On 26 April we went to Ishiya Japanese Stonegrill for our date night and we got: 🍹 Peach Fantasia Very refreshing and fun drink! 🥧 Wagyu Steak Frite Tart Freshly cooked, crunchy outer potato layer with onion balanced with soft wagyu beef. This one-bite dish is something you must not miss out on ‼️ 🥩 Custom Grill Set 2 Perfect for 2-3 people with high quality selection of 5 wagyu beef cuts 😍 This also includes a couple of entree - salmon sashimi, baked scallops and wagyu tataki (seared in front of us!!), fried rice and desserts. We also could pick 2 extra items from their Standard and Premium dishes, and we chose Beef Ribs slices and Wagyu Scotch slices. The best experience was cooking our own meat on the massive hot stone!! ♨️ Overall, it’s probably one of the best dining experiences we had 🥰 The food was incredible, honestly no fault! The service was friendly and efficient - we appreciate the personal touches such as searing the wagyu on the stone in front of us 🙌🏻 The ambience is intimate and cozy, but enough space between the tables to still have a quality time with your company. The menu is quite extensive so it could get overwhelming, but the staff were ready to help! We 100% highly recommend this place and you’re guaranteed to have a great time ✨

The food is beautifully prepared extravagantly decorated (check out the flowers) but the beef is of very poor quality. The beef are off cuts, very tough, no marbling and tastes average. Definitely not wagyu. Such a pity and a disappointment.

Lovely steak experience especially during winter! Warm, smokey place to cook our steak on the hot stone grill. Once you come out, you’ll become a Smokey. I’ll come again to try other menu next time round & must remember to make a reservation to ease yourself!

This is a unique restaurant where each person gets their own stonegrill to cook the meat and fish. You can either order off the menu or order a set. The set we ordered fed 2-3 people so 2 sets and a few extra dishes was perfect for 6 of us. The best dish would have to be the wagyu beef, they were easy to cook and delicious to eat. The staff are also very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a high quality Japanese restaurant.

We had Set 3 on a Friday The good: - A5 Hida was exceptional - The staff were polite and friendly - 5 stars - Tuna sashimi was fresh and cut perfectly, while being presented in an amazing fashion. - The Choya Gold Umeshu and honey beer were fantastic The not so good: - Most of the meat was just okay. It didn't melt in the mouth and was often chewy even when cut against the grain - Stone grill was more of a novelty that went cold and wasn't changed over until the 11th hour - Our entre was rushed out of the way while we were half way through and hidden under the meat table - The dessert, while it was presented very well, wasn't to my pallet - matcha. Macarons were chewy. - Barely any room on the small, cheap, worn melamine table - Tables were close enough together that if you got up, a skinny person may easily knock the adjacent table or put your privates in the face of other diners - Atmosphere was quite loud, not the fine dining experience we were hoping for - Seemed inauthentic. This restaurant seemed more culturally Chinese, than Japanese. Overall, the experience wasn't what we expected but maybe those expectations were too high, when compared with other top quality Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. Not recommend if you value your money.

I recently tried the food here and it was incredibly tasty, especially the high-quality meat! I ordered the package for five people, which was a good choice that includes entree, mains, and dessert! The staff explained some of the foods they served however they did not to explain the cuts of meat, which would have been helpful. The space was okay but a bit small for larger groups. I still highly recommend this place for its delicious food. I'm looking forward to returning and trying more of their amazing dishes.

We decided to try Ishiya as we crave Steak a day before and not only did we got a great tasting steak but so many other orders - salmon, chicken, prawn, lobster tail and of course the awesome dessert! Overall, it was a great night out, perfect dinner. The place was really nice, private and just right for a romantic dinner. The service was phenominal, they've recommended such great tasting food and the dessert...the dessert is a must try.

Seriously one of the BEST dining experiences I’ve had in a while. Tonight I caught up with a good friend who just moved into the area and as we were looking for a place to eat we stumbled across Ishiya. We figured it looked inviting so we went in and grabbed a table. The couple next to us (celebrating their 19 year anniversary) immediately turned to us and said ‘The food here is amazing. We’re total foodies and we’ve been here twice before’ They were so right. Great quality food, great atmosphere, great table theatrics and great service. I already want to come back! Thank you! ❤️

Incredible food and even better staff! Delicious wagyu, sashimi and baked scallops are a must try! Also some of the best service I’ve ever received - Sally especially was very kind & attentive and made our night so special!

Small restaurant, perfect service, delicious fresh food. More than just a dining experience. $$$$ however worth it.

Want some unique dine-in experience, Ishiya is definitely a place to go in Chinatown. ( grill on the stone ) Love the service, the plum wine and the food there. Will come back for the beef set again (though we loved the seafood this time)

Good quality meats and seafood for a reasonable price if you get the set menu. It definitely was enough to feed 4, and the flavours were excellent. The set also comes with a good selection of sweets to end the meal. One thing to be aware of is the lack of ventilation so you'll definitely be smelling like dinner after.

Regular here for many years. Great value, quality beef, especially the lunch sets. Courteous service by most of the staff. Unfortunately service is deteriorating. Unpleasant service when served by the main lady at the cashier. Appalling attitude, no acknowledgement when orders are taken - not sure if she heard us, smacking the cutlery onto the table, slamming plates down when food is served, no apology for splattering water onto the table and my shoulder. Would not return and would not recommend. Suggest to improve your service and cut your 30min waiting time for "lunch sets" if you are really serving white collars.

I come Melbourne from Sydney. Occasionally I find out the place. You never know how good they are. The food is super fresh and tasty. The service is great as well. I never regret to come into Ishiya Japanese Stonegrill. 5 stars worthy!!! Highly recommended to everyone!!

Went here on a few date night, love all food here simple but when dipped into their delicious sauces it’s pretty much out of this world, all are very tasty and the dessert is amazing!!! I would encourage the waitresses paying more attention to their tables though, we wanted to order drinks and felt pretty much ignored because they were too busy at the counter talking or serving another table.

We went for a Friday Night Dinner Date and found this little Gem while strolling through Chinatown. Amazing food, friendly and attentitave staff and cute little spot for dinner. Highly recommend.

Great great great food, lots of flavours. We ordered the dining for 2 option and everything was very delicious. Unfortunately we needed to wait ~15min to be seated (even though we booked in advanced), but it didn’t ruin our experience as the service and food were really good!

Food was delicious! Ordered the custom grill set for 2, plenty of food! Service was great. Would highly recommend to try at least once!

Such beautiful food and friendly staff. My wife and I got Banquet 2 for 2. Worth every penny!

Food is absolutely delicious and brilliant services, very attentive :) we had a wonderful birthday dinner.

Took the family here for dinner and had a truly amazing experience! The staff we were welcoming and kept the drinks flowing. The food was exceptional and the ability to cook our own main course on the Stongegrill very unique. We also loved our entrees and dessert! Thank you and will definitely be back!

All staff were very friendly and the service was great. I was surprised at how small the restaurant is however we did not feel too squashed at all.Food was delicious and I loved that they brought us a new hot rock towards the end to ensure all the beef was cooked to perfection. We will be back! Thank you!

Beautifully presented and amazingly tasty food and cocktails. The only let down was, we were rushed be staff and did not get to fully enjoy our savour our delicious meals. One and a half hour sitting was not sufficient.

I’ve been for my birthday last night. Food is very delicious, service is good ^^

Ishiya did not disappoint once again. My fam from Perth was so impressed with the impeccable service they provided. Food came out quickly, food was fresh and it was so delicious. Flavours was amazing and meat was nice and tender. Definitely worth the price and will be taking more friends here.

I been driving pass this place for many many years and finally decided to give this a try .... and what can I say, the food is really good and enjoyable..... that is where that stop.... the experience on the other hand is not. The table is really small as you can see from the picture and really struggle not to tip or drop anything. Ordered the set meals for 2.... started with entrees and that is where the experience starts to go downhill... we were rush through the course of the entrees one after another like in a sprint race. There are times we have not even finish the dish the waitress would just take it away without even asking. Imagine eating under time constraints. Then the main meal comes.... so as you can see, waitress tries to fit everything in on the table.... ok finally we thought we can eat in peace, and few minutes into the mains, more disruption... waitress tried to fit in another hot grill stone and she tried moving around all our meals and started grilling one of our meat in order to remove a plate.... that is not on.... again more pressure and by that time we have lost all our mood and appetite. I was about to tell the waitress off as to what is she doing to our food. She could have just come over and let us know what she is trying or would do in a few minutes before actually just jumping in and do what she did. Basic courtesy and customer service. It is not a cheap place to eat and you felt like you are eating there in a race to the finish. Really felt such a let down in a otherwise good food place.

Took mum yer for her birthday, we both loved it. The scallops were excellent, unique and sweet. The 400 degree stone was plenty to cook the different cuts of meat and other side serves of food. We both agreed it requires another visit. Can't go wrong with a bottle of sake and tender slices of wagyu. Nice atmosphere inside, maybe a fraction dark but otherwise no complaints from me!

Been here many times and service and food has always been exceptional! It is pricey no doubt but the quality is amazing! Will be back again for sure !

🔥 custom grill set four 🥩 wagyu tataki 🦞 lobster tail 🐟 tuna 🐚 baked scallop 🧄 garlic fried rice 🍣 salmon sashimi 🍫 dessert 🏠: @ishiya_stone_grill 📍: Little Bourke St, CBD 📝: Unique Japaneses stone grill experience in the heart of Melbourne Chinatown. Grill your own 🥩 premium Australian steak, 🇯🇵 Japanese wagyu, and locally sourced 🦞🐟🦀 seafood on your very own 400 degree volcanic stone. Just how fun is that! ❤️: We got the set for four which fed us well as well as an extra 🍗 chicken and 🦐 prawn grill from the a la carte menu. Apart from the amazing range of marbling beef from the set, the 🐚🫕 Yaki Hotate baked sea scallops creamy miso mushroom sauce was a highlight. At the end, you get a dessert platter including a whole range of decadent sweets 🧋🍫😍. ⚠️ Ventilation not amazing, it get’s really hot and smokey!

Food was good but a bit on the pricely side. Good service.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE right here.... From the best customer service to the fantastic food, everything was just perfect. My hubby has a reaction with seafood so they happy to swap the seafood entree with something else. And the lady who took our order was a 10, she remembered about my hubby situation so when the staff brought the sauce out, 1 of them had prawn stock in it and she just came right in and swap, just to make sure my hubby wouldn't have any seafood in his meal. The food is good quality, melt in your mouth beef with reasonable price. Definately will come again, thank you Ishiya, I'm very satisfied.

It was a whole dining experience. The attention to detail by the staff was really on point. The ambiance was great for celebrations and catching up with friends. I'm glad we went in a big group of 8 which meant we had a full experience of their custom grill set. It was very much worth it. A little towards the expensive side but the excellent service made up for it, the taste, presentation, and quality from entree to main to dessert was absolute perfection. Would definitely come back to experience it again. The Ebi Seafood Tart was an absolute crowd favorite.

I am really curious about how you can get such terrible beef in Australia. Even the discounted beef from Coles tastes better than your wagyu. The beef served was not defrosted properly, which made the surface of the meat be overcooked while the centre was still frozen. The service was also careless. My partner and I could not even swallow the second piece so told the waitress we finished. And the waitress cleaned the table with nearly all the beef left quickly, just like nothing unusual happened, without asking why we only had one bite. I tried to be more tolerant. I know it is a hard year for the restaurants. But I cannot give any positive feedback of this one. Being tolerant to this poor restaurant will be the most unfair thing to the others, both customers and the catering industry.

Great steak! Had been reluctant to try as previous establishment was an overpriced try-hard fine dining attempt. But quality of this joint surprised us. Service was great. All staff did their job very well. Very friendly in a timely manner.

Quality food, quality service. I'll be back!

Great place to eat

Food is superb, we ordered the set 2. The only thing I think the restaurant should improve is the lighting. It’s so dark inside the restaurant and seatings are tight, which making you uncomfortable to eat your food in this environment.

I'm a big fan of stone grill, specially when the quality is this good! Melt in your mouth cuts. The Grill Sets are definitely the way to order, 5 different cuts with the option to mix with fish on the stone too. Great Value and a place everyone should visit. Loved my experience!

Beef’s quality is pretty nice! Good service.

Great tasting food and presented so beautifully. Expensive but would recommend it if you’re looking for a fancy Japanese dinner in the city. The restaurant is a bit on the small size and it can get pretty crowded depending what day/time you go. You might have to wait a bit to be seated if so.

Accidentally discovered this Gem. Everything was outstanding, the service. The food. And the presentation was beautiful... an amazing dining experience. So many people walked past and checked the menu out but kept walking... but sadly the menu doesn't give it justice. Thier loss I say. If you are in Melbourne I recommend coming here!

Lovely dining experience, tasty food and awsome service. Highly recommend sake bento, waygu, ox tongue, and baked scallops.

Absolutely love the idea of Japanese stone grill. This is not something I have seen in the heart of Melbourne CBD. Fantastic food, beautiful environment and friendly service, you name it you got it. The price range is slightly higher than most restaurants around 20 to 50 a meal depends on what you order but definitely worth it - The beef are top quality. Must try!!

Amazing stone grilled restaurant with a lot of options in their menu. We were very satisfied with the quality, quantity and service.

Have you ever cooked your food on a hot stonegrill? Last week I got to try this for the first time at Ishiya. I like the idea of cooking my food on the individual hot stone – it radiates less heat than a BBQ and you can cook it to your desire. The wait staff are on hand to help out if you’re not confident but it’s a lot easier than a BBQ. A tip is to cook quickly as the heat does fade over time, and choose spots that haven’t been touched if you’re going for a 2nd or 3rd round. As for the meat, it was high quality and the marbling on the cuts that we had meant that we were getting all the flavour. What impressed me the most about Ishiya was the innovation of some of the dishes. I was already impressed with the quality cuts of meat, but their al la carte menu had some options that used contemporary presentation techniques with flavours that skirted around sweet, savoury, sour and citrus. The tuna tasting plate, and the scampi tarts in domes were particularly well done. The wagyu with fois gras deserves an honourable mention. Ishiya also brought the theatre in food for one course gas torching our wagyu. My mind was constantly blown throughout my Ishiya experience. I could list every dish that impressed me but I’d be listing the menu. I advise you to look at my pictures and see how good the dishes were. As for drinks, we shared a jug of yuzu choya soda which was very refreshing. I also tried the matcha sake bomb which I’ve never had before, but would have again and again and again! We were treated to a dessert bento box which blew my mind – 9 individual desserts served in a wooden box. I was scared that we wouldn’t finish them but we did – the stand outs was the yuzu sorbet, activated charcoal chocolate soft serve, citrus crepe cake, matcha brulee cake. Ishiya took me higher than higher in terms of what Japanese food can be. Classic Japanese with innovative twists. Domo arigato!

Been here a few times already, first time after their renovation. Great service, delicious food, nice ambiance. Nothing to complaint.

4.2 We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here. I had the porterhouse and prawn stonegrill set. My companions had the seafood set and felt the same as me. The pre main meal snacks I chose off the menu were salmon sashimi, agedashi tofu and Edamame. We were also given a complimentary potato salad. The food was great. Tasty and as fresh as a daisy. the highlights for me were the tofu and my main. The stonegrill concept is a lot of fun and allows you to cook a steak the way you prefer it. Mine came browned on the outside but almost blue on the inside. It took just seconds to cut a piece and cook it a little more or a lot depending on your preference. The four accompanying sauces were excellent as well. We also loved that they give you massive bibs too! The service was terrific here. Speedy and engagingly polite and pleasant. Exactly as it should be. We made our theatre session nearby with plenty of room to spare and feeling good. This was a most enjoyable experience. I’d certainly return anytime.

Such a great place. Delicious food and very friendly and nice staff! Definitely recommend and definitely will return soon!

Been a semi regular place to visit since our first date nearly 13 years ago. Just love it

Always been my favourite foodie treat spot, especially for date nights! Sadly they're closed at the moment but can't wait to get back and enjoy some delicious wagyu!

Three weeks ago I emailed Ishiya Japanese stone grille to begin planning a once in a life time event..the night I proposed to my now fiancé. Wincy replied and quickly began helping me plan the special night, all the way from emptying the whole corner of the restaurant for us, down to the personalised menus with congratulation Ned and Cassy with our own set menu. Which was absolutely amazing. Wincy and the other staff at Ishiya made sure that everything was perfect. The food was absolutely amazing to top it off. Thank you Wincy and team for the amazing night, not only are you our favourite restaurant in Australia, but you also showed off your skills in planning a night as special as our engagement <3 can’t wait for next dinner and every anniversary. :) SHE SAID YES :)

(Translated by Google) The meat is very good, the sashimi is fresh, the portion is exquisite, the decoration is very bar atmosphere (Original) 肉質很好 生魚片新鮮 份量比較精緻 裝潢很有酒吧氛圍

Went with the 2 people course for $88 Great service, staff was attentive and took away empty plates fast but didnt feel rushed.

Nice place 😍😍, I love it

Easily my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. From the fun of cooking it, to the deliciousness of the high quality cuts of meat, this place is a must for anyone that enjoys steak and other Japanese dishes. I recommend going with one of the sets and getting wagyu tataki, scallops, wagyu foie gras nigiri and special fried rice for entres. Everyone there is super friendly and will teach you how to cook everything and explain all the dishes. Can't wait for my next visit.

Best Japanese stone grill. Lots of variety.

Ishiya Japanese Stone grill is probably one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. We went last night and had the four person set menu. Each dish was unique and delicious and the wagyu the best meat I have ever tasted. The service could not have been better. Can not recommend this more highly.

Ishiya is absolutely fantastic, from the moment we walked in the door the staff were wonderful and attentive, the waygu we cooked on our stone grills was to die for, the beer and sake selection was amazing as well! We chose a set menu and for two people the amount of meat and small dishes we were served was perfect. The seafood here is also incredibly fresh, the baked scallops made my partner drool! I can't recommend Ishiya highly enough, and we will definitely be coming back!

Absolutely amazing! The food, the drinks, the service. Fantastic. Thanks for an amazing night out!

Loved the food here

Soo good! Ishiya Stone Grill completely exceeded my expectations. The meat was exceptional! Service was excellent and I cannot speak highly enough of the experience. Highly, highly recommend!

My first stone grill experience and absolutely LOVED it! Steak cooked the way I like it, each slice able to dip into 4 different dipping sauces. More salt, less salt - you decide, it's your meal, you are the boss. Recommend!

Good place too go fishing

The food here was delicious and just take away it. However, the staff were not wearing masks and the female staff were not very friendly.

Good, but definitely on the pricey side.

Beautiful food, excellent service and courteous staff

Ishiya is one of our favourite restaurants in Melbourne. We have been here MANY times all for different occasions. Every time a friend visits Melbourne, we always take them to Ishiya so they can enjoy the experience we always have. We’ve even taken a few of our vegetarian friends here and they still loved the options they had! I’ve never experienced bad food or service here before. It sucks that we are in lockdown but amazing they still offer takeaway! I can’t wait to visit again soon. I ordered a birthday set for my partner as it was his birthday during lockdown. Look how delicious it looked!

The service was so friendly and warm. The food was excellent and great value for money.

Amazing place. Everything is created fresh, with care, precision & love. A healing & invigorating experience

We went for my Mother In law Birthday, what a great place, the food is amazing we ordered the Set for 4 plus additional dishes. the oysters and sashimi was a great start to our meal followed by the Stonegrill, there were also the Scallops which was to die for. Busy small restaurant but the service was still on point. I will bring my own family next time to try out the rest of the Menu.

Amazing food and place

Very small amounts of food for the price

I had a wonderful solo dining experience at Ishiya, the food was delicious, the service great. I highly recommend the Wagyu Tasting Stonegrill Set which came with melt in your mouth wagyu and three sides/entrees of my choosing. There was plenty of great quality food, I left well satisfied. I am trying to plan my next trip to Melbourne so I can return here for another meal, again and again.

Good food & excellent service

Must try the grill set two, was very fresh and tasty. The salmon was brought to us in dry ice (spectacular). Love that you can cook meat on stone to your liking. Service was great and atmosphere was lovely. Best Japanese food I’ve tasted in Melbourne. Highly recommend.