Restaurant
Tempura Hajime
60 Park St, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
Find Tempura Hajime
60 Park St, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
Directions ↗*Opening hours may differ during holidays.
Book NowAbout Tempura Hajime
Twelve seats along a South Melbourne counter, quiet concentration, and oil heated to a quiet hum. Dinner here trades city noise for a focused tempura omakase, dropping piping-hot bites straight onto your paper. The batter stays crisp and weightless—no grease, no heavy batter coats. Diners single out the scallop stuffed with uni, rich unagi, whiting, and sweet potato sliced thick. It’s unhurried, transportive, and finishes clean with green tea.
- 12-Seat Counter: The chef fries each piece directly in front of guests at an intimate counter for a dedicated service.
- Tempura-Focused Omakase: Delicate, non-oily batter encasing fresh scallop filled with uni, unagi, whiting, and sweet potato.
- Transportive Dining: A calm waiting lounge and focused, quiet frying deliver a transportive evening.
What's On at Tempura Hajime
Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.
No events or specials listed right now.
Why Choose Tempura Hajime
Why diners choose Tempura Hajime for authentic counter omakase in South Melbourne
Intimate Front-Row Counter Service
Diners are seated along a dedicated 12-seat counter where each course is prepared right before them.
The chef cooks in front of you.
Paul Fisher Focused Master Craftsmanship
Guests observe the chef fry individual seasonal morsels piece by piece with methodical composure.
He was silent, calm and a pleasure to watch execute his craft.
Janelle Oh Piping Hot and Crisp Texture
Courses arrive straight from the oil, delivering maximum crispness and heat across every serving.
You get to try the freshest, crispiest and piping hot tempura here!
Mashi_soyo Delicate Non-Oily Execution
The tempura maintains a refined, delicate finish that is well seasoned and completely free of heavy grease.
cooked perfectly, not oily and so tasty.
Andrew Immersive Setting for Celebrations
A focused, timed omakase bar setting creates an immersive atmosphere suited for meaningful milestone dinners.
If you’re looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion or to be transported to Japan, this is a great choice.
Janelle Oh Exceptional Omakase Value
Generous multi-course sequences offer a standout, high-value alternative to standard city omakase options.
It’s much more worthy than the other overhyped Omakase in Melbourne!
Mashi_soyo
Most popular items
Signature seasonal tempura and omakase highlights fried to order at the counter
Scallop tempura
The unagi, sweet potato, scallop tempura pieces were standouts for me.
Janelle Oh Unagi tempura
The unagi, sweet potato, scallop tempura pieces were standouts for me.
Janelle Oh Sweet potato tempura
The unagi, sweet potato, scallop tempura pieces were standouts for me.
Janelle Oh Swordfish
The swordfish was a favourite and the Tempura is always good...cooked perfectly, not oily and so tasty.
Andrew
Beyond the menu
Thoughtful touches that elevate the intimate counter omakase experience
Dedicated Arrival & Lounge Welcome
Guests arrive and are welcomed by staff who usher them into a dedicated waiting lounge before guiding them to the 12-seater counter.
Calm, Focused Counter Frying
The chef silently and calmly crafts each course piece by piece, providing an up-close demonstration of disciplined culinary technique.
Piping-Hot, Piece-by-Piece Service
Each tempura piece is fried individually and served straight from the fryer, ensuring it arrives piping hot and delicately crisp.
Thoughtful Course Progression
Multi-course menus intersperse hot tempura with dedicated palate cleansers, such as mixed seaweed salad and Japanese refreshments.
Before you head over
Practical advice for planning your omakase booking and ordering at Tempura Hajime
Book in Advance and Arrive Promptly
With an intimate 12-seater counter setup, reserve well in advance and be punctual, particularly for timed slots like the 5:30pm sitting.
Choose the Tempura-Only Set
Opt strictly for the dedicated tempura course rather than sushi combos to get the best focus and value from the chef's specialty craft.
Eat Each Course Immediately
Tempura is fried piece by piece right before you; eat each item immediately while piping hot to experience the batter at peak crispness.
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