Is Omakase Worth It in Melbourne? An Honest Answer From a 10 Seat Counter
Omakase in Melbourne costs between about A$195 and A$380 a head before drinks, so the question is fair. The honest answer from a restaurant that sells it: worth it for some people on some nights, and not for others, and the difference is predictable.
Rōnin is a ten seat Korean omakase at 445 Little Collins St in the CBD: about ten courses decided on the day by Chef Liam Lee, A$195 per guest (no prepayment required) paid at the end of the meal, Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm, dinner only, no dietary alterations, no BYO.
Who Gets the Most From a Counter
People who like being cooked for and talked to. People who would rather be surprised than choose. Couples who want something to talk about every ten minutes. Anyone who has eaten a cuisine from a menu for years and wants to see what a chef does with it unconstrained. Two hours at a counter delivers all of that in a way a dining room cannot.
Who Should Book Somewhere Else
Anyone with a dietary restriction, because counters cannot alter courses. Anyone who wants to control portion, pace or spice. Anyone whose idea of a good dinner is a menu and a long wine list to read. Large groups who want to split and share. For those nights, the CBD has excellent a la carte rooms, and the fine dining comparison names them.
What A$195 Buys at Rōnin
About ten courses over two hours, every one plated in front of you by the chef, with commentary. Drinks on top. No service charge surprises: the price shows in full on OpenTable before you pay. The price page compares it with the city’s other counters, which run from around A$195 to A$325.
If You Have Never Done It
Pick a counter whose cuisine you already like, book a midweek seat, arrive early, and read what to expect at your first omakase. The worst outcome is a good dinner you found slightly long. The best is a new habit.
FAQ
How much is omakase in Melbourne?
Published 2026 prices run from about A$195 at Rōnin to around A$325 at Minamishima and A$380 for Vue de Monde’s tasting menu.
Is omakase good value?
Per course, yes: ten chef cooked courses at A$195 (no prepayment required) is under A$20 a plate. Per hour of attention from the chef, it is the best value in the city. Whether it is worth it to you depends on whether you want that.
How do I book Rōnin?
Seats for the next month open on the 20th of each month at 8pm on OpenTable. A card secures the booking and you pay at the end of the meal. Cancellations more than 72 hours ahead are free (7 days for groups of 4 or more).
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 · Chef's Table in Melbourne · 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 · 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
Omakase Cancellation Policy at Rōnin: Why a Card Holds Your Seat · 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