Ebisu is the Japanese god of fishermen and luck, and Auckland is one lucky city to have it's fresh…read morefish in town. The service is top notch and the flavor combinations are umami-tastic. From the sous-vide Abalone to a sashimi tasting with wasabi tartare, there wasn't one item on the menu that didn't make my tastebuds jump for joy. As if the friendly service and flavorful food wasn't enough, Ebisu is also a must try for any serious Sake lovers (and the Japanese whiskey menu is also a treat!)

The food itself was very tasty, I did not have much to comment about. It was a very pleasant…read moretasting experience and the price was really good, (110 NZD = $66 USD) for all that much food. Beef was tender and easy to chew, veggies were full of flavor. Fish was full of flavor and well textured. Definitely well balanced but I'd trim the cabbage salad to half as it was hard for me to finish, and maybe add a few more slices of salmon/tuna. Service was a bit slow considering the restaurant was not considerably busy, but all of my meals were served in a timely fashion. There was a party that got the same menu as me (shame on her for judging me eating alone but whatever), and the difference in time for us getting our foods wasn't too far apart. Ambiance - it is a very popular restaurant, has the stereotype of an up-scale buzzy restaurant. Definitely good for solo and accompanied dining :) I'd give this a 4 star rating. Food was great but the service could be better and more attentive.

Hidden amongst a few other Asian restaurants, Banzai is lovely. Great space and vibe…read more Food was awesome and reasonably priced.

Banzai has been one of our family favourites ever since it opened quite a few years ago. Small but…read moreperfectly formed, it's best to book as it gets busy, although every time we've turned up they've managed to shift things around to give us a table. They go out of their way to make kids welcome and will supply books. pens, paper and often lollypops - they even ask the parents first if the lollypops are ok. The drinks list is basic but the few wines are well chosen and affordably priced, as is the incredible food. They do the usual Japanese favourites but I would recommend going for the Yakisoba or my favourite, especially in Winter, the Soup Noodles. The Lemon Chilli is the best and comes with your choice of Udon or Soba noodles. I get my Vegetarian version without the tempura batter and easy on the tofu. Indeed I am a person who struggles to order off the menu (I want it my way y'know?) and Banzai is another of my favourite establishments that has no problem with this. The salads are also delicious, particularly the not-very-Japanese-sounding Feta and Sundried Tomato. New visitors should definitely try the Korokke (potato cakes with sweet dipping sauce) and the creamy Potato Salad. The staff are absolutely lovely and never complain about us customising our dishes in a myriad of ways. You can phone ahead for takeaways or ask for a doggy bag if you over-order and they even have a small library of truly classy coffee table books to read while you wait for your takeaway. We always leave to a chorus of "thank you very much" from the entire staff. Me and mine have a lot of love for Banzai, so much so, we have even learned to copy the correct cultural protocol when paying at the end of the evening. Banzai makes me very ureshii.

Sukiyaki set meal. Seared salmon nigiri and fried chicken were all delicious. This level of quality…read moreis amazing in Auckland! It's a restaurant I'd like to visit again.

Thanks for a good night out Taiko! I recently came here with a group of ten. The owner Ian was my…read morefirst point of contact via the phone and he was really helpful with tips regarding the best time to dine on the night we picked (Eden Park stadium close by means 'game night' may prove some minor obstacles), and with a bunch of picky eaters - paleo and vegetarian options needed. The service had no faults, very attentive and friendly. The food was good but not outstanding, my teriyaki salmon was delicious but so heavily flavoured and salty that it overpowered all the other flavours. My husbands chicken teriyaki dish was the same. Nonetheless we enjoyed it, perhaps some water at the table may have helped? Taiko is in a great location and has a wonderful ambience to the place, a little bit rustic - in a good way! - Not just a pub, not just a restaurant, classy and casual combined nicely!

Best experience here on our honeymoon visit to New Zealand!…read more The restaurant is trendy and romantic. Service was so friendly. We ordered the Tokyo platter which had so much variety!

Once again Yelp reviews failed us. We were looking forward to this restaurant by Nic Watt, but the…read moreexperience left us underwhelmed. Restaurant itself is very prettily decorated. Lively ambience. Our waitress was "nice", but nothing beyond the bare minimum. Food was just ok. The crab hotpot was more like a porridge. Drinks were watered down.

Delicious! I needed…read moreto bring back dinner for my brother-in-law, my husband, and me, so I asked an in the know local for their recommendation on best takeout in Takapuna. They quickly responded "Tok Tok". Their most favorite mentions from the menu were the Popping Prawns, Crispy Duck, Shaking Beef, and the Fried Rice... I ordered it all ;)! I'm so glad I did. I literally salivate when thinking about the meal. Ordering over the phone was a breeze, and a friendly. I walked into the restaurant, and was quickly shown a seat at the bar where I could wait, instead of waiting at the entry. The restaurant was packed, and it was clear to see Tok Tok is a hip and cool place to be, as well as welcoming. About ten minutes early, I decided to order a Chilli Margarita from the cocktail menu. I received my cocktail promptly. I had enough time to finish the refreshing work of art, right as my order came out.

I was visiting a friend in Auckland and she booked Tok Tok for dinner on a Monday night. The…read morerestaurant was packed and had a great vibe. We sat outdoors in a fully covered patio that had heaters for cold rainy nights and it felt cozy. The food was excellent. We ordered beef steamed buns, fish curry, miso eggplants and shaking beef. They all tasted amazing. We did family style amongst the four of us and it was the perfect amount of food. I'll definitely come back here whenever I'm in Auckland again.

'Yokoso Sushi' is one of my favourite sushi and bento box places in Auckland. Situated on the…read moremulticultural Dominion Road, that is overloaded with Asian cuisine. I have been frequenting this place sporadically over the last 10 years. It has undergone a recent refurbishment inside - taking away the high table/stool area by the front of the restaurant - it now looks like a Japanese restaurant. This small, quaint restaurant is run by authentic Japanese people who are friendly and welcoming. The menu is typically Japanese fare with freshly made (on-site) sushi, bento box/s, sashimi, miso soup etc etc. Parking is abundant, well priced & most importantly it's always a great customer experience! You must go & make this your fav too! Yelp!

My boyfriend and I came by Yokoso on Valentines Day, looking for something other than the typical…read moredinner and a movie cliche date. We'd decided to get takeout sushi, a bottle of champs, and have a picnic on our living room floor (highly recommend). Yokoso played an integral part in our night, as we got the takeaway sushi here. After finding it on Google maps as one of the highest rated sushi restaurants in our area, we headed down to check it out for ourselves. The restaurant is tiny but cute, it would be a good place for a casual date or a catch up with a friend. Most tables accommodate two, so don't try bringing a big group. We took a look at the menu, and I ordered an avocado roll. The funny thing about this place is that you don't order by the roll, you order the number of pieces you want. This was new to me, so I ordered 9 pieces. What a fun game :) The woman working there asked if I wanted the veggie roll, which is avocado, cucumber and capsicum (aka bell pepper), but I told her I just wanted avocado. My boyfriend ordered a couple of styles of sushi, for a total of 15 pieces. We took our lil sushes home, wrapped carefully in little to-go containers with a side of pink ginger. After popping the bubbly and laying out our little picnic blanket, we plated the sushi and went to town. I was surprised to find my roll with bell pepper in it, as I'd asked specifically just for avo, but I figured I shouldn't be mad about getting some extra vitamins in. My boyfriend ate his quicker than I could finish mine, which I think means he liked it ;) The sushi was good, not the best I've ever had, but it was good. Even though I do love bell pepper every once in a while, I don't think I ever got over the fact that they added it in after I specifically asked for none, as they weren't even busy when we were there (we were literally the only people there). Nonetheless, I'd happily go back, as the prices are good and the sushi was good too.

Have been visiting Moto for many years as I'm a local to the area. Moto is pretty small and is…read morelocated in the basement level of the building it is located in just down a short flight of brick steps. Moto only has about 6 tables so on Friday and Saturday night it can get filled up. They will take a reservation if you are coming in soon, so I often call and see if they are busy and ask them to hold me table if I'm headed there within a short time. The food at Moto has been very consistent over the years. It is simple no-frills Japanese food and sushi. If you are visiting from America you will probably find the selection of fish somewhat limited, however, that is the case with most sushi bars/restaurants in New Zealand so Moto is par-for-the-course in this regard. What I truly love about Moto and why they get my business over and over again is that the prices are very reasonable and the food is served quickly. My personal favourite is the Sashimi box--Miso, Rice, Tempura, Salad, Sashimi and Sushi--for $17. It is just the right amount of food and that is a very hard price to beat. If you are looking for simple, well-prepared, no-frills and quick Japanese in Parnell, you can't beat Moto.

Moto is a tiny little Japanese restaurant just off Parnell Road located almost below ground level,…read moreyou walk down stairs with outdoor tables either side balanced almost precariously either side. Moto is super small and the staff are lovely. I come here with a friend who works in Parnell once a week or so and the sushi is just too much for me. You get 8 pieces and there is a lot of rice, I guess I am picky so I usually just have the edamame beans. I am always amazed at how quickly the sushi is made. Five minutes and it is on the table, it is like they have it sitting out the back ready made (I'm sure they don't) they're just super fast. There are a couple of other sushi places in Parnell and this is one of the better ones. I find the music choice amusing, they play pop music, often Maroon 5, I'd give them an extra half star for that if I could.

One of the best authentic Chinese restaurants I've ever tried. We ordered several dishes -…read moreeggplant, fish in chili oil, black dumplings and lamb appetizer. All delicious but the eggplant stole the show. Great atmosphere. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Really,nice, hidden lunch place second floor. It's an intimate but upscale setting for a wide…read morevariety of Chinese dishes, authentic and Westernized. You write down your selection on a guest check the server provides. My Wok beef Lunch Set that included rice was a perfect lunch. Looking forward to returning and trying the noodle mains.