Review Chocolate Buddha

Sargon Younan

The atmosphere And the food were excellent. I highly recommend it if you love Japanese food. The only downside is there are no waiters taking orders which loses that human contact. Everything is done through the phone, and they bring it out to you, which is ok, but I think human connection is better. However, the vibe is excellent, and the food was terrific too would be going again 100% and taking everyone with me. Also, the service was on point, quick and easy !!! Thanks you for the birthday vibe

Jen G

The service here was friendly. We really enjoyed the entree and sashimi sharing options. The fusion flavours were also great. The ambience and setting is also quite chill and convenient location right next to fed square. Dessert spring rolls were a little confusing though

Zainurul Rahman

Chocolate Buddha is a great venue for family with little children. They do amazing children dishes, and delicious Japanese inspired dishes. We had King Fish, Grilled Chicken Don, Chicken Bento, deep fried lotus (chips), and Shake Salmon. Service was friendly, loves kids and very fast service (if you’re in a hurry). There is also a sushi train if you are after classic sushi dishes. The environment is tranquil and calm, comfortable sitting and spacious. Orders are all via apps, easy and no contact. Mask on indoor, take off when eating. Overall experience- Excellent

Ajanta Judd

Always one of my favourite places to eat in Melbourne. Great healthy food, great atmosphere, easy to get to and always something happening in Federation Square. We sat outside on a balmy autumn night before heading off to Moulin Rouge which was just around the corner.

Tiffany Vines

Absolutely delish! We were walk ins late on a Saturday and we managed to grab two spots at the bar - the staff were so incredibly lovely. Food was even better - the Wagyu was absolutely delightful. I've been coming here for years and I think it has only gotten better over time. Can't recommend enough for a fantastic Japanese meal.

Mark Nussy

Great spot! Great service! Extraordinary flavoursome food, which is presented well. All in all a great experience as long as you don't require a seat with a back on it. Highly recommended for the Melbournite and tourist alike!

Alec Latchford (xSmartalec)

Chocolate Buddha continually amazes me. The staff, the food, the location & vibe all nailed. This will always be my favourite place to go for dinner. Every single item on the menu will blow you away and I assure you the time spent here will be cherished. You won’t leave here without a full belly either!!

A Mitra

The restaurant is located right at the centre of Federation Square and so easily accessible by public transport The food was incredible! Most delicious Japanese food and wonderful Staff. My recommendation would be to book in advance and get a seat inside. Apparently they have a sushi train during the weekends and I just can’t wait to try it!!

Kevin & Emily

One of the best sushi experiences you can have in Melbourne undoubtedly. From the outset of our meal, we were greeted by staff who were nothing short of friendly and welcoming. Patronage here is at a high standard without compromising the human side of interaction which we really appreciated. Food, was equally amazing, serving some of the best sushi we have had in Melbourne. We ordered the salmon maki roll, soft shell crab, ocean trout and the Buddha fire. Each dish was carefully crafted with a unique blend of flavours and spice, with high quality sushi to match. Our favourite was the Buddha fire special which tasted gourmet- a perfect blend of sauces and sushi making for a memorable dish. Really cannot fault Chocolate Buddha for their service, ambience and of course, the exceptional sushi. A must try for all sushi lovers! Food: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambience: 4.5/5 Value: 4/5 Overall: 4.5/5

Jasmine

Gorgeous open space that easily catered for my table of 6 (with booking). Ordered: 🍚 Sashimi Don: with fresh salmon sashimi marinated in yuke soy with sliced cucumber, shiso leaf, sesame seeds, alfalfa sprouts & shredded nori - with brown rice & miso soup ($24.00) 🍨 Trio of icecreams: azuki bean, charcoal coconut and green tea ($14.00) Review: I was craving something healthy for dinner and Chocolate Buddha delivered. Sashimi was salty enough from the yuke soy that I didn't need soy sauce, and the dollop of wasabi was a dream come true. Miso soup was easy to drink, and the nori was a perfect flavor topping to the rice. My one gripe would be that the salty yuke marinated the bottom of the rice... making it a very intense experience that needed a lot of water to wash it down. Open space area with high ceilings and gorgeous decorations. With only a short walk away from flinders st station, it is incredibly accessible. They also have a gluten free menu section on the back - very thoughtful and considerate for our friends with dietary requirements! 🙂

Lilian Wong

Came here on a Friday evening so the place was packed. We were seated at the terrace and it was quite cold and windy so that wasn’t the best experience despite having heaters on. The food was a little disappointing, I had the sashimi don. I felt like the acidity of the yuke soy was too overpowering that most of my rice in the end was soaked with the sourness of the soy so that wasn’t very pleasant either. I ordered a warmed sake which initially turned out to be quite dusty so the server changed another one for me. The servers were friendly but besides that there isn’t something that stood out from my experience with Chocolate Buddha.

Rhonni

This is a great restaurant at Fed Square. It's beautiful inside and has ample seating, including a sushi train. The service was excellent, the waiters were always available and seemed to go above and beyond with their level of customer service. I had the soft-shell crab roll. It was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. It's up there as one of the best. For $21, I would have liked it to be a larger portion. The serving size was very small, and more of an entree size dish. But, it was exceptional. The chocolate spring rolls are a must try!

Mihir Baxi

It was Diwali celebration at federation square and we wanted to try something different, Japanese food seemed like a good inspiration. We had ordered three dishes, to explore different tastes. We loved the vegetarian sushi in rice paper rolls, it was very tasty and a good alternative since my wife does not like sea weed wrapped sushi’s. The place was very lively and staff was very helpful.

Ange

Wonderful service although we did have staff doubling up e.g. 2 waiter brought us water and 2 asked for our orders but they're just extra attentive and even topped up cups with water even though they give you a bottle on the table. The ramen okimiyaki is a must, unique combo and absolutely delicious. The miso cod was perfectly cooked but would have preferred if the miso was used to marinate and baste the cod rather than as a sauce on the side of the dish. Teriyaki chicken was above average but with so many other tempting dishes, maybe skip this. The rice noodles wrapped dumplings were great and again, unique. The black forest tartufo was good. On the pricier side though

Jordan

Very beautiful food.

LC

What a delightful place to dine in the busiest and one of the prettiest places in Melbourne. Was super busy when we came here for a friend’s birthday, luckily we booked! All the dishes we ordered was amazing, will definitely be back to try the other dishes!

Espy Eats

This evenings pre gig dinner was consumed at Chocolate Buddha, not only does this venue do Japanese well, it caters for my GF, DF & Fructose challenged companion. We have dined here on many occasions and he has never had an adverse side effects from the meal. The thing about Chocolate Buddha is the food arrives when it is ready, so sometimes the entrees arrive after the mains, but as we were busy have a pre-concert catch up it worked well for us. We started with a nice glass of Riesling and ordered the Edamame, (his first time), these delightful beans arrived warm and salty a really good way to start a meal, we also shared the char grilled eggplant that arrived in a sticky glaze, the eggplant was cooked really well, but I found the glaze too sweet for my taste, but that was just me, as my dining companion thoroughly enjoyed it. For our mains we both ordered the Sashimi Don, the freshest salmon sashimi arrived in a delightful tangy light dressing that went perfectly with the sticky white rice, ginger and wasabi. It’s a surprisingly filling yet fresh and healthy meal, we were enjoying ourselves so much discussing books, podcasts and recipes and before we knew it we had finished our meal and I had forgotten to take photos. The sad news was that Chocolate Buddha was closing for renovations on the 24th Feb so it will be the last time we eat here in its current format. The good news was that a Buddha pop up has opened directly across in Fed square to cater for the customers, so we won’t be denied a great venue whilst the renovation in occurring. KD

Jess (@isthatmyfood)

This is a lovely place for either lunch or dinner. I found the experience to be better at lunch time. When I went here for dinner, the food took over an hour and a half to come out. Maybe they were short-staffed or maybe it was busier than expected. I was left very hangry! But once the food came, it was a great experience. I have attached a photo of their ramen. It was delicious and it was definitely a highlight of my day!

Dr S

I struggled to find this restaurant. The gps made me walk past acmi a couple of times and the wall between the gray SBS building and ACMI until I discovered it's in the open air area on the corner up a small set of stairs. So, if you're lost hope these directions help. The placemat is their menu with a lengthy set of options for lunch and dinner. If you want to go straight for the sushi go for it. But I decided to go for the set menu option. I got the bimbimbap for 22 dollars which comes with a side of brown or white rice and some miso soup. You can also add on chicken or salmon for some extra $$$. My friend got the mango tofu salad, the kale beans salad and the agedashi tofu. The waitress will oversell and my friend fell for it. So we ended up with an additional serving of tofu and miso soup. The food arrives quickly. The waitress came to check in on us so many times, it was a bit overwhelming. She was really nice but i didn't like how she wanted to continue to sell us more items. The agedashi tofu was just silken tofu. Delicious. The bimbimbap stole my heart with its delicious spicy sweet sauce, variety of fermented veggies. I couldn't stop eating it. The tofu mango salad was too sweet for me and there were four thin slices of mango with a lot of lettuce which made it look like a massive serving. Food is delicious but around 40 dollars per person for a lunch menu is very pricey. Venue is beautiful. Great for work functions as it's massive.

Kim

The food here is expensive for the tiny tiny portions you get. The flavours are not amazing. Nothing exciting. We got seats in the hot sun and had to wait at least half an hour to get the first thing we ordered. Then our meals came at completely different times. They are wasteful using the paper menus as place mats, as well as using disposable chopsticks in paper. Would never return.

Dine And Dash

Came here tonight with two friends for a late dinner around 8:30 pm. Walking into the restaurant, we were surprised at how busy the venue was! Packed with people! We ordered the Korean Fried Chicken, the Wafu Steak Don, a sushi dish and edamame. The food was yum. The fried chicken went great with the sticky sauce it came with and the wafu steak don was tender and the rice soaked up all the delicious juice. The edamame was yum too. Overall, we thought the experience was average. I found the waiter to be a little bit of a salesman! And I did think the food was well-overpriced. The meals were quite small and I left feeling slightly hungry.

Food Fiend Melbourne

Lovely venue that seems to accomodate a lot of larger groups. Good to have both fixed menus and individual items. The staff were very friendly. I was not overly impressed with my meal. The sushi was very plain, the miso was bland, but the beef was lovely, in a rich sauce. I do not think the meal was worth the price I paid, which is a shame as I was very excited to visit.

Sanyk28

I have been to chocolate Buddha many times, because I have a friend who needs to eat gluten free and chocolate Buddha has a whole page of gluten free options. I have come here with other friends who do not require gluten free too. We all like the food and ambience here very much. It is always simple, clean, comforting and delicious. It never disappoints. I have never bothered to add my review in chocolate Buddha just because I have been here so many times, for catching up, for celebration or for cheering up. Tonight I bought a friend dinner for celebrating birthday. Chocolate Buddha came up in my friend’s suggestion but because we both had been, I decided to try a new restaurant nearby, which is similar to chocolate Buddha in a terms of high-rating and serving Japanese/Asian fusion food. We were disappointed with food there. This triggers my appreciation for chocolate Buddha, so I decide to come write my review. # Love, Love, Love #

Emma Catherine Beacham

Had the salmon maki rolls and the apple crumble. Food was absolutely amazing, as was the location. I sat outside with a view of federation square with an art display on (obviously not the work of the restuarant, but definitely a perk of coming here). The wait staff were great, although I did have to wait a while for my dessert even though I had ordered it at the same time as the sushi so they'd be more prepared. One let down is that the toilets are up a flight of stairs (not great for anyone who has mobility issues, I would not take my grandparents here). They were also pretty dirty and one of the toilets didn't flush 😬 A+ for food and location. A for decor. A- for service. D for facilities.

Afrovegan

You ever eat something and then go ehh. Apart from mediocre food, the service was exceptional. The kiwi waitress was amazing, thanks for helping me with vegan options. I think I ended up with adegashi or something. Anyway I’ll come back to try the gluten-free vegan desserts 🍨.

Roselina Rose

Unfortunately I found this restaurant overpriced. The food tastes good, but it’s not amazing. The portions are small, especially considering how expensive the dishes are. I won’t be back.

Junichi

A dinner with a small gathering of friends. Option of a la carte was a nice surprise, and some restaurants only offer set menus for groups. Staff were knowledgeable and able to provide extra information for dishes and drinks. Miso buta- nice rounded miso flavour over tender pork pieces with crispy crackling Aburi scallop- seared with light soy glaze on rice, delightfully nuanced Soft shell crab nigiri- crisp battered crab in a rice roll Gyu ramen- rare tender sliced beef over soft curly noodles in a light soy chicken broth, light and flavoursome Cheesecake- strong tartiness from yuzu with nicely balanced sweetness from the cake Tempura, Korean fried chicken and Wafu beef steak were also a hit on the table, as well as Japanese apple crumble for dessert. Great selection of drinks too. Relaxing communal dining, friendly staff and good food. What more do you need.

Veta Bajaj

Don't worry its not all chocolate! That was my first thought when i saw the restaurant sign as we entered anyway. Great prawns and bento box. They do some great desert options as well. Located in a hub area called federation square which is a very lively spot on the weekend.

TigerTreeEats

Service was a little awkward. Tempura batter was too thick and they need to cut the veggies into smaller, presentable pieces. My friend enjoyed her veggie bimbibap. Given prices and service, I won’t be in a hurry to return. Location was convenient for going up arts centre.

MF

I ordered edamame, trout nigiri and spicy pork ramen for lunch and it was okay, nothing really stand out but it was not bad. Environment was beautiful and we were comfortable seating on the outside. Service was excellent, all the people that work there were friendly and attentive. When a seagull feet landed on my niece vanilla ice cream, one of the waiter willingly replaced it with a new one, outstanding. Overall okay and will go back.

Lilly Hooper

Pretty good food but the staff are kinda weird, especially since it’s a fancy overpriced restaurant- my friend and I were hugging and the waitress asked us what we were doing............... They’re accomodating for dietary needs though

Austin

Don’t let the name fool you - this is a Japanese restaurant and a very good one at that. We had lunch her on a wet and cold Friday and people were lined up outside before the restaurant opened at 12 pm. We all ordered the lunch boxes - miso soup, white or brown steamed rice, salmon sashimi, avocado sushi and a dish of your choice (soba noodles or teriyaki chicken etc). All excellent. We finished with the chocolate spring rolls with salted caramel - very sweet and interesting texture. you have to try them - at least once. The restaurant filled up fast and got fairly noisy. We will be back.

MC

Food : ⭐️⭐️ I ordered vegetable sushis : they were alright but very small and don’t worth their price, and Bibimbap + chicken : the rice was too hard Price : ⭐️ Quite expensive Service : ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Friendly staff in general Ambience : ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great location and decoration

Dina Kerr

Great location and very clean and inviting space. The food however isn't great, I ordered a few items certainly the rice paper sushi was stuck to one another. Pricey for the low quality.

Claui

I had dinner here tonight and just wanted to compliment all the staff for their amazing service. I eat out a lot but the genuine friendliness and care of the 5 staff members that served us tonight was a 10/10. Great work!! Oh and the food was pretty good too ;)

Disommer

We had a fabulous meal here Sunday night. There were six of us and everyone's meal was excellent. Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. It was busy but the food came out quickly. Loved everything about it and we'll be back!

VegoLover

Love this place, been here so many times and never been disappointed!! Lots of vego & vegan choices. Highly recommend the agedashi tofu and the pumpkin & avo sushi, all time favourite. Matcha creme brûlée was huge and big enough to share. Great view of the fed square. Friendly service, food took awhile to serve.

Ellie

Delicious food and fantastic attentive, helpful and friendly service. The Vegetable Maki and Nasu Dengaku (Miso Eggplant) are must tries! I just rediscovered it after at least ten years and was pleasantly surprised. Will be returning!

Global Foodie & Filmy

Great food... Great place indoors and outdoors... and amazing service. Our food was a bit late so they shouted a whole cask of Sake. Talking about sake the most extensive and reasonably priced selection of sake I have ever seen

Kaley Nguyen

Went to this restaurant for our company Christmas party. The whole restaurant looks nice and relates to Japan. The food was okay, kind of lacked some flavours but all in all everyone seems to enjoy their food.

Brittany Clark

Extremely friendly staff. Good food and even better deserts, my personal favourite being the green tea brûlée! Although it could use more noodle options for those who would prefer udon to ramen for an example.

Stella

Ordered teriyaki chicken and grilled salmon lunch trays. The grilled salmon is quite good, the skin is crispy and the fish meat is juicy. But the teriyaki chicken is really normal and it is a little bit overpriced.

Split The Bill

We came here for dinner on a Saturday night to meet with a friend. I was not sure what to expect and ordered the Tori soboro noodles this was delicious as it was served with the minced chicken and red miso paste. Along with the crackle of the ramen crisps this was a great meal. My friend and I also shared the Choya apple crumble this was the highlight of the night for me as it was delicious. I shared this with my friend and we were served extra ice cream too 😋. Service throughout the evening was great too.

Blergh!

Outstanding food and faultless service. Had dinner here with friends on Friday and we ordered pretty much every small dish on the menu - everything was sublime. Cannot fault a single dish. Really amazingly good food - cannot wait to come here again. And again. And again.

Janet

The veggie Tofu don tastes so terrible! I felt like someone's leftover!!!! The Teriyaki Chicken tastes tough and dry, can the chef tell me how you fry the chicken ....Bad experience! The sushi is nice!!!!!!

Keith Lawrence

A recent return (Feb 2020) confirmed the delights of Chocolate Buddha. There's been a complete refit - this was my first time since reopening (had tried a couple of times but during the Australian Open with queues out the door). Stopped in for lunch on my own - and the salmon bento brunch special, whilst a little pricier than some at $22, was absolutely divine. Worth paying that little extra. And love the fit out - there are tables with chairs with backs! (see my comment below). It's been 10+ years since I was last here (have tried on a couple of times on an ad hoc basis but always way too busy). It's clean, it's fresh, it's elegant in its simplicity (although I am suffering the day after - the chairs have no back supports) - and hugely popular! We booked a Melbourne Festival special - an early pre-theatre 545pm dinner, 4 courses, $70 for 2 people including a glass of wine each. There were four of us, so we were able to try virtually everything on the special menu (essentially a reduced version of the main menu). Very good value - and the food was sublime. Vegetable and fish maki to start, followed by Buddha Dumplings (vegetarian served with sweet chilli sauce and wasabi mayo) and Korean Fried Chicken (soft and delicious). Mains were the Teriyaki Chicken Don and Wafu Beef Don. Desserts - chocolate spring rolls, Sunnikazu bites (vegan Snicker-style 'bite') and apple crumble. It was all really delicious - and whilst the portions were smaller than the norm, there was more than enough). My one caveat that prevented a 4.5 rating was the fact that the timing of service of food was totally off. Reason we booked the special was for the 'in and out' in an hour. We left at 710 with the last two courses being served at 655 and 705pm. Impacted on out enjoyment (although will not put us off returning).

Melbfoodluva

Always happy to come here with a group of friends for a meal! Great atmosphere, service, food and cocktails! Its also a great place to watch the Tennis on the Fed Square big screens in summer if you can get the tables on the outside!

Meg

My Mum and I had the most delicious meal here - it was 10 days ago on a crazy evening in Melbourne due to the footy. It was very busy (pre footy time at 6pm) but Lucas (the lovely, warm and just delightful manager) was able to offer us outside seats without a wait. To wait for an inside seat was 20 minutes. Even on a cold night, the outside heating made it cozy. Now to the food - vegan bliss! So so tasty. And even better, our amazing attendant, Bianca, was able to quickly tell us anything that could be "vegan-ized". We settled on starters of edamame beans and the tastiest broccoli dish I've had - blanched cold broccoli with roasted sesame dressing. Try it! Just delicious. We shared 2 mains (both adapted to be vegan) - miso udon (udon noodles in miso broth with silken tofu, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, bokchoy) and tofu ankake don (silken tofu simmered with bokchoy, wombok, shiitake mushrooms, carrot and ginger with shredded nori over Japanese rice). While both delicious, we would probably each have the tofu ankake don next time as it is so full of veggies, flavoursome and the rice is delicious. It also came with some miso broth on the side so we would get our miso fix with it too. There are vegan desserts which look amazing but we were so full. The main serves are very generous for the price. All in all, great ambience, faultless food and our experience was made so much nicer thanks to outstanding service (and chats!) with Bianca and Lucas. We can't wait to return.

Matty

Great night with the lads. Service was exceptional. Food was great with no real misses amongst the multiple shared plates we ordered. A busy Friday night with atmosphere to match. Will be back!

Dazz Inator

Such an unassuming name for a Japanese restaurant. Very informed and friendly staff. Great food and service. A little sterile in the ambience Dept, but that isn't everything. I'll be back to try more of what this place has to offer. Good place for a large group of friends to enjoy 😊

Anna Wheelahan

Great Japanese with a nice view of fed square. Good lunch special and friendly informative staff. I will definitely return to try a few more options.

Timinmelbourne

I went for dinner tonight w Simmyeats.Melb, her partner and my friend which was sooo much fun. The service from the moment we walked in the door w the maitre de was amazing! He was very personable and he was constantly checking on us to ensure that we enjoyed our meal, and was perfectly attentive. This was not 5 star service btw. I do not mean detract anything from the waitresses who also provided the highest level of personal service. It was such a treat! Thank you 😊 Oh, and the waitress asked us if we had to Be somewhere and we said no, and she said that's great. So we relaxed and took our time. Suck lovely service. The food was delicious, interesting and flavoursome. As per usual my friend ordered too much haha yes yes and I'm saying no no no lol So we were all very very full. My dinner company was equally as good making this a wonderful night!

Simmyeats.Melb

I haven't been here in years and last night I warmed up with my first ever ramen experience. I ordered the spicy pork ramen but instead of pork I got beef. The broth was sensational and all the ingredients worked well. The staff were great in offering their expertise to a ramen newcomer. The decor is nice and it's so handy it being opposite Flinders station. My only negative is the price, I think it's quite expensive given it's only a soup.

Tania Salu

Visited yesterday for weekend lunch. Very quiet inside. Was greeted by the very enthusiastic host, given menus to look at and we took some outdoor seats as they aren't so cramped. The wait staff are very pleasant, chatty and helpful. The food arrived in a short time and yes it is like food you get in downtown Tokyo so no complaints there (although the agedashi tofu was missing bonito flakes so it wasn't smoky enough). My only real complaint is the seating. The outdoor benches are easier to get into while the indoor ones are squeezier and seeing we are mobility impaired, this is important to us.

Fussy Fodmapper

I had heard on a few low fodmap support groups that Chocolate Buddha catered to the low fodmap diet so I thought I would give the city restaurant a try. Booking online was extremely easy, there is a link on their website to Open Table where you can choose from the times available. I booked an hour in advance and was able to mention my special dietary requirements (low fodmap) in the notes section. I’m glad I booked in advance, the restaurant was quite busy. My husband and I were seated in the window between two other couples (it is a long shared table) and we had a beautiful view of Federation Square, perfect to people watch. The waitress that served our table was aware of my dietary requirements and double-checked with the kitchen about which options were fodmap friendly. My husband and I decided to share the g.f steamed noodle dumplings, a combination of g.f maki rolls and the g.f teriyaki chicken don. All of these were delicious and I would happily eat them again. While the food is outstanding, the most exceptional thing about this restaurant was the service. From the moment I stepped inside I was made to feel extremely welcome and not once did I feel that my food intolerances were a burden for the staff. I highly recommend Chocolate Buddha to anyone but especially those following the low fodmap diet. I suspect this will become a regular dining place for us.

Justin Tan

Service was good and friendly. However, I did not find the food excellent. Read many reviews and ordered the eggplant and fried chicken for entree. Both were disappointing. Eggplant was not grilled long enough. Fried chicken was ordinary. I asked the waiter to recommend a ramen with a thick broth and ordered the spicy pork ramen. As some noted, the noodles tasted like instant noodles. The broth was not cloudy enough suggesting that pork bones were not used abundantly in the soup. There was a seafood flavour in the soup. Overall place is pricey for dinner.

Thuaners

I had a really good time here! I ordered the Nabeyaki Soba because ever since playing Phoenix Wright Spirit of Justice i always wanna get the soba noodles heheh! It was delicious! Especially the meat! So flavoursome :) and i also ordered the Phoenix Organic Chai (because i was all about Phoenix Wright tonight haha!). It was delicious!! :) One of my friends i had dinner with tonight was a Coeliac, and so it was really nice they had plenty of gluten free items on the menu so she could happily enjoy dinner! Excellent and attentive service! :)

N

Friendly and professional staff who are always very helpful and attentive. Great atmosphere and amazing Buddha status to admire. The good is amazing fresh, full of flavour and well presented. The only criticism would be that it's a bit too dark in the restaurant.

Izzy Wild

Went here after a show as nowhere else was serving food. Pleasantly surprised. Great service, very friendly and helpful staff. The food was delicious too. I had the beef nigiri and the Korean chicken, both delicious! Would go back here again for sure!

@twogoodtoresist

Chocolate Buddha definitely has a menu that caters for most however we don't believe the food is worth the extremely high prices or arrogant service. Last night we got the sashimi salad which is 27$!! And it had 4 pieces of salmon. We also ordered a side of veggies which never came. It's a great location for a buzzing melbourne feed but definitely not worth the hype!

Good Food Good Mood

My friend used to work here and was telling me how it was really tasty and traditional. Given we have both spent time in Japan I was eager to check it out so we headed here for an early dinner. The central touristy location reflects perhaps the slightly inflated prices but it's definitely good quality authentic food that's pleasurable to eat. Stand out deliciousness includes the ocean trout nigiri, karrage and the deep fried smoky eggplant #flavourexplosion

Lilly Pilly

I honestly do feel this place is a tiny bit over-rated. It is always super crazy busy and I feel that is probably what brings it down a bit. It becomes very loud, the service is a bit rushed (but always friendly), you are cramped in with 8million other diners. Eh. The food is decent though. It has never blown my mind but it is decent - and fresh. Not bad, not great -just decent.

Dinermelb

I've been to chocolate Buddha a few times now. A trendy and very well located restaurant in Federation Square of Melbourne CBD. Really good space with airy outdoor seating which makes this restaurant the perfect place for catch ups or a casual dinner. The service here is attentive and friendly every time. The food is good, not exceptional for the high prices. The pork ramen was good but I prefer the broth to be a lot thicker and richer. The steamed dumpling were quite tasty though. I have had sushi and sashimi here on separate occasions which is fresh and delicious so I would absolutely recommend giving this a go 😊

KC

3.8 to be exact. Better ramen than I had in a while. The soup wasn't bad at all, certainly not bland! The chasyu was a bit ordinary, not enough fat on them to give the extra flavour, egg noodles were fine although I guess they were busy, some of the noodles were stuck together. I enjoyed all the things in the bowl except bok Choy looking vege and the red ginger. This spicy pork ramen was $23, the price is over the top even with the location😖

Stace

This place is OK but the prices really don't justify the food, space or service. There are much better and cheaper Japanese options in the cbd. Be aware at lunch time you will be sardine packed in on very small shared tables. Staff mean well but often over-interfered by constantly asking "how is everything"? I think we were asked this about 6 times. This place definitely has potential but it's not quite there. I'd suggest Kenzan or Iza Kaya den instead.

MandyToorak

The food is terribly overpriced here. I ordered an unmemorable sushi plate and was astonished at the cost. We sat outside and it was an unremarkable view of the unremarkable Fed Square. Nope never again

Allison King

We arrived and sat outside. The service was impeccable and the waitress was lovely. We ordered a couple of small dishes that were all amazing. Karegee, Korean fried chicken, vegie dumplings and prawn tempura. The sauces were nearly better then the actual food. They were fantastic. Unfortunately the prawns were not cleaned properly and I had entrails left in it which was not pleasant. Told the head waitress when paying and she didnt seem to see the problem. We were also asked for a tip by the head waitress, not our waitress, which was rude. Tips shouldn't be expected.

Shazzamataz

I've been to this place a number of times, due to it's convenience and fabulous noodle dumplings, and can't believe I haven't written a review before now. Always friendly service and food always delicious. When visited last night they had no gas due to gas leak in Fed Square so only a fraction of the food menu was available. But we still had enough variety to enjoy dinner before a show. The ocean trout nigiri was delish as was the beef nigiri. Unfortunately couldn't get the noodle dumplings on this visit, so will just need to head back again!

Sugar_licks

Great place for a quick dinner if you are around Federation Square, great friendly staff- delicious food and a lovely place to people watch

Ben To

Excellent spot for a meal if you're visiting ACMI or the Ian Potter gallery at Fed Square. The food was really good, although a little on the expensive side.

Check Please

Frenetic and fabulous. The crew know there stuff and are very efficient. And the food is delicious, portions generous and enough choice to please everyone. Well done!

TonkleChicken

A great location with better than average standard and unique dishes, but at a relatively hefty price. My Spicy Pork Ramen ($22) was good, but could have had a few more noodles. The pork and prawn noodle dumplings were great, but don't add soy, as they are already well seasoned The service was friendly, engaging and fast. Overall I enjoyed coming here, however dont expect it to be like a other Ramen places in the city that cater for the more budget conscious.

Kristie Koo

Food was alright, didn't really wow me but I suppose it was pretty unique Japanese with a western twist. Had the pork lunch tray, I liked the brown rice and the sashimi was fresh but small portion. The pork was pretty nice. Service was pretty bad though and they weren't even busy. Ambience was nice though.

Cal Stock

Food was not hot. Rice tasted like it was cooked yesterday. Weird Japanese dishes... more Asian fusion. Service was okay. Would not recommend.

Zessie

Love this place, great menu, great taste and welcoming staff. My favourite is the spicey pork ramen A great place to meet up with friends in the city too.

Cakescookiescoffee

Fantastic customer service and very friendly staff. Great atmosphere. That's about all I can say. Food was quite tasteless, although it was presented nicely. Portions were small terrible value for money. Unfortunately I will not be going back.

Oni San

Chocolate Buddha has been a go to for me whenever I am forced to spend any amount of time in the CBD. It has a great outlook, I quite like the shared tables and there is usually one dish on the menu that is a stand-out. On this occasion, my vegetarian and I arrived at Buddha just before the lunch rush. Extremely helpful advice from the knowledgeable staff directed my beloved herbivore to food that was not cross contaminated by meats, and she found her hand rolls and Nasu Dengaku to be very pleasant. The miso glaze on the eggplant was dark and rich, though had quite a thick pasty consistency and could do with some thinning to assist in coating the chunks when it is being eaten. I tackled the pork belly and fried chicken, a new addition to the menu since my last visit and was both delighted and depressed by each in turn. The Chicken was perfectly cooked and bite sized, but the oil in which it was fried quickly overpowered the delicate seasoning until the meagre lemon wedge it was served with was squeezed over the remainder of the dish. Even though, it could do with an assortment of substances in which to dip, perhaps a green tea salt or some kind of preserved yuzu chutney to cut through the grease. The pork belly was just amazing, shards of crackle accompanying it for a nice crunch, though it seemed somehow heavy again, and needed something to lift it. Say what you like about it, Chocolate Buddha has become somewhat of an institution over the past years, but if there were a tale of needing to stay on top of your game to prevent getting complacent, perhaps this is one. Even so, lovely.

Cristy Phelan

Delicious pork belly and fantastic tempura pumpkin cooked to perfection; soft on the inside and light crispy tempura batter. Staff are friendly and good natured - service comes with a smile. A little slow with the drinks service, but not unreasonably so.

Teresa

For a start, what a silly name! Interesting food, well presented, but not really very tasty. The chicken Teryaki was just ok. Some explanations in the menu would have been useful. The seating was quite uncomfortable, the staff very pleasant. It left us untouched.

MelbFoodHunter

The name won't tell but this place is actually one of the better Izakaya restaurants in Melbourne. Great range of small share dishes and wonderful sashimi. Especially the kingfish sashimi is wonderful. Only downside is the pricing, which probably results from the restaurants amazing location right in the middle of federation square.

Kpling

Lunch with a group of eight. Nice cosy restaurant, great friendly service ! Love the food presentation. Liking most parts of the restaurant except the food. .. It's such a draw back..Had the Chicken Teriyaki tray set lunch.. and it taste nothing like a Japanese Teriyaki ..

Taking A Bite

Federation Square is known for its diverse amount of of people and restaurants. Certain restaurants give real emphasis and an example of this is Chocolate Buddha, a Japanese restaurant. With staff greeting you with kindness and hospitality as you step into the door. Usually when my family and I go to Chocolate Buddha my favourite dish is the Chocolate Mousse. It is creamy, rich and decadent. It is absolutely delicious. Chocolate Buddha is a lovely place to go, placed in the heart of the Melbourne CBD.

Dave Ansett

We had lunch at Chocolate Buddha on Saturday to celebrate a family birthday. There were 11 of us ranging in age from 15 to 77, with pretty diverse tastes - a tough ask for any restaurant. The low, long, shared table and bench stool format will not be for everyone, but suited us. This style of semi casual dining combined with really good food is something that appeals to me and creates a strong vibe. We ordered one of everything on the sushi menu and one of everything on the Zensai (sharing) menu. It was a great way to taste a load of the dishes and the passing of food up and down the table added to the sense of family feasting. The stand-out - if I could I'd order a whole plate for myself - dish was the pork belly with crackling, but everything was fresh, delicious and stunningly presented. We finished with sharing a few deserts; the cheesecake, chocolate mousse and the minis chocolate spring rolls with cream and salted caramel dipping sauce. Service was the right balance of friendly, confident personality and professional hospitality.

Simon

We recently went to chocolate Buddha for lunch on a weekday. Considering it's in Fed Square, it was surprisingly quiet, ideal for a slow lunch with lots of conversation. The decor is pleasant and the ambience is good as you can sit and gaze at all the tourists meeting in the square. Luckily we didn't have to sit at one of the long shared tables. The Lunch-boxes are extremely good value at just over $20 and even though there was a small problem with one of the trays it was rectified immediately and the staff were very apologetic. It was the kind of small problem that occasionally arise from a busy kitchen. I'm told the chocolate mousse was also terrific. I believe it can be very busy on the weekend but weekday, lunch this is a great venue

Ali Horan

Had a great night, food lovely...and too entertainment with our waiter Michael. Wonderfully attentive, hilarious and professional...........

Jennyaichen

Was looking for somewhere to have dessert and came across this place. Really appreciated the warm and friendly service. My friend and I tried the Yuzu cheesecake and Green tea brulee - both delicious! Would definitely recommend. I'll be back to try the dinner menu.

Faye

I came here for dinner with a group of people on a Saturday night. Most of us were running late but our table was still reserved for us. The renkon crisps were delicious, it's for sharing but I could've finished it myself. The spicy pork ramen was disappointing, tasted like 2-minute noodles with meat and a few greens on top. The azuki bean ice cream was yum. Food was a bit over priced in my opinion. Service was okay.

Steph Hanson

We had a lovely meal at chocolate Buddha. The food was consistently good across the 4 dishes we ordered and the service was attentive. Overall, an enjoyable experience.

Julie T

Average Overall but Great Curry Dish and Location @ Fed Square I guess Fed Square is tourist central so it's not going to be the place where locals can find their best food experience. Anyway, was a quite disappointed with Chocolate Buddha. Their ramen was very salty and the broth a bit fatty so I couldn't finish my meal. Hubby tried their curry dish which was deliciously hot (flavour) even though the portions are quite small for the price, .e.g. salmon ramen $26 & curry veg +brown rice $20. I wouldn't return but it's OK given the location at Fed Square for people watching etc. Service average but there are lots of kids here.

Ashlee Adams

Last Saturday a group of us met at Federation square to have lunch at a frequently talked about local spot. Chocolate Buddha is a communal Japanese dining restaurant that overlooks the courtyard between the two sections of Fed Square. With homely delicious food that is able to cater for many intolerances and my Coeliac disease it is well worth the trip in

Yuppiehippiechick

I like this place, food is fresh & good quality, service is efficient and friendly. Well located. They accommodate dietary requirements really well.

Jobes

Love the food. Fairly expensive but always good. Unfortunately you will need to be prepared to be constantly harassed to order more dessert (several per person, really? Wine, coffee and tea, over and over again, I'm not kidding!). You will be showered with compliments and flattery... Then, when you go to pay, the very friendly and bold usher will tell you how much to TIP! That's right! HE will put you in that uncomfortable situation! This happened once, but I loved the food so much I went back and it happened AGAIN! I will not be told by anyone how much to tip!

Mz_J

Summary Review: This place serves simple Japanese dishes done well and presented well. In an inviting communal seating environment, this is the place to chill, relax and enjoy a good meal. Overlooking the yarra, u can wine and dine and enjoy the scenery. The food is exceptional, no fancies, no gimmicks, no confusion fusion but only good traditional Japanese meals.

Food Architect

Had dinner here on a Saturday night, they were packed but the service was really good and the food was pretty quick to come out! The servings were pretty large, we ordered a few 'small dishes' and it was too much for us! The tempura was light & crispy, with good clean oil flavour. The pork belly with miso glaze was too rich, honestly one tiny cube would have done me (& I'm a glutton for all kinds of pork belly). The beef nigiri was so fresh & light, definitely order this again! The chicken was kind of odd... It didn't really have the texture of real chicken pieces... Wouldn't order that again. We had great sake, could easily hold a conversation & loved watching the crowds roll through FedSquare!

Peter Emmerson

Great food and service, you have to try the Korean chicken and the plum wine , the dumplings are great and the prices reasonable, have to book in to get a seat

Elizabeth215

I don't know where to begin with this place! The food is just to die for, the location is central, the staff are super friendly, cocktails go down a treat. Edamame is a must, teriyaki chicken don, eggplant miso, buddha dumplings, and of course the shake ramen is just delicious! The manger Luke is a really nice guy and always wants his customers to enjoy their experience.

Food Baes

What a delightful dining experience! Chocolate Buddha was the restaurant chosen by my partner to cap off our five-day Melbourne visit, which consisted of many other great restaurants. The restaurant is spacious and well-decorated, and guests are attentively greeted by friendly staff at the door. Seated at one of the communal tables, we were tended to by Tilly, a waitress whose expertise and enthusiasm greatly improved an already wonderful night. It's so rare and pleasurable to see staff members so wholeheartedly involved in their guests' dining experience. We ordered six share plates between us - the miso glazed eggplant, the tempura king prawns, the sashimi plate, the tempura pumpkin rolls, the BBQ chicken, and the buddha dumplings - which were all absolutely delicious in their own right and provided the perfect amount of food for two. We finished with the green tea creme brûlée and the apple crumble, which were stunning. We had a beautiful view of sun setting over Federation Square, the crockery was lovely, the presentation of the food visually delightful, the cocktails expertly prepared, and the atmosphere very, very pleasant. Among many wonderful restaurants, the Chocolate Buddha distinguished itself as something truly special. We will hopefully return many times.

Kanchana Perera

I had the sashimi dish with rice and my friend had the vegetable curry with rice. Good was good but nothing spectacular. Great view though on a nice night and we could sit outside and enjoy the bands playing on screen in fed square. Good for a chilled out chat with good friends. Waiting staff were especially friendly with great service and suggestions.

Gabby Deg

Such great and welcoming service, really cool place to chill. Got iced chocolate and was delicious!!!!! Unfortunately didn't order any food - got some quick drinks with mates, but will hopefully go back for a meal.

Olivia

Service is excellent, very nice waiters I got the Buddha dumplings and age- dashi tofu, it's a very salty ( only today not other times I ate here) and slightly oily but still good. For main I got wafu steak don and soba tempura (V) it was very nice, I recommend! I reckon it's worth a try.

Purple Anise

Lovely Japanese restaurant overlooking Federation Square. Pros - friendly, polite service - fresh, healthy food - fast service - Japanese beers on tap - good vegetarian options - delicious edamame variations - brown rice available instead of white - an entire gluten free menu! Cons - none!

Becks

By far my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. The wait staff are really friendly and the food is AMAZING! Try the pumpkin rolls and the chocolate spring rolls...perfection every time I'm in love

MF

This japanese restaurant is just located at Federation Square. It is nice to seat either inside or outside. I prefer seating inside to have a more quiet relaxing atmosphere. They have a large variety on japanese beer. And the lunch set tastes pretty good with the brown rice. Only the prices are set to be a bit too high. Service is always lovely👍

Foodielicious

We had lunch there today (2.30pm, kitchen still opened!), the staff was really good and extremely friendly. We shared some pork belly (to die for!) steamed noodle dumplings and veggie sushi. The food was really tasty, thumbs up for Chocolate Buddha!

Gossipgalaxy

We wanted something to snack on before dinner so we ordered the mapo tofu & kingfish sushi roll. Did not expect the tofu to be so good! Kingfish sashimi roll however, was really average. Excellent service!

Gwendolyn Tan

I came here for dinner with my parents today. We ordered the tempura soft shell crab salad, sashimi don, wagyu don, spicy pork ramen and green tea brulee. Food was great! Tempura soft shell crab salad: Had a combination of green tea soba, mint, coriander and soft shell crab. Very tasty. Spicy pork ramen: Soup was savoury and had just the right amount of spice without it being too overpowering. Wagyu don: Beef slices were done to the right doneness. Came with broccoli as a side as well. Sashimi don: Opted for brown rice option. Tasted great! Green tea brulee: Interesting combo. Was really creamy. Not too sweet, just nice. Service was good as well. Prices were decent. Would definitely revisit.

Cafeeverymeal

I truly love this place! Never disappointed. OK, so it gets a bit busy on weekends, but that is because of the brilliant location, versatile food options, great service and high quality of food. The only thing I would like changed is that smokers are not seated or allowed to stand in or near the outdoor uncover dining areas as I can't consider sitting outside due to the vile wafts of noxious smoke. My favourite menu items are the Buddha Dumplings (divine!), the Sashimi Don and the amazing Green Tea Brulee. I love that orders come freshly out as they're prepared straight to your table; coordinating courses is so 2009!

Bridie McLoghlin

DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU ARE COELIAC OR GLUTEN INTOLERANTWe ordered everything off the gluten free side of the menu as one of my friends is coeliac, but by the time she got home she was already feeling the effects of the gluten and was violently ill for that night/the next morning.If you don't have any special dietary requirements, the food is pretty yummy. The staff are all very good too. I just think that if a venue advertises gluten free options, a coeliac should be able to eat there and not get sick.

MrArk

Had lots of delicious meals here over the years, honesty Can't remember having had an average dish let alone a bad one - lovely crockery, well considered sake, wine & beer list and best of all an amazing corner with fab views. Well done being so consistent and well kept place for so long.

Nashii Babic

Yum is the first word that comes to mind! Huge variety of food and drinks on the menus accompanied by huge flavours! Willing to cater for any adjustments and dietary requirements. Absolutely must try the tempura pumpkin rolls and matcha brûlée

Little Pink Piggy

I go here for a quick drink and some nibbles with a friend on a regular basis. Staff are always friendly and the food is consistently top notch! Would recommend the edemame, eggplant on skewers and the braised beef! It's not cheap (a beer, a wine and three starters will set you back about $50) but on a hot day, sitting outside watching the big screen at Fed Sq, nothing beats Chocolate Buddah.

Mish Jugz

The food was okay, portions small and pricey. But the staff was great. Dessert was great but again if you're sharing, it's small. Overall, not too bad. The main positive side was the service.

Ali Ward

Been back here many times for the great food, great service and great location. If you're after something fun, social and casual as a couple or with a group that isn't too large I would highly recommend.

Dave Owen

I'm not sure why there are negative reviews about this place, perhaps those that wrote them had had a bad day? I couldn't fault this place from the moment I walked in to the time I left the service the attention to detail was faultless. The food was fantastic, the service would have to be the best I've had since I moved to Melbourne 4 years ago. Am looking forward to going back soon.

Michaela Uzima

As usual I received the best service tonight at Chocolate Buddah. The food is always amazing but the staff are always and without exception so attentive and friendly.

Tore

Stingy. Had a Wafu beef don with japanese pepper sauce. Needed a magnifying glass to find the sauce. Plate was over stuffed with rice and little else. Very, very disappointed.

Aj2muchtv

Simply delicious. I popped in for a late lunch on Anzac day. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. I thoroughly enjoyed my green tea noodles in broth with tempura vegetables. It was so clean and fresh. Yum. My only negative was the over priced glass of wine. $12!!!

Trish

Gourmet gluten free lunch. Not just gluten free, but really tasty and beutifully presented! Will be back next time we're in Melbourne.

Goddesswhahaha

Smoking staff put us off our food. Dined in the outdoor, undercover area here last night. Had a great meal, but just as we were finishing five of the staff decided to have their smoko break at a table nearby. In the undercover area. Which i thought was not allowed by city council? Totally put us off staying for dessert.

Dicksontoast

Mediocre. Friendly service but unremarkable bland food. I would stay away from a place that could make pork belly lacking in flavour

Foodcandid.com

Post contains photos only.

Shanton

Having been there previously for a number of years and again just in early February 2014, the relatively low Urbanspoon rating is a testament perhaps, to the changing nature of this restaurant from great to mediocre to great food, and varying standards of service over the years. Where once, it would not my first go to place in Fed Square and I might have tried it out once or twice a year to track how it is going, now I am actually looking forward to my next visit! New menu and setting and vastly improved service is a pleasant surprise!

Shereena

The food was pretty good but really pricey.. We paid $63... just for three dishes.. Expensive eh? And for the price we paid, it wasn't really worth it lor I think.. Anyhoos, I still did enjoy lunch tho. More of the view and the company and the cuisine :)

Christopher.r.mcneill

It offers a great deal of Japanese food from udon to curry to sushi. So the atmosphere is much more about dining out rather than a quick slurp during your lunch break.

Amystown

This was by far the best meal I have had at Chocolate Buddha , and that is not due to bad experiences! It was delicious. I am always keen to go back here. I have to say I think the prices are quite good for the quality and quantity of food here as well.

Sofia Levin

The high quality Japanese food is the result of local and specially sourced ingredients, served fresh every time. Diners are encouraged to eat their meals as soon as they are brought out and the entire dining experience is obviously modelled on traditional Japanese dining rooms.

ELouise

To celebrate the end of the uni semester I headed to Chocolate Buddha in Federation Square. The joint has been around I believe since Federation Square was first built (correct me if I'm wrong). It serves modern Japanese food in a communal atmosphere, (all of the tables are long benches a la Wagamama) and has a pretty good range of vegetarian and vegan options. Chocolate Buddha Keep in mind the lunch time menu is a shortened version of the dinner so if you're after the full range, come in the evening. I'm sure you'll agree that nothing is better than hot soup and hot green tea on an icy Melbourne day so this is exactly what I ordered. I ordered the Yasai Soba: Deep fried silken tofu with fresh snow peas and baby corn, menma, wakame and spring onion in a vegetable soup with ginger, sesame and chilli oil over soba noodles. I also ordered the Nasu Nanban Roll: Nori roll filled with deep fried eggplant, mizuna, marinated vegetables and nanban sauce (sorry I didn't get a photo, I wolfed it

Aggofato

All the elements work well together for a tasty and clean dish - the silken tofu made it.

Bri

Chocolate Buddha has long been one of my favourite Melbourne restaurants. It's right in the middle of Federation Square and serves fantastic Japanese food that's always tasty and fresh, good value and great for sharing.

Melbourne Glutton

We came here when it first became popular. Back then, it was uncommon to dine at federation square. I was initially concerned about the amount of non-Japanese looking people in the restaurant and I worried that it might have been one of those sell-out Asi

Laura Brown

...discovered that it was a japanese restaurant. i was immediately pleased with my selection. i started with an asahi beer, because i'm a cliche aussie who o

Cloudcontrol

On Easter Monday 2010, a group of intrepid ramen hunters (myself included) set out to find the best ramen in the Melbourne CBD. While our search was probably not exhaustive, it was pretty exhausting. A total of nineteen bowls of ramen were (mostly) consum

Noodlies

A work colleague introduced me to the delights of Chocolate Buddha a couple of weeks ago when we were in Melbourne for work. This week, I'm back in Melbourne for a couple of days and have a sudden craving for their delicious Japanese udon. Chocolate Buddha has several things going for it, it's conveniently located in Federation Square, the decor is simple, pleasing and functional, the glass walls afford uninterrupted view of Federation Square forecourt. And the service is friendly, fast and efficient. Today I opt for the gyu ramen: chili marinated and char-grilled beef served with vegetable dumplings, swiss chard and udon noodles. The chili worked well with the medium cooked beef and subtle soup. An extra splash of chili sauce spicing up the spinach and swiss chard. Delicious! Chocolate Buddha Federation Square 2 Swanston St, Melbourne (03) 9654 5688

MEL: HOT OR NOT

Sponsored by Nuffnang When Federation Square first opened back in 2002, Chocolate Buddha was the hottest place to eat and drink. It was the first of the communal Japanese dining halls in Melbourne (before the advent of places like Wagamama ) and at night

Glutenshmooten

Chocolate Buddha is smack bang in the middle of Fed Square, a hard location to beat. Nice casual place to go for a hearty meal. The tables are communal so it's not a great place to go on a first date as you may be sitting in close proximity to strangers.

Jeroxie

I had trouble trying to write this epic Ramen post which is why it has taken me so long. Personally, ramen in Melbourne is actually quite disappointing. I was going to change my scores but after some thoughts, I will keep it as it is. This review will be

Adrian

The Tori Miso Ramen broth was on the sweet side which I actually really liked.

Iron Chef Shellie

Yet another cloudy, winter day in Melbourne. Usually I would have loved to stay at home in the warmth all day with Iron Chef Rob watching DVDs but the Melbourne Design Market at Federation Square was on. I had never been before, so I was interested to see

Bluecat

The service is the only thing that stands out about this eatery. The food is very ordinary. It's great when you want a late dinner at federation square after a night at the gallery. Nothing draws me back to this place.

Lula

I love dining at Chocolate Buddha. The food is great especially the izakaya menu which is lovely for sharing with friends. The staff are friendly and service is efficient. I would definitely come back.

PixieMR

Disappointing. My last meal was a disappointment. After going there since it first opened, though not recently, I came to the conclusion that meals have become quite expensive while they have shrunk in size. - The age dashi which had always been good at previous visits was such a disappointment - oily and bland broth. - The salmon main course was tasty but the size of an entree - The rice was over cooked. Anyone familiar with good Japanese food would have been disappointed.

Winterz

Excellent service and food!. Friendly staff with excellent customer service. Food was fast and delicious .. very hard to pick a favourite dish of the nigh although the tempura banana for dessert is amazing ☺

Tani4masseus

Japanese cuisine. Fantastic food well priced and consistent, I'm a regular customer and for the price and location it's fantastic. service is great and I give this a huge thumbs up .

Coeliac.livingglutenfree

VERY GLUTEN FREE FRIENDLY. It's casual and the service matches it. Service is not bad, but it's nothing to write home about either. Asian cuisine is such a hard one for anyone on a Gluten Free diet. Chocolate Buddah delivers Gluten Free options in spades. It's good, reliable food at a reasonable price and delivers trustworthy Gluten Free options.

June Song-Lee

Total rip off. A total ripoff, limited choices and quantity is significantly lacking

Colleen

Had a fabulous meal. My son is GF and the menu caters well for food allergies. Not the cheapest but excellent quality and excellent service. Highly recommended.

Experiencejoysoflife

Lovely staff - terrible food. Very attentive, lovely staff. that's all really, sorry. Got taken here as a surprise and it really was, the food (tofu + veges with brown rice tasted terrible, it was dry, had no flavour what so ever. Brothers dish: Salmon with noodles was extremely overcooked meat, as well as the fact that the noodles tasted like 2 minute packet noodles.. he was extremely disappointed as he looked forward so such a meal. Friends dish: Sushi: overpriced but she said in general it was not bad, but has had better for as little as $2. Wont be returning, sorry.

Christie Mitchell

So disappointed with our meal this evening. The menu has hardly any share dishes anymore. We ordered pork belly and 4 slices of roast pork with gravy turned up. When we complained the waitress had no idea what pork belly was. All the serving sizes are smaller and at the end of the night the waitress couldn't have cared less that we were obviously unhappy. We have been loyal customers over 4 years and are now never returning again.

Supersnazzy

Love this place!. I had lunch here yesterday with some friends, and we had a fab time. Our designated waiter Lucas was absolutely charming, and kept an eye on us without being a pain, and the food was divine (as usual). There were 10 of us, but all our meals were served within minutes of each other, and we were never without a drink. Chocolate Buddha isn't bargain-basement in terms of price, but it's not expensive either - and for the quality and size of the meals, you get bang for your buck. The vibe is welcoming and energetic, and the staff are friendly and very competent. I highly recommend the Tofu Ankake Don - delicious! As the birthday girl, I was lucky enough to get a free dessert (Yuzu Baked Cheesecake - Y-U-M! Don't know how I managed to fit it in), which was a lovely surprise. Don't be put off by the Fed Square location - this place doesn't have a touristy feel at all.

Snake00

I have eaten here quite a few times in the past but not recently. There must have been a change in management...for the better!! All the staff super friendly and made us feel really welcome. Good food and wine list. Quick as we had concert tickets and super accommodating. Ill be back again for sure!

Confi_dance

YUM. I love everything about this place. I don't care if people say it's touristy and non-traditional. Ive been here a billion times and the standard of food, drink and service is ALWAYS outstanding!! I miss you!

Lisa Montague

Vastly Improved. Pompous door man/manager has gone. In his place friendly, accommodating staff. Exemplary service. Super night out and great food. Chocolate Buddha is back!

Sharon.eren

Tasteless with lots of lettuce.. We had lunch and were so disappointed. The deluxe bento box was mainly lettuce and the noodles were tasteless. First and last time for us.

Leahreb

Great friendly and helpful service from both the bar girl and waitress:) great place to sit outside and enjoy the square

Lanadawn

Expensive. Long wait for good to come out. TINY serves. Forgettable flavours. Wouldn't recommend at all

Cathy

Would not recommend to anyone. My friend ordered a deluxe bento which was composed of Tiny pieces of sashimi, 3 small pieces of fried tempura and all other were pickles and cheap salad that you pay 2 dollars a bag in the supermarket. I ordered a wafu beef which were tiny pieces of beef on a small portion.of hard rice ( yes, the rice was hard) the beef tasted good but the rice and the beans were not good. If you like the location probably is ok. But the food you can get better by half price in the city.

Nanas

Don't like this place. Service is so slow, took them twenty minutes to take our drink order another twenty to get the drinks. The meals don't come out together so we have people in our group finished and waiting for other for half an hour. The last people got their meal so late we were asking for the bill so we could get to where we needed to go as soon as they finished. Food is really average and for the price it's even worse. So many better options than here. The restaurant does look very nice however.

Maddi_eats

I went with four friends before a show and I was severely disappointed. We waited 40 minutes for our food and the service was below average. We asked our waiter twice where our food was (she never followed it up or came back to our table) and another waiter 3 times for the bill. The food is very overpriced for what you are getting. Because of the group size we ordered the Kyoto chicken, under the larger size dishes on the menu. When the dish can out the amount of chicken was a palm size, terrible value for $28. The Salmon ramen tasted like Maggi noodles and stock with some canned corn. There are far greater Japanese restaurants in Melbourne that offer great value for money and are also very tasty, this place is not one of them. I will not be returning.

Stvar1

Great location. I've always enjoyed Chocolate Buddha when I've eaten here. Last week was no exception, although it didn't excite me as it had previously. Staff were less attentive this time around, and as I had been ill the week prior, I ordered a gluten free dish - which may have had less flavour than I am used to. But the sushi rolls were delicious, and the dumplings were tasty. Will likely come again, and order my favourite dish again - spicy pork ramen...mmmmmmm

Finn

Very disappointed. In the ramen, blanched veg in stock that isn't special, what felt like undercooked ramen and two slices of salmon. $20. The Donburi is again very average, it's only saving grace was the beef which is cooked nicely. The miso soup had two tiny cubes of tofu in it. &20. I think I'll hit up another restaurant next time.. Won't recommend.

Meowth

The food and service were nice though pricey for the quality and quantity

WestISbest

Rocked up on a Saturday night with 3 kids 4 adults and no booking. We were looked after by a great waitress. Food was fantastic as was the atmosphere. Will re-visit for sure.

Lala

This place has gone badly downhill. Most of the vegetarian options no longer contain any protein (tofu,egg) which severely limits choice. I had the tofu don and was very disappointed. Overcooked veggies were tossed in a thick, goopy 'take away Chinese'-y sauce, thrown unceremoniously on top of rice and garnished lazily with some seaweed. Definitely not $18 quality. I used to love this place but will NOT be back until changes are made. Very unhappy.

Artie

Service good but one of their 'most frequently ordered menu items' proved to be inedible. Manager refunded without question.

Adi E

Very poor experience. Our group were shown to a dirty table, where we waited for 25 minutes, twice asking for assistance from the wait staff, who only arrived after one of us had to walk up and ask for menus and our table to be cleared. The restaurant was half empty, so would have thought the staff would have been a bit more efficient. After finally ordering drinks waited for another 15 minutes without them arriving or for anyone to return to take food orders. Staff were more intent on clearing empty tables than attending to people at the restaurant. After seeing other tables were having similar experiences, thought it would be best to leave and find another option. Probably the worst service I have experienced in a long time. Would not like to see the service when they have a full house. Try somewhere else.

Melbourne Book Girl

Overpriced fast-food Japanese. I came here three years ago and really enjoyed it, though I can't remember what I ordered. This time, my partner and I ordered the Deluxe Bento and the Chicken Yakitori Don. Both were overpriced and disappointing. The flavours were nice and interesting, but at $28 for a bento box, I would expect more substance and better sashimi than the paper thin and tired offerings that were delivered. The service was brusque but efficient, and we were politely informed that the bento would take longer than the other main to arrive. I won't be back to Chocolate Buddha again. I'm sure I can find much better Japanese restaurants in the city where a $70 lunch presents better value.

GLW

Have been many times in the past and loved it but recent time was a disappointment - the menu has changed and there are no longer many bento boxes to choose from (only a veggie and seafood option) and what's more the portion sizes are smaller but same prices.

Dillis

Bad Dumplings, but not at Chocolate Buddha. Last Friday, I went to catch The Australian Impressionists in France exhibition at the Ian Potter Gallery, Fed. Square. Worth it too. I was glad to see an (almost equal) number of female artists represented. Times do change. I also wanted lunch. I wasn't super hungry, so thought some dumplings, from the 'pop-up' dumpling place near the entrance would do. Six dumplings for $6.50 seemed fine. I didn't want frills. I stood there and waited, while the woman spoke on the phone ... and I waited. She didn't acknowledge me at all. Finally, the boss who I did have eye contact with, got her to put the phone down. I asked her what was in the Beijing Dumplings. “Pork and prawn” were the only words she spoke. She barely looked at me when she put the change on the counter (not in my hand) and went back to her phone call. The dumpling casings were thick and gluey. I threw them away, although, the filling, what there was of it, was tasty. The exchange left a bad taste in my mouth. I still wanted lunch, so walked over to Chocolate Buddha and received immediate service from a bright waiter, who had a haircut that reminded me of Bambi's tail. I ordered sake ($12) and a Bento box with salmon ($15). It was a little over cooked, but fresh with the usual miso, salad, pickle and rice on the side. But the best thing was the waiter, he was friendly and attentive. He changed my mood. I should have left him him a bigger tip.

IsFoodIsGood

I usually upload food pics for the benefit of other Urban Spooners but I never got my meal. My friend ordered the Wagu Steak and I got the Bento Box. She finished her meal, a wine and edamame before I got anything. No updates from the service staff unless I initiated it. Poor form Chocolate Buddha. Their excuse was that lots of people ordered the Bento Box. If you can't handle the load, take it off the menu! It's bloody raw fish, what's the challenge???? Disappointed!

Tess

Really enjoyed. Food was great, lots of vegetarian options. Great service and food was very quick. Will definitely go back!

MelbourneMiss

Delivers. Chocolate Buddha isn't claiming to be a restaurant which provides totally authentic Japanese food. What it does well, it delivers: casual tasty fare at a reasonable price point in an unbeatable location. We turned up for Saturday lunch and waited less than 10 minutes for a table, which was great. We sat at the bar whilst we were waiting but we weren't pressured into ordering a drink - thumbs up. I thought the guy who was organising tables and seating everyone was pretty impressive in terms of his multi-tasking skills. Not sure what people are complaining about in terms of food not coming out at the same time - the menu clearly states this. We really enjoyed our meals and as it was a catch-up it was kind of handy to have one person eating and listening whilst the other was talking, and vice versa! For a fresh, healthy meal for under $20 in the heart of the CBD you can't go past Chocolate Buddha. Recommended.

AndrewS

Good environment and excellent courteous service with prompt delivery of both entree and mains. Food was well presented and delicious. Gluten free well catered for and bento box varied and filling - steak was tender and well cooked

Chris

Looks good but food did not match. Not good ... Served up luke warm, bland, tasteless, yakitori don. Would not return

Lella

The place is really nice and there's a romantic atmosphere! I had the chicken roll and thought it was delightful! Coming back soon!

Stephen JR

I used not to. It is not the best available but it is a staple for the regular cbd Japanese food attendee who values gif food. Tempura is particularly good and sushi/ sashimi are good quality but prices are appropriately high for the location. Recently shrinking serving sizes have helped make this more accessible for a regular diner but still has its limitations. I go back but knowing what to expect and what I like to order

Nitya

Not quite there. There is a lot to like about this restaurant, yet it doesn't quite make the grade. The menu is good, the long tables are great, the sculptures are lovely, the staff are in great aprons, but there is no spark. The bento boxes are small, the tempura did not come with its own dipping sauce, it was run of the mill. My meal arrived considerably sooner than his did. I had actually finished my meal by the time his arrived. We were concerned that his meal had been forgotten as we were not told that t was delayed. Chocolate Buddha is fine, but it can do better. It seems to concentrate on appearing fancy, when it should be paying more attention to the food. (I had the vegetarian bento box, he had the regular bento box and we drank sake)

Spikeycat

Mixed results. Choose the right dish and its quite good but make the mistake of selecting the Pork Ramen noodles and you might regret it. Unless you think pork equals 99% fat you might want to give this particular dish a miss. The egg and bean sprouts and noodles are all fine the pork was tasteless globules of fat. Other dishes ordered included the yakatori don which was pretty good. But the crispy vegetable dumplings are possibly the worst I've ever eaten.

Kateo

You've changed. I used to love Chocolate Buddah! It had fantastic meals and cocktails but on my most recent visit last night something has changed! Its not the same great place it used to be. Not sure if they have changed owners or chef's but it really wasnt the same. as it used to be. The food was just ok and the cocktails were just ok. The staff and ambience were great though! Hopefully they can bring themselves back to thier usual amazing food one day soon!

Tamblyn Thomason

Green dumplings!!!!. I had the green dumplings which were the best I've ever tasted (I ordered another serve) most of the food here is quite lovely, good service but don't be in a rush. And remember to book ahead. You also need to be willing to spend a bit if you want to be full, tiny serves. but overall good experience. -----21 Apr, 2013----- YUM. Amazing amazing green vegetable dumplings I ended up ordering another serve! crunchy outside with delicious filling! the tempura banana dessert was amazing as well! and I'm not usually a fan of miso but it was delicious! definitely would go back service is good (not super fast) but good!

Tessie

Didnt think this place was anything to rave about.Meals were ok but I wouldn't say that you had to try them.Possibly it's because I'm not a regular eater of Japanese cuisine but there are definitely better places to eat in Melbourne.

Brunswick 72

Very slow service food come out before beverages

Fi

Enjoyable visit. Went for a late lunch after ACMI and really enjoyed it. Nice ambiance, attentive start and good food, looking forward to returning and trying out the rest of the menu

Tara Devii

Can't stay away.. Have been coming here for many years and have seen so many staff come and go, menu alterations and renovations but I keep coming back and tonight's spontaneous visit reminded me why. The menu had changed (both in format and content) since my last venture and I tried the panko fried butterfish japanese curry. Simply amazing. Such a standout dish. I recognised two of the crew who have been there for years but many new faces who were still attentive and helpful. Although the ambience and charm has waivered somewhat over time, I give props to the management for trying to find what works rather than allowing to fall in a rut and remain boring and stagnant. I will definitely have to increase my visits as tonight's meal jogged my memory of what I love about it. Fresh, fast, healthy and always satisfying. Thanks Chocolate Buddha! See you soon old friend!

Pip Cawthorn

Both times worst service ever, unprofessional and didn't know menu then second time asked three people for a table and got passed off. No clear way finding. Just your avg food - recommend place opposite

Brando The Pig

This place still has good food, namely the newly added salmon avocado roll w apple wasabi, but it is a long way from where it used to be. Much tastier and better value establishments within a 10minute radius. Brilliant and convenient location tho and the waiter tonight worked hard and was very attentive

Funkiee

Russel Peters Booking. We booked a table for 5 on Thursday 7th march as we decided to have a dinner before Russel Peters show. 2 more of our friends decided to join us so all together we were 7 people on 1 table we had predrinks and ordered Edamame - drinks came quick but edamame took 20 min to come ! we finally placed our order and few plates came out in time but the staff kept on coming to our table with plates which didn't belong to us. we mentioned we haven ordered the dish and this happened 4 times ! grabbing attention of staff was a nightmare ! i don't think they were so busy and there was enough staff but still getting service was a nightmare poor service, rude and clueless staff and the food was so not Japanese I have had Japanese which is cheap and better that Chocolate budda ! I think the the location of the restaurant that attracts the crowd but not food or service I will remind myself not to go there !

Ayu

Friendly staff, but overpriced food. The location is great and staff was very friendly. However, with that quality and taste of food, I think it was quite overpriced in general.

Sarah

Yum!. I often have to work in Melbourne, and this is one of my usual safe bets for good food and quick service!

Alana Maree

Okay.... This place is okay. I think its about location rather than food. For the price, I'd rather go to a little Japanese place on Swanston Street and get something more for my $20. In saying that, its possibly one of the better choices on Federation Square. Service was okay. Not brilliant.

Alyce M

My favourite Japanese restaurant in Melbourne! The food is always great, the restaurant is nice and easy to get to and the staff are really friendly! Worth going!!

Basil

I love buddha. People usually write bad reviews because they have nothing better to do, Chocolate Buddha is a great venue in an awesome location and they do what they do well. If you are a tight ass do not go here, go to Chinatown. Where else can you go on New years eve that costs you no entry and the best location in the city? If you want good value for money then eat the ramens, they are great and also tempura veg or Bento boxes are tasty and good value. The service suits the atmosphere but if you are conscious of communal dining then opt to sit outside with more space. Sick to death of people being so finicky and unappreciative of the good things in Melbourne, cant get much better than a nice vino and some food at Chocolate Buddha on a nice summer day

Blake

Best place to eat in Federation Square. Not the best Japanese I've had but still tasty. Venue makes up for the lack of flavour and moderate to high price tag. The service was quite professional and warm as soon as we walked in with no reservation. If you and your friend are seeing a play/band in the CBD or across the road at The Forum, head to Chocolate Buddha for dinner first. Guaranteed enjoyable evening.

MarkW

We've been here many times before for convenience but never again. Food is reasonable but service poor. Our cocktails came out after we finished our mains. My wife's dessert was incorrect, and then after waiting ten minutes for them to get it right, they return and suggest we cancel it as it will be another ten minutes! Think they just wanted to turn the table over. This is what happens when you put profit before patrons. Shame, but we will never go back.

Lthekisoe22

I went there for dinner tonight and the service was amazing but the food was terrible. Won't be going back there again. Chicken skewers were overpriced. I'm sure there's better Japanese restaurants than this one. Not happy at all.

Obi-wan Kenobi

Great Experience. On first glance... A majestic row of seating, elegant service, with a menu to die for. A curry so perfectly made that... you eat it go here.

Star Lex

Worst service. The staff who served us he was rude. I think he is a Japanese. -----12 Oct, 2012----- I had a lunch today. Excellent service! And it was really tasty too. We only had short time but they really made it! My favorite place in the city. All staff are very cute too!

Cc

Bad service. The place has fairly good food but the service is bad, especially from the short haired middle aged Asian lady. I got to the place half an hour early then i was to meet my friends, so i ordered a coffee. My coffee came to me 15 minutes after I had ordered, everything was fine, just looking down to the tv screen in front. Finished my coffee, my cup was whisked away as if it were late for a train. Then I sat there for 6 minutes checking out the tv screen and was asked if I was waiting for something, I was waiting for my friends so I told her that. But she insisted on asking me if I had a booking, she then asked when my friends were coming in an agitated way, I was not happy with the interrogation already so I called my friends to meet else where. The place was not even half full so I didn't understand the importance of me not to sit around to wait. The staff are usually finely but this was definitely a bad experience.

Emma Winton

Phenomenal Japanese cuisine. Chocolate Buddha is about to become my new go-to restaurant. Super convenient location - check. Gorgeous fit-out with communal tables for extra cosiness - check. Extensive menu/drinks menu and lovely, attentive waiters - check. I was delighted with the standard of service from the genuinely friendly staff, who were able to provide recommendations on food and sake for us beginners. The food comes out quickly and is very filling - half a bowl of Tofu Ankake Don filled me up for the night. Friends ordered the Bento and Curry Ton Katsu and also enjoyed their meals. I'm glad we skipped entrees, but the concept of sharing dishes works so well at Chocolate Buddha, and we saw many other parties sharing and obviously enjoying lots of small dishes. We weren't rushed at all, and the cherry on top was being able to split the bill. Chocolate Buddha, I will be seeing you again very soon.

Sid

Go the gyoza. I like this location it is really awesome during the Summer within the action at Fed Square and the communal tables contribute to the friendly atmosphere. The food is fresh and tasty, I like the gyoza tasters with a little bit of sauce.

Cameroncallister

Great Food!. Awesome food, have taken friends from interstate and overseas and everyone really impressed!

Mac's

Very average to say the least. Food was basic and over priced. The best thing about dining here was that I could see a replay of the Essendon v Geelong game from 1999 on the big screen in FedSquare! Absolutely disappointed that I spent my hard earned money on bland, basic food such as this. I'm sick of spending money on food that I could make better home. Rant over.

Candice

It's always bad when I feel like going to McDonalds after leaving a resturant. Whilst The atmosphere of Chocolate Buddha is lovely the food is below average with taste and serving sizes. I ordered some fried chicken which was nice but for $18 it was about three mouthfuls and that was being sold as a 'meal'. My friend had a vegetarian soup that she said tasted pretty bland and had next to no flavour. The service was not great. Had to wave down a waiter several times to get dessert and the bill. Such a shame because the location is really nice. Much better Japanese resturants on Russel Street and for around the same price you will get double the quantity of food and better quality.

Erin Mahony

So so. Not too sure if I would return again. I think whether you would like this place or not just depends on what your after. The food is great, but it is more expensive than other places of similar standard around. I really loved the atmosphere of the restaurant, was very spacious. The wait staff were very kind and polite, however not very attentive. The chairs also had no backs, which was very nice looking, but relatively uncomfortable after some time. We went for a birthday with a group of around 10 people, and they were very good with bringing the cake out on time with sparklers and everything.

J.Hutchison

Quick bite to eat!. Dropped in on a number occasions, but recently had the king fish and prawn sushi... Simply AMAZING! The sashimi and sushi here is s fresh and always great.

Tigger

Yeah I agree with a lot of people here.. Food is ok (nothing amazing), big enough portions, but you seem to pay a premium for the location unfortunately

De88ie_9irl

Yum!. Menu is small (1 page for hot mains) and a little pricey- but I still love going here! The barramundi and the eggplant are to die for! Just remember this restaurant is more about quality for money than quantity.. if you're on a budget you could be going to maccas afterwards!

Turtle

Good for quick meal. Well priced and tasty share plates. Service efficient and friendly without being intrusive.

Vigo

I still like it....even though it does seem a little faded...maybe its time for a bit of rejuvenation...wont say no to coming here..

Jes LittleCoy

Overpriced, small servings and average food, yes their location is great but that doesn't make a reputable restaurant. I left hungry after eating two entee sized plates that cost me over over $30!! Ended up eating at another Japanese restaurant where their bentoh box cost half choc buddhas main, was bigger and even had an oyster...

Foodie

Underwhelmed. I don't get the hype. It's overpriced, overcrowded and underwhelming. Steer clear and save your pennies. The kebabs on Swanston Street are better value.

Mel Bourne

Not happy, Jan. Had a really bad dining experience here. Mains took over an hour and they mucked up our orders, with no clear explanation from wait staff we were left a bit annoyed. The food itself was quite good when it eventually came out!

Nikolai Yan

I went about 8 months ago and it was fantastic, and went back yesterday and it was very disappointing... What did they do to the green gyozas!? Way too meaty for a vegetarian option. Won't be going back.

Enlightened0ne

Really disappointing; no longer as good as it used to be. Now overpriced with small servings of average food.

Hello Kiki

Great food! It's a lovely place to go for a special Japanese meal as it is pricey compared to all the sushi shops around Melbourne. Loved the tempura prawns but really enjoyed the rolls as they are made good unlike all the hand rolls in the CBD. Reminds me of sushi back in Toronto. Great overall meal!

Lily N

Japanese in Fed Square!. Not cheap but great location and a good restaurant for large parties. Japanese food is the bomb and they do a wonderful job here, love the layout/decor.

Gursharan Chana

Good Food and A Nice Location.. Chocolate buddha has nice modern australian cuisine, a good wine list and a nice location overlooking the Yarra, give it a shot.

Tanya Pappalardo

Ur paying for the location here as the food isn't anything out of the ordinary. Having said that I've been several times and will prob go back. I've taken a few out of towners and they loved it... It's great for a casual meal and a few drinks!

Spiceitup

Waste of a prime location. Lovely spot overlooking fed square..thats all there is to this restaruant. The food was mediocre and the service very poor with untrained and dissorganised staff. We had to repeat almost every order..even the table water took 2 requests before being brought to the table. At the end of an unsatisying meal we were rushed along to leave so the table with the good views could presumably be offered to someon else. Stay away ..enjoy the view of Fed square from somewgere else. You wont be missing out on good food and you certainly do not have to pay 60$ for such poor service,

Tricia

$20 for a bowl of ramen felt rather steep...

Big Mojo

The food is good. We get a large vego dish to share. Beer prices are outrageous.

Michelle

Never Again. A recent visit to Chocolate Buddha proved highly disappointing. Having not been for a year or so I noticed a greatly reduced menu. I ordered a noodle soup with chicken and veges. Service time was fine, but upon biting into the chicken it was COLD. I think it was taken straight from the fridge and put into the broth. The grill lines on the chicken pieces reminded of a McDonalds chicken burger. Upon telling the waitress, who was at best indifferent, she returned the soup to the kitchen. It reappeared a few minutes later with the half eaten piece of chicken still floating in the soup and marginally warm. the miracles of a microwave! Given Melbourne has so many wonderful restaurants my advice is give this one a big miss and try somewhere else.

Elise

DO NOT GO!!!!! I paid $24 for a small platter of 12 pieces of sashimi and sushi. They claim that it could serve two. That's only possible if u had eaten at another place and came here on when you are full. The sushi was so small, I could have breathed it. In the end it cost over a hundred dollars for something we we could have got at sushi sushi for $14. It was an absolute joke. The serving was to small for a 5 year old child let alone two adults. Not to even mention the service. In one word RUDE! I've never been treated so unwelcomed at a restaurant before. Also it took longer to get the bill then to eat their miniature food. All in all, the only reason I would go here again is when I want to feel like a giant eating tiny food and pay tonnes of money for it.

John

Could not take picture of food because it was so small but the cheque was quite large. if you are looking for a filling meal do not go here.

Kaet9

Pretty average. Good location. Quick service.. We have been on a Japanese adventure lately but wasn't too sure by the other reviews how CB would stack up. Whilst nice, quickly served and reasonably generous portions (except the expensive and limited number of fish pieces in one dish), there wasn't anything spectacular or making us want to come back. Probably nice for a quick lunch more than dinner but there are better places.

Deliah_wilson

Decent food, terrible service!. I went out for a casual dinner with two of my girlfriends to this restaurant in Fed Square. I had never heard of it, but a quick look at the menu outside made us curious to try it, so in we went. The decor is snazzy, buddha's from different parts of the world all along the wall. The tables are low with little stools to sit on. They don't look very comfortable, but they are. They have a coat rack which is handy in the cold weather, as there are no chair backs to put your coat on and it saves you putting it on the floor or on your bag. The service was ok to start with, a pleasant waiter who memorised our order. The drinks were a little slow to come out and we had to signal our waiter to refill our water on numerous occasions. The food doesn't come out together, so if someone in your group orders noodles, it will come out at a different time to someone who has sushi or sashimi. The real disappointment was when my noodles came out and even though I highlighted that I was allergic to mushrooms, after having a look in my noodles, I found there were shitake mushrooms all through it. It took 5 minutes to get the waiter to come over and after me holding up the mushrooms on my chopsticks in front of him, he appologised profusely and had them replaced. The manager came over and appologised also and even though the noodles were lovely the second time, I couldn't get over that I could have eaten them unknowingly and would have been quite ill. My two friends thoroughly enjoyed their meals, another noodle dish and a tempura sushi roll. All food is presented very nicely and very tasty, but no one came to see how the meals were, even after my noodles were replaced. Getting the bill was an ordeal. We had a train to catch and ended up just going to the counter to pay as no one wanted to get our bill for us. I'm not sure if they were under staffed or if this is how it is always, but I would not go back.

Meg

Location!. This restaurant is in a prime location (on federation square) - we stumbled in on the Sunday before a public holiday and were sat down and served in under 10 minutes! Having lived in Japan for 10 years, I am addicted to Japanese food and this place was pretty good. The food wasn't so "authentic" but it had charm and the meals were huge! We didn't get drinks or seperate entrees, just had water and edamame to share but the staff were lovely and very attentive. While it is a little pricer then normal (between $18-20 for a main), we had a great time and there was more than enough. Definitely would return.

Simon

Average food and service but I'd expect alot more for the price. You pay for the location and reputation.

Samuel Cox

Gluten free menu is a bit limited compared to the rest of the menu but food and service very good. Recommended.

Luke

I'm a sucker for the Teriyaki chicken here-plus the location is good if catching a show in the city. Still a fan!

Oyster

Nothing special. I went here on the eve of my mate's birthday, I ordered one drink and three dishes. My first disappointment was with how software drinks are served, when ordering at a poshy restaurant like this, you'd expect them to pour it for you, instead it was served unpourned. I specifically asked for my Sashimi Platter to be served with Misoshiru, they said "no problem" at the time but served the Misoshiru first and said the Sashimi Platter was right behind the Misoshiru. 20 minutes later, I had finished Misoshiru and the Sashimi platter was nowhere in sight. When the Sashimi finally came, it was beautifully presented and good quantity for the price. In the selection of Salmon, Kingfish, Octupus and Tuna, there was a piece of Salmon which was slightly ... not fresh. My final course was Nabeyaki Udon, it was nothing special and I can't really justify the $24 I spent on the udon. Bottomline: An average Japanese dining experience but expect to pay a premium for it.

Jade

Ra-ra-ramen! For the cheap price tag and speedy food it's good when you're in a rush. To all the people out there who are unhappy that the food comes out as ready this is clearly stated at the top of the menu.

Fiona Sanna

OK for restaurant level asian. Service a bit slow but good value. Convenient location but no bookings!

Munchinmelbourne

Overpriced for average taste. You're paying for the atmosphere. Its a nice place to socialise. The food is average, its food you can get anywhere but you're paying double here.

Steamrollersam

Buddha's a big dud. Been five times over the years, including sometime during its first week from opening. Such promise (location, concept, philosophy, interior design) and it's really never ever lived up to the initial hype. everything's flavorless and predictable.

Foodie

Loved it. Tasty food, good wine selection (Plum Wine was different) and lovely personal service. Looking forward to returning with friends, family & colleagues.

Bon Sapor Food

What a shame.... We USED to love Chocolate Buddha, it was delicious. However unfortunately the menu and recipes have changed and the food is now very average, or even below average. The gyoza used to be the best in Melbourne, however now it is terrible. So disappointing, we really need a little "Tanuki's Cave" (the best Japanese restaurant in Auckland) in Melbourne. I'm yet to find good Japanese in Melbourne. Ocha is good, but not great either.

P's Bottomless Pit

"which powder do i eat?!". Yum yum bento box was really good...the spicy little powders on the table are great on rice and id never had them before but one of them is super hot...beware! tasty! as far as i remember there was only vego gyoza?, I WANT PORK ON MY FORK!

Mike Carrere

Buddha. There is lots to choose from the Menu however where's the entree of main so u know the portions. anyway the entree came out the same time as the main and i got my entree and main and my friends main came out approx 15 minutes after. the soup was luke warm and the main was boring and tasteless. You can even taste the tap water and my soft drink tasted like water too.. for desert i got my one scoop of icecream for $5 and luke warm coffee.. thats $150 bucks of my life ill never get back

Joe Cooper

Walked out after not being served for 15 minutes. The waiter who sat us never came back and those we tried to hail didn't notice us. Poorly run, it seems

Christina Ngo-Nguyen

Decent. From memory, not a lot of the food from Chocolate Buddha appealed to me, except, perhaps ironically the (Korean) bibambap. I've had it twice now and it hasn't failed me. Others with whom I've gone have not really liked their meals though...so perhaps the actual Japanese options are not quite up to par. It's really a pity. I found the service to be rather good and a fine ambiance.

Mandy

No flavour!!!! Horrible food!!!!

Eldontyrell

Waaaaaaaaaaaay overrated. Appalling service from arrogant staff. People workoing in hospitality in Australia really do struggle with the difference between service and servitude. Why do Melbournians put up with such terrible service? There're way better places to go for way better service, or else go somewhere that the prices don't beguile you into believing that your order might include at least a smear of decent service??? Food could not possibly have been more bland. We've given this place 2 chances. People who like the flavors served up at CB clearly have pretty low standards. When my ramen came TWENTY MINUTES before my wife's soba, the waiter tried to explain (basically echoing what's written on their menus) that such was how japanese noodles are traditionally served. That guys is raw krap..... krappetykrapkrapkrap! They've contemptuously disguised an appalling excuse for simply not bothering to hire / pay for, staff skilled enough to coordinate dishes going to tables properly, as a made-up reason which they've written on their menus (and indoctrinated their indifferent staff for whom providing any semblence of service is miles and miles beneath them), which is actually a pack of lies. Given their location, is the fact that they simply don't need repeat custom lost on nearly everyone?

Rob

It's all about the location and this is reflected in the prices. We came here on a Monday night and couldn't fault the service. The entrees were tasty but the chicken ramen was bland and a but like dishwater. If only the food was as good as the views

Celia

Really enjoyed my experience there. Staff were helpful and lovely, ramens were massive! I left very very full and the prices of dishes was expected when eating organic produce. Had my son with me and the menu is kid friendly! Will definately return on many occasions.

Adami

Great location, average food, over-priced, average service. I won't be in a hurry to return. I only rated that "I like it" because of the great location and the fact we had a hot 35C evening which made the atmosphere awesome.

Kate

Overrated. The food is good but serves are small and it's very expensive for what it is. Seems a bit stiff that staff don't take your order at the table when prices are so high.

Foodi

Tasty food, adequate service, great location. Ordered a rice and a noodle dish, both of which were tasty. Shame they don't do ordinary gyoza though. Service was ordinary and not particularly fast, but it was a beautiful summers day in the city and it was fun to watch the Fed Square traffic go by.

Loulou

We ordered 8 different dishes to share as a group... Most were bland and very overpriced. Service was slow...staff were unhelpful...very overrated!

The Hungry Badger

Great location, busy and lots to choose from on the menu. Communal eating style (long benches) so it's great for groups. A bit disappointed though after the last menu change took a few personal favourites off.

Chris

Yeah not bad! But the soup was cold! And cost a fair bit, too

Nadia

Central location & great food. Every time I go to Chocolate Buddha (and it would have to be in excess of half a dozen), I tell myself I'll try something different. There's a big menu, and lots of vegetarian options. But every time, I'm drawn back to one incredible dish - the vegetarian Bibimbap. It comes to you in a large, open bowl. In the centre is a mound of warm rice, and nestled around it is all kinds of delicious vegetables - threads of bright green seaweed, pickled mushrooms, spicy kimchi, julienned carrots and cucumber. Crowning this is a fried egg, perfectly done so that with one poke of your chopstick, the gooey yolk comes pouring out. The finishing touch is the delicious spicy sauce, which looks a little like tomato sauce, but I believe it's some kind of Korean chili sauce. It's an amazing dish, very filling, and I've never managed to go to Chocolate Buddha without ordering it. Beyond this dish, Chocolate Buddha also boasts a lovely atmosphere, attentive staff, and a good range of loose leaf tea.

Iron Chef Shellie

Suprisingly Good!. At a restaurant called "Chocolate Buddha" I would not have expected Japanese food, but this place was, and business was booming. The staff were all very polite and willing to help. A good variety of meat and vegetarian dishes, from noodles to wagyu beef. We ordered gyoza, my latest obbession in life and some noodles. We had no idea what to expect from the noodles as we aren't really professionals at ordering Japanese food. I would definitely go back to Chocolate Buddha. The food was good, the service was good, and the atmosphere is pleasant.

Review Chocolate Buddha - Melbourne