Restaurant is behind an unmarked black door so can be a bit difficult to find. Expect to pay around $800-1000 HKD. They have both a tasting menu and a la carte, we opted for the latter. Menu changes regularly and everything is meant to be shared. Their signature dish is their flower crab that comes with uni. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed as the crab wasn't as sweet as I would have liked and the flavors were very mild. For the price, I wouldn't get it again if I came back Akagai arkshell clams: The clams were very sweet and delicate. Would order again. Scallop ebi tartare: BEST dish of the night. Do yourself a favor and get this dish if it's still available. This is a dish where you'll want to cherish each bite and have it last as long as possible on the tongue. The scallop and ebi were sweet and paired well with the uni. The pastry it was served on provided a nice crunchy texture. KFC Sawagani Crab: Think fried small crabs served in a spicy BBQ sauce. The crabs didn't have much taste aside from the crunch. Smoked BBQ Fish Collar: Fish was hamachi and was very tender. The BBQ flavor was nice but got a bit one note after awhile. Unagi chirashi: Flavors were exactly as expected. The unagi was sweet and the pickles added some nice acidity. I'm glad they gave this at the end as it was pretty filling. Overall a very solid Japanese restaurant that I would happily recommend to anyone for a date night! See read more

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Ronin is one of my favorite restaurants in Hong Kong. The dining experience is a bit unique. It isn't cheap but still worth the price. Worth a visit and a return. FOOD I expected omakse but ended up ordering exactly what I was to get. What was different here is that the plates are shared. I had a party of two and after I ordered, the waiter just left. I was assuming he would take both of our orders. Then, the majority of the dishes were plated on their own dish so the two of us just ate from the same dish. This wasn't a huge deal but I definitely have never seen that before. It kind of felt like we had ordered for one and were sharing everything. I'm curious what happens if you dine alone here. Not everything here is worth getting so I'd definitely read up a little before visiting to get the best experience. The flower crab is a must. It's worth getting more than one of those. DRINKS They have a good selection of alcohol. I only sampled a few of the sake. Simple and good. SERVICE Good. The restaurant is small and staff is never too far away. LOCATION Ronin is tricky to find. The door is unmarked and doesn't really look like a door. I first went for the glass door that was next door on the left. I've posted a picture incase you need a reference. read more

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Hands down this was my favorite spot during my last visit to Hong Kong. It's a small, discreet hard to find place. It's entrance is between a bike shop and an apartment complex. We ended up dialing one of the tenants because we didn't see a sign for the restaurant. When we called, they gave clear instructions that it was a door with a wooden handle. It felt like we were going to a speakeasy bar. You walk in and you see two rows of bar height counters. There are only 2 seatings per evening. Let me tell you! Everything we ordered and drank was delicious. There wasn't anything I had that I disliked. Good quality and very tasty. It was simple and complex at the same time. They have an extensive bar menu. I got a tad overwhelmed so I had the bartender make me a drink off the menu. All of us ended up drinking that the rest of the night after we finished our rounds of sake. The service here is amazing! They were very attentive and flexible. It was such an enjoyable experience that I would highly recommend this spot to anyone. If you live in Hong Kong, you're so lucky to have this option available to you (if you can get a reservation in). read more

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Japanese has long been a popular cuisine in Hong Kong, but Ronin brings Japanese food in Hong Kong to a different level. While Ronin is an izakaya in format, it is more New York than Tokyo. The food and drinks are all excellent. The service is extremely good, but it is more relaxed than you would find in Japan. While Ronin is hard to find, it is worth the trek. read more

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What a great dining experience in Hong Kong! I'm glad I was able to find this gem before my trip to Hong Kong and it was definitely worth every penny. I got there early and was able to sit at the bar and during my time there, it was satisfying to watch the bartender cut ice because I've never seen ice blocks being cut so intricately and with focus. I forgot the names of the food I ordered but the pictures I've attached speaks for itself since it's been a month or two since I was in Hong Kong. The best dish was the snow crab, hands down. Thank you again to the bartender Harley and my server for a great dining experience! read more

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Ronin is a one of a kind restaurant! Everything about this place is perfection- the vibe, the dishes, the drinks, and the service. This place is a bit tricky to find since it lacks signage and is located down a quiet alley. Once inside everything is uphill. Every person working here is extremely knowledgeable about the menu, ingredients used, and how it was prepared. Some of our favorite dishes were: - The Kumamoto Oysters - Any Sashimi on the menu will be extraordinary! - The Sardine- large portion, shareable for 2 people - Stuffed Crab If you're ever in HK, we highly recommend making a trip to Ronin a priority. It is truly an experience. read more

There's something peculiar about the unmarked black door on 8 On Wo Lane. Does it merely belong to an inconspicuous office or warehouse amidst the trendy shops in this obscure alley in the hills between Central and Sheung Wan? Or, is it something more? The answer is, of course, Ronin, a Japanese izakaya with a speakeasy vibe from chef Matthew Abergel. Given its recent ranking as the 45th best restaurant in Asia, the secret should be out. If you've ever dined at Aburiya Raku in Los Angeles or Raku in Las Vegas, then you'll have a general sense of what the food is like at Ronin. That being said, I think the food at Ronin is more elevated than other izakayas insofar as there is more of an emphasis on ingredients than elsewhere. Instead of ordering from the a la carte menu, I opted for the market tasting / omakase in order to get a sense of the restaurant's greatest hits. Everything was solid with a few notable standouts. The Kagoshima beef featured high-grade meat with intense flavors from the sweet, salty sukiyaki sauce and garlic chips. The unagi chirashi was immensely comforting, making it the perfect way to end the meal. And, several pieces of sashimi had exquisite flavor and texture. But, if there were anything worth writing home about, it was likely the flower crab and uni; the crab was fresh, lightly marinated in a sauce that enhances the flavor, and paired well with the butteriness of the uni. In lieu of traditional desserts, the restaurant offered unique dessert drinks with coffee or coconut chocolate flavors; the latter was particularly delicious. You're encouraged to bring your own dessert if you'd like something more substantial, and several people at the bar produced a cake to celebrate a birthday. Compared to some of the other ranked or starred high-end restaurants in Hong Kong, Ronin is relatively affordable. The market tasting (9 courses) runs $980 HKD ($125 USD). If you'd like to add the Kagoshima beef as a tenth course, it will cost an additional $260 HKD ($34 USD). Drinks are on the expensive side with highballs ranging in price from $90HKD to $180 HKD, but I suppose that's understandable given the restaurant's impressive collection of Japanese whiskeys. (The fact that you won't be given the dinner menu before perusing the drink list is a testament to the importance of booze here.) Unlike most restaurants in Hong Kong, gratuity is not included in the price, but with such stellar service, you'd be foolish not to tip your servers. I particularly appreciated the ease with which they accommodated my lengthy list of allergies. Reservations open two weeks in advance of your selected date. You'll need to call or e-mail Ronin to secure your spot. The front office is open from 2PM to 5PM GMT+8, so you likely won't receive a response right away if you're in North America. The restaurant has two seatings: 6:30PM to 8:30PM and 8:45PM to 10:45PM. Walk-ins are accepted on a first come first served basis space permitting. There are 14 seats for reservations and 10 for walk-ins. P.S. Some restaurants are worth bookmarking; this is one of them. Thank you for helping me find this! read more

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The overall experience here is top notch from the service to the food. The restaurant was fun to find as there are no signs. You have to find the hidden sliding door. Once inside the space is basically a straight hallway that seats maybe about 20-25 people. Highly recommend getting reservations. We booked for 2/13 (my birthday) about two weeks in advanced. Food was delicious and very high quality. Had many things I'd never heard of but everything we had was amazing. You can do omakase or a la carte. Their Japanese drink selection is excellent-- whiskey, sake, etc Staff is very attentive. read more

Amazing food that fulfilled the high expectations we had. Many options for me and my wife to sample despite limited by our choice to stick with veggie and fish options. Standouts include the chips, grilled snapper, and the udon. A little difficult to find but in a very cool area - we enjoyed walking around afterwards and checking out some shops as well as scout out future restaurants to try. read more

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Amazing dinner in Hong Kong for my birthday ! My boyfriend and I did the tasting menu and loved everything ! Some of the best things were the crab and the raw fish with mushrooms ! The sashimi was amazing as well ! The service was amazing and the bar tenders who also served us were very knowledgeable about all of the dishes and all of the whisky they have available ! The mixed drinks are very good I got a citrus one and it was super good ! Cute for a date night or a night to catch up with friends ! read more

I absolutely loved my meal at Ronin at the weekend. However, it almost ended in disaster. The restaurant is hidden behind an unmarked door. You really need to know where you are going because even when you are right outside, the location is far from obvious. I only stumbled upon it because a couple of other diners had just walked in ahead of me. Once inside, I knew I was going to like the place. The decor was stylish and cool without being achingly hip. The staff found that perfect balance of providing both high quality service while being friendly and personable. I was on my own - as a solo diner you really notice this kind of thing. The restaurant itself is small. Only 14 bar stools down one side of the room with standing tables down the other. As a result reservations are a must. The booking hotline opens every Monday, although if you call the restaurant itself at about 6pm, you might get lucky. So, to the food. Dishes come in tapas sized portions which make it great option for either solo diners or for couples. Starting with some sashimi, I then moved into hot dishes, ranging from crab with uni which is rightly highly praised to Ronin's take on KFC (Korean Fried Crab). Every dish was interesting to taste and wonderful to look at. I devoured every scrap and will be coming back for more sometime soon. read more

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Just excellent, well thought out dishes. Be sure to order the dishes that are prepared or cooked as the raw fish is good but in the end is just raw fish. I liked all the dishes but my favorite was by far the meat dish which is served raw and has an amazing flavor. Dinner * Uni (Excellent!) * Amber Jack (Good) * Botan Ebi (Good) * Chips (Excellent) * Eggplant (Excellent) * Meat (Excellent!!) read more

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I can honestly say that dinner at Ronin was top 10 dinners I've had. My wife and I were lucky to get a table without a reservation. Everything in this fine restaurant is top notch, beginning for the staff that is very helpful and friendly, they will explain everything and make very good suggestions, to the menu (that changes daily) to their great selection of Japanese whiskey and sake. Keep in mind that the restaurant is not too big, so I don't think it will work well for a large crowd, but perfect for a nice upscale dinner/date. read more

Ronin - An overview of what we had, I was so excited that I forgot to take photos of a few items. - Japanese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

Extremely underwhelmed is an understatement. I'm tempted to give a one star. I came in with pretty high expectations because of all the raving reviews this place has but was sorely, sorely disappointed. You can either order a la carte or the tasting menu (which is 9 courses) but we decided to go a la carte because we weren't too hungry. Almost everything is served as a serving size for two. We came as a group of 4, so they recommend us to order two of everything. The menu is divided up into raw, small, and big and meant to be shared. We ordered the kanpachi and the ebi spot prawn in the raw section. We then wanted just one order of the uni (because only two people in our party wanted uni) but our server insisted it was only a spoonful of uni and we had to order two orders. Even after ordering, we tried changing our mind but our server insisted we had to get two and emphasized how the uni was for one person only since it was one spoonful. Let me tell you, that one serving of uni cost 330 HKD ($42!!!!!). How the heck is one spoonful of uni that expensive?! So of course, when the uni came out, it's in a cup with an amount of uni that two people easily can share. Face freaking palm. Everything else was mediocre as well. We got the ebi scallop wrapped in a shiso leaf tempura, the goatfish skewers, and the cuttlefish with shisito peppers. Out of the three, I probably liked the goatfish the best, albeit a bit salty. The tempura was creative but nothing so impressive. The cuttlefish tasted like a black bean stir fry straight out of a Chinese restaurant that could cost less than $10 (USD), not whatever ridiculous price this was. We wanted to order three of the "big" menu items but our server said one was enough. We settled on getting two. Let me just say, if we had gotten only one, it would DEFINITELY not be enough. So why keep pushing the single serving uni, but say we don't need to order a larger course?!! I do not understand, Ronin. Anyway, we got the quail and the beef. The quail is fried and has an orange fragrance. Not bad. The beef quality was very good but was so so salty. We told one of the servers who proclaimed that it couldn't be salty because the beef is sukiyaki based and there is no salt. Hello, have you ever heard of soy sauce?!? The best part of the restaurant was probably the bathrooms which had an infinity mirror effect. Pretty cool, if you ask me. Also if you make a reservation, it requires a deposit of 500 HKD which is deducted from your final cost. TLDR; not happy about the food or the experience. Our bill came out to close to 3000 HKD ($380 USD) for 4 people before tip. Sorry, not worth it at all. There are far better restaurants in Hong Kong. Go to Kau Kee up the stairs and get yourself a $4 bowl of noodles instead. read more

Amazing Japanese restaurant. A true hidden jam. The quality of fish is amazing. We also ordered grouper and uni with crab read more

Ronin - Japanese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

Environment: It's quite a relaxed environment. There is a row of seats that face the bar/kitchen/wall and another row of seats that face the wall behind. It's best suited for small groups of 2 (maybe 3). Dim (non-overly bright) lighting, but perfect to be able to still see the dishes. A good dinner vibe. Service: Very pleasant service and helpful in advising on portion sizes, what dishes are served, and what the drinks taste like. Food: We had the tasting menu and it was realllly good! Here are the dishes that I remember (in no particular order with what I generally remember): Cold veggie dish, Oysters, Four kinds of sashimi each seasoned differently, Fried shrimp head, Sushi tartar with blue corn chips, Stir-fried veggie dish, Fried quail medium rare, Uni on a fried seaweed cuttlefish, Crab with uni, Eel over rice, Coffee with alcohol It was all really good, and portion-wise, I was so full by the time we got to the last dish of eel over rice. I really enjoyed the four kinds of sashimi and how they were seasoned with different flavors. It was quite unique. Everything tasted really fresh and as a seafood lover, this was definitely one of the best meals I've had (ever!). Drink: Ginger plum wine - Great recommendation by the staff at the restaurant! So good I had a second glass :D ! It was a great experience. Good service, food, drinks, and company. What more could I ask for! Tip: Don't forget to make a reservation! Good for: A great special occasion spot read more

Amazing izakaya seafood restaurant in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. We had the market tasting menu. Loved the fresh sashimi, flower crab with uni, Kagoshima beef with maitake mushrooms, fried garlic chips and egg yolk. read more

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The fancy version of Yardbird (same owners), with an EVEN MORE impressive -- and incredibly extensive -- Japanese whiskey selection. The interior is long, narrow, and understated, with about 16 bar seats (can't remember exactly how many) available for reservations. There is also a long bar with standing room for walk-in patrons interested in a nosh and a cocktail. I love the darkened, cool, understated ambience of the interior . . . as well as the exterior. (There is no signage outside of the restaurant, and the door is just a nondescript gray sliding panel that blends into the exterior wall of the building -- so keep an eye out!) The menu is very seafood-centric, with only a few meaty items, which suited me just fine. I've been here twice so far and have gone the omakase route both times. I'll continue to do so for future visits, given the quality of the recommendations. The uni dish that was suggested to me was incredible, as was the sardines tartare. Oysters are a must. The udon noodles were also quite tasty. Seriously, just leave it to them to decide what you're gonna eat. You won't be sorry. This is a great spot for any folks with gluten intolerances (self-imposed or otherwise), as the vast majority of the menu items are gluten-free. Guilt-free indulgence! Speaking of guilt-free, please note that there is no dessert available at Ronin. But why fuss with that when you can just have dessert in liquid form (i.e., whiskey cocktails)? Cannot wait for my next visit here. And I cannot WAIT to see what Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang (the folks behind Ronin, Yardbird, and Sunday's Grocery) bless this amazing island with next! Their concepts are incredible. Love. read more

Ronin was the last place my wife and I ate before leaving Hong Kong and I am so happy that we left the best for last. After the horrible disappointments at Michelin rated restaurants (including Bo Innovation), Ronin is a triumph, combining a beatnick/speakeasy environment with knowledgeable and approachable staff. Oh yeah...and the food rocks. I can't tell you how happy I am that this type of place exists in Hong Kong. From the bar tender to the wait staff to the chefs in the kitchen, it is clear that every single person who works at Ronin is passionate about their craft. This is the only place in Hong Kong where the waiters and bartenders could reliable give us recommendations on the food and drinks, while taking into consideration subtle nuances of our palate along with our interest in trying new things. Want another example? After our cocktails, my wife and I wanted to try some sake and the bartender took a minute to review what dishes we had left on our tasting menu in order to pair them appropriately. He (along with the other waiters) also knew the details of each dish, from ingredients to preparation. That's what you call a professional grade foodie experience. The menus vary depending on season and what's fresh. It's no BS either, our menu was stamped with the date that we ate there. The tasting menu was awesome and perfectly paced (they gave us a little extra time before the last two dishes since they were so rich and filling). Tastes ranged across the entire spectrum and there was sushi, crab, a giant oyster, wagyu beef (the list goes on). I also had most delectable medium-rare fried quail that is now etched in my memory for ever. At first I thought, "who eats a medium-rare gamey bird?" But after trying it, I was blown away at how soft and subtle the meat was and how amazing the flavorful crunch surrounded it (it had a hint of orange rind). Talk about nailing it. FYI - they don't serve desserts here, which was fine for me because I usually don't have enough room for them at the end of the meal. However, they do make a kick ass ice-cold espresso cocktail that comes in a shot class. One final note: This place doesn't automatically charge a 10% service fee....so please tip them well because it'll be the best service you get in Hong Kong. read more

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Not fair to finish the entire review as we were just there for drinks. Under the same umbrella of Yardbird, I was always wonder how they will introduce the NYC dinning scene for Japanese cuisine here. It was not the plan at all. I first had some dinner which happened to be Japanese as well. Then cannot go home without another Friday drink. My friend is up in Gough Street for the hidden bar. She picked me up and I was amazed by the deco and vibe. How could I never know such a thing! Then my friends were saying this is a sake bar and recommend me to try. Oh yes rice liquid, totally my thing. I usually love hot ones but here they only serve cold and normal temperature. When the menu arrives, I saw yardbird and questioned the server. Haha I sit my ass in Ronin. I had the Yardbird Jumai. Quite light compared to ordinary ones as this one has so much water...But still, very drinkable. I am craving the dishes on my neighbours table. This is a must comin back list. read more

Awesome restaurant owned by friendly chef, Matt. It's a bit difficult to spot, as it's fronted by an inconspicuous door with no signage whatsoever identifying it, or signalling its location. It's a well kept secret, but you'll no doubt find it if you look closely. The food, quality, presentation and service are all top. It delivers on it's pretentions by putting out plate after plate of delicious, unusual, creative flavors. Their whisky selection is justly famous; let their resident expert Elliot guide your selection, and you'll be in good hands. There are only two seatings per night, with what appeared to be a maximum of 15 eats along the bar...so book early. read more

This place is a total find in Hong Kong. It's hardly noticeable, but once you get inside it opens up into a large Japanese spirits bar. If you love Japanese whisky and sake this is a must. We came for the drinks but ended up wanting to order food too. We are vegetarians, so they offered to create special dishes just for us. It was the best food we had on our trip! The dishes included tempura, a soft tofu dish, and the most delicious udon I've ever tasted. If you pass up this place you are definitely missing out. read more

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Overpriced and overrated! I can only remember one item I tried that I was really impressed with. The service was great, but it better be for $250/person. I was more impressed with the hole in the wall restaurants I found than the fancy speakeasy experience. I totally agree the speakeasy experience is always fun. It's always exciting finding the unmarked hidden door then walking into the perfect ambiance. I def wouldn't go back to Ronin. read more

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Hard to get resies and hard to find if you're not a local. The food is unreal and of the highest quality. They got a crazy collection of Japanese whiskeys! read more

One of my favorite food experiences with modern serene speakeasy vibe. Food to talk about for months. Trust Mamta to bring her suggestions for outstanding culinary tour. Mamta and Gail's care equally noteworthy. Sake selection stellar. Gorgeous place. One not to miss. Food as delicious as it is beautiful. read more

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This was an unbelievable hidden gym. We enjoyed the atmosphere, great drinks and Japanese food. I would definitely make Ronin top of your list. Small hidden treasure in Hong Kong. read more

Staff: greatly helpful, welcoming, informative. Whiskeys: extensive selection of Japanese whiskeys, representing an excellent range of styles, approaches, distilleries and inspirations. Sashimi: literally the best I've had, and alas, all I was able to have. Called ahead without reservation, and was told i could be accommodated. Short Uber later at the "secret" sliding door (thanks, Yelp), and was seated (without reservation) against the wall away from the bar, in a corner, but the rest are empty, so why not focus on the experience? Nice discussion with staff; settled on starting with sashimi, and a recommended (Nikka) whiskey, then later to move on to possibly cooked items. Soon seated against the wall, empty seat between, are a trio on tech wanna-preneurs, chatting about which conference they met and the wonders of search on Slack (you and 400,000 IIT graduates, mate). Ignorable poseurs. Also alas, aquaintances of the staff. Alas they are joined by three more, and i am pressed into the corner by the loudest poseurs (barely a step better than "what's your major?"). Had to get out. Superb food and whiskey, but make a reservation far from the bro-grammers. read more

This is probably my favorite restaurant in HK. Definitely a splurge but worth every $. Everything was superb from the service, welcoming and knowledgeable staff, to the food itself. My bf and I spent a week in HK and made reservations for Ronin on our last night in the city. It is a very discrete and intimate space. We were seated at the bar and decided to do the menu tasting. Every dish was an adventure for my taste buds. It definitely was the highlight of this trip. read more

Favorite spot in HK. Will be coming back every time we return! Once you are able to find the way in, you'll never want to leave.

Excellent atmosphere and very personal experience. The food and bubbles/sake/whiskey pairing was top notch. Oysters from France and Washington State...what's not to love? read more

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Had dinner last night at Ronin, had horrific diarrhea whole night and my companion too after getting home. The sashimi was good and fresh but the flowery crab was too saucy and not as fresh and sweet as we expected! That might be the resource of our problem!! Have no idea why we would get food poisoning after spent so much money on the venue. read more

Very solid Japanese restaurant/bar in Hong Kong. Didn't find the entrance too hard to find (slide not push/pull the door!) since it is just a huge wooden door. Came at 10 pm on a Saturday night and even though the bar stools were all occupied, the standing counter was empty. VERY large selection of Japanese whiskey to choose from in a range of prices. They also had two different Japanese beers on tap (one lager and one stout). Now down to the food. Started with half a dozen oysters with cucumber water and yuzu kosho which were pricey but I was seriously craving. Very fresh and flavorful (Americans tend to overload on cocktail sauce and ginger that can mask the oyster flavor so I always enjoy oysters prepared in this way). Next up was a generous helping of uni with nori and panko. Was flip flopping between this and the flower crab with uni dish when I was placing my order but in the end decided to focus on the uni flavor. Definitely mix it all around to fully release the flavors and can't wait to try the uni with the flower crab next time! After this, my waiter recommended the tigerfish with honey, kyoto shichimi and chestnuts. The tigerfish was very tender and fried perfectly, pairing very well with the harder pieces of chruchy chestnuts. I also think this was probably the most value for your buck out of the entrees. Finished with the Unagi Chirashi and I was seriously stuffed after this. Can't really remember the last time that Unagi and rice tasted this good. All in all, excellent spot to get some fresh, well prepared Japanese food and quite trendy later in the night for drinking and small bites. But be warned, it can get pricey. I spent over 1,400 hkd by myself on 4 dishes and 3 drinks but I also had a lot of food read more

Ronin - Half dozen oysters with cucumber water and yuzu kosho - Japanese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

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A wonderful, hard to find place with amazing staff and a mouth watering menu. The staff there is super friendly and will help you out with all your questions. They will also come sit and talk with you and even have a drink with you. The drink selection is very impressive, a great place to try new sakes and Japanese whiskeys and beers. Place is a bit tight but makes for a intimate and friendly atmosphere. Food is super fresh and the combinations are delightfully intriguing. read more

Ronin is a triumph, combining a beatnick/speakeasy environment with knowledgeable and approachable staff. Oh yeah...and the food rocks. I can't tell you how happy I am that this type of place exists in Hong Kong. From the bar tender to the wait staff to the chefs in the kitchen, it is clear that every single person who works at Ronin is passionate about their craft. This is the only place in Hong Kong where the waiters and bartenders could reliable give us recommendations on the food and drinks, while taking into consideration subtle nuances of our palate along with our interest in trying new things. read more

Ronin was so impressive....but then again, it's a spin off of Yard Bird so we knew the quality was going to be high. The food was creative, impressive presentation but most of all it was damn good. I was heading to Japan in a few days and hadn't had enough good Chinese food yet but this place was calling our name. The basic, karaage wasn't basic...they're spin was so much better than what you normally get. Grilled sardines were excellent, as well as the KFC crab...the drinks here were impressive. Cocktails were on the generous side. A must if you haven't been read more

Hidden in a side alley of Gough Street, lies a mystical gem called Ronin. It is so humble that I couldn't even find the door. There is no sign, leading doorways, obvious entrance, just a sliding grey door that camouflages against the grey wall thats part of the building it is in! Finding it was a mission on it's own. Once, found, I already fell in love. The door slid open and right there before my eyes was what looked like a cave that delve down narrowly with people enjoying themselves. The space is small and narrow and packed with people. There are tables alongside the wall with no seats if people opted to stand. I sat down since I was prepared to have a long dinner with drinks included. I was ready to taste this famous yet humbly hidden restaurant, Ronin. The menu is like any other trendy restaurant. You have the sharables and the sashimi and bigger plates. There what caught my eye was "tasting menu" for $980 for two people. First place at a restaurant with good Japanese whiskey and a tasting menu option? YES PLEASE! I asked the waiter if the infamous, beef carpaccio was on the tasting menu, he said it wasn't but for $100 HKD more you can add it. I asked if I can exchange one of the dishes on the tasting menu for it and he said that it wasn't allowed. I didn't really appreciate this uptightness but whatever, I didn't let that ruin my mood. We ordered whiskey and listened to the smooth house music in the background while we people watched and waited for our first course to arrive. The tasting menu is 12 courses, small plates. Some were more impressionable than the other, for example the smoked Saba with Daikon and the flower crab with uni. Those are must- orders and served a la carte if you don't go for the tasting menu. Another dish that stood out was the sardine tartare with served with freshly fried potato chips. I quite enjoyed this. Overall, I am pleased to say that I tasted the tasting menu BUT going forward, I will be ordering a la carte at Ronin. I really wanted to try the beef carpaccio that wasn't served on the tasting and there were just too many so-so dishes that I would have chosen to not have tasted. But duly noted! As for drinks, try their Bureau which is usually made with Gin but I asked for whiskey instead, mixed with lemon juice, ginger and soda water. Very yummy. I've also heard that Ronin is a sister restaurant to Yardbird, but in my opinion YardBird was a completely different experience in terms of food and not to mention crazy lines. definitely come with friends to enjoy good drinks, great ambiance and great small dishes. read more

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Food is way better than I expected. Service was superb. Now I know where the entrance is, I need to go back again!

I visited Ronin this evening with some friends. I will *never* return and I recommend that you avoid this establishment. I was horribly embarassed when the waiter instructed us to wait outside in the street if we wanted to be served drinks (eventually). We were a presentable group of four professionals and had gone to Ronin for a high-quality whisky after dinner, before parting ways and going home. I was hugely embarassed and we left immediately. read more

Grown-up and seafood version of Yardbird and just an incredible place to eat. Everything here from the raw dishes to even the non-seafood is just perfect. Service is impeccable and professional. Its pricier than Yardbird, but actually feels like better value for money. I keep thinking about the flower crab with uni and another creamy dish with some salmon roe. Amazing sake, whiskey and wine selection that almost made me notice the less than stellar beer selection. read more

a bit difficult to find since there is a door with no sign and it's on the side street. crab uni dish was amazing (and piled high). lot of regulars come here. read more