Review Oishi Kitchen - Prahran

Amazing food, amazing staff! Very reasonably priced only $50 for two mains and a share dish including two drinks. Would recommend visiting!

Food is tasty at very reasonable price.

The food & service is great. They just really need to clean the front windows. Looks so dirty in the sun. Hopefully the kitchen is much cleaner than the glass.

Cute little place just off the Chapel street. Korean fried chicken is outstanding. The girls working in the floor are super friendly and helpful. The food is homely and not too heavy. Our favorite Korean restaurant in Melbourne!

Oishi Kitchen's menu has a range of Korean and Japanese cuisine, lots of curries and Dons. I tried the Katsu Curry. It had a nice crispy portion of crumbed pork on a mild curry and generous portion of rice. There was also a basic side salad. Good value for $12! The tempura was battered of potato, beans, renkon, sweet potato and prawns. There was a touch too much batter, but the prawns were nice and crunchy. This also came with rice and salad. The service was quick and efficient, pleasant tunes playing throughout the restaurant. Oishi Kitchen has great food at affordable prices. Definitely worth a visit.

Reasonably priced food in a cosy environment and also family friendly! We’ve enjoyed the Pork bulgolgi and our young kids loved the tonkotsu ramen very much!

I’ve been to Oishi many times and always enjoyed the experience but was never inspired enough to write a review. This lunch was different. It was the first vegetarian meal I’ve had there and it was just devine. I had their vegetarian kare don and crispy tofu and slightly sweet curry. Definitely a keeper!

The service here is really fast and the food is very well priced. The meals taste great and are good portion sizes. The menu isn't overly expensive but still enough to suite a lot of people, I'll be back

Will come back for:<br/>+ Yuk Gae Jang (spicy beef soup)<br/>+ Chicken Karake Kare (curry chicken rice)<br/><br/>Was in the area and decided to try out this new eatery for a bite to eat. All the dishes were well presented and generally quite tasty and generously portioned. I particularly liked the yuk gae jang which was spicy, delicious and great eaten with steamed rice. Also tried the chicken curry and that was moorish and the curry sauce silky, and well spiced. The unagi bento was good, but a little boney and could do with a bit more spice. Prices seemed reasonable for what you get and service was friendly and efficient. The space was modern, pleasant and bright. We would definitely come back again to try out the other offerings.

The food portions were generous. Dishes were flavourful but a little on the sweet side. The salad that came with the meal were fresh and yummy. The server was friendly and there were no issues using Zomato Gold.

If you want AUTHENTIC KOREAN food this is it. Everything from the K pop in the background to the stainless steel tumblers reminds me of a humble cafe in Seoul. Such a find for Chapel street. The menu also has some super authentic dishes that are usually omitted from Korean restaurants outside Korea. Luke budae chigge (army stew). The soups and bentos are great and generous. Eating here makes me homesick for Seoul. <br/>

Super friendly and helpful for adjusting the menu for my daughter food was super quick and tasty thank you for a lovely lunch

Very tasty food and big portions. I went with a vegetarian and the options were numerous. Delicious udon noodles with fresh vegetables and a tasty sizzling plate. Highly recommend - will be back!

The food here is always good and hits the spot. Had the Tok Bok Gi, which was super spicy, which is why it was awesome 🥵🤤😍 and I had a whole Sang Ge Tang, which was really delicious. The wait staff were attentive and very polite 😊

So delicious!! Polite and attentive staff. New found little neighbourhood gem!! Love it so much we will be back again and again!<br/><br/>We had kim chi and pork pancake, kim chi and seafood fried rice, buckwheat cold noodles and korean beef. It was all so delicious and quickly served.

Caught up with a good old friend in South Yarra today and we decided to give Oishi Kitchen a go.<br/><br/>I ordered the Creamy Garlic Prawns with Kimchi Fried Rice and it was fantastic! The creaminess of the garlic sauce with the fried rice was like a pork with apple sauce sort of marriage - they went so well together. The seafood component was generous with not only prawns but also clams, large calamari rings, and big mussels.<br/><br/>My friend had the Unagi Bento Box off their lunch specials and said it was nice, although the sides could be better. It came with some green salad, pickled radish, fried dumplings and deep fried triangular parcels that tasted like curry puffs. Whilst we both liked the radish and parcels, we reckon that one less fried side item would be good. Perhaps a Japanese potato salad instead?<br/><br/>We also shared a serve of:<br/>Sundubu: I love my Korean tofu stew and they have nailed it here! The soup had the right amount of depth and kick to it and, again, the quantity of seafood was plentiful.<br/><br/>Mandu: These were the least of our favourites. The fillings of these dumplings (different to the ones in my friend’s bento box) were tasty but the skins were so dry that they were bordering on hard. Quite unpleasant actually.<br/><br/>Oishi Kitchen Salad: Simple and refreshing with a tasty sesame dressing.<br/><br/>Overall, it was good value for money and they are definitely generous with their portions. Both our meals came with miso soups on the side although not mentioned in the menu. <br/><br/>Despite the letdown on the dumplings, we had a good lunch and service was warm and pleasant. Only problem is, I can’t stop thinking about the garlic prawns and kimchi fried rice....

We had salad, fried chicken, seafood fried rice with creamy sauce and water. We really liked the salad. Fresh, springy, delicious and lovely dressing (not too sour). We liked the water too - cold and really help to refresh what came next. The fried chicken looked so good from the outside, but because the oil was either burned or overused, the chicken had a pungent smell. The fried rice could have been good if it was not too oily, and if it was not contaminated by the cheap processed cheese.

Super quick and consistently good. Spicy pork bento box is my go to takeaway dish at least once a week. The army stew is one of the best I’ve had; tasty and hearty with everything already mixed in and no extra costs for ramen.

Great food. Loved the flavors and portion sizes were decent. We were served promptly and the waitress who served us was great. Boneless fried chicken was the winner for us. Hit all the right spots without being pretentious. Will definitely be back.

The food was so delicious. I felt good because my children ate so well. The restaurant atmosphere was also good. Udon was also the best for my kids

Oishi Kitchen is a great little eatery, that my partner and I come back to semi-frequently. The service is no-frills, but polite and fast enough.<br/><br/>While the food isn't necessarily "the best" Korean or "the best" Japanese, it is nonetheless consistently tasty, more than enough so to know that the chef takes care in his work.<br/>The Tok Bok Gi that I had was delicious, with the sauce not overly sweet or salty - although it could have been a little spicier, and the hotplate could have been "sizzling" a little hotter when it came out.<br/>The Agedashi tofu was decent - served hot, with a lovely texture, and a sauce that didn't overwhelm the flavour of the tofu itself.<br/><br/>Overall, Oishi deserves merit for the simple reason that you know it'll never let you down, and there's much to be said for that in a restaurant.<br/><br/>Pictured are the Cheese Tok Bok Gi, and the Agedashi Tofu (left to right, in that order).

I love this place. One of our local go to’s that’s walking distance from home and always a first choice. Great food always and great polite and gentle service. Always a delight when we decide to go here and we are always excited. Lunch sets are quick cheap and delicious. Some of our favourites are the beef bento, gyoza and takoyaki. The menu is wide and a mixture of Japanese and Korean favourites. Very authentic and consistent.

My favorite Korean joint in Melbourne. It's always quality and has a home cooked feel. I don't like the credit surcharge but some things I can overlook.

A good place to go to for a casual Korean-Japanese meal on Chapel St. Food quite tasty and the restaurant has a good look to it. Not a great place if you're in a hurry, many times I've had to give up on this place during a quick work lunch because service was too slow. There's usually only one girl on the floor who has to do everything on her own and really they should have two.

The cheese Tok Bok Gi is one of the best things I've ever eaten. Great value and fast service. Will definitely be coming back again. Check out this place if you want amazing & affordable Korean food

LOVE this restaurant! It is more Korean than Japanese, and they do Korean well!<br/>The jap chae here is the best - not oily at all. Just beautiful and full of a variety of flavoursome ingredients.<br/>The dumplings and seafood pancake are also family favourites and cannot be faulted.<br/>The baby back ribs are also tasty and a great dish, thoroughly enjoyed.<br/>The spicy squid dish has quite a bit of heat to it, but it is delicious nonetheless.<br/>Even their salad is fresh and vibrant, with a lovely sesame dressing.<br/>We ordered a vegetarian bibimbap and was disappointed that it did not come in a hot stone bowl, but we didn't mind too much because the ingredients were of a good quality.<br/>Service is attentive and friendly. Dishes are well priced and of a good sized portion.

We're strolling down along the Chapel st enjoying the long weekend to welcoming the Melbourne Cup day, YAYYYY!! <br/>Though it's cold out there but it's still considered as a great day cause it's a day off tomorrow LOL<br/>Surprisingly, we found the first authentic Korean restaurant in this area named "Oishi Kitchen"<br/><br/>The vibe and atmosphere were good, cosy and clean.<br/>The customer service was speedy serving.<br/>Note: Don't be surprised if you find your bimbimbab sauce move to other tables taken by customer staff without asking, because some people might get offended on this action.<br/><br/>We ordered:<br/>- Hotpot BiBimBab for $15.00 ~ 4.5/5.0<br/>  Served in the traditional hot stone bowl with seasoned vegetables, beef, fried egg and mushrooms.<br/>  It was one of the best BiBimBab we've ever tried, the taste was balance and well seasoned.<br/>  It came to the perfection when you added the homemade bimbimbab sauce, WOW!!! Oishi....!!<br/>  The beef was very tender and juicy, but the portion given wasn't that much.<br/>  We're happy to give 4.5/5.0 and very recommended.<br/><br/>- Boneless Fried Chicken (small) for $15.00 with additional $2.00 on Garlic Chilli sauce.<br/>  It wasn't crispy enough from outside The worst part was the soggy texture when you cut the chicken.<br/>  We didn't really enjoy the KFC as it was was very greasy, oily and tasteless. <br/>  Unfortunately, we paid additional $2.00 for the dipping that wasn't nice either.<br/>  The average taste was less than expected and overpriced for this quality.<br/>  Would give this 2.0/5.0<br/><br/>Overall, we had a good time having the bibimbab but not the KFC.<br/><br/>Price: 3.5<br/>Taste : 3.5<br/>Speed: 3.0<br/>Service: 2.5<br/><br/>Yay: Hotpot BiBimBab is really recommended!<br/>Nay: Boneless Fried Chicken big NO NO!!<br/><br/>Location: 286 Chapel Street, Prahran, Melbourne<br/>Phone: 03 9913 4517

Great service and food! Would recommend their Budae Jiggae (for 2) and Kimchi Jiggae. Many ordered their Korean fried chicken as well which looked fanstastic. Only wish we could’ve tried that!

Felt like having Korean food, but I am a vegetarian. So couldn't find anything good to eat. It's a dumb idea to go to a Asian restaurant for veggies food.

This Korean restaurant is a neighbourhood gem. The menu has a nice variety and the restaurant has a relaxed feeling to it. Food quality is good and the service is personal and friendly. I especially like their Buckwheat Noodle in Cold Broth, particularly refreshing on a warm day. Will definitely return.

Oishi isn't that oishi after all....<br/>Service wasn't up to mark. Spilled miso soup on our table while serving & didn't bother to replace the soup which had half left. Wet Iphone & clothes aside, the food was mediocre. Specifically disappointed with the spicy beef soup which was tasteless & had only 3 miserable thin slices of beef. Better Jap/Korean places everywhere!

Went in on a Sat for a quick lunch. Tried their chicken karaage, it was really good. Didn't expect the batter for the fried chicken to be so light and delicious! Yum!

Went here for dinner last night and despite my friend hassling me about not booking (mmnn maybe I should of haha) I bluffed it and got the last table! Phew, I saved face haha <br/><br/>I had some warm house sake which was really good! Being it on I say haha<br/><br/>My friend orders sooo much for so we didn't go hungry! We were given a complimentary salad and some crumbed chicken schnitzel. They also gave us some complimentary pasta, mmnn lol<br/><br/>One of the entrees was octopus balls which were d'lish but bloody hot!! Temp wise I mean. <br/><br/>We had KFC no not American one lol but boneless Korean Fried Chicken yummmm <br/><br/>I had a Hotpot beef bibimbap and my friend had a kimchi pancake, and Korean BBQ chicken (w cheese) which took some explaining but we worked it out. It was awesome! <br/><br/>The service was friendly, and overall it was a really good dinner. <br/><br/>With Simmyeats.Melb.

We were lucky to get seated as this restaurant was jam packed! We were a table for 4 and were fortunately seated at the last available table. Inside the restaurant is really nice and modern with lots of light. My partner ordered the BBQ eel which he enjoyed and I got the beef bibimbab which was nice however it was lacking something.  It did improve once I added the soy sauce and chilli sauce but I was still not completely wowed. We ordered to share the deep fried octopus balls and the fried boneless chicken, these were both enjoyable.  Our waitress was limited with her English as we had an enquiry regarding one of the dishes, she had to go to the back and get someone else. No biggie but one of the other guests I was with had to keep repeating himself in hope she might understand. Great menu, there were so many dishes that looked great. My glass of wine I ordered was filled to the top!  Another reason why I love Asian restaurants! haha All in all a good experience with good company and I recommend a visit here.

The food here was quite delicious~! Tried the teriyaki chicken, the potato korokke and the bulgogi ^_^ all of the food was amazing. The only downsides were that the korokke was a bit oily (understandable as they're deep fried) and there wasn't as big as serving of teriyaki chicken as there was bulgogi but the staff was friendly and the food came out really quickly~ it came out to $41 between two (just having water as a drink) so definitely worth a try p.s. There may not be much parking around chapel st

Friendly staff and good customer service. Food was great and delicious especially seafood with cream sauce. However, if you are a meat person don't go for the pento box because they have too much vegetables not enough meat.

I came from the other side of town to try their food and it was so worth it. The servings are generous and the food was great. The staff were also incredibly nice.

OK is pretty good and not just ok for a Korean/Jap restaurant. Good flavours and portions, and reasonably priced.<br/>I particularly enjoyed the octopus balls and seafood soup. Oishi indeed.

I have ordered from here plenty of times during my work lunch break and i love how fresh and delicious the food always is! - definitely leave nothing to waste.

It's one of my favourite go-to asian restaurant in prahran. Cheap, nice atmosphere and decent food. You can't expect better food with that price and portion. Highly recommended for anyone who loves Korean and Japanese food concept. However, if you are a true fan of Japanese cuisines, I don't recommend this place since it has more Korean vibes here, from decoration, cutlery, music, staffs and.. yes, food as well haha.

Having lunch here for first time, the food was yum.. We ordered tempura udon soup and cheese tteobokki. Only the let down are sweet potato tempura was hard and the batter was undercooked, the noodle my tteobokki was so less, i need more portions on tteobokki :D

5 stars for here n they deserve it <br/>1) atmosphere excellent for a late lunch on a weekend<br/>2) food was delicious (had the eel bento box. had the seaweed salad<br/><br/>yum i reccommend

I've been here a few times even though the place hasn't stand out too much from other Korean restaurants Ive been. Nonetheless, I really need to give it a 4 for the variety of Korean food they have here. I especially enjoy the Korean ginseng soup! It really got me through those yucky cold & flu season 😌😌

This is my go to lunch spot for authentic Korean food! Korean food here is a 10/10 however the Japanese dishes are not authentic here. I've ordered a Japanese curry here before expecting for a lot of curry sauce but ended up with more like a couple of spoonfuls of sauce on top of some fried chicken and a small bed of rice. Despite the bad Japanese food, I always come here for Korean soup dishes which always come out consistently great! I would rate service 7/10 as there is only always one waitress during lunchtime and if it is busy, the waitress struggles to accommodate everyone. Will still come here but will never order a Japanese dish again.

Oishi, from on Japanese, roughly translates to delicious, and that's exactly what this place is. With lunch and dinner menus, there is a delicious variation of Japanese and Korean delicacies, BBQ dishes, O-Bento boxes, kimchi, potato noodles, and Korean Fried Chicken. Most dishes come with sides of rice, pickles, and something special (this time it was some lightly fried crab pieces). We've been here at least a dozen times, and they don't disappoint.<br/>Processes: very efficient. One person in the back cooking, and one person in the front, serving, clearing, taking orders, etc. <br/>Quality: food quality is out of this world!!! Consistency of their food, is spot on every time we order something we've ordered before. Price is very reasonable. <br/>Overall - try this place. It's right across the road from Uncle Bucks on Chapel Street. <br/>Enjoy!!

I am Korean and eat a lot of Korean food. I found this quite bland and the beef was exceptionally fatty. <br/>We noticed quite a few flies buzzing around whilst we ate, there was rubbish stored out the back and given we were sitting closest to it you could also smell it. It was unpleasant and I would not return.

number 28 on the menu was deliciousssssssssssssssssssssssss!<br/><br/>such a great fusion combination of asian flavours and western influences!<br/><br/>this was perfect and serving size is great value for money

First time to this place and was very impressed! Me and the missus have been to a variety of Korean place, but this one definitely stands out! Fast service, modern industrial/cozy setting, greay portions, authentic flavour, fairly priced, overall had a fantastic meal that was out of our expectations. We will definitely be back- with more people!

& it's not the first time I tried something different..& as usual I liked Korean cuisine to some extent..they served a small series of salads soup as a welcome dish..which was quite good..coming to the food,it was quite enjoyable..loved the taste of Korean style bbq sizzling pork..that's superb..😋😋apart from that the service is really quick...& the quantity is more than sufficient for any hungry soul..

Little surprise at Oishi...strolling down Chappel street & stumbled on this little gem. <br/>Had the Bibimbap, Silken Tofu (agadashi) sizzling Spicy Octopus, the meals came out within minutes not to mention the little pre-condiments. <br/>The decor is cute & contemporary & the prices are very afordable! I will be back Oishi Kitchen ☺

Great flavours! Good portion size. Friendly and quick service. The only down side was that it was probably the one Korean restaurant that we got the least amount of side dishes (ie. 2) and what we got weren't too inspiring unfortunately. Otherwise, good value and authentic K fare.

Wow! Amazing food, good service and the price was surprisingly affordable . Had the L.A Galbi good flavour and was out quick . Also had the fried boneless chicken . Can't rate this place any higher . If you have the chance treat yourself .

Who doesn't love Japanese or Korean food? What's even better is to combine the two to create one tastylicious fusion. My personal go to for when I'm in the area. Highly recommend the kimchi fried rice with prawn garlic cream sauce, as well as agedashi tofu and octopus for entree. Fantastic, quick and cheap! Dig in!

Few weeks back...On a sunday we suddenly chose this restaurant for our lunch....the staffs are friendly..since we would be trying korean food.for first time..she recommended us some popular korean japanese fusion items..we tried sizzling Korean chicken bbq...kimchi jjigae...and bibimbap.....all we wanted very spicy dish. So...we really loved the taste of kimchi jjigae...however we did not like bibimbap very much.it seemed to be very dry..but...sizzling hot korean bbq chicken was amazing...definitely we go again for this<br/>Super hot and spicy kimchi one and for other dishes to try more...

good korean/japanese fusion. we ate a lot, bulgogi, agedashi tofu, korroke, and others (can't remember). had a good deal on tap asahi which we got. delicious, satisfied.

Went here with a few friends early on a Saturday night. Food was amazing and quickly served. Service was excellent. Pricing was great for the quality. I had vegan dishes and was very impressed. Clean bathrooms (always important).

Despite being a fusion restaurant, the Japanese dishes have more korean twists to them than the Korean dishes have their Japanese make-overs. I had their udon and tempura, not bad, just found it a bit weird eating it with Korean flat chopsticks and tiny spoon. What about a upgrade in the cutlery? Would love to have a ladle spoon for the udon soup indeed...

Very good service, waitress was all smiles and enthusiastic. I ordered Cheese garlic prawn & kimchi fried rice, and SoonDooBoo (it comes with rice). The food was served faster than I thought and it didn't disappoint, worth the price. I'll definitely come back.

Very tasty kimchi fried rice. I didn't like the seafood cream sauce that came with it and asked if they could do it with chicken without cream. They obliged. One happy customer here.

Oishi kitchen is a perfect fitting name! I've eaten at so many Japanese restaurants in Melb and am often disappointed by the average food but this place was different. Although it looked very casual and like it might be a fast food type of Japanese food... the means really were delicious but also excellent value for money.  The agedashi tofu was the highlight for me, the only let down was the slightly watery weak miso soup.  Would definitely visit again if I was in the area! :)

This place is one of our favourite Korean restaurant in town .We love korean food and usually go this place almost every week .The best for me is soondooboo soup .It s a rich flavor and alot of seafood in the soup and spicy pork bulgogi , korean pancake , jabchae ( sorry if i spell wrong ) and tteokbokki as well .It s hidden gem !!!

Oishi Kitchen, which comes from the Japanese word oishii, meaning delicious or tasty, is a fusion Japanese and Korean restaurant on the iconic Chapel Street, located in the heart of Melbourne's Prahran.

I just found a new local favorite. The food were delicious! We had spicy pork and beef ribs for main and we can't get enough of it. We came with a nice bottle of Pinot noir but after a glass, we put the wine a side and ordered soju instead. I would recommend to go straight with soju or beer with their food. Definitely will come here again!

So so sooo good! Their service, the place, their kimchi jjigae, their chilli chicken karage, their side dishes, their everything 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

After finishing my trip to Prahran market and the supermarket, I was starving. I had seen this place numerous of times and been wanting to try their menu. I found myself entering the premises and greeted warmly by an Asian lady. I was asked to seat where ever I want to. I went for the spicy pork bento box and that was delicious! It is such a neat looking place and the staff were friendly. I will definitely come back and try more of their menu.

I'd like to call myself an expert in Korean food, though I'm really not considering that my Korea trip earlier last year mostly consisted of McDonalds and fried chicken. However back here in Melbourne, I'm pretty much always eating Korean. Say what?<br/><br/>Oishi Kitchen (Oishi very much like the Japanese term "Oishii" which means tasty or delicious in English) is more authentic Korean food with some Japanese dishes really, however the lunch menu is pretty Japanese with the bento boxes etc. Anyway, don't go expecting your traditional sushi rolls, because aside the salmon sashimi (which was fresh by the way), that was about as close as you would get if you wanted sushi. <br/><br/>So back to the whole I eat Korean food regularly. Imagine the look on my face when I find a place that lives up their Zomato rating. I thoroughly enjoyed and was pleasantly surprised with everything that we ordered. Truthfully, it was probably one of the more authentic and tasty Korean restaurants I have been to. You really get good value for what you pay because everything was pretty standard in pricing, not to mention the quality of the food was definitely there. So even if you were paying a little more, you not only walk out feeling elated, but satisfied and possible with a food baby if you have a tendency to overeat like me. You only live once! <br/><br/>Do try the Okonomiyaki, it's differently presented compared to your usual round ones. This is on a stick and is absolutely delicious. <br/>Could have done without the kimchi and pork pancake. It was good, but pretty ordinary if anything. <br/><br/>Note: The spicy pork bento box is actually spicy. Now I take spice very well but a lot of time when I order spicy pork elsewhere, it's not spicy. I could actually taste the spice in this one which is great because the word spicy should really entail some spice. <br/><br/>Only thing I would have to say that did stop me from rating Oishi Kitchen a 4.5 was the service, or the lack thereof. Not that it was bad, but I do appreciate to be greeted upon entering and not just handed a menu without a word. Some attentiveness especially when it was clearly not busy would be great as well. I really don't want to be having to walk to the counter to ask for water because it was easier than trying to grab the attention of the waiter. I mean I probably need the exercise anyway, but feel free to agree to disagree. <br/><br/>

Amazing food. Got the spicy chicken bento and edamame and thoroughly enjoyed it. $12 for a bento box is amazing value. Highly recommended. A+

I have been there twice and will definitely go there more often. Very delicious korean food, well balanced and well presented. Highly recommend this one.

Loved this place great Korean food!!<br/>Great atmosphere along with the affordable food was great the only downfall was the service wasn't the best

Some of the best Korean food I've eaten in Melbourne! Had the creamy seafood and kimchi fried rice and the flavours were fantastic. Will have to return to try the rest of the menu

Always our favorite place when craving for korean cuisine! Great foods come with great value! Highly recommended! The salad served with delicious sauce!

Ordered:<br/>- cheese Tok Bok Gi<br/>- kimchi pork jun<br/>- creamy seafood with kimchi fried rice<br/><br/>Service is okay but food was extremely delicious! I highly recommend the dishes we ordered because that's what made us find the restaurant so yummy! Seriously cannot get enough of the cheese Tok Bok Gi!

Enjoy this place, I wish they would sell their Oishi salad sauce... Enjoy sharing the bento boxes and love the Tok Bok Gi, delicious rice cakey, spicey, cheesy goodness!

Simply good! Sincere and perfectly balanced Korean food. This is one of those places where you get more than what you expected. Definitely be back!

Great Korean food. Like, really great! Best I've had in fact (although to be fair I haven't been to Korea).<br/><br/>The food had great sweetness to it - but always balanced with (for example) earthiness or spice from other ingredients.<br/><br/>Service warm and friendly.<br/><br/>I have never really had much Korean, but after this place I may have it more now!

To get a good rating from someone who doesn't like Koreon... Doesn't mean it can't or won't happen from time to time. So I guess today is one of those times.<br/><br/>For us it was a very welcomed change. Koreon really is not our cuisine of choice, it really was a surprise that we ventured inside. But hey I'm so glad I did, and yes we will even be returning, and hopefully soon.

Love this restaurant! Come here on a weekly basis. The bento boxes are great value and the staff are always very polite. Usually go for the fried pork bento

The restaurant was pretty quiet when we visited at night, about 9pm for a late dinner. The food came out in ten mins. The seafood soup wasn't very salty and I liked the spicy flavour! Not a lot of seafood in the soup but I wasn't very hungry at the time. My poor husband couldn't find any sliced or minced beef in his beef soup and he wasn't very happy about that. Perhaps the restaurant can put in more stuff in the soup to get a better review. Staff were good though.

It's a small restaurant on chapel street with not much people. Surprisingly, the food is unexpectedly good. The salmon is really nice and fresh with reasonably price and good portion for 2 people to share. The eel bento tastes good, the eel is chewy and it isn't over-cooked (unlike most of the Japanese restaurant).

I've been to Japan a couple of times and this restaurant is most reminiscent of the casual dining I enjoyed over there. Great prices, great service and delicious food that arrives FAST. I'm normally not a fan of tofu but theirs is SO good, I order it every time now whilst trying out different mains. Definitely worth trying this place, I've been back many times.

Been here a few time over the past couple of years and the food's been consistent. Good japanese and korean food. Love the soups. Good value and helpful service. I like the fact this is an unassuming and unpretentious place, unlike most of the places on Chapel st. Highly recommended.

Good Japanese/Korean restaurant. Decently priced, attentive service and quick food delivery. My personal recommendation would be the creamy garlic prawn fried rice (w/ prawns, clams and squid), takoyaki (deep fried octopus balls) and definitely the L.A. Galbi beef short ribs with rice!! They also serve side dishes kimchi, salad and pickled beanshoots. Worth checking out.

Great simple Japanese food, even liked the tofu (and I despise tofu).<br/><br/>Agree with the other reviewers though, $20 minimum for eftpos is stupid

Excellent service from super friendly staff! Extensive menu, very cheap and reasonable. Large servings, fresh, tasty, and authentic Japanese. Love this place! 110% will be back. Get the bento box!

$20 minimum on Eftpos? Come on....Get real or lose your customers...........................................................................

Nice casual place for a meal. All the food was great especially the grill they brought out to the table. The service was snappy and lovely and not at all pricy.

We came in tonight and had an amazing meal. We eat Japanese a lot and this was a Japanese Korean fusion. Lovely interior and felt really relaxing and calm. <br/>We had some edamame, chicken kaarage was excellent quality lots of meat and a sweet spicy sauce over the top. Then we had teriyaki chicken which was a massive serve of tasty chicken and not fatty on a sizzle plate. The beef bulgogi was delicious and sweet / salty and each came with a rice and condiments of fried carrots, bean shoots and salad. With 2 kirin ciders and a lovely cold sake this was all $88. Its crazy how this place was so cheap and good at the same time. Definitely coming back weekly.

Came on quite a quiet night, the staff here are lovely - a mix of japanese and korean cuisine, yummy side dishes, big portions, a bit over priced but still quite good.

I came here on Saturday night at around 6.30PM. It wasn't too packed at this time, so I was able to get a table quite easily. <br/>My partner and I ordered the Jap Chae, Combination of 58 & 59 and the Sukiyaki hotpot. The Combination of 58 & 59 was good but quite spicy! I can handle spicy food but I was still surprised by how hot it was. Under all the octopus and calamari was potato noodles as well as beansprouts. It was also served with rice.<br/>The Jap Chae was nice and could not fault it.<br/>The Sukiyaki hotpot broth was wonderful and had a lot of flavor to it. This was also served with potato noodles and a form of rice cake. I was a bit disappointed with the beef though- it felt quite dry.

Mar 2016 <br/>Been here few times already, this visit feel like the food has been improved and taste even better.<br/><br/>The sizzling pork belly taste very good, the charcoal taste just right, meat is tender, i feel this is even better than those BBQ Korean shop.<br/><br/>Seafood tofu soup, my favourite, full of fresh seafood : prawn, clam, squid, love the cabbage and onion added sweetness into the soup, love the soft tofu.<br/><br/>Price is very reasonable to its portion and quality of food, highly recommended.<br/><br/><br/>Oct 2015<br/>Normally serve with small appetiser when you order main meal, like the salad sesame taste seasoning. <br/><br/>Seafood tofu spicy soup highly recommended, especially eat during cold weather, good thing about it is they use fresh seafood. <br/><br/>BBQ beef ribs sizzling, very tender part and full of BBQ fragrance, if the bean sprout can make it stir fried a little before playing I guess might be even better.<br/><br/>Main meal serve with a bowl or rice.<br/><br/>April 2015<br/><br/>This is a Japanese mix Korean restaurant. I like the spicy tofu soup, order this soup most of the time, reasonable portion to share with 2 people, come with a bowl of rice and little daily small appetizer, good amount of seafood in the soup, not very spicy, taste fresh. Tried the curry chicken karaage rice before, I prefer to request the curry sauce put aside, fried chicken pieces not very oily.

Had chicken bulgogi .. So yummy ! And they also do lunch special ... But they only take cash if less than $20!.................................

Good Japanese that's what you will get here. Staff is friendly and prices are reasonable. Although some of the meat dishes has way too much onions, not sure if Japanese people love onions so much.<br/>Ambience is great.

I've been going here occasionally for the past two years and i've got to say it's the best palce to get Korean outside of the cbd. Traditional dishes are somewhat limited but you get a really generous helping when even you order the bbq dishes, arriving with a large pile of meat and a bowl of rice, accompanied by a mix of starters and salads, all for $15!. Ambience is nice, it's a little eatery tucked into the side of chapel street with piped music and tasteful art and seating arrangements. Definitely would recommend for a great, cost effective eat

Bibimbap. Very tasty

Great Korean with great service and good value. Loved this place!<br/>We ordered just the soup for two which was huge and rich and came with sides, all delicious and clean.<br/>Service was super friendly and prices are good.

So delicious! Had the grilled unagi (eel) and it was some of the best I've ever tasted. The bibimbap was delicious and had crunchy rice from the stone bowl and the seafood pancake was solid too. All up had 2 entrees and 3 mains and only $70.

Not traditional at all, bad taste

Needs new menu. We used to be regulars, but after 2 years of having the same food, we find ourselves rather driving 15, 20 mins to other Korean BBQ restaurants

Another post from a while back, man I have been really productive with blogging lately (*high-five to myself*). Anyway this is from that day we decided to go out for an early dinner before the Women in Surgery Seminar. We were going to go to Third Wave but it turned out we went on the day they AREN'T open for dinner. Just my luck right? Thankfully with a bit of urbanspooning we found this little Japanese/Korean restaurant that wasn't too shabby at all. <br/>Bibimbap - $13 Only had a beef option, didn't try any but looks as good as other I have tried. Decent price too! <br/>Donkatsu - $14 Served with rice. Although this dish looks big, I was still left hungry, probably because I had a light lunch and also let other people try my dish. Apart from that the donkatsu sauce was lovely, would have liked more greens and the pork was a bit oily. <br/>Chilli Chicken Karaage - $14.80 Definitely the best dish of the day, kind of wish I got it, but this is a main dish and didn't come with rice. However, the flavours were amazing, a nice sweet flavour that packs a punch at the end. The serving might look small in the picture but was much more generous in real life.

I happened to be wandering past this place while on my lunch break and thought I’d give it a go.  They were advertising lunch specials on bentos and dons.  Inside there was quite an industrial aesthetic.  Tables were separated by steel and reinforced glass partitions and warehouse style lampshades hung over the tables.  Bare plywood sheets adorned one wall above some bench seating, above which was a long back-lit shelf which contained a number of Asian beverages and drinking vessels.  The weathered timber wall which hid the kitchen was painted in various pastel colours adding some pizzaz to the decor. The place was reasonably busy and the clientele was mostly Asian which I consider a good sign for any place selling Asian food.  The menu was quite extensive and I’d like to come back here for a full meal but I chose the sukiyaki beef don.  Sukiyaki is a hot pot dish made with meat, fresh vegetables and noodles simmered in a sweet soy based soup.  On

Oishi! Kitchen  is one of the best Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant I've tasted in Melbourne. Voted and ranked above 90% on Urbanspoon just proved that most of you guys would agree with my statement. Oishi! Kitchen  is truly oooooiiiissshhi!!! For starters we had a complimentary salad bowl Cream Garlic Prawn & Kimchi Fried Rice, 15AUD I ordered The Kimchi Fried Rice and it was oh-so-divine.. Who knew seafood creamy pasta sauce could blend in perfectly with Korean kimchi? The Kimchi Fried Rice is also known to be one of Oishi! Kitchen's best sellers. Every table around us would have at least a plate of Kimchi Fried Rice present. There's clams, squids, prawns and mussels on my creamy sauce. Cheese Tok Bok Gi, 13AUD Tok Bok Gi is meant to be cheese-less but you could add a dollar for tons of drizzly melted mozzarella. Tok Bok Gis are Korean Rice cakes that are cooked in a sweet and spicy sauce with mild amount of vegetables. Oh! There's ramen noodles on this one too. Yum! Sukiyaki Hot Po

So when I was meeting one of my dearest friends (in the universe) for dinner and a show (at Chapel Off Chapel) I did a spot of research into some 'healthier' options in the area and came up with Oishii Kitchen, a Japanese/Korean offering on Chapel St. Before I go any further I should add that in true dear-friend-of-the-universe get together style, we proceeded to way over-order and any attempt at a light meal was thrown out of the galaxy.

Tried unagi don~the source is too salty~The rice seems not fresh cooked~~Not good cost performance~~

Delightful!. Where else in Melbourne do u get complimentary starters? Exactly! After having our order taken from the lovely waitress, a little selection of starters came out which was a lovely gesture and set the tone for the rest of the meal :-) we had the sizzling BBQ beef and udon noodles with seafood and veggies. Both were delicious and inexpensive. Because of the reasonable prices and good service, I tipped and then to show her appreciation, the waitress offered me some Japanese confectionary. A true little gem of a place.

Just had dinner here tonight and it was yums! Friendly and efficient service, menu with a good variety of options, value for money for Japanese/Korean cuisine. Will definitely be back to try more dishes in future!

Double thumbs up!. Awesome!! did takeaway (number 13, 14, 15, 35) so cant comment on the service but... well worth the visit and will differently be back, food was excellent... double thumbs up!!

Stop trying to be food critics. Good price, reasonable food, service perfectly acceptable for an Asian fast food type restaurant.<br/>To all the food critics who wished the service and quality was better - check into Flower Drum next time and spare us your whining.

Best food so yummy everytime!

Delicious food and boy!. Great place to enjoy lunch with a big group. Very reasonably priced and free edamame with every Kirin ordered. Love this place and will be back for more.

Awful food. Korean staff trying to pretend Japanese, with terrible and not correct items of Japanese food on the menu.. Please stop making awful food mix, and do what you hopefully do best - just a Korean food! Terrible attention to details, bad customer service, staff in a hurry to get rid of you. Doesn't matter how much you charge, but if bento box tastes disgusting, $11.50 will not help and will not save it. I think there shouldn't be cafes/restaurants who don't care about food preparation, and who don't care what they serve to their customer. Awful dining and take away experience, food taste awful.

Simply Fantastic!. I came here for lunch with some friends and its one of the best restaurants you can find in Prahran! The atmosphere was great (nice music in the background), service was quick and helpful as well as the food being fantastic.The chicken chili karage, agedashi tofu and kimchi fried rice with seafood sauce were especially good. I Will definitely be back and will recommend this gem to everyone!

Oishi kitchen. Absolutely recommended, good food at a good price, good atmosphere, friendly staff and brings a sense of Korea. Number 48 for the win.

One of the Best. Oishi Kitchen is a prime example of one of the best restaurants at Prahran, their service is friendly and quick. The food there is well prepared and is one of the best tasting Japanese and/or Korean restaurants i have ever been to. I went with friends whom i tried food off of and every single thing that was ordered tasted delectable, they all tasted like food you would get from a 5 star restaurant but with the cheap prices ($10-$15). Overall the food was scrumptious, the service polite and the experience was superb. Oishi Kitchen is a little slice of Japanese/Korean heaven and i look forward to coming back!

I came here for lunch and its one of the best restaurants in Melbourne! The service was fantastic and the food was even better. I will definitely come back soon and recommend this to everyone!

A hidden gem like no other. I decided to eat at Oishi kitchen on my way home from work today, and needless to say the food was phenomenal !! Their food is well cooked and the food came extremely fast. The Korean and Japanese food were extremely wonderful and I would definitely eat there again. I loved the way the restaurant looked and felt, and I am surely ranking this as one of my most favourite places to eat.

I ordered their katsu curry don. Portion is small and the chicken is not well breaded.

Came in 9pm just to be told that they are close when it clearly state on the window business hours are from 11:30 am to 10 pm. I hope the owners know this or they will lose the business if they keep doing it to other paying customers.

Another Asian dishes catered for Caucasian taste bud.. Everyone raves about the kimchi fried rice with cream garlic prawns - it's very bland. I barely can taste the normally strong kimchi robust flavour that gives it's spicy, with a slight hint of sour, characteristic of kimchi fried.<br/><br/>The seafood pajeon. .. hm.. what seafood? . There are more chopped veggies then there are tiny calamari in it. Slightly soggy. But good sauce though.<br/><br/>Generous portion.. but then it's quality vs quantity. <br/>Places in city have better flavour.

My go to place for lunch. Love this place!

Atrocious!!. Service was very friendly and restaurants decor and atmosphere was very nice however the food definitely wasn't! I dined with two others and all three of our meals were terrible. My seafood was cold and way WAY overcooked, the sauce on the chicken on the bento boxes was disgusting and the rest of the food just was not tasty. Very disappointing.

Oishi oishi. The food at oishi is absolutely incredible!!!! seriously everything on the menu has been delicious i wish i can come here everyday!!!

Oh yeah. Great food, great value would recommend to anyone I was there mid arvo

Just wanted to finish my drink. Very disappointed, enjoyed the food but was upset by the service. The staff sat down and enjoyed a meal at the next table while we ate and we were not allowed to finish our glasses of wine as the staff threw one glass away and informed us they were closed- this was at 10.30pm on a Saturday night.

Good food, bad service. The food was yummy and cheap but the staff were quite rude! kind of put me off the place...

Like it!. There are several top-quality options for Asian food in Prahran and Windsor, but this place is certainly very close to the top of the list. The food was very tasty, the atmosphere was relaxed, the service was very efficient and the cost was reasonable.

Loved it. Great everything but having just been to Korea, loved the seafood pancake and dumplings the most!

Great food, loved the BBQ teriyaki chicken! Food came out quickly!

Hmmm. I am on the fence with this one. I would never do dinner again. Lunch it would probably be worth it. It just feels too cheap for me. My sukiyaki was mediocre but the gyoza and age dashi tofu were nice. Overall 6/10.

Great value and quality. Excellent for both takeaway or dine in. Solid for both Japanese and Korean flavours. I generally get the lunchtime bentos.

AN ABSOLUTE HIDDEN GEM. Been here 5 times now within 12 weeks, either lunchtime or later afternoon. I can't believe this place isn't packed full all of the time!<br/>Value - this place is ridiculously cheap. 2 of us have eaten each time with a bill between $30 - $55 for both of us (without drinks) and have been fed like Kings. <br/>The Be Bim Bap, Boogoogee (check spelling!) Mandoo duplings, side accompaniments & lashing of Kim Chi are Superb...even more than superb. Food feels fresh, presentation is lovely & flavours are amazing. The decor is subtle & modernly pleasant. Service is cute.... Meal delivery prompt. An absolute new favourite. Hope these guys build and build

Oisha is a treasure. The ambience is calming, the food is very fresh, generous, fragrant and fabulous. The staff are welcoming and proud of the honest and delicious food they serve.

Came here for my birthday dinner. The food was amazing and service was so very friendly!!!! Will come back again and recommend to all our friends.

Great food and great service. Such a cheap eat for the quality of food. Damplings, spicy pork, katsu don all above expectation

Cheap & generous Korean Japanese Restaurant!. This restaurant is the sister restaurant of Big Mama. I've always loved Big Mama as the serves authentic Korean & Japanese dishes with affordable prices and the taste is super authentic and yummy. BUT WAIT FOR IT.... OISHI KITCHEN IS CHEAPER! Found out that this little joint opens up in Chapel St just a few blocks from my place truly made my day. Super nice staff, yummy food, cheap prices there's nothing not to love about Oishi Kitchen!!! :D

I had the vegetable curry, and it was amazing! Super authentic and beautifully presented.

The prices are reasonable. The dumplings I wouldn't recommend, and the edamame was too soft but the service was good, and the rice and salmon fresh. Although I'd prefer slices of salmon rather than large cubes... il return again, I think the lunch menu shall be more rewarding than the dinner menu.

So good. Ordered garlic creamy squid and kim chi fried rice...omg soo nice...will be back to try out other dishes. Thumbs up!

Oishi kitchen is so lovely place! All of the food is fantastic and beutiful :) <br/>I hope you have tmr lunch there.

When there last night with the bf, it's a great place for a quick cheap eat. The food came out fast an service was good. Would def go back at lunch to try their lunch menu

The name says it all - very oishii (delicious)!. The owners here are Korean so go for the Korean dishes, and you won't be disappointed! We had the lunch box set and a bibimbap, and they were extremely tasty! The bibimbap had a perfect mix of finely chopped vegetables and a small portion of beef, which worked well with the rice, and made me feel full but healthy. I just love crunching on these beautifully prepared vegetables -- something which I don't have the time, energy or - let's face it - skills to prepare so nicely at home. We also liked the extra care they put into the side dishes which can be a bit lacklustre in other Korean restaurants. The place was entirely empty on a lazy Sunday afternoon, but I hope it will pick up soon. <br/>I just think it is a shame that Korean restaurants have to serve Japanese food, to appeal to the Aussie market. Surely we can have one meal without gyoza and tempura people? Try mandu - Korean dumplings, which are equally delicious. Or their scrumptious mixed pancakes - jeon. Or if you like it fried, the fried chicken (yangnyeom tongdak) is famous... Korean food has so much to offer -- do try it all!

Regular since it opened. What a tasty gem! Great Korean and Japanese food. Hotpot Bibimbap, Japchae and Kimchi fried rice with garlic cream seafood are absolute winners!! Go there almost weekly now. It's reasonably priced and everything is delicious.

What a great restaurant! Big portions, good value and very tasty! Had the tempura, dumplings and Korean BBQ pork. That was plenty for 2. Definitely worth a visit.

Awesome value for money. $11.50 at lunch time for Bento Box and Miso soup. Great flavours and the dish was huge! Quick service too.

Bibimbap and Bento Boxes with a little pot of green tea.... So lovely.

As a local in Prahran I'd suggest this quiet, unassuming newcomer is the first place you should go for unpretentious K-Jap food around here.

Excellent value overall. This restaurant has become one of our family favourites - great choice of dishes for every hunger & pocket. BibimBabs are superb for large appetites. Tried the cream garlic prawn & kimchi fried rice which disappeared as the plate was passed down the table, returned empty with much smacking of lips and offers to lick the plate. Friendly service even though it can be a bit slow at times - good food takes longer to prepare ...

Delicious food, service friendly but slow. I love the food here - a mix of Korean and Japanese. Very affordable and the decor is nice. It's not as busy as other popular eateries in Prahran. Service is slow - we had to ask for wine glasses and there were only 3 other tables occupied, but man the food is worth having to call the waiter over for service.

The prices were good (about 10-15$ for the dish), the service was speedy and the food was alright, tho nothing amazing. The dumplings were crunchy, the batter probably being made with egg pasta rather than rice, and they were definitely not made Japanese style (the Japanese fry them and then add water so they end up also being boiled.

Oishi Kitchen was unexpectedly a tasty and cheap eat. Generous serving sizes and friendly staff is sure to make this relatively new restaurant a local favourite. Next time I'm hungry and in the area (during a tough day's shopping perhaps?), I know where to stop in for a quick and filling lunch.