Images courtesy of Ototo
About the restaurant
It's perfect for
late dinners or date nights where you want good food and a bit of atmosphere
You need to try
the wagyu robata skewer - it’s rich, charred and melt-in-the-mouth
Look out for
the dimly lit basement setting with the long bar lined with Japanese whisky
Under Akaiito’s polished dining room lies Ototo, its mischievous younger brother. This basement bar channels Tokyo’s after-hours charm with a Melbourne edge: sashimi platters, truffled wagyu tataki, sambal-spiked prawns and buttery scallops cooked for sharing. Cocktails echo the menu’s savoury rhythm – try the nori martini or yuzu spritz – each built sustainably from kitchen scraps and eco-spirits. Between the heritage stonework and modern black-granite bar, Ototo manages to feel both grounded and glamorous. It’s the kind of place where a nightcap quietly turns into dinner, then something more.