Review Nelayan Indonesian Restaurant

Anwesha Sinha

Buffet style lunch. Ordered two of the rice + 3 items combo - and was stuffed! Portions are huge, and a lot of options to choose from! Every dish was excellent and would make a great meal just by itself.

Rhys T

Reasonable Indonesian food option. Two veg, one meat on rice $15. Onde onde was $6. All tasted authentic and good.

Yohanes Dari

One of the best Indonesian restaurant located in CBD Melbourne. Lots of Indonesian food available here. You can either eat them in place or aks for taking them away. One of the most delicious menu is Nasi Goreng with prawn, fried eggs and chilly sauce. Just allot your five minutes to get their tasty.

Clara Tedja

I bought this rice box through uber pickup, i just picked it up 15mins after i ordered. The kentang balado has gone bad (tasted sour like it had already gone bad). Its like they just reheated day old food. I called the restaurant to complain but they deny and claim its fresh.

Shaun D'Monte

Gather the troops for an impromptu team lunch @NelayanRestaurant.Au. serving Indonesian dishes, there's the choice of al a carte or the bain marie. I chose seafood nasi goreng and the jus alkapat, an avocado juice. I'd seen alkapat beating made on junior masterchef so was curious what the drink would taste like at a restaurant. The chocolate syrup adds the sweetness but makes it a bit too sweet but it's enough not to overpower the avocado smoothie like drink. Quite tasty. The nasi goreng was tasty, prawns and pieces of seafood extender mixed amongst the tasty rice. I like the crunchy cracker and pickled veg. #Indonesianfood #alkupat #avocado #prawns #nasigoreng #lunch #foodie #melbournefood #melbournecbd @zomatomelb

Samuel T (Sam)

Well done for hiring a welcoming staff. I come to eat there regularly but I had very bad experiences in the past, ridiculous portion, rude staff etc ... But during my last visit, I had great pleasure, everything was very good, the waitress was great, that's all I expect from a restaurant. I hope it will stay the same now. See you soon.

justin c

I had beef rendang which tasted fantastic. Friendly staff and a clean restaurant made it an enjoyable trip

Cindy Ramli Chang

Best durian cendol! Not quite impressed by the meal choices that day though #bulgogi_n_rendang

Choc Pudding

Had takeaways..the 3 pictured here are their yummy dishes. Klepon was so soft and the balls itself are a bit big, but soo nice, right amount of sugar. The lontong sayur hardly had any veggies in it. Lots and lots of meat (big piece of chicken, big piece of beef, and some..liver?). Their sauce is so yum. Spicy, but just the right taste. The amount of meat is actually enough for twice eating. The pempek is a bit dry but still ok. The sauce is super spicy but the right amount of sweetness so I was so happy. The letdowns are the peanut satay sauce based dishes, like gado gado and ketoprak. The sauces are rather thick and bland..not spicy at all either. Would love to try more dishes here.

Elbert Leander

Very good Indonesian restaurant in Melbourne. Delicious traditional snacks to take away as well!! Very recommended 👍👍

MELBFOODIEEE

nelayan has started doing deliveries whoop whoop!! we tried out their seafood mie goreng which was packed full of fish balls, egg and prawns - not much wok hei but i don’t think you expect it from this kind of food anyways. the klepon which are basically onde onde were DELICIOUS! super chewy and all of the sugar inside was nicely melted. the otak otak was the best i’ve had in melbourne - not too fishy and a bit spicy. the sambal was delishhh, but the chicken was a little dry.

Melbfoodie_mark

Insta: melbfoodie_mark YT: MelbFoodieMark ** Check them out for more food reviews in Melbourne! - After visiting Emporium, I decided to swing by this venue to grab a quick bite. Fortunately, all the dishes were freshly cooked by the time I arrived - smelt amazing inside! Basic simple interiors reminded me of a small food court. . I tried their "Rice + 3 Dishes Combo" costing about ~$12. I chose Beef Rendang, Chili Chicken, and Spicy Potatoes. My personal favourite was Beef Rendang. It was thick but soft and juicy with a hint of sweetness. It was absolutely delicious but I personally felt like it could've been more flavourful. Chili Chicken and Spicy Potatoes were both decent as well and the portion was generous. . Overall, I felt like they could've used more spices to bring out the authentic Indonesian flavours. But it's understandable considering how they cater towards a wide range of audience in the city. I plan to visit again to try their noodles next time :)

Prof. Pinky@LunchLab

My score 3.75 stars (avge of 2 visits). J picked up takeaway dinner from here on Fri 15th May. Much less choice than last time which is understandable… Bean shoot salad – yum. Pick of the dishes & cheap. Fried chicken – nowhere near as good as last time as this was a dry spice rub, which wasn’t as tasty and made the pieces less moist. Tofu and veg – Once again, not as good as last time – diff sauce which was bland but almost a bit “fishy”… Sep 2019. Staff nice, service was helpful and pleasant. Seafood Fried Kway Teow ($13) - Really wide rice noodles were nice and separate, plus a good texture. Fish balls were quite “fishy”, prawns were ok. Pickled carrot quite firm and a distraction for me. Not a lot of other veg. Would skip next time… From the Bain Marie (3 dishes plus rice - $12.50). Eggplant Sambal - Lovely taste, texture and spice level. YUM! Tofu in coconut (curry?) sauce – Huge tasty tofu pieces had really good texture. There were large soft (in a good way) carrot pieces, all moist and delish. Coconut sauce was fab! Marinated fried chicken (1 piece) – Nice seasoning, tasty. Bits on bone were best. The large bit that was all meat had less flavour (in the middle) & this middle bit was bordering on a tad dry (not quite but almost). Would have again and try to pick a moister/bonier bit next time.

Corietta Silaen

I bought fried rice, the rice is not cooked. Complaints about it and the brought the same one, very bad.

Prachi Kapdi

Lovely satay in peanut sauce.,.

㊙️ The Traveling Foodie

This place serve authentic Indonesian food for as long as I could remember. Drinks are cheap $2 for tea in a box which taste great . The beef rendang was amazing . 2 meat and 1 veg for $15. Those on a budget could try $10 for rice plus 2 veg .

Ervin Kartawidjaja

Tempatnya enak, menu banyqk pilihan dan bisa order freshly cooked. Oh ya, banyak jajanan indo spt martabak manisssssss👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Saffron

The restaurant environment was a bit average, but the food tasted pretty good and the portion size was generous. I had the rice + 2 dishes combo.

Mustard

This has been around forever and I've finally made my way down to give their nasi padang a go. I make my selections and within a minute I'm tucking into my lunch. I get their fried chicken (breast piece) which was on the drier side, the beef randang did not fair better with some pieces being really dry and tough. Their meatloaf however was nice and soft paired with some vegetables, very homely. It was all brought together with some fragrantly spicy sambal, that of which my workmate bought as a little souvenir for home cooking. Portioning is generous for what you pay but unfortunately some of the food was dry. My workmate reckons it was "that particular style" but I think that's his pride talking (he's not Indonesian). You may fair better selecting other dishes from the bain marie.

Ang Sarap

On our last review I mentioned that we sneaked out of our first day event as we feel like having a full Asian meal with rice and/or noodles rather than eating cocktails before having a night of unlimited booze. The next day event was a similar scenario where we sneaked out as well but this time it was easier as the place was too crowded, there were so much people per square meter they will never notice that you left.

ＪＯＥＬＬＥ

3.5 Bustling Indo eats in the city. Located on Swanston st, the place is packed with people. It's like a foodcourt where you find an empty seat, go to the counter and order and was given a number. Staffs were decent friendly, my food was quite a wait though. Soto betawi was okay. It had a decent amount of meat in there, but they could be softer and the soup itself was just lacking flavour overall. Didn't come with rice so had to order extra rice. My sister had their rice with 2 dish combo, beansprouts, curry tofu and chilli eggplant which were all quite yummy. Portion was good, though there were more beansprouts than the other two dish :') Tried my friend's beef rendang and it was pretty decent, it was not too spicy which was good though i feel like it lacked that flavour punch, and I like my rendang with a hint of sweet as this was just salty. Overall a decent place for some quick Indo food on display, but probably not the place for a proper Indo dining experience. ( follow for more!✨) ｘｘ，ｊｏｅｌｌｅ.

Jo Tan

Cheap, authentic and delicious indo food. The sambal always is so delicious. They are always packed during dinner and you can really tell it’s so tasty because lots of Indonesian go there..

Joanne | Melbournecitay

Overall score: 15/25 or ⭐️⭐️⭐️ in 5 words: decent Indonesian cuisine in citay * Taste ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I ordered the chicken geprek noodles. I am more accustomed to noodles with more seasoning. The fried chicken was perfectly done - it was crispy, delicious and the sambal toppings were great. My tongue burned at the end of the meal, but it was worth it. As for my partner’s mixed ride, the potato and curry chicken dishes were okay but the chicken meatball was a bit dry. * Ambience ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Nelayan maintains a basic shop design which specifically caters to casual diners or tourists looking for halal food. Great indie soundtrack! * Price ⭐️⭐️⭐️- Food used to be cheaper but I guess inflation has kicked in. Noodles and rice ranges between $12-$16. Generous amount of rice / noodles means that you won’t leave hungry.  * Presentation ⭐️⭐️⭐️- my noodles looked yummy, especially with some sweet soy sauce!  * Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - friendly service.

Ric Saavedra

Nice and cheap Indonesian food! The fried chicken was amazing and the chilli had quite the kick to it! I'll have to come back and and try the bainmarie food!

Savannah Pierce

With my 2 Indonesian friends. And this is the first time I tried Indonesian food！The fried rice is great！and the dessert is great as well！The staff is friendly and helpful. This is our first final dinner，really good memory❤️

Sammy

Cheap delicious and quick lunch spot. Would normally go with the Bain Marie options or the chilli grilled chicken which you can order from their ala cartel menu. Fried rice is huge portion and delicious as well. Recommended!

PetiteTummy

as an indonesian i would admit its indeed my hometown flavour exactly🤣 try their beef rendang! its really soft tender and rich flavour! n its really fullin ur stomach!

The Wandering Reviewer

As someone whose eaten a lot of Indonesian food this is as authentic as they come. The menu is extensive and there is something for everyone here. Although I couldn’t quite face the Tripe Beef Soup. Instead had the fried green chilli chicken. Portion size good. Delicious. Great for everyone. Centrally located on Swanston Street. Wheelchair friendly. Kid friendly.

Emms Wti

Very delicious Indonesian foods, We tried Nasi Padang with Rendang, Gulai Ayam and Daun Singkong, The portion was pretty big, they gave us a lot of meat , It was great. The waiters/cashir is also very friendly. The price was affordable. Recommended!

Priscillia

I always come here every time I’m craving an Indonesian food. They’ve got the “ready to serve” section. You could pick either 2 or 3 selections plus rice .. I think it’s less than $12. They also have specials that you could read on the wall. Last time I came here I was craving the chicken noodle soup. Super tasty

Abdul Soulisa

Resto favorit anak indo kalo di Melb. Dari jaman kuliah di Melb selalu senang disini karena pilihan menu yang banyak, dan juga ada menu yg dimasakin saat kita pesan. Biasanya favorit disini adalah rendang. Tp kalau saya favoritnya adalah nasi goreng kampung (pedes) dan mie goreng. Request pedes dan akan dibuat pedes yang mantap dengan rasa seperti di Indo. Lokasi juga strategis, di Swanston St, kalo naik tram bisa turun di Melb Central dan jalan ke arah QV/McD

Steven Yuniansyah Suyanto

Taste okay. They sell some Indonesian snack and makes me sad because i miss my parents there. However, the food is really cheap and you’ll get big portion with the price you paid.

StepiiGM

Mixed feelings about this place as the food can be a hit-and-miss. Even their all time rendang is not consistent in terms of sauce thickness and tenderness of the beef. But overall, still a good place to visit if you're craving for Indonesian food. What's good here: fried chicken, fried meatballs, chocolate and cheese pulled-apart bread, and soto ayam (chicken lemongrass group).

Myako Sinaga

Went here after searching for good review on Indonesian restaurants in CBD. The restaurant itself located right in upper side of Swanton St. The food and service is ok although not as similar taste as in Indonesia (according to my Oz friends that coming with us). Price wise is as expected compare to the size portion of each food.

Pierre Pie

Located the Swanston Street , Indonesia cuisine , the customer service is great , the food is tasty , the beef rendang is great and awesome tasty , Price reasonable , cheers

Jesica

Decided to have lunch here because we miss Indonesian food after a few weeks in Australia. Decent portion of food (I like the long beans & chicken soup but not a fan of their spicy potatoes). Ordered soto betawi as well, but the taste was just OK. They got so many types of kerupuk which my mum loves. But staff are not so nice (even to fellow Indonesians! 🙄) and restaurant ambiance is kind of blah.

Sesame Eats

As someone who travels to Indonesia a lot, I was excited to find a place that could satisfy my Indonesian cravings. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case as the food was bad. The Mie Goreng tasted exactly like what you’d get in Indonesia except that it’s insanely salty, while the Soto Betawi (beef and tripe soup) was hugely disappointing as it tasted like milk water - nothing like the incredible Indonesian version. The Chicken Nelayan was the only decent dish with its good sambal. Apart from the food, the service was unfriendly and the atmosphere was sterile. The main positive about this place were the cheap prices.

Chester

Stepping into this place transports me to Asia where street food comes to life. A place that provides decent portions quickly, this cheap-eats has been providing orders for many years. Although this place gets busy during lunch and dinner hours, tables open up quickly as it's casual ambiance caters for quick dining. I would recommend the Beef Rendang, I would avoid the vegetables (and tofu) as they were quite bland (to me). It's a nice place for those on the run and/or those that want something value for money. Mini fact: Nelayan means "fisherman" in Indonesian

Pluviophile

A good place to satisfy your indonesian food craving. They have a large selection of indonesian dishes. Beef rendang and their balado are the favourites. It's a quick self service style food so it's perfect if you need to do a quick meal in the city. The portion is quite generous too.

Resty Agiastuty Eka Putri

i heard from my friend about this restaurant and give it a try. the portion is so big. for me 1 plate is enough for 3 person 😂. but the taste is average. need to be improved. water and tea is free. but for cheap price ( 12 aud per portion) you can geat 4 rendang, 1 rice and 2 iga sapi.. its really worth it and good deal.

Tastylover Melbourne

Always love their food. Their rendang is always cooked beautifully and flavorsome. Big portion of rice yet cheap. Staffs are all friendly and nice. We have been going there for many years and never had we been disappointed.

Amanda Luthfianti

This is one of the best indonesian food in melb that i’ve ever try... mendoannya enak. Ayam asam manisnya juga enak, but mahal bgt. Overall mantep sih😂👌

Authenticity

Good vibe and above average food. Self service everything except getting the food. It is a good comfort scenery to relax and eat after a long day. It is home cooked so not expecting exquisite taste.

Ally.06

my favourite is the Indonesian fried chicken. Very busy during the lunch time. The service isn't that nice. Waitress is bit rude to customer and the service area is a bit messy but overall it's ok.

RIXIN NEO

The food was good! I ordered fried chicken and my Friend got the Ayam Nelayan. Both was amazing! Actually we had a miscommunication with the staff with regards with our order. We wanted 2 plates of rice but only got one! But they were nice to offer us another plate of rice on the house! Kudos to that! P.S the chilli is good too!

MC

Food : ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pretty good - Randang beef is yummy Price : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good portion - Cheap - Very good value Service : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Friendly staff - Ambience : ⭐️⭐️ Nothing special - enough room

Daniel

A great place for a quick feed. The hot bar has a lot of Indonesian classics like Beef Rendang and fried chicken. Sometimes the dishes can be a little salty, but it works well with the rice. My favourite is the Beef Rendang.

Kalumi

We came to this place per a friend's recommendation. In a nutshell a bit disappointing. The Ayam Nelayan chicken was very dry. I had to buy few curries to have a meal. The potato curry was pretty decent and the Beef rendang was not bad. However overall experience was a disappointment. Not recommending.

Justin Tan

Was highly recommended to me. But was disappointed with 2 dishes. Rendang meat was too big; should have been cut to smaller pieces. Also tried a beef pattie that was tasteless. As some customers noted, quality is not consistent.

Cookieraider2002

food is cheap and very extremely quick u guys gotta try mmm yummy, wow I always come here because its good cheap and quick. its pretty good value

Roy Soedharma

I am food lover and this my first time in Melbourne, very much disagree with rating only 3.7. For Indonesian who new in town this is the only place you should go for eating.

Lalita Saiprania De Palma

Apologies for being completely honest. But this is one of the worst tasting Indonesian food I have ever eat in my life. I am Indonesian so I know what Indonesian food supposed to taste like. The food on display looked like it’s done effortlessly. None of them looked appealing. But I tried . I had a few dish that I thought was going to be decent enough, but I ended up only eating the rice, the sambal & 1 piece cube of beef rendang. It was bland, the fish had no taste, not crispy & not very fresh. Please improve your food & chef. It’s terrible. I’m surprised people are still coming back.

Don Djoe

Inconsistent in almost every aspects! I have been visiting this place every now and then for years. There are times where the dishes taste great, but there are also times where the dishes feel tasteless. There are times where the meat are tender, but there are times where they are tough and way too fatty. The portion are also inconsistent, depending on who serve you, you might get big or small portion. So why do I keep on visiting? First the price is pretty good. Second the inconsistency is there but you are more likely to get the better end. Lastly it offers great variety of Indonesian dishes and there are no close competitors that are doing similar things.

FoodieMe

Indonesian food is so much like indian one.and having gone here on New year's Eve was the best decision. Feels more like home food. Yum. There are good options where you can choose 2-3 dishes along with rice. The beef dish was the best. Yummy and reasonable priced. This is a must visit.

Key🍕

Went here today for dinner with my Indonesian friend. Here, you can choose your food directly from the counter or the menu. We ordered rice with ‘rendang’. It was averange and they gave us free ‘sambal’ although it was not spicy enough for me. Will I come back? Yes when I want to eat Indonesian food.

Jo McRae

Service was great, friendly, easy. Clean place. Fab food, not perfect replica of Indonesian but genuine flavours with Aus veg - nasi campur and pecel with ayam goreng. Finding rempeyek, es kelapa muda and kue pandan was fantastic. Also very good value - large serves. Only disappointment, with that name I expected to be able to have fish. There was only one, an expensive fish. But still extremely good, we will return.

MF

Always eaten and take away from here but never leave any review, and i think this time i should. This is one of the safest indonesian restaurant that i usually go when im craving for indonesian food, ill just go and check their bain marie and usually they will have 2-3things of my faves. This time i choose stir fry bean sprout and deep fried tumeric chicken liver which was good as usual, service was good too. 27/12 When i eaten here today, i was so disappointed with the options that they had, all look unappetising but since i was craving for indonesian and i was very hungry so i ate there. Chosen 4 dishes (all veggie) with rice, all tasted bland, without much taste of herb&spices as well. I always know that the taste in the hawthorn branch is so much nicer but didn’t think that it would be that bad but today what ive eaten proved it. Went to the hawthorn branch in the evening to take away for dinner and taste wise was so much better with better options too which is weird as i know the owner is the same. Will never go back to the city branch i guess.

Valerie Nethania

I ordered nasi tim, jus alpukat, siomay, and martabak. The nasi tim was just how the way i like it. The jus alpukat was very refreshing and delicious. The texture of the siomay was quite sticky. But the after taste tho👌👌👌😍 the sambel kacang was quite good as well.

A Sandy Wijaya Rifai

O went to Melbourne and went to this resto for lunch. I have so exited because eventhought feeling far away from home but I could try local food. The food was awesome with cheap price. The location is close to founder station. I'll be back to this resto for sure if I come to Melbourne. The price is reasonable. I ordered 1 rice with 2 dishes. I choose chicken puyung hai with 2 tofu. Actually I can even choose Rendang or ayam goreng. But I feel so bored with two of those menu like every day just need and chicken so that's way.

"JT" Jeffrie Trika

Simple and easy introduction to Indonesian food .... Consistently serving good Indonesian fares under $15.00 in Melbourne for years. Always good to come back once in a while.

Gabriella Audrey

Visited this indonesian restaurant with my parents when i brought them around the area. The ambience was nice and so the employees (one of them even helped me with recommendations when i was contemplating) as well. I had yellow rice with chicken and egg from the display. The taste is pretty close to what i used to have back in Indonesia. I tried their bakmi ayam and martabak (chcocolate and cheese flavour) through uber eats. Really like the bakmi ayam as it tasted so close to what i used to eat before, just the soup was a bit bland for me. However, the martabak is not that good to my liking, but still can fulfill my sweetness craving and it has cheap price!

Vania.linaya

Had a very bad experience here. Ordered a plate of rice with 2 dishes, fried chicken and vegetables. Rice was very wet, not good at all. Fried chicken was rock hard so it is very hard to chew, vegies has no flavour. The only thing that saves the dish was the sambal and that's all. Feeling still hungry I buy a deep-fried vegie snack, it turns out cold and not tasty at all. Very disappointed and definitely will not come back.

Ferry Gondo

Displaying a variety of Indonesian dishes in a set of bain marie, ready to serve, as well as some cook-to-order food. Last time I ate Steamed rice with chicken here. Not actually the same to the original in Indonesia, but at least it is pretty close. Ambience is quite relaxed. The fried stuffs are not bad either.

Adella C

A humble Indonesian eatery nestled along Swanston street. One can order from the ready-made selection available or order from the menu. Their laksa and tom yum soup is amazing. I usually order from their ready-made options, which were great when I was a student. Regardless, price point is reasonable (on the cheaper side of prices) and location is convenient. The taste is much better than big chains' and has been one of my go-to Indonesian restaurants.

Rizka Natasya

As an Indonesian, I find Nelayan's food is definitely up to my liking. However, their rendang sometimes is not as spicy as what I've always wanted it to be because of course, they have to suit others preference as well. The price is also real great. Definitely have to try their pempek and nasi goreng because they are real good. Surely helps to remind me of the good food back home.

Vince Ci

Beef rendang and fried fish are nice. Good place if you're looking for halal food in Melbourne. Can be a little crowded during lunch hour thou.

Ryan Jinn Huei

Food was decent, the sambal was great! Service was great as well. But that's all. Portion wise, if you're hungry and looking for value for money, this ain't for you. I ordered three dishes($11) and left feeling hungry still. Not happy I was given just two small eggplant pieces 😒

J C

Not sure how this place has a high review. Quality of food is food court level at best. And serving size (pic is of the largest 3 x serving) was what I'd expect in Asia. Spent $13 and left feeling hungry.

Joanna Shaddai

I've been craving food from my hometown a lot recently. Hence, i decided to go and have a taste of Nelayan's Indonesian food! Arrived at around 11am and the place wasn't very crowded, just the right amount of people inside :) Tried their sweet soy sauce eggplant, sweet and sour fish, stir-fried beansprouts, and rice. All that for $10, which is very worth it, i must say. Being a true Indonesian (can't live without sambal-chilli), I tasted their sambal. It wasn't as spicy as I hoped (the only downside to this resto), but it was not bad. Loved the food! Will definitely come back everytime I miss home :)

Christopher Jayakar

Went on Wednesday for lunch with colleagues, a very good and cheap option for lunch. It just costs $10 for the option to have rice with 3 dishes from the bain-marie. The food tasted really good, a nice Indonesian place in the CBD, and it's a very casual dinning atmosphere as well.

Jim Wang

Good news is decent food Bad news is the owner is rude with that arrogant look on customer and also the portion of the food is pretty small Not going to come back again

Tuck Tuck

Good Indonesian restaurant in cbd ... cheap and tasty meal. Beef rendang is nice and other curry also good. Cheap takeaway food from only $3 for the small container.

Kath's Food Indulgences

I really like coming here for decent Indonesian meals, that are of good portions too. The meal deals are great, and they let you have a small taste of different dishes. I love their bakwan and their potato dish. Their rendang is also pretty good - their sauce is as authentic as you can get and their beef is well-cooked and tender.

Jessica Wirawan

One of the best Indonesian restaurant in Melb CBD! came here for dinner and ordered the rice with 3 choices and it was just cost me $12 and i was so full! The beef rendang was beautiful, the beef was very tender and the flavour is real indonesian! The tempe and fried tofu were very nice too! Ordered a beefball and minced chicken noodle too. It was just so-so, nothing special. For a dessert, we ordered es campur and it was great, they used marjan syrup which is really indonesian! They also sell indonesian style bread and martabak aswell!! I really wanna try those later! Will come back definitely:)

Michael

This is about as authentic as you can in Australia. Nelayan takes me straight back to my trip to Java a couple of years ago. Don't be put off by the faded menu board behind the counter, the food is top notch.

Nay Nay

Authentic Indonesian food! This is the real deal! Takes you back to Indonesia! Amazing flavour and Value for money for something in the city!!!

Michelle Leong

If you are after cheap but good food in the city, this is the blog post for you. Not sure how long Nelayan has been operating in Melbourne for as it was around when I first ate there 5 years ago. We opted for the combination plates whereby diners get either 2 or 3 choices of meat/veggies to accompany their plate of rice. Pretty value for money considering that for 3 choices, it costs about $10.

Dheebiswas

I like this place. Cheap food, 10 dollars for 3 choices with rice, nice. Don't expect 5 star ambience or service. It's good place to eat when you are extremely hungry and have a palate for south east asian cuisine.

David Weng Yew Wong

authentic Indonesian food ... had 3 combination of fried chicken, curried vegetables with tofu and fried salted fish ... they were really good ... my only gripe is the rice was too wet and lumped together ... personally I prefer my rice to be drier and the grains are individually separated ... will return and see if the rice improves ... prices are reasonable

Brungiel

Cheap cafeteria style place, where the menu is faded as it hasn't been replaced in years. The service is walk up and pay before you eat, the food is ok but not great - found the meat overcooked and chewy and same with the veggies. Overall, don't go in with high expectations, but OK for a quick and cheap lunch.

Gee

Popular with uni students and Indonesian and Malaysian visitors. Simple place with tasty food. Some foreign friends took me here and I'll visit again some time!

Pradeep Rajkumar

I loved this place during unidays and I visited last year in Melbourne Swanston street. Bored of thai food so I wanted to try Indonesian suggested by Indian friend. You must try their Beef dishes and soups and I loved the seafood noodles. Nasi Goreng A must try dish. Highly Recommended- Cheers mates...

Melia Sanibar

If you're Indonesian and you miss food from your motherland this is the perfect place to go. You can pick any 3 dishes plus rice for just 10 dollars.. Chilli was ok although it wasn't spicy enough for me.

ChowBoy

This was my first experience with Indonesian cuisine. I saw that this place had good reviews, so I stopped in one evening and got a three-choice combination plate with shredded beef, potatoes, and some mixed vegetables. I liked the shredded beef (beef rendang?) the best. It was very tender and a little spicy. The potatoes were pretty good, but I didn't care for the veggies too much. The food is served cafeteria-style where you walk up to the counter and you can see all the food already prepared. Go during normal lunch or dinner hours to ensure you get fresh food. While I wasn't greatly impressed with the food, I have nothing to compare it to and this experience certainly didn't turn me off to trying Indonesian food in the future. The meal was pretty cheap, so that's a plus. I'd say the food is good for the price and I recommend the beef, but don't set your expectations too high.

Rozha

The foods are so so.. If there is no choice for Indonesian food around the town, so this is the reason you have to come to this restaurant. Easy to find this restaurant coz in main street of Winston street.

Soju Yeo

It was 'okay' when it comes to taste and diversity. 'Good' for the price. As it is casual restaurant, table and chair weren't that comfortable and some of the cutleries were dirty. Still it is good venue to fill up hungry stomach when busy in the CBD.

Passionate Foodies

This is probably the Melbourne version of Ayam Goreng 99 (Sydney). It has been there for ages and it is very hard to beat their price which is really really good. Food quality however is average. at beset We recommend their beef rendang, eggplant and yellow rice. Bottomline : Good food. Good service. Very good value.

Thuaners

i love the nasi goreng here. its one of my favourite meals and places in the city. it is not a fancy place, but i really love it. it has a homely feel. the nasi goreng is delicious! i often get the mango juice here to compliment the nasi goreng, it works for me! 😋 The staff are really friendly too! i love this place and always am very satisfied when i eat here.

Bayu Prasakti Tjandra

Whenever I go to Nelayan, it always feels like seeing grandma. Really good home-style cooking offering diverse options of traditional Indonesian dishes. You can get rice with three dishes only for $10. If that's not value for money, I don't know what is. Recommended for nostalgic Indonesians out there.

Buckrogers

Indo food at its nastiest. Sure its cheap. Cold. Dry. Pretty much the lowest grade Muslim indo food you could find. The fridge has coca cola which is the best thing.

Ninniku

Good Indo fare and the price is pretty reasonable . Most come for the beef rendang and it's cooked to perfection . Good servings of rice and plenty of hand made deserts

Eat And Be Merry Crew

For $10 I got a plate with three choices of items. In my case I went vegetarian. There was a clump of tofu battered in besan flour (I'm sure there is a proper Indonesian name for this yummy fried thing) which was perfect dipped into their house chilli sauce which had a savoury undercurrent of either ikan bilis or shrimp...couldn't quite put my finger on it. I also got an eggplant sambal and a standard stir fry. Not too shabby for $10. Tea is complementary.

RealGirlSaysRealThings

I always come here when I feel like eating big without hurting my waistline and wallet. $10 for rice and 3 choices off the bain-marie is the favourite steal. Walked in initially just to check out whats on the menu before going home and cook. Saw some fried chicken balls and Indonesian curry chicken on display..instantly decided to miss the home cooked food for tomorrow. I always ask for very little rice or else they will fill your plate up with carbo goodies. Finished my meal, sadly my phone was out so couldnt take any photos. But I took away some rendang and posted the photo. Now this is what I really like about eating in Nelayan. I never worry about how much food I stuff in my mouth. Yes some of the menu are deep fried or swimming in curry sauce but trust me they will not get you fat or sick. Im Indonesian and this is how my Mum would cook for me and my family. Wholesome yet healthy with broad varieties. Plus the workers and owner are really nice too. Please don't ever change Nelayan!! Xxox Update.. I just cant get over the beef rendang..best in town! You can get the smallest serve for only $3 and take it home, enjoy it with your own rice..thats one good meal for $3!! Cheaper than filling up on sushi rolls or sausage rolls. Hubby loves it too!

Gabby Webb

I miss Indonesian food so bad today and after seeing reviews of this restaurant on zomato I decided to give it a try. I didn't regret it at all! Had a rice with beef rendang, eggplants, and beansprouts. Everything was sooooo good. I wonder why I never tried this place before, my bad!

Maggie Hunter

Authentic Indonesian food, fast take away service and very reasonable price. It is our choice for delicious indo food for take away. Try the beef rendang and the balado egg if you're there.

SN

Stock standard Indonesian fare. Decent menu card decent service - ok for the odd back to Bali sort of meal / experience Pretty packed during lunch and early evenings ...

Richard Alexander

I had beef rendang, chilli eggplant, and fried chicken. The food was tasty and it pretty much satisfy my urge for indonesian food! They also provide free hot tea, which is great in winter.

Finding Resonance

As many have written before me, excellent food for cheap prices. Despite the price, the dishes are very hearty and comforting, plus they throw in a huge portion of rice. Some of their dishes may lose out to Salero Kito, but on a price-point they are unbeatable in the CBD for Malay/Indo food.

Shanton

...this is a no fuss place that serves up good basic Indonesian fare. It is worth noting that Nelayan is also Halal-certified. This is not a huge place and is set up almost like a canteen, with most of the food being served from the bain-marie. You order your food up front, pay for it, grab your utensils and off you go to find a table. It's the same thing if you are looking for an ala carte meal - order and pay first, then wait for them to bring it to you. It's not a place to have a long yarn and there's not a whole lot of space between tables. You could watch people walk by on Swanston St as you enjoy your meal. Ok, this is going to be a strange thing to say but I don't like their chairs! They need to replace them, many are clearly quite unstable and I have visions of crashing on to the floor in the middle of a meal - freaks me out. You can also help yourself you water and very watered down tea, but they

MynameisFood.

I chose rice with 3 thingies and I chose Opor Ayam (Braised Chicken in Coconut Milk), Telor Kecap (Soy Sauce Egg) and lastly, Rendang (Beef Rendang is beef slowly cooked in coconut milk and a variety of different spices for a few hours till all of the juices has been soaked up).. It reminded me of Indonesia but ye ... not too bad i guess, seeing I haven't eaten these for awhile..

The World Loves Melbourne

Come here for great Indonesian food that is tasty, authentic and fast. Nelayan is a cheerful restaurant on Swanston St in a belt which does Asian food well. Competition is strong. And Nelayan is one of the best value options around! Nelayan is set up like a canteen – which is great for office workers and students. Just order your choices – 2 or 3 (always 3 for me) and select from the bain maries. Then grab your cutlery on your way to a table.

Review Nelayan Indonesian Restaurant - Melbourne