First time here and I was blown away! Amazing service, amazing ambiance, amazing food and decent portions (bigger than what I expected??) . The prices were a tad bit more expensive than I would have liked but after the whole experience, I was able to justify it. Definitely coming back!
I’ve been here a few times and the food has always been so tasty! Also, all of the staff are extremely welcoming and friendly. I’d definitely recommend this place :-)
Beautiful and chill place. Great to come for a quick lunch as they've got nice bento boxes for $20-30.
Fusion japanese food done well. Some very unique and beautifully executed dishes. Love the atmosphere and service too. Favourite dish was the miso eggplant!
Rating 4.0 The quality of the food are quite good, and the servings are quite large. However it is also quite pricey. Came here a couple of times within a week, for dinner & then for lunch. For $40-45, the dinner set was like a 3 course meal in itself. You get the sushi & sashimi first, pretty fresh. Then a massive tray of super size bento like mains. I could hardly finish it. The lunch bento was a pretty generous still for $25-30. You definitely won’t leave hungry.
Super soft and flavourful pork belly! Lots of veggies come with each protein dish but rice is not included. Services was great! These Classic Japanese dishes all taste great but would be great to see more unique flavours/creativities in their dishes!
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Taste: 4.5/5 • Interior: 4/5 • Service: 5/5
sushi with a fine dining twist
I had a massive booking and they were able to fit me in with only a day notice! I have severe allergies and the waitresses handled it very well - going back to the kitchen to check with the chefs several times. Amazing customer service; all the waitresses are super polite and helpful. I ordered the pork belly kakuni and it was very filling despite the small portion size. I've been here a couple times and look forward to my next visit!
Came here for lunch with my colleagues. The restaurant have great ambience and the staff are very attentive and friendly. We ordered a Spicy Chicken Bento, Teriyaki Chicken Kushi Plate, Spicy Chicken Kushi Plate, and Chicken Katsu Kushi Plate. As you can see from the photo, all the dishes are presented beautifully.
I thought the Spicy Chicken Bento was a bit expensive and the chicken was not spicy at all, it tasted more like sweet chilli chicken. Nonetheless, it very was tasty. On the other hand, all my colleagues ordered the Kushi Plates which are reasonably priced and looks very delicious. Will come back to give this a try.
Yummy food great service!
Karaage chicken is a must !
Hot sake on a cold night warms you up instantly.
Maybe because we went on a late Monday night, but it was very quiet. The lights were dim and ambience was perfect for a date night ❤️
Definitely would come here again !!
Lovely place for dinner in town with friends. We loved the variety and presentation of the dinner box. The wine is very well priced and it was great seeing Neudorf Sauvignon Blanc on the menu as it proved to be an excellent match for the food.
Celebrated my birthday here yesterday with a couple of mates and two wee boys.
We were 15 minutes early before the place actually opened for lunch and we were welcomed to wait inside where it was warm and very inviting. The interior was very classy and spacious. I was worried that the boys would be a handful but we were ushered to a corner where lovely sakura bloomed. Staff was attentive and our food arrived on cue. The soft shell crab tempura was delicately crisp and the unagi was quite rich. And the sashimi! Fresh!!
Perfectly priced for the quality of food served. I am usually stressed when dining out with children but not in this place. Cannot wait to go back for dinner date night here.
Got to experience eating Japanese in a more traditional way at Kushi. Such a lovely atmosphere and kind staff.Was pretty full when we got there but staff made space for us at the back. Lunch menu is basically mainly bentos and their Kushi plates. I think main difference is bentos get tempura whereas Kushi plates has karaage. Their bentos are filling and delicious.
Check out my insta @ohmyfoodiegoodie to follow more of my tried eats!
Yes, it’s another Japanese restaurant, I just can’t get enough of it. The idea of sashimi and sushi easily makes me drool. This place today that we are featuring is a new discovery after I am looking for a mid-priced Japanese restaurant for my team at work, centrally located its quite easy to find. The place is quite huge as well and it can seat a lot of diners, definitely can fit 100 easily.
Dined here on Saturday night. Restaurant was VERY busy so glad I made a booking. Due to the business, service was very slow. Waited 15 minutes until we went and flagged someone down to take our order, which was three dinner boxes and karage chicken. Waited half an hour for dinner to be served. The food was amazing and we all left very full.
First time at this restaurant on a business/celebration Lunch with a few colleagues. As soon as we enter,we knew that this lunch was going to be something special.
Amazing design reminding the Japanese tea rooms and awesome service.
We had the teriyaki chicken and spicy pork bentos,the kushi plate with yankiniku and some gyoza and veggies1 for starters which were all very good.
Highly recommended right in Auckland CBD.
This is my favourite place in town for lunch. Dinner here is great too but the lunch deal is amazing. Great quality Japanese food, with an amazing selection and fast service. I had the Kushi lunch special of tonkatsu with deep fried calamari and karaage chicken. Let me tell you the Karaage chicken here is to die for. It has a delicious crunchy coating with juicy tender chicken inside. The lunch version is smaller while the dinner version has more. Either way is it a must have dish for me whenever I come here.
Came for dinner on Sunday night, not too busy as plenty of seats available.
On placing order you need to go to the counter.
Their dinner set are really delicious with tempura vege and prawns, sushi and sashimi and main protein like eel, salmon, beef of your choice. I particularly love the restaurant's decorations, very elegant and nice. Highly recommend for those who loves japanese foods.
Food 4.5/5
Service 4/5
Ambience 5/5
This place is hidden away off queen street and is an amazing place. The ambience is really nice and so is the food! Presentation is also A+ so great for your instagram!
Food was absolutely amazing! Prices match the quantity and quality of the food. Staff were very friendly and the restaurant atmosphere was beautiful. The lighting in the restaurant was a little dim but overall my experience was great! Definitely recommend for those wanting to go out somewhere different for dinner!
Looking for a Japanese restaurant to take my daughter out for her birthday, I looked at the reviews on Kushi and decided to see if it was as good as people said it was., Short answer, yes it is. From the subdued decor which provided a nice intimate ambiance to the well presented and very tasty food Kushi is well worth stopping in. We chose a selection which included the Beef Tataki, Takoyaki (Octopus Balls), Butterfly Prawns, tempura vegetables and Karaage Chicken. It was plenty for 3 but we were able to squeeze in the Green Tea Ice cream for dessert. Everything was well presented, the dishes looked like artwork, and so tasty. Staff were very attentive without being overbearing. With parking just a stone's throw up the road I highly recommend a detour off Queen Street and up the lane to Kushi. You won't regret it.
It may look like average Japanese restaurant with nice looking interior , but Fusion Japanese food is anything but!
I wandered in with two friends on a Friday night, and was immediately greeted by the friendly Japanese staff and incredible nicely presented Japanese dishes. The restaurant was filling up quickly (it was almost 7:00 pm) but we managed to snag a table.
Tucked away down a street I've never seen before, this was a bit of a gamble, but one that paid off. Firstly, I strongly recommend their house sake, it's very smooth and tastes amazing.
The service is excellent as you'd expect from a traditional Japanese restaurant and the food, though fusion, tasted really good - not to mention the presentation.
Prices were reasonable too and the decor was excellent - giving you privacy while also ensuring you felt spacious.
I was here with my colleagues long ago and realized I haven't give this great place a review. If you are looking for Japanese food in the city with nice ambient, here is the right place. Unlike some Japanese restaurant where the space is quite limited, here is very spacious and I personally like their deco very much. When we reached there we were greated and welcomed by the staff. Most of their Japanese dishes eg. the izakaya dish, tempura and sashimi are great. Their dinner set is a good value for money option. Not so much of a fan for their fusion dish. Would like to come here again with my partner.
This place is amazing! I have the tofu donburi regularly and it's the best tofu I've ever eaten no questions asked! They have the perfect amount of everything on the plate, nothing is too much or too less!! There bento boxes are also delicious! Not only the food is well priced, but the staff are so lovely, after regularly going for lunch a couple of weeks in a row the lady knows my order and is always so friendly and welcoming! 100% would recommend
One of my favourite places to get some fancy Japanese Cuisine in Auckland. You can get some really nice lunches here too - the bentos. My favourite bento is the Spicy Chicken Bento. Their butterfly prawns are also quite nice👍👍
Late review but just wanted to say this place is ah-mazing! The food is to die for and the customer service is very very nice! We keep coming back! Thanks team!
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An excellent choice if you're craving some Japanese food and have a bit of money to spare. My family and I got quite a few dishes from all across the menu and they were all great tasting, nicely presented and quickly served given the amount of dishes that we ordered. The beef tataki and sushi were fresh and tasty. The takoyaki although not too different from other takoyaki that you could get elsewhere such as night markets, was still delicious nonetheless.
My sister and I got the Teriyaki chicken and Unagi (Eel) dinner sets respectively. Although they seem to be on the pricey side (around $38) you do get your fair share of sides since dinner sets come with a 4 piece mix of sashimi, nigiri and rolled sushi, salad, fruits, steamed rice, miso soup and tempura. The teriyaki chicken was tasty and the eel that I had was fatty and melt in your mouth.
The two other dishes that we got were the Kushi Shabu Shabu, Tiger prawn tempura, Tofu Veges Itame and the Buta No Kakuni (Slow cooked pork belly). I was actually surprised by the tofu dish since I usually have low expectations with tofu due to personal preference but did really enjoy that dish. The pork belly was tender and the sauce accompanied it nicely but it was nothing special. They bring the Shabu-Shabu out on a gas burner for you to cook the meat and vegetables yourself in the broth which is always a fun time. Finally the tempura was alright but if you look at the photo I took of the tempura you'll see fried spaghetti noodles fanning from the tails of the shrimp which I found weird at first but did grow on me in the end :^)
Overall Kushi was an enjoyable experience, from the high quality food, fast and helpful staff and great Japanese themed interior decorations, it wouldn't be a sin to recommend this place to anyone craving some great Japanese food.
One of the better lunch deals available in Auckland CBD, its hard to find a deal that provides fantastic tasting food, vibrant colours , different textures and health conscious. A pleasant atmosphere perfect for date nights or executive social meetings, this would be an excellent choice for those wanting a Nippon night out.
The lunch combo had a baby-mayo salad, karage chicken with baby-mayo, your choice of a main meat, two pieces of sushi ( one salmon and one chicken ), lotus crisps and o-nigiri. Couldn’t get enough of the karage chicken which was beautiful crisp and flavoursome. I had a tonkastu which was pretty nice and I enjoyed having the salad to make me feel a bit better for eating out.
Teriyaki chicken was my colleagues selection and she said its her favourite here at Kushi.
Showstopper: Awesome ambience and make sure you get some karage chicken. A simple dish which is hard to get right.
Overall Grade: A-
The staff were so friendly and kind. Was first time here and the food was sooo good and it was nice of them to bring out a birthday surprise for my mum, she loved it. Thank you. Would definitely be back.
Great service and food! I love the Saki here most, especially the warm ones. A good environment for dating. Will definitely comes back again.
Came here for their lunch menu. The plate in the photo was only $15 and left me more than filled.
The chicken Katsu and Karaage chicken were both perfectly fried, moist and tender.
The rice was flavoured and formed into cuboids which was interesting.
The acidity of the salad dressing and the salads lightness cut through the heavy fried foods.
The sushi was fresh and tasty too.
The place is quite large inside and the waitress was very friendly and accommodating.
Overall a very good experience here and will be back.
Kushi has a great atmosphere with friendly staff. They have Japanese dancers or drummers on some nights. The menu is varied and reasonably priced. The hotpots are great for sharing.
10 of us had a fabulous dinner at Kushi restaurant last night. We loved the sunken tables and their setting. The service was amazing and the food totally delicious.
Thank you SO much for a very memorable and wonderful dinner for us all.
The food is great, the have a cheaper lunch menu and they offer a vegetarian option. The service is fast (given how busy it can get) and friendly service. The restaurant looks lovely too and has a great atmosphere! I always look forward to eating here.
Nice lunch menu and a good slelction of bento. Quick and nice environment. An ideal place for catching up with friends and work colleagues. Recommend
Always a delight coming to Kushi. Decor is very nice, service is friendly and efficient. Highly recommend the Chicken Nanban and Pineapple Chicken. Best to get lots of dishes and share between a small group as some dishes are on the smaller portion side of things. A big plus that this place is Halal!
Their mixed temperature is delicious and the portion size is generous too. The staff are friendly and attentive. I loved the lychee cocktail.
Second visit today. The interior is lovely with a great fake cherry tree and lots of bamboo to make it resemble a street in Kyoto or Nara. Such a surprise in what is a dingy side street.
I would choose to eat here over some bigger name CBD Japanese restaurants. A great lunch spot.
My friend said her food was too beautiful to eat but we ate it anyway.
The tempura is light and crispy; just the way it should be, not the way it is often served, gluggy and fatty. My friend said her tempura bean was the best bean she had ever tasted. She may not get put often. She also loved the sushi. I agree the rice was very good with a great balance of vinegar, not the acidic stuff that is often sold as sushi.
The yaki nasu is unusual but good. Nasu stuffed with pureed kumara.
The agedashi tofu is not my favourite. Small cubes of tofu and they were not crispy or hot enough. I was surprised given how good the tempura is.
Went there to get some lunch after gym to get back to the office. Their sushi is really nice and reasonably priced. I'm such a big fan of seafood, so whenever I see good seafood, I gotta get it. I got some squid and prawn sushi, they were really good. Definitely coming back here for more
Fish is fresh, the rice in nigiri piece was a bit too sour (excessive use of vinegar I suppose). The beefsteak was superb though! Would definitely come back!!
Went here last night with my husband and it was such a perfect evening. The atmosphere was intimate and relaxing the service polite warm and attentive but not overbearing. The food was interesting and delicious. We were so glad we chose to eat there. Excellent selection of sake. All in all awesome yum.
Not a very big lunch menu (with specials), but dinner is always fantastic. Beautiful Yakisoba, market sashimi, and I've heard the cheese sticks are really good as well.
Everything is nice, my favourite japanese restaurant right now! And staff are very friendly. Everything is worth the price. The combination temperature was really yummy
Emmanuel Vergeldedios
+4.5
I really loved the chicken karaage and the vegetable tempura were more than adequate. Awesome job guys! I hope to see myself back here again soon.
For under $30, you can't beat their dinner combination. Fresh sashimi, great large bento box style to follow, superb teriyaki chicken and light tempura vegetable and prawn, with traditional sesame dressed salad and additional sushi. All of a good size and you certainly don't need anything else. Service was very attentive and friendly.
I am a big sucker for seafood and, I must say, Kushi has never disappointed. The sashimi, takowasabi, and beef tataki were all the freshest I'd ever tasted (although I did feel that the beef tataki needed a bit more dressing).
For mains, we had the soft shell crab which was well seasoned in a incredibly smooth batter and the melting pork belly stew.
I would recommend visiting Kushi with a small group so you can try as many dishes as possible!
Full review on blog:
Very oriental and extremely nice food! If you enjoy Japanese food this is definitely a go-to food spot, with friendly service and good food. The aesthetic of the restaurant is very pleasing and adds to the enjoyable atmosphere overall.
Came during lunch time and they weren't as busy as I thought it would be. We all ordered their lunch specials for $14.95 each. Each lunch special came with our choice of a protein based main, miso soup, salad, rice, 2pcs of sushi, fried lotus and chicken karaage.
I got their yakiniku (beef) and all the sides that came with it tasted good. Beef was tender and reminded me of Korean bulgogi. However it was very salty and you expect to eat it with a bowl of rice but they only give you two small rice balls. I would have given this place a 4 but the amount of rice they give you is too little. Otherwise service was incredible and the food came lightning fast.
Always lovely service here such a professional restaurant and staff. They always treat you with the amazingly admirable Japanese manners. Menu is great, the fusion twist adds to their being slightly different.
I usually come for dinner and get dinner sets but if you are sharing it's so great to just order separate dishes. They are great in size, price and taste!
Sometimes the product could fall short, sometimes too greasy, or too much fat on the meat, but it happens all the time. And they never forget to ask about your experience and feedback when you are leaving, and everytime I had some feedback on details to venture they take it seriously.
Have come here a lot and will keep doing so. Totally recommend to those looking for a tasty and nice Japanese dining.
An amazing experience here, made a booking for two and got our own private booth. Every single member of staff was beyond friendly, our waitress was really friendly but not too overbearing and as we left we were thanked by every staff member working, a really nice Japanese culture.
Food was amazing, had the tofu vege itame and karaage chicken and portions were decent sized and delicious plus Izakaya appetisers and drinks came to $50 overall, such a good price for such a nice place. We will be returning for sure!
Beautiful restaurant with a great set up.
Quick and efficient service (could be a bit nicier).
Nice food, excellent presentation, very good taste.
Great portion sizes and prices ($50 for 2 pax).
Great dinner!!
Beautiful restaurant, has a very authentic vibe with little bamboo booths to cosy into. Great staff, really really good food and very reasonable prices.
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First time visitor to Auckland and first time eater at Kushi Japanese Kitchen & Bar. This place had a decent Zomato rating so it seemed like a safe bet in a foreign city. Japanese food is best when clean and not over worked, and I'm happy to report that my teriyaki chicken bento box (not normally my choice) was indeed very good. It was less of a box than a stack of some 10 serving dishes and plates, each containing a vital ingredient of the "box". The teriyaki chicken part of the meal was very good, as was the sashimi, the tempura was crunchy but light, and extra bits all worked well together. If there were any marks off, it was for serving non-Japanese long grain rice, but at least as far as rice goes, it was cooked to perfection. It was quite a lot of food and good quality food. The restaurant has a very upmarket ambience too with lots of natural timber and ropes scattered around the place - they spend a lot of money on the fitout and it works well. Definitely deserves its current 4.4/5 zomato rating!
They have a variety of Japanese food on the menu. It's not on the cheap side, but the quality of the food is great. Sashimi platter is of a good value. Their chicken dishes taste so good. Yum.
My third visit to Kushi for dinner on Saturday night for a triple date and absolutely loved it. Plates are made for sharing but is also suitable to have individually. Everything we ordered tasted amazing. I highly recommend everything we had - the Karaage chicken (coated in rice bubbles), spicy chicken, Okonomiyaki and Yaki-Nasu (eggplant). For individual dish, I would recommend the teriyaki chicken dinner set.
The service is attentive, atmosphere and decor is on point. Kushi is a very nice resultant for any occasion that won't break the bank. Can't wait to be back again!
Food is very good and atmosphere Also,
Staff are nice but bit expensive for me.
It's nice experience at Japanese restaurant in Auckland.
At the chance will be back definitely
Once you step into this restaurant it doesn't feel like you're in the centre of Auckland city anymore. The interior is comfortable and makes for the perfect setting to enjoy the delicious food and lovely service. 👌🏻
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Absolutely amazing atmosphere with those indoor decorations, made me feel like I was in Japan almost...
Although price might be a bit high but the food is definitely up there!
If you go lunch time the lunch special are actually quite cheap for an environment and service like that. But the selection of food is way less than if you go during dinner.
Karaage chicken (5/5)
I don't give out 5/5 that much, but their karaage chicken is the BEST I had so far! Crispy on the outside and juicy and soft on the inside. Most places over fries the chicken so it lost that juiciness. This is a must try in Kushi. A little side note though, the karaage chicken in lunch plate was bad...nothing compare to the one you order alone.
Takoyaki (3.5/5)
Ok not the best takoyaki I had, because is not as crispy on the outside, but there is a good amount of octopus to batter ratio and is not instant takoyaki in most Japanese places so I gave this a 3.5/5.
Katsu chicken lunch plate (4/5)
I gave this score mainly because of the price, is $14.95 and you get chicken katsu, 3 pieces of sushi, some rice, salad, karaage chicken (which is bad), side salad and miso soup! That's pretty good in a place like this and is definitely filling for most. But the quality of food in the plate I would say more like a 3/5, not too special yet not too bad.
Crispy squid (2/5)
I love squid...but this one is just bad. The outside is not fried to crispy enough, so it taste kinda soggy. The mayo mixed with a bit of wasabi sauce that comes with the squid makes it worst. Will not recommend this, there are better places for squid.
Medium Sashimi (5/5)
In terms of presentation-5/5 one of the most beautiful sashimi plate. The fishes were fresh and beautifully cut. If you are a scallop lover, then you have to order a MEDIUM one! Not the small one because the medium one has the scallops! The dinner sashimi looks better but the lunch one has nigiri with it as well. So either one is good!
Tempura prawn (3/5)
Is crispy and big in terms of size of the prawn, worth the money in that environment. But nothing too special, so I gave it a modest 3/5.
Beef tataki (3/5)
The sauces were unique and gave the beef the refreshing taste, but is 3/5 because of the price...$8 or $9 for 4 thinly sliced beef was just too little and too pricy.
I love Kushi. It's my favourite Japanese restaurant in town.
The decor and ambience is perfect. A little self-contained world, low lighting and secluded booths. Beautiful.
The food is extremely consistent and of a high standard. The dinner sets are the right amount of food. The pricing is spot on too.
Try Kushi! You won't be disappointed. In fact, I'm going to go there tonight.
Good service and location, the cherry blossom tree surrounding the back wall as you enter is a nice touch! Bit on the pricey side, but a good experience had. Bentos are large and filling. I love the kaarage chicken, one word - amazeballs. Pictured is the teriyaki chicken teppan and sashimi.
One of my favourite Japanese restaurants in town.
The decor is impressive, with the nice presentation of the food, I felt like I was being taken back to my travel days in Japan.
We order sashimi and sushi which came on a wooden boat, a range of yakitori, mixed tempura, grilled salmon, Pork belly and some hot sake between the three of us. They were all delicious, fish were fresh and tempura prawns were nicely cooked.
To improve: More wait staff please, we had to walk down for service a number of times.
The experience is legit - traditional Japanese style decor. The fact you have to walk down tiny Durham St adds to the feeling you may be in backstreet Osaka. The miso soup was.. miso soup. Takoyaki balls were amaze... balls? Seriously thought about the best I've ever had. The sashimi bento was great only marks off because it had no rice or one thing like ponzu for my tempura.
This was the first restaurant i had since i arrived in Nz last 2014.
I had UNAGI BENTO. the best really. I would recommend the customers to try it.
The ambience is 5/5.
The flavor? Spot on.
The staff? They check on you once in a while :)
Kushi has always been one of my favourite Japanese in town. They deliver friendly efficient service, and nice ambience.
Their food are fresh, tasty and beautifully presented.
They offer a wide range of Japanese dishes, from izakaya style, yakitori, to bento set menu.
Tonight we had yaki nasu (grilled egg plant), gyoza nabe (dumplings hot pot) deep fried cheese, and some tofu. They were all so good! The star of the show today was the fried cheese and the nabe! Although everything was so good... it was quite hard to pick a favourite!
They are a little on the expensive side, but the portion was quite generous I thought. Definitely worth a try if you happen to be on queen street and craving some good Japanese food.
Delicious food! Good service, nice place, perfect for a date night👌🏼
We ordered gyozas, butterfly shrimps 🍤, teriyaki chicken, crunch prawn rolls, fresh salmon rolls and raspberry lemonade.
Pretty recommended
Nice and tasty. Great service. The hotpot was a great experience. Nice and cozy on a cold night. The teriyaki chicken skewers are a nice little appetiser and the eggplant and sweet potato main was worth ordering.
A big fan of any Japanese restaurant. Hahahah
The setting of the place is really posh, comfortable and it gives you bit of high class feeling. The service here is good and I did enjoy my first time to the restaurant. Although the price is a bit too pricey for me, I think it matches to the portion of the meal so can't complain.
I ordered the Agedashi Tofu, chicken teriyaki and YakiNasu. I have to admit , the YakiNasu ( grilled cheese eggplant ) is the best I've ever tasted. And really filling. The cheese and the eggplant blends in so well and the sauce they put on top of it it's delicious. Sadly not a cook or I would be able to explain in more details.
Long story short. I highly recommend you guys to try everything because I have high expectation although I've not tried most of the food in their menu. 😁
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Went there on a wednesday evening and the place was crowded. Nice ambience and friendly staff.
We ordered unagi set, karage chicken, lobster salad and gyoza
The unagi set includes an assortment of sushi, sashimi, tempura, miso soup etc. It's like a degustation within a meal. The unagi was well flavoured and the portion is pretty good, given that most unagi serving portion is on the small side.
The lobster salad, gyoza and karage chicken are all good. Our favourite of the day would be the chicken. Nice and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. It comes with a mustard sauce and it's a great accompaniment to the chicken.
There is also a $4 discount off your total bill if you show them your parking ticket. Didnt know that initially, and the lady only told us about the discount after we saw a banner about free parking and asked about it. Not sure why she kept it from us from the start though, maybe she was hoping she can help the restaurant save that 4 bucks. Would highly recommend you guys to ask about this $4 discount when you visit this place.
I went there last week and the food was great. Plus, the waitress was really nice to us and the decor is gorgeous. I'll be back very soon for more.
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I think this has become my new favourite restaurant with its gorgeous ambiance and fresh sashimi.
The decor is beautifully Japanese, with lots of bamboo and glossy wood and some blossom trees. Some of the seating are tables, which get a candle at night, while others are really comfy booths with a lamp hanging overhead that could seat 4 to 6.
Service was attentive. They bring water to you and keep an eye on your glass to come top up as needed. The staff were also very happy to explain dishes and give an indication of portions. Some staff have a very heavy Japanese accent, so you might have to listen closely, but it adds to the feel in my opinion.
Before 7pm it was a little empty, but then the couples and small groups came filtering in. It is perfect for a date or just an evening out with really good food. I could see several other tables ordering the sashimi platters which looked amazing presented with carrot flowers, slivers of other vegetables fanned out artistically, and sprinklings of roe.
The best value for money is the dinner set. At around $30, it's not quite cheap eats territory, but for what you are getting I think it's a bargain and well worth spending a few more dollars. You get four slices of sashimi, 2 rolled sushi and a nigiri to start, which was beautifully presented and Instagram worthy. The sashimi was undeniably the freshest fish I've had the pleasure of having in a restaurant (and those who know me will know I am very picky about seafood quality). The sashimi and sushi had such fresh fish that it melts in the mouth with a piercing flavour. I was so impressed. What follows is then a huge tray of food: tempura (pumpkin and prawn that night) in the lightest crunchy batter, your choice of meat or salmon or a vegetarian option on a bed of salad, steamed rice, miso soup, and a selection of seasonal fruits. It's more than enough to satisfy your hunger, and everything is well crafted and presented in addition to being delicious.
If you're on more of a budget, the teppan are of large portions for under $20 prices. The yakisoba was delicious, with the sizzling plate and the dancing yakisoba flakes making it seem like it is being freshly cooked in front of your eyes. It is a little on the salty side for me, especially the bacon chunks, but on the whole flavoursome with an assortment of seafood, vegetables and bacon. I really struggled to finish it all.
Overall, this restaurant is great value for money with beautiful surroundings and the freshest best presented sashimi I have seen. I'm surprised it doesn't get more crowded but...it can be our secret ;)
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We have been here a few times and have always been satisfied with the food and service. We always get to the set meal with only two of us. Last Friday, we went back there again to celebrate my husband's birthday with family. This time we finally got to try the alacart dishes. We had the agedashi tofu, cheese kushi age, salmon salad, spicy tuna sashimi, karaage chicken, okonomiyaki, soft shell crab tempura, marinated pork belly, butterfly prawn, gyoza and grilled eggplant filled with mashed kumara. Every dishes were well balanced. Not a single dish disappointed us. During the dinner, the staff were very attentive (as usual), in fact the service was impeccable. For example, our niece dropped one of her chopsticks and before we got around asking for one, a staff came up promptly with a new pair. We were so impressed! The highlight of the night was when we got the staff to get us the birthday cake, the chef came put with them, wearing a Viking hat and he played the birthday song with the trumpet. It was so hilarious! All in all, it was a wonderful night. Kushi is so far the best restaurant I have ever been, serving top class food and service!
So the whole gang was craving for some Asian meal. We then decided to narrow it down to Japanese. Luckily this place was in CBD. The ambience is great, it has a Japanese feel to it. Our waitress was efficient and attentive. The food was great and an added bonus we get the chance to watch one of their performances on a Friday night. It was a very good night indeed.
Only been here once but easily one of top choices for a good night out for Japanese food.
The food is amazing - we ordered the chicken karaage, eggplant and sweet potato dish, pork belly, prawns and gyoza to share between 4 ppl. Portions were just nice and best of all the bill was decent.
Definitely worth the money paid - I'm surprised they do not charge more! On top of that, the place has a great atmosphere (although location is not the best).
Customer service is fantastic. Well trained and very proactive in their approach. Highly recommended - I can't wait to bring more people to this place!
Great food and service for good prices. The atmosphere is relaxing and have been a few times. I always come back and order the yakisoba noodles :)
Have been there for many times, good service and awesome food, vibe is also another key driver, definitely is a good choice if you have two or three friends who really love Japanese food.
Great place for lunch. The place is decora@ted like you're in Japan and it has many booth seats that give you privacy. The lunch set is presented nicely on a plate instead of a bento box. Tasty food with a variety.
Manuela Ovalle Herrera
+5
My boyfriend and I have been here twice and we absolutely love this place!!!! The last time we went was on a Friday night and for anyone who hasn't been here on a Friday night, you must!!!! There was a Japanese percussion performance, it was short but it was wow!!!!! The food is amazing and the service is incredible!!!
Fallen in-love with this place already! Really lovely ambiance dimmed light spacious and great staff and service. We dined here Saturday night and book is recommended the place was packed and lots of groups booking. Food was really good plenty of flavours and good for the price, generous serving we ordered 2 mains, 1 noodle dish, 1 soft shell crab dish, 2 rice bowl and 1 dessert in total for two adults and we left very full and happy! The only let down would be their dessert their Panna cotta was not up to standard and it says Panna cotta with berry compost but when we got it, it had no berries just cream? But mains and entree wise really good quality jap food and will be back!
One of the best affordable Japanese places in Auckland. Always enjoy the food, atmosphere and service here. Would recommend the dinner sets as you get a range of fresh, delicious sashimi with them.
I love Japanese food and kushi definitely proved that! The place had a nice quiet and dark ambience. Perfect for dates. However I did not go there for that, I was with my mate and we ordered their bento boxes for dinner and omg they were amazing! So delicious and the sashimi was just right, fresh and oh so delicious. We also ordered some takoyaki and it was made perfectly. They have very generous servings that we couldn't finish our meal. We also ordered Japanese green tea and yes it was amazing! You can taste Japan! :) the staff were very friendly and accommodating. Overall this experience was amazing and I would love to eat there again.
a stylish and authentic Japanese restaurant hidden a bit off the buzzy Queen Street. Way bigger than regular Japanese bars, good food with reasonable pricing. The Hot Pot ordered today was a nice surprise, with very tasty soup base. Be aware of their chilly source as they are way to hot (in a good way though) even for someone like me who rarely got hot bombed.
We had tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) & yakiniku (marinated grilled beef) special lunches with salad, sushi, croquette, miso soup & rice. Food was good - no wonder it has a high rating. However, I was rather disappointed to see the many chips on both salad bowls. (Food - 3.5/5; Service - 3.5/5; Ambience - 4/5)
Elegant Japanese restaurant with superb services, Great food, cosy atmosphere and reasonable cost. Strongly recommended for couples, friends and family. Not build to withstand large crowd though.
Had visited there twice with friends. I love their tapas menu. Lovely price but very tasty. The Karaage Chicken was crispy outside and juicy inside. Deep fried rice brought me awesome texture. Service was also very friendly.
Went on a team lunch yesterday at Kushi, absolutely fell in love with this place. The staff are adorable, the decor is stunning and everything was delicious. I had the spicy chicken lunch special, couldn't fault it. There was a group of around 10 of us, and the let us pre order the day before so the wait on the day was minimal. I would definitely recommend you pay a visit if you like Japanese.
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My wife and I visited Kushi on a freezing cold night. Upon entering we were greeted with a lovely, warm and relaxing ambience and ultra friendly staff. Service throughout our meal remained brilliantly professional, respectful and attentive. Overall, the food was great.
The breakdown --
Pork butabara and chicken mid wing kushiyaki were gently seasoned and absolutely delicious. The chicken wings carried a beautiful caramelisation. The pork belly was so juicy and the subtle salt soy flavour was perfect. Just wish the chicken wings had been deboned.
Salmon and scallop nigiri - fish and scallops were juicy. Tasted like sea to table material. Rice was tender, seasoning well balanced.
Maguro tataki - tuna was succulent, tender and just like the salmon and scallops were sea fresh! The in-house made soy dipping sauce was perfectly balanced.
Kaisen salad - beautiful celery dressing on mesclun salad. Seafood again fresh. So refreshing!
Okonomiyaki - tasted just like the okonomiyaki I had in Japan! Served on a skillet, okonomiyaki was still sizzling and crispy. All the ingredients -- the beautiful cabbage, onion, seafood, prawns, squid, okono sauce with jap mayo and a generous serve of bonito flakes -- combined together was a flavour explosion.
No hesitation in recommending Kushi. Our visit was a lovely time.
It was our first time visiting this place. Went on saturday night for dinner. Really enjoyed our time here. Very friendly staffs, amazing food, fantastic environment for nice date dinner out. We will definitely go back.
We ordered teriyaki chicken dinner set $30.90
and vegetarian dinner set $28.90
Both were delicious. We had the deep fried tempura left over and asked if we can takeaway, the staff smiled and take the plate straight away and bought it back all packed.
I think this restaurant is not for eating, but for drinking. The food was largely tasteless, and barely enough to live on. Sashimi looks so wonderful！isn't it?----yes,just one advantage.
Great food and service! My friends and I ordered agedashi tofu, karaage chicken, salmon salad and gyoza nabe. I love their karaage chicken!! Whenever I go to Japanese restaurant, I order karaage chicken and Kushi's karaage is now my favourite! I will definitely go back when I visit Auckland again!
I hadn't been living in Auckland for very long when I came here for the first time, solo, and had a nice meal at their bar. The place has a great interior that feels very 'authentic' in terms of Japanese design. I have been here a few times since, and the food and service is usually consistently good.
Dishes that I would recommend include:
- Karaage Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken Teppanyaki
- Takoyaki
The prices here are pretty good, especially for a restaurant that isn't some hole-in-a-wall somewhere. You can get a frequent diner card as well where you can earn points, but I think you have to like their Facebook page before they'll give one to you. They are also in the Entertainment Book.
I don't recommend their banana tempura with ice cream - wasn't very flavoursome and just tasted super greasy.
Wow! So glad we found this restaurant hidden away off Albert Street.
The greeting was warm and genuine whilst the service was intuitive and first class.
The setting is great, very open planned with cute private booths and tables for larger groups. I felt as though I was back in Japan.
The waitress was very accomodating when finding out it was our first visit offering suggestions as well as alternatives.
I was particuarily impressed when she was willing to change our bottle of wine when we were worried about the vintage.
And the food did not dissapoint. The Gyoza were just right and my favourite was the crumbed prawn appetiser.
Portion size was generous. The food delicious and always hot. The two of us unable to finish everything. Total cost of food around 73 dollars.
My only complaint is that I'll be unable to visit again soon. Wish we had Kushi closer to home.
Enjoyed meals 2 nights in a row. Staying at city life easy to get a takeaway. Set dinner for one was huge. Great choice and friendly service
Great ambience here, and I like how the tables are quite separated and private. We had 2 dinner sets - one with grilled eel and one with teriyaki chicken. Loved the variety of food and the portions were so big!
Great staff and great service. Great place to go with anyone. It can be a date night or even a casual night out with friends. The place is genuinely clean and the food is great. Their atmosphere is relaxing and the tables give you the privacy if you need it.
The funny thing is i dont really order sashimi or sushi here, mainly karaage chicken, hot pot or on the occasion a bento. Maybe that is the reason i never had problems with the food here.
Yes this place is awesome; the service is prompt and friendly and the food fresh and delish :)
We ordered:
Salt and pepper beef skewers: very tender and juicy beef; 5/5
Spicy chicken skewers: very soft meat marinated well and not too spicy; 4.5/5; just needed some extra salt
Scallop skewers: perfectly cooked; not too fishy, 5/5
Prawn crunch sushi roll: crunchy prawns, crunchy veges that are fresh; 5/5
Takoyaki: 3.5/5; could have been more crunchy and less drenched in bbq sauce
Edamame: decent quantity and flavour.
Also japanese green tea and coke; my husband said his coke was not too great; i guess a bit flat.
The ambience is great, the decor is comfortable and the place is arranged nicely- they have a big space inside.
The food arrived in a timely manner and they checked that everything was alright several times, would definately dine there again.
Kushi is a modern Japanese restaurant with an authentic feel, the menu is up to date and offers a variety of new dishes along with the good old favourites! The service is great and the prices reasonable for the great food. The restaurant is large and can accommodate a lot of people, bookings not essential.
I doubt I have ever seen such generous serves in a Japanese restaurant. The "medium" sashimi was huge! And the mixed tempura was absolutely overflowing the plate. Most things we tried were good. Standouts were the tempura and the gyoza. I'll definitely come back.
Cannot fault anything. Absolutely delicious!!! Sashimi and sushi was so so fresh and the hot food were also very nice. Will definitely go back.
Food was absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere inside was so lovely and well decorated! Really peaceful and perfect for a date night. The beef tataki was beautifully done. The staff there are really friendly but can be a little forgetful with checking in on water etc, and our dumplings were forgotten. But apart from that it was great - will definitely go back.
Update: the next time we went we were blown away. The dinner boxes were delicious and full of little bits and bobs! My partners steak salad was tender and juicy. Hands down the best bento box I've ever had - from the egg roll to the tempura to the fresh salad. My teriyaki salmon was Devine and everything was super quick and staff were efficient and friendly :)
I really wanted to like this restaurant but sadly no, my sashimi was full of bones and I had to take them all out from my mouth. Food was very average, considering the restaurant looks very expensive and I was excepting more fancy side of Japanese food. Over all this place just an average Japanese restaurant in Auckland but really expansive. Service was good tho.
Hands down our favourite restaurant! Have not had any memorable problems dining here and have come back several times since first discovering it. Service is always on point, staff are friendly and attentive. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere and it is easy to forget you are in the heart of the city when inside. The food is amazing, can't think of anything we've tried and not enjoyed. Favourites are definitely the karage chicken and pork belly dishes. My partner loves getting the deal they do with 2 of their tap beers and a plate of karage chicken, which works out cheaper than buying them separately. Good value for money, not "cheap" but definitely worth spending the money, especially for a special occasion. Very cool to go on a Friday night when they have the Japanese drum performance.
:)
After reading other reviews on Zomato we decided to try Kushi. We are avid lovers of Japanese cuisine but get bored with the usual don Buri bowls and karage chicken fare. Kushi offers a step up with some the more harder to find dishes. With a more authentic after work Tokyo bar feel. The unagi was some of the best we've had this side of the equator. Was great to see okonomiyaki on the menu and was an instant favourite. Extremely well balanced and the seafood taste wasn't over powering for someone who's not that into freaky sea tastes. It was brilliant. Service was attentive and for an added bonus onftiday nights offers a short drumming demonstration by a small talented group. Very enjoyable. Great inner city location for a great price. Would definitely make this out local!
Really enjoyed this place, despite only being here once. I loved the look of the place. The staff were super nice and the food was awesome! I love the dinner boxes because they come with a of different things that I hadnt tried before such as the salmon sashimi. Can't say I'm a fan of the texture though. Was more than I bargained for! The food that I did like however, was nice.
My favourite special occasion dining place. Beautiful decor and ambience... really sets a cosy, but lavish mood. The food is always delicious and beautifully plated. They do mostly fusion food but it is all very well designed and well balanced in flavour. The ingredients are obviously fresh. I have yet to try a dish I don't like! Prices are fair for the quality of the food. Staff are so professional, efficient, and still very courteous.
Service is great, food is great. What's not to love!?
If you are looking for a nice japanese then kushi is the most perfect place that you could go to! Best sashimi in auckland! Very fresh and cut very thick, good size of portion compared to other japanese restaurants where they give you as tiny as they can. Other main dishes are also beautiful and reasonably priced. Would strongly recommend to anyone
We went to divert here last Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised by the venue. The decor was very warm and cosy. The menu on first glance was limited however the quality of the food was outstanding.
We had the Bento dinner box thinking it would be small and light. We were blown away with the size and presentation of the box.
The service was friendly and very attentive. I would gladly recommend the place to people who appreciate quality Japanese food. I'll be back!
A nice little place. The decor is very a quaint Japanese style. The staff were friendly and the food was well presented. We had a rice type dish and a seafood salad. Absolutely no problems at all with the food. A little pricey but well worth the money.
Stunning Japanese food, variety of vegetarian options and attentive service. The secluded booths make you feel like you're the only diners there. The wooden decor transports you to a different place.
This place is absolutely stunning! I had the spicy chicken lunch special which came with rice, salad, chicken, sushi, dumpling and miso, such a great deal for only $13. I have nothing to fault about the food, was delicious and very filling. Would definitely return for another meal
Came here for dinner and had higher expectations but overall was still pretty good. Very good service, romantic mood lighting but also good for a after work snack with friends. The eel was a bit tough but the eggplant, tofu and pork belly was really good
Good for Friday lunches..
Lunch menu has good enough variety of dishes and is affordable.
The ambience is nice and the service is always good.
Lovely restaurant and makes you feel like you're not right in the middle of the city which is nice. Staff are friendly and service is good, as are the prices. Meals are wonderfully presented. I really enjoyed the spicy chicken and the gyoza. Sashimi lovely and fresh.
A bigger range of food compared to the more casual Kushi joint next door, better ambience. The food quality is pretty much the same - but this place is more expensive. Overall, a neat little place to catch up with friends or a date. Decent.
Love this place. My favourite is the spicy chicken don. I tried the sushi but it's not to my taste, when I had it t was quite warm. Lovely service and I love the way that the restaurant is decorated. Gives a real authentic feel. Will definitely be back
Came with my boyfriend to this place, the setting of the restaurant is very nice and it had a nice atmosphere. We had their lunch specials which were really cheap considering the portion. I had the Ton Katsu, it had way too much sauce and was too over powering. However, would definitely come back again to try other things.
I found this place with my friend and absolutely loved the food! I had a prawn and rice meal with homemade mayo which was mouthwatering. Also the layout of the restaurant is awesome and the staff were lovely.
We had lunch there. We ordered two lunch special. One teriyaki chicken and one teriyaki beef. 13.95 each. I prefer the beef one as the chicken is a little bit dry. We waited about 15 mins for our food. Quite a lot of people have lunch over there. Overall the experience was not bad.
Kushi has a beautiful atmosphere and friendly staff. The food here is not too bad of a price. My friend and I shared a gyoza hotpot which was supposedly big enough for 2 people all though we added some udon noodles which was 3 dollars extra there was not too much there at least, to fill our bellies. I would still go here again as the food we had was still quite nice and it is always good to have lovely service :)
Kushi is one of those places that just looks awesome and has great ambiance. You get a really good vibe as soon as you walk in. This place is perfect for a group gathering or couples. Comparing it to other Japanese places I have been to, kushi is good, don't get me wrong but nothing over average. The dishes are well presented and tasty but they were missing kick to me keep me coming back. My favourite dish out of the ones were ordered was the agedashi tofu. The Japanese lemonade was also pretty good! A little pricey compared to some other Asian places nearby. The lunch menu looked really good and pretty good value so would recommend visiting for lunch.
Friendly staff and aesthetically pleasant place to dine. Food came quickly and was an overall good dining experience. Slightly pricey for the food but it was made up by the overall good vibes the restaurant design gave off.
Went here for dinner on a Saturday night. Love the ambiance and the Japanese feel. The servers are very nice and welcoming. The food however, abit overpriced and average. I ordered a salmon dinner bento box and I would say it was alright. The portions were smaller than I expected. Maybe it's because I have been to a lot of Japanese restaurants and this was quite average for me.... But all in all cute Japanese place and very fancy :)
Kushi is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants! As soon as you step through the door, you are transported into a beautiful restaurant with a chill but slightly romantic feel. Dim lighting all across, with candles lit on each table, and a few green plants here and there to liven up the place.
Been here many times for dinner, and again tonight. It was an early dinner at around 540pm, so our food came out extremely fast.
Mine was the teriyaki chicken dinner set and my boyfriend had the unagi dinner set. The thing that makes Kushi's dinner sets better than the rest is that they bring out a mini sashimi and sushi entree set before your main dinner set is presented on the table. Definitely great value for money!
Badically, this is one of the best Japanese places in the Auckland CBD. I would highly recommend the dinner sets, but if you want to order a la carte style, I'm pretty sure everything is just as good!
Friendly & attentive staff, quick service, delicious food,. Shabu-Shabu hot pot is worth a try. Teriyaki Sets were amazing & went with Sapparo beer.
They will give you $4 discount on parking. So don't park your car at Wilson. Try parking across the street.
Hands down the best Japanese restaurant I've been to so far! Came here for dinner with family seeing that it had such great reviews and it really did match up to my expectations. We ordered sukiyaki, unagi, okonomiyaki, salmon rice box which came with some hella great sashimi (maybe we were just super hungry but I swear it melted in our mouths) the interior design of the place is quite nice too! Has an authentic feel to it! Definitely recommended :)
Loved this place! One of my favourite Japanese restaurants, the staff were friendly! And the food is amazing! exceeded expectations, the set out is nice and I would definitely come back again, service was quick and food tasted really good :)
I love this place! The atmosphere is great any time of the day. Food is excellent and service is superb! If you go on a Friday about 7.30pm you will see a spectacular show of Drummers that come in for about 15 minutes. It is amazing and its free.
Be sure to ask for a table that has a good view.
When I am in the city in the evening, this is my favourite place to go.
Summerlee Fataoui Schick
+4.5
This place is beautifully presented. Lovely atmosphere, great waiters/waitresses and really yummy food! Not badly priced as well for the inner CBD. Would revisit
Good lunch special menu.. Good Ambience and the food was great too. I ordered marinated beef. Lunch special menu comes with miso soup, 2 pieces of sushi, small bowl of rise, salad, spring roll along with the beef. It's very similar to Bento box but had a different touch to it.
Overall good food; will go back
Just a note : Even though the restaurant wasn't busy it took more than 10 minutes to take the order.
Been here twice now- so far so good. Its the usual japanese sake beer food joint in a western fine dining set up. Had the large sashimi mix, takowasabi, takoyaki, dumplings, beef tataki, tuna tataki, karaage chicken and tofu. All were decent proportions and was shared between about ten people. Almost everything was good and enjoyed by all, except I wouldn't recommend the dumplings or tofu - they are ordinary. The rice bubbles coating for the karaage is a nice touch though.
Only downer was we were having a birthday here and was told there was a 15% dc over the phone when making a booking. No one told us u had to be a member prior until the bill arrived. Maybe some clearer info next time.
3.5 yums.
This place is great.
If I'm in Auckland CBD this is the first choice everytime!
It's affordable, delicious, beautifully presented and the staff are so friendly!
$50 is enough for a starter to share, 2 mains and 2 drinks which is great if you don't want to spend heaps either!
I also love how there are booths so you don't feel like you are eating at the same table as anyone else. Atmosphere is great too!
I came here with two friends last December. Still remember the staff at Kushi were very attentive，friendly and helpful. So a big 5 star for customer service. Among all the dishes we had that night，Karrage chicken was my favourite. The chicken was coated with rice bubble that tasted divine. Besides that，the presentation was also a strong point.
The least favoured dish was our hot pot( can't remember the name), but when it arrived, the soup base tasted rather average and the portion was poor. Not worth the money at all, having said that, taking into account of the good service, private dine atmosphere and perfectly fried Karrage chicken, I'd like to give a high rate. Will come next time to try other things on menu and perhaps enjoy a Friday night drum show.
My regular go-to for Japanese. Love their dinner boxes! Great service everytime, generous portions and very tasty. Would definitely recommend!
Japanese food and service at its best. Large Karaage chicken pieces like I've never had before. Crunchy with rice bubble coating. Dishes are beautifully presented and reasonable prices.
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This is going to sound daft but I've eaten here quite a few times but didn't quite realise how good it is until I came here on my own. This is because this is where my friends and I usually go before we go to a show in the CBD so I'm usually here with friends and we talk and laugh a lot and you kind of eat your food without really savouring it because before you know it you have to gobble down the last bits of your meal because you've lost track of time and you've got to rush to get to the show on time. Anyway, the food IS good, service is warm and cheery, decor and loos are soothing and tasteful. It was just me and my book for dinner and they sat me at one of the booths which are really cosy. I ordered the scotch fillet set and the house sake. Really good value for the set at $28.95. It came with miso soup, rice, sushi, sashimi, tempura, a small prawn and vege dish cooked in soy sauce and butter, salad and some fruit. Everything was fresh, except for the slices of tinned pineapple with the fresh fruit - a bit odd but not unpleasant. The tempura included a tempura prawn which was great considering the very reasonable price. The scotch fillet was cooked on the teppan and perfectly smokey and rare. I found the teppan sauce to be too sweet for my taste, to the point where I would ask for it on the side next time. I was very full at the end and even if I hadn't had my trusty Entertainment Book voucher it still would have been very good value.
The izakaya and small dishes that I've had here before are well executed too. The only way Kushi would be perfect would be if they had some of the 'variety' cuts like chicken cartilage or hearts or beef tongue.
They offer well priced drink/snack combos too.
Kushi, surprisingly a relatively unknown eatery, is definitely a contender for best Japanese in this city. Consistently serving an array of delicious dishes for more than reasonable prices (under $60 for all this), there's not much they do wrong. My favourite pick is Kushi's karaage chicken (top left). It's concurrently moist, crunchy, flavoursome and creative; who else fries their chicken with rice bubbles? The restaurant's interior is a cool wooden-themed Asian abode while staff are always on friendly level 10. It's a tad dark and eerily never full, but if you go on a Friday night, you might just score yourself a free Japanese drum show with yah meal.
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Kushi is the best Japanese restaurant I have ever been to and I always come back here with family and friends for a good meal, which is the Teriyaki Chicken Kushi Plate! The service is amazing and the atmosphere and environment of this place is spot on! If you love Japanese food, this is the place to go to! ^_^
We come here often and love the service and food. Slightly on the pricey end, but worth the visit anyway. Fresh and yummy dishes with top-notch customer service.
Came here for dinner on a rainy weekday. It wasn't really filled with people, although it was dinner time. We were enthusiastically greeted by the many FOH attendants and even those behind the bar. We were led to a very cosy booth. They have heaps of these here and it's a great place to dine, with the added privacy of the enclosed booth.
We ordered a few mains to share. They included the Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake), Kaarage chicken, and beef steak, and soft-shelled crab. The food arrived fairly quickly. We really enjoyed the chicken and the Okonomiyaki. I highly recommend those two dishes. The portion was fairly big, great value for money.We decided to get dessert of banana fritters and some ice cream. They were both delightful as well. Would definitely come back here in the future to try more of their food and possibly their wide range of Japanese beer/sake in store.
Genie @ BunnyEatsDesign
+3.5
Tucked away in a random spot in the city and unexpectedly lovely, Kushi is a beautiful wooden space with intimate booths and tables.
Serving decent Japanese food right in the heart of the city, Izakaya style food, and a little bit of fusion. They have a very well thought out drinks and snack combo menu worth trying and I can see this being popular with the lunch and afterwork drinks crowd. A great place for Japanese food lovers and adventurous eaters, though there are plenty of safe options. Some vegetarian options, but most bento sets come with sashimi so check with your waiter. Special dietary requirements are not marked on menu.
We dined during Auckland restaurant month and had their 2 course special for $25. A selection of edamame, sashimi and the chef’s choice of 4 bites to start, followed by your choice of main – options include teriyaki chicken, butterfly prawn, spicy chicken, spicy salmon, fish katsu or crispy tofu. Served with tempura, rice and fruit.
We loved the chef’s choice of starters. A nice selection of different things that was fun to discover and eat. The sashimi was lovely and the meatball very good.
While the starters were great, the mains are only OK. I found all the mains we ordered were very sweet. The prawns were unexpectedly sweet and fruity. It tasted like a dessert. Not unpleasant, just unusual when you’re expecting a main. Great presentation though, we didn’t expect this level of presentation for a $25. Avoid if you don’t like Japanese food. or seafood Most bento sets come with sashimi and ours came with raw octopus so if you are picky about raw seafood, please check with your waiter.
The service was friendly but absent which was disappointing. After we got our first drinks order, there were no more drinks orders and no one checked up on us during our meal. One drink was forgotten completely but there was no one to tell. Water was never topped up during our meal, but after our table was cleared we were about to leave.
I would recommend this place for a cheap, casual lunch or dinner. Due to the lack of drinks service, this might not be a good place for special occasions or to impress...though they have a (very confusing reward) system for birthday parties.
I have been visiting with Kushi almost since it started, and I keep going back, and taking friends and family with me. Everyone I have brought here loved the food, and said they are coming back. Service is great usually, and the prices are excellent. Love the drumming and the decor :-)
I love Kushi, a little hidden gem in the CBD. I have only ever been for lunch and it has been delicious. The lunch specials are good value for money with generous portions. I recommend the Yakiniku Bento. The service here is great and the staff are very friendly.
If you are looking for the best Japanese lunch venue, then look no further! It's always a complete pleasure to eat here, and the quick fire lunch menu is great! I usually go for the Fish Katsu, see photo. Friday evenings they have an impressive drumming routine, phone first in case it is cancelled. Make sure you say hi to the irrepressible Lucy, and don't forget to get a loyalty card, the points add up very quickly! One of the best things about this restaurant is the seriously authentic interior and the very comfy booths...!
Ive been there couple of times with friend. The atmosphere was good, and the staff are very friendly, feel relax in this restaurant! sashimi always quite fresh, the cooking way of karaage is quite special and nice.The special experience for me was a drum show during the meal. Was shocked for their awesome performance. Should have asked more friends to come to see the show later on! it's worth to come to enjoy the nice food in a Japanese culture based atmosphere. Highly recommend Japanese restaurant in city centre.
Went here for the first time last night after reading lots of good reviews for it on here. We booked in for 6.30 but were running late so I rung about 20 mins before to push our booking to 6.45 which was no problem at all. Got there and was really taken by the awesome interior design! The restaurant had a really nice atmosphere and loved that we were seated in a booth that is quite private from other diners. The food was excellent, everything tasted incredibly fresh including all of the seafood. I went there expecting smaller sized dishes but was surprised at how much food we actually got. My partner and I both ordered 3 dishes each and weren't able to finish everything. They also had some great dinner deals going. Service was friendly and polite and food was served efficiently. Would definitely recommend especially if you are looking for somewhere to go as a couple.
Been here a couple of times now, and starting to get the hang of the menu.
Food is delicious, exotic and beautifully presented. It has the added advantage of being pretty healthy in terms of ingredients and preparation. The staff are friendly and helpful, and speed of service was reasonable.
We've ordered a lot of dishes over our visits, and never had a bad experience. The environment is classy, and even better, you can get a table on a Friday night. The drums are an added feature.
Will definitely be back.
The food and service is great. I have brought my friends three times and my family once to this restaurant, all of whom were first visitors. Expectantly they all loved the food and the atmosphere. Of the four visits, I used the entertainment vouchers which they accepted without any hassle. Although the discounts did not apply to food that were already on special, this was understandable as they were quite heavily discounted. I would definitely recommend this place!
Go there for a lot of work lunches, the food is always good and served quickly. Staff are great and make us feel really welcome every time my work crew visits. The $10 lunch special is a good option especially if you order the spicy chicken.
I had a delicious dinner out with my bestie at Kushi on a Saturday night.
The waitresses were really friendly and offered my friend so many alternatives when her fav wine wasn't available.
The food was delicious - especially the agedashi tofu... so flavoursome and a hint of something I couldn't quite put my finger on, but very tasty.
Great location in the center of the city with really reasonable parking just opposite.
An all round great dining experience!
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Delicious Japanese food, in a really great setting.
We loved the option of booth-seating - because it makes it really private - we actually couldn't see any other diners from our secluded space. Loved it!
We bought a variety of different dishes and shared them. The standout delicious things for me included the sweet potato tempura dipped in delicious sauce; the beautiful green spinach with 'goma' (I had to look it up on my phone to find out what goma was) which was very yummy; and my perennial favourite Agedashi Tofu (a super thin layer of something a little crisp, not quite a batter, not quite tempura...) on the outside; with a bit of spring onion and some flakey pieces of mystery-something on the top; and of course the silky tofu, flavoured by the salty delicious sauce that the pieces were sitting in.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the Teriyaki Salmon Set. Everything delicious and fresh and it should be.
Service at Kushi was very good, once we were seated. Room for improvement, could be that somehow this restaurant needs to find a way for kitchen / front of house team to be made instantly aware when people have arrived through the door... so they can shout out that cool Japanese greeting that some places do (maybe mirrors or cameras could fix the problem that staff can't see people walking in around the corner?). When I walked in, staff were busy elsewhere, and I felt very lost ... it took a full 3 minutes of standing about feeling out-of-place for someone to come and welcome me!
Once seated, our two waitresses were exceptional, and really provided outstanding service.
Thank you! It was a really lovely evening.
The food, service and setting is amazing. Best Japanese in Auckland. Lunch service is great, quite fast and definitely value for money. My favourite for lunch is the spicy chicken. The dinner menu is awesome, so many great choices and everything is delicious. The staff there really make you feel welcome and are very attentive. The loyalty card is great too!
Kushi is our fav Japanese Restaurant ever! The atmosphere and people are fantastic and the food is always amazing! And the pricing is very reasonable! We love coming in often for a delicious meal. Would highly recommend this place!
This was another amazing find in Auckland. Out of all of the Japanese restaurants that I searched through I'm glad that I chose Kushi.
From the young lady welcoming me to their restaurant, the experience was a good one. The 25 piece sashimi was A) huge and B) beautiful, not only in presentation but taste.
The waiter was very attentive and also asked whether I wanted my sake re-heating once my main came out.
Overall a very nice, well presented restaurant and yes, I will certainly go there again. They also have some very good offers on - especially if there are two people sharing meals.
Delicious Japanese food, great ambience, good prices and if you are lucky you get an amazing drum performance. Oh yes, great service as well. Been there at least 10 times this year so far.
It is convenient that it is just across the road from where I live.
Absolutely love this place! Is one of my favorite places in the city for lunch, and an amazing Japanese place! Service is fantastic - the staff are so friendly & the decor is great. Would definitely recommend it to others & quite regularly have!
Delicious Japanese food. Lovely friendly service. Conveniently located in Auckland CBD. Affordable prices especially at lunch time. Great atmosphere for group dinners or romantic date dinners. A really fun surprise drumming performance at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday nights I think. Really awesome discounted birthday special thank you.
I have been twice for lunch with 1 other person and dinner with 1 person and a group dinner with 10 people.
-Nice restaurant
-Nice Staff and service
-We got great deals on my wife's and friends birthday
-Parking deal as well
-Great food! Shabu shabu is the best!
But karaage chicken has a modern twist with rice puffs, would prefer without it and some the crispy fried skin.
Recommend to all!
I highly recommend this place that we discovered with my husband few month ago (almost when they opened the place). First the atmosphere of the restaurant is beautiful, brand new, a bit dark and intimate to have a dinner as a couple. Then, the food is awesome really different to other Japanese restaurants. I hate going to a restaurant which does not surprise me ! Here you will be amazed by the different way they prepare dishes. Our favourite dishes are the chicken Karaage (crusty breadcrumb with puffy rice I guess and nice tartare sauce to go with it, camembert skewer and beef tataki. Finally, the team is really polite, smiling and will do anything to make your dinner perfect.
One of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to in Auckland. Modern interior and very helpful staff.
Fantastic food and service!
They do a brilliant karage chicken with rice bubbles!
Highly recommended!
Large sliecs of Sashimi, if you are a sashimi fan, do try the large sashimi plater :)
Went yesterday and they also had live drum band playing which was very entertaining to watch while dining.
The tatakis here are really nice, whether it be beef or tuna. Really refreshing taste.
Service: 5/5
Wait time: 4/5
Environment: 5/5
Food Quality and taste: 4/5
Price range: $40+ pp
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Happen to be looking for a place to dine one dec night, quite late on saturday evening,and stumbled across Kushi, we were starving so we just walked and they seated us pretty much straight away which was great, they were very friendly and quick on their feet. they took our orders and food came shortly after, presentation wise was 5stars, and the flavours were all there too. very much enjoyed our meals(bento boxes) they were a little pricier than some other Japanese restaurants we have been too, but the it was a bonus because we got 50% off my husbands meal, if it is the week of your birthday you can get 50% off your main.woohoo for us. the decor is fantastic and the toilets were spotless and so so nice, lighting and decor 2thumbs up. the music so so fantastic too, we asked where we could get our hands on those tracks it was so good.
the only down for me personally was that it was a little too dark in there, maybe they dimmed the lights down that night for some reason, but other than that, its a wonderful place to dine. 4.5 stars from me.:-)
Kushi has AMAZING lunch specials! Such great value for money - you get sooooo much food. We've visited a few times and always leave feeling full and satisfied!
Another fantastic Japanese restaurant!
Service was flawless, I was warmly welcomed and served promptly. Food came out at excellent speed, and everything was delicious!
The atmosphere itself is very authentic, with excellent decor.
Great place to take someone to get there first taste of Japanese cuisine because everyone is so friendly and helpful, not to mention very clean.
I can't fault this place at all. Wonderful experience!
What a surprise when I walked in. Fab decor, great service, good music. I agree could be one of Auckland's better Japanese restaurants. Waited a little longer than expected for my 2nd drink but hey I got to write this review in between.
Very good, food is great. Portions are slightly small but it is expected.
It was proved to be a very satisfactory night we spent in the japanese restaurant. The atmosphere is terrific and the staff is very friendly. The food we ordered is among the best quality we had in various jap restaurants. Overall good value for the money spent, would come back again!
AMAZING!
A girlfriend and I went here with a deal voucher. We were early for our table but they let us come in anyway. Service was great, very helpful especially helping us pick some different things to the usual. Food was awesome, super filing and fresh! The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming too. Although I have heard about the drummers we didn't see any, owell always next time!
Definately will be returning again!
Tried this place with deal voucher. The food was very very good, but customer service a bit average.
Lovely atmosphere and food :)
Good atmosphere, good food. Went there a while back with a deal voucher, staff were very friendly and attentive. I could not find a lot of vegetarian options on the dinner menu so they let me order from the lunch menu as well. Would definitely go back.
Saw this restaurant in the north shore times and decided to try it out. It definitely was not a waste of our time. was impressed with the bubbly staff and how they were attentive. Have been twice now for dinner and will look forward to attending again. The prices were what we expected. The drumming performance was a lovely surprise not what we expected but enjoying and was just as enjoying again the second time round. Love and recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Japanese food or just looking to try something different. Keep up the amazing work guys!<3
Honestly,
amazing,
Food is typical Japanese and yes there are no surprises about it. It is what you expect and deserve to get. The prices are ok as well taking the fact that is CBD restaurant. We were there three times already and will keep coming back. First time we were there it was day after they opened and I tell you the staff and service was implacable and personal.
We just love this place, simple, nice, consistent !!! Way to go guys.
I suggest you go here to have a lunch or diner. They made my wife, daughter feel special. the service and food was excellent. the decore outstanding. After just coming back from a holiday in Tokyo I felt I was there for the day - well done
Food was exceptional, and we were greeted warmly when we arrived. We had a deal voucher and unlike some other restaurants we have eaten with vouchers before this was not a problem for them and we were still treated well. Only complaint was with the waiting service, very slow to get any drinks and no follow up for drinks service. We ended up going up to the bar ourselves. If they can sort the service out then this will be a 5 star ... some of the best Japanese food I have eaten in NZ.
Alexandra Jane Middlemiss
+5
We stumbled across Kushi on our way to CityLife hotel on New Years Eve, when we walked in we were greeted warmly straight away and asked if we had a reservation - by looking at their book they were going to have a busy night yet they found us a unreserved table and promptly brought our drinks and food came out within 15 minutes of placing our order
The rear tuna was amazing! as was the noodle dish we had and my friend had the chicken which looked as though it had cripsy noodles inside the deep fried batter - he loved. Could have done dessert as well as they looked very good but we were in a hurry.
Great $$ wise also. Good wine list as well
I will be going back again as I am a huge fan of Nishiki in Freemans Bay and this restaurant gives it a good run for its money.
Kushi is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in town. I have taken various friends here on many occasions and each time has been great!
I especially enjoy coming in for lunch as they have a $11.95 special – you choose between chicken, fish or tofu and it comes served with rice, vegetables, sushi and miso soup. It is a cheap and tasty meal and very delicious!
I also love Kushi because they serve one of my favourite foods, Takoyaki. And they do it well. Takoyaki is a ball shaped Japanese snack with an octopus filling inside. I think it has a great flavour, a mix between sweet and savoury.
I will keep coming back to Kushi because the food is always yummy and the staff are very friendly which makes the experience even better.
Went there last night with my gf. From outside it looks very norm but ones you step in, it surprises you. It was a great atmodphere, lighting, music, furniture - whoa, we totally felt for a moment that we were in Japan.
Service was very friendly but what more amazed us was the food. Wow, was the word to describe it. Nicely priced, very affordable and ticks all the right boxes if you wanna give urself and friends a nice treat.
Its kind of hidden treasure but from what we witnessed I'll highly recommened Kushi as a great place and value for money. :-)
Kushi is one of my favourite lunch destinations when I want something that is filling but on the cheap side. For $12 they do an amazing lunch deal including your choice of a meat - beef yakiniku, teriyaki chicken, spicy chicken, chicken katsu or tofu plus a bowl of miso, rice, cabbage salad, sauteed veges, 2 x pieces of sushi and a potato croquette.
The food is all delicious and leaves you feeling pretty damn satisfied.
The space itself is really nice and simple - it's quite a large space so there's no getting squished up to other diners and usually it's pretty quiet at lunch so you can be served fairly quickly.
Long may that last however, I get the impression that it's becoming more popular and booking may be necessary for lunch in the future.
Nice restaurant.. Great atmosphere. Sushi, salami, sashimi are very nice! But bento,,, hmmm not so good.. Too many deep fried stuffs, very greasy. I couldn't finish the meal cuz everything was full of oil.. Deep fired, tempura veg , mayo sauce, donkatsu, prawn tempura @@ OMG too much! If you wanna give that much oily stuffs, I think you should serve some hot tea with it.. Like Chinese dim sum.. The price was quite high but good enough for the quality meal and service. I wouldn't say the service was bad, but the staff actually took my order wrong, I orders scott filet dish, not bento set, but he got bento for us, which is a lot more expensive. We didn't realise that until we come to pay for the meal. I didn't want to make him in trouble so we didn't say anything about it. Would it be a good idea to train the staffs to repeat and confirm the order before passing to the kitchen?
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Having lost my cheap/cheerful go-to Japanese place in Lorne street to development (IMHO - ruined), I needed to find a replacement for a catch-up lunch. I read the reviews on this site and gave Kushi a well placed punt. The entrance and address doesn't lend much to Kushi's business but it's a winner. A Japanese version of the TARDIS, Kushi opens into a groovy but traditional interior with lots of booths and a very chillaxed group of people enjoying their lunch. In a previous review of an establishment further down town I mentioned the bearded geek-chic of the self-selected group of punters. This gaff is full of the well groomed and mid-priced suited members of the local chambers - not so much as a 'tache let alone unsuitable stubble here. Luckily the, undoubtably world-shaking and confidential, conversations were all conducted sotto voce and therefore the ambiance was as far from the braying of a Ponsonby eatery as Putin is from the truth. It did seem that most of the lunchers were enjoying the $9.95 lunch combo which looked great; lone diners had a chic wooden bar to eat at. We, as gastronomes, dived into the menu and shared a full priced 'lunch' of unagi and accompaniments - sushi, miso etc. We beefed it up with gyoza, seaweed salad, octopus nigiri, an additional miso and the indispensable takoyaki. I judge a Japanese restaurant on their tofu agedashi but it wasn't available as an add on - I would suggest it is as one of the set meals includes it. If that and ikura appeared on the menu, this would be my perfect place in the city. The staff were great, we had Lake Chalice s/b which is perfect with the food and were delighted when we left. The lovely lady who took the payment was slightly surprised at our bill which suggests that, at lunch at least, it's a cheap place underused.
So much space/seating in this restaurant. It's secretly tucked in the middle of the city, with really good Japanese cuisine and the awesome beer tower selection, I'm surprised this restaurant isn't always packed. Having brought a large group of people to have dinner here (on short notice as well) they accommodated well and the service was very friendly and fun. With a loyalty card service as well, it definitely makes me feel rewarded every time I visit (even though I feel great already for the food). Don't forget they also do takeaways! - a takeaway Kushi is right next to the main restaurant.
Amy @ My Dining Journey
+3.5
Hidden in a little side road off Queen Street, Kushi is out of sight and easy to miss, if you're not looking. We only came across this Japanese restaurant by chance, while looking for a quick bite to eat before the NZ Opera. Japanese is one of my most loved cuisine; their use of different seasoning, flavours and cooking techniques brings out the best in the ingredients and we are spoilt for choices when it comes to great Japanese restaurants in Auckland.
We ordered several items from their menu, including one of their happy hour specials where we had two small bottles of cold sake and a serving of gyoza for $20. The pork and vegetable gyoza and kaarage chicken were fresh out from the kitchen, served piping out with a fragrant soy dipping sauce and a side of creamy mayonnaise. The slices of lightly seared rare beef for the tataki had a delicious hint of sesame oil and this, along with the chicken was served with a fresh green salad. The okonomiyaki (aka Japanese savoury pancake) was made up of a combination of shredded cabbage, thin shreds of pork and assorted seafood. This was covered with a generous amount of mayonnaise, bonito flakes and okonomiyaki sauce. Unfortunately, this dish came last and by the time it arrived, we were both full.
There are a few Japanese restaurants that I frequently go to and if Kushi offers better parking, it will be one of them. The food took slightly long to come out from the kitchen despite having only a few customers, but our waitress was attentive, the food tasted great and the restaurant's decor is charming with areas that offer a more private seating arrangement. It was an overall well-rounded meal, a place worth trying if you're ever in town!
If you like this review, please check out my dining blog -http://mydiningjourney.wordpress.com for more!
This cosy restaurant combines tasty Teppanyaki dishes and an amazing ambiance to deliver a fantastic dining experience. I was initially unsure about the fact that I would end up celebrating my birthday at a generic Japanese restaurant but the staff at Kushi were welcoming and the perfectly cooked salmon steak and scotch fillet left us completely satisfied. The dinner set portions are generous so be sure to take a few friends with you to get the best value for your dollar. Modestly priced, this gem offers the best bang for your buck and I was pleasantly surprised when the chef came out and sang the birthday song, ukulele in hand. Their wide range of premium sake ensured that we left with our bellies full, of scrumptious food and liquor. Overall, this was a meal I will not forget, and definitely be back for more.
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