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Best Donburi (Rice Bowl) in Melbourne

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Chocolate Buddha
83/100 (1486 ratings)
Restaurants
Gluten Free Options
Korean
Asian
Sushi
Healthy
Vegetarian Friendly
Vegan Options
Korean
Sushi
Asian
Healthy
Gluten Free Options
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Friendly
Brunch
Drinks
Dinner
Lunch
Fish
Sashimi
Udon & Soba (Wheat & Buckwheat Noodle)
Pork
Cheesecake
Udon
Curry
Noodle
Gyoza
Prawns
Beef
Udon & Soba (Wheat & Buckwheat Noodle)
Dumplings
Cheesecakes
Eggplant
Tempura
Bento (Lunch Box)
Salad
Ramen
Crab
Donburi (Rice Bowl)
Salmon
Korean Fried Chicken
Fish Soup
Sit down
Asian
Healthy
Sushi
Korean
Serves Alcohol
Wine and Beer
Parking Available
Full Bar
Accepts Credit Cards
Outdoor Seating
Takeout
Accepts Mastercard
Reservations
Accepts Visa
Accepts American Express
Seating
Table Service
Wheelchair Accessible
Drinks
Brunch
Dinner
Lunch
Mid-range
"One of the best sushi experiences you can have in Melbourne undoubtedly.From the outset of our meal, we were greeted by staff who were..."
Kevin & Emily
"Gorgeous open space that easily catered for my table of 6 (with booking).Ordered:🍚 Sashimi Don: with fresh salmon sashimi marinated..."
Jasmine
"This is a great restaurant at Fed Square. It's beautiful inside and has ample seating, including a sushi train. The service was excellent, the..."
Rhonni
"It was Diwali celebration at federation square and we wanted to try something different, Japanese food seemed like a good inspiration. We had ordered..."
Mihir Baxi
"Wonderful service although we did have staff doubling up e.g. 2 waiter brought us water and 2 asked for our orders but they're just extra attentive..."
Ange
"Very beautiful food...."
Jordan
"What a delightful place to dine in the busiest and one of the prettiest places in Melbourne. Was super busy when we came here for a friend’s..."
LC
"This evenings pre gig dinner was consumed at Chocolate Buddha, not only does this venue do Japanese well, it caters for my GF, DF & Fructose..."
Espy Eats
"I struggled to find this restaurant. The gps made me walk past acmi a couple of times and the wall between the gray SBS building and ACMI until I..."
Dr S
"I have been to chocolate Buddha many times, because I have a friend who needs to eat gluten free and chocolate Buddha has a whole page of gluten free..."
Sanyk28
"Had the salmon maki rolls and the apple crumble. Food was absolutely amazing, as was the location. I sat outside with a view of federation square..."
Emma Catherine Beacham
"A dinner with a small gathering of friends. Option of a la carte was a nice surprise, and some restaurants only offer set menus for groups. Staff..."
Junichi
"Don't worry its not all chocolate! That was my first thought when i saw the restaurant sign as we entered anyway. Great prawns and bento box. They do..."
Veta Bajaj
"Don’t let the name fool you - this is a Japanese restaurant and a very good one at that.We had lunch her on a wet and cold Friday and..."
Austin
"I had dinner here tonight and just wanted to compliment all the staff for their amazing service. I eat out a lot but the genuine friendliness and..."
Claui
"We had a fabulous meal here Sunday night. There were six of us and everyone's meal was excellent. Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable of the..."
Disommer
"Love this place, been here so many times and never been disappointed!! Lots of vego & vegan choices. Highly recommend the agedashi tofu and the..."
VegoLover
"Delicious food and fantastic attentive, helpful and friendly service. The Vegetable Maki and Nasu Dengaku (Miso Eggplant) are must tries! I just..."
Ellie
"Great food... Great place indoors and outdoors... and amazing service. Our food was a bit late so they shouted a whole cask of Sake. Talking about..."
Global Foodie & Filmy
"Went to this restaurant for our company Christmas party. The whole restaurant looks nice and relates to Japan. The food was okay, kind of lacked some..."
Kaley Nguyen
"Extremely friendly staff. Good food and even better deserts, my personal favourite being the green tea brûlée! Although it could use more noodle..."
Brittany Clark
"Ordered teriyaki chicken and grilled salmon lunch trays. The grilled salmon is quite good, the skin is crispy and the fish meat is juicy. But the..."
Stella
"We came here for dinner on a Saturday night to meet with a friend.I was not sure what to expect and  ordered the Tori soboro noodles this was..."
Split The Bill
"Outstanding food and faultless service. Had dinner here with friends on Friday and we ordered pretty much every small dish on the menu - everything..."
Blergh!
"A recent return (Feb 2020) confirmed the delights of Chocolate Buddha. There's been a complete refit - this was my first time since reopening (had..."
Keith Lawrence
"Always happy to come here with a group of friends for a meal! Great atmosphere, service, food and cocktails! Its also a great place to watch the..."
Melbfoodluva
"My Mum and I had the most delicious meal here - it was 10 days ago on a crazy evening in Melbourne due to the footy. It was very busy (pre footy time..."
Meg
"Great night with the lads. Service was exceptional. Food was great with no real misses amongst the multiple shared plates we ordered. A busy Friday..."
Matty
"Such an unassuming name for a Japanese restaurant. Very informed and friendly staff. Great food and service. A little sterile in the ambience Dept,..."
Dazz Inator
"Great Japanese with a nice view of fed square. Good lunch special and friendly informative staff. I will definitely return to try a few more options...."
Anna Wheelahan
"I went for dinner tonight w Simmyeats.Melb, her partner and my friend which was sooo much fun. The service from the moment we walked in the..."
Timinmelbourne
"I haven't been here in years and last night I warmed up with my first ever ramen experience. I ordered the spicy pork ramen but instead of pork I got..."
Simmyeats.Melb
"Visited yesterday for weekend lunch. Very quiet inside. Was greeted by the very enthusiastic host, given menus to look at and we took some outdoor..."
Tania Salu
"I had heard on a few low fodmap support groups that Chocolate Buddha catered to the low fodmap diet so I thought I would give the city restaurant a..."
Fussy Fodmapper
"I had a really good time here! I ordered the Nabeyaki Soba because ever since playing Phoenix Wright Spirit of Justice i always wanna get the soba..."
Thuaners
"Friendly and professional staff who are always very helpful and attentive. Great atmosphere and amazing Buddha status to admire. The good is amazing..."
N
"Went here after a show as nowhere else was serving food. Pleasantly surprised. Great service, very friendly and helpful staff. The food was delicious..."
Izzy Wild
"Chocolate Buddha definitely has a menu that caters for most however we don't believe the food is worth the extremely high prices or arrogant service...."
@twogoodtoresist
"My friend used to work here and was telling me how it was really tasty and traditional. Given we have both spent time in Japan I was eager to check..."
Good Food Good Mood
"I honestly do feel this place is a tiny bit over-rated. It is always super crazy busy and I feel that is probably what brings it down a bit. It..."
Lilly Pilly
"I've been to chocolate Buddha a few times now. A trendy and very well located restaurant in Federation Square of Melbourne CBD.Really good..."
Dinermelb
"3.8 to be exact. Better ramen than I had in a while. The soup wasn't bad at all, certainly not bland! The chasyu was a bit ordinary, not enough fat..."
KC
"We arrived and sat outside. The service was impeccable and the waitress was lovely. We ordered a couple of small dishes that were all amazing...."
Allison King
"I've been to this place a number of times, due to it's convenience and fabulous noodle dumplings, and can't believe I haven't written a review before..."
Shazzamataz
"Great place for a quick dinner if you are around Federation Square, great friendly staff- delicious food and a lovely place to people watch..."
Sugar_licks
"Excellent spot for a meal if you're visiting ACMI or the Ian Potter gallery at Fed Square. The food was really good, although a little on the..."
Ben To
"Frenetic and fabulous. The crew know there stuff and are very efficient. And the food is delicious, portions generous and enough choice to please..."
Check Please
"A great location with better than average standard and unique dishes, but at a relatively hefty price. My Spicy Pork Ramen ($22) was good,..."
TonkleChicken
"Food was alright, didn't really wow me but I suppose it was pretty unique Japanese with a western twist. Had the pork lunch tray, I liked the brown..."
Kristie Koo
"Love this place, great menu, great taste and welcoming staff. My favourite is the spicey pork ramen A great place to meet up with friends in the city..."
Zessie
"Chocolate Buddha has been a go to for me whenever I am forced to spend any amount of time in the CBD. It has a great outlook, I quite like the shared..."
Oni San
"Delicious pork belly and fantastic tempura pumpkin cooked to perfection; soft on the inside and light crispy tempura batter. Staff are friendly and..."
Cristy Phelan
"The name won't tell but this place is actually one of the better Izakaya restaurants in Melbourne. Great range of small share dishes and wonderful..."
MelbFoodHunter
"Federation Square is known for its diverse amount of of people and restaurants.Certain restaurants give real emphasis and an example of..."
Taking A Bite
"We had lunch at Chocolate Buddha on Saturday to celebrate a family birthday. There were 11 of us ranging in age from 15 to 77, with pretty diverse..."
Dave Ansett
"We recently went to chocolate Buddha for lunch on a weekday. Considering it's in Fed Square, it was surprisingly quiet, ideal for a slow lunch with..."
Simon
"Had a great night, food lovely...and too entertainment with our waiter Michael. Wonderfully attentive, hilarious and professional.............."
Ali Horan
"Was looking for somewhere to have dessert and came across this place. Really appreciated the warm and friendly service. My friend and I tried the..."
Jennyaichen
"I came here for dinner with a group of people on a Saturday night. Most of us were running late but our table was still reserved for us. The renkon..."
Faye
"We had a lovely meal at chocolate Buddha. The food was consistently good across the 4 dishes we ordered and the service was attentive. Overall, an..."
Steph Hanson
"Last Saturday a group of us met at Federation square to have lunch at a frequently talked about local spot. Chocolate Buddha is a communal Japanese..."
Ashlee Adams
"I like this place, food is fresh & good quality, service is efficient and friendly. Well located. They accommodate dietary requirements really..."
Yuppiehippiechick
"Summary Review: This place serves simple Japanese dishes done well and presented well. In an inviting communal seating environment, this is the place..."
Mz_J
"Had dinner here on a Saturday night, they were packed but the service was really good and the food was pretty quick to come out!The servings..."
Food Architect
"Great food and service, you have to try the Korean chicken and the plum wine , the dumplings are great and the prices reasonable, have to book in to..."
Peter Emmerson
"I don't know where to begin with this place! The food is just to die for, the location is central, the staff are super friendly, cocktails go down a..."
Elizabeth215
"What a delightful dining experience! Chocolate Buddha was the restaurant chosen by my partner to cap off our five-day Melbourne visit, which..."
Food Baes
"Such great and welcoming service, really cool place to chill. Got iced chocolate and was delicious!!!!! Unfortunately didn't order any food -..."
Gabby Deg
"Service is excellent, very nice waitersI got the Buddha dumplings and age- dashi tofu, it's a very salty ( only today not other times I ate..."
Olivia
"Lovely Japanese restaurant overlooking Federation Square.Pros- friendly, polite service- fresh, healthy food- fast..."
Purple Anise
"By far my favourite restaurant in Melbourne.The wait staff are really friendly and the food is AMAZING! Try the pumpkin rolls and the..."
Becks
"This japanese restaurant is just located at Federation Square. It is nice to seat either inside or outside. I prefer seating inside to have a more..."
MF
"We had lunch there today (2.30pm, kitchen still opened!), the staff was really good and extremely friendly. We shared some pork belly (to die for!)..."
Foodielicious
"We wanted something to snack on before dinner so we ordered the mapo tofu & kingfish sushi roll. Did not expect the tofu to be so good! Kingfish..."
Gossipgalaxy
"I came here for dinner with my parents today. We ordered the tempura soft shell crab salad, sashimi don, wagyu don, spicy pork ramen and green tea..."
Gwendolyn Tan
"I truly love this place! Never disappointed. OK, so it gets a bit busy on weekends, but that is because of the brilliant location, versatile food..."
Cafeeverymeal
"Had lots of delicious meals here over the years, honestyCan't remember having had an average dish let alone a bad one - lovely crockery, well..."
MrArk
"Yum is the first word that comes to mind! Huge variety of food and drinks on the menus accompanied by huge flavours! Willing to cater for any..."
Nashii Babic
"I go here for a quick drink and some nibbles with a friend on a regular basis. Staff are always friendly and the food is consistently top notch! ..."
Little Pink Piggy
"Been back here many times for the great food, great service and great location. If you're after something fun, social and casual as a couple or with..."
Ali Ward
"I'm not sure why there are negative reviews about this place, perhaps those that wrote them had had a bad day? I couldn't fault this place from the..."
Dave Owen
"As usual I received the best service tonight at Chocolate Buddah. The food is always amazing but the staff are always and without exception so..."
Michaela Uzima
"Gourmet gluten free lunch. Not just gluten free, but really tasty and beutifully presented! Will be back next time we're in..."
Trish
"Having been there previously for a number of years and again just in early February 2014, the relatively low Urbanspoon rating is a testament..."
Shanton
"To celebrate the end of the uni semester I headed to Chocolate Buddha in Federation Square. The joint has been around I believe since Federation..."
ELouise
"All the elements work well together for a tasty and clean dish - the silken tofu made..."
Aggofato
"Chocolate Buddha has long been one of my favourite Melbourne restaurants. It's right in the middle of Federation Square and serves fantastic Japanese..."
Bri
"...discovered that it was a japanese restaurant. i was immediately pleased with my selection. i started with an asahi beer, because i'm a cliche..."
Laura Brown
"I had trouble trying to write this epic Ramen post which is why it has taken me so long. Personally, ramen in Melbourne is actually quite..."
Jeroxie
"Yet another cloudy, winter day in Melbourne. Usually I would have loved to stay at home in the warmth all day with Iron Chef Rob watching DVDs but..."
Iron Chef Shellie
"I love dining at Chocolate Buddha. The food is great especially the izakaya menu which is lovely for sharing with friends. The staff are friendly and..."
Lula
"Excellent service and food!. Friendly staff with excellent customer service. Food was fast and delicious .. very hard to pick a favourite dish of the..."
Winterz
"VERY GLUTEN FREE FRIENDLY. It's casual and the service matches it. Service is not bad, but it's nothing to write home about either. Asian cuisine is..."
Coeliac.livingglutenfree
"Had a fabulous meal. My son is GF and the menu caters well for food allergies. Not the cheapest but excellent quality and excellent service. Highly..."
Colleen
"Love this place!. I had lunch here yesterday with some friends, and we had a fab time. Our designated waiter Lucas was absolutely charming, and kept..."
Supersnazzy
"I have eaten here quite a few times in the past but not recently. There must have been a change in management...for the better!! All the staff super..."
Snake00
"YUM. I love everything about this place. I don't care if people say it's touristy and non-traditional. Ive been here a billion times and the standard..."
Confi_dance
"Great location. I've always enjoyed Chocolate Buddha when I've eaten here. Last week was no exception, although it didn't excite me as it had..."
Stvar1
"Rocked up on a Saturday night with 3 kids 4 adults and no booking. We were looked after by a great waitress. Food was fantastic as was the..."
WestISbest
"Delivers. Chocolate Buddha isn't claiming to be a restaurant which provides totally authentic Japanese food. What it does well, it delivers: casual..."
MelbourneMiss
"Good environment and excellent courteous service with prompt delivery of both entree and mains. Food was well presented and delicious. Gluten free..."
AndrewS
"I used not to. It is not the best available but it is a staple for the regular cbd Japanese food attendee who values gif food. Tempura is..."
Stephen JR
"Can't stay away.. Have been coming here for many years and have seen so many staff come and go, menu alterations and renovations but I keep coming..."
Tara Devii
"This place still has good food, namely the newly added salmon avocado roll w apple wasabi, but it is a long way from where it used to be. Much..."
Brando The Pig
"Yum!. I often have to work in Melbourne, and this is one of my usual safe bets for good food and quick..."
Sarah
"My favourite Japanese restaurant in Melbourne! The food is always great, the restaurant is nice and easy to get to and the staff are really friendly!..."
Alyce M
"I love buddha. People usually write bad reviews because they have nothing better to do, Chocolate Buddha is a great venue in an awesome location and..."
Basil
"Best place to eat in Federation Square. Not the best Japanese I've had but still tasty. Venue makes up for the lack of flavour and moderate to high..."
Blake
"Great Experience. On first glance... A majestic row of seating, elegant service, with a menu to die for.A curry so perfectly made that......"
Obi-wan Kenobi
"Phenomenal Japanese cuisine. Chocolate Buddha is about to become my new go-to restaurant. Super convenient location - check. Gorgeous fit-out with..."
Emma Winton
"Great Food!. Awesome food, have taken friends from interstate and overseas and everyone really..."
Cameroncallister
"So so. Not too sure if I would return again. I think whether you would like this place or not just depends on what your after. The food is great, but..."
Erin Mahony
"Quick bite to eat!. Dropped in on a number occasions, but recently had the king fish and prawn sushi... Simply AMAZING! The sashimi and sushi here is..."
J.Hutchison
"Yum!. Menu is small (1 page for hot mains) and a little pricey- but I still love going here! The barramundi and the eggplant are to die for! Just..."
De88ie_9irl
"Good for quick meal. Well priced and tasty share plates. Service efficient and friendly without being..."
Turtle
"Great food! It's a lovely place to go for a special Japanese meal as it is pricey compared to all the sushi shops around Melbourne. Loved the tempura..."
Hello Kiki
"Japanese in Fed Square!. Not cheap but great location and a good restaurant for large parties.Japanese food is the bomb and they do a..."
Lily N
"Good Food and A Nice Location.. Chocolate buddha has nice modern australian cuisine, a good wine list and a nice location overlooking the Yarra, give..."
Gursharan Chana
"Ur paying for the location here as the food isn't anything out of the ordinary. Having said that I've been several times and will prob go back. I've..."
Tanya Pappalardo
"The food is good. We get a large vego dish to share. Beer prices are..."
Big Mojo
"Gluten free menu is a bit limited compared to the rest of the menu but food and service very good...."
Samuel Cox
"I'm a sucker for the Teriyaki chicken here-plus the location is good if catching a show in the city. Still a..."
Luke
"Ra-ra-ramen! For the cheap price tag and speedy food it's good when you're in a rush. To all the people out there who are unhappy that the food comes..."
Jade
"Overpriced for average taste. You're paying for the atmosphere. Its a nice place to socialise. The food is average, its food you can get anywhere but..."
Munchinmelbourne
"Loved it. Tasty food, good wine selection (Plum Wine was different) and lovely personal service. Looking forward to returning with friends, family &..."
Foodie
""which powder do i eat?!". Yum yum bento box was really good...the spicy little powders on the table are great on rice and id never had them before..."
P's Bottomless Pit
"Decent. From memory, not a lot of the food from Chocolate Buddha appealed to me, except, perhaps ironically the (Korean) bibambap. I've had it twice..."
Christina Ngo-Nguyen
"It's all about the location and this is reflected in the prices. We came here on a Monday night and couldn't fault the service. The entrees were..."
Rob
"Really enjoyed my experience there. Staff were helpful and lovely, ramens were massive! I left very very full and the prices of dishes was expected..."
Celia
"Tasty food, adequate service, great location. Ordered a rice and a noodle dish, both of which were tasty. Shame they don't do ordinary gyoza though...."
Foodi
"Great location, busy and lots to choose from on the menu. Communal eating style (long benches) so it's great for groups. A bit disappointed though..."
The Hungry Badger
"Central location & great food. Every time I go to Chocolate Buddha (and it would have to be in excess of half a dozen), I tell myself I'll try..."
Nadia
"Suprisingly Good!. At a restaurant called "Chocolate Buddha" I would not have expected Japanese food, but this place was, and business was booming...."
Iron Chef Shellie
"The atmosphere And the food were excellent. I highly recommend it if you love Japanese food. The only downside is there are no waiters taking orders..."
Sargon Younan
"The service here was friendly. We really enjoyed the entree and sashimi sharing options. The fusion flavours were also great. The ambience and..."
Jen G
"Chocolate Buddha is a great venue for family with little children. They do amazing children dishes, and delicious Japanese inspired dishes. We had..."
Zainurul Rahman
"Always one of my favourite places to eat in Melbourne. Great healthy food, great atmosphere, easy to get to and always something happening in..."
Ajanta Judd
"Absolutely delish! We were walk ins late on a Saturday and we managed to grab two spots at the bar - the staff were so incredibly lovely. Food was..."
Tiffany Vines
"Great spot! Great service! Extraordinary flavoursome food, which is presented well. All in all a great experience as long as you don't require a seat..."
Mark Nussy
"Chocolate Buddha continually amazes me. The staff, the food, the location & vibe all nailed. This will always be my favourite place to go for dinner...."
Alec Latchford (xSmartalec)
"The restaurant is located right at the centre of Federation Square and so easily accessible by public transport The food was incredible! Most..."
A Mitra