Akaiito Restaurant

This beautiful place is not just for the food, it's for the atmosphere, service and overall experience you get (we were in formal dining upstairs).

We all really loved the fact you sit at a lounge to begin, have your canapes before moving onto the 7 course aspect. Food was absolutely phenomenal and the service was of an extremely high standard. The chef's explain each course which was a really nice touch to the evening.

The photos are only some of the food, I think all up we had 5 canapes and then the 7 courses.

We all left quite comfortably full!

I haven't been back here for a while, and I must say my expectations were low as the last visit a year ago was quite average for me.
This time this place have really did their best to make the customers feel at home very attentive. I got the last-minute booking for a late session 8.30pm, and even went for the ling 7 courses menu plus oysters on top (note to self not to do this again because it finishes very late)

Staffs went above and beyond, making sure we had the best time. Foods are amazing , presentations are top notch, and the food tastes like heaven. This probably sit in the top of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne now. We were offered free drinks on the house and we had a blast. Thank you team at Akaiito.

I came here for a 5th year anniversary and this place blew my mind away. A bit heavy on the wallet but the experience and taste was all well worth it. I ordered the 7 course meal and left quite full.

Great dark intimate scenery, very knowledgable waiter who was very accomodating, the chefs explained in detail of every dish that came out.

Before you judge this place on some of the negative reviews, see here.

I have been to the chef's table at Kisume. I was impressed, but not THIS impressed. Akaiito (upstairs) is, in my opinion, the best Omakase in Melbourne. The modern presentation, the daring and innovative flavours, the personal touch of speaking to your chefs as they serve every course. The sheer artistry of Akaiito is astounding. From the decor, to the cocktails, to the food. Every part of this restaurant is a well-oiled machine. The chefs stand confidently in the kitchen, meticulously presenting the best version of each dish. The wait staff is kind and personable.

The food was faultless. I was unable to pick a SINGLE aspect of any dish I was served off the signature Kojin (7 course) that did not meet and, in fact, exceed the mark. Every carefully prepared ingredient works well by itself as well as with everything else on the plate.

I will be back again and again, hungry for more.

Thank you, Akaiito.

See you soon.

Amazing food. Date night and tried the 7 course tasting menu. Staff were fantastic and the food was artistry. Some of the best food had in melbourne to date. The atmosphere was amazing and great spectator sport watching the talented chefs preparing our dishes in the open plan kitchen.

Highly reccomend and will return asap.

Thankyou very much for an amazing evening!

We booked the Tsukiyo Moonlit dining experience for 8 people to celebrate my 50th birthday. The experience exceeded our expectations. Incredible customer service from the moment we booked to the end of the meal. The food is hands down the best Japanese we have eaten in Melbourne. The experience was sensational and my friends also absolutely loved everything about this place. I've no idea why the bad reviews. I'd love to eat here again.

5 star experience - food and crew especially the man that helped me select wine. He had such a good knowledge of drinks, great customer experience, very patient. Thank you guys.

Oh my god!! What an experience! We savoured every bite and commented with my friends like Masterchef judges! This was truly one of those worth it moments! The 7 course degustation was out of this world!

I couldn't express enough how much I recommend this place. The beautiful dining + lounge areas create a fantastic atmosphere. The incredibly accommodating staff who assisted with anything we needed. My partner is vegetarian/vegan so I requested to have her food done specially and they couldn't have delivered any better. Lewis (our chef) couldn't have taken this task on and better by specially planning out her meal days before to ensure a unique dining experience. All food is collected fresh from Victorian markets and they ensure the quality of the food. My tastebuds have never been any happier. Thank you so much to the staff for an incredible night especially Lewis

I would give more than 5 stars if I could

Had a wonderful experience at Akaiito! We were greeted and taken to our seats with a warm welcome. Staff were attentive, dishes came out in good time and beautifully presented! As for flavours, the dishes were a balance between subtle and strong which complimented the ingredients beautifully. My favourite is the smoked Spanish mackerel with the roast duck being a close second! The place has a modern Japanese vibe and loved the open kitchen where you can see the chefs in their craft! Would definitely return again ✨

Off street parking available right in front and a projected floor light to let you know where the entrance is as the door is subtle so you might blink and miss it.

I was hesitated when I saw the ratings on Google but the dinner fantastic! The meal was very filling, I'm a big eater but felt very full at the end. All dishes were tasty, especially the duck, one of the best duck dishes I've ever had. Service was quick, dishes came out quick as well, we didn't have to wait very long between courses.

We came here to celebrate our dear friend’s birthday. For our dinner, we ordered the 5 course degustation and everything was absolutely delicious - until the duck.

The jus was so aromatic, the meat was wonderful and tender but the skin was so salty it was bitter. Instead of palming us off or pretending that’s how it should be, chef Louis immediately arranged for our main dish to be replaced, let us know there’ll be a 15 minute wait and he went on to make the dish for us himself! It came out looking and smelling absolutely divine and there’s nothing for us to fault.

The service is friendly and attentive - we were also given plenty of space without unnecessary hovering from the staff.

If you’re saving up for a special treat, Akaiito is definitely a great choice.

Such a great spot! Perfect for date night, after work or a friend/family visiting from out of town. The perfect blend of nice/casual. Great food and good location.

Best food amazing restaurant, We wanted somewhere nice before going to Cabaret festival, never made it. Restaurant to good to rush, What a taste sensation. Loved every coarse . Well done to all involved.

We were one of only 2 table bookings on the 30th (day before nye). Service was impeccable, loved starting the experience casually in the lounge before moving to the table. The food we incredible! I had never tasted some of the dishes flavours before (oyster ice cream!!). All of them were delicious and explained by the chef or our host. Beverage suggestions were offered and we took them all! Sparkling sake is a must.
We walked out very full and very happy. Cost for 2 people (7 courses and around 6 drinks each = about $700 with tip)
Couple small points: the higher up places in the venue could use a clean (dust/cobwebs on ceiling and the red thread noticeable from tables), and I'd have loved for the music to be a bit more exotic/Japanese inspired and louder because there were so few people in the restaurant that our voices felt echo-y in normal conversation. Nothing to deduct a star for though!

Had an amazing meal and experience at Akaiito last week, after visiting many times since they opened we have seen some ups and downs but this place has found its stride now and boy are we the winners.

Beautiful thoughtful dishes, served by the knowledgeable staff and also buy the chefs preparing the dishes. The are so excited to tell you about the care and though put into there dishes and you can taste the love. Had a lovely white from Italy but think the wine list could do we a bit of expansion.

Now excited to return to see what the new spring menu holds, already rebooked.

Absolutely amazing experience here at Akaiito!
We started off downstairs at Ototo for a pre dinner cocktail which were delicious and presented so very well.
We then headed upstairs to begin our experience of a 7 course degustation dinner, the staff were very friendly and super knowledgeable, each dish was presented beautifully and the flavours from them all was incredible, so fresh and perfect for the atmosphere of the restaurant. The sake flight is a must!
Thank you to all the staff for an amazing night over 3 hours, we will be back!!!

Akaiito 🍱🍙🥢
Chef’s Menu $180pp
- Charcoal Macaroon ⭐
- Chirashi Cigar
- Blini Wagyu Beef⭐
- Miso Brioche ⭐
- Fish Of The Day⭐
- Confit-Miso Chicken
- Saikyo Miso Black Cod
- Green Apple, Celery, Lime Pear, Tarragon Yoghurt
- Robata WA Marron ⭐
- Wagyu MB9+ Steak
- Spiced Rhubarb, Citrus Granita: Raspberry Foam, Fermented Rice lee-cream
- Petite Four: Chocolate Nama ⭐, Madeleine, Daily Fruit
- Japanese Tea

Went to Akaiito for my Birthday and it did not disappoint me at all. Knowing that the Google rating was 3.8, I was a bit skeptical. I can reassure you all it worths at least 4.5 stars!
The restaurant was filled with red decorations which resembles the meaning of Akaiito - “Red Thread of Love”. How romantic is that?
The whole menu was $180, absolutely worthy for 10+ high quality dishes. Everything was delicate, creative and aesthetic. The fish of the day was the most impressive. They wrapped the Chirashi with thinly sliced fish and sake gel. It wasn’t just beautiful but delightful to taste. Overall very impressive food! Highly recommend it for all the Omakase lovers!

I have to say this has been one of the best tasting menus I've had in a long time.
The set is $65 per person for 3 small and 3 large dishes, serving size based how many people at the table, we had two of us for our anniversary date. And you can always get a few extra dishes for a very reasonable price.
The food is brought out in a very smooth transition with watch kept at our pace of eating.
We ended up having 5 small dishes, and 3 large, plus dessert, with two large glasses of wine and a cocktail for the missus, it only cost $265. Now some might say that was expensive but we got pretty expensive wine for ourselves.
The portion sizes were perfect and the presentation and taste was absolutely amazing. Anyone who complains about the price or the size I highly recommend you see what other places charge for this level of experience.

All in all I am so happy I didn't follow any of the negative reviews and came out here for our special night and look forward to coming back again

Decided to come here on a Wednesday night after work. Ordered the tasting platter plus one side dish since my partner and I don't usually get full from these things. Was surprised to see that we were dying from the amount of food. Highly recommended ordering the tasting menu when you're here, everything was delicious and beautiful. Waiters were very nice as well.