Shinbashi Yakiniku – Sake Bar

Alcon Building Group delivered this hospitality fitout for the Shinbashi Yakiniku Sake Bar at 294 Lygon St, Carlton — an upstairs extension to the established Shinbashi Yakiniku restaurant on Melbourne’s renowned Lygon Street dining precinct. Working alongside design practice Pierce Widera, Alcon completed a high-quality shop fitting build that transformed the first-floor space into an intimate sake bar and function venue.

Project Overview

The Shinbashi Sake Bar project involved fitting out a new hospitality space above the existing Shinbashi Yakiniku restaurant. Pierce Widera’s design concept expresses a modern interpretation of traditional Japanese details, creating a dark and moody interior atmosphere suited to an intimate dining and drinking experience. Alcon Building Group was engaged to deliver the fitout to the same high-quality standards established across Pierce Widera’s project portfolio.

Scope of Works

The shop fitting scope for this Carlton hospitality venue included:
• Custom joinery fabrication and installation throughout the venue
• Full-height storage wall construction with movable timber screens, stained in a dark rich colour
• Specialist lighting installations including a linear LED pendant above the centrepiece grid table
• Illuminated sake shelving unit designed to showcase premium and rare Japanese sake
• Concealed back-of-house storage room behind the feature display shelving
• Dark curtain installation at the rear wall
• Coordination of demolition, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and specialist finishing trades

Key Features

The completed Shinbashi Sake Bar is defined by several distinctive design elements delivered by Alcon’s fitout team. Upon entering the space, guests are greeted by the full-height storage wall with its movable timber screens. The sake bottles along this wall are only minimally illuminated, preserving the overall ambience of the room. The centrepiece is the illuminated grid table, where a linear LED pendant hovers above and sets the atmosphere for the main dining area. Behind the table, an illuminated shelving unit showcases the venue’s most premium and rarest Japanese sake while concealing a storage room with back-of-house facilities. A dark curtain along the rear wall adds softness to the moody interior.

Delivery Approach

This hospitality fitout required careful coordination within an existing commercial building on one of Melbourne’s busiest dining streets. Alcon Building Group managed the sequencing of multiple trades — including demolition contractors, carpenters, electricians, plumbers and finishing trades — to deliver the project efficiently while maintaining quality at every stage. Each phase of the fitout was completed and verified before the next began, ensuring consistent workmanship throughout and avoiding delays or rework. Clear communication between trades, the design team and the client was maintained to deliver the finished venue to the standard required.

About This Project

The Shinbashi Yakiniku Sake Bar demonstrates Alcon Building Group’s capability in delivering high-end hospitality and retail fitouts across Melbourne. From bespoke joinery and specialist lighting to coordinated trade management, this project reflects the precision and quality that Melbourne’s hospitality sector demands. For enquiries about hospitality fitouts, restaurant builds or commercial fitout projects across Melbourne, contact Alcon Building Group. Design: Pierce Widera | Photography: Jana Langhorst