I read some interesting reviews before writing mine - i think critics have been a bit harsh on this place....you get what you pay for (generally) so relatively speaking you could do far worse Japanese than this place. AYCE sashimi/sushi at 50pp is great value. The food was far from perfect but I would recommend a meal here! Some areas of improvement:
-waitresses need to attend to AYCE orders more quickly. I found table service slow and slack
-sushi rolls need less rice, and the rice needs to be drier. Much of the sushi quality is in the rice!
-go easy on the sauces/tempura crunch. This would be better if there was less rice! Then you can taste the fillings more clearly
-Food temperature needs to improve. Miso soup, agedashi and green tea were lukewarm at best. Sashimi should be served cool to cold
I found the fish and fillings fresh and well seared. With the above improvements I would be willing to support a price increase for better quality sushi!
Me and my partner enjoyed a lovely dinner here. We ordered the Melbournian roll, Dragon vs Tiger roll, sushi and sashimi combo as well as seaweed salad and gyu tataki. I loved the sashimi and nigiri, it was such good quality for the price. The gyu tataki was a bit chewy but the flavours were nice. The rolls were pretty decent. I would definitely come back here again! 🌸
The staff were very friendly, Albert was very kind to us and made the experience worthwhile
Great food and very reasonable price. Love their melbournian roll, all the food are tasty and fresh. Only issue is most of the food on the menu are deep fried or full of mayo, that is the reason they are so tasty but not good for waist line. Overall happy with my indulgent.
😱Lizzie’s first impression: the staff are really friendly and I always come back here because their sushis are actually so delicious. This place is not too fancy but the ambience is great.
🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I love the names of their sushis. Think Rainbow roll, Dragon Roll, tuna bomb and baked dynamite roll - everything was DELICIOUS. I loved them all as they're filled with different sauces and textures despite them being sushi.
🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: parking is horrendous especially on the weekends so make sure you get in nice and early.
🥇Lizzie rates overall: not too far out of the city and really worth the travel - especially for a good Japanese feed.
Thanks and sorry for staying till 10 :)
I have always loved Gaijin. The Tasmanian Rolls and the Dragon vs Tiger Rolls are to die for🤘🏻. The restaurant really stands out its brand represented in the name, Gaijin for being a Japanese fusion restaurant. The staffs working are very nice and I can see that they are very well-trained. Overall, will definitely come again and is very recommended even if it’s just for Ubereats whenever anyone is craving for sushi.
My favourite dinner spot for sushi! Always so tasty and great value for money. The staff are always so friendly too. My favourite is the rainbow roll and karaage :)
Great atmosphere, perfect for date night! The staff were quite oblivious to customers who were ready to order however make up for that in their friendliness. The manager even came and made sure everything was going well. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was excellent. My favourite is the crunchy scallop roll as the textures were all so different but it all went so well together. We had the all you can eat option, however it is hard to eat $50 worth of sushi/ sashimi pp therefore I would recommend ordering from the a la carte menu. I would recommend this place.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I booked this restaurant via SMS (they say to if it's not during business hours), and even though they got my name wrong (somehow), the booking was there and we were seated right away and given menus at the same time (I hate waiting for menus. I just want to dive right in).
There's an abundance of choice here, though some things look like they could be a bit repetitive (like the music they had on loop). We ordered two starters to share - the salmon tartare and the karaage chicken. The salmon tartare made no mention of being spicy. It WAS however a bit spicy, and had my tongue on fire pretty rapidly. I wish I'd known, as I'd have chosen something else. It was nice enough, but there was something in the sauce that was overpowering, and needless to say, I wouldn't order this again. The chicken kaarage was nice, but nothing overly special. I've definitely had nicer elsewhere.
For mains, we got two lots of sushi roll dishes to share and they both were so good. We got the Chicken Curry Rolls (Grilled chicken, avocado, cucumber served with curry sauce and sesame seeds) and the Crispy Salmon Rolls (Deep fried salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, topped with masago, Gaijin spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce). The salmon inside the rolls with the cream cheese was really, really good and would easily come back here for those alone.
Pretty much the only set back was asking for them to bring us cutlery and them coming with a fork only (then having to ask for knives later), but if that's the only fault, then ...
I can see parking would be a pain on a busy night, but tonight we got a space right outside. The restaurant itself is minimalistic but with a nice funky vibe, and overall the service was good. Prices are average. I think during the week they have an "all you can eat" for around $40 which isn't bad.
Would I recommend Gaijin to friends/family? Yes I would.
We do not go anywhere else for Sushi! Gaijin do affordable and delicious Japanese food. We always over order because we love everything on their menu. I'm sure we always shock them on how much we order. Best part about Gaijin is they do All you can eat! Although they only have a few staff on the floor, their service is impeccable and friendly. They are very professional and accommodating. Presentation of food is beautiful and we always enjoy the chef recommended items. Thank you to the team at Gaijin for always satisfying our cravings!
Salomon Andres Anais Saavedra
+4
Super fresh sushi roll!! Tasty and perfectly rolled.
I had one with smoked salmon , cream cheese , avocado and topped with sesame seeds. Delicious !
I ordered trough Uber eats but I will definitely pop into the shop.
100% recommended
What a nice little place to dine. Came here for my sister birthday and I have to say, what amazing service and very attentive staff! Their food is delicious and very decent portions. Will be back here for sure
Friendly staff. Food is hmmm unexpected (e.g gyoza with melted cheese on top), but the food is tasty. I guess that’s why the place is called fusion.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Gaijin, located in South Yarra, is a sushi roll specialist. They offer w huge range of sushi rolls at $15 and other classic Japanese light bites and shared dishes as well. They also offer all you can eat sushi deal from 42 pp.
Sashimi
Price: $10
Taste: 🌝🌝🌝🌝
Good price point. The salmon sashimi was very thick, quite generous. It was fresh, not fishy at all. The spicy scallop was okay as well, it was a bit spicy. It definitely satisfied my sashimi cravings!
Baked Dynamite Roll
Price: $15
Taste: 🌝🌝🌝
It was okay, but not wow. It had crab stick as fillings, which wasn’t my favourite. It was still a good dish, though. The mayo was very tasty.
Sushi Platter
Price: $30
Taste: 🌝🌝🌝🌝
This is your best bet if you want to have a bit of everything. It contained 4 rolls of my choice. The ones I chose were tasmanian roll, dragon vs tiger roll, spider vs tiger roll, my personal favourite, crunchy spicy salmon special. Definitely recommended.
Overall, if you want good sushi rolls with good value, Gaijin is definitely the place. With good range of menu, from classics to unique dishes. It definitely one of the go-to Japanese place.
My first time tried Gaijin it’s pretty good. The staff here is friendly and they serve the food very fast. For me the food quite tasty especially for all the sushi here and the price is also affordable, it’s only $15 for all the types of sushi. Although, i am quite disappointed with the gyu tataki it doesn’t taste so good and it looks not really fresh. But overall i have a good experience to tried this restaurant because i am a sushi lover and this place is right for sushi lover because of the variation of sushi here.
Incredible food for a reasonable price. For entree, had the sashimi which was super fresh and generously portioned. For main had the tempura prawn with green tea soba noodles which was delicious but did have a very creamy mayo on the noodles. The group I dined with also enjoyed the meals. Overall attentive staff and fresh Japanese food
Food here is amazing! Sealed scallop is the best! There are so many different options for the rolls! It’s really worth it. I would definitely come back
Not the best sushi on earth but for the $50 all you can eat sushi and sashimi deal, Gaijin is pretty damn good! Sushi rolls had a bit too much rice and not a lot of filling but they were delicious. Gaijin also had a large variety of rolls to choose from. Highly recommend for hungry people!
Good atmosphere and reasonably priced.
I would not suggest getting the buffet unless you're 100% certain that you don't get full on sushi rice. Otherwise, it's more worth it getting a single sushi set with a side-drink.
Spinning Round Horse Kick
+5
My friend invited me to have dinner here, he’s a Japanese food lover, he’s always looking for good Japanese around Melbourne, he said he has been coming to this restaurant for 6 years, and he still loves it! Nice place for catching up with friends or dating.
Gaijin is such a cute place! Be warned it is pretty small and can get busy on Saturday nights. They don’t do bookings so get in early! I went there tonight and had such a lovely time - the staff is helpful and did not rush us to leave our table etc. Beautiful fresh sashimi and fusion Japanese food that was all so tasty. Alcohol beverages are also available, including a range of Japanese beers. I would really recommend this restaurant for some quality Japanese food! 🇯🇵
Been here for few times. They have really tasty special salmon salad. Love it ! Also recommend the soft shell crabs. Crispy outside.tender inside. Also they served very fresh sashimi too. Great service and tasty foods
The taste really suit to my kind of taste. The portion was big enough which is the good things too. The staff was nice, and they have pretty much choices too.
I've frequented this restaurant many times over the years and although it may not be the most authentic Japanese in town, the food is tasty and I never leave here hungry! The sushi rolls are good fun, but on my most recent trip, I was really happy to see they've added aburi sushi to the menu. I have frequent cravings for these and they do a decent job.
Kasandra Marie Caldwell
+4
Very friendly welcoming staff!
Got the 50$ all you can eat, and it was very good sushi! Although I defiantly couldn't finish 50$ worth. Best salmon sashimi I've had since I've been in Australia.
We have been here three times now and each time the quality of the food has impressed. The sushi, sashimi and handrolls are prepared fresh and combinations of food are interesting and worth trying. The price point is also good. Girls- if booking a table in one of the two window tables don’t wear a dress! To sit down at the table requires awkwardly walking up onto a platform and trying to manoeuvre ones legs around without flashing every other patron.
I initially planned to get the buffet, but a friend of mine, who went for it, said that she ate too much and was ‘so full it’s not worth it’. And so I followed her advice, I ordered a la carte (baked dynamite roll and Melburnian roll) and I must say two plates of sushi were enough for the two of us. They were good, I loved it. Service was prompt as well. I think it’s safe to say that Gaijin is one of my favourite sushi places in South Yarra.
Very nice
Family dinner food was excellent
Sashimi was A grade
Sushi was excellent- great variety- excellent Sushi chef
We’ll be back to sample some more
Can’t wait.......
Toodles
Spider vs dragon sushi roll is so so so yummy!!! Must also try the soft shell crab. Sashimi, sushi and Nigiri is above average. We will definitely go back again. Service is fantastic. The chilled sparkling sake they recommended is quite nice to have in a hot day.
Tried this place a couple of years back but never reviewed here. Love the Baked Dynamite. As it name suggests, the fusion sushi explodes with flavor. The creaminess of the sauce, the spiciness of the togarashi, all go really well together. My place to go for the fusion and modern sushi rolls in a dine-in setting.
My absolute favourite place for sushi in Melbourne. Incredibly tasty and reasonably priced. The decor could be fixed up a little, but other than that, I love this place!
Creative sushi, friendly service and a great menu! Gaijin takes creative and fun sushi to the next level and is one of the few places not to charge a fortune. We love their 4 half rolls (16 pieces) for 30$. Entrees and other dishes are great too! They also offer an all you can eat option for 50$. If you take it, don’t eat all day before!
What an amazing little sushi restaurant this is! All rolls that come in either 6 pieces or 8 pieces are $15 which is quite affordable for the amazing quality of the sushi! We had the avo roll and the Tasmanian role (not pictured) and would recommend both! I don't think it's worth doing the all you can eat since with $28 (for two lots of sushi rolls) I was quite full. However, it might be worth it if you're really hungry! Update: The sashimi dishes are great, they're only $10 and you can swap between just salmon, or salmon and tuna and more. I love this place.
Came for dinner with a small group. Decor and atmosphere is very nice inside and comfortable.. inside was pretty quite for a Saturday night. And Menu had a lot of sushi options, and is great for sharing. And prices are pretty reasonable. Service was super friendly, and the meals didn't take long to come out after we ordered. Karaage chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside... Sushi hand rolls were very flavourful and had lots of filling inside. Tried for the first time fried sushi handrolls, which was interesting and quite delicious.
Nice little restaurant. The sashimi and the sushi rolls are really amazing. They have quite an extensive menu. Go for the rolls and the tempura. Simply devine. However the service here is very lacking. They have quite a few waiters but they just go past without clearing or asking whether you would like more drinks or food to order. Otherwise worth a try. And the pricing is very reasonable..
Went with a group of 5, and we all got the sushi platter, which seemed like the obvious choice for us as we could choose 4 sushi rolls for $30. The sushi was made to order, and was incredibly fresh! I absolutely loved the avo delight, the crunchy tuna and the prawn tempura. Will one hundred percent be returning here for the sushi!
It was a basic dining experience.
Nothing fancy about this place but fast and standard offerings.
Food was quick, good quiet atmosphere.
Staff were fine.
Sushi was good and it's a cheap eat.
Might be a good trusty place but don't expect them to blow you away.
Beside the fact that we probably ordered toooo much food, the quality of then seafood is great here ! Fresh tasting sashimi and great tasting handrolls. There's a large selection to choose from, but be careful not to over order like we did! (There might be fine for food wastage) Overall experience 9/10!
Had dinner here with a party of 10, was really good, sushi was delicious and they handled the group pretty well, although we probably could've used and experienced server taking control of us and telling us what to do. Definitely would go here again.
Hot Green TeaEdamame $6 with Boiled Soy Beans lightly saltedAgedashi Tofu $10 Deep Fried Soft Tofu in Dashi Sauce with Bonito FlakesKaraage $13 Deep Fried Chicken Pieces, Lettuce Wrap served with Black Vinegar DipBaked Dynamite $14 California Roll topped with Diced Scallop, Crab Stick and Spicy Mayo garnished with Teriyaki Sauce and Green OnionGaijin Platter $36 with 9 assorted Sashimi, Seaweed Salad and Gaijin Special Salmon Salad, Miso Soup and half serves of:Spider Vs Dragon – Soft Shell Crab, Tempura Crunch, Cream Cheese topped with a Seared Unagi and Teriyaki SauceCrunchy Spicy Salmon Special – Spicy Salmon and Tempura Crunch topped with Fresh Salmon and Gaijin Special Mayo)Avo Delight $14 with Spicy Salmon, Tempura Crunch topped off with a combination of Salmon and Avocado and topped with Teriyaki Sauce
Tried the buffet with my 2 guy friends and was totally worth it! I love the selection of sushi rolls, unique and tasty (must try Melbournian and Tasmanian). We had a few plates of unlimited sashimi too! Agedashi tofu was good too, I had 2 serves. Love it! Would come back next time with more people.
A great fusion sushi place in Melbourne! They have a lot of unique sushi roll choices, Dragon vs Tiger roll is my favourite and Melbournian roll is my girlfriend's favourite. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable. Food was quick and tasty!
Outstanding sushi rolls. Im not a sushi eater but they completely blow my mind. Cant expect more than this. Love their Fusion Sushi and service. Will definitely be back.
For those of you who live/work in and around the city, boy have I got a treat to share with you. This week I discovered an absolute gem of a restaurant, it’s the perfect spot for when you feel like a cheap and cheerful meal. AND, it’s Japanese, my favourite. I know right!. Welcome to Gaijin. This place is dangerously delicious, I tell you. Just down the road from the Emerson, it’s unsuspecting from the front, so you’ve probably walked past it several times without realising. The signage is small and the décor is authentic, but move past the minimalism and you’ll find a treasure trove of food here - Japanese fusion with a focus on creative sushi.
Pretty good food for the 'all you can eat' price for sashimi and rolls.
The real deal is in the sashimi. The rolls are nice but the rice seemed a bit mashup lacking the translucent look. But hey can't really complain as the sashimi compensates.
Blink and you'd miss it. Small and unassuming place with delicious food. The eggplant was amazing, I think we had 3! Great spread of typical Japanese foods which were all very tasty! Lovely fresh taste to the sushi! The sake was also quite tasty. Reasonably priced!
To start we had the Nasu Dengaku baked half eggplant which was tasty although rather sweet. The crispy rice salmon was good, but was well deep fried and didn't have much to balance the fried flavour. For the sushi platter we did not really enjoy the baked dynamite sushi rolls, the chicken curry was fine but the crunchy and spicy salmon was the best. I felt the chef's recommendations didn't really hit the mark so when ordering I would suggest using your own judgement.
All and all our meal was of a good standard - I would say average for a Japanese restaurant. The staff were polite and attentive. Our bill of $80 with three drinks seemed pretty good value. We might be back to try some other items on the menu with a bottle of gewürztraminer or some slightly sweet white that I think would be a good match the mildly spicy flavours of a number of the dishes.
Cute place with really tasty and fresh food.
We came for the all you can eat option but sadly missed out due to a public holiday. Not to worry, the menu has plenty to choose from and we didn't leave disappointed or hungry.
Combo platter is recommended along with the half eggplant. Yum!
You will definitely enjoy 😊
Good food good service... cant complain. But i would say my favorite sushi rolls were spider vs dragon and baked dynamite... always get them everytime i visit Gaijin. Definitely will continue to come back and try other things in their menu.... 😁
This place is absolutely amazing... I just went there last night for the first time with my friends... We had sushi Rolls and sashimi and everything were so fresh and tasty.. Also, we ordered some appetizers such as Gyoza, big bang (enoki mushroom wrapped in baked salmon), they were so good... The service was impeccable. She explained everything clearly and patiently.. But, the highlight was definitely the sushi rolls, yum..yumm... definitely would recommend this restaurant to others. See you soon Gaijin.:)
Been here few times, great selections of sushi and service is great...................will definitely come back again
Melbourne Foodie Memoirs
+3.5
Casual Japanese fusion restaurant in South Yarra!
Great food for cheap prices and the restaurant is BYO!
We loved the creative flavour combinations and fillings for the sushi rolls.
The edamame and fried chicken were ok but we probably wouldn't order them again.
The highlight of this place was definitely the sushi rolls!
I has a wonderful night at Gaijin, with my Mum and sister. The sushi and sashimi platters are a must try, and did not disappoint. I highly recommend if you’re looking for delicious Japanese fusion cuisine in South Yarra.
Gaijin is a little gem of a restaurant! Located within close proximity of the train station, it is convenient to get to and has a delightfully large range of sushi rolls to pick from! They also offer ALL YOU CAN EAT on Weekdays @ $55 per head. Good value and you can order to your hearts content! If you’re craving Japanese and particularly if you’re in the area, Gaijin hits the spot 👌🏻 The dishes off their ala carte menu were also delicious - you have to get their takoyaki! Comes with a generous sprinkle of torched cheese and seared salmon chunks. Also the volcano salad and tataki are really yummy 🤤
I think I’m in a sushi heaven now 🤤
Their Tasmanian sushi rolls are to die for, very delicious! This one is a must order
They have a new menu called ‘Volcano salad’ $16 (it’s not on their menu book yet but you can order it). It consists of seaweed and crab stick salad with fresh salmon sashimi cuts and tempura crunch. It was pretty good 😋 worth to try! Their sashimi also great and fresh
Stars of the show:
Sushi platter $30 (4 types of sushi rolls,)
- Spider vs Dragon (👍👍👍👍👍)
- Melbournian (👍👍👍👍👍)
- Tasmanian (👍👍👍👍👍)
- Rainbow (👍👍👍👍)
They also offer Sushi AYCE adult $42 and kid $15
Follow me on IG @kristinesubagiyo for more food reviews
Y’all I found one of the best Japanese restaurants in south Yarra - @gaijinmelbourne !
Me and my friends enjoyed every dish (except the teriyaki Beef sushi which was a bit dry and tasteless).
I ordered the $36 sushi platter which serves 16 pieces of sushi (4 types can be selected ).
The crispy salmon, melbournian roll and cheese sensation roll was amazing! The miso soup took me by surprise and it was quite authentic.
Definitely would return to try the infamous Tasmanian rolls and other dishes. The sashimi and Chicken Karaage was also well loved by my friends who ordered them. My friend said she will definitely return for the Karaage. 😍
Check out more reviews at IG- melbournefoodiebabe
If you're starving and is craving for sushi for dinner, then you come to the right place. Although Gaijin serves all you can eat, a ala cartè menu with various of sushi selection is also available.
This place is easily accessed, can accommodate quite a lot of people indoor, however, they have no outdoor seating. The staff are friendly and helpful, and has a decent price.
I had a last minute booking and fortunately there were some spots left for an early dinner. If you want to have all uoi can eat sushi, make sure to finish everything as they have overleft charged. But of course it depends on how much left it would be. Overall, this is a good dinner option in the area.
ALL YOU CAN EAT: Fair prices for all this tasty and fresh food! Customer service is friendly and polite.
To the people who says in their review that “the food take ages to come out”: Well lovely people, if you want fresh food, made on the spot for you, it takes the time that it takes! Otherwise go to a fast food!
🍣This place is superb! I’ll be back for sure! 🍜🍲
Picture below are :
•salmon & tuna sashimi
•dynamite roll
•crunchy salmon roll/spider vs dragon roll
•seaweed salad
P.S. New Yorker roll were too good that I forgot to take the pic! 😝
Loved the sushi and sashimi platter at Gaijin! It was a perfect way to try many different pieces. The miso soup and sea weed salad were also delicious. My partner and I will be back to try the all you can eat soon!
Charlie Daniels (Curious Charlie)
+4
Rainy night dinners near Prahran Market, Ganji Japanese Fusion a dinner spot known for all their AYCE sushi 22 types! A lot of rice so recommended for groups of 4+.
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🧀🥟 A friend recommended the off the menu cheesy seafood gyoza, and it was amazing! A blend of cheeses, great cheese pull, I'm coming back for this and I ain't sharing XD
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🍆 Nasu Degaku, roasted eggplant with sweet ginger miso and sesame. We love eggplant and this was really nice, not as sweet as Calia's and he said you can't taste the miso enough - but there's many kinds of miso out there.
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🍥 Seared Scallop with butter soy, mirin, bonito flakes and pickled ginger. I like it but don't love it, I've also never had seared scallops before, always getting it sashimi style. It really relied on that ginger, sushi ginger which is strong!
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🍣 Our big plate was the Gaijin platter with two rolls (half serve) from that extensive list, 9 assorted sashimi, seaweed salad and a side portion of the special salmon mayo salad. It also comes with miso soup but they forgot that.
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🦀 Melbournian roll - crab salad, cream cheese topped with spicy salmon, tempura crunch, masago, special mayo and teriyaki sauce. Delicious! This is the one with all the stuff on top of it. 🐍 His pick was the 'Spider x Dragon' with eel, soft shell crab but also cream cheese - where he discovered he doesn't like cream cheese in sushi XD Also I think I'm freaked out by soft shell crab...
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Desserts? Always. His picks: 🍵Matcha creme brulee & 🍨 trio ice cream: matcha, red bean, black sesame. Two flavours had a little ice in them but the green one crystalized spectacularly with an even distribution... I thought it was undissolved matcha but he reckons it was cooled too fast or not cool enough when it went into the freezer. The creme brulee was excellent.
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Service was excellent, I love that they have the two booths at the front that felt like a private dining experience. Do book if you want that table (for 4 people max). Highly recommend for date night, after confirming no one has a seafood allergy XD
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📍@gaijinmelbourne // Prahran Mkt
💵 Damage $90 (paid $40, won a comp)
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