Hihou

This place is all about Tokyo sophistication.
Its got an amazing selection of sakes, shochus, whiskey and umeshu neatly alligned along the bar.
The seats are a bit funny and the low tables along the windows are a bit tight but it really adds to that Japanese experience.
On the food side, everything seems very delicate, modern and light. Not a place to go to when hungry but for the occasional whiskey on rocks with a fresh bite — it’s a place not to miss.

As a frequenter and lover of the downstairs eatery Nama Nama Hihou has had a special spot in my heart. I tell tourists to visit and explained with excitement about the Japanese man that comes to open the door as one of those cool Melbourne things yet I had not been there myself.
As I walked up to the door I got excited as I pressed the doorbell and waited for the waiter to open the door. I almost took a photo but my companion held me back.
The bar itself is very cool and oozes a mixture of Japanese tradition with modern style. We had a couple of cocktails, a Japanese negroni and a fruity sake cocktail accompanied with a few snacks. Have to say the tuna cigars are super tasty.
I really like the views over the treasury gardens although the little tables can be a tad uncomfortable.

So you probably know that Hihou is an über trendy Japanese bar and dining room hidden behind a tiny black door in Flinders Lane.
But did you know that one of their most popular items is a mother flipping hot dog?!
Before you question my sanity for giving this absurd contradiction 5 stars, hear me out:
The Hihou Dog is a sweet sesame brioche, with deliciously smokey arabiki pork sausage and pickled cabbage on top. Plus, it comes with THREE sauces: Wasabi Mayo, Chilli and their house-​made Tonkatsu. After trialling a different one with each bite, my vote lies with the Wasabi Mayo.
A word of warning though: don’t assume the price of each dish indicates its size. The servings are small, so we followed up the hotdog with their light and fresh Snapper Sashimi and a serve of the Buckwheat Crepes with juicy duck breast.
The drinks are equally unique and delicious, served up with hand-​cut ice.
Large groups are likely to be seated in a cosy carpeted area, where you must kick off your shoes and knock back dinner on the floor.
Attentive staff, great food, unique drinks and slick style.
Oh and did I mention you CAN book in advance?
See you later Mexican madness and hello Hihou!

In the site formerly known as Verge, Hihou is a must visit if you’re in the neighbourhood. The fitout is great, if a little dark and moody, but offset by an outlook overlooking Treasury Gardens.
Hihou demands considerable cachet for being secretive, japanese — and — they also serve up great drinks and an interesting Japanese bar menu. Powerful combo.
The cocktails are delicate and well-​executed. I’m quite partial to the Hihoutini (their own variation on the Martini). The food menu isn’t extensive, although they have recently opened for lunch with an expanded selection. My faves are the tuna cigars and the kingfish sashimi.
If you’re dining on the nearly Flinders Lane strip, Hihou is a perfect place meet and share a cocktail (particularly if you’re looking to impress!).

Love this pocket sized Japanese speakeasy. Extensive alcohol list and easy to decipher food menu.
The starters we liked were the lobster roll, tuna cigars (get 2), and prawn rice balls.
From the mains, liked the potatoes, salad and mushroom. Value is in the starters. 5 – 6 gets you fed for not too much.
Atmosphere is like being in your own private mezzanine lounge/​bar. Really great for groups. After a few drinks you can lounge on the comfy seats.
A definite must!

I’ll make it easy for you — the place is really not that difficult to find assuming you’re not sloshed yet; just look for the glowing white doorbell to the left of the recessed doorway.
My friend and I were directed up the stairs to a small, luxuriously decorated space – dark wood, mirror above the bar, tatami mats on the other side of the room, etc. Totally felt like the salt and pepper-​haired gentleman next to me at the bar could have been Bill Murray a la Lost in Translation. Hihou didn’t tick all my boxes (vibe was too stiff for me), but I’d take out-​of-​towners or a date early in the evening if they were in the mood for elegant cocktails. Their cocktail menu is made up of Japanese twists on traditions, for example with sake. I opted for a perfect Manhattan with a twist; prep and presentation was just as solid as the finished product.
Solid pick if you’re looking to impress.

A sneaky entrance, warm hand towels on arrival and a fun snappy menu that features tuna tartare «cigars» and roll-​your-​own lobster roll maki (complete with crunchy nori). Yep, I’m a happy girl and that’s before I even get stuck in to the Japanese leaning cocktails, fancy wines from the enomatic (HELLO $ 50 glass of Nebbiolo).
Hihou, I want to ring your bell a whole lot more.

Ye (l)p! It’s a Japanese Speakeasy!
Easily mistaken from Spring Street as someone’s apartment, this bar is super hard to find. There is no hot dog stand, no burger joint and not even a Sushi Train as a front but rather just a darkly lit door with a small buzzer on Flinders Lane.
When you ring the buzzer, you have to wait for someone to come down and escort you pass the tasting room and up the stairs to HiHou. (Which reminds me of Sticky Bar in Surrey Hills [NSW] minus the dodgy alleyway)
This place has a fantastic selection of drinks which includes Japanese Whisky and Sake.
I had a White Oak, Akashi, 12 yr old, Single Malt Japanese Whisky which was complemented by a Lobster Roll and Edamame. Can’t wait to get back here!

Every time I set foot into this gorgeous venue, I am made to feel so special… as if I’m part of a secret society! I love the fact that the entrance to Hihou is ‘hidden’ and that a door bell needs to be rung before the door opens and you are greeted by your waiters!
Definitely visit Hihou ready to sample the long list of Sake, Sochu, Japanese Whiskeys and Beers! To complement your drinks… must haves in the snacks department include:
— King fish cevice
— Spicy tuna cigar
— Lobster, potato & caviar tamaki roll
— Hot dog (I promise it’s special)
Great intimate date night venue!

This bar is an absolute gem — feels small, intimate, very cool, very Lost in Translation. Wine, cocktails, sake fantastic and the bar food is seriously good. Make sure you have the tuna cigar and also the hot dog with pickled onion & cabbage & 3 sauces.

When I heard the old Verge site was turning Japanese, I was excited. From the brains behind Izakaya Den no less.
The door can be a bit hard to spot. It’s a few metres back from the curb and you need to ring a doorbell to be let in.
The atmosphere and aesthetics are lovely, albeit impractical. We were originally going to sit at the communal bar — but the shelf was so low that we couldn’t see each other across from it. So we kicked off our shoes and sauntered across the thick, plush carpet to the lounge area. A large group of 8, we got very comfortable in the back corner.
The little touches like Riedel Sake glasses were impressive. The sake and drinks list was great, but the food menu a tad light on.
I would definitely recommend this place for a drink and maybe some nibbles, but not for a meal. The servings are tiny and difficult the share. I got the impression that they’re just not set up to serve anyone dinner. Many items on the menu are super fishy. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sushi and sashimi… but the overall taste description of many of our dishes was «Port Philip Bay» and a few unpublishable comments.
If you are getting some small bites there, go the hot dog (yes, really, but distinctly Japanese) and the chili miso edamame. Yum!