Welcome to Benchwarmer Melbourne

“ It’s like a Japanese version of a Spanish tapas bar. We were warned the food was amazing but it was better than that. Have the three sake tasting tray. ”

“ I brought my lady to Benchwarmer after seeing the awesome Bernie Deiter's Kabarett gig at Meat Market, and we were extremely impressed. I had been recommended Benchwarmer by one of the gents at Bracket Brewing in Sydney, and I'd booked a table for me and two mates visiting from NZ next week ahead of seeing The Red Clay Strays at Festival Hall, but wanted to check it out in advance to ensure it was the right pre-gig spot for us. Jackpot!! We had fantastic service, superb beer and drinks selection, cool vibe and the food was truly outstanding. There were a few menu items that were sold out in the early eve, but our lovely and helpful waiter Manato said it had been a very busy Saturday and he made some great alternative recommendations and suggestions. Manato was wonderful, attentive, friendly and made our evening all the more enjoyable. Can't wait to be back at Benchwarmer next Thurs arvo/eve and show off one of Melbourne's gems to my Kiwi visitors! ”

“ Benchwarmer might sound like a backup, but this West Melbourne izakaya is playing in the big leagues. Every single snack was a knockout, crispy, salty, and packed with umami. From fried bites to smoky, charred goodness off the grill, everything was dialed in. Pair that with a stellar sake selection that’s smooth, fragrant, and dangerously easy to drink, and you’ve got a winning combo. The vibe? Relaxed, unpretentious, and effortlessly cool, the kind of spot that feels like a neighborhood gem but serves up food and drinks that could rival any high-end joint. Whether you’re here for a casual drink or a full-blown snacking marathon, Benchwarmer delivers. If you haven’t been yet, consider this your sign. ”

“ Best to come with a group so you can get as many dishes as possible, because they're all excellent. Especially the rice noodles. We ordered them again at the end. No regrets. ”

“ Beautiful food. Great range of beers and sake. Awesome service. Indoor and outdoor seating. ”

“ Cool little bar/izakaya spot for beer and food. Good range of west coast IPAs, a couple stouts, sours and a Pilsener. Food is mainly focused on Japanese izakaya style. Everything was nice - never say no to a bit of fries and edamame. ”

“ ORDERED: King Fish Tostada (2pc): with crispy wonton skin, yuzu kosho ponzu, cucumber, onion, takana, coriander, tobiko, chives ($20.00) Benchies Fries: with aonori salt, benchies mayo ($13.00) Fillet O Fish: with panko-crumbed rockling, takana tartare, hi-melt cheese, pickles, milk bun, miso butter ($15.00) Rolled Rice Noodles (V): with grandma sauce, mushrooms, cashew cream, nori XO oil, pepitas, crispy curry leaves ($18.00) Cucumber Salad (V): with yuzu kosho ponzu, wakame, takana, whipped tofu, sesame, candied aonori peanuts ($16.00) Shio Koji Pork Cheek: with gochujang glaze, wasabi verde, fresh herbs, lemon, aonori ($25.00) This was $53.50pp between two people! No surcharge by paying through QR as well REVIEW: My favourites of the night were: 1. Shio Koji Pork Cheek. Incredibly moist, tender, and melt-in-your mouth. Packed with collagen. What an incredible peace of protein that really took on the gochujang glaze. It worked well with the wasabi verde and the squeeze of lemon on top! 2. Fillet o fish. Toasted milk bun, incredibly crispy rockling, creamy tartare and tangy pickles. A dreamy fish burger that's perfect to share with your bestie. Least favourite? Rolled rice noodles. It's incredibly savoury, a richness that comes from grandma's sauce. It was quite a chewy dish. If possible, potentially pan-frying the rolled rice noodles could give it some interesting texture! Service was incredibly friendly. They checked on us multiple times , thoughtfully brought us a knife so we could split our burger, offered to turn on the heater to keep us warm and most importantly - KEPT THE FOOD COMING!!! The atmosphere is relaxed, great music playing with bass and the back area can definitely hold groups (6 people comfortably). Even though we booked online and only street side was available, we were happy to be sitting in the decorated outdoor patio in the back. ”

“ We visited on Wednesday night and were seated at a table in the backyard. Unfortunately, the table had a large sticky spill that looked like dried alcohol. One of the staff noticed it when bringing water and even said “ew,” but didn’t clean it. We later moved to another table. When we tried to order through the QR code, Apple Pay kept declining, so I went to the bar to order. An Asian staff member saw me and said she would be back in a few seconds, but after waiting for about five minutes, another staff member ended up helping us instead. Food: • Beef tartare: Quite bland, not much flavour. • Fish o’ fillet: The fish was very fresh and didn’t taste frozen at all, but it had almost no seasoning. The bread was very oily, and pairing the fried fish with an oily bun made the whole dish feel heavy. • Fries: Very good, nice cheesy aroma. • Chicken katsu: Excellent. The chicken thigh was super tender, and the fried curry leaves added a refreshing touch. Drinks: Great selection of beers very enjoyable. ”