Saké

Great location overlooking the Yarra river and a stones throw from many Melbourne attractions. We had the signature degustation, a generally underwhelming experience. Service was ok (it costs nothing to smile), apart from the jalepeno kingfish the flavours were far too subtle, and the bill at the end was higher than you would expect for a meal of this type. Not a bad restaurant, just not the highlight we were hoping for.

Great location by the river. Wonderful staff (very nice Scottish girl the other day) and beautiful food. Get the fresh fish vs anything fried though. Amazing cocktails as well!

Between 3 and 4 stars, the location is the only reason I came here, as I was seeing a show at Hamer hall, the coffee was good, and the desserts look amazing (totally instagram worthy) but I think they look better then they taste. Also there is a 2% surcharge on all credit card usage, which I think is outrages… so I guess it’s location worthy, but I’m not going out of my way to head back there.
The views as you sit outside and the sun sets are fantastic, loads of twinkling lights of the city, perfect to show case the city or visit if you are a tourist. so like I said, location.

Just love this place. Great location right next to Yarra River. Service is helpful, prompt and friendly. Food is varied, fresh and delicious. The Tempura Soft Shelled Crab was spectacular! Best to order as your stomach demands, as there are lots of options and service is prompt.

So it’s 11pm, we were seated at 8:45 for a $ 150 banquet, and we’ve had two tiny pieces of sashimi and nothing else. ABSOLUTELY STARVING. Even getting a drink takes 45 minutes. WTF!!!

Wow, this is up there. We came in for a few drinks on a busy Friday summer’s night not liking our chances of getting a table but after some chats with the friendly staff we ended up with a great spot and stayed for hours having a very memorable night out. The food was top, top notch. Really on their game. Everything was so fresh and delicious and the sashimi was simply amazing. Of course given the quality and the location the prices are on the high side, but well worth it for a special occasion or just a fun splurge.

What’s not to like about Sake, beautiful location and perfect spot to people watch, Nice décor, beautiful fresh food and lovely fresh sake cocktails.
On a lovely Spring day, this place really shines. Vibrant and busy with choices to dine in outside under the sun and near the DJ’s music selections or inside where it’s more low key and quiet, and you can even watch the sushi sashimi chefs in action.
A little bit pricey but I think it comes with the location being so close to crown casino, fed square, and the convention centre. And overlooking the Yarra. Come to impress or if you’ve got some budget to spend. Most menu items are designed to share so quite small and delicate. Beautiful sake cocktails and good drinks selection

Good food but really bad service :(. Had one server give us one dish and tell us «this is my last dish I’m going home!» We then waited 30 minutes after we said we were done, twice. Waited out of courtesy and benefit of the doubt. Not worth spending a lot of money if the service doesn’t match.

I’ve been here numerous times since being introduced to it early February and it’s become my go-​to for Japanese food that leaves an impression (sayonara Nubo!). These include ‘i hate the catering at this party want to go elsewhere?’ with friends, ‘i’ve taken the semester of school and am going to America for a month please don’t hate me’ parents dinners, ‘this is glam but understated’ birthday dinners and I’ve even schlepped it out here when I was running a ‘post-​midnight-​adventures-​in-​Dandenong –Ranges’ fever. I was initially in strug town trying to find a good Japanese restaurant in Melbourne after returning from some time in Tokyo because everything I ate was «not as good as *insert sushi bar in Ginza or Izakaya in Shibuya), but this ended my search!
Literally EVERYTHING here is good, which makes for a tough time selecting from the menu. My standout favourites are the kingfish jalapeño, miso scallops, panko riceballs, sashimi tacos, dynamite, s express and kingfish double crunch. The food here is spectacularly fresh, presented beautifully and the flavours are perfectly balanced. The staff have always been lovely and attentive, even when we’ve rocked up a tad inebriated, 30mins prior to closing. I love being welcomed by «irasshaimase» when I walk by the kitchen. The main dining room is beautifully planed out and the private dining rooms are also stunning… although not very private.

Anniversary dinner pt 2.
Gosh the flavours are just awesome. I love sashimi anything and I die when it’s accompanied with awesome vinaigrettes. That’s what the kingfish jalapeño sashimi had. Yum. Dish presentations are just awesome.
It’s pretty similar to nobu in terms of quality and even the prices are on par. So if nobu or sake are booked out for night, go to either one.
Props to our waitress, very hospitable and helpful. She was able to suggest an excellent choice of sake to go with the dishes we ordered.

I had dinner with friends at Sake a couple of weeks ago and was so impressed I decided to come back for lunch today. Sake (as the name implies) is a Japanese restaurant right next to the south east pylon of the Flinders Street Bridge on the bottom tier of the Southbank food strip.
On my previous visit we shared the wagyu new style, popcorn shrimp and sashimi tacos, all of which were excellent. But tempting as it was to replay the original menu I opted for adventurousness. With a little help from my very friendly waitress, I ordered the Patagonian tooth fish (one of Sake’s signature dishes). The entrée size consists of four pieces marinated in miso and then grilled served in little cups of lettuce. The fish was lightly crispy on the outside, and soft and tasty underneath.
Following hot on the heels of this sublime starter was the miso cream scallops; pan seared scallops served with baby corn, asparagus and shitake mushrooms served on a yuzu miso cream sauce (yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit and adds a little tartness to the sauce). Beautifully presented and (although I’m not a big fan of baby corn) quite delish. It also came with a little garnish of coriander which added a nice spiciness to the other flavours, which (apart from the rich, creamy sauce) were quite subtle.
And of course, what Japanese meal is complete without a carafe of warm sake. I chose the Kozaemon Junmai, which at $ 22 a small carafe is the cheapest on the menu, but still very tasty.
I think Sake has moved into the number one spot on my list of favourite Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. Really interesting menu that goes way beyond the usual dishes you expect from this cuisine, fast friendly service, and a great selection of sakes to choose from. Gochiso sama deshita — it was quite a feast!

Sashimi the stand out of the dishes in a venue with room for improvement.
The first visit here was a false start as they had run out of sashimi. Unbelievable but true. The second visit I am pleased to report went much more to plan with the swift delivery of the beautifully presented sashimi platter. Delicious cuts of sashimi were dealt with swiftly albeit without any ginger which seems to be somewhat of an annoying trend in Melbourne lately. I don’t know if your supposed to ask for it now but my certain preference is for it just to be included on the platter.
The miso soup was luke warm and really disappointing in terms of flavour and complexity. The gyoza were fine and the yuzu tart was a good concept but the tart was more of a short bread that was hard to penetrate with a spoon.
Service was perfunctory and the ambiance sadly lacking.

Probably the best quality Japanese in Melbourne. Some innovative must try meals such as the sashimi tacos, popcorn shrimp, Patagonian tooth fish lettus cups and new style wagyu, plus all the traditional sushi & sashimi. Great list of Sake, which honours the name well, with some great cocktails. Almost new, classy and modern fit out right on the Yarra. You pay for it in the price which can result in sticker shock on the way out, but all in all a great restaurant we’ve been to many times. Great for theatre go-​ers if you need quick service and a fast meal, just as great to hang out and drink Sake while eating great food for hours.

Slice of San Francisco here in Melbourne. A welcome respite to the disappointing Melbourne culinary establishments.

It’s been a while since my wife and I have tried somewhere new — it’s not that we’re entirely creatures of habit, but, we’ve been lucky enough to find a number of places that we truly feel at home in, get great service, and have spectacular dining experiences.
But after a few busy weekends lately, we’ve been too lazy to cook on Sunday nights and last night was one of those Sundays. on Friday night we happened to wander by Sake en route to Rockpool and I filed it into the back of my mind For Future Yum.
And lo, we had our chance last night — wife was up for the new spot, and I was really looking forward to it.
Love the location, and I think you’ll find everyone will agree that at the base of the recently revamped Arts Centre, you really can’t go wrong. Great view of the skyline, nice décor, plenty of people watching.
And with a name like Sake, you can be assured that they will have a wide selection available.
We started with a lightly pink sake (yes, really) which had a slightly strawberry flavour to it; I had never heard of such a thing, and I am sure purists are spitting at their monitors now, but, I like trying new things and both my wife and I enjoyed it!
One downside: So did the fruit flies. And there were a LOT of them. My wife and I spent quite a while swatting away; they were very much drawn to the sake. As soon as we finished up, they vanished, went somewhere else to bother people. They re-​appeared in smaller numbers when we had our second sake (Amabuki, I believe, but I’ll have to check my receipt later).
The food: Fantastic!
We started with edamame, a favourite of ours, and it’s often a good barometer by which one can rate the start of a Japanese meal. Presentation, preparation, colour, freshness… all were five stars here. Loved the salt!
We had a selection of nigiri, the scallop likely being our mutual favourite. Fantastic wasabi, which I *believe* was fresh (waiter confirmed, but, I didn’t see it being prepared, so, I can’t verify). Tasted fresh, and added a real zing.
The steamed wagyu dumplings were also a hit. Dumplings are almost always a winner for the two of us, and these did not disappoint.
The popcorn shrimp were fantastic. The batter light, crunchy, the shrimp fresh… tangy, delicious. Very enjoyable.
My wife let me pick the menu and I also chose the buta no kakuni — pork belly — so tender that you don’t need teeth, your tongue will do. Fantastic flavour, and the daikon were perfectly prepared. Wanted to drink the broth, but I think my wife would have disapproved. Or joined in. Tough call.
We had stopped here, but, realised we were still a bit hungry, so I opted to get the tuna ceviche and the tempura platter. I LOVED the tuna ceviche. Spectacular. My favourite of the evening. The tempura was also great, but that’s more of a favourite for my wife.
I’d give the spot five stars, but, as those of you who read my reviews know I don’t typically do that on the first visit, as I feel I simply don’t have enough experience to fairly rate.
Service was fast, friendly, water glasses never empty — at one point the waiter walked off with the tiniest splash of sake still in our half-​carafe and he came rushing back moments later, apologising. Great of him to catch it and we certainly didn’t mind.
Very much looking forward to visiting again. Is it Sunday yet?

Great food and excellent location makes this spot a winner. All the food was incredibly tasty.
Had lunch with a couple of friends and we shared everything. I would normally go for the more adventurous dishes but my companions were a bit more on the traditional conservative side. Having said that all the dishes were amazing and you could taste the well sourced fresh ingredients in every bite.
We ordered some sashimi, edamame and wagyu dumplings to start. The fish was so fresh and well presented with 3 different varieties.
We also ordered tempura and teriyaki chicken. The chicken which I was probably least excited about turned out to be my favorite dish. The chicken was so tender in just fell apart on the first bite. It was like butter with a crispy coating. Well worth trying out.
I also really like the outdoor terrace which is perfect for a drink on a sunny afternoon.
It’s a little pricey but it delivers in quality and service. I would be more than happy to dine here again.

OK, one of the chef is my friend now, so please tell management that I don’t like Unisex toilets … :-(that’s the only thing that I don’t like about Sake. I love the location, overlooking the Princess Bridge, Yarra River, Flinders Street Station and awesome Melbourne towering skyline, one of the best sunset you can be. Great dimly lit, smart natural tone interior and a super pleasant team that greets us, even charged my flat Blackberry and waited while I took a call. Fantastic rendition of Japanese fusion, yes they are a little bit pricey but it’s not every-​night we go there. Well done team Sake!

Situated on the waterfront of Southbank this modern Japanese restaurant has an amazing venue, friendly and professional staff and some great food.
We walked in and had a extremely early dinner on Sunday evening (5pm) and had a friendly waitress explain how the menu works and asking us for drink orders etc. I noticed that none of the waitstaff were Japanese, but that did not stop everyone from yelling ‘Irasshaimase!’ upon entering, as par to traditional Japanese venues (all the chefs are Japanese).
Our friendly waitress explained that their dishes can be small and it’s best to share (at the time I found it weird and a little annoying) and suggested a table of two should order about 5 dishes to ensure you have an adequate meal. Before leaving to let us read the menu she asked if we wanted any Edamame for the table ($ 8), we politely refused. I came to try new and exciting things!
We actually saw Saké full and busy the night before as we walked the foreshore on our way to Izakaya Den (this will prove to be important later).
I’ll rank the 5 dishes we ordered in best to worst:
Kingfish Jalapeño ($ 22) — Easily the best dish we had at Saké, the Hiramasa kingfish, yuzu soy, thin jalapeño slices and coriander were a perfect combination. The kingfish was fresh, sliced exceptionally and with an incredibly thin ring of jalapeño. First dish up, it came within 10 minutes of us ordering. I see photos of this dish all the time and it still makes my mouth water.
Steamed Wagyu Dumplings ($ 17) — I’m a dumpling lover and I’ve been let down by Wagyu fillings in the past, not the case this time. Whilst I loved the flavour of the filling, the spicy-​sour dipping sauce and the wonderful thin dumping pastry, I had technical problems with this dish. The bamboo steamer did not have any lining on the bottom and half of them tore and fell apart making for tricky eating. I’m no chopstick novice; these were just a tad too flimsy and delicate. No matter, I ate them quickly and tried to ignore the chucks of filling that ended up in the sauce dish and not in my stomach.
Salt & Pepper Tofu ($ 12) — the dish that got our attention and made us want to try the restaurant. We love inventive takes on Tofu and the description of «crispy fried tofu pieces with chili and spring onion» sounded amazing. The presentation was great, with fresh finely cut spring onion and fine strands of dry chili, it looked like a winner. Unfortunately it was a little bland for something called «salt & pepper». When I hear that name, I want to taste a mild to strong amount of seasoning; not reach over for the soy sauce to dunk it in to give it some kick. The garish whilst eye catching didn’t really add to the flavour at all and rarely stayed on the tofu whilst eating.
Spider Maki [Sushi] ($ 18)
This sushi roll was not particullarly memorable except for the fact that my first piece had crab guts and tasted aweful. Washing it down with drink and soy sauce I disolved the taste with each following piece. Not great, I wouldn’t order it.
Popcorn Shrimp ($ 29)
Nearly thirty dollars worth of meh. The batter was wrong, heavy, and the sauce was sicky sweet. This came out late in the meal and my girlfriend refused to eat any of it after the first few bites. Rightly so, the sauce was this weird sweet mixture that I could only liken to Thousand Island dressing mixed with golden syrup. The dish needed to be very lightly coated and maybe with a dry chilli coating or salt & pepper option.
The biggest problem with Sake is that we had just had an AMAZING dinner the previous night at Izakaya Den. Perhaps this meant that we had an unfair expectation about the quality and service; but in the end… I would skip Sake and head straight back to Izakaya Den without a second thought.
Funnily enough, they have opened a location in Sydney (my hometown) and I still wouldn’t bother with it. Overpriced for what it is.

Apparently it’s not easy to nab a table at Sake in Sydney. Melbourne’s new addition to the revamped Hamer Hall has less bustle and maybe not so much vibe yet, but will no doubt catch on quickly. On a mild and pretty Spring evening, Sake was a lovely spot to spend an evening.
Melt in your mouth high-​end Japanese food with a killer sake list to boot. The sashimi was exceptional, especially the kingfish with jalapeño.

Great location. Friendly staff and the food was good. This venue has the potential to be a pretentious persons paradise however once you actually sit down and enjoy the food, wine and atmosphere that perception is quickly dismissed.