TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in New Zealand - Updated November 2024

Mad Samurai Japanese Restaurant

85/100 (947 ratings)

Restaurants

Vegan Options

Japanese

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Dinner

Lunch

Drinks

Fish

Udon noodles

Sashimi

Salmon Sashimi

Karaage chicken

Mixed Tempura

Gyoza

Edamame Beans

Wagyu Bento Box

Wagyu Meatballs

Beef

Sushi & Sashimi Platter

Matcha Cheesecake

Sushi & Sashimi Box

Vegetarian Tempura

Chicken Katsu Don

Samurai Meat Platter

Okonomiyaki

Dumplings

Greens & Avocado Salad

Sashimi Sushi Platter

Salad

Wagyu Tasty Box

Salmon

Wagyu Sasha Sasha Originally Means Thin Clear Silk Fabric

Chicken Tofu Detox Meatballs

Sit down

Japanese

Takeout

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Accepts Credit Cards

Drinks

Dinner

Lunch

Mid-range

"Very friendly service and got a very warm welcome from the staff. The beef is not that impressive. But, the sushi and sashimi platter come in a..."

Eatateeaten

"We got takeaways to have at home (ordered on Zomato) and it totally satisfied my sashimi cravings. The sashimi was delicious and fresh, as was the..."

Sandy Hsiao

"Was craving sushi the other night so I walked in Mad Samurai for nigiri takeaway. Fast service and great quality of sushi 🍣🥰 there were 3x..."

The Poor Foodie

"It was a nice place for dinner time with friends. The staffs were very friendly and..."

Minh Thu

"Amazing salmon with miso plum sauce. The yummiest I've ever had! A very balanced meal with sweet savoury miso plum celebrating the salmon. The potato..."

Celestina Chang

"With coupons, I had dinner with friends at this highly-rated Japanese eatery. I thought we might have 4 individual courses of dishes, but it..."

STRADS

"We came here for a work lunch, I ordered the vegetarian set.The food was great, I especially liked the variety of vegetables for the tempura!..."

Emma S

"I've been here 4 times and I feel this place just has good vibes. The food is good, you'll find a few dishes you would be very familiar with, if you..."

Huy Nguyen

"Great service, server came to the table and pours the green tea for you and tops it up as your stay continues. A must try this hidden gem in the..."

Dinusha Wijerathna

"Came for a late dinner weeknight, it wasn’t particularly busy and think they’re winding down for the night. It still had a friendly & cozy vibe...."

Manz

"Alongside with super tasty sashimi, we definetely like super friendly staff in there..."

Zumra

"So glad that my friend & I found this place that offers Japanese food with a twist. Its nice to be here that has casual laid back atmosphere after..."

Regie

"The staff are very friendly and the food is delicious. Really nice place and I will definitely come..."

Xuqing Zhou

"Been here a few times and to be honest the food is low-key average for the full price. If you've got zomato gold it's very well worth it but the..."

Linda Lin

"Curry Wagyu Rice is flavourful & delightful. Customer service is great & hospitable. Made a great dining experience. Will be back for more great..."

Arden Khoo

"Raw fish on Sushi is really fresh and tasty. Sushi rice is also well made. It is the best sushi I have ever eaten in AucklandSalad with the..."

Anthony

"The MAIN potion is small. Hoever, the fish is juciy, sweet ,and I can taste the freshness which is not premade by chefs. A little difficult to order..."

Shirley Weng

"The service was great. sashimi platter looks awesome. But sashimi can be fresher...."

Kay W

"This restaurant is close to work, in the past few months I’ve visited a dozen times. There food is amazing and the vegetarian set is great. Love..."

Rawan Alafeshat

"Came here last week on a date. The decor gives a nice ambience and it's situated in a nice location. Got the salmon avo sushi, wagyu beef dumplings,..."

Bryce Galbraith

"Delicious food - we love their salmon, vege platter, wagyu beef patty and karaage chicken. Very friendly service and consistently scrumptious food...."

DTV

"one of my favourite Japanese restaurants. They are so nice and friendly and patient about any questions. The service is like aaamazingBut..."

Leo

"Food was really yummy highly recommended. The staff was attentive the ambient was nice and prices are average. With zomato gold they become really..."

Andre Mdst

"Cosy environment with a bar, the food was made very well with decent portions. I rate this high knowing that it's a high end restaurant, and..."

Tiger Li

"Chicken Katsu is delicious. The sashimi platter is so beautifully presented - salmon and sushi are stand out elements. The only letdown was the tuna..."

Sarah =^. .^=

"Come for the Sashimi & Sushi platter! Just looks amazing and priced fairly for what you get.The Wagyu Fillet limited menu was slightly..."

Shirley Au

"Really enjoyed the foods. Kindly staffs with free wifi. Foods are affordable and most of menus were able to redeemed as a complimentary..."

Jamie Shin

"I had to give it 5 stars because it’s soooooo good!!! Came in at the last hour before they closed, the girl at the counter was so friendly and..."

DayToy825

"First time visit for dinner, Amazing food, great service, Absolutely LOVED the Wagyu curry in particular was delicious. I will definitely be back,..."

Mitha Laras

"Food here is so so so delicious! We loved it. Staff here are very enthusiastic and friendly. Very cute place and atmosphere is great. Definitely come..."

FoodiesTable

"👺🍣Hidden away in Snickel Lane is Mad Samurai, a fantastic Japanese restaurant. This is probably one of the fastest serving restaurant we..."

Food2belly

"Very good food and lovely servers! Portion is a little small, but the presentation was on point. The taste was excellent. Will be coming back for..."

Marcus Kwan

"Never think a plate of salad can make lunch so full. Ordered salad with roasted beef and beef lunch set. The beef tasted so tender. Would love to try..."

Yi Pan

"Great service, waitstaff were extremely friendly and attentive. The food was presented beautifully and my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves...."

Limyongqi

"Ate here twice this week! The wagyu beef with salad and rice is divine. All the elements work to make it a delicious dish- definitely a must try!..."

Kaizeen Kolah

"Fantastic place downtown for Japanese food. The service is amazing, the food is even better, and it's excellent value for money. Their premium green..."

Jay

"Went here with a friend for dinner and ordered a vegetarian shojin platter and chicken katsu, both were generous portion sizes, were presented well..."

Amanda

"Chicken curry was good and the sushi here was delicious!! Ordered prawn avocado rolls and Mad Samurui rolls, both were yummy. And warm sake just made..."

LilianMonaghan

"*Zomato gold*Ordered the Wagyu curry lunch set ($27) and a traditional sashimi ($25) to share.Wagyu hamburg was perfectly cooked with it..."

Arianaaa

"Great food, great service and great price with Zomato gold...I liked it and we will go back again. Thanks to the team who serve us, it was..."

Su Ling

"Came here for the first time with zomato gold, and was thoroughly impressed! We ordered the wagyu curry and the wagyu yakiniku set, and both beef..."

Elisa Soerjadi

"5/5 for service as the waiter was very lovely and food came out fast! Nice position and location where the restaurant is as tucked away. Would..."

Richard O'Kane

"Mad Samurai has amazing sushi! I really appreciate how fresh their fish was. 100% would recommend for a nice night out if you’re feeling Japanese...."

Yasmin Walker

"Had an amazingg night here, this place is a hidden gem. The staff were so attentive and kind from the moment we stepped in. We ordered..."

Emily Gossen

"Best Japanese food I have ever had. Great service and all of the staff are really lovely. The salmon and avocado roll is delicious and the chicken..."

Jade Macdonald

"A discreet little restaurant hidden on Customs Street. Cozy and clean environment great for a causal lunch/dinner.Nice and friendly..."

Lucy

"Best Japanese restaurant in Auckland. Very friendly staff and the food was delicious ( karaage Chicken and Nabeyaki Udon) 🍱🍣. I will go back..."

Marcelo Bruneli

"Loved the sauces that came with my katsu chicken dish, absolutely delicious! This main came with miso, rice and salad, all very good. The reason I..."

Wapatino

"Extremly warm service and quiet good dining environment. The food is delegate and delicious. We ordered two types of deep chicken and both of them..."

Sophia-Sun

"Lovely food, lovely atmosphere. Presentation could have been a bit better with the salmon avocado role though... The wait staff were really nice!..."

Niki Devi

"Absolutely love this spot! The food hasn’t let me down yet, and the service led by Miss Lima is phenomenal. It has a pretty good happy hour deal as..."

Jason F.

"We went there for dinner with group of 3, environment and service were very nice, love the sushi&sushimi plate, the steak is really tasty but fried..."

Winnie

"Came here on Zomato gold & it was so great - big portions, meat was so delicious and tucked away in snickel lane so cute! Def highly recommend! Such..."

Lizzie

"Came in yesterday night with a friend after a history exam. Ordered the tofu salad with tuna and the tofu salad with salmon. Tuna was not that great..."

Rosanne Choy

"The tofu salad with salmon was great! Portion was good, and the sesame sauce was delicious, exceeded my expectation. The girl ordered our food served..."

Charis Yang

"Food were well-prepared although took a bit of time. For the same taste, i would go for better priced places which works out to be as good pricing as..."

Jaws The Tastler

"We ordered the Salmon Sashimi (tasted fresh!), Wagyu tataki, Pork Katsu, Wagyu Curry (served with a side of salad) and Wagyu Hamburg Steak (comes out..."

G1k

"A cosy place with a funky and modern environment. Suitable for event as well I guess. The food is nice (as can been seen on photos). Sukiyaki is a..."

Jing

"#zomato gold#Got the Udon noodles which was nice for a simple lightish meal. A bit on the pricey side if not using Zomato Gold. Will be..."

Jordan

"Loved this place.Food and service were both great. We ordered small plates to share and was filling. Agedashi TofuEggplant and..."

Dora The Food Explorer

"Great food and super friendly staff!! We normally use discount vouchers like Zomato Gold and we always feel we're being frowned upon by the staff,..."

Patrick

"Nice little place in a cosy alley. The portion of the food is quite big, especially the chicken katsu curry. The curry is full of flavor, but the..."

Yao

"Mad Samurai has amazing Japanese food. The location makes it tricky to be spot this jewel along the bunch but it's a beautiful culinary experience to..."

Flames And Skewers

"The waitress is amazing :) we felt very welcomed. Nice cosy place, ordered the wagyu hamburg steak and wagyu curry using our Gold. Both very..."

CYYTee

"The staff were friendly and extremely welcoming. We ordered the salmon w/ sweet miso sauce and the vegetarian shojin platter. The salmon tasted great..."

Deborah Yin

"Got the wagyu aburi for starters because we've heard good things. Half came raw and the other, cooked. Raw wagyu was chewy and not as enjoyable as..."

J Eats

"Used my first ever Zomato Gold here! The service was very friendly and welcoming. We had miso salmon and chicken teriyaki. Both served with mashed..."

K&A

"Sashimi must try!!! Wagyu beef is legit!!!! Staffs were polite and ambience was goodI don’t really like their sukiyaki as their soup..."

Annie Low

"The food was mad good! And the service was stellar! :) They were so attentive and looked so happy to serve their customers. We ordered the Wagyu Beef..."

Kate Javier

"Staff were really friendly and the food was delicious! I had a very filling and tasty Salmon dish, not bad at all! Will definitely visit there..."

Cj

"Very polite and attentive staff! The first time I used my Zomato Gold was at this restaurant. Ordered the Premium Wagyu Beef Hamburg Steak and the..."

Kirsten

"Tried this place since they’re part of the Zomato Gold list. Surprisingly their food is good and the portions are really big! We ordered Wagyu..."

Julirose Supremo

"Came here with some friends last night for dinner using the Zomato Gold 1+1 deal. It is tucked away in Snicklel Lane and has a cosy vibe. The staff..."

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"5/5 Taste4.5/5 Display 4/5 Quantity 5/5 Customer Services My new Favourite Japanese Wagyu Restaurant in CBD.If you..."

곰정안

"Yummmmmy!!! Really delicious food. Was expecting (and willing!) to pay more for food with such flavour, quality and presentation...."

Selina EverHungry Nihalani

"I dined here with two friends on Friday. The Wagyu rump steaks were great. The staff went above and beyond in terms of customer service. Would highly..."

Chad Branks

"The chicken katsu was literally a mountain of food. Never thought I would get full from this type of place as I am of well loved size. Good value if..."

Mentalboy9

"Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Ambience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️Price: ⭐️⭐️Service:..."

Meadta Menorath

"A very pleasant dinning experience here. It’s one the restaurant tuck in Snickel lane. Great atmosphere, great service, and food are..."

May Hung

"Its a pretty small restaurant hidden amongst a few others in Snickel Lane. It exceeded my expectations. Seevice was excellent. We were greeted..."

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"It was a nice filling experience:) brought my partner to have our weekend lunch and must say that our favourite is the chicken katsu.. it was big..."

Celani Atienza

"Just went there with two of my friends for lunch. Absolutely LOVED the Wagyu steak, the steak sauce in particular was delicious. I will definitely be..."

Mayank Gavri

"Enjoyed the ambience of the location. It's in the city but a nice spot away from the hustle and bustle of it. Presentation was wonderful and food was..."

Ana

"This place is tucked away on Snickel Lane which gets super busy during weekdays at lunchtime. Good value for money: the food is tasty and the portion..."

Richard

"Great food and service. Came for lunch, I ordered the salmon salad (healthy day) and my friend had the Katsu Curry. I had major food envy. Mine was..."

Jonathan Clark

"Food: We ordered the Wagyu Curry, Chicken Katsu Curry, Karaage Chicken and Chocolate Parfait.My most liked dish was the Wagyu Curry. The..."

William Chao

"Friday night out - custom street was crowded as always and we found this hidden place full of restaurant, tried wagyu curry and pork katsu which are..."

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"We like this name, the crazy knight😁~(Maybe not that right translation)The food is amazing~Big portion, very yummy~We ordered tofu salad..."

BBW

"Very friendly/helpful service! Great food too.. generous portions. We ordered the Wagyu Curry, Wagyu Hamburg Steak, Chicken Katsu & Tuna..."

Adrian Mak

"Amazing food and very good customer service from Heloise. Had the wagyu beef hamburg, tuna tataki, curry and katsu chicken. Will definitely come..."

Jeremy Tan

"I was super enjoy dining here. We ordered 4 kinds of wagyu dishes. All different flavour and cooking methods but same delicious！ curry very tasty..."

LuNa The TuNa

"Excellent customer service everything wagyu!We ordered Wagyu steak, Wagyu curry, Wagyu Tataki, Wagyu Nigiri. The wagyu Quality is better..."

Tony Ma

"Nice little place with friendly staff. Ordered chicken katsu curry & wagyu hamburg. The curry was alright, huge portion with a side of fresh salad &..."

Chibicabi

"Had an absolutely wonderful time here. Warm, heartfelt service and excellent food. The tempura was great as was the sashimi. Will definitely be..."

Lee Knowlton

"..."

Hiromi Matsuoka

"Highly recommend this Japanese restaurant!!Very close to Britomart station and Snickel lane is massive cool!!Sushi is fresh and such a..."

Fumiya Miki

"Best karagee chicken in town, sashimi also is super yummy and fresh! This place is very cute and peaceful for auckland cbd, they have great food for..."

Heloisa Moreira Lima

"One of The best tempura udon i ever had.This place is a hidden gem...with indoor and outdoor setting. This place is definitely worth..."

Yusoff Kamal

"Staff so friendly and smiling. They have a cool environment. The food is really good, especially Wagyu Tataki. I really recommend. I loved..."

João Eduardo

"Mad Samurai specialise in offering dishes that use high-quality New Zealand wagyu beef. This means that some of their dishes are more expensive than..."

Daniel Kinnoch

"Love the decor and ambience of this Little Japanese cafe tucked away in snickel lane. I got the karaage chicken off the lunch menu with a small plate..."

Sunaina Goundar

"This place is a surprise. The food is good and ambiance is lovely. We ordered quite a few dishes and they were all very tasty even the tofu salad !!!..."

Breadzania

"Such a cute hidden away restaraunt in Snickel Lane! Service was very fast and efficient, food is decently priced and presented beautifully. We got..."

Holly Bailey

"This place is a little hidden gem in town in a newish area off imperial Lane. We were the only other table dining inside on a Friday evening so it..."

Lucyeatsakld

"my favourite haunt for a quick work lunch. always great service and the food is top notch. I highly recommend this place. vegetarian springs rolls..."

Sarah Palmer

"Great lunch, I enjoyed the wagyu, liked the fact it came with a Salad and miso soup. I also had chicken Katsu the night before, was the best chicken..."

Beth Waveney

"Really tasty food using fresh quality ingredients. I had the vegetarian dumplings and salmon main. The portion size of the salmon was huge however I..."

Shannon

"The food was delicious, beautiful presentation and excellent service. Starters were a little small but mains were just right. My friends salmon was a..."

Clove

"Came here on a Saturday evening because I heard about it through Urban List! We got Fresh Spring Rolls, Wagyu Meatballs, Wagyu Tataki,..."

Oksana Zhang

"Salmon was delicious and fresh, staff are super friendly and attentive. Food almost looked to pretty to eat. Bottomless green tea and a great dining..."

Amanda B

"An amazing authentic Japanese restaurant with a kind and caring owner. The Samurai Platter alone was enough to make the two of us 120% full. We..."

Mehdi Abdifard

"Trying to figure out where to eat and just happened to stumble onto this place on a Friday evening. SO glad we did because the food and entire..."

Kay Welser

"definitely recommended!!! Very good food for lunch and dinner! Waygu beef so delicious. meat plate is alsome！ But the bottle is 全黑zenkuro sake..."

MARK MA

"Quality Japanese cuisine hidden away in downtown Auckland. I chanced upon this restaurant while looking for a place to eat not too far from the water..."

George Forgan-Smith

"Super nice price and dishes. I love the place, quite warm and cozy. The sashimi was fresh and delicious, the grilled salmon was superb. The cream..."

Hoàng Phạm

"Really liked the sake tasting and the Samurai platter was really good with the mix of waguy and..."

Ryan Donald

"Best Japanese restaurant we had in Auckland. The food is delicious and they are even offering delivery services now! The experience we had at the..."

Odile PERISSE

"Good food and service. Great experience..."

Freddy

"Best Japanese curry that I’ve ever had in AKL and the sushi here was super delicious!! Ordered prawn avocado rolls and Mad Samurui rolls, both were..."

Lilian Monaghan

"Amazing food in a laid back atmosphere. The staff were great and the dishes were fantastic. Add Mad Samurai to your "must try" list. Next time I am..."

Martin Blank

"A hidden gem in a small arcade of Auckland. Beautiful and cosy place to experience a reasonably small list of Japanese dishes —and I say small as a..."

Darth Vader

"A must try!! The meals were absolutely amazing and we loved getting to try the wagyu it was a really cool experience! Every dish was so so delicious..."

Keepingupwben

"It's the first time to visit this restaurant with my family. Foods are nice in a fair price. We specially enjoy Platters (Sushi & Sashimi, and Mad..."

Yoshifumi Suzuki

"We stumbled across this place by absolute chance, and we were so glad we did. The food was divine. The fish was super fresh. We had the Edamame,..."

Tess Keough

"Our first visit to Mad Samurai to celebrate our daughter's birthday. What a delightful eatery!! Lovely ambience, very attentive & friendly staff and..."

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