So many options to choose from their extensive menu.
Opted for a set menu from the lunch menu. Their set menu includes a main, a side salad, rice and miso soup.
Decent portions at an affordable price. The Teriyaki chicken and beef was tasty and tender.
Was amazing would recommend super quick service
Well hidden in plain sight! Couldn’t see the entrance on the street & didn’t even look like it’s open at night. You have to go inside, while the stream of people headed to the right into Countdown, there’s a small door by the side across on the left. Fairly quiet for week night. Had their Monthly special of Spicy Miso Tonkotsu ramen, washed down with a plum wine. The ramen looked a bit scant. Not a lot of toppings, just few slices of chashu, half egg, bits of greens. The broth was winning though, full of flavour. Not overly spicy. Quite enjoyable.
Prices are reasonable for what you get.
A great place to visit for any occassion. It's a classy venue that caters for people with all sorts of tastes, including both a standard and a traditional seating area.
Nice little Japanese restaurant; been here few times , food always good and fresh. My personal favourite is their omurice and curry rice; their sashimi also really fresh!
This little hidden spot is a trip back to Japan. From the restaurant environment to the flavors is an accurate representation of a Japanese little restaurant. I went to the sashimi set and it was the best piece of sashimi I’ve had so far.
Good friendly service with nice environment. daikoku's food all pretty yummy. Ingredients are fresh, cooking skills good too.
Food quality 5/5
Food quantity 4/5
Service 5/5
Price 4/5
Environment 4/5
The food is amazing, and the customer service at Daikoku was utterly respectful. There is amazing authentic Japanese cuisine to be enjoyed with hot sake. The only reason, I highly recommend this restaurant for an amazing Japanese food experience.
Ramen of good price and taste! I like Takoyaki and Chasu Ramen! perfect! Though the place is small but they serve fast and assist you well with what you need.
Friendly staff, service is fast too. Great spot for a quick lunch. Good Japanese food, where Japanese people go to as well. Sashimi and hot food made well.
Service: 4/5
Presentation: 4/5
Environment: 3.5/5
Food Quality: 4/5
Food Quantity: 3.5/5
Price per person: $15-$30
First time ! But not the last one ! Ramen and Curry Rice are our favs ! My fiancée loves their Takoyakis and Gyozas ! Best Japanese Experience in Town ! 🤙
Really enjoyed eating at this place, very authentic. Well priced menu and friendly staff. Most importantly food was great. We had the fried chicken with sticky rice which was very nice, the teriyaki salmon was one of the best we have had. The ramen was also great and the portion size was huge. If you want Japanese cuisine go to this place.
Daikoku is next to Countdown but once you step in, you're transported to a traditional Japanese eatery. There's an option to sit on Tatami mats too if you want the full experience, however, we opted for a good ol' table and chair dining experience. They have a good selection of ramen, donburi and sets at a fairly affordable price but definitely not for a cheap eat.
We ordered the potato croquettes as a side with a very creamy center and lashings of teriyaki sauce on it. There was a negligible amount of salad next to it, perhaps more for appearance sake or to make an indulgent dish look less intimidating.
I got the tofu hot pot which came in a cast iron bucket. The waitress lit the underside of the bucket so as to keep it hot for the remainder of our dinner. The bucket looks pretty big but it's not; a ravenous person could easily finish it. Lots of tofu given but the broth was rather plain which I jazzed up with some chilli powder and soy sauce provided on our table.
We also ordered a chicken donburi which was delicious, very well marinated and crunchy with a good amount of sauce to soak through the meat and rice.
Would come back here to try some of their other dishes. Bare in mind that if you want to come here to try it out, it's probably best you do so at lunch times as they have some good deals going on.
Been here a few times but first time sitting on a tatami table, fun for the teenagers. Food is nice and quick for casual eating, both rice are yum and moist enough, ramen soup is delicious, the beef Sashimi is also nice ... just the sauce is strong in soy sauce flavour.
Had the katsudon and it was tasty and a great sized portion. I had the ramen a while ago and wasn't so impressed but really liked the rice dish this time. Definitely worth going back for more!
Good place to stop by for a filling meal that is friendly to the wallet. The place has a relaxing vibe to it with its dim lighting. There is a variety of food here whether you feel like rice, noodles or sushi rolls - you are sussed. The only down side is that it isn’t very vegetarian friendly. The service was quick without compromise to the taste of the food. One of my go-to places in downtown Auckland for a good Japanese feed!
Erin - Gold Code For 20% Off : CATH6386
+5
Daikoku for my friday lunch with office mate.. need hot ramen to warm our winter day so i ordered tonkotsu ramen which is really delicious.. i think this is the best ramen i ever had for now in auckland.. next time will come again and try their bento box..
This is one of my favourite japanese restaurants purely because of the floor seating with the low tables! the food is also high quality and quantity with the ramen being roughly $11 for a good size which can fill me up with some noodles being left over. This place is always my go to for ramen! I strongly recommend :)
Came here to try their 3-course $25 Restaurant Month menu.
They have a good selection; I opted for Salmon Sashimi for entree and Steak Fillet for Main (which comes with complimentary rice and miso soup; what a bargain!). And green tea ice cream for dessert.
My friend got the Tempura for entree and Teriyaki Salmon for main.
Food came extremely fast! Salmon sashimi was fresh and generously portioned. Tempura batter was light and crispy without being greasy.
Steak fillet was cooked beautifully and good seasoning, complimented well by the side salad and miso soup— which was full of flavour too!
Teriyaki salmon was cooked to perfection—not the slightest bit dry (which they can be) and the teriyaki glaze was top-notch.
Ice cream was delicate and sophisticated; with earthy green tea flavours coming through.
Daikoku offers an extensive menu at extremely affordable prices but very generous portions! Can’t wait to come and try other dishes!
Food: 9/10
Price: 10/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 8/10
My friend and I were starving so we literally just decided to walk into any restaurant within our sight.
First of all, I really loved the interior and the floor sitting seats! It’s really cosy and i kinda forget I’m in the middle of the busy city. I ordered tonkotsu ramen and tuna nigiri. Food came out really quickly.
Ramen was alright but no wow factor and the pork was slightly over cooked but noodles was nicely cooked. The sushi rice was pretty dry and when I picked them up with chopsticks, the sushi just broke :/ but the food still tasted great.
I was gonna give a 3 but I haven’t been to a restaurant with floor sitting seats in Auckland so I was pretty happy when I was having dinner there. >> so I will give a 4😉
Their lunch bento was good in value and fast but staff service was poor. Good location. The tatami room requires to take off your shoes and sit on the floor, it could be hard and not comfortable for some people.
Came in with a friend for lunch.
Ordered a curry rice and croquets. Friend ordered curry ramen recommend by me. I've always loved Japanese curry and this one did not disappoint me. Croquets were also crispy on the outside. Would definitely come back for more ramen.
Great restaurant with consistently great food and service. Food comes out quickly and they are also able to cater for big groups. Decor is very nice with the traditional floor seating. If you're looking for a quick bite, this is definitely the place to go to! Recommend the Karaage and Oyako Don.
This place is hard to notice if you haven't been because it's inside the entrance to Countdown on Victoria Street in the CBD. The service was very good from the start to finish. The waitress offered us to sit on the floor to dine in the traditional japanese way - we decided to give it a try, took our shoes off, and the experience was very good. The floor is made from bamboo and the interior is designed traditionally.
We ordered the Tonkotsu ramen which is pork flavoured broth, Takoyaki, Beef Sashimi, and Salmon Avacado roll. The ramen was very hot with fresh ingredients, it was presented well, seasoned well, big serving size, and the green onions were still crunchy in the end. The noodles had nice texture as it wasn't too hard or too soft. The broth is very good - no wonder it's a customer favourite. The Takoyaki tasted very good and it was very hot as well. It wasn't salty and sour like the other restaurants, but the sauce itself was a little salty. The Beef Sashimi was very nice - it was aesthetically pleasing as they presented the beef very neatly showing how it was cooked (rare). The sauce (a little salty and too much) and salad were good accompaniments to the beef. The Salmon Avacado roll was very nice as well and it was freshly made too. Overall it was delicious, filling, and fresh as each dish all have its own distinct flavour. The details were shown carefully and the dishes were presented very well in a traditional way, which is a bonus for me.
P.S. You could get quite thirsty after dining.
Size - 8/10
Taste - 8/10
Price - 9/10
Service - 9/10
I ordered a tonkotsu ramen with a small fried chicken at lunch time. The soup is salty but not bad. The fried chicken is juicy and tasty. The little cabbage salad come with chicken is also nice.
Forgot to take a photo before we started eating so here’s a close up of my Oyako-Don 😬
We come here pretty often during uni lunch breaks. Close to uni and reasonably priced as well. My partner really likes their bento box of the day. At $14.50 it’s really quite cheap. My Oyako Don was $13.
I’ve had several of their dishes before including the miso ramen and the salt soup ramen. Didn’t really like that one it was pretty salty.
Service is always friendly here and the food comes out pretty fast too so perfect for busy days where you just want to get full fast.
I think this is a great place with consistent food and service quality.
It costs a wee bit more to dine here than in several more affordable casual Japanese food places around the cbd but it is totally worth it because their food is so much better.
Sometimes it does get a bit too warm inside though.
This place has always been my go to Japanese restaurant. I usually order the karaage chicken and gyoza dumplings. I have also tried the unagi don and its good. The ramen is yummy but there were too much noodles. Overall, the food is good especially for the price.
Came here on our last day in Auckland and it was very tasty! I recommend getting the veggie tempura!
💖Customer service was great
💖They had authentic Japanese tables
☹️Food took awhile
Went here for lunch with a group of 8. Seated quickly. Service was good. Food came out a lot more quickly than I was expecting. I ordered the creamy croquettes and the salmon teriyaki. Really enjoyed both. The rest of the group all enjoyed their meals. I'll be back.
Daikoku on Victoria is a hidden gem that serves up a range of donburi, ramen, and set meals. Like Mentatz, there is a bar area by the kitchen that is suitable for single diners. But the last time I came here (2016) I was able to get a table all to myself, and though I had to sit on the floor it was kinda fun!
On my most recent visit, I opted for the teriyaki chicken set – where you pay a bit more than for a don but you get a small dish too. This appetiser was a cold noodle salad with a tasty sesame dressing, which added a good amount of acidity. While it was nothing special, it was nice to munch on and by the time I was done, my main dish had arrived.
The teriyaki chicken was tender, and I noticed that the sauce was saltier than it was sweet. While there was lots of teriyaki sauce, what this dish lacked (for me) was a decent range of veges and the quintessential Kewpie mayonnaise that I’ve come to expect (and love) from Daikoku’s competitors around town. However, I found the portion to be just right, and it was nice to have the miso soup to wash down some of the sauce.
Service here was okay. They were friendly when I first entered, but I did have to wait around awkwardly for a bit before I was properly seated.
Overall, this place is good – but I would generally prefer Genzui or Mentatz if I was after a good don.
Some amazing ambience and atmosphere compared to the prices on the menu, which doesn't take away from the quality of the food at all. Great ramen and tuna sashimi was a wonderful treat to myself. Came with a group of 11 friends which they catered for, only adding to the overall experience.
If you love ramen as well as other japanese dishes then you have to visit Daikoku. Its affordable ($10-$15 for a ramen), the servings are huge and freshly made!!! The staff are welcoming and quick to respond when needed. Will come back to try other dishes.
Just a run-of-the-mill Japanese restaurant. Interior decor is quite nice with seating on the floor available. Staff could do with a smile - they all looked a bit sad.Tonkotsu ramen was very salty which is a shame because beneath all of the salt, the stock was good. I've never seen pork sliced so thinly before - not a very generous portion compared to some of the neighbouring restaurants. Shio butter corn ramen was good but again, very salty. Gyoza were good. Overall, not a bad spot but you definitely get the feeling that you are in a chain restaurant.
XX_Mystery_Reviewer_Xx
+3.5
Decent restaurant usually acting as a second or third choice of place to eat.
Pros:
- Fairy cheap food
- Nice atmosphere
- Seating is good
- Convenient location (right next to countdown for d4t $1 deSsErT)
Cons:
- Food sometimes follows a quantity>quality style
Would still come here often and yeah
Yes it is not a bad place for a quick lunch or dinner. But the overall feeling is lower than expected. Good menu, service ok, but the food did not taste like what they should. Not an ideal choice for true Japanese food lovers.
Nice place to have quiet, time-saving Japanese meal
It's not a big place, but very full of style. They even have Japan-style table, u can sit on the ground to eat like a traditional Japanese if u like. I tried : ) it's fun
Food is excellent. I have been here so many times.
Teriyaki chicken/salmon set is so good. They made teriyaki sauce by themselves.
Osaka don is highly recommended, it tastes light but nice.
Pork bone soup with ramen is good. Especially the soup. Looks white n tastes warm n lovely
They made ur meal really fast. Never more than 10 mins.
Side vege n snack is great
I must preface this review by saying I have very limited experienced with Japanese cuisine. That being said, Daikoku may have inspired to make a deep dive into the unknown waters.
I went to Daikoku this afternoon with a colleague for lunch. I easily booked a table online, as I'm aware this restaurant can get very busy at peak times.
I was unsure of what to order, so I chose the lunch special of the day. This meal consisted of Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Seaweed Salad, Crispy Pork Cutlets and Miso Soup. All for $14.50, which is well priced.
The Seaweed Salad, Miso Soup, and Rice were served first. On paper, the Seaweed Salad made me nervous, but this changed after my first mouthful. It was very well seasoned and packed a tangy punch. My Miso Soup was also very nice and flavorsome.
My day got better when the rest of the dish arrived. I devoured the Teriyaki Chicken as it was simply divine, and blended well when mixed with rice. The crispy pork cutlets was the highlight though, they were very crispy, served with a delicious sauce, and super tender.
It took me a while to eat because I'm not used to chop sticks, but I enjoyed a very minute in the restaurant, and savored every bite.
I made an agreement with my colleague to return soon,and I can't wait.
The only thing preventing me from scoring a five is that the service felt rushed. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but offering drinks and checking up on us would've been appreciated.
So I organized a date night with some work colleagues to try out the $25 restaurant month and we all agree on Daikoku at Victoria street.
Now I was a lil hesitant to come here because so many people were giving me mixed reviews about this place as it wasn’t “Tepanyaki” and even when you call to book they’re like this is not tepanyaki!
See set menu below:
Entrée – Salmon, tuna sashimi OR mixed Vegetable Tempura
Main – Teriyaki chicken OR salmon steak with miso soup and a bowel of rice
Desert – Vanilla OR Green Tea ice cream
We were seated in a cozy little corner out back and started ordering drinks, I have never had sake before so I was so keen to try it, after all it was a Thursday and turn up Thursdays are a regular. I ordered the Peach Sake and OMG it was out of this world! I thought it would be bitter and hard to drink but 4 glasses later it started to kick in!
Now onto the menu, for the entrée I ordered the mixed vegetable tempura, main I got the teriyaki salmon and desert was green tea ice cream.
We all ordered at the same time and one by one each course came flying out of the kitchen, the service was so fast it was kind of to fast like we had all this food in front so we wanted to scoff it all down, I aint complaining tho.
The tempura was yummy, it wasn’t to oily the kumara was my favourite it was golden and crispy. The salmon was beautiful it came on a bed of Cole slaw and layered in this amazing teriyaki sauce, woven in with the rice it was so good my taste buds were in heaven I can’t fault the main. The green tea ice cream was nice, it kinda tasted like tea bags but that’s obviously why it’s called “Green tea”
Overall we had a great experience and for $25 the quality of the food was definitely well above average. Despite the mixed emotions about this and not being Tepanyaki I absolutely loved it!
I've been many times to the Daikoku in Takapuna and Quay street and always enjoy the food. I love the $15 lunch special they do! A personal favourite here of mine are the prawns with yum yum sauce omg so good definitely a must try.
We came here in a big group of 15 for a friends Birthday BYO and despite us being extremely loud and rowdy, the staff were still really nice to us.
Loved the teriyaki chicken and dumplings. However it ended up being quite pricey, $41 per person with a few entrees and corkage fees. I recommend coming here for the weekend lunch specials ;)
Went here before for dinner and found it to be a good dining experience. The staff are really nice and welcoming. Japanese people always give great hospitality. We were given our menus and some water I think. I ordered a Chicken teriyaki set which included a vegetable side dish, rice, miso soup and a salad. It was hard for me to decide since there were many options to choose from and I was hungry. I just didn't agree with the price cause I thought it was too pricey for the meal. I would have chosen a cheaper option and suggest they lower their prices too. However I did enjoy my meal since the chicken had a crunchy texture and went well with the sauce. It was still fulfilling and I would consider coming back again to buy something cheaper.
The soup of noodle is really delicious , it is not flavored by condiment. I believe this restaurant use the real pork chop soup to cook the noodle.I recommend the Miso sauce soup ramen. Tastes good
You get some good value and decent tasting Japanese food here.
The staff are quite friendly and one guy I felt was trying too hard!
However, the prices aren't cheap and a meal could easily add to just under $20.
If you're looking for a decent Japanese place to satisfy any cravings; I'd recommend this place. I've had the ramen and donburi, which were quite worth the price for the portion!
The Miso Ramen and Tonkotsu Ramen taste good but are too salty, I can't stop drinking water after dinner. Wasabi flavoured Octopus is very fresh. It has an interesting taste, really worth a try.
A nice Japanese food place right next to countdown. Couldn't find the entrance at first but eventually found it. The staffs were all in a hurry asking every minute if I want to order. If you are planning to eat for a long time and chat with your friend choose to sit on a chair instead of the mat, I got a really good workout for my legs after the meal.
I ordered a oyako don it was really good. The egg was well cooked and the chicken was seasoned well. The food was served really fast as well like I said the service was all fast making you feel a bit pressured.
I love coming here! It's such a cute little place and I love that you can sit on the floor Japanese style- very authentic feel.
Menu is decently priced and the many times I've been here I have always been satisfied with what I've ordered.
The staff are very sweet and welcoming. Highly recommend!
Daikoku is a nice place to eat. It's convenient and quick. They have a variety of your usual ramen and donburi, as well as generic Japanese dishes. It's fast and yummy to eat. I haven't had a dish that hasn't been good yet. Staff are super friendly and very quick :)
I ordered una don, the eel pretty fine, not overly sweet. But there's some flies in the restaurant. Hygiene needs to improved a bit. The ramen my friend ordered look good too.
I've been here countless times! I like to sit around the corner in the separate little room :) My favourites here are the shio butter corn ramen and the tonkotsu ramen, though I've heard the don buris are good as well! I love the soup so I usually alternate between the ramen options.
The service is always friendly and the portion sizes are huge! I'm a fan of the ramen broth especially the shio butter corn one! Daikoku is perfect on a winters day to warm you up :)
The portions are perhaps a bit small, but otherwise quite high quality food for the cost.
Food: 7.5/10
Service: 4/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 20/25
A really nice Japanese restaurant in CBD with really friendly staff. The ambiance is really nice, has an authentic vibe to it. Prices are pretty cheap too. A teriyaki chicken dish with rice and miso costs around $13. Most dishes are within the $10-15 range too. Definitely recommend :) ZomatoStudents
One of my all time favourite ramen places in Auckland! I've been here too many times to count, and tried many of the donburi and ramen options on the menu. The portions are huge, reasonably priced, and always so satisfying on a cold winters day. They don't skimp on the meat/veges, and the soup isn't too salty. I love their salmon donburi especially, there's so much sashimi ! The place also has an area where you can sit on the floor in a traditional Japanese dining style, as well as regular tables and a bar area.
DAIKOKU on Victoria street in countdown is nice Japanese dine in. Further with traditional Japanese sitting area.it looks great.the dish here tastes good.but lack of vegetables in it. Staff needs to improve customer service skills.🇯🇵
Customer service : 7/10
Quality of food : 7/10
Below in picture is KARRAGE CHICKEN DON with MISO SOUP.
Whens the last time you ate your dinner at 5am on Saturday morning?? ! No I was not inebriated beyond consciousness but had annoyingly missed my dinner engagement due to a solictors meeting running well past my bedtime on a Friday night.
Had booked in to daikoku victoria after yesterday's fantastic Quay st experience.
Been here a couple of times and the entrance and entrance layout is a muddle; cramp and a poor indication of the lovely restaurant you find inside. In this respect, again this daikoku reminds me of the diners and almost seedy joints of NYC where you find the most elite dining (thats a BQW term I coined better than fine dining) hehe! ..the most elite dining I was saying, in the most worked-in food joints and store areas.
Anyway back to daikoku. No I'm not paid by Daikoku and no I'm not in a rambling drunken state. This outlet is more the usual japanese restaurant without the fan fare of teppan grilled Flaming onions (see my quay st review) or spatula juggling.
I see ramen having made a trendy revival are more populace on the menu than decades earlier. Given Takara Ramen is the only place for me for ramen, I ordered a sashimi sushi combination $30. I didn't order well as I hoped the meeting would soon finish and I could join my dinner party.and I breezed over the menu online given my meeting.
Alas I guess eating it some 10 hours after preparation the sashimi would have rightly seen better days. Sashimi consisted two modest sized pieces each of snapper, tuna and salmon. They are thicker pieces but quite stubbie. 3/5
The nigiri fish was really classic in appearance. The slice draped over a small piece of rice much better than cookie cutter mass produced nigiri. Ah so romantic was the nigiri that you could imagine yourself in a pre ww2 japanese city diner. :) 5/5 for style
Also pecked on some yaka tori (sic) I think as these are the deep fried balls with a light seaweed hairstyle and octopus with mushy filling inside. 3/5
Pork Gyzoya and a very very small spring roll both quite under sized by today's super sized standards 3/5. Both surely would have tasted better had I not been eating at 5am.
(Sorry im not sure why when you load photos into the zom site it zooms in and crops out half the image.)
If you're looking for good meals, Daikoku is one of best Japanese restaurant in Auckland City. I personally love ordering their miso ramen. I highly recommend this place.
Daikoku on Victoria is hands down the best place in Auckland for ramen. If you want to be full for hours as well as delighted - this is the place for you. The service is prompt, efficient and friendly. I will always grab the chicken teriyaki ramen when I'm here, and for good reason. For starters, the soup in the ramen bowl is to die for! There are a lot of layers and intensity to the soup as well as some well seasoned chicken to compliment it. The ramen noodles are soft, well made and fresh - everything you could ever want in a bowl of ramen. Added bonus, the place has a traditional Japanese dining area which adds a unique twist to the restaurant. The perfect place for a lunch break in the city!
Came here with friends last weekend since we didn't know where to eat, so this was the closest restaurant nearby. There wasn't much to choose from on the menu, so I ordered a Tonkatsu Shoyu Ramen for $10. It was really filling and the soup base was addicting. The service was good, but I don't think I will come here again.
although I haven’t really visit other branch but this is by far the best one so far. Price of all dishes is roughly within $20 and the Teriyaki selections were extremely tasteful and are recommended over Saika. The Teriyaki chicken was the best dish and the taste still lingers since the last time I went. The Curry Ramen is also a recommendation and the Jelly Champion was an interesting dessert which you must try~
I am a huge fan of Japanese food it's my favorite cuisine. The menu here offers a wide selection which I like. You get to try a bit of everything at an affordable price. Love the $25 menu they are doing for the restaurant of the month at the moment. Definitely recommend ordering that as you get a bit of everything to try. The photo doesn't even include everything that we ordered that night and everything only came to $71. We also had dumplings, and another teriyaki chicken set.
Service was average as it took ages before the waitress came to us to take our order or gave us water. She was really polite so that made up for it.
Tried their ramen last night, it had good flavour but a little light on the actual toppings. There wasn't much else besides the noodles that tasted a bit like they'd just been heated up. Been wanting to try them for awhile but probably won't be rushing back.
Finally tried Daikoku last night after hearing some good things from friends. We've always dismissed it being right next to Countdown, but suprisingly there is a nice atmosphere inside with the restaurant split into a few dining rooms giving an intimate feel to the place. It felt completely different to the outside as soon as you walked in, you could have been at your standard Japanese restaurant.
Our expectations were high are some other friends had raved about it over other Japanese places in the area. We ordered the Shio Ramen $10 and Chicken Karaage $13, which also came with a small side dish and a miso soup. The chicken kaarage was very tender, with the dish coming with 6 large pieces. The rice in the dish was quite gluggy and there wasn't a good sauce balance. Disappointed there was no mayo with the dish, so it didn't feel like it came together as a complete meal. The Shio Ramen was nice, I really enjoyed the broth, but the noodles tasted like they had been recooked. Although cheap, there was almost nothing else in the bowl beside broth and noodles and a thin slice of meat with some bamboo shoots. When you factor in having to pay extra for boiled egg at $1.50 and any other additional items, the cost quickly adds up.
For value and taste far prefer Mentatz. A lot more variety in their dishes. Dishes also came out extremely fast (2-3 minutes from ordering), which is usually good but too fast feels like every component of the dish had been pre-prepared and not fresh to order. Nice to try but won't be back.
I'm a huge fan of Japanese cuisine and I fear that my whole Zomato profile will become just this! Just kidding, although there will be quite the variation, I do indeed like a bit of Japanese food mostly because it feels a lot lighter than most other foods. Either way, I had to give Daikoku on Victoria Street a try and it delivered!
Don't be deceived by its location, being right next to Countdown Metro. It seems a bit hidden away, which it sort of is, but it's actually fairly decent inside. Ambiance is at the level I like for dining out and the service was very reasonable. The food was also very good and didn't disappoint, so if you're ever in the CBD, I'd definitely recommend this even for just a quick fix or a really nice, end-of-the-week dinner.
I got the Takoyaki (a personal favourite of mine and pretty much default no matter which Japanese food establishment I visit, permitting availability) and potato croquetes to start. It was served with the usual Miso soup (good as always), but those croquettes - damn! Bloody good. Crunchy on the outside and incredibly smooth within. I got the Salmon teriyaki for the main which, again, in the spot nicely and washed it down with what my friend recommended - a lychee iced tea. Very nice meal and I'm looking forward to heading back.
(The artwork on the walls are awesome too!)
Nice place and atmosphere. Quite friendly staff there. Have been here quite a few times. This time I ordered a vegetable udon and some tuna and avocado sushi and my partner ordered some ramen.
Found a piece of plastic in my noodles. Waved the waitress over and they dealt with it well. Asked if I wanted them to cook another one or if I'm fine with eating the rest. And then coming back saying that they won't charge me for that dish.
Regardless, their sushi is very nice and udon has great flavour to it. Love it. Would be nice if they have a chicken udon added on their menu too :D
Yummy food and good service. Proportion of their meals are quiet small for me but other than it is a great place to introduce to your friends and family.
There is a good selection of dishes. I really like their ramen and dons. Its a place I find my self coming back to, when I'm in town and I feel like Japanese.
THE BEST soy sauce ramen in the entire city of Auckland. And trust me... I've eaten a load of ramen. I look around Auckland for places that sell it just so I can go in and try it. They give you a huge bowl, with free green tea and its amazingly well priced!
Stand out service, everyone is always really polite. However, just prepare to potentially not get a seat for a while at lunch time during the week. They are super busy and I know why, definitely worth the wait though.
First time here with a bunch of friends, i tried the spicy seafood ramen, it was spicy, very flavourful and delicious! The price is reasonable as well. Definately a frequent go-to place for lunch.
Today, we went to a Japanese restaurant, 'Daikoku' for lunch, it's next to Countdown on Victoria st.
It looked quite busy because there were a lot of people inside. As soon as we entered the restaurant, it seemed that we were in Japan. They had a traditional Japanese style like Tatami that is a floor setting style. Of course, they have tables with chairs for Western people as well. It was a little noisy because there were so many people, but we could find a table to sit down.
My friend had a Teriyake Chicken Don which is roasted chicken with sweet Teriyake sauce, fresh cabbage and Miso soup. She thought that it was very delicious and wonderful. The price was $13. It's quite reasonable for the size of the meal.
I had a Oyako (chicken and eggs) Don which has many slices of chicken with eggs and boiled rice. The chicken was a little bit salty. But, it was amazing and delicious. The price was also $13 .
The service was very good, all staff are from Japan and they are very friendly. We asked them some questions and the staff checked the ingredients we ordered with the chief. After that, she answered us very kindly. They were helpful. Also, they have a rotating special menu everyday .
It was a good experience and we enjoyed our food. We will recommend 'Daikoku' to other friends and try to go there again.
I tried tonkotsu ramen, salmon sashimi, and california roll last week. The ramen was good, the salmon was fresh and plated nicely, and the california roll was yum. For the drinks, I had ramuna, the japanese style lime carbonated lemonade. It was quite sweet but okay. Overall, I was satisfied with the food and the service. It costed around 41$ for all of those food and drink.
I'm not entirely sure what 'Daikoku' means in Japanese, but it sure is a popular name for restaurants! In Auckland alone, there are several Daikokus - a chain specializing in teppanyaki, a noodle bar, and finally the one on Victoria St, which to the best of my knowledge isn't affiliated with any of the other Daikokus. The latter also used to be our most frequented Japanese restaurant in the CBD, at least until they increased their prices several months ago.
They're still really good, though - on our last visit we had a veritable feast consisting of a deep fried chicken set (deep fried chicken with salad and wasabi mayo, miso soup, rice, and appetizer), gyoza, and a beef sukiyaki pot. The beef sukiyaki is the best I've found in Auckland so far - tender strips of medium-rare beef, tofu, glass noodles, and vegetables in sukiyaki broth, served in a hot pot. It also comes with the traditional raw egg for dipping, which adds a lovely touch.
Other dishes we've ordered previously include their teriyaki chicken (excellent!), ramen (sadly not as good as Tanpopo's), and sashimi (good, but pricey unless it's on special that month). The decor and service is pretty standard, although there's a tatami room where you sit on the floor by the table - not my preference, but some might enjoy the novelty.
This place gets a big thumbs-up from me! I'm drawn to its slightly out-of-the-way location and cool upmarket-izakaya decor. Their food has never disappointed me, and as a person of Japanese descent, I definitely look for a certain taste or 'feel' of authenticity when eating out at Japanese restaurants. Daikoku definitely gives me that taste of 'home' that I'm unable to get at aimed-at-the-masses sushi chains and the like. The waitresses are friendly and efficient (and Japanese, which is an added bonus for me). I always feel welcome here and the restaurant's cavey feel is a nice change from the hustle and bustle outside. I'm definitely a regular here!
My favorite place for Japanese curry and Ramen!! The service is quick although not as friendly as you would expected. But the food is always amazing! Although the entrance is now having some construction going (I think that belongs to the building next to it), I definitely will come back, and have been coming back with different friends, they always thanking me for showing the best place for Japanese food. Thank you Daikoku!
I have been to this Daikoku restaurant for lunch a few times now and not once have I walked away feeling disappointed.
The food is always delicious, fresh, and well presented. I mostly order the lunch box special because I don't have to think too hard about what to order, but have also tried (on separate occasions) the deep- fried chicken, teriyaki beef and teriyaki chicken sets. All the meals are great value for money!
The service is great, but the staff can be run off their feet because it can get really busy at times so you have to waive them down if you want something. Once you get their attention, they are quick to serve. Not a criticism, just an observation.
I have come here some many times and will continue to do so. The donburi dishes are generous and inexpensive. The chicken karaage is truly delicious and one of the best in Auckland. Service is impeccable. Totally recommend.
I have eaten here several times and had fun each time. The teppanyaki chefs are entertaining and highly skilled. The food is tasty. Great fun for groups of up to 8 as you get to sit around the hot plate and be entertained by the chef as he cooks your food and juggles his tools and ingredients.
Daikoku on Victoria Street use to be my regular for a Japanese meal during my uni days. I came here for dinner with a friend last night and was pleasantly surprised that nothing has changed. The food and the service is still great! My friend ordered the teriyaki chicken don which came with miso soup and a side salad. This is her go-to dish when she dines here. To her, Daikoku does the best teriyaki chicken don. I had the curry on rice with additional katsu pork. Although the pork was over crispy, dunking the pork in the hot curry sauce softened the batter. The curry had chunks of carrot, beef and onion in it and the sauce had good spice to it. This dish was a good, warm and hearty meal. The teriyaki chicken don was so great that we ordered another one to takeaway for another friend of ours who couldn't make it. Daikoku is a great spot for Japanese at a friendly price.
Service may not be the best, but the food here is really really good. This recent visit, I wavered between the vegetable ramen and the seafood ramen, and then decided to swing towards the vegetable ramen. Usually with ramen places, vege toppings always look insignificant compared to the meat toppings. Daikoku is an exception. They seem to pile you with more topping for vege ramens as if to make up for it having meat.
The soup was clear and lightly flavoured with good stock, so you're guaranteed to want to finish it all off after you're done eating all the food in the bowl. There's bamboo shoots, two handfuls of corn, spring onion, seaweed, cabbage, onion, floral cut carrot and bean sprouts. The bean sprouts are sweet and crispy. The seaweed gets a bit soggy if you don't fish it out right at the start, but otherwise they're all really good.
The noodles are the true highlight. The ramen is smooth and just slightly chewy and there are very few strands that stick to each other. Hot and filling, it was a delicious dish overall.
You can also get a special price if you order ramen and want a side dish of karaage chicken. It came on a bed of some sort of shredded cabbage and Japanese mayo and the karaage was pretty good. Not as crispy outside as I would have liked, perhaps because I left it until the end of the meal, but the taste and seasoning was on point with quite a lot of soy sauce involved (judging from the taste).
Daikoku is a cozy and kind of dark place with really good food. If you want to be left alone with your friends, then the minimal service shouldn't bother you too much. It's more of a bonus for you.
I love this Japanese restaurant, their spicy pork ramen is just sensational, very tasty, very fast service,
reasonable price altho the place wasn't too big and don't think its suitable for big group party but it surely good for a lunch break for 2 .
Been for lunch a few times by myself. Waiting staff have looked after me really well. I had the bento lunch special. Like the banana fritters too. But shh don't tell anyone.
I must say I have had mixed feelings about this restaurant, but I cannot deny that their food is good. Their service can be questionable at time, sometimes the waiting staff are very on to it and attentive other times it can feel like you are being ignored. However, their saving grace is their delicious food. I personally always enjoy a side of takoyaki with whatever main I am having (their takoyaki is really good! - that's octopus balls by the way). They also usually have a special/chef's special menu with interesting desserts and drinks.
Would recommend definitely if you are out and hungry or can't really decide on what to eat.
Nice little Japanese restaurant in Auckland CBD. Been there many times to get my ramen and takuyaki fix. The staff are generally friendly and don't mind if you try out your limited Japanese on them. I would recommend the tonkotsu ramen to those who aren't too adventurous lol, it's always my go to dish.
The ramen and takoyaki tasted good and the waiter provided great service! Promotion discount was offered as I visited on the first day after the reopening.
However, as there are construction work at the street side entrance of the shop, so it is a bit difficult to find the entrance.
I have been here a few times in the past few years. The food has been consistently pretty good, not exceptional but quite decent for the price. The staff is mostly friendly, though sometimes there will be one or two who are a bit cold. Overall it's still a good Japanese joint and deserve a visit.
A very secret entrance (not really) .
Warmly greeted .
A little warm , might have to Jack up the aircon .
Menu was easy to order from.
Food arrived promptly.
Super delicious and well worth the price.
Highly recommend.
Great to be back at Daikoku Victoria - our favourite Ramen House in Auckland. We can’t get enough of their Tonkatsu Ramen. The broth is really delicious and delightful. Yum 😋 Plenty to choose from the menu and the price is very reasonable. The restaurant is cosy, and you can even choose to sit on the floor to eat your meals the traditional Japanese way. We will be back any day 😆
Came here to try their 3-course $25 Restaurant Month menu.
They have a good selection; I opted for Salmon Sashimi for entree and Steak Fillet for Main (which comes with complimentary rice and miso soup; what a bargain!). And green tea ice cream for dessert.
My friend got the Tempura for entree and Teriyaki Salmon for main.
Food came extremely fast! Salmon sashimi was fresh and generously portioned. Tempura batter was light and crispy without being greasy.
Steak fillet was cooked beautifully and good seasoning, complimented well by the side salad and miso soup— which was full of flavour too!
Teriyaki salmon was cooked to perfection—not the slightest bit dry (which they can be) and the teriyaki glaze was top-notch.
Ice cream was delicate and sophisticated; with earthy green tea flavours coming through.
Daikoku offers an extensive menu at extremely affordable prices but very generous portions! Can’t wait to come and try other dishes!
Food: 9/10
Price: 10/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 8/10
I'm so happy this place is open again. Seems a bit different with only a couple of staff, but the ramen is still good. I got the tonkotsu ramen with the spicy add-on and I loved it.
It was a bit cold inside because they had the door open, but they needed business so that made sense. Other than that it was a great time.
Cosy, authentic Izakaya setting, with friendly and attentive all-Japanese staff.
I dropped in for a quick lunch on a Saturday. The standard ramen was reasonably pruced but filling, and had just the right amount of umami and chewiness, while the gyoza sides were perfect even without the soy sauce. But the best part of my meal was the matcha green tea ice cream, which had just the right amount of flavor without being overpowering, and not too sweet either.
Very highly recommended!
(Note: Entrance is located inside the Countdown supermarket on Victoria Street)
Good authentic and tasty Japanese food, good variety from ramen to lunch sets, fish, chicken, pork, beef, you name it they have it. Friendly and fast service to ensure you cna return to office within an hour during lunch. Pretty healthy too and a good alternative to fast good but better value for money. Recommending a try. No free parking but if you working in CBD... This won't be an issue.
Reasonable price and food is really delicious. Real Japanese food. We came here twice in a day. Best Japanese restaurant in the Auckland.
Ordered salmon don, eel don, and dumplings along with a cup of green tea (can be refilled with hot water). The food tasted great. Total $42.
Great food and great prices! Lots of stuff on the menu, but not many vegetarian options I'm afraid.
Great authentic Japanese cuisine. Fair prices, would recommend & have been back a couple times.
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(01/2018)
A good Japanese restaurant located in CBD.
Can be easily spotted from Victoria Street but figuring out the entrance can be little tricky for first timers. It opens on left inside the Countdown entrance.
Nice and cozy ambiance. Spacious seating spread over a big area which can be hard to think of from outside.
Plentiful food options although vegan and vegetarian ones are limited. Food is delicious and served sizzling hot.
Staff is friendly and helpful although you may have to ask specific and to the point questions to be sure about your dietary requirements or they may miss out on them while answering a vague query.
Service is well timed and efficient.
There is table service. Outdoor seating is not available.
Reservations can be made in advance.
This place can get busy and noisy during lunch hours.
Good for groups and quick catch-ups.
There is no dedicated parking area for the restaurant and paid parking is available on the opposite side.
There is wheelchair accessible entrance.
Liked the experience.
Really enjoy the food here. It's fairly priced, and the portions are good. It's within the city and have a high amount of seats. Good for singles, couples or groups.
They have all kinds of food related to Japanese Cuisine. I normally just go for the Karaage Don. Fried chicken with sauce over rice. Simply delicious.
Good, but they're quite busy in the lunch hours sometimes
I've walked past this restaurant so many times and never even saw it. Very easy to miss. Nothing negative about my experience. The food came out to our table in about 5-minutes, despite the lunch rush. Was impressed by the quality still. A great place to visit if you want a dining experience, at reasonable cost, and are in a hurry.
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