Chef's Table in Melbourne
A chef’s table usually means one special table beside the kitchen while the rest of the restaurant eats in the dining room. At Rōnin there is no dining room. All ten seats face the chef, every course is cooked and plated in front of you, and the chef talks to the room as he works.
If you are searching for a chef’s table in Melbourne because you want to watch the cooking rather than just eat it, this is the whole restaurant.
What You See
Charcoal lit, ferments opened, fish and meat cut and seasoned, each plate finished a metre from your seat. Liam Lee introduces every course in a sentence and answers whatever you ask. Ten people share the same sitting, so the night has the rhythm of one long table rather than a restaurant. Why only ten seats explains the number.
Liam Lee
Trained in Seoul at Gyungbokgung Hanjungsik, then Nomad, Firebird and Studio Amaro in Melbourne, then the Rōnin counter from 2026. The chef page has his story.
Korean Omakase
About ten courses decided on the day: banchan, jang seasoned raw and cured dishes, charcoal, noodles or rice, dessert. The Korean omakase page describes the cooking.
Kisumé, Warabi and the Hotel Rooms
Kisumé runs a twelve seat chef’s table serving Japanese omakase on Flinders Lane. Warabi at the W Hotel seats more and runs with three chefs. Hotel chef’s tables are usually a private room off a large kitchen. Rōnin is ten seats, one chef, Korean cooking, and the counter is the restaurant.
Price, Hours and Booking
A$195 per guest (no prepayment required), paid at the end of the meal. Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm, dinner only. Seats open on the 20th of each month at 8pm via OpenTable. The whole counter can be booked by one group.
FAQ
Can I talk to the chef during the meal?
Yes. The chef introduces every course and takes questions throughout.
How many people can sit at the chef’s table?
Ten. The counter is the only seating in the restaurant.
Is the chef’s table more expensive than regular seats?
There are no regular seats. Every guest pays the same A$195 (no prepayment required).
Can I book the whole chef’s table?
Yes. Ten seats can be reserved by one group through OpenTable or by email.
What is the best chef’s table in Melbourne?
A chef’s table is only as good as your view of the cooking. At Rōnin every one of the ten seats faces Chef Liam Lee, which is why it suits people looking for a chef’s table rather than a dining room.
Book a Seat
445 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Wed to Sat, 6pm to 11pm (dinner only)
0401 721 491 | info@roninomakase.com
Guides
Akaiito Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Aoi Tsuki Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Best Date Night and Romantic Restaurants in Melbourne CBD, Compared · Best Fine Dining and Fancy Restaurants in Melbourne CBD, Compared · Best Omakase in Melbourne: How to Choose · Best Private Dining and Group Dining in Melbourne CBD, Compared · Birthday and Anniversary Dinner in Melbourne CBD · Chae Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Date Night in Melbourne CBD at a 10 Seat Counter · Degustation in Melbourne CBD: A Korean Degustation Menu · Dietary Requirements at Rōnin: What We Can and Cannot Do · Dinner Near Southern Cross Station: A 10 Seat Omakase Eight Minutes Away · Doju Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Intimate Fine Dining in Melbourne CBD · Is Omakase Worth It in Melbourne? An Honest Answer From a 10 Seat Counter · Ishizuka Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Kentaro Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Kisumé Chef's Table Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Komeyui Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Korean Fine Dining in Melbourne · Korean Omakase in Melbourne · Minamishima Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Modern Korean Restaurant in Melbourne CBD · Nobu Melbourne Omakase Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Omakase Prices in Melbourne: What A$195 Covers at Rōnin · Omakase vs Kaiseki: What the Difference Is, and Where Rōnin Fits · Places to Eat Alone in Melbourne CBD: Solo Dining at the Counter · Private Dining in Melbourne for 10 People: Book Out the Counter · Rōnin on Little Collins Street: Getting Here · Sushi On Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · Tasting Menu and Set Menu in Melbourne CBD · Tipping and Service Charges at an Omakase in Australia · Warabi Price and Booking, Compared With Rōnin · What Is Omakase? Meaning, Etiquette and How It Works · Work Christmas Party and End of Year Function in Melbourne CBD
Journal
November at the Counter · What Is Banchan? Korean Side Dishes Made in House in Melbourne · 10 Seat Korean Omakase in Melbourne: Why Rōnin Keeps the Counter Small · What to Expect at Your First Omakase in Melbourne: Etiquette, Timing and Price · Korean Omakase vs Japanese Omakase in Melbourne: What Changes at the Counter · How to Book Rōnin Omakase in Melbourne: The Monthly Release on the 20th · What Melbourne's Food Press Says About Rōnin · Why There Is No Printed Menu at Rōnin Omakase, Melbourne