Review Sake Restaurant & Bar - Melbourne

The food here was delicious especially the chicken boa which was my favourite. The service was great and the deserts were fantastic. I've had a dragon egg before in Sydney and was keen for it again but not sure it was as good as Sydney which hurts me to say. But still amazing food. They did make us change tables which was a bit annoying but overall a great experience.

Delicious meals and really great staff, we needed some recommendations for drinks and some dishes and the ones he recommended ended up to be really great! I felt like the price was a bit higher than some other experiences I got for the same price but I wouldn't mind suggesting others to come and try it out :) their mocktails were surprisingly better than I expected! Food came at a comfortable speed, customer service was amazing, environment was quite impressive, good amount of privacy. Total cost = 300 dollars

Quite disappointed with my overall experience at this restaurant. We had the omakase option, hoping to have a number of sushi dishes however the menu was very contemporary and almost didn't taste Japanese in some of the courses. The food was good though, but not amazing. The biggest disappointment is the surcharge for Sunday. Had I known there was a surcharge for eating on a Sunday I would not have come. The service was quite slow, we had to ask for the bill three times but it never came, ended up just going up to pay. The restaurant is nice, clean and has a good atmosphere. Staff are friendly and nice, just a bit slow.

FIRST CLASS JAPANESE RESTAURANT IN MELBOURNE CBD Sake is an elegant Japanese restaurant with a comprehensive menu and a long wine list. We (3 of us) ate there on a week night and enjoyed every aspect of the dinner - food, wait service, ambiance and quality! It was busy but that didn't impact on our comfort as the staff managed the traffic very well and there was a sense of calm and tranquility in the restaurant :) Our waiter was very well informed about the menu and the wine list and brought out our dishes at just the right times! Cant fault it so it gets a full five stars from me!

Came to Sake for a quite mid week dinner with the Mrs and ordered the set 8 course menu for a special occasion we were celebrating. The first 4 courses arrived fairly quick and Sake forgot about the rest. Waited patiently for 30 minutes before advising wait staff about the food's whereabouts. By this time we lost appetite for food. Food was great and definitely worth the money spend. But waiting long between the courses didn't help. Sake also has a great Japanese whiskey collection and Nikka from the barrel is recommended. Mid week dinning wasn't quite but loud and completely packed with consumers.

Love it! We had the 8-Courses chef selection menu for our anniversary. Everything is great, the food, the service, and the atmosphere. We can taste every detail they focus in the dishes.

Several delicious hits at this Japanese chain. Did a set menu and would definitely recommend. Loved the chirashi salad and mushroom hot pot. The sushi was a bit flavorless but overall great meal.

Let me tell you this Googlers, review hunters and food inspiration seekers!! For consistently excellent and innovative Japanese cuisine, there is no better than Saké! Having dined at Saké Hamer Hall and The Rocks locations more times than I can count, this was my first visit to Saké Flinders Lane. Did it live up to its sibling venues? Hell yes!! We enjoyed an early sitting straight after work to try the Chef’s Signature 8 course Menu...um, delicious!! Light, delicate and flavoursome, we were full but not defeated. While we were tempted to indulge in the cocktail of the day, we enjoyed a variety of wines by the glass. Already booked my next visit.....

Sake is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Melbourne! The food is always so fresh, tasty & full of flavour! There is also a fantastic bar downstairs where you can go & enjoy some nice cocktails! They have lots of amazing gluten free options to choose. We highly recommend Sake!!

Overpriced food. Staff were okay. Portion sizes were way too small.

Good location, easy parking, lovely atmosphere, felt welcome instantly, choose 8 course set menu, all good, with the lovely presentation as well.

Such fresh ingredients. Stand out dishes were their ikura gunkans (very generous toppings of ikura), spicy salmon roll, veggie roll and tofu cheesecake (the texture was to die for).

Dined at Sake Flinders Lane in one of their private dining areas. This was a set menu and the food was definitely enjoyable, fresh and delectable. My only reason for a 4 star is the drink service could of been slightly improved, it was quite intrusive as the host waitperson would often interrupt speeches etc. Lovely evening nonetheless.

A oldie but a goodie. Good service, great food and a good drink list. Hard not to love it. The sushi was done well and the chicken with mushroom and ginger was a hit. <br/>

3.5/5 <br/>The ambience here is very intimate, dimly lot however I really appreciated the excellent lighting for food photos >__< <br/>Really enjoyed the nori crisps, fresh nigiri (especially the scallop one), the tuna ceviche was definitely a highlight and the salmon sushi roll was delicious as well! <br/>Service was hit or miss, the person I was greeted by and whom took my order was a bit rude when I simply asked what nigiri was included in the moriawase but he looked at me as if I were asking a very stupid question; simply because there are certain fish types i don’t quite enjoy eating, hence the lower rating despite the great food experience I had. <br/><br/>Overall I think it was great value with 30% off, I’m not too sure I would return full price however.

My Key Three Pointers <br/>Actual rating 3.5 <br/>* Front of house was not the best. <br/>* Some tables have a nice breeze. <br/>* Food hit and miss. <br/><br/>Prime dinning spot on Flinders lane, located in what I refer to as the eat street of Melbourne. Sake is a contemporary Japanese dinning experience. A two story restaurant which was once a nightclub that I visited often and can’t recall much as it was not great, but I will remember this dinning experience. If you need that nightlife head down to their basement and ask for the sake list. The fit out is beautiful and super-luxe, dark timber furnishing with exposed bricks, neon orange lighting, an open kitchen with a dedicated sushi bar. Perfect spot to Graze the night away. <br/><br/>Our night did not start in the best way however, all can be forgiven when you dish up some amazing food. We were running 20 minutes late, the city can be very unpredictable with traffic. I called to apologize and inform them, the person I spoke with acknowledged our booking and advised this would be fine. When we arrived the front of house could not find our booking and he was acting as if we had no reservation, just trying to worm our way in. He asked for an email confirmation. I did not book online and was never asked for my email address over the phone. I don’t lie about reservations and I’m not 18 trying to get into a club. How is it possible when I called to inform them of our late arrival they had all my details but now we are wiped of the map, never to be found. I had to show my phone calls as proof. Why did he not believe us? I think he had his job title a little confused... Mr detective. I had to be blunt and ask can you or can’t you seat us . I was over having to prove my innocence. We finally got a spot and It felt a little stitched up, put in the naughty corner. Put in front of the walkway passage, the door was opening and closing and we were being hit in face with a cold breeze. They had many available tables so we asked to be moved.<br/><br/>Let’s focus on the food we had many wow’s and a few ew moments. Sushi salmon was a standout dish, the grass fed tataki full of flavor, yakitori chicken and teriyaki lamb was finger licking, how can edamame be this good, chicken karage you can’t go wrong and the vegetable tempura best I have had. <br/>Mushroom hotpot is not a good option if you are not a fan of tofu definitely our least favorite, wagu beef dumplings was nothing special not sure how it made the specials list, ginger chicken was yummy but it should not be listed as a large selection, the edamame was a larger serving than this. Dessert was a hit for the majority but my selection was not the best option. Marshmallow meringue was nice but the sorbet was so overpowering, I could not conclude if it was good or bad. <br/>The service we got at the table was good and overall I would be running back for sushi and sashimi.

Fantastic atmosphere, specially the downstair bar, the food was nice but nothing very special, absolutely love their Japanese whiskey selection, the service was really good, knowledgeable and friendly staffs, very good experience.

booked the table for my fiance birthday. the foods were tasty and didn't have to wait long. I love the popcorn prawn there. barramundi for the main was going well with white rice. overall services 5*<br/>abit pricy but good foods and services.

Some hits and some mehs but pretty overpriced overall.<br/><br/>FOOD: We ordered the sashimi moriawase, popcorn shrimp, salmon belly sashimi, miso glazed tooth fish, salmon sashimi new style and the salmon & avocado roll. The sashimi moriawase was good and the sashimi were really fresh. The popcorn shrimp was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend them, the shrimp were plump and coated really well and the sauce they put on top was fabulous. The salmon sashimi was great but for $5 a slice - that’s pretty absurd. The miso glazed tooth fish (their signature) is amazing as well and definitely a must get. The salmon sashimi new style was pretty good, the sashimi were super fresh but the flavours can get abit much so if you prefer traditional fresh salmon, I’d opt not to order this and finally, the salmon and avocado roll which was great however I told the waitress that I didn’t want mayo and she still put it on there... which is ew but on its own, the sushi is great.<br/><br/>SERVICE: Service was inconsistent with them being really attentive and friendly one second and the next minute, they are abit hostile so not sure what’s the theme of the service but it was abit of a turn off.<br/><br/>Overall, Sake was a good experience but I don’t recommend going when you’re hungry unless you want to fork out a whole lot of cash. The food is good but it’s not something I’d come back for especially for the price point.

Great CBD location in Flinders Lane. Walking distance from Sofitel and Hyatt Hotels. The atmosphere was great with great service. The food was amazing. Highly recommended<br/>

Had chefs signature menu, appreciated service and how accommodating they were for dietary requests however overall found the food to be very disappointing - soggy gyoza, over cooked salmon, sashimi drowned in sauce.

There was a mouse in the restaurant which the people working there were aware of but still decided to ignore and let customers in. This was later confirmed by the waiter of our table when we spotted the mouse and other tables were starting to leave as well. It is a disgrace to the food industry. The restaurant manager was extremely rude when confronted upon the mouse running around the table. Will never ever go back to this place. I am going to report this place to the Food and Beverage department in Australia especially after the behaviour of the manager.

Sake, through their innovative Japanese culture, they bring to life incredibly delicious and fresh dishes. Not only is the food out of this world and feels like it’s fresh flown from Japan, the atmosphere is also amazing with friendly staff. Can’t speak highly enough of Sake!

The food wasn't too bad. <br/>Came here with a voucher for a set menu and it's nice that their menu had a great selection of dishes. I'd say the food is pretty average, highlight was the beef wrap (ssam) the beef was charred well and was tender & juicy.

Came on the 50% off dimi booking. Money for value was O.K the discount is exxaggerated as the set menu offered has been watered down. Food was decent. Nori crisps were a standout. Can't help but feel deceived when offered a choice of sparkling or still water and opting for still, but not being informed it is $10.50 a bottle, this was refilled by staff automatically again without being aware we'd been charged over $20 just for water.

Love going there, in my opinion best Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. Every time we leave happy, only sometimes you wait for the main meal bit longer, but all great

Went there on a Saturday for lunch for two. Table was available straight away. Love the food here and great ambience. Would def go back again.

We came here for dinner in-between our theatre break and found the service prompt and polite, but the food quite variable in quality - especially given the price point. <br/><br/>For cold starters we ordered the snow crab rolls, hiramasa kingfish, beef tataki, and white soy snapper. These were all delicious and the raw fish dishes is truly where this restaurant shines. <br/><br/>I would skip the hot dishes if I decided to revisit. The popcorn shrimp (apparently their most popular dish) and chicken karaage were both oily and subpar in terms of flavour. I could find much better for cheaper from the food court. The salmon sashimi new style was tasty though, but after the cold starters most of the fish dishes began tasting quite similar - they all employ the citrus/sesame dressing liberally. <br/><br/>We ordered the hay smoked duck and buta no kakuni (braised pork belly) for the larger plates and these were both delicious. I would say the braised pork is my favourite dish of the night, it comes with an onsen egg. When cracked over the pork, the egg yolk and the savoury-sweet sauce combines to create a rich and decadent accompaniment for your rice. The pork pieces are soft and melt in your mouth. I still drool thinking about this dish. <br/><br/>The bill came to around $90 per person, we only had sparkling water and a small sake to share. I felt there are better value Japanese meals in Melbourne and sake has too much competition to be a stand out. Overall, I would return for a special occasion but steer clear of the hot plates.

Waiter was friendly, great service. Had the $99 chef’s menu, great that they were happy to accomodate dietary restrictions but not worth the money. Was initially excited to see that the toothfish was included but very disappointed when the serving portion was so small it was a bite each. Would not recommend the chef’s menu, order a la carte instead.

Ordered on uber eats.  Confirmed our order, then cancelled more than an hour later, when it was too late to get a replacement.  Also refusing to answer the phone.  Apparently my $100 plus order was insignificant. Is it so hard to just say "can't do it" when the order comes in? Seriously pissed off.

Chose the Une No Hana set menu and added agedashi tofu - not because there wasn’t enough food but because you can’t really go wrong with tofu! Everything was yum and hot dishes arrived steaming. Portion sizes were more generous than expected for these type of establishments. <br/>Favourites were the miso eggplant and spicy tuna roll. Cocktails were good, service was friendly and attentive. Left feeling very satisfied and not overly (or under) stuffed! Hand towels provided after eating corn was a nice touch too. Will be back :)

A pretty popular place for modern japanese dishes. Started with edamame, which was pretty average. Then the nori crisps came, the nori was perfectly crisp, it wasn’t greasy at all, and the amount of sashimi on top was perfect. The nigiri moriawase was a bit disappointing, due to the excessive amount of wasabi inside, the taste was really overpowering. The new style sashimi was pretty tasty, although I wish the truffle taste was more distinct. The ebi ten roll was pretty standard, but the tempura wasn’t oily. The pork belly was really tender and not too fatty. The sauce wasn’t too sweet. The chicken yakitori was pretty tasty as well, the meat was really tender, and wasn’t bland. Overall, it was an enjoyable dinner, but it didn’t wow me, pretty good, but won’t come back anytime soon.

I’ve tried Saké Restaurant and Bar in Sydney and tbh it’s a lot more popular than it is here. <br/><br/>When you first walk in, you get a taste of a very upper class Japanese restaurant. It was dimly lit with two levels of dining. It wasn’t packed however this place can accomodate to A LOT of people. We were seated and the menu was quite similar to the one in Sydney. There’s a chef’s menu and also an al la carte menu. They also had a special menu as well. <br/><br/>We ordered the nori crisp which includes 2 pieces of tuna and kingfish. I really enjoyed this. It’s a nice light and fresh dish to kick off our night. Next we ordered the wagyu tartare. I really enjoyed this one as well. I enjoyed the crisp and the sauce. We also ordered two sushi rolls, the salmon and the soft shell crab. The salmon and avocado roll was delicious however I’m pretty sure they changed the soft shell crab rolls. The one I had in Sydney was to die for but this one fell flat. It really didn’t do it for me and I was quite disappointed. <br/><br/>The sashimi new style was quite interesting. The truffle oil gave it an interesting flavour. The fish was extremely fresh and I did also enjoy this dish. <br/><br/>Last but not least, the nigiris. My favourite one out of the the bunch was the salmon belly. It was soooo good. Melt in your mouth!!! If you’re going to come here, definitely order the salmon belly. The fish were all fresh. The tuna and scallop was delicious as well! <br/><br/>We came here on public holiday so there was a 15% surcharge which I thought was kind of high, but oh wells. Overall, I really enjoyed the meal and would surely recommend this place!

The best sashimi we have ever had in the WORLD, full stop. Having been to Japan and tried some of the freshest sushi in the world, as well as heavily versed within the sushi domain in Melbourne, we simply have to give credit where it is due to Sake Restaurant and Bar on Flinders Lane. This is simply the best of the best. From the utmost prestigious service to the world class ambience, this restaurant will make for a special day for anyone.<br/><br/>Today we ordered the salmon avocado, soft shell crab, gyoza, and new style salmon sashimi. The gyozas were exquisite, whilst the salmon new style was a fusion of yumcha like flavours with the tasty, delicious salmon present here. What captured our heart however was the sushi. The sashimi used was simply gorgeous. Marbled, fresh and melt in your mouth flavour that simply has to be tried to be Understood. We were blown away with just how beautiful the sushi tasted both the salmon and soft shell crab. You simply have to order the rolls here.<br/><br/>One of, if not our favourite sushi spot in Melbourne and thereby the world. Heavily impressed by our experience here and would recommend it to all. World class for sure!<br/><br/>Food: 5/5<br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Ambience: 5/5<br/>Value: 5/5<br/><br/>Overall: 5/5

Lovely restaurant - great decor and ambience. Food was nice, but the set menu service was a bit slapstick and disjointed. Host offered a warm welcome but the rest of the staff weren’t very engaging. There are far better options at this price point.

Have been a few times now and not much to be said apart from quality food, great service and nice ambience. Would highly recommend the short rib and pork belly!

The food is really good. Unfortunately, I feel a little bit ripped off with them charging $5 PER BOTTLE for water (not sparkling just still) without asking if you want bottled stilled water as opposed to tap water. This has happened twice now (both times charging $25 for the 5 bottles of water our group drank). When we questioned the bill the waiter got the host who tried to explain to us this was our fault and we should of known that we would be charged for the bottled still water even when the waiter just gave us the water without asking our preference. BE MINDFUL of your drinks bill as it is presented on the bill as one figure and not as individual items and the waiters will serve you the $5 bottled water unless you ask for tap specifically- I cant help to think this is a bit of a scam to get more money.

Came on a 50% Dimmi booking and definitely would say the quality of food was a class above the standard Japanese fare. We had the chef’s omakase menu and it was all delicious. I had never had mackerel before as I was afraid of fishy smell/taste but it was perfectly cooked and opened me to something I wouldn’t normally order. The only criticism I have is that some of the dishes seemed to have small components which could be improved like the daikon on the mackerel dish was lukewarm on the outside and cold in the middle (clearly not heated through enough). I understand the radish is pre-cooked and poached in stock but it would have been nicer hot. And my biggest disappointment of the night is that the creamy, beautiful cheesecake in a cup had no crust (not even a crumble!). As a cheesecake lover it made me sad as the crust is arguably the best part. Would come back to try their all you can eat + cocktail on weeknights at 5pm but I think without a Dimmi discount it might be a bit pricey!

Came here for the Dimmi 50% off deal after wanting to visit for a while. Food wasn't bad, but uninspiring. If it wasn't for the 50% off I would have left dissatisfied. Definitely would not return unfortunately.

Good quality Japanese dishes!<br/><br/>We ordered to share:<br/>-the salmon belly and King fish sashimi - soft, refreshing and beautiful.<br/>-spider maki roll (softshell crab)<br/>-chicken karaage<br/>-chicken yakitori<br/>-teriyaki lamb chop yakitori - the stand out dish, perfectly seasoned and cooked to a med rare<br/>-vegetable tempura<br/><br/>Ambience was moody, dimly lit and perfect for that date night. Food came out in a timely manner so we were left with happy bellies throughout the sitting. <br/><br/>We were a group of three so it was great for them to offer us to make the yakitori servings in three so that we didn't awkwardly have to share 2 between 3. Definitely appreciated this small gesture :)

Such a great place to hang out with friends or even have a romantic dinner for two. Staff were very friendly, and atmosphere here is fantastic.<br/>Recently we tried their 8 course chef’s omakase. As always, super delicious dishes - I just wished they had included at least one of their signature dishes, but overall very good!<br/>.<br/>Sashimi; Salmon, Bonito, Alfonsino, Snapper, Kingfish<br/>🍣 fresh and delicious, definitely a treat!!<br/>.<br/>Grass Fed Beef Tataki<br/>with snowpea sprouts, onion, cherry tomato, garlic chips<br/>🐄 loved the combination of flavours, everything goes well together!<br/>.<br/>Wagyu Dumplings<br/>with wagyu beef, chicken broth, chilli threads, nori, cabbage<br/>🍲 quite a unique dish, nothing too spectacular but gives you a homey feeling.<br/>.<br/>Shiromi Tempura<br/>🐟 I didn’t know this before but shiromi is actually a white fish, and the tempura is delicious!<br/>.<br/>Lamb Chop<br/>with Sichumi Spice<br/>🍖 loved the lamb chop, it was cooked perfectly! And the sichumi spice adds a kick to complete it, yum!<br/>.<br/>Teriyaki Mackerel<br/>with braised daikon, spinach, onions and leek<br/>🐟 I could have this every week! It is towards the sweeter side, so if you do like sweeter savoury dishes (if that makes sense), then this is a great choice!!<br/>.<br/>Nigiri; scallop, salmon and kingfish with miso soup<br/>🍣 I always love a good nigiri, and you bet they are!<br/>.<br/>Tofu Cheescake<br/>With cream cheese, seasonal fruit and vanilla cream<br/>🍨 A great dessert to end the omakase, much love for this and such fresh fruits too!

A modern, fancy Japanese restaurant quietly located along Flinders Lane. We had wanted to try this place for a long time, and after seeing their 50% off discount on Dimmi we thought it would be the perfect chance to!<br/><br/>We arrived at 5 and were seated immediately. The restaurant was rather empty, however by 6:30 is was almost completely full. The interior is very modern and stylish, dimly lit and perfect for a romantic evening. The menu isn’t big, and dishes are on the pricier side. We ordered a large number of dishes, and we were half-expecting that it would be too much food, but all the portions were extremely tiny and we ended up still hungry by the end of our meal!<br/><br/>Of all the dishes we ordered, our favourites have to be the Nasu Dengaku and the Buta no Kakuni. The eggplant skewer was served piping hot, and it was so juicy and flavourful. The sweet miso sauce was delightful. The braised pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. It honestly fell apart at the touch of a fork! And that onsen egg is just wow!<br/><br/>Service started off quite well, however as the restaurant got busier, it got harder to get the waiters’ attention and took multiple attempts. Overall, it was a nice dinner but the portion sizes were a bit too small to satisfy us.

Beautiful place to savour Japanese cuisine at its finest. It’s on the pricey side but the food is fresh and delicious. Staff are extremely friendly and made our experience here really wonderful.

This place was some experience. Came through dimmi’s 50% off food and so glad I had that offer. <br/><br/>The food and drinks are definitely super expensive but they were all worth it. Between 3 of us we ordered 500 ml of sake and about 7-8 dishes. The sake felt super light but had the right taste. Didn’t need to order another drink although I had already decided on the plum liquor. <br/><br/>The food was great too. <br/><br/>My personal favourite: Nasu Dengaku and mushroom hotpot.<br/>

LIT!: we ordered the 8 courses feed me menu. The sashimi dishes were very fresh and the cooked kingfish melted in my mouth. Of the 8 courses (which were all good), the highlight would be the dumpling and the perfectly cooked salmon. <br/><br/>NOT SO LIT!: for the full price, it is extremely expensive so I recommend the 50% dimmis voucher they have in atm! <br/><br/>Thanks for having us girls! Everyone’s stomach was very happy xo

Dined on a 50% off food deal from dimmi. Menu is designed to be shared. We ordered the edamame, popcorn shrimp, prawn dumpling, vege tempura, pork gyoza & ginger garlic chicken with steamed rice. All the dishes were well presented & delicious with a variety of flavours. For dessert I ordered the yuzu pannacotta & hubby ordered chocolate aero, we both enjoyed our desserts, definitely leave room to have dessert. I also had the blonde ninja mocktail. Our waitress was very welcoming, friendly & knowledgeable. A great night out with delicious Japanese cuisine, quite pricey so good for special occasion fine dining but great value for us with this special dimmi deal.

Located in the popular Flinders Lane is a spacious, trending Modern Japanese restaurant. We came on the 50% deal for food so we were able to try a large range of dishes. The food was tasty and unlike traditional japanese cuisine. The highlight was the rangers valley wagyu strip lion, a perfectly cooked steak with a side of yakiniku sauce and yuzu ponzo. <br/><br/>Great service, food and atmosphere.

Second time here and just as good. Pricy for the servings but good quality contemporary Japanese. The sashimi and ceviche were delicious and the umeshu strawberry cocktail out of this world.

Stumbled upon this beautiful restaurant on a Saturday night without a booking and cannot believe the service we were given. Super friendly staff and brilliant service. We were in a rush as we needed to be elsewhere in 30 minutes. Our food came within minutes of us ordering! The food was beautiful. The kingfish and Salman sashimi was a highlight for me but the tataki and duck were amazing as well. Will definitely come back for a longer dining experience.

<br/>Been a returning customer since my 1st visit, the food is amazing and the food quality are consistent. Took my friend here to celebrate her bday n she fall in love with the food n desserts 😍😘

Really good food, well prepared and served quickly with excellent service. We loved the new style salmon sashimi, the Tuna tartare, the chicken Kara age and the Miso dengaku skewers. Highly recommended.

We tried the all you can eat sushi and it wasn’t as expected. There wasn’t a lot of variety of sushi on a plate and they kept giving us the same ones. I think it was meant to be for chilling after work and not an “all you can eat” type of restaurant.

Let me start with this disclaimer. I haven’t eaten at this restaurant!<br/>This review is purely based on how annoying my experience was trying to eat here. It has been on my To Do list for some time, the impetus to come tonight was seeing an Instagram ad for $19 all you can eat sushi between 5 to 7, Monday to Thursday.<br/>I called at 5:30, checking it was just the one at Flinders Lane and not also at the Art Centre that was doing this deal. They confirmed for Flinders street only.<br/>Anyway I arrived just a little before 6 PM. I was then asked if I wanted to be seated at the table or if I was after the $19 deal. After advising the girl that I would like to do the latter, she told me that was not available and if I had wanted to do that I should have arrived at 4:30 “ because that’s what everybody else does!” The horror!<br/>So 1. Why didn’t the person I spoke to at 5:30 tell me, oh sorry no chance in hell, and 2. Why was that option offered at the door to then be snatch away? <br/>What is wrong with this place!!<br/>

Good service, but food can be better and have more options customer<br/><br/>Understandable theres no review this months for people to see about the $19 promotion. Because they paid Zomato to have the power to delete truthful review. <br/><br/>“All you can eat sushi roll”<br/>4 star for 4 options<br/>You only get 4 options of Sushi roll

Come here as we saw a promotion for all you can eat sushi for $20.<br/><br/>Unfortunately we left soon after extremely disappointed. First of all we lined up to be seated for nearly ten minutes. The hostess was extremely slow at seating people. Then when we finally are being served she tells us that they are “full”. Even though there’s hardly anybody at all inside.<br/><br/>Clearly they must have a quota or something of people that can accept the offer, which is pretty bad. Made even worse by the fact that they make you wait so long just to be turned away. At least put up a sign saying you won’t be honouring the promotion any more tonight.

"Hmmm." That is what I would describe my experience here.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong, the staff and ambient was definitely great. However the "all you can eat sushi you can possibly dream of for just $19", is really just a selection of four sushi that tasted average. Now I know the restriction was listed on their website, but you could clearly see the face of disappointment when people found out in the restaurant.<br/><br/>Nevertheless, the experience was neither good or bad. For $19, I just think there are better options available.<br/><br/>Justification<br/>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>+2🌟 for customer services and ambient<br/>+1🌟 food was alright<br/>- 1🌟 they could have stated the restrictions more clearly (i.e. on their Facebook post) so people would be aware.<br/>- 1🌟 You will notice when looking at the overall reviews on Zomato, it's all positive reviews with a big time gap period between each review. I wanted to this test this theory out. So yesterday, I had looked at the Zomato reviews for this restaurant, I've noticed there were a few 1-2 star reviews. HOWEVER as of today those reviews disappeared (or I assumed they deleted those negative reviews because they didn't like the poster opinions). I don't appreciate this kind of business behaviour that tries to bury bad reviews. Therefore, if you don't see this review anymore, you'll know why.

Went here for their all you can eat sushi!! For only $20 this promotion was definitely worth waiting in line for! <br/>The sushi was very nice (not top top quality but definitely worth the price). The ambience of this place is very nice and relaxing. The staff were very friendly and opening to our requests. Would definitely come back here for their main dinner menu!

Came to try the $19 all you can eat sushi promotion which I suspect is aimed at stealing some customers back off Chin Chin next door.<br/><br/>There were 4 options, spicy tuna, vegetarian, salmon and avocado, and chicken karaage rolls that you went up to be served from a central table. I was hoping for more range as there were delicious pictures of nigiri in the write up advertising the deal. But these were the only 4 options for the entire session. The sushi was meh. Karaage was the clear winner with the other rolls being quite inconsistent with the amount of filling. <br/><br/>Overall I was underwhelmed. In a city like Melbourne $20 can buy you some excellent sushi and unfortunately we didn’t get that at Saké. I know I shouldn’t complain for the price, but even the waitress said there were much better rolls on the a la carte menu. If you are running a promotion like this to get more people in to the restaurant you need to put up better quality than what we got.

All you can eat for $19 - “eat all sushi you can possibly dream of” <br/>I just found that a bit misunderstanding because you can only choose four different types of sushi.

The location and presentation is excellent - we sat downstairs which is a little dark and dull, but overall comfortable - good spread between tables and seating is comfortable. Good - not incredible, but good wine list and good selection of Japanese dishes. The food was ok - honestly I think a test of a good v great Japanese restaurant is the quality and freshness of the sashimi - especially the tuna - this was a bit dry and flakey and the rest of the food followed in a similar style - it is ok. Service was ok. For a Flinders Lane restaurant, it is bordering a 3, but really isn’t that bad.

Dined at Sake last Friday for lunch, we did the 6 course chef’s menu and every dish was done beautifully. My favourite was the popcorn prawn dish which I highly recommend! It wasn’t overly busy for a Friday lunch so I think you’d be ok as a walk in during this time.

Highly, highly recommend. I love Japanese food, and this would have to be one of my favourite restaurants. <br/>Took my picky friend for her 21st birthday dinner, so I’m glad there was no faults in the food, service and atmosphere. I will definitely be visiting again, and I have friends (that I dined with) who have already been back.

Staff & Manager very friendly & helpful when explaining the dishes.<br/>Nice warm and intimate atmosphere. Loved the decor. Very stylish plateups.<br/>Food was delicious. Only thing I could really fault if I had to were the portions, quite small..<br/>Would definitely return.

Particularly stylish, understated, yet not overtly Japenois, with cool tunes and subliminal black everything. Waitstaff are 10/10. Not your average Japanese restaurant. A chic mix of respect to tradition overlaid with very modern tones.<br/><br/>We pick at some seriously good spicy edamame whilst we choose. We start with Miso. Always terrific. Then some sashimi kingfish and salmon belly. So delightful. Crisp, clean textures in its freshness. Then some tuna cerviche, with a mild jalapeño dressing, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. So good.<br/><br/>Then some wonderful prawn dumplings - very different, almost dreadlocks of rice strands encasing tres fresh prawns. The accompanying chilli sauce lifted everything. Then some pork Gyoza with sesame. Lovely.<br/><br/>Then to finish, the popcorn prawns. How good are these! Gorgeous in their gossamer light batter.<br/><br/>We circle back for the yuzu marshmallow sorbet. The sweet levitation of the mallow contrasts so well with the tart acidity of the sorbet. Wonderful.<br/><br/>Ably washed down with some petit Chablis.<br/><br/>And Qantas Frequent Flyer points to boot.

I had a chef menu in 7 courses today. It comes with sushi and sashimi, Wagyu dumpling, lamb and brocolini, beef, baramundi, and strawberry cheese cake as dessert. It’s so flavourful. I could say that it’s a new and pleasant experience. God job saké.

Poor service and no<br/>Atmosphere. We got our Champagne after our mains arrived and had to ask 3 times when our drinks was arriving. So disappointing as I was really looking forward to a good night.

The restaurant was relatively empty when we dined. The fish was nice but didn’t really blow me away. The drinks were good but the service was sporadic. For the prices paid I would have expected more but we had a nice time and were glad we could dine relatively undisturbed in the end after all. Would go back but it isn’t very high up on my list to do so.

Went to Sake few weeks ago for a friend's birthday lunch. Located just beside the very famous Thai fusion restaurant in Flinders Lane ;)<br/><br/>Panda 🐼🐼🐼:<br/>-Very spacious, ambience & interior were great<br/>- Service was pretty good<br/>- High quality products and ingredients used<br/><br/>Pandon’t ❌❌❌:<br/>-The foods really took a long time to come out and they were not busy at all.<br/>-Portions were small<br/>-The taste was just ok, even meh for some.<br/><br/>Sake is quite famous for their sushi and sashimi. However, within the price range and all of the fancy interiors it definitely give the feels that the foods have to acquire that certain level, which it didn't. Might think a lot before coming back.

Food: $110 degustation with matching alcohol. 3.5<br/>Interior: comforting and not too noisy. 3.5<br/>Service: Decent service but wasn’t their best 2.5<br/>Overall: better than lucy liu.

Over priced everything, over cooked food, would never go back ruined my mothers Christmas celebrations never eat here!!!!!!!

First time visiting and ordered a few dishes to share. Everything was delicious with favourites being the tuna and avocado salad, crab sushi and dessert. Quite pricey but high quality and reasonable portion sizes. Waiting staff a little absent but very friendly.

Have been here a couple of times with small groups. Got a number of dishes to share - everything was absolutely delicious.<br/><br/>Definitely in my top Japanese restaurants.

This is my second time here and my experience was even better than the first. I celebrated my boyfriend's birthday here yesterday with a group of friends. We had the table at 7pm and even though they had a 2-hour limit, they let us stay as late as we wanted! The food was great and the portions were alright for us. The only thing I did not like was the pork belly, which was a bit dry. Overall, the atmosphere was great and we had a lovely time dining at Sake. We paid about $60/pax and that was inclusive of alcohol (2 bottles of wine) and cakeage charges at $5/pax.

One of many quality eateries on Flinders lane, Sake is a venue with friendly staff and quality food. I particularly liked the snapper sashimi with pear, a great combo that I hadn’t tried before. All the dishes we tried we very tasty, but in my opinion, not quite up there with some of the best Japanese food in Melbourne. As is often the case with good quality Japanese, the prices aren’t that cheap, but you definitely get fresh ingredients for your money. Would happily go back.

Was a bit disappointed with the experience. We opted for the omakase and nothing really stood out besides the tacos and the dessert. Everything else was quite average, or bland.

Came here for dinner with my boyfriend and his siblings. We ordered the Chef's Classic set menu, however since a few of us weren't too keen on sea food, the staff were generous enough to create a modified menu to incorporate an equal amount of sea food and meat dishes. We ended up having around 10 different dishes to share and 3 different desserts. Every dish was amazing 👌🏻. All in all, amazing food, very accommodating staff, and great atmosphere. Would recommend and would come again :)

First off, I really appreciate how unlike most restaurants in Flinders Lane, you can book this place! Great peace of mind when especially on the weekend it’s neighbour Chin Chin has queues out the door and around the corner.. <br/>Having previously dined at the Sake in Southbank, I was somewhat familiar with the menu and immediately ordered the popcorn prawn dish which for me, was the standout dish of the night. It couldn’t have been more well received by my group, and as a result we ordered another plate!Very lightly battered chunks of prawns with a stunning chilli sauce - simple but incredibly tasty and highly addictive! <br/>We ordered the dumplings which were wrapped in what looked like noodles instead of the usual classic smooth dumpling wrapper. Unique to look at, but nothing special filling-wise. <br/>At the same time, our beef tataki arrived which was sliced incredibly finely and accompanied with a zesty dressing and some cherry tomatoes - lovely and fresh! Then finely we finished off with some salmon sushi. This dish was another memorable one as the salmon on the outside of the sushi roll was seared to perfection. There was also a lovely dressing sparingly drizzled over the top (perfect amount - I hate it when it’s swimming in sauce). Overall a fantastic meal! <br/>Ambience was pretty good. We loved the music and the staff were very attentive and friendly. Not nearly as buzzing as Chin Chin next door but still a great place to grab a bite especially if you don’t want the hassle of queuing.

I have been to the sake in south bank and it was so amazing however this one on flinders lane was a pretty disappointing experience! Firstly the waiter that served us looked so uninterested and also was SO rude! I was there on a Tuesday night and was wondering maybe they don’t have there best staff on?? Also when the food came out especially the popcorn shrimp tempura the presentation was woeful and they put the sauce all over the top of the tempura where as at the south bank sake it is presented so beautifully with care and the sauce is on the side. The nigiri was nice but I was so disappointed in the service and presentation I couldn’t really enjoy the experience. I had one of there cocktails which was lovely however the same thing again I got it at the south bank sake and it was presented so nicely and at flinders Lane it looked like someone had just thrown it together and for $20 plus I would expect some care. I also ordered a desert which was very average and also very expensive and was such a disappointment. Overall I left feeling so disappointed, I won’t be back at the flinders Lane sake.

Ambience: 4/5<br/>Food: 4.5/5 <br/>Service: 4.5/5 <br/>Will I return: Yes <br/><br/>Second time back at this restaurant. The first time, we had a small miscommunication in terms of the menu. There were items we had been told were included in the Omakase menu that we looked forward to, but were not. The manager Hazel was superb in welcoming us back to try the missed dishes. From entering, the wait staff were all really friendly and attentive. Service was great from beginning to end. They always made sure the table was clean, napkins folded if anyone were to leave the table, empty plates were cleared promptly and they even help tidy your chop sticks and put it in place for you. <br/>All our dishes were served relatively quickly after we had ordered. We had the sashimi platter, chicken Karage, grilled eggplant, nori crisps and the pork belly. The sashimi was super fresh. The karage wasn't the super crispy kind but it had a nice coating and was really tender with great flavours. The portion for the karage was quite big. I love eating Japanese grilled miso eggplants and the one at sake was up there with the better ones I've tried. The only downside was that it was a bit oily. The pork belly had a good skin but the meat itself was quite dry. However, if you dip it in the onsen egg that comes with the pork, it worked quite well together. Me favourite dish to eat at sake would be the nori crisps! It's a must try if you ever visit sake. Prices for certain dishes can be on the pricier side but you know you will be getting a quality and tasty dish!

4 of us came here dinner and we had a booking. We decided to try the chef's classic menu. Food was good and well presented. The service was friendly too.

We hit up Sake with a 9pm booking strategically trying to stretch out time due to an 11.15pm movie. To kill time between work and dinner we headed to the night market and that's where we went drastically wrong because naturally we were gluttons and ate everything in sight and arrived promptly to the restaurant stomachs groaning.<br/>I still managed to fit in all my favourites (and a medium combo at the cinema) including the steamed prawn dumpling and the popcorn shrimp. I am a big Sake fan but it's pricing dictates it's more of an occasional visit. Great ambiance and impeccable service but if I had to chose I prefer the Southbank location for the atmosphere that riverside dining brings

Have dined here on many occasions and have always been satisfied with the food. Really enjoyed freshness of the scampi and grilled baby octopus. Green tea black sesame dessert was a great finish and atmosphere from the sushi bar is an exciting place to be seated. Service is lacking though as it is very difficult to flag down waitstaff and I had to order beverages and food more than once with the latter being forgotten completely.

If you love sushi and seafood this is one of the places you have to try at least once in your life. For starters we ordered oysters, it was so fresh my tastebuds were literally dancing. The scallops was really good too. Cocktails aint so bad, very pretty looking which is one of my weakness.<br/><br/>Ambience was very upbeat busy. You can actually come here for a drink or two at the bar.<br/><br/>Staff was really friendly although sometimes they can forget to take your order so you have to really make eye contact.<br/><br/>Overall I had a really good experience, looking forward to my next visit at sake restaurant. <br/>

Hard to rate cos we had a lot of sashimi and it ends up tasting the same.. let me start by saying I loved the kingfish sashimi with soy based dressing (Delish) , the tuna/kingfish nori crips (fantastic) we went for another serving and thats how nice it was! Beef tartare another good one! Pork sashimi??? Not quite sure! (Was abit scary to eat) tuna with avocado- fish was absolutely fresh!! Oh I forgot to mention.. they mix their own sake .. oh my!! It taste so nice !! Oh service friendly!

Ginger garlic chicken 👎 thought they got it from the local charcoal chicken, besides that food was half decent, good vibe and ambience.....

A big of a different vibe to the Southbank location but equally as good. This has more of a bar vibe, with more relaxed dining downstairs. Sushi and sashimi still a must try.

From the moment I stepped in the door, there was fantastic service right to the very end.. It started off with 1 wait staff, then 2 then 3. I'm not an expert in hospitality, but having 3 around in a small area somehow worked like professional dancers, they were always there to check us and somehow didn't annoy me at all. How did they do that lol.. Like! <br/><br/>Food- 7 course menu $110pp (min 2ppl) and whole table must be ordering. You can choose the 7 from the a la carte but we opted for them to bring out to avoid disappointment. <br/><br/>The first was Sashimi, it was spectacular with smoke coming out. So many dishes to go through, some were small but i can see why they were small, I walked out feeling super full. Bill ended up being $135pp w 3 beers. I thought it was worth it, I will def come back but maybe next time to celebrate something or going out can get exy. Note: better book, every table was taken (Thursday nite), and I guess they are baby friendly - I saw a baby in a baby chair and another table with a youngster.

Lovely location and decor ! Very disappointed with the service ~ the food came in no order with half an hour in between at one point. The food itself was nice but underwhelming for such a price point. The main is tiny and the lamb chops were covered in fat. Could do better !

Had been planning a visit to Sake for a while as I work just around the corner. I decided today would be the day I sampled some of their fare. Lunch time didn't seem to busy surprisingly, quite a nice atmosphere and was pleasantly greeted by the staff. I must say the food which arrived at our table was a little underwhelming for a restaurant which has the backing of Neil Perry? I would suggest that you may find better modern Japanese at a number of other venues. The food was nice but not mind blowing. The most memorable dish for me was the desert Chocolate Aero - definitely a winner and a must have if you decide to visit. Perhaps would visit again for a group lunch or dinner for some tapas and drinks.

Empty restaurant not far from the infamous Chinchin and all of the sushi was tasty and in good quality.i recomend the grilled octopus it is spicy but really good seasoning.<br/>We ordered all sushi and karaage aswell.really forgot to take a pics as we were in a hurry.

The best and the greatest. One of the best Japanese in Melbourne. Absolutely love this place, the food is exquisite, the ambience is fabulous and the staff is amazing. Highly recommended.

Food was really good all dishes under sake classics were amazing and had perfect flavour. The only dish that didn't hit the spot was the beef tataki. <br/>I would say service at the beginning was good but then they forgot about us, we had to wait quite a bit to find someone everytime we wanted to order. My cousin asked for chilli sauce and were told they don't have but chilli powder and later we received a dish that had chilli sauce.<br/>Overall we enjoyed the food.<br/>It's worth trying <br/>

I felt used and abused tonight at Sake! I can get more tasting and authentic Japanese food at Don don for $10. Food was overall horrible and definitely not worth the price tag .. Services was no where to be seen! The waiter brings my bill of $300 for 3 people and has the nerve to ask me for a tip in front of everyone on the table.

If you have ever eaten at Sake Sydney do go here because it's nothing like Sydney and you will be very disappointed. Staff are disinterested, food lacks that Sake wow factor and more importantly taste.

My partner and myself visited Sake on Valentine's Day. We booked in advance and paid for a set menu. We were given the impression that bookings were tight as well. When we arrived we walked into a half empty restaurant with no atmosphere at all.<br/><br/>It was apparent from the moment we walked in that the staff did not want to be there. Our original waiter was visibly frustrated when asked questions around the menu. And about 15 minutes in, he notified us his shift was over and someone would be taking over. Fast forward 25 minutes later, and we had not received any service since he had left. All this while we watched 4 staff get the other dining room prepared for the following day. <br/><br/>We then asked if we could also order off the original menu and the waiter seemed to irritated by this request and begrudgingly checked with the chef who agreed. Then he proceeded to take the menu back off us even though we specifically asked to hold on. <br/><br/>Meanwhile 30 minutes after arriving we still haven't received our starter of edamame. And the dishes were coming out further and further apart. <br/><br/>We complained to the staff who informed a manager who offered One free drink to us but we were starving and just wanted the normal fast service we receive from a premium restaurant. <br/><br/>Our chicken was then brought out to us undercooked and had to be sent back. <br/><br/>And the only thing on the menu that was actually the same quality as sake in sydney was the desert. <br/><br/>All in all we felt very frustrating and let down by a restaurant we were sure would provide a great valentines evening for us. <br/><br/>I would avoid this restaurant until the staff and menu is re-evaluated.

I remember when I first heard Sake was opening up in Melbourne. Shaun Presland, who trained in the art of sushi in Japan and worked there for 15 years, was bringing his sushi skills over from Sydney. Excitement ensued, but until now, I still hadn’t managed to make a visit. As well as food, they serve a range of cocktails, wines and Japanese craft beers. Given its location underneath Hamer Hall, it’s appropriate that Sake has a pre-theatre menu as well. As much as I would love to come for a full meal sometime, we drop by one morning for a drink and small bite before continuing with the rest of the day’s activities.

A nice selection of Japanese staples and unique dishes. The sushi is decent but rather pricey. I mainly come here for the view and ambiance!

Came here because the restaurant we booked couldnt accomodate the prams. What a delight it was. The food was fantastic, the duck is a must. The service was phenomenal they were so helpful (we had 3 prams). They made special toned down dishes for the kids told them it was chicken nuggets sushi they loved it. Highly recomend this place. Would def go again considering the bill at the end was a pleasent surprise.

Refined, interesting. Servings are small - should one be surprised for Japanese food? <br/>Jalapeño kingfish the highlight, as were the pickles with the edamame. <br/>Wine prices substantial, but if you are eating Japanese sake or schochu should be your choice. <br/>Good for a treat night out, but a little expensive for the overall experience.

A great atomosphere on first impressions because all the wait and kitchen staff yell out a welcome message in Japanese as you walk in! Seating is simple, also note the vibrant, unique personalities displayed by the host and hostesses - id say it's like a trademark they have here. As soon as we were seated, small bites were on the table before we ordered which was a nice suprise. Menu is very unique, with some traditional and fusion japanese choices. Lots of vegan/vegetarian choices also. All dishes were fresh, fragrant, rich and left no room for criticism! The only odd thing is that our mains came out before our entrees - but looking carefully at their menu, their mains and sashimi is listed first and entrees are on the last page... possibly also characteristic of sake ?? but we werent bothered. The only true down side is that once this place gets a little crowded, you're likely to get knocked and bumped while seated as patrons and staff walk past your table... was a tad annoyed about this however could be fixed if they spread the tables further apart. Id definitely come back otherwise, a great place with great food right in the heart of melbourne cbd!

Popped in for a quick bite to eat after a post New Year shop!  wonderful staff - friendly and helpful.  Loved the softs shell crab tempura served with a green paw paw salad, delish agedashi tofu and traditional nigiri.  great atmosphere - service perfect!  will be back.

love this restaurant! Staff were friendly, food was delicious. We ordered duck breast and pork belly, really nice! Will come back next time.

I went here for my friend's 21st birthday, food was pretty good, but it is ridiculous to charge $5 per person for each cake. My poor friend had to pay about $100 for all her guests just to eat her birthday cake. I understand that you want people to eat your desserts and not bring your own, but that's just ridiculous to charge people for not eating your desserts!

Nice and quiet environment for dinner. Food is not bad, fresh sashimi and nice king brown mushroom and duck katsu. Quite happy with the dining experience there.