Review Yamato - Melbourne

Authentic foods with authentic settings! Tried to visit this place about a year or two ago but was closed. This time, came across this place again and decided to give it a try. We came here around 5pm and the tables started to fill up. The place isn't that big so I suggest to come early otherwise you may have to queue. We ordered their banquet no.3 and the foods were very delicious. There were 8 courses including the appetizers, main, and desserts. The salmon sashimi was very fresh and the nabe soup was very memorable! They put the chicken balls and the taste was like dumpling fillings. The set was very good choice especially during cold weather. It warmed up or body and soul. Will definitely come back next time to try other dishes.

This secret Japanese restaurant is a must! Brilliantly cooked food and heaps of perfect Japanese drinks. The sushi roll was very nice. Price is affordable. Only one thing is space, booking is probably needed for 4 diners ++

Such a homey, authentic and atmospheric restaurant and truly feels like you're back in a family restaurant in Japan. One of Melbourne's hidden gems for sure, down a small alleyway and with a humble entrance with an old sign and handwritten notes, you wouldn't think too much of it were it not for the lines of people queuing in front once it's past 7. My friend and I came at 6 on a Tuesday and it was already very full in this small place, and we were asked to take our shoes off before seating on the tatami mats and cushions, and it already felt so homey. There was a huge variety on the menu and the food was amazing. Would absolutely come back again.

I straight up blew away so much money here recently. Cosy, Authentic Japanese Izakaya hidden in an alleyway. Doesn't really promote themselves but it's always full. Perfect place for a couple or a small group drinking. Not exactly spacious inside but the interior was on point with Japanese songs playing in the background. Tried most of their dishes and I highly recommend their Sukiyaki, Beef Tataki, and this Japanese cocktail in a jug (forgot the name!) Their Sukiyaki = best value-for-money. Light, simple, and delicious. Huge portion size too. FYI, their beer is a bit expensive ($10.50 for a glass). So if you are planning to drink drink, bring a bottle yourself ($10 corkage fee). Definitely my new favourite place!

What a wonderful place this is. In the heart of Chinatown and up a laneway is this great japanese restuarant. I've been here a couple of times and on my latest visit I had a banquet dinner which was superb. We had some delicious sushimi, fried gyozas, seaweed, tempura, a yummy soup, a BIG hot pot (I forgot the pic) and some green tea ice cream and a vanilla ice cream with red bean. Everything was really tasty and for a city restuarant this was excellent value. They also serve some Japanese rice beer and a variety of sakes. I had the best time and I'm definitely going back! Happy days.

Tight cozy Japanese restaurant hidden off in Chinatown area. Tasty food with good portion sizes. Not great for a big group. Ideal for couples or 3-4 people. Very enjoyable experience there.

Very cosy Japanese restaurant, gotta take off your shoes to sit in a Japanese style chair and table. We had standard Japanese dishes like sashimi and nigiri. Entries we had Nasu dengaku, tayoyaki katsu don and tempura. The pokka lychee was an ultimate thirst quencher in that hot day but it was only 300ml. Pretty standard, good taste and good atmosphere. They play some jpop songs.

This is probably the cutest and most authentically Japanese restaurants I’ve been to in Melbourne. It’s a hidden gem tucked away in Chinatown with a second location on Exhibition. It’s full of Japanese knick knacks and offers a menu that rotates (or at least during covid it does). On the night I visited, it was izakaya style. I ordered satisfyingly chewy agedashi mochi served in a flavourful broth, tender and flavourful nasu dengaku, greens in a sesame dressing and a side of rice. I didn’t try any drinks but from what I saw on offer, the beer selection is great.

What a wonderful place this is. In the heart of Chinatown and up a laneway is this great japanese restuarant.<br/><br/>I've been here a couple of times and on my latest visit I had a banquet dinner which was superb. <br/><br/>We had some delicious sushimi, fried gyozas, seaweed, tempura, a yummy soup, a BIG hot pot (I forgot the pic) and some green tea ice cream and a vanilla ice cream with red bean. <br/><br/>Everything was really tasty and for a city restuarant this was excellent value. <br/><br/>They also serve some Japanese rice beer and a variety of sakes. <br/><br/>I had the best time and I'm definitely going back! Happy days.<br/><br/>Previous review - February 2017<br/><br/>Dropped in here for lunch. I had the large sashimi plate which was really good. A selection of kingfish, salmon and tuna. Served w a miso soup. Yummmm haha <br/><br/>The service was really friendly and happy, and this was a really good reasonably priced choice for lunch.<br/><br/>Worth a visit of your looking for some fresh food tasty food.

Paid $16.50 for this. Pretty bad quality and portion

I order the rice with Fried Pork and eggs. Then it is horrible <br/>The material like many days ago, and the meat was so hard to chew.....I will never go to this restaurant again !!!!!!!

This is the worst Japanese restaurant I have ever been to. Don’t waste your money. The service was slow. They had two staff on for the whole restaurant, doing everything, including all the cooking and serving. The male manager was incredibly rude, the food was very ordinary and not authentic Japanese and the toilet was grubby.

After ordering, I have waited for over twenty minutes，without serving tap water. the service really needs to be improved. Most important,food is not as good as expected.

Super tiny place, with only 1 waitress serving everybody. I ordered chicken yakisoba and was happy that it came with flat noodles (I was expecting round noodles because it says 'soba' on the menu). A bit too sweet, but still delicious. Good portion for lunch.

Came here because of the high ratings, but we were disappointed at the standard of the food that they served. The unagi has a chewy and rubbery texture which is unpleasant and the shabu shabu we ordered is lack of flavours.

Yamato is like a hidden gem in China town. Perfect place for a couple or small group drinking! (But not for loud rowdy group though). So 5* for the ambiance.<br/>Food is hit and miss so I’d rate 3.5*. Some dishes are quite little and too salty. Bear in mind it’s a bar, not a place to have a meal or proper food. <br/>Would love to come back for a slow drink next time!

3.5 <br/>Yamato is snug, traditional restaurant that feels like you've entered into a portal that leads directly to Japan. Seriously, it's quite small so it's probably not the place for groups. I got the chicken udon, a dish that seems simple and but is quite tasty. My partner ordered the tempura prawn udon and unfortunately, the batter disintegrated and turned into soggy clumps that littered each bite. The takoyaki was very good. The presentation of Yamato is quaint and nice, and gets the job done if you're after tasty traditional meal.<br/>

Cosy little restaurant tucked in Corrs Lane in Chinatown, you would miss it if you weren't looking for it. The ambience seems very authentic Japanese, it initially feels very cramped but after you getting settled in it just feels cute and cosy. The service was great and the wait staff were very polite. We ordered the eggplant and I got the tempura udon noodles. The wait was a little long but I guess it's because there was only one chef and everything was made as fresh as possible. The other table ordered sushi which looked incredible, so I'm coming back to try that. Overall, probably one of the cosiest little Japanese restaurants you can find in Melbourne and would definitely recommend their food.

Yamato is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. Lovely cosy atmosphere and carefully prepared authentic food. Moderate price range, but definitely excellent value ♡

Really cute and tiny restaurant in China town. Beautiful sushi, tempura and gyoza! The Japanese curry was a bit bland but otherwise great selection. I would suggest booking here, especially if more than 2 people!

The salmon steak and the sauce it came with was delicious and perfectly cooked! 5/5<br/>Hotpot was okay, thought the beef could've been better.<br/>Cute restaurant, very Japanese styled.

3.5<br/>A home-style Japanese restaurant hidden in Chinatown.<br/><br/>The place is super cute and screams japan, I'm basically in love with the interior. With Japanese songs playing in the background, it felt just like Japan. Staff was quite nice, and food took a reasonable time.<br/><br/>Had the beef teishoku which includes rice, salmon sashimi, teriyaki beef, takoyaki, salad mix and miso soup. Sashimi was fresh, takoyaki was on point, salad was refreshing, i like the seasoned flavor of the rice but it was not the chewy japanese rice I was expecting unfortunately. The beef was way too salty so they offered me to change it, then explained that the sauce was pre-made, thus I changed them to teriyaki chicken instead as my friend's was fine. However after waiting for a long 10 minutes, the chicken that came didn't look like my friend's as it was way more colorless and yes it was pretty bland. I was really disappointed with this. Nonetheless I appreciate them offering to change. My friend's bento was way better than mine though.<br/><br/>Overall I would recommend people checking this place out but maybe stir away from the teriyaki beef as they have lots of other options in the menu.<br/><br/>( follow for more!✨)<br/><br/>ｘｘ，ｊｏｅｌｌｅ

Firts of all — BIG LOVE for the ambience. It’s such a small but pretty restaurant, makes you feel that you’re actually at Japan, not Melbourne. As for the food i love their ika butter, but i warned you, it’s salty. I’m into salty dishes so this one becomes my favorite instantly.

Yamato is one of the few places that has hyped me up for my first trip to japan. Location is very Melbournian in that it is tucked in the end of Corrs Lane. You can even enter through a narrow slip lane from Lonsdale St.<br/><br/>Ordered:<br/>🍜 Zaru Soba: Buckwheat noodles with special dipping sauce ($11.30)<br/>🍤 Tempura: prawn, fish & vegetable Tempura ($10.30)<br/><br/>Review:<br/>I had a heavy craving for soba. Luckily, Yamato provided but it wasn't prepared as I normally had it. I expected the buckwheat noodles to be heaped by itself, to be dipped into a smaller separate sauce on the side. Instead, I was presented with a cold noodle bowl, with broth, with ICE IN IT and a dollop of wasabi on the side.<br/>However, I did not let this deter me from a great experience!<br/>Batter was crispy, nice and thin. Trying to capture the last few crumbs on my plate before it was taken away.<br/><br/>Interior was incredibly cute, with yellow light creating a warm atmosphere. Although the tables were a bit tight where you could hear the conversation of the people next to you, it was still okay. The decor is astounding. Peppered with trinkets everywhere, there's lots to stare at and be amused by!<br/><br/>+1 Yamato can do split bills. 😂

This is place is small, cute and tucked away at the end of the lane which makes it more exciting. It's a very cosy atmosphere - exactly the kind of place I would want to spend a cold night. Staff are friendly and the food is delicious - I particularly liked the salmon sashimi on rice (served in a sizzling stone bowl with a pat of chive butter I think). Also try the plum wine with honey - it's heaven.

4.5<br/>This was exactly like stepping into an izakaya in Japan, complete with waitresses that could barely speak English. We started with crab n potato croquettes, yakitori and a salad with fried prawn. All dishes were top notch. A couple of serves of the perfect pork gyoza followed along with miso and the seafood tempura. All dishes were fantastic. This place is definitely worth checking out.

The food here was quite good, I got the takoyaki which was made so well, the kimichi which really hit the spot, not to mention that the vegetarian gyoza was delicious and I’ll definitely be ordering that again. The atmosphere was very pleasant and quite enough that I was yelling or straining to hear my partner rather we were able to have a pleasant conversation with out going horse! The only thing that could stand to use improvement was the music, it was a very short playlist with only a few songs personally I’m not usually bothered by this but I know some like my partner can find this slightly jarring.

Came here with a friend and we had a feast.  We ordered a variety of things, the standouts being the okonomiyaki and marinated eggplant.  The marinate for the eggplant had a touch of sweetness, it was lovely and the okonomiyaki was fresh and tasty, there was a lot of octopus too.<br/><br/>The service and restaurant was friendly and good.  Definitely worth a visit.

A+ for authenticity. I really felt like I was back in Japan. It’s a disarmingly simple looking restaurant in a narrow alleyway serving very good food at reasonable prices.

Yes Yes Yes! Yamato has it all. The food is delicious. The small dishes are perfect for sharing and at their price, you can share many. The larger dishes are more substantial but I usually pick the smaller ones. The sushi is always good, the tempura outstanding and the agedashi tofu should be put on a pedestal. A good range of sakes tops it off. Just go here.

Nice little getaway hidden inside Chinatown with a very homely appeal. The interior provides close resemblance to an old school japanese theme with an assortment of ornaments and posters. I had the shabu shabu and though the soup was a little bland and the tables are quite small, the experience was pleasant. Would return to try other items on the menu.

allot of mixed reviews for this place, but I still want to give them a go! Order the Katsu Curry don, came out fairly quickly as it was a busy night. The curry was good and had little chuncks of beef in it which was tasty, but the pork katsu was so so, batter was ordinary and pork was a little tough, probably sitting in the freezer for ages. Serving was small and for $13, its reasonable.

Such a great little Japanese place tucked away out of sight. Worth the time to find it. Always packed, with a couple of tables at the back you need to take your shoes off to eat at.<br/>The food is really nice and well cooked. We only had vegetarian so can't speak for other options.

A friend took me here during lunch as it was close to our workplace. Good little japanese restaurant that fits a few couple and perhaps a small group. nothing fancy but very intimate with little authentic touches. It does remind me of japan!!<br/><br/>I got the bento box with teriyaki chicken and veggie tempura. Slightly dissapointed as when it came out i had 2 small chicken wing with some sauces. i thought that was the main? i had morr tempura!!! the potato salad was good and rice was good but nothing that was totally standout unfortunately.<br/><br/>Overall everything was ok. would i come back? prpb not as theres heaps of places around fot bento. Would rate this 2.5/5 (no more .5 option?).

Ambience - tiny, tucked in a quiet lane, gives off an authentic Japanese escape you wouldn't even know you're only metres from the hustle and bustle of the city<br/><br/>Food<br/>Tonkatsu Bento - filling, reasonably priced for a lunch special, taste is good although the rice seemed to be a little dry but the noritama topping made up for it, pork is crunchy lightly seasoned, it also came with a spoonful serving of beef sukiyaki of some sort, the seaweed salad provided a nice balance<br/><br/>Matcha Cheesecake<br/>Delicate, beautiful texture, matcha not too overpowering<br/><br/>Store accepts cards for bills over 25AUD

Service is quick. We ordered some sushi and ramen and they came out pretty quick. Food is good and the price is reasonable. We definitely will come back

Literally the worst Japanese food I have ever had. The sashimi was not fresh and sliced very thick and in small piece. All the cutlery have water or tea stains in. The beef was cooked too hard to chew as well. Service was fine, but still can’t help with the taste of the food.<br/>

My favourite hidden gem of Melbourne. Took my boyfriend here as he was sceptical of Japanese cuisine having only ever tried sushi sushi... needless to say, thus changed his opinion pretty quick! <br/>Love the service, it is very small and crampt but the food is worth it! <br/>

Ordered the Salmon rice dishes. Very small serving for something listed as a main dish. It was good but I can't justify ordering it again in future. Went to another venue to fulfil my appetite.

I’ve been meaning to visit this place for ages. Its a nice cozy little place that reminds me of my time in Japan. Service was fast and the food we had was good. Really enjoyed the udon and the sukiyaki. I probably wouldn’t do the katsu curry again though.

A hidden gem! <br/><br/>So so good and well priced. Sushi and sashimi is always perfect. Quick service in a tiny back alley restaurant, has a very authentic feel.

Absolutely horrible, no flavour, tiny tiny portions, we're tucked away in uncomfortable corner when the place was empty, we're made to feel her uncomfortable

Charming little Izakaya restaurant hidden away in Corrs lane.  Decent traditional Japanese food at without the hipster-non-Japanese-opened restaurant price tag.  All the basic Japanese fare and shabu shabu/sukiyaki (cheap at $30)  Expect about $40 per person, slightly cramped seating though.  This is what you can expect from a small suburban restaurant in Japan.

Been here for grandma's birthday, I was a bit disappointed at the quality of the dishes as the portions were small and on the expensive side... After the meal we weren't even full which was sad.

Really good spot for a quiet sushi lunch. Small dining room and decent prices given the fish quality. Haven't been here for dinner but not sure I would given the ambience. Recommended for lunch though!

Sooo authentic! Delicious food and warm, traditional izakaya feel! Just like being back over there again. Hardest part is having to decide from so many great things on the menu!

Too bad, really bad. It's not fresh about small size salmon and the fried chicken is hard to swallow. Service is not good that I sit a long time without water. The Udon is not original too. I love Japanese food but this one is really really bad!!!!!

The worst service I ever had😡<br/>Food was okay but too salty.<br/>DO NOT order their drinks! It's really bad☠️<br/>They don't know what they're doing.<br/>

Great little spot, food and service were excellent! Sushi and sashimi combo and spiced salmon role was highlight. Also great to bring your own wine along

I guess lunch wasn't too bad for ~$12... but my nabeyaki udon wasn't as good as I expected from a Japanese restaurant. The beef was quite dry and tough and the texture of the udon was a bit weird.

Very authentic Japanese food, melt in the mouth sashimi! The spring rolls are the best I've ever had! Would recommend this restaurant as it is also very close to her majesty's theatre.

Ordered the Sukiyaki hot pot and it was the bomb when you come in during winter time. Such a warming meal to enjoy with your friends or family. We ordered 3 pax for 4 people eating and the quantity was enough to make us full, don't forget to eat it with rice too. The meat was tender, soup was so flavourful and there are plenty other of toppings such as tofu, mushrooms, vermicelli noodles, and vegetables. A must try dish when you come here! Will come here again.

The food isn't bad here, and it's reasonably price. Oyakodon was great, the stock it was cooked in (dashi?) was just right. I'll be coming back to try out more dishes.

It’s been a while since my last visit here, and I was so excited to get back again; this is exactly the type of place I look for when I’m travelling and in search of an authentic food experience without the bells and whistles. And while that’s great, it’s important to remember to look for these places in your own backyard, too.

No toilet access in the premise. Staff is reluctant to give direction to find one. The dining space is too narrow, food serving speed is way too slow. Took them 20 mins to bring me a glass of water. <br/><br/>Not to mention, the food portion was small and a portion of the rice is uncooked. This is probably the worst Japanese restaurant I have ever been to.<br/><br/>Do not recommend anyone to come. Especially not on a Friday night.

Nice homy japanese fare here for a reasonable price. Tried the sukiyaki bowl and tempura and both were solid. Really enjoyed the atmosphere here and the service as also nice, although food took a little while to come out, but not too long.

Very cute hidden away little restaurant! The atmosphere inside is very nice and warm. Staff are friendly and the food is decently priced and tastes good/good quality. Always come back here :) I recommend

Long standing Japanese food establishment in the CBD.<br/><br/>Can be hard to find, but the food speaks for itself, honest and reliable.<br/><br/>Okay service too.

Tucked away in a suspicious looking alley way. Dare to walk in to a cozy yet authentic place. Try everything I've had all vegetarian and seafood options and was impressed. Well priced and fast service if you're lucky to find a table the place fills up quickly. Worth a visit to delight your senses with Japanese flavours.

Been here on multiple occasions and ordered different things - today we ordered the first banquet menu - with crab gyoza, cucumber salad (which was literally two mouthfuls only), pork cutlet and marinated chicken as entrees, followed by sukiyaki hot pot and matcha ice cream. Service was average in terms of speed - it is quite a small place so understandable. The portions ARE on the small side (apart from the hot pot which we struggled to finish between the two of us - very generous with the beef!), but overall a very authentic location and interior with many many options on the menu to try. Do book beforehand to avoid queues however!

love their interior japanese design, feels very homey and comfy with selections of foods that remind me of home cooked meals. sushi rolls are good. would definitely come back to try other dishes.

Second night in Melbourne on this trip and this is the second Japanese restaurant. Obviously that's the theme. <br/>A tad hard to find but well worth it. <br/>100% authentic, I'm in Japan!<br/>My sizzling salmon was fresh, tasty and not smothered in sugar. A side of pickles and a bowl of rice. Add 200ml of the house sake and you to can order like a boss.

This is my favourite Japanese restaurant in the CBD- small, intimate and cosy setting, always friendly service and the food never disappoints. Everyone I take here also loves it 👌

Yamato is a Japanese restaurant tucked away in the quieter side of China town in a laneway pass the popular Shanghai Dumplings restaurant. There are many types of Japanese restaurants in Melbourne but the majority of them do not appear authentic, which is why I did not consider this place at first despite it catching my eye whenever I walk past. After checking some reviews, and the menu, I saw that they had Unagi  which was the deciding factor to give it a go.

This little place doesn't have the best location but is great value! The food was tasty, especially for what we paid and the portions were generous.

Yamato is a Melbourne institution & never disappoints. Has a comprehensive traditional Japanese menu, with a good sake selection & is very reasonably priced. Food is great & the staff are very friendly. Features two traditional Japanese dining tables as well as regular seating. A welcome relief from the plethora of modern/fusion 'Asian with a twist' dining options that have inundated Melbourne in recent years. Highly recommended.

Im sorry to say this but this place is horrible... The atmosphere and service was alright (normal), but the food was not even up to standard. I ordered sashimi, chicken wing, eel don and seafood ramen. The portion of every single dish was so small. They served 5 "halved" chicken wings, pinky sized sashimi and hand sized bowl of rice with eel. The ramen was the worst. The noodle was overcooked, soup was tasteless (soy based) and the seafood include 3-5 tiny pipi, 1 prawn, 1 fishball and some veggie. This jap was the worst ive been in my life....

Rememver to take cash with you, cause the minimum card eftpos is $25. Just because of the minimum and I have no cash on me, I have to order two sides and the lunch box... But the food is really really delicious. Highly recommended.

Really disappointed on a few levels with this place. The food wasn't bad, but nothing special - which was okay for the price. However, the waitress told me they didn't have anything gluten free on their menu which was incorrect as they had sushi and a few other dishes that I ended up having despite what she'd said. Next, we get the bill and there's a $10 per bottle corkage fee for the BYO wine. This is absolutely exorbitant. It's Melbourne guys, if you're going to advertise BYO then don't charge people an arm and a leg for it! Never going back.

Came here with another friend. Didn't get to try the hotpot, had the unagi bento instead. Unagi was overcooked and the sauce was way too salty. There was also only 3 small pieces of unagi, I would have expected bigger pieces for $20. The rice was inconsistently cooked, some parts were cold and clumpy, probably overnight rice? <br/><br/>Fairly disappointed with this place, may come back to try the hotpot but wouldn't bet on it.

Tucked away in an alley is Yamoto - a little slice of Japan in Melbourne. It's small and cosy, with lovely staff and yummy Japanese food. Will always return for the hotpot!

Pretty traditional Japanese beer spot and serve lots of typical Japanese snacks! The price was quite reasonable and we ordered one Japanese hot pot was absolutely taste and worth its price. The other side dishes were good. The atmosphere within the restaurant was great, always packed with customers and table turnover rate were frequently high, nice trendy place for dining and hopefully can order more dishes next time when coming with more friends

Nearing the end of our trip, my companion realised that I was suffering symptoms of severe Japanese Food Withdrawal. Having come close to two weeks without any, he decided it was probably time to hunt some down. After much research, he opted for Yamato, situated in Corrs Lane, not far from our hotel.

Husband & I went there on a Tuesday night. Few people in there. Pretty small restaurant but cosy. The two Japanese waitresses were really nice and friendly. We ordered the banquet for 2 (sukiyaki) which was $28 a head. Miso soup & 4 small entrees, main meal was sukiyaki then ice cream. We also ordered house sake which was nice. Loved the whole atmosphere and food. Would definitely come back. Would be a good place to come for a meal before a show as located top end of little bourke St.

Hotpots were too plain and lack of a lot of flavours. Seafood hotspot was mostly filled by frozen crab stick like 'seafood'. Service was slow and some of our orders never came. Will avoid in future.

This is a very genuine Japanese restaurant with a warm atmosphere and lovely food at a very reasonable price. We enjoyed the miso soup, gyoza, edamame, sashimi and tempura vegetables - all were fresh and delicious. Customer service was wonderful. I will definitely return here next time I'm craving authentic Japanese food.

Yamato's restaurant facade seems inconspicuous. It's walls and sign looked worn down and a bit neglected. All the more, it made me curious. <br/><br/>You enter through this door that leads to a quaint, cozy and homey place. I was instantly transported to Asia; reminded me of my mum and how she would collect several tiny odd things that never seem to match each other. The place would be as what it might an Izakaya style restaurant in Japan. <br/><br/>Their lunch menu was impressive to me. They offer a variety of delightful menu. More so, they were cheap. Was impressed again by their servings - generous. Had a bite and, yup, I might be a regular here. Ordered a Yakiniku that came with Miso soup and rice. Though the rice serving was really small, I didn't mind since I don't each much of it. The taste was great, service was quick, place is fascinating. <br/><br/>Curiosity was rewarded.

Simply nice Japanese food in a great little place in China town. Tried a few main dishes (pork belly, sea food and salmon steak); great taste and reasonable pricing. As always amazing customer service that comes with Japanese people. Will return for sure.<br/><br/>Food: 8/10<br/>Service : 9/10<br/>Price : 8/10

The ramen was really nice, the pork soup was rich with the seafood mixture, definitely worth a try! However the rice was so disappointing, the sushi was hard and felt like overnight rice and falls apart when you pick it up! Also the steam rice felt under cooked as well!!!!!

Traditional Japanese at its best. Love the cozy seating and the local Tokyo downtown touch to the way this casual joint is made. Tempura is just about ok, however gyoza is one of the finest I have had here. The hotpot is amazing and very generous when sharing for two or more. Salmon steak is my favorite. Warm service and great experience overall.

Pretty cute, authentic looking Japanese restaurant makes you feel like you're about to eat something above the average, if not special. But as I eat my dishes, I feel like they don't offer the same excitement as the restaurant design. My oyakodon was nothing special, and have a poor chicken to egg ratio. The portion is too small for a rice bowl to be. Their nabeyaki udon is nothing special too. Might comeback to give it another chance, but not likely.

The one in little china town I think it's Corrs lane, is fab... tiny but loads of atmosphere with tiny bespoke furniture and loads of Japanese styling on the walls and surfaces. It's anything but slick and minimalist but the food is to die for and it has the ONLY eggplant dish I'll eat. It's a regular!<br/>

We had dinner at Yamato on Friday.<br/>It is indeed a super tiny place that makes you feel you're holidaying in Japan. Luckily, we arrived just before 6:30 without a booking a got a table straight away. Less than 10 min later the restaurant was full and people started to wait outside.<br/>Very good service.<br/>We ordered Takoyaki, seaweed salad and tempura to start, then continued with katsu nabe and tonkatsu.<br/>The food was delicious and we left the restaurant with a full belly.<br/>The only critique is on the katsu nabe. The dish was too sweet to our taste. My partner couldn't finish the dish because of the sweetness.<br/>Apart from that, it was a very good experience and we'd happily be back next time we crave for Japanese food.

Disappointing. Sizzling beef and vegetable dish was a Standard size oval sizzling plate with 1/4 food 3/4 empty platter - unfortunately actual beef amounted to 7x50c piece sized pieces of meat with onions underneath. Fried chicken was bland resulting in need to spoon some of the sparse sauce from the beef dish with the chicken to give it flavour.<br/>

Good drinks & food. Love this choya punch! awesome!! And so delicious bacon mochi skewer!!

Order a banquet to actually fill your tummy.. The service was nice, good atmosphere.<br/>But honestly, for what you pay for, you get like an ant's meal.<br/>I paid 13.5 for the 'main meal' tempura and I got about 6 or 7 pieces of tempura. 2 prawns, 1 small stick of salmon and about 4 different vegetables. Go when you want a nice entre, not a full meal. Done.

I expected the broth to be a bit too sweet like the usual sukiyaki that I ...

...Agedashi tofu was served hot and had the classic silken firm texture and golden brown colour. The broth was delicious, as expected. When the main of Tofu Steak and vegetables arrived, I was dissapointed that there was a lack of vegetables apart from various types of onions. Nevertheless it tasted good.

Yamato is a very Japanese place. Papers and posters are plastered everywhere in the typical busy Japanese fashion. It was small and quiet and warm. For most of the meal I was their only customer, which was fine with me.

<br/>Everything was yum and fresh, service was fantastic considering that in this weather all I would want to do is swat at people who constantly ask me for water. We will be back when the air con works properly and it's a little cooler.

It was sooooooooooooooo yummy =) seriously .. I wanna make it at home hahahhh

Yamato is located in the deep end of Corrs Lane, the restaurant is cosy and busy. It must have gained its popularity through number of years in the Cheap Eat Food Guide, plus the freshly served food and its good menu attracted many Melbourne diners. I have taken photos of the entire menu, you can find them in the gallery below this post.

Overall, it does come down to the food and Yamato Japanese lacked on those terms. Therefore, unfortunately, we will not be returning.

The food reminded me of Ootoya in Singapore, however, of slightly inferior quality and taste. It was a normal homemade Japanese fare in a cosy layout.

The bento was downright disappointing. The tempura was stock-standard, with a not-heavy-not-light batter encasing a prawn, a piece of salmon, and a selection of vegetables. The salmon sashimi was lifeless, and the side salad was an odd concoction of mixed greens, fried crab sticks and overly sweet egg omelette drizzled in Japanese mayo. At least the rice was fluffy and soft, and I loved the fragrant sichimi powder on top, but there’s something seriously wrong with a dish if my favourite component of it is the rice.

Sometimes there are places you know about for years but just never get around to trying. Yamato was like that for me. Located at the end of a lane and clearly visible from Little Bourke Street it was hardly invisible but never seemed to make it to the top

Bad day?. Yamato has been my favourite casual restaurant in Melbourne for 3 years now. I eat there maybe every couple of months, and usually come away very satisfied. However, last night (Jan 9, 2015) left me very disappointed. Maybe they had a different chef or new management (fingers crossed it was a one-off), but the Nasu Dengaku has turned from a beautifully prepared dish to a gelatinous mess. The salmon steaks were so half the size they normally are, as was the sukiyaki (there wasn't enough liquid in the bowl to actually cook the vegies). I write this not to put people off, but more in the hope that they can lift their game.

Nice cosy place. The place is very small but lucky us it was not too busy. Service was very good, the food was also OK for the<br/>price, very correct. A positive experience for the 4 of us, I will definitively return even if I have been to better japanese,

The food is alright,can be better,keep it up guys!!!

Needs a bit of passion .... I have been to Yamato several times in the past 8 years. They need to refresh their menu and at least raise their quality.<br/><br/>Sadly the place relies only on its location and its old charms. Its a pity the food doesn't quite stack up to it. <br/><br/>Note: Don't list the restaurant as a sushi place but only serve salmon and tuna. (low quality). Look at the menu before dinning in, the images listed here are out of date!!!

Cute, but nothing special. A friend and I recently went here for dinner on a Friday. Situated at the end of a cobblestone-type lane way it looked like a cute homely restaurant from the outside. Walking in, I realised it was a very small restaurant. We ordered the sashimi, tempura, croquettes, chicken wings and a stonebowl dish with sliced salmon, fish roe and rice. The portions are quite small, don't expect large portions for the price. The chicken wings were the small kind, like the size of drumettes which was disappointing for me because I love big chicken wings with lots of meat. The sashimi was okay. The tempura was crisp but still a small portion for the price. The croquettes were nice, but too much of the BBQ type sauce and again a little too small. The only thing that's worth mentioning really, is the stonebowl dish with sliced salmon, fish roe and rice. It's a similar concept to the Korean bibimbap, rice at the bottom and the rest of the dish at the top for you to mix together. However we weren't sure whether we were supposed to mix it, and upon asking the waiter, he didn't seem very knowledgeable about it either. There was a dash of butter on the top, so we decided we'd just mix it up. The dish was actually quite tasty! The sliced salmon was raw, so when we mixed it with the hot rice it cooked the salmon and the amount of fish roe was generous. The fish roe and the lightly peppered rice was what made the dish so tasty I think. The pepper gave it flavour and the the fish roe gave a nice crunch and saltiness. The salmon was sliced thinly enough to lightly cook it so the salmon was perfectly flakey and tender. This dish was $12.80 from memory, and the only thing that was worth ordering, in my opinion.

Magical. Honest and scrumptious food with a touch of elegance. Get the golden flake sake. Fell in love at this place and will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Excellent.. Godly. That's all you need to know.

Nice little eatery. Pretty cute place. Small but I liked the seating arrangement and how I was a little confused by the outside. It’s just a door at the bottom of an ally. I had the deep fried chicken which was served with some lettuce and a bit of mayo. I loved the dressing they used but was a little disappointed that it wasn't served with rice. For the price it wasn't too bad though. I’d definitely go back and try the rest of the items on the menu. I couldn't stop looking at what everyone else in the restaurant ordered and it looked great. <br/><br/>The service was also really good. I liked the fact that they weren't standing over you watching you eat, didn't harass you into ordering and didn't hurry you along soon as you finished eating.