The food was incredible .. but the service wasn’t the best .. ordered trio steak and teriyaki salmon double meat .. loved it .. would rate the food 4.5 but service not too great
Delicious, quick service and kind staff! Been there five times now and haven’t had many issues, although the iPads are difficult to use sometimes.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Arigatou gozaimasu! 🇯🇵
Oh maaaaan, I miss Japan. I miss living in Japan so much, having sushi and ramen everyday and hearing that every single day 🎎
I also miss running into temples in every corner, having to bow and getting not only drinks and snacks from vending machines but actually ordering meals at restaurants with a ticket vending machine!
So, when I found out about Pepper Lunch, I just HAD TO visit. And while there were no vending machine (🤔 major million dollar idea to bring here, just saying) I could hear them saying Arigatou gozaimasu (thank you in Japanese) as well as try some amazing Japanese inspired meals with an Australian twist!
Pepper Lunch is a ‘fast-steak’ restaurant, created in 1994 by chef and inventor Kunio Ichinose, who wanted to serve quality fast food without hiring a chef! He created a method using hot metal plates that are heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 Celsius) by an electromagnetic cooker 😱 and then the raw food in those extremely hot plates are placed in front of you and they are cook right in front of your eyes!
How insane is it to feel like you’re in Japan and having the food cooking in front of you?!
I arrive during lunch time on a Sunday and clearly it was a popular place! Packed and with an energetic and frenetic vibe the costumers were taking most tables and the waitresses were floating around with the extra hot and feverish meals! And if you think that seems chaotic - not at all - quite the opposite! Such good vibes and such an incredible ambience! 🥳 and once I walked inside I saw that this place worked a little different than post of the ones out there, not only for the the left side being dedicated to takeaway but also because here you pay upfront and when they take your order! Just like in Japan!
There is also a difference in how the tables are disposed and there are no tables or counters for single persons - instead you can find many seats and large tables - again, just like Japan!
Luckily for me, the staff was very professional and proactive and when I got to the counter (after a few minutes of astonishment) I went through the menu and asked for recommendations on what to have. The original meals were created to provide a tasty steak in fast food style at a reasonable price, similar to Yoshinoya, a Japanese fast food beef-bowl restaurant chain, at the time. And when they opened on the menu, there were six different steak dishes and side menus including salad and drinks.
They have made some twists to the original menus and now they serve not only meat but also seafood and more plant based options! I honestly cannot explain my excitement and how COOL it was this experience.
So here’s what I had and my impressions!
- Seafood Pepper Rice - easily the most interesting option! I have to say that all the meals were incredibly tasty and that the rice was PERFECT. PERFECT! They rice is cooked ideally al dente and then topped with some corn and a few other vegetables and is he that slight crunchy feeling 👏👌 that is placed in the middle of the hot plate and around it comes with some pieces of seafood from prawns to scallop pieces. Loved it!
- Wagyu Pepper Rice - same as above but with the most amazing and tender wagyu beef! It come in very thin slices and to be honest I was surprised it didn’t come with much fatty pieces. Not burnt either considering the high temperatures of where it is cooked! It’s seriously impressive. I liked the seafood one more just purely because I am a fan of salmon and shrimps but if you’re a meal lover I would definitely recommend this one or the below one!
- Token Rib Eye Steak - this is certainly an option that most Aussies would certainly love as it basically is a combo with protein and some veggies. It is certainly a low carb high fat option - or so I thought! But it actually comes with white rice on the side 👏 this rice is slightly different than the other ones and here there aren’t any extra veggies of top (it already comes inside the plate!) and it is purely boiled and not with any added sauces. And if you thing that I had had enough rice, trust me that no, this rice will never be enough 👌👏😂 this was just one of the best cooked rice I’ve ever had in my life!
- Miso Soup - I asked for two sides, one of them being a miso soup as it is obviously a massive thing in Japan 🤗 with some dashi and what I think was seaweed, green onions and silken tofu it was so delicious that it was gone in seconds! Not overly salty and with huge chunks of tofu (or dashi? 😂) it was just lush! 👏 size wise I think it was just perfect otherwise if it were bigger, then it would have probably been too much salt content 😂
- Sweet Potato Wedges - peeeeeerfect! I am a huge sweet potato lover and these were so on point, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Slightly salty but not too much which I gladly appreciated and the portion served was just right 👌 I have also to highlight that it comes not in a bowl but in a metal container and I really loved that touch 👏
- Apple Mint - Actually I am not sure what was in this drink as I didn’t ask. I would say that it could be a soda drink but the truth is that is it not sparkling which is common in those 😂 I think that is why I loved this so much, since I am not a fan of sparkling soda drinks! But either way it was very refreshing, and it came with a sweet apple taste and a mint hint. It also comes with some mint leaves that were surprisingly good! And the funny thing about this one is the straw! Actually the end of the Straw is quite different that your usual straw and it is certainly designed so you don’t leave any liquid at the end! In one word: yuuuuuum!
It’s amazing how these experiences open your mind to so many things you would never think that you would love and I can definitely say that I truly want to visit again. As a friendly note I would just love to see more plant based and vegan meals on the menu as well as some allergen friendly ice cream - I sure was jealous of not being able to have one!
Either way this place reminds me and makes me feel like I am a step closer to Japan and the service and food was so outstanding that they sure deserve a 5 star rating. I will certainly be back soon 🇯🇵❤️
This quick and easy casual diner is located just on Elizabeth street right in front of the tram stop.
Would usually have the premium steak (with rice) and pepper salad. Makes it a complete meal and the portion is reasonable.
They do have a good variety on their menu ranging from salads, to pasta and vegetarian options!
Good taste！people are nice here. Recommend
Good place to stop by for a simple, tasty, and well-priced meal in the CBD.
Ordered the classic chicken pepper rice with cheese. The menu is easy to understand and meals are customisable. The sizzling plate comes out nice and hot, perfect on a cold day. The chicken pepper rice met my expectations- definitely worth the money.
Easily a place I could become a regular at.
Quick and easy lunch option in the CBD
LOVED:
🔸the range of food from rice, pasta, salad and meats
🔸great quailty beef
🔸trio meat, so I get a chance to try a few different meats on the same dish, because choosing is hard sometimes haha
🔸tasty sauces availble
🔸 serve makes it quick and easy
FEEDBACK:
🔹the servers seemed unsure on the orders and whether we had all our dishes, was constantly asked after each dish that was brought out
Recently went to Pepper Lunch and decided to try their premium steaks!
We ordered their shimofuri porterhouse steak & their tokusen rib eye steak, plus a side of sweet potato wedges.
The steaks were pretty tender & since the meal does come with rice it was nice & filling. I loved how crispy their sweet potato wedges were too!
They have self serve ordering screens which are super easy to use.
It’s probably just me being bias as I loved to eat pepper lunch back home when I was young, it just brings back a lot of memories. There’s actually so much more varieties now compared to before.
Stone grill is such a good idea to make your own steak, meat etc i really enjoyed going here! They also have self serve machines where you can use and take a seat straight away as well which is so convenient. So delicious !!
Absolutly love that i don't have to talk to any one to order food. It's great place to go when you kinda just want to be left alone. The food comes out quite quick too. This place has never let me down, its perfect for when you just need a casual meal, nothing too fancy or special, honestly reminds me of the food my mum makes sometimes, just wholesome and filling. They give generous servings of rice but they could give more in meat or veg. There's plenty of extra sauce on the table for if you choose to add it.
This place is definately a different experience, although it sounds pretty simple the experience and dishes are pretty fun and enjoyable. The overall quality was pretty good, although the service was pretty average. The price was reasonable.
This is one of the best Japanese place for dine-in and their Japanese style self serve kiosks are awesome to save time and order. We tried Chicken Katsu sizzler.. it was really good and value for money. Don't forget to take your reward card where you will get free item after few meals.
One of my go to places when you want a cheap eats meal. It’s delicious, I always get the kimchi beef dish. It’s consistent and love the concept. I hope this place stays in Melbourne for a long time 😊
I love pepper lunch. Idk how rice on a hot plate could be so nice but I always come here for the chicken kimchi and cheese sizzling plate. The classic one is really but I think the kimchi and cheese just finishes it off. I love the self serve ordering because it’s really easy and you don’t have to trouble the busy staff. The place is quite big and seating is usually not a problem
From ordering food through self serve system, eating and leaving. What a great experience. Serving size decent and food tasted great.
Very unique way of eating, love it!
Its a nice place to grab a quick meal with your friends knowing for sure, that it won't disappoint you.
The Pepper Rice Bowl with Chicken and Chicken Katsu Curry Rice Bowl deserves the hype and crowd this place receives. Bowls are full of flavors and are served sizzling hot, made from the freshest ingredients.
It's quite easy to place the order, and after paying your order is served in few minutes by friendly hosts.
Quite economical and portions are big.
A nice place to visit with friends. It is super cool because you essentially have to cook your food which is quite fun and great to take pictures of. We ordered the wagyu steak with a side of sweet potato chips. On top of the steak, there was garlic butter which gave the steak great flavour. Because we cooked it ourself, the meat was not too dry and actually the perfect texture to our liking. If you like it more tender you can cook it longer or shorter depending on your preference, which we loved. The corn was very salty though, as it was drenched with the sauce. We ordered a dish between us two and we found that even without rice, this dish kept us incredibly full. The highlight of the meal were the sweet potato fries. They were not battered and oily but so nice, savoury but sweet. It was a good flavour change from the saltiness of the meat. The prices range from $10-$35 depending on what you order, which is pretty decent for the size of the meal.
me and my boyfriend went here and the environment was very friendly although very packed so difficult to find a spot. cheap price for its location and the food was enjoyable. perfect for a first date as it is not messy to eat & proportions are great.
The food served here is unique. You are able to complete a self serve order with various customisations to your meals. The steak, curry and pasta had here was tasty and I would not hesitate to have this again. I'd recommend trying the lovely sweet potato wedges with the steak.
Ordered chicken katsu curry..it was served in hot sizzler plate.. The curry is served in a seperate bowl.. curry can be ordered according to how spicy you want it..loved it :)
Very unique store where you get to cook a part of the food you are eating. The price was cheap and the amount of food received was good too! The service was fast and the customer service was friendly.
This popular Japanese fast steak franchise in the 'new Chinatown' of Melbourne's CBD (Elizabeth Street) is always packed at lunchtimes.
My go to is the kim chi cheese pepper steak rice. Order from the screen, take a number, sit down and wait for your meal to arrive. When it comes (pretty quickly I may add) it arrives in a 260 degree sizzle plate which a sign warning you of this - although you can tell its hot from the sizzle and the heat radiating from the plate.
I really do enjoy this place, its hearty, the meat is tasty and flavourful, and you come out feeling satisfied. The combos, sides and drinks are on the expensive side, so I tend to getting a main to keep costs down. It is a fun experience though.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
The first time I had Pepper Lunch was in Japan, and upon return to Australia I was happy to find one in the Melbourne CBD! It’s a very short walk from Melbourne Central station which makes it super convenient and accessible.
The food is served on a sizzling hot plate and you are encouraged to grill the meat yourself.
The food selection is quite broad but there is unfortunately limited exciting vegetarian/vegan options. The food is very customisable so you can choose to have only tofu instead of meat, but I still think there are better options of restaurants if you’re not much of a meat eater.
The value for money is quite good- I have never left here not feeling satisfied and full. However, it can get a bit more pricey once you start adding drinks, sides, extra meat, extra topping, etc.
My usual meal is still under $25 though.
If you’re going to order a side, I recommend either the chips or onion rings. They’re really nice and don’t leave me feeling too ‘heavy’ like fried food often can.
Atmosphere is very clean and organised. I appreciate the TVs which demonstrates how to mix the dishes!
Thanks again Pepper Lunch for another great meal!
Delicious food and great food presentation. The place is clean and tidy, and I love the idea of ordering from the iPads on the wall. However, customer service needs to be improved
As soon as you walk in, you must make your order through the iPads on the wall (beside the front counter). Grab a table number and just input it after you’ve ordered through the device.
Water, sauces and condiments are self-serve. However, the latter may be given to you by staff who bring our your food. The food is generally nice here. Portion sizes are good. Make sure to flip your food around the hot plate in the beginning so they don’t get burnt.
Love this place! Although the portion is a little too big for me, I’m always really pleased when I come here for a meal. I like the idea and the food is sooooo good! It’s so filling and the idea of ordering via a tablet is great! I like the option of self service and being served by someone although I was a little confused at the start. It’s always quite busy here and the tone of the servers could be a little more friendly but overall a lovely place for lunch !
Been here a couple of times and would say its a great restaurant to go for fresh, cheap and a fast food service. Not only that, but it has a large variety of meals to choose from. We personally had the prawn rice, chicken katsu curry, chicken hamburger sizzling curry and another dish with beef.
I would recommend anyone going here if you’re up for a good tasting and cheap meal on elizabeth street.
The food was cooked well and had an aesthetic quality with the hot plate, was served fast and drinks were really nice. The interactive ordering system was easy to use. Been a few times, hasn't let me down yet.
Trust me, this will fill u up! Such a creative way to serve food I enjoyed it very much. Been here around 3 times and not once was I disappointing. The price is very affordable so if you’re looking for a filling, delicious and affordable food, definitely come here!
Great cheap eat! Who doesn’t love cooking there own food in front of them, such a great way to enhance the dining experience! I had the Kimchi Pepper Steak with rice, so yum! Flavours really balanced and tasty, I preferred the garlic sauce over the sweet. Serving size was spot on too, but they have an upside option if you are extra hungry. The iPad at the front wasn’t the most responsive or well explained menu, but once you’ve ordered the service is very quick and there is a nice amount of staff around to help. Would Recommend, Will Return.
Love this quick and tasty meal solution. They offer a wide range of choices too, I particularly like all of their pepper rice varieties - pepper paste is to die for. The only thing I dislike about it now is the automated till system as you order through a machine now instead of telling a person, I understand it's faster service but I guess that's just me.
For an international franchise, Pepper Lunch does a great job in producing fresh, high quality meals at reasonable prices. The Chicken Karaage Sizzling Curry was top notch. It's always nice to have some audience participation in the preparation of the meal - the sizzling and smoke when you pour the curry sauce on to the hot plate adds to the whole experience.
Service is always fast and pleasant. This outlet has a great location and is a nice place for a quick-no-fuss meal.
Sizzling plate of goodness. Fresh and warmed piping hot. Love it! This one was steak with egg and beansprouts. Great for a quick lunch as it is in a good location.
We had been passing Pepper Lunch relatively often on Elizabeth Street and decided to give it a try! Here’s what we had!
Jumbo classic beef pepper rice - I love the concept of food being cooked on a sizzling platter! The beef was cooked relatively well and it was pretty succulent and soft! Can’t really complain really! 😆
Tokusen rib eye - as the name suggests, the rib eye was cooked in a sizzling platter and served with a jacked potato and seasonal vegetables! The best part about this was being able to cook it to your liking which was a clever idea!
Overall, we were pleased with our meals and would visit Pepper Lunch again to try their other hot plates!
We came here on a Sunday afternoon.. wasn’t too busy around 11:30.. we had the Wagyu Beef Pepper Rice & Chicken Karaage Sizzling Curry..
This place is all self service and you need to order when you walk in through the door.. the portion was decent and food was pretty tasty too.. very enjoyable and quick meal... if you are craving for some sizzling hot plate this is the place to come for a fix..
The food is great! And better yet it’s because you can cook it up to your liking! I tried the kimchi pepper rice, and I would definitely recommend trying this unique and delicious dish. They serve the food quite fast and the queue was not so bad when I came :)
Salomon Andres Anais Saavedra
+4
Very nice way for eating .
They serve the food on very hot iron plates. The meat goes raw with rice and what ever you like.
When you get your dish you have to add the soy sauce ASAP and mix all the ingredients up to cook the meat and the egg.
I really liked it.
Cool place to eat once in a while .
Highly recommended for this restaurant.
I like the way that I can choose ingredients in my meal and I can design my own dish. I’ve been here 2 times, First time I ordered spaghetti and second time I ordered beef steak, both of them were delicious.
You have to self service.
This was my first time trying pepper lunch in Melb even though I had tried it abroad before. This chain is quite consistent in terms of taste & I was not let down! 👍🏻The service was prompt and the food was amazing! Overall, I think its the dining experience of sizzling sounds & cooking your own meat that makes it extra enjoyable. You can opt for add ons like I did such as cheese & egg 🧀🍳for about 1.50 per topping! Here we ordered the sizzling curry and the classic beef! It totaled up to $29++! There is also an option to make it a meal if you would like! There are sauces on the table for you to drizzle over your rice depending on your preference! I tend to go crazy with it, drizzling generous amounts of garlic sauce and the honey sauce 🍯 to achieve a perfect balance! Packed underneath the rice is a luxurious slab of garlic butter which goes so well with the peppery rice! 🍚 Really yummy meal & I cant complain! ☺️
Quite a crowded place, always busy so it may be hard to find a place. The waiters were really nice to us and gave us a free dessert each when we asked where our meal was. The food itself is a decent portion, perhaps a tiny bit under filling you. Otherwise, it’s supposed to be a place to quickly grab food.
This spot has never let me down, with their range of hot steamy dishes to select from and how the execute each element brilliantly. Katsu curry here is faultless. I loved the crunch on the katsu crumbs but also the succulent chicken - takes me back to Japan. The curry was sweet and hearty, I wish I could drink it. But nothing will top my favourite kimchi beef rice with cheese. I noticed how portions for this dish have shrunk, however, the taste overlooks my concerns. Its sweet yet salty explosion of flavours from the beef and sauce is a delight in every bite. My number one stop for some asian goodness, despite its pricy bowls.
Our work lunch group regularly visits this place... we love the food here.. specially the sizzlers with the devil hot sauce.. definitely recommended
Have always had a love for this place since my highschool days. The marvel of seeing your hotplate keep your meal cooking in front of you just has me salivating every time. I used to go for the carbonara style but have fallen in love with the rice with kimchi chicken and cheese.
Welcomed with the self ordering service machines and The food was soo gud and loved the freshness of the food and tenderness of the chicken, food is hot and loved the slizzing sound while my food is still cooking in the hot plate ,definitely recommended to have a try ...
Pepper lunch is an amazing restaurant, I never had a bad experience with all my visits.
Sometimes at a very busy time it is hard to get tables and sometimes service, but it was not too long of a wait.
It comes with a hot sizzling plate, my meals are always really hot and sometimes I can cook my meat or salmon the way I like it which is a bonus!
Prices are a bit steep for the amount I have got but it is a good place to grab a bite
Very packed at most times and isn't the cleanest, cutlery was a bit dirty the second time i went but the food is great in my opinion. Have always gotten the rib eye when I went but I am looking forward to trying the others. Steak very well seasoned.
Sizzling hot food. Be careful not to burn yourself. Playful food. So much rice. Unique. Go here to try something different for a change. Casual.
Doing a minimal/zero carb/keto diet is pretty difficult, especially when dining out but shout outs to Pepper Lunch for coming in the clutch!
The rib eye steak that I ordered was pretty good. It came in a bit rare so by the time I tucked into my steak, it was around med-rare. I love the customised ordering system, I added cheese and an egg just to bolster my meal. Though just adding cheese and eggs creates that creamy crusty texture which is good in any meal.
Wouldn't mind popping again given that there's better steak offerings.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I came here on Wednesday during lunch rush and oh boy was it busy. Went with my partner and we found a table that wasn’t clean which was understandable considering the staff were extremely busy. We called a staff member over to clear the table and they kindly came over to assist. Probably one of the best experiences I’ve had in customer service honestly when she was cleaning my table and struck up a small conversation which I didn’t expect. The fact that despite the rush and the obvious stressful nature of the actual place itself which is constantly buzzing with customers, I didn’t expect to have such a warm welcome. We took our seat and waited for our food which was served by the same waitress who again despite being clearly backed up with work to do, took the time to explain how to cook the food and answer the questions we had regarding it. This place is DEFINITELY one of the best considering customer service and I’m so glad I gave it a shot. The food was absolutely delicious and I loved the concept of being able to cook it yourself on the table. I strongly recommend the salmon pepper rice! Was extremely delicious and flavorful especially after adding the sweet sauce following the recommendation of the waitress. I’m for sure coming back in the near future to try out the steaks. The only reason why I took a star off was because of the lingering smell attached to our clothes after we left. If you’re in the CBD and looking for a place with scrumptious food and impeccable customer service, this is the place to go :-)
Oh, my dear Peps, how I love thee! Pepper Lunch is a wonderful casual dining spot, which originated from Japan. They offer sizzle plates with quite the variety of options including steak, bulgogi beef, seafood, chicken katsu, and even pasta. My favourite is the bulgogi kimchi beef with cheese, with standard rice, and a side of fries. Ensure to add the brown sauce to your sizzle plate and fries to further enhance the flavour. Can't go wrong for quick service, cute atmosphere, and a tasty meal.
pepper lunch is the perfect hangover cure - oily, greasy and full of msg. nobody can say that they lack flavour, but the price is a bit steep for the quality and quantity. still, worth a try if you’re around the area and want something tasty.
Great place for some hot dinner! Ordered the Wagyu beef sizzling curry and rice dish. It's served on the hot plate and the beef cooks instantly. Very delicious and got a decent portion size. The curry is served in a separate bowl and so you can mix it your way! Will definitely visit again !
Oh Goodness was good to be back there after a long time BUT..
Food was amazingly delicious and lots of fun as expected as the hot plate sizzling is a very nice conception. 😋 🥘🥘😁
But definitely need to work on the portion for adult 🙄 because your food was so good but feel like we needed some more to be full. And also if at least one employee could assist first timer customer it will help to get rid of the long queue for the self ordering service
See you veryyyy sooon🍱🍛
![4]( "Recensione")
Date/time of visit: 28 May 2022 @ 7:00pm (approx)
This was my second visit to this particular Pepper Lunch (the first was years and years ago), I have also visited the one in Hawthorn (years ago), and one in Tokyo (in 2019). Pepper Lunch feels like it is kind of a fusion of Japanese-western (Australian/American) foods. For me, some things work, some don't. I didn't like the Pepper Lunch meal I had in Tokyo but I have liked the meals in Melbourne.
So, for this particular review - the ordering system was via touch pad (ipad-like) at the entrance to the restaurant. This was painful and slow. Payment was via the same touch pad using EFTpos machine attached to the pad. Then you had to wait to be seated. This whole process put me off Pepper Lunch (until tasting the food). Pepperlunch used to have paper protection around the sizzling plates to stop sauce/fat splashes onto skin and clothing. This no longer appears to be the case. The chicken katsu curry was delicious. The curry sauce reminded me of Japan, having good Japanese flavours. The chicken katsu wasn't what I would consider a traditional chicken katsu. However, the breadcrumb on the chicken was delucate, light and the chicken katsu was cooked very well. The chicken was kind of sliced but I would've preferred a knife to cut it properly (you are given a spoon and fork). The curry sauce was served separately and you add it to the dish. Be careful vecause the dish is extremely hot and the curry sauces sizzles and spits when added to the hot dish. The curry on the hot dish can also evaporate, which was disappointing but I had enough on the chicken and rice to ensure the flavours remained. This dish made up for the painful ordering process. My partner's sizzling kimchi pepper rice (with beef strips) was also enjoyed - my partner loves Pepper Lunch. Drinks might be slightly over priced. Chicken Katsu sizzling curry was good but may also be slightly overpriced. Kimchi pepper rice price was fine. Overall enjoyed the meal and happy with it.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes