Nice Japanese place. I liked being able to sit at the bar and see the food being prepared in front of you.
Ordered karaage chicken, and pork belly main. I felt that the pricing is too high for what you get, considering main meal didn't come with any rice or veges, which have to be purchased separately. Almost $30 for just a main is getting to high end prices, and it certainly doesn't feel as if it fits that category.
But lovely tasty food, and good service.
I came here for lunch a few Saturdays ago and was very happy with the Blue Water Bento.
While I don’t normally spend $29 on lunch, it came with a lot of different things I was craving: sushi, sashimi, teriyaki scallops, crumb-fried fish and prawn, and seaweed salad. On top of all that, miso soup, rice, salad, and edamame beans were included. I did feel the portions of the proteins were a bit small, but I think it’s just because seafood costs more.
Overall, I’m happy to recommend Tokyo Club and am looking forward to coming back. It’s cool sitting by the bar with the chefs cooking in front of you, and the service was friendly too. Menu-wise, they have a pretty decent range. I noticed they don’t do ramen – probably because Chop Chop next door specialises in that – so next time I’d probably try a donburi.
Came in for a small platter and it was amazing! The chicken karage was crispy and juicy, a great dish for a beer! Would love to return to try a full dish.
Service and prompt and staff members are friendly.
I work in the city so during weekends we rarely visit the place as I want to have a change of scenery away from the busy CBD until one time we passed by after visiting a place out of town and it happened to be lunch time. Ponsonby is one of the outer suburbs of the Auckland CBD and it is popular for its boutique shops as well as dining and cafes, it was a long time since I passed this place, so long when we went here several weeks ago there are a lot of establishments new to our eyes.
Can't ever ho wrong with a glass of asahi tap beer and karaage @tokyoclubnz 😊 Crispy succulent chicken sprinkled with lemon and dipped in mayo and beer to wash it all down 🤤
Love Love Loved it here so much !!! The service is so good and even when i booked our table over the phone the lady that worked here was super kind and attentive. The food here is the best japanese i’ve had by far. All the food looks really nice and presentable and was so happy with how fast it got here, as we’d ordered quite a lot of different plates and they all got to our table within 15 minutes. Even though the ambience is quite small, very happy with how it’s themed, well decorated and well spaced. My favourite japanese restaurant in auckland ! Highly recommend !
Ordered the Dinner Boxes, found that it was really really good, portion size was considerable with the price of it. Nice decor and really warm welcome and service by the waiting staff. Will visit again next time and order something different.
Great lunch spot. Recommend the teriyaki salmon on rice and the tuna or salmon hand roll. The teriyaki sauce is 👌 and could just eat that alone with rice. The eggplant is decent too.
Ambience is lovely. Food was great, and large portions too! Definitely get the bento box, although I wouldn’t order the nigiri again just because I feel like it lacked flavour and was a tad bit boring (all raw fish and whatnot), but that’s just my personal preference! 💓 Service was great apart from the fact that they charged us for sparkling water without us even asking for it 🧐 In my opinion, Tokyo club is above average but there are better Japanese restaurants. :))
Dinner boxes are great value and offers a lot on the plate. Flavours are decent. Dumplings and takoyaki balls weren’t hot enough in the box, and beef tataki should be thinner. Overall great dinner for a weekday night!
I am a huge fan of Tokyo Bay in Takapuna and so I needed to visit Tokyo Club as both restaurants have the same owner! Super lovely staff, beautiful ambient with cosy seating inside. I ordered the tiger prawn roll and it was so delicious! The prawn was so big and meaty and there were so many pieces of the roll. The price was also very decent for what I received. Can’t wait to come back for dinner because there are so many items I want to try!!
Interesting place to look at, the interior design was really cute and made you feel like you were in Japan! The food was good, interesting and some things slightly new. If you have never been before i would recommend a bento box to get an idea of the things you like!
We had a great time with my wife on a Friday night. Dishes are quite big. We had the tasting box and the salmon and avocado sushi. Both great! Enough for two of us. Definitely returning.
We initially intended to go to their neighbouring shop (Chop Chop). However, it was overflowing with customers. Unwilling to wait forever, my family opted to try this resto out.
Food was decent but not outstanding. I was a bit disappointed to get just a piece of scallop, tempura and fried fish for my blue water bento (I was hoping to get 2 of each).
Staff were friendly enough despite being busy. Price was reasonable when location, food and service are all taken into account.
I love it when restaurants use quality material to prepare their dishes and tokyo club is one that cares about what their customers eat. The beef and teriyaki chicken is exceptionally delicious! The karaage chicken was a bit bland but overall highly recommend!
Food- 9.5/10
Service- 9/10
Aesthetics- 8.5/10
Went to Tokyo Club for a business lunch last week. Kudos to the efficient and friendly team for their speedy service during a lunch hour rush.
Tokyo Club presents urban Japanese dining experience. So, what's on of table?
1. DUCK DUMPLING 'SHUMAI' (3pc) - sadly I wasn't overly impressed with the presentation of those dumplings. The dumpling skin was a little to thick to my liking. Also, I'd prefer if the duck was shredded vs minced.
2. Spoilt for choice, I was!
First there's 'THE BOSS’ BENTO BOX for the ones who want the best of both worlds. Then there's ‘THE GRILL’ BENTO BOX which I highly recommend to hungry meat eaters.
The price is on the higher side, but in terms of quality, portion and value, it's definitely worth to check Tokyo Club out one day :)
Good and clean, nice food :) friendly staff, good portion. Nothing else :) got x2 sushi, x2 lunchbox and sashimi :) yum :) - though a bit pricey
Fraser Lewis-Smith And Alana Ah Tani
+4
Great food, I ordered vegetarian sushi and it was awesome to see such a variety in the way they made the sushi it wasn’t just all the same and it was delicious! A friend also had a sashimi platter which I was told was also great! Just a little bit slow service though
Lovely little Japanese restaurant with great ambience and wonderful service!
We tried the sashimi which was outstanding and the baked salmon!
We also tried the pork and duck dumplings which were out of this world!
Definitely worth a visit!
Indoor seating area was small but comfortable and cosy. Food was excellent, my favourite being the grilled salmon, also enjoyed the sashimi and the duck dumplings! Would definitely recommend this to Japanese cuisine lovers.
One of my weekly go-tos: who doesn’t love a great sashimi plate, cone rolls, miso eggplant and karaage chicken. I love that it is a no-frills Japanese restaurant. Solid dishes that will leave you happy and full!
Definitely a 5/5 for customer service. Don’t think steak 🥩 is the beast thing to order in this restaurant. Steak is overpowered by the sauce they put. My friends ordered Japanese food items and they were happy with the flavours. Just don’t order steak I guess. Other than that nothing to complain.
Come here a few times for take always and also girls lunch during the day love the eggplant and dark sapporo such a gem great portions highly recommend
Not a bad wee spot for lunch. Tasty food and pretty quick service for a busy lunchtime rush. I had salmon sushi cone, and teriyaki salmon don buri. My friend tried the dumplings and loved them. They accommodated with my low FODMAP requirements.
Good place for some Japanese food but just slightly expensive for small plates and sushi rolls
We grabbed lunch here on a weekday and the restaurant was fairly quiet. The portions are normal and decent for what you'd expect at a Japanese restaurant. The food is tasty and well seasoned. However slightly overpriced for what you get.
I got the Boss bento box and my sister got the Grill bento box ($26 each). Everything was really delicious apart from the salad which was a bit bland and didn't have the lovely dressing that Japanese salads are usually dressed with.
The tempura prawn wasn't the exact batter I was expecting either but it was crispy and nicely fried. Not too oily either. The Karaage chicken was moist and tender, the beef was tender too.
These bento boxes are a good idea if you can't decide what you want to eat and want to try a bit of everything.
The service was good but we didn't require much anyways.
A few month ago, I went to the tokyo club with my friend.That was the best tuna tataki I've ever had! I love eating here. and service was excellent. Thank you for that!
Had a wonderful dining experience here today. The food was perfectly cooked and reasonably priced, and the service was friendly and efficient. Will definitely be back!
Really good place for hangout around Ponsonby, good food with reasonable price. And the service was great. Definitely recommended if you looking for Japanese food around Ponsonby.
Came here for lunch mid week. The place was quiet and the staff were lovely and fast with food but the place it self inside is a little dark. Food was great! Bit pricey for what you get but for Japanese food that's not unusual.
Enjoyable lunch. Had a mix of small plates. A nice kiwi twist on Japanese cuisine. The Karagee chicken was good. Party had mixed reviews on the kumara. While not totally authentic, I felt like I was back in a good back street cafe in Kamakura, Tokyo
This place is my favourite Japanese eatery in Auckland - it has great service, excellent food and the best Japanese beer on tap. My kids also love this eatery - they call it the best place to have chicken and rice with that special lemonade ( that's teriyaki chicken and the Japanese lemonade - opening the bottle impresses every kid ). The fish is fresh and menu variety is excellent - I dine average min 4 times weekly here - business lunch, family meal, takeaways or just a beer : there is always an excuse to go to tokoyo club. And if you lucky, you will spot a sporting, entertainment or political celebrity dining in or doing takeaways at this popular joint. Highly recommend the box meals especially the grill box with Asahi on tap or their excellent wines or that special sake - service with a smile and great hospitality with excellent food and drink selection - highly recommended.
Very welcoming and friendly staff, an easy and broad menu which offered a range of fresh and vibrant traditional Japanese food. Would recommend to anyone looking for a Japanese restaurant, as it is one of the best Auckland has to offer! Will definitely be returning without question.
They serve my favourite Chicken Teriyaki Don Buri. The chicken is always succulent, and the rice is the best! Service is always excellent, with an interesting atmosphere.
The portions were small compared to the price but hey, I suppose we were in Ponsonby. The place is not very big so it can get cramped but the overall atmosphere was okay for a casual dinner. The food itself was good but it's quite average for Japanese food, compared to many other Japanese places. The soft crab is recommended.
Came here for a spontaneous lunch. Must say it hit the spot! Meal size was perfect if your not staaarving! I have a favourite Japanese place called Asuka in Henderson n this place was up there alongside them. Very polite service as well!
The coveted Japanese joint in ponsonby central - Tokyo club. I would have to say I was underwhelmed, unfortunately. The service was incredibly average leaning over to poor. I felt as if I was an inconvient fixture in their day. The food came quickly as well as our drinks. The donburi was excellent but I've had the same thing for much cheaper at other places. Heaps of items on the menu though and the environment is awesome
Went there twice for dinner on my own. Ordered eye fillet yakiniku. The beef was marinated with sweet soy sauce. Delicious! I ordered ginger pork belly for the second time. It definitely surprised my taste buds. I personally don't like ginger very much but this mixture was just so perfect. The only thing that disappointed me on the second time was the rice was cold and hard. Overall, I will definitely go there again and their hot/cold sake are great match to their dishes.
First time here on a nice Saturday evening, it was semi quiet so the service was quick
We had the Sashimi Platter (25pc) and Crumbed panko Prawn Sushi roll.
The sashimi came with 6 different fish, tasted fresh but slightly floppy when picked up ( a good sashimi should be firm) .
The panko prawn sushi roll were nice, crispy prawn on the inside with cucumber, capsicum light combined with mayo and Finished off with sesame seed sushi rice on the outside.
Overall we left satisfied and feeling healthy haha
Really enjoyed the portion size and cuts of the sushi. The steak was delicious with the sauces complimenting the meat well. It's usually around quite a bit of foot traffic, however where I was seated felt quite secluded. The service was really good and would return here if I was coming with friends. It also wasn't too expensive as some other fine dining Japanese places.
This place is our family go to for lunch. We have only ever got the DonBuri's, duck dumplings and Edamame beans and they allow the kids to grab a takeaway sushi pack and the food is consistently great! Best Japanese in Akld by a long shot and located in a great spot at Ponsonby Central.
Popped in here for a quick lunch. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Good sized portions. We got a mixture of a few things to share and all dishes were good.
We came here for lunch, the food was delicious. Service was friendly and the food came out quickly. The food however was expensive and portions were small for what we paid.
Food 4.0
Value 3.5
Service 4.0
Atmosphere 3
I ordered salmon donburi, the portion looks big but actually quite tiny, the sauce + rice combo is quite rich, so it's quite filling, really impressive its only 15 dollars they served this size of salmon :) usually salmon is quite expensive. overall really happy of what I have.
Colleagues thought they got deceived because of the size of the bowl looks huge but its quite shallow, and would be nice if there a bigger car park for the whole food court.
Really lovely, freshly made food. The fried tofu was divine. Cute wee haven in the middle of ponsonby central. The only other vegetarian option on the mains was salad sushi- don't know if I would come back just because of the limited vege options but would definitely recommend to others.
In the middle of Ponsonby central it is bound to be a hot spot. The open kitchen and decor added to such a exciting dining experience. Loved the dark Japanese feel to it. We looked at the menu and everything looked really appealing so it was quite difficult to choose. Luckily enough it was a Sunday evening and they had a Sunday meal where it had a bento box serving a mix of meats (lamb, chicken and beef, duck dumpling), seafood (tuna and salmon) and vegetables (green salad, beans, carrots and capsicum) with a bowl of rice and miso soup. Due to me being indecisive I thought this we be the best option as I could literally try everything on the menu. The food was delicious and was accompanied by yummy sauces. Service was decent and food came out quickly. It was a good first experience however I thought it was quite pricey. It came up to $30 for the bento box, but I guess that's what I get for dining in Ponsonby central.
Mum and I came here for lunch, and we were seated in a corner. Its quite a small place, so theres not much room to seat tables. We shared a seafood bento box. This consisted of:
-a bowl of miso soup each
-a bowl of steamed rice each
-4x avocado and salmon sushi
-2x panko tiger prawns with Japanese mayo
-Japanese potato salad
-an egg and wakame omelette
-3x salmon sashimi
-3x fish sashimi
-teriyaki scallops
-lotus root salad
This meal was perfect for me as I'm a HUGE fan of seafood! Especially fresh sashimi! It was also the perfect size to share for 2! But if you're a big eater, then you may want more! :D
Angela (A Style Collector)
+4
I love Japanese food so this place appealed to me when we went to Ponsonby Central for the firs time. This place is quite small but when we went it wasn't busy so we got a table in the corner.
The service was excellent. I have been to Tokyo Bay in Takapuna before and the menu looks really similar. They have similar bento box names too so I'm guessing it's the same owners/chain.
Either way I loved Tokyo Bay so I knew I was also going to like this.
We ordered the Shumai or duck dumplings to start and they were massive but they were really good. They were quite filling too.
For mains, I got the Boss Bento and my sister went for The Grill. We both enjoyed t and I love how everything in the box went well together. I love their miso soup and the sashimi was fresh. All the components were cooked well and we had a great meal.
Zara Alexzandra Young
+4.5
I've had lunch here a few times- I love the interior and the food is fresh and tasty!
I really like their fried chicken- SO much flavour! I've been here with friends a few times and I've been impressed each time so I will definitely come back!
Really enjoyed lunch here. We had the duck dumplings, karage chicken, crispy squid legs and salmon sushimi. All dishes were very good. Salmon was beautifully tender and fresh. Good selection of sake, prompt service. Will return.
Tokyo club is by far my favourite sushi place it's comfortable and cosy and nice if you want to be left alone. The sushi portions are well worth the price and the chicken karaage is moist and comes with Japanese Mayo yum !
One thing common with all Japanese restaurants is their service and it was no different here too. Very friendly and welcoming. I felt like having few more beers as my partner agreed to take me home safely. So decided to go with my favourite Asahi. Grabbed a table at the barside. This place was full. Ordered for a large Asahi and my favorite Sashimi.
Will have to come back to write a proper review and I will be back.
Came for lunch a little while ago. The bento boxes, although very filling and fresh, are a tad on the expensive side and not too different from other Japanese restaurants. It doesn't seem as busy as some of the places around and maybe that's because of the prices?
Tokyo Club is alright. My highlight
Would be the assorted sushimi, very delicious and fresh. The sushi was okay, not the best.
The service is good and the staff are friendly. You can always rely on this place when other places are packed out at Ponsonby Central.
Just a heads up! The menu is over priced sort of worth the money and not. If you've been starving yourself for the whole day I would recommend to go elsewhere.
Would I dine here again, I'm not sure.
Great if you're a celiac! They have wheat free soya sauce and make it a breeze to order and eat. Great service and yummy drinks - always a great choice.
Favorite place to eat! Good service and food is always fresh and tastes amazing! The blue water bento box is so yummy and the miso is always good too! 😊😛 I normally go once a week & always look forward to it!
I've had very good experiences of Tokyo Club Ponsonby. The service has always been outstanding and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I love the Teppanyaki Scotch Beef, it’s so succulent and just melts in your mouth, and the Teriyaki Chicken is very delicious. The soft lighting, wood furnishings, added to the overall feel of the place, and I have always enjoyed the consistency of the quality of the food. I highly recommend Tokyo Club Ponsonby for dinner or lunch.
Will
Haven't been in a while but have been a few times. They used to have the BEST Okonomiyaki in town, but due to a lack of popularity they stopped making it. The Chef said that not many people in New Zealand know the dish and they decided to take it off the menu, well, if that's the case... Auckland is missing out!
First trial in Tokyo Club. It was a small restaurant with about 20 to 30 seaters. We ordered karaage (fried chicken), steamed rice and miso soup, Blue Water Dinner Box, Pork Belly set and 9 pieces white fish sashimi. The Blue Water Dinner Box came with 3 sushi rolls, 8 pieces of sashimi, 2 tiny small tamago (egg), a pan fried scallop, a battered prawn and a small battered fish and some veggie like sour sauce spinach and pickle lotus. Oh yes this set served with a bowl of miso soup. It cost us NZD32 and the portion was small but yummy. The pork belly was good. So as the white fish sashimi. Overall the food was so wonderful and we love it. The dinner cost us NZD93. Great to have an additional place for Japanese food.
A friend and I had a bite to eat here at Tokyo Club and had a great experience. We were shown to a table which had room for me to put my baby's pram beside it. Food and drinks arrived promptly. We shared between us the mixed sashimi plate, the teriyaki chicken sushi and the miso baked eggplant. The food was great - definitely recommend the miso eggplant! Portion sizes are great and priced well. I went for the 'ume & soda' for a drink which was refreshing and comes with an umeshu plum frozen into an ice cube which after the ice melts you can eat. The service was great, we had such a lovely lady serving us who was warm and friendly.
Absolute favorite place to eat out currently; Food is great, Freshly made to order in front of the bar tables, lots to choose from ranging from share plates to bento box's and service has always been a winner. Have been a shameful amount of times and always walked away happy.
Recently went to this chic busy restaurant, like the idea of the bar seats and eatery bar in front of the chefs, very polite greeting and service was excellent. Food very delicious. Price reasonable with couple of glasses of wine and a beer. Tracee
We ate here on a Thursday recently and I had the daily special which was Teriyaki Chicken. The service was friendly and fast, the food arrived within about 10 minutes. It was pretty good value, but was mostly cabbage with the odd bit of broccoli and carrot, and a small amount of meat which was very tasty - understand that it was a "special" and priced accordingly but a few more veggies other than the cabbage would have nice. Nice ambience, and great if you are after a quick meal too, as we were in and out within the hour.
The great thing about Tokyo Club is that one can always get a table, even when every other place in P Central is maxed out.. Possibly prices are a bit on the high side compared to other venues in the complex, and there is a small lack of ambience, however everyone was impressed by their meals and the service, and my dinner special of scotch fillet and cooked Japanese vegies was just what I wanted and particularly tender! We also had custom sushi rolls made up for the children in our party and this was no problem .
When ordering, was not sure how the portions would turn out. To our surprise, the portions were very good for the cost. We ordered the salmon sushi, club style, which was so-so with the rice feeling a bit old or dry and the salmon not having much flavour. We also ordered the takoyaki (octopus balls) which were amazing and at $9 for 9. These were probably the best takoyaki I have had in Auckland. The service is very friendly, always greeting and serving with a smile
Best Sushi I have had - so fresh and tasty. The prawns were large and perfectly cooked and the staff were so friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was really welcoming as well, perfect to watch everything going on at Ponsonby Central. I have been recommending Tokyo Club to everyone I know.
Tokyo Club had a great atmosphere, friendly staff and were incredibly helpful. The food was absolutely divine and I can't wait to go back. Yummy!!!!
I went to Tokyo Club with some friends for a casual bite, and the atmosphere was perfect. I loved the laneway style seating.
The service was fast and friendly, the food and beer were great (I had the Chicken Karaage and a mixed green salad and both were excellent) and I would recommend this place to anyone.
Had a lovely evening here with some friends. The food is simple and authentic. Steak cooked to perfection sashimi super fresh nice wine it was wonderful. If u don't have Japanese food all the time and u don't know some of the language just ask. Will be back to this trendy wee place :)
Best Japanese restaurant in New Zealand. I am a regular. I love sushi and there's is super great. if you don't want something they will take it out! great service!!! I am such a regular I don't even have to order they just bring out my food! Everything is fresh. I LOVE IT. If you feel like anything Japanese food I would highly recommend TOKYO CLUB!!!
I caught up with a friend here and enjoyed a couple of crisp clean asahi beers from the tap, some edamame beans, and some really nice karaage chicken.
Friendly service, yummy food, cold beer, busy ambience sitting at the counter watching the chefs work and the hustle and bustle of Ponsonby Central. Will be back again soon
Thank you once again Tokyo Club for being great hosts and your food is always top notch. I specifically chose to come and have my 'last supper of 2013' last night with you Japanese style!...with friends tagging along.
Sarasa and team, all the best for 2014 and will definitely be sending our guests your way......because I know you are a fantastic host and they will be taken care of.
We went out for lunch here two weeks ago. I always enjoy sitting on the counter watching the food being prepared. The sashimi was as fresh as anything I've had in Auckland, with the tuna a highlight. Salmon sushi rolls were coated in salmon caviar, giving the pieces great pop and explosions of flavour in every bite. The donburi was very good also. I would be eager to return for dinner
Went with a group of friends the night of the polar blast and sat outside on one of the fire tables. By the end of the night I had my jacket and scarf off. I had the Seafood Toban, it was divine. Scallops, fish, squid in a beautiful sauce served in a traditional Japanese bowl. I would highly recommend this dish.
Had dinner here last night - a great little spot with very delicious food choices and Japanese-style ambiance. The wait staff were very attentive and polite, and our selections, plus repeats of favourites, arrived almost as soon as ordered. Do try eating out here if you're a fan of Japanese cuisine.
I took my friend for lunch to Tokyo Club on nice sunny day.
Loved sitting outside table which is like a "IRORI" style.
Selection of sake is wonderful. Their original sake :SARASA: is quite nice.
EDAMAME beans are added light of amount of salt.
OKONOMIYAKI was nice, has good moisture, most of restaurant dose over cooked.
If you want to have decent Japanese food, go Tokyo Club.
A friend and I had lunch at Tokyo Club recently and we had the okonomiyaki and a few other small dishes, all the food was delicious and the service was great, would definately go back there and recommend to others
This is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants. The food is izakaya style - consistently good and well presented. I especially liked the deep fried squid legs with Asahi on tap. And there is a great range of sake to choose from. I will definitely be returning.
Just had an excellent evening at Tokyo Club.
Beautifully presented and fresh sashimi, followed by an lamb teppan cooked to perfection and accompanied by some Japanese beer.
Will definitely come back.
Domo Arigatou
Lunch on a hot summers day was cold Sake along with sashimi in a very vibrant environment. Great choice of seating at either the bar, inside or outside.
Very quick and friendly service.
We will be heading back soon.
This place is great! Relaxed atmosphere, friendly, helpful staff and amazing food - the okonomiyaki is incredible.
The lunch menu is very well priced and the dinner menu is very reasonable.
The house special cocktails are delicious and well crafted and the sake selection is extensive.
Great place to eat!
Great little find in the gem of the new Ponsonby Central! Great service, atmosphere and very authentic too. Casual style with great selection of beer, sake and wine.
You can watch the chefs make your food in front of you, enjoy the sounds of Radio Ponsonby right next door.
I found it a great place to kick back and relax with friends, enjoying Japanese tap beer and teppan style steak and seafood.
Outside has two tables with gas fire, great for the cooler evenings.
There are tables for more private dinning round the side, great design too.
Only complaint would be that you can't book.
I've tried sake and food match, and it was awesome!! I've basically done the same as with wine, guided myself through the great list of sake and asked a little suggestion for a sushi and sake. The sweet smell and taste of those Ginjo-shu matched perfectly with sushi and sashimi. Thank's Tokyo Club!!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Having been to Tokyo and walked the back streets and alley ways of Shibuya, I loved the 'yokocho' styled dining Tokyo Club has to offer. The way the benches are placed makes this THE ideal place for dinner for 2. Also, if you don't mind sitting outside, the square booths with the open fire in the middle is a pretty groovy place for group dining. (6-8ppl)
We went for on a busy Friday evening and started with few glasses of plum wines next to the fire whilst we waited for our seats inside. The plum wine was served over a ball of ice frozen with an actual plum inside. It lasted all night and I love sipping away at it, allowing the intensity to dilute overtime.
The service at Tokyo Club was friendly and accommodating but possibly due to the full house, the 2 waiters buzzing around the restaurant did seem a tad bit flustered and was difficult to get their attention. However, once we made our order, our food arrived surprisingly quickly and looked absolutely divine.
We ordered the mixed sashimi, spicy fresh tuna 'tekka' roll (AMAZING), agedashi Tofu and chicken karaage.
As I expected, the sashimi was fresh and succulent, sliced delicately to perfection. The yellowfin tuna sashimi was my favourite and the only bad thing was that there wasn't enough of it!
Next, the agedashi tofu came in a humble little rice bowl. It was the perfect combination of crunch - from the fried coating, silky chew - from the potato starch and tenderness - from the tofu drenched in dashi sauce. It created a great balance of texture and flavour, and was surprisingly filling!
Now I'm a real sucker for Karaage chicken and I've had my fair share of good and bad ones. This one was great. Decent sized chicken pieces, juicy and moist covered in that salty thin batter which soaked up the sinfully good Japanese Mayo nicely... Nom nom nom nom.. It was yum. Enough said.
The last item was by far the best, the tekka fresh tuna sushi roll. It was generous in portion and beautifully flavoured. I've never noticed how much difference the quality of the rice in sushi can make. The stickiness and 'tang' from that rice held all the components together brilliantly. The fresh tuna was lightly drizzled with the spicy sauce that saturated the rice and blended well with the crispy salty seaweed .
Overall, great experience at Tokyo Club and I will have to return for lunch one day. Keep an eye out for master chef Hideharu Shimura's next project in Takapuna in the near future.
Fantastic food, quick service, even at lunch time on a Friday!
Go for the quality, not quantity. Yummy. Definitely will go again.
Awesome restaurant they have amazing food that tastes delicious. They also have home made ice-cream called yuzu and it is so yum definitely go there you'll love it. Complete thumbs up.
Tokyo Club Ponsonby is a real Japanese Izakaya. It has a cool vibe, located next to the Radio Ponsonby booth streaming live DJ's at work. It looks authentic, pub style. The staff are Japanese and well skilled. The menu is large for such a small place, There are locals, families, corporates, all mixing a one. The food is fresh and high quality, real homemade style-super tasty. The beverage selection is also large. I'm a sake fan and haven't seen a list this big in Auckland. They even have there own Japanese made sakes available. Three Japanese beers on tap- Asahi, Sapporo & Orion. Great place for the real deal. Not contemporary fusion here.
The food was delicious and people were friendly. I wanted to try Bento Box but I do not eat beef or pork. As the menu had beef and pork included in all options except the vegan one, was disappointed to not try it.
Lovely dinner experience cosy well lite area, attentive service but not intrusive. Gorgeous Bento box we had the grill and tapsa tasting boxes.
The food was amazing! We got the dumplings and teriyaki chicken. We sat outside by the fire and it kept us nice and warm! I definitely recommend checking this place out.
Lovely spot with some open seats at the kitchen side and a cosy space with more tables tucked away for more privacy.
Friendly welcome and immediately given eater and the menus. Quick service and delicious food!!
Bento boxes are delectable, although maybe a little pricey, but the flavoirs don't disappoint!
Succulent sushi, gorgeous gyōza, fresh fantastic Japanese cuisine 🍱🍶 There seems to always be a queue and it's no wonder - the katsu crumb was crunchy, the slices of sashimi melted in the mouth and the miso was the best I've had in years. 🍻 The pitchers of beer are pleasingly massive and the warm sake goes down a treat. It's a great date night spot - tucked away down a vibrant foodie alleyway under bent bamboo it feels like a sexy secret. Highly recommended the seafood 'Blue water' bento. We shared one bento and one gyōza between two and we could barely finish it! 🤤
Definitely worth a visit! The bento boxes are a great way to try lots of things and are the perfect amount to fill you up! The kumara was a little bland unfortunately. Lovely service.
Great little hangout place with good food and service. I loved the bento box and eggplant
Cosy place to eat situated in a busy dining quarter. Great people watching. Delicious food and great drinks selection. Wonderful friendly service. Ate here with partner and adult daughter, we were happy with everything. Parking is not the easiest but plenty of side streets and an easy walk. I definitely recommend stopping in here. No booking required, we got in straight away on a Tuesday.
Ordered the ginger pork and teriyaki chicken with steamed rice and miso soup , was really really good. For its price it was well worth it. Staff were really friendly and accommodating and food came out really quickly. The outdoor dining is nice too - would definitely recommend for a nice sit down dinner that isn’t too formal but still has high quality food.
We ended up coming here as the restaurant we wanted to go to was randomly closed. Honestly my expectations weren’t too high at first but I ended up really enjoying it!
The sashimi was really good, and the bento boxes also gave a lot of variety of things to try.
The staff were really kind and service was good even though it was fairly busy.
My only complaint would be that the tables are quite small and it was really tricky to fit everything we ordered onto one table but luckily the table next to us ended up freeing up so we could use it also.
Best Japanese Izakaya restaurant in Auckland that I have seen. Beautiful cosy little setup in the heart of Ponsonby Central. The dinner (available from 4.30pm) bento boxes are amazing!
Ponsonby central is one beautiful place so many small restaurants with absolutely phenomenal food. Tokyo club has taken me by surprise with its amazing food and especially the Fried Chicken. The duck Gyoza was out of the world. Lots of meat and delicious. Definitely must try this place.
We enjoyed Sunday Grill dinner box $33, nice outdoor sitting area with the fire 🔥
I recommend to visit this place Maria and Sophia Auckland
The place is not very big but very delicious. We were a group of 10 or so, and had the boxes. The waiter got confused with our order and offered a complementary bottle of sake. Very very pleasant experience.
The food was fresh and amazing! Staff was nice. I definitely would go here again!
WOW...
Many years ago proper restaurants used to have a Maitre'D (Maître d' is short for maître d'hôtel, which comes from French and literally means "master of the house). They would make you feel like your at your aunts house for a special occasion and charm you with their soft voice.
Well this place definitely sticks to tradition and the Maitre'D is Sarasa. The Japanese owner (only been in NZ for 22 years) hosts all guests and making them all feel like VIP guests. Seriouslly impeccable service with genuine and traditional Japanese fare reminiscent of Tokyo Izakayas (I lived in Tokyo for 3.5 years and this place is as close as it gets for food, ambience and service).
Quickest way to feel you are in Tokyo is grab a counter seat and chit chat with Sarasa and the Japanese staff. Order a bento box (actually very cheap at $32) and wash down with Asahi beers.
Campai!!!
Will be back Sarasa San :)
Arigato Gozaimasu
Food was delicious, was nice to be able to have a vegan bento box. Seats could be more comfy.
Tried Japanese food first time ever and i loved it. One of the best dish was Takoyaki octopus balls while others were also delicious. I had Teriyaki chicken, sashimi plate and dumplings....yumm...enjoyed my food with friends plus wine n whiskey....service was great...little bit expensive but worth trying...
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