Review Rice Paper Scissors

Rachel Sellers

The staff here are so friendly! I came in for a solo lunch and they were immediately chatty and warm. The gentleman who I think was the manager gave me some great suggestions that paid off very well. The flavour in all of the dishes was really deep and balanced. All of them were super fresh though and beautifully done. I also appreciated that the staff seemed to want to talk about the food and the flavours, how it’s cooked, etc which I really appreciate as a big foodie. I’ll be coming back and recommending it to all and sundry :)

Jessika Costa

Absolutely INCREDIBLE time having dinner here this week!! There were 2 of us and we did the $45 pp for 5 sharing dishes option. Not only was the food insanely delicious, but the menu had such a wide variety of options, everything sounded so nice I wish we could of tried it all! Also, the menu had an entire vegetarian side for those that are veggie. PLUS the staff were so kind, friendly & considerate. Eat here if you want an amazing food/dining experience :)

Bill Mrozek

Popular Thai restaurant. Lots of vegan options. Special is $45 per person for 5 dishes. Good variety and could not fault any dish. Fresh quality ingredients. Chose a range with salad, curry, vegetables, fish and beef accompanied by rice. Interesting desert menu but we were too full to try. Interesting that they neither served tea nor coffee. Seating inside and out on hardware. Servers were excellent.

K

Banquet for two (45 pp) for lunch. You can choose five dishes from the menu. All of the five dishes were really well done. A little bit sweet for my personal preference, especially the sticky pork belly but it was still very good. Overall this is asian fusion done well. Will be back with the whole family. The experience is worth the price. Note that there is a 10% surcharge on the weekends and a 15% surcharge on public holidays. Booking in advance is necessary as it can get very busy, especially if you from out of state and you don't want to miss out on this experience. This is a must stop if your on a foodie tour.

Jason

Constantly changing menu. Usually some good dishes. The cocktail Ursula's revenge was exceptional. Creamy and not too sweet with a gin base. You choose 7 dishes which is quite enough for two. Must book in advance though. Very hard to take walk ins even for two.

Vanessa Wingert

Good vibe restaurant. Staff super friendly, delicious food and tasty cocktails. Also, the 5 dishes to share is a great option for the price. Dessert are unbelievable good!! Beautiful and the start of the show at that night.

Susan Lengyel

Enjoyed lunch for 3. 2 having $45pp 5 share plates and 1 teen choosing 2 dishes. The food was delicious. There were a lot of other customers so it took a long time to get our meals and staff were sometimes distracted and unresponsive. Clean bathrooms, however they are upstairs so would be impossible to get up to them if you are in a wheelchair, or have trouble with stairs. Overall it was a nice experience and would recommend.

Ryan H

There are many reasons this Southeast Asian fusion restaurant has been around for years and still is very popular. Funky yet bright interior decor, chilled ambience, friendly but not intrusive staff, and the list goes on. The critic I have is rather small quantity of food which is more on the bland side.

Joanne Liu

Finally got to try Rice Paper Scissors, after seeing everyone go! So much yummy food, loved the fusion and the combination of flavours available! Definitely check it out! Just wished that the portion sizes were bigger, as I was still hungry after eating…. PHUKET CALAMARI: The calamari was tossed in a salted, duck egg sauce, which was super flavoursome. CRISPY BARRAMUNDI: super fresh; loved the crunchiness of the green apply and roasted cashew alongside it. BBQ LAMB RIBS: meat just fell off the bone. I really enjoyed the sticky sauce with the ribs! STICKY PORK BELLY: Like the BBQ ribs, the sauce was the highlight; I loved the caramel sauce, and the salad that accompanied it. LOBSTER DUMPLINGS: yummy! Loved the lobster, pork, ginger combo! BURMESE TEA LEAF SALAD: I thought the tea leaf was refreshing, alongside the crunchy bits and peanuts. Again, the roast garlic dressing was a highlight! STEAMED COCONUT RICE: so fragrant!!

Lightworker Trinh

Cute place to have dinner with flavoursome dishes that packs a punch. We had 7 tapas dishes and a bottle of red that came up to around $160 but well worth it.

Melbourne Food Monkeys

4.5 stars Rice Paper Scissors is quintessentially perfect Asian fusion. The tapas-esque menu offers a plethora of flavour-packed dishes that are great for sharing. Our favourites included the lamb ribs and lobster dumplings. The only critique would be that the cocktails can be hit or miss. Service is wonderful!

Anna Shannon

Food is to die for! Love this place!

Kenn Ayres

Great lunch today was so great to to our regular waiter !

Joyce Lin

For the prices that were set, the portion sizes were a little disappointing. Overall, the food was good, especially the barramundi and lamb ribs - so soft and tender! We found a hair in the sashimi and the staff were quick to apologize and gave us a free replacement. However, we left still pretty hungry and had to go elsewhere to get food after.

JB

Quick friendly service - Food was excellent with highlights being the fried barramundi and the eggplant tempura - would I go back 100%

Wearekimleaf

Everything we ordered was delicious and filling for its price.

Aaditey Bains

What a great place with exceptional flavours and seriously good cocktails. Our group of four opted for the $37 a head five-course dinner special - any five meals with more than enough food for each person. Staff was so friendly and helpful with our choices - barramundi, pork, chicken, drunken noodles and buns. Great flavours with winning combos of sweet and sour, crunch and spice. We chose to eat indoors to escape hot night and had a great time. Will definitely be back.

Rebecca Domorev

We normally love Rice Paper Scissors, we come every year as a special treat, but this year really missed the mark with a couple of dishes unfortunately. We loved the lamb ribs, the meat fell off the bone and was so tasty, highly recommended! So good!!! We enjoyed the pork buns too. The Asian greens with pork belly didn't have a lot of flavour and the meat was quite chewy and stringy. The prawns we're quite unpleasant to manage (they had to be peeled, which isn't normally a big deal, but there were some unappealing juices coming out and I didn't have much of an appetite to eat them once it was peeled) and the prawn meat wasn't great, a little inconsistent. The salad with the prawns had some really lovely flavours. We gave the waiter our feedback about the two dishes we really didn't like, it would have been nice to be offered the option to try another dish. It was a lot of money to spend to come away feeling a bit disappointed.

Brogan Duyndam

Oh my gosh we love this place!! The food is always so yummy! We’re never ever disappointed highly highly recommend!

Leshae Brown

The food was yummy but we felt as though they didn't really want us there. We were largely ignored for our entire meal, then at one point the waitress came over and told us she needed our table soon for the next sitting, even though our final dishes from the set menu hadn't been served yet. It was not as though we were sitting there continuously ordering more food and drinks..So yeah, their service could use some work.

Stelly

Visited Rice Paper Scissors for lunch at 12pm without a booking and we were seated immediately (although the place quickly filled up by 12.30). For lunch it’s $32pp for the set (whilst $37pp for dinner). The set let’s you choose 5 different dishes of your choice from the menu, and there’s also a specials board too. For drinks, we had the Vietnamese Espresso Martini and the Don’t Yuzu Want Me. The espresso martini was amazing - it had a strong coffee flavour and nice creamy sweetness from the condensed milk, also topped off with a burning cinnamon stick. The Yuzu cocktail was very refreshing and light, and not too sweet (reminded me of lemon lime bitters). For food, we went for the set and chose 5 dishes: Thai Ceviche - very light, refreshing and the perfect starter. I like the citrusy flavours and airy light crackers that come with it. Phuket Calamari - surprisingly, this was one of my favourite dishes! The calamari was cooked so well, super tender and not chewy at all. The salted duck egg sauce was so delicious, creamy, sweet and savoury. Crispy Barramundi - this dish was probably the least impressive of all, but nonetheless still delicious. I liked how the fish was coated with tapioca which was light. The green apple salad was very sour and refreshing. Crying Tiger - very tender and juicy Wagyu! Despite being a beef dish, it was still very light and refreshing. The spicy citrus dipping sauce was delightful. Sticky Pork Belly - absolutely loved the flavours! The sweet sticky tamarind sauce was incredible, and it helped to cut through the fattiness of the pork belly. Although some pieces of the pork were quite dry and hard, it was still delicious. If you still have room, definitely give their desserts a try! We had: Terrarium - a gorgeous Vietnamese coffee dessert! I loved how strong the coffee flavour was, and the dessert itself wasn’t too sweet either. The mousse was very creamy yet light, and the peanut and chocolate soul added the perfect crunch. Mum, I Dropped My Ice Cream - my personal favourite! Light, citrus-y, and very refreshing. The puffed rice crumble pairs so well with the creamy Yuzu sorbet. Service was incredible throughout, and our waiters were super hospitable and friendly. Absolutely love this restaurant!

Melbourneats

We had really high expectations for this restaurant as we have heard many good things. However, it was disappointing. Service to start off makes a big difference to your dining experience. Host and staff were not that friendly, it just felt like it was very forced. Food: Coconut rice was just steamed rice with coconut flakes and that cost us $5... all other dishes we ordered were just average.. portion wasn’t that great, apparently if you get the 5 course pp, they serve you a proper serving for the customers sharing the dishes, whereas if you ordered the dishes separately as we just wanted 3 dishes instead of 5, your serving sizes are much smaller... don’t know how that seems logical... Would not return, sorry. Go next door to Hochi Mama, more value for your money, better service and better fusion/cultured food.

Angelica

The food is great but the portion size can be quite small especially if you're sharing between 4 people - not sure if they didn't change the portion for 2 to accommodate 4 but we were charged for 4 people anyway. During peak times, expect a long wait which can be worth it because the food and drinks are amazing👌

Cynthia Cho

TL:DR Good variety of food but some were a bit oily. Service was friendly but it took awhile for us to get served. It was crammed inside and very noisy so we went outdoor to dine. Food 🍗 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ The food was well priced for the $32pp menu for 5 dishes. The lobster dumplings were deliciously and fragrant and the asian greens had an amazing sauce that complemented the greens very well. I found some of the meats overly fatty and oily which made me feel sluggish at the end of the meal. 🧾 $64 for two people ASIAN GREENS / PHAT GAI CHOY🥬 🍄 wok-tossed asian greens with locally grown shiitake mushrooms and secret sauce BBQ LAMB RIBS / SII KRONG NUEX 🥩 mekhong whiskey marinated lamb ribs in a sticky special sauce LOBSTER DUMPLINGS / KHANOM JEEB 🥟🦞 filled with lobster, pork, ginger and chives with chilli black bean sauce THAI FRIED CHICKEN / PEEK GAI TOD 🍗🐓 marinated in galangal, chilli and coriander root STICKY PORK BELLY / MUU KROB 🐖🥗 twice cooked pork in a tamarind caramel sauce, topped with a fragrant herb salad Service ☆ ☆ ☆ The staff members were friendly but were quite rushed since it was a busy day. The food also took awhile to arrive and we had to stand outside for awhile to get served. Also, they did recommend other dishes and drinks to the other guests when they didn’t do that for us, which was slightly annoying. Ambience ☆ ☆ ☆ Since it was so busy and the seating was crammed indoors we sat in the outside seating. It was also very cold that day in Melbourne so we appreciate that there was heaters for the people that sat outside. The table were also quite rocky. Overall ☆ ☆ ☆ The food is quite nice and it’s decently priced. You’ll definitely be satisfied by the end of it. However, it’s best to come when it’s less busy because it was long time before we got served.

Lylqcc

After reading good reviews, we decided to try this restaurant. Very disappointed. Shared 5 dishes between 5 people. Portion is small. The so-called Wagyu beef is so tough and chewy. About 8 pieces for 5 people. 2 of them were completely uneatable. We pointed to the waiter the beef remaining on the plate and said they were terrible, tough and chewy. He said "it's supposed to be". Couldn't believe my ears. WTF???!!! Then he said sorry and left the table. Quite annoyed at his attitude. Lamb ribs are good. Others are quite average. A few dishes taste similar like sweet and sour. Had better dishes elsewhere at a better price. They also have 15% surcharge on Cup day. On their website, they don't mention the surcharge. Plus on the website, lunch is $29.50 per head. But in the restaurant, they charge $32 per head. This is misleading. Still feel hungry afterwards. Will not go back.

Matthew D Benson

Great venue for a small work function. Share plates we inexpensive and great. Great atmosphere.

Khrisey

One of our favorite places to dine in and always recommended it to friends when seeking a new place to try. Go more than once and try their cocktails, YUM! Can’t wait to go back

Donna&Shane

Great vibe with friendly staff... great food to share... we came here in the afternoon so not so busy as it would be later... loved the Vietnamese espresso martini

Maddie Lee

⭐3.7/5 We were seated at 9.30pm on a Friday night after placing our name at 8pm for 2. Initially when ordering, we decided on 4 dishes but never being to RPS the waitress convinced us the portion sizes of "a la catre" are smaller so we bumped it up to 5 dishes to share ($69 dinner for 2). I believe this was a lie once the dishes were served as they were portioned quite small anyway for the price you pay. However some 3/5 dishes we ordered were great, would those order again and the others weren't anything special - BBQ prawns and asian greens. Service of food was stagnant amoungst our 5 dishes, but our Asian greens came out very last and should've been served close to the beginning as we barely ate it. Our drinks came out quite slowly, almost having to ask where our drinks were. The order of food and drink could've improved our experience. The best items we ordered were: Steamed pork buns - tender pork piece wrapped in an easy-to-hold soft and fluffy bun. Scollop special - seared scallop very soft with a tasty special sauce. Crying Tiger - a tender Wagyu beef with a Thai dressing. We hope to come back again if we feel like it's worth coming earlier or wait 1-2hrs for a seat to try out the rest of the menu.

Reviewer473638

Website says closed (unable to book) - it isn’t. Poor form. There isn’t more to add as I couldn’t book.

DW

Way too spicy for us! Went for shared menu on a Tuesday night, it was almost packed when we entered just before 6pm. They don't take bookings so please be there early. We ordered Soft Shell Crab Salad and BBQ Prawns from the standard menu and the other three from the special, all the dishes tasted fine (nothing spectacular) however some of them were inedible due to the generous amount of chilly they put in including the drink I ordered, we were aware of the spice beforehand but didn't expect to be this extreme. If you love spicy food this place is the way to go! We are happy to come back for another go to try out other dishes, hopefully not as spicy as the recent experience!

Lily Halster

Have eaten multiple times at the fitzroy venue and loved it . Despite beautiful food and wine at the CBD will never return. Manager was outright rude and grossly incompetent . Completely ruined the restaurant and evening .

Karina J

Just as delicious as it’s Fitzroy sister! We had the twice cooked chicken and crab curry specials, the lamb ribs, barramundi and roti. All were fabulously flavoursome. The service was quick, friendly and attentive.

Srslyfoods

The ambience of the restaurant is cozy! The service staff was very friendly and knowleadgeable. Worth definitely the visit, the que is long, so if you want to try must come early

FoodieInMel

We had a great experience here, the wait staff was really friendly and helpful, the menu were really unique, Philippine style cuisine, the dishes were very delicious.

Karen Liang

Must go to restaurant in melbourne and definitely have to try the lamb ribs!!! I always go here when I'm down there.

Rastafarianf50

Good food but too cramped for space. Would be great if there was a bit of space to move your hands without wondering if you are going to knock something over..

Amy Read

Having only moved to Melbourne at the beginning of the year, Rice Paper Scissors has come to be one of our favorite spots! I love the idea of sharing little plates. The good is tasty and bursting with different flavors!

Eleanor

Great place for dinner despite the long queue. If you plan to come here, be sure to expect at least a 40 min wait. But the wait is definitely worth it! For vegan lovers, the vegan menu is good and really delicious. The smoked tofu with green apple had rich flavors and even my non-vegan friend loved the dish. The grilled chicken salad and calamari were the highlights of our meal. Sides we had roti and rice. Roti was very crispy with a good, rich peanut sauce which had real peanuts in it!! Very authentic. Pricing here was very reasonable with the 5 dishes offer. There were 3 of us and despite the dishes being in a tapas spread, it was very filling. Service here was what made the full experience great! The waiter who served us explained the menu, offered us the house special and made sure we each had enough of the heater to stay warm as we were seated outside. Great place for a night out with a small group of friends as long as you have the patience to wait.

Agreekable

We got to experience an amazing Filipino experience! This venue is modern and decorated with its Filipino traditional style. We all sat on communal table, with banana leaves all over the table with Melbourne's first completely VEGAN Kamayan Fiesta Feast to celebrate the Kadayawan Festival.Kamayan is the #Filipino tradition of communal dining. Food was served on banana leaves and we were all encouraged to eat with our hands. We enjoyed chicharon, and traditional mushroom congee! The chef came around and served us mains directly onto the banana leaves which included a Ginataang curry with rice and traditional noodle dish. We then had a Maja Blanca which is a coconut and corn dessert! Recommend visiting this place!

Famished

Fabulous restaurant. There was a line of people outside the door on the night of my visit, and I soon found out why. Service is sharp, ensuring a quick turnover of tables. Having said that, the lovely staff never once made us feel like we had to eat and run. I always enjoy sampling different dishes, so the 5 share plates between 2 diners concept appealed to me. You can't go wrong with such a tantalising menu selection. My favourite was the duck banh mi.

Urban Muncher

Rating 5/5 Service ★★★★★ Food ★★★★★ Ambience ★★★★★ I've been to this restaurant countless times since they opened many many years ago and till now, I still yet to find another similar concept Asian fusion restaurant that blew my mind like rice paper scissors did. Every time when a friend or relatives visit the city, I will bring them here and they liked it so much too! Creative and delicious Asian fusion food packed with strong flavours that keep you wanting more. Customer service was so lovely and they sure know how to make you feel comfortable. Overall, this place is highly recommended and it is a must must visit restaurant if you are in Melbourne.

Emma Louise

This place is so great! Great for sharing and trying everything! I recommend to book as this place gets booked up and even when you have booked there is a long cue waiting to go in! The food and cocktails are amazing!

Jessica

Staffs were friendly. We only wait for about 5 mins during dinner time. Lamb rib is my most favourite dish. Then Tina sashimi and Thai BBQ (source was great!)

Rifan Thamrin

This restaurant is hands down one of the best Asian fusion with sharing menu! Every single item that we ordered was just fresh and of the highest quality! My favourite was the crispy fish & chicken! N.B The line gets pretty long, make sure you arrive early.

Be Honest

This is my one of the favorite place for chilling dinner with friends. I like foods that with coriander and restaurant’s special sauce would be great tasteful for me. Thanks guys!

Mafrazamjah

Probably one of the best restaurants in Melbourne. The staff were anything but dull; and were extremely chatty in the best way possible. The level of enthusiasm and passion was second to none. The food was first class and every little detail was on point. Although the place was a little cramped, it sure makes up for it in terms of value for money. Honestly, the only negative is quite justifiable with the place being in the CBD and the high level of demand the restaurant generates. 10/10 would recommend.

Kimberly Wijaya

Food was amazing and the service was excellent as well! I would recommend getting a reservation beforehand because waiting is usually about 30mins up to a few hours during peak dinner times but it is worth the wait! Must-get dish: definitely the BBQ Lamb Ribs, the sticky sauce was magnificent with the perfect balance between sweet and salty!

Hon

Came here to celebrate friends birthday. Food is great, we shared a few small dishes. The let down is their service, a bit pushy for my opinion which kinda ruin the vibe.

The Honest Glutton

This has always been my favorite asian fusion restaurant ever! I’ve always loved dining here. However, my recent experience, the food choices I chose didn’t wow me like it usually does, sadly. I left feeling that it was a very average experience. I ordered the lamb ribs and the barramundi - Great as always no complaints! Roti bread on the side is a must as well as their dipping sauce is seriously good. I tried something new from the menu and got the lobster dumplings. The filling was quite plain and not very soft. The skin and sauce was nice though - I got two from the specials board ; - Slow Braised Pork Knuckle w Ginger Sauce and Steamed Gai Lan - BBQ Goat Shoulder Satay Skewer w/Roasted Peanut Sauce & Cucumber At-Jard, Japanese Bread. Both very average dishes. I think the flavours weren’t as strong as I’m used to for this place. I’ll be back in a couple months to hopefully bring my rating back up again!

Mustard

Finally having an early finish to work we were able to make our way down to RPS for a dinner session, it was already pretty full and we had to settle for outdoor seating on a freezing Melbourne night. Luckily they had outdoor heaters however the tables were pretty cramped and wasn't entirely comfortable, uneven chairs and table and the food at times had to be placed on another spare chair. Come super early for seating inside. We start off with cocktails, most of which looked familiar from my last visit to Rice Paper Sister. I had their Lin-Jee Sour purely because I saw "lychee", I love lychee cocktails and this was no exception. The menu is also very easy to navigate, any 5 dishes for a fixed price. We also had to get some coconut jasmine rice to accompany which was pretty mild in coconut flavour but necessary to make the meal complete. We also got some Malaysian roti, I don't think we did it justice as it did get cold and dry after being neglected outdoors. The peanut sauce that came with it was really smooth and nutty. We started off with some BBQ prawns in a Thai XO butter sauce, undressed with some of that rich sauce. It could have done with more sauce, squeeze of lime gave the dish a much desired brightness. The prawn heads weren't as runny as I'd like and I went through all of them (thanks for the donations dear friends). The crying tiger was eaten in a wrap, the wagyu beef was tender and flavourful with a lovely charred exterior. Along with being topped with a mixed garnish of tomatoes, onions and mint, the spicy citrus sauce gave the one bite a lot of vibrancy. We made sure that sauce carried onto the rest of the meal. The soft shell crab salad was very refreshing and consisted of green papaya, red pomelo, shavings of coconut and mixed herbs. One thing they do well here are their salads, they are spot on and well balanced. The soft shell crab was just an afterthought but gave the dish some meatiness. Another kick to the face was their Thai ceviche, kingfish sashimi cured with generous amounts of lime. This was eaten with a rice cracker which gave it a nice play on textures. Finally was the sticky pork belly with a sweet tamarind caramel sauce paired with a herb salad which helped balance out the richness of the pork. The pork was cooked very well, it was crispy on the exterior yet maintained its soft characteristics. Went very well with rice. We could have went either way with dessert but chose not to, I was sick, it was cold and cramped. I have tried their 'Mum, I Dropped My Ice Cream' at their popup at HWKR called Khao awhile ago. Great price point and very flavourful dishes make it one of Melbourne's most desired non-bookable restaurants.

GabbieFood

excellence staffs and meals. We were waiting for half an hour to get in but it totally worth the wait. Food was supb packed with flavour and very interesting looking.

Humble Anna

What a vibrant and busy restaurant. There is always a queue for waiting list here so make sure you’re early or you’ll have to wait very long for your seat. But it is very much worth the wait. Love their food and super friendly staffs too.

Salwa Gautama

Coming on a Saturday night with no prior booking, we had to wait for an hour or so, but the waiting was worth it. The service was top notch & the staff did an excellent job and were very friendly. Our portion was catered perfectly for two people. We ordered the chicken salad, duck baguette, BBQ prawns, crispy barramundi and sea bream sashimi. All of the dishes were simply amazing, one of the best food we’ve tried in Melbourne. We didn’t expect a mix of different ingredients and flavours would work so well together — especially the crispy barramundi with apples and chicken salad with rambutan & banana. Came home feeling full & the dishes were worth the price. My only complaint was the place was not very spacious and felt a bit cramped.

Chii

This place is so small and overly occupied - best to book a table and make sure you get there in time as they do not hold the table for long. We ended up waiting for 20-30 as we were 10 mins late for our booking. Foodwise- we ordered their 5 dishes for 2 people for dinner. The Crispy Barramundi and Thai Fried Chicken is on top of my list. The crying tiger however, isn’t that spicy so it’s perfect for people who aren’t fan of spice. Phuket Calamari is very soft and I personally didn’t enjoy it. The waitress who serves the food is the loveliest one I’ve encountered throughout my dining experience. 👍🏻

Ramesh Maurya

Cool asian fusion restaurant. Friendly service and food taste nice and packed with flavours. It was a cold day but we had to sit outside because they are too full inside. IMHO, a little pricey for the portion. Highly recommended regardless!

Leo

Came here for dinner a few years ago. Came in for lunch today. Ordered the lunch special - pick 5 dishes for $59. Picked Crying Tiger wagyu beef, sticky pork belly, BBQ lamb ribs, crispy Barra, and BBQ prawns. All dishes tasted good especially the sticky pork belly and BBQ lamb ribs.

Fon Mei

I’d been looking forward to going here but found it quite disappointing the food was lack of substantial satisfying dishes, everything was too leafy and herby. It was decent flavours but not enough to be excited about.

KITCHFIT

Out of 300 reviews this is my 5th, 5 STAR Review 🌟🌟🌟 This place is the best!! I’ve been trying to come here for years! And finally made the time to come! You will have to wait for a seat, but it’s definitely worth it! We ordered the 5 course tasting menu and every dish was incredible! Delicate dishes with depth of flavour, devouring them 1 by 1. On top of that, the staff are so happy, so accommodating and so lovely! They really go that extra mile to make sure you’re comfortable and satisfied. I was so happy with our dinner experience that I even bought the rice, paper, scissors book. Thanks for living up to my years of expectations!! Incredible! A must visit restaurant in Melbourne!

Vivien 🍓🍙

This is one of the nicest joints in Melbourne for Asian fusion. Service is lovely and food is full of flavours. In terms of quality and style (similar to Chin Chin's), their feed me menu is actually quite affordable! We couldn't fault the food, the dessert (especially on a cold day) was also really warm and just the perfect treat. Highly recommended !

Emily Xia

Super nice food!!! Street food from Asian, good serves and friendly staffs~~~ my family really enjoyed our dinner here~~~portion is perfect to share, can try many different variety of dishes I really enjoy the environment here, just a bit crowded lol~~~have been waiting for half an hour but all worthy~~ Will be back soon!!

Jasmine

After all the hype on Zomato, Rice Paper Scissors fell short of my expectations :( . Ordered: 5 dishes to share, for $69.00 (for 2 people) for dinner 🥦 Asian Greens (Phat Gai Choy): wok tossed mustard greens with wood ear mushrooms and ginger sauce (gf) 🍢 Galloping Horses (Ma Hor): green starfruit topped with caramelised pork, prawn and peanut, pork crackling 🍖 BBQ lamb ribs (Sii Krong Nuex): mehkong whiskey marinated lamb ribs in a sticky special sauce 🥩 Crying Tiger (Seua Rong Hai): char-grilled wagyu with a spicy citrus dipping sauce 🐷 Sticky Pork Belly (Muu Krob): twice cooked pork in a tamarind caramel sauce, topped with a fragrant herb salad 🍹 Lychee Mule (Mocktail): seedlip spice, lychee, lime, ginger beer, bitters ($9.50) Review: I really enjoyed the Lychee Mule and the BBQ Lamb Ribs. Highly recommended if you're not feeling the alcohol / want amazingly cooked ribs that just fall off the bone. Kind of wish we had two portions of this! The other 4 dishes were interesting, but I don't think is worth the hype. Food is decent, slightly on the more WOW side but it was difficult to eat it since it didn't come out in a timely manner. You should be cautious that food comes out in bulk e.g. you and the person next to you will get the Galloping Horses when it is both done, made in bulk. This made it hard to order food and pair dishes together. Ideally my vege dish (Asian Greens) would be eaten with the other meaty dishes, however we ended up having it towards the end which threw off the balance of the dishes altogether. We arrived at 6pm, and was recommended to wait 45 minutes. Then, we were messaged and then crammed into a table where there were people on either side. My dinner partner had a soft voice, so having a competition between everyone's chatter, on top of the loud music, made it a little difficult to sustain decent conversation. Although the food was great, the crammed atmosphere really threw me off enjoying my food to its full extent. Perhaps try getting a table outside, so at least you have more room for yourself and your friends!

Jamie

Rice Paper Scissors is one of the Asian fusion restaurants constantly mentioned by Melbournians as a favourite. With a friend visiting from overseas that wanted to experience “something different”, I was presented with the perfect excuse to haul myself into the CBD for a nice dinner out for the first time in a while. I made a reservation for our group of 3 to dine here early one Friday evening about a week beforehand. The venue was smaller than expected, but decorated in a trendy modern way with a lively and vibrant atmosphere. We arrived on-time to find that our table was still not ready, and had to wait for about 10 minutes. The staff were kind and helpful, and walked us through their specials and how to order. We decided to go with their meal option that allows us to be 5 dishes for a set price per person, and they even catered each dish to ensure there was enough for 3 people. The dishes we ordered include the soft shell crab salad, sticky pork belly, Phuket calamari, a tuna dish that was a "special of the week", steamed pork buns and a side of their Malaysian roti. Each dish was fresh, flavourful and pretty tasty and we found ourselves full by the end of it. Rice, Paper, Scissors is definitely a good, safe choice for dining out; they won't disappoint!

Amy Flood

Pre theatre Asian fusion tapas! We got here 30 minutes after it opened and my word was it already packed! Lucky my friend and I managed to get a table. The staff were ace. So friendly and very welcoming. They explained the menu and gave multiple suggestions which we definitely needed as all the dishes looked so great! We had: Asian greens Pork belly Chicken salad Barramundi Lobster dumplings Rice Mum, I dropped my ice cream (my favourite) All the dishes were really nice however, by the end of the main dishes we both felt the flavours and textures became very similar. Still delicious but after a while no flavour really stood out. Everything was cooked very well. The pork belly was juicy, tender and really melted in my mouth. The barramundi was flakey on the inside with a slightly crispy fried outside. I liked how every dish came with a form of salad or vegetables it really filled out the dishes. The dessert was my favourite! But who doesn’t love dessert! The yuzu sorbet with a white chocolate ganache around the cone was refreshing after the main meal. IT WAS AMAZING. All textures, great balance of flavour and looked quality. I love a sharing style dinner. I really enjoyed the atmosphere as well. I would go again for sure! 9/10

Linda Zhang

This is one of my favourite places in Melb. Highly recommend it! There is usually a long wait time so book in advance if you can :) My fav dishes are the bbq lamb ribs - it’s the best lamb ribs I’ve ever had and the pork buns The pork belly is really good too but I didn’t order it this time, still highly recommended

Alicia M

Busy little place for a good reason! It was a chilly Melbourne evening so we opted to wait for a table inside & headed next door for a drink. Once our table was ready we found the service friendly & attentive. Party of 4 we had Asian greens w pork belly, pork belly, lamb ribs, lobster dumplings, roti & horseback. Stand out was the lamb ribs but it was all delicious. Good came relatively quickly & while it was bustling we still could hold a conversation. Highly recommend.

Aaron Chin

My friends have been raving about Rice Paper Scissors for the longest time so I decided to come with a few friends. We came at the end of lunch service so there was no one in the restaurant - service was really good. In terms of food, we got 10 dishes for 3 people. 3 of them were specials and they were all nice. From the regular menu, the best ones that we got was the betel leaves, lamb ribs and crispy barramundi. There were fantastic despite the portion is a little bit smaller. The galloping horse was a pleasant surprise as that was the first time that I saw watermelon served that way. Overall, nice food but small portion, nice ambience.

VegoLover

Can’t believe there was a small queue before the place opened at 12pm on a Sunday. My friend liked his Vietnamese coffee. My lychee mocktail was ok, quite weak. The other alcoholic drinks being made in front of us at the bar table looked very impressive. The vegan Bao with mock meat inside was a bit bland and quite chunky. Banh mi with mushrooms and veggies inside was delicious. Salad with artichoke was very good with lots of texture and well balanced flavours. Seats at the bar were very crowded. Nice ambience and fast service of food.

Food Girl 101

I cannot even begin to describe the flavours this restaurant creates! If you are in Melbourne you NEEEED to go! But be sure to go at lunch time or be prepared to line up for dinner because everyone knows they are the best of the best!!! 20/10!

Julie

I have to admit I had very high expectations for Rice Paper Scissors because of all the reviews read. I have an asian background and eat a lot of asian food out. I just didn't think the balance of flavor was there. My friend and I ordered the choose 5 dishes for $334.50each. We had the lamb ribs that everyone raves about and have to agree they were good. Second dish was a soft shell crab salad which was also tasty. Then we had the Barramundi dish which was nice but not wow. Next we had an eggplant salad that was the first disappointing dish. The eggplant was bland. Then we had the pork belly salad. Well I am fully aware that pork belly has a fat layer but most of the pieces of pork belly were all fat! all in all it was nice but not memorable

Diana Xie

RPS has always been a popular go to for asian fusion food in the CBD, and for good reason. All the flavors are strong but well balanced, and incredibly tasty. Service is always friendly, and the cocktails are done quite well too - just a tad on the expensive side.

Melbfoodie

First time experience here, and wow, the food was incredible. Service was excellent and the vibe was great. We ordered the $69, 5 dishes option. Very good value for money. Highlight dishes included the Sticky Pork Belly, generous chunks of goodness pork belly might I add, the Duck Baguette was delectable, very generous pieces of duck and the flavours just blended seamlessly together. Can’t wait to come back and try other items on the menu! Highly recommend if you are looking to try some Asian fusion cuisine.👌🏼

Lil Porker

The food and the rating on zomato speaks for itself. This is definite place to try! We ordered a few cocktails, the pork belly bao, duck salad, fried chicken and the crispy barramundi. My friend isn't a big fan of seafood however she loved the barramundi. Overall it was a really fun experience and we only had to wait around 20 mins for a table.

Irene Borges

Amazing food experience! Had a great date night out with hubby and will definitely bring friends and visitors to enjoy it again too. Must try more on the menu next time too.

Danielle Nguyen

Came here on a Friday night and had to wait 1.5 hrs before we were able to be seated. The restaurant was so busy and cosy. We ordered the $69 dinner for 2 people which included 5 dishes. My favourite dish was the bbq lamb ribs, they were flavoursome and juicy. My favourite dessert was enter the dragon, the coconut ice cream complimented the lemongrass granita well. The staff were very friendly and attentive.

Sally

Absolutely fantastic food and staff- had to put name down for a wait but it was totally worth it. Had share plates between 4 of us and every dish was fresh, vibrant and delicious. The tofu is textured like meat and such a strange intriguing taste! Will definitely come back again and again.

Sarah Ngo

My go-to asian fusion joint. Such amazing food, flavours and dishes for such a good price. The lamb ribs, soft shell crab baos, and ceviche is sensational. The staff are always so friendly and accomodating. The serve of food is also super generous. Forever a favourite

Daniel Arnott

Another great lane way restaurant. Great feel especially on a friday or saturday night when everyone is relaxing after a big week. The food is fantastic.

Sammy

Food here is worth queuing for. Delicious Asian fusion cuisine with great cocktails. I normally try to come here for early dinner. Pork belly is to die for

Nelson

Love this little place, food is always sensational, Thai, Vietnamese influenced, although you have to get in early to get a table as they're can be very busy at times. My favourite would have to be the lamb ribs, crunchy and succulent sweet and sour as the rendered fat drips in your mouth. Cocktails are pretty good too, the set lunch is practical and bang for your buck. Will recommend and revisit again

Michelle

I had high expectations but was a little let down by the food. I ordered a variety of dishes (feed me) and they were all topped off with the same salad. The galloping horses was misleading I was not expecting a cold pork type mince on the watermelon. Our food came out before our drinks, they were a bit watered down from sitting on the bar for too long. Outside of this, the service and atmosphere was excellent, however in terms of value for money I found neighbouring restaurants better

Flavietta

When you arrive and see a queue it can be off putting.... but. When Travis smiles and takes your details, you know your in good hands. We toddled off for a cocktail and as promised exactly 40 minutes later we were welcomed back and seated. Happily sitting with water and menus - along came Zey. First you see her eyes, then a broad and genuine smile that lights up the room. She loves working at RPS and happily answered all our questions. She then warmly shared her favourite dishes and made helpful suggestions. We sat entertained by the activity in the efficiently run and spotless kitchen, busy servers moving around us and the theatre of the cocktail making. Our food was delicious, each dish freshly cooked. Portions just right and although the space was limited it wasn’t tight or awkward. The pace of service was nice and steady, we noticed that every single server smiled and checked in that all was well. After our meals, the lovely Zey tempted us with dessert and then we couldn’t resist trying 2 cocktails. It was a really busy night but we didn’t feel at all rushed. Truly an excellent experience and we genuinely can’t wait to go back.

SDeans

We tried the Mekong mule and for food had soft shell crab, asian greens (both excellent), bbq lamb ribs (nice), thai ceviche and thai fried chicken (both ordinary). Service was prompt and friendly. A very nice place for an evening out.

Dinesh Amin

Great food, make sure to take a few friends so you can try more dishes. Lamb ribs and the fried chicken are my personal favourites. Won’t need a fork and knife for most dishes.

Munching With Mel

Rating: 4.5 Food: 4.5 Value: 4 Ambience: 4 Service: 5 Hands down best service and most friendly staff ever. The staff were so funny and friendly, our convo with the waiters could’ve kept other customers waiting. As soon as we arrived here, the modern layout of the restaurant on the foodie alleyway stood out to me, and it spoke ASIAN FUSION. From my dining experience here, it did its customers justice. We were able to immediately get a table despite having 4 people and an expected 30 minutes wait during a 7pm booking. Unfortunately, our table outside along with others are balanced with a sheet of paper, but it would sometimes move and be awkward to eat, but that was a minor issue. We ordered a $69 banquet with extra dishes on the side for a table for 4, and we were almost full at the end, coming out cheaper than we would have thought, but is still on the pricier side for how much you get. Best dishes: betel leaf, BBQ lamb ribs, sticky pork belly, roti, and their dinner special pork neck (forgot to take a photo). Betel leaf, was such a different combination of flavours I had never expected to work well together. The green mango salad with the peanut jam was so explosive and beautiful in the mouth, the mixture of sweet and salty, with the succulent prawn oozing into the elements on the leaf. It was like the Vietnamese beef wrapped in betel lead but born better. BBQ Lamb ribs, was to die for. Best place I have ever been to that I have seen the meat fall off the bone and taste so soft and flavoursome. Its sauce ticked all of my boxes, I couldn’t have asked for something better. Definitely recommend! Sticky pork belly: This will suit the appetite of those who often eat the Asian vinegar/fishy/chilli radish salads. The pork belly was so soft, and the salad on top made the flavours more powerful. Malaysian roti: I could have gotten 3 rounds of these. The sauce and its buttery and chewy texture was addicting. My favourite things would be roti and peanut. The special we ordered was a Pork Neck, which I forgot to take a photo of because it was that darn good. When you come to this restaurant, ordering specials would be worth your dinner. Thai fried chicken was pretty good, but I have had it before at home. Feel free to try if you haven’t tasted crispy chicken marinated in the asian spices! The crying tiger was pretty good, wagyu was juicy, a bit dry unluckily for us, and the salad could have been better; I just generally prefer sauce that is enough to coat the meat. Overall, far from a disappointment, and will be coming back to try the other dishes this amazing store has to offer!

Junghoo Kim

Came to celebrate my birthday with my partner, we booked a table at 7pm but did not get our table till 7.30. Also, they forgot with our order the soft shell crab. A little disappointed with the service for my special day.

Milla Vanilla

There’s something for everyone from the menu of fresh, flavoursome dishes. Had the ceviche, soft shell crab salad, betel leaf, dumplings and calamari. All good and not shy on herbs and spices but betel leaf was the fav! Left satisfied but not overly full. Small space and always busy so book ahead if you can!

Richard Tom

Had a really good time with my partner at Rice Paper Scissors, the staff was very accommodating, the food came out fairly quick and very tasty, definitely one to be on the list to tick off!

Un Caffe Latte

While we had a delicious meal here, and the staff were wonderful, I think that the FODMAP friendly tag needs to be removed as they had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and told me that everything had onion in it. Was very disappointed as we had chosen it specifically because we thought I'd be safe here.

Foodninja

Foodwill deserved 3 stars base on the taste to compare with authentic vietnamese cuisine.But service and the effort try to mingle the flavor to match the western taste also bringing out the traditional taste from vietnam to the world deserve 5 stars for sure.

Zoe Chin

Fantastic with their food in terms of taste, value and coeliac safety- they prep things carefully and have separate procedures for gluten-free because they take cross-contamination pretty seriously which is wonderful news for me! Food is yum and you can get some good ol’ GF fried chicken which is a plus! There’s always a line though, so you probably have to be there early or book a table.

Mathew

Tried this place a few months ago. We got a table outside just before 6pm on a tuesday night. Rest of the place was full! Opted for the 5 dishes - Service was terrible, food was tasteless and felt like we were rushed out before our 90 minutes were up! I won't be coming back.

Nidhi

Great food! Must try places in Melbourne for sure! Great prices and even better flavours. Good service. We had the 5 share plates for $59 and a dessert. Savoury food was delicious, my favorite and must order dish for me was the Galloping Horses, an absolute bite sized flavor bomb! The Vegan dish of tempura eggplant with papaya salad was good too. Although the dessert was decent but didn't deliver on Lemongrass flavour for being a Lemongrass and Ginger pudding with condensed milk ice cream, burnt palm sugar caramel and crumble. That being said the dish was technically well executed but was crying out for something to cut the sweetness. All in all a great meal.

Tiffanygirl65

This place is lovely. ⭐⭐⭐ Food Phuket calamari : we quite disappointed at the dish turned out simply calamari while we expected fried calamari. ⭐⭐ Larb pla (tuna salad): It seem like tuna salad was the best dish of the meal we have ⭐⭐⭐⭐ we love the ingredient and taste very much. Yum gai ⭐⭐⭐ : It was so amazing that they mixed the rambutan as one of the ingredient. Chicken was juicy. Fried chicken ⭐⭐⭐ : Personally, I love this menu because the spice on chicken is very tasty. Chiangmai pork belly special menu ⭐⭐⭐: I really like the side dip of this menu, it tasted and feel like one of my favorite thai dip call nam-pik-noom which is the famous dip of Thai northern food. Roti with peanut sauce ⭐⭐⭐ : I love this menu so much but the portion seemed too small for 3 people. Service and overall ambient The staff were very cheerful and lively. Restaur ant was well decorated with lovely bricks. ⭐⭐⭐ Consequently, I and my friends will be back to this olace soon

Quinn Tran

Yas for meeeee 😗 I love this restaurant not just food, but love the staff here as well ❤️ they are so goooood 👌🏻 happy to come here every time and will come back more and more 😌

Melanie Potter

Visited with friends and chose 5 dishes which wait staff portioned for the four of us to share - Allof the dishes were SO delicious. Great fresh flavours. Fun atmosphere. Friendly service. Crying tiger was a favourite dish and I also enjoyed a house made ice tea. Would definitely revisit.

Prof. Pinky@LunchLab

My score 3.5 stars. I surprised J with lunch at RPS for her birthday - we had a 1.30 booking on 18th Dec (not her actual birthday). We were seated at one of the high bench tables & luckily had it all to ourselves in the end, as we had quite a few bags & it would have been a squish. Best to go with a group of 6, or sit at the actual bar if only 2 people IMO. Place was busy & it took a while to get a drink – a bottle of “Bird in the hand” Pinot Grigio which was a good restrained “less is more” example of the variety. Took even longer to have our food order taken – waiters would stop by with water, menu’s etc. but never come back (whisked away to another request). Eventually we got a guy who stuck with us for most of the meal. We ordered the feed-me option & unfortunately, 4 of the 5 courses then came out in rapid succession so we couldn’t really relax & soak it all in. We had: Soft shell crab salad > Wow X3, fresh & light but extremely flavoursome (5/5) 😋. Crispy tofu bao > More substantial but also extremely flavoursome & lovely textural contrasts – a bit like a surreal faux peking duck pancake in a weird kinda way (5/5) 😋. BBQ lamb ribs > Were good, but didn’t reach the heights we thought we’d experience after all the rave reviews about them (J only picked at them). Kingfish ceviche > Was ok, but we didn’t like the texture – chef obviously has a sense of humour serving it in a dish resembling a gourmet catfood tin 🤣. Accompanying handmade giant crackers were lovely though! Quite a gap to last course of Scallops in spicy butter (a special) > Gone in one bite & not a lot going on TBH, disappointed we chose it. Also added Roti w peanut sauce > Roti was a bit stiff (not warm enough?) & not very flaky – sauce was quite thin so didn’t stick to the roti. Overall, left feeling a bit disappointed, as we had built ourselves up because of the comments & the 4.8! It appeared to work well for xmas-party groups who were having a good time – oh well at least it’s off our bucket list…

Sarah

have been wanting to try RPS out for a while since I've been told this was a good spot for good food. finally got here and didn't have much of a queue when I arrived at 6pm and got seated pretty fast! (phew, because after us, a line was forming...) our servers were warm, friendly and ready to explain how to order + what to eat, which you have to go with the "choose 5 dishes" deal. we went with the pictured options. Our fav was "galloping horses" 🐎, barramundi of the next dish was cooked very well 🐟, but the rest of the dish was somewhat lacking. The rest... were nothing to write home about. (missing photo of pork larb special) kinda disappointed as I had high hopes, maybe we just didn't get the best dishes? 🤷🏻‍♀️

.ji.sama

Really enjoyed dinner here!! Heard this place gets busy quick so we came early and got ourselves a table. Everything from the service to the food was fantastic but the combination of a hot summer’s day and the spice and chilli from the thai/viet combinations soon had us sweating bullets! 😅😅 Highlights of the evening were the duck baguettes, sticky pork belly & the ribs!!

Some Bunee Loves Food

Pork chop, fried egg, meat loaf, shredded pork, cucumber and salad on broken rice. It was ok, the fish sauce made it all more tastier as the meat loaf was a bit salty and the pork chop was a bit bland. My partner got the version with the chicken and it was actually more nicer.

Kimmy

Finally got to go here without having to wait. The hype is real people! Amazing food (calamari was my favourite) full of intense, unique flavours. Service is good too.

Little.miss

Small, unpretentious little restaurant that packs a punch. Absolutely loved their desserts, and their soft shell crab salad was a nice treat. I cannot rave enough about their desserts. I tried three of them and loved them all. Def will be coming back! Good for a date night, but make sure you come early

Xavali

Had the most sensational end of year staff party at RPS. The staff were incredibly accommodating, the food and drinks were spectacular, the service was perfect and the music was spot on. Seeing the delight in everyone's eyes as they tasted the various dishes was very satisfying for the sucker who organised the function 😂. Thank you for making our night so fun, many have said they will return!

Lifecycle

This place has been on our list for a while and the high expectations were met with two thumbs up. We had so many delicious tiny bites of which the BBQ lamb ribs had us in heaven. The meat fell off the bones and it was soft and sticky, sweet and just full of goodness. I also really like the lychee drink. Service was really friendly and attentive. Would like to visit again to taste the other bites on the menu.

Anotheronebitesthecrust

This has very easily become my favourite place in the city for lunch. I live in the eastern suburbs, so anytime I travel into the city, I come here for lunch! The staff are super friendly, and always make you feel welcome. The food is amazing every single time. It is so cheap to feed two people here, $59 for lunch with 5 delicious items to share is fantastic. The menu is extensive, and there are always specials so you have plenty of options to choose from. Yes it is small, and yes it is busy (aka popular) but lunch times you can make a booking which are 90 minute sittings. Plenty of time to get through the 5 items, have a couple of drinks and even order dessert. I cannot fault a single thing!

Laura Kimberley Soh

Love both outlets - this city one is busier but food and service equally outstanding! Have now moved away from Melbourne but will always visit when I’m in town!

Eat_today_diet_tomorrow

I have been to this place twice and still love to go back. They are a small restaurant in liver pool street serving Asian fusion dishes. The restaurant have both indoor and outdoor tables. Dinner for 69 per person it is kind of feed me menu but we can choose the dishes we like. We really like the pork belly baos and the bbq balinese prawns. They were delicious! Dont go during peak time or else you will have to wait forever.

Lindalimebitters

I've been here many many times before and was back here last night after few months of not visting. It seems they have changed their menu slightly and altered some of the dishes. Not a fan of the new change. I had the Thai Ceviche which was not that flavourful, it was served with a sesame cracker. Didn't see the point of that. We also ordered the crab special which was so tiny, the size of a teaspoon, on another prawn cracker, pictures attached ($14?!?). They've also changed the Galloping Horses from being served on a slice of pineapple to a slice of watermelon which just did not work. The good thing was that the Pork Belly has not changed and I think this is what saved this review from being a 2 to a 3. Please change the menu back.

Chuhong Wu

I have been here twice before but didn't get a chance to get in due to the long queue, luckily this time my frd & I were able to grab a seat at around 5：30. We ordered five tapas and everything were alright, typical southeast Asian flavors, would recommended the BBQ lambs and maybe the Thai fried chicken. The seafood noodles, duck bao and crying tiger were just average to both of us. Anyway, a nice place to give it a try when you're not feeling a heavy dinner.

Oni San

When we first came across Rice Paper Scissors on them internets we were so blown away by the vegan and cocktail menu we made a booking immediately. As we arrived for our booking we waited a few moments while our table was prepared. From there it was ordering and cocktails. Hip staff, cool tunes and a funky pseudo-industrial vibe amped our expectations even further. Sometimes high expectations can be a bad thing. The food, when it arrived didn't match the hype. It was good, sure, tasty and fresh but nothing really outstanding. We were expecting punch, zest and heat. We got flavour, but though nice, it just... lacked something. A little chilli, some more lime juice perhaps. Service was polite, but we left feeling bundled out rather than well cared for. Drinks were well made and flavorsome, but again, nothing to write home about. The standout dish was the tofu bao, but this only arrived once we had already been asked if would like the bill. Twice. Perhaps we will return again one day, but we will do so with a more reasonable outlook and expectations in mind. Uninspiring.

Joanne | Melbournecitay

Consistently good asian food across different cuisines. (Vietnamese, Balinese, Indonesian and Thai). the restaurant delivered a really filling and yummy dinner. For 2 ladies, the 5-dish banquet cost of $69 is super yummy and worth it! Worthy mentions would be the Bahn mi and soft shell crab papaya salad! Service was also fantastic - waiters were friendly and easygoing. It’s a pity that we couldn’t take away the lamb ribs - it’s a restaurant policy. So make sure u come with an empty stomach!! Will come again!

Food Junkie

Been wanting to try this one for a while now. Came here with a couple of girlfriends for lunch. We decided to do the set lunch, pick 5 dishes for $85 (For 3ppl). The food was delicious. My favourite was tie between the bbq pork and the wagyu beef. I could really eat the whole plate myself 😊. My drink of choice was the mango, coconut water and mint. Refreshing! The waiters were friendly and attentive enough but not to the point where it’s annoying. Tip: cheque is brought to your table so don’t need to stand around the bar to pay. Will definitely come back next time (if I can get a table).

Yume Yume

Wow e Delicious food and drinks in a really nice atmosphere. Not only did the food taste but good but looked good, presented beautifully and just makes you drool. The vegetarian options were amazing and they are very accommodating with making changes to the dishes. Worth making the effort to get here and I will definitely be making a return !

Charity Rose Bacareza

Food was great... service was half and half...one guy was great but another was quite rude from the moment we arrived...imagine being looked at from head to toe and condescending manner. Will have second thoughts because of that experience.

Delishme

Was spoken to so poorly by the guy at the door. We waited an hour and a half, came back to check if our table was ready only to be rudely told that we were early (when we weren’t) and made to feel like we couldn’t even check. It’s such a shame as the food is good, but won’t be returning if this is how you treat your customers.

Steven Yuniansyah Suyanto

Taste so nice, i really like the food and its awesome! The minus thing is i need to que for a long time, but really its worth with the price and worth with the quality! Might bring some friend to enjoy the food!

Tish Piaser

So soo soooo yum. Well worth the wait for a table. We sat communal style which allowed us to see what others had ordered. Menu is designed to share so go with a mate or group. Highly reccomend the ribs.

Cheesy Orange

What a great place for a meal. Love the portions and the 5-dishes-for-2 is a must. Tried almost all the choices now, and have yet to find one that is less than satisfactory. Please give this a go.

Duchess_Arg

Busy night and full of hungry diners. We needed to wait to have a table. Other than that, staff are trying their best to accommodate their customers. Thumbs up to them. Food was amazing. Asian fusion is always the best.

Jenny Duong

I have chosen this lovely place for my birthday dinner with my friend. Overal, everything went very well. The food taste so richful and delicious. Especially, seafood is fresh and taste amazing. Dessert is nice but a little bit sweet for me ( if you like sweet thing definitely should try the caramel cake) beside we odered another dessert is the dragonfruit w coconut icecream which is one of the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten in Melbourne coz it’s not too sweet , the flavour is balanced between the sweet of coconut and sour of the dragon fruit. Moreover, all the staff is so so friendly and helpful. Even we sat outside, they kept going out during the meal to ask if we need anything which impress me. I love all the way they organize and decorate the shop even is small but cozy. I think it’s the must-go dinning with friends. I’ll definitely come back and try out another dishes.

Makan2Melbourne

Heard good review about this place. The place was pretty small, not ideal for large groups. The staff was really friendly and the service was quick. We opted for the $59 banquet menu. On my first visit, I ordered the galloping horses, steamed pork buns, bbq lamb ribs, crying tiger, and sticky pork belly. I ended up really liking it and went for a second visit with more friends. We ordered the galloping horses, bbq lamb ribs, sticky pork belly, crispy barramundi, and bbq balinese prawns. Certainly did not disappoint! really deserved the 4.7 stars raring. Galloping Horses Price: $13 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝 This was surprisingly the highlight of the meal! never thought that caramelised pork, prawn, and peanut and sour pineapple would be a great combination, but we all really liked it. You can really taste the peanut ,which I really liked. Don’t forget to order this one on your visit! Crying Tiger Price: $15 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝 The beef was a little tough when we ate it, probably because we didn’t eat it straight away. The dipping sauce was refreshing, but the overall dish was average, wouldn’t order this next time. BBQ Lamb Ribs Price: $15 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝 Another highlight of the meal! Definitely my top picks alongside with the galloping horses. The marinated lamb ribs and the sauce was a fingerlickingly good. I don’t mind the mess at all! A must-order! Sticky Pork Belly Price: $15 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝🌝 The pork belly was fatty and tender. The sauce was sweet, but the salad balance it out. Must try! Steamed Pork Buns Price: $13 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝 This was one of the meh dish for me. The bun was soft, but a bit sticky. The pork was pretty good and paired well with the sauce. But the sauce was so little compared to the size of the bun. So it was a pass for me. BBQ Balinese Prawns Price: $15 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝 Was excited when the dish came. The prawn had a slight burnt smell to it, which I liked. The sauce was pretty good, but it was an average dish. Crispy Barramundi Price: $14 Taste: 🌝🌝🌝 It was an ok dish, nothing special. I liked the green apple and roasted cashew, which add a really nice texture to the dish. But the barramundi itself was not memorable. A pass for me. Definitely one of my top recommendations! You’ll leave feeling satisfied and it was a great value. Money well spent! 😋

Erin King

Food was really well priced, loved being able to choose five dishes for the two of us. We had steamed pork buns, lamb ribs and chicken drumsticks. It was a pretty casual environment, with shared table and the service seemed a little rushed.

Kyron Conrad Junus

I have been a regular customer coming back to your restaurant in Fitzroy. Wednesday, October 3rd 2018, was my first time visiting your restaurant in Liverpool street, Melbourne CBD. In hope to celebrate my birthday and have a great dinner date with my partner, we got a rude host that made us left the restaurant empty stomach, feeling discriminated and hungry instead. We were there about 7 pm and put our name on waiting list. The host told us the wait would be 45 minutes. We waited in front of the restaurant for about 30 minutes. Saw the guy (which is the host) broke a glass bottle (which is okay, people make mistake) Fast forward to the issue that I cannot comprehend at all. At that time, There were a lot of empty chairs We saw 4 customers that just came, did not need to put their name on the list and he let them sit there straight away. We just stare at it,feeling obviously hungry and irritated while the 4 customers said, “ah it’s our lucky day!” Despite the fact we waited way longer than them. That table does fit 4 people. But we also saw 2 previous customers sat there. And this is where he did wrong. Seeing he let them sit while we waited for long, I walked towards him. I did not say anything, he came to me and explained that he need to prioritise 4 people first. I did not say anything (cause he did not let me too). Here is just a little bit feedback on your procedure ( I am not sure if it’s the procedure from management or the one he created on his own) But I take that case above as something that is very unfair. Afterwards, he straight away said “Look, I did said waiting 45 minutes.i’ve got 2 tables ready for you 10 minutes inside, MATE” in a very discriminating tone in front of your OTHER customers, he then went it back to the restaurant. I am not sure about you, but I find this is very embarrassing, disturbing, and totally unacceptable for what he did to me and my partner, when he went in, we just left the restaurant feeling hungry. We don’t even care if we had waited for so long. If only if he speak to us nicely, we would have stayed, but his embarrassing attitude had made me completely lost my appetite. Thinking if I would have stay and being serve with this kind of service. I'd rather leave. When I got the text notification that my table is ready. I replied back saying, "I'm not gonna come, your attitude had me lost my appetite." And this is what is worst, he did apologize, but putting an 'alibi' saying that we told him we did not want to sit outside, while, we NEVER say that, think about it, why would we be unhappy about him letting 4 people sitting outside, and say we don't wanna sit outside? That is just ridiculous!

Tina T

👍 Fun range of different tapas dishes with a punchy bite of vibrant and diverse flavours from each dish 👍 vego/vegan options are a must try - arguably better than their meat dishes! 👍 great range of fusion flavours from several south East Asian cuisines 👍 good dishes include: Mini Banh Mi, Ma Hor, Crying Tiger beef, Mini Banh Bao with pork belly 👍 makes me so happy that Rice Paper Scissors made a lovely rendition of a Banh Mi with their mini Banh Mi and using tofu as mock meat - this is something Vietnamese vegan cuisine is very good at! 👎 whatever you do, please DO NOT order the Viet iced coffee. Sorry guys, you completely ruined the authentic Viet iced coffee experience - the iced coffee was diluted black coffee with even more added ice, and a splash of condensed milk. Authentic Viet iced coffee is super concentrated black coffee with a few TBS condensed milk, and the ice is there to dilute the extra strong coffee. This made me very sad. 👎 lamb ribs is more fat than lamb :(

Maylene Mikaelson

Funky, cramped place to go for an Asian inspired tapas meal. Take the set menu option. The price is outstanding for a high quality meal. You need to put your name down and the restaurant texts you when your seat is ready. Expect to wait about 40 mins. Just go somewhere else for a pre dinner drinks beforehand. I don't think I've been disappointed by any dish here although, some are smaller than others.

Val

First time coming here and served well with the friendly staff. Love the decor, ambience and vibes. We ordered duck salad, papaya salad, crying tiger, thai chevice and crispy barramundi. Everything is tasty and delicious, but overall taste is all about sourness. The crispy barramundi, crying tiger and duck salad were my favourite. However, it would be greater if the crispy barramundi can be less sour or got something sweet to balance the flavour. I felt like the crispy barramundi is the most sour dish of all that we ordered. The crying tiger is the best, really like smokiness and the balance of the flavour. Overall good experience and would love to come back.

Chips Before Dips

YUM! We of course went for the five dishes for $35 a head, which we found to be great value for money! All dishes we tried were delicious, the standout for me was the kingfish ceviche. The service was good, and the cocktails delicious. Will definitely be returning.

Z

All about that hype. If you’re looking for that type of tapas-asian-style restaurant where the small portioned, average tasting dishes don’t justify the price.

Chris Li

Came here with a friend on a Friday night after a long day at Uni. We ordered the duck papaya salad, lamb ribs, thai fried chicken, sticky pork belly and soft shell crab banh mi! All the dishes were amazing but we had to wait 1hr+ for a table!

Juerong Qiu

If possible, I would rate it 3.8. Really like the deco here, but food is just average. Staff is really nice and helpful. We three ordered 5 dishes. Roti tastes good, especially the sauce. Crying tiger is the most delicious one we ordered.

Charlie

Nice tapas! Delicately cooked and best for share. There’s limit rooms however the vibe was not bad at all. We expected a long queue and it’s good that our number could be called via mobile phone when it’s us. We were sitting at the bar table, ordered pork belly, duck salad, lamb ribs and the wagyu beef which was actually not in the menu. The dishes were great! Definitely recommend the lamb and beef - with a glass of whatever spirits you like and enjoy the Friday evening.

Chantelle Hiley

We were able to be seated after a 5min wait. It is very cosy being seated beside other people. $32 will get you five dishes shared between yourself and friends each. Yummy food where by favourite is the mini baguette.

Moieats

Absolutely love this place! Ambience : 4/5. Busy eatery bit manageable. Casual yet comfortable dining area. Gentle music which makes it a perfect place for a girl’s night out. Food: 4/5. Reasonably priced with generous portions. The food was fresh, well-seasoned and tasteful. Beautifully plated and appetizing. The terrarium dessert was delightful; not too sweet but rich in flavor. Service : 4/5. Good service. The waitress was knowledgeable, provided suggestions and explained the dishes according. No prior booking is available. However, it was not a long wait. Highly recommended if you’re in for fusion Vietnamese food and a casual dining experience.

Jessie Foodie

The atmosphere is great but there are not many tables inside. If you visit at the peak hour, you will be wait for a while. The food are all mouth watering, but a little bit salty for me.They provide a great choice of $59 menu with five dishes to share, which is good to share with your friends or partner. Lamb ribs is one of my favourite dishes, which tastes delicious.

Bluecat

Environment was relaxing as it wasn't too busy when we were there. Quite a selection. Flavours was fine. Serving portion is kinda small for the price they charge. Would have preferred more vermicelli in my bowl.

Kira Dinh

Came here a second time yesterday for my birthday lunch. It never seems to disappoint. Nice staff and yummy food. Was happy with the customer service as well! :)

Jean Jean

Small but well organised restaurant. Leave your name and phone number and they’ll sent you a text message when there’s a table ready for you. They told us it’ll be an hour wait or so. Would appreciate if they let us know in advance that table will be reserve for 10mins only when it’s ready, and lucky we didn’t wonder very far away from the restaurant. Staffs were very friendly and helpful with recommendations. Papaya salad, pork belly and wagyu beef were really good. Lamb ribs and barramundi were just pretty average. Definition will come back and try the rest of the menu. :)

Matilda Rose

You have to wait for a table but the bar staff keep you entertained! All the meals we had were amazing, except for the veggie banana blossom salad, skip that and have something else! Was very full at the end!

EmLou86

We came here as a table of 6 on a Saturday night. We had to put our names down for a table but then you can go get a drink and they text you when they're ready. We sat just out the front by the heater which was nice. The waitstaff were great, very friendly and helpful with the menu and gluten free options. We opted for the 'feed me' 6 courses and shared pork belly, betel leaf with beef, crying tiger, lamb ribs, chicken wings and Asian greens. They stagger it so you're constantly nibbling for about an hour. I'd say check it out if you're in the neighbourhood!

Food For Thought

Having been to rice paper scissors, I like the ambience of this restaurant better and it's great they allow reservations. The service staff were friendly, excellent in their recommendations and efficient. The standout dishes for me was the raw scallops with a laksa flavoured coconut sauce, tuna & black caviar, veal tartare, lobster rolls and braised beef ribs. Similar to RPScissors, I found a really good balance in asian flavours and textures. For the Som Tum that came with the beef ribs, I definitely wanted more in its flavour! Overall, this is definitely a place I want to return again to try more dishes.

Helen Hu

The staff here are so nice, explaining the menu for us. We have 4 people, and ordered 3 people potion set also some dishes.Recommend today’s special “crispy fried snapper”,Vietnamese baguette and mum I dropped my ice cream. The one thing let us felt upset is that the dinning time is 1.5 hours, so when time closes just feel so nervous ( staff will remind you) 我们四个人，点了三人份的套餐，还自己点了几个菜。 今天的special有个crispy fried snapper，这个抵两道菜，所以我们的five dishes只有四道。lamb ribs没有我想象中的好吃，推荐Vietnamese baguette 、crispy fried snapper（special）、mum i droped my ice cream 总体菜不错，服务员很好，就是限时一个半小时吃到后面很紧张……

Sinfully Delicious

I tried this place because of the high ratings and previous good experience I had with their restaurant in Fitzroy and unfortunately it didn’t live upto expectations. The restaurant is a lot smaller and you are crammed in there. We were seated along the kitchen bench in front of the toilets so it was quite disruptive. It’s fine for a quick lunch but not for dinner if you’re trying to have a conversation. The food was really average too and portions were smaller to compared to other feed me menus. The lamb ribs were amazing and highly recommend this. The galloping horses looks pretty but found the meatballs a tad too sweet and satay like. The rest of the dishes were ok, nothing to rave about.

Faye Ye

Always have heard lots of good things about this place so came over on a Wednesday night at around 6:40 ish, and of course it’s packed. It was a 30 minute wait and they’d text us when the seats are ready, it’s always nice you don’t have to stand there to wait for your name to be called! The environment was cozy, definitely loud considering the amount of people in there. But the service was fast and friendly. The dishes were amazing, loved all of them, the dipping sauces were the best (always a sucker for sour and chili sauces). My favorites were the fried chicken, lamb ribs and sticky pork belly, the cranberry crush was tasty with the coriander. $65 for 2p and five dishes definitely a bargain, you become so full after this. Roti and drinks are great along with it. Loved the fresh herbs and seasoning used, would definitely come back.

Daisy

Food: Overall, every dish tasted great. However, they were very similar in flavour, with most dishes being of a sour nature, with a bit of spicy. This may be partly my fault for ordering them. I highly recommend Gung Tawt, the prawns on the snacks menu. Service: Everyone was friendly and helpful. Ambience: Space is a bit small so it felt a bit cramped.

Camilupo

I don’t get the rating on this place?? Every dish disappointed in one way or another - lacking flavor- lacking balance- lacking seasoning- bones in the sashimi - ‘crispy’ barramundi not crispy. The food just didn’t have that flavor kick... oh and they were out of rice- that’s like an Italian restaurant running out of pasta- and we ate early. I wouldn’t recommend this place, and we won’t be returning.

RGAnders

Can get very busy during peak hours so be prepared. They have a 1.5 hours seating allowance which I guess gives you enough time to enjoy your meal. $ 65 for two for dinner which is reasonable.. The bbq lamb ribs and the Thai ceviche was the winner for me. The sticky pork belly came at the very end which was hard to take on as we were so full by then.. apparently they do that as it’s their signature dish and they wanted it to be the “ save the best for last”.. dish. Overall great experience and will come back!

J

Heard about all the hype so I came here with a friend. Ordered the $59 for two people 5 dish option, and was THOROUGHLY disappointed! Asian fusion doesn’t mean putting shallots and bean sprouts on top of every dish! Honestly shocked that they have such a good rating! I haven’t felt like I’ve been ripped off this much in a while. Would NOT recommend!

Veta Bajaj

It was very busy so we took a table outside with a nearby heater. The food was delicious, the service great and while it was a bit expensive, $59 for two, without drinks, it was worth it.

Foodle

Overall underwhelmed. Really wanted to enjoy it but just did not deliver. Beef was dry and tough, lacked flavour. Roti was dry and cold. Pork BBQ was not balanced in flavour and was also chewy. Prawn dumplings were ok but again the flavours were not totally balanced as you would expect to find in a good asian fusion restaurant. Fried chicken and duck salad were good. Service was patchy.

The Hand That Bites

I went to Khao by Rice Paper Scissors just before it closed. The food was some of the best I've had in Melbourne and even though it was at HWKR, I enjoyed the whole experience. First impressions were good, the staff were knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the food, and they seemed to enjoy talking about their work. I ordered the Balinese style Barramundi. The portion was generous and the fish was really good quality. The jimbaran sauce was excellent, I loved the strong shrimp paste flavour. The pickled greens worked well with the buttery sauce. I would definitely eat at anything associated with Rice Paper Scissors again.

Yohanes Satria Julianto

Great food ! Awesome staff.!! Fast service !!! Generous portions! So happy here.. small place but effective! Great stuff! Will be back whenever i’m in melbourne !! Keep it up!

Melbourniancritic (The Melbourne Experience)

With its intimate New York loft meets balinese chic decor, relaxed atmosphere, impeccable service and mouth watering South East Asian shared plates, you’ll love what Rice Paper Scissors has to offer. Rice Paper Scissors is modelled around the hawker dining bars in South East Asia, with its main focus on shared eating. The menu has been put together using fresh organic ingredients, with all their sauces, pastes and relishes made in-house.

Thi

A great experience every time we visit rice paper scissors. We were lucky tonight to only wait about 5 minutes when we arrived (around 5:30pm). When we left at 6:30pm, we heard the wait time was up to 2 hours. Ordered the lamb ribs, sticky pork belly, ceviche, galloping horses and the BBQ quail special. All were tasty and made with fresh ingredients. I also ordered a lychee, coconut and kaffir lime crush which really helped me handle the spiciness.

Wintice

Attentive staff, service was good. Nice hip atmosphere. Seats were uncomfortable though. Food was good, but I wish the rotti was smaller but in more quantities as I feel several different people in the group ripping it up to share is unhygienic so would rather it come small.

Viv OY

Beautiful food! Dishes were bursting with flavour and service was super friendly. A very enjoyable lunch, will definitely go again. My favourite was the lamb ribs - perfectly cooked with a lovely sweet, sticky sauce - yum! The duck salad was a close second.

Mwhy Tran

Duck salad was amazing. Wish I knew the ingredients to it. Tamarind fish was also great. Fiance loved it and she rarely enjoys fish. Would definitely dine there again.

Obsessedwithfood

Every dish we ordered was full of different flavours, everything tasted really fresh as well. My favourite would have to be the duck salad and the lamb ribs. We ordered lotus chips on the side and they actually went really well with the duck salad. The lamb ribs were full of flavour and delicious off the bone. The staff were very friendly and attentive. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

EatsByM

After visiting and being impressed with the Fitzroy outlet, had to pay the Liverpool Street outlet a visit too! It definitely did not disappoint! We went at a good time, so we didn’t have to wait for a table or anything. For the group of 4 we did the $32.50 menu with five dishes to share! We got the quail special, thai fried chicken, sticky pork belly, lamb ribs and the BBQ pork with a side of rice. It was very nice! The pork belly again stood out for me, and the lamb ribs are definitely a must have! They portioned out the servings quite well for the groups as well as the food arrived on a timely manner. Definitely worth a visit!!! 😍

Clare

Absolutely love this trendy little restaurant. We arrived and put our name down for a table. As there were four of us it would be a 45min wait so browsed the cute little book shops nearby. When our table arrived, we were seated and a waiter went through the menu. $32.50 each and 5 little tapas style meals to share. We chose the quail special, pork belly, steamed pork bun, duck salad and soft shell crab baguette. They were all amazing (lots of fresh mint and coriander and packed with flavour). We finished off the meal with coffee mousse terrarium (with chocolate peanut soil and fresh mint). Looked pretty as anything and was rich and yummy! Highly recommend to all!

AaronN

I must admit, I was lured by the hype, and it didn’t my expectations. The food was pretty average to be honest. Aside from the lamb ribs which were quite nice, everything else was forgettable. Pork belly was meh, fried chicken would have been flavourless without the mayo, the beef was chewy, the bao was dry, the roti was dry, and the sticky rice was served in a weird bag.

Shiran Zhang

套餐有特惠，午餐时间59刀任选五个特色菜（晚餐时段69），两个人瓜分刚刚好。我们选了羊排，炸五花肉，牛肉，鸭肉沙拉和猪肉包。前三个是服务生推荐的必点系列。后面两个是看评价点的 先说下上菜时间。我们去的时候人烟寥寥，上菜从点单到上齐花了将近40分钟...每一道菜的间隔非常之久。我们是提前有说share的，意思是菜品一次上齐，第一个来的是羊排，等最后一份炸五花肉上来的时候羊排已经凉透了。感觉客流量比较大的时段这个情况会好很多 味道整体给4分吧，性价比挺高的，特色小小一份都能尝尝。但我个人觉得并没有多出彩。这是一家亚洲融合菜，来吃的大多是白人。酱料偏泰国口感，整体装修和气氛蛮有感觉的，充满了绿植、壁画和酒柜墙，灯光昏暗，让人有意愿喝一杯

元霸李

My girlfriend took me there to have dinner. We order some day special like fish and scallops. Pretty good experience with her. Hope next time I can bring my parents there. Food are really delicious.

Rachel Jade

Super popular restaurant and for good reason! A group of us came here for dinner and really enjoyed our experience! We arrived slightly late (6:30pm on a Friday) so were expecting to wait about 45 minutes for a table for 6. Would recommend arriving earlier if you do not want to wait! Be warned you most likely will have a time limit for the table (though we didn't feel pressured to eat fast or anything). Once inside, the staff were all very efficient and guided us towards the $65 for 2 dinner menu. This was definitely a great suggestion, as we were able to choose a good range of dishes, and were completely stuffed after all the food! We ordered the Thai fried chicken, Steamed pork buns, Filipino BBQ pork, Mini Vietnamese baguettes and the Crying tiger. We were also recommended to order some roti. The Thai fried chicken was really crispy and delicious, and not too spicy. The steamed pork buns were really nice and the buns were light and fluffy. The Mini Vietnamese baguettes had a great flavour and crispy soft shell crab. The Filipino BBQ pork and Crying tiger were also nice, but I would recommend the first three dishes (fried chicken, steamed buns, Vietnamese baguettes). The roti was a bit average, and we didn't need it with all the other food we had already ordered. Overall, a very delicious meal with friendly and fast service!

Figures

Great atmosphere, interesting menu, tasty food! We got in early, which worked well - this is a small and busy dinner spot, perfect for sharing.

Picky

Average taste. Funny service attitude. Interesting food price on menu, make sure ask to confirm the price before order cause many shows starting from price. Overrated.

Tracey @ NoWongFood

Hawker style asian fusion in a rustic setting. Doesn’t look fancy off Liverpool street, but the fancy food :). We booked for the 12PM session and were asked to conclude our lunch by 1.30PM. Unfortunately we were late, so the waiter had reminded us that they were fully booked for the day and would still need to conclude by 1.30PM. The two of us arrived first then the rest of the party by 12PM, we were quick to order our beverages and chose the feed option – $59pp for 5 dishes each.

Austin

What a great little restaurant specialising in Asian tapas. We went for the five dishes for two but supersized up to cover four people. The dishes covered the classics - prawn dumplings, sticky lamb ribs, spicy friend chicken with chilli mayonnaise, sweet and sour barramundi and pork buns. All of the dishes were excellent. The beer selection covered Korea through to Australian craft. Service friendly and efficient. I will be back.

Chickenliver

great food and drinks... came here with friends and had a great night. the food was so good, loved the ceviche and also the service. We'll be back

An

Lovely place. Food is delicious and the service is really good (fundamental to a good dining experience IMO)...It is a little loud but it all adds to the atmosphere.

Kath's Food Indulgences

The pictures speak for themselves! Tender yet crispy lamb ribs, papaya salad with beautifully balanced flavours, crispy pork belly, a decadent kingfish ceviche...The scallops and jackfruit special was amazing (sort of wished it was on the main menu!) and the dressing/sauce for all the dishes were full of chilli, coriander, mint, etc - a little bit of spice, but not too hot, and complemented the meats and veggies very well! And the desserts were satisfying, smooth and flavoursome - and not too heavy!

Lara.stephens

Outstanding food, and to top it off... incredible customer service! Shout out to Travis there, who went above and beyond to make sure our experience at RPS was a good one. This place is a regular of ours, and will be for years to come! If you haven’t been.. it’s a must!!!

Descartesmuse

One of Melbourne's must eat at venues. You kind of make the assumption if you say to a friend "let's go to rice paper scissors" for dinner, you just assume they know it and have been before. I urge to avoid the embarrassment of asking what it is.. and go now.. The tasting style menu is 'what you need to have!' the food is amazing. Try everything. The wine is splendid and the waiters are cute. Seriously.... Just go.

Tim

Been here a few years ago and stopped in unplanned. Great deal for 5 dishes - plenty for 2 fairly hungry diners. Had a glass of the Pinot each which wasn’t great but it’s the food rather than the wine you come for! Recommend the baramundi and lamb ribs - these were the 2 stand out dishes.

M.A.S.

We shared five dishes for 59 dollar. The food however was not tasty at all and also not enough for the two of us. I would not recommend this place.

Grape Life

Amazing service! The deal with 5 dishes is a great choice to delve into trying a variety of dishes! In particular, the lamb ribs were marinated and cooked very well- with decent meat on the bone! Duck salad was tasty-with all the asian flavours: sour, sweet, spicy, savoury! Finishing off with some sides and drinks and I was content and fully satisfied! This place never disappoints :)

Gingin

Food was in decent portions, taste was outstanding: especially barramundi fillet in turmeric sauce, lamb ribs and duck salad. $69 deal for 5 dishes is quite good price. Staff was friendly and helpful.

April

Try their set menu as it works out to be best price. Order the pork :) .. you're welcome! This resto never disappoints. Theyre cocktails are delicious too!

AndrewToe

One of my favourite go to restaurants in Melbourne! A little bit of a wait on days, but well worth it. The Thai Ceviche and the BBQ lamb ribs are 👌👌👌

Caitlin Kingsley

:) great food, friendly staff, funky music, ambience and affordable. Would happily re-visit this place again and again :) thanks to the lovely staff for making our 1 yr anniversary so lovely!

Melbourne, Let’s Eat

Portions small but packed full of flavour. Really enjoyed the chicken and the wagyu beef. We had food before coming here so we didn’t get to eat and drink lot but definitely will be back to do so. Friendly and attentive staff. Great vibes.

Dylan Bird

Went out on a limb to try this place after seeing other people's ratings, in short left our wallets empty as well as our stomachs. We tried 5 dishes over the span of about 30 minutes. 2 stars in being generous... to break it down the wait to be seated was over and hour (can be forgiven if food was good) once seated service Was non existent , chairs were extremely uncomfortable, tables were to small, the serving sizes of the food were tiny, insultingly tiny... Do not eat the prawn dumplings or sticky rice, worst taste and texture from both, the pork buns were nice though, just eat them, that's all, everything else will just anger you. The four of us were so disappointed it turned into a joke. The horrible smell from the food got on our hands and phones, we will no doubt laugh and joke about our night out in the future But for now we can not recommend this place to anyone who likes decent food. Give it a miss, low quality food at high cost? No reason at all to go here, there are heaps of places around Melbourne with similar cuisine that will satisfy you. Hope this review saves some people from the disappointment we had. ✌️

Minh Nguyen

Decent food and good service. We tried the $59 for 5 deal and were satisfied with most of the dishes. However, not the greatest we've had and a tad overpriced for portions given. Good for the experience, not amazing if you are looking for taste

Tenforten

the food was great but i dont really appreciate 1 of the staff there and its a bit cold sitting outside even the heater was on but anyway we had good time.

Arena Yao

To be honest, I don’t understand why all the high ratings. Our food was ordinary and quite bland. We tried 5 dishes from the lunch time menu and none of them were outstanding. Disappointing, as I was really looking forward to dining here. For my palate, Red Spice Road has much tastier food overall.

Whenfoodsonpoint

We had to wait a little while in line for a table, however this wasn't a problem as you expect to have to wait at popular restaurants. The food here was packed with an abundance of flavour and each dish we tried was top notch. This business operates under a great business model with every process done right. We will be back soon.

Frances Mona

Apart from a massive line and wait for a table the food here is so good, so full of flavour. I also loved the atmosphere and the cocktails are so so tasty This is a great bar/ restaurant not to be missed

Felix The Cat

Flavours are amazing and they all pack a punch! Been here twice already and everything on the menu is worth trying! If you love Asian fusion then this is the place to be!

TJ

A great experience on every level! My friend and I arrived at 12.25 on Friday for lunch - no booking. As it was already full (opened at 12) we were told it would be about 45 minutes and a text would be sent to us when a table was ready - we then had 10 minutes to arrive. We went around the corner and had a drink, our text came exactly as promised and our table was waiting. The wait staff were incredibly friendly, helpful and definitely contributed to our thoroughly enjoyable experience. We had the 5 dishes for $59 - we thought it was per person but no, that is the cost of lunch for two people sharing 5 dishes!! Excellent value and the food was outstanding. All 5 dishes were delicious but I particularly loved the fried chicken pieces, the lamb ribs and the caramelised pork belly. We struggled to eat everything so there was definitely more than enough food! At the suggestion of the lovely waitress, I ordered a cocktail but didn't like it - they replaced it with a different cocktail without me asking - exceptional service! The place has a great vibe, good music, bustling and spectacular food - what more could you want!!

Snow

Been here many times. Tasty food and great price. Its a cosy bar we like. It’s worth while for the long wait. We always pick the pork belly and lamb ribs.

Zu Ning

Lamp was amazing!!! The staff are soooo nice!!! We’ve been here several times and the food always surprise us. Good music and friendly staff.

James Ter

My favourite restaurant in Melbourne. My girlfriend and I have been here a few times and loved it every time. The food is SO tasty, we've tried almost everything on the menu and it's all been amazing. Can be hard to get a table as the venue is quite small, however definitely worth the wait.

Andrea Porcaro

Underwhelming experience. Staff have an attitude and treat you like they're doing you a huge favour by explaining the menu and taking your order. Not coming back here again. Every dish was overloaded with bean shoots and as a result, there was no variety. When we decided to order another dish outside the set menu, the staff recommended a double serving which was huge and unnecessary (maybe to rake in the $) for our small table of 3. I can't believe this place gets such high ratings when the service is lacking and the food is nothing out of the ordinary. I'd rather take my money to chin chin.

Split The Bill

We came here for lunch. Interesting place that was packed to the rafters during peak hour work lunch for a Friday. We were not to keen to book as this is a place that requires a credit card, so we decided to rock up a bit before 12. A bit confusing with service as the host initially greeted us then walked over to seat another couple?? We then proceeded to have people cut in the line and were served first ??!! Ok not a great start but the food and the service did make up for it. We had the feed me menu ( $60 for 2 people ). This was so amazzzzing we started with the Crying Tiger Seua Rong Hai the char-grilled wagyu beef with a spicy citrus dipping sauce. It was recommended by our waiter and was so tender and delicious. This was followed by BBQ Lamb Ribs with mekhong whiskey marinated lamb ribs in a sticky special sauce was the highlight of the meal 😋😋. Along with the tasty Steamed pork buns with pork belly, cucumber, shallots and hoisin sauce betel leaves and chilli caramel sauce with the Prawn dumplings with black bean and chilli wontons filled with prawn and ginger. The Thai fried chicken marinated in galangal, chilli and coriander was ok. Hmmm now when will I be back!!

Koko

Waited for 30 mins but it's worth it !! The staff is really nice and we had a small conversation, even though it was packed inside of restaurant. Food was great, especially I liked calamari !! A sauce was amazing, couldn't be better !! My least favorite is papaya salad. It's less taste of fish sauce and citrus.. it was just spicy .. in total, I enjoyed a lot, thanks

Moetfan

If you have not tried this restaurant yet, time to give it a go. The crying tiger is definitely one to try. Great place to catch up with the girls!

Obie

It is unfortunate that they dont take bookings for this restaurant. It is a small, packed restaurant. Great value for money ($65 for 5 dishes to be shared between 2 people), some nice punchy flavours. You can understand why there is such a long wait for tables.

Looster_Foodie

T'was a super long wait for a table but we got one after a 45 min wait. The food was worth waiting for, we all enjoyed the food (or was it because we were famished?). Tasty and fresh, a touch of Thai and Vietnamese fusion with good flavour combinations. Would have given a higher rating if the prices were more reasonable

Deniz

Delicious. Very small place, you might need to wait to go in, we waited around 20 min on Friday night. Sharing tables. Food is delicious, portions are small. Shoft shell crab , Asian Greens and Mini Vietnamese Baguette Soft Shell Crab was my favorite.

Elle Donagher

Food was amazing! Perfectly cooked and the perfect amount of selection to choose from Staff were super friendly and accommodating to changes I wanted. Great location & great vibes all round!

Key🍕

just had a lunch here earlier this week. They are always full on the peak hour and dont receive any reservations. So we have to wait for approximately 1 hour. We ordered duck salad, sticky pork belly, crying tiger, bbq lamb ribs and bbq king prawns. Among all of those, sticky pork belly is a must! They serves quite quick but the problem is that the waiters keep coming back to ask things while we were eating. It is also a bit pricey for a small portion. Will I come back? Dont think so, except they do receive a reservation

John Low

I have always been a fan of this place very tasty food and lamb ribs are amazing, however the service on my recent visit on labour day leaves much to be desired. Waitress was rude and the papaya salad and pork belly were a let down. I would be apprehensive to visit again.

MELB JOURNAL

This place is always jam packed and I guess it’s due to the very competitive pricing. With a no booking policy, it’s a little bit of a hard one to get into during peak times. Have been able to sneak into this place for a lunch - 5 dishes to share for $59! Yum. The food was quick, fresh, full of flavour and chilli! The betel leaf was one of our favourites. Staff were a little too casual for a corporate lunch setting, however we managed to eat very quickly and leave on time!

Quentin Thomas Cooke

Waiter would not take a hint that I did not want to talk to him yet, I told him several times politely thanks, but he persisted to talk at us anyway and made things super awkward. Food was great but I never want to deal with that waiter again in my life. All he cares about is turning tables over and listening to the sound of his own voice. If he had done his job and just “waited” another few minutes would have been a totally different impression. Really disappointed that he had to ruin it for us.

Missfoodie

It is sort of like an on tray snack to me, but it is quite filling. It is sort of a modern Asian food from a different cuisine such as Thai, Chinese, Singaporean, Vietnamese etc. The tastes was pretty good. Recommend: Koi Pla, Roasted Pork Leg, grilled lamb. Duck salad: is way a bit too sweet. Pork Ribs: tastes pretty okay just like Australian BBQ pork to me just a bit sweeter.

Jolene Lim

I’ve been wanting to try Rice Paper Scissors(RPS) for over a year since my colleague told me about this restaurant. RPS don’t take phone reservation for dinner and the wait is always about 1 hour minimum unless you come before 6 pm! Also, all your guests must arrived together before you will be allocated a table. On Wednesday night, I arrived at 530 pm and there was no wait list however as my partner was still at work so I put my name down for dinner later while I walked to Chinatown. So after an hour, the wait list has built up but we were seated right away the minute my partner and I returned together. Staff are generally warm and friendly. We were politely told by one of the waitress that we’ve to finish dinner within 1 hour 15 min! We went with the staff recommendation to go for the 5 dishes for 2 at $65 total cost which is really good value for money. So we chose the Thai ceviche, duck salad, sticky pork belly, crying tiger and crispy barramundi. As for drink, we have the Pinot noir and lychee coconut kaffir leave mocktail. To us, the duck salad was the best dish for the night., followed by the Thai Ceviche. The wagyu beef (crying tiger) was a bit tough and chewy. The pork belly could have been more tender. I’m glad I’ve finally tried this place but I don’t think I’m willing to wait an hour to get a table and then rushed to finish the meal in just over an hour.

VP

YUMMMMMM!!! The sticky pork belly (this one is soooooo so good so defs get it), crispy duck salad, Thai fried chicken, and the Thai ceviche were so bloody tasty wow!!!! A little pricey ye but mmmm quality of the food was definitely up there and can hundred percent see why there’s always a queue. The lychee and coconut drink - not the biggest fan of and didn’t much fancy the roti either but plenty of other things on the menu!!! Will definitely be back to have more sticky pork belly omagaaa

Ray

Came here for the first time and picked the five dishes option. Service was good and it was only an hour wait on a Friday night. Food came out really quick but was staggered so you didn’t have everything at one time. The lamb ribs were by far the best thing we had. Really tender and delicious. The popcorn chicken and the sticky pork belly were also quite good although the pork had similar flavour to the lamb. The soft shell crab banh mi was ok and the wagyu beef was not so great. The meat was too thin hence over cooked. The sticky rice was a regrettable order as it was so dry and came as one big lump.

Julie Nguyen

Have to say the food here was 100% worth the wait and absolutely delicious. This is my second time here and we decided to order 5 dishes to share amongst 8 people. Hands down my favourite dish was the BBQ lamb ribs - the meat was so tender and full of flavour! The Thai ceviche and roti were also standouts and I would come back for those three dishes! The mini Vietnamese baguettes were average and I thought the sticky pork belly dish just had too much fat in comparison to meat for my liking. Would also recommend the lychee sour cocktail 😍

Melbourne Epicure

Excellent. This place packs a serious punch in terms of flavor. All dishes are delightfully prepared with lots of depth, nice presentation and excellent execution. Super casual and super tiny so you have to get here very early or expect a very, very long wait (or even to be turned away altogether!). It was our 3rd or 4th attempt when we finally managed to get a table. Worth it though. Highly recommended.

Cassandra Nahrung

Mr Chef: PLEASE keep the king fish collar! The special you had last night which was the salt & pepper king fish collar was OUTSTANDING! Please please please can you move it to your standard menu item? I want to come back already to eat it again! Staff were fab & cheery as always

Stephanie Bai

Expectation held high due to high rating and friends recommendation. We've picked 6 dishes (popular based on reviews), could only tell the difference among three dishes (flavour wise). My tastebuds got bored easily.

Hangry Mama

Hubby and I came here before a show and we're lucky enough to see friends there that shared a table with us just in time for the first lunch service. Food was awesome and loaded with flavour. We'll definitely be back when we don't have to rush off to a show. Hangry Mama no more!

Sophie Donnison

Love the tapas style dining experience which allows you to choose 5 different dishes for a set price. The dishes are quite small but you are left feeling satisfied. My favourite dishes are the lamb ribs and the banh mi. The flavours are really bold and moreish!

Jinn

I used to walk past this spot 3 times a week for a few months and I’m glad to say I’ve finally managed to dine here. It’s definitely wise to come by early try and get a table or leave your name for a table later on. After putting a name down, we left for drinks elsewhere for an hour before they notified us that our table was ready. Honestly I do think it’s worth the wait. The food is nothing short of vibrant and spectacular. The fresh vegetables/tangy fruit complements the strong savoury flavours of South East Asian cuisine that brings up memories from my upbringing (only in a more Australian fusion way) haha The staff are also excellent with their recommendations and conversation. All together with the ambience, it really was a lovely experience that I hope to repeat in the future.

CoupleOFoodies

This is one of those Melbourne places you have to try at least once and you may be tempted to bring visitors here as well. The two times I've been here though, I was disappointed with the portion sizes (vs. price) and the tastes of the dishes didn't live up to the reputation. However, the desserts are certainly insta-worthy.

Jimmy Nguyen

Coming from an Asian background and eating Vietnamese food my whole life, this food was decently delicious for me. This restaurant captures the taste and have made it more appealing for the majority of people. The quality of the food was great. The BBQ lamb was my favorite. However, this does not bring out the true authenticity with Vietnamese food (which I believe is not the purpose either) and to me it was not worth the price as similar taste and food can easily be found for a much cheaper price. Would recommend.

Donita

My friend took me here and been hearing this restaurant long time ago but just get chance to try yesterday. My friend have no idea how big the portion is so we didn’t order the feed menu because we’re not so hungry. I’m ordered Barramundi salad, my friend ordered Thai ceviche. My food came in a medium portion, the salad dressing tastes sour for me yet refreshing from the herbs and apple slices. My friend’s food was very small portion, accompanied with crackers (bit weird..). I knew it’s a tapas restaurant but $15 for that small portion food is a big steep. We think won’t come back and prefer other average restaurant.

Oy

Wonderful service and atmosphere, the value for food was fantastic as well. There's not much to say other than you must definitely head here if you want to have a good time and good food!

LG

The food & service here is 10/10! I strongly recommend ordering the “5 for $65”, which includes any specials for the evening. Staff are friendly, tentative & happy to chat. Atmosphere is really fun, without being too loud or crazy. They even have their own book that you can snoop through while you wait?! Although the wait was approx an hour, this place and the sticky pork belly is well work it!

Cakescookiescoffee

Always a great experience eating here. We usually get the feed me menu which is great to share between the two of us. It gets crazy busy so pop your name on the list and take yourselves off for a drink or a stroll in the city to past the time. They will send you a text message when your table is ready!

George David Michaelides

One of my faves, right up there along with longrain and supernormal. The Mekhong mule cocktail is delicious!! Best dishes here are: - Barbeque prawns - Mini Banh mi - Crispy baramundi

IEats

This is a really really good Asian fusion tapas style restaurant. The food and service were amazing and I am definitely going to come back (I’d recommend booking beforehand too). I really liked the sticky pork belly, crying tiger (chargrilled wagyu beef), thai ceviche (kingfish) and betel leaf with smoked scallops and crispy pork salad.

Pennae

Always great fun to try the menu items. Everything is well balanced and just a little different. There weren’t many non pork or shrimp options when I visited but I guess there’s always vegetarian!

_anne_with_an_e

{ _anne_with_an_e // review } * ORDERED: 5 dishes for $65 (for 2), great value. Lamb ribs - (my fave) succulent, perfectly cooked, so tender and tasty Pork buns - (my fave) soft bun, tender pork and overall super flavoursome. Had nice crunchy skin, only qualm was a tad fatty. * Tuna ceviche - nice and tangy flavour, was a tiny bit hot and tapioca crisps could have been a tad crunchier * Grilled octopus - (special menu item), tender and fresh but the bettle leaf left a bitter taste * Ox tongue - (special menu item) lovely salad on top, ox tounge was ok * Sticky steamed rice - cute basket serving * Lychee, mint and kiffler lime drink - best ever, so refreshing and delish * PROS: nice vibe/ambience, super friendly service, good value for tasty dishes * CONS: small limited seating, gets uber busy, limited seating time * WOULD I GO BACK: yep yep Food: 4/5 Ambience: 4/5 Service: 5/5

Rama

Wow, so good. Really really really enjoyed it. Got the 5 dishes for $65, definitely recommend it. Got dessert as well- wow. Wow, wow, wow wow

Jo Landi

Amazing food! Everything we ordered was so yummy. Service was really friendly can’t fault the place. We will most definitely be back again in the near future

Nem

Been wanting to try this place for AGES but kept getting interrupted by other travel plans. Finally got to go during my last trip to Melbourne and it was so worth it! We booked for lunch at 12pm a few days beforehand however we were running about 15-20 minutes late after checking out of our hotel, which we tried to tell the restaurant about by calling them but their phone wasn't manned. Eventually they called me, I was apologetic as it was our fault and he told us that we would have to vacate the table by 1:20pm. I was totally fine with this and said so... then he just hung up without saying anything! I was a bit put off by this but the experience was made up for by how friendly the waitstaff are in person :) The guy on the phone was probably just having a bad day. Anyway, we proceeded to get the $59 lunch - 5 dishes for 2 people. We got three of the recommended dishes by our waiter and they were all scrumptious! My favourites have to be the Thai Ceviche, Pork Belly and the Lamb Ribs. Portions weren't huge but were satisfying, especially with how well presented and tasty they were. I made the mistake of ordering both sticky rice and roti... we were so very full trying to cram everything in by 1:20pm but we did it and left grasping our bellies.

Eating Away Melbourne

Haven’t been back for a while. Most food was still lovely prawn wonton, octopus special, but the pork belly was almost inedible so fat and took so long to be put on the table. Will not rush back for a while.

Clare

My recent dining experience here was atrocious. On arrival, we were not advised that tables are only allocated for a 1hr 15min timeslot. Half way through our meal we were told explicitly that we had to wrap up and leave. We advised that we were not made aware on arrival that our timeslot was limited and we were still half way through our meal (and were about to order more drinks). Following this, and the prime reason for this review, the waiter started arguing with us asserting that it was our error! It was unpleasant, highly inappropriate and should not have happened. It was the rudest service experience I have had in Melbourne. If dining times are restricted, this needs to be made clear to all diners before seating. Needless to say, I will never return and I advise others to go elsewhere. There are plenty of other great options in close proximity that are less overtly profit driven.

2A1K

Had lunch 5 dishes for 2 on trip to Melb in laneway restaurant. Was seated at the stools overlooking the staff prepping cocktails. Service was a little slow initially but once the food started coming it was fine. Had the Thai Fried Chicken, Thai Ceviche, sticky pork belly, filipino bbq pork, and crying tiger with Lemongrass Tom Collins cocktail. Enjoyed the food though some of the flavours were similar probably because of similar base ingredients. Fried Chicken was good but had better fried chicken (korean style though). BBQ lamb ribs on other tables looked good and will look to try the vietnamese espresso martini next time. Overall great value for the food with what we thought were decent portions (didn't leave hungry).

Kirsty Haggerty

This place does a great lunch deal, they do 5 dishes for $29.50 per person. A work colleague and I went in on Friday for a treat. The great thing is you can book during the day, which is handy if you’re planning to go during the week and need to get back to work within the hour! But just remember dinner still cannot be booked. Overall, the food was delicious and it did not disappoint! This place is like chin chin’s sister and it’s just as good! Definitely worth a try! My only negative was the Bloody Mary, it was not good... it said it had relish in it but I didn’t realise it would be like drinking a thick relish milkshake.. it was so bad.

Fiona Nguyen

Friday night date night done well 🙌🏻👏🏻 Favourite dish was the ribs. Literally came off the bone, and the sauce on it was the bomb.com! I’d be sure to try more dishes, as well as their delicious cocktails!

Tomato.Girl.

Really great atmosphere in a very small space. Food was great but still does not live up to my expectations after waited for almost 1 hour for a table. Recommended for small groups or couple. Plenty of nice bars around the corner.

Rinny Wang

Good fusion！ better arrive before it open, otherwise you will end up in a long waiting queue. Ordered a set meal for two, strong recommended the lamb dish!

Joanna43429

Nice food and service. The only thing is the sitting arrangements. You have to share with others and the sitting is not comfortable. Will go back again

Rtm

Arrived early and still had to put our name down. Went for a wine around the corner while waiting. Well worth the mucking about. By far the best, tastiest, lightest, most interesting meal we had in Melbourne. Our tastebuds buzzed!. Most enjoyable were the lamb ribs, duck salad, roti canai and thai ceviche. But thats not to say we didnt enjoy the dumplings and fish. Were arguing about our favourites. Well priced for the quality and well priced wine list. Very highly recommended.

Eatmeef

SO.YUMMY I forgot to take pictures after the first 2 dishes were served. Betel leaf and ribs were mah fav! Staff always check up on you, seating is a bit of a squeeze.

Kelly Shen

Getting really upset waiting for a table, we waited a hole before they told us the table is about to be ready just get it wiped. And we waited for another 15 mins, we saw them let someone else cut the queue before us. Seems they know these people. It’s okay if they were before us but I don’t think so. The food is nice, if the service is better I would go back again.

Jtsgqsdhrzm

The lamb there is really good, love it so much. And their service is really good, the staff were friendly and warm welcoming. Strongly recommended go n try with ur frd

Food Reviews

Basically one of the best south east asian restaurants in Melbourne. Can't go wrong with whatever you order, drinks and definitely food wise!

Pawel Malczewski

Fantastic food! Well prepared, original, great combination of flavors and textures. We had 6 dishes and were impressed with every single one. Great price for the experience. No wonder this place is always full and is so hard to get a table without booking at lunch. One of my favorite casual eating spots in Australia.Quick service too.We will definitely go back!

Nic D

Five dishes for $65 is an absolute bargain for the experience and flavours. Must try the dumplings and Lin-Jee Sour. Every dish we had was made with love and care and was bursting with flavour.

AnotherAsianAbroad

I used to rave about rice paper scissors to all my colleagues however today it was disappointing and not quite how I remembered it a year ago. My favourites used to be the lamb ribs and pork belly however today both were not the same as previously in taste. The lamb was also very fatty. We also had the seared barramundi and tasted quite dry. We also tried the special which was bbq chicken thigh but this also lacked flavour. Service was ok. Unfortunately I don't think I will be returning, especially not if I had to queue for 45 min.

David Liang

Great ambience and atmosphere! Staff were attentive and the food tasted so good. We got the 2 for $65 platter of 5 dishes dinner deal. BBQ lamb ribs, sticky pork belly, duck salad, thai ceviche and soft shell crab baguettes. All the dishes were packed with flavour and tasted really good especially the sticky pork belly. Make sure you arrive early around 5.15 pm or you might not get a table straight away. Will definitely return and try the other dishes!

Kimberley Leggett

TASTY TASTY TASTY! There is no wonder why this place is such a hidden (yet well-known) gem tucked down a side alley just off Bourke St. With a great amalgamation of sweet, salty and spicy Asian flavours that left even me blown away with some of the interesting flavour profiles this place is now on my list of fantastic Asian Fusion cuisine in the city and at a decent price. One word of warning is ARRIVE EARLY (5pm) as lines begin to form as early as 5.30pm! My partner and I ended up getting 5 dishes (and a surprise extra - thanks to a slight error in the waiters orders) plus dessert between us washed down with 2 coconut waters. The damage was a respectable $89 for the two of us but for a place which has lines that rival even Chin Chin, the bill was very reasonable. Standout dishes were the Galloping Horses (just right amount of spicy kick), Duck Salad (yum!), Barramundi and the Sticky Pork Belly. We also enjoyed the BBQ King Prawns (I think needed more flavour in the sauce) and the Sashimi Special which came with salmon roe, Black Caviar and sesame oil. Dessert was also awesome - coconut ice cream with Kaffir Lime and Fried Thai Basil. I was glad we ended up sharing this as it was a hefty portion! Staff were also helpful and efficient which made our first time here very enjoyable. Will be back for more and with friends next time!

Melbourne's Finest Foods

The food is amazing. Stumbled in looking for asian food on a busy Friday night. We were not disappointed one bit. A place I would definitely go back to.

Jennifer

I had the 5 dishes meal with 2 other of my friends and loved it. The selection is wide and with very original fusion twists too. While the space was rather cramped with not much room for walking, I would still return for their dishes and welcoming hospitality.

Zillily

Been here last night! The service was great and the foods were amazing! Affordable prices! Highly recommend the lamb ribs and the pork belly😍😍😍

Rizka Natasya

So good!!!!!! I seriously have nothing to say other than the food blew me away with their deliciousness ❤️ Me and my friend got the 5 dishes package one which we ordered thai ceviche, mini vietnamese baguette, crying tiger, bbq lamb ribs and sticky pork belly. They are all really yummy and I enjoyed each of the dish a lot. Will definitely come back soon to try other menu 👋🏻

Renee Sturtevant

This is my absolute favourite restaraunt in Melbourne. You can't go wrong here. The service, food, ambiance and value for money is perfect. Get there early for dinner as there are no reservations for dinner. Well worth the wait any day!

April Sacluti

My friend and I picked the $60 menu here. Definitely get your money's worth. I would highly recommend ordering the pork belly here! On point.

Jstina Cho

Cute little restaurant. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. Food was good, we had the kingfish ceviche, pork buns, lamb ribs, barramundi and the pineapple pork ball things which I can’t remember the name of. Everything was good but most of the dishes we got had a similar taste - Thai chilli lime fish sauce flavours.

Vendy Foo

I love the atmosphere at this restaurant! It’s quite hippie that a lot of youngsters would love to hang out at. There’s always a queue so just make sure that you come early to save a spot and the place is pretty small so it’s good if you come in a small group to get your seats faster. The food is amazing!! Everything that I had didnt disappoint me at all! Recommended!

Georgia Sing

Amazing service and food! The wait staff are super attentive and friendly. They give off a great vibe and the food was beautiful. As inside was a bit packed, the staff allowed us to move to a nice table outside. Big thumbs up!

Yanhui Liu

The taste is good, the weight is moderate. It’s a nice place for dating with someone. Easy to try and share different kinds of food with ur friends. I would love to recommend here.

Samantha Ritchie

DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU ARE VEGAN! $65 for 5 dishes for two people. We received two stir fries that were exactly the same, the only difference was that one stir fry had fake duck. The meals are also very tiny in comparison to the meat dishes that were coming out. We waited 45 minutes for a table and we only left hungry and angry that we wasted our money.

Sophia Collantes

The food here is undeniably great! But.... the location, the ambiance and the actual physical state of this place is why I can’t give it a 5 star. The place is too small and very claustrophobic. You would mostly have to sit with someone else (stranger) on a single table, or you have to sit on a stool with people really close to you. I couldn’t move around comfortably when I was inside, in the fear of bumping someone. Also, the guy manager here is overzealous and over assertive. If you’re looking for great food, try this place. But, just know that this isn’t a perfect comfortable place to eat at, if you’re looking for a relaxed place to eat and chill. Also, they need to add chips or rice to their menu, seriously.

Remy Matthew

It was just delicious. My favorite was bloody Mary cocktail. Lamb ribs, crying tiger, duck salad, bao's. I thought the crispy Barramundi was a bit bland... It's a very busy quick eat n go joint. There is no romantic ambience, u would end up sharing a big table for 6..

Jay Contor

We've been to the Fitzroy place, so we knew what we were in for. And we were not disappointed, if anything we were simply reminded of the incredible experience you get at any Rice Paper Scissors. It's like Asian Fusion, there's hints of Thai, Viet, Japanese and Chinese all in one!:) You can't book here so we got lucky walking in on the night of a public holiday. The best way to go is to get the sharing banquet (choose any 5 dishes for $65 between two people). Asian Greens is an absolute must - not only does it give you the vegetable fix and good balance, but adding the pork belly to it is just divine. Crispy Tiger is just as good if not better - that wagyu beef is always super tender and when wrapped in the leaf and dipped in a beautifully spicy sauce, it's just heaven on earth! Crispy Barramundi doesn't have AS much flavour but is accompanied by a nice bitter salad that goes well, and the Thai Fried Chicken is naughty but so nice and that comes with an inhouse Aioli recipe. Great atmosphere, amazing food, warm staff & some interesting exotic drinks to choose from - this place stands confidently above most around the area!

Truman Tang

^oWo^ sawardeekap troi oi this place is xxugoi oishi desune~~ rice paper scissors? More like rice paper rocks haha geddit cos this place roxx lmaoo

Rachel Lai

Love this place! Excellent bbq lamb ribs and pork belly here! Also, the soft shell crab baguette, bbq king prawns and ceviche are pretty good! Overall, a good and fun dining experience with a variety of sharing plate options you can drool over. Definitely need to try their cocktails (which looked amazing) the next time round!

Nathan Galea

Hard to fault, our second visit to Rice Paper Scissors and we walked out even more impressed than the first time. To mix it up we ordered a different array of dishes with the standouts the Barramundi with apple salad and the duck salad. This place doesn't try anything earth shattering, they are clever in the execution of its dishes and on point with flavours and balances. Service is friendly and genuine without being in your face every 2 minutes. Definitely book for lunch and enjoy!

Sandra Dao

The waiters were very nice and attentive, however the ambience of the restaurant was abit lacking and isolated but probably due to the fact that we were seated outside. Inside looked as if it was buzzing and very sociable. This place seems to be very popular so be sure to there when it opens as about half an hr in you'll be expected to wait for more than 45-60 minutes. Food was quiet good however I thought their serving size was rather small and between two people 5 dishes did not fill us up. We ordered the Vietnamese mini baguette, the steamed pork buns, crying tiger salad, lamb ribs and the sticky bbq pork belly. All these dishes had very similar sweet / soy flavours which I found repetitive. However, the standouts were probably the the soft shell baguette and the lamb ribs were to die for.

Yulz

This place is one of my fave dining place in Melbourne. Foods are always tasty, and customer service are good. We usually ordered the 5 plater to share between 2. Their lamb rack, pork belly and prawn in betel leaves are my faves. Really nice asian fusion eatery place so i keep coming back 😊😊😊

Vivi861

ShizukoVery good and interesting restaurant. This restaurant doesn't provide booking for dinner. So you have to arrange your time properly, otherwise you may have to take half an hour outside waiting for a seat. $65 5dishes for 2 people. Not expensive at all. My favorite dish today is salted duck egg mayo octopus with vege and caviar.

Linda

Amazing food and service! Having been here before on a Saturday night and reading such great reviews, my high expectations were not met when I last visited. But today's lunch was a flavour sensation! The sauces with each dish and the crisp on the fried chicken were standouts. Washed down with watermelon Bellinis...will definitely be back!

Zee

Been here a few times and absolutely loved it! Sticky pork belly was the favourite dish but everything we tasted was delicious. I'm hoping they do some vegan food so I can go back there!

Gillian Griffiths

The perfect spot for a birthday lunch. Love that you can book and the five option lunch deal was the perfect way to try a bit of everything. The sticky lamb ribs were to die for! Cool ambience and not pretentious 💯

Turtle 🐢

Pretty much everything here is amazing. My favourites are probably the Sticky Ribs and Crying Tiger. The ribs falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. The sticky pork belly was a little bit of a let down though. Quite hard to chew. The cocktail Great Leap Forward was pretty good too. Highly recommend everything!

Jess Guscott

This place is CRAZY popular. We were here at 5:30 on a Wednesday and it was nearly full, by 5:45 they had a wait list of people. And I know why! The food speaks for it self. Everything is so tasty and surprising filling! Loved every single bite

Kevin Jung Hak Yun

Just had lunch here and I have to say, it was delicious! I can see why this place has such a high rating. My friend and I went for any 5 dishes for $59 and it was perfect. All the dishes we chose were delicious, but the standout would have to be the twice cooked pork belly. If you get an opportunity to go to this place, go at 12pm for lunch so you don't have to wait. I'm unsure about dinner but I've heard that the lines can be as long as for Chin Chin.

Simmyeats.Melb

I have finally made it to Rice Paper Scissors! We had to wait an hour and 45 mins to be seated, needless to say that we were famished by the time we were finally seated. Our waitress was lovely, she was really friendly and she explained how to order off the menu. You choose 5 different items and the cost was $65 for 2 people. Really great value and a really great way to try the food. All the dishes except 1 were outstanding, I would definitely come back but would try and come earlier to get seated within a more reasonable time frame.

Luke Purcell

Brilliant. Couldn’t fault any part of it. Service was great from the staff today. Pictures don’t do the food justice. Fresh, fast and very very tasty. It’s a very funky place also. Get here.

Christinana

很有特色的Asian Fusion，午餐是$59 两个人选5道菜晚餐是$65 2两个人. 一般开业后半小时里都会坐满人了所以建议早点去. 这边服务态度很好服务员蛮热情会问你来过没知道怎么点餐吗的那种问题. （和牛）牛肉很嫩和酱汁很配. （羊肉）喜欢吃羊肉的必点很好吃外脆内软肉很容易脱骨味道超级好（Roti）这个还不错但是就是个脆面饼 $7刀有点贵了. （软壳蟹）这个还不错里面应该放了点沙丁鱼还不错. （肉包子）这个也不错里面的三层肉很脆酱汁也很配. （虾）配的是花生酱一人一只蛮好吃但是分量小. （鱼肉barramundi）这个一般有点干不建议点. 整体不错会常来. Each dish I ordered is perfect. The highlight of the menu is lamb ribs, crying tiger and the mini baguette. The lamb ribs is a must as it crispy outside and the meat is juicy. For the mini baguette with soft shell crab, it is great, crunchy and not too dry. The crying tiger (chargrilled wagyu beef) is great. Staff is nice and friendly. Highly recommend to everyone who like Asian food and sharing dishes and the best way to order is $59 for choosing 5 dish on the menu! Will definitely come back.

Hello World!

Rice Paper Scissors is a tiny but very popular restaurant hidden in a lane way. Funny think is it has nothing to do with any rice dishes. It serves south East Asian fusion cuisine. We found it is better than the others. We ordered five dishes special deal. In order we had Sticky Pork Belly, which is a bit salty 3/5; BBQ King Prawn, fresh and tasty 4.5/5; crying Tiger, good spice of beef 3.5/5; cucumber prawn, which should have served as the first dish as an appetiser 2.5/5; mini Vietnamese baguette a must order to fill up your stomach, 3.5/5. Overall potion is smaller than other restaurants. More dishes are recommended if you still hungry in the end.

Dale Zeinheiger Culpin

5 delicious share plates between 2 people for $65? Sign me up! Barramundi, prawn dumplings, BBQ pork buns, mini banh mi, fried chicken. That was our order, my favourite was definitely the pork bun but everything was exceptional, we even had another side of roti with satay sauce but I wasn't much of a fan of the satay, too many herbs in it took away from the peanut flavouring for my tastes but not a single problem with anything else. The service was great up until our last dish came out and then we were forgotten, we did run out of our water jug too and had to physically get up to get the attention of one of the wait staff to pay. They were particularly busy so I could understand though. Overall an awesome experience and definitely would recommend. The hype is accurate.

SN

Service was friendly and obliging (I made a terrible mess and loads of requests- all of which were happily met). The atmosphere was chill, the food tasted pretty good (my favourite was definitely the ribs) and the pricing was a smidge on the expensive side for a meal but well priced for good tapas. In short, I had good food, a good time and wish I'd tipped.

Skeyfei.jia

The food was interesting in a good way but not something to crave again. One of the dishes came 15minutes after the others but the overall service was good .

Springsfield

This place never fail to impress. I've been here twice. I would have given this place a 4.5 rating if it were not for the waiting staff who ushered us in, forgot to come back and take our order. So in the meantime we were staring at each other for 15 minutes. Don't order the roti bread cause it's dry and black. I cannot fault the food except I would like to have a bigger serve. Tasty, delicious, full of flavour dancing on our tongues.

Phillip Wilkie

The $59 for two lunch offer is good value. The food is very clean and crisp. Th service was prompt to take order by there was a long wait for the food, which was fantastic when it arrived. Everything but the roti was good. Roti was burnt.

Shell Samuels

WOW this place was fabulous - wonderful atmosphere! The staff were friendly, drinks were great & the food was really fresh & delish! I will definitely be back again! ❤️

Ferry Gondo

Beautiful Asian fine eating place with set menu that is value for money. All the flavours were delicate and delicious. Had a selection of Asian desserts that is modern, fancy, and awesome as well. Might need to wait a bit though as there will always be a bee line.

Nini Foodie

After failing twice to get in, it was third time lucky for me on a Wednesday night! Mind you, I still had to get there 10 minutes before it even opened, and after we were seated there was already a line forming out the door. The extreme popularity is definitely not unfounded. The menu concept is fantastic (5 dishes for $65) and perfect for duos. Food is delicious and served super quickly - as expected by now for hawker style eateries. I did leave a teeny bit hungry but I think that's mostly down to our selections which didn't include some of the more hearty meat dishes. All in all, would recommend if you can handle waiting or can get there early before open. The CBD location is teeny tiny so may also be frustrating for bigger groups (4+).

Kevin

Great food and great wait staff! Definitely worth the wait, albeit a very long one. Best to go with the pick 5 plates to share option, it doesn't sound like a lot but between two people it is filling! The BBQ lamb ribs are a must with the bao buns and the fried chicken coming in at a close second. The only down side is that the place is super small and we were seated next to the entrance which meant we kept being blasted with the cold winter wind.

Chris

I normally don't eat anywhere I have to line up, but there's a cocktail bar next door so we put our names down and went for a drink. Fast forward 30 minutes, we're seated at the restaurant, have just ordered our 5 dishes, & the wife says she's had too much to drink and can't eat. This worked in my favour as I was able to have all 5 dishes to myself, and let me tell you, they were all unbelievable. That's not to say the meals are small, I can just put away a lot of food. Obviously the prices are on the menu but when the bill came out and it was only $60, it was still a nice surprise. Will definitely be back here

Ilovefoodsomuch

Small place with minimal seating inside and very hard to get booking. The menu is designed to be shared dishes and the food is fusion Thai/Asian. I didn't mind the food but not anything amazing don't think it deserves the rating more of a place to drink and chill with friends.

Alice

The 2 of us had the 5 dishes set, it was a lot of food. The dishes are well cooked, as the meat is crispy and tender, also dishes are flavored with real Asian herbs (not cooking sauce) to bring out the exotic taste.

Actuallyitslucy

went there for dinner on a friday night, it took us 1 hr of queuing, but the foods were so amazing. Would love to go back there again, it just the queue was too long 🙁

Jeffry

The ever busy cafe Rice Paper Scissors, long queue to get the seats. The good thing is that you don't have to wait, you can put your name in the queue and they'll call you back when it's available. The place wasn't spacious enough, it can get little bit noisy and suffocating when it gets crowded and full packed; But definitely it's worth to wait and preserve the spot - remember the quote "No Pain No Gain" LOL :) It was $59.00 for 2 people. Pick 5 dishes on the menu and you can also choose one of the special which periodically changed every now and then. The decoration / interior design was modern, minimalist with the choice of industrial style table. The staffs were really nice, quick and friendly. We ordered: - Mini Vietnamese Baguette (Bahn Mi) *crispy soft shell crab with pickled vegetables, herbs and homemade pate. Two small size baguette (Bahn Mi) with pickled vegetables the sourness served in fresh baguette and crispy soft shell crab. The tangy taste perfectly blended in your mouth on your first bite. You can't get enough of this dish. - Thai Ceviche (Koi Pla) *lime cured kingfish salad with mint, chilli and shallot. Fresh kingfish paired with the homemade chilli tangy lime chilli sauce, this would be the best paired. You just enjoyed it with the crackers, I literally used the crackers to scoop the ceviche to my mouth. We loved the crackers, very crispy and crunchy. - Crying Tiger (Seua Rong Hai) *char-grilled wagyu beef with spicy citrus dipping sauce. Medium rare beef with the homemade dipping sauce. Again this one was the star on that night. The beef marinated with their "secret" sauce, it was cooked perfectly. The chefs did the magic on this dish for the happy customers. If you prefer to have more zesty and tangy taste in your meat, you will love the dipping sauce. It had similar taste with the Ceviche. - Steamed Pork (Buns Bahn Bao) *with pork belly, cucumber, shallots and hoising sauce. We didn't take the photo because we're too hungry. Buns Bahn Bao wasn't sticky, it was fluffy. The pork belly was tender and juicy, it melted perfectly in your first bite. It was beautifully cooked and the taste was absolutely fantastic. Can't describe more, definitely recommended dish and you have to experience it by yourself. - Cucumber Salad (Tam Taeng Kwaa) *cucumber som tom with snake beans, chilli peanuts and dried shrimp. Really fresh and had a balance taste and well presented served in balance taste of chilli peanuts and dried shrimp. Big thumbs up!!! Overall, we had a great time in this place. The chefs and team in this restaurant are really good at what they're doing. The taste on all dishes were great and utterly delicious. We enjoyed the tangy flavour in every dish. Service: 4.5 Taste: 5.0 Price: 3.0 Speed: 4.0 Yay: Great food and deserve to have high rating in Zomato, reasonable price for this quality of food Nay: The portion was small Location: 19 Liverpool Street, CBD, Melbourne, VIC Phone: 03 9663 9890 Website: ricepaperscissors.com.au

Daryl Chong

Had to wait for awhile, manager suck tho, read on another comment that everyone had to be there to be seated, but we were all there and they gave it to others who are still waiting for their friends? Fair or not? You judge!! Anyways, food was good but man the manager was so rude, down right rude. Had an argument about outside food, he charged all of us for one of us having food from home. Ridiculous, there should have at least gave us a notice, but they just billed us anyway. Talked to the manager and finally he gave in and took it out, but told us to never come back. WTF! Seriously? How can you say that to a customer. People, not worth it!!

Christopher Sia

Food was fantastic, no doubt but the manager's attitude was no where near acceptable level. Rice paper scissors but they do not sell any rice, so a friend of mine took out his box of rice so that he can enjoy it together with the dishes. We thought it was fine as the "manager" didn't talk to us about it only until the very end of the dinner. When we asked for the check, we were charged $2 per person for the rice which we did not want to pay for it because it was not stated anywhere nor the staff told us about it. We tried to argue about it with the manager but he was very rude and impatience, he said it was the owner's decision and he even threaten us about calling to police. In the end, in a very mean manner, he said he will not charge us and asked us not to go back again. Personally I do not think that is a proper way to treat any customer.

Baysidefoodie

Got in early and the place is filled up with people in 15 mins. Order share menu for 3, way too much food, hit and miss between dishes, down turn was waiting for so long after 2 dishes served, no one even come and checked until we asked, Crying tiger was good but think it would be better with medium rare beef than well done served, pork belly was too dry, lamb rib was highlighted and roti, duck salad taste bit interesting, will one back to do again just to taste all the rest of tapas on the menu.

Rawrson

The mature establishment presents itself as a small but bustling store of humble food service. However if you get past the possibility of getting a table you're greeted by an air of privilege - whether it's a good or bad thing is subjective. I cannot disassociate cultural appropriation with rice paper scissors. It's decor brings an old vernacular theme of south east Asia but any humbleness, history and authenticity these furnishings represent is tarnished by the aforementioned privilege. Further if you ask for rice be sure to be disappointed. If you want basic fundamental staple of Asian cuisine which feeds the many billions of people, this establishment is again too exclusive - too exclusive even to hire any Asians in fact (when I dined there anyway). However it does redeem itself. For "popular" dining in Melbourne it's reasonably priced, and the quality and portions will leave you satisfied. The Pork Belly was of noticeable taste taking the Chinese sweet vinegar and star analyse qualities and adding a crunchy texture to it. It's a standard establishment. Over hyped, but if can squeeze in without an hours long wait or neglect to acknowledge the origins of Asian cuisine reinterpreted for an privilege western audience, be sure to try it out.

Estefania Giraldo Pineda

Amazing food and great environment! It's a good idea to stop by like an hour before your planned dinner so they can prepare a table for you. Around the area there are a lot of bars where you can wait with a delicious drink for your table to be ready. Staff is really nice and helpful with recommendations and advice about the menu. Definitely coming back soon!

Umut Özkalfa

Although workers were kind and fast , food was just okay. It is very small restaurant and they don't accept reservation except for lunch so it's possible that you can wait outside approximately half an hour. In the end , you can try one time but going back there for second time.. I don't think so.

Raagz Q

I have called ahead to make a reservation, the gentleman at the other end of the phone advised me, that was not required and I will be able to get a table for two. Upon arriving, I was notified the waiting period was an hour +, was dissappointed.

EmmDee

In the last two weeks, I've had the pleasure to dine at RPR. What a ripper place. It's rare that you find a menu from which you could happily order every dish from and it's this plus the friendly, happy service that would easily see me return again. Yes it's busy and small on space but boy is it worth persevering for a spot! The chefs clearly know the trick to balancing the sweet sour and salty combinations in their dishes and the menu is creative and fun. A real gem of a place!

Nen

Good food and good service. It's very affordable if you go with a group of people as the menu is designed for sharing. that way, you get to sample everything and it wont break the bank. Lines are long here so get here early to put down your name as I recall not being able to book over the phone.

Pjgirl

Wow! Wow! Wow! I love this place. Super cool and super salivating. The staff are fun, electric and very welcoming. It's been on my list for months and finally got a chance to go. Yes the lining up is annoying but from a foodie point of view it's worth it. We ordered the thai fried chicken, crying tiger (yum!), BBQ pork, thai ceviche, pork belly (the best!), roast duck. Every one of these dishes had a perfect punch of flavour. It was seriously deelicious!! The cocktails are a must order as well. The espresso martini had a great coffee kick. I can't fault this place. We loved everything from the staff, decor, food and drinks. We will definitely be lining up and coming back here again.

Fay Godanda

Pick 5 dishes on the menu 59$ for 2 people. Worth it and cheap. Delicious food and also good service. A perfect place to go to share a few dishes among friends!!

Shu

Had lunch here today - ordered 5 dishes for $59 AND IT WAS AMAZING!!! Had the pork ribs, fried barramundi, Viet baguette w soft shell crab, prawn & cucumber salad and their famous pork belly. The pork belly and pork ribs dish would have to be the highlight for me. The flavours of these 2 dishes were just bombing my tastebuds. The prawn salad was a tad bit spicy for me but it was gooood nonetheless. We were lucky enough to snag the last table available, outside. A tip for those looking to pop by and hoping to get a seat - be sure to make a booking if you don't wanna be turned away! I'll definitely be back to try other dishes and their drinks next time round! x

Fernando Longo

I enjoyed the whole experience from the 'cool' waiters (without being pretentious) delivering lovely service to the lovely ambiance (small with lots to catch your eyes) and the delicious food. Nothing amazing - just good quality, clean tastes - enjoyable. Not overly expensive. Wait time can be very long - luckily you can go for a walk and catch the sites - you'll get a text saying your table is ready. Worth a visit - good experience.

Ihoward

Came here for lunch with a few colleagues. We went for 5 meals for $30 each. Every dish (except one) was fabulous and so delicious. The only one none of us liked was the barramundi, it just tasted odd and the flavours didn't work. Besides that, it was a great meal and we'll definitely be back in the future

Michael Daaboul

Rice Paper Scissors rocks! (Thanks to Jacquie for the title) I love using my hands to eat food and Rice Paper Scrs has this printed on the menu, so already this place felt like home. It's cosy inside, oozing hipness with a bike hanging on the exposed brick wall and glazed timber wood under your arms while sitting at the bar. You can rest your feet on the raised metal platform and there are hooks nearby to place your jacket/coat. The staff are quick, professional, alert and friendly. Lots of adjectives there, but they fit the bill on this occasion. It's $59 for 2 people. Pick 5 dishes on the menu or roll the dice on a few specials they might have. The cocktails are awesome, we had the Spring Sundance that consisted of condensed milk and mulled, blood orange concoction with other awesome ingredients that I couldn't quite make out but still was tasty and refreshing. On to the food. The Asian Greens that's wok-tossed with fresh shiitake mushrooms in special sauce ($3 more for crispy pork belly) is a treat, you can't skip out on the added pork belly either. I highly recommend you grab the roti on offer to soak up the sauce that's left over from all 5 dishes. The Thai Fried Chicken marinated in galangal, chilli and coriander root is pure awesome. Comes with a chilli aioli mayo sauce that's to die for. The Crying Tiger is a char-grilled wagyu beef strips with a spicy citrus dipping sauce that's bursting with flavour and comes with 4 betel leafs to wrap the meat in. The remaining two dishes also use betel and lettuce leaves, and they were topped with fresh crab, blood orange segment, crispy pork crackle, chilli jam and the other, similar to the crab, but with scallops! The fusion of citrus, lemon and coriander transcends these fresh ingredients to another world, with a great balance of flavours. The desserts are just as good and even more creative than the fab 5. The Terrarium looks like a terrarium with chocolate soil, a large mint coming out from the middle as a plant, peanuts that act as little rocks and Vietnamese coffee mousse that greets your teaspoon at the end. Perfect. The most creative though was Mum, I Dropped My Ice Cream, which is exactly what it is, ice cream cone flat on its face with condense milk, yuzu sorbet, puffed rice crumble and white chocolate ganache. Yum! I couldn't separate the desserts, they're both just as good and large. It made us extra happy :) It's hard to remember a time where I wanted to try everything on the menu. The quality is outstanding and every dish was a winner. Come early (just after 5:30) to get a seat because it gets packed fast. Sit back and enjoy everything Rice Paper Scrs has to offer, I highly recommend it and can't wait to go back!

Mel

Amazing! Delicious food and friendly service. Staff were happy to help clarify the menu and make recommendations. I had the duck salad (OMG) & the barramundi! Will be back next time I'm in Melbourne

Debra

Came here on a Monday night at 5.50pm and got a table immediately. Love that the staff who attended to us was very friendly and helpful with the menu. Food was excellent! Had the Crying Tiger, the baos, the sticky pork belly, cucumber som tom and the ceviche. All were very yummy. Would definitely come back to try out the other dishes

Hanu

We arrived at ~730pm on a Saturday night and were told it would be about an hour wait for 2 people. Happy to wait as we'd been dying to try this place for a while, we went and grabbed a drink at the bar next door (the one with the bicycle). They texted when our table was ready, so we made our way back. We ordered the 5 dishes for 2 people. Our choice consisted of, Asian Greens, Thai Ceviche, Prawn Dumplings, Crispy Barramundi and Mini Vietnamese Baguette. All the dishes were absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the Thai Ceviche accompanied by a Mekhong Mule cocktail to drink. With a great ambiance, very friendly and attentive staff, we will definitely be back.

Ocean

Decided to give this place a try after reading so many positive reviews. We got there at around 6 pm on a Sunday and were told there was a ~30 minute wait. We didn’t mind, and simply strolled around the block for a while. Once seated, we opted for 7 dishes to share amongst the four of us. I especially enjoyed the BBQ Lamb Ribs, Thai Fried Chicken, Duck Salad and Sticky Pork Belly. Well to be honest, everything was so nice! Very flavourful and interesting. The atmosphere was good as well; quite warm and cosy. And the staff were approachable and friendly. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. :)

KnowingMelbourne

This is a great place for modern Asian cuisine done simply but full of flavour. Everything on the menu is delicious and done right. A perfect place to go to share a few dishes amongst friends. I recommend this place although you often have to wait for a table.

Julien Lay

Really good food. Would definitely recommend it to others. Wasn't plan on going but glad we did. The tuna was exceptionally good! Should order tuna first will run out really quickly.

9095jasmine

disappointed about the dishes. very small size and salty. The duck salad took a long time to serve and it tastes not good. Only a small amount duck inside

Jade Eden Loosli

Went here to celebrate my friends birthday and it did not disappoint, every dish we tried was amazing and perfect for sharing between 4 people, I would definitely come back :) Fin Evelyn Wu

Maria

Certainly deserves the high ratings, I absolutely love this place. Was completely satisfied with the 5 dishes between 2 people, the portions are small but surprisingly filling. We ordered the pork belly, duck salad, sashimi, crying tiger and the thai fried chicken. Honestly the pork belly was perfectly cooked with mouth watering succulent flavours. The duck salad was tangy and worth the price. The fried chicken was crispy and not oily, with crying tiger tasting amazing. I feel like I'll never get sick of any of these dishes, definitely recommend this place for a Melbourne dinner out. HIGHTLIGHT WAS THE VIET COFFEE DESSERT, simple but so addictive. One of the best experiences I've had for food adventures in Melbourne, I'll be back to try out the drinks. :)

Gussie

We were very excited to go to this restaurant. Unfortunately it was disappointing in the extreme, and definitely not worth the long wait and line up. We ordered the specials from the blackboard. The pork belly was mostly fat. The beef stir fry was tasteless and chewy. The tuna sashimi dish was bland. The whole fried flathead tasted of used oil. Despite being first in line at 5.15, our drinks didn't arrive until after our third course. When we tried to order another bottle of wine, we were told it wasn't allowed because we were about to get booted out for the second sitting one hour and 15 minutes after our arrival (even though everything was delayed) @Two Sheds

Syt

Very yummy dishes. Fun sharing them. A bit too noisy to talk much. Waited for quite a while to get seat but they take your name and number so you could wonder around the city and build up an appetite.

Katchya

I'd heard and read great things about the food here and needed to try. Not a fan of waiting in queues but like many Melbourne CBD foodie joints of the moment RPS doesn't take evening bookings, so to secure a Friday night spot for their 5.30pm opening a friend and I braved the cold from 5.20pm to join the small but growing queue. Upon opening the waiter advised sittings were an hour and 15 min. Is it me or are these sitting times getting shorter and shorter? We are shown to a spot at the bar and within 5 min the little restaurant bar is full and buzzing. It's loud, warm and cozy. My kind of place. The Asian fusion tapas menu is creative and exciting. We demolished a bottle of wine and five bite size sharing courses; Asian Greens, Crispy Barramundi, Prawn Dumplings, Crying Tiger Wagyu Beef and Sticky Pork Belly (all beautifully cooked, scrumptious & decent sized). There was still room for one more dish so we ordered the Steamed Pork Belly Buns with a passing waitress but were told by another waiter our sitting time was up. After venting my annoyance, him interrupting me and reminding us we were in fact alerted about the time limit (he was right) though no one likes to be interrupted and given attitude by the waiter, he made an attempt to rectify our mildly uncomfortable exchange and gave us the parting dish on the house. His saving grace. The pork belly bun was heaven in my mouth by the way.. Overall the experience definitely wasn't bad. The food is first class and absolutely worth a try but would I dine here again? Not anytime soon. After a long week at work I want to unwind with friends over great food, great service and soak in the atmosphere, not feel like part of a production line to be turned over quickly. When asked if we wanted to leave a tip we declined. I won't tip for the privilege of lining up, and being rushed to eat meals. No matter how good the food I still prefer old fashioned customer service with management & staff who not only want to showcase the incredible dishes prepared by talented chefs but take pride in making their guests feel at home and welcome. It's not enough to be known only for the food..

Love At First Bite

Find us on instagram: loveatfirstbite_aus Rice Paper Scissors is a South East Asian restaurant in the Melbourne CBD that is modelled on the hawker dining bars of South East Asia with a shared-eating concept. They aim to serve the freshest ingredients, sourced organically and ethically where possible and all their sauces, patés and relishes are made in-house. The place is always bustling and it is nigh impossible to get a seat on a weekend if you do not turn up early enough.

Michael Dunne

Consistently really good food full of flavour! Really good value too for the amount and quality. Super busy really quick so have to come really early because don't take bookings and if after 7 you'll be waiting for at least an hour. Nice cocktail place Madame Brussels around the corner if going to a drink to kill the time! A must try in Melbourne.

Amile

The Maitre D went above and beyond to look after us on the evening. The food was outstanding, and the atmosphere perfect. Best dining experience we've had in a very long time.

Charis

Had duck salad and wangyu beef. They come in small dishes. The duck salad is nice. Dishes are special in their taste of Vietnamese and Thai fusion. Nice to try out but probably won't visit again.

Rajan Chanana

Great service , great food , tremendous value for money . Pork buns were to die for . Had a one hour waiting on Friday , well worth it ! Great going guys !

Kayacrackerrs

Came here right at the time they open on a Friday evening and place was already packed! I think rice paper scissors is one where I'd try because of the hype, but would probably not return. Don't get me wrong, food was lovely. but for the wait, the price, and the portion size, there are other places that would easily beat this one!

A To Za'atar

When meeting up with former Dubai friends (this time in Melbourne), we decided on a relatively casual approach to our evening — which involved rooftop bars, two failed attempts at out of the way/secret/small capacity bars, a drink (or three) in Southbank, and dinner in an alley. Melbourne is home to plenty of smaller streets which are maximized for their space — and one such example is Rice Paper Scissors, a smallish venue located on Liverpool Street. As we approached the slightly overwhelmed, but still funny host, he mentioned that wait times were close to an hour (or more). Deciding it was worth our time, we headed over to a nearby (and also recommended) Madame Brussels for cozy drinks (honestly, I’m super jealous at the number of options in the city).

Rsq1

Really nice food here, would recommend! The menu is set at $65 for five dishes for two at dinner which surprisingly is a good amount but probably not enough for some. The Betel Bay Bug dish was my favorite! Definitely come back when in Melbourne! There is no bookings so you have to go early and put your name down. We waited around 45 minutes.

BubblyCake

Arrived at 6pm on a Monday and was greeted by a very friendly waiter. Got my name taken down and it was approximately a half an hour wait. If you're looking to eat here, be prepared to wait for a while. I was also given a menu to look at while I wait. I was recommended to order 2-3 dishes pp. DUCK SALAD - One of the best duck salads I've had. The duck skin was crispy and the salad was full of flavour. CRYING TIGER - Cooked beautifully. This dish was not too salty/spicy which I sometimes find was the case at other restaurants. The tangy sauce complimented the beef perfectly. LIN-JEE SOUR - This was recommended by the waiter and I quite like it. Was very smooth and wasn't too strong. OVERALL The portions were smaller than expected. However, the quality and flavour of the food was worth the wait and cost. The duck salad and cocktail drink came quickly - within 10 minutes. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Would definitely be back to try the other items when I am back in Melbourne.

Jeeth John

Friendly and accommodating staff. Lively environment. Excellent and sumptuous food. Price range was on the medium scale. Left the place with a happy stomach and a food drugged mind.

Ronnie Ramjet

Fun. Not subtle in flavour. Good for a mindless meal with friends; consider if the wait at Chin Chin is ridiculous. If the term 'Asian fusion' gets you all hot and bothered, this is your place, baby.

Belle

This is my favourite Asian fusion place in the city. I always get the 5 dishes to share with a friend. Each dish is seriously finger licking good. It's not a good place to go with a big group as it'll take a while to get a table unless you're willing to wait for a couple of hours or have a super early dinner/lunch. Its always annoying to be in a long queue but the food is certainly worth the wait.

Bachd3

Did the $65 per person 5 course option and was very impressed. The pork buns and fried chicken were delicious. The lamb ribs were exceptional👌. Desserts were good but nothing out of the ordinary. Will go back!

Cottonball♡

Rated quite high on Zomato, hence we went there to give it a try. very busy restaurant when we went there at lunchtime. Mainly Tapas and Drinks. Duck salad was beautiful, lamb ribs were well very soft and juicy. Would definately go back and try other ones on the menu

Yourmelbournefoodguide

Love love this place. But you need to get there early to get a spot. And I mean early, I mean before the restaurant opens at 5:30pm... so many people come from work so be prepared. Also make sure your whole party is with you otherwise you won't be seated 😂😂 my favourites are definitely the lamb ribs, crying tiger and the mom, I dropped my ice cream dessert

Inggrid Zhao

Cobain dinner disini waktu liburan ke Melb.. Tempat nya kecil (paling cuma ada 3 table for 6 persons di dlm + table bar & 2 table di luar) Antri cukup lama approx 1jam lebih.. Tipe makanannya asian fusion.. Kita pesen untuk 3 org : 1. Crying tiger 2. BBQ lamb ribs 3. Duck salad 4. Crispy barramundi 5. Sticky pork belly Smuanya punya rich taste, utk salad nya taste nya lbh mirip sour nya thailand food.. dari 5 menu diatas smuanya ok kecuali crispy baramundi nya so so .. utk hrg cukup lumayan pricey.. klo ga salah 60aud per person Utk reach resto nya aga susah, klo pake googmaps muter2 soalnya tempatnya masuk gang gitu.. Rating: Food 4 of 5 Place 3 of 5 Price 3 of 5

Pitted4Lyf

Asian street food tapas.. Say no more! Who says that you can't double up the banquet? Certainly not me. RPS provide a "pick 5 between 2" option from their menu which I love, however for big eaters like myself and such a delicious menu, 5 simply is not enough. My buddies and I always double up our banquet and share 10 between us. Soft shell crab Bahn mi, pork Bao, Thai fried chicken, caramelised pork belly, kingfish ceviche, prawn dumplings - the selection is endless. We walk out of this small little venue on Liverpool full as a fat yak in a barn, but extremely satisfied after every experience. Why not the perfect score? Well the wait that comes with such a great eatery is generally an hour, which is fine it just comes with the territory.

Happyley

Been here a few times this year and has seen a decline in food and service. Food doesn't seem to have as much love or care as before. Cocktails are still nice. Service has dropped significantly. They haven't seem to manage the queue system very well with people just pushing in and cutting the line when the doors first open with the host not bothering to take notice. Once inside, I motioned to the waiter that I was ready for my order to be taken - he acknowledged and then didn't return. Literally no other staff walked past or looked at me for roughly 7 minutes. The original waiter then walked back into the store with a bottle of coke then came and took my order and told me he had to do a quick errand. Didn't expect this at all... he could have easily told another waiter to take my order. Anyway the price is cheap so expect this place to continue to be busy.

Lulucai

Food is of very small quantity. Super long queue. The taste is ok but no where near chin chin. We were still hungry after finishing the set. End up having a burger in maccas. Won't return

Sweet_tooth_bo_boo

My friend suggested me this place he really like. I do like as well... the food seem to look less but it actually fill me full like hard to move 😂😂😂😂 flavour its not authentic but its kinda fusion food so didn't expect any authentic as well! Overall is yummy 😋

Priya Radha

Great food and friendly vibe. Great place for a quick catch up or date. The food is amazing with lots of flavours. A must try is the betel leaves!

Austin

Sticky pork belly and Vietnamese iced coffee. I think there is condensed milk in coffee. Sweet and taste good. Sticky pork belly was bit spicy for me. But it's alright. And i don't know what the water is. Hahaha Ice cream was funny. "Mum, i dropped ice cream" Lol Well the taste was not really my type. Yuzu ice cream was not the taste i expected. But not bad!

Yangheng.steve

Seriously?! So precious is your place that we had to be told there's only 1 minute left before my 1 hour time limit runs out , and being asked to get out of the venue and pay my bill on the street? I wonder if the guy at the front would've sprayed us with pesticide like we're pests if he had it with him - we're literally kicked out of the place. In case people wonder, the food was quite average. So overrated, never again.

Secret Night Out

Melbourne is full of hidden treasures in dodgy looking alleyways, and Rice Paper Scissors is one of of those treasures. I had heard for a number of years that this was a great place for asian cuisine. However I was always put off by the fact that there was usually a line to get in and you couldn’t book a table for dinner. But as luck would have it, you can book lunch any day of the week! So that’s how our party bypassed the crowd congregating outside to get in for lunch.

Jennifer Gong

Ordered: Thai Ceviche, BBQ Lamb Ribs, Crying Tiger, Cucumber Som Tom, Sticky Pork Belly and Roti. Thai Ceviche: Nothing special in terms of flavours, but it was fresh. BBQ Lamb Ribs: Best of all the dishes! A must get! Crying Tiger: This had really amazing flavours but the waygu beef was quite chewy. Cucumber Som Tom: This was fantastic. The flavours were amazing, it was fresh and came together quite nicely with the chilly. Sticky Pork Belly: This also was really great. Would order again!! Roti: This was below average. Roti normally is able to be pulled apart without crumbling into a million pieces because of how over oven baked/ toasted it was. Would not order again. The peanut sauce was decent though. Homemade iced lemon: nothing special but was refreshing. The staff were friendly, and explained the menu clearly. Ambiance was lovely as well, had a very 'Melbourne hippy' feel. This place gets really packed, I would recommend to get there before opening to ensure sitting within the first session.

FoodBooster

A wonderful lunch experience, BBQ lamb rib was awesome and the crying tiger was cooked right on the spot. Duck salad was fine and all the waiters and waitresses were helpful. Definitely would recommend this place to friends. BTW one of the guy serving in Rice Paper Scissors looked just like Alex Pallwell in Chainsmoker.

Wandering Ella

Try the: Thai Ceviche and the Bao After numerous, and I do mean numerous, attempts at securing a meal here, we've finally managed to score lunch seats. We came for dinner 15 minutes before the opening time only to find a long line, and people already seated inside. Ended up going to Hochi Mama next door which was, fortunately, really good too! If you're planning to come here, definitely come for lunch as you can make reservations in advance online. And, at $59 for the 5 dishes deal, it is cheaper than its dinner equivalent. We were greeted by the most easygoing and friendliest waiter that I've met in a while. We were seated immediately, and I really enjoyed the casual bustling atmosphere the restaurant had. We ordered the $59 lunch deal for two people and here's what we got: Crying Tiger Perfectly medium-rare beef that was accompanied by one of the best Asian-style dipping sauce that I've had in a while. While I would love more flavour from the capsicum salsa on top of the beef, the sauce made up for it with its wonderful zestiness and tanginess. Thai Ceviche Definitely my favourite dish out of all the things we had. The fresh kingfish was paired with again, this beautifully acidic lime-chili sauce that just makes your mouth salivate. The crispy rice crackers also added into the texture of the ceviche, and it was just a really fun experience in flavours and textures. Would definitely recommend this dish if you love fish! Steamed Pork Buns I think the mark of a good dish lies in its ability to evoke memories. And this dish definitely nailed it for me. The soft bao that wasn't sticky at all just went really well with the crispy, yet still, tender pork. Just one bite out of these baos, and I was instantly taken back to memories of my grandma's cooking. Now, I don't get homesick very often, but this dish just reminded me of the times where I would sit down at a large round table as we dined on her pork dishes. The hoisin and spring onion wedged in the bao also reminded me of the roast duck Chinese pancakes I used to have during family dim sum outings. Crispy Barramundi The tapioca coating also reminded me of a similar sweet and sour barramundi dish I had back home. Unfortunately, I didn't like this dish as much as I liked the buns. The fish, whilst perfectly seasoned on its own, just needed more flavour from the other components of the dish. The herb salad, although quite refreshing, just lacked zestiness to it that would've counteracted the oiliness of the fish. Filipino BBQ Pork One of the signature dishes that one the chefs came up. I talked to our lovely waitress about this dish as the taste was very interesting, and she mentioned how Filipinos infuse soft drinks to their dishes. Like, think lemonade in meats. Overall, the dish wasn't exactly my favourite out of all we had. While it was good enough, I think at this point, I was slightly sick with all the sweet stuff we had. The sauce for the pork was too rich, although the pickled vegetables worked to counteract that a bit. Vietnamese Iced Coffee I am in the midst of a Vietnamese Iced Coffee obsession ever since Hochi Mama introduced me to this delightful drink! So, imagine my surprise and shock as I saw the price tag of this coffee - $3.50? Now, that's even less than a regular latte in a cafe! I was super excited to try it and when it came out in this large mason jar, I was beyond happy with the quantity of the drink (and the surge of caffeine that I so desperately needed). Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The coffee tasted like regular instant coffee that I can get at an Asian grocer - I could probably recreate this drink at home at a quarter of the price. The Viet iced coffee I recently had over at Mr & Mrs Anderson probably ruined all other Viet iced coffees for me. I'm still dreaming of the intensely bittersweet coffee I had over there. If only they weren't so far from me! Overall, I had a very enjoyable time at Rice Paper Scissors. Most of the dishes were really well-balanced, and I truly enjoyed the tangy sauces that came up. Would come back to try the interesting-sounding desserts and cocktails!

Daniel Taylor

Super awesome food! Had to sit outside and wait an hour but the food was certainly worth it. The BBQ ribs were outstanding and the serving sizes make it so easy to share. Would recommend this place to anyone who loves Asian cuisine.

Two Sheds

I've had one fantastic experience here and one very ordinary one. The first time it was extraordinary. Loved every dish we had and the staff were wonderful. The second time was very different. The food wasn't great and the service lacked cohesiveness and timeliness. Despite being first in line and seated, we waited a long time for food and drinks and many other tables were served long before us. Because you're eating against the clock it affected the whole experience. We wandered off dissatisfied and drowned our sorrows at the wonderful Juliet around the corner. That saved the night. I'm not inclined to return to RPS, you know, and that saddens me a little.

Melissa Kate

Had a lovely Wednesday night at Rice Paper Scissors. Had a 40 minute wait to be seated, which was to be expected and exactly what the person at the door estimated. Was given a seat at the bar and opted for the $65 for two menu. Great value option if you want to sample a few of the amazing sounding dishes at a flat rate. We chose the Crying Tiger...OMG dipping sauce of the night...so darn tasty, my mouth is watering thinking about it...a baby octopus special with an amazing dark, salted duck egg mayo and the softest baby octopus and I had ever eaten, the Betel Leaf which was an amazing pork and lobster combination with a sweet dipping sauce, the Thai Ceviche which didn't disappoint, and the Mini Vietnamese Baguette which was unlike any Vietnamese Baguette I had eaten with a generous portion of crab filling that made my mouth and stomach sing! As a little side we also added a serve of roti which came with the creamiest, richest peanut dipping sauce I had ever eaten. Service was quick, friendly and efficient. The only small criticisms Mr B and I had was 1. The dipping sauces for the Crying Tiger, Betel Leaf & Thai Ceviche, while they were amazing and different in their own way, they also had a lot of similarities i.e fish sauce, sugar, lime, mint & chilli. 2. We were still a little hungry at the end of the meal. I would be willing to pay an extra $10-$20 on their 2 people deal to get an extra portion in each serve or even a sixth dish! Great night and food overall!

M.

I was lured in by the $65 dinner deal (5 dishes between 2) and excellent reviews, but I left with only one thing on my mind... the COCKTAILS! My favourites included: 1. A Great Leap Forward (lychee infused vodka, lime, mind & Giger beer) - sweet, sophisticated and utterly delicious 2. G and Tea (gin, cardamon bitters, grapefruit, lemon & tea foam) - a MUST order. After hearing of it's multiple awards we ordered one to share for dessert. What a mistake! This delicate and moorish drink is just too good to share! As for the food, all of the dishes were well balanced, beautifully presented and utterly delicious. My only qualm is that I was still a bit peckish afterwards, but I suppose for the price I can't complain! Overall, be prepared to get there early, strap in for a fast paced meal and most importantly enjoy the food and order a cocktail (or two!)!!

Jing

the food is really good, especially the lamb rib, so tender and full of flavor! had the "mum i dropped my icecream for dessert, very interesting. it is a little pity that because the place is so popular each customer is only allowed for 1 hour 15min eating time. we were told to leave while we were still having dessert...

Naman B

Worth a trip for when you're in Melbourne! Decent options on the menu that is vegetarian friendly! Also make sure you order the desserts 👌🏼

Pierre Troad

The zomato review hype doesn't match up to the experience I had at this place. Don't get me wrong, the customer service and restaurant ambience was great but the food was a huge disappointment. We ordered a total of 10 dishes for three people. The dish we all didn't like was the Thai Ceviche. The flavours were not balanced which was a common theme for majority of the dishes we ordered. I am really hoping that this was just a one-off day so will be giving a second go in a few months.

Laurence Song

I think the best words for review are: I will come back again. Don't ask me why. I don't want to write 140 words to say how good is. 🍗🍖🍕🌭🍜🍱🍣🍱🍛🍘🍢🍧🍙🍒🍍🥝🥝🥕🥒🍠

Courtney

Get your name on the list early ( about 1.5 hour wait at 6.30) and go enjoy a drink somewhere while you wait, because it is so worth it. The 5 courses for $65 for two people is really good value and they were happy to modify to 3 people. As we couldn't choose we added a couple of extra on. Every dish we had was popping with flavours (had the pork belly, lamb ribs, popcorn chicken, king prawns, crying tiger and pork bao's) and the greens are the BEST i have had. All rounder!

Sneha Arora

I ate here twice in one week as it was so good. It's always really busy but they were so helpful in finding me a spot at the bar to eat the first time and as it was so so busy the next time that they brought my food to me in the pub next door. I did have a broken ankle so this was hugely appreciated. All the staff were fantastic. And the food...I don't have enough words to describe how delicious it was. I'll be going back when I'm next in Melbourne.

Urban Foodie

Was looking for a special place in which to reunite with a Sydney friend I had not seen for more than 30 years. Was convinced by on-line reviews that Rice Paper Scissors would fit the bill. We met for weekday lunch and thankfully I had booked because the little restaurant was packed. As we were unsure which dishes would best combine for the five-dish Asian fusion tapas-style $29 deal we asked the helpful waiter to choose for us. Our party of four were thrilled with her choices. We liked the presentation, freshness and taste sensations, particularly of the accompanying sauces.

Kriti Kapoor

Great little place with amazing food and cocktails. The only (slight) negative I have is the small wait and the fact that if you eat at the bar they will work to get you in and out quickly. However the food and service is so good it really doesn't end up mattering. Just don't plan a long lazy dinner here.

R1987

Love this place!!! Their dishes are delish! No complaints only just the wait time and the fact that the place is small so you have to get in super early to get a table.

Arron Conran

The wait is worth it!!!Genuinely my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. Everything was perfect. Had a great seat at the bar, ordered some cocktails and the food just started flowing. Even though the place was absolutely packed the manager still made time to have a little chat with us as we were leaving. Can't wait to return.

Lyv To Eat

So after all my hard work of making a feasible schedule for our Melbourne trip, Mr. T decided to throw the schedule out the window. We made a last minute decision to spend our third day in Melbourne checking out Great Ocean Road, to see the 12 Apostles. I had originally planned to lunch at Rice Paper Scissors on our third day, so we flipped our schedule and decided to try it for dinner on our first night in Melbourne instead.

ShortPunMoreFun

Nice paper scissors Feeling something fresh? This Vietnamese is the bees knees, No really it's the best Grab a beer or cider Grab the Crying Tiger The tears of joy will blind ya And bind ya to this joint You'll see that there's no point In going some place else With a lamb rib in your grasp With meat so soft it melts Don't forget the betel leaves Eat your greens and keep it lean Sharing plates for caring mates Don't keep it to yourself

Doodiethefoodieblogger

my husband and I came into this place randomly one night and to my delight, this place was amazing! by far one of the best asian fusion places I've been to! the crying tiger and ceviche are my favourite dishes which I have every time I come in (if you like spicy food), always a great experience eating here!

Cynthia Giang

For a cheap Asian Hawker style feed, the prices commanded didn't really justify portions and satisfaction. Whilst flavours were quite nice, it was a big hit to the pocket - one where a nicer, more refined dining experience would have done similar damage. Staff are friendly.

Eduardo Dias

I was on Fitzroy this week a bit hungry, found this place on Zomato and decided to give it a try. I had malaysian BBQ Chicken, BBQ King Prawns, Thai Ceviche and I pineapple juice. I loved the marinated chicken and prawns were great as well, the Thai Ceviche was not my thing but it's just because was not my taste. The place is really nice, great staff and nice vibe. I strong recommend this place if you are on Fitzroy, looking for small bites and you like asian/fusion cuisine with a bit touch of spicy. I'm definitely getting back in other opportunity Thank you all you guys on "Rice Paper Scissors" ;)

Nicole

Great value for money! We had the five dishes between 2 for only $65 between us. I thought the food was delicious with amazing bursts of flavour in each dish. I went on a Thursday night but it was fully booked out by 6pm so recommend getting there between 5.30 and 5.50. I will definitely go back when visiting Melbourne (from Sydney).

Melbournian

Enjoyed rice, paper, scissors, immensely! We ordered the 5 dishes for a a set price for 2 people. The fried chicken (gluten free) was an absolute standout. We almost ordered another straight away even though we had several dishes still to go. Didn't end up needing another but it was so tempting! Other highlights were the bao, the pork belly, and the dessert we shared - "mum I dropped my ice cream". Staff and service was great. We arrived at 6.30pm on a Friday, knowing we would have a wait ahead of us. We put our number down, went to Madame Brussels, and waited. Our names came up at 8pm. Have to be prepared since it shuts about 10.30, I think. There were people arriving as we were being seated at 8pm and they were being told it was unlikely they would get a table that night. So be prepared. So worth it though and we can't wait to go back.

Sandrena DOlivera

Asian tapas for the win!! We were in a group of 3 and went out for dinner last night. We arrived appx 8pm and only had to wait about 20 mins for a table. Everything we ordered was just fantastic! We ordered the crispy pork belly bao buns, the soft shell crab baguettes, the Beatle leaf dish, crispy barramundi salad, the crouching tiger and the scallops. For dessert we ordered Mum I dropped my ice cream and the sago. We also had a few cocktails which were just as fantastic. Every bite was just sublime and d everything tasted phenomenal! We will definitely be back 😬

Veronica Lin

Had lunch here today. Food was great. Love the lamb ribs and the caramelised pork! Taste so good. They take bookings for lunch so we didn't have to wait in line to be seated. The soft shell crab baguette was also very nice. Would definitely come here again.

Jasmine Wong

Have been here twice before and never left disappointed! Asked for recommendations and the main seller seems to be the sticky pork belly and it's not hard to see why. The duck salad was both full of flavour and a refreshing palate cleanser. The sauce that they douse on most dishes was delicious and made even bean sprouts(which I despise) taste good. The crying tiger's wagyu beef had a nice char going on and you can really taste the smoky charcoal flavour in it. The lamb ribs were succulent and I could easily pull the meat off of the bone. Tried out the entire dessert menu and my top two favourites were terrarium and mum, i dropped my ice-cream which had a fun presentation and great taste to it. Overall, great atmosphere and service from the staff. Only thing is there are no reservations that can be made for dinner time which means a long waiting time especially on a friday and the weekends.

Med

Nice food but nothing too out of the world! I think the reason it has so many good reviews is the tapas style asian dishes are not that common for that price in the cbd. The thai/ asian flavours are well thought of but to summarise, it is just great tasting salads ( due to their tangy dressings) with fried food!!! Yes, most foods are fried or atleast taste like they have ( crispy fried barramundi, fried crackers with ceviche, crispy pork). Not sure how just fried food represent typical hawker asian street food. On the good side bbq lamb ribs and duck salad was very nice. Very good service too. Hope in the future there are more variety as there are some great flavours there.

Sweta Ajmera

Rice Paper Scissors, Melbourne cbd, cuisine - Vietnamese. Was looking for a restaurant for dinner before the "Book of Mormon" show (which I must add is spectacular and a musttttt see) and this worked perfectly. Suggested by a friend since ages, this gave us a perfect opportunity to try it. Lovely Vietnamese cuisine - fresh and flavorful. The queue outside the restaurant at 5.30pm on Wednesday spoke volumes about the popularity of this cosy joint. There is a great $65 for two option where you get 5 dishes to choose - have a taste of it all :) quite a few vegetarian options ( I think 7) so there is still a choice. I just have one comment that by the end of it we had soy/tofu overload as every dish had it. Other than that perfect on point flavour combinations. #rating4 #citydinner #bookofmormon #preshowdinner #celebratingsomethingspecial #vegetarianrocks #soyoverload #toomuchtofu #lovefoodlivefood #lovebeingavegetarian #igersmelbourne #melbourne #vegbourne #vietnamesecuisine #fresh #banhmi #tasty #datenight

Eatdrinkbe_merry

As a Sydney gal visiting down south, you want to find the cool places that are quintessentially Melbourne so you can come back to Sydney and tell all your friends. Rice Paper Scissors definitely meets the requirements and should be considered at the top of the list! It is off a laneway near Chinatown, has a cool bar scene and is modeled on the hawker dining bars of South East Asia w a shared egalitarian philosophy in full force! Both times we have sat at the counter and chatted to the very fun staff! Have experienced the betel leaf (w smoked scallops, green mayo salad & crispy pork belly), the Thai ceviche (lime cured, kingfish, w herbs, chili and shallots), the steamed pork buns (w pork belly, cucumber, shallots, hoisin sauce) and the BBQ pork. All dishes knocked it out of the park and can’t wait to return! Extremely good value too as you can choose five dishes to share for only $59 for lunch or $65 for dinner.

Sandy Natalia

Food here was BOMB. Went for the lunch banquet (you can order 5 sides for $59) and tried the BBQ lamb ribs, Wagyu beef slices, Vietnamese bahn mi w soft shell crab, betel leaf, fried barramundi. All of them were really good!!! Would go back to try the other dishes! Do make a lunch reservation though. It could be up to a 2 hour wait for dinner walk-ins.

JJ

Yummy asian style tapas that doesnt break the bank. Galloping horses and bbq lamb ribs were the standout. Many low carbs options too. Service is attentive and efficient.

The Hungry Explorer

This place is always packed and the waiting queue is long every time we go there. Don't be surprised if food comes in extremely small portion. I am only giving it a 3 because the taste of the food is above standard. Overall, nice ambience and chill out dining place to hang out with friends!

Ilovefood13

Another restaurant that I have bookmarked for a while but never got a chance to visit until today. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal and would definitely be back. 5 sharing plates for $69 for dinner was reasonable I thought but probably not for those who are starving or have a big appetite. The kingfish on crackers, the soft shell crab sliders, morton bay bugs betel leaves, crispy barramundi were all very delicious. But my favourite of all was the BBQ lamb ribs. The meat fell off the bone and simply melted in my mouth. I could have another few more serves of those. I guess my only gripe was $7 for a piece of roti seemed a little steep. If you haven't been, would recommend that you give this place a go.

The Melbourne Fruiterer

We waited over an hour for a table which was fine as there is a cool bar next door , the service was really good We were unsure of how many dishes to order between us all but the waiter gave recommendations and took care of it for us although after leaving we were all still hungry .. some of the dishes were really nice and some were just average Would not recommend the soft shell crab baguette ! Might try the Fitzroy one if we go again

Arissa Lee

It was a last minute meal with friends. Tasty, a little on the warm side (although we were asked) and quick. Of all their dishes, we enjoyed their fried chicken the most. On the noisy side but very enjoyable. I would definitely return some day!

Julie Osborn

Fabulous service & delicious food. We tried the Crying Tiger (you must get this!), the Duck Salad (another must), the Greens (ditto), the Crispy Barramundi & the Thai Ceviche (a tad too much chilli for me but my dining companion happily finished my share). I would have loved it even more if they also served rice...but I'm a self confessed carb fiend with a low tolerance for chilli so didn't mark them down because of my weaknesses 😬

Matsta1975

This place is A1 consistant and just keeps doing a great job day in day out. Been a few times now and always try something different and have never been letdown. If your looking for straight to the point fantastic service and food to match stop reading reviews and just make a booking

Alessandro Love Good Food

what an amazing experience at Rice Paper Scissor. All food have an amazing flavour we had grill calamari, crispy burramandi,BBq lamb ribs, mushroom salad, sticky pork belly, well fish and meat was cook to perfection. great service and fantastic atmosphere.

The Foodie

Awesome food great service a must visit if you are in CBD area in love with the variety of food they offer.Ambience-5/5 Food-5/5 Price-4/5 Service-5/5

Vanessa Espírito Santo

We discovered this place a little by accident and it proved being a great choice :D We ordered the 5 dishes to share and none disappointed. We also ordered roti, which sauce came from heaven :p All was fenomenal, from service to food. Book your table before you go!

2wo Fat Girls

Rice paper scissors... ROCK BOOM explosion in the mouth of flavour is what you can expect! Came here early at 5:30 to reserve a spot for the always-busy Friday nights as a post mid-semester test celebration, and we were seated by 7pm. We ordered 10 dishes for the $59 for 5 dishes special, which was quite filling for our group of 4 and pretty much we got to try the entire menu! The ambiance is very bar-like, with high stools and a timbery interior. Overall, the dishes were full to bursting with flavour - mostly quite strong and acidic, complemented by an array of textures from crunchy lightness, to soft juiciness that really tickled the tongue! A few personal highlights would’ve been the BBQ Lamb Ribs, Thai Ceviche, Betel Leaf, Soft Shell Crab Baguette and Duck Salad.

Whenfoodiesmeet

Want to try an affordable Asian styled tapas with deliver bang-on flavour and freshness? @ricepaprscrs is a place to go-go! This South Asian-fusion eatery will have your tastebuds dancing with every mouthful. Their concept of eating and sharing with your hands allows you to spread the love of food amongst your fellow foodies! Even with 3 locations in Melbourne, we recommend you to book in advance to avoid waiting in line. Will definitely be back! Thanks @ricepaprscrs 😊

Sarah

Front of door staff was extremely rude and Blunt about the availability of a table and offered no resolution or time frame for when a table would become available. No apology and extraordinarily arrogant. Will not be attempting to eat at this place anytime soon.

Elizabeth Maree

It was perfect, until..... We'd had our 5 course menu, food was amazing, service was acceptable, and then we were asked if we wanted dessert or another drink. We said yes to a drink, and our third round of drinks were delivered, and with that the bill also immediately arrived. It felt like they were kicking us out the door, which conflicted with our full glasses. I'm not opposed to time constraints, but expect a little heads up, or at the very least for them to stop serving drinks/dessert. It was a bit disappointing since I usually love this place and until now have had no complaints.

PS91

Love RPS and it was well worth the 1.5 hours on a cold and rainy night! Only for you RPS. Asian tapas that were rich in flavours and smells that whetted and satisfied the appetite of our starving tummies. Love the drinks too. Fave was definitely the ribs. Serving staff were so friendly and since we were in the later stream is customers, the staff hovered and chatted with us as if we were closing up for the night together. Great vibe, very relaxing and definitely a huge recommendation in the dining ranks!

Dallydoesdinner

I was expecting great things from Rice Paper Scissors. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The first dish was very tasty although the beef was not that tender. The Sticky Lamb Ribs were basically fat and sugar. Very little meat and the sticky sauce combo gave me a sickly lining in my gut. I also had the Spicy Chicken Wings. I am just going to have to say it. If I closed my eyes I could have been eating KFC. The waiter was quite pushy insisting after being seated for all of 10 seconds to order and he mentioned several times - so we will kick you out after 1 and 1/2 hours. It was a very cool venue and I enjoyed the atmosphere. One lingering thing sticks in my mind though. The name of this place is RICE paper scissors. When I asked the waitress if I could have a small bowl of rice to go with my meal as I was need something to soak up the fat, she said - "oh we dont serve rice", what the!

Forknifespoon

such a long line but definitely worth it. the wait was for an hour and a half and only allowed to dine for an hour. must try their lamb ribs, duck salad and pork belly. mini baguette was okay but i expected to taste richer flavour. for desserts, tried the mum i dropped my ice cream and love the yuzu ice cream and the crumble.

Lily

This place is wonderful! My friend Brought me here for my birthday and what a meal! The price is very fair and the cocktails are toooooo yummy! The pork belly was a standout dish for the evening!

Chee Ching Low

It would be a 5 if it weren't so crowded, noisy and small. It helps that the service made up for it. Plus, food was amazing! Some people may argue portion is quite small for its price but I think it's worth because it is of good quality. I highly recommend the ribs and if you are espresso martini person, try their Asian twist on it, the Vietnamese espresso martini ;)

Wandering Spoon

Finally managed to get a table with just one hour wait on Friday night. Tried to have dinner here twice but failed due to long waiting time. I have to say i forget all the hassles since the food is absolutely delicious. Balance of flavor, freshness and spices. Shared 6 dishes between 3 of us and definitely enough. Favorites: lamb ribs, pork belly and duck salad. Good services but feeling like i should mot stay too long as many people were waiting to get your table. Did not notice about the decor. Don't think its suitable for a large group, ideally for 2-3 ppl. Would come back if i have an hour or two to spare. Recommend food is 5/5.

Anna

Love this place! Food was so fresh and tasty and the service friendly and welcoming. Recommend the lamb ribs, pork belly and betel leaf king prawns. Yum!

Retno Widyanti

Rice Paper Scissors is one of those truly memorable & classically Melbourne experiences. Always a wait before you get in, but the awesome vibes/atmosphere and delectable Asian fusion dishes are totally worth it. The $65 for 5 dish deal was perfectly portioned for two hungry humans, and we were blown away by every single dish, especially the banh mi - absolutely the star of the show.

Young Foodie

Been here so many times, and always had 5dishes for $29 per person. Never been disappointed with the food served, service is also nice, will always come back!!

Amanda Hugginciss

Don't go here unless you don't mind being made to feel like you're a number in a queue who is being rushed to order, eat, and pay. My three friends and I were interrupted by three different waitstaff to order while waiting for ten minutes for our other friend to arrive. The abrupt interruptions continued throughout our meal (which was very overpriced); we'd barely finished our last mouthful before the bill was dumped on our table. The seating is also very uncomfortable (low, hard stools), the tables tiny - which isn't suited to tapas, and the queue is allowed to creep up right next to people's heads who are dining. I found Rice Paper Scissors very overrated, expensive, and unpleasant.

Teranai

Definitely a must try for Thai food lovers. 5 course meal was a good choice. Sauce is amazing and the barramundi was my favourite dish so far. Waiter was friendly and helpful. Was worth the trip but beware, 10% surcharge on public holidays. That's probably why we managed to get a table today for the first time as the usual waiting time required is about an hour (I go next door when that's the case!)

Tim Heng

9 of us managed to get a table outside the restaurant. Although on the side walk, it was very pleasant being a typical Melbourne lane way. We decided to go for the $29.50 a head special which gave each person a choice of 5 from the menu. I can't remember what we ordered but there was the steak, duck salad, barramundi, crab on betel leaf and something about running horses. It was all yummy, colorful and fresh. For drinks we had crushes and a couple of beers to wash it all down. 'Twas definitely a wonderful place to enjoy time with a few friends.

SKS

Great food and service! If you want to beat the queue, best to get there just before 5.30 pm and have an early dinner. Flavoursome asian tapas with reasonable prices. Wine list is short but good selection.

SuzLovesFood

This is probably one of the best restaurant meals we have eaten in a very long time. The food was lovely. A bit on the pricey side but worth it. The service was impeccable. Attentive and engaging wait staff. What more can I say but WOW!

Abhishek Jain

Wow...Wow...and Wow...what food man !! You know one of those places, where nothing goes wrong...from the moment you are waiting to be seated, till the time you have good, pay bill, exit and then have dreams of food at night 😜😜 Had Pork belly, tofu buns and ceviche...wow again...kudos to the extra sweet staff, who made sure we had a good experience coupled with good food....one more last time....W..O...W !!

Flytonewyork

Great place for good value, contemporary asian fare. Really enjoyed the char grilled meats, and lamb ribs - probably a bit on the pricey side but a quality place to bring a date or friends for a relaxed meal with drinks.

Jiji

One of my favourite Asian fusion restaurants in Melbourne and very reasonably priced! There is usually a wait so get there early and put your name down. 45 minutes wait, which is not too bad for a weekday. We ordered 5 dishes for $65. My favourite dishes were: Thai fried chicken, Thai Ceviche, Cucumber Som Tom and Crying Tiger. I didn't really enjoy the Galloping Horses as much, it was a little bit on the sweeter side. Lin-Jee Sour cocktail (lychee, lemon and cherry bitters) is also a must! Delicious! 😋

JiroMiki

Staff excellent, food terrible. All sounds good when described but left a lot to be desired. 6 of us last Sunday. Wagyu was not Wagyu ... unless it was the oldest cut possible, chewy and tough. Prawn dumplings tasted as if made the day before and reheated, thick skin that needed to be cut. We had the 5 courses and not one was acceptable to any of us. The fried chicken was tasteless. Cooked the day before and reheated? The 'special' of the day was grilled octopus. I don't think any of the chefs or staff had tasted it, impossible to eat, just rubber. We all had been excited to try this restaurant, next time it's back to Shimbashi next door for fresh flavoursome food. Very disappointing.

Katherine

I've never had a better meal in my whole life (and I eat a lot).Me and my mother attempted to come two nights previously and didn't plan for the wait (PLAN TO WAIT BUT ITS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!! I PROMISEEEEE)As soon as we were seated, a lovely waitress came and explained the shared menu to us. We were sitting at the bar so we were lucky enough to get to see all these beautiful cocktails being made! The waitress, Jayde, helped us pick some cocktails that we would like (the staff are very knowledgable and all the flavours).We got the 5 options for $65 and our options were :Duck salad- spicy and fresh!! Amazing !The special .... An octopus dish with crispy chicken skin The other special ....Thai Chicken with pumpkin with a lovely brothCrying tiger beef- citrusy and fresh ! The sauce was amazing!!barramundi salad- Again, very fresh but the flavour combination was amazing. I love texture so the texture of the nuts and the apple were amazing.I must say, after all five dishes we were stuffed! My mothers favourite was the Chicken special, the waitress Jayde informed us it was the thai chefs interpretation of a Chicken Roast (it was an amazing suggestion). My favourie was the crying tiger beef, the citrus sauce was amazing!!!! We were so overwhelmed by all the food coming out so quickly ( The kitchen was so quick!) so we only got photos of two dishes. The service was exceptional, my mother was very impressed and is still raving about it days later. If you like particular flavours in drinks I would suggest asking the staff about what they would suggest. Their knowledge is amazing.

Megan

We ordered the $59 lunch for two and had to choose 5 tapas from their beautiful selections. We selected lamb ribs, prawn in batel leaves, duck salad, wagyu beefs and greens mushroom. And for dessert we had 'Mum I drop my ice cream' - sweet condensed milk ice cream with rice puffs. Really satisfying!!! Fantastic vibe and so friendly staff. I personally prefer a table outside, less noisy but it could be chilled in winter times. One more thing make sure you make a table reservation before coming.

Rebecca N

Amazing ! Cannot wait to return to RPS. Set menu definitely the way to go. Food flavoursome and very enjoyable. Service good despite being busy.

Berni Moes

Service: 5/5 Cannot fault it. Staff were busy, but were still attentive and friendly. One of them even struck a conversation with us which was good and recommended items that he believed we would like based on the tastes we had advised him. Price: 59$ for lunch. 29.5 per head which is decent to share the 5 dishes. However I walked in with my girlfriend and we both walked out not full at all as dishes were quite small. Food: 2/5 We were very disappointed with the food. We found that 4/5 dishes we had all were way to 'vinegary' which took away the natural tastes/spices from the meats as well as the vegetables. When I say 'vinegary' I really mean, all we could basically taste in the sauces was this extremely tangy sensation. They did not blend in well at all with the foods. The spiciness was nice however was also sometimes too overpowering. We ordered the small fried chicken as well which seemed to be the only positive with its dipping sauce (perhaps because it wasnt covered in this vinegary type sauce). Overall we walked out with this uncomfortable taste in our mouths which was not pleasant at all. We felt the sauces used, overpowered everything else. Not sure what the hype is about as there are plenty more asian restaraunts in the area who provide better tasting dishes.

The Touring Life

Overrated & overhyped, typical of Melbourne, not really worth the wait & very noisy. I think they've spread themselves a bit thin with so many outlets now after 4 years. On the cheaper side so that's a positive.

Maphilldas

Couldn't fault it. Shared the 5 dishes deal with 3 friends and could easily have repeated every dish. so delish. Couldn't turn down dessert as I normally do either, just too tempting and every bit delectable when it came out. Had the sago and the terrarium between us, can't go wrong. Sooo good!

Fattie Kat

It's hard to get a seat here and there's a good reason for it! The food is such value for money and is consistently good despite occasional changes to the menu. I love the balance in flavours in their dishes. Stand out dish for me is the lamb ribs as they literally fall off the bone. Finger licking good! Cocktails are average as they do not have a good balance of sweet/ sour. I recommend getting beer instead if you're after a thirst quencher. The service is quick and organized. The host was able to manage the crowd without getting flustered and was on top of getting everyone seated as soon as he could. Come here early to get a bite here if not you're missing out for sure!

Facebook User

We came in on a Sunday night at 9:00 and waited about 15 mins for a table (no problem). When we were seated the waitress told us we had an hour and 15 mins at that table to which we replied " great! We probably won't need that long though." We ordered two tapas (we already had dinner so the 5 meal deal was too much). We got the soft shell crab and the betel leaf plate. Both were very small and honestly, although the flavors were very nice, they didn't blow our minds. After that we ordered two drinks, and when the drinks arrived we paid the bill ahead of time so we didn't have to worry about it later. A few minutes later, and still with nearly full drinks on our table the waitress who sat us and told us we had an hour and 15 originally, now told us we had to hurry up because she needed the table. We found this incredibly rude, and we very clearly weren't done our drinks. It made us feel so unwelcome and so rushed in finishing. I understand it's a small space and you want to serve as many people as possible, but you should treat your customers a lot kinder. We won't be back again.

Allieson

Service: 3.5/5, all of the waiters were very helpful but I felt like they were rushing us and it made us feel a little bit uncomfortable as we felt like we weren't welcomed. Food: 4/5, honestly, I think the tapas are way too pricey so their set deals are a def recommendation. -Duck Salad: Its spicy but I like it. It's small but there's a generous amount of duck. I just wish there was more lychees. 3.5/5 -Barramundi: Loved it! 5/5 -King Prawns: I found it hard to eat, the prawn shell was somehow stuck with the flesh. But I loved the sauce that came with it, it's spicy and idk, oriental? 3.5/5 -Soft Shell Baguette: tbh, there's nothing special abt this, but if you love soft shell crab, be my guest :). 3.5/5 -Steamed Pork Buns: my friend had it and apparently it's really good -Lamb Ribs: definitely recommend it 5/5

Samantha Todd

So good. Worth the wait and a really fun place to have dinner with the girls or even a date. The staff are fantastic and the food was amazing.

Robbie Neller

This place is nothing short of awesome. Vibrant service, centrally located and the food is simply world class. The best surprise is the modest bill at the end!

Gen Bailey

Great food and service, try the lamb it's a must. Sell Beerlao which is awesome. Good vibe and atmosphere will come again for sure. Need one in Perth

Andy Stevenson

Stunning dishes efficiently served by caring friendly staff. Wonderful. The menu is not complicated and the wine and drinks list is refreshing.

Stace

There's a reason this place is always super busy!! The food is amazing and dishes are small meaning you can try lots of different dishes and share with a friend. The pork belly and duck salads are to die for. Make sure you leave room for dessert! The staff are doing a really great job considering how busy it is. They probably need to get a list of names down at peak times to help keep track of who is waiting for a table. Definitely one of the best lunch spots in all of Melbourne!

James

Really great tastes from South East Asia tapas style. I was there by 5.20 and there was already a line to get in. Service was super friendly I was stopping in for a quick trip while on a work trip. Recommend the Pork and Barramundi dishes they were both outstanding. Would certainly go back.

Julia Maria

let me start by saying i love thai food.. this place was crazy good not only with food but service and surroundings. was referred from a friend and i dont have any regrets.

Shuun

Great ambiance. Great food. Witty and courteous staff. Would go back again definitely. Price is reasonable if you have a pair, $60 for 2 people, with a selection of 5 dishes.

Anj Tan

I have to say that this is one of my favorite restaurant in Melbourne. I love everything - modern rustic ambience and mouth watering food. It is definitely a must go! Double thumbs up👍🏻👍🏻

J0yy173

This place is popular for a reason - it's a foodie haven with innovative use of ingredients and flavours. The 5 tapas for $59 lunch is awesome value. The soft shell crab mini baguette definitely had a secret ingredient as the pate was amazing and complemented the other ingredients so well. The betel leave with prawns and green mango salad had so many flavours and textures to savour. Each of the barramundi, pork belly and fried chicken were delicious and distinctive in its own right. There's a dessert called "Mum I dropped my ice cream". The presentation drew out a LOL; it's oh so fit for the name. 1st time that our food amuses us... A small, rustic space to enjoy great food and drinks, with friendly service. The only down side to popular places like these: being rushed to leave as others circle around and eye off your spot. It spoilt what was otherwise a really great experience.

Bruce Collins

The food and service was very good a little bit spicy but that is individual like or dislike The verity was very good value for money very good $28.00 per head and that was plenty of food Seating a bit tight but Restraunt not that big

Good Food Good Mood

Dining with one of those can you stop taking photos and let me eat type people therefore I only managed a sneaky snap of our drinks so let me use good old fashioned description. One of two, the city branch of Rice Paper Scissors is set in a rustic space decorated by hanging bikes. The menu is designed around share plates and very heavy on the pork which is not too vegetarian friendly although a main protein in traditional Asian cuisine. We got the prawn dumplings which were gingery and full of chill- not your westernised version of chilli either. We moved onto the crying tiger beef which also has a serious amount of heat but well balanced with a citrus dipping sauce that I also ended up dipping my roti into. Our cocktails had a base of green mango and were quite bitter which I disliked as I like my drinks strong and sweet. If there was a stand out dish for me it was the mini Vietnamese baguette but overall I think there are far better hawker style restaurants in Melbourne. Although at least we didn't have to wait

ToFeedTwo

Headed to RPS for lunch on a Wednesday, based on hearing good things and reading reviews. We opted for the 5 tapas to share, to taste a wide variety of food. We ordered the Thai Fried Chicken, Asian Greens with Crispy Pork Belly, Duck Salad, Sticky Pork Belly and Steamed Pork Buns. All the food was full of flavour, lots of spice (sometimes overpowering) and tender meat. Cool place for good quality Asian tapas!

JD

Food and service is great! First came here when it first open and no one even knew about them. The food was amazing and I couldn't wait to tell other people about this restaurant. Keep up the good work guys

Blueberrypie

Came for lunch on a busy weekday. Had a range of dishes from pork bun to beef to shrimp. All up we had 4 dishes and every one was delicious. The only criticism would be for the pork bun. The buns we had were a little sticky and stuck to teeth. The pork was perfect but otherwise a great lunch. Will return.

Mia

I always eat at this place. It's my go to place, I love all their dishes. I'm a massive fan of their vermicelli noodle salad dishes. Their rice rolls are very good as well. Their best known of their soft shell crab soup...so best to give that a try. This place as good food with such cheap prices.

Sherly Huang

Very good tapas. Not too expensive and delicious. Will definitely come back again. Price is calculated per pax. But u have to wait for seats as this place is fairly popular especially during dinner time.

Z For GoodFood

Food was fantastic and drink menu is interesting enough with some special cocktails... We had kingfish sashimi, fried barramundi, wagyu beef, duck salad and fried chicken. Every dish was well prepared and full of flavour. The fried chicken turned out to be such a delight surprise that I thought it was better than the fried chicken from Korean style chicken beer restaurants! However the wait was super long- went for Tuesday day around 6 and waited for 1.45 hours to get seated for three. So be prepared for a long wait if you are heading that way for dinner. Additional, there are not a lot of seats so don't be picky with where might get seated. On a positive note, the food are served quickly and food are quite worth the wait :)

FooDori

Never thought Asian food can be made like this, interesting and tasty. Forgot to take photo of the first three dishes, probably because the dishes were too creative and attractive. Really like the soft shell crab bun. The crab was crunchy, perfectly matching the soft but also a bit crunch bun. Desert name is so funny. mum, I dropped my ice cream... yuzu sorbet is so nice. I like desert not too sweet.

Foodslut

Best Bloody Mary in Melbourne . I'd go all the time just for it. crying tiger and duck salad must try . Very friendly stuff. But may be they should add some more dessert in the menu

Petitefat

I rocked up for a super early dinner, but let me tell you, even if you don't, it's worth the wait! Tuna ceviche and banh mi were my favourites, though we could not fault any of the dishes. The initial waitress who sat us down could have been a bit more pleasant but that was merely a slight hiccup to our wonderful dinner.

Maddie Hoare

What a different experience to the Fitzroy one! We arrived right on opening at 5.30pm (early dinner before the theatre) and were greeted by a very rude host. There were 3 of us wanting a table for 4. He asked where our 4th person was and we said 5 minutes away. He informed us that all 4 of us had to be there to get a table (even if she was only 5 minutes away!) We said okay, fair enough (even though the place was EMPTY - only 2 people in there!!) but can we come in and order a bottle of wine whilst we wait? No!!! We weren't even allowed to come in and get a drink. So then we went to sit down on the tables outside to wait but we were told to MOVE from their tables to OUTSIDE the restaurant area and IN THE RAIN. As I said before, there was only 2 other people in the place, and no one outside or waiting for a table.... The fact that we weren't even 'allowed' inside the restaurant area made me sick. The absolute height of rudeness. We would have loved to take our business elsewhere on principle, given our absolute disgusting treatment, but as we were in a hurry we went inside and ate when our 4th friend arrived (just 5 minutes later...) Thankfully, everyone inside the restaurant was very nice, explained all the food and how best to eat it, and the food was quite good. What a shame that such a horrible host ruins a great restaurant. I have been to the Fitzroy one multiple times and always had lovely staff that have 'allowed' me to wait and get a drink whilst waiting for a friend. I won't be going back to the CBD location lest I encounter that awful host again.

Iryna Sakhatovska

We booked a lunch session (12-1.30) in order to ensure we had a table and wouldn't be put on the waiting list. The place filled up completely by 12.10, so I recommend either booking or ensuring you are there at exactly 12! The hostesses were are very polite and lovely, explaining the 'share the love' (5 dishes for 2 people $59) deal and making sure we were comfortable. We ordered: Crying Tiger, Thai-style Fried Chicken, Bali-style Lamb Bao, Banh Mi, Sticky Pork Belly. Every single dish was absolutely delicious. We couldn't pick a favourite because they all had such different flavours. My only criticism is that the portions are very small. If you're looking to get full while only spending a little, this place isn't for you. The dishes are divine, but the portions will not be filling and are quite pricey. Overall, I loved it and will definitely be coming back. The interior is rustic and charming, with lovely service staff and delicious food.

Chelsea Cottonaro

Was very busy on a weekday night, waited about an hour. It was definitely worth it though! Ordered two dishes-the pork belly with salad and a chicken fish, with roti bread on the side. The flavours were amazing and although the portions were small, it was very filling. For sure will be coming back!

Priyanka Tobing

Goodness! Dining at Rice Papr Scrs was my best Melbourne culinary experience so far. The Lamb Ribs is a must-try, didn't notice it was marinated with whiskey, totally cooked to perfection. Will have it again next time!

The Jaminator

Rice Paper Scissors has been on my bookmarked list for quite some time. We got the Share the love menu where you order 5 dishes to share. Intrigued by how a beetle leaf, usually just chewed and spat out in the Asian subcontinent, could be used as a culinary ingredient we ordered two dishes to try this new ingredient. The flavour combinations in both dishes worked really well with the slight bitterness of the leaf. Overall all the dishes had beautiful flavour combinations but would have liked the portions to be a bit bigger. However, would definitely recommend this restaurant and go back again!

April_eats

On arrival a very friendly hostess took our details table would be ready in about 15-20 minutes, it was very busy, we went for a drink around the corner whilst we waited and then received a txt right around the 15 minute wait. Yum yum yum, order the selection of 5 dishes for $59 went with a friend and shared everything. Loved everything and topped it off with an espresso martini with a twist (condensed milk)

Lovefood

pretty delish! venue is small, there is a wait, no space to put your bag (should add hooks under the table), service is not attentive, since we were squashed on a communal table there wasn't much space, but we ordered a lot of dishes, empty dishes were still on our table for longer then it should. so must order: Thai Ceviche, duck salad, crying tiger, bbq king prawns (could eat this all day) and the apple was delicious on the crispy barramundi, barramundi was ok. dont order: steamed pork buns, prawn dumplings, , vietnamese baguette, nothing special.

Charlie Jenn Lian Ng

Love their tapas and the variety of choices. Very special combination. Everything was pretty good, apart from the king prawns which was overgrilled and tasted a bit mushy.

Coffeesnob

We loved every morsel. Such a great concept with delicious share plates, overlooking the fab bar staff hard at work whipping up new cocktail creations. We are stoked we picked this place for our one night out in Melbourne.

Wikus Du Toit

One of the best meals of my life. From the exceptional service to the unbelievably layers of Asian flavors, this restaurant is something special. Delicate, bold, challenging and creative. Absolutely magnificent.

Ebony Hammat

Favourite resteraunt in melbourne 👌👌 lamb ribs and pork belly is a pure food orgasm. No bookings but totally worth the wait and really good value for what you get

Gourmet Explorer

It's in a small lane, but it's so popular. We order 5 dishes with $59 for 2 people. The first dish is scollap with ginger and chilly, wrapped with leaves. The sweet and sour taste really stimulates your appetites. The crispy barramundi is another surprise to me. It's mixed with apple, chilly, nuts and herbs, very delicious.

Hanah Penrose

I love Rice Paper Scissors. Have been a couple of times for lunch - the share menu is awesome. $29.50 per head and you pick five dishes for the table to share. Such good value - good serving sizes. My favourite dish is the sticky pork belly - perfectly cooked, crispy, so flavoursome. Close second is the Thai ceviche - cured king fish. So delicious. All the dishes are vibrant and fresh, well presented and so full of flavour. They cater for dietary requirements. Staff are really happy and friendly and helpful with the menu. Good drinks menu. Really cool decor and relaxing vibe for a fun lunch. Only problem is how small the restaurant is, so it's really hard to get a table! You can book for lunch, though, so I recommend doing that.

Um Nah

Don't know about the food, but the service is definitely a no to this place. We booked a table for seven and they gave it away to two people. UPDATE The store contacted us to tell us that it was our own fault that we did not answer their phone calls to confirm the booking ON THE DAY. They called to say that they can not be blame that when their is a free table for 4 that they could have given to the two people, they gave them our table for 7 instead. Sure I can change the rating to a five, but the content of this review will not change.

Emma Louise

This place is worth the wait! I went on a nice Friday night and arrived about 7.00 and we had an hour wait which wasn't too bad especially when you are in the city. At the start the service was amazing and the food came out so quickly! The food was outstanding and we ended up getting seconds! The one down fall for this place was you have and hour and a half seating and we got seconds of everything and tried all the deserts between 3 so we were paying good money! Towards the end you could see the waiters hurrying us up to get more people through! Money is money we spent enough money for 6 people! I will go back there again as the food was beautiful and fresh!

Clarissa

This restaurant by far serves one of the most delicious dishes I have tried this year. Albeit the difficulty in dining here due to its popularity, it is worth it. I do recommend arriving 15 minutes early and lining up in order to get a seat or you risk waiting an extra 45-55minutes. In terms of the dishes, I tried the 4/5 plates for $59 and I chose the crying tiger, Thai creveche, Asian greens, Filipino pork barbecue and the pork belly. I also ordered the lamb ribs, and was pleasantly surprised with how delicious it was. The dishes were exceptional and I did not expect to love all of them, the servings were just right and each dish had different flavours. The customer service was fantastic as we were attended to well despite our outside seating. If you are in Liverpool street and struggling to decide where to eat, this would definitely be one of my top 3 restaurants to choose from.

Gary Mak

Great place for light meals! Portions are relatively small which means you can try a more dishes in one visit. Lively atmosphere, great cocktails and flavourful dishes! Highly recommended for happy hour or small group gatherings.

Flowerbutton

Absolutely delicious. We chose the ceviche, crying tiger, lamb ribs, fried chicken, and dumplings and all were outstanding. Cocktails were also excellent and wait staff were attentive and lovely. Went here on a recommendation and was not disappointed. Definitely worth the 1hr wait for a table.

Ferris Wheel Flight

As we left the restaurant in spite of the blistering cold winds and rain there were people sitting outside and waiting for a table. Now that I’ve been to Rice Paper Scissors I can see why. Not only was the food delicious, but if you don’t splash out with drinks and dessert like we did it is also a very affordable $59 for two people. Apart from the short dining times Rice Paper Scissors really is the perfect dinner destination for both your more casual and extravagant eats. If you can get a table that is.

Iris Liang

This is currently one of our favourite restaurants and have returned multiple times as a testament to it. The thing that my partner and I love about this place is how hands-on and interactive the dishes are and how inexpensive it is for top quality food, both which make it a great venue for a date night out. We have learnt that the best time to go, is to go early, before the restaurant even opens, a line starts to form at 5.30pm ensuring a table for the early comers. My partner and I like to arrive at 6 so it gives us an hour to go grab a drink nearby so we don't have dinner too early for our liking. Service is friendly and so are the chefs as you watch them cook from the seats up at the bar. Because we have pretty big appetites, we usually go the 5 dishes for $59 option plus one more as well as a dessert to finish off. Despite coming multiple times, our favourite go to dishes are always the crying tiger wagyu beef, sticky pork belly and the terrarium chocolate mousse dessert. The thai ceviche as well as the soft shell crab baguette (this sometimes can be a hit and miss) is also a highlight and we often enjoy trying one of their specials they have on the board that week such as a duck salad or crab dish. Overall, this is a restaurant that I find hard to fault and will keep bringing me back time and time again.

Vee

We went with the 5 dishes to share between 2 people ($59). The Betel Leaf was a let down, not much flavour at all. The blood orange overpowered everything. The Crying Tiger was flavourful, but with the 4 pieces of beef we had, there was not much to enjoy. The Crispy Baramundi and Duck Salad were nice and fresh, with generous meats. Not too sure if they forgot or that it took particularly long, but we had to wait 25 minutes for the Sticky Pork Belly to come out. The staff seemed ignorant about it when we asked them to check. Balance of flavour was a bit off for some dishes, a bit too salty and not enough sweetness and sourness. At the end, we still had space for desserts. Overall, the food was alright, could be perfected with a few adjustments.

Hui Tao

This is my first time come to this famous restaurant and I meet three friends(now u can see how popular it is). We arrived at 6 pm at Friday night and the waiting time is about an hour but the food is fabulous that makes you feel like it worth waiting even longer. The best dish for me is the tiger beef, service is quick and nice and I will definitely go to this place again!

Avolette

I've tried to come to this restaurant 3 times, with no luck getting a table (for 2). The wait time for a table is usually 2-3 hours on Friday nights and weekend evenings. I guess it was 4th time lucky for me because there was only a 1 hour wait for a table and I was finally about to see for myself what all the fuss was about! We went with the 5 dish option which is really reasonable way to try a few different things. All the dishes we tried were really impressive, with the exception of the Thai Ceviche which wasn't my favourite. The Sticky Pork Belly and Balinese Roast Duck were absolute stand-outs for me. Delish! The Crispy Barramundi and Crying Tiger were also pretty good. I tried the Mang-koh Samui cocktail which was sweet and delightful. Finished off the night with the Terrarium dessert - so simple but so yummy! Had a fantastic night overall but the only reason why I can't rate this restaurant higher is because it is too damn hard to get a table!

Rida Hakeem

- Value for money: 3/5 - Service: 5/5 - Food quality: 4/5 Revisit? YES! RPS was unique of its own. By that I mean the asian fusion innovative dishes are very impressing! An example is the Thai fish ceviche! A blend of Thailand and Perú on a dish. Definitely do not miss that one!

Jordy123

Service and food is amazing and staff are so friendly and helpful. The pork buns, pork belly and chicken are all definitely worth a try! Delicious!

Ray Wang

A great hidden gem, interesting "finger food"package, i meant 5 for $55 from my memory？ Waiting staff n bartenders are friendly, easy going and comfortable to chat with. A good place for a catch up. However, nothing's perfect... been there 4 times and only the first time was able to dine in. The rest of 3 times were nightmare long waiting time which I gave up. For the owner, it's good maybe to see a crowed even for someone who really likes waiting to be seated. Well, not for me. There is no such a place worthwhile queuing 30-60min for food, especially when starving at dinner time, and... in winter! I don't like the idea/business model for not taking bookings. The business shut the ppl who feed ur business out which doesn't make much sense.

Hannah Jung

We had 5 choices to be shared by two, we were very full and extremely satisfied with all the dishes. The drinks were amazing, complemented the dishes and desserts were heavenly! Only downside was, as we were seated in front of the kitchen counter so we could hear and observe what went around in the open kitchen, naturally. The chef kept repeating a word that we didn't understand, which after an hour and a half of repeatedly hearing it, became really annoying. He was using f-word to his colleagues in front of his guests casually, which I thought (maybe I could be a bit conservative) commonly known as rude gesture in any culture. We have tried hard not to have this ruin the wonderful dishes we've been served, but it was very hard to ignore the distraction.

Rachel Jaye Honner

Ventured here on a Thursday night at around 9pm, was advised of about a half hour wait (which we expected), so we went to the bar next door and had a drink why we waited. About 15 minutes later, the host personally came and found us to let us know our table was ready. Selected the 5 dish deal and a cocktail each. Waitress/host was SUPER informative on the drinks and food menu and helped us make our selection. Food was out very quickly. Everything was very nice and full of flavour. Highlight was the lime salmon dish. Good experience, highlight definitely being the service.

Steve Boz

Awesome menu, food is excellent. Have been here several times and am never disappointed. Would recommend to anyone looking for Asian fusion / tapas.

Quinn

Me and my friend ordered a set of 2 so that we could choose 5 different dishes, which is really nice. Everything was really tasty. I love it a lot, especially the crying tiger. The betel beef is also really nice. All the dish got a rich Asian taste and I like it a lot. I also love the food presentation and they got very nice plates designs. The vibe is pretty cool and chill here. The only minus point s the Vietnamese iced coffee. As a Vietnamese, it was such a huge disappointment and shame to taste such drink and they named it Vietnamese coffee. They'd better change it to coffee then I wouldn't judge them. I took only one sip and it kinda ruined my whole experience here. Overall, I'd still recommend this place except the coffee.

Foodie AC

Wow. For once, a place that lives up to the hype. Each dish an explosion of flavour- lamb ribs & galloping horses the highlights. Dessert Mum I Dropped My Ice Cream was great. Cocktails sensational. Get there early to grab a table or face a long wait. Wait, it's worth it.

John Polias

I spend 5 months of the year in Hong Kong and so I am comparing what I usually can eat there with this. I thought the quality was very average. In local terms, it'd be better than average but here goes: the coconut water was indeterminate, the kingfish ceviche and the dumplings were very, very average - as if the ingredients were from the deep freeze of the local supermarket. There was one higher quality dish with betel leaves but it was too little to make up for the other mediocrity. Not going back, unfortunately. The base ingredients were just not good enough.

Pradeep Rajkumar

Below average food and its very expensive..Very Non Professional and One sided service by staff members.. Cannot customize your dish.. Its a risk in your budget and sometimes they mess up the dishes because of their language problems when we try to ask about the ingredients. Two meals for 35 Dollars.. Its cliche palate and not authentic. Some of their fusion dishes burnt whole on my pocket.. Will not vist again.. Just give a try mates..

Traceynn

My friend and I ordered the $59 set for 2 people with the choice of 5 dishes. We also ordered extra roti on the side and a lychee drink which was refreshing. All of the dishes were delicious and full of flavour ! My favourite would have to be the BBQ lamb ribs. They were fully coated in the marinade and had a beautiful crispy finish to them. The meat was tender and juicy which was amazing. As each dish has a tomato/herb vinaigrette to balance out the flavours, the lime flavour was repetitive and a bit over acidic (especially after the ceviche). The roti was meant to scoop up any sauces but the dishes we ordered didn't require any however it was a good nibble in between waiting for the next dish. I would definitely recommend Rice Paper Scissors as your next destination.

CholoEats

I wish i could give this place 7 out of 5, but zomato won't allow me. Eat here if you want to enjoy your life. Lamb ribs are the stand out.

One.hungry.girl10

Amazing food!! Even though we missed the 1st session and had to wait 1hr it was worth it! Staff are friendly and service is great (including the booking system on the spot) staff are very friendly and attentive. Food was great and the $59 for 5 tapas is a great deal! We were totally stuffed after 5 plates of tapas but still wanted to try a dessert.cocktails were also great and unique. Will definitely be back for more! I would suggest to go around 5pm if you don't want to wait too long but the wait is always worth it!

Foodforthought

The food is average at best !! It lacks real flavour. The best dish was the chicken but other than that not worth it. Drinks were good but very overpriced 20$ cocktails on Brunswick st is just silly. Don't waste your time.

Jianierrrrrr

Rice paper scissors has been saved in my bookmark for a while, personally I am very interested the food they offer. We came on a Wed night before they even open the door. Apparently they need everyone in the party is there and then let you in. So, don't be late! Lol...otherwise, you can write down your name and come back later once you receive the text msg from the restaurant. This place was small, busy. The service was good, food came out fast. But I don't like towards the end, they rushed us to pay bill and leave... The food menu is all on one page, don't have lots of choices but every single one looks attempting. You can choose 5 different dishes and share between everyone, $59 for 2 persons. So if there is another person, just pay extra $29.5. The quantity was depends on how many ppl you have. There will be enough food for everyone. #duck salad-taste like red curry duck in salad version. Quite lot of duck meat with very crispy skin, mixed in herbal flavor and curry flavor too. I loved the lychee in it to make it sweet and savory. #crispy barramundi-tapioca dusted fish fillet has crispy shell but tender meat, quite nice! The apple salad was ok since I am not a big fan of coriander, they put too much... #wagyu beef stir fry with lemongrass-special dish on the black board. The beef is in big pieces with lots of bean sprouts. The flavor of the dish was just ok, and the beef was a little bit chewy. Umm... #lamb ribs-best dish of the night! The lamb ribs has very stick sauce all over it, sweet, sticky and yummy! Outside, you have the crispy meat but the whole think is extremely tender! Just grab with you hands and dig in! Don't worry, RPS gave you a bowl of water with lemon to wash afterwards. #sticky pork belly-twice cooked park belly in tamarind caramel sauce topped with green salad. The sauce was sweet but the pork was not tender enough, so the flavor doesn't go through to the thick part. They may also need to work on the salad bit, didn't go very well with the main ingredient. #dessert-"mum, I dropped my ice cream" such a great matching of the presentation! Just look like a broken ice cream. I like the yuzu flavor on top of the ice cream, but nothing too special about it. The ice cream itself was smooth but sweet.

Donutsam

What better way to start a new week than new people at new food places. Rice Paper Scissors has been on my list for a little while now and has two locations in Fitzroy and the CBD. I’ve heard good things from my New Zealand friends who have been and the place has a serious crowd, even on this nippy Monday evening.

Katherine's Food Diary

It's a small space, so small that the most obvious features of its interior are the clusters of bodies arched over one of the few high, solid wooden benches and along the bar. If you come on a rare quiet day, you might notice the bicycle mounted on one of the exposed-brick walls. Use your hands for food. It’s printed on the menu, and the staff will also encourage you to get to grips with dinner. The rolling service was well paced. Brilliant for a quick bite, great Asian flavours and BOOK ahead !!!

Amanda Rajendra

Great location in CBD, amazing portion sizes for cheap dollars. They have unique specials which can tickle your fancy, only issue is the wait to get a table.

Emma

While we had to wait 45 minutes for a table, it was well worth it. The food was sublime, and everything tasted incredibly fresh. There is total value for money here as well, and even though some of the dishes are definitely an unhealthy indulgence, it all tasted very light and didn't make you bloated. Cocktails were also delicious. Highly, highly recommend! P.S the steamed pork bun is probably in the top 5 things I've ever eaten in my life.

Melinda Duke

Amazing food. So glad I was there at 11.55 to grab a table. Will definitely be back. The flavours were authentic. Service was perfect. Can't even pick a favourite. Everything was first class

VodkaO_ZS

Book a table would save a lot of time, and the booking system works very well. We have five dishes and two desserts, all of them are nice, well seasoned, but fresh. The crying tiger is GREAT! That dessert with popcorn is very good, and the famous ice cream drop is worth to try. Lovely waiters and waitresses, nice atmosphere. Cool place for dinner.

Annika Morris

Flavourgasm! PSA: The place is small and be prepared to wait! If going on a Saturday night for dinner I recommend you aim to get there by 5.45 at latest, purely to get your name on the list as they don't take bookings. From memory, they limit sitting time to 70 minutes, so by getting down early you can get your name down and then head off for a few predinner drinks (we went to 1806, but that's another review!). We had: sticky pork belly, pork Bahn mi, crying tiger wagyu, Balinese duck and the king prawns. It's almost impossible to pick a favourite but mine was the sticky pork belly. Culinary perfection continued on with dessert. We had the 'mum, I dropped my icecream' which was the perfect way to finish. It combined my two favourite things, condensed milk and yuzu! It is one of the best desserts I've had in a long time. Highly recommend!

IsaH

Ok, here's the thing, I DO NOT like herbs. So... I was quite nervous about this place. However, I think they've done a really good job in convincing me that herbs do not taste that bad. In my personal preference, a lot of the time, herbs just make a dish loses its original flavour because they are too strong. But I have to say that the chefs here really know how to use them. It was absolutely spot on. 5:40pm and there was already a queue outside. My friend and I went for the 5 dishes: mini baguette, crying tiger, sticky pork belly, cucumber salad and duck salad. All 5 of them were good and contained a lot of herbs but as I said, you can still taste the main ingredients very clearly. The herbs were just there to complement the dishes. I was most impressed with the duck salad and the crying tiger. The pork belly was a little bit crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The baguette was nice but I feel like the pickle was a bit mild for my personal taste. The cucumber salad was particularly refreshing. The deco was very beautiful. One thing that I'm really happy about was the service. Attentive and friendly staff. They make you feel so welcomed. I can't even comment enough about this. It was very delightful. This is by far the most pleasant Asian cuisine restaurant that I've been to, in terms of food, service and deco.

Louisa Berry

Food is yummy, menu is simple and easy to navigate. Felt rushed through out our visit though despite having to wait over an hour and wanting to relax!

Meredith Kang

specials are sooooo nice! If you do not want to wait, you should come here earlier.

Kylie McClean

Had heard very good things about this restaurant and it did not disappoint. The service was great, very friendly and helpful staff and the food was wonderful. Highly recommend the "share the love" option which was great value. The pork belly and prawn dumplings were a must have. Hint - make sure you get there by 5.30 if you want to get a table - very busy and popular place so expect a considerable wait if you're there after 6.

Pauliwag

The place maybe small, but the ambience is superb. Love the South East Asia inspired hawker style they've put into the place. Makes it feel so authentic and exotic. All the staffs are super friendly and attentive. Never failed to entertain us with their perky personalities and their smile. Been here twice, both with friends and family. Each of the experiences are different. (Tuesday 8/8/2015) It was the first time for us (friend and I) here. Recommended by my mate saying this is the best place to visit and try their food as they are extraordinary. One of the staff explained to us about the concept of sharing and using the fingers for eating instead of cutlery, which I think is unique and nice. Something about using fingers gives a more satisfying and sensational feel. We've ordered 5 dish to share among ourselves. 1) Galloping Horses (5/5) 2) Thai Fried Chicken (5/5) 3) Crispy Barramundi (5/5) 4)Balinese Roast Duck 'Bebek Betutu' (5/5) 5) Green Papaya Salad (4/5) 6) Kaffir Lime Splice (5/5) 7) Mango Bun (5/5) I rarely give food 5 out of 5, even I was surprised. All of the food was packed with flavour, so simple and complicated at the same time. One bite and you could feel that the food has its own personalities, trying to tell you that just relax and enjoy it. (Tuesday 15/11/2015) Second time, I brought my family here to share my love for the place. 1) Galloping Horses (5/5) 2) Thai Fried Chicken (5/5) 3) Crispy Barramundi (5/5) 4) Balinese Roast Duck 'Bebek Betutu' (5/5) 5) Betel Leaf (4/5) Yet again. Never failed to satisfy us. As you can see, I ordered the same dish because I couldn't get enough of it and I wanted to try something new as well. Overall, I would say it was an amazing experience! Even though we still have to wait to get a seat or have to wait for the booking, it is still worth it.

Food Affair

Went to celebrate Eid here, Finally decided to wait for an hour and we got a table! Service was great! It's a very tiny little restaurant but amazing food! 5 sharing plates are for 59 for 2 people but we ended up having 10 dishes haha for 2 people cuz it was so good! Staff is very friendly and the lemongrass cocktail was very good! In the end we had a sago desert. Will be definitely back!

Susie Tran

Big big fan of this place. Value for money, punch of flavour, cool, hip, fast paced and fun. What else can you ask for in a city eatery? Love it here and looking for another excuse to come back!

Bill Hurst

Been here 4 times and it's hard to find anything that comes close. Amazing! The pork belly was the stand-out dish for me. I'm from Sydney and I always come here when I'm down in Melb for work.

Tina Salameh

Best asian fusion in town! I love this place. Tiny little tucked away store and reasonably priced. You really get a good taste for all the different flavours. Highly recommend.

Sherena Ng

BEST Asian Fusion cuisine we've ever had! Every dish was packed with flavour, unique and innovative. Also, service was impeccable! The dishes were served tapas style, and the juicy succulent ribs were the most memorable. I would have easily given this place a full 5/5 if it wasn't for the incredibly long waiting time (2 hours!) as they do not accept reservations, and that the actual space was very crammed for a group of 4 diners (sharing a very tiny table with very little personal space amongst other diners). I would recommend going here with at most a group of 3.

Plummy Loves Yummy

This little restaurant competes with the big names. We rarely go anywhere more than once because Melbourne has the luxury of many amazing restaurants. We've been here 3 X so far and will keep going back for more. The food can't be compared to anyone... The menu is fresh and unique. You may need to get there early and wait for an hour or so. But well worth it. And the wait just highlights how brilliant it is! Yum

Glenn Sampson

Can't fault this place, perfect for date night. Small wait for a table which was no issue given new mountain cocktail bar is next door. The lamb ribs and the barrmundi were the standouts and the portion sizes were solid. The 5 dish for $59 was just enough between 2 with a bottle of white for $40 rounding out an excellent night.

Heath Andrews

Went here for the first time this evening. Food was fantastic, amazing blend of tangy, sweet and savoury. Friendly service and great atmosphere

Anastasia Cole

We felt rushed as soon as we sat down. The service was unimpressive and at times unhelpful. We felt it was overpriced for the serving sizes, however the flavours were great, well balanced. Sadly though, first impressions last and we wont be returning.

Lizzie Eats Melbourne

Been here for a second time and I could not leave here without giving it a review. I highly recommend this restaurant for those who love asian fusion food and sharing dishes. Each dish on the menu is made to perfection. The highlight of their menu for me are the pork belly and lamb ribs. The pork belly dish is succulent yet crispy and has a good punch of flavour from the spicy vietnamese salad. The lamb ribs are so tasty - the meat has a crisp to it on the outside, but still falls apart effortlessly. This is a place I enjoy recommending to all of my friends and family and for those who are exploring for good eats in Melbourne.

Livetoeat

Can Asian food get any better? If you were visiting Melbourne and only had one place to eat this is it. All the dishes are carefully crafted to send your tastebuds buzzing for more. Only negative is seating is uncomfortable.

Hexian Wang

这家店很火，在唐人街的小巷子里，之前排队太长错过两次，这次终于吃到 crispy barramundi: 炸鱼块，佐以青苹果丝和腰果沙拉点缀，味道酸甜可口 bbq lamb ribs： whisky浸泡的rib，烤过后红烧，味道偏甜，肉质细腻fork tender，外酥里嫩，骨肉分离，强烈推荐 crying tigers：和牛配着叶子，牛肉烤的恰到好处，边缘很焦，肉质很嫩，就是没有“crying” 那么辣 sticky pork belly：crunchy and tangy belly，肥而不腻，搭配腌制后的酸爽蔬菜，美味，推荐 cucumber som tom：黄瓜沙拉，酸甜可口，值得一试，清新的大自然味和虾肉的海鲜香味强强联手，开胃营养，味蕾上的每一个神经细胞都渐渐舒缓 steamed pork buns：花卷夹着belly并配有香葱，花卷的松软搭配猪肉的甜香相得益彰，香而不腻 这家店最好的品尝方式是一起share，平均每个人30刀，一共可以点5盘菜，share制2-8人均可，菜单种类没有特别多，准备尝遍菜单美食

Skinny Glutton

“Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something.” – Mitch Hedberg. Rice, Paper, Scissors has perfected the humble approach to shared fare and invigorating cocktails. Pull up a stool at the bar and peruse the one-page menu which is intended to be shared over conversation and between sips of their Vietnamese inspired boozy concoctions.

Krystal

Felt a little bit rushed as soon as we sat down - being asked for our drink order then food order. Food was rushed - we hadn't finished one dish and the next one would be placed in front of us. But the food was delicious especially the pork buns and dessert

Studio Untagged

Excellent service, the waiters were so helpful and suggested an amazingly delicious selection. We took some friends there with us the second time, and again it amazed us. Thank you guys!

Magicfiretruck

Exceptional Viet fusion restaurant with great dècor, music and friendly staff. Be prepared to wait for a table for a while on a Friday night. But I will say the food is well worth the wait. We met up with some friends from Sydney and we're lucky enough to score an outside table. The outdoor heaters are fantastic and the staff are all over keeping you toasty warm. You must try the galloping horses and the sticky pork belly and finish off with the dropped ice cream dessert. Highly recommend!

Joni Wang

Still fully packed even though it was noon on weekdays, staff are really friendly and the decorations are nice. Services were fast considering there were so many customers at that time. We chose share your love option which was 5 dishes for 59. Every dish tasted great and full of east-south Asian flavour.

Jeffrey Do

LOVE THIS PLACE!! Food is always on point, freshly made and staff are super friendly :) I would highly recommend ordering the pork belly and also the betel leaf dish! Speed: 4/5 Food: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Keep up the good work guys!

Shannon Tjondro Koesoemo

The best place for Vietnamese fusion!! I would always come back for the lamb ribs, bahn mi, galloping horses and the mango dessert. Just cant get enough!

Xtina

What a great feed! Good selection of cocktails as well. The place is small (hence a bit of a wait) but they've done well with the space available. Reasonably priced. I'll be back

The Food Society

Each of its CBD and Fitzroy locations are intimate, personable venues; the cocktails are as cheekily-named as they are imaginative; and, most importantly, each item on the menu is lip-smackingly spot on. At roughly $12-$15 per share plate, dining at this gem is an absolute bargain. Most diners opt for the $59 feast option, which gives 5 stellar dishes to be shared between two people, however we’ve often found that 3-4 dishes (depending on hunger levels) suffices.

Reneehui0603

59 dollars 5 dishes Pork belly, ribs and beef are good Pork salad is so so Every time pass by here, I see many people eat here.RPS is a very popular restaurant ~ But I think the taste is not good as long grain restaurant that one restaurant besides

Dolly The Explorer

First time having Vietnamese fusion!!! Food was amazing. I love the idea of share plates and each plate was incredible. Each dish had a bite to it with chilli, however we loved it!!! Favourite dishes was the betel leaf with lobster and the ceviche !!!! So impressed with the amount of food we got for only $60... And the waiters were so lovely!!!! Will definitely be back!

Jim

Let me give you a scenario...it's a cold winters night...a pregnant woman is waiting in line at 5.20pm (opens at 5.30). At 5.30 she asks for two seats...the host says she can't be seated until the rest of her party arrives (the other person is less than 5 mins away). When the other person arrives all seats inside have been taken.....they offer the pregnant woman a seat outside on a cold winters night. Really!!! Over these type of "no bookings" type places!! You get treated like animals at feeding time...and you pay for the privilege!!

Fion Koh

I came to this restaurant on a weekday night and it was still very crowded. The staff is very friendly. The food and drinks are good too. Great dining experience.

Greggy

Fantastic dinner there last night. Each dish was of quality and full of flavour. Would definitely go back as the service was great too. My personal favorite was the vietnamese shoft shell crab baguettes

Nan Li

Very disappointed with concierge service! Why can't we make a booking for dinner?! It just doesn't make any sense! At least I could be informed a little earlier that your restaurant was full today! We drove all the way there for 45 minutes and paid the parking at 7:00pm, and then you told me that you were having 80 people ahead of me! That is just ridiculous! Staff served us at door was rather snob and rude!

Kurt David

So, I had been to this place before with my partner's family for lunch. It was great, and the service was fantastic. Everyone was extremely attentive, and the food was sublime. Last night, I went there for dinner with a couple of friends. The same experience was not had. The food was exceptional as always. However, we were very rushed by the front man (who I believe was the manager - I did ask the much more friendly bar and waitstaff). Considering that we were given a timeframe on our meal of 1 hour 15 minutes (which we were well within our allocated time while dining) and that as soon as our plates were cleared (drinks were still being consumed) that we were asked about dessert (to which we said no), and immediately afterwards were handed our bill, I am very disappointed in the service that we received from this one staff member. Mind you, before this, we were hounded about our friend who was no more than 10 minutes late to our reservation (after waiting 30 minutes) about her whereabouts. This made my friend and I feel very self-conscious and scrutinised about our motives for eating there. We felt really uncomfortable, which made for the whole night being shadowed by the negative presence of this staff member.Having worked in the hospitality industry in the past, as well as working in an industry currently where customer service is vital to the success of our business, I cannot believe that this occurred.As much as I enjoyed the food, these events that occurred last night will be deterring me from recommending and eating at this place in the near future.

Thuaners

Wowsers! What can i say? Delicious food!! Amazing flavours! Quite reasonable price too! You can do a thing where you get to order five small dishes to share, which is what we did. I liked the lamb ribs, the steam pork buns, everything we ordered basically :) The staff were really friendly and awesome too. Highly recommended!

Nik TiF

Excellent service 10 out of 10! Fabulous and delicious food of course! Will be back soon definitely. Flavours are out of this world! Every dish is an explosion in your mouth. I

Mich.f

Came on a Tuesday afternoon and got a table straightaway. Chose to have the $59 five dishes to share and this remains the best deal as the dishes a quite small and you want to try everything. Had the steamed pork buns, barramundi, wagyu beef, lamb ribs and sticky pork belly. Standouts were the pork buns and the pork belly.

Date With Beneva

Waited roughly an hour just to get a place.. One of the waiter was really nice and jokes around easily but the other one was really rude, he snatched away the menu that my friend was reading... But the food was great thou, lamb ribs is soft and tender.. Fried chickens was crispy and served with homemade sauce.. 10/10 for food but customer service requires improvement

ALC

Tantalising food for such a good price!! The staff were efficient and friendly; we overstayed our welcome by about 15 minutes and they were very polite and gentle when asking us to vacate for the next people. It cost us $50 each to enjoy 5 dishes and a bottle of prosecco. Great atmosphere. I highly recommend - but try to book in advance so you don't have to line up.

Mon

Have tried to get a table here a few times and not been successful. Got a table tonight by being outside at 5.30pm sharp. The staff were super friendly so kudos to them. Small cost dining area. We were sat in front of the chefs who all seemed to acknowledge our group of 3 and say hello which was nice. We went for the feed me menu which was 5 dishes for 2 people $59. Very impressed with the crying tiger- succulent beef and the dipping sauce… shall we say a-maze. The fried chicken was fried chicken crispy, hot and served with a delish peri peri style Mayo. Prawn dumplings… steamed to perfection and filling was light and tasty- yum. Barramundi was great and the Apple and fennel salad accompanied it well by adding a fresh zing to every bite. Ceviche fresh and nicely presented in a sardine tin. Asian fusion done very well. You can see why this place is so popular.

UNO

Great place, noticed a couple of comments about it being rushed, which is true, but understandable. Go there for the food, it's not really a bar to sit there and drink or drag out a meal. For the price/quality/experience ratio, they deserve to get more people through to get paid for more sittings. My wife and I loved it. Only slight was our fried chicken were a bit fatty, but everything else, especially the value for money... Awesome.

Amberli

Fantastic! We ordered 59,5 dishes for 2 people, and none of them is a disappointment. They are rich-flavored, tempting decorated, although the portion of each dish is rather mini, it is just alright if u order the 59 for 5 dishes deal. Highly recommend the lamb rib,which is the perfect combination of sweet, sour, salty,crispy and juicy. Plus, lovely environment and good service, it's some place that I would love to go back again and again.

Min

Came here for lunch on a Thursday, and the two of us managed to get the last table available (ouside). We ordered 5 dishes for $59 for two people, which we felt was a great deal for this style of restaurant where it's all about sharing meals. We chose the Thai Ceviche (very delicious and fresh with heaps of flavour), Betel Leaf (interesting combo of flavours), BBQ Lamb Ribs (nice but a bit salty and couldn't taste much of the whisky marinade), Crying Tiger (bit of a let down, the dipping sauce was too salty and unbalanced and the wagyu pieces were tough), and the Sticky Pork Belly (standout of the meals, the tamarind caramel sauce was really great). Service was ok, we had 2 waiters during our lunch. One was very nice and polite, however, the second waiter was a bit over-the-top and talked really loud that it came off as a bit aggressive? He didn't pay much attention to us, as he was too busy chatting up the two girls sitting right next to us which made us a bit uncomfortable. He also let them smoke right next to our table while we were still eating! Overall, the food was really great but the service could definitely be improved.

MR E

Loved this place! Very impressed, we asked for a table inside obviously bit of a wait as expected, we arrived back after being notified of our table being ready to find they had made a mistake and had an outdoor table set up, didn't bother me but my friends had no coat, they were very apologetic and sent us next door to a comfy chilled cocktail lounge where we were offered 2 complimentary cocktails each on Rice Paper Scissors...... After a great mojito they a me in to notify out inside table was ready, looking at the menu I wanted everything! Between 4 of us we he a good go at the menu! Flavours were amazing in pretty much every dish, meat was tender, juicy and melted off the bone! Desert was great too, home made coconut ice cream in a coconut shell with lime granita on top! Yum! Thanks guys!

Rhonda Murray

Absolutely delicious! $59 for five share plates, which was more than enough for 2 of us. Gorgeous Riesling for $11 topped it off beautifully. Definitely worth the 50 minute wait that was very well organised by them taking our number and sending a 10 minute warning that our table was ready. I'd highly recommend :)

Steph D

Brilliant. The service was excellent- very personable staff. We sat outside (by choice) and even in the dead of winter were kept warm with the heater. It's a sharing/tapas style menu. And we took the offer for 5 dishes for $59. In order from most to least favourite are: -pork belly (melt in the mouth sticky goodness) -soft shell crab in Vietnamese baguettes -beef in betel leaves (beef was cooked to absolute perfection) -lamb ribs -duck salad (while nice, and with delightful pieces of duck, it was a tad too spicy for the dish not to be labelled as spicy in the menu). Finally the desserts. While they were adorable, we weren't blown away like we were with the savoury dishes. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing really wrong, but such a wonderful main was hard to follow. Tips: they seem to be always at capacity. We got there shortly after they opened at 5.30 and were seated immediately ready for when the kitchen starts cooking at 6. Get there early or you will get called back when a table is free.

Vivi Wulansari

Delicious!! The food is mouthwatering, everything we ordered was on point! Definitely worth lining up for an early dinner. However the place is quite small, I'd prefer the Fitzroy one because in CBD it felt that we were so rush to eat within a certain amount of time and we must leave and they don't take booking. Which when i was in Fitzroy, we get to enjoy our meal and the food come as we finished the previous dish. I would still recommended though but the service could be nicer.

Pang

Great that they tell you up front that you only have a 1 hour 15 minutes dining time. However, the dishes came up in random orders (and on our visit, wierd). First, we had the crispy barramundi (nothing special). The grilled wagyu was fine. But the sticky porks were the only dish savoury and sarusfying enough. The cucumber salad was very wierd. The beans in the salad was raw, unhappy with that. My partner enjoyed the soft shell crab banh mi, I liked the bread part as well. Overall, not a fan of having so much thai/viet dressings. Not enough variety.

I Have A Reservation

A great place for a quick lunch or a casual but hip dinner. The vibe is pretty chill. The Asian fusion is done well as the presentation of each dish is nicely executed.

Pandawan

Awesome food on our first visit. Didn't go pass the door on 2nd visit. We arrived at 1.15pm on a Saturday, and was refused entry said "our second seating close at 1.30pm." Not sure why, didn't look like a lot of people were waiting outside, guess they just didn't need the extra patronage. Oh well, won't be coming back now, that's for sure. All the best, guys.

Glorious Food Melbs

1 hour and 15mins is the least amount of time I have ever been allowed to have a meal in. It's a bit over the top, it's not like it's a Michelin restaurant like.....I would have expected 1 hour 30mins, which is common. Luckily the food was delicious! I had the delicious duck salad and lamb ribs which I would recommend!

James Yelwar

Outstanding. My son and I had a nice lunch at the tables outside. The hustle and bustle inside showed what was to come. Amazing service with quality tapas dishes that were fresh, value conscious and cooked with a scary eye for detail. Relaxed but not too casual and a place you just need to visit like, yesterday!

Peter Van Buuren

Went on a busy Saturday evening. Despite the chaos we had a great guide who took us on an amazing taste adventure! The food was delicious and packed a punch. Great combinations, would recommend the 5 dish tasting selection. The coconut sago dessert was the exclamation point on a wonderful meal.

Ashleigh Dougherty

The food is excellent and the service is good too. The portions are small so it can be quite expensive. The dishes are creative and palate pleasing.

Sanne

The food was amazone. We asked for everything vegetarian which was no problem whatsoever. Everything tasted really good and everything was served differently (so not only boring tofu). The Bahn mi were slightly boring and not as special. As were the steamed buns where the hoisin was overpowering. The lychee salad was amazing. The dressing was so so so yum! The only reason why I give rice paper scissors three stars is that when we asked for the bill and proceeded with the payment, the server asked: "do you want to add a tip?". I'm sorry, but asking for a tip is in my eyes extremely rude and by asking for it we did not give any. If he hadn't asked for it, we would have left a tip without a doubt. Please don't ask for this, it makes guests feel uncomfortable and it comes across as extremely greedy which does not give a good image of the restaurant.

Justin Wong

Rice paper scissors has been quite a hype and definitely got my tastebuds begging me to try. Asian tapas which consist of heavy Thai influence in its flavor is without a doubt satisfying. I mean how can Thai food go wrong with its array of flavour? Portions were generous and staffs were amazingly friendly. With the doubt set a side, we had the 5 following dishes: First up was the sticky lamb ribs. It has a very sweet and tangy flavour to it. Ribs were fork tender and delicious. The salad was there to tame the strong taste of the lamb and the marinade Next is the sticky pork belly. A very important note here is that, the pork belly actually has meat and not all fats like I expected. That's is great that I didn't pay 14 bucks for a plate of lard and tamarind sauce. Anyway, similarly to the lamb ribs, it was fork tender and the flavour is amazing. Again, the salad is there o neutralize some of the strong flavors. Crispy barramundi was lightly battered. It was great as it didn't compromise the texture of the fish. Flavors were a bit light on this one. Still delicious. The apple salad was however questionable. It taste fine but the apple were a tad soft. This makes me wonder if the apples were fresh when prepared. Otherwise, it's a good dish to try. Crying tiger was out of expectation in terms of the meat tenderness. It was perfectly cooked. Didn't taste like rubber and had good char on the meat. Light dressing and was perfect to go with the leaves. Last to come was the soft shell crab bahn mi. While it is not overwhelmingly delicious, it does have a special take on a Vietnamese dish. In fact it was good enough to take on a proper soft shell crab burger. The slaw to go with was spot on. Wasn't too heavy but flavorful enough to complement the crab. Generous portion of crabs as well. STAR OF THE SHOW: Mum I dropped my ice cream. Yuzu sorbet and condensed milk. Condensed milk was light and not too sweet which didn't overwhelmed the subtle lemony and lime yuzu flavors of the ice cream. The wafer tasted fresh (although I am not sure if it is, definitely light to the bite) and the crumbles on the side gave it great texture. Overall great restaurant. Simple and delicious. Easy menu but amazing food. Worth a try definitely.

David

Went here out of the blue for dinner, got there just in the nick of time to be seated (sat outside, wasn't a bad night to do it). If we'd got there about 2 minutes later we would have been waiting for about an hour and a half! Wanted to see what the fuss was about, menu looked good and we decided to grab a taste of everything. The waiter was very friendly and just the right balance of attentive but not overly creepy and leering over us at every moment. What can I say, the hype was well worth it and I can now understand why there is such a waiting line. The food was amazing, sophisticated yet rustic like street food should be. It wasn't overly large portions as the idea is to share, but enough that you feel full and not wanting to grab a 3-piece feed afterwards. Would definitely want to come here again, maybe when they just open for dinner service so I can beat the line again 😜

Rebecca Coombe

Never disappoints. The dishes are amazing, perfect for sharing. The staff go that extra mile to make sure you feel looked after & your experience is the best possible. We were there early before a show, we did have to wait, but they worked really hard to get us in & out with plenty of time, which we were able to do & it didn't feel rushed. Its right next to a cocktail bar, which is perfect when you cant be seated straight away. The shared meal is great value & the perfect amount of food for 2 to enjoy each plate & not feel over stuffed or hungry at the end. I've been here twice & each time I've been very impressed. The lamb ribs & pork belly is my favourite, but I was with a big seafood fan & she said she everything she ordered was amazing. Keep up the great work RPS, it'll keep you busy & appreciated for years to come. I'm already dreaming about my next visit

Williams Alex

We had to wait almost one hour to be seated. The food is just OK, it doesn't explain the waiting time. We were served late and our vietnamese dishes arrived cold. This asian restaurant seems to be overrated.

Beng Lim

The food was delicious and the staff were fantastic. My partner and I went for the $59 deal, where we could choose any 5 dish on the menu to share. It was a great experience trying out all their little dishes. Will definitely be back for more!

Hilda Lee

Had high expectations for rice paper scissors after waiting 1.5 hours in 5 degree weather, and I'm glad to say that it was worth it! The wait is a bit ridiculous, but they have an effective waiting system set up. They did give us a "quote" of 1.5 hours, the quote was pretty accurate so we couldn't complain. I just wish they would expand their store to reduce the wait and accommodate more customers. Once we were seated though the service was pretty efficient. Water was tipped up regularly, waiters were quite attentive and it was amazing to see the 3 chefs in the kitchen pumping out dish after dish of attractive looking food. I have to agree with one of the other reviews though - staff were friendly but seemed a bit fake, they just didn't give you that genuine warm feeling. Food was delicious. We got the 5 dish taster menu which was adapted for 3 people for about $30pp. A bit pricy for the quantity but worth it for the quality and taste - you seriously just want to try everything here. My favorite was the pork belly - it was perfectly cooked with a crispy caramelization on the outside, but soft and tender on the inside and covered with a sweet sauce. Other favorites were the duck salad, which had a mix of beautiful herbs and flavors, and lamb ribs which were tender and well flavored. The crispy barramundi was a disappointment - nothing was crispy, not even the apples in the salad, and there were no mixes of flavors - only one overall sour taste. You have to try the dessert! The terrarium was not only cute looking, but the coffee mousse had a strong coffee taste and worked well with the crunch of the nut and choc crumb. The kaffir lime and coconut ice cream didn't look as impressive, but was also tasty with the combination of the ice cream, lime and crunchy kaffir leaves working together. I don't know if this will be a place I will regularly visit, but overall I will definitely recommend it and will definitely be back some time!

KT

Rice Paper Scissors is this tiny restaurant tucked away down Liverpool Street. Its not a place you’d find unless you were looking for it, but it is pretty well known that the crowd can get pretty hectic. It was a friday night, so we did expect a queue. We were dining here tonight as a party of four, but one of the diners was running a bit late. The dining sessions run for just over an hour and the entire party must be present in order to be seated. Unfortunately, because of this, we had to wait until the next session before we could get a table. Check out the review of Rice Paper Scissors in the blog post below.

Lauren Butler

Don't come here if you want to catch up with someone - because the only thing you'll be left talking about is the food. The best tapas style food and cocktails I have ever had. Excellent service. Great atmosphere. Well worth the early line-up. Very inexpensive for the food served. My husband and I have been to this restaurant five times, and we are yet to be disappointed in any way. Due to popularity and the fact that you cannot book prior to arriving, you do have to arrive before 5:30 to get a seat most nights (or arrive and put your name on a list and come back in 1.5 hrs). Do not let this deter you - it's a small price to pay for the best Asian-fusion style food you'll find in Melbourne. Inside, RPS is a small-ish, tastefully decorated, mood-lit restaurant with an industrial-Melbourne feel and bar/communal seating. You can sit outside for a smaller private table, with effective outdoor heating. We have sat outside in winter with no problem. Due to the pallet style surfaces outside, you can't sit with your legs under the table - so just don't wear a dress! Dress code at the restaurant is fairly casual. Food-wise, we can recommend the Crying Tiger, Betel Leaf, Thai-Fried Chicken, Ribs, Pork Belly... and basically everything else on the menu. The Lychee cocktail on the specials blackboard is impeccable, and my husband loves the Pepperita (capsicum margarita). We have had dessert once, and while it was fantastic, we haven't felt the need to order dessert again. We're usually incredibly full by the time we finish dinner. The guided price here says $80 - we rarely end up spending that much. $59 for 'share the love', which covers two people and gives you your choice of five generous servings of tapas-style food from the menu. I suppose if you add cocktails, you would end up spending a little more.

Elaine

Absolutely loved this place. The $59 deal for two people sharing 5 courses was filling enough for a couple and was a fun way to try many dishes in tapas style. This is very modern Vietnamese fusion. We had the pork Bahn mi, barramundi, wagyu beef, sticky lamb and pork ribs. The meat dishes were amazing and cooked just right. We also shared a mango beer that actually did have a mango taste to it. Even though we came at 7.45pm Tuesday, we had to wait for45mins before we could be seated. Had a drink and a snack at neighbouring Ho chih mama next door while we waited

ToMmy VeNantius T

Fusion Asian finger foods. Very popular with the locals and must be there early otherwise expecting long wait. Not cheap but good yummy foods!

Kat_Eats_Mel

We arrived at 5.30pm right on opening time and we got a table for 2 straight away. We were only allowed 1 hour and 15 mins for our table which was plenty of time. We opted for the 5 options for 59 bucks. We really enjoyed the lamb ribs and king fish civiche. These 2 dishes were a stand out. Service was on point and we really enjoyed the lychee cocktail. Will be returning!

Foodasociety

Extremely long wait times. Good flavour in the dishes. However dishes do tend to be quite small and you are left still a bit hungry from the 5 dishes. Would have rated higher had not the waitress poured sauce all down the left side of my pants. She got serviettes and started wiping the chair with them and then proceeded to give me the dirty serviettes for me to wipe my pants after apologing. They could have a least offered to give us free drinks or something if they weren't going to pay for my dry cleaning. Disappointing night.

Eddie Han

If it's been too long since you bragged about your dinner on Instagram, then it might be time you paid a visit to Rice Paper Scissors. The dishes here are elegantly presented, and just dying to be captured on camera. They also have the flavours to back it up too. The pork belly really captures the essence of what Rice Paper Scissors is all about. Rustically presented, with rich Asian flavours from the pork melting in your mouth, while crunchy herbs deliver a punch of zesty flavours.

Zhitian Zhang

They were flexible enough to place a larger portion for 3 people, from the 'choose 5 to share' menu. I think the beef salad is slightly chewy but nonetheless tasty. I would definitely have the duck salad again because it's very tangy, crunchy, sweet, and every bite you have a piece of duck to go with. Not so sure about the soft shell crab bun, tho. It didn't have much layers to explore. And I think the lamb ribs were popular among my friends. As it mentioned in other reviews that the meal came very quickly, I had quite an opposite experience. 这家店点菜最简单的办法就是点套餐，5种吧痛的菜。我会推荐鸭沙拉和牛肉，那个软壳蟹我真的吃到没感觉了，所以我不会推荐。不过如果用餐人数超过4个人，我大概不会来这里，因为等位置还挺烦的，2个人快快吃完倒是刚刚好。

Iheartmelbourne

We went here early on a Friday night and walk straight in. Service very friendly and fast and food was delicious albeit a bit messy and cumbersome on tiny crate tables outside. 5 courses for $29 pp was a bargain and we were well satisfied without dessert. Highly recommend the pork belly and the Pinot Grigio on the menu. We will be back...doesn't get more Melbourne than this.

Erin

Rice Paper Scissors is a funky little establishment with quick service, quick food, and a good atmosphere serving modern Asian tapas. We came here before going to the theatre nearby, and were pleasantly surprised at how thoroughly decent and tasty food can be served up so quickly. We chose from a range of tapas, and ended up with a number ranging from pork buns and fried chicken, to wyagu beef accompanied with a dipping sauce. The tapas were surprisingly filling, and all looked good judging by the food on our neighbours' tables. These dishes was polished off with a pear Bellini which was really quite refreshing. Upon arriving we were warned that we had a set amount of time of 1 hour or so (this place can get busy) but our server assured us this would be plenty of time for tapas and drinks - and it was. I recommend this place and will definitely return to try the other dishes.

Emma

One of my favorite Asian fusion restaurants! My partner and I visited and got the 5 courses for $55 and it was great value. Hint: get the pork belly

Amy

We were lucky enough to walk in and sit down immediately without a booking (available only for lunch, I believe). We were met with friendly service and the dishes were great! I would definitely come back again.

Kiffdcosta

Loved coming here! I love that it's all small meals so that you can try a bunch of things & it was a really good price as well. Stand out meals were the crispy pork (amazing! & apparently they've won awards for it) and the lamb was also great. Also if you like ice tea- try their homemade one, it was awesome! Customer service was really great too, everyone was really friendly & the meals came out quick.

GezaEats

Probably abit overpriced for its unpretentious food but always a place that delights my tastebuds. Long wait and their limited dining time were my complaints! But hey.. Isn't that the case for delish eateries?!

Mistletoe

Came in for a late Monday lunch. Didn't need to line up, just walked in. Service was friendly but curt and sometimes may come across as a little fake? Food was okay. Not worth the queue, honestly. More misses then hits. Place is good with their meat dishes, but not their seafood. Soft shell crab baguette and crab meat with betel leaf special of the day, was anything but special. The dessert is an Instagram worthy photo, and the only saving grace of the entire meal.

Giorgia

This place had such beautiful service, so friendly, from start to finish. Great cocktails & drinks selection.. Tapas were flavor-full & well sized. As they will tell you, 5 plates between 2 is very much the truth. We didn't leave feeling like we over ate but satisfied, therefore Rice Paper Scissors is a genuine, tasty & most friendly environment. Would definitely go back again.

Howardwashere

The market is flooded with modern Asian establishments all trying to reinterpret classical or hawker styles dishes with their own twist. South Eastern Asian food cuisine, namely Thai is usually where the food lends itself to and this is also the case with RPS. With Gingerboy around the corner and adopting a similar concept, Rice Paper Scissors had a lot to live up to but it lived up to expectations and more. The menu is designed for sharing and there was an option to order 5 dishes for $59 to share amongst two. We had a group of four so got to sample about 8 different dishes. Before we start with the dishes, the Bloody Mary set the scene for what was to come. The immediate spice and intensity in flavours proved this was not just another Blood Mary but a Bloody good Mary with their individual touch. There was a betel leave on top with some herbs and a dash of Sriracha incase the your taste buds were not scorched already! After sampling two dishes, you could immediately tell the food had hints of fine dining with every element standing out on its own merits and treated with respect. Whether it was simple beanshoots or herb salad, they were fresh, crisp and fragrant. The pork belly was slow cooked, then deep fried and then coated with a tamarind chilli caramel. Sitting amongst the herb salad, the contrast in fresh salad and decadent pork belly is what makes for an elevated experience. The Crispy Barra was fresh, fried perfectly and sat amongst a refreshing green apple, roast cashew and nahm jim dressing. Something as simple as BBQ King Prawns showcased how a simple dish anyone can cook, should be cooked. Butterflied and BBQd perfectly, the meat was moist, sweet and came with a distinct "secret" sauce that deserved the title. The Thai Ceviche was cured with lime and came with a salad of mint, chilli and shallots. It was served with a Vietnamese prawn cracker to provide texture. The lime curing was perfect where the Kingfish was opaque and not too acidic. Every single dish was executed perfectly and the strong South Eastern flavour combinations of each dish showed restraint and consideration to not overwhelm the diners with similar flavours over several dishes. Rice Paper Scissors lives up to the hype and is truly one of the better Modern Asian restaurants I have been to and in the same league as SuperNormal and Ms Gs. Will be back!

Katieppie

Loved this place! Great value, delicious food. The soft shell crab baguette was my favourite. I also loved the Mum I dropped my ice cream. Make sure to get there well before 5:30pm for the first sitting. Only criticism is that we waited 20minutes in between our 3rd and 4th dish. And be sure to note that the dishes have slices of hot chilli so if your not used to spicy food be sure to tell your waiter no chillis! Other than that. Great service and great atmosphere. I will be back again for sure!! A++

Belinda Vee

Loved loved loved this place! Never being a big fan of tapas I was sceptical about trying this place but I take that all back now! Every dish we had was downright amazing. We came in after the lunch rush, the service felt a little slow but they were nice enough to find us a table outside. I would highly recommend every dish but if I had to choose a favourite it would be the BBQ lamb ribs!

The Two Tasters

Finally got to eat here on our third attempt whilst in Melbourne always very busy even on a Sunday night at 6.00 pm had to wait half an hour but there is a bar next door. Best value to eat is $59 for 5 courses. We loved to pork buns ( went for a second helping) and crispy skin barra and the pork belly was very very good. Service is quick and friendly. Definately go back again when next in Melbourne.

Garth Christie

59 dollar tasting menu is a must when coming here. Food is unbelievable, in a quirky Melbourne laneway this is a perfect venue for any occasion! Great beverage list with some very unique contemporary cocktails.

Thomas Jacobson

Got a table straight away when I came here and usually always get one. One of the best and healthy places I have eaten at with great and quick service.

Jessie Stuart

Easy to get a table here without any hassles. Food is very good. Definately would come back when im in the essendon area with my family. Just hope it doesnt change haha

Tony

One of my favourite places to dine in the CBD. My favourites include the crispy barramundi, sticky pork belly, balinese roast duck, crying tiger, and the steamed pork buns. The best way to go about Rice Paper Scissors is to order the $59 for 5 dishes combination, then order a couple of drinks if you want (their cocktails are very delicious!), or beer (they have Tiger!). The only problem is the long queues.

Jodie

We arrived at 2.15 and got a table straight away. The food is delicious and fresh. The cocktails were amazing...the Lemongrass Tom Collins I can highly recommend!

Lole Lole Lole

This place gets so packed. Knocked back when we tried to do a walk in during lunch but we made a booking for the next day and it was so worth it. The food is so delicious. Will definitely come back, but maybe not during lunch rush. Only found 1 unisex toilet to cater for 30+ seats, is a bit of a worry for me.

Sheeny

Terrible service. I have book table for two for lunch. I make my booking through online at 10.30am. I reach there on time but the staff couldn't give us a table cause it is full at that time, So we are waiting at the corner. After 15 min, we have been told the online system have problem and they couldn't recognise our booking and ask us to wait for another 10 min. end up,one of the staff told us he can't give us any table even though we have confirmation of booking. He didn't even put effort to arrange a table for us. He is so rude and say " I can't do it, sorry", repeating his word" can't do it" and kinda ask us to leave. We have confirmation of booking, why we can't get a table? Giving a bad reason of saying online system problem and couldn't give us a table? Is this a responsible customer service a restaurant should have? I agree their food is great, but terrible customer service.

Frankie ??

Great food.... Had a terrible service person. They were condescending and rude to us. But once we got our bar stool share table after a 1.20min wait, we had some great drinks and delicious food. Can't have everything, can you? Worth trying if you don't mind the seating options.

I Bite

Must like sharing tables (on stools) , or sitting at the bar (on stools).... Must book... If that's ok with you then you're 'ready to eat with your hands'.. Food good, Value excellent, staff great.. :)

Avi

Fantastic lunch. Cool modern vibe. Delicious food. Amazing service. We loved it. Tried the deal 5 dishes for 59. Pretty good value. Lamb ribs were insanely good. Manager was very helpful and gave us some dinner and coffee recommendations. Cool place

Iceman

RPS is certainly funky, and worthy of your hard earned when you're eventually offered a table. However, is it worth hanging around 60-90mins for a table? Perhaps not, not that many establishments would be of course. I'm told the trick is to get there right on 5:30pm (or earlier) if you're any hope of making the first cut. Having said all that RPS isn't cheap eats so this also needs to be taken into consideration. Overall RPS comes recommended at around $40 ph + drinks

Donna Braden

A trendy Asian Fusion small restaurant in a side lane of Melbourne ..Clean amenities, friendly atmosphere serving fresh and flavoursome food - what more could you ask for... (larger serves could be the only thought). We opted for the $59 five dish banquet each time we went, this allowed us to try a range of dishes. We had BBQ lamb ribs, Asian greens, Crying Tiger, Crispy Barramundi and mini Vietnamese Baguette. The star of the show was definitely the BBQ lamb ribs that were full of a deep rich bbq flour and fell off the bone...yum yum yum. Another time we had the Betal leaves and pork Buns. You may have to wait and some times may need a little extra if you don't order a meal with bread dough, so perhaps the price is slightly above average but the flavours are worth itPay a visit

Bonnie Ke

来了两次才做评价。 觉得是非常适合两个人去的餐馆，59能试5道菜简直就是吃货福音！！基本不怎么会踩雷。 Must try： Crying tiger/ BBQ lamb ribs/ Steamed pork bun 这三个印象最深！！真的值得一试！！！ Good： Asian green/ Thai fried chicken/ bbq king prawn Bad: Galloping horses ( 简直不知道在吃什么，吃了一口就放下了）

Tom Curney

Very tasty food. The menu is designed to share and every item we ordered was excellent. The cocktails were a little disappointing and took a long time to arrive (longer than the food). Seriously crowded on a Friday - up to a 2 hour wait. Worth it though.

I Am Hungry

Thoroughly delicious! Must come back to try rest of menu. So tasty, fresh and so full of flavour. Loved sitting sitting at counter and watching the busy barman.

Shaun Chua

Went here with a couple of mates and got a set for 6 people of 5 dishes. portions weren't even close to being for 6. Disappointed in the portion sizing but the food was great.

Clay Wong

Had a great meal with excellent flavours. Not designed to fill the stomach so just be weary if you are intending on doing so.

Lovefood

Yum yum yum! Loved everything except maybe for the sliders, they were still good but not to the standard of their other dishes. The drinks were amazing and so were the staff

Charlotte Huddle

The pinnacle of modern Asian cuisine, I absolutely loved it! Staff were super friendly and accommodating, happily running through the menu with us. Loved the eat with your hands and sharing concepts. We got the $59 5x dish deal, ordering pork buns, lamb ribs, barramundi, pork belly and soft shell crab mini baguettes. All the food was delightful, fresh and flavours were amazing! Our top 2 were the ribs and pork buns, both were 100% amazing! A super great concept and brilliant restaurant!

Hungry Ronin

Asian tapas done amazingly well, fused with solid service and put at good-value price points. I am sure you can check out the menu and my pictures yourselves, but my overall comment is that the food is daring, bold (e.g. doesn't hold back on authentic Asian spiciness and sour flavours) and well balanced. The tanginess of the salad sauce with the pork belly, for example, was delicious where it cuts through the fat; and the crying tiger's soft beef eaten with the betel leaf was not only relevant and quirky, it simply works. Other things on the menu such as the lamb ribs and the fried chicken were also well executed, and the combination of it all was yumm. RPS invites Melbourne to eat the way traditional South East Asia does it - sharing of dishes and using their hands. And it seems the masses is responding with its feet, queuing straight out the door.

Kelsey Hancock

RPS combines two of my favourite things when it comes to food; tapas & Asian. Not only is the service great, the food itself reminds me of being back in Penang in the best way possible! I never thought I'd find better fried chicken like the one I had in Malaysia, but I can confidently say you will not be disappointed.

Khpn

I have come here many times with groups and as a couple and i could not recommend this more. Their food is asian fusion similar to what you will find at chin chins. Everytime i jave been here we had the banquet menu. The dishes that standout most to me are, lamb ribs, chicken ribs and sticky pork belly! Services is good but there maybe a wait.

Yk Lu

well you might think it is a little bit pricy but that is before you taste their fantastic dishes. I recommend the '$59 for 5 dishes' and choose what you like (my preference is the crying tiger). Every dish is just so creative that I want to go again the next day.

Daron Mac

Excellent restaurant! We've been here a few times coming to Melbourne,high quality food and great price. Well done guys! Great range of wines and cocktails.

Dazzling

Went here for Mother's Day. A nice selection of share plates of lamb ribs, fried chicken, sticky pork belly, king prawns and barramundi. All were beautiful. staff were very friendly and went out of their way to help.

Occasionalist

I've walked past this place many times before because I was always too hungry to wait. But today I was determined to try it and cross it off my list. We waited an hour, which we spent wandering around Bourke St mentally bookmarking all the other restaurants we wanted to try one day. When we finally got that golden ticket text, we came back and were seated promptly. We had to share a table with another group ... Such was the demand for seating! First off, great management team and extra shout-out to the guy with the fancy iPad thing. He really knew what he was doing. He was very patient with the crowd and handled them quite well. It's a delicate situation dealing with a hangry mob of foodies. We had the following: 1) duck salad (vegetarian version): ok, so I didn't order this, my vegetarian friend did ... but I did get to try it because it looked so real that he wasn't sure if he could eat it. So naturally I just had to try some! And it was tofu ... Just very duck-looking tofu. Nice. 5/5 2) Asian greens: nice mix of literally all my favourite Asian veggies. It was very yummy but I found it too salty over time as the flavour builds in your mouth but you have no rice or anything plain to wash it down with. 4/5 3) Crying tiger: this was a very nice dish and wish we had more of it. The beef was done very nicely. We didn't actually need the sauce as it was flavourful enough. 5/5 4) galloping horses: we chose it because of the name. It was interesting but kind of hard to eat and it fell all over my plate (clumsy me). I found I didn't quite enjoy the flavours in this one... Just too much happening. I would pass on this next time. 2/5 5) BBQ lamb ribs: this was not bad but honestly I have had better. Red Spice Road does this one better as their bar snack in my humble opinion. 3/5 6) Thai fried chicken: the sauce was very nice. The chicken was nothing special though. 3/5 7) dropped ice cream: I really enjoyed this dish and its presentation. I also liked the attention to detail. This is no ice cream with a side of waffle cone. This was ice cream in a waffle cone that was dropped ... So you still had remnant ice cream within the waffle cone too. Genius. 5/5 8) terrarium: love the coffee kick. It was very well presented too. 4/5 The service I would rate a 5/5 as we had waiters check up on us every few minutes. We also had no major dramas in the torturous waiting period. In summary, I would say this is a bit like Red Spice Road fare for half the price but a wait time like Chin Chin. Would I come back? Maybe ... but I know myself ... 9/10 times I would be too hungry to wait.

Lily Qiu

RPS has been on my "must-eat" list for long and yesterday got time to explore this Asian fusion tapas, finally, and the dining experience over there is worth the rating. All dishes are delicate that must be dealt with carefulness and techniques, the layer of flavour is building, blending and blooming inside the mouth, although the main tune is sour, sweet and spicy, the balance is slightly different from dish to dish which produce some interesting combination. I like the idea of kingfish ceviche accompanied with sesame rice cracker, which I mistaken as dragonfruit crisp at first. And have to say the sauce inside the Soft shell crab baguette is too overpowering and because it's positioned at the very inner corner made it separate from the rest of the dish. Love the arrangement of the ice cream dessert but the taste is just an average. And glad we went early that night because as we finished by 7:30, we were shocked by the massive line outside. In near future I would like to come back and explore the rest of menu for sure.

Adventures In Winterland

I must say, I did judge the book by its cover with this one – I was enchanted by the décor at RPS, so we stopped in for a very late lunch-snack, grabbing a seat at the bar before the kitchen closed. The menu is an exciting exploration of South East Asia, and I couldn’t go past the temptation of soft shell crab mini banh mi ($13 for 2), plus a house made lemon iced tea ($4.50). Served in a fashionable jar, the iced tea had both lemon and lemongrass, but both were well balanced and not overpowering. The staff here are friendly and chatty, creating a welcoming atmosphere that we enjoyed. The food came out fairly quickly, and it definitely confirmed our order choice. Served on soft brioche buns, the banh mi were

Brungiel

Absolutely incredible Asian food! Went for lunch and shared five meals for $59 - best value around! The food was all of exceptional quality, but I think my favourite was the kingfish ceviche... It just melted away in my mouth and the chilli sauce with it was awesome (with a kick right at the end)! Staff are lovely, attentive and helpful. A very impressive experience.

Nona Tukang Makan

I’ve made a plan to visit this fusion tapas restaurant since last year but did not have a chance to do it. Luckily, I stumbled upon the busy restaurant just when the sky expected me to hide under the umbrella. Although the restaurant was super packed both inside and outside, the staff managed to find a quiet spot for me at the back of the restaurant, where I could relax and took a sneak on the kitchen activities.

Big Eyes For A Big Tummy

Good pricing for the amount of food you get between 2 people. However, we found the flavours intensely similar across all the dishes even though different presentations, description and textures. We couldn't finish everything as it was the same constant flavour, ended up being too heavy for us. The only dish that I found refreshingly different was the mini banh xeo equivalent dish. Long wait as expected and most would put names down and return at quoted time. What was annoying was that there was a couple who put their names down after us and returned about the same time to check on the waiting time. Fake-smiling accented girl-in-charge said she couldn't find their names so seated them straight away even though they should've been after us and many others! When we asked how much longer our table would take, she said another 15min after waiting for what we believed was already 40min but she corrected us that we had waited 35min only. Geez....didn't know we had put our names down with a smiley robot. So basically, if you don't want to wait, just say you were there 50min ago to have your names down. If they can't find your name, they'll seat you straight away!!! Glad we had a waiter who seemed more genuinely friendly. To be honest, I don't believe there's anything special with the flavours on the menu, definitely not worth the wait when you can get even better at a local Viet restaurant along Victoria Street. Or I would've been much more content had we settled back at Shimbashi next door. Definitely better value for menu considering the waiting time. But hats off to them for a great menu concept and presenting traditional dishes in a modernised tapas style well.

Derek Lee

After a hiatus of coming to Melbourne, this was one of my to go to places to try since there isn't one in Sydney yet. We ordered the special of 5 dishes for $59 comprising of: Thai cerviche, Thai fried chicken, pork belly, pulled pork with bao and BBQ lamb ribs. The first dish to come out was the Thai fried chicken with a nice ranch? Dipping sauce the chicken wings were very tender and moist and to top it off with the dipping sauce was just devine. Next up was the BBQ lamb ribs this was also just as nice and chewy and just melted off the bone, lucky there was an extra dish to put the bones in. The kingfisher Thai cerviche i had some reserve about since I haven't tried it before but glad I did as it was so nice with a bit of kick with the chillis, it wasn't fully cooked but the yeah it was made in the tin with the juices just added to the dish and to add it to the rice cracker although with the juice made it a bit soggy and difficult to eat as you had to eat it in one go. The pulled pork and bao was what I expected it to be making your own bao roll with pulled pork and some garnishing. The pork belly just took awhile for it to come out and had to remind the waiter we were still waiting for a dish, which they shortly brought out, it was quite tender as well and left me wanting more as I wasn't full by the end of it. The other thing was we were left to sit outside when it was raining there was a empty spot closer in but the ended up giving it to someone else that arrived after us which is a bit disspointing otherwise this would of gotten a 4.

Sarah Loves Food

I went here with a friend for dinner tonight. I was shocked that the wait was more then an hour on a Wednesday night but we rode it out in another venue. When we finally got a seat at the bar after waiting an hour and 15 mins we felt we were rushed to order drinks and food. We ordered the lamb ribs which were nice but a tad dry for me, duck salad which was surprisingly refreshing, the prawn dumplings in spicy oil which was yum, the Filipino pulled pork in buns which was my favourite and the soft shell crab banh mi which was very yummy but a bit soggy in a couple of places. The service was very quick, in fact too quick. We had finished everything just over half an hour. My friend and I stayed a bit longer for her to have a drink and us to have a chat. They asked us a few times if we wanted something and after we'd been there an hour they asked if we wanted the bill, we were ready to leave anyway. I really liked the food here and despite feeling rushed the staff were friendly. I would come back but I certainly wouldn't wait an hour for this place. The servings are small in fact a couple of them are tiny, we were satisfied after our meal but I wouldn't recommend this place to someone with a ravenous appetite.

Tiana

Amazing!!! Best fusion I have ever had in Mel. I really love the staff, dishes, environment, indoor design here!! I strongly recommend pork belly and Thai fried chicken. One more advice, be patient when waiting.

Armitage Shanks

Just go. I normally resent this kind of dining, I'm more a cheap, homely, greasey spoon kinda guy but this place is fantastic and real good value for the quality of the food. The pork belly and lamb dishes were my highlights. It's a great balance of informal ambience and fine dining quality.

R.M INC

The service was first class as was the value for money. Had the 5 dishes sharing, each with a slightly different taste palate. This was finished with dessert which was amazing. Because of the popularity of this venue you will have to wait just a little while for a seat to become available, however in my option it is worth the wait.

Britt Gow

Spicy, delicious and fresh - we had the glazed lamb ribs, pork belly, wagyu beef, barramundi and BBQ pork. All fresh and tasty with sweet, salty, chilli, coriander and lime flavours. Looking forward to a return visit.

CanReadMaps

Great little tapas placed using fresh asian flavours. Be sure to get there early to put your name down for a table. Plenty of places to drink close by while you wait.

Maria Lav

"A" for Amazing food and staff. Highly recommended, especially the Crying Tiger. Papaya Salad with Crispy Pork Belly was another dish that really stood out. Well worth going out of your way to visit.

Amy

Amazing food! Great value staff lovely... Worth the wait Wine list could improve slightly, and the gentlemen out the front needs to lighten up

Yolanda Wong

Recommended to me by my friend. But I did find everything tastes somewhat similar. But 59 for two sharing is really good price, staffs are extremely passionate. Normally long queue. Go earlier to avoid waiting too long

Liqiang Yan

It seems like a good place to have a dinner, but the problem is that I have not come to have a try. I would like to introduce this to my friend and go there together to have a try~~~~~

Kal

Finally found a place to bring my Melbourne visiting friends and family. This place is GREAT! Great food, great location, great service. And when I, someone who has been suffering from the bland taste of everyday food here, say it's great. It really was that delicious especially the crying tiger which we spent 15mins discussing whether to order the second platter.

Elisha Lee

My second time here. Once again their dishes are spot on. Loved the caramelised pork and ribs. The venue is too small for the crowd but the wait is worth it.

Constanza Wilhelmy

why have one dish when you can have five? why not share food with all the table, and why not tantalize your taste buds to a bunch of experiences instead to only one, at the most two? why use cutlery when we have a pair of hands? i love the way this place works, and their "sharing" proposal. i think it's actually an option every restaurant should have (you could guess i have the hardest time deciding what to order when out for dinner, and you'd be so right). it was six of us, so we got three of the five course meal options. however, to make this dinner something which we could all share, we got the same five dishes for all three menus. i must say that i was rather dissapointed that, in a vietnamese place, the best dish was the bbq lamb ribs. that belongs more in an american place. however, be prepared to have the lamb literally melt in your mouth - delicious! the thai ceviche was disappointing, as it was SO spicy, you could barely taste the fish. a big "NO" for the huge red chilli pieces that were all over the place. the rest of the dishes (pork bun - watch out for the texture!, prawns, and one the specials of the day) tasted great, but not mind blowing (unlike the bbq ribs). however, dinner went beyond the food itself! i completely stand by the sharing and the #eatwithyourhands idea. completely worth a visit (but be prepared for waiting!).

J88

A hidden treasure and worth queuing for. Quick , generous serving, and friendly service - Melb's best modern Asian tapas restaurant. Much cheaper and love here more than Chin Chin, Longrain and other places! Food is tasty and drink menu is interesting, loved their Vietnamese iced coffee. A must come for all visitors, thank God they open 7 days! Melbourne is blessed to have RPS here! Added to my fav list. Highly recommend their lamb ribs, barramundi and pork belly!!! Beware of the chilies though.

Lucas Foo

Great food, great service. Came back a second time for the lamb ribs! Be prepared to wait during Friday and Saturday nights. The alcoholic drinks are okay only though.

Fonda

Fantastic food, good service, can't wait to come back to Melb again to try the rest of the dishes we missed out on! I know it's good when I don't need (or want) to add salt or sauce to anything =)

Fatcat

Went with a friend for a Wednesday lunch - little to no waiting (in contrast to other times when the lines can be 1hr long!). We went for the very popular 5 dishes between 2 for $59 option and my favourite was the mini banh mi, followed by the duck salad. Make sure you try those! The kingfish ceviche also looks quite mouth watering if good looking food is a thing for you!

Jane Le

Fifty nine - 5 dishes to share between two! Vietnamese & Thai cuisine. Coffee needs to have more condensed milk to be moe authentically Viet. Lamb ribs highly recommend as well as duck salad and pork belly. Crispy fish wasn't crispy when sauce was added, very light fry/batter & came out 40 min after everything else that was served very quickly. Great ambience, not too long of a wait Sunday night just after 6 for a table of 2. Will be coming back to try out more dishes :)

Mans C

I like this place so much. Forgive its sloping outside tables and unforgiving stools. Forgive that the table had left over food morsels that were never cleared away. Forgive the robotic host who is slightly mechanical in his approach. Can't say I blame him, with the relentless tirade of guests wanting to try this oversized hole in the wall. The rest of the team shine with personality. The food is excellent value for money. Flavours are punchy, fresh and clean- perhaps a tad repetitive but I will suggest that is due to our pescatarian dietary request more than the menu itself. Desserts are crazy good. Beverage list perfect for the venue. Tonight was the 3rd time this week I had tried to get in without waiting over an hour. I'd happy wait each evening as it has the perfect buzz of a hawker stall, which makes waiting and watching easy if you don't want to go next door for a drink whilst you build your appetite.

Kaylia Byford

Best. Place. Ever. Consistently 100% amazing food and service. Be prepared to wait, but it is worth it! Try the chefs menu, very good price and you are sure to be fed well. Espresso martini is the best also!

The Happy Tummy

An Asian hole-in-the-wall tapas bar in Melbourne? Hell, yeah! I am in! When I heard about the raves this joint is getting, I knew I have to try their food. So on one of my visits in Melbourne, I asked a friend to have dinner with me at Rice Paper Scissors. We had their five selections for two which costs $59. My thoughts on the food: 🍴 Cucumber Salad - love the contrast in this dish. The soft tomatoes and cucumber offset with the crunchy nuts and dried shrimps. It is so fresh but be warned, it is also uber spicy. Too spicy to be honest. The raw snake beans was a let down though. I like mine cooked. 🍴Bbq King Prawns - love the smokey taste of the prawns and the accompanying dipping sauce. 🍴Bbq Pork - Just so so. It kinda needs a bit more punch. 🍴Thai Fried Chicken - So crunchy! Goes with the dip perfectly. 🍴Mini Vietnamese Baguette - Crunchy soft shell crab in a bun? Yes! What's not to like? A bit pricey I would say considering the small serving sizes (it's a tapas bar!).

Tony Chen

Good value. 5 dishes for 59 and it's easily enough for 2 people. It's essentially a slightly worse and cheaper Chin Chin, but still enjoyable. I did like the fact that I got to try lots of little dishes for a good price.

Amy Yan

The food totally lived up to their hype! We ordered: - Crying tiger - Betel Leaf - Thai Ceviche - Pork Buns - BBQ octopus and I could not pick a favourite! Yum yum yum and very reasonably priced. Will definitely be back for more.

Lella Dee

Absolutely delicious! There has been at least a 45min wait each time I've been but it is 100% worth it! Lobster Betel Leaf, Ceviche and Crying Tiger dishes are a must do each time I go. Whilst you wait for your table head into the kitschy bar next door for a drink. Can't recommend it enough.

Vivi

Beautiful Asian Tapas, Cool and cozy vibe, Great service, Well priced menu. I've been there so many times now. Crying tiger is my top dish, just beautiful period! Wine is the choice of drink I go for since the cocktails aren't that yummy, for me anyways. :/ Tips: Go early as the wait can take forever. ;)

Bopnbeep

Tasty food and impeccable service to match. We were lucky enough to get the last spot for 2 at 6pm, sharing a table with another party of 4 which wasn't an issue at all. We had the feed me option with 5 dishes ranked in order of deliciousness: BBQ Lamb ribs - the favourite dish with tender meat falling off the bones Thai Ceviche - lovely light and fresh flavours served with sesame crackers Sticky Pork Belly - sweet tender pork with herbs and beansprouts to balance out the richness Betal Leaf with fresh lobster - another fresh dish with a generous chunk of lobster and pork belly which gave a crunchy texture Wagyu beef cheek in curry from the specials menu - the most disappointing dish we had, the meat didn't seem like it had been cooked for long enough and wasn't falling apart plus there wasn't enough curry sauce to dip the roti bread in. The cocktails were delicious and the staff were very attentive. Even though we only had 1 hour 15 minutes to dine we didn't feel rushed at all. If the wagyu beef cheek had been up to scratch, this would have been a 5. We would definitely come back to try more of the menu.

Sarah Qi

Really lovely and good atmosphere, good service and nice food with a creative menu. A couple of dishes stood out but others were quite average for the price of the meal. Overall good experience.

?Treva♥️'s Food?

I have heard so much about this lil gem and I'm so glad we finally made it!! As with most places in MEL the wait is ridic! About an hour and a half but we went round the corner and had a few drinks, then they call u when ur table is ready... We got 5 share plates, and there was plenty to feed 3. The best part is that they can do any of their dishes as vegetarian! Really fresh and super tasty!! The service was phenomenal, one of the waitresses heard that we wanted to do karaoke after, so she googled all the options around us and wrote them down. Well done guys!

Crystaleats_

Where do I begin? The atmosphere was nice, staff was super laid back and easy to talk to. The pork belly was definitely the best pork belly I've ever had! And I absolutely loved the betal leaf

Zach Kutlow

Great flavor and cocktails. Super busy so make sure to get there early and the pop over to Double Happiness bar to grab a few drinks while you wait. You should definitely do the "Feed me" option for 5 different places for a fixed price so that you have plenty of chances to try some of the best they have to offer. We got the waygu beef wrap, soft shell crab sliders, prawn dumplings, ceviche, and barramundi and would recommend all of it.

Zargol Harandi

It's a busy place but definitely worth waiting to find a seat. The food is absolute perfection and the price is worth it. We were two and got the deal of five small dishes for $59 and I could say it was one of the best place I've ever been in Melbourne. The food is fresh and tastes amazing, specially the crying tiger which is an absolute must have dish. Highly recommend this place

Philip Wong

1. Crying tiger's beef was too tough. 2. Thai fried chicken was mostly flour and badly done. 3. Asian greens were tasteless. 4. Prawn dumplings had too much flour and weren't made properly. 5. The pork buns were actually really good. Overall, disappointing.

Rishab Mann

Location :- Tucked away in Brunswick street just off main Parliament St, this place can be easily missed if you're not glued to finding it. The cafes next door (which seem alike from a distance) don't make it any easier to spot! Service :- To be honest, it's much better if you make a booking and go across as we did happen to get a scroungy look the moment we showed up as walk-ins. Tables were empty but we were made to wait about 10 minutes to be seated (that's -1 to start!). Once seated, the service is ok (one of the girls had a perpetual frown on her face whereas the other one was way more pleasant!). Drinks :- 1 ) Homemade Ice Tea - it wasn't a great tasting tea as the green tea was overwhelming and the flavors just didn't have the right balance. I would not recommend this to anyone. 2 ) Ginger Beer - well Bundaberg it was! Served in a glass jar with a piece of lemon, at 4.5 bucks a pop it really isint worth it. If you do serve a well known brand then be courageous enough to tell the clientele "this" is what we're serving and no effort has been put in to improving the taste of the beverage! Food :- 1 ) Crying Tiger - succulent pieces of beef which are meant to be wrapped in the mustard leaves and dipped into a tangy spicy sauce. Fresh and tasty! 2 ) BBQ Lamb Ribs - perhaps the star of the establishment, the meat falls off the bone. The ribs are deep fried and then covered in a sweet sauce. Two thumbs up! 3 ) Thai Ceviche - was on the average tasting dishes that comprised of fish cured with lime in a salad base. The crackers are too thick and tasteless. Not a great combination! 4 ) Crispy Barramundi - the fish is soft and moist but the apple and herbs salad do not penetrate into the fish, rendering the elements as separate rather than an amalgamation of distinctly different flavors. Hit or miss, your call! 5 ) Steamed Pork Buns - by far the best steamed buns I've had in a long long time. This dish is so simple and hence tastes so great. The buns are soft. The pork chunk is crispy. Another winner for sure! Pricing :- At 30 dollars per person (for the 5 dish tasting menu), you will be a bit hungry even after the sampling is over. With a few drinks thrown in, you're looking at 40-50 bucks a head. Below par drinks, great food and ok service for a high price point gets RPS a 4/5!

Fork You

Very busy but you wouldn't know from the level of service! Attentive wait staff - Not a dry glass at any point. The food came out very quickly, and the quality.. WOW. There was nothing our group could fault, it was all delicious. All very reasonably priced - $59 for two people. Will definitely be coming back.

Conor

Awesome food - close to the calibre of chin chin. Small place and reasonably priced. Tapas style food is fun and good beers selection. Will go again.

JZY

（English review below） 最好的asian fusion之一，价格合理，￥59两位可以选5道菜，每道菜的分量刚好适合两个人尝尝味道，但又不会觉得太多变成负担，性价比非常高。 菜式比较创新，且味道普遍都很好，菜单和special也常常更新，过一段时间就会想要去吃一次，推荐crispy barramundi和roast duck,这两道菜好像常年都在菜单上。 甜品也很棒，每个都是$10，可贵的是不会甜死人。 推荐尝尝店家的鸡尾酒，几乎每一个都好喝，很有东南亚风味。 One of the best Asian fusion in town! Reasonable price with 5 dishes for $59. I’ve tried almost every dish here (even though they change menu quite often) and I love them all! I’ll recommend crispy barramundi and roast duck (seems they stay on the menu all the time). The desserts ($10 each) and cocktails are outstanding too. I bet they really put their heart in designing all the dishes and drinks that they offer. RESPECT!

Getinmybelly

•A busy and trendy restaurant that is worth waiting for in the line •Arrive early, if you find yourself needing to wait 45-60min, I suggest to go around the corner to Ombra and have a small bite/ cold brew. Overall, a place I would go back over and over again! •Seua Rong Hai (crying tiger) - literally what the name suggests, you will be crying from the spiciness of the beef and if that isn't enough, you can dip it in the even spicier sauce! •Koi Pla (Thai ceviche) - served in a cute sardine can with rice crackers. Generous serving size and absolutely delicious! •Muu Krob (sticky pork belly) - this was an amazing dish and the pork was very sticky! Very fragrant and the pork just melted in your mouth •Miang Kham (betel leaf) - lobster in combination with pork belly? Interesting flavours! A huge hit! •Bebek Betutu (Balinese roast duck) - served with coconut sambal on betel leaves, delicious! •Vietnamese ice coffee - really good balance of coffee, sweet but not too sweet •Pear Bellini - a refreshing sparkling with a hint of pear sweetness •"Mum, I dropped my ice cream" - literally served like you dropped your ice cream on the floor. If you are ordering a dessert, this one is a must! This is the best dish, period. The combination of the flavours just worked so well that I was tempted to order another! •Kaffir Lime Splice - a contemporary take on Splice with Thai basil granita and coconut ice cream. A perfect dessert for a hot and humid day!

Terence Lee

I've never really been a fan of Asian fusion cuisine but this place has really made me one! I can't really find fault with the food here, really - full of flavour, well presented, innovative. The only negative I suppose is that the restaurant can get a little crowded as the CBD branch is quite small. I guess it's a small price to pay for that scrumptious sticky pork belly. Definitely a must try if you're in the city! And don't forget to make an online booking if you're planning to have lunch there.

Andrew Carland

Amazing food, great friendly service. No bookings for dinner. had to get there at early (530) to get a table for the first sitting, second sitting at 645 ish. Good gluten free range, but only one gluten free desert.

Duty Manager

Delicious asian fusion food at a really reasonable price. We had 5 sharing meals for $59 and it was a great way to taste a few different things. The place is small but not cramped. We came during a Thursday lunch and the service was fast and friendly and the meals came out gradually. I left feeling really full!!... but others with a larger stomach may want a bit more. I will be back.

Linda

On a Friday night, be there once it opens or be prepared to wait in a long queue! We got the 5 for $55 and an extra dish because we thought the portions would be small because it was so cheap. We were wrong! The food was delicious. There was a time limit and the staff kept looking at their watches but they did apologise for rushing us in the end. We managed to squeeze in dessert before our time was up.

Lara May

-Prices has since increased a little to $59 for 5 dishes. -1hr to 1.5hr wait for a table. Seating/Eating sessions go for an hour (to accommodate for people waiting! Much appreciated) -great variety of food -don't expect "traditional" flavours as this is an Asian fusion (accommodating western pallets), Nonetheless great tastes all round. (Probably why there is some negative reviews about this place) -cocktails are different however very enjoyable -staff are friendly -great atmosphere!! Looking for an Asian meal with a bit of a twist? Would recommend this place!

Joyce Wu

What @ricepaprscrs creates could be the best southeast Asia and fusion food in CBD. 😋 I've had Crying tiger/ BBQ Lamb rips/Vietnamese soft shell crab Baguette / Balinese roast duck/ special salad today~ I really appreciate the lamb, crying tiger and soft shell crab baguette. Also paying $55 with 5 dishes chosen by yourself is a great deal!

Elderblood

The soft-shell crab slider was defiantly worth trying. The seafood salad was also packed with great flavors but my friend who couldn't tolerate spicy food found it too hot...I guess it's up to personal preference though. The lamb ribs were a bit greasy and overly sweet for me.

Dora Chen

Were there to celebrate my birthday with my sis, we ordered the set "share the love", however, the food is too greasy, I felt dizzy and uncomfortable afte the meal, all i can to do was going home and having a rest. That day was ruined...will not go again.

Eat_drink_melbs

The food here is excellent! Amazing flavours and presentation. The lambs ribs are the best. Just wish I could rock up and get a table every once in a while.

Victor Chau

Good food but be wary if you're not a fan of spicy dishes. I found the lobster wrap and salads to be overpowered by the spiciness. Similarly the pork belly and ribs would have been much better with less sauce as they were a bit to sweet/salty respectively for my liking. The soft shell crab and Hainanese chicken were refreshingly more balanced.

David

Great experience as always. Had a selection of dishes which were great and flavoursome. The ban mih and pork bao are highlights. Best to get down close to 5:30pm to avoid a wait.

CHI@food

Very pleased with this place.. The service is great, well looked after, modern,ngood food, decent price. Highly recommend the 5 dish for $55, just amazing.

Judge Betty Cocker

HIGH COURT OF CONSUMPTION BETTY COCKER CJ 1. Let's not carried away here, Rice Paper Scissors (the 'Place for Asian food for non-Asians') falls into a very similar bamboo basket as the likes of Chin Chin. 2. Nevertheless, the food ain't bad. That is, if you like overly salted or overly sweetened crazy takes on the CLASSICS. Mama might not be so proud. 3. Could Rock Paper Scissors survive in Asia? No. 4. Does it offer a funky new take on what your Asian friends might have grown up on? Perhaps. I mean, yes that's what it's trying to DO. 5. Alcoholic beverages are this place's saving grace, though. To quote the often misunderstood artist Mr. Kanye West Esquire "And the night is young; The drinks is cold; The stars is out; I'm ready to go." OBJECTION RELEVANCE. 6. Would the JUDGE find herself coming back for a second sitting after a short RECESS? Depends on how much the bribe was. ORDERS 7. The Judge recommends a visit to Rice Paper Scissors purely on the result of a loss in a game of ROCK Paper Scissors with that one friend who for whatever reason LOVES CHIN CHIN, SAIGON SALLY AND LUCY LIU MOVIES, and if it gets you further in the sack.

Alliwantisgoodfood

+: good food (we went for the 5s and loved all 5), service (the staff knew her menu well and was a good help when you only get to choose 5 options from the list) -: not enough stomach to take more (but that's really my problem..), and location I guess (we were seated at the alfresco, and some bright guy from the apartment opposite decided to water his plants at the balcony, and we got some of the droplets at our table). Sit indoors!!

Ramya Manchanda

Fantastic food. Great location and really friendly staff. We couldn't have asked for a better start to our holiday! This was our first meal is Melbourne and after 3 weeks of holidaying I still would count this as the best meal. If you are in Melbourne, it will be a shame to not make a trip here.

Sandy.lee.sn

We enjoyed every lunch dishes esp $59 for 2. The lamb and pulled pork were the highlights for us. Excellent food and customer service. So glad we got a table!

Fussy Eater

Rice Paper Scissors is one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne. Not just because I love modern Asian food but because everything is small and you get to try a little of so many things. For a couple, the standard option is five dishes for $55, bargain (27.50 each). If there are more of you, you all order the same five dishes, they just bring out the number of portions you need. They are flexible and do allow group members to order different options, provided you don't have a group over 12, but don't make it too complicated - be nice to my Rice Paper Scissors peeps, they bring me food gold!

Av

The 5 dishes for $59 cannot be beat. The pork belly is a must, the betal leaves and the crying tiger dishes were also stand outs. I have been here a few time and have tried them all.The staff were warm and welcoming. overall great dining experience.

Michelle Chen

My first question to my friends or colleagues was always "how have you been to Rice Paper Scissors?" You have to try this place out. And you gotta try every dish on the menu. They are outstanding. Super amazing. Just remember to book if not you won't stand a chance to even done there.

Alisha McLean

Came here on a Tuesday lunch time. Was lucky enough to get a table outside and the weather wasn't too bad. My friend and I got the $55 share where you are able to choose 5 different dishes. Every dish was lovely and at the end we were extremely full.

Justin

Loved the food, I get the hype. Whilst most of the food is deep fried, you don't get the feeling you are over indulging. The wait to get a table is quite long but the staff and chef were great. Even though they were super busy they still took the time to chat with us.

Vivien

A BIG FAT 'YES' FROM ME. Rice Paper Scissors takes Asian fusion to the next level. Definitely worth the wait. Go out, have a drink, come back, and enjoy one of the best food experiences of your life. Every dish was done exceptionally well, we especially loved the Crying Tiger Wagyu. Such an amazing experience to eat almost everything by your hands. The staff are warm and welcoming and the desserts - (omg) no shame in picking up your plate and licking it. Definitely recommend.

Chelsey Ramos

AMAZING!!! Wait time was nil but we did get there just before 6pm. The service was great. Both waiters were really friendly. we decided to get the meal deal of $29 pp. I asked the waiter his recommendations which we went with and we were not let down. Amazing food vibe and service can't wait to go back!!!! Thanks guys ☺️

Heidi

Really nice Asian joint for a quick bite to eat, very reasonable prices too. They have 5 dishes for $55. I especially liked the betal leaves and the crying tiger dishes.

Antoniette

We had the Crying Tiger Beef, Lamb Ribs, Crispy Wings, Barramundi and apple salad, and the amazing pork belly. Everything was exceptional. Good amount of food. Great service. Fun bar and the great value for money. Can't wait to go back 🐷🐷

Littlefoodie

Love love love this place! Came down from Sydney and this was on the top 5 to eat places in melbourne and it definitely lives up to the name. Service is amazing - they write down your number when you queue up and text you when your table is ready which is really handy. And get the $59 for 2 people deal because you get to pick 5 tapas to share (which is plenty for 2) We got the wagyu beef (must try!), cucumber salad (pre avg), pork belly buns, lamb and thai fried chicken.

Evah

How have we not found this amazing place before? My usual aversion to places that don't take bookings was set aside once we entered the bar next door for a drink or two while we waited. The 45 minute wait turned out to be just 30 which isn't bad on a Friday night. We shared 5 dishes between two - plenty of food for us both. It's hard to pick a 'highlight' but the betel leaves with lobster and the Balinese Duck were both near the top of the list. This is not the place fora quiet romantic dinner for two. It's noisy, not that comfortable and it's hard not to hear your neighbours' conversations. But here it's all about the food which is sensational. It's easy to find restaurants in Melbourne which charge twice as much for food of much lesser quality. The chef has nailed the 'fusion' concept with tastes of Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and China all seamlessly blended to come up with unique flavors and textures in bite sized mouthfuls. Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

TJ

Food was great. Loved getting 5 dishes to share for only $55. Enough food for two and not too pricey. Staff were a little too abrupt to walk ups asking for tables which did leave me with a sour taste. Can't fault the food though.

Johnny Nguyen

Being young and Vietnamese is probably why I am so into Asian Fusion cuisines. However , not many have successfully pleased me . Either the restaurants were too packed/overrated/overpriced or served meals that were almost entirely recreated and had barely any authentic traditional flavours to it which I personally believe is essential in Asian Fusion cuisines. Anyways , we were the first to pop in on a weekday evening. It wasn't too packed , but we still wanted to be seated outside because I found the setting very unique recreating street food restaurants in south East Asia. We had the option of having them feed us , which was 6 courses for two people. The food served was very simple yet simply amazing. Everyday Asian meals with a twist , it was perfect Asian fusion cuisine , definitely one of the best I've ever been to and would absolutely visit again !

Dani Eats

I really don't understand what the hype is around this place went last Friday and had to wait for an hour to be seated. Me and my partner had the feed me menu where you select multiple dishes for a set price. I couldn't really mention one stand out dish, all I remember is chewy shrimp on one of there dishes.

Melbourne Foodie Girl

I went here for the first time only a few days ago and found it was a bit disappointing. The wait was over an hour, by the time we got to eat all the food had the same flavor pallet, everything kinda tasted the same! Good vibe for a drink however the food is a bit over rated..

Rick Bob

Great ambience and this place combines two of my favourite types of food - Asian and Tapas! Overall the food was tasty without being spectacular. Will be coming back

DisCallsForAMuzz

Great place for finger foods The 3 of us had their tasting plate Dishes served: Crying Tiger Beetle Leaf Thai Ceviche Mini Vietnamese Baguette Balinese Duck Drinks: Vietnamese iced coffee Overall experience was great, quality customer service and food for reasonable price Would recommend if you're after good asian tapas. Dis place calls for a muzz

"JT" Jeffrie Trika

How to set up and run a successful Foodie restaurant 101 .... Learn from this guys; There's NOTHING so super"duper"natural about it, they don't even have a single linen/table cloth on any of their tables, all stools/uncomfortable for a long session but their food and ambiance is much much better and more authentic than Neil Perry's million $ Spice Temple at Crown Complex. If you've been to both, you would know what I meant. First, be Original, Unique and Individual, you don't have to spend a lot of money on it, everyone's got it inside. What they serves are simple authentic recipe, good ingredients and made well, my goodness gracious addictive. What they would eat on a daily basis sort of speak. Second, the food MUST BE authentic, their Thai/Asian inspired food has traces of it, they might have a slight twist to it, serves them differently but still have those authentic flavours. Don't deviate from it. Third, Hawaiian t-shirt Floor Staff .... no, just kidding, lay back, friendly, pleasant, multicultural staff, they are pleasant and a delight to communicate while enjoying their offerings. Fourth, don't make it too big, let people queue up, create the buzz amongst foodies, bigger is only better in Texas or China now, not Melbourne. Lastly, Pricing got to be right, for $30/head, five courses and about $10/drink, say $50, people are happy to dispense that kind of money once or twice per month. Management, can you please add a simple shared dessert and make it $35/head, just a thought. Must say, the only let down on the evening was the last dish, Pork Belly Vegetable, that was TOO salty, it didn't ruined the dish, just not right and too overpowering, then again, a chilled Riesling could help. Enjoyable Wine by the Glass, I'm sure those Cocktails and Beers too. Congrats, well done and happy to come back, if we can get a table. In the meantime, Melbournians and guests are happy queuing up.

Patronus

Excellent service and great food. Reasonable price. A must try place! Soft shell crab baguette was a bit disappointing though. Will def go back again with my friends and will recommend to all my friends.

Hillary Finds Food

I really enjoyed the food served here, I would say it's a fusion between vietnamese and Thai. I did the $59 menu where you choose 5 dishes of your choice from the menu. I was happy with the choices I chose however I was not a big fan of the specials (squid). The pork belly is a must try when you go as well as the crying tiger. Dessert was average, I would try somewhere elsewhere. Service was very accommodating. The staff were friendly and helped with our menu options giving their recommendations and advice.

Lisa Holmen

I have been a long term supporter of Rice Paper Scissors so was really disappointed when I had my first bad experience on Saturday night. Half way through our meal (40 minutes out) we were asked if we could settle the bill since it is apparently one hour maximum of Saturdays. It would have been nice to know this prior to waiting an hour and a half for our table. A place which is promoting shared plates, cocktails and convival dining is now feeling more like a fast food restaurant and just plain greedy. A real shame. The food is consistently good though.

Mzlanah

Fresh, vibrant and flavoursome food. I was completely blown away by the food and the service. The hosts were helpful and the food came out exceptionally fast. Love the variety of share plates as well as the desserts. Would definitely stop here again!

Michelle Lau

Portion of food were small as compared to the price, staffs were welcoming and location was somewhat easy to find. Overall an average experience.

Shruti Mouli

Lovely little place with awesome food! Friendly staff and super accommodating! A great little find and will definitely go back to try the rest of their menu.

Maggie Hunter

If you can get a seat in this tiny little place in an alleyway, you'll be sure to delight yourself. Delicious food, friendly wait staff and quick service. I love this place !! Jan 2017 Came back here after a while. The food are still delicious & packed with flavour and the wait staff are still great. Except this time, when the food came in, it was in totally in the wrong order. The side dish came first then followed by its matching main dish half an hour later. You’re supposed to eat the warm roti with the curry Together!! Granted the place was busy, but there should better communication between the kitchen and the wait staff and also a bit of common sense from the kitchen. I still love this place.

Theodora Minas Gianniotis

Highly recommended & rightly so, this is cutting edge fusion in a cutting edge atmosphere. Vietnamese soft shell crab roll was just perfect & the cured kingfish melted in your mouth like butter served on the homemade nigella seed prawn cracker. The crying tiger was extremely satisfying for two, the meat though small pieces was so tender, & the drunken poached chicken was so tender with salty explosions of scattered black bean. You can not book at night but all good, you can have a drink at the quirky bar next door while you wait for your table, well worth the wait. Another tucked away gorgeous Melbourne gastronomy must visit.

Redwine

Love this place - when you can get in! Soo popular but really worth it. Great, tasty food and reasonably priced. Looking forward to exploring the menu further!

A Chronicle Of Gastronomy

Rice Paper Scissors has been making waves since it opened and I’ve been wanting to try it for the longest time. We arrive for lunch, specifically so that we can book a table. We arrive just before 12pm and there are already people being told they’ll have to wait for the second seating at 1:30pm. We take a seat at the bar, which is perfect for two people. The high stools are well spaced, and the counter area is relatively deep, making it easier to fit our order on the table. In fact they’re roughly the same depth as the communal tables, but customers sit side by side rather than opposite one another, making it even more roomy (relatively speaking).

Kpling

Lamb Rib, wagyu beef is great. Pork belly, soft shell ..average and the barramundi .. Octopus ..a let down. Crowded and popular place but not worth the hour wait. Too noisy and no private space to enjoy a meal .. Service is nothing to shout about. Guess everyone go for the hype.. Nothing differentiating from another Thai fusion place.

Leah Sen

We made a booking here for 6 people for Sunday lunch. The staff were super friendly and explained to us how the menu works, $30 a person and you get to choose 5 tapas dishes and the portions would be appropriate for 6 people. The Vietnamese ice coffee was refreshing and it was good as you could choose how sweet you wanted it by how much condensed milk you mixed in. My favorite dish was probably the caramelized pork belly and the crab tacos! Food was fresh, full of flavor and the portion sizes where just perfect. We also got a side of Papaya salad which was delicious. We left feeling very content and happy with the food and service! Would definitely recommend this place for a smallish group, and would advise to make a booking before hand as it is very busy (understandably).

Ezio Hungary

Small restaurant with high reputation, so don't expect to get a table easily. The BBQ Lamb ribs was the best dishes we ordered, well flavored and tender. I liked the sticky pork belly as well. Their service was good even they were under pressure with people keeping asking for tables. Good job!

Tempting Palates

One of our greatest finds is Rice Paper Scissors tucked away at 19 Liverpool St, Melbourne. We went for lunch and loved it so much that we decided to go back again the next day so we could take photos as this place was a must blog about restaurant. It's a cool and quirky place with wooden tables and funky artwork on the walls and it is instantly inviting when you walk in.

Tony

Restaurant was small and it is difficult to get a seat during the dinner period. Luckily my second attempt was successful. Food was amazing but it wasn't filling. Other than that, no complaints.

Kaushik Som

Fast, furious, delicious, busy and cosy. If you are looking for good eat but don't want to spend a money come here. We tried the rice paper roll, combination vermicelli and the fish. Best one though was the fresh sugarcane juice. If you have tried this before go for it again. If you have not its high time you get introduced to this heavenly tropical drink.

Roshanak Samadirad

Disappointing place, very small portions and over priced, you come out of the place hungry while you have paid a lot of money.very ordinary and average taste. do not recommend this place.

MF

was good when i went there with my family, we ordered quite a lot with also the special menu that was offered. the ceviche was definitely a must :)

DuckieLovesToEat

I have been going to this place so many times now and I must say I don't think I will ever get tired of it. They are always busy. I suggest you come here on opening hours because people queue up for this. Three of my memorable dishes are Crying tiger - chargrilled wagyu beef with a spicy citrus dipping sauce & Sticky pork belly - twice cooked pork in a tamarind caramel sauce topped with feagrant herb salad and the duck dish. Everything we ate were all good. Customer service is also good and regardless of it being quaint, it sure left a huge impact on my taste buds.

Gee

Love this place: priced superbly at just under $30 per person for 5 different tapas dishes of modern Asian fusion. Rotating specials board. Try it, I've never been disappointed. Also, special mention to the staff here - always happy and friendly and genuinely seem to love working here.

LeixD

Came here today with a friend and got the 5 dishes for $59 deal. Everything we ordered was great and full of flavour and I liked the concept of sharing & being able to use your hands. The only let down was the Galloping horses dish which just tasted funny. It didn't taste like pork and the shrimp was also hard, sort of like dried shrimp so me and my friend only ate the pineapple. Overall it was a nice place, the restaurant had a really hipster vibe to it and it quickly filled up and people had to line up.

Samantha Tyrrell

My favourite restaurant in all of Melbourne. Stumbled across RPS by chance and after perusing their menu, thought that it was very much up to Chin Chin standards. A 6 course meal later and I can confirm that this is very much the case. The dish of the evening was the pork belly, and should not be missed. Our waiter assured us that this was their signature dish and it is clear why this is the case! The Bahn Mi and Bao were also delicious and I would order them again. The flavour theme that runs through a majority of RPS' dishes combines coriander with chili and lime and creates a zingy, fresh feel to their food. Unlike many other restaurants that may leave you feeling overly full and groggy, this food leaves you energized and wanting more. Will happily be making myself a regular at RPS.

Gem

We arrived to find a small restaurant packed to the brim. People were spilling out onto the streets, but these people didn’t seem to be waiting for a table. But given the reviews I’d read, we weren’t surprised when the maître d' told us it would be an hour wait! We put our phone number down and she said she’d text us when our table was ready. Luckily there was a cute bar around the corner (TRUNK), so we went for a drink while we waited for our table. Thank goodness we were only around the corner, because an hour later we got a text saying that our table is ready and they would hold our spot for only 10 minutes. So a word of warning, if you are willing to wait, don’t go very far! After waiting an hour, we were STARVING, and so eager to order! I can honestly say we barely looked at the menu. We opted for the ‘Share the Love’ option, where you can choose 5 menu items to share between 2 people for $59 (Note: The menu displayed on Zomato says $55, however this price has recently gone up. Also, the menu on Zomato is a little different to the one in-store. Perhaps it has some recent updates.) We picked the first 5 items that had appealing titles and locked our eyes on the waitress until she noticed us. The food didn’t take long to come out at all, which was great. However they often didn’t wait for us to be finished one course before they brought out another. This wasn’t a huge deal, but it sometimes felt like they were trying to rush us out the door by throwing all the meals at us at once; and with such a small bench space we couldn’t really fit more than two meals at our table anyway! The only other slightly annoying thing was the order of the dishes. We ordered two pork dishes, and they came out one after another. If might have been nice to mix it up and have a chicken or duck dish between the two pork, but again, just a minor annoyance. There was nothing else to fault really! The pork buns were absolutely to die for, as was the rest of the food!!! The ribs melted off the bone instantly and were succulent in the centre while nice and crispy on the outside. Those two dishes definitely stood out for me. The sauce that accompanied the duck was a way too spicy for my taste, but that's a personal choice. Without the sauce the duck was tender. The wait staff were friendly and helpful, and the bartender was very entertaining to watch, as he made cocktails with great enthusiasm. Overall it was a really great dining experience and I'd definitely recommend it! Will be back for sure!

Carlo Macatuggal

Really great food! Had the special $59 for 5 dishes and it was great. I liked 4 out of the 5 dishes, it's probably because I didn't read the description. But the four I had were some of the best food I've ever tasted. Great customer service, and great location.

Vincent Vu

Opened in 2013, Rice Paper Scissors is a quirky little spot located on the Eastern end of the CBD. The concept is simple: a fusion of Vietnamese and Thai street food. Although this little beauty has been around since 2013, it is constantly hustling and bustling with diners.

Casey Zaccaria

This place was absolutely amazing! Should cost so much more for the quality of the food. Went on a Wednesday and luckily grabbed a spot right when the place opened as people behind us were told there would be an hour and a half wait. Lamb ribs are a must!

Hanburger

I was really excited to try this place out considering all the hype. I agree with the other reviews, there was no diversity in flavour; dishes consisted of overwhelming amounts of lime and coriander. The kingfish and soft shell crab were not fresh, leaving a very unpleasant sea after-taste. My biggest let down was the papaya salad - it did not taste even close to what it should, again just an overpowering lime taste, no elements of saltiness and chilli. My coconut/lychee drink also had excessive amounts of lime... However, great vibes and great service!

To Anh Duy

I love so much this restaurant, food is amazing. But too many people and the place is too small, I waited more than 1 hour for my turn . Staff are very nice and beautiful!

David Oldfield

After a little hiccup the night before we landed a spot at this much talked about eatery. It was worth the wait. Although two dishes were a little samey (coriander / chilli), they were all winners. We had the $59 share deal which compromised of barramundi, fried chicken, belly pork, greens and a seafood special. On top of that we had a couple of good cocktails. Worth the wait to kick back and relax in a cool atmosphere.

Perpetuity Of Food

To avoid circling around the block while waiting for a table, definitely try to arrive as early as possible, even for a mid-week dinner. We opted for the "share the love" menu. The five dishes we chose were the kingfish ceviche, lamb ribs, mini soft shell crab baguettes, crispy barramundi and the Thai seafood salad (a special on the night). All the dishes were super fresh and most of them were reasonably spicy as well. Service was generally friendly, but a little disorganised, with multiple waiters approaching us in quick succession with the same questions. Acav will be back.

I_M_M_ND_

Price just went up when we came. It was 55 for two share with 5 dishes. Now 59. But still da best. Killed it. Perfect lamb rib, wonderful King prawn, well done pork belly, da best sore shell crab. Too full so did not finish the duck leg. Promise to come back in 2016 try the other dishes. Made my day happy. Love it.

Food Is A Blessing

This place deserves 5 star for the best asian fusion dishes they have, kind and helpful staff members and cool ambiance. The location doest give justice to its quality. They should be located somewhere obvious. They have a to share set menu of 5 dishes $55 for 2 people, which is a good value of money. Everything they served us was Yum!. Wagyu beef salad and lamb bbq melts in your mouth, crab rolls were so tasty, pork belly was really tasty and the ceviche was perfectly seasoned! I cant wait to go back and try other dishes they have! My friend and i really enjoyed it

Marine Piersotte

The restaurant is small but very modern and cosy. It was full and we were put on a waiting list. 1h later we were seated at the bar, and we honestly had a great meal: took the option of 5 dishes for 59$ + a desert and their homemade coffee with condensed milk (it looked too good when the barman made it). The dishes were all very unique and creative, you HAVE to try the ceviche and duck! Unfortunately all dishes are quite spicy, which means that at the end of the 5 meals, our mouths were on fire and couldn't taste much. Apart from this, this restaurant is seriously awesome and worth the wait, the staff is fantastic and give great recommend. Would definitely want to go back soon ;)

Patrickctully@gmail.com

This place is fantastic. I dined here several times when it first opened and was incredibly impressed. The only thing that has changed is how busy it is. It is always pumping. Put your name on the door and pop next door to Double Happiness for a cocktail. The atmosphere inside is great with a very Melbourne buzz to it. Try and get a seat at the bar if you can. That way you can watch everything going on and chat to the bartenders.

Melb > Perth Girl

Loved it from the moment I walked in amazing atmosphere, to the staff's quirky personality, the food was epic!! We left it up to the waitress to give us a variety can't wait to come back and eat again 👌

Anna

Had a delicious lunch today - all dishes (especially the ribs and the pork belly) were fantastic, and the mango crush drink was delicious. Our only issue was the serving sizes. As a group of 3 we ordered 4 dishes to share. The waitress told us that would not be enough however, so we ordered 5. At roughly $12 each, 5 dishes for $60 was still a great deal! Not only was the 5 dishes waaaaaay too much food though (we sent one dish back, and still couldn't finish the 4 we had in front of us), when paying we noticed we had been charged extra for each dish. So instead of getting a regular sized serve for $12 like we expected, we were given bigger serves for $18. Great - if we had asked for it. The meal ended up being much more than we expected and we wasted quite a bit of food. All in all - a great place, however check how much they are charging you, and don't order as much food as they tell you to!

Vinny

Woah this place is the bomb man.. So lived up to its hype! Got the 5 dishes for $55 per 2ppls. So got a taste of everything.. Ribs beef fried chicken and pork belly. Every dish was so good. Even got some. Random lychee cocktail which was awesome. Have to visit similar to chin chins imo :)

VARUN KAPOOR

Had lunch here with my wife on my birthday and fell in love with this tiny little restaurant. Great service and friendly staff. Food was absolutely delicious - we loved the Lamb Ribs, Sticky Pork Belly and the Wagyu Beef dish (Crying Tiger). The fried thai chicken dish and the steamed pork buns were pretty good too. We didn't order any seafood as I'm allergic to shell fish but some of the sea food dishes on other people's tables looked amazing.. i couldn't help but look ;) ..I strongly recommend this place and will definitely visit again when back in Melbourne.

Cookielessvee

amazing place for a reasonable price. ordered 5 dishes for $55 and it was enough to fill the two of us. dishes came out fast and service was quick. food was amazing especially the thai ceviche. simple yet delicious and met our tastebuds. drinks were refreshing. come back again

Uroldoc

Really great place for lunch. Come early as always packed solid. Special kudos to our friendly American waiter for excellent child friendly service. Limited menu but everything is done so well. Only downer is the small space and uncomfortable stools but given recent rave reviews I suspect an expansion isn't far off

Robyn O'Riley

Sooooo amazing I had ribs and they were just supreme it's the best restaurant in Melbourne and we are going back next time we are in Melbourne! (I am 9 years old)

Grizzly

Nice small restaurant hidden down one of Melbourne's Laneways. Menu is set up as an East Asian Fusion tapas which was fun and delicious! It was also quite affordable considering the high standard of food!

Jason See

For a first time customer to Rice Paper Scissors must say it was awesome, the service was fast and the meals were to die for, as it was an anniversary lunch it was great, like the meals were very filling and the Vietnamese espresso martini was delicious and lychee crush was refreshing, the staff were really really fantastic and ever so nice,I strongly recommend Rice Paper Scissors to anyone that is looking for a great place for dinner or lunch. Jason See I give Rice Paper Scissors 100 stars

S-foodie-d

I like the vibe of this place (to catch up with some friends for a drink) however if your looking to get food because your hungry and just want a good feed i don't think this is the place to go. It seems as though they use the same flavor palette on all the dishes. It all tasted the same. Could not really distinguish flavors between the dishes. (Also the small prawns were dry and chewy.) It's a clever spot because it's cheap food that is using similar ingredients for most dishes but has more expensive drinks. Overall it's a nice place with great staff, the food just seems overrated to me.

Ashley Dong

goodddddddddddd！！！！！140 words！？ok，ok，ok，ok，i just want to improve that I already came this restaurant. gooddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

May

Came to check out this place after seeing the awesome reviews and we were indeed happy with the quality of food! Opens at 12 and the place is quickly filled up in no time. Ordered 3 dishes - wagyu beef , sticky pork belly and the soft shell crab banh mi - everything was packed with flavour! Also enjoyed watching the bartenders mix the cocktails while waiting for our food heh.

HellsBathroom

Cheap quality food in the city is hard to find in the city. The one hour restriction might seem a bit full on but the food come out straight away.

Natasha Juchkov (Culinary Runway)

This was my birthday "surprise" dinner at another one of Melbourne's modern, fusion Asian restaurants, serving up amazing, reinvented dishes palatable to more taste buds than some of your traditional flavours and ingredients. Left: Homemade Ice Tea - $4.50I don't remember the exact flavour. It changes regularly,but this was of a mango, coconut, lime flavour.I really enjoyed the flavour, reminded me of mango nectarwith some herbs. However, it was a really hot nightand the drinks only came out quite warm, which madethem less refreshinglyRight: Vietnamese Ice Coffee - $3.50Not a great Vietnamese coffee, it was quite dilute.Would recommend getting another drink over this.

Belinda

There was a bit of a wait for seating (venue not full) and order being taken but not a big deal. Food was delicious. $55 for 5 dishes between two is great value and we get to try everything! All of the dishes were presented nicely and really delicious!

Princess_Porky

Went without any expectations. Was very pleasantly surprised. The 1 hour time restriction is rather limiting but overall, it's a pretty good deal. Ridiculously reasonable in price. In fact, rather cheap. The sharing courses allow you to get a lot of variety. The fried chicken was the standout, as was the kingfish ceviche. Make sure you get the terrarium dessert!!!

Deborah Pacheco

Love this place. Tasty meals, friendly staff & a gorgeous ambiance. A long wait for a Thursday but this was worth the wait. I'll be back for more

Munchinmelbourne

Great busy crowded place. Get there early or there's a wait list. Awesome and cheap 2 person menu 5 different dishes for $55. Love the different take on banh xeo with the tom yum flavoring.

Foodandwinefan

I arrived just as lunch service was finished (2.28) but was allowed in *yay*! I ordered the goi ga which was just ok - the chicken had a bit of an unexpected smoky flavor. will definitely be back to try more of the menu!

Boxitrepeat

Loved this place! It's so popular we had to wait 1.5 hours but thankfully, my friend went down earlier to place his name on the waiting list. And though it was only an hour seating, dishes came really quick! My favourites were the incredibly tender pork ribs and the thai fried chicken, thought their crab specials was the least impressive. Worth it as you're paying for quality flavourful food! Would definitely return.

Instamato

Pretty average. The crispy barramundi dish was not exceptional kinda tasted like regular fish and chips and the sticky pork belly was unpleasant to eat. Large chunks of pork with thick layers of fat didn't make it the most appealing of dishes

Nom Nomz

Dined here on a Saturday with a party of 6 and we lovedd it! Arrived at the place early (5.50pm) for dinner to beat the weekend crowd and were seated straight away! :) We were told we could only have the table for an hour but we didn't mind as we have been wanting to try this place. The waiters promptly explained the menu and we opted for the five dishes for $55 for two people for the 6 of us. Great funky vibe with upbeat music, perfect place for a first date or a casual catch up with friends. Highlights of the night would be the: Lobster Thai Saladon Betel Leaf (special) - Not a big fan of pork but the dish was yummy!! Although a tad on the small side. Crying Tiger - Always a good choice, beef was perfectly cooked to medium rare. BBQ Lamb Ribs - Sticky whiskey marinated lamb ribs was the favorites around the table. The meat was soft and falling of the bones👌🏻 The duck was really good too! Soft duck meat that tasted like chicken, which was a plus point as I'm not a big fan of duck. Last but not least - Dessert! We had mum I've dropped my ice cream which was three scoops of yuzu Ice cream with crumbs (can't remember what it was) but they were really good. Will be coming back for this dessert for sure. Despite the 'one hour table seating', they allowed us to take our time to enjoy our desserts. Kudos!

Melbourne Foodie Memoirs

Delicious and affordable asian fusion We ate at the CBD restaurant. The place is small so there is often a wait for tables. We arrived at around 5:30pm on a Friday night and were seated by 7:00pm. Make sure you come early! We chose the option of five dishes for $55 for two people. A great option - the menu is designed for sharing. The steamed pork buns were sensational! We also really enjoyed the Balinese Roast duck and the Thai ceviche. The cocktails are equally as amazing! We love Rice Paper Scissors for the delicious food at reasonable prices.

Howard Phung

Top 3 Zomato Rating in Melbie. Asian Tapas Bar. Most of Dishes had alot of WOW factor with amazing blend of spicy and sour. My favourite was the crying tiger beef, charcoal grilled beef wrapped & lobster Thai salad.

XiaoHui Teo

Been trying to dine here for a couple of times but they are always crowded with long queue! Came here early in the evening and managed to get ourselves a seat. We had the $55 for 2 options which allow us to choose any 5 items on the menu to share. We had their specials of the day lobster and pork belly salad, grilled lamb ribs, kingfish ceviche, balinese roast duck and chargrilled beef with spicy citrus dipping sauce.

Bayu Prasakti Tjandra

One of my favourite places to eat in Melbourne. Love the modern tapas take on some of the Asian street food delicacies. Had the $55 choice of 5 tapas which I enjoyed. The Thai kingfish ceviche is well balanced and complimented beautifully with the crispy crackers. The crying tiger is a little chewy and is not as spicy as I want it to be, but still pretty decent. The crispy barramundi salad is so delicate and reflect the balance of sweet, spicy and sour of Thai flavours. The Thai style fried chicken is savoury, succulent and moist. Love it. The soft shell crab banh mi is one of my favourites. The chicken liver pate brings the umami into the dish, complimented with fresh pickled vegs. I was so impressed with the food so the table decided to order the balinese duck betutu, which is a pretty good attempt on capturing the Indonesian flavour through the heavy use of spices. The decor is modern and funky and the staff is friendly and informative. Everything was worth it.

Hannah Duong

Food and service were sensational, we couldn't have enough of the caramelised pork belly (highly recommended). The staff were very friendly and service was quick. We ordered 5 dishes and we couldn't find faults with any of them. I am surprised at how creative the chef is, you can still tell Vietnamese dishes but with a different take on them. Highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.

Rerai Eve Cragg

After all the hype was not worth it. Thai food with no Rice? I'm not too sure if our ancestors agree.Most of the food and influences this place is probably a region called "Eesan" North east of Thailand. I was born thereand very picky with my food. Great taste and all but No rice is not complete Thai food and is called "Rice, Paper, Scissors" Rice at the front, ....make sense????

Woofa R

A vibrant little restaurant serving delicious asian fusion food. We waited for a table for around 45 minutes (waiter was accurate in estimate) and then we sat down for a meal of fast, fresh and fabulous tasty meals. We were recommended the Galloping Horses to try (which we weren't sold on looking at the menu) and were surprised by the zesty, tasty explosion in my mouth. The Crying Tiger wagyu beef melted inn our mouths whilst several of the dishes included fresh, tasty, asian herbs which are always to die for. Only negative was having a one hour sitting ( we weren't advised this when we requested a table) but the time did allow us to have a beautiful meal, well priced with great table service. Highly recommend!

Megan M

This is a nice little place in town if you want to try a selection of asian tapas dishes. We tried the $55 lunch special which got us 5 different plates to share between 2. I loved the lobster betel leaf wrap (although a little messy to eat), the pork belly buns and the duck. I'd definitely go back but next time would order something other than the crying tiger (meat was quite chewy and hard to bite through - maybe a different cut would have been better?) or the papaya salad (tasty but just not spicy enough).

Roshanaksamadirad

very average food, small portion and expensive, we came back hungry from the place, considering that we ordered lots of plates and paid a lot of money, we had to go for a pizza after that.

HH24

Nice little casual style hawker restaurant. Drinks are great too. Especially for a post work drinks and small foods it's perfect. Would definitely come back

C

Very tasty food and great value for money. Has a reasonably sized choice of dishes to order, most of which are very good. Some of the specials can be hit and miss - which is why they probably don't make it on to the regular menu. Eclectic choice of drinks, including SongSam Thai whiskey (which is really rum!), which you seldom see in Melbourne. Staff are very friendly, but can be a little too casual. Gets very busy at peak times.

Minh Thuy Le

If you're coming here in large groups, don't expect to order one of everything or mostly everything as you will be limited to the $55 for 2 option where you can only choose 5 different dishes for the whole group. The atmosphere was lovely although a little cramped and noisy or if you would prefer to describe it as... lively. Food was great for the most part. We ordered crispy coconut wafer (was okay), BBQ lamb ribs (recommended), thai fried chicken (also recommended), mini Vietnamese baguette (must try) and Balinese roast duck (not impressed). I would come back here for tapas or lunch if its not too busy.

Andreas Saputra

Waiters are polite and kind. However, the food service is a little bit slow. My recommendations are the crying tiger, ceviche and balinese duck

Shantanu Agarwal

A tapas food outlet located on Liverpool street, though I went to this place after seeing marvelous reviews but was disappointed with the less variety on Chicken and mutton! Food variety mostly consisted of Pork and lamb, which I don't eat! Lol! But I did tried "One Inch Punch" which was a terrific vodka cocktail sprinkled with little orange juice! Cost effective place, must try!

Sue

Had the $55 for 2 menu which included 5 dishes. We picked the lamb ribs, fried chicken, bbq king prawns, betel leaf with lobster and crying tiger wagyu beef. Cant fault the food! My friend also didn't really like the drink she had ordered and the waiter actually offered to swap it which was very nice and unexpected! They have a 1 hour dining policy because it's quite a small place and it was packed even on a Tuesday, but definitely worth a visit.

Ai Ng

Great price and great taste! Would say if you like dining at chin chins but aren't quite happy with the prices then this is your spot! They allow you to pick 5 items from their menu for a set price!

Jeffery Lim Shi Qiang

Food and service was amazing here. Didn't have to wait long either. The dishes that really stood out for me was the Galloping Horse and BBQ Lamb Ribs. Will be back for more!

Putfoodinme_

Amazing. Loved everything about our experience to Rice Paper Scissors. The menu offered just enough without being overwhelming. With just an hour to eat dinner - it's not the most leisurely meal, but the food is quick and delicious and there were definitely no complaints at my table. Favourite dishes were the coconut wafers with pork and prawns (pretty much Asian tacos), the fried chicken and the lamb ribs. Can't wait to come back. New Blog Post is now up :)

Marietta

Mate, less than $30 bucks for 5 tapas...you can't get it anywhere with that price. The other bonus is that, the food were so tasty. You will seriously lick those plates because of the yummy sauce and flavouring. A funky place with super cool staff. And yes, you will be super full after.

Lauren Green

Probably the best dinner I've ever had. Do your self a favour, it's worth the wait for a table. Go next door for a drink and they'll text you when the table is ready. The food is delicious and fresh, small plates designed to share between 2. We tried 5 and couldn't pick a favourite dish, they were are unique and delicious!

K

Wow what an amazing dinner! The food here is so tasty & is very well priced. You may have to wait for a table but it's certainly worth it. The cuisine is South East Asian & is designed to be shared. Pairs have the option of a $55 menu, in which you can select any 5 dishes from the menu to share. We had lamb ribs, a chicken salad, king fish sashimi, fried chicken & pork belly. All 5 dishes were delicious, although the ribs were the standout. The staff are great & the host does a fantastic job of managing expectations re. wait times. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves & will certainly be heading back.

Lola Pok

The food was great. It really was fantastic. But i wouldn't ever come back. Its one of those Melbourne places where you have to wait forever for a table. We got there just after it opened and were told we had to leave by 7. We kept getting harassed by the staff to order food straight away. Even though it all pretty much comes out at once. I like to relax and enjoy my dining experience without watching the clock, so this place just wasn't for me.

Foodie1988

Went here for lunch and absolutely LOVED it. Went early (1130am) because we knew it would get busy and it did. We weren't aware but Apparently you can book tables. The place is small but quite cosy. Service was 5/5 and there was a waiter who kept filling our water glasses even though we had a bottle of water on our table! Talk about good service. We left with very full tummies indeed. We ordered 5 dishes among 3 of us, whichever dish you want they will make it enough for 3 people so it wont be too small or too big, just right!! Highlights: the sticky pork and baramundi, and the prawns were huge!! The chiang mai bloody mary was bloody amazing as well, just the right amount of spice in there to give it the kick it needs. Will definitely come back. Highly recommended!

Mabel Lee

Been there twice and still in love with their food!! Highly recommend their sticky pork belly, crying tiger(beef) and Thai ceviche!!! Too bad that you can't make bookings for the CBD outlet, but overall, it's worth it!!

Jane Xiaoqing Xu

waited 40 mins, but totally worth it! very nice soft drinks, love the soft shell buns. and $55 for 2 ppl of 5 dishes! not pricy at all~ .....

Umami

Seated at 8pm after putting our names down at 6.30pm. Not too bad for a Thursday night considering you can pop next door for drink at Double Happiness while you wait. Ate lots of delicious dishes with the lamb ribs and beef dumplings (special) as a standout. Very loud inside, may try an outside table next time now the weather is warming up. Good value and friendly staff.

Anweener

Great food, loved the pork buns the most. As the sessions are limited to one hour they will seat you if some of your group is late (which is awesome). FOH was friendly and helpful, other staff were good. Tables are bar style so you are sharing with randoms but doesn't feel too cramped. Really enjoyable experience but would probably not wait that long again (1 hr), or at least not frequently as food needs to go one level higher to be worth it. Get the pork buns!

Smily

Everything are soooo Good！ the food service and environment and location! Can't wait for the second time! Must try everything on the menu >•

I. D.

Lovely food. I didn't like the service. Also, we asked for no coriander, which apparently wasn't possible because very dish has coriander. They would try to put no coriander where possible, and then brought out a dish with fresh coriander leaves on top. The music was too loud to make conversation.

Victoria

Down a nestled single car laneway on the parliament end of town, Rice Paper Scissors is one of my all time favourites. I stumbled across this place when it had first opened, it was lunchtime and no one was inside. Bravely, a friend and I went in and were blown away by the flavours and the banquet style mini feast. As time moved on, it became a hotspot. Because I love it so much, I'll even hold out for a significant wait time on a Saturday night. There's a bar around the corner so it's win win. Love your work guys.

Streamy

Awesome! The most delicious food I have ever tasted in Melbourne! Uh... Even in my life! Really amazing! We 3 girls enjoy all the dishes here! We will come back again!

Ann Jacob-Chandler

Melbourne's food scene is an exciting one. Places like Rice Paper Scissors add to and indeed make that reputation. We found the place using Zomato and decided to try our luck getting a space without booking( it was a Wednesday night). The place was chocka and we were told it would be an hour's wait. After dilly dallying we popped over to the Double Happiness bar next door and waited a looong time. The wait was worth it. We opted for the 5 courses for two to share for $55. Excellent value for dinner! We started with roast duck served with betel leaf and Asian garnishes. It was excellent. Each of the following courses: fried chicken, crying tiger, Vietnamese baguette and the green papaya salad were all absolutely delicious. Rather than the typical western approach of using bread as a medium to soak up or serve food, the restaurant used Asian leaves, mainly betel leaf. It made the food so much delicious and kept the stodge factor at bay. Sadly as we got our table really late, we did not have time for dessert although the menu looked very good. Definitely recommend a visit but I also recommend booking in advance!

Jay Linsell

We had seen that it opened at 6, so we tried to get there a little earlier.. but was shocked to find the place was already full, and had to go on a waiting list. We got there a bit before 6 and went on a waiting list, and was seated around 7. The food was delicious! We had the Barramundi, Crispy Pork Belly, Thai Fried Chicken, Steamed Pork Buns and Mini Bahn Mi's. They also have the best espresso martini's too! The service was impeccable! We were going to be running late to see the Lion King, so the staff were super friendly and helpful, and done everything they could to speed our dishes up and bring us the bill early. The atmosphere is great there, and we look forward to going back when we're not so rushed for time.

Simone

Most of the food that we ordered were so delicious! Ribs were by far my favourite. Really bad that they don't take bookings, as it's a really tiny restaurant, so wait can be for hours. The 5 dish deal is a great way to sample as much as possible!

Rice Sistar

I was so shocked that This little gem was almost full when I got there at 5:45pm . Its One hour sitting . You get a nice relaxed atmosphere in here and I totally understand why people would love to come here . Look it's not an idea place for long catch up chi chat session as you will find by 6:15 The whole street will be full of people waiting outside and they will wait for 1 or 2 hours just for any table that is available . So waitstaff will ensure you have to finish within an hour . But having said that . All the waitstaff are super friendly and attentive . I must say the customer service there are way above the food . $55 menu to share for two are highly recommended.You get to choose any 5 dishes on the menu . Each portion is bigger then just ordering dishes individually and most importantly it's great value for the money . This restaurant offers Viet/Thai fusion Asian kinda food . Since my gf she is Viet . I got her ordered all 5 dishes which included sticky pork belly and lamb rack ,two dishes that most of the customer would recommend . Also got Thai fried pop chicken , pork belly bun ,and roast duck . Look I know a lot of people saying the food are really good but To me . I didn't think their food was worth for an hour wait . I have found Most of the dishes have quite Similar palette and taste . They all have Coriander , lime , sugar , chili etc so when you have it together it tasted like the same . I wouldn't recommend anyone to order coconut roast duck . It was extremely dry and tasteless , Thai fried chicken was ok and nothing special . Stick pork belly was hmmmmm . Below my standard. If you pay little extra . Red spice road is a better option for Similar type of food . And they famous of the sticky pork that will totally steal your heart . So if you ask me would I go back again and knowing I need to wait for 2 hours ? I won't . I enjoyed everything else just the food got me disappointed .

Julie

We went at precisely 6:01pm and there were already three groups seated inside. Thankfully the service is very fast (perhaps a little too fast) and so the waiting won't be very long. It gets quite loud inside and is difficult to relax -- certainly not the place for a leisurely chat over dinner. It can start to feel very rushed too. The service is friendly and efficient but you could tell that they wanted to churn through as many customers as possible. The 5 dishes for $55 option is more than enough for two people and they have a good variety to choose from as well. Unfortunately, we seemed to have selected options that ended up being quite similar so the dishes kind of blurred together after a while into a heady mix of lime, chilli and coriander. The lamb ribs are delicious and well-portioned, and definitely must-have. Crispy barramundi was also done well. Sticky pork belly was perhaps a bit rich. Thai ceviche ended up being overpowering with the lime and very sweet. And I can't remember the other one.

Meltoneater

Soo soo soo good, exceeded my expectation！Bring eating experience to a whole new level. The staff are professional, warming and accommodating. Totally gonna come back again, to try everything on the menu！！！

Saabrin J

If you're looking for the perfect place that caters to all your senses, this is it! Food- 5/5 Two options - either order individually OR go for the $55 for 5 options Note: If you order individually you can't switch to the $55 for 5 options which I think is fair. My hubby and I went for 4 options with couple of glasses of wine and because the portions were decent, we didn't crave for a 5th dish. Price pt- Mid range. Not $60 for 2 as stated by Zomato but more in the $75-80 range if you're looking to drink and trust me with the amazing vibe, you will want to! Cocktails are $17 approx Wine -$9-11 Ambience-Cramped/shared seating but we didn't mind at all Special note-due to the high turnover strategy (or because of the high demand), they have a cap of 1 hour for dining in. We didn't have a problem with that. The service was efficient enough so there wasn't a long wait between dishes and we didn't feel rushed. Service- 4/5 From the polite usher to the wait staff (Ive said this in previous reviews. This makes a big difference in over all experience) Ambience- Funky vibe/Great music Will definitely be back!

Rares

Small, cosy restaurant with amazing food, even better desert and extremely friendly staff. Ordered the 5 dishes deal and grabbed a variety with my friend as we wanted to try. Food was gorgeously prepared. The venue remains on my 'visit again' list. Please do yourself a favor and try it!

Idon'tcookbutIeat

Best. Ever. So, so, so tasty and fresh. Great service. Fun vibe. AMAZING food. Great cocktails. Love it! Would live here if I could. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😜

Hosaki

Category: Casual Asian fusion Price:

Delightfullytasty

The portions are generous, especially if you go with the 2 people for $55 option which gives you 5 dishes of your choice from the menu. The staff were really friendly and extremely attentive to dietary requirements, and it was a really enjoyable experience overall.

Annie Lu

This cosy hidden germ serves you yummy food w good price, the dish size is perfect for two ppl to share. Make sure you come here a bit early as seats fill up fast!

Sophina Chong

This place was awesome! It's rather small and quite packed at peak hours but it was worth the wait. The staff were really friendly and helpful. As for the food, it was mouth-watering delicious! We had a nice variety of flavours to our dishes.

Clare Louise Wilson

This has to be my new favourite new spot in Melbourne. The wait was about an hour but 100% worth it. The sticky pork was incredible and we where served very quickly.

Facebook User

I'm a Thai food lover and this restaurant with limited seating offers the most delicious Thai food I have ever eaten in Melbourne. The betel leaf impressed me the most! The staffs were friendly Too. I would probably come back to this restaurant again!

Olive Sundays

Rice paper scissors is a cool hawker-style dining space where they serve a range of tasty dishes inspired by South East Asia. Sort of like Asian tapas, there are individual pieces for each person served in share-plates. We had the banquet where you choose 5 dishes from the menu. And then we added dessert of course. The food is amazing and the staff are lovely too.

Julia

We booked a table for 2 and were seated at the bar. We had the 5 courses for $55 - sticky pork, ribs, crying tiger, galloping horses and crispy barramundi. The ribs were outstanding, sticky and melt in the mouth but the pork belly was also fantastic. All in all great food and brilliant value. We will be back.

Josh Hall

My wife and I had the 5 dishes for $55, which is exceptional value for money given the quality of food and portion size. We really enjoyed all of the dishes, and the service was extremely friendly. We were recommended the pork neck by one of the waiters and we both agreed that it was our favourite dish, the sauce had such fantastic flavour we asked for spoon! Definitely recommend Rice Paper Scissors. We've seen comparisons with Chin Chin, which we've been to many times, and overall we preferred the food at RPS.

A.E.L

It was my first time here for me and my friends. I have only heard good things about this place, and I was not disappointed! The food was just amazing. The staff were friendly (especially the manager) :) the pork belly was to die for! And I would definitely be back!

MsLizzyK

As a group of four we had an awesome range of great menu items, all very creatively presented. The ribs were sensational and a highlight for me! The gorgeous lime and cranberry juice was sweet and tart and amazing! Loved my time here!!!

Olivia Xiao

Arrived at Rice Paper Scissors ard 7.30 and got informed that a seat inside is about an hour's wait. Happy to sit outside so only waited for like 10 mins. The girl at the door was very lovely with a nice smile. The waitor served us was very helpful as well. He helped us picked 5 dishes for that $55 for two deal. The food was sensational there. Loved the lamb rib and the sticky pork belly the most! Other dishes are also very lovely! The dining experience there is just great! Will definitely go back!

Courtney

Food was amazing! Especially the lamb ribs, meat melted off the bone. Great value too. Only issue was the blaring music, couldn't even hear the person sitting opposite, turn it down a few notches and would be 5/5!

Facebook User

Food was great .loved the ambience and most of the staffs were friendly and lovely except this blonde girl whose name I believe was Jess .The time I got in she was very rude.I have been working in hospitality and I have done seating and door so I definitely know that isn't the right attitude to approach your customers.Adding to it ,my friend was running late and it was only 10 min and she came up to me and asked me to hurry coz there are other people waiting .I definitely understand the whole waiting list thing but it's only 10 min for god sake and this girl definitely need to learn better way to approach customers .loved the food only the part that let down my evening was this rude girl who definitely need learn better way of dealing with people

Lisa Wang

Cozy little place with great food, had pork bun, sticky pork belly, duck leg, crispy barramundi, lamb rib for 55, great value, the sticky pork belly was the highlight, extraordinary. The ice coffee and lychee punch were exotic with asian taste, very unique as well. Friendly staff and quick service, however waited for 30 mins for a Sunday lunch, not too bad.

Birdman

Arrived at 6.30pm on a Saturday night expecting an hour wait however we got a seat outside straight away under the heater. The food is 10 out of 10 and cheap too. The flavours are just amazing. Galloping horses, pork belly bao, duck leg, a betel leaf and ribs were as good as it gets. 2 of the lamb ribs had next to no meat on them which was pretty crap but didn't matter as the place is so good. Service is sharp and very good to. Definitely will be back.

Eslow

Arrived on a Thursday night just before 6 and all the space indoors had been taken. However it wasn't such a chilly night so outdoors was fine, especially when they turned the heater on. The $55 for 2 was a really great deal, where the options we ordered (including the coconut wafer, soft shell crab, balinese duck, crispy chicken, king prawns) were well balanced and delicious. I would go back to try their other options (the barramundi sounds delectable!) and maybe arriving earlier next time to seat indoors (the kitchen opens at 6, but you can get drinks from 5:30pm onwards). Service was brisk at times but overall satisfactory.

Alexis Lee Yue Xiu

At 55 for two people (or 27.50 pp no matter how big your party is), this is one restaurant to visit. Stick with the tried and true favourites (coconut wafer/soft shell crab/pork belly) and you won't go wrong. The tapas-style menu means you'll have something for everyone and an extremely full belly at the end of the meal. I've tried quite a few of the menu items and they've all been good if not fantastic, (most of them are fantastic, by the way) so two thumbs up for RPS. I recommend this place for a great dinner or lunch that won't hurt your pocket. Plus, the Vietnamese coffee is great and value for money at 3.50 a pop. Sit in the sunshine if the weather allows for a spectacular food experience!

Facebook User

Been here a few times. Food has been consistently great, but the service has been memorably bad the Iast two times, so much so that I am bothering to write a review about it. Most recently, after not acknowledging our group of five for several minutes and then refusing to join two tiny outdoor 'tables' the size of cardboard boxes because one supposedly had enough space for our food and drinks, we went to the Japanese restaurant next door and had a great time. The quality of the food here is great, but it isn't worth the attitude which I've had the misfortune of experiencing more than once.

Nithya Nagarajan

Asian-inspired finger food served up in share platters with a range of beers and cocktails to wash down your meals. The space is cozy, and is tucked away in a lane just off Chinatown. The food is designed to be eaten with your hands, and that tactile act makes the flavour hit even better! At a modest $55 for quick service, unconventional hawker-style menu options and typically Melbourne interiors with bikes and bricks on display, the value for money is beyond question. Line up!

Gabby Webb

Rice Paper Scissors is a popular small Thai restaurant so booking is a must. I had the 'share the love' banquet which you can choose any 5 dishes for $55 (2ppl). A really good deal. The food serves Tapas style. Ordered the Crying Tiger, the Vietnamese sandwhich, Green Papaya salad with king prawns, Stick Pork Belly, and Crispy Barrammundi. I can say that all the dishes were tasty and value for the money. Service was good considering the place was busy. Will try other dish next time!

Natalia

i am totally in love with this place, me and my friends were sitting at the bar in front of the chefs. totally excited as we can see how they prepared the food and the chefs themselves was working in a fun vibe. this place offers people to "use your hands" to eat. The staffs on the other hand was very friendly and one of them was explaining to us about the menu to share (five tapas dishes). we then ordered the fried chicken, crispy barramundi, green papaya salad, crying tiger and the balinese duck. I was totally amazed with the food especially the balinese duck totally brings me back to the time i was having the "bebek betutu", the crispy barramundi was serve with nahm jim dressing which gives a freshness of the dishes. this place will be in my top list and i'll definitely come back and try the other dishes.

Andre Boun

Got there at quarter to 6pm just before service on a Saturday night and it was already chockers, luckily there were just the three of us and they managed to squeeze us in. Service is really friendly and atmosphere nice.decided in the 5 dishes for $55. Ordered the crispy thai chicken, paw paw salad with crispy pork belly, barramundi, sticky pork belly and the Mini soft shell crab baguettes. All were absolutely stunning dishes. Perfect balance of Asian flavours and spices. Highly recommended this place. Think we've just found our new fave restaurant!! Will definitely return again soon!!

Bitter As This Melon

Had very high expections of this restaurant due to the high rating, portion for tapas was fairly decent and unexpected. But there is such a thing as too much seasoning. Granted I only had 2 dishes but felt let down by the overall saltiness of the pork belly. The flavours were not well balanced. There are better places around for similar food. Fairly let down for the price. But I will give them props for the mehkong mule cocktail, was refreshing but could've done with a less fizzier substitute for ginger beer. Not sure what all the fuss is about with the massive line, probably just because it's a tiny restaurant.

Hartini Wong

Live up to its rating ! A fabulous place to hang out with friends. Not suitable for a large group of people. This place is super crowded and never fail to make us wait for the table. Could be considered a cheap place to eat tapas where you can choose 5 meals for $55. Couldnt lie, all food are tasty and have their own uniqueness. I specially love the coconut ice cream dessert !!! Couldnt get enough of it. Bravo for this place ! Psst, they have pretty amazing service too.

Lime N Coconut

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! We always order the 5 tapas for $55. Good variety of dishes to choose from and the specials are delicious and always changing. The lamb ribs are to die for, love the pork belly as well. The ingredients are fresh and the dishes are bursting with flavour. Great drinks list too - yummy cocktails :)

Lora Phan

This is my all time favourite place for tapas! I have tried a few tapas place around Melbourne (Chinchin, supernormal, lucy liu ect) but, this place is the best. Very reasonable price and, literally everything on the menu was nice. I have not found a dish on the menu that is 'bad' or 'average'.

HungryMe

I am a little sad that this eatery has become so popular; fantastic for Rice Paper Scissors but bad for me as it just means it is harder to get a table here. The food is full of flavour and each dish is carefully designed to take you through south-east asian flavours while licking your fingers. I love that I can go to New Gold Mountain straight before or after Rice Paper Scissors. A little tip is to go in twos or small groups, they don't cater for huge groups.

Mozel Cao

The crying tiger was just AMAZING and love their Waterfall Pork Salad - the mix of the herbs made an authentic taste of Thai. Interesting Mini Vietnam Baguette, they do it with soft shell crab, but the flavour didn't surprise me. Good vibes and staffs are really nice to talk to!

Ka

Arrived at 6.20pm on a Friday night to find a friendly waiter informing us of a 45 minute wait. Ended up being only a 30 minute wait. We went for the 5 dishes for $55 deal. I would highly recommend the thai fried chicken, crispy barramundi (like fish n chips but better), sticky pork belly (huge serving). We also ordered dessert with the name Terrarium. Very creative and very yummy, it was served in a round glass bowl with grounded coffee as soil and choc mousse as mud. Fun night out for a date with top food, just beware of the wait (which is well worth it).

Kimmy_desu

We got there at 5:45 just before it was open for dinner so we were able to get in straightaway without having to wait. Very cozy inside with limited seating which is probably why there are always a lot of people waiting. Last time we got there at 6:45 and were told there was a 1.5 hour wait and gave up, which was why we decided to get there early today (definitely a good idea!). We opted for the 5 tapas for $55 just like many people did. The food came really fast, and they were so fresh and delicious. Really worth it. We had the wagyu beef (comes with leaves to wrap with and sauce to dip in), green papaya salad with added pork belly (I always had this when I was in Thailand so this reminds me very much of my time there), banh mi (rolls with soft shell crab), Balinese duck and Thai fried chicken and we were impressed with every dish! Hard to pick a favourite out of those! I had a bottle of Singha beer to wash it all down (it goes really well with the fried chicken) and my friend had a glass of wine, but we're keen to try the cocktails next time, and also some of the other items on the menu. So glad I finally got to try out this place as it really is as good as people say.

Amy Crockett

I had dinner there tonight with my partner we got 5 dishes for $55 and 2 cocktails it was by far the best dinner I have had in a long time everything was so full of flavour, fresh and the service was amazing I would recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the delicious side of Melbourne it's very cosy and I was expecting to wait a while for a table but we were seated straight away. It's perfect to open up your tastebuds I cannot wait to go back! Loved it!!!!

Carol Jenes

Delicious was very happy with my meal had a great time in this small but lively place. Its hidden in a Melbourne laneway like most of melbournes best places. Great food

The New Fave

Rice Paper Scissors is a South East Asian inspired hawker dining bar situated on Liverpool Street in Melbourne. With it's mouth watering menu and incredible prices to match, Rice Paper Scissors is a must go to if in the mood for Asian cuisine. Still bustling at 3pm on a Sunday, the venue unquestionably had a Melbourne laneway feel with its high-topped wooden benches, jam -packed bar seating, and bicycles / eclectic paintings adorning the walls.

The New Fave

Rice Paper Scissors is a South East Asian inspired hawker dining bar situated on Liverpool Street in Melbourne. With it's mouth watering menu and incredible prices to match, Rice Paper Scissors is a must go to if in the mood for Asian cuisine. Still bustling at 3pm on a Sunday, the venue unquestionably had a Melbourne laneway feel with its high-topped wooden benches, jam -packed bar seating, and bicycles / eclectic paintings adorning the walls.

Leon

I went here for lunch today and I was surprisingly impress. The food was fresh and the service was great. If your in the city and looking for a quick cheap feed define they try this place out.

Eyes > Belly

If you need your sweet-tooth satisfied, this is the place to eat... for main course! We ordered 5 dishes (for $55 for 2ppl) and while this was excellent value with generous portions for the price, the taste profiles were very 1-dimensional. The barramundi was tangy sweet (from the nahm jim) but freshness of the apples balanced it out. The waterfall salad was a strong combo of sweet n savoury, the pork belly was sticky caramelly sweet (and a bit dry), the lamb ribs were syrupy sweet and even the roast duck (you guessed it) was coconuty sweet. You see the pattern. Maybe it was our choices but since we ordered the most popular dishes, it's fair to say 'sugar' is the overriding flavour theme of this restaurant. A pity since there are many more flavour dimensions to great SE Asian cuisine. So 1pt for the great value and 1 for the friendly service but only 0.5 for the food itself.

Ellie K

Love this place! Generous amounts of food for the price you pay which is cheap as chips! We were so stuffed. My favourite here is definitely the crying tiger and that's not to say that the others weren't just as scrumptious. The Vietnamese espresso martini was too easy to drink as well, can't wait to go back. Great service also!

Jordan Greaves

This place had spectacular food, great atmosphere and fantastic drinks. Few problems, very small venue and too much coriander (sorry to say just coriander is not a salad). But to be frank, the food was just smashing! Will be back when we are back in Melbourne next :) Cheerio!

Stephen Rolfe

Best food I have ever had. Get the lamb rips, and then get the lamb ribs again, definitely go again before I leave Melbourne! Amazing service, cheap too!

Sam Siren

Had a delightful lunch here. Love the style and concept. Quaint, warm and just welcoming. Friendly staff, perky and smiley. Best part was the kitchen was open and you can see what was going on in the kitchen line very brave and totally gained my trust. Also they have vegetarian and gluten free options perfect for a nice pick me up as well as those who think they had consumed too much meat during the week. Rice paper scissors has a menu that is fresh, exciting and to be shared with amongst friends and family what ever the occasion, lunch or dinner everything is all good. Love their tagline "Don't forget to use your hands" love it for the simple fact I grew up in Borneo and thats how we have our food, hawker style, using our hands and just licking every essence of our food off our fingers! A place that I will definitely come back to when I am back in Melbourne or even when I move here. L.O.V.E IT!

Craig Freemann

Wow im really impressed with this place. Been here a few times now just decided to write a review to say thanks for such great night here the food is great. keep it up

Beryl

love love love it here! 5 dishes for $55 and have never been disappointed, no matter what I pick. Popular destination so either get there early or enjoy a cocktail in the bar next door, as the host will get you when there is space. Highly recommend this restaurant for quality meal that wont break the bank.

Luke And Hannah

People say this restaurant is the little sister of Chin Chin. I say this one is way better. We ordered roast duck, sticky pork belly, char grilled king prawn, deep fried barramundi and fried chicken. All tasted so so so good. Definitely recommend. The only negative thing is that you have to wait around an hour or more to have a table.

This Diner Is Anonymous

Finally made it in the other day, and the build up to eating here did not disappoint. The five dishes for $55 is incredibly good value, and the food is on par with Longrain, Chin Chin and Red Spice Road. It's a phenomenal experience. Highlights were the sticky pork belly and the chicken mince. I did find the wagyu beef very unexpectedly chewy. Not sure if I just got a bad slice or what was going on. The service is exceptional - friendly and attentive, and keen to make your night a good one. Can't wait to come back.

Katherine.meulen

Such a great hidden gem. Came here for a work lunch and was not disappointed!! Great service and decent portion sizes with reasonable prices. Food and drinks are delicious but make sure you get in early as they get very busy!!

Long Lunch

Cool, original, great food, great staff, great wine and cocktails, this place is the bomb!! The structure of the 5 dish share option is inspired and the pork belly buns are good almost to the point of immorality. The only disappointment you could get here is if you turn up late for lunch and can't get a spot

JeCci

We walked passed this place few times and it is always packed. Went there on sat 6pm needed to wait for half hour, quicker than expected. Food was modern/fusion Asian style tapas. Serving size is perfect and prices are reasonable. Loved the chicken wings, lamb ribs and the duck! They were delicious and unique flavours. Def recommended and we will be back!!

Laura Li

never seen such a poor service. they asked us to wait outside because the indoor table was reserved, we stood outside to endure frozen weather. but l saw the other people came later than us and sat on that table for waiting. it is ridiculous they were served first, not us! u know how funny was the waitress said she did not see us outside! she did not actually come out looking for us. finally they told us to wait another 45 mins. l wont go there anymore.

Huayan Chen

I haven't seen a restaurant like this, bad attitude. I went there with my friend and asked a table. The waitress didn't allow us wait inside so that we went outside for waiting. After few minutes, we went back for the table but they total forgot and arranged the table for other people. I tried to tell the manager but he didn't apology for anything and let us wait outside for another 45 mins if we want to eat here. The attitude was so rude, I won't go there for in the rest of my life. @Helen

Kari_food Lover

Lovely food and good value for money! The set menu comes with a lot of food to share and it is Only 55$ per couple! The waiting list is long though but it is worth it if you are not in a rush.

C

You must go to this place! go, quick, run don't walk we got lucky at 6.15pm on a friday night and managed to get a table straight away (must have been perfect timing for us, as we just watched the people queue to put their names on the list as we ate) The staff were so delightful, warm and helpful. The best service we have received anywhere to be honest. every menu item is really thought about with care in terms of ingredients, because everything is packed with complete balance and flavour we went with the 5 dishes for $55, and it filled us up nicely. i was actually surprised by the large serves haha to be honest i thought they would be extremely small. seriously. the balance. so good. Galloping Horses, so perfect with that pineapple, i think this dish was our fave. The Chicken Salad was beautiful and spicy on its own but once paired with the lettuce leaf... wow! perfect. The Crispy Barramundi i think was my second fave dish, loved the roasted cashews with it. The mini viet. baguette was a hit with us too, lovely crispy soft shell crab. i wasn't too keen on the dessert, but it wasn't bad. it was the Ice Cream Sanga, with a mango sorbet and coconut sticky rice between a toasted bun. we loved this place and we can't wait to return on our next trip down to Melbourne

Bre Gerritsen

WOWZA! Came here with a group of 9 (a nightmare for any small restaurant) and they were great about it! Of course we had to wait for a table but they offered to call us when it was ready. We just went for drinks near by which was a nice pre dinner thing to do anyway. The food = AMAZING. The drinks = DELISH. The staff = Great, friendly and knowledgable about the menu. The service = Speedy and great quality. The price = How could you go wrong? Highly recommend.

Evelovelle

We were hungry souls tonight as we just came back on a day out from the Grampians. Rice Paper Scissors was perfect because its portion sizes are generous. There is this deal where two persons can enjoy five dishes at 55AUD. Its quite a steal if you ask me. Double that up because there were four of us! In total we ordered seven dishes and we proceeded with two dessert dishes after the main meal. Rice Paper Scissors is sort of a Vietnamese/Thai fusion restaurant serving Vietnamese/Thai street food in an elevated style.

Marat

Came here for dinner on a Friday night after seeing in the Trending This Week collection. We got to the restaurant at 5.40pm and were already around 6th in line. The place serves small small tapas style Asian dishes. We ordered five dishes for $55 (as per the menu special) which included the pork buns, roast duck, wagyu cheek, king prawns and barramundi. I wasn't the biggest fan of the barramundi as it was pretty flavourless and the king prawns were just grilled prawns with a tasty dipping sauce. The other three dishes were fantastic. The wagyu cheek was melt in your mouth soft in salty curry like sauce that you placed into a naan like bread. Same goes for the duck. It was so well cooked and so soft that when you pulled it apart the meat came sliding off the bone. To finish the dinner off we had the ice cream sandwich and the Vietnamese coffee mousse with coffee and nut soil. I wasn't the biggest fan of the buns that the ice cream came in but the mousse was great. All in all the dinner was great and I would definitely return for a second round.

Corza_21

AMAZING! Words cannot describe how great this place was. The food was full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The staff were out of this world - very genuine and caring and helped us through our menu and drink choices. Will definitely return when we head back to Melbourne!

JW

Wow, is this place a bit of a treat or what! I can safely say that I really quite enjoyed the menu options on offer here, as well as the service, and lovely decor. Would highly recommend and cannot wait to return. We ordered the following: - 12 hour braised wagyu beef cheek (special); - Balinese roast duck; - BBQ king prawns; - Crispy barramundi; - Steamed pork buns. All for a total of $55 which is a special price they offer for 5 x dishes (this is generally enough for 2 people). And of course we HAD to try the desserts, getting: - Chocolate mousse with coffee and nut soil; - Ice cream sandwich with mango ice cream, cashew nuts, and condensed milk. Standout dishes were definitely the wagyu which virtually melted in the mouth and had an interesting salty flavour. The roast duck was fantastically soft and tender as well, and the buns provided a tasty pork belly. The barramundi I could give or take but you really had to eat it with the salad/sauce topping otherwise the dish would not pack as much flavour. The prawns I probably wouldn't endeavour to order again as they were cooked in the shell meaning that once you took all of it off there was not a whole lot of flavour left. The sauce proved with the prawns was incredibly delicious though. I saw some of Thai fried chicken floating around and noticed that it looked pretty incredibly so I will ensure to get it next time. The desserts were absolutely incredible and I couldn't really fault them. The ice cream sandwich was so well balanced as too was the mousse. The flavours were executed very well and did not leave me with a sickly sweet residue at all. We arrived at 5:40PM (20 minutes before opening hours) and there was already a line 8 or so people deep. Just bear this in mind when you come to this place - COME EARLY. We luckily got in straight away however people that were arriving at 6:00PM - 6:15PM were advised of an hour wait, so beware!

Amazon

Do yourself a favour and dine here! We had the $55 for 2pax select 5 dishes option and were not disappointed! Sooo much food! The pork belly and chicken bits were amazing! Great staff, friendly and attentive. Well worth the wait for a table!

Russell Brenner

Fantastic food, great little spot for a quick lunch on a Friday. Could've easily stuck around all afternoon. Only disappointing part is not splitting bills, kinda a bit naff given that most places these days are happy to. I'd even be happy to pay for the transaction fee, not sure what the big deal is. When the bill comes to >$200 it becomes a little awkward to ask one person to cop it all on their card. None the less, despite the above caveat, it's a great Asian mix of food and I highly recommend it.

Brunny Girl

The beef cheeks were the highlight, it was like a very mild rendang and oh so tender. Enjoyed the soft shell crab bahn mi but the buns were very sweet. Also tried the scallops and fried chicken. Service was quick, efficient and knowledgeable. Probably a little overpriced for the serving sizes but a very cool fit out.

Beryl

Amazing and authentic Asian cuisine. Have recommended this restaurant to so many people as think that the $55 for 5 courses is such good value for money. Need to get there early to secure a table but if you can get in will get a feast. Fav was the papaya salad, as well as he crispy chicken and pork belly. Great staff and cocktail choice, probably one of the best restaurant's in Melbourne!

Grant

Dined here and really enjoyed the experience, the management was great, few minor confusions with the menu and the price when you have three people dining on the 5 plates for $55 deal but was all sorted swiftly, in fact the management were fantastic and hassle free ! It's so unusual to see such passion and friendliness and it really shines through ! Food without a doubt is amazing so well done to all and I'll be a regular diner here.

The New Fave

Rice Paper Scissors is a South East Asian inspired hawker dining bar situated on Liverpool Street in Melbourne. With it's mouth watering menu and incredible prices to match, Rice Paper Scissors is a must go to if in the mood for Asian cuisine. Still bustling at 3pm on a Sunday, the venue unquestionably had a Melbourne laneway feel with its high-topped wooden benches, jam -packed bar seating, and bicycles / eclectic paintings adorning the walls.

Christina Tee

This place is budget asian fusion at it's best. 5 dishes for $55 for 2 people is exceptional value. While all 5 dishes we had were extremely tasty, the downside was that all the dishes we had actually tasted pretty similar. The spiced pear belinni was amazingly lucious and super delightful!! Get in at 5.30 if you don't want to have to wait for a table.

Vn03935

Great vibe, friendly attentive service and quality asian inspired food with a twist. I would come back. I especially enjoyed the balinese duck with betel leaf.

PTrevor

Went to have dinner there with high expectations given all the wrap. I must say, although it was very good value, I was left a big disappointed. We waited about 1 hour to get our seats (party of 6 doesn't make it easy i guess). The food came pretty quick. But I found their dishes a bit too sweet. For example their soft-shell crab brioche was just filled with some modified mayonnaise. Can't taste the crab itself and all we had in our mouth was just a load of mayo. The wagyu beef cheek was ok, the duck confit was average. Left quite disappointed after one hour wait in a cold winter day.

Wizofaus

Got there 5.50 Sat night, were told there'd be a wait of 30-45 min but offered a callback service. They actually called within 20 min, which was a hint of what was to come: we ordered the 5 dishes for 2 ($55) and literally within 5-10 minutes 3 of them had come out, with the remaining two not much later. Along with the rather loud uptempo music it definitely didn't make for a relaxed evening and the flavours of the dishes were often so strong that to be hit with so many so quickly (and anyone will tell you I'm a fast eater) was overwhelming. I will say the lamb ribs were amazing, and the other dishes all very decent even if there was a heavy reliance on coriander. Plenty of buzz and pizzazz, but it's definitely not a first-date type place, or somewhere to bring your parents.

DAMMIT JANET I LOVE FOOD

Fresh colourful dishes that are designed to be shared, bustling atmosphere and efficient service. Rock Paper Scissors is another one of those places that don’t take bookings for dinner so unless you get there at 6pm, expect a wait. We went on a Wednesday night and waited for more than an hour to get a table. Was it worth the wait? Nah, not really.

Thomas Devana

Thai food like no other how can you combine flavors so well and yet be able to taste each individual ingredient well done-we will be back to enjoy again

Live_in_melbourne

We really like the food we had, especially Thai fried chicken was one of the best fried chicken we've had! We got the $55 deal for 5 dishes and all dishes were super tasty! I can't wait to come back and try out the rest dishes. By the way, the mango coconut mint drink I had was great, too!! Love it. Highly recommended.

ByTheSpoonful

We used our hands shamelessly and shared, shifted and shuffled things around so that everyone got to try everything. There’s no room for selfish eaters here, sharing is definitely caring at Rice Papr Scrs. Our table was chock full of delicious fragrant food. It was a non-stop stuff your face affair. As with a lot of South East Asian cuisine there’s a lot of zing, zest and heat to the dishes but it was kind of fun, like a wheel of fortune to see which would get you when you least expect it. A great balance of sweet, sour and spicy, with fresh ingredients, it’s a nice place to go to if you’re craving some modern Asian food.

Seán Quinton

I really enjoy this place, however about two weeks ago I went there waited an hour for a table then had a one hour seating. One hour is a bit absurd don't you think? At least put an hour and a half on the table. Also, we told out waitress of a shellfish allergy and when one of the other waitresses came to the table she told us that the pork dish had shellfish through the sauce then made out as if it was out problem because the dish was already made. Followed up by telling us the pork is dry without sauce. Probably not the best way of explaining a dish. I'll go back, but hopefully its a better experience.

John Reynoldson

I have been putting off coming here for too long - thoroughly enjoyed everything that we ordered as part of the $55 for 5 item deal. The soft shell crab bahn mi, thai fried chicken and pork belly were all amazing from the core menu - be sure to check out the specials board too, we lucked out with the beef cheek and scallops.

Micheal Pikket

Flavor is there with good selection on menu, service was good and dishes were explained properly. Nice experiance, looking forward to come back

Trading Plates

Rice Paper Scissors is just over a year old and are churning out more delicious Vietnamese morsels than you can shake a Bahn mi at. Owner Rahmie Clowes and chef, Shane Stafford have been friends since they were four years old and became business partners when they opened Rice Paper Scissors just over a year ago. Both men have a 20 year history as chefs, although according to Clowes, most of the flavour combinations at the restaurant are driven by Stafford. The polished wooden bar and cosy space is dimly lit, exuding an air of exclusivity that only Melbournians who are happy to wait over an hour for a table for are familiar with. However, the affordability and casual share food style makes the restaurant a comfortable and accessible place to dine with friends any day of the week. Clowes and Stafford have been creating the Asian style hawker food for over four years together, mainly servicing friends’ parties or functions. “When we had days off at the same time we would go to the markets and buy a whole heap of stuff and make as many crazy things as we could,” says Clowes. The booming Melbourne food scene doesn’t intimidate Clowes, rather he thinks it is important to “just do what you can with the space you have.” A sweet treat… “We are smaller than other places and we offer good food, good service and it isn’t too expensive.” The food itself is all incredibly flavoursome, with plenty to choose from. We did the five dish deal, which allows diners to choose any five dishes off the menu for a set price. The Crying Tiger packed the perfect amount of heat that had you sweating slightly, but was wonderfully balanced by a sour hit. The Duck Salad had an usual texture, with the minced duck almost feeling like an earthy cous cous in your mouth, but the fresh and tangy salad exploding in a burst of flavour. Thai fried chicken pieces were an instant crowd pleaser, with unbelievably light and s

I Love Food

Luckily got a table straight away as extreme busy! We got the five dishes for $55 deal. Really enjoyed every dish we got. All very flavoursome and fresh! I would recommend the lamb ribs and pork buns - so good!

Julycheee

Nice location, but not worth waiting around to eat here. Prices are reasonable as far as Thai-fusion cuisine goes, and a nice place to grab some tapas to share. We found the food too one-dimensional - flavours were overproweringly strong without contrast, and most of the sauces were the same. Overall, underwhelmed by the taste.

Einney

Good food that was worth more than the price charged! I was expecting better service from the FOH staff at this good restaurant. Highly recommend their Lamb Ribs: so tender and flavoursome!

Kelly.metcalfe

Amazing food and service. A must visit when in Melbourne!

Judy

Great food but......... Waiting time was an hour which was not a problem, they take your mobile and notify you when your table is ready. You have about 10 minutes to ge back to the restaurant. Service was fine, food was tasty and great value 5 dishes for $55. However, the only downside was the smokers who exited the bar (Happiness Bar) next door and stood beside our outdoor table. It appeared that the smokers and waiters from Rice also knew each other which made it look bad. It would be better if the smokers from the bar turned left out of the venue and stood in that area. Yes, I know there are no laws but common courtesy would be appreciated. This isn't strictly Rice Paper Scissors fault but given the smokers appeared to have some connection to the place it was off putting. I will return because the food was great I will request an indoor table, however hope that some courtesy can be shown to outdoor diners.

Towillathome-inbox

How good is this place !. Very good, that's how good. Don't know how they do the quality for the price. Got there and it was full (no surprise, secret's out). No probs, they text you when a space becomes available, Didn't take long. Great asian-fusion food, decent cocktails, and i want to bottle the giant smile of the waitress that served us. In fact the whole place is abuzz with good vibrations. They do vegan and gluten free, but most importantly, they do Flavour (that's right, with a capital "F" !). Do yourself a favour and go.

Sarahphillipsid

Do yourself a favour and dine here! Great staff, cool vibe and great food. We picked the 5 dishes for 2, everything was fantastic.

Lolabean88

PORK BELLY SOOOO GOOD!!!!. I can not find the words to express how much I want you to order the pork belly. Vegetarians please reconsider for just one meal! I dream about it! I think about it! I LIKE IT SOOO MUCH

Heldawg

Get in early so you don't miss out. Loved this place, we were so lucky to get the last table when we arrived at 6pm, they don’t take bookings so if you miss out, they take your contact details and call you when a table is available. Its quite small so gets busy really quick, and rightly so to, the food was awesome. We opted for the 5 courses for two people, which was a ridiculously cheap $55 and the portions were surprisingly of a good size. They also do beautiful cocktails, i loved the lemongrass Tom Collins, not too sweet...so yummy! Definitely one to return to.

Emma Sharpe

Great Food and cocktails! L.... Great Food and cocktails! Lovely flavours and relaxed atmosphere. Staff are friendly and accommodating. Will come back again.

Torbuckley

Great food and atmosphere. Down from sydney and went here based on a recommendation. Really impressed, busy place but the service was still great. Food wise the ceviche was awesome and fried chicken went down well with a 333.

Rossleo100

Amazing!!. Great food and atmosphere for a reasonable price!

Djl

GREAT!. Great atmosphere. Food was fantastic. Cannot speak more highly of the restaurant. My only (small) criticism is that the beer was too expensive and the cheapest pale ale was not the tastiest beer!! Highly recommended!!

StickAForkInIt

Like Chin Chin but good. As mentioned by other reviewers the style of food is similar but without being dragged down by mediocre and expensive main dishes and curries. Rice Paper Scissors deliver small dishes with an almost 100% strike rate of pure deliciousness and at a bargain price. Service and all other aspects excellent. One of the few Melbourne eateries that I have been happy to return to on a regular basis over the last year or so since it opened. Unfortunately given the tiny space the wait these days can be similar to Chin Chin so you need to come off-peak (before 6pm) or be prepared to wait with a drink at double happiness next door (or stand outside in the lane which I personally can't understand but plenty of others seem to do).

Dahl

So amazing! Delicious food! Make sure you get the ribs!

CU_Foodie

Flavour explosion!!. We went here for dinner last night and it was such a fabulous evening! Travis the host was so welcoming and lovely... he recommended our tapas choices and they were all so delish. Definite favourites were the pork belly, lamb ribs, the duck and the barramundi... all so full of flavour. Overall, a far superior dining experience to Chin Chin and so affordable. I will definitely be back!

Simmybear Eats

My friend sago landed in Melbourne a day before me and managed to try this place for lunch. He raved about how good it was and after sending me photos, I really wanted to try. But man, this place was insanely busy. We managed to get a table for our last meal in Melbourne and opted for the 5 share plate option which was $55 per person. All the service staff were super friendly and my favourite dishes would have to be the BBQ lamb ribs and the Thai fried chicken.

Caitlin

I love this place!. Prawn Betel Leaf, Lamb Ribs, Crispy Thai Chicken, Barramundi (OMG!) ....ALL amazing!! So delicious. Timed it perfectly. Arrived around 5:30, grabbed a cocktail, then ordered food. Got there just before it started to get even more busy than it already was... Sat outside, had the outside heaters on, wait staff were awesome! Top night. $55 for 5 share plate meals = THE BEST! Can't go wrong. Will be recommending to everyone and will definitely be returning. Thanks guys....

Meghan

YUM YUM YUM!! The food here.... YUM YUM YUM!! The food here is absolutely amazing!!! Best pork belly I've ever had and hands down beats red spice rd, lamb ribs were also to die for! At $55 for a couple does it get any better? We had to wait for our table but being greeted by the lovely Kim and receiving the food we got it was SO WORTH IT! The staff are energetic, friendly and happy to be there! Rami, Kim and Lisa made our experience that much more memorable. We will definetly be back and spread the word on this outstanding restaurant!

Amy

In love. First time trying this place today and it was amazing!! Every single dish was absolutely delicious, just spot on with the balance of flavours and various textures for the mouth. My favourite was the BBQ lamb ribs - they are to die for!! Contemplating on coming back tonight for another round!

Epicureal

One of my all-time favourite go-to restaurants. Have been here 5-6 times since they opened and have always loved their food. Fresh, tasty, and just honest food. Love the thai ceviche, and the new pork neck item on their menu (or was it the specials? I can't remember) is the best pork dish I have ever tasted. The fried chicken is also a favourite and their lychee crush is perfect to wash it all down. Never been disappointed and can't wait to come back again!

Urbanette

Delicious. I had the 5 tapas for $55 offer. The tapas were delicious - lots of amazing flavours and most of the dishes were cooked to perfection. While it is on the pricy side and I was only *just* full, I'd go there again due to the uniqueness of the dishes. Recommended.

Sam.marusic

RICE! PAPER! SCISSORS!. MMMMM! YUM! these were the only two words my partner & i could say to each other for the first half an hour we were there! our tastebuds feel reborn! we were treated with impeccable service & very honest & helpful advice on which dishes to get. all in all one of the best meals i have had in a long time & i would highly recommend it to anyone! thanks for a great night :)

Eat.more

A grungy hipster vibe in this tiny restaurant, which used to house one of my favourite japanese laneway finds, and wooden crates outside which were to be our dining table for the night. Menu choices all looked very enticing and straightforward enough – $55 for 2 people with a choice of 5 dishes. The salad of minced duck and roasted rice was a highlight. Full of fresh herbs and spices, it was a refreshing starter. Also glad to see they didn’t tone down on the chilli.

Melina Han

I have never steered far from the traditional Vietnamese feed we get here in Melbourne. A bowl of Pho, some Banh Mi and an occasional Bun here and there. But a few weeks ago all that changed when a surprise dinner party took us to RICE PAPR SCRS.

Minda Barley

An ex colleague from a long time ago was in town this week. Amazing how Facebook keeps people connected! And we made plans to catch up in the week. I wanted to take her somewhere reasonably priced but quite typically Melbourne and had a couple of options up my sleeve including Cellar Bar, Tipo 00 but she wanted Asian and "cheapish" so I decided on Rice Paper Scissors having seen the queues in previous weeks.

FOOD TRIP

Well hidden in a hard to find location, is this gem of a restaurant. Their sharing dishes are superb and their salads were mediocre. Lots of flavour, lots of different tastes.

Snow Crab Nebula

... I am going to do is describe to you a nice, well priced, meal... Prices per dish vary, but cap out at about $18 for a large 'meal for one' salad. However, for $55 you can get a spread of any 5 of their tapas dishes. The old school chum I was dining with thought that was the way to go, and I tended to agree.

Whoisjoe

Amazing!. Amazing food and great service! Highly recommended this place. We'll be back for sure! One of the best places in Melbourne!

Anon

Best Meal I Had in Melbourne. Went here for Lunch, and it was amazing! Best meal I had the whole trip in Melbourne, packed full of flavour, affordable and the pear bellini cocktail was great (had a few to many). My top picks would be the Pork Buns, Vietnamese baguette with crab and the tacos. Great service and will definitely be back on the next trip. Wish I had found it sooner!

SS

I love this place! Great food, funky vibe and great service. Will definitely be back!

J

I am not sure if this is just happening in Melbourne but there seems to be a spring of Asian fusion like tapas hipster restaurants where the food has the same names of well loved Asian fare but then only vaguely resembles the deliciousness of the original dish. Let's just say the hainanese chicken rice does not come with rice or soup and is missing the garlic staple ingredient! What?! The roti beef wrap is very stiff and doesn't taste roti-ish at all. But props for the yummalicious lamb ribs, which is tender and flavoursome. Skip the mango coconut sandwich which sounds like heaven but was crinkly and dry and the mango was mushy. Finally the place's front of house staff is a meany who once our 4th dining friend did not show up, would not allow us to sit after waiting an hour but made us wait another 20 mins. But all other wait staff were extremely gracious and helpful...I just don't think the food is well, good Asian. (Speaking as an Asian person who grew up in the stuff!)

RMan

Cool little hideaway. Small but definitely cosy establishment suits the type of food they serve up here. Nothing flash but simple good flavours. Seating is dominated by bar stools so it's a very casual place and it suits the crowd that it attracts. Went for the five course choice for $55. Definitely a winner was the lamb ribs and the BBQ king prawns. The barramundi salad was full of rich flavours and the chilli made us reach for our glasses of water more often than we would have preferred. All in all a great little place to hang out with friends for a casual yet satisfying meal. Thumbs up!

Itsflorenz

My 2 Thumbs up !!. Every single thing is so yum *^O^*

Fleur.cameron

WOW loved this place....lamb ribs are AMAZING!!. Had a friend down from Sydney and heard this place was good so we thought we'd try it out. WOW, so so so impressed. Food was amazing, service was incredible. Such a funky wee spot with an amazing vibe - even on a Monday night it was pulsing! Can't wait to come back again.

B Thorn

Fantasia!!!. Loved it!! Food was amazing and the Manager was divine, he ensured we didn't over order and helped us revise the number of dishes we ordered to be plenty (I hate up sellers!!). Quirky music, and nice atmosphere! Fried chicken, pork belly buns, poached chicken, lamb ribs!! Oma!!!! Yummmmm!!!! Whoop!

Ceekay

Fabulous. Awesome little place down a laneway at the top end of Chinatown. Fun atmosphere, really friendly staff - and the Asian tapas food was YUM ! Good value too ....

SB Tang

Excellent, authentic south-east Asian place. Full disclosure: this is my cousin-in-law's restaurant. Went to my cousin-in-law's restaurant for the first time on Sunday arvo for a family lunch. Excellent, authentic south-east Asian food. I'm of Chinese-Malaysian descent so, if anything, I'm inclined to mark my cousin-in-law harshly because he's a chef of Anglo-Celtic descent cooking south-east Asian food! Running through the dishes we had, firstly, the char-grilled prawns were excellent. Just the right level of charring and the prawns were very fresh -- I know this because I was able to suck the delicious brain juice right out of the prawn heads. You can't do that when the prawns aren't fresh. The chicken curry was fragrant. The raw oysters were fresh. The lamb ribs were sticky, sweet and falling off the bone. The roast pork belly had juicy, succulent flesh and crispy skin and was served with a properly hot chilli sauce. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed and there's a good range of drink choices. I enjoyed two Asian beers (Tsingtao and Singha), an Australian pinot and a Spanish rioja. Highly recommended.

Just Another Foodie

Surprisingly impressed. I'm usually fussy when it comes to Asian foods but this place blew me away. We took up the waitress' suggestion of the $27.5 pp 5 dishes to share. Had the Thai fried chicken, Malaysian flatbread, galloping horses, betal leaf and BBQ pork neck. Highly recommend all of them to try. Saw a lot of people having the steamed buns and the mini Vietnamese baguette looked delicious, definitely on my list next time. Can't wait to come back again!

Hoey

My favourite restaurant at the moment. Have been multiple times now and the food and service is always good. Although they can be quite busy the staff are always friendly and up for a chat. Well done to Travis, Kim, Rahmi and the rest of the staff. Have tried most of the menu now and my five to recommend would be the pork belly bun, soft shell crab banh mi, Mekong whiskey lamb ribs, betel leaf (few to pick from sometimes) and hit up a good special. Impressed that the specials are different everytime I've been! For dessert grab the ice cream sanga and the terrarium if you can fit it in!

Bonchikiwawa

I'm going to try everything on your menu. This place is amazing if you want to share food with your friends. Everything I have ordered has been a delight to my senses and I've been back on several occasions to try new things. Mouth watering, delicious food at an adorable price :) Love your work x

Anna K

More WOW than Shamwow!. This is most definitely my new favourite place. Incredibly delicious food, great service and bang for your buck. The place oozes 'cool' without trying too hard and without falling into the oh so tired hipster trap. In fact, I don't recall a single staff member donning a beard. In the words of Etta James, "At Last!" And they played 80s music which, to my absolute delight, included Judas Priest! I'm convinced the food and metal gods created this place for me!

Paula Rogers

We were recommended to go there and it was fantastic. Awesome staff and outstanding food. We will be back and urge many to visit. 10/10 price, food and service.

John

Great modern tapas style Asian. Lunched here a few weeks back. We had the banquet, portioned for the 3 of us, and let our waitress choose the dishes for us. Glad we did, and have been raving about this to my friends. The best I've had in a long while.

Eat Tweet Love

Forget Chin Chin's.... This place is the best we've come across since moving back from Hong Kong two years ago. Since being back we've tried to find our Asian fix and although we've tried a few places that were highly recommended none quite hit the mark. This place had it all, the atmosphere, the food - AMAZING - and the cocktails were pretty special too. Stands outs were the Pork Buns (I could eat 10 of them!) the "specials" Betel leaves with prawn, the lamb ribs and the soft shell crab buns (really everything was great!) Staff/service was great too.... The only downfall - the chairs are a bit hard and not the most comfy (but I guess that's a way to get diners in and out as the place isn't the biggest space. Definitely my new fave!!

Lina Bendroth

Terrible. Came a little earlier than my friends as I finished work early, went so I could sit down have a drink and unwind until they all arrived weren't allowed to do this then as we had mentioned 4 pax and just 3 or us were there due to another friend being delayed in a meeting so they still refused to seat us so we asked for A table of 3 they said no again as we previously said 4 so we were not welcome in. Even thou we decided to come with just 3 and leave after an hour as our friend would meet up with us terrible very poor! !!

Jane H

Yuuuum. In Melbourne for quick catch up with chums, dined here Monday night. Had to wait for table so went to Gingerboy for yummy but EXPENSIVE Mojito. Returned to RPS... delightfully friendly service and simply delicious food. Had ceviche, lamb ribs, hidden tiger (beef), galloping horses (pork) and duck... all FAB. Accompanied by prosecco and vermentino... most enjoyable and highly recommended.

Kora

Great value for money. Awesome food and service! The $55 option with 5 tapas for two to share is really good, if you like tasting a few different things. Will def be going back.

Overheard

Can't wait to go back again and again and again.... I was so happy with the first visit which was just last week. Today I went back again. Matt (one of the great chefs in the kitchen) even recognised me from my first visit, Uhmm..impressive. He recommended the pork neck. And it's was amazing! The pork was nice and tender...loved the dressing too. As the last time, I had lambs ribs, fried chicken, soft shell crab baguette, steamed pork bun and special caramari. Wow! never disappointed. Great food and good service. Highly recommend it!

Jessica

Everything about this place is fantastic!

Tardar Sauce

Rice Paper Scissors is cool. It's tucked halfway down Liverpool St - the fact that you kind of have to hunt it down makes it even more cool (Melbourne cool). The waiter that served us was friendly and knowledgeable, the food tasted amazing and was presented beautifully (take note other Melbourne Thai places!) and price was as expected. I have heard the cocktails here are delicious - looking forward to trying them out one hot summer evening. Two thumbs up from me - and of course, I will be back :)

M.A.B

Honestly I never really went to place like this. I love every single bits of this place. The food was delight, the cocktail was refreshing, the interior is Artie, the people were beautiful. From first course we had, till fifth meal- we demolize it all. Definetly recommended.

Kenny Nguyen

Interestingly innovative. The food here is a mixture of South Eastern Asian cuisines, including Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysian... (can't remember all). Food is made by non-Asian chefs! This is particularly impressive, the chefs are very creative in tweaking their ingredients. I enjoyed every single dish, they were full of flavours and look consistently good - thanks to the very friendly waiters. They were friendly, helpful and have good understanding of their food. The way they serve their "buffet" really impresses me as well. Highly recommended!

Ilovemelbourne

Best restaurant in the City. Always impresses. Staff are fantastic and the chefs create wonderful food

Michael Taggiris

Amazing!!! Food was superb & service was outstanding. Every dish left me wanting more. Highly recommended people to try this little city gem out. Must have the pork buns!!! 9/10

Sburtonrushworth

Delicious Food, Great Service. I went here based on the reviews and wasn't disappointed. It was packed at lunch time, but our lovely waiter found seats for the three of us, and a place to stow my baby's pram (folded up). The food was incredible - full of flavor, served quickly, and perfectly cooked. The Thai Fried Chicken was a favorite! One of the people I went with travels a lot in South East Asia, and she said it really reminded her of the best street food she has had there. Try the fresh made iced tea - so nice to have an interesting drink option for those of us who don't drink alcohol!

Aroy Dee

I can see what all the fuss is about!. Been meaning to try for some while. Arrived as they opened lunchtime, and within 30 minutes RPS was busy. Small shop, no bookings. Pleasant efficient wait / bar staff, who were under pressure by 1pm. Food was delicious, had the soft shell crab baguette & crying tiger. Had a glass of fairly ordinary Riesling. Will return for other dishes, and the board specials looked interesting too. The prices are good, for the size of portions I like the vibes of this place! Cocktails looked amazing, will try next time. Wow, fish sauce in the Bloody Mary .... I must try that!!

Sen.titus.ng

Very Cool. Nice service, great food, highly recommend.

The White Rabbit

Oh so very good!. As we ventured off on one of our regular date nights my partner and I decided to give Rice Paper Scrs a try. So many people have been raving about it on Urbanspoon and the pictures looked decent enough. The place was quite crowded when we arrived (as expected) but were seated promptly since we didn't mind sitting outside under the warm heaters. Usually there are only a few dishes that really catch my eye when visiting anywhere to eat. However, this was one massive exception. The entire menu, including the specials, sounded fabulous. We were so glad we hadn't eaten for a while before coming. To brief us through the menu was a very friendly waitress. She sat down and explained everything, including what she would recommend (big tick for service). In the end we decided to get the platter for 2, where we could choose any 5 dishes, which worked out to be a better value for us. We chose: the Thai fried chicken, the steamed pork buns, the beef and betel leaf, the steamed kingfish and the pork belly that was on the specials board. Our dishes arrived within a good time and the only downside was that with each dish, the table became quite crowded. However, since they did arrive one at a time, it gave us the opportunity to finish one dish and send the plate back to make room (for more food of course). Our first dish was the pork belly special. And my my the sauce and flavour that came with that pork belly. It was a very familiar flavour that I've had before, at home when my mum cooks. Although parts of it were just a tad dry, everything else made up for it. Second were the beef and betel leaves. Honestly, this wasn't my choice and was picked out by my partner. By myself I wouldn't have even given it a second glance on the menu, but I'm so glad that he did. The beef was unexpectedly so tender and soft. You eat it by wrapping it up in one of the leaves and dip it in the sauce. Be mindful though, that is one very hot dipping sauce. But once again, nostalgic flavours (from my dad this time) from the sauce danced on my taste buds. The third dish we tried was the steamed pork buns (again my partner's choice). I really should have stopped underestimating everything after the first two dishes, but alas I was still skeptical since pork buns sounded so mundane to me. The pork buns were these fantastic mouthfuls of pork crackling, cucumber and a sort of hoisin sauce mix (like the one my dad makes to dip with rice paper rolls). That crackling! Oh so good. Probably my least favourite of the night was the steamed kingfish. It was actually quite hot for me and a once in a blue moon occurrence happened: my partner could take the spiciness more than I could. And I should point out that he is (or at least used to be) weak with chilli. But while he was enjoying bragging about that, I tried the Thai fried chicken. It came with a dip which I unfortunately didn’t make out what it was. Like all the other dishes, the chicken was ever so tasty. It was definitely my kind of dish. Overall, I cannot rave enough about this place. It’s great if you want to try many different flavoursome dishes and couldn’t care less about fine dining etiquette. Hands and chopsticks!

Jonathan Ong

Superb! staff are super friendly too. whisky marinated ribs are great. we had the spatchcock with banana blossoms & that was so amazing and delicate. all the dishes are good, but the place is a bit small so do try to go early to avoid waiting. good first date place because you need to share the food :)

AvK

Great food but mixed service. Great variety of foods and flavours and neat selection of asian beers. Delectable ribs, juicy duck buns, zingy squid and spicy fried chicken. The soft shell crab bahn mi were a little lacking in the punchy flavours the other dishes exhibited. However, the service varied from pervy/creepy to completely disinterested and rude. You are also required to share tables with people not from your party. Will come back for the food but wont stay long for the service.

Tina.tsafas

Must Try. Food was delicious and the customer service was great! Wait staff were really friendly. Yes, our group had to all be there before we were seated but understandable as the place is so small and there are not that many tables. Will most definitely visit again!!

Kathryn Low

Terrible service!!!. We came here the other night and the waiter refused to seat us until everyone in the group had arrived. Fine maybe if the place was full and there were a number of people missing from the group. But there were a lot of free tables and we only had one person running about 5 mins late. The waiter was also pretty snarky and rude about it when we questioned. I've been here a number of times and loved it (and recommended to friends) and never encountered this before so it is a disappointing change. Are they trying to lose customers?? I don't know if we would go back now.

Kasey Vanilah Ryan

Great friendly service, knowledgable wait staff, amazing tasting food , brilliant atmosphere. Perfect for a few friends to a group. Hot tip- you need all your party to be there before they can / will seat you ( understandable)

Yianni_consta

Terrible "entitled" service. Service was horrible, no focus on the customer service whatsoever.

Kennyoung_30

Great. Found this place on the internet, food was fanastic, bloody Mary cocktail served with a prawn, was so usual and spicy that i had two order two. Next time in Melbourne will be back for sure.

Wyndon1

Delightful experience. We stumbled across this amazing restaurant where the food was absolutely fantastic on Saturday before we headed off to the theatre. Lots of care taken with each dish in presentation, freshness and abundance of flavour and together with great service made for a very memorable lunch. We will be back for sure. Daria O'Donnell (one of the girls from Geelong)

Frankie Sativa

AHHHHSUM. I think this place is SAAAAA AHHHSUM.

Ash

Divine. The staff are wonderful and attentive and the food is gorgeous. I will definately be returning! Cannot speak highly enough of this place!

SHYLOKeats

Melt in your mouth lamb ribs. Been here twice in the span of 2 weeks! Lovely staff, the place has a great vibe and delicious food and cocktails! Keep up the good work guys! Will be back soon.

Ally

The dishes here are yummmm yummmm yummy! Love the fried chicken, BBQ ribs, pork belly bun, som tham, kingfish ceviche. Simple, delicious and similar to street food in Thailand/Vietnam. Awesome!

Mariposa

Love this place! Flavors so delicate and complex yet hearty and satisfying! The style and ambiance are very simple but funky. Friendly service and staff go through the menu patiently. I love the fact that there are some amazingly tasty non alcoholic drinks!! Sooo yummy!!!

Marni Baker

Wow! So many flavours in one mouthful. Yum!

Gautam Agnihotri

Great tapas selection!! Highly recommend it..

Sophie Einöder

Papaya Salad. Tastes like I'm back in Thailand

Tatiana-craven

Amazing Amazing Amazing. Owner was very helpful in suggesting a sharing platter for the group I was with that was celebrating a birthday. Amount was just right and he kept in mind everyone's preferences sending out a balanced spread. Service was fast, staff very friendly and drinks were quickly replenished. Can't wait to have another meal here!!! Perfect place for a date before a show or a movie too... Cocktails are a must try!!!!

Holly Landers

Amazing food (share plate for 2 for $49), outstanding service, delicious cocktails and great atmosphere! A must visit whilst in Melbourne

James

Great little place: super food and friendly staff. I went when they first opened (on my own), food was good, but service slow. They have ironed out the bugs, so I went with work colleagues for a cheeky friday lunch. Tried about 7 of the tapas offerings - we all had our favourites, but there was nothing we disliked. They ran out of the beer we were drinking...but were honest, had a laugh, and moved us on to a different brand. I will be back.

Manmar

Good find!. Good location (theatre district), great service & excellent food. This is a South East Asian tapas restaurant, and we spent a laid back afternoon trying just about everything on the menu. Highly recommended. One complaint, horrible stemless wine glasses!!

Gabrielle N

Wow. Wow. Wow. Flavour packed, divine food in a quirky setting with great staff. Yes please! I'll be back

Felicity

First time, definitely not the last time. I had dinner for the first time last night at Rice Paper Scissors and it was a great night out. There were four of us and we opted for the 5 dishes for $24 option - pork belly buns, lamb ribs, soft shell crab bahn mi, tempura prawn and duck salad. Aside from the duck salad that was too hot for my wimpy taste buds, all the food was fantastic, especially the pork belly buns. We split two desserts between us - chocolate mousse with 'soil' and ice cream sangas - were not just tasty, but great value at $8 each. What really made the night though was the super friendly staff and the relaxed atmosphere. I am getting hungry just thinking about how good dinner was last night and plan on going back again soon. Oh, and I highly recommend the spiced pear bellini too!

Nicole Joy

Welcoming, professional, creative, delicious, memorable. I had a great first experience at this restaurant with 2 close friends tonight. The space had a great layout and although we were sitting at the bar, there was plenty of bench room to eat drinks and socialise without feeling cramped. The staff were all lovely and professional, showing attention to detail and a genuine amount of enthusiasm in their service. I loved the collection of wooden furniture and the warmth it brought to the room, as well as the unique asian serving plates. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into achieving the right style and restaurant ambience for the quests, and it's been well worth it!!! All the 5 dishes we ordered, were creative in their flavour combinations and presentation. There was a uniqueness about each one's taste that was refreshing and exciting!! Fantistic cocktails as well, very complimentary to the food. Highly recommended. I would definitely come here again, for another pleasant and delicious experience. Thank you to the Rice Paper Scissors team!! :)

Ashwin Mathur

The selection of five dishes was great value. Food was truly excellent and service was perfect, helpful but not overbearing.

Latitudes

Brilliant food. Enthusiastic and attentive service.

Suzanne Jones

Sensational food and service! Try it!

Murrayogden

Wonderful food and service. I just had a wonderful lunch with several work colleagues who, along with me all thought the food was terrific. We enjoyed a five dish banquet including Galloping horses (pork, prawn fusion on sour pineapple); Thai fried chicken (with an amazing sauce); BBQ lamb ribs (sticky and delicious), Crying tiger (very very tender and tasty seared beef portions to wrap and try with a spicy sauce); Crispy coconut wafer (another wrap with pork and prawn bean shoots and some sort of magic sauce included). All served with panache and without delay. This funky little place deserves the highest accolades and for us was a wonderful first time experience. We all gathered as many business cards as possible to pass our recommendation to friends.

Daniel Pursehouse

Awese atmosphere, service and food. Cheap and amazing food.

Destie

Going by what I had on my 1st visit (lamb ribs & pork sliders), I'll be heading back. YUM!

Melbvegasmusic

A great dinning experience.... Refined asian street food, tapas style. A great concept. Friendly staff, very well executed dishes, thoughtful service. And an excellent coffee martini to finish! The only disappointment was that we went there in summer and the airconditioner seemed to be out of action or perhaps inadequate.

Rickbigc

WOW!! The food was simply amazing and the service was first rate. Each dish was outstanding with flavours that were both complex and yet simple. My only suggestion would be that they serve the Thai ceviche first as it has the subtlest flavours of all the dishes. We are seriously considering returning here in our remaining three days in this fine city.

Jordan4321

Gem of a find. Great spot for after work drinks and snacks, which turned into a meal the crying tiger was superb, so tender and flavoursome, the ribs were also amazing will be back again for sure!

Inlovewithbrunch

Amazing food, exceptional service. DELICIOUS DELICIOUS DELICIOUS! Kim's service was fantastic, providing recommendations around what was best to eat. Definitely recommend the fried chicken and lamb ribs. The desserts were also amazing. We will be back!

Kevlaur1

Sat at bar opposite chef and serving staff, very informal and friendly. The small serves were tasty and unique. We spent all night talking to owners, staff. Drinking wine and enjoying food. Highly recommended

LucyBoots

Brilliant hawker style food.. Amazing from start to finish. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted like an old friend by the barman who proceeded to provide stand-out service all night, explaining the highlights of the menu and the flavours that would work well. He suggested we have the banquet - 5 dishes for $50 - a great way to have a variety. Food was flavoursome and filling. Good size portions and well priced. Wait staff checked in on us all night, they were prompt with service, clearing out plates within being too 'in your face'. Flavours were delightful, not a single bad dish. Crying Tiger was so good, we had to have a second serving! Second favourite was the Fried Chicken. Definitely on par with other Hawker style eats in Melbourne. Definitely well worth the return visit. I went to GingerBoy recently and Rice Paper Scissors were less than half the price, and triple the customer service standards and food flavours. Well done Rice Paper Scissors team. A magnificent night.

AdamnNess

This place is awesome!! As good as the better known hawker style places but half the price. Get in early or be prepared to wait as it's a popular little place. Oh, and when the waitress mentions the oyster special, listen up as special it sure it Enjoy quickly and this place is getting popular.....

Neil

Agree with all the other positive reviews. Killer food, competent and friendly service, and reasonably priced. Tip - get there early to avoid disappointment. Will definitely be back!

Foodie

Yum!! Will be back again very soon :-)

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Goody gum drops.. Little restaurant big heart. The two owners work there. Cool dudes. Service was competent without a fuss, apart from a point where they were very very busy. The food was killer. Real killer. Just awesome. Ribs!

Sandy

Small is beautiful but not filling. We were browsing for a place to dine in the city when we stumbled upon this restaurant/eatery on urbanspoon. The rating was exceptionally high so we went with anticipation and high expectations of the food. Pluses: *The food was delicious. The taste of some dishes clearly resonates the flavor of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. *The service was friendly. Minuses: *The portion was a let down. We had 5 tapas for 3 people amounting to about $75 worth of food, but having completed our 5th dish we were still hungry. *The bar man was not too impressed and passed a disappointed look when we decided not to have any alcohol, which was kind of puzzling. My advice for prospective foodies is: Be prepared to be surprised by the flavor of the dishes, but equally be prepared to feel half full for the value you pay for. I think the two dollars sign indicated for this restaurant is rather misleading. For what we paid for, it certainly feels like the food is pricey.

Somebodyfabulous

Yummy food but kitchen needs to get the orders out faster. The food is really tasty; it is 'asian tapas style' deliciousness. However, every time I've eaten here, it has taken a long time for my food to arrive after ordering - 45 minutes is too long for me to wait at lunch time. I'd prefer they stagger the dishes and get a couple out to the table quicker. Given it is sharing style food there's no reason they can't stagger them. If you've got time on your side it is definitely worth going - the food is great and the $45 for two people offer is very appealing.

BlueJay

What more could you want - Under-stated casual/cool environment, friendly staff, great cocktails and amazing food that matches some of the best spots in town but at a reasonable price (unlike many others). Winning on every front. Love this place.

Mr. White

Every dish ranges from good to out of this world. I'll be back. And back.

Poppy

Absolutely amazing food, could not recommend this place more! the staff were very lovely and friendly and the whole atmosphere is great. would definitely come back

Rachel Fisk

Amazing food with a great atmosphere and staff. I highly recommend this place and will definitely return

Susan Williams

Ridiculously fantastic food for really great price. Funky atmosphere and super friendly and professional service. Fresh favours awesome quality

Seoulcitykitty

Nice surprise. 5 share plates for $45 is perfect for two. The food is tasty and the cocktails are pretty decent too. Great place for drinks and nibbles.

Todd Harrison

We will be back. My and the wife went Saturday night...glad we decieded to try it. Impressive service...attentive but not too in your face. Waiter recommended the sharing platter for $45...was exactly what we wanted. Gave us a decent taste of 5 impressive dishes. The guy making the cocktails knows his stuff too...we will be back!

TRAVIS

I came to Rice Paper Scissors on Wednesday for lunch and was totally blown away by the food and service, the presentation of the food was very impressive the flavours outstanding and the service was friendly, I decided to brings some friends last night ( Saturday ) and again was not disappointed, my friends were so impressed and we talk about it all night. This place is a must go to. Favourite dishes are the Beetle leaf , Prawn cracker dish as well as the Tempura prawns and Ribs. Well done to the guys at RPS

Loveroffood

Awesome Went for dinner , .... Awesome Went for dinner , only went in cause my friends recommended it to us . Loved the food and service was great ( really nice girl) . It was very busy and had great atmosphere . Will return for rest of the menu . ;)

City Dweller

Glorious food!. Food is a wonderful, blend of East/West and they like to experiment. We turned up on a slow Friday night yet the staff were not attentive and looked apathetic (shame). LOTS of waiting involved! Will give a second attempt, just in case they were having an off night. Go now before all the hipsters discover it.

Gigi

Amazing amazing amazing! Love it just as it is! Go now before the rest of Melbourne discovers! Staff are so lovely, I'd change nothing about this place!

Hung Dong Long

Great little addition to the street. Tasty treats and good casual service. Will be good when they get a bit more serious about the drinks but off to a good start

Cath Van Kretschmar

Awesome!!. Cool little Asian tapas in one of the Melbourne laneways. We stumbled across this Jem when our intended restaurant was closed for the night. Thank god! The 5 for $45 banquet is delicious. You must get the pork buns! Such authentic modern flavours in every dish. And cheap cocktails - $12 for vodka based cocktail which was delicious. And the guys running this place are down to earth and know what they are doing. Keep up the good work. YUM!

Allana

Good value modern Asian food. Cute, and very good people watching, seating out the front and a cool fit out. We had the 5 plates for $45, plus a salad between 2. I was a teeny bit disappointed with the kingfish. But the prawn cracker and salad with pork belly were excellent. Tasty and different meal, at a good price

The GM

Wow!!. Dropped by for lunch here today based on word of mouth reccomendations. We were blown away by the taste sensations, it was like a party in my mouth! Good friendly service and prices very reasonable. Oh and the cocktails are to die for!

Sjenkins

Party. Been waiting for something new and fresh. Heard through some friends who went and it lived up to there recommendation. Food was fantastic and the vibe matched.

Lorraine Stafford

Had a great meal last night very healthy as well also the place had a great vibe loved it

Stui Rooke

Amazing food! Exceptional staff and customer service. I eat out a lot and would have to say that the freshness and flavours produced in the food is definitely worth the visit! My girlfriend and i will definitely be returning for sure

AjDs

Amazing food and service!!. All I can say is that "Rice Paper Scissors" is a MUST TRY for anyone looking at experiencing a delightful mix of asian inspired cuisine served in a tapas style. My particular favourites were the Galloping Horses (seriously awesome), Betel Leaf, Thai Ceviche and the coffee chocolate dessert was amazing! What's even better is that its perfectly tucked away, in a setting that is just so well designed, perfect for a date! I will definitely be back!! Fantastic staff there too, made to feel very welcome and great service!

Antonia Lamanna

Fantastic! Popped in after recommendation from Double Happiness bar next door. Shared platter between 6 of us. Excellent and delicious food, friendly staff. Can't wait to go back!

Nerobuz

Laneway Gem. What a gem, loved it. Great food, modern tasty plates of pure joy! Highly recommended for a delicious evening out.

Costa_t33

Great place for a date!. If you're on a first date, pick this place!! Not formal, not casual. Just right. Hidden away in the CBD he or she will be impressed as you will look like you are well versed on all the hidden gems of Melbourne. The tapas menu is full of flavour, order to share which is perfect. No awkward silence as you can talk about how good the food is and move the conversation away from "how about this weather we're having?" Very reasonably priced, MUST have the Betel leaf with roast duck, absolutely loved the Thai fried chicken. Happy with service as staff were attentive. As a bonus, if you feel the date has an extra hour (or 3) to go, you pop in right next door to New Gold Mountain where the cocktails are amazing. Again, this will further the illusion that you know all about 'laneway' Melbourne. I wish you all an eventful first date :)

Symee09

Rice paper Scissors- I Win!!!. I love what you can find in the city with all these hidden little gems everywhere. Well today we found RPS! A friend and I shared a platter that was the best decision we made all day :) We shared the beef and betal leaf, Tempura prawns, bbq lamb ribs, thai cevichi and steamed pork belly buns. The taste contrast was amazing! Personally the pork belly was not for me but my friend didn't mind it at all. Service was great!

Mikdog

Would be good if the staff gave a crap. Walk past here the other day and asked, what looked like the owner, if they were open. To my shock I was met with a rude arrogance only normally reserved for Sydney 'IT' restaurants. Hipster trash with little concern for customers, only seem to be worried about the aesthetics of their restaurant, not the customer experience. In all honesty, no matter how good the food at this place may be I would never step foot in there. Considering the last three nights I've walked past after work and it's been empty, I doubt I'm missing much.

Kelly Kerwin

Wow.....we were lucky enough to find this little gem yesterday for lunch !!!Fabulous exotic flavours....Highly recommend it .....Tempura prawns...divine !

Gasbrake

Had lunch outside on a weekday and it was fantastic. Lots of little dishes, the deep-fried pork rinds were probably a little overly indulgent (not sure what I was expecting!) but everything we had was tasty and well presented. Will be back on a regular basis if first impressions are anything to go by. Should be good at night too once they get ther liquor license.

Hungry

Delicious. The galloping horses are amazing but then so is everything else on the menu! Highly recommended for a light lunch and the service is great & friendly. Good going guys for your first week!

Su Jen Lee

Popped in for lunch . It had only been open 2 days. The guys said they were doing a soft opening week until the liquor licence comes thru. But I can say that the food was awesome and can't wait to try it again at night

Shane Stafford

New modern asian. Awesome new place with tapas sized small plates , all with modern , yet authentic , asian flavours. Perfect for a night at the bar with some friends . Can't wait to give it a go again as I've only been at lunch. Really cool fit out and vibe .

Rob Y

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Eat Like Ushi

Rice Paper Scissors seems like a new kid on the block around the way from Longrain and Gingerboy but with a much more friendly price tag. The concept of Asian tapas lends itself to trying lots of dishes which is great. And the 5 for $55 is a steal with an added green papaya salad - Steamed Pork Buns (with pork belly, cucumber, shallots, hoisin sauce) - slightly different interpretation with a burger-style bun that could've used more fluffiness, but otherwise the proper combination of flavours a la David Chang and Yum Bun, and a surpassing piece of roast pork crackling and all; - BBQ Lamb Ribs (with Mekong whiskey marinade, sticky sauce) - ribs, ribs, ribs, always my favourite and this is no exception...

Mon's Adventure

I walked past this place on my visit to Longrain , a new and upcoming place it was immediately put on my list of places to go. It was always going to be a risk though, with a modern take on various Asian and a lot of Vietnamese dishes, it would definitely challenge my notion of traditional Vietnamese food.

Millie Catherine

Perfect for a group catchup, large communal tables and a casual vibe lend themselves to great conversation and with a cocktail menu well on its way, as well as plans to open later, you’ll be able to sip away with pork belly lining your own for a wonderful night.

Bunnybloggers

Melbourne's iconic laneways of food and festivities really don't disappoint when they keep serving up places such as Rice Paper Scissors (19 Liverpool Street, Melbourne CBD). Around the corner from our hotel and on the outskirts of Melbourne's mediocre Chinatown, is this little tapas style eatery. Rice Paper Scissors is not a place to roll sushi or play a variation on rock, paper, scissors (haha Bernard, you still got it; don't know if rice beats scissors though), instead it specialises in South East Asian cuisine, most notably Vietnamese and Thai hawker food. Awesome centerpiece It deserves 2 photos This centrepiece seriously looks like a green version of an evil minion from Despicable Me 2. All that hair. Patty really wanted to steal one and take it home but I doubt Rice Paper Scissors would see the hairy side of things. Beer Nuts (Thaw Lsing) with Kaffir Lime & Chilli Flakes We were given a complimentary sake cup full of some 'boxing' nuts that really packed a punch (see what I

De-brief Me

The service was swift, the portion sizes modest, thus the two of us managed to work our way through a significant portion of their intriguing menu. Everything was good – the savouries more so than their desserts – and many of their dishes were spectacular...

Thegrazingpanda

Menu: L and I were meeting up for dinner and we decided to try out Rice Paper Scissors located in a funky laneway in the centre of the Melbourne CBD – Liverpool street to be precise. Rice Paper Scissor uses a Vietnamese and Thai fusion of flavours through its menu to create a hawker style menu. The place itself is quite funky – there is a bike on the wall behind the bar, as well as painting of a woman which catches your eye as you step inside. There is a mixture of seating – high tables near the bar together with seating along the length of the bar all the way up to the kitchen. There are also tables out the front when the weather is nice. We were seated at the bar and whilst chatting and deciding what to eat we ordered drinks. The drink menu has a combination of Asian beers, as well as a great selection of cocktails, wines and spirits. There are also “Get a Crush” non-alcoholic drinks available as well as a whole fresh organic coconut, homemade ice tea and freshly brewed Vietnamese Ic

Lisa Holmen

I am really disappointed how greedy this place has become since my last visit. Mid way through our cocktail and meal we were asked if we could settle our bill since it was 1 hour max on a Saturday night. For a place which is promoting share plates and cocktails it's a little surprising to get turfed out after half an hour. A real shame since it has always been one of my long term faves. The food is great still but the service really let it down and made it feel like a fast food chain.

Expensive Delicious Habit.

RPS works off the concept of small plates of delicious Asian-inspired mouthfuls. The helpful waiter suggested we go for the $25/each sharing menu with five dishes. The dishes came out at good intervals, and were all absolutely delicious.

Amy W

Rice Paper Scissors offers a great take on the modern Thai/Vietnamese street food theme with a casual vibe and wallet-friendly prices. Shorter wait than Chin Chin, cheaper than Red Spice Road, more chilled out than Miss Chu’s. It’s only been open a few months but Rice Paper Scissors is sure to be a winner. Be prepared to get your hands dirty.

Sweet And Sour Fork

The BBQ Lamb Ribs ($11) were marinated in a mixture of soy and Mekong whisky, and melted sweetly and succulently off the bone, helped by a generous amount of fat. Though the marinade could’ve capitalised from more depth of flavour, the lemongrass and coriander garnishing the ribs provided a prime opportunity to liven up the lamb.

Melbourne Glutton

Now I understand why this place is always packed and they never bother to do takeaway. The food here is amazing, and so affordable! Most of the plates for sharing are priced in the early teens and the $55 for 5 is an awesome option for two people. If you have a larger group, get a few extra dishes or get a few sets of these. We aimed to get as many different types of animals as we could. Of the lamb, pork, chicken, beef and prawn based dishes that we ordered, my favourite were the lamb ribs, followed closely by the Hainanese chicken. The portions are very generous here and we were feeling stuffed nearing the end of the meal. However we had been eyeing the desserts listed on the blackboard throughout the entire meal and we just couldn't say no. The ice cream sanga sounded especially delightful, and we found ourselves stuffing our faces with these creamy sweet buns. The use of sweet Asian bread is a very smart one, as the texture is light, and the use of coconut ice cream further added to the lightness. I suddenly felt like I could have another two or three.

Eat And Be Merry Crew

The son-in-law eggs were different to how I’d seen them before, just fried rather than boiled followed by a quick deep fry. This meant that the yolks were still nicely soft and a little runny, but made them a little more difficult to eat. Very tasty though, with Snooze commenting that the use of chilli in the dish was the first time she really felt that it complemented and enhanced the flavours of the other ingredients.

MEL: HOT OR NOT

The menu was easy to navigate – sharing plates on one side, booze on the other. They have a ‘get plattered for 2’ where you can choose any of the 5 sharing dishes for $45, which is a great way to scope out the menu. If you have a large appetite like mine then sharing 5 dishes will be *just* enough to make you full. So you may need to add a sixth!

Review Rice Paper Scissors - Melbourne