TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in New Zealand - Updated November 2024

"Love this place! Food is good and the waiter in the hat is the sweetest and liveliest waiter I’ve ever met...."

Larry Young

"Nice environment. Good food quality. Great place for..."

Gabriel Kung

"Great Japanese izakaya feel to the place! Friendly staff, some of them aren't as fluent in English & took a couple of tries to get the correct order..."

Paul Walker

"Open in lockdown and just great. Had all our favourites: sashimi, yum yum prawns and scallops. They did the sakuro steak without sauce so it would be..."

Kath Bolton

"Irasshaimase! Love it, great environment with the Japanese drums playing etc also when you leave - although, I try to slip out quietly to test my..."

J Eats

"Really enjoyable atmosphere and amazing friendly staff!One of our favourite places to visit, but more recently we ordered takeaways due to..."

Emma Sharma

"Great place to go in a group. Plates are small, so it is great to share. Good variety of sake and other japanese spirits. Super friendly staff!..."

Boty

"A staple in casual Japanese Izakaya dining! Very down to earth & authentic atmosphere & always genuine service from all staff. Grilled whole squid is..."

Ken

"We hadn't been here for a few years, but found the place just as it used to be. Staff are friendly and helpful, service is great and the food is..."

Marmite_ninja

"Best kaarage chicken I've ever had! The crumbed camenbert, gyoza dumplings and teriyaki chicken are also delicious! Not to mention the fantastic..."

Alice B

"Lovely vibrant atmosphere. Customer service was lovely our server he was always smiling. Food was delicious and could eat more then I did the..."

Effie Mcfall

"I always go there when craving for sashimi. I love sashimi boat, calamari grill and yumyum scallop. It is a very full during friday and weekends. You..."

Paulina Food

"A great atmosphere and lovely service - I love this place down to the service and the drums you get upon entering and leaving the building. The sushi..."

Lisa

"Went here few times, food flavour was pretty good, a lot of kinds of alcohol and non-alcohol can choose,price is good too. Service really nice and..."

LuNa The TuNa

"Been here two time. This time I found out they have my favourite tofu since I came back from Japan trip and my fav Ramune.13 order and we..."

Sammiii

"Just went to the sushi tunnel there last night and the food was delicious, the service and staff are amazing (especially that guy in the fluffy..."

Tania Lin

"We dined last night after the movies. What an amazing place, we had three sharing dishes, chicken, tempura prawns and and pork dumplings. The staff..."

Dave Koefoed

"This is my go to Japanese place if I want some Japanese food that feels a little more “special”. It has a great atmosphere and the food is great...."

Jennykakariki

"Was here yesterday with friends. Great restaurant! Beautiful food with amazing fresh fish! Would highly recommend for Japanese cuisine. Staff and..."

Preeti Kaur

"Many people might think of the dishes as overpriced, but I reckon it’s worth it. Although the mochi and green tea ice cream took quite a while to..."

Grace

"One of the original Japanese eateries that first open in Epsom, i have driven past em untold times and finally got to dine in.I came in on a..."

Diner8Here

"Today, my friend recommends me to the Sake Bar, we order lots of delicious foods, the foods are really good! The Char Unagi and Prawn Tempura Sushi..."

Mia Lu

"Its so good! It’s so good literally everything is so good. The taste,the flavors,and the food quality is just amazing. This is my last sentence ITS..."

Yummyicecoco

"Good local Japanese. Been three times now and always friendly service and good food. Just avoid trying to park when the movies are on. Better still..."

Philip

"Really fast service and delicious food. We stopped in before a movie at the Lido and we are only disappointed that we haven’t come here sooner...."

Julia Louise

"Came here after unsuccessfully searching for parking for some yakatori in town. Ordered a nigiri selection, prawn yakatori, char unagi (eel) nigiri,..."

Fraser Lewis-Smith And Alana Ah Tani

"So good I had to make another booking for the following week!!Chicken karaghe OMG! 5/5Been a long time since I had some decent fried rice..."

Deano

"Went to Sakebar on a Sunday evening, welcomed by drums and a friendly waitress. We were seated promptly by the bar and was given our menus...."

Jenny Da

"Sakebar Nippon has a great atmosphere with authentic dishes and friendly staff. They have a range of dishes that are reasonably priced, and freshly..."

Matadors

"Went for a friend's birthday dinner last year.Fried rice was flavourful. Sushi was amazing and well presented. Yakisoba was delicious. Loved the..."

Rosanne Choy

"I feel the dishes are slightly overpriced. Always end up spending well over $80 per person and I’m type of guy who doesn’t eat that much and..."

Masterwayne12

"This restaurant has very friendly staff who are attentive and polite. The menu has a whole bunch of different meats, veges, rice, noodles and other..."

Aimee.

"Would come back again, food on the menu looks the same when on the table. Clean and friendly environment. Staff is absolutely lovely. Would recommend..."

Jeshlyn Bennett

"Staff are lovely, ambience is warm and bustling, especially if you're sitting downstairs. You can see the chefs cooking, and they greet you with..."

Shamili Superapple

"Always love Sake Bar. Been going here for years and the food, service and ambience are always impeccable. Tonight we ordered the sashimi trio, tuna..."

Acacia Wratten-Stone

"I love the food here! The dishes however are a little small so you may need to order more than one. It tastes very good and I recommend the Yum Yum..."

HelenMeng2000

"Held a private function here, communication beforehand was great. Arrived and the hostess was warm and welcoming, The atmosphere was lovely and..."

Mary Mave

"Holy crapola!!! Just finished a really reaalllllyyyy good meal here just now and by heck, amazing!!!!!!!! As you can tell from me plate that I..."

Swsammiii

"This is an awesome place.When you walk in the door one of the chefs taps on the drums hanging from the ceiling to announce your arrival. ..."

Deborah Ruth Thompson

"Super fun restaurant with a crazy, busy, always on the move vibe. With welcoming drums sounding as you enter and biding your farewell when you leave..."

Sonz

"A really good local Japanese restaurant with room for large or small groups. Service is super friendly. Their skewers are really yum - not as big a..."

Stephy_NakiGirl

"This Japanese restaurant is amazing! The service from staff is lovely and they are so friendly and attentive. However the highlight for me is..."

Ashleigh Michelle

"It is many years since we were last here and it certainly won't be that long before we return. A spontaneous decision to give it a go last night..."

Food And People

"Nice food and really friendly waiters/waitresses. The environment is very comfy. It's my second time here already. They serve various food. I have to..."

Coco_Clairy

"Really fun atmosphere. I love the way they greet you when you walk in. Always busy so you need to book. Great food. Very authentic. One of my..."

Nicola Sherrock

"Now this is the best ever customer service I've experienced in all of Auckland ! Super friendly and polite ! Just amazing atmosphere...."

Leo Dilshan

"ate here two nights ago with a couple of friends. Didn't have much time before the movie next door started, so was a little worried. The service was..."

Julia Crawley

"Went here on a Sunday evening without booking. We were catered to quickly but the waitress kept forgetting details like what we ordered and also what..."

R-Dee Roche

"Awesome place! Agedashi eggplant is phenomenal! I always get it when I get here. The layout is traditional Japanese style and is a really fun..."

Wanderlust

"Excellent food and experience.I have been to Sakebar numerous times in the last 5 years and it remains one of my most enjoyable dining..."

Ben

"This place gives you the warmest welcome. My bf and I was craving for some japanese. We got the spicy tuna roll, the yaki soba noodles, grilled..."

Joanne Chiang

"Nippon is usually my go too place for Japanese, but last night I was encouraged to try Hokkaido instead. It was pretty good but definitely not as..."

Jenny Daly

"Good Japanese food in Epsom! We ordered the sesame beans, grilled zucchini and mushroom, Katsu chicken and tuna sashimi. The sesame beans..."

Charlene Weaver

"Love this place. We've lived in the area for over ten years but I only discovered it a month ago. Since that first visit, I've been back twice..."

Ann C

"Real good! Food matched menu description and came fast. Very quickly served, high quality food, my favourite being the pork belly skewers. Although a..."

Eddie Liu

"It's probably typical of Japanese restaurants to have tiny tables cramped ingeniously in small spaces and still attain a sense of privacy...."

Dee Elle

"Have been here many times times for some yummy, fast food. I love the drums when you enter and the waitresses are always very friendly and helpful...."

Hannah Gear

"Once I've already tried to have dinner here before. But this place is very popular so there were not available tables. This time I was lucky! I was..."

Anastasia Lobareva

"This place is a hidden gem, once inside, you will be pleasantly surprised. This place is generally busy! They have a reasonable amount of seating -..."

HJ

"If oyu're looking for a fun place for dinner with a couple of mates, Sakebar Nippon is DEFINITELY the place to be and parking is not a problem as..."

Kellie Lee

"This restaurant has a serious pulse!It reminded me what eating out should be about, there's no pretentiousness here, it's all about fun! For..."

Kieran

"Perfect sake bar for me!. The karage chicken, soft shell crab and crispy squid all tasted very good. A good place to stop by if you're just..."

Anna Fern

"My favourite Japanese place in Auckland.No need for any dramatic descriptions.Perfect FoodFresh ingredientsPerfect..."

Joshy

"Absolutely fantastic! The best customer service ever. Their plum wine is outstanding. It's the freshest seafood I've ever had. Absolutely..."

Aly Lu

"Love atmosphere great service and fun for night out. Delicious Japanese beer's like Orion and the best tuna salad. Price is reasonable and a place to..."

Sarah Oxley

"Do visit this fun place with a group of friends & enjoy their hospitality & friendly charm & character. You can tell this place has great vibes from..."

Lvgdfd

"On a busy main road a great slice of what feels like an authentic sake bar any where in Tokyo. Great for catching up with anyone and a worthwhile..."

Marc Lambert

"If you're looking for a quiet place for some Japanese and conversation, then this really isn't the place for you. It's loud (you're greeted as you..."

Miah Dixon

"We have been past this place many times in the pass, as we go to golden jade restaurant next door..sakebar looks like one of the more establish..."

®-®-©hin....

"Absolutely amazing food. A bit on the noisy side which makes it all the more better! Its usually very busy and sometimes a bit tough to get service..."

Sumit

"Went here last night (group of 6) and it was really good. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The food and drinks arrived promptly, our server was..."

CJ

"This is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Auckland. Serve good food- more on the rustic home-cooked dishes rather than degustation that you..."

Christian

"Very nice place to go as a group. Food was really delicious and very well presented. Staff were very friendly! Plates are shared and very affordable..."

Joel L.

"We actually went to the opening of the sushi train store right next door as they did a trial opening on Sat. and Sun. afternoons. The atmosphere is..."

Rocky Mak

"Had a very enjoyable meal here this evening with excellent company. Great food, great service, we will be back!! Would recommend the sushi!!..."

Georgia Forde

"In terms of authentic Japanese that is close to the real thing...this is it!! Amazing restaurant with absolutely delicious food. Such a vibrant..."

Deborah Leilua

"Always have a great experience here! Came here to celebrate graduating and the staff were extremely patient and friendly as we waited to order. I do..."

Sophia O-W

"We love everything about this restaurant, service, food and food! We came for their sushi train, opening special $3.50 for all!!! Fried chicken, welk..."

Wendy Zhou

"I'm in love with this place for authentic Japanese food in Epsom. I first came here when attending a birthday party and have been revisiting ever..."

Vivien @ KJAS Blog

"Came here a few nights ago and i was pleasantly surprised by this quaint Japanese restaurant. The first thing you notice is the sushi train which..."

Jenane Jenny Krishnaraj

"Been coming here for years. Probably my favourite place for Japanese! There are so many different plates to choose from on the menu and all of them..."

I Love Food

"The food at Sakebar Nippon provides authentic Japanese cuisine made by Japanese chefs. It was quite a busy night too! The food was rather delicious..."

Eva Zhu

"Love coming here right from the gong when you enter to the gong when you leave. I have had the fish dumplings and the teriyaki chicken which are by..."

Kezia Lobo

"Came here on a date night with hubby, for a change. Was so cute. Loved the setting was very busy but it was a Friday! Had the typical style..."

Chloe-Mae

"Excellent food served in a fun atmosphere. Good for either a full meal or plates to share. Very handy to the Lido cinema, so we'll be back for..."

Emmy

"This is one of my favourites - the moment you step through the door, you could be in some tiny, extremely busy corner of Japan. The drums..."

Bri DiMattina

"We went to Sake Bar Nippon on 26/3/2015 and were really impressed with the great atmosphere, amazing food and awesome service. We had kara-age..."

Knife&Fork

"Have been here twice and has been delicious each time with friendly service! Lots of choice on the menu and everything is pretty well..."

Sarah Malcolm

"Without doubt one of Aucklands best genuine Japanese Sake Bars . The food is excellent , great fun & service . Prepare yourself for a good evening..."

David L Evans

"Happened to walk past here while looking for a place to have dinner with a friend and my partner. Saw "sushi train" and we decided to go in. Super..."

Queena

"Everything is absolutely beautiful and tasty, great service great venue. You can't go wrong at this place. Big Thanks to maku San for great..."

Ramo Kazankiran

"This place is almost always packed so make sure you book. We arrived just before 6 and happily Sat in the sister sushi bar next for until the..."

Steve

"Im a regular... good food and always quick to say lets go. Had one bad memory though watched the guy on the grill drop a whole squid on the floor..."

Rob

"Fantastic meal for 9 after the movies . Fast & efficient. Staff super friendly ! Well priced including a basic wine and beer list .Booking..."

Jan

"Loved this place. We booked for a party of 20 people and they were very accommodating. No one had been there before and everyone absolutely loved..."

Arrianna Saifoloi Mathieson

"Absolute favourite of mine from when I lived in Epsom a few years back. Was always a fab place to go with a group of friends to drink, eat and chat..."

Katy Turner

"Excellent food, excellent atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff. Good venue for big groups and parties.I can always rely on this restaurant..."

Ronnie Cee

"My husband and I like the food offered. We have tried most of the items on the menu. It is always good and consistent, plus attentive service. I..."

Amanda Choong

"Wow!!!!! My partner and I were really impressed with this place, food came out quickly, service was amazing, the friendliest I have had in a long..."

Michelle Bailey

"This is an amazing restaurant with a menu to suit any taste. We went with our kids and it's a great family occasion. The Teriyaki Chicken is to die..."

Andrew Thompson

"I love this place. The restaurant has a lovely cosy feel, my favourite spot is on the counter where you can watch the magic being made. The sushi..."

Gus

"I have been to quite a few Japanese restaurants in and around Auckland and I can honestly say the food doesn't quite measure up to the taste and..."

Ira Rawiri

"Casual and welcoming ambience (they bang on the drums and call out when you come in and out too), large menu, and it's always entertaining watching..."

NomNomPanda

"Service: 4/5Wait time: 4/5Environment: 4/5Food Quality and taste: 4/5Price range: $50+ pp[Very close to where I live but..."

Tony Ma

"I've been to Japan and this place brought me back there instantly. If you want a Japanese experience go here! Food was exceptional, and being able to..."

Kay Adams

"A great fun place to head to if you are a small group. The food is all good and generally the service is quick unless they are really busy. Its not a..."

David Boshier

"I have been going to this restaurant for a while now and took two friends with me. We all loved it and I think that the service has become speedier..."

Annalisa Fiore

"Have been to Sake Bar Nippon several times and it never disappoints. The first time was 4 years ago and every time since the food has been lovely. ..."

Hannah

"I celebrate my birthday here and i would definitely do it again. The food was very good, very authentic and great..."

Marie Huo

"I came here with my friend who's a regular and it was amazing. My first time having authentic Japanese and I was very impressed!! We ordered a couple..."

Karina Jean Weeks

"This is our regular for great casual Japanese food. Very genuine, very busy, very noisy. Always full of patrons from the Lido theatre next door,..."

Yoda

"Yum Yum Yum food and such a great experience...banging of gongs and sitting on pillows to eat. Felt authentic and tasted great. Our food took a..."

Kelsie Sybe

"We had a joint birthday celebration here on a Sat night and it was awesome! We were a party of 19 and they put us in the room upstairs where we did a..."

Kate Alison-Tomlin

"We went on a cold, rainy, Thursday night, and still it was booked out !!! they kindly fitted us in as long as we could be out by a certain time. ..."

Jan

"I have lived in Japan and this is about as close to authentic Japanese cuisine I have found in Auckland. Ichi-ban! Number..."

Anna

"a wonderful way to enter japan in the middle of auckland. fantastic service and atmosphere, perfect authentic food at a very reasonable price, always..."

Stephanie

"You know sometimes you find a jewel and the world needs to hear about it. Drum beats welcomed my 7 yr old and I in to the restaurant, and we were..."

Mitch B

"Fantastic little Japanese eatery. Great atmosphere, competent service and very reasonable value for money - we ate there Saturday night and had a..."

Angus

"My go to place for nice, authentic Japanese dinner. The ambience is very Japanese, with flags, wooden tables, big rocks texture on the floor surface..."

YellowBlankets

"A long time favourite of our whole family, there's probably not too many dishes on the menu we haven't tried! Can highly recommend - sushi and..."

Maggie G

"The first time I was taken to this restaurant, I was taken by a girl who told me that 'all her previous relationships had ended shortly after going..."

Alistair Ross

"Wonderful restaurant, great slightly cheaper alternative to more expenisve japanese restaurants. Especially delicious miso soup. I would definitely..."

Gabby

"First time here, had a blast enjoyed the food. Food arrived fast but reordering more dishes took a long time. Got packed quite quickly. Would eat..."

Angel Burnett-Ashwin

"I’ve been here a couple of times. The place is so popular I still haven’t sat at the main venue. I shall go back and sit by the grille! The food..."

William W

"One of the rainy dark evening, The moment 🪵you open the heavy, dark old wooden door of the bar, 🏮 you'll find the joy of their beautiful..."

Julie

"Perfect dinner to have before a movie at The Lido. Great food, great atmosphere, and friendly staff. Yummy vegetarian/vegan options too, they bring a..."

Rosie

"The food was fab. Loved the atmosphere so much. There's also karaoke available if you're keen. Steve was a nice gentle guy who was serving us. Quite..."

Niloofar ShSh

"Food was so delicious. Portions were a bit small compared to the price. Sashimi was okay, a little expensive for a small dish with 9 pieces. Staff..."

mjn205

"Loved the drum roll I got when I entered. It instantly lifted up my mood. The wine list has good range of sake, wines and beers. The food was..."

Anujaa Diwaan

"First time trying. Nice ambiance here and the staff there are all friendly. Food here is not bad, more pricey than you would spend for similar food..."

Wilson Shum

"Absolutely 5 stars! I enjoyed the atmosphere heaps! The music selection, the Taiko drum, the staff yelling いらしゃいませ! Making me feel..."

Eric Chou奧克蘭寶哥

"Absolutely the best experience dining in here! Always looked after and always great tasting Japanese food. The sashimi is fresh and has the best cuts..."

Odyssey L

"Wonderful dishes, best place for beers and skewers. One of the Best Japanese place in Auckland. Thank you miyu ,Steven and the team for a great..."

Nonny Impreza

"Had the best meal there with great food, service, atmosphere and drinks. Really made me feel like I was back in Japan!!!!..."

Awesomeness, lots of i t

"Food was beautiful. Bit costly for us two full time students, but you're paying for quality! Amazing atmosphere. Took us a while to get served but in..."

Matt Renata

"Stumbled upon this place on a rainy night with almost no one on the streets. Walked inside and it was PACKED! Amazing vibe, energy, people chatting,..."

S C

"Traditional Sake Bar that really does introduce you to the flavours of Japan. Absolutely loved trying an array of dishes. Great price, amazing ramen..."

Briahna Patterson

"Fun spot for dinner. We sat at the bar and my daughter enjoyed watching the chefs cooking on the hot plate. Quite noisy in that spot but there's..."