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I can't believe I haven't posted about this place despite of visiting it multiple times in the past. Don Tojo is one of the Don Don branches and I prefer this branch over the other ones because it's less crowded in comparison. It's known for its cheap foods (under $10!), a large portion size & lightning fast service - there's nothing more you can ask :) I like its pleasant but casual pub-like ambience but be aware that it's not really a place where you'd go for a date.
I always get Curry Chicken Don (~$8) here. Chicken is well-seasoned and cooked spot-on everytime making it all juicy inside. Curry sauce is savoury with a hint of buttery taste which goes well together with chicken and rice. Although it's not an "authentic" Japanese venue, it's a perfect place to swing by for a quick bite especially after a long day when you just don't feel like cooking at home.
Tip: You can ask for extra meat which is only ~$1.5 more and they give HEAPS (I don't think you can get extra meat at other branches so that's a huge plus). They also give out extra curry sauce for free if you want more.
An awesome cheap eats in the heart of Carlton!
This place has been around for awhile now and they serve up amazing japanese food. Love their bento boxes and chicken curry.
The portions and quality of the food here is good. Love visiting Don Tojo for a quick and happy meal
Don Tojo messed up our orders many times - might have been understaffed, but I gotta say in terms of value this place is great. They were very generous with the portion! Teriyaki chicken may have been a little bit too salty, but I enjoyed it anyway! I would come back here again:)
Don Tojo in Carlton was a stone's throw from Lygon Street. We made the effort to visit this place after hearing many good things about it. Being fans of their home base, Don Don, we had high expectations.
We ordered the soba salad. The cold buckwheat noodles were cooked expertly and the salad dressing was divine. Then there was the niku soba where you could choose to have it with beef or chicken. I had it with the chicken which was deliciously tender and juicy.
Overall the food was great. It was outstandingly good value, fresh and tasty. Service was friendly and quick.
Don Don, you've done it again!
This is a great place if you're looking for something yummy and practically the entire menu is under $10!!
The menu mainly consists of beef and chicken and despite the cheap prices, the bowls are big with lots of meat! We also ordered the udon and the soup was very flavourful which was nice on this cold day.
The restaurant has a very relaxed with the exposed brick and music.
Cheap, cheerful and tasty.
Ordered: fried chicken, chicken curry don, chicken teriyaki don.
Standout: fried chicken.
The price was good for the extremely generous portion size. I ordered an udon bowl and they were happy to customise it to suit a plant-based diet (except for the broth, but I was happy to compromise on that). The curry seemed to be lacking in variety, but it was very good value for the price all the same.
The place is a value for money. It’s food is good and healthy. I ordered the curry with tofu. The service here is appreciable. The long queues during lunch move very fast. The staff is fine... for their work is pretty quick.
Chicken Curry Don ($7.90)
⭐️ 4.5/5 ⭐️
🍴Go to for affordable and yummy Japanese dons that come in huge portions to ensure a substantial, filling & enjoyable meal (look at this big bowl). Despite always having a long queue on weekdays from the uni crowd, the service is fast and the food delivers 😌. They have a small menu with choices of chicken, beef or vegetarian (tofu), as well as udon or rice. 📍Don Tojo, 164 Cardigan St, Carlton, Victoria, Melbourne
#cafehoppingkidsmelbourne
一家在cardigan st的日式快餐，感觉去的local比较多，墨大学生知道这家店的还是少数。
第一感觉就是，太便宜了吧，价格在7-10左右，但是量也一点都不少哦。和室友点了curry chicken和teriyaki chicken don。肉肉给得炒鸡多了，但是味道偏咸，而且上面红色一条条的一开始以为是甜萝卜干，没想到是生姜味。。真的是。。。
总结！价格便宜！总体分量适中！肉多！速度很快！但是很咸！
I love this spot. Not because it's cheap. But because the flavours jump out at you.
Fried chicken is a must with any meal... and all the meals are delicious.
Can’t forget this restaurant! After four years, I still wanna visit again! Curry is my favourite there! Awesome! I will be there as soon as I can!!!
Always there for the sukiyaki don. Super quick service plus it’s cheap and filling - that’s all that matters regardless if I am a student or a working one.
This is a branch of the DonDon chain of stores serving up no fuss Japanese donburi meals. Generally less crowded than the branch along Little Lonsdale Street, this branch has more of a pub atmosphere with a bar. Food is decent and reasonable for the price - I usually order the curry chicken don.
Ordered the bento box and chicken curry on rice. Lovely delicious food. The service was great too. They allowed us to change an order. Definitely go again.
I always come to this place for a quick, cheap and filling meal. Especially the bento is so yummy! The beef and chicken from the bento is delicious. The only flaw is just they only have a few options to choose. Hope they will expand their menus! Xoxo
The place is cheap for students and glad to see that majority of price is less then 10 so that we still can afford it. The servicing is quick. Once we order we are already able to eat.
Don Tojo (previously known as Don Don), the place for quick fast cheap Japanese food! Still brings back memories everytime income here during Uni days. The menu and taste hasn't changed at all and consistency is what I like about this place.
Curry chicken don or the teriyaki chicken both are my favorite and at around $7 I cant complaint. And is super fast! Like 2 minutes and your food is ready fast!
The ambience is pleasant, but don't expect fancy decor. But why would you care cause you are there for a quick fast cheap eat! Not a candle date.
Parking is plenty on nearby streets!
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Cheap, fresh and yummy. Been here for many years, and it’s still one of our fav casual eats. Fast and efficient. Food were served within minutes, and staff were polite. Would recommend!
I love dondon at the very least reason, but this shop has more choices instead of the other shop. Pork katsu curry is my cup of tea and dondon box is my second best. And it’s pocket friendly too.
I'm confused as to why this isn't another Don Don branch because that's essentially what it is. I didn't realise that though until I got here.
Still, one of the best value lunch menus. Tasty, but on this occasion overly salty. Most of the salt is in the sauce - once this touches the rice it's hard to get rid of.
But chicken was cooked spot-on. Nice place to go in between exams.
One of my go-to restaurants when I’m broke but want to enjoy a casual, filling meal with my friends! I love its location, how its so close to melb uni and of course, the price. Portion sizes are also big! I have tried the bento box and the soba salad. I like how the chicken of the bento has a grilled sizzling and the soba salad making me feel very healthy afterwards! The soup of the soba is at just the right level of flavour, not too salty and not too bland.
Quick service. Simple menu. Great atmosphere with people lookimg for a quick bite mainly uni students and office people on their lunch break. $7.70 for chicken curry don is fabulous value.
Quick, cheap, yummy food! I’ve walked by their branch at Little Lonsdale Street many times and there’s always a queue. This branch in Carlton has a pretty chilled ambience and not very busy (maybe it’s because I visited on Saturday?) . Very quick and friendly service. 6.9 for a sukiyaki don with quite a lot of meat and rice which can keep me full for many hours. The only downside is that the red ginger was too salty but overall it was a very good experience. Would definitely come back!
This is probably my go-to lunch place. Really nice food at a great price. It could be really busy sometimes though, not recommended if you’re in a hurry.
Convenient location just off Grattan Street, an easy spot to stop over between classes in Uni.
Ambience here is slightly nicer than it's Lonsdale Street companion, with a more cosy feel. Outdoor seating available for warmer months. Quick service, takeaway available. Favourites are the chicken teriyaki don and chicken curry don!
The food is great, the staff is friendly. And it is obvious why it's packed during lunch on most of the days.
Space is limited inside though, but you can always sit outside on the chairs they have placed on the sidewalks on a sunny day.
A very affordable, quick and delicious meal that fulfils my poor, student-loan-ridden wallet!
I ordered the sashimi don and the fried chicken that was available that day. Apart from the fact that they're very cheap, the taste is pretty good and far better than your standard Japanese place down the block.
The stand out dishes were the chicken teriyaki - that sauce! It was so rich and thick and exactly what you want from teriyaki! And the crispy fried chicken that came with the kewpie mayonnaise! A far better deal than your average KFC lunch box!
Would recommend to anyone in the neighbourhood, but due to the very restricted menu (which has both negatives and positives), I can see how one can become quite sick of don don!
Very tasty and cheap. Good and fast service. I had the edamame and tofu curry - it was full of flavour and a large portion size. Very close to Melbourne uni would recommend
Melbourne Food Journey
+4.5
Fast service, great food, cheap prices, it's no wonder this place is so popular! The bento is always a good option, the salmon sashi don looked great as well.
They definitely aren't lying when they say 'lightning fast rice'. I had only just seated after ordering my Don Don box and lo and behold I was devouring it within minutes! Looking forward to my next visit!
I have a lot of fond memories of Don Tojo, especially since it sits so close to uni and it's been a great catch up feed with friends. The food here is cheap, and filling. Well seasoned, and will satisfy. The service is quick, although it can get quite packed during lunchtime. Tables are a little sticky though.
Close to uni, this is definitely one of the places to stop by for a fast inexpensive japanese meal. The chicken curry don has to be their classic dish with grilled teriyaki sauced chicken on rice with red pickles, some random vegetables and curry sauce. Extra sauce can be requested and it's free. Unlike what the other reviewers have mentioned, I've found food here to be very fresh due to the fast turnover but you do get for what you pay for under $10.
Food is ok, you get what you pay for. Good for a cheap feed and to hangout with friends. Limited menu and not authentically Japanese. Also, have to ask for other things such as sauce, which you have to pay for.
Not a bad joint! Good cheap food and drinks. You can tell this is loved by uni students. The chairs could be more comfortable - careful you may get a wobbly chair.
The watermelon in the box is not fresh. It is better not to give me the fruit than giving me a bad one.
You get what you pay, that's it. This shop is slow in preparing the food compare with Don Don in CBD
This place is the lunch factory of Melbourne Uni.
Despite, a huge line during lunchtime, getting our food was really quick.
Food was very good, especially when you look at the price and quantity.
Only 8$ for most satisfying dishes including grilled chicken curry on rice with some veggies.
Is Don, Is good...and cheap and tasty
Great food, that's delicious and with super decent sized portions particularly considering how cheap it is!
From the same family of Don Don and Don Too, comes Don Tojo, perfectly placed in the studenty hub of Carlton. If you’re not familiar with any of these words, the sweet essence of these restaurants are that they offer super delicious Japanese food, on the cheap, lightning fast. And it doesn’t get any cheaper than this. The teriyaki chicken don is $7.40 and the tofu curry don is $6.50. The portions are great value and it’s an easy cheap eat to recommend. The curry here is a bit more watery than the chunky style I like, but the pickles are good and the flavour is right. Sometimes the chicken and beef doesn’t taste of the best quality, but hey, look at the savings.
It's a good place to get a cheap meal. Popular with students and locals. Not a big choice but food is consistently good with big serves. Beer is also cheap. Recommended.
Don Tojo is pretty much the Don Don’s of Carlton. Quick, fast and easy Japanese food. The menu isn’t very diverse with a few pork, beef and chicken dishes, curry and noodle soups but they excel in what they do. The Buta Teriyaki Don is basically slow cooked pork on rice with teriyaki seasoning. I liken it to slices of roast pork with the teriyaki flavouring. It’s quite nice, though the pork I find a bit dry and lacking in vegetables or other accompaniments but it’s cheaper than your typical Asian/Japanese food so it makes sense.
I have always loved this place. Cool hang out, cheap, tasty, and a great atmosphere. DonDon box is always a must. Don Tojo Never disappoints.
One if the best things to do when visiting Japan is eating all the delicious food. A big thing you notice though is how cheap (and tasty) most places are compared to Japanese in Australia which relatively expensive in comparison. That's why cheap and cheerful Don Don's is such a welcome little place.
You can get a beer and a filling main meal for around $10-12. It's nothing too fancy but will leave you filling full and happy. My go to meal is the vegetarian tofu curry don which is served in a huge bowl with lots of rice, well cooked vegetables and a huge slab of chargrilled tofu. Add a bit of chilli to this and it will be a perfect winter nights feast. The soba noodle is also nice but served cold so better on a warm day. Beers (Japanese and local) are always very cheap and icy cold.
Quick, cheap and cheerful Japanese food. No sushi, but a small menu of hot dishes. When you can get a plate of fried chicken for $5.80 and beer is less than $6 no complaints from me. The only thing that freaks me out are the brazen sparrows which fly inside to pick at people's leftovers. People with bird phobias beware!
Have been here many times and more often than not, I had the Chicken Curry Don. The chicken were tender and nicely charred, with a generous amount of curry. The curry tends to be a little too salty but it is still very worth it, given its price and the large portion.
This is our second time we have ate at Don Tojo. It's a little gem hidden away from the popular streets in Carlton. The food so far has been consistent, filling and very yummy. Family friendly and child friendly. Value for money, will definitely go again if I'm in the area. Only setback is the decor and floor was a little messy.
Don Don is great for a quick and cheap lunch. The service is excellent and the food is delicious. For a bowl of curry, it will set you back about 8 dollars which will fill you up guaranteed. This place is great for uni students or anyone that's on a tight budget. I know of two Don Don's one in Melbourne Central and the other one in Carlton, they are both excellent.
A takeaway dondon box plus a spliff in the park is a recipe for a great day. Well priced (especially for drinks) and consistently tasty. Good stuff.
I went here with a friend for take away lunch which we ate in the park. When we got here there was quite a line. Both of us ordered the sashi don, I wonder if it's meant to be sushi don and it's spelt wrong or if sashi needs to be added to the warehouse of things I don't know. Either way it's raw salmon and some pickled stuff and rice. It was really yummy and a huge serving for the price. I'll definitely come back here and try something else from the menu if I'm in the area.
Cheap, fast and efficient, with decent food quality and tasty dishes. Drinks are also cheap - perfect for uni students or those who want a price-worthy snack and are on the go. Staff are attentive and friendly, and the place has a very casual, relaxed feel to it.
Alway my favourite place to good when im busy and hungry. Especially for students when assignment will due tonight, and u want to find some cheap and fast food that is healthy and delicious, trust me, go to dondon and u will simply just love it. No foto taken, because i went to too many times, I couldn't be bothered to take foto anymore. Highly recommended for people who want cheap and tasty food!
Cheap and delicious. Curry is good. If you're reading in be aware, you have to order and pay first at the cashier and they bring to you. No table numbers, but they seem to find you! Will be back!@
A great place for students. It's veeery close to the university. The food is okay because there are not to many nutritious products in the different dishes. But it's well spiced and they know how to use soy souce. Meat is okay. The box they offer may be the most resonable choice. Very nice service. Price is okay.
I am a Uni student at Melbourne Uni and I find myself always coming back to Don Tojo. I have tried all of their dishes and I love the Don Don Box and the Chicken Curry Don especially on a cold day. This food is simply delicious, exceptional value and takes no time at all to be served. For a uni student, perfect!
No frills establishment. I used to work around here and this was my local spot for my fix of japanese curry. Efficient service with a straightforward menu. Tasty comfort food. Great atmosphere with a clientele of uni students and office workers on their lunch break. $7.70 for chicken curry don.
Winter warmers on the production line.
If you feel like a hot bowl of goodness this is for you. I got the tofu curry don for lunch. The place was teeming with local office workers in the area and students from the uni nearby so I knew it would be good. My dish was hot and spicy and got the nose running, it was on an extremely cold day where you had to battle the wind to stay on the sidewalk but the trek was worth it. Service is fast with about 10 minutes from ordering to eating which is what I like to see for my lunch break. Small menu also makes for quick decisions. I meant it when I said production line. But it was one of those production lines that still made you feel unique and special. Definitely going back this winter.
Quick and efficient, and under $10 for a meal. Always worth it at Don Do.. ah I mean Don Tojo's (will always be Don Don's to me).
My goto option is the Beef Curry Don. Nice amount of kick and love the fresh ginger.
Uni students must love this place.
It's my comfort food when I'm in the city. Their curries are so hearty and flavourful, warming the tummy especially in winter! Another favourite is sukiyaki beef don. The meat is done perfectly and they are so generously with their servings, be it meat, sauce and rice. You will never go wrong with Don Tojo.
Considering the value, taste, and speed - could no offer a lower score than 4.5. I don't know where you're going to get a chicken Jap curry for $7.7 at their taste.
What can i say! heard many great things about this place, so decided to head down with a few friends maybe a year and a half ago. i know what youre thinking, whys this idiot writing his review now? well let me tell you its taken me this long to put into words how simply fantastic this place is!
The food! sensational, very reasonable in price and and fantastic mix of flavors which which just explode in your mouth.
Beers! only $3 and supply low carb beers (pure blonde) which compliment a meal such this more than you can imagine, a beautiful touch
But the best part, the staff are so friendly and welcoming, they even allowed me to make myself a coffee behind the bar after telling them i was a BARISTA (not a barrister for those playing at home),
great vibes, great food and great staff. the only let down are the toilets, may i recommend the street. gross.
the best place in carlton where you can get food with a big portion and also not expensive !! my favourite ones are sukiyaki don, chicken teriyaki don, and niku udon. ^^
$3 pure blonde
$7 ish curry
5 min walk from uni...
What more can I say, been coming here for a few years now and whist what's in the chicken curry don may change haha it's always a great deal with a nice proportion to price, great value for lunch or dinner with mates to catch up and have a few beers too! Or even ciders now for $4! Dirt cheap.
Toilets feral though haha
Same as the Don Don's in CBD in terms of menu items and taste however I felt that they were not as efficient when serving customers.
Still, for a $10 and under meal, can't complain much.
It's pretty rare to find a yummy and cheap Japanese nowaday! Well if you stop by Don Tojo you found it! The food is nice and prices are affordable!
Really great cheap food. Normally the rice is dry and without enough sauce, but here the balance of ingredients and flavours is very good. Service was prompt and polite.
For what they are about, they do it perfectly.
Fast tasty Japanese food. Good portions and friendly service!
I love the Chicken Curry Don for $7.90.
Cheap and tasty. Two words rarely heard together when mentioning a Melbourne restaurant. This place pulls it off and it explains the que they have almost every day leading into the street.
Large portion at an affordable price, located beside Melbourne Uni Health Services. Hpod customer service and you don't have to wait long for your orders.
It's quick, easy, no fuss, and for the most part, tasty Japanese food - all for under $10. The portions are generous (most importantly, they dont skimp on the red pickles) and the food comes out lightning fast (the staff didn't really seem phased by the never diminishing line going out the door) but don't expect five star service or a brilliant dining experience. It's definitely a sacrifice worth making though.
Great value cheap eat for very good and satisfying Japanese!
We stumbled across this place and was intrigued by the long queue forming out the front during lunch, so we decided to give it a try.
We were happily satisfied by the quality and quantity of food - practically everything on the menu was under $10! The food reminded me of the 'fast food' outlets in Japan that were mostly situated near train stations. Mostly consisting of meals served with rice. Think of 'Hanaichi', but much better quality for the same price.
Excellent value for money and a great place for a quick bite before or after a screening at Nova. Prices mean it can get very crowded at peak lunchtime hours but there's a quick turnover. Buta teriyaki don was fabulous, filling and less than $7.
Cheap, fast and good! Place is always busy and overcrowded during lunch time. This is definitely a place to go if you want to grab a quick bite.
RNIS was invited by Nasi Lemak house to try their free cendol but paid for their food at Don Tojo which was a mere $9. They are both in Carlton and are just a short distance away from each other. They are both student eateries which I love very much. Why? Its because they are so affordable. Both of them are cash only and NL House was promoting their mailing list and Facebook page and their events hence the free cendol.
Great place for what it is.... Food has great flavors and tastes! Incredible cheap!!!
Absolutely need to try the Vegetarian Spring Rolls! To visit...
Just a straight out bargain. Food is served quickly, is tasty and there's plenty of it. And all for around $7. Add a beer for only $3 more.
Pretty average quality, sometimes slow service (since change of ownership), however killer prices for food and beer! I keep finding myself coming back whether or not i was looking forward to it.
It's Good - by Sandy Waxmann. OmG, tHiZ pLaCE iZ aMaZInG!!! Soooooooooo CHEAP!!!!! I wISh DaNIeL RAdCliFFE cAN jOiN me iN a DeLICiOUs MeaL heRE!!! ~~~ XOXOXOXOXO
Cheap, Quick, and Tasty. Its good to know that there is a cheap and tasty Japanese place not far from where I live. The serves are quite big as well and definitely fill me up every time! You got a new loyal customer!
This is a funky place that is reminiscent of the original Don Don on Swanston Street. It's got the same vibe and has all of the original buzz that used to be part of Don Don. Don Tojo is part of the chain and this Carlton branch has got the balance right between cheap student hangout and great delicious food. They also serve a range of alcohol here as well. The food is as good as any Don Don in Melbourne. It's fastfood but it's delicious and the highlights for me are the Bento Boxes and the Teriyaki Don! So cheap and cheerful.
Expensive Delicious Habit.
+4.5
We have been here together before, but I had forgotten how tasty it was, and how cheap! I should have known..after all, it is the sibling of much-loved Don Don on Swanston St.
Cheap and cheerful Japanese rice bowls and noodles. Plus cheap beer. Good sized servings, particularly the Don Don Bento box. Can't beat the fast service and super cheap eats here. Their other branch at Melbourne Central is the same. All in all for the great price it's surprising how they can serve up food of this quality. Much much better then some of the "Chinese" owned Japanese restaurants around this area.
Cheap Food & Beer, Great Taste. This place not only tastes great, the food and drink are ridiculously cheap! $3 peronis and chicken curry dons under $7 that taste better than most chicken curry dons. Definitely the go to place for a cheap night of drinks and food
10 years past as of 2012, meal is so cost effective for local students.
Ordered Pork DonKatsu, tasty as per usual; however, today’s fried chicken was too salty, too much pepper on top, May they were too busy to prepare all quality food.
I don't know how anyone can fault this place. It's cheap. Large portions. It's delicious. Friendly staff. The food comes out SO QUICK. I love this place. My favourite cheap eats. I might just go live in Carlton so I can eat at this place every day haha
My favourite as well as the most visited restaurant in the last four years. They have been consistent with their food and service equally. I don't think you can find a better curry-don in Melbourne. And they are giving it for the best price in town too. which makes it phenomenal.. There was a time I had lunch there every single day for a few months, and it never bored me. If you are around UniMelb, a must visit..
Cheap and cheerful food and beer, particularly good for students and young people on a budget. Incredibly quick service and never fails to be insanely tasty. Always worth the trip.
Too good. This is 松屋 in Melbourne.
I smashed the food under 5mins... no time to take photo.
P.S. there is ONE free parking spot right in front of the restaurant!
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