Robata

Updated October 7, 2026,first published November 18, 2024

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A shelf lined with Kewpie mayo bottles sits over a katana sword above the bar; below, blue LEDs at ankle height scroll through the sort of Japanese food-adjacent words a millennial might name their cat: Mochi, Yakitori. Robata revels in this sort of cheerful excess, carried through by laid-back waiters who know their menu and their sake.

Serves are small enough to encourage ordering widely: Ora King salmon sashimi, finished with an essential side of wasabi mustard, melts on the tongue. Charred yakitori thighs are skewered simply with spring onion. Sushi handrolls come as a generous DIY affair, complete with a soy tincture, while flank steak is seared to sashimi-like pinkness and arranged over wasabi butter.

Whether you’re theatre-bound or off to catch a game, Robata’s open kitchen, smooth service and eccentric interior are worth the stop.

Must-order: Ora King salmon sashimi.

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Production-line energy, handcrafted flavour.

The mood-lit restaurant plays it safe with a selection of greatest hits from Michael Lambie’s pan-Asian playbook.

A late-night Melbourne institution, now on Lonsdale Street.