Sonny Chiba

I'm just going to get to the point. After a trying task of finding a park in a very small and limited area, we finally got inside to a minimal, modern, hip looking restaurant it's small, so definitely, definitely book. We sat down and ordered drinks. However, it wasn't made clear to us that the menus were under the placemats, so it took a while to start to even choose what to get. When we did eventually order - with the help from our phone torches as it's so dark in there - we'd placed our orders before the tables on either side of us which are so painfully close to each other, we could literally smell the garlic coming out of the pores of the guy next to us on one side, yet our food came out last. The service was shockingly slow, and main meals were brought out for entree time, and vice versa. With that said ... the food was ok. Nothing to write home about, but still nice. It wasn't like there was heaps and heaps to choose from, but what we had was ok. We didn't get dessert as there was only one option and it wasn't even a Japanese dish. Seemed quite out of place on their menu a Wagon Wheel. All in all, I'm glad I've tried it here, but I wouldn't rush back. It's way too loud in here and you can't hear your friends unless you're full on yelling, and the food is good, but nothing outstanding. And for the price you pay, well, I just felt it wasn't quite worth it. The service wasn't overly impressive and though lots of people like it, I guess it's not for everyone.

Celebrated my birthday dinner here with a few friends, absolutely phenomenal. I love sashimi and Sonny Chiba really do provide top quality seafood. Great spot for dates or if you just feel like some Japanese. I recommend the miso if you like onion/seaweed soup, it’s delicious.

My favourite restaurant in Melbourne. My partner and I have been there 5 times now, the vibe inside is sophisticated, the wait staff are relatable, polite and super efficient, the food is NEXT LEVEL GREAT. Refer to photos below. Our favourite meals we have repeat ordered include the Prawn Sando 2.0 omg mouth watering the Tuna Tataki so fresh, so delicious and the Wagyu for 2 literally melts in your mouth like butter Other mentionable dishes - kingfish, spicy salmon & crispy rice, gyoza. I always look forward to my next visit to Sonny Chiba because I know the quality of food and friendly wait staff are absolutely incredible every time.

Incredible food and service!! This strip of shops has really taken off and Sonny Chiba fits right in! The food was some of the best Japanese I have ever had!! Every dish was fantastic! Service was impeccable Paired with some orange wine Amazing!! Will definitely be back

Absolutely blown away with the customer service, food and whole experience. My partner and I went for dinner and there was nothing we could fault. The customer service was phenomenal and the food was delicious. The miso cod and sashimi were our favourite and filled with so much flavour. The venue itself is also fantastic and has a warm and inviting atmosphere. Highly recommend and will be coming back on a regular basis.

Lovely night for dinner. Food great and waitress good w advice about quantity. Late sitting but still felt a bit rushed to eat n go. We were out in 100 min. Music was too loud and group beside us had to yell so we also couldn’t hear our table very well. Minor adjustments would make this a perfect evening.

The first time I visited Sonny Chiba, I knew I had to go back again and try the full menu. I love how they shake things up and offer new, exciting items on the menu when the season changes. The food was incredible and I was at a loss for words when we had the Beef Yakimeshi wagyu fried rice. Great spot that feels local but still very lively especially this summer as they've opened up outdoor dining on Beatty Avenue. Don't forget to try the Orion beer from Okinawa, it's incredibly smooth!

An amazing experience from the moment we were seated. The menu was exceptional, raw dishes were some of the best I’ve eaten in Melbourne. Service was excellent. One of the very best Japanese Restaurants I’ve visited, highly recommended.

I really wanted to like this place because the interior was so tasteful! It was appropriately busy on a Friday night and had the atmosphere of a cute, well lit, local wine bar. Unfortunately as many reviews below mentioned, the wait for the food was very, very long and we were hangry by the time it came out. I think we waited over an hour. The waiters were attentive and kind enough but the food didn’t quite make up for the wait. The kingfish was fresh and well flavoured, and the okonomiyaki, while okay, was nothing mind blowing. The miso cod and wagyu fried rice were both very disappointing. The wagyu fried rice was insanely salty, perhaps due to being drenched in sauce. The cod was a great texture but the flavours were just... a little strange. A little gingery and miso-ey but had this odd vinegary smell and bitter aftertaste that was far more unpleasant than it was refined. Umeshu was great and it was fun to drink it out of the vial. Overall though... not sure we weren’t careful enough with our menu choices, but we wouldn’t come back. More on Instagram: @esje_eats

Just had a lovely night celebrating a friend's birthday. The food was lovely, great atmosphere and we were well looked after. Thank you for a wonderful evening.