My friends and I love this place! Friendly and fast service even when it’s busy. Their sushi is great and always fresh. As a sushi lover this is always my go-to restaurant
Came on a Friday and it was super busy with big groups. Staff were very friendly. Food was reasonably priced. The vegetable gyoza were nice but not traditional in the way they were cooked and the filling. The agedashi tofu was yummy! The tofu set was very generous but there was barely any teriyaki sauce and the tofu wasn’t cooked like I’ve seen in other Japanese places with a crispy outer layer and a soft middle. It was cooked similar to a Thai restaurant? The miso was good!
Would go back, the fact that it’s BYO is a definite plus.
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Excellent! Gourmet Japanese at its best!
The food at Ozeki is superb. Always fresh and prepared
with caring attention to detail. Each dish is lovingly created and absolutely delicious.
The presentation in bento boxes and Japanese artistic crockery
looks great too! Check out the pictures on the Ozeki Facebook page and the Ozeki website. I had the bento box with teriaki vegetables, agadashi tofu
and assorted tempura along with rice, miso soup and a green
garden salad dressed with a tasty vinagarette. The menu is huge and includes the whole range of sashimi, sushi and delectable appetizers like dumplings, edamame, skewers and fritters.
If you're unsure what to order, the friendly staff are always willing to make suggestions for a wonderful selection.
Ozeki is vegetarian and vegan friendly. They will make sure to cater for your personal dietary needs. It is family owned and the cozy warm atmosphere reflects this. The chairs are comfortable and the tables are made from feel at home wood.
This place is without doubt, the absolute go to Japanese restaurant in Wellington.
The staff really care and treat every guest with respect and personal attention.
The thing I like about this place is that they are pretty close to hitting the mark with Japanese food (tempura was pretty close to anything I got in Japan) and the Kastudon was not bad either but the thing I like about this place is that they were super fast in bringing the food and you always get a lot of it. I will return no problem.
My fave restaurant in Wellington. The atmosphere is great. Family owned and very friendly service - The food is great too :) Highly recommend.
It has become sort of a ritual for our family, to visit this place whenever we go shopping around Wellington CBD. We love the dining atmosphere of Ozeki, especially the large Japanese Yamato-e style wall painting. We had Deep fried squid, Gyoza for appetisers. Teriyaki chicken, Pork Kastu and Angus Beef for main. Top quality food and the prices are very affordable. This place is unique, charming and makes you happy for being there. I cannot wait to go back.
Great for cheap and cheerful Tepenyaki. Definately recommend this place for large group outings with BYO option. The weekend can get very busy with a young crowd out for a cheap BYO evening. Farewells and parties are a seller for me. A party atmosphere on their busier nights.
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Today was a bit of a celebration- like everyday. A huge group of people who I'd been living with decided to do a floor event. As such someone chose to come to Ozeki. Which was great, but knowing me I had a look at the places rating beforehand and I was shocked to see it so low. So I came in open minded.
The facilities were pretty well maintained as you walked in. The staff were very accommodating considering there was nearly 50 people this time over. They had us seated in our own private room with us decking out three really large tables. As this was a BYO each had to pay a five dollar drinking fee on top to keep the bar afloat. A large dinner menu was set versus other Japanese cuisines: Noodles, Katsu/Don, Sushi, Seafood and smaller appetizer plates.
Overall the food they brought out was actually pretty good, my chicken was well cooked and we'll dressed while the rice was nice and chunky and there was also salad to make the pallette slightly healthier.
Overall the food came out really fast considering there was soo many people and their service was smooth and accommodating so I couldn't say I was dissatisfied. Pretty good overall.
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Absolutely excellent. Delicious selections, friendly and accommodating staff
and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. This was my first time at Ozeki and I chose the teriyaki vegetables with tofu set menu, but here's the thing that makes Ozeki
stand out: I noticed that there is also a tempura set menu available, so I asked
the waitress if I could have a smaller portion of tempura along with a smaller portion of teriyaki vegetables with tofu as a combination and she said that was perfectly fine - no extra charge.
The customised set menu came out after about ten minutes, served in a bento style box. The tempura was crispy hot and absolutely delicious, with a side of dipping sauce.
The portion was quite substantial and extra care was taken as small strips of paper lined the dish to blot any excess oil. The teriyaki vegetables and tofu were steaming hot, slightly crunchy but delightfully soft enough at the same time; the veggies included: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, well trimmed bok choy leaves, green and red capsicum -along with fried tofu in a light
veggie based broth. A green salad with a ginger vinagarette dressing, a bowl of steamed white rice and a bowl of miso soup rounded out the set. I was delighted with the dinner and went back the next day to enjoy the same meal again. The manager greeted me with a smile and the set menu came out within ten minutes. Again, same excellent quality. Ozeki has a very kind and gentle atmosphere with an ambiance like eating at a friend's house.
The staff go out of there way to make sure guests are comfortable and treated with the highest respect. I've tried a number of Japanese restaurants in Wellington and Ozeki is by far not only one of the best Japanese restaurants in Wellington, it is simply one of the best restaurants that Wellington has to offer.
very fresh food... loved the sashimi set menu. service was attentive and food came out promptly with a reasonable byo charge. will be back again
Went with my friend on Monday ~ the environment is so nice ! and the food is fantastic ! love the Edamame beans , BBQ salmon sushi , Karrage and teriyaki chicken the most ! nice for going a date ~ :)
We came in for an early dinner. We ordered appetisers and shared it with the group (like squid takoyaki, edamame beans, gyoza etc). It was a superb introduction for our mains. The sashimi (selection of tuna, terakihi, snapper & salmon) were very fresh and sourced from a local supplier the same day. I am glad I ordered the sashimi along with tempura, gyoza, sushi and hot miso soup. The service was prompt and the staff were very courteous. We finished the night with rice tea. Everyone agreed that we will go back to bring along our other friends.
Went here for a friend's birthday and was certainly not disappointed. We went on quite a busy night, so the food didn't all come out at once. We opted in for BYO which was only $3 per bottle, a great deal. Admittedly the first time I went here I didn't find it to be anything special, but I feel that was more because I was ordering the wrong things for myself. I am certainly looking forward to going back!
Some of the mains eg teriyaki don are quite small in size and underwhelming for the price they are. All the starters are great. Pretty good Japanese food overall! Good place to come for byo as there are very large tables, so can fit big groups.
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First off, sorry for the not-so-great photos, completely forgot to take any until 3/4 way into our food. My boyfriend and I decided to go here for date night last weekend. Got in at about 6 and the restaurant was about half full. We were promptly seated at a nice quiet corner and told about the specials from a nice server. I ordered the winter salmon hotpot with rice, boyfriend ordered the wasabi beef hot plate. We also both got a side of okonomiyaki. The okonomiyaki was absolutely delicious- crispy on the outside, hot, and came with plenty of sauces and fish flakes. My main was a bit of a fun little experience- the server brought it over in kind of like a tea candle holder looking thing and lit a fire under it. I watched it boil away and cook the salmon for about ten minutes until it was done. The broth itself was really tasty- think mildly spicy miso. It came with some udon and veges which were really good. I suspect it would have not been particularly filling if it weren't for the side of rice I got but it was still tasty. Boyfriend said the same for his meal, so was happy he got the set with udon. His beef was cooked go absolute perfection though, and the wasabi sauce was especially tasty, but not too hot so it will appeal to most palettes. I really enjoyed my food here and it was a bit of a fun experience :~)
Food prepared was lovely and service did a fantastic job in the face of a fully-packed restaurant. However if you're after a quiet dinner on a Friday night, book for before 8pm!! This was evidently a popular BYO spot for some friday night students and it got a bit too rowdy for easy conversation after about 8.30.
Great atmosphere and service here. Fresh beautiful food that's tasty and nicely presented. Reasonably priced for filling dishes. Loved the sashimi especially . Will be making this a regular haunt 😃
Had a lovely night at Ozeki. Prompt service, great food and a friendly place. Good for groups with plenty of big tables and most mains about $20-$25. And very filling!
I went mid week on a Thursday. I liked the relaxed dining style. There was a good variety of sushi, sashimi, don-buri and noodle dishes. The staff were friendly and prompt (We added an extra order of shrimp that they quickly produced and tasted great). I also had the Gyoza (japanese dumplings) and soybeans which were also very tasty. As mains I ordered the sashimi set meal, which was very fresh and a good quantity. It felt very authentic. Overall I had a great experience, definitely recommend this place, certainly more than just a BYO hangout.
The service is good the ambience is good the food is good. Had the dragon roll, ebi tempura it's a really nice Japanese restaurant but not the best one
This is the kind of restaurant you only go to when you have a large group and you want it to be BYO, not if you want authentic Japanese food. The dishes are tasty enough, but nothing extraordinary- just your typical Japanese style fare of teriyaki, teppanyaki, and more... teriyaki.
The real draw card is that they can easily accommodate large (at times rowdy) groups, and generally have something that will please everyone. Even those who don't like sushi will be satisfied with some dumplings, noodles, or a katsu dish.
I have been to Ozeki several times, for several different reasons. Every time I have been there the food has been totally legit, granted I do not have much experience with Japanese cuisine except the odd sushi roll. But regardless I have always really liked it, the staff have been accommodating whether I was there for a BYO or with my girlfriend for a quiet meal, and the food was mean (especially the teriyaki chicken don).
Just be wary about going there when BYO's are likely to be taking place, can get pretty noisy.
Went here for a group dinner. Had a wonderful dinner- their squid teppanyaki was wonderful- crispy and chewy in a wonderful teriyaki sauce.
The ambience was great and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The only complaint is that they could arrange their seating better. Despite having made a booking, we had to be reseated twice!
Would definitely return though for food however.
the first time we went there was Wednesday evening for a work do and it was awesome, the food was amazing and filling. second time we went, the service was very slow (it was a Saturday) the place was packed and good took ages. being a byo though was good, something to drink while we waited. would recommend you go during the week and be sure to book ahead and arrive close to 5ish.
Great little place, very friendly staff.
went there for lunch with couple of mates and the place was clean, good fast services.
Great lunch . thanks guys will definitely go again.
As a group we had a great night here, the service is not spectacular but its not awful, they are efficient. Considering how busy it was our meals came out very quickly after ordering. They don't do desert and try to turn the tables over quickly though so not a place you can really linger, but the food and drinks were very reasonable price and I would definitely go back.
The food is very tasty, the people are friendly and the service is good. Excellent place to do.
As far as cheap Japanese BYOs in Wellington go I think this is the best. Nice and spacious, cute set meals and lovely miso. The staff are friendly but it did feel like they rushed me to order, but just a little bit. I recommend the vegetarian gyoza - yum! Saltiest edamame I have ever had though and I'm a person who salts my salad!
We dined here Friday night. After having read the reviews about the bad service, we got asked were we ready to order about 8 times by about 3-4 different people! We felt a little pressured to hurry which we don't like and the restaurant wasn't too busy at 7pm. However about 15 minutes later it was so incredibly busy we were shocked as to how many people actually could dine at this place. The food was delicious and priced very well. Would definitely come back but perhaps for lunch or another night when it's less busy.
We went to Ozeki on Saturday night for a byo, we had group of 12. After reading some reviews I was a bit sceptical about the service, but we were pleasantly surprised. We arrived at 8pm and got to choose a table. The waiters quickly brought us all wine glasses. They gave us sufficient time to order. The food was delicious and it came out quickly but not to quickly. Our table was impressed with the quality and quantity of food as well as the prices. The fried chicken was delicious and the sushi pieces were fresh, I even enjoyed the miso soup. The restaurant is a lot bigger than I thought and it was fully packed but the tables are spacious and we didn’t feel like sardines like you do in some byo restaurants i.e. Hede! The staff didn’t pressure us to leave after we finished our meals and we were able to finish our wine comfortably. I will definitely return to Ozeki.
Amazing food!!!
Service was a little shabby but what do you expect in a BYO restaurant...
Would def suggest to other people :-)
Awesome Service, Well priced Food.
and most important of all the food was delicious.
Albeit a little out of the way... its well worth it. Top of Tory.
The place is brand new... and awesome!
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Tried Ozeki for a work lunch after randomly discovering it while on the way to work recently. Located on Tory street, just past the Noel Leeming/Warehouse complex, it is a bit out of the way compared to most other inner city restaurants, but is well worth the walk!
We were promptly seated and given menus when we arrived. Shortly after a pot of green tea was delivered, free of charge, which is a really nice touch.
The menu is large, and extremely well priced. Side dishes starting at around $4, with the most expensive set meal at $18 (I think?). Ended up getting one plate of each of the Gyoza dishes to share, each of which was quite different. Recommend the Prawn Gyoza, as well as the steamed. Although the 'Tori Gyoza' looked pan fried on the menu they came deep fried. Still tasty but would prefer the pot sticker type.
The sets ordered where stunning. I had the teriyaki fish set, which came with miso, a generous serving of rice with toasted sesame seeds, salad, as well as a plate of sushi (2 tuna rolls, a snapper and a salmon, and a seaweed along with wasabi & ginger). All for $14!! Everything tasted fresh and what was cooked was done just right.
Overall it was delicious and we'll definitely be back. Don't think there is any price difference between lunch & dinner (lunch servings are WELL enough for dinner) which is a bonus. Highly recommended; a great alternative to some of the rather average and over priced Japanese restaurants around Wellington.
In addition to evening options this cafe/restaurant in Tory St is a lovely place for a weekday lunch. It's a calm atmosphere with a great selection of Japanese options - whether you're after a light lunch or something more substantial. Staff are always friendly and accommodating, service is fast, and the tables and general layout make it a good place just to catch up and chat. Over that lunchtime period (about 11:30 am to 2 pm) it's usually open from Tuesday to Friday. I've been there several times and never been disappointed. Highly recommended as a nice place to refuel and unwind before facing the afternoon.
I absolutely adore this place! Came here for a birthday dinner. They cater to large groups (there were about 16 of us) they’ve got a huge menu so there’s something for everybody! Staff were absolutely lovely. We went on a Sunday when it was quieter. Service was a little slow but super understandable with only 1 FOH staff on. Food was delicious and super reasonable!! Definetly secured itself as my favourite BYO spot in welly!!
If you want to have the best Japanese food in all of Wellington this is the place to go, excellent service, excellent atmosphere, excellent place to go.
The BEST Japanese in Wellington. I visited from Australia a few weeks ago & I'm still thinking about the incredible food... I will definitely be back one day! The ladies who served us were super lovely & had great service :)
Good place to visit. Wanted to try for a while. The place is very big and can suit large parties. Tried few things: edamami, aged dashi tofu, and two sets : bbq beef and katsu set.
Edamami and aged tofu were delightful ! Very well seasoned edamame was great for start. Tofu was delicious. Very crispy outside and silky inside. I was very pleased.
The set were a nice combo: miso soup, rice, and salad, and whatever meal you have chosen. Bbq beef was nice. Thinly sliced, well seasoned, and hot. I thought katsu could be better. It seemed it was little bit overfried.
The servise was friendly.
They do have specials there on Tuesday, 2 for 1 bento, which we didnt get. But seems like people were coming for that and they had 2 large parties.
I thought its a good place but somehow it seemed that they little bit struggle to get customers. The food is good ! Don’t know why I felt this way. Ah ! If you visit, take a jacket with you. Its a little bit cold inside.
Amazing food, great layout and super lovely service. HIGHLY recommend!!!
Can't believe I've never been there before!
Consistently excellent Japanese cuisine and loveliest people! Highly recommended for small or large groups.
What a pleasant surprise to discover this gem in the city. Hugely popular for groups. BYO. Enjoy the fresh snack food and the authentic sake 酒
Lovely place. Delicious food and welcoming, charming, genuine service.
I've been here quite a lot of times as really love the environment and good quality food is always awesome.
Also, sometimes if I have social party it's a good place to go as they have really long tables and byo so everyone is happy.
Food options are various, my vegetarian friends are satisfied.
Overall very happy experience with them😊
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