Very interesting place for Japanese food. I am astonished by their themed decor and the minimalistic colours of the interior. The Japanese style curry and the karaage was cooked to perfection, crunchy on the outside, not too greasy, and retains its natural moisture and softness in the inside. Brilliant. The dessert selection along the counter and their menu is also very good for their balance of sweetness, fruity-ness, and richness.
However I do question if the culinary flair of Origami is worth the long waiting times. and second to this is the limited portion for its price. Otherwise, this is a very well disguised Japanese restaurant that will certainly amaze you.
8/10
Enjoyed the $17.50 Yakiudon Chicken 🐔 noodle 🍜 dish, had a nice portions of chicken and egg. There were a good soy sauce/teriyaki based flavour, which I enjoyed 🙂. I especially enjoyed the friendly service and ambiance, had a nice mix of jazz music + neat Japanese interior art 🖼.
Definitely recommend this place if your are in Cuba Street and are hungry for Japanese food.
My partner and I really enjoyed our dinner at Origami. Friendly and quick service. We saw the photo of chicken salad and wanted to give it a go, and they didnt let us down. I loved the space at the back where they display sets of tea pots and such. Such a great experience!
Really loved this Japanese!! Cool minimalistic spot with Japanese murals painted on the wall. Sashimi was delicious and tried Asahi Black for the first time here. Really nice spot for some quick Japanese, not the cheapest but still worth the money 😊
Excellent food and quick service. Variety of sake to choose. Will suggest everyone, worth a visit.
Ambience doesn’t suit a Japanese restaurant, looks more like cafe but who cares when awesome food is here.
My first meal in wellington was in Origami. I am a vegetarian and my wife is not. We both got delicious japanese food suitable for to our palettes. It’s authentic japanese food.
Food was delicious and well-presented, and portions are generous. Love the ambience, especially the mural of Japanese landmarks on the wall.
I'll definitely return for dessert, was too full this time but they all look to-die-for.
The service was good and the people were friendly. The portions are big too. I liked the crispy skin on the teriyaki chicken. Tempura prawn were hot and crispy. The kids loved it. Only negative was the crumbed pork. I thought it had a strong smell to it and the crumb was too dark like it was fried a second time. Meat was tough too. The curry was also bland and lacked salt but the husband liked it.
The ambience is really stylish and cozy. The food is tasty as well as exquisite. It locates on famous Cuba street. You won’t miss it! I highly recommend this lovely Japanese restaurant!
Monday 6pm, only two other tables which were finishing up. Nice and quiet. I asked if they had vegetarian options. They have a vegetarian menu.
I ordered the bento box. $23.50
Tempura vegetables, three sushi, two goyza and a salad. You also get miso soup.
Fresh and clean dish. The tempura veg was a little bland but overall this was a tasty dish.
I love this place because of the beautiful interior and their amazing dish and portion likewise are generous! My ramen taste really good especially the broth it so flavorful. My partner pork curry katsu are amazing too. We both enjoy the food and the service here are phenomenal too!
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Services: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nice place -great menu. Had Duck ramen it looked and tasted delicious but some slices of duck were dry & chewy though. Nice sake range also. Edamame needed a bit more flavour. Tempura prawns were nice. Karaage Chicken was nice also.
Ordered some starters to share which was the fried chicken (5 pieces) and avocado with chicken sushi (5 pieces) and they were pretty tasty. We ordered the beef fillets meal, pork meal and I ordered a chicken salad meal. I did not like my chicken salad at all. The chicken was very fatty & the skin was soggy, I left half of it on my plate and I would not order this again. My partner's enjoyed the beef fillets meal, the other guest enjoyed her pork meal. The best dish would have been the beef fillets meal. I told the waitress about the amount of fat on the chicken and she looked at it and agreed but nothing happened. Service was a little slow.
From the welcoming smile of the waitress to the time we left, this restaurant was a terrific place to enjoy our last dinner in New Zealand.
The menu is clear and expansive and the prices are quite reasonable.
We enjoyed our Tonkatsu and Ramen thoroughly, not needing to look at dessert (though the display case looked fantastic).
Really recommend this restaurant. There are a lot in the area but Origami is peaceful amongst the hubbub of the street.
10/10 would eat again
Had some Ramen, sushi, sashimi, nigiri.. all of it was fantastic. Would have tried to eat more if we could have. Would love to return.
Good job
Great food, rich decadent desserts. Superb staff in a great casual ambience. Recommend the katsudon and karage chicken set with tiramisu dessert.
The food here is to die for especially the duck ramen. The atmosphere is amazing and decor is fresh and modern. I would recommend dining here! 5/5 😊
Came back to this restaurant after a few months with my family, and we had a wonderful dining experience. I ordered one of their bentos -- the pork cutlets and chicken teriyaki were crispy on the outside yet cooked just right on the inside. The servings were really satisfying, and the staff were very nice. This time, the till has been relocated near the door where it is more convenient (the last time I was here, it was right at the back/rear of the restaurant which was unusual). Their desserts were divine, although apparently they order these from elsewhere. They are a bit pricey but worth it.
Ordered a delivery online to Seatoun. Arrived piping hot as if we were at the restaurant! The meat was tender and juicy, sushi rice delicious, and sauces all very tasty. Can't wait to try more!
Excellent. Fresh fast and very tasty. $65 for a shared entree And two mains which were both very generous in size and 2 beers. Highly recommend going there
Came to Origami over 2 years ago when it was on Kent terrace, and it was so yum ! Returned today and omg it is still so good ! Fresh and healthy and tastes yummy with great service.
Walking in I love the look of the place - an odd mix of modern industrial and traditional features which just says Japan. Menu is very full but uncluttered. Tempura light and crispy, sashimi beautifully cut and well presented, can't ask for much more!
We were pleasantly surprised by this lovely Japanese restaurant. Items were reasonably priced but the ingredients were in good quality - well cooked and nicely presented. The drink menu was reasonably but wine lists are on the limited side.
Walk-ins, no booking, no idea really if this place would be any good. That said, it looked clean, stylish and already had 5-6 tables filled on a Saturday night.
We order gyoza (ok, but didn't love the wasabi embedded in them), edamame (yum), avocado sushi rolls (kids loved them), sashimi tuna sushi rolls (absolutely delicious, seemingly with a sprig of coriander?). Presentation was spectacular.
Then teriyaki salmon (glorious), beef with ginger (beef so perfectly tender, moist, delicious) and chicken yakisoba (kids loved it).
I had a Green milk iced tea (which I just love), and my wife had a sparkling sake (delightful). Kids liked my green tea so much they shared one of their own!
Service is slick, very friendly, fast and polite.
Really liked it.
Have been here twice for lunch and finally tonight, dinner. Service is warm and friendly, food is delicious and I'm looking forward to working through their dinner menu. There's a little loyalty scheme running too, get one of the cards when you pay.
The food was delicious! I ordered Bento set C, but I didn't eat pork or chicken, so they switched to dumplings. Was alright but I wish they had fish cutlet on the bento set as well. Overall, it's a good, cute & cozy place to hang out with friends.
My favourite Japanese restaurant in Wellington. Big serving size, reasonable price, and very delicious. My friend and I got chicken katsudon and chicken teriyaki set and we really enjoyed our meal! Highly recommended.
This is the only restaurant in Wellington that looks like a Sydney one (on this range). In general, here all the restaurants of that range of price looks a bit well worn (just have a look of the restaurants around) but Origami is a nice place, good food and friendly service. Maybe it looks a bit cold, but definitely is a good experience.
Top shelf Japanese food, nice variety on the menu. Restaurant is nice to dine in and service was pretty good. Love how much Cook Zero came with a very round piece of ice. I had the Katsu Chicken curry myself with Sashimi and that was pretty fresh too.
Really nice place with nice foods ! Totally gonna comeback again and this gonna be one of my fav place to go to eat w friends ! Have been taking them here to eat every times now
Clean restaurant, located in Cuba Street which is close to other restaurants and quite central. Food and drinks are really good. I tried to yaki soba which was average but my friend had the spicy chicken which was delicious and if I ever visit there again, ill be sure to order that. The honey peach tea is also very lovely and if you are reeling from a cold this would be a good drink to have apart from the miso.
Went here for a friend's birthday, there were about 10 of us, fast service, would recommend getting a bento box as they have a great selection of items
MelJohn Detabali DelBarrio
+3.5
The ambiance is really modern but relaxed. I ordered Chicken Teriyaki Ramen, Vegetable Tempura and Bento Box. The teriyaki chicken is very tender and has a crispy skin. The only downside it seems that the teriyaki sauce was just basted prior to serving. Vegetable Tempura is nice but a bit on the oily side. Ramen noodles was disappointing as they have used instant ones. Bento Box is really nice but there is too much salad. Nice food but if you are after authenticity dont go here
yum! the tuna salsa is amazzing, I could eat it every day! definitely a new favourite, I will be stopping by for takeaway after work more often
An absolute Japanese delight!! Service was superb - very fast and friendly. Had the Chirashidon and the Bento Box Set A. The sashimi was nice and fresh, the bowl was very vibrant and colourful which made it very appetising. The combination of food in the bento box was real good too, you get a fair bit of different types of food to eat. The best thing was that we had a 2 for 1 voucher which made it such a cheap eat!!
I'm picky. All I can say negatively about origami? WHY DID NO-ONE TELL ME SOONER!! One of the best places I've ever been in my life. Service was lovely and so polite, the menus had separate gluten free and vegetarian menus and everything came so fast! Now the food - went with a couple friends and everyone was blown away. Presentation, taste, size and price was all fantastic. We had vegetarian avocado roll and vegetable tempura - so good!! The takoyaki and squid were fabulous too! Such a winner. Returning frequently for sure!
Decided to have a spontaneous dinner out tonight, and stumbled across Origami. Great decor and we were greeted with a smile from each of the two waiters that saw us as we walked in. We were able to walk in and get a table instantly, despite the fact that it was a Friday night. We ordered Gyoza (Dumplings) and Potato Croquettes and they were definitely the highlight of our visit - very tasty! For mains we got the Sauce Katsudon and the Spicy Chicken Ramen. Both meals were delicious and came out within 5 minutes of ordering! Overall, great service and very reasonably priced, tasty food. A very enjoyable outing!
I go here quite often, have tried quite a few of the dishes on the menu. The prawn & roe sushi dish is the best sushi I have ever had and keeps me coming back :D
Have been meaning to go here for a while. I ordered the chicken katsu dish to takeaway, it came with rice, miso and little side salad for $14 which I thought was reasonable.
The food was nice but not mind blowingly amazing so if I returned I would probably order something else, such as the sushi which has been recommended. Overall an enjoyable meal and great service, the staff were super friendly and my meal was ready in less than 10 minutes. I would like to come again to dine in when I get the chance
The food here is delicious, with decent-sized portions and the atmosphere is great for chilling with friends. Not authentic Japanese food but still good. I had the bento sets and donburi. Their rice wasn't as sticky as I wanted them to be but that's just my taste. I wish they had more Japanese desserts and sweet snacks on the menu.
I really love the decor in this restaurant. In addition, I really enjoyed the beef in ginger sauce. The beef was quite nicely cooked. The prices are quite cheap as well and the portion for some dishes are quite big. Overall, a decent Japanese place.
The food was delicious...but I must say, the portion size is kinda crazy, couldn't even finish half the bowl of noodles - in other words, this place gives you plenty for what you pay even if the quality isn't that satisfying. The stock for some soups taste soy sauce and water to be honest, but loved the fried chicken bits - they were good! :P
The sweeter dishes here can sometimes be hit and miss (ie- many of the teriyaki dishes) as often they come out slightly too sickly sweet, but the ramen here is just gorgeous- probably the best I've been able to find in Wellington. The don here is good too- generously sized, fresh, hot, and the rice is nicely seasoned. My partner go out every Wednesday for dinner.So Far we've been here three of the last five weeks, pretty much exclusively for the ramen. It's easily becoming our go-to restaurant .
Very happy to find this place! It is related to the delicious Wabi Sabi in Palmerston North. The food is really reasonably priced, quick to be served and super tasty. The restaurant is funky with interesting chairs and astroturf covered rabits. Definitely coming back here again soon.
I read the reviews for this eatery. Having spent a lot of time in Japan in the last 15 years, I can say that the food is as good as you'd get in, say, downtown Tokyo. Priced well. Excellent quality. Will be back.
Had the Tom Yum soup with Ramen (spicy) - was perfect, I will definitely be coming back. The Restaurant itself is cute as hell with a rad atmosphere, the staff were lovely couldn't ask for better service.
Delicious and amazing presentation. This quality of Japanese food is extremely cheap. I've lived in Japan for more than 6 years, and the food here is as authentic as it comes, even though the staff aren't entirely Japanese. It would cost 2-3 times as much to eat like this in Japan and at some places in Wellington. Hope you guys reopen your store as soon as possible.
Nice place, great food and good value.
Large variety of healthy dishes, and doesn't take too long.
Pleasantly surprised by the quality of the place, looked like some random wanna-be chain store.
If it says anything my Japanese parents love this place.
Been here a few times. Good food and value for money. Service is good once seated, but the way the counter is set up makes it hard for waitrons to see the arrival of customers.
This place is great value for money! Large portions for half the price you are expected to pay at other restaurants. I had the Okonomiyaki as the starter and it was certainly the highlight of the night. The japanese style pancake looked like it was alive.
The Decor is very modern and they have cute chairs!
Food was great, presentation excellent, service fast, I can't wait to go back and try other meals!
Their iced green tea is a must try!
After going to Wabi Sabi in Palmerston North, I was grateful to find out this was their sister shop in Wellington.
The food was delicious, and great value for money. Had the Salmon Tartare and Tuna Salsa for entree, yummy! Found it strange that the Salmon Tartare came with corn chips though.
Mains were Tom Yum Ramen and Pork Katsu Currry, both had amazing flavours, like they were actually made in Japan.
Recommend this place to anyone who loves japanese food.
Quality food and value for money. Went last Thursday. Food was delicious, my friend and I ordered a few starters, they were really good, I had the Udon and she got the Donburi - generous sized portions. Definitely recommend, I've been craving to go back there. Will be going again tomorrow night. One of the only places I've ever recommended to people.
The food is delicious! I have tried a variety of items off the menu, and they were all amazing. The service is excellent, the food is always made quickly and tastes fresh. They have a range of different options to suit all kinds of paletes, I would definately recommend it!
Really delicious! Great quality seafood, cool decor, reasonable prices. The menu is really varied, and the service was fast - meal was out in about 5 minutes.
Why is this place not constantly packed? I'll be bringing my friends next time.
A great place for tasty and reasonable Japanese in Wellington. They have incredibly diverse menu. I went with some Japanese friends. We all had different Bento (set menu). They were all very tasty. It's hard to get the amount of Japanese food with rice and miso soup for $16-18 per person in town. Their Tonkatsu (pork cutlet)is always nice and crispy! Yes, we will be back soon!
I honestly cannot even begin to understand why this restaurant got such a bad review in the paper. When we entered, the staff were very kind and helpful, and got us seated quickly. The range of foods on the menu all looked so diverse and delicious that it was very hard to pick out a few favorites to eat. The staff brought us all the correct dishes and utensils in a short space of time, which was good because we were all hungry. The quality of the food was superb, and I felt as if I had been transported to Japan when I walked through the doors. The state of the restaurant was all very clean, new and stylish, which made for a great ambiance that perfectly matched the type of food served. Would definitely go there again.
Tuna tataki is very good. One of a few japanese resturants in Wellington that does a selection of Ramen noodles (if not, the only one)
Definitely recommend this restaurant. If this was in Lambton Quay end, I definitely would go everyday!
Visited early yesterday evening with partner, 3.5 year old and baby and loved it! 3.5yo was fascinated with the decor and staff were very relaxed about his exploration of the restaurant; ordered him a bento box and after only one piece of sushi he declared it the "best meal he'd ever had" and asked if we could return the next day! Partner had udon and I had the ginger beef, both generous portions and beautifully cooked. Really fast service and bloomin' cheap prices for the quality of the food. Will definitely be returning and will be a regular on the takeaway list too.
I have been to Origami twice in the last 2 weeks, and both times it's been delicious. It is my new favourite Japanese restaurant, and is a great location for me as well.
I have had the Avocado sushi each time, and each time they were made to perfection. Big pieces of perfectly-sliced avocado in the middle and top of the sushi, was definitely good value there at $10 for 6 large pieces. As my main each time I have had the Teriyaki Salmon and it has been wonderful both times; my fellow diners commented on how it was such a large piece of salmon for the price (only $15) and with the rice and veggies, it made a huge meal.
The entree of Salmon wraps are also great, they come with a nicely spicy sauce.
The other dishes all looked and apparently tasted delicious as well.
Definitely going back there!
Fantastic! We went on the day it opened and from what I can tell so far, it is lovely. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was really calming. It wasn't busy either, but understandably we were there at 11:30am. I had the dumplings starter, and chicken and avocado sushi as my main. My partner had beef udon noodles. All three dishes were yummy and fresh. It took about 15 minutes from our order to delivery. I couldn't find a drink menu at all but was satisfied with the water they brought to our table anyway so didn't ask. I would prefer they took our order rather than having to order at the counter. Will definitely go back!
William Ericsson Eulatth Vidal
+5
Nestled on the vibrant Cuba Street, this restaurant promises a delectable experience for any Japanese food enthusiast. My recent visit to this charming establishment left me with a gratifying impression of the culinary delights they have to offer.
Upon entering, the ambiance was warm and inviting, with traditional Japanese decor that transports you to the Land of the Rising Sun. The place is perfect for a relaxing meal with friends or family.
As I perused the menu, I noticed that the quality of the dishes matched the restaurant's pleasant ambiance. The prices were on the higher side, but the taste and presentation justified the expense. It's safe to say that the dishes were indeed worthy of the price tag.
The highlights of my dining experience were undoubtedly the makis, tempura, and chicken katsu. The makis were expertly rolled, and each bite was a symphony of flavors. The tempura boasted a light and crispy batter, accentuating the freshness of the ingredients. And the chicken katsu was a delightful combination of tender meat and a perfectly crunchy coating.
Though I didn't try the Japanese sweets and desserts, they were tempting to the eye.
One minor disappointment was the limited quantity of soy sauce, wasabi, and pink pickled radish provided with the dishes. As a fan of them, I found myself wanting more to enhance the flavors to my liking.
The staff, mostly young individuals, were friendly.
The quality and taste of the dishes made my visit worthwhile. If you're a fan of sushi, tempura, and chicken katsu, this place is a must-visit. And be sure to explore their Japanese sweets and desserts if you have a sweet tooth. I would happily return for another dining adventure and recommend it to others.
Came here for lunch.
Had the chicken Katsu curry and drinks and chips with paprika and Parmesan.
The curry was great and had peach tea.
Was a little expensive, but big servings
Great high tea experience! Both the savouries and the desserts were super good. I would go back for the matcha tiramisu alone, and the lemon rocher/quenelle was soooo yum. The blooming tea was very cute and overall had a good experience. We had to change our booking time to quite late and had to cancel for one person but the staff were super accommodating and understanding, so we really appreciated that! They also have a normal a la carte menu, and a dessert cabinet for individual desserts.
Have been a customer of this restaurant for about 6 years and I have never been disappointed with the quality of the food. The service could be a bit more friendly but apart from that it's still good 😊
Had high tea for a friends birthday, these photos are from a while ago. The high tea food was great. No complaints there. The blooming tea is pretty and a nice concept, however it serving piping hot tea in a wine glass makes it hard to hold while drinking:( but I suppose there's no other way to display the blooming flower other than in a wine glass.
Absolutely incredible food, is now our new favourite in Wellington. Highly recommend the cocktails, teriyaki chicken and at least 1 dessert plus 1 takeaway dessert as they will leave u thinking about them all night!
Cannot express how wonderful our High Tea experience was today. The service was excellent, the restaurant is gorgeous and the food - no words can cover the deliciousness of the 4 savoury and 5 dessert offerings. Utterly delectable. Worth every cent!!!
We rocked up late afternoon for just dessert from the front counter display, and it was great! Some delicious options and very tasty & fresh.
One suggestion, have some ice-cream to buy separately, as the desserts would of been so much better paired with some cold icecream. We would of paid $10 a scoop if it was available!
Good service, chilled vibe, and it wasn't busy around 4pm when we arrived, but i believe you do need to book if you want to have dinner as its a popular place.
Thanks for the calories! Yum!
It was my first time dining with Origami and it sure did not disappoint! I had such a delicious meal and the desserts were incredible! Staff were lovely and very attentive. I can't wait to come back and visit on my next trip to Wellington again. Thanks for a lovely evening and a delicious meal team!
The desserts are tempting cos it's is nicely done...refer photo
Magic matcha and pistachio tiramisu is absolutely amazing. Good food, super exciting desserts and friendly staff, which of course are the most important things. But not enough staff. We and so many others had to wait a lot for receiving service.
Great friendly helpful staff. Enjoyed the gyoza. The miso aubergine was delicious. We all enjoyed the fries. Generous servings. I was disappointed however with the miso ramen. It was meant to be pork belly , but there was only 2 slices of pork ( not pork belly) it was a bit bland. Hubby said the curry was okay. Desserts were lovely and well presented . Loved the flower tea
Delicious foods that we had. The staff and their service was very friendly and timely. Don’t wanna missed their desserts. All foods are well presented,we will definitely be back!
Such a nice and cozy place! Very nice sushi although is a little more savoury then what suits our taste, my family didn't quite like the ramen as well, but the dessert, the cakes were sooooo nice! I love them all! 5 star for the cakes! I will go back for high tea next time. The drinks are also very lovely, I like how the flower floats.
Fresh, tasty, beautifully served food. Well priced and plentiful. Great friendly and fast service. The beverage list looked nice and the wee Japanese shop at back had cute gear too.
Had dinner here a few years ago but didn't make me want to come back, it was a while ago so I won't review that. Came here for dessert a couple of times in the past half a year, the hazelnut cake was a bit rancid, albeit beautifully presented, tiramisu wasn't too bad. On the expensive side, the place gets very stuffy on a hot day and there's no air flow, hence the low atmosphere score.
Outstanding service and friendly staff.
Definitely great japanese food! The photos speak for themselves.
Where do I begin! The food is amazing and the smoked eel sushi was easily the best I’ve ever had. However you can’t talk about this place without mentioning the desserts! Literally works of art that taste as good as they look… and that’s saying something. One of the best meals I’ve had in NZ.
Perfect food/dessert portions!! Everything was delicious & will definitely be coming back ☺️
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes