Japanese restaurants in New Zealand

“stopped in for dinner on our way home from watching the ALL BLACKS and i must say the owners are absolutely beautiful people, food was absolutely amazing and the atmosphere was so peaceful and friendly i would highly recommend the food was delicious and will definitely be back. this place is a must especially if you get into photography aswell the owners both have some awsome photography work on display on the walls and in a few published books our whanau throughly enjoyed it ❤️”

“You need to try this place if you haven't already! My partner and I highly recommend it to everyone we know. The food is excellent, the service is amazing, the price is great for what you get, and the portions are big! My partner and I usually get the teriyaki salmon and chicken katsu donburi. The ingredients are very fresh and balanced with the fresh salad. The sauces are very flavourful. We've tried other items on their menu and their sushi and they are all excellent. We'd say their sushi is some of the best we've ever had! The service is also amazing - the staff are very friendly and always have a smile on their face. It feels as though every order is very important to them. They also always remember preferences we have (e.g. not liking onions). This place is so good that even when we moved out of the blockhouse bay area to about half an hour away we still try to go regularly. We would give them more than 5 stars if we could!”

“I went with my partner, and we ordered Chicken Karaage and Chicken Nanban Don. The chicken was juicy and crispy. The portion size is generous for the price. It’s brilliant to find a place like this, as it’s quite rare in the CBD. If you’re looking for a spot with great food, this is definitely a place to visit. I’d recommend it and will certainly return. Oh, and they also include miso soup!”

“My regular go-to sushi place, always so fresh and not badly priced.”

“We had an absolutely delicious dinner. Katsu chicken is so crispy. Love the small dishes with Tempura and the presentation. The lady staff has warmest smile! Sad to see the restaurant is not busy. Maybe they can try to put some photos outside the restaurant or on the menu so the customers know what they offer.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this much before! It was so delicious, highly recommend. I also wanted to make a point of the customer service that was greatly appreciated, we had a small miscommunication in the beginning as it was our first time here, but our waitress was gracious and helpful.”

“The food was DELISH! Loved the different little tasters we got in our bento box’s, all so succulent and divine. We always stay at hotel 115 and I’ve never been here before, It’s good to know it’s nice and close and I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in Christchurch for work. Such a cute little place and the staff are lovely. The only thing id recommend, is they need The lights to be a little softer while dining, would make it a different vibe again if they were dimmed. But that’s isn’t a deal breaker of course haha!”

“We adore this place - they serve incredibly fresh fish (their nigiri platter is delicious!), freshest fish in Hamilton. Their food is always perfectly cooked and beautifully prepared. Beer is ice cold, sake is delicious and hot (if you like it that way) and their service is warm and personable. We can’t say enough about this place and the rad people that run it ❤️”

Deliciosa Restaurant keeps things kebab and pita and focused on flavour. Meat‑free options are woven into the menu. Cakes and scoops finish things neatly. Portions are generous yet well judged. Meats...

At Piku Izakaya Japanese Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, the menu stays simple, bistro-style, served with an easygoing pace. Meat‑free options are woven into the menu. A sensible spend for the quality. Plates offer plenty without tipping heavy.

Hashi Japanese Cuisine keeps things simple, bistro-style and focused on flavour. Good value shows in the serve sizes. Service stays present without fuss. Packaging keeps things crisp on arrival. Value...

“Beautiful meal with fresh ingredients well price with lovely service atmosphere. Thank you”

“I'm so glad we tried Hayami. The food was excellent along with the service. The food must have arrived at the table in less than 10mins after ordering. Reasonably priced good quality wine too.. The decor inside gave a real Japanese feel, which just added to everything. It was one of the best Japanese I've had in Auckland.”

“Had the tanto sushi lunch that happens once a month for around $60+ pp. The experience was very authentic and was one of the best authentic sushi that i've had in NZ. Most of nz sushi is Americanised and sweet and although taste good I still prefer the just fish with rice. All the dish here had a lot of natural taste to it but taste very delicious. The sushi ingredients was fresh and I especially love the sweet potato tempura. The tempura reminds me of a place in Japan where they focused on the item being fried to bring out its naturalness and the batter was just a light batter that doesn't overwhelm whats inside. The sweet potato tempura was the best and had really nice texture. Overall very enjoyed the meal and experience and highly recommend for people to treat themselves and come here.”

Inaka Sushi & Japanese Restaurant keeps things Japanese‑leaning and focused on flavour. Meat‑free options are woven into the menu. Plates offer plenty without weighing things down. Service stays present without fuss.

At And Rice Japanese Kitchen, the menu stays Japanese‑leaning with tidy execution. Takeaway travels well and holds its crunch. Front‑of‑house runs with calm, helpful energy. Orders move at a steady pace.

Hana Japanese Restaurant keeps things simple, bistro-style and focused on flavour. Easy to carry out for a simple night in. Value feels fair for the spread. Plates offer plenty without tipping heavy....

“Gorgeous spot tucked on the top end of town. I can honestly the best sushi I’ve had in New Zealand and even rivalling tastes from my travels to Japan. Pricing was well and truly fair for the quality and the staff there were so joyful. Can’t wait to come back ❤️”

“Great value for money! Lovely service and super quick. The meat was all super tasty and the takoyaki was delicious. Definitely coming back :)”

“The best sushi in Hamilton, if not NZ! Very friendly staff, great sushi and noodles and very affordable. Love thus place!”

“This is a place I often go when I visit Omokoroa. The food is delicious and friendly.”

“We love this spot! Very fresh, clean and delicious flavours. The menu is extensive and offers a bit of everything in terms of variety and price. Haven’t had a bad dish here so far. The team are very friendly and warm. The interior is full of Japanese theme with a homely feel. Yaruki for life!”

“It's been a while since I have been to this restaurant although I have had some good takeaways from it. The meal last night was of an excellent quality , with good friendly service. I continue to rate this as one of the best Japanese restaurants around. I will be back.”

“Wow, just Wow! Food was absolutely amazing. The ambiance and service was amazing too. We celebrated my daughter’s birthday and they even turned down the lights to sing happy birthday. We will definitely be back to try some of the other dishes. Thank you for a beautiful night out. Highly recommend.”

“Favourite omurice spot in the city! Yoshizawa is a quaint restaurant located on the side of a busy street. Everytime I walk in the warm smell of curry, beef, rice and chicken makes me salivate. Friendly and quiet staff, perfect if you're an introvert like me. Highly recommend getting one of their omurices, super fluffy and slurpy eggs over hot fried rice (be careful!) And wow oh wow, the curry. It is so rich and strong, well seasoned and creamy that when you pair it with the egg and rice... Absolute banger. Chef's kiss. 10/10, peak restaurant.”

“A tiny jewel hides in lovely St Heliers neighborhood. Booking is super easy - online or phone call. Parking is easy as. Quality, freshness and quantity of dishes achieved a great balance. Clean and tidy - toilet too (and not wet). Try and you will keep coming back.”

“I ordered the tantan ramen. It was so flavourful and delicious. It is easily one of the best tantan ramens I have ever eaten. I will definitely be returning to this restaurant just for this dish! The service was excellent and so was the atmosphere.”

“The restaurant had a cozy atmosphere,Ramen so yammy.I love it.❤️”

“This place is the real deal. Very authentic, the place is super cozy, the service is really good and the food is amazing. The rice especially is sooo good. Definitely a must visit! Favorite place we’ve eaten at so far through out NZ trip.”

“Japanese ramen and love the taste, Spicy Miso Ramen is the best one if you are spicy lover. The staffs are friendly, will be my default ramen in Christchurch. :)”