Mate's Table
Subscribe
Create
Share with the community

What would you like to make?

Add a recommendationShare a place worth gathering around.Create a guideBuild a useful list for your city.
For business

Restaurant

Yamato Japanese Restaurant

223 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Recommended by 27 people

Updated

Find Yamato Japanese Restaurant

223 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9663 1707
HoursMonday: 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Tuesday: 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Wednesday: 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Thursday: 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Friday: 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Saturday: 5:00 – 9:00 PM Sunday: 5:00 – 9:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

Plan your visit

About Yamato Japanese Restaurant

Homely Japanese comfort food tucked across from Melbourne’s East End theatre district—calm, unpretentious, and built for a restorative meal. Regulars duck in before curtain call for hearty teriyaki salmon bento boxes, steaming bowls of niku udon, and savoury shabu-shabu served alongside chilled bottles of sake. Towards the back, low tatami booths let you kick off your shoes and unwind beneath soft wooden partitions, while upfront counter ordering keeps the pace breezy and entirely free of weekend or holiday surcharges.

  • Traditional tatami booths: Low-set floor booths behind wooden partitions require shoe removal for an understated, traditional meal.
  • Pre-theatre convenience: Situated right across from the Comedy Theatre and Her Majesty's Theatre for quick udon and bento before curtain call.
  • No weekend surcharges: Clear-cut pricing with no extra surcharges added on weekends or public holidays.
RestaurantJapaneseRestaurant

What's On at Yamato Japanese Restaurant

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Dine at Yamato Japanese Restaurant

Homely Japanese classics, traditional floor seating, and easy pre-theatre dining on Exhibition Street.

  • Dependable Japanese Comfort Staples

    Yamato prepares traditional comfort dishes such as fresh bento boxes and noodle dishes served at fair CBD pricing.

    Delicious bento boxes - crunchy salads and tender meat. Not overly expensive for Melbourne CBD.

    Darren L

  • Straightforward Dining Value

    Diners can choose classic options while enjoying upfront ordering and fair pricing without holiday premiums.

    all price are still good value for money compared to other Japanese restaurants

    Lusi Farida

  • Prime Theatre District Convenience

    Situated directly by Her Majesty's Theatre and the Comedy Theatre, the diner offers prompt service for showgoers.

    A really good option for a cheaper meal in the theatre district.

    pastelsparkles

  • Quick Pre-Show Meal Service

    Counter ordering and swift kitchen turnaround provide an efficient stop for visitors arriving close to curtain time.

    Went here for a quick dinner before the theatre. Despite being very late, the staff made sure to have our sushi ready super quickly.

    Zoe Hutchinson

  • Traditional Floor Mat Seating

    Guests can sit at traditional floor mat booths requiring shoe removal, creating an intimate Japanese dining setting.

    authentic Japanese boots that you take off your shoes and settle into the atmosphere of soft Japanese music and wooden partitions.

    Amber Ravine

  • Authentic Tokyo Diner Atmosphere

    Yamato offers an unpretentious, quiet dining atmosphere reminiscent of a classic Tokyo diner.

    Loved Yamato. It feels like a Tokyo diner. Reasonably priced, authentic, oishi!

    Matthew Boyd

Classic Japanese comfort dishes favoured for quick theatre dining and reliable city meals

  • Bento

    Delicious bento boxes - crunchy salads and tender meat.

    Darren L

  • Miso Soup

    You know the place is pretty good when the miso soup comes out piping hot, and not lukewarm like many other places.

    Darren L

  • Niku Udon

    As for the dishes, I highly recommend the Niku Udon and different types of Bento.

    CX W

  • Shabu Shabu

    We had the shabu shabu and the soup was amazing. Portion of the beef was quite generous and very tender.

    justin wong

Frequently Asked Questions

How does ordering and payment work?

Orders and payments are handled up front at the counter before you receive your food, and drinking water is available self-serve from the counter.

Is traditional Japanese floor seating available?

Yes, the restaurant features authentic Japanese tatami-style floor mat seating booths at the back where guests remove their shoes, alongside standard tables.

Can you dine here before or after a theatre show?

Yamato is situated right in the theatre district across from Her Majesty's Theatre and the Comedy Theatre, making it a convenient stop for pre-show or post-show dining. However, when large crowds arrive simultaneously around showtime or when the front of house is managed by a single server, meal service can experience delays, so arriving with ample time is recommended.

Are there vegetarian options on the menu?

Yes, the menu includes a dedicated variety of vegetarian dishes, including tofu steak, fried tofu, wakame salad, and miso soup.

Explore more places in Melbourne

Find familiar flavours, neighbourhood favourites and somewhere new in Melbourne.

Discover more in Melbourne

Explore another side of the city's food and drink.

Browse all Melbourne venues