Review Zen Japanese Restaurant - Hawthorn

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

The food was great, serves were large and food tasty. There was a surcharge on the bill which was not explained. We were upstairs and the floor is very unsteady. The carpet in the hallway was sticky and dirty, as was the floor in the toilet. Loved the food but you could do so much more to clean up your restaurant

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 :))

We booked table at 7:15 and arrived on time. I told the waiter the name of reservation, then the waiter arranged us a table. 30 mins later, our friend called and said they arrived long time. Then found out the waiter arranged my friends to another table, made us long waiting for friends. Stupid waiters :( The food are big and nice.

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.

I got some home delivery from this Japanese restuarant. <br/><br/>I shared a range of dishes including miso soup, Nasu Dengaku (miso.eggplant) Spicy Tori Karaage,<br/>Takoyaki (Octopus balls) Vegetable Tempura, Sashimi Bento and Zens takeaway special bento.<br/><br/>Overall the food was pretty average to be honest. There were no highlights for me. <br/><br/>On checking previous reviews I've realised that a lot of my photos have disappeared so I've updated a lot of my reviews.<br/><br/>I was expecting some great food based on the overall ratings from previous reviewers. Maybe things are different when dining in but I would be reluctant to get take away again.

The worst restaurant I’ve been. We order 2 entree 1 assorted sushi and sashimi and 1 steak, it takes 1 hour for just 2 entree.

Very yummy food, love the tempura and sushi

Zen Restaurant in Hawthorn served up reasonable Japanese food when we visited for dinner this week. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Service was (in true Japanese style) speedy and polite. We walked out of here feeling pretty zen:)

We reserved a table and they gave us a very dark spot. So we required to swap, the staff was super reluctant even though it wasn’t busy at all. Rude and did not respond to our query. At the end- the staff kept talking about it in front of us after we swapped the seats. Disturbing - won’t recommend any friends to come anymore.

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.<br/>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.

Fresh, tasty food with really good service<br/>I've been to Zen a few times for lunch and dinner.  I love it.<br/><br/>It's always busy and I can see why.  Everything is fresh, tasty and clearly prepared with love.  The salmon is now a firm favourite.  <br/><br/>The service is friendly, attentive and makes for a very pleasant experience.<br/><br/>The place itself is a bit shabby but I think they are just about to close for renovations.  Can't wait to see the new look place.<br/> <br/><br/>Food 4.5*<br/>Service 4.5*<br/>Ambience 3*

Being a student town there's many cheap eats, which is exciting! On this block alone there's Damso Korean and Zen that offers $10 lunch specials. Also fish and chips around the corner and then Samurai, the most popular spot in town. I love a good bento and this menu in the window was too good to walk by.

Tl;dr: the only Japanese diner in Hawthorn that is worth visiting!<br/><br/>We arrived at Zen for the dinner session without a reservation, and were lucky to find a table. Being not in the mood for sashimi/sushi, we ordered a tofu salad, seafood tempura, gyu tataki and sukiyaki udon for a dinner for two.<br/><br/>🍣 Atmosphere: 4/5 clean and space saving, nothing too special. Inside the restaurant it’s actually quite small with a few tables, but it seems there are more seats upstairs. <br/>🍣 Service: 3/5, our waiter was okay but needs to learn how to smile haha. They even prepared small gifts of genmaicha for customers and wished us Merry Christmas :) the small touch is appreciated!<br/>🍣 Food: 4/5. Zen is a Japanese restaurant under Korean management, but that doesn’t seem to affect the quality. This is Japanese food as how I remember it. Highly recommend the tempura even though there is still space for improvement with the batter. I was appalled at how little tentsuyu (dipping sauce) were given, but staff was happy to get me extra sauce. Save some space for the delicious homemade ice cream!<br/><br/>With a pot of tea our bill came close to $100, however if you only order the main without sharing it certainly can be cheaper.

Oldie but a Goldie! Zen turns 10 this year 🎂 Great Food / Great Service / Great great Value!<br/><br/>FAST Rating:<br/>Food: 4/5<br/>Ambience: 3.5/5<br/>Service: 4.5/5<br/>Time: 4/5<br/><br/>#japanese #zen #restaurant #hawthorn #food #foodie #foodblogger #fast #rating #ambience #service #time #tastebudtester

Ordinary exterior. Hidden gem. Well assembled fresh sashimi. Not too oily tempera. Well cooked and juicy wafu steak. Busy on a week night so definitely book a table! Efficient staff.

Quality Japanese cuisine. Friendly service and reasonable prices. Bento box has great selection. Tempura well cooked and crispy. In entertainment book.

Food here is good ,had a Teriyaki Bento for dinner. The price here is a little bit expensive compared to other Japanese restaurants in Hawthorn. Overall Great

Reliable implies boring which Zen definitely is not. I’ve never been disappointed here. Sharp service. Interesting delicious food. Friendly knowledgeable staff. Thanks.

Really enjoyable experience. The food was delicious and the sushi and sashimi was freshly made to order! And the miso eggplant and takoyaki were full of flavour! The staff were nice, but were not as attentive as I would have hoped. Great choice of restaurant for Japanese food, in a slightly more upmarket setting.

I was really craving Japanese but also didn’t feel like driving far so this seemed to be the place. I can’t believe I haven’t been here before! The restaurant is small and cosy so perfect for a cold winter night. <br/><br/>We ordered some sushi and sashimi for entree. The sashimi was great but it only came with one piece of sushi which while great sushi meant it couldn’t be enjoyed by everyone 😂. The Takoyaki was my favourite octopus was so crunchy and the sauce was amazing! We then ordered the chicken teriyaki and Yakiniku for mains. I found the chicken a bit light on teriyaki sauce but the Yakiniku was definitely my favourite of the mains! <br/>Will definitely be coming back when I’m craving some good Japanese.

Came here the other night for dinner<br/>Ambience was good, looked inviting from the outside but then....<br/>We were seated and then forgotten....like Salman Rushdie the wait staff vanished and were never seen again....<br/><br/>Had to get up multiple times to ask for water dishes, soya sauce etc<br/>service was a dissapointment food was good though may not be back due to poor service

Overall a really enjoyable dining experience. You can tell it’s a local favourite with the restaurant filling up quite quickly even on a Monday night. Highlight would have to be the assorted sushi and sashimi tbat we ordered - all of it really fresh and good quality. Only negative would be the prawn tempura as I found the batter to be slightly thick but was very crispy.

Such a cosy, peaceful place to dine in. The ageDashi tofu is a must have - crispy on the outside and so tasty. The best part is definitely the service by Jessica & Kai - they were so polite and thoughtful. Definitely recommend this neighbourhood gem!

Fine food, great service, memorable experience, must try the Wagyu Steak 6+ on the Sizzling Plate, the chef really know how to cook the steak with both tasty and tender.

Been there a couple of times and every experience was great. The service was great and food presentation exceptional. The environment was also very ambient. Thank you for the experience!

I came here as it was in the entertainment guide. It’s a really nice Japanese place in Hawthorn. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and was very full afterwards, will definitely return.

The atmosphere here is homey and cozy. <br/>We booked and there was not crowded at the day.<br/><br/>Before coming dishes, they gave us small plates of edamame we really love. <br/> <br/>Then, We had Prawn Tempura and agedashi tofu first and they were absolutely fantastic. Especially We love Tofu there.<br/><br/>Next, we had Sushi and charcoal sushi torched lightly well on the surface. So we could enjoy the fresh sushi with special way, taste like grill! <br/>It was really good and Salmon was especially fresh so it felt like ice cream melting in the mouth. <br/><br/>My friends’d recommended me Zen’s salmon dishes are good. I absolutely agreed with that. Please try Salmon! <br/><br/>After sushi menu, we had Nabe Udon because it was a little cold weather so we wanted to make us more warmer. This was our perfect choice. Soup was not salty and had depth of flavors. <br/><br/><br/>We were really full but We didn’t want to miss the dessert menu like chocolate spring rolls. I think this must be my favorite here. <br/><br/>we would definitely come back to Zen again.<br/><br/>

Consistently busy at lunch time with Swinburne Uni staff and other locals. Cheerful and usually efficient service. The $10 bento box production line keeps moving. The little savoury rice ball is delicious and there needs to be more of them but they only seem to come with particular bento boxes. Overall it’s ok for a lunch place.

A cozy little restaurant serving very tasty Japanese food, with first class and very polite customer service! Would become a regular patron :)

Zen is a great Japanese neighbourhood eatery that serves fresh ingredients done right. We came in here looking for dinner without a booking and was lucky to get a spot as we were early, but the place quickly packed out for a good reason. <br/><br/>We ordered the Seafood tempura (this was excellent, fresh seafood, lightly battered and deliciously crunchy), the yakitori (this could do with a bit more grilling, but the flavours were true and the chicken juicy), the sashimi and charcoal sashimi platters (both exceptional and melt in your mouth) and the wagyu beef to finish off (this could do with a bit more seasoning, but again, packed with flavour and tender as it should be). Service was prompt and friendly and the wait staff accommodating and attentive. For what you get, I think the price is reasonable and we shall absolutely be back!

Great food and value for lunch.we love the $10 bento boxes .From the terriyaki salmon, chicken , tempura, all is good . A plus is their 10+1 free card. our family are regulars there now .

I booked the restaurant online for 8pm table since no table was available before 8pm. we went to the restaurant around 7pm, and they provided me table. I felt I was so lucky. The environment is nice. The tables are not close to each other. It gives customers privacy. The service was good. The food is well presented, but the taste was standard. I couldn’t finish my bento.

Pricey Japanese restaurant but very good quality and the owners are Japanese not Chinese pretending to be Japanese.  You get free jelly beans when you pay at the counter.  The black sesame ice cream is really nice.

We were seated upstairs up the narrow staircase to find a room with a few tables in a well air-conditioned space. We ordered a spread of vegetarian options and non vegetarian options including sushi/sashimi entree which was up to par , gyoza which melted in the mouth, and eggplant which was delicious. The wafu steak was perfectly cooked. <br/><br/>Whilst the service on the night (new years eve) muddled a few little things here and there, the intent was there and the host who followed up was attentive and preempting our needs to compensate where something was missed which made the experience more memorable.<br/><br/>Leave room for the Choco Harumaki for dessert !

Zen is almost always booked out and for good reasons. We were placed in the upstairs room which would have been great except there was a big family reunion of 12 opposite us. Not really Zen's fault but the family was very very loud and let their young children play and run around in the room. Would have been nice if the staff said something.<br/><br/>Onto the food: I can't fault it! Tempura was very fresh and delicious. Same for the sushi and sashimi. Bentos, set menu and sukiyaki udon were all gigantic and easily shareable. Really don't think you can go wrong with this menu.

Friendly staff and very attentive service.<br/>We had beef tataki, tofu salad, wafu steak and yakiniku, which was supposed to be buta yakiniku. My husband was a bit disappointed that he got the wrong item.<br/>Firstly tofu salad had too much dressing and I prefer beef tataki to be cooked the traditional way instead of just little bit of pan fried and sauce was way too sweet.<br/>Secondly Wafu steak was bit watery and meat was quite not what I expected and my husband beef yakiniku was bit chewy.<br/>Finally I understand people want it to be more healthy but my husband prefer koshihikari or akitakomachi instead of brown rice.

Really good, fresh fantastic food. Dined here with my family, the service was great, and the food came out in perfect time. I would highly recommend Zen if you like Japanese food.

I frequent this place once a week during lunch hours.Always eat the lunch bentos! What is so amazing about this place is of course their awesome food and the super lunch deal and the two girls who I've always been served by in the lunch time. They r so so kind, patient and smiling. That sort of a service makes u want to come back and thank the lovely girls again and gain..! Wel done girls...! Well done Zen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've been this restaurant couple of times. Try prawn tempura and wagyu steak, both are very nice. All food were presented well anyway. I also need to state that staff are friendly and helpful!!

The food here is good value for money, but average quality and inauthentic Japanese. It was low-quality Japanese cuisine at a low-ish price point, trying to emulate fine dining Japanese cuisine. We had the room with four tables pieced together... the tables were a bit wonky and seating was not comfortable, but it was the only way to fit a dozen odd people. The service was very friendly. Most things tasted so-so and unmemorable. The tempura sets were gigantic and good value. I had the kaiseki bento which had some tempura as well, which I found excellent. The set had good variety and was really filling. The miso soup was really salty and tasted like packet miso soup. My partner didn't really enjoy the sukiyaki, which was let down by the broth. The wagyu steak on sizzling plate was an unfortunate way to serve the dish as the meat quickly become overdone. The green tea ice cream was grainy and tastes horrible.

I love the miso soup here, its probably the best in the area. I ordered the bento Zen's lunch box With Tori Teri (chicken teriyaki). For $10 its a great deal. You chose 1 main from the list of about 8 and it served with steamed rice, salad miso soup. The portion size is good and serve was quick.

Based on its rating and convenient location, we decided to try it out for dinner on a Friday night. <br/><br/>Interior space was small and cosy. The staff were friendly! As this was our first time here, we ordered the Matsu banquet menu which gave us a sampling of a variety of dishes. We ordered a beer and two glasses of wine between the three of us. Strangely enough, we were told that the Sauvignon Blanc was not available. However, when we ordered another glass later in the night we were offered the Sauvignon Blanc!!! <br/><br/>The meal itself was nice but not great. The sushi and sashimi did not have the best cut of fish. The wagyu steak was a little over cooked and a sauce was missing to tie the different ingredients together. <br/><br/>My overall impression of the place was positive but there are a lot nicer Japanese restaurants in Melbourne.

By far the best Japanese place going around. Travelled long and wide for ages looking for a go to Japanese place and Zen ticks all the boxes.

This is not an authentic Japanese restaurant at all and the staff are Korean. I don't think it's worth trying their expensive banquet. <br/>We ordered Sashimi mix, charcoal sashimi, Wagyu beef and fried chicken. Their sashimi seemed to be not fresh and you can find better sashimi at other takeaway sushi restaurants. The charcoal sashimi saved the night but not enough for an expensive night. I expected the beef would be nicely served in a food portion not brokend pieces.

Nice small place. Serves a good little lunch special bento boxes. Theres a nice variety to choose from which helps picky people. I’m not really a fan of mayo dressing but thats me.

Great service and food. I had lunch special bento which was really a bargain given what came with it. The meat was cooked perfectly and well seasoned and is affordable. Would definitely come here again in future

Zen is a very intimate Japanese Restaurant in the heart of Hawthorn, directly across from Swinburne University. There are two small, dimly candle lit room and a function room upstairs. The staff are very friendly and attentive, service is also super quick. The food is amazing, so fresh and tasty. All the ingredients were fresh, and the dishes were all authentic Japanese dishes. However, the price for portions of some meals were unfortunately severely overpriced. The servings of rice were only half a handful in size each, and the sizzling plate was the size of an entree not a main bit disappointing when you are paying $25. We understand that Japanese meals are traditionally very small as they do not eat to feel full, but it's bit much to use that as justification to over charge for portion size. <br/><br/>TIP: Do order the Seafood Udon Noodles- fair price and packed with fresh mussels, prawns, calamari and octopus. Don't forget to order a sushi platter- fresh, delicious varieties!

We had a really nice dinner here and enjoyed all the delicious food.<br/><br/>Firstly, I love the authentic "rice" green tea, and the staff were very efficient in topping up our teapot.<br/><br/>The food was also excellent, for entrees, I can never get past the takoyaki, which were delicious. <br/>For mains, I am a big fan of the sukiyaki, and this one did not disappoint. The wafu steak was delicious (save some money and pick this rather than the wagyu!).<br/><br/>We had very nice service and enjoyed the slightly quieter room in the back - a very nice night!

I made a booking online only for myself dinning but it didn't appear on their booking list. When I sat down I had been told I only could stay until 7:30. However I did notice the staff didn't mention any time limitation to couple who sat next to me. <br/><br/>I felt very weird that in a traditional Japanese restaurant but surrounded by Korean staff and Korean background music.<br/><br/>The sashimi was very average. I had a piece veru hard to chew. <br/>

Very delicious and Nicely presented food, fresh fish, quick service. great atmosphere for a chilled Friday night girls dinner. Best dish was the charcoaled sushi

Friendly, relaxed and attentive staff and really delicious food. I wasn't super hungry so I ordered the seaweed salad and ebiten (tempura prawn) maki sushi and it was exactly as I hoped - crunchy coating on the prawns but they're succulent inside, with some cucumber and mayo and topped with the very fun tobiko (fish roe). My husband had vegetable tempura and sukiyaki beef, which wasn't as tender as hoped but still quite good. I look forward to coming back.

ordered one bento box and a seafood yaki noodle. Each one cost me about 25, Ridiculously expensive. You can higher the price but plz make sure the food quality. All vegetables are dried as if they've been chopped and left there for i dont know how long. Fried noodle was nothing but like a 10-dollar fastfood from Noodle Box. There was nothing there in the bento, salad without salad dressing, not enough portion, the soup was only like two sip.<br/><br/> After all, really disappointed. <br/><br/>Ajisen ramen is so much better, considering the price the taste and the portion.

UPDATE <br/><br/>A new operator ... great presentation ... why not seasoned those Prawn Tempura?<br/>Wafu Steak made of sliced meat, first time for everything, not medium rare as ordered, instead well done on the hotplate. JT-18/05/2019<br/><br/>PREVIOUS<br/><br/>This version of Japanese cuisine is okay .....<br/><br/>Okay it's not the most authentic Japanese food around, however it's doable and quite enjoyable

Food was great! The kitchen has excellent timing across the board with entrees/main/dessert being brought out at appropriate intervals. The staff are polite and helpful. Did I mention the food was great? Fresh, clean, well cooked and seasoned. Loved it.<br/><br/>Edit: 2nd visit! We went with the banquet option - still 5/5! Dishes were served promptly and we were quite full by dessert. Delicate, flavourful, amazing every time. Love love love!

Great food here. We had the vegetable gyoza and spicy tori kara age as entrees, and the spicy pork belly and chicken teriyaki as mains. Special mention should go out to the chicken, with one of the best teriyaki sauces I've had. <br/>The service was also top class -very attentive.<br/><br/>I recommend people come here but a word of warning, anything that has the word spicy in here is super spicy, they ain't joking around in the spicy department.

We came here on a warm day wanting some cold dishes to cool us down a bit. I believe the owner maybe Korean as all the waiters were speaking Korean. I booked a table online but probably not necessary as the place was not full. The waitress didn't realise I had placed a booking through zomato but doesn't really matter. We ordered a Sushi sashimi platter which was only average maybe cos it was a very warm day. The fish was not very fresh but I didn't get a stomach ache. Sushis are a bit better than takeaway standard. The salmon salad had a very refreshing dressing which goes well with the greens but not with the fish. Gyozas are ok but some were already broken when brought out. Overall it's not a bad place for a quick dinner but not anything outstanding inviting me to visit again.

Had lunch at this little restaurant today. The food is good and at a really good price. We had the $10 bento boxes. The decor could do with a bit of an upgrade, but I've seen worse. I'd go back to try it for dinner

Came here numerous time and the $10 lunch bento are always on point 👌so is the customer service was really nice and friendly. The spicy pork was really lovely.

Appreciated nice and friendly staff , however the venue and food are not recommended. Korean-Japanese restaurant, cannot expect too much. Rice are dry. Teriyaki Chickens taste like boil chicken with Teriyaki sauce. Fish not very fresh. Feeling dusty n oldy smells at the whole restaurant. Overall experience is disappointing. Not recommended.

Went with a group of 6. Pretty quiet in lunch time so we were quite enjoy the Japanese tea & lunch special . Friendly waitress , awesome food . I Love Japanese bento box , and I needa say the price is quite reasonable . I am so obsessed with those traditional Japanese doll wall decor which create a exquisite peaceful and calm atmosphere . <br/>As a big matcha lover I just couldn't resisted the green tea tiramisu . It's taste awesome just the upper bit was still a bit frozen when it served .<br/>Love the bento box , will be back very soon , Btw , I tried book a table the fist time via Zomato , works perfectly , easy and handy . Helen

We were introduced to Zen by locals and have since been back with others.Suggest booking ahead as it is small and popular. Food is delicious and I recommend  the $40 banquet.

This restaurant has a really cozy atmosphere to it. <br/>The food here is good. My family ordered Edamame (boiled soybean) which was nice, i don't usually eat this but I found it quite pleasant; Grilled Unagi was tasty as well but keep in mind that they are very generous with the teriyaki sauce so be prepared that it's going to be sweet and salty, it goes nice with rice though; Kaiseki Bento and Teriyaki Bento were huge in size, lots of different varieties included; Chan-Chan Yaki looked amazing as well. <br/>The service was excellent.

Zen is a small, unassuming restaurant in Hawthorn specialising in Japanese food. It was very busy on the night we visited, but the service was lovely and timely. The food was also quite good, although this was matched with higher prices.

I enjoyed myself here. We tried the vegetarian gyoza, sashimi and wagyu sizzling plate. The gyoza was lovely and not oily. I thought that the sashimi was pretty fresh. I was told that the wagyu meat was delicious. <br/><br/>A side note: I personally always think that it's promising when there are Japanese people eating there as well. <br/><br/>Really friendly staff!

We made reservation in advance and the restaurant was pretty busy during the Friday night. The service were excellent-friendly staff, quick order and cleaning, pay attention to details etc. <br/>Zen offered variety of Japanese food from small dishes to bento box.<br/>#takoyaki -octopus balls, 6serves. Crunchy but soft savory batter wrapped with small pieces of octopus meat, chewy but tender. This was my favorite tradition Jap entree, I wish they could put more sauce onto it. <br/>#seafood tempura-mix of prawn, calamari, fish and sorts of vegetable tempura. We ate when it came out, so they were hot, crunchy and tasted really nice! The big prawns still had the shell on, but they were crispy and you could eat too if u like.<br/># sizzling wafu beef-medium rear, came out sizzling with mushroom, green bean and broccoli. When the staff poured over with sauce, it became more sizzling. The sound , smell and appearance made it look very appealing. The steak was quite tender and had a slight sweet taste. It could be better if they seasoned the steak with more salt and cut into smaller pieces.<br/>#sizzling spicy pork-it looked like Korean spicy pork but Zen used sliced pork belly. So some of the meat could be quite fatty and bit hard. The sauce was spicy and sweet, with cabbage and onion. We ate a lot of rice with this dish! <br/>#seafood udon noodle-we though it would be soup noodle but it turned out to be a stir-fry udon with some broth. At first bite, I had a strong cooking rice wine taste in my mouth, well I don't really mind, but some ppl may not like it. There were prawn, calamari, mussel, octopus and vegetables in it. The broth were seasoned perfectly and could taste the seafood goodness in it! <br/>#greentea tiramisu-cute piece of dessert decorated with some chocolate swirl and chopped pistachio nuts. The top layer of cream was quite cold and icy but the middle layer of cream was soft. It was a very interesting combination. The sponge were soaked and sweet but didn't taste too much green tea flavor. Still, it was a nice after meal dessert.<br/>#ice cream-sesame and green-tea flavors. The creamy ice cream balls were larger than I thought. They had strong sesame, nutty flavor and green tea, slightly bitter flavor. Even it was cold outside, I enjoyed my ice cream very much;) <br/>Some ppl had the bento boxes, they looked very yummy~ I would love to com back and try them again in the future.

I came into this place accidently which was so magic that the moment I saw it,I decided to dine in.I am a fan of all kinds of sushi,and I fell in love with the sushi it supplied.I guess I will try it again.

This cute little Zen den off Glenferrie are did not disappoint - fresh and delicious Japanese goods as expected! I sampled various entrees from the menu and had no complaints! Staff were a little difficult to track down but other than that all good

Such yummy and tasty food! Their lunch menu is amazing value for money and their customer service is great too! Could have their Sushi Sashimi bento box everyday for the rest of my life!! Highly recommended!!

This is my second time visiting 'Zen' for dinner and the staff are still lovely as ever. Booked a table for four on a Sunday night knowing the place is quite small. During the waiting time, we had to check how long our meals were going to take (after 30 minutes) because it was a busy time. The waitress was kind & honest and said they were trying to get the dishes out the same time that's why it's taking a long time. She reassured us it wasn't going to take any longer, just a few minutes left. I had the Kaiseki Bento box and it was just nice in portion with a variety of side dishes :) When ordering our desserts, she offered a complimentary scoop of ice-cream for the long wait for our dishes. I had the green tea ice-cream and it was good! You can definitely taste the matcha in the ice-cream. Give this place a try if you're willing to pay for quality Japanese food with great service.

This is a small boutique style restaurant with an unique concept and a warm atmosphere. The highlight of this beautiful place was the brilliant service. Service was exceptional, waitstaff were kind, friendly, enthusiastic and very accomadative. We had one of the banquets and as far as the food is concerned, i found Japanese food to be out of my comfort zone, which is why I'll give it another shot. Found the dumplings and the batter fried prawns to be quite tasty. The sesame ice cream was something very NEW to me, which i throughly enjoyed.

Cute local Japanese restaurant. We had the two different bento boxes, gyoza and the beef teriyaki. Beef was particularly good. Disappointed how small the serve of salmon was in the bento box but everything else was great.

I'm always really happy with the food that I get here. The lunch boxes are excellent value and really, for $10, the price is super affordable for the quality of food that you get. The staff are always really friendly too

Small little Japanese restaurant that serves up pretty good food but I wouldn't say that it is amazing. Exception being the prawn tempura which was very flavoursome and crispy. Caution though: the sushi has hidden wasabi inside which we didn't appreciate...

Really good service and atmosphere and it's reasonably priced for the portion you're getting. Made a booking for a friends birthday just a few hours before due to some unexpected changes and they were so accommodating. The staff did whatever they could to ensure all our requests were met. They were so friendly and helpful and were really attentive. Definitely will be back again!

I like the bentos here. It's quick and you get just the right portion that include everything from sushi, sashimi, tempura, salad, rice, miso to dessert. All you need to do is decide which bento and what drink to get. It's a Korean run Japanese restaurant, nevertheless food is decent and service is good.

Always good! Service is always super friendly.<br/>The Tori teriyaki is great, the chicken doesn't have fatty bits on it like some Japanese teriyaki dishes you can get. I also like that it comes with a serve of grilled vegetables on the side.<br/>

There for a girly catch-up last Tues night. What a cozy little hideout from the cold! It was also the type of asian restaurant where you can actually hear each other. Friendly and attentive staffs. Dishes were delicious and arrived at a good pace. We were given that lovely spot by the window which was rather romantic. Will return :)

A lovely bustling Japanese restaurant located near Swinburne Uni. The meals are well presented and tasty, though a little on the small side.

I have recently moved to Hawthorn and gave Zen Japanese Restaurant a visit and it was a fascinating experience. Waiting staffs were generous at their most, and most of all, the food were amazing. The food are unique and very clean with great service. What more can you ask for!

I've been here several times before and have always had their kaiseki bentos. These bentos are very generous and have basically everything I wanted in one ... Tempura, sushi, sashimi, miso soup and ice cream. What more could you want? 5/5<br/><br/>However on this occasion I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try something different: nabeyaki udon. And boy was it just woeful. The tempura was tasteless ... The egg was overcooked and just soggy. The whole thing was nothing like what I had imagined. 1/5<br/><br/>Service was excellent though ... 5/5<br/><br/>Overall this place has hits and misses but the bentos ... Just sticking to them now.

Zen is a Japanese restaurant run by Koreans. They do decent versions of a lot of Japanese favourites. Everything tastes good but it's not overly authentic in flavour... This could be more related to lack of access to ingredients though.

Been to Zen many times now, and the tempura bento remains one of my favourites. Rice were soft and fragrant, and the tempura didn't have the 'recycled oil' taste like some of the Jap places had. Having said that, their miso soup was a bit too salty for my liking. <br/><br/>Also, if you have the entertainment book voucher, they do not honour it for their lunch menu (even though it’s clearly stated in the voucher there’s 25% for dining in).

Great that Zen was opened on Boxing Day and even better that Entertainment Book voucher 25% off was accepted this day.Loved the Kaiseki Bento $29 though the teriyaki chicken was a bit tough. Sushi and sashimi included was average. Loved the non oily, so crispy tempura pieces.<br/>Ordered California sushi roll and I was the only one in my table that thought the rice was abit too wet. Portions were reasonable.Everyone loved the sesame / matcha icecream.Highlight of the meal was the yummy crunchy mayo prawns. A must order!<br/>Staff were attentive and polite.We even went away with a thoughtful christmas gift of tealeaves and $20 voucher for dinner valid till 29th Feb 2016.Nice surprise.

Where do I begin? To say it was the worst restaurant experience of my life would be too nice. After being seated at first, it then took 10 minutes for menus to be provided. After ordering entree and main at the same time, it then took approx 30-40 minutes for one serve of yakitori to come out. After this, a further 30 minutes for miso soup for then two main dishes to be brought out 10 minutes later. The food was bland, rushed (not sure how after over an hour wait), small in proportion (considering paying $25 per main). With constant apologies being made by the waitress about the delay, no explanation was provided. Everyone in the restaurant was experiencing significant waiting times and you could tell frustration levels were high. The restaurant didn't even seem to be very busy! I am not sure what the 10% discount for take-away is for because the service definitely isn't worth the extra money! I don't think I have ever been so disappointed after eating out (I'm not usually like this!)

New favourite Japanese place in Hawthorn. Got the chicken katsu bento, which came with some rice, a side salad and miso soup. This lunch deal is great for those who aren't super hungry and want a quiet meal. Won't fill you up though so perhaps so extra sushi is recommended.<br/><br/>2/8/2016<br/>Came back for dinner and it was even more amazing! Fresh food. Super filling too. I was worried that dinner might not have been worth the money but boy was I wrong. 10/10 would recommend coming here.

What a great surprise. As the name suggests, the place is really zen, and the staff lovely and smiling. The sashimi and sushi were fresh and delicious. Oh and their miso soup is so good! Thumbs up, great dining experience!

Eaten here a few times, absolutely love the food here. It is a smaller restaurant but food is delicious and sashimi is fresh and cut perfectly. Take away is 10% off. I love the teriyaki bento, has a combination of beef, chicken and salmon and the kaiseke bento has chicken, sashmi and tempura. Both bento comes with miso soup. Yum yum, recommended for all!

Nothing special but another expensive Japanese restaurant.  We went with family on Sunday night.  Service was slow and they confused our dishes even that we ensure we had the correct one as my partner is pregnant. They charged corkage for kids even we didn't bring anything for them to drink!  Food was ok, specially the Yaki Udon and the California roll.  The bill was wrong (tried charging us for their mistakes).  <br/><br/>Not going back there again.

this is just right place for family..<br/>we had wonderful time for the birthday.<br/>service was carefully done by a lady and food was so tasty and fresh.<br/><br/>thank you zen. . @5

This place is one of my local favourites, great place to come in for lunch and get one of their $10 Bento Boxes.<br/><br/>Chicken Katsu and the Sake Teri are two of my favourites. Food is always delicious and fresh, however might not be the most filling for some people. But what can you expect for $10, when it's good food.<br/><br/>Staff are always friendly and it's always easy to get a table during the week, as it doesn't get very busy.

Best Japanese restaurant in this area. Great food, great value. I love their deluxe bento box, a bit of everything in the box, very filling. The food is very fresh and the green tea is refreshing. The green tea and sesame ice cream is a must after a meal.

Pricey but definitely good quality of food. Loved their bentos - always comes with a good variety of sashimis and meats. Friendly staff with good service and cozy ambience. Green tea and black sesame icecream were good.

Best local Japanese IMO, ingredients were fresh and prepared with time/care like true Japanese food should be, Tempura, Steak and Sushi were all divine, excellent price point as well. Will be back.