kambei japanese restaurant

tonight was our first time out at kambei restaurant. we went with friends who recommended it for somequalityjapanese dining! it was quiet being a sunday night and so the service was great, though i imagine it to be regardless of how busy it is. some of us ordered the full set menu, one had the wagyu beef main, another the tempura seafood and veggie main and i had the assorted sashimi. the presentation was really nice and everything was fresh and of good quality. we will definitely be back!

always highqualityfood and experience. i love everything about kambei - the atmosphere,qualityand authenticity. the set menu is recommended and a great way to experience traditional meals i would otherwise not know to order. the service is always exceptional!

normally wouldn’t write but i was so disappointed with my dining experience it’s made me put in a review.

came here bc the reviews were great but arrived 6.30pm on a saturday night to be presented with a one page menu, no beef or chicken dishes, just seafood. was also told they had run out of tempura for the day as well.

for the price they charge, i would expect my food to be of at minimum decent quality. our rice was mushy and overcooked, the fish that came part of the side dish was cold and the fish was over cooked, it was unpleasant to eat and the edamame beans were so small, 80% of my bowl didn’t have anything inside them at all!

and one more thing, they helped pour a tiny serve of soy sauce and walked away with the rest, we had to ask for them to return a couple of times.

for anyone wanting to go, don’t go by the pictures as they are old. they have changed their menu. ratings no longer reflect thequalityand their service they use to provide.

my score 4.5 stars.  j & i had dinner here a while ago on a 2 night foody getaway to ballarat.  restrained & peaceful interior set the scene for a memorable evening.  service was laid back, but fabulous (in keeping with the whole vibe of the place).  head guy was very helpful with selection of food.  in the end we shared one standard set course & one extended set course.  stand-outs were:  all the sashimi (but esp the kingfish), chawanmushi, assorted tempura, matcha ice cream (j) & black sesame ice cream (me), miso black cod (probably the best dish of the night along with the kingfish).  i could take or leave the wagyu beef, but then i'm not a big fan of red meat anyway.  a great time was had - not cheap by ballarat standards maybe, but good value compared to highqualityplaces in melb...

ambience 6.5/10
service 7/10
food 9/10.
food was outstanding, without question the best in ballarat. authentic and amazing, thisqualitycould easily stand up in japan. service reasonably good/ok.
ambience -the vibe of the place is slightly cold and not the nicest.
if you want some amazing japanese in ballarat you cannot go past this place.
fairly $$$ but worth it for a splurge.
amazing to find thisqualityof food in a regional town.

my wife and i enjoyed the kambei banquet this evening. the food was delicious and the waiting staff excellent. it exceeded our expectations and we'd love to visit again. a highlight of our ballarat trip and a place we'd recommend to others. we dine at many fine restaurants and believe the foodqualitywas up there with top melbourne ones.

excellent. !!! really
goodqualityjap food and easily the best in ballarat. definitely worth it

on a recent trip to ballarat, we booked in for lunch at late notice. they were very accommodating on the phone and we were greeted warmly on arrival. there were only two service staff on and it was reasonably busy. a little disappointing to be offered a limited menu but when i enquired we were offered the full a la cart menu, although they did not have sushi on the lunch menu, the kitchen was very accommodating and made sushi for my children.

overall thequalityof food was very good, particularly for a regional restaurant, the only disappointing point was that the sashimi plate - although incredibly fresh and fantastically presented, the fish itself was cut too thick.

i highly recommend this restaurant to people who are visiting ballarat and for locals alike!

absolutely divine. beautiful food, lovely atmosphere and fantastic customer service. best japaneses we have ever tasted, and we have been to lots! the $65.00 banquet is amazing. we will definitely be back on a regular basis and great to have suchqualityfood in ballarat.

authentic japanese. travelled to ballarat recently. did not expect to find a japanese restaurant run by japanese and especially of thisqualityin regional victoria. a very pleasant surprise.

perfection. i was delightfully surprised at thequalityof food and service at the kambei restaurant the first time i ate there and have been consistently delighted ever since. it has become my regular treat. the food is prepared with such a delicate and loving touch, the service is friendly and the timing just right.
anywhere else one would have to book months ahead. psst ! lets keep it a secret.

excellentqualityof meals !. excellentqualityof meals even from a japanese point of view.
it is obvious that the chef does not compromise on quality. this is truly authentic japanese food.

kambei japanese restaurant ballarat. this delightful japanese restaurant equals thequalityand freshness of restaurants in japan.
ballarat is privileged indeed to be chosen as a location.
every time i have dined there i have had an entirely pleasurable experience.
recently i took a japanese friend and she was amazed at the authenticity of this fine restaurant.
thank you kambei!