Izakaya Chuji

Posted by: johnny_dust | 11 February 2010, 11.44am

I've been to Chuji when I first arrived in Melbourne looking for an authentic Japanese Izakaya having lived in Japan for four years I had heard there were some good authentic places in Melbourne. I must say that after the excitement of finding a place where the staff including cooks are actually japanese the food was a bit dissapointing. Alot of the things I had seemed like pre-frozen like the Karage (Fried Chicken) and also the Croquettes. The ramen I had there seemed like instant noodles in boiling water. Overall the food was of average quality and I would say this place wouldn't do great business in Japan. I have tried the BBQ upstairs also which is an improvement as the meat is fresh and cooked over charcoal which really brings out the flavour, but even with that, there are Korean BBQ's in the city which are better.

Overall, I think there are better Izakayas in Melbourne.

Food:			Visit: Thu 11 February 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Catcherting | 6 December 2009, 1.14am

GOod food, great selection, service is slow, but great relaxed atmosphere...

Food:			Visit: Sun 6 December 2009
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Posted by: tokyo joe | 15 March 2009, 10.42am

Being English born Japanese I have the advantage of knowing Japanese food inside and outside of Japan with great intimacy. Izakaya are a way of life in Japan, most people head to their local Izakaya after work for eating and drinking. I have been to many Izakaya's outside of Japan and am usually disappointed. This place is the real deal, Japanese chefs and Japanese staff. Izakaya Chuji is a rare gem, admittedly the decor and the service detracts from the whole experience but the authentic atmosphere and the awesome food more than make up for it. The price is also amazing for the quality of food served. They have just opened up a new sake bar next door which has an amazing range of sake and other Japanese drinks that for me is the icing on the cake!!!

Food:			Visit: Sun 15 March 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: lisajh | 14 October 2008, 11.50am

You have to try the Japanese BBQ upstairs, it's awesome!!! I love it, and it's great value. The place in general is good value and pretty good food. Can be quite noisy and the decor and furniture is a bit old and dated, but still one of my favourite places.

Food:			Visit: Tue 14 October 2008
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Posted by: Love2Eat | 29 September 2008, 11.10pm

I went for lunch on my own after reading the reviews about this place. After I found the place I realised I have walked past it before but I never paid attention to it due to the not-so-appealing decor (both inside and outside).

I chose to have the lunch bento box and you can make up the contents by ticking the appropriate boxes on the order form. This is good because often there's always one or two things in the Japanese bento box that I sometimes don't eat. The sashimi was very fresh. The contents of the sushi was very simple (maybe a bit boring actually). The potato croquet was a bit over deep fried but it tasted nice. I also had cold soba and with my lunch box came a bowl of miso soup and a bowl of white rice. I was not disappointed in the end and this place is definitely value for money.

Food:			Visit: Mon 29 September 2008 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: cindyc | 4 August 2008, 1.47am

Forgetful waiters, generally had to ask at least 2 different wait staff to get anything placed on the table, with exception of one waiter. However food was fresh and tasty. I have also dined upstairs with the grill option, service is much better, as there are generally less people it seems.

Food:			Visit: Fri 1 August 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: hungry_G | 9 June 2008, 11.11am

Always great value, IC is not the place to go for formal service or 5 star trimmings. Rather it is constantly busy with Japenese students and Melbourne-ites loving authentic Japanese food and drinks.

Food is served as it is ready and you may have to drop a "sumimasen!" to be noticed when its busy, but the freshness of the food and large menu makes it worthwhile. Get in before 7 to get a table. Geso-karaage (fried octopus with mayo) and nasu-dengaku (eggplant with miso) are consistent favourites. Have not tried the table grill upstairs yet...many people dont realise this is also available as a totally different dining experience.

Food:			Visit: Mon 9 June 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: suehi | 25 April 2008, 7.03am

This used to be a restaurant we went to about twice a month. Last night may well be the last time. The service was mostly slow and disinterested. There was one exception, but she seemed to be run off her feet. The food was also slow and below standard. I even returned one dish. It was replaced without hassle but was only marginally improved.

Food:			Visit: Thu 24 April 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: pink elemental | 8 April 2008, 4.47pm

Initially because we did not have a booking (only 2 diners) we were seated on the 'couches' in the back corner of the restaurant and given candles as lighting. There did appear to be many tables free, but maybe they were booked out we don't know. We were then ignored for over half an hour despite every waiter having to walk past us when using the stairs.

Finally when we flagged down a waitress she kindly moved us to one of the many free tables since as she said we were sort of in the dark.

Food was of a good quality and value for money - notably the octopus wrapped in pancake and sushi. The noodles were a bit lack lustre but they weren't overpriced so it was okay.

Food:			Visit: Sat 5 April 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: M&C | 8 April 2008, 12.18pm

Although there are plenty of restaurants offering international cuisines in Melbourne, it's not easy to find a good one here. After being disappointed many times with the Japanese restaurants here, I must say, Izakaya is one of those rare finds that will not only satisfy your palate for good Japanese cuisine but exceeed your expectation.
Excellent food, great service. Definitely going back again... and again... and again....

Food:			Visit: Tue 8 April 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: usfoodie | 23 April 2007, 2.58pm

I had the pleasure to stumble upon this restaurant and am thankful that I did! With very non-descript signage, it was difficult to find, but I was well rewarded for the effort by a truly exquisite meal. The udon noodles, soft, but not spongy, were perfectly balanced with a flavourful broth that perfectly complemented the noodles. The chef's special was a nice blend of sashimi and sushi. Somewhat difficult to find, but well worth the effort.

Food:			Visit: Thu 29 March 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: chrismcl | 8 January 2007, 12.43pm

I eat a lot of Japanese. So basically, this mob could spice up the decor a little and charge at least double for what comes out of the kitchen - and it would still be good value.
It really is amazing value for what they serve. The sushi and sashimi is always extremely fresh and prepared in an open and viewable kitchen. The tuna and sea bass are the pick, both firm and tender and better than several other CBD offerings that charge more! The raw beef strips with egg are "like, totally hot right now", plus you can rest assured about the hygiene factor on the raw goods - a few times I've been directed to the cooked menu on hot days, as they refuse to compromise on quality or risk us all getting salmonella - good on them!

Food:			Visit: Mon 8 January 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: sdatta | 19 July 2006, 8.53pm

Pleasant meal and service - brisk business.

Food:			Visit: Wed 19 July 2006 Mealtime: dinner
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