Very yummy food, love the tempura and sushi
Zen Restaurant in Hawthorn served up reasonable Japanese food when we visited for dinner this week.
We ordered a couple of bento boxes which were really beautifully put together. While the sushi and sashimi were not of the highest quality, they were still serviceable. The takoyaki balls were fabulous though and this made up for any short fall. The kids’ meals were great value. And you can't go wrong with green tea and black sesame ice-cream for dessert.
Service was (in true Japanese style) speedy and polite. We walked out of here feeling pretty zen:)
Great value lunch menu. Good service, and tasty food. The water tastes worse than pool water, but apart from that a good choice for a nice meal.
Quick and delicious food, lunch menu (bento) was worth the money.
Staff was also friendly. Go check them out 😋
Staff went out of the way to accommodate a birthday celebration. Service was absolutely brilliant. Had the spicy karage, nasu dengaku (grilled miso eggplant) wafu beef, stir fried vegetables, purple rice finishing off with the sesame and green tea ice cream. Would return for the bento box which represents excellent value. High quality ingredients. An authentic Japanese gem in Hawthorn.
Came by weeks ago with a group of friends. The ambience was nice and cosy. The service was friendly. Food took a while to come out, and they missed one of the components of one of our orders. They were very apologetic and gave an extra portion. I had the kaiseki bento. The sushi and sashimi were fresh. The takoyaki balls were among the best I've had in a long time. The chicken teriyaki was well flavoured and the meat was tender. The tempura were lightly battered and the salad added a nice refreshing crunch to the meal. The miso was pretty standard. The meal also came with choice of ice cream. I had the sesame which was really fragrant and delicious.
My favourite Japanese restaurant in all of Melbourne!! There is so much care and thought that goes into every dish that is served here. Not to mention the attention to detail and the warm, friendly, and professional staff.
I having passed Zen so many times I’m so glad I finally made the trip in to try the food! The owner was there to serve me and advised that a lot of their customers had said it was one the best tempura in Melbourne so I was super excited to find that it was absolutely delicious!! I’m not a tempura expert but it was definitely the best I’ve had in Melbourne! Crunchy and keeping the integrity of the ingredients - perfectly cooked! Will 100% be back 😍
This plece is always packed with people. Very well priced, delicious food and friendly staff. There was very nice. If my friend is looking for a good restaurant, I definitely recommend this place.
It is always busy here, the produce is always nice and fresh yet tasty and full of joy to eat. the service is great and pleasant everytime I come.
The food was wonderful and the service was so kind and considerate!
As my fiancee and I have never been here, our entrees and drinks were a fantastic start to the evening! Although our Main was also delicious, we admittedly expected a larger quantity for the price ($25) - such as more vegetables rather than a couple pieces, for instance, since they were written as an accompaniment to the dish on the menu. Finally, our dessert was displayed beautifully and SO yummy! Every ingredient tonight seemed to be great quality and they were accommodating to my fiancee's needs as a wheelchair user. Lovely, spacious atmosphere that is accessible to mobility aids!
Overall we really enjoyed ourselves and found it to be a perfect date for Valentine's! We'll certainly go again! :D
Our last and now first friends dinner before and after lockdown Zen Japanese is as good as ever. Cozy atmosphere, lovely classic fresh dishes and warm welcoming staff. We were really taken care of. Perfect. Thank you so much!!
Been here twice already and the food is always very consistent, delicious and fresh. The staff were super friendly and even accommodated a birthday cake that we brought and gave us a free ice cream and candle for the birthday girl :)
Left a tip and will definitely be back again!
Great food, service, and ambiance.
Prices are a bit steep for us. Luckily, we used a discount voucher, otherwise we wouldn't dine here. However, we highly recommend it if it's within your budget.
I went there with my family and we had amazing customer service. The seafood tempura and the sushi and sashimi was top notch. Would recommend the Teriyaki Bento for takeaway as well. Love the vibes there at the restaurant and the staff too. The staff are so friendly and easy to talk to. We will be going there again very soon :))
Excellent service. Dishes are pretty tasty but comes overly sauced. The atmosphere is suited to a family or a date and easy access by tram or train. Good variety of starters and mains. Sashimi was fresh and beef was juicy.
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in Hawthorn
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes