Stan Veloutsos
A cosy, small, but surprising place. The service was friendly by the waitress and the chef. The food options are well thought out. The quality of the chicken in the Katsu curry was phenomenal. Very very soft. The quantity was decent. The prices were reasonable. The seating was quite uncomfortable. Thanks for the experience.
Ian Qiu
Most humble owner you will ever meet. Fast service and great quality food. You can absolute order anything on the menu and won’t disappoint
Maria Ngo
A very small restaurant with indoor dining for 8 people only with almost as many seating outdoors on the footpath. Good for quick meals and takeaways. Furniture has an icky feel. Self service cutlery and water. I came for lunch and had a bento box with teriyaki chicken which came with a springroll, hashbrown variation, seaweed salad and miso soup. The chicken was nice but I'm not a springroll fan and while I love seaweed, I don't fancy it in a salad.
Nans Andr
The staff (chef) is so very rude and very unprofessional.
The food quality used to be not so bad, but now is getting tasteless & more expensive. Will be the last time to buy from this shop, when I pickup the food the chef is so rude showing his angry face, an stressed and angry man shouldn’t open some business because the customer will be running away instantly. I think he has problem with mentality.
Russ Yeo Joon Yoon
I have been this place when we lived. it was cosy, warm with it has right flavour Japanesey food like home cook. we went there after lockdown. somehow it has changed. Not very friendly staff but friendly to local people. it has changed a lot.
Anik Ahmed
Over use of Teriyaki sauce. The fish was extremely and not enjoyable as it was extra sweet. However, lot of food and worth the money.
Sarah Strugnell
Some of the best customer service and Japanese food you can find in Melbourne. I had the Aoba Box (bento) with kara age chicken for dinner and it was delicious. The meal was reasonably priced and very filling. I will be coming back for sure to try the daily lunch menu! Tasty gyoza 🥟 juicy, crispy chicken 🍗 fresh salad with sesame (goma) dressing 🥬
Josh Spiegel
Came here for a quick meal with a friend. We both had the Aoba box, one fish and chicken. The food was delicious and the serving size was decent, we didn’t leave feeling hungry.
It’s not over priced and the service was friendly.
Jared Appleby
We come here all the time our favourite Japanese restaurant in Melbourne, the chef is a wizard in the kitchen. The food is absolutely delicious and always great quality and fresh ingredients used. Lovely staff always hospitable and friendly would give it ten stars out of five if I could, we love AOBA!
Highly recommend!
Pippa Sparda
Aoba is reasonably priced and the food is always delicious. A pot of green tea and the chefs special will run you around $20 and it's well worth it. Wholesome, authentic Japanese cuisine and a lovely friendly staff.
Erick D. Lee
Authentic Japanese shop. The bento boxes are to die for, especially the Nikatsu Box (egg-coated pork cutlet) and Teriyaki Fish/Chicken.
Myriam Fattar
Exquisite Japanese food. I loved my freshly made sushi platter and my boyfriend and I fell in love with the Wasabi Teriyaki chicken, simply mind blowing. Keep it up!!!!
Daniel Yu
Everything sold out. And only one waitress.
After more than half an hour the food still hadnt been served. We did NOT mention anything even sound like 'take-away', but guess what, we ended up had our dinner in take away containers.
Wont be here anymore.
Sekine Noriko
日本人シェフによるおいしい日本食レストラン しかもとってもリーズナブル 腹ペコさんもばっちりですよ お料理のみならず手作りアイスも美味しかったです♪
Joshua Franke
I eat here all the time when I'm in Melbourne and I absolutely love it!
Great food, excellent staff, highly recommended! Thanks shingo �
Alex Kharnam
One of my favorite places for better-than-utility sushi and sashimi. It is very reasonably priced, very friendly and always fresh and delicious.
The tea situation could do with a little work, but otherwise, this place is a treasure.
Janka Syki
Fantastic staff, fantastic food! One of the treasures of Glenferrie road�
Max Yong
Hands down the BEST home style japanese restaurant in Melbourne!
Alex Bicknell
I love Aoba. <br/><br/>I’m not sure why some in the past have given poor reviews. I have gone to Aoba now probably over 30 times across 5 years and the food and service are consistent and excellent.<br/><br/>Food: Ignoring price, the food is excellent. Their bento boxes are filled with great variety and extremely tasty. Including price, the food is an absolute steal. You’ll rarely spend more than 20 dollars per head.<br/><br/>Staff and service: Aoba is run by a Japanese family who hire staff who all speak Japanese. It’s a cute small atmosphere and feels as if you’ve walked into a suburban Tokyo house for a home cooked dinner. The staff are always friendly and cheerful. I have never had a wrong order, poorly cooked item and the food has always been consistently excellent.<br/><br/>I count Aoba on my top 5 list of favourite restaurants in this town. Whether you’re looking for a cute place for a date or a cheap bite, Aoba should be a default go to.<br/><br/>Fav dishes: Men’s Lunch (only at Lunch) and the GK Box (dinner).
Richard Rotstein
Best no-fuss japanese in Melbourne!
Sean
Not sure what the hype is about- visited this place with friends and pretty disappointed. Cramped interior, food was average at best. Maybe in the past this used to be good and its declined? Won't be going back.
Stan
I used to like this place but quality has really declined. Ordered a platter to share but it didn’t taste fresh and oil on the croquettes/spring rolls tasted stale. Also the restaurant is tiny and ventilated poorly so the fumes from the deep fryer are suffocating.
Elephantpizza
Very mediocre food. Shouldn’t expect much for asian food around these areas anyways. Quite reasonably priced but definitely not something Id go out of my way to go for.
Jimbo
Brilliant for the price. We shared their big plate for 2. $22 each and it was more than we could eat. A good quality selection of food too. More a cafe than a resto. It's been many years since we had such a good meal for so little cost. No alcohol available. Not sure if they do BYO.
Munchk1n
Came here for the first time tonight with my family. Aoba is a cozy little boutique restaurant that can only fit about 15 ppl max. We ordered gyoza, takoyaki, sushi, sashimi, karaage, various bento boxes, wafu steak and teriyaki salmon. Everything was delicious and fresh. The wafu steak was a little on the dry side. Tonight, there was only one person running the entire restaurant - from taking orders, cooking and serving as he said his waitress/helper was sick. He managed extremely well given how busy the place was the whole night, so kudos to him for being able to serve up what he did tonight!!! Will definitely be back to eat again in the future!
Johnny
Cute little Japanese restaurant with friendly staff. The Katsu chicken is delicious! One of the best I've ever had. I will be back to try more.
Michelle Leong
Lazy saturday evening calls for a quiet night spent at a quaint little Japanese restaurant in an attempt to reignite my zen mood prior to commencing work the next day. Story of my life summed up after working 5 days a week and waking up early for a non-existent shift. Simple menu with favourite crowd-pleasers such as dons, sushi rolls and a few bento boxes for those looking for value for money.
Carlos Humphrey
Aoba is lovely.<br/>The staff are so friendly, so polite, and so darn cheerful. The way that they chat quietly in Japanese behind the counter, I felt like I'd stepped into a little diner in a town in Japan somewhere.<br/><br/>The food is delicious, too, and you get so much of it for quite a reasonable price! Honestly, I'd get anything on the menu, it's all pretty great.<br/>Definitely coming here again!
Lisa
Updated- used to visit here regularly for takeaway. <br/>One day gave me the wrong meal (ordered something with sashimi and got a vege box), realised when I got home and so rang back to clarify. Essentially told me I was lying and asked ‘what do you want me to do then?’. Is this how you treat your customers? Absolutely disgusting.
Hungry Big Potato Bear
Aoba is a lovely small Japanese restaurant. I've tried a variation of their dinner sets, sashimi and homemade ice cream. Everything they have served has not been disappointing.
Tao Li
Food average. doesnot match the good view.<br/>Too small place, disappointed from far away for the good views.i donot think will come back again.
Tina
Tried the chicken katsu and it was delicious. However, the curry was a bit on the runny side and not as thick as I would have liked. Overall, a pleasant dining experience.
Vincent
Been here for a few times but I probably won’t come here again. The food becomes average, expensive and very unprofessional waitresses ( the one with long dyed hair).
Ilovefood
First impression: small little cafe located on one of the main strips of Malvern. Came here on a Friday night and it was quite busy but the staff were really quick and friendly.<br/><br/>What I had: Chicken udon and my friend had the katsu curry with rice.<br/><br/>Food quality: the chicken was tender which was nice. The broth had a mild flavour, didn't have a strong flavour to it which I enjoyed. Udon was cooked well. The udon serving size was average but the rice dish was a bit on the generous side. Overall quite enjoyed my dish.
Ignatia
Aoba is one of the few places that I’m willing to put my pants on so I can go to on days when I crave fulfilling chicken katsu set. The complementary miso soup is just something that I don’t take for granted because not only it occupies me while waiting for the food (not that it takes long, so far I’ve never experienced long waiting), but it also helps filling my hungry tummy who’s been patient throughout the journey from south yarra to malvern just for this bento box. It’s all worth it when I have finished my meal. I recommend this :)
Love Food
It was a warm and friendly restaurant <br/>1 chef and 2 staff<br/>The staff recommended Aoba set $18 and hubby wants dinner set $29 that has a bit of everything. Kids want to try on sushi entree platter $15. <br/>The sashimi is cut beautifully and evenly. Presented well. SUPER LOVE the wasabi. Seems it’s a level higher than those in sushi train restaurant. <br/>Generous portion <br/>Love the aoba set. It comes with big massive chicken katsu and a bit of everything <br/>The seaweed salad is a big thumbs up. Super yummy. And the gyoza as well. <br/>Hubby loves the pork chop in the dinner set<br/>Again it’s a bit of everything. <br/>Kids love the food here. Devoured everything <br/>They provide kids cutleries and cup. <br/>We finished up with black sesame ice cream $4 and green tea ice cream $4. It is nice!!!!!! <br/>Staff and chef are very friendly. <br/>We will come back. <br/>
Fusspot Foodie
My partner and I were looking for a place to have dinner on a weeknight along Glenferrie road. We stumbled across Aoba and thought we'd give it a go. It's quite a small restaurant, but luckily there were plenty of tables on our visit so we decided to dine in. We opted for a Bento box each - my partner had vegetarian and I had sashimi. The sashimi was extremely fresh. Normally I prefer salmon, but the tuna was equally as good. The salad had a nice dressing that even my partner managed to eat all his (despite not being a salad guy). Surprisingly (as I don't normally like tofu) the tofu was a stand out, crispy on the outside and well balanced with the soy sauce. We enjoyed every bit of our Bento boxes and will go back again in a heart beat.
The Last One Piece
A little Japanese joint on the busy part of Malvern road. Not many seats, shoulder to shoulder if not. Food, portioning, price, spot on. Nothing ridiculously wow but for what the restaurant offers, its superb. Big portions, tasteful kara age, Japanese curry, You find the right elements a small Japanese takeaway joint needs. The chef behind the scene is very friendly, although looks intimidating, he always welcomes us with a awesome smile when we arrive. True hospitality is represented, can be sometimes understaffed but for the capacity us as customers need to mind the workers too. Offers a wide variety of dishes for takeaway, might need to give that a try next. Overall, its a affordable local friendly Japanese in the neighborhood. See you soon Tagusan!
One Piece Left
We must have Japanese fever here at One Piece Left! Two Japanese restaurant reviews in a row, where the name nearly sounds the same… try and not get the two confused peeps. So on our search for weekday and budget friendly Japanese food, we came across Aoba. This restaurant had unusually high reviews for it’s genre, and we were a little skeptical to say the least. Before I talk about the food, here are some quick observations on Aoba.
Mustard
Small little cafe serves your quintessential Japanese dishes, most notably that caught the corner of my eye was a huge serving of tonkatsu. Still full from the night before I got a smaller lunch version which came with a couple of gyoza, spring rolls and miso soup. What a killer deal.<br/><br/>Tonkotsu (pork) was good, not too dry and had a nice crust from being deep fried. Rest of the items were pretty standard but I'd totally come back and order up a main sized version all for myself.<br/><br/>Timinmelbourne you should have practised your flawless Japanese on the waitress haha.
Timinmelbourne
I had lunch here and the food was really reasonably priced. Such good value. <br/><br/>The food was tasty, fresh and the service at first was unusual but then it was really friendly. I asked for some water and I was told they don’t have any, that they only sell soft drinks! Mmnn ok <br/><br/>Something was lost in translation because we eventually got a bottle of water thank you hahaha<br/><br/>I order a men’s meal for lunch. It had a selection of goodies, mainly fried but it did come w some shredded lettuce lol<br/><br/>Overall this little cafe became full, and I can see why! This was really good. And I got to have lunch with Mustard for the first time who was great company 😊<br/>
Willtravelforfood17
I love this cosy Japanese place with reasonable prices and authentic food. The owner and his wife are very hospitable and always greet us with a smile. I always have a bento box because you get a little of everything and each element is delicious.
Kyu27
Everything sold out. And only one waitress.<br/>After more than half an hour the food still hadnt been served. We did NOT mention anything even sound like 'take-away', but guess what, we ended up had our dinner in take away containers.<br/>Wont be here anymore.
Emily
Very cute little restaurant tucked away in between an array of different other shops. Very "homey" feeling and the staff are very friendly.<br/>Limited menu selection but the food is definitely yummy and full of flavor. The bento boxes do not look very big but they were definitely filling. Food is definitely worth the price . Overall highly recommended.
Michelle Yuchi
My husby and I went there to have dinner with high expectations based on reviews. But I have to say the taste there is average and the inside of the restaurant was full of the smell of oil when we arrived. Probably won’t come again.
Vivian
Cute Japanese restaurant that gets busy quite fast. The price for what you get is excellent and I found all the dishes I had were tasty and rich with flavor. The left down was the desserts here , the ice cream in particular was icy and hurt my teeth
Eat Like Theres No Tomorrow
Every where else sucks after I've been to Aoba. Other than Hakkata, Aoba is the closest thing to authentic japanese food! Ive moved to the north, but Im forced to drive back to Aoba from time to time cos I couldnt find anything as nice as Aoba!
Nikita Hall
Really lovely place and staff.<br/><br/>We ordered the Unagi Don and Chicken Udon to go. Both were tasty, authentic and well priced.<br/>This is officially my go-to japanese takeaway restaurant in the area.
Melissa Kate
Had a quick dinner at Aoba on Wednesday night. Turned up without a booking at 7:15pm and was lucky to get a table for 2. While it did empty out by 8pm, this place is very tiny and crowded so be prepared that you may not get a seat easily during peak dinner time. Once seated I quickly realised there were no toilets, so you will need to go to the nearby park if you're desperate for some facilities. It is also not licensed, so expect just soft drinks and water to be offered. It looked to have only the one kitchen and floor staff members, both of whom were very friendly and welcoming. <br/><br/>Mr B and I went for the $27 Dinner Set, which looked to be great value. It started with a lovely miso soup, followed by a tray of sashimi, spring rolls, gyoza and tofu with wasabi and soy for dipping. For mains I went with the chicken kara age, and Mr B went for the chicken teriyaki. I loved the seasoning of my chicken and the sesame dressing on the lettuce bed beneath it. Mr B couldn't complain about the teriyaki. <br/><br/>Nothing fancy about this place. It is probably better suited to the drop in lunch crowd which have different dining expectations compared to us night time diners. It might be why it has such a high rating. I think it is still worth a visit based on its reputation. The food was simple and quick. Not one for the special dining experience, but definitely one for cheap, no frills, wholesome, sit down, fast food fix.
Kristie Koo
Lived up to the hype. I really didn't think I would enjoy the food from such an unassuming place. Don't get me wrong, their Salmon sashimi isn't at Kenzan's standard, but the nice thing about Aoba is you get the value or slightly better than the value you pay for. Simple, without trying too hard and yet at a good standard. The food is fresh, delicious and really authentic. My friend remarked that her katsu curry tasted exactly like the ones in Japan. The atmosphere is the same, pretty cosy and smells yummy of the fried food, or some might find it greasy depending on your taste. Staff are pretty polite and friendly. I'll probably be back if I'm nearby, but then again, I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
Missvu05
Down side is no beef teriyaki bento box otherwise Very nice food and good amount of portion <br/>Place a bit small but very japanese way and clean . Nice food and really nice staff- love love love will come back -pls put in teriyaki beef
Mrs Bunny
We would like to rate this place 3.8 if possible. A tiny little Japanese restaurant in Malvern. We’ve been here for lunch on the weekends for about 5 times now. Never needed to wait for seats, but apparently dinner can get very busy. Today we ordered Spicy Tuna Salad, Lady’s Lunch and Black Sesame Ice Cream.<br/><br/>The Spicy Tuna Salad was our favorite. The salad and raw tuna were very refreshing. Sauce was mayo with a hint of spiciness. Yummy!<br/><br/>Lady’s lunch came with miso soup, spring roll, tofu, salad, seaweed salad, croquet and a main of your choice. We picked karage age chicken. It was a nice dish. Good amount of food for lunch. <br/><br/>The Sesame Ice Cream was homemade but wasn’t as good as I expected. It was quite icy and the sesame flavor can be stronger.
Lincoln Whitfield
I settled down on the floor of my dojo and began my Monday morning rituals of meditation by practicing the art of 'Soduku' (not to be confused with my other treasured hobby: sepuku). As I munched on my high protein beetle, I was suddenly craving food of the emperor's own delicacies of Japenese cuisine. I had no other course of action but to once again leave my dojo dwelling and catch the nearest rickshaw to Aoba. The little man was extremely weak hence a superior whipping was required. By the end of the route we had exchange positions of interest. Whilst the Yamamoto sunk over 5 decades ago, it felt like the same amount of time to reach this cultural outlet. I crossed the threshold of dining, and took up a pew at the ancient 'hyō'. Unfortunately, the stool which I was placed upon got in the way of my kimono and my traditional wooden clogs slipped on the slimy surface. Another pitiful occurrence was that I had recently max out my credit card at the gambling facilities at the Hibernian Hotel therefore I was limited to a Katsu Curry. Boy was my mouth immersed with the flavour! 😵👅🍱 I ate this morsal with great satisfaction and it was praised by the immortal gods of the Shinto religion. I could not bear to leave and I was dragged away from the kitchen, looking for a knife to commit SEPUKU (my favourite hobby🗡😜). In the end the rickshaw man was tending his wounds with whale fat. I couldn't afford the 10 yen back to thine dojo, and subtly settled on the bullet train: the silver bullet to the rickshaw itself. <br/><br/>Lincoln❤️
Anthony Rogers
The best Japanese in Melbourne!! If you haven't tried it, you should!! Service is always great and comes with a smile. Food is always hot and tasty.
Michael Lui
Saw good reviews so was quite excited to get a bento box. Ordered from the dinner specials list, the big bento and chose the pork cutlet. Pretty bland, spring rolls were blond and tasted from the packet, pork cutlet was very plain and sauce was sour and not nice. Pretty disappointing for a $27 bento box!
Jaydaysss
Although small and cozy, Aoba has a great ambience with warm and friendly staff. The food is decently priced and although it can get quite busy in the evenings, the food is definitely worth it. I had the spicy tuna don which was really tasty. I would describe the marinade as being sweet, savory and spicy - it can pack quite a punch. A really addictive taste. I almost ordered a second. Can't wait to come here again and try their bento boxes!
Saladzzz
This Japanese restaurant has been in Malvern for many years. The chef and staff are always very friendly. A variety of bento are offered and they are delicious. I prefer the karaage chicken than the tonkatsu; better flavour and texture. The restaurant can get very crowded during lunch and dinner time. As it's a small restaurant, indoor air can get quite greasy and stuffy when a lot of deep frying work is happening.
Sabrina Kindler
I am a big Japanese food lover and this is by far one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. While it may be small, its incredibly tasty. The food is so fresh and cooked perfectly. Everything tastes so good and the staff are so friendly and kind. I love this place and recommend it to everyone.
Zack Ping
Where do I begin here! Wow!<br/><br/>This place is a tidy nice little Japanese place which I love to go to! The pricing is cheap and the servings are huge 🙌🏻<br/><br/>There's normally only two people working here yet even with a full house they still get the food out quick! It's an easy place to go to for decent food!<br/><br/>Love the chicken Katsu!
Murrayhead
An insanely high rating is usually an indicator that a restaurant is either supremely cheap for what they offer, or they adhere to the highest standards of fine dining. Aoba, while pleasant, does not fall into either category.<br/>The feel of the restaurant is cosy and the staff are friendly. No faults to be found there, but the ultimate test comes with the actual food. Ordering the unagi don, my dish consisted of a large bed of plain white rice in a bowl, with eel fillet drenched in sauce placed on top of it. Edible, sure, but where was the craft, where was the interplay between flavours? Overall, it came across as very bland.<br/>Unfortunately, other dishes were served up at pretty much the same level. The chicken teriyaki was again edible, but the green salad served on the side did not qualify as a salad - merely, it was a handful of leaves. Spring rolls and gyoza were also very standard, and the miso soup was fine. <br/>Overall, a disappointing experience - there are many Japanese restaurants in Melbourne which deliver above what is offered here, at a similar price.
Ruohui Lin
I accidentally found out this nice Japanese place and took the all research group there for a member's birthday. The food turned out to be fantastic! Since then, my friends and I become regular visitors and my husband(a meat-lover) likes it too!
Facebook User
Been a regular customer here for almost 3 years now!Chef Shingo is the heart and soul of this lovely little gem in Malvern! Nothing beats the hearty authentic homestyle dishes that he makes!
Jas
I just love this place. It may only be a small "cafe" but the food is always yum. Even when my favourite dish is not on the menu the chef always makes it for me (wasabi chicken salad). Highly recommend a visit to this unassuming gem
Who Loves Good Food
Our experience wasn't as good as most reviews unfortunately, far from the rating that led us here so very disappointing.<br/><br/>Aoba is a very small eatery, reminds me of Japan where such little spaces are everywhere. They can only sit about 18-20 pax indoors so booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. <br/><br/>For entree we ordered agedashi tofu & gyoza to share. Both dishes were bland & less than appealing. Our mains were S&S bento 🍱 box (everything was fresh), katsu curry rice (curry was tasty but the pork was very dry), Tonkotsu (again super dry & chewy pork) & chicken karage (the only worthy dish, in fact it was a great dish!) with rice. Another complaint is just how small the rice portion is, not enough even for kids :(<br/><br/>Service was great but that was it!
G
I can see why the reviews are so high. <br/>Great food, friendly staff and reasonably priced. <br/>I loved how their food reminds me of authentic Japanese food, something that is not that common to find in melbourne as restaurants are always eager to tweak flavours to cater to the local palettes. <br/>Definitely give them a go if anyone is around the area.
Jianierrrrrr
Aoba was a popular Japanese restaurant offered quick lunch/dinner fix. They had those nice bento boxes that contained lots of different small dishes. <br/>We went there for dinner and ordered proper dishes included some appetisers and main dish.<br/>#tofu salad#-cold medium-firm tofu topped with Japanese mayo and sesame dressing. That was a cold and refreshing salad to have for summer. <br/>#sashimi,medium size#-came with three kinds of sashimi, the quality was good and fresh.<br/>#chicken karaage#-fried chicken pieces with Japanese spices. It was nice but could be juicer and more tender.<br/>#vegetable croquettes#-two pieces in total, with really crispy crust and soft creamy potato mash. It was pretty nice with the Japanese sauce.<br/>#katsudon bowl#-very typically Japanese rice dish. Crumbed pork cutlet cooked with egg on bed of rice. Rice was nice and soft, sauce was delicious but little salty. The rice bowl was average overall. <br/>
Luke And Hannah
One of the best casual Donkatsu in Melbourne!<br/><br/>This small shop offer quite a limited number of tables but the quality of their fried crumbled pork chop was top notch.<br/><br/>Here we tried the chicken karage (4/5 points) as an entree and it was delicious. The best thing was that Aoba doesn't give you that heavy aftertaste from using too much oil to fry like at other places. This fried chicken dish was super moist inside, tender, and crunchy on the outside. <br/><br/>Hannah got the beef steak dish (4/5) and again it was delectable. The meat was cut into pieces, which were all tender and cooked to medium. The sauce was balanced and flavourful which went great with the beef and fresh veggies.<br/><br/>Luke got the curry pork donkatsu (4/5) and it was tasty. The pork has the right amount of fat which enhance the taste and texture greatly. It was not dry or oily at all, which was awesome! The coating outside was crunchy and well-seasoned. The curry was slightly too salty but bearable. The portion was huge!<br/><br/>The miso soup (3.5/5) we got was good as well - light, comforting, and flavourful.<br/><br/>Overall Aoba is a very good casual Japanese for donkatsu/karage dishes. We highly recommend checking this place out.
Cookielessvee
A small japanese cafe on a just strip. Some seating outside and the inside is small and cramped. A variety of dishes to pick from. Can't say service is great as they were quite busy. Ordered the veg combo and katsu curry as well as a vegetable croquette. The croquettes are well made. The bento is filling. As for the katsu, it is kind of dry and the curry tasted tangy.
Edwina AC
This is the best Japanese food! Love coming here for the pork Katsu curry! The chicken terryaki wasabi special is also a favourite. This place never disappoints and the staff are friendly. There are only a few tables which always worries me as I'm scared I'll have to just get takeaway! Great place. Would definitely recommend to anyone!
Hungry DrDave
Took the family for dinner here in November '16. Seems a bit more like a lunch place but still good. 3 of us had the Aoba Bento box - includes Miso soup and a great taste of various foods, plus I chose chicken teriyaki. Value for money for sure, but will need to try a few other items from the menu that others were eating that looked even better than what we'd chosen. A good introduction to Japanese food though. Great value!!
Grace The Rookie
First time trying this little Japanese cafe in Malvern. Small, simple but cosy interior. Friendly service. We ordered the sashimi entree, nasu dengaku and chicken katsu curry. All the dishes were flavoursome and well done. The eggplant was tender and juicy, with a sweet sticky sauce. The serving of chicken katsu was generous. They didn't have salmon today so replaced it with extra tuna in the sashimi dish which we were fine with. Keen to come back and try the house made ice creams next time!
Angie Bone
Another value for money Japanese cafe in my neighbourhood. Whenever i yearn for a simple Japanese bento or don or sushi, there s no other choice but come here. Their homemade green tea ice cream is a must order dessert after a Japanese homey meal
Unknown
Love this japanese restaurant 💋💋💋 veggie bento box was affordable with huge portion. Love the asmostphere here and the attitude of thier staff. I would recommend it. A twist of authentic japanese cuisine 💕 . Most Japanese restaurants in Melbounre are owned by Chinese and It's reallyh hard to find an authentic one. Thanks Zomato
MF
Had friend bday dinner here, the food overall was okay, i realise that all the waitresses and chef were all japanese, and it showed on the food, the fish melt in your mouth, beef was very tender and everything else also good. What suprising was the brown sugar ice cream, personally i dont really fancy brown sugar, but man! This one, i love it! It was very creamy, not overly sweet, has mild taste but subtle. The downside was the restaurant was tiny and the hexos wasnt strong enough, so as expected when we were done, we smelled like we just did bbq, overall for the food and service was good but wont go for the weekend.
Explorer
Very nice little restaurant in a busy strip of Malvern.<br/>Very tasty dishes with big portions and perfect spices on all food. The restaurant has tables inside and outside as well if you would like a bit of sun and wind. Could be tricky if you wanna come in big group though.<br/><br/>Ordered Men's lunch and Nik......something Box (haha, can't remember the whole Japanese name), all very good.<br/>Very reasonable price and nice + polite service. <br/><br/>The only downside is probably that the restaurant doesn't take any card payment, cash only, which I had to go to 7-Eleven to withdraw cash.
Foodgrubbie
We had dinner for 4 yesterday. We ordered the dinner set, chicken katsu curry and eel. Large servings for a decent price. Food was tasty and my friend loved the sashimi. Small restaurant with friendly staff and a cozy environment. Would recommend to go early as they have quite limited seating. That being said it was a friday night and the place wasnt too crowded.
Gourmet Explorer
It's a small cafe with several tables only. I went to it on Thursday night, and it's nearly full. We ordered Aoba bento boxes. The deep fried potato was quite good, crispy outside and soft inside. The bento box had different variety food. But none of them gives me any surprise.
Umbrellaeats
Love our little local joint- affordable and delicious with a homely feel. We always feel welcome and the katsu bento box is my favourite. Remember it is cash only 👌🏻
John Formoso
Good food at a god price. Good vege selection. Loved the unagi. The vege bento was excellent Not so keen on the pork. Do yourself a flavour and give this place a go <br/>
PW Lou
Tiny place which is a bit of a squeeze. I was there for lunch which was cheap as there were lunch specials. There looked like there were a few regulars which tells you about the value of the lunch. I was still slightly peckish after eating there.
Bernardo Jacobi
I've been here no less than 8 times thanks to my Japanese friend's recommendation. Everything I have tried is delicious! The place is fairly priced and well worth it.
Systemico
Great authentic Japanese food. VERY reasonable price ($15-20 for mains). They do great meat and vegetarian dishes. I've attached photos of 4 separate meals I've had here. The restaurant is tiny (only has a few tables), but I find this a positive thing as it's not too noisy, and the service is good as they're generally only serving you and maybe one other table. If you like Japanese food, and you want a great meal for a decent price, I'd highly recommend coming here.
Tony
Nice little Japanese eatery serving a decent selection of food. Come here for the Aoba bento box, or any of the other bento box offerings. The chicken teriyaki isn't too bad either, and the chicken karage is rather delicious.
DaniB @eatmystreet.net
Nice Japanese food. We ordered the $25 set menu which gave us a taste of a lot of different things: sushi, miso soup, spring rolls, teriyaki chicken. The restaurant is tiny but service was good. There are no toilets on site which could be a problem.
Laura
Lovely family run little place, fresh food and friendly people. Very reasonably priced. It can be to get a table but I'm happy waiting for it.
Chisyelda Oey
Ordered takeaway, as the place didn't have baby chair for my nephew. The place itself was small and didn't have many seats. I had the bento box with chicken teriyaki, it was very good and filling, with simple and authentic Japanese flavour. I loved the croquette that came with the bento. The price was cheap for the amount and quality of food you get. Will definitely be a regular since it's my local!
Hana Chainy
always love to come to this place for their teriyaki chicken in the bento box! just a suggestion, would be great if the miso soup for bento comes not too far away from the bento so we could enjoy the hot miso along the awesome bento :)
Sarah Fergus
Best Japanese food, the Aoba bento box is a must have at such a decent price. Although the service is somewhat average.. the food makes up for it.<br/>The karaage chicken is a must!
David Lew
Great food particularly at this price. The only thing letting this place down is the service, which isn't exactly very attentive. Could easily be a 4 rating with a lift in service.Nelly
Nelly
The teriyaki chicken amd teriyaki salmon cooked perfectly and delicious. The Sushi and miso soup again delicious. As far the food goes , it way up there for Japanese in Melbourne. <br/><br/>But the service let it down. My poor daughter had too wait the longest for her sushi. She was getting quite upset waiting for it which didn't help. We also had to ask for chop sticks a few times eventually we just got up to get them. So dont go for great service but for the food, absolutely.
KopiOjoe
Do not be misled by the little restaurant that Aoba is; it certainly punches above its weight.<br/><br/>Stepping into the restaurant for the first time, I had little to no expectations of the place, really just needed food as I was HUNGRY. We had the Aoba set and at $25, it was a lot of food! Deliciously good food!!<br/><br/>What sealed the deal for me was how the chef bothered to serve us another portion of gyoza because the first ones were "burnt" (didn't occur to us they were). Mind you this was peak dinner hour and mistakes like this you tend to close an eye.<br/><br/>Well done to the team at Aoba, we'll be back!
MyFoodBelly
After-work catch-ups over delicious food – always a good idea. A friend suggested Aoba, a little Japanese restaurant in Malvern with barely enough room to sit down, but makes up for it with its excellent selection of affordable food. <br/><br/>The Aoba dinner set is enough to feed 2 people, or one very hungry K. It’s excellent if you want to try a little bit of everything. I really loved the agedashi tofu, which were full of flavour with the perfect
SqueezyD
I love my japanese so this place was a fantastic find. Small cafe style with an owner chef on the tools and friendly staff. Food was really fresh and flavoursome. Had the chicken katsu curry. Big serving and just delish. Been to a few Japanese places in the area but ill be back to this one for sure!
Meg
Don't come here. Because if you do then I'll have to wait for a table and then I'll be pissed off. But seriously this is a great casual Japanese option it feels authentic (but I haven't been to Japan so what do I know?) and the food is worth the sometimes long wait. My advise is to come with empathy to the fact that there are 2 maybe 3 people running this well oiled machine so you might have to wait for a little while before placing your order or for your food to arrive - so what? calm down! it will be worth the wait which is all that matters in the end.
Cheeseburger Anyone? "Where's The Sauce"?
NOW THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT! Small place.. nothing big that stands out.. But!!! Service is great... the food is fantastic! Could see heaps of take away orders going out. Gyoza are served straight out of the pan hot and fresh and so damn tasty! Katsu chicken is the best i have had! Crunchy and the sauce on it is great and side of mayo is so good! Salad under it all has my favourite sesame dressing. Only down fall it was warm because the chicken was on it. The katsu curry with chicken was fantastic! The curry sauce is full of beautifull flavours! AND THE SERVINGS ARE HUGE! my partner and i could of shared an entree and one main! We are happy to take left overs for tomorrow though ;) very very veryyyyy reasonably priced for such big tasty meals! $43 for all this and a can of soft drink. A new favourite of mine! So glad we found it and cant wait to come back!
World In A Bite
I'm puzzled why this gets 4.5 rating?? We had AOBA box... Everything was seasoned with some kinds of sauces that made everything absolutely salty!! (I should have ordered sauce on the side).. The fish flesh was tasteless (despite being in teriyaki sauce).. The service was not good too (we hadn't finished and the waitress came to clean up)..
Julian
Aoba is a small, friendly, clean and affordable restaurant to eat at in Malvern. The service is great, the ingredients are fresh, and the price is just right. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy Japanese food!
Travelling Palate
Great casual Japanese restaurant, very reasonably priced and tasty dishes. The staff are accommodating and friendly. The only annoying part is this is a cash only restaurant.
Lachlan Chan
Walked into this quite cozy, small Japanese local cafe/takeaway/restaurant with a greeting from the staff and got seated at a small 3 seater table. We had water served to us and the service was quite good.<br/><br/>We proceeded to order a Vegie Combo Box, Aoba Summer Bento Box and a Teriyaki Chicken Bento box with a sushi platter on the side.<br/><br/>The vegie bento box came with tofu, spring rolls, edamame, eggplant, some salad, 2 sushi maki rolls and two croquettes i think potato. The mix of all this food was delightful and all tasted good to very good but none of the dishes were below good/average but yet none were spectacular. The croquettes were the best out of all of them.<br/><br/>We also had miso soup before our meals were given to us which was a nice touch.<br/><br/>The sushi platter had sashimi and sushi with fresh, beautiful textured fish being used on all of them. The sushi tasted great but it wasn't excellent as the rice and the seaweed could've been better but the main thing was the fish was fresh and wasn't soft that it was going off nor hard which meant that the fish wasn't great quality.<br/><br/>Overall this experience was quite good and for 3 people only being around $60 to $70, for the great food we received we would definitely come back to this quaint restaurant. One tip I could give is to expand the eating space so that more people can sit and enjoy this good food
Sandy Pok
Got the lady's lunchbox that came with agedashi tofu, fish, potato patty, spring roll, a salad and miso soup. Normally it comes with rice as well, but I requested for more salad and no rice and they gladly complied. Good place for a quick healthy feed. Takeaway may be preferred as the place is small and if you do decide to dine in you may end up smelling like deep fried food.
Sophie
The venue doesn't look like much, but the food is delicious and very reasonably priced. Bento boxes were generous portion sizes, everything tasted very fresh and authentic. Better quality food than samurai (similarly priced and also on glenferrie road).
Bayu Prasakti Tjandra
One of the better oyakodons I've tasted. Big portion for $11 brings good value for money. The salmon, tuna, and snapper sashimi was quite fresh and pretty good as well. The friendly service tops it all up for a good dining experience
Sam Difference
This little unassuming place on Glenferrie Rd just before High is a local's secret. I'm not a local, but with only two fairly ordinary Japanese restaurants in my local area, I went in search of a decent feed. I got it: this place is fairly small and unassuming, but the meals my partner and I had were fantastic- the Aoba Bento Box was really filling and the chicken karaage was delicious! I also liked the other accompanying food- a salad that wasn't limp and well dressed, a spring roll, a gyoza dumpling, a delicious veg croquette and just the right amount of rice. The Katsu Curry was enormous and my partner said he's now found his fave place to eat. The Chef also came out to ask us if we liked our meals- one word - oishi! Will be back!
K
Great local Japanese restaurant. Food was delicious & the service was warm & attentive. Our meals reminded us of our travels in Japan. Yum. We each had a different bento box. Both had a good range of favorites. Very popular with the locals. Pop in if you're in the area.
Another Chef
Hiddle gem. One night, I randomly go to different area that I don't usually go and I found this place. I have to admit that this is the hidden gem of Real Japanese food. <br/>I love their katsu. Very nice cozy place. Most friendly staff so far. I will come back :)
Scrantic
Not what I expected but good things come in small packages. I think there is only 10-12 seats in the place so it's quite quaint. Staff are super friendly and attentive and the food was good value and quality. Will be back again particularly their bento boxes. <br/><br/>
SlideAwayz
Small and unassuming restaurant but the food is amazing! Especially in terms of value for money. The sushi is well cut and fresh while the unagi and saba fish were really tasty. Will definitely be back for more!
David Dang
One of the best Japanese restaurants I've been to in Melbourne. Highly recommended!
The Messy Eaters
Yay! Really nice Japanese food. We ordered the wafu steak and the aoba bento box with teriyaki chicken. Both dishes really impressed and were full of flavour. Aoba was very reasonably priced and the service was friendly, fast and full of heart. Thanks for an authentic experience of Japanese food! :)
E.t
I love aoba in every sense. Food. People, place!
Charlie Cowling
I
Valencia
We went to dinner with high expectation based on the review. I gotta say I am pretty dissapointed with the food and the burn smell from the kitchen really bothers me. We won't be coming back unfortunately.
Railtonwoodcockk
Great. Excellent value .. delicious food
Notice Me Senpai
A precious gem in the heart of Malvern. Just eat here. You will see why it is so good. Authentic Japanese food experience with the two of the most humble restaurant owners I have ever met. Intimate setting that makes you feel like you have been transported a Japanese home. Food is fresh, full of flavour. So much attention to detail. Even the miso soup has had a lot of love and flavour in it. Simply gorgeous. Book a table on the weekends as it gets busy, but you won't have any issues at the start of week. Highly recommend to anyone if you are in the area! :)
One Fat Cow
It is a cosy cafe and only seats about 10 people, very similar to Satsuki. It's run by a husband and wife team and you are greeted with a warm smile from both of them. There is a large selection on the menu, I chose to have 2 entrees and a salad for $16. I orderd the Age Dashi Tofu, Nasu Dengaku (Eggplant in Miso Sauce) & Salmon sashimi salad. The Age Dashi Tofu wasn't very crisp on the outside and the inside not that soft. A little disappointed with this dish. On the other hand the Eggplant was perfectly cooked with the right amount of miso sauce. The Salmon Sashimi salad was quite basic with just lettuce leaves. It would have been better if there was avocado in it. I wasn't overly hungry, so the servings were enough for me. My friend had the Kara Age (fried chicken)
Clarinna
The next thing i would recommend is the dinner set, it comes with rice, miso soup, 2 spring rolls, 2 gyoza, 3 agedashi tofu, sashimi and main to choose from all the main menu. You could pretty much taste everything from the menu. I like the homemade gyoza, it has tasty filling and flavour, soft unlike other gyoza that usually has tough burnt skin. You also get one scoop of ice cream!
The Hungry Excavator
Aoba is a really tiny shop with a few tiny tables squished together. It is solely operated by one waiter and one chef cooking in a tiny kitchen at the back. The setup was very basic, but had a strong personal and inviting touch. It felt as though we were dining in the Japanese couple's home.
Melbourne Lifestyle Blog
Having lived in Japan for 6 months, I was very excited about the new Japanese place my brother had discovered on Glenferrie Road. He promised to take me to lunch there for my birthday and several months later, w
MelbourneFoodCritic
Always fantastic, great fresh food cooked by the owner himself and friendly service, easy going place and speedy service, keep it up your amazing
BEK
Authentic atmosphere!. I went Aoba with 2 Japanese Friends, The owner set up authentic Japanese style small restaurant in Malvern area. The place remind me small local restaurants in japan (But I am south Korean) and my friends said It feels like having dinner in Japan somewhere, The food was cheap but really delicious and valuable I ordered dinner box that has several options for main dish (I Choose donkatsu) with extra bowl of rice (i always need extra rice when I am having great meal) and my friends ordered shoga pork and veg box, Spicy salmon salad and dumpling for share all food looks really nice and well presentation, and we ended up with lovely black sesame and brown sugar ice cream! I would love to go this place everyday if I live nearby
SmokinAussie
My New Fave Sushi Takeaway.. Virtually a hole in the wall restaurant, the proprietors know about keeping it pure and simple. Very friendly service with lots of bowing shows true Japanese humility. Everything prepared to order means a limited ability to serve up like a franchise, but the result is delicately prepared and delicious food for the lucky few. Expect to pay a bit more, and so you should for their attention to detail. <br/><br/>You may as well be invited into their home for dinner. The food would not be any better.
Sweet17
Best authentic Japanese restaurant in Malvern. We had a great time here on Friday night. the tuna takaki and wagyu steak are to die for, amazing taste to the palette. on top of that i forgot my phone here, was able to retrieve it Saturday noon. thank you so much for not only looking after our palette but also our belonging. honto ni arigatou gozaimashita.
Julycheee
Great Japanese cafe. Aoba is tiny. There are about 3 tables and two small counters, so if you want to get in here, best to book. It is extremely hard (or near impossible) to move around when the the staff are walking and there are also customers picking up takeaway, so be warned. But apart from the size of the place, Aoba serves up delicious, homely Japanese food. A great place to go to for some authentic and tasty Japanese food that will really hit the spot!
ANOMnymous
Just had dinner there tonight and it was great! Food came out so quickly, service was attentive and friendly, food was fresh and tasty and the price was very reasonable. We were in and out of the restaurant within 45 minutes even though we ordered 3 entrees and 2 mains. The waitresses spoke Japanese and the food is some of the best Japanese i have had! The sashimi was amazing and definitely the star of the night!
Faye Tan
Cute little Japanese joint with yummy homely food and lovely owners.
Tripper_04
Cute little authentic restaurant. Cheap, tastey, & friendly service. Cosy atmosphere. I will definitely return!
HB
I've been going to Aoba with my family and friends for years on quite a regular basis. It's our go-to 'home away from home' restaurant and for good reason. The food is delicious, fresh, balanced and extremely consistent. They are a very small operation (usually only 3 staff) but they do a exemplary job, especially considering a slight language barrier. I strongly believe that the negative reviewers all have simply either miscommunicated with the staff or had unreasonable expectations from such a small team during times of heavy service. I know the Aoba team to be some of the most polite, friendly and well meaning people and I wish them the best. PS their green tea ice cream is devine.
Tommy Mac
It was the first time coming to this restaurant and i really enjoyed the dinner. The food was good, affordable and the staff were friendly. I will go back :)
Jimmy Russell
What a find!. This place is perfect. perfect perfect perfect. fresh food, great service, incredibly tasty, super affordable and still quite intimate. you simply have to visit !
Sophie Song
The service here is always polite. The food always consistently good. The dishes are standard Japanese fare. Tasty also not spectacular. Can't complain for the prices they charge.
Roxanne McCafferty
Plate lickingly good and cheap as chips. I wish I lived close by! I had to sneakily try and swipe up the rest of the teriyaki sauce without anyone noticing
Jack-m
Amazing !!!
Sarsaracic
Definitely not the best sushi!. Definitely not my favourite, but I have to say, not that bad considering the price.<br/>I found the sushi and the sashimi very thick and hard pieces. <br/>Also, the place smells fried and clothes & hairs smell terribly.
Tracy Li
AWFUL service! the people don't know a thing about etiquette and customer service and they are suppose to be japanese! waited over an hour.. not that the food is worth the wait but didn't even get a table in the end! one couple and a family got a table even though the waitresses knew we were waiting first and sitting on the table outside waiting in the cold.. never going there again! plus food isn't very good anyway.. do not recommend to anyone!
Rosie
A little beauty. The restaurant is about the size of a kitchen, and the kitchen is about the size of a cupboard. But the friendly chef and staff work a lot of magic in this little space. The salads are always fresh and fragrant with sesame dressing, and the little spring rolls are light and perfectly crisp. All the bento boxes are a very satisfying mix of flavours, tiny fried parcels balanced with refreshing salad and rice. This is the perfect good value drop-in for an easy lunch or dinner.
Tom Engof
Bloody awesome, can't really go past in Melbourne for easy dinner out slash take away
GGx
Been here a dozen times by now, you cant go wrong with the katsu curry, Aoba box or anything from the specials board. A quiet little gem of the area, with superior Japanese fare than many top Japanese restaurants around Melbourne.<br/>13.5/20
Alice
Super friendly chef and staffs. Love the Aoba box, edamame, spicy tuna. Finishing off with red bean caramel ice cream. Lucky to have this place near home. Yum!!!
Satokob
You will not be disapointed!. Aoba offers quality casual Japanese food with very good price. We were amazed with the size of serving. We were happy with everything!
Sarah M
Great and affordable and yummmm
Futurejsa
Affordable and passable. We ordered chicken and pork katsu curry. Tatse quite good and very filling. Good value for money.
Julietta
A great little place!. Aoba is a simple but authentic Japanese restaurant. My favourite dish is the Muscle Bento Box ($22). The food is fresh, tasty and very reasonably priced! The owners are also very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend popping by to try the great food!
Nina
After reading some great reviews I thought I'd better check this place out while I was in the area. Walking in, I didnt expect such a tiny little restaurant. Just enough to seat perhaps 20 people. Myself and my cousin were seated by the window. She ordered a s&s box ($16.50) and I ordered the katsu curry + miso ($13.50 + $3). Both were nice. Service was polite and prompt. I wouldn't return in a hurry because it's out of my way, but if i were local its somewhere I'd come for a casual mid-week meal. 8/10
Cath
Yummy!. This place is a hidden gem. Food is great and the cosy atmosphere is authentic and the owner is so lovely! We recommend the Beef Tataki, Beef Steak and Tempura!! The chef is very particular about his sauce, and it pays off - well worth it. You can see the difference between this place, real Japan, and other places. Would've been even better with a beer to wash it down though.
Sima Bee
Great service!! Beef tataki and wasabi chicken are fab!
Goodfoodseeker
I don't get it!. When I saw the high rating for Aoba, I was hoping that I have finally found an authentic Japanese restaurant that sells good food. Not expecting the same standard as the ones sold in Japan but something reasonably close to it. So I decided to head there for dinner last week. I had the Aoba box while my partner had the katsu don. I think the food here is very average. And the portion was really small for the price. I was still hungry after eating the Aoba box at $14. I won't be recommending this place to my family and friends.
Yudy Chainy
Praise the Lord, the food is amazing!
Chris L.
Gourmet food, take-away price. The prices are great and you are served quickly. I was expecting decent take-away food, but WOW. I'm not kidding -- The food is really high quality! It's literally gourmet at take-away prices. I'm stunned at how good it was. I work on the same street as Aoba, and I can see myself sneaking away during my lunch hours and becoming addicted quickly.
Missy
Bad and rude My friends a.... Bad and rude<br/><br/>My friends and I just went there today. Initially I was not going to write a bad review about this restaurant despite the food. However, the waitress just told us to leave. She said "Leave the restaurant. I don't like to be called crazy." We were discussing a completely different topic.<br/>In addition the sashimi especially the salmon was not fresh and the desserts were bad. The edamame ice cream tasted just like vanilla ice cream and the coconut milk tofu taste like frozen coconut milk topped with frozen berries that can break your teeth when you chew it.
Jeremy Warren-Foody
Cheap and Delicious!. The atmosphere here is not that of a 5 star restaurant, (not that it matters, my friend and I had a great time sitting outside), but the food is certainly amazing. It was all really cheap, and there was so much of it too! The Agedashi Tofu was to die for! I'll definitely be going back!
Hungry Hippo
Cosy Japanese Restaurant. I love the Japanese food here because I know it's authentic and it tastes really good. The place is pretty small so if you decide to visit, ensure you make reservations first!
C
Very cute and cosy! Food is worth the value, staff are friendly - Would definitely come again.
Vlatto
Favourite. Small and cosy. Affordable and tasty. My favourite Japanese place in Melbourne. That pretty much sums it up.<br/>The food is always delicious, and the staff are friendly and nice. An all Japanese place. Prices are very affordable.<br/><br/>Aoba can be really busy sometimes (especially considering its size), so its wise to call them up to book a table. Or you can always wait for 10-15mins to be seated, the foods is worth it.
Stacey C
Little gem. Fresh food and no fuss!<br/><br/>Service is slow as its just two people cooking and serving and it's cash only, but the food and service is fantastic. <br/><br/>Quite pricey if you dont get the specials but worth it.
AES
Nice little place.. Authentic japanese cuisine. Will definitely go back!
MYT
Cute little spot, good variety but lacking flavour. I ordered the otsunami comb and salmon sashimi. I liked the idea of the platter of entree and salad. Presentation was good, I could see that that was well-thought.<br/><br/>Amazing how the one chef is able to cater to a sizable takeaway crowd and eat-in customers on a Thursday night. Food was promptly served.<br/><br/>However, I felt that taste was lacking overall. There was something missing in the agedashi tofu's sauce, the gyoza was not well flavoured, the edamame cold (I prefer them warm), takoyaki could be better.<br/><br/>Having said that, I wouldn't mind having another try at the other items on the menu before totally discounting Aoba.
Rosheen Kaul
Aoba has the best Japanese food in Melbourne. The staff are lovely and helpful, and their food is consistently good. They make an effort to remember you if you go there often. Extremely authentic, fresh and delicious!
Kenneth Jones
BEST SUSHI. If you are looking for a healthy, satisfying and comfortably filling meal, with original ethnicity, I certainly recommend! But book ahead, small amount of tables are available!
VaG
A great place that won't ruin the bank!. Aoba is my favourite Japanese place in Melbourne. Shinsan and his team are doing a great job. The food is always delicious, and offers unbeatable value for money. You won't find better value Japanese food in Melbourne! Period.<br/>No wonder they are becoming so popular and busy.
Alastair
Homely and authentic. A small, but authentic family run Japanese restaurant that serves some of the better sushi, sashimi and nigiri that I've enjoyed in Australia. I have yet to try any of the hot food, but what I have seen looks good. The fish itself is undeniably fresh, and not once have I encountered stringy bits or tendon in the meat, which suggests that great attention is paid to the handling and preparation of the fish. The bento boxes are good value and portions healthy - just about right for a former glutton (me) on a path towards more sensible eating. Did I mention friendly? The husband and wife team that run this place are all smiles and attentiveness - worth returning to!
Aki Nemoto
Delicious and cheap. I've been going to Aoba ever since it first opened and I'm happy to see that this restaurant's popularity has grown since. Since I'm Japanese, I always miss the taste of authentic Japanese food. The entrees such as the agedashi tofu, chicken kara age and tempura are amazing. I would also recommend the Japanese style curry. Their sushi variety is quite large also. You won't get stuck with a sushi platter with just salmon and tuna. Although the teriyaki sauce is a bit too sweet and the udon noodles are average, I still come to this little cosy restaurant for a tasty, cheap eat. Don't forget to try out their home made desserts too!
RMan
Lovely small restaurant. I am a frequent diner at this small cosy restaurant and it has never failed to disappoint except when they ran out of fish teriyaki which I believe has to be the best dish on their extensive menu. You can't skip the salmon tataki as an entree dressed with their house dressing. The gyoza and agedashi tofu are mediocre but the salad items never disappoint. Value for money (IMO) lies with the Aoba box - can't go past $14. Lovely restaurant and warm hosts make it a friendly and casual atmosphere - just make sure you book a table to avoid being turned away.
Mel Wong
My Go To Japanese Food Place. This small but compact restaurant serves amazing food, and with actual Japanese staff it feels like a little bit of Japan in the heart of Melbourne. Wonderful accommodating staff. It does get quite busy on Friday nights and weekends, so if possible book ahead, otherwise takeaway is a good option. The bento boxes are a good choice, for the more greedy of us - the sashimi is always fresh and proper teriyaki chicken, not the saucy store-bought marinade. The tuna tataki is just seared and raw on the inside, with a tasty sesame dressing. Cannot say enough good things about this place.
Scottt
Aoba is A-ok. Aoba's food is very good, but other reviews here over-rate it in my opinion. I think Don Bay in the city is better for this type of Japanese food.<br/>We had Oyaka Don, which was very enjoyable without being spectacular. We also had the Special Lunch Box - while all the parts were tasty, it was more like a collection of entree items so not satisfying for me as a lunch meal. It came with steamed rice, but there was nothing in the lunch box that was really suitable to eat with rice.<br/>The staff are very friendly and accomodating. Don't get me wrong, I like it and would go back, but I wouldn't rate it as the best Japanese food in Melbourne as several others have.
Chris White
Nice, but nothing special. We went to Aoba for the first time tonight, and I don't think we'll go back. The place is tiny and was full; we hadn't booked, so we decided to order take-away. The staff were quite pleasant and helpful, but the order took nearly half an hour, rather than the 15 minutes we were told, and the place wasn't that busy; most of the people were already eating when we got there and no new customers came in while we waited.<br/><br/>The take-away containers were flimsy plastic covered with industrial glad-wrap; they buckled when we picked them up, so we had to be quite careful with them. Also, the soup was just in basic plastic containers with lids that weren't water-proof, so they needed to be treated very carefully. The lack of thermal covering meant the food was only just on the acceptable side of warm by the time we got home (less than ten minutes). <br/><br/>The food itself was disappointingly ordinary; nothing I could not have cooked as well my self, or perhaps even better. The "seaweed salad" was mostly shredded lettuce with a very small amount of seaweed on top, and the Miso soup was just a commercial paste with some flakes of kombu and a few slices of spring onion. And I definitely make better gyoza. Even the sushi was nothing special.<br/><br/>At $38.50 for two, it wasn't that expensive, but you can get a much better deal elsewhere for the same amount.
Joy
Best authentic Jap food in the suburbs. Very impressed. Wonderful service and friendly chef. Only $13 for a Bento box. Sashimi beautiful and so fresh. Really unpretentious, homely place. Will be going again and again.
Rachele
A wonderful restaurant. Excellent fresh tasty food. Staff are friendly and service is great. Very welcoming place, cute small restaurant. Tempura is terrific. Vegetarian bento box is so good.
Hara_hetta
Authentic Home cooking. Being Japanese, the food takes me down memory lane. Nothing pretentious here, just simple authentic homely Japanese food in a quaint little shop run by a 2-3 staff. Perfect for a weekday/Sunday meal.
FoodieFace
Revolting. One of the most revolting meals I have had in a very long time!<br/>Beef curry udon soup... Came out looking like a bowl of sludge with huge pieces of very under cooked stewing steak (ie the cheapest cut that only tastes good when slowly cooked). Honestly, had to force myself to take a mouthful and wish I hadn't!<br/>Perhaps I just picked the worst dish on the menu. Otherwise, cannot understand how many people like this place. I agree that the service was good.
Holly Willis
Aoba. A beautiful Japanese restaurant, Consistantly delicious and high quality food. The Vegetarian Bento is fantastic with golden agedashi tofu and crisp, fresh seaweed salad. Sashimi is always fresh and well presented. Great friendly service, a passionate chef and reasonable prices, it has quickly become one of my favourite restaurants.
Diane Wong
Friendly service, good vibe for a little taste of Japan. Went in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Excellent customer service. Enjoyed the Beef Udon and Chicken Karage Bento. Servings on the generous side.
Charlotte McCann
Quick cheap and casual. This place is so nice for a quick relaxed meal, the bentos are delicious and so is the sushi and sashami. only annoying thing is they dont have beef tataki, and had run out of soba noodles 2 nights ago.
Y
A tiny shop but surprisingly not too crowded even on a Friday night. Not too fancy but liked the bento I had. More of an everyday diner rather than fancy night out. Will be back to try the brown sugar ice cream everyone is talking about!
Sine Csr Likhitthanawong
Beef udon is very beautiful. service is great.
Franklin
Not for me. This is not a restaurant for me.<br/><br/>The service was too slow, it took 45 minutes. The taste was just normal. The menu was very limited. The restaurant itself was too small and did not seem very clean. <br/><br/>What I did not like the most is how I was treated. The chef threw an unpleasant glance at me, did not smile or say hello even though he was not busy. But he turned his attitude 180 degrees around when regular customers came in... What the heck?<br/><br/>I might have expected too much, but why do I have to come back again when there are many nice Japanese restaurants in Melbourne? Would not recommend.
Angel Khong
Japanese dining in a homey environment. Aoba provided convenient, simple dining experience. Though service was rather slow, we were served fantastic Japanese dishes and always with a smile. It wasn't bad at all for one of your ordinary night's dinner.
Leesh.a
Cosy little Japanese restaurant! The freshest udon I have ever had! Highly recommend!
Hellokitty
The best japanese food!!yumm cheap authentic and friendly
Rico
Bad. I just don't like it. Soggy and so slow serving. The chef gave us very unwelcoming eyes. We were not happy at sly. Food was very bad, not tasty. So sad
Iheartmelbourne
Stopped by for a lunch special and had the "ladies lunch" (miso soup, teriyaki chicken, seaweed salad, spring roll and dumpling) oh so delicious! The chef greeted us as we walked in and the whole atmosphere was inviting and relaxed. Loved it and will come back for dinner.
I Binge On Food
50 50. Came here on a Friday night with a Urbanspoon buddy. I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. The waitress, a humble looking lady ,definitely have one of the friendliest smile working as a waitress. She was seen busy moving from table to table trying to serve customers in the middle of a busy evening. Though she was nice, I couldn't help but to comment about how slow our food was served. And she forgot to bring us water. Anyway, I love my beef udon! Possibly one of the best in Melbourne so far. I'm not a fan of jap's soup udon but tonight I feel like something light as I had a very full lunch hence I had that and love it! The soup is full of flavour! Gyoza is not bad as well. Great for casual dining. Will return to try their desert brown sugar ice cream.
Mairead
Best jap in melbourne!!! A well kept secret that is full of caracter and charm, loved it!!
Gnarly
Very yummy and down to earth Japanese, great quality food for a very low price. Great friendly service too! It's just become our new local...
Weeeeeee
Great little place. Staff are lovely, decor and ambience is great, food is really nice as well. We've had gyoza, tempura chicken, and curry beef. <br/>Be prepared to wait, it can take 45 minutes for your food but it's decent, honest food.
Bonnie Tin
Aoba-amazing taste at an affordable price. Aoba is a quaint little Japanese restaurant that provides a homely, comfortable and warm atmosphere. The surroundings are modest however are well made up for with the delicious and fresh foods. My personal favorite is the agedashi tofu with a bowl of rice.
Suzette
Awesome Japanese. This is my favourite Japanese restaurant in the Malvern area. The owner/chef is very friendly, the sushi is all super fresh and high quality. The highlight for me is the home made desserts, especially the brown sugar icecream - wow!!! It is a shame they don't have room for more tables because they could easily fill them!
Catey Neow
My fav in Malvern. I went there with my bf after a stressful exam.<br/><br/>The food was authentic but the sashimi was not that fresh.<br/><br/>I rate their karaage chicken highly and I still remember squeezing that lemon onto the crispy skin of the chicken piece - YUM!<br/><br/>Very kind & sweet waiter and waitress.
Faddy
Really really good!. This place is really authentic. Food is superb and service is great. When coming here for dinner, be prepared to wait but the wait is worth it.<br/>I have tried quite a few items on the menu already and have not been disappointed. Try the tuna tataki, aoba box and the sushi. And if there's room for dessert, the brown sugar ice cream is a must try!
Toby
Delicious Japanese food cooked and prepared fresh from the friendly chef (and owner?). Small and cozy place with warm and friendly service. Recommended.
Skeeto
Great food and service for a husband and wife restaurant. Although the menu is limited, it's quality over quantity. Quite generous portions and reasonable price. <br/>Loved the salmon dumplings and tempura. <br/>Will revisit next time when we're in Malvern.
Jerry
Pure Japanese flavours. I first stumbled onto Aoba a fews years back, thinking I was going to have Korean (which it was previously). What an amazing surprise it has been since then. Aoba is small but there is nothing small about the flavours and authenticity of the dishes. Forget the fancier outfits along High street or even on Glenferrie. Nothing compares in terms of good, honest Japanese food that has never disappointed us. <br/><br/>So good is the food that my young daughters request Aoba on a weekly basis ! Not that we are complaining. You can tell instantly the no-nonsense approach that Chef Shingo-san has to every dish. He doesn't mess with the basic rules of Japanese flavours, nor does he cut corners like alot of other so called Japanese restaurants these days. Aya down the road comes to mind. Just keep it simple and don't compromise. And that is what Aoba does best.
Frankie
Secret gem in malvern!. This tiny place has a non-descript sign and interior but is in a league of its own in the food department! have had food from all of the japanese places in malvern/armadale - there are lots - and this is definately my pick. last night i had sashimi, agedashi tofu, karage chicken and all were perfect - i was starting to think that quality, well priced takeaway sashimi just didnt exist in these parts - wrong! and the house made brown sugar is my new must-order. very excited to have found this lovely place where you get service with a big smile..
Kas Bessemer
Went to Aoba tonight for the first time, food, service and presentation all was 10/10 . We can't wait to return, must try the bento box next time, it looked fantastic
Shireen Prasad
Quaint place. Yum food and very cheap. Good service too
Eatmore
Best japanese restaurant!!. Fantastic foods !!! must try!
U-ske
Real Japanese!. I'm Japanese. When I miss Japanse food, I must go there. That's so good, reasonable, and real taste of japanse. I say that only AOBA makes perfect japanse food. I highly recomend you it!
LOVE Poodle
Very good!. Prices are very good as well as Food!<br/>Must try their desserts!!!
Nico
Very nice. Quality foods with very reasonable price. <br/>Worth trying!!
Naify
A good little find. Very reasonably priced and great qaulity food. The chef is obviously passionate about what he serves.Fantastic sushi and sashimi platter! Worth dropping in.
Christina Wong
All up, it was a great dinner and for $30.50, definitely value for money. Downside would probably be that the place is quite small and if you don’t get there early, there might be a slight wait. The atmosphere was great. If I closed my eyes, I could just
Eat And Be Merry Crew
Hmmm, sometimes others seem to have such a different reaction to a place that I wonder if I am missing something. That's certainly the case with Aoba. I mean, I do agree that it's a very cute plate to eat. Loved the real neighbourhood eatery feel of the place, and the man and women who run it are just so friendly that you want to run up and give them a hug, or even adopt them as your alternative grandparents. But the food itself, I don't think it was so much bad as just not that great, cheap meal that other's comments had led me to expect. I thought it could hold its head up as typical suburban Japanese cafe food but did it stand out as somewhere out of the ordinary, not to me anyway. First dish up was the agedashi tofu. This is a bit of a favourite dish of mine, as I love the contrast between the slightly crispy exterior and the creamy middle of the tofu, and the flavours as it soaks up the sauce. With not much texture or flavour it just wasn't the delightful start to the meal I
Darryl Tirtha
This place opened like 3 weeks ago, but I have been there 6 times by today. This place is good, infact, damn good. Every dish is a BM, no joke and it's very cheap, considering how FRESHH and tasty the dishes are. These pictures are a collection from the m
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