Very good Indonesian restaurant in Melbourne. Delicious traditional snacks to take away as well!! Very recommended 👍👍
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.
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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.
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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 :)
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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.
Lovely satay in peanut sauce.,.
㊙️ The Traveling Foodie
+4
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 .
Tempatnya enak, menu banyqk pilihan dan bisa order freshly cooked. Oh ya, banyak jajanan indo spt martabak manisssssss👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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.
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.
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..
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!
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❤️
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!
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
+4
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.
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!
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
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
+4
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.
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).
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
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.
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😂👌
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!
Food : ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pretty good - Randang beef is yummy
Price : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good portion - Cheap - Very good value
Service : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Friendly staff -
Ambience : ⭐️⭐️ Nothing special - enough room
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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
+4.5
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 :)
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.
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
+3.5
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.
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:)
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.
Authentic Indonesian food! This is the real deal! Takes you back to Indonesia! Amazing flavour and Value for money for something in the city!!!
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.
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.
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
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!
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
+4.5
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
+4.5
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
...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
The World Loves Melbourne
+4.5
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.
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.
Reasonable Indonesian food option. Two veg, one meat on rice $15. Onde onde was $6. All tasted authentic and good.
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.
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
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.
I had beef rendang which tasted fantastic. Friendly staff and a clean restaurant made it an enjoyable trip
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