Review Orita's Japanese Fusion Restaurant - Toorak

Came to this restaurant due to the entertainment book. Service was friendly and prompt. The dishes we got were good but pricey for the portion size. The atmosphere was dark and intimate. One thing that was a bit annoying was even though they charge a premium price they still charge a surcharge for card payment. All up for what i ordered miso soup, small sashimi, cold soba and a japanese cheese cake came up to $35 after the 25% off from the entertainment book.

First time dining at Orita's tonight and had the 9 course banquet for 2 people using a voucher. So delicious and so much food! Highlights were the salmon sashimi carpaccio and the hearty wagyu beef hotpot. Restaurant is beautiful and has a great ambiance; service was personal and attentive. Had a peek of their a la carte menu, everything sounds delicious - will definitely be back to try more of their food :)

The food was good but it came slowly. The staff were friendly and explained there were some issues in the kitchen on the night. It's quite pricey for what you get. The atmosphere was okay.

Food at Orita had dipped a little with the new management - seems like a fusion of Chinese and Japanese now, instead of the pure Japanese dishes they used to serve. The Duck was a little bland and dry this time, but the eel was still delicious.

definitely a hidden gem in toorak such a good place to dine very lowkey modern and clean japanese food with beautiful presentation. also there service was amazing on our night

Love this place, come here all the time. Had excellent time with my gf for my Bday. Excellent customer service and environment. We enjoy the good food here.

Very Tricky business, nothing as promised, actually they serves leftover beef stew and Lamb Stew, This business wouldn't last long if they keep fool customer like we experienced

Staff are friendly and helpful and the food is amazing

Always love this place. The food quality, and its price make it affordable and worthy! The service is very good. The place always tidy and neat. I love the ambiance, as if we're somewhere in Japan.

The food which was home delivered was really disappointing . The sashimi looked like it was cut by a 5 year old and was almost 4 cm thick. The tempura was ok. Zero cutlery added and the condiments were cheap packeted stuff. $75 spend for 3 dishes - you'd expect basic good flavours but nothing.

The vegetarian don had no flavour. <br/>The chicken teriyaki don had terrible cuts of chicken. <br/>Not the worst Japanese every, but considering the price more than disappointing. <br/>

Oritas Japanese restaurant is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne I've been to! The sashimi is super fresh and for only $68 you can get a large variety of seafood. Although the tempura prawn took a slightly longer time to come out than other meals, it was worth the wait. The tempura prawns was to die for as it featured traditional tempura you don't often see in places outside of Japan! The staff, as expected, were smiling, had polite manners and professional service. The entrance although was hard to find, but all in all, a great dining experience, family friendly and delicious food!

They sever good food, creative fusion style. Particularly seafoods are really fresh. Food price is reasonable. They update old menu, food was totally different with before.

Seaweed salad was very great. Veggie gyoza was to die for. I absolutely loved the decor and jazzy music. Staff and customer service was exceptional. Would definitely come back

Terrible, terrible food. Miso soup was so salty, dumplings were salty, main meals were over priced and were poorly cooked and presented. Chefs are not Japanese and food did not taste like authentic Japanese at all. Was total waste of money...

5/5 re-reviewing as they've got new owners. <br/><br/>This place has actually got better than before! Last night we had a terrific meal and staff were amazing too. <br/><br/>Started with edamame - you can't stuff that up but the Gyoza vegetarian were delicious. <br/><br/>Ginger chicken was the crunchiest we've ever had anywhere and the flavour was incredible. Salad was so crisp and I commented I've never had a salad that crisp and fresh ever. <br/><br/>Beef tenderloin came perfectly cooked with vegetables but the fried rice and chicken was 10/10. <br/><br/>My only criticism and this will get way more people through the door is take off the $15 fee for corkage. That's way too high!

Premium food quality, great service and ambience! Great value for lunch.  Good place for intimate meal for two or small group.<br/><br/>Food: 5/5<br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Ambience: 5/5

Average service, fish dishes terrible. Snapper fillets was not snapper, and John dory not dory. My father refused to eat the fish it was that bad, complained but yeah... Disappointing

Orita's is always consistently good. No surprises to the menu. Where it doesn't win for new creativity, it makes up for with good service and food quality. Sushi is probably not its strong point, but the grilled prawns and other hot mains are delicious!

This is probably my favourite Japanese restaurant in Melbourne. The restaurant has a fantastic ambience and makes a great place for a quiet, relaxed meal. The service and food are impeccable. The staff members are very friendly and attentive and carry themselves in a professional manner. There's a counter through which you can see inside the kitchen where the chefs are preparing and dishing up the delectable plates of food. <br/><br/>The sashimi here is extremely fresh and arranged beautifully on a chilled dish. The duck breast from Orita's is the best I have had in Melbourne. The meat is so tender and succulent, and the sauce is wonderfully light and not overpowering. Another favourite is the prawn Zosui, which is a rice dish served in fish broth.<br/><br/>Orita's is more expensive than your typical Japanese fare, but it is well worth the money. I usually only come here on special occasions.

this place is amazing! tempura sushi is the best ever! <br/>it cost u some bucks but you wont regret to spend some money on sound service and fantastic food. <br/>please try that sushi!!!!!!!!!!!

This place's long existence in the heart of the Toorak Village goes to show that on average, rich people don't have proportionately good taste. There, I've said it.

Had a midweek 3 course lunch for $30. Can't go past the good food. Sashimi was very fresh and nice. Wait staff though could have been a little better. Overall a great meal with family

Very Underwhelming.<br/>Came here with family expecting quality Japanese. The menu had precious little actual Japanese food. Service was bad. Sat and waited half an hour for someone to take our order for drinks, yes DRINKS. Then when they finally do come, they simply ask what food we want. No mention of drinks. Is it not customary to ask what drinks we'd like FIRST? Secondly my bowl of soy sauce had a hair in it. Fine, but when asked for a replacement they simply took the bowl away and a replacement didn't arrive until prompted 30 mins later. An hour into our visit I finally was able to enjoy the beer I ordered which, like the previous reviewer said, was poured into a soft drink glass.<br/><br/>To the food was difficult to order as the menu contained mostly non Japanese dishes or dishes that merely had a mild Japanese twist (such as a drizzle of soy sauce on top). I ordered the rib eye steak with seasonal vegetables (not what I wanted but this place didn't have the real Japanese food I wanted). This came out with a 2cm x 2cm ball of pumpkin and 1 piece of bok choy as the "vegetables". The steak was 1cm thick and OK but tiny and without salt and pepper, not much of a real steak. My partner had the tempura Udon which admittedly was more enjoyable than my steak. We also ordered a side of some maki rolls which were the only real sushi selection on the menu. They were a single ingredient cut down version of what we could get at any  food court for a quarter of the price.<br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend you bother with this place unless you are more interested in gawking at the decor than enjoying a good meal.

This place is so over price food is very standard. Service was good but paying $18 for gyoza is too much. Everything is expensive over price not worth the money

Had a fantastic evening last night! Great food, amazing service and the ambience was wonderful! You really do need to check this place out for yourself! Food was fresh and super tasty! MUST TRY!! I will definitely be back!

Very impressed! Each course was delicious and all of the staff were welcoming and very friendly. The restaurant itself was cozy and pleasant and was lovely to sit outside by the heater. Thank you! Will definitely be back.

how the hell is this place recommended on threads as a must try Japanese restaurant.<br/>-Beer was pour into a soft drink glass<br/>-Staff was rude, when they didn't understand they would say 'what'<br/>-food is over price for the quality<br/>-sushi nigri was the same quality you can find in shopping centres<br/>-presentation is very misleading compared to the pictures they have on their website<br/>-best waygu steak in the world for $85 was a massive disappointment, station hotel offers the same quality for half the price.<br/>-lobster was the best dish but still wasn't anything special<br/><br/>horrible horrible experience!

I love Japanese food and I dine out in Top Japanese Restaurants around Australia and Asia like Nobu. Orita’s food is outstandingly fresh, simple and delicious especially the Sashimi Gyoza and Grilled Dori. My partner had the Juicy Rib Eye which was unforgettable. It is also great value for money. I strongly recommend for Good Food , Service and Ambiance.

Wow, the ambience is super pretty. Love the set up of the place but the food is very disappointing. Overpriced and it looks like a homecooked meal. Not worth the money!!

I must say that I was impressed with the decor and ambience of the restaurant, seems like that was what the owner/management focused on instead of the food. I understand that the price would naturally be on the higher side based on these aspects of the restaurant, but the takeaway menu and the eat-in menu differ way too much in terms of pricing. With instant miso soup selling at $6 a bowl for dine in and also supermarket green tea ice cream, i am seriously quite doubtful about the judgments of previous reviews. The dory fillet and beef were completely drenched in teriyaki sauce leaving no flavour of the meat or the fish itself. Nonetheless, the tempura sushi was good and service also top notch, therefore still quite a pleasant experience.

AMAZING!! Beautiful. Gourmet. Elegant.. My fiance and I found Oritas about a year ago. We shared a banquet which was absolutely amazing. The service, the food and the ambiance is superb. It is has a feeling of warmth and intimacy inside. The restaurant is traditional with a modern twist. Before going to Oritas, I wasn't a huge fan of Japanese food, but that would have been because I hadn't tried anything quite as good as this. I could eat there everyday if I could. The price is reasonable and the staff are very friendly & accommodating. We went again last night and everything was consistent with the previous visits. Cannot wait until our next date at Oritas!

Beautiful food and wonderful service. The food is very nice!! The seaweed salad is very fresh and tasty. Wonderful experience and definitely will come back

Great dining experience for the whole family. Great food and wonderful service...lovely decor and ambience..Carla is always warm and friendly..a great reason to keep coming back!

Pleasant and cosy atmosphere. As a Groupon deal we had the evening set menu. Despite this, the servings were generous, varied and tasty. The staff, as others have commented, were attentive and very efficient. The restaurant is well appointed in the Japanese style and very cosy. If the weather is warm they also have balcony seating. We had a pleasant dining experience and I would recommend this restaurant.

10/10, didn't have to think twice!. I purchased a groupon dinner deal for Orita's last week and managed to get a dinner booking for the same day I called (and that's not because they are lacking in business in case that crossed your mind). It was a beautiful atmosphere, the staff were welcoming and attentive, the dishes were made to perfection and I was most impressed with the size of the servings considering it was a set menu deal and in my experience a lot of the time with the set menu deals the portions are but a mere morsel. <br/>All in all i couldn't think of anything that wasn't exceptionally good, so if you like Japanese I highly recommend you have a meal at oritas. Ill certainly be going there again!

10/10. I have been a couple of times now. The service is on point and the food is on point. I highly recommend for any occasion. Every meal I've tried I have loved but definitely start with the sharing platter and the chocolate mousse cake. Yum!

Great food and staff. Food was delicious plenty of it and the staff were friendly and professional. Would definitely go back :)

Great banquet. We had a wonderful banquet at Orita's. We were given a voucher by our son and his girlfriend for Xmas and finally got around to going there for dinner. The food was amazing and the service was excellent. Definitely worth going back to again.

Orita's is situated in the heart of the Toorak Village and I remember being taken there years ago for my b'day. I had a housewarming party in the area so decided to eat there to line my stomach before heading over there. I made a last minute booking that day and we were able to sit on the shared table which was fine as there is enough room around you to be able to have a private meal. It is a really cosy restaurant and even though they haven't changed the interiors over these many years it is timeless and warm. It was great to watch Hikaru Orita in the kitchen overseeing all the dishes as they came out. The service was a little hit & miss, they had a lot of trainees working but they were all trying really hard and were all very friendly. I had some hot sake to warm up. We were served a complimentary starter which was a Prawn cracker with some potato salad placed on top, very delicious. We ordered the Appetiser Platter for 2, there was an impressive selection of: Prawn Spring rolls, Sas

Gorgeously pink within, a perfect medium rare - beautifully tender succulent and smoky. A divine juicy rib eye topped with crisp garlic crumbs. Expect quality Japanese fare in a slightly refined setting.

Orita’s is the kind of place where I’ll keep returning for my favourites – I know exactly what I’ll order and I know my expectations will be met each time.

Hmmm, not really a true Japanese experience. Food was good, service good too, but left me wanting to eat Japanese food as opposed to standard food with a Japanese name

Excellent service. Excellent sashimi and sushi. Cooked dishes also very good

GR8 Experience. Hey We dined @ Oritas for my sons 21st >>>>a party of ten<br/>Did the banquet and were so impressed, service amazing, food kept coming, which made the night one to remember especially the diversity of the dishes most I would not order but glad someone did it for us<br/> <br/>We brought our own Polish cheese cake (bit naughty but how can you resist) and they were only too happy to assist.<br/><br/>Def be back and the guests love my choice of venue for such an occasion<br/><br/>So thanks Guys

Yum Yum Orita's share platter. I can highly recommend Orita's. We normally have the lunch special (Three Course Lunch), but not this time, our family got their take away share platter for 6 and loved it.

Christmas Lunch for the office. Very disappointing with our lunch at Oritas: our 12.30pm party of 5 waited a long time to be served, the restaurant wasn't full.... the mixed entrée platter was nice. My main was the duck on seasonal vegetables, it was a pile of bean shoots with slithers of duck over the top accompanied by one bok choy leaf and a teaspoon of mashed potato and a teaspoon of mashed pumpkin. I felt the $35 price tag was over the top and was left wanting when I was imagining a nice mix of "seasonal vegetables" with little chunks of duck over the top. We didn't get offered a second drink of wine, we didn't get offered desert menus nor coffee/tea! they did bring out plates of minute balled ice cream with flavouring squiggled on the plate that was not requested then straight after they served that screens went up and the staff all sat down to lunch, our "service" had concluded. we waited an eternity to be offered coffee but never eventuated, and the manageress was so busy on the phone she ignored us. The table behind us somehow managed to get their bill and she was still on the phone when she walked that to their table and then processed the bill whilst still talking on the phone, we had to walk to her to get our bill and she didn't bother to get off the phone to process our bill either, still on the same call. As it was my suggestion that we go there because I'd been before and had had a wonderful experience I was embarrassed and won't be back. I'd generously give them a 2/10 for service and only a 5/10 for their food. We got out of there at about 3.15

GREAT FOOD GREAT SERVICE. Been there many times always nice, love the Tempura Prawns and the Duck

A Heart Stopper. I've been back a couple of times so I think I'm confident enough to say that.<br/>Sashimi was fresh, the steaks are excellent (whether with teriyaki or peppercorn sauce), friendly staff, and overall charming ambience. I would suggest booking in advance particularly on a friday or on a weekend just to be safe though. The only complaint I would make about the food is when the chef is out. But you know what they say; When the cat is out, the mice come out to play.

The five of us had dinner here tonight and had an underwhelming experience. My tuna chef's special was overcooked and dry and too thin. The signature stewed beef wasn't tender enough and the wagyu beef certainly wasn't the best steak in the world.. the entree platter had some good bits but tasted more Chinese than Japanese with too many deep fried elements with below average batter. Definitely overrated. We will not return.

Consistent stalwart in the heart of Toorak. I have been going to Oritas for years. For first timers, Oritas is an intimate affair which runs smoothly due to the careful eye of the manager and an experienced and talented chef in the kitchen. My favourite dishes are the sashimi (always fresh), the assorted appetiser platter (looks impressive and good variety) and the beef tenderloin (very tasty). The set lunch menu with choice of entree and main is great value.<br/>We hosted a birthday party for ten people last Saturday. I had liaised extensively with the manager prior to the party and things went extremely smoothly. Emails were answered in a timely manner, menu and wines were chosen beforehand and great consideration was shown by the manager to ensure things went well. For example some guests arrived early and requested champagne (not originally part of the menu) but as the manager knew we were paying the bill she discretely waited til I arrived to double check with me that this was okay. The cake was stored without complaint (dropped off at lunchtime) and served at no extra charge. Wine list is reasonably priced.<br/>The venue is small (some of the locals rent out the whole place for birthday parties) so on busy nights it is advisable to book to avoid disappointment.<br/>This place has been open since 2001 so must be doing something right. For those looking for an intimate venue with good food and a place to hold a dinner party then consider Oritas!

Excellent Food - Just have to wait for it!. Excellent food and nice friendly service. The only problem is the time it takes to bring out your meal. I have been to this restaurant on a number of occasions now and unfortunately this is not a one off regarding the long wait times. Over the past few times that I have been there for dinner (every time on a Friday night) , the average wait time for my meal has been approximately 40 minutes. I'm not quite sure why it takes so long as the restaurant is only ever half full. The good news is that the food is excellent and almost worth the wait.

Better Japanese then Nobu. .... Better Japanese then Nobu.<br/>This place serves quality good that is worth the price you pay.<br/>Hard to find a better japanese place in melbourne!

Very nice experience. Not sure how Japanese it is but the steak and chicken were perfect and the shishimi was lovely. Service was excellent. Def worth a try.

Great service, food fresh but....,,. The menu from the review or what you see from the web no longer available on the current menu. The current menu is so so and there is nothing excitement about it. Food is fresh and ok. Very good service. Quite atmosphere if you need to have good conversation, share a meal and enjoy the wine. Just don't order plain rice, we had 6 people and it was $42 for just rice. Should have ordered fried rice instead!

A Little Sloppy, but Nice. My boyfriend took me to Orita's for my birthday and we had an overall good experience. The traditional Japanese, intimate interior gave the place a very lovely ambiance. The staff was very welcoming, though kept us waiting to take our order a little longer than we liked. There were several items on the menu that were disappointingly 'sold out'. The entree platter of assorted appetisers was a beautiful and absolutely delicious dish; no complaints there. Both our mains, however-- a vegetarian dish and a braised duck dish-- were very unappealingly presented piles of food covered in a watery soy-based syrup and lacked anything particularly special. My boyfriend joked that this was perhaps because they were the two cheapest of the mains, but I would have hoped for better from a restaurant of this calibre. My opinion: stick to the more traditional dishes and stay away from the outdated 'fusion' dishes.

My husband drags me here regularly. One may have raved about this place 10 years ago, as the service is excellent, and the food fresh, however the menu is far from contemporary and lacks imagination. The chef is clearly very experienced, however with so many excellent Japanese restaurants in the area (Gaijin for example), for the price, I expect a more exciting experience.

Very nice high quality food. Luch was extremely good value and yummy. Dinner with good variety. Orita has a pleasant fine dining atmosphere. The staffs are very polite and attentive. This place deserves much more attention. Can't wait to go back

A fantastic experience. From the onset the service was great, the recommendations were spot on and the food quality was 5 star... Would definitely suggest a visit. Ps the steak is the best I've had.

The love affair continues. Yes, love the simple yet rich interior, moreover Orita-san creations ... no mind-blowing offerings, just great consistent semi-fusion/traditional Japanese food, highest quality meticulously prepared as always. Thank you Carla for accommodating our party on short notice, well done team Orita, I wish that you are closer to our home.

We had a table for four, we each tries different menu items that included entrées and main. The food was great but the service was dreadful. Had to wait far to long to order meals, drinks were slow and the staff we had on the night were less than attentive and seemed to have trouble taking details down. All in all an expensive meal that was worth it but the ambience and staff let the team down I'm sorry to say.

Felt like stepping back in time to an 80s fancy restaurant experience from the decor right up to the hand written receipt at the end . Food was very good: we had two platters - sashimi and California roll / nigiri. <br/>Green tea ice cream was exquisite .<br/>Definitely recommend and will return for some meatier dishes which looked tantelising .

Food really good, service not so good. When I arrived, no one was there to show me to my table but I don't mind a challenge now and then and the place isn't that big so that was fine.<br/>It seemed to take them a long time to take orders of any kind, it was probably about 30 minutes in before we received our drinks.<br/>We received complimentary prawn crackers with potato salad on top, which was ok.<br/>When we were first asked for our orders, I requested another 5 minutes but no one came back. I had to ask a staff member to take our order but she appeared to be a trainee and had to get someone else to do the duty (this took another 10 - 15 minutes), there seemed to be staff everyone so I'm not sure what they were all doing.<br/>Entree we had the duck to share and that was reasonably tasty, the portion weren't massive though.<br/>Mains I had the 'world famous steak', my friend had the spare ribs.<br/>Admittingly the steak was really good, you could cut it with a fork and the sauce was vibrant and tasty. I'm not sure if it's $70 good though, I've had cheaper steaks at Squire's loft that wouldn't be far off this steak.<br/>My friend was happy with the spare ribs, we both enjoyed the vegetables - nice and creamy.<br/>All up we were there 3 hours (we didn't have dessert), which kind of indicates how long the ordering was taking.<br/>Fortunately the conversation was good - had I have been there with someone I didn't care much for the review might be more scathing.

Exceptional. Food was amazing, service was amazing and the atmosphere was amazing! <br/><br/>Would highly recommend - as other people have - to start with the appetiser entree to share<br/><br/>Would return for sure!

Yum. Sashimi was amazing and very fresh. Boneless beef spare ribs just melted on my tongue.

Takeaway from Orita's Osozai. Mixed sushi and sashimi was excellent quality. Just enough for a light dinner - $13.50. Lots of wasabi and pickled ginger is a plus.

Not enough Japanese dishes. We couldn't even have sushi for main course, only entree had something Japanese but the mains where very western

Mimi & Ria's Japanese Rating Guide. Thursday 29th June - Orita's in Toorak<br/><br/>It was only fitting that our 3 month anniversary for Japanese Thursday be celebrated at Japanese fine dining. Our randomized selection process happened to be on our side.<br/><br/>Orita's was incredible.<br/><br/>Amazing share platter with steak that did literally melt in your mouth.<br/><br/>Great service, however she took our pretty chopstick holders which we planned on taxing.<br/><br/>Best mains so far with great presentation and a nice atmosphere with water feature out the front.<br/><br/>Result: 49/50 = Super! Green Sticker.

Loved it!. Lovely atmosphere, all four of us had different entree mains and desserts and thoroughly enjoyed each one! Go with an open mind and enjoy!!!

Japanese fusion means western influenced hence why the dishes don't entirely seem Japanese. But in my personal opinion best Japanese in Victoria for what you pay for<br/><br/><br/>-----15 Apr, 2012-----<br/><br/>Fantastic place. This is not just a restraunt it's an experience. Highly Recommend as its only a matter of time before this place becomes super Busy and you have to book months in advance.

The first Japanese fusion food I have liked.. Nice little upscale Japanese fusion restaurant in Toorak. The garlic rice, steak and chicken breast teriyaki were all very tasty, and well presented. The vegetarian gyouza a little flavourless. Overall the food was good, although it's definitely fusion dishes with chicken teriyaki and mashed potatoes and pumpkin (!), to suit the Aussie palate. Having said that though, it does have a flavour not found at your usual Aussie eatery, so two thumbs up, as the concept works.<br/><br/>The ambience was nice, although there are very few tables that seat two, we got a window seat which was nice, but the large white paper sheet on our table, wasn't very attractive or classy, and very mismatched in an otherwise nicely decorated space. The service was OK. Would return.

Highly recommended for private function. I had a dinner party at Orita's with friends and families for my husband 50th Birthday. They are professional and very flexible to organize everything according to our needs and requests. Great food, great service and atmosphere. We were very happy and my husband had a memorable birthday. Highly recommended for your private function.

Great -highly recommended. Very nice food, good service. had the mixed entre platter for 4 ( v good), then shared mains: teppenyaki prawns ( YUM) , seaweed salad ( YUM YUM) and duck ( YUM)<br/>overall not a cheap place but you get every penny's worth.

We ate at orita's 1 week ago & thought maybe this place would rival Nobu or Koko's. It was far from it. I would be comfortable in saying it was the worst Japanese food ever. Our entree was ok , but the mains were covered in their "original" teriyaki sauce that it was soooo sweet. I would not recommend this to anyone, unless you want to waste your money.

Best service, great food and thoughtful customer service. They offered to take a photo of our family during our meal for dads birthday and gave the photo to us afterward :] thank you Orita's. We had a great time and we enjoyed your Dishes very much!!

Impeccable. Orita's absolutely nails the balance between pure Japanese and Western type of cuisine. The food is sensational and will surprise your taste buds in a pleasant manner. The food does not only taste good, but it also looks amazing on the plate. The service is outstanding and it really makes you feel welcome. Will highly recommend it for special occasions.

Hidden gem of a Japanese. This place is fantastic.. you'll need a bulging wallet, but I've marked a number of special occasions at Orita's.. the food quality is amazing, the thought of the sashimi makes my mouth water just thinking about it.<br/><br/>They have an amazing steak, it's a wagu, and it cost me about $100 bucks, but it was from another world!<br/><br/>Love Orita's... see you next special occasion!