Chocolate Buddha Reviews

Great food! Very busy.Great customer service.Food served quickly.

Delicious food and amazing service from friendly staff. Can't wait to go back!

Good value for money, has become more vegan over the years which is not a bad thing. Very busy in the evening when we were there but the staff remain cheerful and accommodating highly recommended.

A nice little placed tucked inside Federation Square. Great place for week night dinner catch ups. Was busy at 6pm on a Thursday evening, so was seated at the bar first - check out their extensive list of yuzushu and umeshu. Menu has sushi, izakaya share dishes and some mains - ramen and donburi.

The service and food is truly amazing. It was hard to choose what to have everything sounded amazing. Also great cocktails. Will definitely be back.

Had breakfast here on a Groupon voucher. It was good value. But it took a long time for the omelettes we ordered to arrive.

Good food, wonderful staff, amazing location, cheap beer
10/10 would stay here till 5am on a week night
and then go back again the next day

A good place to enjoy the vibe of AO tennis in Fed Square with good food and Melbourne vibe.

Food is fine if not great however the practice of "we don't bring all the dishes at once" to maximise quality creates situations where everyone on a medium to large table has finished and one person is still sitting there hangry and everyone else wants to go. This has happened a number of times over the 10+ years I have attended dinners there.

Good service, but very underwhelmed by the food.

For $25+ a bowl of Ramen needs to be top notch, but it was pretty average

The location is great, especially if you re there to watch the screen (Aus Open)
Professional and friendly staff. Delicious kitchen. The prices may bite a little but you re paying for the high quality of everything
Especially loved:
Ocean Trout Nigiri
Chocolate Buddha Dome

Really nice space and venue. Feels very relaxed and laid back. Staff were all very friendly and welcoming. Sushi and share plates were all fantastic. However mains were a bit underwhelming. You can definitely get better ramen and donburi elsewhere in the city for quite a lower price. Would definitely just reccomended ordering a selection of share plates and sushi.

Food was delicious! On a nice day, being seated outside in Fed Square is fantastic. Highly recommend here for some good food!

Delicious food l that is well plated with suberb service.

Terrible after change of menu and update .... lacking gluten free options specially gluten free and vegetarian

One of our favorite restaurants. It now has a sushi train so it's even better!

Didn't like the taste. Food was too salty and nothing special for that price point.

Nice food, Convenient location. Reasonable prices for the CBD. However the lunch menu is pretty limited compared to the regular menu.

Great food as always. Haven't had a bad meal here. I could suggest eating rice with a ladle and chopsticks can be challenging at least for me as the ladle didn't really fit in my mouth...

Food was great as always but I must commend the staff on the fantastic job they always do. The host has a larger than life personality and is an asset to the restaurant, our waitress was fantastic also. I love the fact that for people with Coeliac disease there is literally no need to worry (a rare treat when eating out!)

They have just had a beautiful interior revamp with new and delicious menu items. We were seated and served quickly and in a friendly manner. Each dish was too stunning to eat! Can't wait to go back.

Very good food just a bit expensive. They have nice food for vegetarians: I really liked their Panko covered tofu curry. I would come again for special occasions!

This is a nice cozy restaurant. Liked the atmosphere. Nice view. The food menu consists of a gluten free menu. Tried the starters and the food was fabulous. Enjoyed every item that was order. The place has several sake . The drinks were also good. After an amazing meal the dessert was the icing on the cake. Very rich chocolate and loved it.

I will definitely visit this place again for the food and the helpful staff members.

The service and food here are lovely, but the price for meals given their size are not great. 4 ciders, 1 main and 2 sides came to over $100. Also a note to my fellow coeliacs: do not get overly excited about the dumplings. You are not getting dumplings, you are getting rice noodles wrapped around filling and fried. Delicious, but not a dumpling.

EXCELLENT FOOD, SERVICE AND LOCATION
Chocolate Buddha is a Japanese restaurant right in the middle of Federation Square with great views out from the full length windows.
Access is easy from trains at the adjacent Flinders Street Train Station and trams from Swanston St - StKilda Road.
You know it's going to be a great experience from the moment you enter: very warm welcome from staff, ultra-modern decor and spacious seating.
Four of us booked a lunch on a Friday. We wanted a restaurant that offered vegan and gluten free options in addition to regular fare and the menu catered for us very well.
The menu is designed more as share plate meals but you can also choose more substantial dishes for one.
Our food and drinks arrived promptly and were served very professionally.
Make sure you start off with a dish of edamame!!
Desserts are surprisingly good.. If I had to choose, it would be either the apple crumble or the chocolate mousse but they were all delicious.
People with mobility issues will be fine inside the restaurant as it is all one level, however the walk up from the street may be bit challenging as Fed Square has quite a few steps and an uneven surface.

Wonderful staff who did a wonderful job of making us feel properly looked after, even when it was a busy Saturday night. They were also very good with catering to our significant allergies. It makes a difference when people know EXACTLY what's in the food they're handing you. So pleased! Also.. so many good cocktails as well!!

Meals were tasty, but pre-cooked. Bit of a 'fast-food', in & out mill rather than a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Superb restaurant: great food, delightful staff, wonderful place and ambience.

Whilst the food was very good the experience was significantly marred by extremely inattentive service. We had to ask for service to order lunch. We were upsold dessert as part of a lunch special and then waited for over 40 minutes before deciding to leave when NO STAFF acknowledged our presence and instead walked past us on numerous occasions. We were not asked if we wanted anything further, when dessert was not brought to the table we decided to pay and leave. We waited for someone at the desk to pay and when we alerted them to the missing dessert we were offered no apology. As visitors from interstate we were very disappointed.

This is by far my favourite restaurant!! The food is always cooked to perfection and so full of flavour! For a city-based restaurant it's menu showcases a very large variety of affordable options and relatively decent priced cocktails. The lychee one is definitely my favourite!! I always get the Teriyaki Chicken Don and i've never been let down. Staff is always so friendly and very accommodating towards my vegan and vegetarian friends.
Can't wait to come back soon.
Emma x

Once again our family enjoyed a terrific dining experience last night. The moment we walked in the door the maitre d engaged our children in a delightful conversation, warming them up for our night ahead. We had drinks at the bar prior to being shown to our table. Table service was prompt, and our meals were fresh and tasty. 3 had the chicken, one had noodles and rice was shared. We look forward to our next dining experience at Chocolate Buddha.

Service was good, our waitress was very attentive, knowledgable and friendly. The food was average.

Huge amount of gluten free options. The sauces on the sashimi and veggie dishes is very good.

Love love love! Loved the food, the vibe and the service! Will definitely be back. Thank you!

Great selection of Japanese food and separate gluten free menu. Handy Fed Square location which makes it handy for dinner before heading to the State Theatre or Hamer Hall

The new menu, is to die for. The staff so friendly and attentive. Thank you so much, we'll be back soon

A fine Japanese restaurant with gluten-free and vegan options. Busy location, cosy and comfortable seating.

Tasty food and a really great kids menu of tasty Japanese dishes which appeal to small people such as avocado sushi and ramen noodles.

Sitting outside Federation Square was buzzing, the atmosphere was great and the Chocolate Buddha staff were attentive, Lucas was a wonderful front man. The food sensational.

Really good food, and they have lots variety for coealiac. The waiters are very friendly and helpful. When we paid the bill, they let us to pay separately which was very unknown in restaurant. Highly recommended

Great food with good portions and kind and friendly staff. Really tasty Chicken Teriyaki and Grilled Salmon.

I had a really great time here at Chocolate Buddha, the food was incredible and the wait staff were very kind and available for help. The location is great too close to everything. I really like the vibe of this restaurant. One of Melbourne s finest.

Chocolate Buddha for a night out to watch the tennis on the big screen had a great aptomosphere and view. Unfortunately, the food was ordinary and came in small quantities. The donburi was expected to be a full meal (in line with the pricing), but was very small in comparison to other Japanese restaurants in the area. The ramen was average. The staff were okay, just not incredibly attentive. If you're watching anything at fed square (grand final, tennis, etc.), this is a great place to view if from. Just make sure you're aware of the small serving sizes, expensive prices and 10% weekend surcharge.

Great place. Food was awesome. Good for sharing dishes

Food was nice, service was good. It's quite overpriced for what you get and the backless chairs while "authentic" are very uncomfortable.

Lovely location, really lovely servers and the food made my family want to pick the plates. Maybe slightly on the expensive side, but was a good experience.

Food was good but probably a bit too expensive. Perhaps it's the deco and service that cost extra.

Great food and great service!
The staff is extremely quick to help with tips, suggestions, and information, as well as to make sure any dietary needs are met.
Food is, hot, fresh, and delicious and the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly from the moment of entry up until you leave.
A great experience all around!

The food is to die for! It's a bit pricey, but I felt it was worth it. The staff were all very attentive and pleasant. They had absolutely no issue splitting the bill, either.
I can definitely recommend the lotus chips.

Great service, the food is second to none! Favorite place to eat in Melbourne.

Amazing Sushi, excellent service, and fair pricing for the quality. I also like the little conveyor belt delivery system.

A pre-ballet favourite! Great Japanese food, a really good gluten free menu and great options for other dietary requirements with knowledgeable and friendly staff. I have never had a bad experience here and the food and service have been consistently great.

Great food, fantastic service. Thank you so much Chocolate Buddha for the most welcoming and friendly dining experience I have ever had. Both my wheelchair and Assistance Dog were welcomed and accommodated without question, the restaurant is air conditioned, and there is a wheelchair accessible bathroom inside. Federation Square itself has those annoying cobblestones, but the restaurant itself was delightful.

Loved this place... great food... friendly and helpful staff

Good Food on the pricy side. Service was a little slow but wait staff were very apologetic.

Always good food and atmosphere. Like the communal style tables. Bring back all the Buddhas please!

Best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. Gluten free options available

Consistently great food, served quickly and with great service. We always bring out of town guests here because they never dissapoint.

Great place to dine and enjoy beer in the heart of the city and watch live events at Federation square

Great place, not sure about the request for tips though.

Had a great dinner there on Saturday night. The staff were really friendly and attentive, the serve of sashimi was huge and the other dishes were very tasty!

Really enjoyed this place! Great food and service, with very acceptable house wines. Good value so close to the heart of town.

The gluten free dumplings / gyoza are superb! Wonderful location. Fun service.

I've eaten here a number of times: the food has always been amazing!

It was fantastic! Great gluten free options! Lovely staff :) definitely keen to go back!!!

Stopped in on the way to a comedy show and was very pleasantly surprised. Excellent options for my partner who's a coeliac. We ordered the salmon dumplings, the chicken rice bowl and ma po tofu - all were super fresh, flavoursome and very filling (generous portions). The service was perfect and we'll definitely be back.

I've been here many times, and it's been consistently excellent. Fabulous staff, a wonderful location, and excellent food all round. Really, a very good place to meet, eat, and watch a perfect Melbourne sunset.

Amazing place, but please bring back the soft shell crab roll.

Overall pretty good dinning experience. We tried various things. My two favorite items was the Korean chicken and the sweet potatoes. Both really good. I was not over impressed beef roll, the wasabi was over powering and the other rolls were good but to great.

Always amazing food and incredibly friendly staff who always make us feel welcome

They are close until spring 2019 and the information its not on Google maps

Good food, service was a bit slow as they were busy.

Fast, friendly service and tasty, fresh food right in the centre of Melbourne. We sat out on the deck and watched the tourists looking at themselves on the big screen in Fed square.

Great place. Super central to the city. Really nice food. Was great for my family of 5. The staff were fast & friendly. Beers on tap were nice too.

Food is amazing. The Fried Chicken wings are really, really good, But anything you have would be great. The best time to go is on New Years Eve because they have a theme and you can watch the fireworks in the city I go every year it is amazing but to get a table on New Years Eve means you have to book maybe a few days to a week before.

Divine Asian Fusion Food which caters well for the gluten free folk (including coeliacs). This has recently become one of my most favorite CBD restaurants and I ended up dining 3 weeks in a row. Yes it's that good.

Absolutely amazing. They were super accommodating, food was stunning, and Bianca looked after our every need. On top of that we had the best views of Melbourne and 6 children who weren t even a bother in the restaurant due to the crayons they provided on arrival. 14-10 xx

Yummy sushi!
Delicious scallop sushi, ready to go!

Good spot for tasty ramen dishes. Had the spicy pork and it was fantastic!

Great variety of Japanese food. I recommend the lotus root entree with sushi for main. They are large rolled with a good combo of flavours with mayonnaise, pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.

The staff are very efficient and take a lot of care with allergies.

OK coffee is not their thing. But for lunch their $20 plates where amazing, and a great place to meet friends. Very fast service and fantastic location. I thought it was great value.