped back to decor in its simplicity - with stripped pine tables and stools/benches, little wall adornment and ordering from menu on iPads. Well laid out information re menu with full description - once ordered, come surprising quickly. Went for the chicken teriyaki Bento Box ($13.50) - lots of full-on, fresh tastes although strangely, the chicken itself was the weak link as it was on the hard, slightly overcooked side. But will be back to test more.

Great Japanese food if you’re looking for something quick and easy. The food is ordered through a screen at the table and arrives so quickly at the table. We ordered the pork gyoza plus the spice tuna sushi and entree sashimi. All the food was tasty, no complaints for cheap Japanese food. The decor isn’t much but you’re in and out fairly quickly so it’s the company and food that’s important. Would return.

Chicken katsu was pre cooked as it came just after 1 min I ordered. It was cold and didnt taste good. Sushi bad as well. It used to be good here but not anymore.

Possibly one of the worse dons I have ever had.

My friend suggested me to go here because i like Japanese food a lot.<br/>Ordering with tablet machine was super eady and fast.<br/>Food was delicious, comes with some fresh vegies too.<br/>Only one problem was, the rice quantity was a little bit small. Maybe 10-20g morebof rice could make here 5 stars, haha!

Best udon and matcha thick shake ever!!!! <br/><br/>All sushis served here are so fresh and yummy too. My go to for affordable Japanese food in Hawthorn!

Super reliable, easy, cheap food. Lots of options, quick service and always really tasty. Love the gyoza, chicken katsu curry, veggie curry and the croquettes.

A very cheap and cheerful spot for Udon and other classic Japanese fare. There are quite a few vegan and vegetarian option including tofu Udon, curry, soba, sushi and a variety of starters.

I have not been to Samurai for quite some time and visited last week. Management must have changed as the food came very quickly but tasted so much worse - I think foods were not cooked to order but pre-cooked and dished out as orders come through. We ordered the prawn tempura and the prawns were cold and not crispy. We also had the pan fried gyozas and they were chewy and pasty not crispy , there was no soy & vinegar sauce to go with the gyozas and it took so long to come , we left without finishing our food ...

One of my favourite cheap japanese eatery. Can’t go wrong with well fried chicken katsu and japanese curry on steamed rice. Ultimate comfort food especially in this chilly weather.

There’s a line outside this joint often but I don’t think it’s the best Japanese on Glenferrie Road.<br/>It’s all a bit slapped together and not the cleanest. Staff are friendly and they do a booming trade which you can’t deny.<br/>You order off iPads and the food just comes to you.<br/>Cheap and great for value though.

I’ve always found Samurai to be such great value, delicious food at a reasonable price point. My only negative comment would be that at the agedashi tofu is quite soggy, but the rest of the dishes are great.

A nice simple Japanese restaurant with a range of authentic Japanese dishes including udon, ramen, sushi, bento boxes and more. Menu is very simple but there are a lot of different dishes, perfect for all different taste buds. Food comes quite quickly and there are quite a lot of seats. It can however, get busy at night.

It always looks busy when I walk past this place, and it’s so close to my house so we decided to try it out. Have been here 3 times so far, the first visit was great. The latter two times was just ok. But it was decent enough for the price.<br/>.<br/>The STEAK TERIYAKI ($16) 🐮 was tender and flavorful, I would order it again! CHICKEN KATSU CURRY ($9.5) was good but way too much curry compared to rice in my opinion. We also got the 10 pcs SUSHI SET ($11.5) 🍣 It was nice and damn good value! <br/>.<br/>The 2nd time, we had 20pcs of SALMON & TUNA ($17.5), again decent enough for the price. The TAKOYAKI - 5 PCS($4.7)🐙 was alright, kinda soggy 😖<br/>.<br/>My most recent visit was for lunch, we had the BEEF PATTY BENTO ($14.5), UNAGI BENTO ($15.0) 🍱 and the lunch set of the day - PRAWN KATSU CURRY & MISO SOUP ($9.5). It wasn’t the best bento I’ve had but it’s great for people who are on budget. Overall this is not the best place for Japanese food, but it certainly is pocket-friendly.

Went there on Wednesday for dinner. Really busy with many people lining up. The staffs are friendly but service takes a bit long. The food is ok I would say, the size is big and the price is cheap. Cost only 30 bucks for two persons. Good place to grab a cheap dinner.😊

I ordered three dished today. Katsudon is salty and Tempura is hard crispy. I think they use wrong flour to do Tempura. However the price is good.

Been going to samurai for years- and even though I no longer live in the area, this restaurant is alwaysss worth the 45 minute drive! Their sashimi is always fresh and their green tea milkshake is an absolute must. If you love Japanese food, you’ll love samurai

What a waste of money. I went here between classes to grab a cheap lunch and got myself a pack of 10 California rolls for $8.80. When I tried the first bite however, literally all I could taste was sliced carrot, none of the other flavors. Sushi was prepared quite badly too, the end pieces were falling apart before I could pick it up. Ended up chucking most of it in the bin.

Samurai is a staple on Glenferrie Road. You are always guaranteed a fast, cheap and delicious meal. This time we got the Gyoza, edamame, takoyaki (not pictured), spicy tuna sushi and crumbed fried chicken. This place has some of my favourite takoyaki because it’s always got a lovely crispy outer. I come to Samurai at least once every month and it never lets me down.

Great value place, don’t come expecting fine dining but for the price, the dishes are tasty and filling. We enjoyed our Katsu Curry and sushi. Good for a quick casual bite, if you can get a table! Always busy and can understand why, appealing for students on a budget.

An absolute favourite for me and my girlfriends to catch up for dinner on a weeknight. The menu is extensive- there are so many items to choose from! The agedashi tofu is something we always order, along with the miso soup. The salmon nigiri is absolutely to die for. A cheap, cheerful and DELICIOUS feast is always on the cards at Samurai.

The food here is great with affordable prices. It's also always busy whether dinner or lunch time! The prawn katsu is one of my favorite items here- it's very filling and tasty.

Delicious, well-priced food!<br/>Takoyaki, beef tataki and seaweed salad were spot on.<br/>Staff are lovely although a waiter did spill food on my friend. The owner gave us a discount for it and was genuinely apologetic. <br/>Will be back!

I've been coming to Samurai for years. If you're looking for high quality, classic Japanese food without the fancy pricetag, this is the place to go. The Bento lunch options are great (not available for dinner), and the dinner menu is extensive, with options for everyone and generous serving sizes. I love the Katsu curry, although I can never quite work out why there's so much curry, and not quite enough rice to eat the curry.

This is our go to place for Japanese <br/>Consistently good<br/>Fresh sashimi every time<br/>Great prices. Our family loves this place<br/>Complimentary tea good service<br/><br/><br/>

Speedy service, reasonable prices and a wide variety of dishes on the menu. Only drawback was that I found that the sushi rice had a touch too much vinegar... otherwise, a great find!

My husband and I come here at least once a week. For me its the delicious food, for him its the fact that its good and CHEAP. Don't come here expecting something its not. Expect to receive great food, friendly service and a very reasonable bill. This place is always busy because it does food right without over complicating it or over charging. Sure, its not the fanciest place but I always find the atmosphere cosy and lively no matter where you sit. The sashimi is SO FRESH. The Katsu Curry is a MUST. Other foods I can recommend: bento box (lunch only), takoyaki, sushi, miso soup and teriyaki chicken.

Samurai use to be one of my favourite places however our recent visit was quite disappointing . Food was just ok. the table we were seated, cutlery and cups were quite dirty. Will not be returning for awhile.

It’s inevitable that with a 4.2 Zomato rating and raving reviews, our long overdue visit to Samurai was packed with expectation...<br/>And what a disappointment it is :(<br/><br/>Let me explain. For lunch of two we ordered: agedashi tofu, tofu salad, marinated fried chicken, prawn katsu don and a small rice for my gf.<br/>➡️ Agedashi tofu was the major disappointment. Dashi is bland, so no flavour! Tofu is grainy, dense and has a layer of thin batter that is simply poorly cooked.<br/>➡️ Tofu salad is okay, but the tofu gives a slight smell I don’t like (Same as agedashi tofu)<br/>➡️ We got marinated fried chicken thinking my favourite chicken nanban. It was not. I’m still not sure what it’s trying to be. Tastes like old fried chicken reheated in microwave oven.<br/>➡️ Prawn katsu don is the only thing I may order again if I end up here. Nothing special.<br/><br/>Free tea and water, food served within 2-3 mins (entree) and the bill racks up $26 which is such a deal - those are the only good things with our visit. Other reviews suggest that this small eatery is managed by Japanese - I can only imagine that they need a serious quality check. This is my worst experience with Japanese food in Melbourne so far.

This Japanese owned and operated eatery is what you can expect - great food with prompt and polite service. They serve free Japanese tea and you order on the iPad when you are seated. Tried the bento and mains, next visit will try the noodles, yum!<br/><br/>Oh yes, it’s value for money too! $15 for unagi bento with sashimi, seaweed salad, gyoza, agadeshi tofu and fruits!

It is a fairly small place and I disnt have high expectations walking in. I ordered a salmon nigiri x 2 for 3.4 and a tempura prawn udon for $10. Now I have never been to a place where you can get 3 tempura prawns and udon for 10 bucks! That is definitely value for money. The staff was friendly, you make your order on an iPad. There are many customers walking in for take away or eat-in, the ground floor was full by 12:30 and they have an upstairs. Many regulars come and they just go upstairs seeing that the bottom floor is full. The tempura prawns was crispy and wasn't oily. The udon soup has a strong flavour, while the udon was chewy. Though it was not home-made udon (yes no home-made udon for $10 obvi). The salmon had a good proportion of fat and I have no complaints except I was expecting a little bit of wasabi on the side even though I wanted without wasabi, I thought that meant that wasabi wouldnt be inside the nigiri? But yes over all, it was a quite delightful meal for 13.4.

I've been coming here for years and the quality is still fairly the same.<br/>My last visit was last week and I feel like their matcha shake has become a little bit more liquidy than it used to be (more ice cream than liquid). <br/>Quality of the sushi is still high with the generous servings (I usually order the sushi and sashimi set). My other favourites are the chicken katsu don, takoyaki, tempura soba and salmon and avocado roll.

Cosy Japanese restaurant targeting the students around Swinburne. There’s lots on the menu..... possibly a bit too much. The agadashi tofu was not bad, sushi was ok. Staff are very friendly.

Love this place! We have been going here for years and it's always so yum, fresh and cheap. The best perk is that you can order lots of food and not break the bank. Consistently good and we have never had to wait to be seated. Good for families as they have individual rooms for big parties. Service is lovely too.

Not bad but not memorable either. Inside, the tables and seats are quite close to one another so it feels a little uncomfortable when crowded. The food tastes as one would expect, so that’s a good thing if you just want to eat safe! The matcha milkshake was more like a thick shake... it was hard to suck through the straw. Service is good and staff are friendly.

A must try if you're looking for delicious, well priced Japanese food. Always end up here at least once a week for lunch with friends. Faves are the bento boxes and the green tea milk shake. I dont think you can go wrong with anything you order though.

A small Japanese place yet very busy. I was there for dinner last night and by 6.30-7pm it was already full and I waited in line for about 10 mins to get in.<br/>The food was amazing! I'd say they do katsu right. Their katsu chicken were juicy and succulent. Katsu curry was good and the katsudon was not too sweet and the main portions are big and the right size to fill you up. My fav were the mains.<br/>The octopus balls were very yummy, served very hot but there was not much octopus in it. The crumbled fish was nice like all fried food.<br/>Their customer service was on point. Amidst the busy rush they were very friendly and well coordinated.<br/>All in all I'd say the dishes are well worth the price. Might not be the best quality Japanese food I've eaten but was def a good value for its price. I'd def go back to try the lunch deal.

I came here for dinner with my boyfriend and we both agree that this is the best Japanese food we've ever had. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced. We will definitely be coming back!

Very popular Japanese restaurant on Glenferrie Road. Standard of food is okay, not outstanding but not underwhelming either. Best thing about Samurai is value for money. Prices are very reasonable. I wish they still had the dinner specials available. Make sure you try the Green Tea Milkshake.

Samurai is the most popular place for Japanese (fusion) on Glenferrie Rd, within close proximity of Swinburne, buzzing with high school students, college kids and suits during lunch service. . Samurai is the furthest I've ever ventured down Glenferrie Rd, west or east I'm not sure. With seats upstairs and down it's always busy and packed during the lunch peak. Not really sure where coats are meant to go as it's winter, but dinning for one has its perks.

Tasty food and good selection of dishes to choose from. Been here multiple times, convenient and prompt service. But I must say I was slightly disappointed in their gyoza during my most recent visit. <br/>The base wasn’t the usual “crispy” and was a bit of a let down to their usual tasty gyoza. <br/><br/>Reasonable serve of meat for the tonkatsu and pretty standard udon

The food was delicious (particularly enjoyed chicken Katsudon, as the chicken was cooked to perfection - very tender). Staff were also very accommodating. Will definitely visit again!

I come here almost weekly, my usual order is sashimi, tofu soup and vegetable tempura however everything that I have had here is delicious, I have never been disappointed! The food is so fresh, the service is top notch and the prices are so cheap. This is by far one of my favourite places to eat out.

Our favourite local Japanese restaurant that rivals all others! You may have to wait for a table but it’s definitely worth it! Always delicious, fresh and speedy service!

Love how cheap this place is yet how great the quality of the food is . Every meal I have had has been tasty and I love the prawn katsu especially. <br/><br/>The negative is that the place is very small so it can get very cramped inside and hot upstairs

Love love love! Super friendly service, reasonably priced and always delicious! Never had an issue at this place and it is always bustling with people (in a good way). Only downfall is you can’t fit prams and they aren’t licensed for alcohol at all.

Who the heck doesn’t like Samurai? The lines outside are testament to it. I love the Katsu Curry while the kids like the gyoza and the salmon rolls. At this price you can’t go wrong and I love seeing the same staff week after week. Solid.

I have been here since they open. Cozy place with genius Japanese style food. No fancy and affordable. Lovely bento in lunch time, must try it!

I just love japanese food! And this place satisfied all my japanese food cravings ! From curry to sashimi. The sashimi was fresh and the curry took me back to japan.

FOOD: 7.5/10<br/>SERVICE/AMBIENCE:7.5<br/>VALUE FOR $: 9/10 <br/><br/>Good cheap and simple Japanese for an amazing price! Although there are certainly more “refined” Japanese cafes along glenferrie, samurai delivers simple and tasty Japanese dinners/ lunches.<br/><br/>FOOD: I love getting a selection of the starters and sushi’s, the vegetarian sushi is really fresh and yummy. My friends have tried the curries and other cooked meals and have enjoyed these too, but I think samurai is better for a tapas style meal of gyozas, sushi, edamame etc. I wouldn’t come to samurai expecting a “fancy” Japanese meal, it’s more a no frills place delivering tasty yet affordable Japanese which is perfect for students :) <br/>There are lots of options for vegetarians/ vegans too which is handy <br/><br/>AMBIENCE/SERVICE: absolutely love the efficiency here, food is almost always served within 10-15 max of ordering which is great bc I’m a hungry person 😀 samurai is always busy and you should expect to wait for a table if you come at peak time, however people move in and out so you don’t have to wait long. <br/><br/>RECOMMENDATION? Definitely come here for tasty Japanese at a really good price! It’s a good place to order lots of smaller plates and share these as you can’t really go wrong with these classic Japanese dishes in my opinion! I would skip on the meals personally but the busyness really reflects the popularity/ convenience of samurai as a casual dining option

Samurai at Hawthorn. Small and cosy restaurant serving simple Japanese sushi and cuisines. Food is ok but within budget. Sushi is nice but not very high quality.

Affordable, delicious and fresh! Samurai never fails to disappoint, although waiting for takeaway can be a bit tedious(around 5-15 minutes which still isn't bad). The salmon and avocado roll and green tea milkshake is my go-to and absolute favourite. Good atmosphere and is always busy and bustling! Can get a bit squishy downstairs with people lining up to order takeaway :) But will always be a favourite!

Fabulous lunch set and supper fast service. We have visited during the busiest hour and there are many school children eat here. The eel is perfectly grilled and sauce is delicious.

Samurai is a cheap Japanese Restaurant. The restaurant is small but there are more spaces upstairs. I would definitely try the green tea milkshake and the chicken katsu curry.

The shop has been renovated recently , looks more spaces and clean and bright, I like their katsu curry with rice, and also the green tea milkshake.

Used to love this place for good value authentic Japanese food. I ordered takeaway last night and was a bit disappointed that the good value food they were known for is no longer valid. The dinner box which used to be my all time favourite is no longer available. The takeaway rice portion was too small for the amount of dish they gave you. Greentea milkshake also decreased in size. I suppose dining in maybe better but now that there is no more dinner box, the urge to go back is not as high as before. Food quality is still good.

Samurai is always a reliable eatery for fresh and good value Japanese food. We popped by here for a quick bite, and tonight we enjoyed the Samurai Don (a selection of sashimi on sushi rice - this was delicious as always), a serve of fried prawn sashimi rolls (these were not as fresh as they normally are), some gyoza (a tad soggy tonight), marinated fried chicken (my new favourite chicken dish here) and a bowl of miso soup. Generally good meal as always, but perhaps a bit off their game tonight.

The restaurant are very busy in the evening but the food come out quite quickly. Ordered curry and donkatsu with rice. The curry was stand out, creamy and tasty. Very impressed <br/>One of my favorite spot in Hawthorn

There’s actually more seat upstair. Food comes pretty fast and serve with rice tea. Sashimi are fat and yummy with some wasabi and curry chicken are on point.

The besttttt. Their chicken katsudon are the real deal! Salmon sashimi were also of decent price, considering you get quite a number of slices! I'd come again!

Went for lunch with the mrs, had ordered the following <br/>- Sushi & Sashimi Set<br/>- Marinated Fried Chicken <br/>- Tempura Soba<br/>The salmon, tuna and kingfish were really fresh and the sushi was delicious, very basic but delicious, the marinated fried chicken didn't come out very hot but was tasty, the tempura soba which came with a plate of one fried tempura prawn and vegetable kakiage which was a vegetable combination of peas, carrots and brown onion was absolutely delicious, the soba noodles were soft and tasted like you would expect and the broth in the soba was also delicious. <br/>Overall the food is a stand out and the price is very reasonable for what you pay. With the service they placed us upstairs where they haven't renovated and I think they forgot that they had customers upstairs because we were waiting for quite some time so we went to the front service counter to place the order instead. The new decor downstairs is very nice and is a big change from the old red decor from previous. Samurai is definitely worth eating at but the service needs a little bit of improvements. Happy to eat again at Samurai.

Quick, cheap and tasty Japanese<br/><br/>We have tried the teriyaki chicken, Katsu curry, Takoyaki, chicken karaage, agedashi tofu, Takoyaki, Udon noodle soup<br/><br/>Our favourites are the Katsu curry, Takoyaki and Tempura Udon noodle soup 👍<br/><br/>It's usually very busy but service is quick and friendly.<br/><br/> There is a $25 minimum for card

The food here is excellent! So fresh and tasty. I've eaten quite alot of Japanese food and Samurai is definitely one of my favourite restaurants.

One of my favorite Japanese eatery. Price is very reasonable for a delightful bento. Love the salmon teriyaki, as it was not too sweet. The matcha ice cream at the end was the perfect finish.

Good value! Everything is so cheap and yummy, the fried chicken, tempura prawn and fried fish are a little too oily, the chicken katsudon is great, miso soup is average, salmon teriyaki was alright, not much salmon but still tasty. Have come back numerous times, service is exceptional, food comes out like almost instantly.

One of my ALL TIME favourite Japanese haunts since uni days that I can always reliably go to and be assured that the food will be consistently delicious and meet my Japanese cuisine craving. Price is still reasonable and service is still efficient and warm as always. Well deserving of it highly regarded ratings and reviews. Samurai is a legend but unlike all legends, this is the real deal and I hope that it will always live on and exist!

Dropped by here for late lunch on a Saturday before we head off to the local Tram Museum. Dishes came out with a very generous portion for its value. However none of the dishes we ordered which was Chicken Katsu Don, Miso Soup & Agedashi Tofu was satisfying.

Delicious food at a really affordable price. The matcha shake is a must! My friends and I love coming here for the bento boxes. Make sure you get in early as seats are limited.

Samurai continues to serve consistently fresh and tasty Japanese food at very reasonable prices.<br/>It's small and can take a little while sometimes to get a table but you won't be disappointed and service is quite quick.

A local favourite, cheap, good and fast. Popular with the office workers and high schoolers In the neighborhood. As the other reviews have said, the green tea milkshake is really good and great on a hot day.

Samurai is my favourite Japanese restaurants I have experienced in melbourne so far. The food is affordable with good portion sizes. I dream about their chicken noodle soup and it makes me want to always come back for more. Disappointing that the dinner set is no longer on the menu but it's not a massive loss. I also love the chicken teriyaki and the crumbed chicken. Gyoza is another favourite as well. Can't go wrong, definitely recommend!

Got a table straight away which was pleasing. Food comes out quickly and is of a high quality. We ate an array of food; including salmon sashimi, salmon teriyaki, fried chicken and gyoza - all<br/>Of which were delicious. Will definitely be returning!

A really nice place to eat, just make sure you get there early for the dinner session as it gets packed and you'll have to stand out in the cold to wait for a free table. I heard the weekday lunch hour rush is just as bad!! <br/>Had really quick service and the food was quite nice! Highly recommended!

Went here for dinner tonight. The food was very reasonably priced, and of course my friend and I ate a lot lol<br/><br/>The service was like lightning, I can't recall when we were served so quick haha <br/><br/>All good we were really hungry after work. The food was fresh but there wasn't a lot of flavour for me. Nothing really stood out, no wow factor for me tonight. But a good healthy choice.

One of my favourite places to eat in Hawthorn!! Fantastic service, friendly atmosphere and the waiters and waitresses are super friendly and nice. The food is also incredibly yummy and authentic, love it so much. Would definitely recommend the Samurai Don.

Average food. Don't know why this place is so busy. How could they cook authentic Japanese food as they are not from Japan. Use Hokking Noodle to pretend ramen. Put sliced carrot in sushi😨😨 . No more, thank you.

I absolutely love the food here, and the price is pretty great too. The salmon sashimi was so light and fresh, and was the standout dish for me. The variety of sushi rolls that we ordered were all freshly made to order, and tasted delicious. The eggplant with miso was also another great dish. I'm so happy this restaurant is so close to me, because I will become a regular customer when the Japanese food cravings hit. It gets very busy and crowded, so best advice is to try and get in early!

Been here a couple of times and love it. The staff are lovely and it has good food at decent prices. It can get abit crowded at times but it's worth the wait.

The service here was good，and the food was ok too. Both my partner and I got the chicken katsu curry，and whilst the curry was pretty flavorsome the chicken was a bit of a letdown，and was a bit too soggy having been covered by the curry. It would be much better if it was served on top of thw curry so that the chicken remains crispy.

Delicious! My friends and I always come here before seeing a movies, it's always quick and tasty. I will always come back here, very reasonably priced.

One of the best places I've been to in a while. Food was top quality and lots of it, for a really decent price too!! For a Tuesday lunch this little venue was busy. Can't wait to go back. I won't order so much next time.

It's a tiny little place but the food is pretty good and if you're into matcha you absolutely need to try their green tea milkshakes - I'm addicted! Wish you could find those in more places...

Myself and three friends went here tonight for dinner and we were left very impressed. It was very busy when we first arrived, however the service was extremely fast and we were sitting down within 10 mins. All the food we ate was delicious and very reasonably priced. The food came out fast, which was even better and the staff were fantastic! We would recommend to other people and will happily return.

Literally one of my favourite places to visit!! The food is so delicious and served so quickly!!! The milkshakes are so thick and go down great with a meal!! But seriously the dishes are amazing and so cheap!!! I will definitely continue to visit regularly :)))

This petite and charming place is always a crowd pleaser. Cheap, huge and delicious - seriously, is there anything to dislike? Hmm... well, aside from the super cramped seating and not-so friendly servers. Anyway, that aside, Samurai is Glenferrie little gem as they offer solid Japanese comfort food, for mostly under $10! ~best deal in town!<br/><br/>Ordered the Chicken Katsu curry, and it arrived piping hot. The curry was on the milder side, a little watery for my liking, but appreciate the chunks of carrots that included in the mix. The bomb, however, has got to be the generous, tasty chicken katsu... so so good! <br/><br/>If you are a fan of anything green tea, do check out their dessert menu! They carry green tea ice cream, milkshakes and even cheesecake. I wasn't too crazy about the green tea cheesecake (dry!) but I loooove the ice cream, so creamy and sweet! <br/><br/>Overall, I had a great dinner experience at this humble Japanese eatery; fantastic food, pocket friendly and a bright ambiance, would definitely be back for more of their satisfying, hearty food. <br/><br/>Tips: minimum use of $25 for credit cards.

Fast and attentive restaurant, good value food.<br/><br/>I prefer to have the curry sauce separated from the Katsu chicken, I think the Katsu chicken might prepared earlier, not warm, but I guess you can't tell it if served together with the sauce, luckily the chicken skin still crispy crumbled.<br/><br/>The agedashi so so only, nothing too special, but big portion.<br/><br/>Fresh sashimi on rice.<br/><br/>If you're in hurry, I think this is the best place to get quick bite, quick and easy.

Busy two level shophouse Japanese food eatery on Glenferrie Road near Measham Place. Space was very limited and seatings arranged closely to one another. Ground level looks modern and cosy but upstairs felt just the opposite. The level of cleanliness and general housekeeping was not optimum and could be improved. <br/><br/>All the dishes were generous in portion and neatly presented food court style. They offered decent service and at a good price point. Although the food itself did not feel like it was prepared by Japanese chefs, in terms of quality taste and refinement in presentation. <br/><br/>Service staff were polite and helpful. Not wowed but our overall objective for the night was satisfied just getting our tummies filled. Just one option if you're in the area looking for decent value meal, best to get in early for a quick bite, dine in or take out or prepare to wait. <br/><br/>🌟🌟🌟🌟Edamame<br/>🌟🌟🌟✨Tofu Salad<br/>🌟🌟🌟✨Chicken Teriyaki<br/>🌟🌟🌟✨Chuukadon <br/>🌟🌟🌟✨Samurai Don<br/>🌟🌟🌟✨Tempura Soba