Review Renkon - Auckland Central

Pete Olds

I don't know anyone who doesn't like Renkon. Cheap Japanese food, not much variety, but always enjoyable and we always leave satisfied, but not stuffed If you haven't been to Renkon yet, try it. If you can find dome parking

Vickyrooo

So many options for both meat eaters and vegetarians! We ordered the misodare tofu and potato croquette curry and enjoyed both dishes. Wonderful flavours, good affordable price and decent portion sizes.

Angelica Jones

I love coming here, the food is always fresh and filling and it's great value for your money. My favourite is salmon misodare with extra vegetables. They cater to different dietary needs.

Michael Davidson

Came here for a nice dinner. The atmosphere is very relaxed and cozy. Staff were quick and helpful and the food was good.

Mike Liu

The food and customer service was so good, a to go lunch place. Just a little bit pricy for a lunch.

George Forgan-Smith

Fantastic Japanese cafe meals. Tasty, authentic and cheap and cheerful. Awesome lunch spot in Parnell. Pictures is the miso chicken. Highly recommended.

Amrita Bhattacharya

Food, ambience, staff and price was just the best. Staff was extremely polite and welcoming. Price was surprisingly low but that did not effect the quality or quantity of food. Huge portions, even the soups were not small. The tofu misodari topped our favourites, teriyaki salmon was great too, katsu curry was too much curry but it was still good. Spicy miso needs a special mention as it is recommended. Small basement open kitchen but enough space to hold a lot of peopke. The only thing they could improve would be to add a few more options on their menu, however everything was just as good the way it is.

Katie Clearwater

Have been eating here for several years (dine in and take out) and consistently lovely, fresh and flavourful meals at a reasonable price. And a casual cosy atmosphere to eat in, with friendly and fast service. Good size servings too. Highly recommended

Hikurangi Blaylock

I phone ordered - very nice friendly person took my order - good start, it matters. I had a misodare tofu rice donburi, miso soup and potato katsu and I would order the exact same next time - YUMMO - I love finding a new fave - thanks ☺️

Fraser Killip

The recent shift from Renkon to being KG Japanese has brought a slightly modified menu. Overall the experience was slightly worse the before. There is now no soy sauce available on the tables

Joie Lou

Very satisfied with our meals (karaage chicken on udon $16 and katsu pork curry $16)

Tzank Siri

Affordable price, good quality, real Japanese food. Quite noisy when group of people are there since its underground.

Lily Du

Donburi mains were good value and tasty. The sides are not as good as the mains at this place. Gyoza was a bit under fried. Karage chicken not crispy. Meals were made super quick. Free tea was nice too. Overall pretty satisfied :)

Mike Foster

Excellent simple Japanese food at an excellent price 👌.It is under new owners but food is just as good as Renkon

Chris Tarpey

Delicious, affordable meals that will fill you up! Best value in the area. Vegetarian options.

Max George

I visit this place religiously. Their Katsu curry is likely one of the best you’ll find in Auckland. Consistently good, the golden curry is thick, flavoursome and melds well with the sticky rice and deep fried katsu strips. 9/10.

clarice de toledo

Everything you could want. Affordable amazing food with great surface! Highly recommend.

Foodreview Eat

I order Katsu Pork on rice and Katsu potato as side dish. Taste good with homemade flavour. Decent portions for the price point. Love my dish! Just wondering why Japanese Katsu Rice always top with mayonnaise? Is this something all Japanese do?

Jan

Ordered miso Katsu salmon on rice. The salmon tasted old and and there’s no miso sauce on top of the fish. Disappointing.

Dee L

Renkon = good food at reasonable prices. We tried this place out for the first time last week and we were satisfied. Prices were defiitely affordable and serving sizes were just right - leaves room for dessert without being overwhelmed. The renkon chips were thicker compared to other Japanese restaurants, but it was drizzled with a nice sauce which is pleasantly unusual. The seaweed salad bowl was refreshing, with plenty of greens. The vege tempura on noodles was deliciously filling - there was a bit more tempura (three of them) than the noodles. Not bad, right? The ambiance, though, is not to one's regular Parnell expectations albeit clean and basic. It wasn't so busy for a Sunday evening, maybe due to the holidays. The service was ok, but I would not say excellent. Would definitely recommend this place to those looking for good food at low prices (by Parnell standard).

Song Lee

Really awful experiences for two times, first time ordered prawn tempura, so much oil inside n outside and then found still forzen in the middle, cannot eat at all!! Didn’t complain or return, as I believed must be cook’s mistake... today went again with friends, the side fried chicken only small and tiny little 3 pieces, didn’t looks like the before size at all! And my friend didn’t realized the wasabi was charged, there were NO sign at at all and has been putted at the counter with the other sauces and bowel. No one told when she took it, after she eaten, the staff force us to pay for the fee. We clearly explained there no sign and we didn’t know, the staff still asked us to pay. Only little $0.50, we really disappointed with the way of they treating the customer, and it was really unfair to charge the customer for their own mistake(no sign to confuse the customer)!!! Really destory our weekend mood by this little unhappy accident!!! We will never go back or recommend to anyone...

Arjun Jhawar

Where do I start. I didn't enjoy it 1 bit. We preordered for a large group where my order was Tofu chilli but the lady on the reception kept telling me that we ordered chilli chicken and was quite rude in her behaviour and adamant that we take the chilli chicken. In order to avoid a scene I took the chilli chicken but the chilli chicken was half cooked. It lacked flavour. As a result of it I came back hungry without having anything for lunch. I will never ever visit this place again.

Sophie Wang

Enjoyed the food at renkon, they're decent portions for the price point. Can't go wrong with the donburi bowls, you can even switch the rice for noodles! Good stuff.

Jenny Kan

loves go there to have a nice lunch the food tastes authenticate and yummy，never disappointed also my new friends enjoyed too. Katsu Don curry and udon are my favorites

Hungry Teddy (20% Zomato Gold, Use : HUNG2716)

Tasty and affordable. The katsu curry rice was pretty authentic, the others were not. Oyakodon was bad. I recommend to stick with nz style japanese food, such as spicy chicken, sauce katsu, etc.

Desmond Chan

One of my favourite places to go for lunch with colleagues when I was working in the area not so long ago. All the meals are not over-priced for good Japanese food. My favourite will always be the Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken). The staffs here are mainly Japanese and make the most authentic Japanese meals. The atmosphere is a little dark as this is under-ground but it is spacious inside. Don’t hesitate to try the drinks too, some are from Japan and really add to the experience. Parnell Rd can be a nightmare in terms of parking but this is no different than other food outlets on the street. So I'll give this place a 5/5 :-)

Bear Noms

Renkon is my partner’s favourite childhood Japanese shop for a quick and affordable meal. He loves both teppanyaki and kareage chicken. It comes with a lot of meat and a decent amount of veggies. The rice comes with a nice gravy which ties the meal together

Strwbbyyy

Had a family dinner at this place and the food was great! We ordered 5 donburi meals for 13.2 each. Would come back here. Customer service was friendly and food was served fast.

“Dailee” 25% Off Zomato Gold

Love Renkon, simple, quick and affordable donburi. Only $13 per bowl and sides $6. We like ordering their curry chicken katsu, chilli miso beef, karaage, agedashi tofu, takiyaki and potato croquettes. Anything on their menu taste pretty good. Friendly staff and you can have rice or udon noodles as base.

Nika Marett

Great food at a great price, came out quickly and staff were lovely. The space is quaint, and not too loud which is nice. Will definitely be back!

Grace

Service was disgusting. Did not welcome us in and felt pressured and stared down at while ordering. Refused to change our order when a family member of ours (who can’t speak fluent english) accidentally ordered something he was allergic to. Speak out each syllable clearly since these staff members don’t seem to understand anything. The only exception was the food. Do not recommend to anyone, and you definitely won’t see me here ever again. An utter disappointment.

Gus

I went back for the first time in ages. The vibe is the same, the staff are very friendly, I ordered a katsu curry on rice which was a lovely comforting dish and filling for the $12.50 price tag. My better half decided to get a selection of side orders and some were better than others. She was disappointed that the prawn gyoza were not what she imagined (deep fried as opposed to pan fried-softer), the takoyaki were very nice and junior loved the karaage chicken (who doesn't?). Good honest cheerful Japanese food at a reasonable price

LLL

Very delicious and affordable donburis with large helpings of yummy vegetables. Love the Teriyaki Salmon Donburi and Renkon Chips. Great place for dining in as well as for takeaways. Only downside are the staff who on several occasions have kept me waiting awkwardly at the counter and don’t greet you...

Hemant Wagh

Can’t get better than this in terms of value for money, taste, speed and convenience. Same excellent Japanese food for a quarter of the price....why would you go anywhere elsewhere

Rosanne Choy

Delicious Japanese Food. Ordered a tempura udon. Udon noodles were at the right thickness and tempura was crispy. Environment was nice and service was great.

Mr4saken

foods are great, ambience is a bit if a let down. need to maintain the place. if place is clean and maintained, ill give 4.5 but at this point, i will only give 3.

I'm Hungry

Food, ambience, staff and price was just the best. Staff was extremely polite and welcoming. Price was surprisingly low but that did not effect the quality or quantity of food. Huge portions, even the soups were not small. The tofu misodari topped our favourites, teriyaki salmon was great too, katsu curry was too much curry but it was still good. Spicy miso needs a special mention as it is recommended. Small basement open kitchen but enough space to hold a lot of peopke. The only thing they could improve would be to add a few more options on their menu, however everything was just as good the way it is.

Victoria Consuelo De Guzman

I always come here when I feel like ordering a takeaway donburi because they never fail in taking my orders over the phone and they are very prompt. Furthermore, I find the restaurant to be a bit dim so I prefer eating it at home where it is nicely lit and I can watch TV. I always order the teriyaki salmon donburi or the tofu if I am feeling vegetarian. I love the sauce they make with it. I love that it has a pretty balanced amount of vegetables, rice and meat (although I wish that there was a bit more salmon hahaha). It was fairly priced as well. I hope they come in a larger portion when I am feeling super hungry but I guess it helps me control my appetite. I just add extra vegetables to my order when I want a larger portion which is probably a healthier way. Sometimes I order the renkon chips if I am feeling rich and I can spend a bit more, which is really yummy that I started making it at home for myself. They put chopsticks in your takeaway along with mints. Yummy

Adarsh Chaturvedee

A nice little place for a Japanese meal. I really wasn't up to the challenge last time hence I ordered Vegetarian Spring Rolls this time around. I loved it. The sauce was awesome! I am definitely coming back for more! Even the staff were sweet. They kept smiling and made you feel welcome. Thank you!

Rohit

Wow! This little gem is a must visit in Parnell. Tucked away underneath the street, the ambience is warm and cozy. Staff are very polite and helpful. Group of us ordered chicken katsu don, chicken kaarage udon and teriyaki udon with spicy kaarage chicken. The food is delicious! Especially for the price you’re paying. Will definitely visit again to try other dishes.

S J

I picked up this place because my freind likes donburi but regretted to come here after settling down on the seat. Starting from the greeting through to the order to be taken, somehow I felt not welcomed. It was not busy time, only one table was taken by 2 customers. The staff were more busy talking in the kitchen. I would like their response to be more promt, attentive and willing to serve customers offering the menu right away. Please don't give me a look of 'what do u want ?' The dining system is a little bit unique here. You go to the bill counter and order, pay first, get the table number and take any seat wherever available. For deciding which one to order, there are menus available at the counter or there's a big menu board on the right side on the wall in case of nobody offering a menu😂 The dish itself had a enough power to cheer me up . The topping meat was delicious. The portion size was just right, not too less and not too much. However both of us had the same comment about the sauce on the rice, the taste was a little bit too sweet and the amout was a little bit too much. I want to try other donburi, but I'll go to a different branch next time.

Sunvi Ahsan

Very good food, great value for money, great customer service, friendly staff and decent setup underground. Exceeded my expectations but tried only 3 items. Would go back there again

Aston Patterson

very neat business lunch, one of my first place would go. they have free hot tea and cold water. not easy to be found ( underground). average price $12. Just hope if they have Ramen. I know for Japanese restaurant, Ramen and other food will not appear at the same place. they despise each other. One point less for they don't have Ramen.

Yenzi

Go to Renkon fortnightly for my Japanese food craving! Good choice of food, friendly staff and fresh ingredients. One of my favourite! My partner loves their agedeshi tofu!

Scarlett Pulham

Absolute go to for dinner! Cheap but so amazingly tasty!! I get the karage chicken but change is hit Veges to stir fried ones ;) Definitely recommend if you are after some delicious Japanese food !!!!!

Emma

Came here awhile ago and ordered the karaage chicken don for takeaway. The location itself is nice and cozy although a bit dark. The chicken was super juicy and crispy, the rice cooked perfectly and the salad was fresh. I was pretty content with my meal and the serving size was decently large (definitely possible to finish but you’ll be rather full). My only complaint is that I was a bit short on time and my takeaway order took nearly 30 minutes to be ready whereas others who ordered to eat in had their meals prepared much faster.

Addy

My favourite go-to place. Amazing fresh Japanese donburis at a good price. Fast and friendly service. Kaarage chicken on noodle is the best.

Aimee.

Really reasonable price for what you get and the location. The staff are always friendly and attentive and super polite. The actual food is fresh and tasty and you get a decent portion. The chicken donburi doesn't come with a lot of vegetables so you may have to order a side.

Arief.sutan

Love the chicken teriyaki and spicy karaage yummy ... nice place to hangout it is a quick sevice and staff also friendly. The best foods if you like traditional donburi type of Japanese Foods

Nicole Ralston

A little disappointing today. The staff are good but today my chicken was so dry and my meal was swimming in a thin brown liquid, possible sauce but was just watery. Wasn't as good as usual.

Nathalie

Dined here for lunch, place wasn't busy which was good! We ordered Katsu chicken, spicy chicken, spicy karaage and tokoyaki sides. Our rice dishes were okay, the katsu was average and the spicy chicken wasn't spicy at all it says with jalapeños and spicy sauces but didn't see any. Also the karaage was dry and their sides are small so good for one person i recon. Overall it's not bad for quick and cheap eats!

Jessica Halim

We came across Renkon after vigil mass just opposite. Yon is craving for a bowl of warm food, then decided to give Renkon a go. We glad we did, cheap and cheerful restaurant, went down the ladder feels like finding a hidden gem, with quite big space and open kitchen! We ordered egg pork katsu udon soup which was delish, udon texture is soo good. the only negative pork slightly overcook and the crunch gone with the soup but overall taste wise was soo good. We also ordered edamame, chilli miso soup (we really like this style of miso soup), and tofu salad, nyum! Free warm tea too, thank you Renkon

That_Girl

Ordered the miso katsu chicken donburi and it was delicious. It was a self service restaurant. We had to go to the counter, order the food and pay for it. It was a different atmosphere as the restaurant was held under a coffee shop. Iwould definitely come back again.

Chico

I like Renkon's Donbri they are tasty and reasonable prices. Sauce Chicken Katsu Donbri is my favourite that I always have. Love the chicken! Outside is crispy, chicken is tender and juicy which is cover by tasty sweet & salty sauce with Japanese mayonnaise. The combination with rice is just perfect. Nnnnnnn....yum

Kate Key

Oh man, this place is our go-to when we are craving donburi! We have tried other Renkons in Auckland but the food and atmosphere here is definitely the best. The decor isn't too impressive but it's always clean and really, we go there for the food. The teriyaki tofu donburi is my favourite, it's so flavourful and packed full of veges which makes a nice change from most donburi places. The menu is small and simple but that's when you know they know what they're doing.

Raymond Tiong

Came here with a friend for lunch during the work week in Parnell. It wasn’t super busy when we got there, but there was definitely a decent crowd around – which is a good sign. For starters, we ordered agedashi tofu and salmon karaage. Although the tofu was nothing special, I still liked it and preferred it to the oily salmon appetiser. My karaage don didn’t have heaps of vegetables but it was delicious nonetheless. My friend's katsu curry was oozing with sauce and the portion was very generous. Overall, a nice place to come to for a casual lunch.

Charmaine

I used to work a few doors away from this renkon, and had lots of dates with my then boyfriend here. We're now happily married lol. My favourite here is the egg katsu don, and his favourite here is the salmon teriyaki. I love that they are generous with the vegetables without being stingy about the meat and rice. (You don't get any vegetables for the egg katsu don though, just some stewed onion. It's yum though) There's lots of seating, and parking is a breeze during the weekends and nights. Staff are friendly. You help yourself to the tea/water after you order and pay for your food, and staff will bring your order to you. The sides here are good too The only gripe I have about this place is that sometimes you walk out smelling like food. Yummy food. I'm okay with that!

Blackpearl

Filling, simple japanese donburi done right. Our favourite is still the karaage chicken donburi, generous pieces of chicken on top of rice and salad with japanese mayo on the side. I have cravings of them sometimes. Their gyoza is good too but on last weekend when we came it wasn't crunchy enough. Recommend for easy lunch/dinner, they do takeaways too which is great.

Leonardo Law

One of my favourite places of all time. Excellent food and yet it's quite affordable too. I have been here countless times and have never been disappointed!

Joel Nickels

Brilliant restaurant. Excellent value for money. Nothing too fancy, but clean, professional, very fresh ingredients, and bursting with flavor. We ate there but next time would get takeaway as parking is hard to find. Will definately go back. Probably weekly :)

Patrick Tong

Haven't been to this establishment for a few years now. When we went to dinner last night, it looked like the dining area was a bit smaller than I remember. That's good as it feels cosier. Decor not posh or anything like that. 5/5 Service was fast, efficient. After ordered at the counter, food came out within 5 to 10 minutes. Very impressed. 5/5 Food is great. The only very minor downside (for me anyway) was the menu wasn't huge. I personally would like a little bit more items on the menu. 4.5/5

Will Scalioni

Wanted to try this, high rates in Zomato so I guessed a simple Chicken Teriyaki donburi would be an easy one to nail in a very specialised restaurant, right? Unfortunately, wrong. The stir fry tasted like burnt pan and couldn't eat. The chicken was average until I bite a piece of bone. The rice was ok, but I was irritated enough to not keep going. Service/staff is great. Quite frustrating food experience.

Neverstopeating (20% Off Zomato Gold Code: NEVE9390)

Portion is huge. The vegetable they gave is a lot. We had teriyaki salmon don and yakiniku pork don. Both delicious! One of the cheap eat in town. Will come back again next time.

Jason Chen

Very disappointed with the service today, I ordered a pork curry and they gave me a prawn curry, and they refused to change my order. サービス態度が悪い!!!

Andrean

Just like my review on Renkon Takapuna, we love eating at this place. Our favourite is chicken sauce katsu donburi. Yummy! Perfect balance between saltiness and sweetness 😊

Super(･_･;Phoebe

Tucked away in this busy Parnell centre there is this little cozy Japanese restaurant. The interior felt quite small&intimate. We ordered udon noodles and chicken don for a quick lunch. However,the noodles which we ate were the Chinese style Yangchun noodles instead of the chewy udon. My karrage chicken was fine not impressive though. The best I had before was much more crispy with fired rice bubbles wrapped outside. The portion and prices were both reasonable. It didn't stand out compare to other good Japanese restaurants.

Cupy Dee

All these years Renkon has always been the place where l would want to go and grab some Japanese comfort food. It's not hour fancy sashimi restaurant but it's hearty and l guess it's like the Japanese version of fast food? We love their Miso Don and Katsu Don dishes, very yummy and filling! The Tofu salad is a must try so refreshing and delicious! Takoyaki was very nice too! The curry was ok but slightly watered down compared to some other places. The place is basic and even a bit rough and aged. But that added to the character of the place.

Charlene Weaver

Cheap, fast Japanese food which is quite tasty. I don’t come here a lot but when I do, I go for the chicken katsu sauce which is good! The bowls are extremely filling with plenty of rice and a good portion of meat however I’m not sure if they put MSG or too much salt in their food as I always feel bloated and super thirsty after I eat Renkon, which is the only reason I don’t come here a lot. Last night I decided to try something different and chose the salmon teriyaki, which wasn’t as tasty. I prefer the katsu sauce. Overall a nice spot to have a cheap, filling dinner every now and then.

Dyana Metson

Very lovely place, me and my friends often come for meet up lunches and we are never disappointed. Very fair pricing and great quality fast cooked food. Staff are friendly and energetic, overall a nice place to grab a quick lunch. :)

Frank

Probably the best Renkon in the city :-) Also one where you can get salmon on the menu (unlike Durham Lane - seriously?). My favourite two dishes being the salmon teriyaki and the salmon karaage (which apparently is more popular). It's basically fried salmon with a bit of greens, on a bed of rice and soy sauce and a good dollop of mayo. You need the mayo with karaage, it just finishes the dish of perfectly. The food is cooked quickly and comes to the table fresh and hot and superbly presented by their friendly team. You can even see them putting it together which is a good sign. It is a bit hard to find, just go down the stairs into their relaxing basement restaurant, but I guarantee you won't be disappointed. If I could only go to one place for lunch for the rest of my life, then it could well be this place :-)

Frank Lin

The location is interesting as it is downstairs and underground. The food was served quickly and tasted decent. There are better higher end Japanese restaurants in the area.

Clara Lawrence

It is always a good choice for a quick and easy dinner. Friendly staffs and fast services (they also accept phone order). I have Kaarage chicken most of the time.

Jiin Lee

Got a teriyaki chicken on noodles with soup for takeaway. Arrived there a little early and saw that it was leaking already when they were packing it. They put another container and put it in the paperbag so thought it would be fine. But then when i got home on the driveway it dropped as the bottom of the paper bag was all wet. I like the food at reckon in parnell, been a customer for years now, so it is disappointing cuz they so could've prevented this. I called them up and they said they will give me replacement next time, so i guess i didnt waste my money. But please do better with your packing.

Fiona M

Don't bypass this one, go down the stairwell into a little den of great Japanese food. Fresh, quick and cheap with large servings - ticks all the boxes. A great find, near home with friendly staff - we'll be back!

FoodieOodie95

■ Incredibly fast ■ Tasty food ■ Cheap eats ■ Service is ok ■ Maintenance can be improved Came here to grab a quick bite for dinner last night and its got a real dark dungeon-like feel. The place is quite small and the maintenance looked alright. The welcoming factor could've been improved a lot! But we ended up going for the Teriyaki Tofu and Chicken Kaarage and also got a pot of edamame beans between two. Despite the dull looking appearance of the restaurant, the food itself great! Service was incredibly fast and portion sizes were also perfect. Since we were looking for a light meal, we left feeling satisfied without being bloated! I loved the karaage chicken and the mayo that comes in the dish is also delicious. It was our first time trying the beans and the pods were soft with a pinch of saltiness! Added that little extra flavour to our meal.

Medium_Rare

Quick, wholesome and surprisingly tasty. My egg-katsu with chicken was substantial and kept my tummy happy. Showstopper: Excellent pricing Overall Grade:B

Rave Reviews

More like takeaways, an unreasonably overpriced one. Most meals only contain about 5 pieces of chicken and the rest is just a clump rice and a salad for $12. You be the judge, but there certainly is better places to spend money for a satisfied tummy!

Michelle Chua

Had kaarage chicken. Would prefer less salad on my donburi but it's good. But still prefer The Don from the city on high street. But Renkon food is deliciously too. Not really up to my expectation. However, love the warm greetings from the staff members :)

Abbey Lissaman

Fantastic value for money! Great sized portions and the food came super quick, which was ideal because we came here for a meal before a show. Food was tasty and very filling, as well as edamame beans for our side dish. The karage chicken was cooked a bit darker than we were used to, but was still enjoyed. The salmon was fantastic, and both tofu and teriyaki chicken were yummy. Although the restaurant was small and a little basement-like, our whole family really enjoyed their meals, and we would recommend it to anyone who wants good Japanese!

B D H

One of our favourite cheap eats in Parnell. Full of flavour and h alt by too. Their vegetables are crispy and their meat tender. Yakaniku beef is a must with more veges and less rice. Yummmm

India Shores

I love this place. The service is fast and the food so great. I got the sauce katsu chicken donburi which was $12 and I couldn't finish it because it was so filling so you definitely get what you pay for. There is a decent amount of chicken and rice and the Mayo that comes with my dish was really delicious. The dish is so tasty and the sauce is not too sweet or salty which it can often be in these kinds of dishes. We also got spring rolls as a side which were nice but not fantastic, probably wouldn't order them again.

Michelle

As I'm not a fan of veggies, eating donburi will always be a little bit troublesome for me. However I tried the egg chicken katsu that i expected to have lots of veggies in it but i was definitely wrong. Its only egg and chicken with tiny bit of veggies, which is just perfect for me. The service was good and the waiting time was also not long. Great place when you are running short of money.

Flora

nice place to have quick lunch, the favorite dish is teriyaki salmon udon. tofu is nice to eat too. U can also try yakitori, my hubby loves it!

GideonMarisa MasterchefNz2015

Consistent concise pure essential Japanese cuisine of the highest order! Very yummy food and a nice balance of everything here! Could do with a bit more chicken in the bowl though #g1

Sarah Parke

So good and cheap!! The best quick Japanese you can get! The Edamame is so delicious. The green tea is also free, what more can you ask for. #gidschallenge

Helena Chen

Got a take away teriyaki chicken on udon from here recently after coming home too late to cook. Service was nice and quick, price was reasonable and portion size was pretty good for what you pay. The amount of meat in the box compared to noodles left something to be desired, although the sauce was quite good. There was also quite a lot of not-so-fresh tasting cabbage in there that I didn’t end up eating. Overall, not too bad, but would prefer to get more of the meal title in there as opposed to just noodles and cabbage.

Victoria

Dined in and ordered the Miso Katsu Salmon and Renkon Chips to share. The Miso Katsu Salmon was delicious, perfectly crunchy on the outside and the salmon nice and moist and flaky, a generous dollop of japanese mayo (always a plus!) served along side a bed of rice and salad. A good distribution of sauce and flavour throughout the dish... some places fail at this, not enough mayo, too little sauce, too much rice etc, but Renkon gets it right. Renkon chips were lightly battered and slightly crispy served in a light sauce. Service, friendly and fast. Complimentary help yourself tea too, a great experience, will be back to try something else.

Aniva Huang

Came here for takeaways one night. I ordered the teriyaki salmon donburi with a side of miso soup. The wait time was very fast (10-15min) Just enough time to get shoes on and stroll there. The portion was large once you see it on a plate. A majority of it was rice and cabbage/bean sprouts. The vegetables are stir fried so it goes better than the generic raw cabbage salad that would go soggy from the steam. The salmon pieces were quite big tho but lacked a but of sauce. I will return for more takeaways !!

BeeQueUU

Hungry mouths after work so we were all keen to grab something outside instead of cooking the planned beef burgers. Went local and something quick so either Ellerslie Mt W or MB. Ended up back at Parnell of all places at Renkon. Surprisingly for a Thursday we got a park just steps from Renkon. Had not been here since last summer and we'd go maybe 3 to 4 times during the summer. Its an underground cantina style bowl of udon or rice sort of place. With an open plan kitchen you can see all the action as staff prepare these simple dishes. The spring rolls came out very quickly with the bowls of miso. The rolls were divine and not because of the hungry mouths. Fresh crisp and really hot. Served with a sweet chilli sauce. 5/5 The miso is some of the best in Auckland. Plenty of seaweed and a mini-leek like vege is added. Great flavouring and served hot. 5/5 Teriyaki Salmon with rice. This had a lot of cabbage and bean sprout. It had 3 pieces of deep fried salmon with flavouring. Somewhat salty this isn't a surprise with teriyaki but it got too much to get past all the cabbage. 3/5 Struggling to eat my own food I didnt try the others. The general consensus was the Donburi were all salty. Free hot tea or water is supplied help yourself to quench the thirst.

A

Amazing fresh food. I always get the teriyaki tofu on udon noodles. Also love the tofu salad (has lots of fresh cabbage) and the vegetarian spring rolls. Food comes out really fast. I'll be back!

Jade Lim

If given a choice, go for their donburi (rice) rather than their udon (noodles). My usual is their egg katsu don, but I thought of going for udon this time, and it's not as delish. A busy, little, reasonable priced Japanese donburi restaurant - that's Renkon! Donburi/udon - $12 Side Dishes - $5 My overall ratings: Taste: 3.8/5 Portion: 4/5 Value: 4/5 Cleanliness: 3/5 Service: 3/5

WeiTing Ashley Shyu

I briefly dated a man who was a decent cook. He took me here claiming it was pretty good for Jap. It was pretty good. He was right. We both had takeaway boxes where he went for egg and pork (I think) while I stuck to a safe option of Teriyaki chicken. The only thing that spoiled my dinner was how flippin' salty my dish was. IT WAS DRENCHED IN SAUCE AND MY VEGGIES I PAID EXTRA FOR WERE DROWNING. I might give Renkon another go some other day, but I still have some trust issues with the sodium overdrive and what not. SO. MUCH. POTENTIAL!

Lisa Neilsen

The staff were rude and obviously trying to get us out of the restaurant quickly. We chose to get takeaway and they put as little effort as possible into our meals. It was very disappointing and not at the standard Renkon used to be at. I've been coming here for six years and it was a real letdown.

Monique Ohlson

The food here amazing! Once you have ordered the food comes out to you really quickly and nice and hot. It's a cute little restaurant downstairs with plenty of seating. Does have poor ventilation which is why I have given a lower score. The food is super tasty and there is plenty of it. In a great price ranger so affordable to go to. Would go there again.

Leanne Kumar

One of my fav lunch spots! All the meals are $12 and there's so much variety. My favs are teriyaki salmon and miso katsu. Friendly and efficient every time

Where.iate

Had some quick snacks here a couple of weeks ago. Friendly service, food came out extremely quick. Nice simple menu, decent pricing. Great quality food! All food points and no bad points at all!

Suburban Spoon

Delicious donburi rice bowl with a generous helping of crispy chicken katsu, cabbage, carrot, tasty sauce and Japanese mayo only $12. Yum.

Queena

When me and a friend walked in, we thought we would get seated like other restaurants but nope! (that was awkward waiting for them to...). Good portion sizes. Just hits the line. Nice and fast. Bad thing was, I ordered a "Salmon Karaage with Udon Noodles", I definitely did NOT get udon noodles. It was like ramen noodles or something else, Not impressed.

Priscilla Chew

I'm not surprised that Renkon is very popular. Quick, tasty and value for money, this is definitely the place to go if you're looking for a good donburi meal. I've tried a few of their dishes to date, but personally, I always seem to be coming back for the teriyaki ones, because I love the taste of this slight sweet and delicious sauce. It's not too sickly sweet and the flavours of the sauce blend in very well together, in my opinion. My favourite item here is the chicken teriyaki donburi, but if you're not a meat eater, you can still enjoy the teriyaki sauce - with tofu. For the side dishes, I personally like the agedashi tofu, as the favours and textures are just right and these blend in very well together. It goes quite well eaten together with donburi and balances out the meal nicely.

Jim Wang

After reading all the good reviews, I decided to pay a visit to Renkon. Just like what others said this is a warm little place that provides high standard food at affordable price. Will recommend to families and friends about this place. Well done!

Deena

Such a good place to go for a cheap delicious meal. Food court prices with restaurant presentation. Wine and beer in the fridge to go with your meal if you so choose. Very clean and the service is fast. This Parnell branch is my top choice out of the chain.

Rachael Mooney

Great affordable, dependable and yummy place to go for a quick lunch or dinner. One of my favourite easy places to eat in the central city area. It's licensed. And service is always with a smile. Can't ask for more.

Robert Perry

One of my favourite cheap places to eat in Auckland. Incredibly fresh, vibrant food. Tiny but perfect menu. Great service, would eat here anytime (and frequently do!) Nice atmosphere in the basement of an old building. Their other locations are a bit cramped so I always choose to come to this one when possible. Lose major points for starting to pack up (chairs on tables, utensils removed) ridiculously early (often more than an hour prior to closure) which doesn't create a nice vibe - a very unwelcoming feeling. and also not having one soy sauce bottle per table - come on guys, they're a few bucks.

Paula

Great fast food Japanese on a budget. Very filling and good value for money. Tables are limited so it may pay to go early if you want to secure a table during the lunch/dinner rush. Personal Favourite is the Chicken Karaage.

Phill Dagger

Superb little lunch spot - go here a couple of times a week - it's quick, healthy, simple and great value for money. Personal favourite is the Chilli Chicken Don Buri. Happy days.

Mozzibee

Okay food. good value of money.

M

Quick and easy grub. Sometimes a bit greasy but generally good enough to be washed down with a sake or Asahi..

Theresa Chan

I would definitely go back to Renkon (Parnell). The place was busy on a Monday night. Together with my friend we ordered 2 donburis and 2 side dishes at the counter for dinner. The food arrived quickly, tasted good. Portions were good and the price was right. $16.50 for a chicken katsu don with sauce and takoyaki 4 pieces. The place was tidy and the waitress cleared away our empty dishes in an effective manner even when we were sitting in an isolated corner.

Rick Morgan

chicken sauce katsu and chicken karagee are LEGENDARY.. always good quick service. great cheap feed :)

Lauren

Great food, great prices. Fast service and very friendly. Free Japanese tea, and free tap water but they also have soft drink/juice/alcohol for sale. I do wish it was BYO wine but apart from that and a bit of peeling paint (which doesn't bother me at all) I would highly recommend this place - I'll definitely be back!! It's low key, quick and delicious. YUM!!

Amy A

Renkon is delicious, cheap and the waitress was very friendly! Would go back again and try the other menu items. The salmon teriyaki was <3

Georgie

Renkon is amazing I had chicken sauce katsu and it was CHOICE!!!!! the best meal I have EVER had. It didn't cost much and was quick service.

Timothy Maifeleni

Cant complain about this one! Nice fresh tasting food, quick, filling and not overly fussy.

JC Xu

Renkon is one of those restaurants that you can rely on to be consistent. Mains are $11 and starters and desserts $4. Even though portions could be a bit bigger (I usually get a starter with my main), it's still great value for money. Their takoyaki is a personal favourite - they come in 4s for $4 whereas other places can charge $8-10 for 6 (and probably doesn't taste as good).

Bonnie

Always excellent food at renkon, thoroughly recommend this place for great prices and fantastic filling food.

Felicity Williams

We went last night it was my 3rd or 4th time, the food is always GREAT! the portion is good, could be a little bigger, but still filling for $11, mains and $4. starter. the starter is small though but ohh so tasty. The main price has just gone up by $1. but that's OK. i always enjoy my meal and the service is pretty good, and I love the chilled out setting inside down the stairs its comfy. well done Renkon Parnell keep up the great work! Not to mention this is still Japanese owned!

Tatiana

Would really recommend this place, we always have chicken terriyaki take-away (for almost a year now). The quality is superb, tastes great, nicely packed, phone ordering works very well too. For my husband and myself it's the best takeaway around. Hope they'll stay around for a while!!

Sonia Yoshioka-Carroll

Real, fresh Japanese food, cooked by enthusiastic Japanese chefs. Renkon offers half-sized meals as well as full-sized meals, and the gyoza is very addictive. The menu covers a variety of Japanese dishes, service is quick and very cheerful. Try the udon noodles - they're delicious!

Sunsetkiss27

Been to two branches in Auckland, still satisfying. The menu is appetizing, very tasty, full of goodness, affordable and each dish is in decent size. Service is quick. Typical eatery but with a homey ambience. A plus is to see who prepares ur meal. As I like the idea of an open kitchen. Recommended for a group feed.

Lucy Lim

Heard great things about Renkon through friends and finally gave it go last night. Absolutely delightful! The staff are nice and the food comes out quick so that's pretty awesome. We started with the agedashi tofu and potato katsu.. They were DELICIOUS! Highly recommend! For mains we had the miso-katsu and katsu curry which were very good too! I think I would've preferred less of the sauce for the miso-katsu but that's just me being picky. The portion sizes are great as it's not too big or small. Leaves you feeling quite satisfied.. Not stuffed and groggy haha :) I am excited to go back some time soon!

YellowBlankets

Renkon is quick, easy, straightforward and very tasty. You know what you're gonna get when you go there, which is delicious Japanese takeaway donburis--with some sides that are as good--that will fill you up happy. I like how their portion is very balanced in terms of starch and meat; it doesn't fill you up with all the rice in the world and a little piece of meat only. I always go to the CBD branch, but I've visited Parnell and K'Rd branches as well; they are as good with more seating spaces for you to enjoy your meal with a bottle of Asahi. Their agedashi tofu is my favorite in Auckland so far. I also like the fact that they have half portion donburi, as sometimes you have those days when you don't feel like eating that much! My go to meal is always their miso katsu and agedashi tofu. There's nothing fancy but guarantee will please your tastebud.

Heartshrooms

Delicious, cheap and filling, there's a reason why Renkon is so popular. There's a good balance of rice, vegetables and meat for a wholesome meal, it's hard to recommend a dish when they're all good, but favourites are the teriyaki, miso-katsu and miso-dare. I've tried the CBD branch too but prefer Parnell more.

Danny

My japanese isn't that good. So if you ask me what "Renkon" means, I would answer - scrumptious japanese cuisine at a price that keeps you coming back for more. This is easily one of the best japanese takeaways/restaurants in the city (and THE best Renkon - they have two other branches in the CBD and Ponsonby). A main here is about $12. And there are some excellent sides for $5 such as karaage chicken, edamame and takoyaki. Service is fast and friendly, and the atmosphere is a little bit more relaxed in the Parnell branch. The seating here is also more than adequate. I've tried most of their menu. I enjoyed all of it. But being a fan of miso, I would recommend their misodare and miso-katsu. If you're looking for a very simple but satisfying meal, try the Salmon & Avocado on rice. And for the sides, go for the karaage and edamame.

Jasmine

good food, fast and cheap, always smile service, recommend to others about this shop!