Review Banzai - Auckland Central

Great authentic Japanese restaurant. Plenty of choice on the menu. Small store and intimate atmosphere. Staff were friendly and very efficient. All the dishes except the sushi came very quickly and we're great. The sushi was hand made to order and the most delicious sushi I've ever had, just melted in your mouth!

Ramen Is pretty salty. Banzai roll was nice though.

Amazing experience with delicious authentic Japanese food and excellent customer service. Miso soup was yum and udon noodles were full of flavors. The chef Kazuma Ozawa is a down to earth person who is really talented with Japanese food. We were served by Alisha who was super nice, friendly and well spoken (turns out it was her only 2nd day there), so bravo for that. Will visit again soon. Thanks for the lovely experience

Meticulous approach to great food malong and excellent service. Highly recommend!

Found this lively Japanese Sake/tapas place nestled off dominion road. It has a nice homely feel to it, staff are polite and attentive. The chef and kitchen staff know how to make their menu, which I recommend just trying off their different appetizer items, great to share around. We absolutely loved their miso soup (some of the best ive had in Auckland yet), hot sake went down well with salt and pepper squid which just melted into your mouth. They also brought out dishes as we ate them so everything was hot and freshly made. The dumplings had a nice light pastry and good filling, also tried the melted salmon nigiri which really did just melt in your mouth. For dessert we tried the bean paste pancakes and green tea tiramisu. Both were a great way to end the meal. The pancakes came with green tea ice cream that wasn't over the top with green tea flavour and matched well. All in all my sister and I were very pleased to find this place. This is definitely going to be our go to place for catch ups. Hats off to you guys at Banzai!

The food here is so amazing. The sashimi salad is really fresh and the spicy prawn udon is of great taste. Feeling so satisfied afterwards. Will definitely come back again trying some other dishes😊

Consistently good food - the melting salmon is outstanding and a visit to Banzai is worthwhile for that alone. All of the dishes are beautifully presented and staff are very warm and welcoming. There is Lego and Mr Potato Head for the kids, too!

Well it was definitely one of my best sushi experiences in Auckland so far! Absolutely loved melted salmon sushi-yuuum and salad was just nothing else to add. It was a little bit long wait though, which was definitely worth it! Will absolutely for sure return back to try other menu options.

Ordered spicy pork lamen and it came at the right spiceness, not too much and not that little. I like the space, harmonically decorated, with an authentic Japanese chef and full Japanese speaking staff. Few parking spots, so arrive early if you want to park within its premises. I guess the chef is very good on sushi and alike, so I should go for them next time. Worth coming !

Have been coming here for years! Would highly recommend the Teriyaki, Japanese Curry and Katsu Chicken. The Sashimi Salmon and Tuna are also excellent options. The restaurant is casual but has a nice ambience, it can accomodate for larger groups too - I have come in the past with a group of 11. It can get quite busy so I would recommend booking a table ahead of time. Banzai is also BYO wine, and it likely one of the nicest BYO places on Dom Road. The prices are also reasonable with all their mains between $15-20.

I wasnt too impressed with the food selection, guess ive expected too much seeing the rating this place got. <br/>My husband was happy with his order.. mine was just ok, my katsudon was average. Didnt expect for the mayo to be drizzled all over the pork. <br/>The ambiance is nice and cosy, place is clean and so is their toilet which is very important. <br/>I would have given a 3.5-3.75 stars.. but since theres no option for that- ive rounded it to 4 stars. <br/>

Very friendly service and delicious food!

Portion sizr wasnt great, the food tasted pretty average. Ramen was very salty and msg loaded. Katsu don was good. Tempura was great. Overall good but maybe wouldnt visit again

Have not been to Banzai for a long time now. Food is still good. Always busy, so make sure you book. Friendly service, but could possibly speed the service up a little :)

Stumbled upon this place on a Saturday night. My bf and I wanted to try some japanese food so had to try it out. We were told that it was busy and so because we didnt make a reservation we had to finish by a certain time. Knowing that i had to give it a pass. So we left and suddenly one of the waitress came running out to us and said she can make a table for us. To me that was customer service at another level. We really appreciated that she went out of her way to do that for us. However the reason for the 3 stars is that after we were seated it took quite a while for our order to be taken. Everyone else was being served and our table was left. With the two waitresses walking pass us each time I didnt know when we were gonna be served. After about 30 - 40 minutes our order was taken and because the food is made fresh we had to wait another 20 or 30 minutes for the food to arrive.<br/>We were pleased that the food tasted nice however I would not come here again. The experience was kind of 50/50 for me.

This small place is a hidden gem, tucked in Dominion Road together with other popular restaurants, this place is a must visit for those Japanese lovers out there. Located in a compound where small eateries are tucked together this is quite easy to miss especially at night. Parking is quite hard as well so if you can’t find something directly in front of the premises the side streets are your next best option like what we did the last time we were here.

Amazing food, friendly & helpful staff - plus great value. I had the vegan friendly sushi & udon. My friend had a chicken dish. We enjoyed the food so much forgot to take pics of everything. But managed to get the vege sushi

Food all taste delicious and fresh, staff super friendly and polite, environment nice and clean, good to have a date evening dinner here if you both like jap cuisine

Amazing!!!! The food was the best Japanese we have EVER had, will be telling all our friends and <br/>family about this wee gem.<br/>Don’t waste your time by going to any other Japanese places, this is by far the best in town.<br/>We travelled from east Auckland :)

Great customer service. Went above and beyond to accomodate for my allergy needs. Chef came out, asked questions and took the time to really explain the menu.

Came here on a busy Saturday night on a last minute booking that they gladly obliged for a friend's birthday. Great sake selection and the mixed drinks were flavoursome and strong. Perfect takoyaki and deep fried squid and would reccomend the marinated tofu. The Katsu chicken was great and the curry sauce was very good. Would not reccomend the fried noodle dishes as they were a little bland compared to other menu items. Our meals came out at different times and so our friend's mother had to wait a long time for the same meal that I received maybe 40 mins earlier, but the kitchen was very busy and can understand such a short notice large table being difficult to handle. Mega points for the cool artwork in the bathroom as well. Thanks Banzai!

I love Teriyaki Beef so when I saw it on the menu I had to order it. The flavor was good but the beef was quite dry and tough. Not the tenderness that I’m used to when I’ve gone to other places. I wouldn’t order it again. Cost quite a lot and had to pay extra for rice.

Great friendly staff parking right out front interior is amazing foods a bit pricey but is served very nicely and fancy a bit busy during the evening so best to go for lunch

Eventually you will find parking on Dominion road. Book a table just in case as sometimes they are very busy. It's a small place with maybe 8 tables inside and four outside! Kids friendly with toys and magazines. Quite simple place, relaxed atmosphere. Attentitive service. Reasonably priced for busy Dominion Rd. I love their home-made miso soup in fact all food is very homely. Try gyoza and all of their noodle dishes. Good place to know.

This place will be my favorite restaurant. All the meals are outstanding and served quickly even they are very busy. Love the Tonkushu Ramen. The best pork on the ramen soup I have ever tasted. Prices are acceptable. The staffs are friendly. Overall 5 stars. Keep it up.

The taste of food is OK, but the chef really likes carrot cabbage and onions. What surprised me the most was the service. When we entered the door, there were very few people in the restaurant. The waiter arranged the three of us at the table fortwo and added a stool. In order to save the place, I understand. The waiter came<br/>to three glasses of ice water, and when we were waiting for dishes, a friend said that she was in a period. I took out my own mug filled with hot tea and poured it to my friend. After a while, the waiter asked us where the hot tea came from. I showed her my cup, and she said that the restaurant do not allowed bring outside food. I told her that it was not bought, it was brought from home. She still said no and told us to pay attention next time.<br/>My friend and I did not find any notice about the prohibition of carrying f food in this restaurant. I know that some restaurants are forbidden customers to bring their own drinks, but this is the first time I met a restaurant that is not allowed to take out the cups I bring from my home. Next rime I will tell my friends who want to try this restaurant Don't eat chewing gum in it. it is outside food.

We come here a lot for takeaways. The food is always extremely tasty and well prepared. They used styrofoam for everything, so the more you order the more you waste. Lovely staff who makes the experience dining or out great and easy. Worth the money because the portions are extremely generous.

Had fantastic dinner today Beautiful food Well priced ,lovely staff , place is spotless , what more do you want, been coming here for 6/12 months now and love it , but I'm sure some people will always find fault for no good reason

I had such a lovely experience here. I don't eat Japanese often but the food was very nice. They had a lot of variety with food and drinks. <br/>Staff were friendly and it was a clean restaurant

Been coming here for years now and have never found fault in anything! Food is always amazing and so well priced. This is not a fastfood outlet so take the time to sit and enjoy. Loving the new dessert and ramen menu so perfect for winter.

Beautiful food great price great staff good portions don’t understand why anyone would write a negative comment about Banzai its a small kitchen so be patient and WAIT for your lovely meal its Art on a plate :)

Came here for lunch on a Saturday and it was quiet, my partner and I being the only guests. We ordered a salmon teriyaki main with add-on rice and katsu chicken curry. The came out relatively quick for only having 3 staff at the restaurant.<br/><br/>The salmon was extremely soft paired with the teriyaki sauce was perfect with rice. I think it would have been a but too salty on it's own. My partner had the last curry and said although half the meat had sauce on it when it came out, it was still crisp when he ate it. The rice here was soft, fluffy and sticky just the way it should be and everything was plated nicely.

I have been a loyal lover of Bonzai for years. Not only is it some of the best Japanese food in Auckland, the staff are so friendly and accommodating. My favourite dishes are the Karaage chicken, which is a delicious deep fried chicken with a dipping sauce, as well as the tempura prawns & vegetables. Not to mention the miso soup, which is the best that I have ever tried, it is sweet and has yummy soft dumplings inside it. Bonzai is still my go to for a reasonably priced meal that never disappoints.

I love this place! The food is always delicious and the staff is so nice and welcoming. They recently added some delicious deserts to the menu as well.<br/>

Came here on a Saturday night after work at around 7.30pm. The place wasn’t that busy then so we thought it would be a nice dinner. However customers started coming in and it got packed all of a sudden. This led to the food service being very slow as we waited around 30 minutes for our food to come. However it’s understandable because the kitchen is very small and there’s only 1 sushi chef and 1 chef.<br/><br/>Between 2, from the new menu, we got the prawn sticks, babe sushi, chicken yakiniku, and spicy chicken garlic udon. Even though the food came slow, they were all fresh and piping hot. For a small restaurant, the presentation of each dish is quite nice.<br/><br/>The prawn sticks were crispy in the pastry and the prawns inside were soft and chewy.<br/>The babe sushi was surprisingly good. The crispy bbq pork with lettuce, although seems little in ingredients, was yummy with the chilly mayo on the sides. The sushi wasn’t too strong in flavor which made me want it more and more with the wasabi and ginger.<br/>The garlic udon was chewy and not soft in texture. The saltiness wasn’t too strong and the vegetables were a little crunchy too. I’m glad they added some ginger on top to add some sour and sweet flavor in it.<br/>The yakiniku was strong in flavor in terms of its saltiness. If you didn’t have rice with this or some kind of beverage, this would be a little too salty. The chicken was cooked nicely and the vegetables were crunchy. Nothing to fault.<br/><br/>Taste - 8/10<br/>Size - 7/10<br/>Service - 6/10<br/>Price - 7/10<br/>

Absolutely lovely people, superb service. A brisk and prompt welcome, and efficient delivery of dishes, topped off by a delightful farewell by the whole team. We do love our Japanese food so we’re delighted to find this little restaurant among Dominion Rd’s innumerable Thai and Chinese restaurants. The food was presented well, and not ungenerous in their servings. I’ve definitely had better sushi roll, reliance on mayo doesn’t quite cut the mustard. We detected something unusual in the teriyaki and the soy sauce, not to our taste. However the Melting Salmon was delicious, and everything was perfectly prepared, the chef obviously knows what he’s doing.

customer service is pretty good, friendly staff, tidy place, food is pretty ok. average. and the serving portion is quite small for the price they charge. over all, 3.5 / 5 is above average. :-)

We came here just as it opened at noon but regardless of how busy it gets, customers can expect friendly staff and cheerful greetings as you enter and leave. The food is always great quality! The miso soup accompanying my meal had a slight sweetness that you don't normally expect from miso soup too. It's probably the best Japanese in this part of Auckland.

My all time favourite restaurant! Have been here over 20 times! It's always perfect food and the staff are all so friendly and nice! My favourite is the spicy garlic udon and the best miso soup I've ever had 😀

Yum Yum. Came Monday night for dinner, the food was great and the staff were lovely. Enjoyed the entrees they we all delicious and don't hold back on the plum wine.

Banzai is probably one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants you can get in Auckland. The owner and staff are all Japanese, every time I go into the restaurant (or any other customers) and when I leave the restaurant every staff simultaneous greet and see me off. It is so very Japanese indeed.<br/><br/>Despite the restaurant being tiny, it feels quite big with their clever arrangement of seating. All the staff are super friendly, but just friendly enough to not be overbearing. <br/><br/>All their dishes are amazing, I have yet to try all of them but all the ones my partner and I ordered were amazing. I come here once every 2 months and Banzai never disappointed me.

Beautiful presentation, you can tell they care so much about their food! Good service, really attentive and warm. The food is amazing, every time I go I am always in awe of how delicious it is!

Without a doubt the best Japanese food in AKL!! The food is as tasty as it is beautiful and the vibe/interior is so warm and inviting. Staff are lovely too. Definitely recommend the sushi and seaweed salad, presentation is ace

We went on a saturdY afternoon and the place was empty. We were greeted by a friendly japanese lady and food was served pretty quickly. We ordered the salmon avocado roll, chicken and egg rice, and prawn croquette. <br/><br/>The prawn dish was the most disappointing. We hardly saw any prawns,most of it is just batter. The chicken and egg rice came next and it was the best! Wouldnt mind going back again for this main as the serving portion is big for the price we pay and it tastes really good. The sauce went well with the rice and chicken. <br/><br/>The last dish to arrive was the salmon avocado roll. This dish is just plain and ordinary. It's not bad but it's not good either. <br/>

Very friendly staff however came here on a Sunday night, it was super busy but the staff were very welcoming. Waited about 10 minutes at the counter to place my order, agin, understandable because it was busy. I ordered an Avo lovers sushi roll, no fish stock miso and edamame and it somehow came to $23? Tasty food, friendly staff but super overpriced for what u get

Nice little restaurant!! It was really empty on Saturday lunch and a bit overpriced for their tempera udon. There was very less noodles and we had to wait for a long time. The parking wasn't the best but the good was pretty good. It wasn't filling at all which is a down side.

Very small place. Quite cramped inside especially when it gets busy. Difficult to get parking where the restaurant is situated. I suggest parking where the old Warehouse used to be, or on the side streets. Flavours were pretty plain.<br/>Not very memorable in the flavour palate.

Great tasty Japanese food for any night of the week. Took a little while to get our meals because they were super busy, but when they came they were enjoyed very much. Yum yum prawns are a must have, I'm told. Vegetable croquettes were yummy, and the soba noodles with chicken was satisfying and flavoursome. Will probably come back again for a casual quick meal.

The food has been consistently amazing - for years.<br/><br/>However, I would like to say a special thank you to the staff and chef for taking extra care with my daughter who has an egg allergy.<br/><br/>I'm truly grateful and appreciative.<br/><br/>It is so great to have this restaurant as a local.

We have eaten in and gotten takeaway. The staff here are very lovely. I must admit the takeaway experience was better than dining in. Dining in the food took a really long time to get to us, I saw they were working hard to please us and keep us happy which was nice, but it took too long. We booked a table and we were but by the window and it was so cold! <br/><br/>The tastes here are very simple and pleasant. We have had a range of things here - soup, teriyaki tofu, spicy noodles, gyoza and sushi. There is no wow factor but a good wholesome meal. The price is very good too. <br/><br/>Here I saw the best vegan options I've ever seen at a Japanese restaurant and on Dominion road. <br/><br/>I will be back again.

Tasty Japanese food, beautifully presented on the plate. Lovely, friendly service where you are cheerfully greeted upon entering and given a hearty goodbye by the whole crew when you leave. Spotlessly clean. Coming here is always a pleasure. A drawback is that the seating area is a bit crowded; try not to get the table by the cash register.

Pretty delicious Japanese food. Recommend the stir fried noodle with fish. Great taste with nice appearance. However, the size of the dish were not enough for people like me.

This place have nice first course meals , enjoyed the warmth of a cosy little restaurant. Staff very attentive and apologetic when meals arrived late. My mains rice could have been cooked further and the wait time for each persons meal was far to long. One person basically finished their meal before the next person got there food, would have been nice to all eat together.

Good quality food and good service can be a bit pricy , only negatives the parking and the shortage of space in the restaurant ...you will have to wait long on a busy night...

The WORST dining out experience ever!!!! <br/>Never going to recommend to anyone.<br/><br/>When we arrived in the restaurant it was already quite busy, took us for 15mins to order some food.<br/><br/>We ordered 1 large warm sake, gyoza and two main dishes of spicy soup.<br/><br/>There was another guy came after about a half hour later than us, he ordered massive amount of take aways.<br/><br/>When I saw the kitchen people working there even did not started our food, eventually the take away guy took the food before us. VERY UNACCEPTABLE.<br/><br/>It took over hour and a half we got the main dishes which is RIDICULOUS, when I started complaining to the waitress she even did not apologise, just kept saying "it will come out soon". So unprofessional and BAD customer service.<br/><br/>Overall I was so disappointed for both customer service and the quality of food.<br/><br/>The main dishes were so plain taste (almost no flavour) and the gyoza was just greasy and salty.<br/>I shouldn't trusted all the good comments from Zomato.

This place was a nice little surprise, and I was very impressed! <br/><br/>Stopped off here for a quick bite before heading off to the hot springs and it really got me in the mood, I ate so much 😩<br/><br/>I ordered the teriyaki chicken noodle soup, and we got the salmon and tuna mixed Tataki, along with the eel dragon roll and chicken croquets.<br/>The noodle soup was great!<br/>It was a large portion and the miso base was just the right amount of salty 👌🏼 The tuna Tataki was delicious, highly recommend trying that dish.<br/>The service was friendly and cheery.<br/>The chicken croquets were a little over cooked and crispy, which let the dish down somewhat.<br/><br/>Overall, thoroughly enjoyed my meal here and will definitely be back.<br/>

Had dinner here jus before a mad rush of people came in. Very friendly staff and kid friendly environment (lego and mr potato heads at hand). Ordered the chicken croquettes starter. It seemed a little overcooked to the picture, but inside it was velvet soft. The jimmi eel sushi roll was delicious. It was quite large, however very tasty sauces. The salmon and tuna tataki was by far the best dish. Velvet meat with fresh flavour and good selection of salad and sauces. The pork curry with pork katsu had a light flavour but very well cooked. Overall a great japanese experience on dominion road. Highly recommended though not as overall perfect experience like Masu. I would prefer smaller sized sushi and more dishes with a variety of meats and perhaps a stronger taste to the curry.

Absolutely love this place! Stumbled upon it one night and it was surprisingly really good. It is quite small and basic decoration however the service was fantastic and the sushi was very tasty and well presented.  Will definitely be coming back here again and would recommend for a quick, cheap-ish, tasty meal.

Went here on an extremely busy Saturday night. The waitress was absolutely lovely and very polite and apologetic for the wait time. Food was delicious got the salt and pepper squid, teriyaki sushi and katsu chicken. All was very tasty and fresh.

We loved this place! Its small and i would recommend not parking in the customer carpark as people double park and trap you. <br/>The food is divine though, we ordered miso soup, salt and pepper squid (perfect), katsu chicken and teriyaki beef. We also had the edamame beans. <br/>The flavours of their miso and squid were spot on! Beef was tender and not overwhelming. Rice was $2.50 and the quantity was very small but was enough. Reasonable priced- most people were getting their food take away. <br/>When you pay the whole crew says thank you in japanese its pretty awesome!

Lunch: Mixed Sashimi rice set (good), with Salmon, tuna and avocado.<br/>Soup: Miso soup (surprising good)<br/>Service: Great<br/>P.S. a bit hot if you sit inside

Extremely satisfied with their services and food. Super friendly staff and they know how to make their customers feel special. They will all greet you when you arrive and leave the restaurant. Good location and excellent food and atmosphere

Nice and cozy space. The staff are very friendly and attentive. Good value for money. Food is great. Noticed the toilet and kitchen are clean.

Went to banzai as is was on the metro top 100 cheap eats. It's safe to say, it wasn't in order by rank but alphabetically. I had the gyoza which was epic, really rated it. But when it came to the mains. My tempura prawn sushi was literally just that. Tempura prawn and rice. And when I say that I mean really mostly rice. It was also decorated with ketchup and mustard 😕. My friends teriyaki chicken came with mashed potato. It's safe to say it is not true Japanese. Very europeanized, do not recommend.

The staff here are all very friendly and hospitable. Never have I been to a place where you exit and the whole crew says their thanks and good byes. The food is well priced and immaculately presented like pieces of art. In terms of taste, some dishes leave a bit more to be desired, but others are absolutely on point. Highly recommend giving this place a go and experiencing Japanese hospitality at its best :)

Really tasty, fresh and yummy and surprisingly cheap, not sure how they can do it! Moreover the restaurant has a nice vibe and the staff is really friendly.

Love the presentation of food and such beautiful staff members that welcome you as you step in the door. I was provided with an art of sushi. Thanks team!! ☺️☺️

Bit disappointed when we arrived. Advertised well for vegetarian menu but most things had eggs and fish stock ( advertised as vegge friendly) so couldn't have most vegetarian menu. Ate from what limited selection we had. Staff is friendly, but the service is slow whie it wasn't even busy.. Food was average

Been there for a simple dinner with friend. <br/><br/>Service: very good.<br/><br/>Wait time: a bit long but ok. <br/><br/>Environment: the kitchen was open to the dinning area, noisy, especially when doing stir frying. <br/><br/>Food: many change to suit kiwis taste, not original Japanese taste At all. <br/>Curry: beef chunk was tiny as pea size, the curry gravy was oily, not right taste for Japan. <br/>Udon: the soup in udon was good in terms of flavour, but much like a western cookery, not Japanese traditional taste. <br/>Starters: ok. <br/><br/>Overall: as a Asian and a guy who have travelled to Japan, I would say it's not the taste of Japan, maybe kiwis like here, but I personally won't be there again.

Sushi was fabulous! The beef tataki melted in your mouth. Parking is right outside which is perfect - wish we had known about that!! Would return.

This cute little place we stumbled across on Saturday night, the staff are soo lovely and super friendly, meals were so fresh and delicious. Healthy and filling, prices were under $20 for a main. love it , cant wait to go back.

Great food, although was a bit thrown as they don't serve Katsu-don (just Katsu), so didn't expect the small amount of rice on the dish. The Katsu though was generous and tasty, limited amount of Mayo though. <br/><br/>My dining partner ordered one of the spicy stir fried dishes and enjoyed it. <br/><br/>Haven't tried many of the other Japanese eats on Dom road but this would be up the top.

I came here with my partner on a Saturday evening around 6ish. We didn't make a booking but we were served straight away by a friendly waitress. They were very accommodating and made a table available for us by reorganising the reserved tables which I thought was very inviting. We ordered the mix tuna and salmon tataki, katsu chicken curry and their banzai yoghurt drink. The wait for the food was very acceptable as the food came out quite fast. The food was amazing and full of flavour. The waitress was quite pushy though, I felt like she kept pushing us to order more. Other than that I highly recommend this place. They also put out candles during dinner so it would be a cute romantic place for a date. I highly encourage diners to make a reservation since the restaruant is quite small. ZomatoStudents

Price 3.5/5<br/>Service 4/5<br/>Food 4/5<br/>Atmosphere 3/5<br/> Friendly staff and quality dishes <br/>Happy dinner <br/>come and try again <br/>

friendly staff but we waited almost two hours to be served soups, and i was with three people and our plates were given to us at least 30 minutes between each other which was awkward

First and probably last time my mom and I will go to this place. Waited for a good 50 minutes before being served our food. Food, présentation was above average and pricing was decent. Parking was quite difficult.

You wouldn't even know it was there, but Banzai is definitely worth a visit. Food (especially mains) are of a decent size and presented beautifully. One time my noodles were a bit lacking in seasoning but every other time it's been very good. The small plates are especially beautiful. <br/><br/>Parking is a bit difficult.

I have been here twice and both experiences are quite consistent in terms of service and food quality. The first time I came as a big group of about 8 people, and even though we took up most of the space in their restaurant (it's quite small!) we were well looked after. <br/><br/>The second time there was only two of us dining here. I had the chicken yakisoba which was good!!! My friend ordered the melting salmon which was one of the recommended dishes to get. It was salmon sushi and I have to give Banzai praise for their food presentation! It was presented impeccably. We thought it was a meal in itself but my friend wasn't quite full at the end of it. He really liked it though; taste was spot on. <br/><br/>Next time we'll know to order a little bit more. The service here was really good as well! The wait staff were lovely. Will definitely be back soon!

My Banzai experience was amazing! The staff were attentive and friendly, making you feel welcome the second you walked in the door. The food not only taste great but was well presented and we did not have to wait long at all after ordering. I would definitely recommend Banzai!

Love it here, always extremely friendly, attentive service, and this doesn't go un noticed, especially due to the fact that they are often busy. Agedashi tofu is awesome, and have always been happy with portion size and flavours every time ive been there. They sell little bags of tempura bits too, which come in handy for home cooking.

The effort is evident - for those whom have sharp tongues and have had a fair bunch of experience with Japanese cuisine, you'll notice the wasabi and the soy sauce are flavoured in-house. Meticulous care like this should be celebrated - and so should the restaurant should it not feel a tad tired. Banzai has enjoyed a fabulous reputation over the years, and you get the feeling the food is a tad aged. The presentation is good, but the execution speaks of a chef whom is tired of cooking the same dishes time and time again. Banzai needs a revival - it's reputation deserves it.

The food is always fresh tasting and delicious-<br/><br/>Highly recommend the miso soup and the spicy avocado prawn salad.<br/><br/>Service is always AMAZING both when dining in or collecting takeaway. Don't be surprised by the chorus of thanks from the kitchen as you walk out the door!

Friends and I thought we'd have Japanese food on dominion road and was recommended Banzai. <br/><br/>The service was very warm and friendly - which I highly recommend and appreciated, and their food presentation is impeccable. <br/><br/>Friends enjoyed the salt and pepper squid and takoyaki, whereas I very much enjoyed the vegetable croquets (small but tasty). <br/><br/>Friends ordered the chicken yakisoba which they found delicious - the chef even came out and apologised and asked if he could remake one of them as he got the order wrong (he forgot to make it spicy). <br/><br/>My sister and I both decided to order the Chicken katsu which does NOT include rice. The chicken was crunchy on the outside and ok on the inside, cooked but a little dry. <br/><br/>I also ordered the salmon and avocado sushi roll, which had a beautiful presentation but that's where it ended. It tasted so fishy (due to the seaweed) which completely over powered the taste of the entire sushi. <br/><br/>For me, most of the food was disappointing in comparison to the praise I've heard about.

Good service, and lovely sake. However the food was quite average. Apart from the miso soup, I felt like our dinner could be a tad fresher and more flavorful. That being said, I love japanese food and we enjoyed our evening here, and may pop by again at some stage.

Food is good.. Some of them are quite tasty ( miso soup and spicy miso soup and potato salad) However, my friend and I both diarrhea after the meal...

Saw Banzai on the top 100 cheap eats so thought we'd give it a go! As my partner and I love Asian food were not too hard to please. The place itself is pretty small and we were wedged between two groups of people., this was the only down side to our experience. We were pleasantly surprise by the food though which was well presented and satisfying. Three dishes was enough for dinner for the both of us. Good fresh and flavourful dishes! Would recommend

Bang on target with their stuff. Amazing sushi and they do deserve to be one of the best in Auckland. Their staff are also friendly whilst providing a clean environment.

Thank you Metro Cheap Eats! This is such a neat little number, one of q few tucked into Dominion Road. Their lemon chilli Udon looked, smelt and tasted heavenly. Perfectly satisfying for the palate and the wallet.

I've been meaning to get to Banzai for a while, when we decided we needed affordable Japanese we knew it would be ideal for dinner.<br/><br/>It was great to walk into a restaurant and receive such friendly service. We stared with the edamame and the fried potato. Both were delicious and great to share.<br/><br/>We both ordered bowls of udon, mine with tofu and my friends with chicken. the serving size of these was impressive, so good for $10! I imagine I'll come back here often in winter, such a warm environment.<br/><br/>I was really blown away with the service here, they were so busy but remained calm and seemed to have fun serving everyone. Can't wait to come back!

Came here today for the second time for lunch and I gotta say I was a little disappointed. After reading all the positive reviews, I was expecting my taste buds to be blown away but I found the food to be average. <br/>Last time we came, we had the melting salmon sushi which was amazing. <br/>Today we ordered the katsu curry and the "babe" sushi roll which described as crispy pork and bbq sauce. <br/>The curry was allright, a bit too chunky for my liking. The miso soup was really tasty which I enjoyed. The salad on the plate was surprisingly bland and flavourless but I guess it serves it's purpose as a refreshing garnish. <br/>The "babe" sushi roll was presented beautifully but lacked the BBQ flavour. The crispy pork is the same pork they use for the katsu curry so nothing special about it. And overall I thought it was really dense- too much rice. Probably needed more sauce in the sushi itself or another item in it like avocado or something. <br/>But what they lacked in food, they definitely made up in service. The waiter was friendly and attentive. Keep it up! :)<br/>Overall, an enjoyable experience and would probably be back to try out other items on the menu. <br/><br/>

Went here on Chinese new year and we surprisingly got a table. We expected all the restaurants on Dominion road would be busy. However it is a Japanese restaurant. <br/><br/>The service was ok for Japanese restaurant <br/>The food was presented nicely and the food was good. Check out the photos they speak for themselves

The best japanese food in Auckland. The freshest fish I had in a sushi or nigiri. The food in general is very delicate and rich. Absolutely worth the price.

Good Japanese and affordable don't usually go hand-in-hand. Banzai was the exception and that's why I wanted to try it out. Friends and family have raved about this place and it even features in Metro's Auckland Top 100 cheap eats. We ordered a selection of dishes: salmon teriyaki sushi, raw tuna and avocado roll, unagi and avocado on rice, and the tempura prawns. The chefs have kept the food simple, letting the ingredients and their special condiments standout. While Banzai can't compete with its fine dining equivalents in Auckland CBD, it certainly punches well above its weight for the price range.<br/><br/>If I could suggest an improvement, it would be to serve the donburi/rice dishes in a bowl rather than plate. Eating rice off a plate with chopstick only is a bit of a challenge!

Delicious and really well priced Japanese food.  I had the spicy chicken udon noodles soup and my partner had pork katsu.  We also shared a plate of vege tempura.  Everything was really well presented and the katsu was huge, you could definitely share between 2 people.  Service was also really lovely and really polite.  I'll definitely come back and try the other things on your menu.

Had heard good things about this restaurant for quite a while and finally decided to visit with a friend. Whilst the location is a bit strange (almost drove completely past it) the menu and service completely make up for this. The menu was diverse and we ordered several smaller plates to share - it was hard to decide which was more delicious. The service was fast and friendly, and the staff as a whole seemed to be in a great mood, making this restaurant experience very pleasant overall. A great hidden treasure in Balmoral, would definitely go again!

Always great food, always great service. The yakisoba noodles are delicious. A great place to get dinner before a show at the Capital Cinema

I had the yakiniku chicken and rice dish which was really good! Comes with loads of veges and meat. The octopus balls are also nice. Good, cheap place for takeaway! Would go again.

Top 100 Cheap Eats they say.   I guess that is in the eye of the beholder and you definitely need to be in the right frame of mind before you go.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong, I do love Japanese food whether it be cheap eats or moderately expensive.  <br/><br/>I personally did not think it was that nice.   More disappointed than anything else.  there was very little on the menu that tickled my fancy.  I have read reviews were people say this place is good.  What is it that makes it so good?<br/><br/>We ordered a number of entrees to share and a yakisoba dish just in case we had not ordered enough.<br/><br/>I could not but notice how much potato and deep fired items there were.  Perhaps we just happened to pick all the potato and deep fried dishes unintentionally.<br/><br/>Goyza for example are not your usual panfried/steam goyza but more of a deep fried goyza.  Sushi may come with some soy sauce, but it lacked wasabi.<br/><br/>Yakisoba with chicken, I failed to find any chicken..<br/><br/>Okonomiyaki - disguised under all that sauce and mayo.<br/><br/>Check out my website for an indepth review.

Had the dinner here to celebrate my friends birthday. It was my first time trying this place out. Nice, lovely little restaurant and gets busy really fast. The food was good and price were reasonable, staff were friendly. Definitely get the vanilla mochi ice cream for dessert!

One of my Dominion Road favourites. Friendly fast delicious, really well priced excellent food. It was freezing outside and me and a mate wondered in. Two delicious bowls of hot chicken miso soup...best I have ever had. If you haven't been here you got to go. Enjoy! Gets busy though and it's only a small place so choose your times and get in, enjoy, and give the next diners the opportunity to experience it. Honesty good, real good.

Dropped in for lunch on a Sunday. Basic yet cozy. The staff are very polite and friendly. Had the beef tataki which was cooked perfectly. Portion sizes are good too. My friend has a tofu dish which she enjoyed. We got carried away talking and didn't realise it was time for them to close for the afternoon coz the staff weren't pushy to get us out. Good range of drinks too...the plum wine is less expensive than most other places. Overall will recommend Banzai to anyone looking for a nice, affordable Japanese meal.

This is such an amazing place and already my favourite! The staff are so friendly, the prices are very low for the amazing quality you receive - it looks and tastes amazing! <br/><br/>Must try: Melting Salmon, Yum Yum Prawns, Salmon Tataki and the drink Ramune.

Lovely. The spicy noodle fish salad- best thing I ate in 2013.

Seriously good Japanese food with unbelievably low prices for the quality you receive. This is a tiny spot on Dominion Rd with only a few tables so I recommend making reservations to avoid the wait. The staff are all very lovely &amp; the chef is a joy to chat with. <br/><br/>I have two words **MELTING SALMON** That's what the dish is called &amp; boy does it deliver by absolutely melting in your mouth. I have had it many times &amp; still can't figure out how they get it like that. <br/><br/>The Mixed Tataki of Salmon &amp; Tuna is also just as tasty. The Salmon is prepared the same as the melting salmon, again simply stunning flavors. <br/><br/>The presentation of their food is something in itself almost like works of art. Order the spicy salmon teriyaki roll &amp; you will see what I mean. <br/><br/>Best Value for money of any Japanese restaurant in the city. I am quickly becoming a regular!

Great service- staff were very friendly and food arrived quickly. Perhaps my friend and I chose the wrong dishes for the night- we did not enjoy the food at all and didn't finish our food because it was just not enjoyable.

This is hands down the best Japanese restaurant in Auckland! If you haven't tried their melting salmon dish you haven't lived! Fantastic service, and is BYO also so great on a Friday/Saturday evening.

Simply fabulous!!<br/>Very authentic, nicely priced and truly enjoyable...every time irrespective what the choice has been from their menu. Banzai people remember their 'regulars' so well that all I need to do is to get a booking done first and the rest is all taken care off...<br/>The chef 'knows' that I like extra sauce and cashews in my Yakiniku and I don't even need to mention this.<br/>Love their food, service and their hospitality.

Do not order takeaway sushi from here!<br/>I'm not sure what the eat-in experience is like but we just ordered two sets of 8 salmon and avocado sushi rolls. 11 dollars each so $22.<br/>The piece of salmon in each roll was about 7mm square.<br/>Very disappointed. Will not return.

Simply Amazing! Great Food and a variety of foods for the entire family. To date this is some of the best Japanese food i have had, very authentic and consistent in flavour. Also very affordable, i wish they would consider expanding the business though, nevertheless , highly recommended.

We visited last week, the food looked great and the staff very friendly. Will be back to taste more on the menu.

This is a family favourite, it's well priced and something Japanese for everyone. We normally get takeaway as it is always busy. The reason it's called Banzai is because it's small (well that's what I think anyway) but if they could get a bigger establishment I'm sure they would pack it out also, can't rate this place highly enough!

Wow! What a place!<br/>Consistently the best Japanese food in the city with excellent prices!<br/>The staff are welcoming and friendly and the prices very reasonable. Parking is not so easy however there is room on the side streets and the effort to get to this restaurant is well rewarded by the quality of the food!!<br/>It is delicious and the presentation, size of the portions and freshness and taste of the food amazing.<br/>You need to be early or book because it is obviously very popular and the locals have let the secret out. You will not be disappointed.<br/>Two visits have not been enough!

This place is fantastic. I've been to Dominion Road lots of times to eat at places like Tusk Thai and Barilla Dumplings, but after reading the reviews here I decided to give this place a try. I wasn't disappointed!<br/><br/>The restaurant itself is quite small with modest decor, but is comfortable and has a friendly atmosphere. My partner and I ordered a mixed sashimi rice set, unagi rice set and a salmon and avocado sushi. Although the portion sizes are smaller than some other Japanese places I've been to, such as Renkon, Daikoku and Mentatz, everything was fresh, affordable and delicious so I can't complain. The meals were also unexpectedly and beautifully presented. Additionally, the customer service was excellent - the waitress was patient, friendly and prompt, and we were given a warm thank you and goodbye on leaving the restaurant. I would definitely come back here again!

Went to Banzai for the first time. Was blown away by the entire experience! I then realised 'Master Chef' Michael Meredith had featured Banzai on NZ Herald!<br/>No wonder... Highly recommended.

The best Japanese restaurant in Auckland for sure! The food is authentic and beautifully presented by chef, Kazu. The service is always lovely and at a very very affordable price! My favourite dish is yum yum prawns!! Make sure you book in advance as this place is getting very popular!

We love banzai Japanese. The service is wonderful, the food is amazing &amp; the atmosphere is lovely &amp; unpretentious. Try the melting salmon. Yum! In fact try as much as you can. I almost regret writing this review as I'm worried that the place might get so popular that we won't get a table! Seriously superb. We have been many times and are never disappointed.

Decided to give this one a go after reading all the good feedback. Loved the food we had tonight plus the excellent service. We had mixed sashimi, Beba and Yakiudon, the serving were big enough that we got some left to take home. Will definitely be back for more. Thank you Banzai team!

Not sure why we have not been here before. The food is fantastic and well priced. By the time we left, I think we had eaten our way through the complete menu and they were all winners.<br/><br/>Great to go to a Japanese restaurant where you don't eat in the half dark.<br/><br/>Well worth traveling to.

Home made restaurant quality food. It is the environment and staff that gives it the bonus stars. <br/><br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Wait time: 3.5/5<br/>Environment: 5/5<br/>Food Quality and taste: 5/5<br/>Price Range: $60pp

After having a look at The Food Store's menu prices, we decided to cancel our booking for tonight and look elsewhere. My wife decided she wanted Japanese, so we checked MenuMania and decided we had to try this out.<br/><br/>Wow, we were just blown away by Banzai. Amazing food, the staff are so friendly and welcoming, and the space is lovely and small so it feels like you're a special customer :)<br/><br/>Between myself, my wife and my mum, we shared gyoza, edamame, and yum yum prawns. All amazing! I have no idea what they put in the yum yum sauce, but it is as advertised... "yum yum!"<br/><br/>Then for the mains, we basically shared everything again We had the spicy chicken miso soup with soba, the yaki soba with prawns, a tunacado roll and a samocado roll.<br/><br/>The miso with soba was so good that I basically took it over. The noodles themselves were just delicious, add in the miso and the chicken, the heat of the chili oil was just right... amazing.<br/><br/>I also took over the tuna and salmon sushi. I love sushi, and only recently have been introduced to tuna sashimi, and the tuna used in the roll just melted in your mouth. One thing I'd recommend is not trying the sauce they dot on the side as it is just mustard and ketchup.<br/><br/>I really enjoyed the little bit of yaki soba I was able to try as well.<br/><br/>Do not try parking in the little parking lot there, though. Way too small, and too hard to try to get out. Just park the next street down and take a little walk. It's really not that far and it's just peace of mind.<br/><br/>I think from now on all my restaurant experiences will be compared to this. The bar has been raised.

What a find, great food, great prices and exceptional staff<br/>Not having been a fan Of Japanese food i am now a convert i am currently eating there 4 days per week , the only problem is you have to go early to get a seat <br/>Great flavours and the master chef will cater to your wishes, leave it to him and he will surprise you <br/>So no more good reviews otherwise we will never get in the door<br/>Well done to them all

My favorite restaurant by far and by the looks of the other reviews its everyone else favorite too!<br/><br/>Only compliant is that they don't have a lot of parking outside....but that is not there fault! <br/><br/>LOVE YOU BANZAI!!!!

I love the staff here! So friendly and welcoming. I've known about this place for quite a while, these days it is good to book your table because it is a small space that fills up very quickly. You get great food here for really decent prices. The karage chicken is crunchy and crisp on the outside but still so juicy and tender. The fish salad is also one of my favorites, especially if you like a bit of chili heat.

I would say this is the best Japanese restaurant in Auckland that I have been to. The food is always beautiful, and the prices are very reasonable. The garlic udon noodles and the pork katsu are personal favourites. The staff are always very polite and yell out thank you when you leave, which is very cute. The only one downside would be that the food does not come out at the same time, which can make for awkward dining sometimes. It is busy, so I would recommend bookings!

WOW!!! WHAT A GEM! Absolutely awesome food, presented BEAUTIFULLY, awesome service and fantastic value!!<br/>There was 3 of us and we each had a entree, a main each and shared a tempura, along with 3 wines and 2 orange juices and a miso and it worked out $34 each!! We all practically rolled out haha! Cant get better than that I say and I will be going back any chance I get!!!

What a great find! <br/><br/>In amongst a few disappointing dining outings this week, Banzai was a welcome relief.<br/><br/>Friendly service, deliciously fresh and tasty food, well-priced and extensive menu.<br/><br/>Perhaps not the most exciting of restaurant decors but the food more than makes up for anything else and we will certainly be back...soon!

Great food &amp; service as well as inexpensive. Whats not to love? Book as it is very busy particularly toward the end of the week. Dishes are served European style with the entrees first followed by the mains, although you can certainly share plates if you wish. The Yum Yum prawns are my favourite followed by any of the teriyaki dishes. The towers of tempura sushi are also something to see, but bring a big appetite for these!

The food was simply fantastic I cant wait to go back again and try some of the other dishes.<br/>Some of the best Japanese food I have ever eaten and that includes Japan,<br/>I have a new favourite Japanese restaurant.

This has to be the best value Japanese in Auckland. Fantastic dishes, at great prices. <br/><br/>This restaurant is a hidden gem, but word is getting out, so be sure to make a booking in advance. To view a recent blog I posted on this restaurant (including photos of some of our meal) visit http://celestereviews.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/get-your-banzai-on/

This place rocks! The food is amazing, tastes authentic, the quantities are plentiful, the menu is extensive and everything in it is delicious (I should know, since I've tasted just about everything on the menu), and it is soo cheap!<br/>I've been lunching and dining at Banzai for over a year now, and even though sometimes they can take ages because the kitchen is tiny and only 2 people can cook at one time, I keep coming back because the food is consistantly great and the service is super friendly.<br/>If I had to recommend 3 dishes? The Chicken Miso Udon Soup (yum), The salmon and tuna Sashimi (really fresh), and the Beef Yakiniku (I swear that sauce is like liquid heaven!.

I had lunch here and found it so great, I had to sign up to write a review!<br/>Aside from great pricing and yummy food, I witnessed the most amazing service I've seen in a long time. The waitress ran out with 2x takeaway misos to chase down a takeout customer who'd left about 2 mins earlier - she obviously found him, as she ran back 3 - 4 mins later empty handed, and straight in to grab a pad and take an order.<br/>I'm definitely coming back here!

If you have fussy friends who are a little bit picky and aren't huge fans of Asian, plus one being an extreme vegan, come here.<br/><br/>Other than being extremely well priced, the food is great (and about as close to authentic Japanese as you can get in this city), the service is awesome and it makes your day when you leave and all the staff scream THANK YOU! Lovely. I hope to return here very soon.

One of my favourite Japanese restaurants. Not many tables but we booked 45mins in advance and had no problem when we arrived. Delicious appetisers. And good selection of mains, all four of us tried something different and were all impressed with our meals.

Banzai is a brilliant Japanese cuisine option for the Dominion road foodie. With an extensive menu and a great mix of classic and modern Japanese dishes, this is a great lunch or dinner option. <br/><br/>Some of my favourite dishes include the Takoyaki<br/>Octopus bails, Yaki Soba with prawns and Jimme sushi roll with teriyaki eel and avocado.<br/><br/>Banzai is very reasonably priced, and the staff are extremely welcoming and friendly. The decor probably won't win any awards for ambience, but it's a very nice and pleasant place.

Banzai is one of our favourite Dominion road eateries. Where a lot of the other choices will leave you feeling a bit heavy around the waist band Banzai makes for a refreshing meal, a particular favourite being the Shogayaki. There's no need to get rice on the side of their dishes, there's easily enough to enjoy with the vegetables and meat alone. <br/><br/>We often eat in at Banzai, the decor is fairly nice and the staff are great. Other menu favourites are the salmon sushi roll, the salt and pepper squid, yakiniku and katsu dishes. <br/><br/>Everything comes out tasting super fresh and in no time at all. I'd highly recommend it!

We're spoilt for choice in Balmoral as far as Asian dining is concerned.Before or after a movie at the quaint Capitol Theatre, it's hard to go past New Flavour or Barilla for a quick cheap bite, but at my friends suggestion we walked the block to Banzai and I was very impressed ! There are only 9 or ten tables but the polite and friendly waitress welcomed us in and quickly served us a glass of wine. The list is not extensive but they do $5 corkage or you can choose from several beers or non alcoholic beverages. By contrast the menu is more extensive. There's a list of sushi and sashimi combinations, plenty of appetisers, salads, udon, soups tempura, and all looked super fresh and stunningly presented as is the Japanese hallmark. We decided to eat light so chose the tuna and salmon sashimi-just beautiful,slightly seared and delicious, the fish salad with crispy noodles- a tower of shredded veges, crumbed fish bites and long fried noodles which we could have asked for spicier than mild, and the takoyaki balls- served in a delicious light sauce. I would have liked to choose more but that was so filling! O well we"ll just have to go back! Soon ????

Our family friends suggested to eat here because they really enjoyed their visit a little while back. <br/>It was just a small restaurant that our big group filled most of the place already. We came in a little late for lunch but we were greeted cheerfully and our orders were taken. There were only two people in the staff so we had to wait a bit for our food, but man the food was worth the wait. The food was beautifully presented and delicious (my favourite is katsu curry). It was great quality and affordable too.<br/>Would definitely come back and try their other dishes. <br/><br/>More on: http://sweetsandbrains.wordpress.com/2013/12/26/banzai/

Banzai stands out like a beacon of Japanese elegance amidst the chaos that is Asian eateries on Dominion Road. Instead of rough linoleum & tacky plastic interiors, think stylish bamboo & wood tones. Instead of surly waitstaff doing their best to avoid your eyes, insert happy, friendly, helpful staff. But don't take away the flavour, taste or cheap prices. And hold the BYO status. The best of both worlds.<br/><br/>I've visited Banzai on several occasions & have always been impressed. Although the space is small, they make good use of the space & service is always attentive. The seafood is fresh & the presentation of their food is where this place sings - I've seen sushi stacked up on it's end and a towering stack of salad spiked with crispy noodles. <br/><br/>My favourite dish would have to be their Mixed Tataki - the freshest, slightly seared salmon & tuna served with a delicious Japanese dressing.<br/><br/>This place has to be one of my Top 3 cheap & cheerful Japanese eateries.<br/><br/>If you liked this review, check out more like it at: http://kiwifoodwonders.com