Review Wagaya - Melbourne

Located on level 2 in MidCity Arcade, this dark but welcoming restaurant serves an abundance of Japanese food. Everything is automated when ordering (there’s an iPad mounted on the wall) and you have the privacy of your own booth. Take a moment to look up at the high ceilings, makes you feel like you’re in Batman’s cave. Between 3 adults, we ordered the large sushi and sashimi platter, agedashi tofu with soft shell crab, scampi nigiri, Wagyu nigiri, spicy karaage chicken, and takoyaki balls. We also ordered a bottle of Choya Green Tea Umeshu. Everything came out hot and well presented. The soft shell crab was a delicious combination with the tofu, they also serve the tofu on its own if you don’t like/want crab. Seafood might not be premium/fine dining standards but it was still fresh — scampi nigiri was my favourite. Thank you to the staff member who helped charge my friends 1% phone as well! We appreciated that you went above and beyond for your patrons.

Staff were lovely but food was decidedly average. Sushi was very low quality; we ordered sukiyaki, they dumped everything in the pot but did not provide sufficient broth to actually cook the contents - we had to request more stock. The meat was also fairly low quality, which was clear from the gristle foam that formed a layer while the pot was bubbling. Atmosphere is fairly good, and the ramen/noodle soup dishes appear to be the best bet if you are there.

It was very disappointing Actually, This restaurant was an alternative to the restaurant I wanted to go to(because that restaurant was closed) Unprofessional customer service. Sushi was okay, but tempura which is jepanese style deep fried was soggy! So I had to ask cook it more

Came here a few times several years ago. Food tasted better. Also, the waiters do not come to you when you call them through the tablet. Did it twice and no one came so had to call one over. The only times the waiter comes to your table is if they are delivering your food that you order lol.

The best Japanese foods in the CBD or even the whole Melbourne I would rather say. Their food are well balanced in flavours, not too salty or sweet compared to other places. Portion sizes are also huge and food quality are high standard. I like their digital ordering system taken from Ipad which you could clearly see the ingredients and the food images easily. Staff are attentive and friendly. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys high quality Japanese food with a budget.

I wanted to rate this place higher however was left slightly disappointed. For the price of an average restaurant in the CBD, it was difficult to order via the iPad (menu was laid out in a confusing order and the dishes/drinks were different to the physical menu). We also had to set our own table with the bowls, napkins etc only arriving after the food started to come out. The food was nice, and the standout were the skewers. The tempura batter was a little thick and the dish was mostly vegetables with only 1 prawn.

Used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant. Good environment and food was really tasty a few years ago. But now the quality and taste of their food is below average. Matcha drink don’t have any matcha taste. Mushy rice + curry very salty.

Wow this place has gone downhill. I get it, Covid yadayada. This used to be my favourite place for over 6 years, brought friends, had many a great time. But now the menu is maybe a third of what it used to be, the prices have all gone up, staff basically don't exist and food quality has definitely dropped. I mean really who charges 5 dollars for a bowl of cold udon on its own. No one shows up to our table to take our bill anymore. Staff ask for bookings and look at you weird when you say no, despite the place being practically empty. This place used to be full almost every day. My final straw was a $2.50 debit charge for a 40 dollar meal. I challenge anyone to get a debit charge that high in a restaurant in Melbourne CBD apart from here. What is that like 7%? Actually bitter. Very disappointed, such a shame from years of multiple good experiences.

Came in late June for the first time. We ordered eel fried rice, chicken soft bone, soft shell crab sushi and chicken karage (which has 1 piece of chicken soft bone in it 🙄). <br/><br/>The food is not good, quite tasteless. We went to sydney branch and it was better. I’m not sure if the previous chef who could cook better left during Covid-19 closure.

Is this place still open? I walked there today it seems it is no longer open .

ambience is beautiful, my love for japanese food began here many years ago. such good pricing and even better food. wonderful place

I was looking forward to eating here but I was very disappointed. I ordered some noodles and two different beef skewers.The noodles were a little hard and the skewers were dry and flavourless. On a positive note, the atmosphere was nice and the food came out pretty promptly. Overall not my go to Japanese place.

The lunch special here is really worth your money, food quality is good and consistent, service is also polite and quick. A cheap and delicious lunch that will leave you satisfied. Always looking forward to coming back and trying another combination!

😱Lizzie’s first impression: This place has been here for years and I’m surprised it’s still standing strong since it’s a little more secluded. It’s situated in mid city arcade on level 2 so you might just walk past if you don’t search carefully. <br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I love both lunch and dinner here but mainly lunch as they do really cheap lunch meals. You get to choose between a bento box, udon or ramen and a plate of protein for only $10. What a bargain!! I usually go for tempura veggies with udon. It is soo delicious. <br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: At lunch time, it can be seen as a fast eat in eat out place, but the ambience is a little different for dinner time. <br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: Love the meals from here and I will always come back for cheap lunch meal!

I enjoy my dinner date, here. The place is so comfy, the seating and lighting of the venue are great. The food is yum! I love their seaweed salad, chawanmushi and crispy tofu! the salmon belly sushi and fried rice are just so so tho. The staff served us was really friendly. she enabled us to order matcha and sesame ice cream in one plate so we didn't need to order 2 different serve.

Having not been to Wagaya for awhile, I was looking forward to paying it a visit on a weeknight. There were no real major changes. The hard copy menus were looking a bit tired and worn out. The iPad ordering system was still present. <br/><br/>I had a bowl of udon and a plate of tempura. My sidekick had the chicken cutlet curry and rice. The prices here were reasonable but the presentation of their food could definitely be improved upon. I loved the booth seating which provided a degree of privacy. <br/><br/>All in all, an ok place for quick, tasty and reasonably priced Japanese food. <br/><br/>Previously:<br/><br/>There are so many wonderful things about Wagaya. The set up of the restaurant is very cosy and appealing. Ordering your items on a computer screen is efficient and is less likely to result in errors. <br/><br/>They have an extensive menu but for today, we took advantage of their generous lunch time special. For just $10, you have the choice of a main dish and a side dish. <br/><br/>We had the chicken katsu with udon. The chicken was warm, crispy and full of flavour. This accompanied the perfectly cooked udon. The broth was not too salty. <br/><br/>The curry rice with beef hamburg was another winner. The curry was savoury with a hint of sweetness while the beef was not over cooked and had a lovely texture. <br/><br/>Wagaya is definitely a sunny days boomerang restaurant ie. we will keep returning for the good food!

This is a hidden restaurant up on level 3 of the mid-city arcade that you need to access via a lift. I love that you can order directly from the table from the touch menu screens. I ordered the chicken karage bento box served with miso soup. The chicken was delicious, I would have liked a bit more, but with the rice was quite a satisfying meal. The dessert of green tea mousse and sesame ice cream is a definite must try. Very reasonably priced, I think I'll be a regular here.

Came here early last year and the food was great for the price, but recently visited and noticed a sharp decline in quality. Won't be back.

3.5/5<br/>Wagaya is a Japanese restaurant tucked away in Mid City on Bourke St. It’s on level 2 and can be accessed via the lifts, but hard to find if you don’t look for it specifically.<br/>We went during lunch time, and ordered from the Lunch specials. Food is ordered from a screen attached to the booth, which is very convenient. The booths also provide privacy and create a unique dining atmosphere, making it quite suitable for groups. <br/>I chose the Pork Katsu as a main, with curry on the side. Other options to have on the side included Ramen, Bento, Udon, and Cream Pasta, which was a hard decision to make. The Pork Katsu was nice and crisp, and the curry was enjoyable to eat as well. The portions are just right and very affordable also ($10). <br/>The staff are very friendly and approachable. There’s also a second floor for dining- toilets are located there. Wagaya is definitely a good place for a nice quick lunch if you’re in the area !

Cute place hidden in Chinatown, like the private seating, and it’s interesting to order from the tablet yourself. Although the food are really average, we ordered 5 different dishes and nothing were really good.

A somewhat hidden Japanese tapas restaurant serving some delicious sushi and Japanese eats? Say no more.<br/><br/>With some friends, we visited Wagaya with a craving for sushi and left feeling very satisfied and full. Each meal we had was fresh, full of flavour and you would be hard pressed to find fault in any of the dishes, with our favourites being the aburi salmon, takoyaki balls and cream cheese sushi rolls. The sushi here is very tender and fresh, with the sauces complimenting each dish well. The quality of the sushi should also not be understated as it is definitely above average here. Pair this up with some cheap happy hour beers and you are guaranteed a good time.<br/><br/>A really nice Japanese restaurant that we would recommend!<br/><br/>Food 4/5<br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Ambience: 4/5<br/>Value: 3.5/5<br/><br/>Overall: 4/5

Went for lunch on a weekday, service was nice and quick, easy ordering through a screen. Portions were decent. Had the ramen with mixed tempura, the shrimp was subpar, but overall, would recommend.

Really liked the ambiance and it was fun to order your own food on touch pad screens. Service was fast and staff were friendly. I ordered the $10 spicy chicken karaage bento lunch set which was good for the price and enough to fill me up. Some of the guys were still hungry after their lunch sets though, especially the one who ordered the grilled mackerel lunch set, the portion of fish looked a bit small compared to the other sets.

If you want to leave satisfied from quality japanese food at your very fingertips then wagaya is the spot for you 😎 you literally sit at your table with a touchscreen menu and the world of japanese food at your disposal 😍 from sashimi and sushi to crumbed lamb steak and bbq grilled ox tongue 😁 i've had my fair share of unagi or teriyaki eel in my time, and these guys are up there 👌🏽 very well cooked eel with a perfect teriyaki marinade.. we had to order a few plates of these they were that goood! 😅 other dishes i would recommend are the bbq'd ox tongue! If you've never tried it, please do! It'll change your world! Tastes like a perfectly bbq'd beef steak that melts in your mouth 🤤 .<br/>.<br/>For convenience, flavour, quality of food and decor i am easily giving them a 8/10 ☑ some dishes can be on the pricey side, but you are paying for quality afterall 😁<br/>.<br/>💡 TIP - the dishes come out pretty quickly, so when initially ordering dont jump the gun and order 100 dishes! 😁 take your time and order as you eat, thats the beauty of this place 😎 .

Food was okay, first time tried hokke, I could eat it but not really my cup of tea. Salmon sushi was lukewarm, dunno where they store it, ochazuke unagi was yummy but the salmon one wasn't as good as dunno what kind of salmon they were using or myb just plainly lacking of seasoning, squid mentai was incredibly salty and salmon belly soup just okay. Restaurant itself was spacious, got private seating with own iPad to order but it was noisy.

Food was good, quite a bit to choose from and tasted nice, can say it’s better than most Japanese restaurants. <br/><br/>Their mocktails are very nice & look pretty!<br/><br/>Portions a bit small as we weren’t very full after the meal, spent around $75 between two. To be specific, I found the sukiyaki portion to be quite small.

The ambiance here is honestly crazy, so beautiful and i love how you get your own private table! Ive never been disappointed with the food at this place, customers are friendly too would recommend

3.5!!<br/>The ambiance was shook me cAused it’s so nice and i like the way they divide each table.. the food is reasonably and the portion is good as well. I tried tonkatsu ramen and dragon roll. Was nice and perfect portion for my tummy ☺️

I only ever do lunch here and it is remarkable. All the set lunch options are $10. My go-to is the vegie tempura bento box hard to believe it is only $10 (I can't understand why they don't increase this by at at least $2 it wouldn't deter anyone from coming). My friend's go-to is the mackerel bento box. I'll stick with the vegies. This is the worst kept secret lunch destination in Melbourne. You have to feel sorry for the people dining in the arcade below paying $13.50 for a smaller, less tasty bento box, unaware of what is being served 2 floors up. However ... it is packed out every weekday lunch time and can be 20-30 minute wait if you are so inclined. I only ever go very early, or late, or just stick to the weekends when it is a little bit quieter.

I have been here many many times. Great lunch deals and a really nice atmosphere for lunch. I ordered the soft shell crab with japanese carbonara or only $10 it was such a cheap cheap meal.

Their lunch express is very good and worth with the price. However, i feel that the customer service is not that good because the staff are not really friendly. However, i would come back to try another food here.

The menu was like Instagram, I couldn’t stop scrolling!<br/><br/>One of the hardest questions in life is “where should we eat tonight?” It’s a culprit of why couples have fights and friends procrastinate till they end up getting the same thing as last week – Dominos. The reason it’s hard to pick a place is usually due to choice paralysis. If we only had 3 restaurants to pick from, we wouldn’t have this problem. <br/><br/>So after 22 minutes of walking and trying to decide on what to eat, we somehow landed on Wagaya. We’d been there before for a friend’s birthday and it was pretty decent and their menu is just like the number of restaurants in Melbourne – extensive. <br/><br/>We were greeted by smiley waitresses and sat on a table for four even though there’s only two of us. Mind you, this is a massive two story restaurant so I would be pretty pissed if I had to sit that close to someone. <br/><br/>Because it’s an izakaya style restaurant where dishes are in small portions, we went ham on ordering different types of food. Here’s what we got <br/><br/>Chicken cartilage <br/>Grilled eel<br/>Beef tongue skewers<br/>Salmon belly sushi<br/>Grilled fish <br/>Salmon handroll<br/>Edamame<br/>4 beers<br/><br/>I’ll only talk about the good bad and the strange because everything else was normal and who wants to talk about normal things 🤷🏻‍♀️<br/><br/>Good: Eel – if you’re an eel fan, this was one of the best eel dishes I’ve had in Melbourne! tender, flavoursome and not fishy at all! <br/><br/>Bad: Salmon belly sushi – it wasn’t a bad sushi, but what I wasn’t happy about was that they lied to us! It was just normal salmon nigiri not salmon belly (aka. Salmon harasu). Salmon belly is the fatty cut from the belly of the fish, it should be a lot richer than normal salmon you get from a sushi shop. <br/><br/>Strange: The grilled fish – apparently it’s a common breakfast food in Japan, a whole grilled fish with rice. You’re supposed to rip the spine out in one go. I wasn’t a fan because there were still small bones in the meat after the spine was taken out and the fish was bitter, but each to their own. <br/><br/>Final verdict: 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>It’s spacious, you don’t need to wait in line or book like most other CBD restaurants, the food was pretty delicious and the infinite menu meant when we could order like there’s no tomorrow. Only thing is you’ll probably end up spending more than intended. Oh, and there’s a lot of cheap cocktails, we didn’t order any, but if you’re into cheap cocktails, that’s the place to go! I’ll be back Wagaya!<br/><br/>Food for thought: Gimme some real salmon belly, or just take that off your menu..

**3.5 stars**<br/><br/>If you love variety, definitely check out Wagaya. There’s tons of Japanese dishes to pick from and if you’re like me, who hates waiting around for a wait staff, have no fear, they have a convenient Ipads at every table for you to order from. <br/>Most of their dishes are quite inexpensive. First off, let’s talk about the ambiance. The moment you get off the elevator and walk in the restaurant we could tell that this place is massive. They have an upstairs and downstairs area which includes little private-like booths, who doesn’t love some privacy. It’s an amazing restaurant if you want to host a large dinner, they have a lot of seating/big tables. I love the interior as well and the cherry blossoms that are scattered around the restaurant.<br/><br/>We strictly came here for the sushi, so this review is only based on the sushi we ate. <br/><br/>We ordered the salmon, toro, salmon aburi with mayonnaise, and half seared wagyu. <br/>The salmon was delicious. The cuts of the salmon was quite generous. It was nice and fresh. The salmon aburi with mayonnaise was also really nice. It dissolves in your mouth! The half seared wagyu was pretty good as well. The meat was tender but has a bit of a chew to it. My least favourite was the toro. It didn’t taste fresh and had quite a slimy fishy taste to it. <br/><br/>The service was quite fast however if you’re looking for the type of wait staff checking on you - service, it’s non existence at these restaurant unless you call the wait staff by the IPad. <br/><br/>Overall, I enjoyed my sushi. I wouldn’t say it’s the best sushi in Melbourne but you get for what you pay for. It’s pretty decent and I would return for some more sushi and to try their other dishes on the menu. <br/>

Nice ambience, nice food and cosy atmosphere.<br/><br/>I love the private dining booths here.<br/><br/>I've been here a few times after a music gig with colleagues.<br/><br/>They love it here. So do I.

Amazing gem we found when we first moved to Melbourne! And they have screens to order from and cute booths for privacy! Great food and good prices :) showed my friends this place and they love it !

Service good, but the reception girl needs a lesson in how to speak to people. Food was ok, nothing special, service was prompt and everything is ordered via a touch screen. I still prefer Gyoza Gyoza.

Went here for a quick lunch before work with friends. <br/>We grabbed the $10 set deal along with drinks and entrees.I ordered the pork katsu with curry along with soft shell crab hand roll.<br/>I haven’t eaten here in quite a while but I am in love with that handroll. It was so delicious and would totally come back for that. The pork katsu was scrumptious! The curry was very savoury and matched well. <br/>Friends ordered similar dishes for the lunch deal along with scampi nigiri and sashimi! By the end of the meal, all three of us were stuffed!!

The ambience and the restaurant decors is very pretty. The place is very nice and cosy. Many they are a variety of different sushi, although it didn’t taste that fresh. The prices were reasonable and affordable for people.

The seating area was very nice and small cubes and looked very fancy. The items on the menu were pretty cheap! I recommend going here for dinner too as there’s so many options to pick from!!!

One of my favourite lunch places. The service is pretty prompt, the sushi is pretty good, and one of my favourite curry katsu dishes going around.

This place is super cute and pretty. Sakura flowers as decor, dim light atmosphere, private little tables which fits up to eight people. Got the ramen noodle soup and it was ok, small portions and wasn't filling so got a few small sharing plates e.g. gyozas, takoyaki balls and they were tasty.

Wagaya is a casual and affordable Japanese restaurant with an extensive menu of small tapas-style dishes, ranging from tempura, skewers and sashimi, to even hot pot sets! The venue is surprisingly very big and spacious, taking up 2 floors, and the interior is absolutely beautiful. The private booths are very spacious and comfortable, and the menu on-screen is extremely convenient.<br/><br/>We ordered about 14 small dishes between the 3 of us and left extremely full and satisfied! All of the dishes we tried were delicious, but some of the highlights include:<br/>- Chicken Karaage: you can’t go wrong with fried chicken! Tender and juicy, with a nice and crispy batter coating. Goes perfectly with a squeeze of lemon and some kewpie mayo dip!<br/>- Seared Salmon & Scallop Box Sushi: nice and light. It was very soft, and the scallop and salmon were very fresh and tasty.<br/>- Mentaiko Pasta: didn’t have high expectations (as we’d had a bad experience with mentaiko pasta in the past) but we were pleasantly surprised! The pasta was cooked al dente, with a nice bite to it, and the mentaiko sauce was nice and flavourful, the perfect amount to coat the noodles lightly. Squid was cooked nicely and not too chewy either, and the mushrooms were delightful. It’s an absolute must!<br/>- Squid Mentai Pizza: a fun and unique fusion take on pizza. The base was nice and thin, and the cheese, cod roe and squid went surprisingly well together! Very different from your usual Italian pizza, and I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.<br/><br/>Interaction was minimal with staff due to the private booth and on-screen menu ordering systems. However, service was very efficient and our food arrived quickly. If you need assistance, you just have to call them using the screen and they will come to your table within a minute!<br/><br/>This place seems to be very popular and there was constantly customers coming in and out throughout the whole time. Definitely recommend checking this place out if you haven’t yet!

Loved this Japanese restaurant 😍 the interior was super modern and a perfect environment to dine in. I ordered a mackerel bento box which was only $10! Super worth it as it came with miso and everything. The sushi was quite nice however not the best I’ve had. Would defs come back to try their dinner menu though

This is my second visit within a couple of months . The food is really pretty good n service is decent too. I was enjoying my visit with my husband until when paying the bill, we were blatantly lied to. That was shitty coz until then, I’d thought I’d give the experience a 4+ rating. <br/>In a nutshell, we order an item which was displayed on the hard copy of the “happy hour” meal, but on the tablet, we saw it in the snacks tab, not realising there was a “happy hour” tab which priced the exact same item for $2+ less. We realised our mistake n raised it with the girl serving us. She said the item shouldn’t have even displayed in the “snacks” tab n they’ll adjust the price when we pay. We thought all good n since the item was yum, ordered another portion, this time through the “happy hour” tab (since we ordered when it was still within the happy hour time slot).<br/>Fast forward to us paying the bill n we realised the price wasn’t adjusted as advised. We raise it again with the exact same girl, she says she gotta speak to a manager n them comes back n says oh you’ve ordered 1 portion outside happy hour time so no special price. Erm what? Anyway, by then we just wanted to head back home so didn’t argue n just paid.<br/>So the warning is, watch what u order n maybe expect to be lied to :)

Great place to catch up with friends, a lot of privacy and not too loud! <br/><br/>Ordered the karaage, salmon aburi, the ox tongue, and the scallops and garlic fried rice. I thought everything tasted like authentic homely Japanese food and is very reasonably priced - except for the ox tongue. Obviously it was very cheap so I was expecting anything amazing but it just wasn’t worth it. <br/><br/>Would probably recommend getting a bowl of white rice and spending more money on the food that isn’t on the rice/ramen page. Also if you get there before 7pm, there are dishes that are slightly cheaper! <br/><br/>Overall great experience and can’t wait to go here again!!!

I was excited to try this place out but was hugely disappointed considering it’s 4.1 rating here on Zomato. The interesting variety of dishes paired with an affordable price tag appealed to me. Unfortunately it was too good to be true. The ladle that accompanied my hotpot had dried out vegetables stuck to it. I could forgive that. What I couldn’t ignore was the thick short strand of hair sticking out from my rice. To put it simply I won’t be back.

Great place to enjoy a drink and some japanese food with a mate or partner. Me and a mate decided to go for a few drinks and catch up and came across this place very hidden. The drink menu was decent and the food quality is good.

Very convenient place to satisfy your Japanese cravings at an affordable price point. The interior design of the restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing with the beautiful and intricate design of the walls and dividers. I have eaten here many times and it never fails to deliver a delicious,hearty and beautifully presented meal.

The private rooms are excellent for group bookings. The food is in the affordable range (you could have a filling meal for $10-$15 if you're watching your wallet), and is pretty decent despite the menu's vastness.

Another staple at the mid city arcade area. Wagaya has an great menu on offer. Pumpkin and potato gratin was a nice blend of cheese and cream. Chicken karaage was nice and juicy. Cream cheese sushi is amazing and probably best dish of the night. Also ordered the wagyu special nigiri. Meat was tender and flavourful however the rice was like a ball and seperate so easily.

Came for dinner. Dishes are alright in my opinion. They are quite salty and too small for me. There is a huge variety of food though. Prices are high for the quantity of food. Staff are friendly. Environment is pretty private with separate booths.

Real rating 3.75 ⭐️ <br/><br/>We stumbled across this place earlier in the year by accident and what a blessing it was!<br/><br/>With a similar concept to Sushi Hotaru except without the sushi train, Wagaya offers a wide variety of dishes enough to feed a whole family! Here are some our favorite ones!<br/><br/>Soft shell crab roll - though I feel sushi hotaru’s roll was better, this was pretty comparable and I enjoyed the juicy soft shell crab melting in my mouth!<br/><br/>Seared salmon - beautifully seared and even more beautiful when eaten! The salmon was so fresh and kept bringing me back for more!<br/><br/>Ramen (dry and with soup) - I would say I prefer the ramen with soup as the flavors were not as strong as the dry ramen which was a little salty. The broth was pretty tasty and natural!<br/><br/>Sashimi - another of our favorites as all the fishes and rolls were so fresh, it felt like we were at the ocean!<br/><br/>Dessert - my sweet tooth definitely enjoyed this one! Matcha cheesecake, black sesame ball and black sesame ice cream! Honestly, this was such an epic combo I wished I had more! 💚🖤 the best part was the flavors worked together rather than trying to stand out individually!<br/><br/>Overall, wagaya is a good spot to be in for a family whereas hotaru sushi is more for groups of 2 or 4! Would love to go back and try the rest of their menu!

Huge restaurant, loads of seating, and also a big menu with lots of Japanese favourites.<br/><br/>The spicy cod roe spaghetti had like an oil-sauce and the spicy cod roe gave it a seafoody umaminess. Hard to explain, quite a good dish though.<br/><br/>Ordered a couple rice balls with the small beef sukiyaki. The soup was tasty with a sweet soy flavour. Can’t go wrong with a mini hot pot.<br/><br/>There’s just so much choice, you could read the menu for like 15 mins and still be indecisive, but because they do so much, everything is executed just ok.<br/><br/>You come here with a bunch of mates, take advantage of the drink specials and drink and chat the night away.<br/><br/>Comfortable seating arrangements with booths and large tables.

3.5<br/>Beautiful interior and dim lights when first entering the place. Seperate booths to eat in for larger crowds. Staff are welcoming.<br/><br/>Came here to try the sukiyaki hotpot . Order the dishes by ipad.<br/><br/>Soup base was decent with knotted noodles and veggies inside. Didn't feel like the meat was enough for 3 so we ordered an additonal large meat which was minimal and a bowl of udon and noodle.<br/><br/>Very filling and a nice experience

Delicious delicious delicious! Used to hate sashimi but this place made me fall in love with it. Only thing is that it is on the pricey end for what it is compared to other delicate Japanese restaurants like Sash which is more refined and worth the price. Ambience is excellent and food comes out fast.

Recommended by friend two years ago, came back again with friends. The food still as good as before. Love the soft crab sushi roll, looks like an ice cream but it’s soft crab inside! Amazing!!! Tis a good catch up place 👍👍👍

✡️✅ Plenty of variety for those keeping kosher, as many vegetarian and fish options available. <br/>☪️✅ Meat not Halal but many vegetarian options available.<br/>🥦✅ Vegetarian friendly<br/>🥦🥦 ⚠️ Not many vegan options but there are some, it’s a big menu<br/>👨‍👩‍👧‍👦✅ Family friendly <br/>🎧✅ Autism/sensitive ears friendly as noise doesn’t ricochet off walls and you will usually have a private booth. <br/>🍭⚠️ Fine for fussy eaters who just want plain food, just be weary that food will usually come drizzled with some sort of sauce. <br/>🥜⚠️ Options for those allergic to dairy, eggs, nuts and shellfish. Just be weary of sauce being drizzled on food and there is no ingredients list for what’s in anything except the main ingredients <br/><br/>Have been here 4 times now. <br/>Staff always friendly and food comes out warm and quick. Have to keep an eye on the computer screen because all the little dishes add up very quickly if you don’t keep watch. <br/>Things I’ve gotten before:<br/>Lotus chips - Great for a snack. Light and crispy and basically tastes like plain chips with a slight drizzle of sauce<br/>Sushi: I’ve had different varieties of sushi dishes here, raw and cooked flesh and all have been great. Favourite so far has been the prawn tempura and avocado rolls. Rainbow rolls great if you want to try a bit of each fish.<br/>Salmon: great raw and seared salmon whether you want something plain or complex. Plain I would recommend just the salmon sushi and something a bit more complex then the seared salmon and cream cheese rolls are great. <br/>Chicken meatball skewers: soft and yummy. <br/>Cheese tempura: mum had this which was a bit different but quite delicious! Tasted like Brie tempura. <br/>Dessert: Green tea cheesecake with green tea ice cream. Ice cream a little bland but cheesecake was great!<br/><br/>Overall: if you have the option to spend approximately $35-40 each and if you especially love fish, then come here!

We went here with a group of 6 as sushi hotaru was too busy on a Friday night. Apart from the spacious area and nice decor , the food was quite poor and expensive .

Use to be a really nice place with good tasting food. The place is still nice to sit at, but the food quality has gone way down hill. Unfortunately, the udon soup which used to be delicious, now has no flavour. The katsu wasn’t bad but the katsu curry wasn’t exactly the best. <br/>Hoping the food quality will improve again.

Rating: 3.5<br/><br/>- Food: ordered a couple of dishes to try. Portion is not very big at all which is good if you want to try different dishes. Seaweed salad, eel skewer, seared salmon nigiri, spider (soft shell crab) roll, wasabi octopus were all ok. The sushi rice for the spider roll was a little hard/dry though. However, the grilled ox tongue which is a recommended dish was very mediocre. It has a really strong smell which I'm not fond of. I won't say that the food here is that good for me to come back regularly but because they have so many different dishes, it's so convenient especially when I can't think of another place to go to. <br/>- Service: nice staff, attentive, prompt service, overall pleasant<br/>- Price: ~$35 (including drinks), reasonable price<br/>- Ambience: really big restaurant yet still packed during peak hours. Luckily people don't seem to spend a lot of time dining so you don't need to wait for very long

Fast food Asian style, the amount of msg in the ramen was out of this world it was tasty but rather thick, all other dishes were around par for me very busy at lunchtime in the city as it presents great value

Great catch up with mates, always enjoy the good food at Wagaya Japanese Restaurant. Absolutely enjoyable, casual environment plus IPad ordering make things very easy. 100% recommend different variety of skewers, we almost ordered half of them to try on today. You will not regret to taste any of them!! 😍😍

Nice hidden place that offers cubicles as tables, creating a comfortable atmosphere. The food comes out fast w friendly service. Traditional simple and tasty food at good value.

I had their chicken and beef curry! It was very filling. However it didn’t really stand out in any way to me personally. Their sectioned off rooms were great for celebrating a close friend’s birthday. And the staff were really accommodating and lovely.

We did not know where we will come out when we took the elevator to the 2nd floor where Wagaya is open for lunch. We mistakenly pressed for the third floor and we got nowhere. <br/><br/>It was somewhat busy and they have us a number and told us it would take around 20 min. It ended up being 10 min. <br/><br/>The stuff was very friendly and when we took our seats we realized that it is a restaurant where you place the order at the table on the screen. We had a look at the somewhat limited menu but as is usual with us we still found plenty to order. <br/><br/>We also ordered something from the dinner menu by mistake and the waitress came to our table to profusely apologize for the mistake. <br/><br/>The decor is dark but very nice, the food we ordered, a bento box and assorted stuff from nigiri, to shashimi to salads everything was done very well. The rice on the nigiri could be a bit better, it lacked the finesse I expect from a good restaurant but the fish was fresh and good. The best karage I have had in Australia. The big surprise was when the bill came, all in all just 90$. Three people that ordered for 5 and ate everything. <br/><br/>So what did we find when we took that elevator? A little hidden gem! We loved it. The stuff was exceptionally friendly and the food was really good, the cost was amazing for a city restaurant with that look and feel. So, you guessed it right, we will be back.

Wagaya has such a cool concept for a fun night out, whether you're in a group, couple, or on your own. Everything you order is done through a tablet on your table, with no interaction with wait staff, other than when food is brought out, and when you settle the bill. How Japan-esque! The menu options are diverse, and cater to all tastes and cravings. You could settle for many small nibble options, or go all out on rice, hotpot, or noodle dishes; how liberating it is to have so much choice! The drinks menu is also extensive with fun cocktail options. Word of warning: be wary of trigger happiness with the ordering, as things can easily escalate! Hot tip: check on your existing order items to refresh your memory and to check on the status of the menu item (being prepared by the chef, or ready to be delivered!) Definitely try the grilled eel skewers (be adventurous!).

The food was interesting however bomb delicious and arrived to table on time, however the rice bowls were a little pricey. Furthermore the dining environment was very calming and the employees were very respectful!

As a Japanese person who loves good food and drinks, what do I miss while in Australia? One of them may be an authentic Japanese Izakaya. <br/>Wagaya has done a great job on delivering the concept of Izakaya (more like a big chain sort) to Aussies - enjoying lots of tapas style food including sushi and sashimi as well as a huge selection of sake, cocktails and other drinks in a private booth for groups or couples. <br/>The service is quick and efficient, considering it’s a massive restaurant on two floors. Food is typical Japanese Izakaya - mostly pan fried or deep fried food unless it’s sushi or sashimi but they taste all quite traditional, rather than fusion or westernised Japanese. Their yakitori is lovely. Some are quite salty but that’s because lots of food are seasoned by soy sauce.<br/>If you’re after high end Japanese food, this isn’t for you. However, if you want to experience what Japanese people really eat in Japan in Izakaya, this place gives you an authentic experience.

Sashimi was not fresh at all!!! Like some leftover food! Yuk! ! ! It was recommended by a friend. She must hate me a lot! This is the restaurant people should not not come second time!

Neither good, or bad. Touch screen ordering, food quality average or can be better. Could accommodate for a larger group without booking. No signature dishes, but covers bit of everything.

The serves are really quick, the orders are easy and convenient to be made. I definitely will come here more often. Only because it was upstairs that I didn’t know so it was a bit hard to find. But it all worth it.

Pretty happy with my experience here! The menu is massive and it's quite hard to know what dishes actually consist of. However it is really reasonably priced and tasty. I ordered the chicken curry and rice and it was delicious, good serving size as well. Also tried the wagyu skewer, prawn tempura, sushi, crispy salmon skin and scallops and rice dish, all good. The sushi could be a little better made. The corkage is also pretty outrageous charging $3 per person. But overall would recommend.

YUM 😋 <br/>everything except sushi is fairy cheap here, specially cocktails.<br/>i am obsessed with their umeboshi, it’s just so salty and i love salty stuff.<br/>we did have to wander around waiting to be seated because they were short staffed. But the place is spacious anyway so it’s all G.<br/><br/>

Great food, comes out quick and at a reasonable price. Caters for big and small groups. May have to wait in line on a busy day, so try to book ahead if possible.

I come here quite often and it's easy to see why, the food is good and there is a very good variety to suit any taste, the prices are very reasonable and especially with cocktails which are only about 8 dollars when most places charge you 20! I always enjoy the food and how I can use the touch computer menu to order so i can take my time to think about what I want, the booths and dining areas are also very spacious which is great as you don't feel like you are competing with fellow diners for room. Lastly, the staff are very lovely and friendly and the service is very fast and efficient and are more than happy to help you out if something is not right with your food as was with my experience :)

Went there Thursday night, got a seat straight away. From the review it looks fairly decent so we decided to dine for dinner. Overall the food was fairly tasty, service was prompt and quick. However, for the value of price, you can get something better than this. We ordered a aburi salmon which was good, scallops 5 ways which we really love. Tempura soft shell crab with agedashi tofu was nicely fried and not overly greasy, but there's not enough sauce ): the waygu beef roll was a let down. Beef was tough and gochujang on top of it? Not a fan. Positive experience overall but probably won't be back given the price.

I came here for dinner, group of 4. The inside is pretty cool, the booths make the experience private and I like the tablets you can order from without having to wave down wait staff. The food is pretty solid without being blown away (there’s so many places in town doing Japanese)

Wagaya situated pretty hidden in the second floor of MidCity Arcade China Town.<br/>Though it's slightly a disadvantage spot for Wagaya as there is another Japanese restaurant in the ground and first floor, <br/>Wagaya offers great service, spacious and fancy interior design with reasonable price. <br/><br/>The interior design was pretty modern, clean and spacious.<br/>The vibe and environment were nice and very cosy.<br/>The customer staffs were friendly, polite and nice as expected when you go to Japanese restaurants.<br/><br/>To satisfy our hungry tummy, we ordered the sushi rolls:<br/>- Dragon Roll for $7.00.<br/>- Spider (Soft Shell Crab) Roll for $5.80.<br/>- Seared Salmon Cream Cheese Roll for $6.30.<br/>All sushi rolls were served effectively in single large plate. <br/>The sushi had rich taste, creamy and nice presented with fried lotus.<br/>Unfortunately, the sushi rolls weren't well made;<br/><br/>The sushi chef didn't make a solid sushi rolls, It was easily broken as soon as we took using our chopsticks.<br/>It was ashamed for such as not bad sushi rolls.<br/><br/>For the main, we ordered:<br/>- Chicken Karaage Set (Bento & Miso Soup) for $10.00.<br/>- Chicken Katsu Set (Curry) for $10.00.<br/>It was a pretty good deal for the bento in this quite fancy restaurant.<br/>The chicken karaage and katsu were perfectly deep fried. <br/><br/>The miso soup served in the bento set served in generous portion and contents not only the soup as what is served by other restaurants when you order the bento.<br/>The taste of both Chicken Karaage and Katsu were quite balance, well seasoned and consistent.<br/>They were not the best but it was a steal and great value for the lunch deal.<br/><br/>Overall, we still had great time having lunch in Wagaya. The restaurant was very clean, fancy, decent food with very reasonable price.<br/><br/>Taste: 3.0<br/>Service: 4.0<br/>Price: 4.0<br/>Speed: 3.0<br/><br/>Yay: Lunch set was good deal<br/>Nay: Sushi rolls were not perfectly made<br/><br/>Location: 200 Bourke Street, CBD, Melbourne, VIC<br/>Phone: 03 9663 7756<br/>Website: wagaya.com.au

Wagaya has an impressive layout and a modern and sleek interior, touch-screen menu and ordering system, and a vast range of food. Wagaya stands as an affordable dining option for those who seek modernized Japanese food.

The food here was industrialized tasteless and bland.<br/>I cannot understand why so many people were queued up to gain a table. The crumbed pork had an armour plating protecting the greasy protein within while the Wagyu beef was almost biltong, tough dry and tasteless. Perhaps we should have ordered other options however I don't think this group know other than to heat it up and out to the punter.

Went here for a birthday (we hired the VIP room). Which includes a karaoke to celebrate the good vibes. But no. We were told the karaoke doesn't work, which was a disappointment but hey, if it doesn't work we can't do much right? Skipping towards after dinner as we were about to exit. My cousin turned on the mic and guess what? THE KARAOKE MACHINE WORKED THE WHOLE BLOODY TIME! I confronted the girl who told us in the beginning in english, suddenly doesn't know English and speaks Japanese to another employee and starts laughing amongst eachother. I'm more angry at the fact the customer service is so shit. If I could rate a lower star, I would.

After seeing a show at Princess Theatre, we were looking around for a place that was open. After a quick check on Zomato, we found Wagaya. Finding the actually restaurant took us a while, but when we found the elevator and went up, the staff were quick to seat us in a large, atmospheric, dimly lit booth. <br/><br/>They kindly told us they would be shutting in about an hour's time and that last food orders would be in 20 minutes or so. We quickly ordered our food on the screens set up in every booth, which were pretty easy to use. Food arrive shortly after. <br/><br/>I ordered a serve of gyoza, the chicken katsu curry and a lemon iced tea. I was pleased that the tea was freshly made, as I half expected a bottle of Lipton's ice tea. The serve of pan fried gyoza came out on a hot plate still sizzling, and were very juicy and tasty.<br/><br/>The katsu curry was very flavoursome served with an adequate amount of crumbed chicken and a side of white rice. The chicken wasn't overly dry and tasted fresh. There were a few pieces of potato, carrot and chunks of beef in the curry, which were well cooked, though more pieces would have been nice.<br/><br/>Overall the flavours were nice, and I was quite full after the meal! The atmosphere was nice and the booths felt very cosy and private. The price was pretty good for the amount and quality too.

Disappointing... And such poor customer service. <br/><br/>I booked my table in advance only on the day to be led to a karaoke room that had been double booked. I had booked for dinner, not karaoke! With a group of 12 people this was a disaster - how could we get another table when at 9:30pm at night all the tables were occupied? <br/><br/>I tried explaining the situation to them and they kept asking me when had I made the booking! How would I know this when I always book tables in advance? The only way I could tell them would be to look through my recent call list and see if I could find their number but they didn't even give me a chance to check. Then one staff member said they had a booth for us, they would get it ready and then a few minutes later another staff member informed me there was no table 🙄 fortunately they were able to find a table for us downstairs eventually. I checked the booking form that they showed me and they even got my phone number wrong and apparently I'm a Mr not a female 😂 it was all over the place! <br/><br/>I liked the touch screens and the appearance of the venue, especially the cherry blossoms. The food was so so. Not authentic and I've had better seared salmon aburi at other Japanese restaurants. Same goes with the gyoza. <br/><br/>Would I return? No.

Ambiance was pretty cool. But the food was just ok for me. If you have no place to go, you can definitely give Wagaya a shot. If you are looking at variety this is the place to be as well as they have a massive menu. Price is reasonable too.

Wow! I love the decor here! Tall booths line the walkway with cherry blossoms on either end. This place feels spacious and private at the same time. Order from the tablet at each table and the dishes arrive in quick succession.<br/><br/>For $10, the lunch menu is very good value for money in the CBD. We chose soft shell crab with bento box and chicken karaage with curry and rice. While they're not taste sensations, they were definitely edible and hit the spot. Adding this to the "good for quick lunches" list.

Came here to celebrate last day of uni and it was a decent feed. Firstly, I have to say the aesthetics of the place was captivating and so pretty! The chicken skewers were my favourite, can't go wrong with chicks on the grill! Stir fried udon was filled with plentiful amounts of fresh seafood, sushi and ramen was pleasing also, overall a good meal.

Came to wagaya on a Tuesday afternoon since our original restaurant we wanted to visit was closed due to Melbourne cup, we had to relocate. Wagaya is a Japanese restaurant with two levels, we had someone taking us there so it wasn't long but if you're a first timer it might be hard to find. They have a fast iPad ordering system therefore the interaction between waiter and costumer is minimised.<br/><br/>Food: we ordered a lot of things and I probably lost count of the dishes we ordered. But one of the most reoccurring dishes were sashimi, I really liked the raw scallops they were extremely smooth, sweet and absolutely fresh! The tuna and salmon sashimi was pretty nice too. I recommend the sashimi platter which $27 you get a little try of everything. The tofu was really nice and probably one of the highlights, chicken karaage, tempura and other dishes were very nice too. <br/><br/>I just came back from this dine in yesterday but I still crave the delicious saishimi although it was on the expensive side of things. This place once again is pretty hard to find, but since it is well known around Melbourne I was surprised of how isolated and non packed it was on a public holiday. <br/><br/>6 people $138

I love Wagaya for its venue. However, the food is quite average. We ordered scampi sashimi, wagyu nigiri, salmon belly nigiri, mixed sashimi, grilled scampi and a ramen salad. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. Abit annoying that the waiter came to the table to make us pay whilst we were still eating as they were closing the till. Cheap Japanese food but you get what you pay for.

Lovely private areas for dining with ordering placed on ipads, perfect for a warm night out. Unlike some of the previous reviewers, I absolutely love the quality of the sashimi and sushi here. We ordered some scallop skewers which was delicious and perfectly chargrilled. Service is extremely efficient, highly recommended if you wish to avoid queues at Sushi Hotaru.

My dinner for 29.4, I was full and happy. The food is quite fast and price is reasonable. The only problem might be the stove to cook the hot pot is too slow, feel like it takes forever. Will come back!

Despite the glowing reviews for Wagaya, we weren’t very impressed with our experience here. First off, the ox tongue curry stew was a complete rip-off. As we we ordered dishes to share, we had just finished dividing the ox tongue between the six of us until we realised that it was beef brisket and not ox tongue that they gave us. We called over a waitress for clarification but she came back with the answer that “the kitchen says that it is ox tongue and it is the correct dish”. Rather than arguing, which would have been fruitless as the waitress was having a hard time understanding and communicating in English, we decided to just dig in. Fortunately, it wasn’t a complete lost cause. The curry stew was rich in flavour, with a hint of spiciness to it, and as expected, went very well with a nice bowl of steamed rice. <br/><br/>The mapo tofu hot pot was the clear favourite of the night, which was ironic because it’s more of a Szechuan dish than a Japanese dish. It was hearty and flavourful, and topped with generous amounts of juicy minced meat, tofu cubes, bean sprouts, mushrooms and vermicelli noodle knots. <br/><br/>The kids and adults alike enjoyed the chicken karaage, grilled salmon and the lotus chips, and it was clear why. Uncomplicated flavours, and pleasant tasting. <br/><br/>The rest didn’t quite cut it. The fried chicken skin was a soggy and oily mess, and so was the salt and pepper squid. The pork cutlet comprised 90% fat and 10% lean meat under a surprisingly well-executed crisped batter, and the wagyu beef sushi roll had dried out wagyu beef chunks scattered on top of it instead of being rolled in it.<br/><br/>It’s quite a shame because we very much like the cosy and intimate ambiance, and the service was undeniably friendly and super polite. Maybe we ordered the wrong dishes, or we went on a off day, we will never know because we are unlikely to return.

Went here with a group of friends the other day. Got a little lost finding it - a little tip for those of you planning to go - you need to use the lift to get there apparently. I got the tempura udon and it tasted substandard. The tempura had way too much batter and my dish came pretty late. My friends got the sea urchin pasta and the sukiyaki set - both complained about the lack of flavours.

Easy to order, easy to pay, nice ambiance and the food was enjoyable. The udon was nice and slightly chewy. The spicy chicken (karrage) was slightly dry (by itself) but the sauce compensated for that. The ambiance was lovely, isolated and with minimal interaction with waiters /waitress.

It's a bit tricky finding this place but totally worth it! This is a cool hangout place with your friends! Get yourself a booth when you dine in esp at night and you'll be greeted with friendly smiles and cool lights. Great resto ambience and affordable meals. From sushi to hotpot, you name it. Come here on a lunchtime and you can buy a $10 bento box. Dont forget to order their tofu, super nice!!

Best Japanese restaurant I found in Melbourne. It's authentic and prices are reasonable. I keep coming back here :) I really love food here. If you want try authentic Japanese food in Melbourne, definitely recommend this restaurant as a view point of me growing up in Japan. I was very happy finding this place eating food tastes like home. There's variety to choose from and every time I go I get to try different dishes. I really love food here I would highly recommend this restaurant for Japanese food such as grilled fish and meat, hot pot, sushi, pizza, salad, Japanese style pasta, matcha dessert.

I been here a few times and haven't been disappointed. Wouldn't give it a high score due to the value for money. It is pretty steep for the price you pay for. The self service makes it convenient. You input your order onto the screen and the waiter brings out the order so you can take your time making up your mind what you want.<br/><br/>Recomended dishes: sashimi, sushi rolls, karage, yakitori.<br/><br/>I recently had the octopus balls and was disappointed compared to other times. Melted cheese is no more. Tastes plain.

Had lunch with my friend today and it was so good.<br/>The place is really amazing too, although it was hard for us to find it at first.<br/>The foods were tasty and we were so full when leaving.<br/>I need to comeback again soon ❤️

Impressive dinning area. Great way of ordering with those touch screen machines they have. Although there is a wide selection of food and drinks on the menu, there was no particular dish that stood out. I've visited this place 3 times and based on all of my visits, the food is just mediocre. Portion size isn't big either. Average at its core.

Foods and service were okay. Nothing too special.<br/>Fried salmon skin : they sprinkled too much salt on it, ew. not crispy at all<br/>Tantan ramen : the only one that was outstanding<br/>Korean pancake with spring onion : bland, too thin<br/>Salmon belly sushi : not so fresh<br/>Would not go back

Finally decided to come to Wagaya for father's day 👍 the place is mad fancy with two levels! I love the ordering system, avoids having to constantly ask for staff to attend to.<br/><br/>Ordered: <br/>Crab chawan mushi - 4/5 <br/>Small salmon miso hot pot - 4/5<br/>Eel skewers - 5/5 👍👍👍👍<br/>Grilled saury - 4/5<br/>Soft shell crab & agedashi tofu - 4/5<br/>Scampi inari - 3/5 didn't realise it was raw until it arrived >< and only had two pieces for $11...<br/>Seared salmon inari - 5/5 the salmon was super fresh!<br/>Chicken karaage - 4/5 there was a cold piece of chicken 😐<br/><br/>Overall a good experience! Will go back for ramen next time 😍<br/>

Love love love this place. Dishes are tasty and well priced. Ordering via the iPad is also cool and stress free. Once completed food comes out quickly. Have been twice and looking fwd to the next time.

Right off the bat, this place looked beautiful! Perfect for a weekday date night. It looked grand and fancy yet the price point was so affordable! The sushi was under the promotional menu and I believe it was under $10 for 4 pieces. Fish was fresh with no trace of fishiness and the rice was seasoned perfectly. I would wish the seaweed wasnt as tough tho. <br/><br/>My beef sukiyaki hotpot WAS THE BOMB. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Although the broth was on the salty side, the quality of beef was absolutely top notch. Perfect thickness, strong beefy flavour and honestly almost buttery and nutty!! So so so good. I didnt let my beef cook all the way through to remain its tenderness. <br/><br/>My partner's curry was also surprisingly robust and rich. One of the richest Japanese curries I have had. Spicy enough too. Chicken was also tender and crispy!