Sluurpy > Restaurants in Auckland > Ebisu

Review Ebisu - Auckland

Joanne Portela
This was the most amazing dining experience! The food and service was second to none! We had the set menu and it did not disappoint, the flavour explosions were sensational and might I add even the simplest green salad was polished off! We will be back, on top of super kid friendly with activity sheet was an amazing with a young one which is what brought us here upon reading reviews. The authentic ambiance and Japanese experience was what hospitality is all about topped off with the perfect sorbet. This restaurant is a must when visiting Auckland. Thank you đŸ€©
Jina Hong
Went for restaurant month and was a great way to experience the food Ebisu had to offer for a good deal, although the food from their permanent menu was much better in my opinion. The soft shell crab was to die for, and sashimi is always a win especially when they're as fresh as it was at Ebisu. Will definitely return to order from their permanent menu. Absolutely lovely service to add.
Hirdesh Nair
Second time at Ebisu, better than my previous experience. The eggplant was divine, and the duck so so soft. Really recommend those dishes. Wasn’t a huge fan of the steak. Karaage chicken is always a good time. Definitely a mood so consider it for date night or a special romantic treat!
Nirmal Grewal
Fantastic food, service, and atmosphere. The team are attentive and knowledgeable on both the food and drink menu options, and available to provide recommendations and alternatives where needed. The food is excellent, the Bento boxes are superb, and the Ramen too - you can request half noodles if you’re watching your carbs 😀 They cater for dietary restrictions. A bright and welcoming atmosphere, lovely decor, and good table spacing.
Laurie & Andrea Stephenson
Had a birthday dinner here. The food was excellent. Miso eggplant and sushimi was beautiful. Baked salmon and beef Takaki was really tasty. The service was lovely, not overbearing. I do like it when they allow you to eat a dish before coming and checking if everything is ok. The house DJ was great too. Well worth the visit. Highly recommend.
JC
Awesome experience. Raw foods were fresh, could taste the natural sweetness ; individual dishes were well presented and flavoured just right, could be eaten without rice. Friendly staffs. Went for mother's day celebration, highly satisfied. Many thanks!
Queena
Amazing food and very well presented. Soft shell crab was the favourite! And dessert was really decandent and not overly sweet. Cocktails we made well - even the gin special took us by surprise, was really nice. Staff was friendly and very patient with us. Thanks for the excellent dining experience!
Gabriel Kung
One of the best Japanese restaurant in Auckland. Nice meals and atmosphere đŸ‘đŸ»
Rachel Jean Matela
So good! Omakase sushi, Miso eggplant and Anmitsu dessert were our highlights. Service is great and attentive. Great vibes. They even got out a birthday candle for my fiancĂ©e to top off dessert! 🎂
Rod K
Awesome food. Friendly staff. We had the vegetarian tasting menu. I was a bit concerned it wouldn't be very filling but I was pretty full by time we left. Lots of small dishes over the course of an hour. Not rushed but we weren't sitting around waiting. The tempura was probably the best I've ever had. Light and crispy!
CARO CONSUMES
Restaurant month menu was a great way to try out the food here. Vege sushi was tasty even to my carnivorous-leaning tastebuds. The tataki was a bit chewier than anticipated but still a good balance of truffle, savoury and fresh flours. The dumplings were alright but a bit off in filling to shell ratio. Tofu was quite delicious but lacked some textural contrast. Chicken was a bit overwhelmed by the truffle oil which felt like an unnecessary bid to made the dish worth more. Eggplant was interesting, good for sweet lovers. Bombe Alaska was phenomenal, 10/10 recommend. Drinks were also excellent. Overall a great experience.
Mainidevina
The food was amazing and thats why I have given 3 stars but the service was not up to the fine dine level. I was still having my food and the waiter started clearing the table which was not very good and indicated that they wanted us to leave asap. Not what I expected from Ebisu !!
Katie Delaveau
Staff were lovely. We came in for the express lunch and it was such good value for money ($50 each), very filling. Sushimi was fresh, meat was cooked well and the yuzu sorbet was super refreshing. We were seated by a window which gave great natural light and a view.
Maricor Sunga
2nd November 2018<br/><br/>Nice ambiance<br/>Too crowded though, went there on a busy weekend night<br/>Lovely food... everything tasted delicious and flavourful. However I was not satiated for the amount of food served and price. Partner also didn’t feel satisfied<br/>Might come back for another romantic dinner in the future but not my first choice/ go to
Eatateeaten
very friendly service<br/>fresh and delicious japanese food<br/>very recommended for sushi and japanese food lover
Ang Sarap
I’m getting the hang of this degustation dining, we had it sometime back in Masu now we are trying Ebisu, definitely there are much more to come, so watch this space as I want to try what is the best one in Auckland, but we have to do this slowly, first because it’s quite pricey at the same time we will get fat quick 🙂 if we do this on a regular basis.
Hanna Kim
Had traditional set menu $85. The food was great and delicious especially really loved the rolls. Everything was above the average, but we have just started having food without asking for any drink, so had to order drink after food was served, felt kind of rush. Plating was not really good, it could have been better especially for karaage serving in the bowl, didnt even know what it was at first. The waiter was so shy he told us what if was for every dish but we can hardly hear him. Feeling more likely to be an Izakaya not a fine dining even though you pay $250 for two people with a few drinks. I would definitely come back for a drink with a few dishes not for dining. Also one last thing I would suggest is to put less truffles in meat dishes, you can only taste truffles not meats and sauces. Except for these, everything was good.
Christian Rijanto
Good modern Japanese cuisine set in a cool space by the viaduct. Will definitely comeback next time! Love their chicken teriyaki.
Niamh Mulholland
This is one of those restaurants I will come to time and time again - a solid 5 star in my books. Beautiful location and ambiance perfect for a date night, work dinner or a family event. Sometimes I even come here solo just for the sushi and sake and to watch a movie on my phone.<br/><br/>If you haven’t been here before, the staff are patient, friendly and knowledgeable about the food and go out of their way to ensure you have a great evening. The alcohol selection is great and the cocktails are divine.<br/><br/>The food... consistently delicious! A simple staple of mine is the cabbage salad - it’s light and crispy, flavoursome and refreshing. A perfect accompaniment to any meal. The nigiri and sashimi selections here are exceptional in taste, variety and presentation. The main meat dishes are all pretty good as well and if you’re like me and have eyes bigger than your stomach, you’re more than welcome to a takeaway container. Last time I took home leftover pork belly and used it in ramen the next day!
Vivian C
We came here for dinner as a party of three and ordered the Mixed Tempura, Miso Glazed Tooth Fish, Miso Glazed Eggplant, NZ Scallop Teriyaki Roll, Ebi Mayo Roll, and a Rainbow Roll.<br/><br/>The tempura was light, not too heavy, and had a good variety of vegetables. The tooth fish was a bit disappointing as the size of it was only about two bites but cost us $25. The flavours of the eggplant were quite unique as it was sweet and the dukkah gave the dish different texture elements. All three rolls were delicious; amazing flavours along with fresh, succulent seafood.
Karina
Popped into Ebisu for lunch with Mum and it was so so so good!! We had the edamame, chicken karaage and the vegetable sushi roll to share. Everything was so good and tasted so fresh. I recently came back here for my Birthday dinner and we ordered the edamame, ebi mayo roll, miso eggplant, mixed fresh sashimi which was served with a block of ice that was steaming which was so cool which my parents loved and the vegetable roll & chicken kaarage which are my absolute favourites. We also got the broccoli which was yum as and the tonkatsu cups which were so so good too and my lil brother had the kids teriyaki chicken bowl which he liked and for dessert we had the ebisu egg which was like a chocolate ball that melted with cake inside and looked so impressive and was so yum. Overall the service was amazing and the food was delish. Definitely recommend this is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Auckland :))))
Yum Yummy
Can’t remember how many times I’ve been there, probably more than 5times. Never been disappointed. Both Food and service amazing, not so cheap but sort of affordable side.
Michelle M
The service and food were impeccable. The best teriyaki chicken I've had in a long time and the pork belly was amazing, with all plates presented beautifully. Such a great atmosphere and a really nice place to spend an evening.
L.B.
Ebisu did not disappoint! Everything we had was delicious. The beef tataki was the best I have had, so much flavour and a very generous portion. The sashimi platter we ordered was very over priced for the amount of food that arrived - but it was still delicious.
Chan Can Eat
One of my all time faves. Ebisu ticks all of the boxes. First of all the food is amazing, the decor and interior has just enough of a moody vibe to suit any occasion or group.<br/>The parking super easy and/or free after 6pm.<br/><br/>I’ve had the seafood platter a couple of times, which is amazing. As is their teriyaki chicken.<br/>Let’s be honest, everything is amazing!
Annie Ren
Overall fantastic experience, enjoyed almost everything we ordered and loved the freshness of seafood
May
Ebisu<br/>Japanese Restaurant <br/>in Britomart Auckland <br/><br/>I haven’t been here more than one year.<br/><br/>Highly skilled chef created traditional and modern Japanese dish.<br/><br/>All food are better than remembered and expected, design and presented by heart.<br/><br/>Thanks chef, light the dark rainy day.
Eatwithbonny
Perfect dining experience. Ambience is really nice with dimmed lights. Service was attentive and friendly. <br/><br/>We had new style sashimi which was on the spot and it was my favourite dish. Traditional nigiri was amazing. Love their salmon nigiri and eel nigiri. Ebi mayo rolls were extraordinary. Combination of sweet and savoury were done really well. Last but not least, angus scotch fillet were done perfectly as well. Really satisfied!
Gem McLeod
Everything about Ebisu is spectacular. The ambience is spot on, with soft lighting and a New-York-meets-Japan vibe. This is the perfect spot for date night or a celebratory dinner with friends.&nbsp;<br/><br/>The selection of vegetarian and vegan menu items at Ebisu is spectacular and went beyond my wildest expectations. We splashed out on the vegetarian/vegan set menu ($70 per person) and felt it was well worth the money - you will certainly not leave hungry. The stand-out dishes from the set menu were the miso glazed eggplant and vegetable tempura. Don&#039;t leave Ebisu without trying these!<br/><br/>It&#039;s really a stretch to criticise anything about Ebisu, but if I had to choose one area with room for improvement, it&#039;d be the service. While it is very professional, I found it lacked the warmth that makes a dining experience all the more special.&nbsp;<br/><br/>If you haven&#039;t been to Ebisu, make sure you add it to your list. I can&#039;t believe it took me this long to pay them a visit.
Jesse Pabla
This place is one of a kind! <br/>Amazing food , fresher than fresh. Well looked after when you arrive and the whole experience is amazing, <br/>Tasteful menu with a big selection! Would recommend 10/10
Anastasiazhang87
The environment is pretty nice, especially it’s really warm inside and the people are quite nice. Chefs are really fast on service and at the same time dishes are fancy and delicious. I’m pretty sure I’ll bring more friends coming and try.
Flippynz
Tasting menu. If you have the coin its well worth it. The sake pairing looked great as well if you want to bump it up. So many courses all unique with their own standout flavours. Every single thing was superb. If i had too choose its would be a tie between the scampi, truffle beef roll, and scallops but even then its unfair to the rest of the meal. Tasting menu. Do it.
Sabrina Josephine Ermita
Excellent service here. Staff are so lovely and provide extra care to ensure your dining experience is superb. <br/>Oysters were so nice and fresh but strange as they are quite sweet from the granita. <br/>Beef tataki was perfectly seared and just melts in your mouth, perfectly dressed & so good with the truffle!! <br/>Sashimi I found was expensive for 9 pieces. <br/>Mixed tempura was okay, has a nice light batter but was kind of bland. <br/>Tuna ceviche sushi roll was amazing, fresh tuna on top as well as inside!! Literally melts in your mouth best raw tuna sushi I’ve had. <br/>Soft shell crab was also amazing, so light and crispy yet so flavourful. <br/>Second time here and it was indeed a fantastic experience, came when it had just opened at 5:30 which was the perfect time as it started to get packed so quickly!
Lisa Vuong
Went for dinner here and the service was amazing! Food was 10/10! And the pork belly was my ultimate favourite! Just melts in your mouth! Delicious!!
Lacey Thompson
I had big expectations for this place - although I didn’t quite understand how a fine dinning Japanese restaurant could also be filled with children on a Saturday night. The highlights were the sushi although they did not have avocado and also the karaage chicken. The prawns were a little too oily and the beef not standout. The asparagus was nice. Drinks were pretty standard. We also were going to order another dish but were told our table was needed in 15 minutes even though the restaurant was not packed, a little unnecessary I felt.
Kat
yum yum yum!!! had a wonderful little date night here last weekend. both my partner and I left with happy belly’s!!! one of our highlights was definitely the prawn dumplings! not sure if it was a service fault, or it is just how they do things, but we received our tempura dish about 15-20 minutes after we had finished the rest of our dishes (including one large plate)? but as we were enjoying our time, we were more than happy to order another drink upon the dishes arrival! overall, highly recommend! 😊
Clove
Dined with 2 others. Food was top notch - had a sushi roll, the tuna and salmon sashimi, prawn tempura and thinly sliced steak, bottle of wine. As good as it was, the prices were a bit steep and the service on the night was average at best. The waiter meant well and was very nice but must have been new or didn't understand English well, as there were quite a few miscommunications and repeating ourselves. Was still hungry afterwards, almost hit the White Lady...
Kelvin Dhillon
Excellent service and amazing food. The waiter takes care of your needs and breaks down the menu for you. Must try the Eggplant and Teriyaki Tofu, probably the best eggplant I've had.
Nat Patel
Great place! The atmosphere is amazing and so is the food! And service! we always get the sashimi and the karage chicken and never disappoints us!
Finbar
The food is fantastic but the pricing/portion size as well as the service leaves a lot to be desired. Our waiters knowledge of the menu seemed amiss as he was unable to recommend dishes that would suit the size of our group. The size of the wines as well as the food also proved to be barely adequate considering you’re paying upwards of $30 for a dish and $15 for a drink. When you’re charging top Auckland prices you have to be excelling on all cylinders. With a restaurant like Masu just up the road on Fort Street it would be hard to convince me that Ebisu is the top Japanese restaurant in town.
Grace Huang
If you haven’t been to Ebisu, you are missing out!<br/><br/>Service: 9/10<br/>It took awhile when we entered for someone to come service us.<br/>They seated us at a secluded area of the restaurant so we would have more privacy and a better dining experience.<br/>The man that took our order helped us through the menu items and how their restaurant service works.<br/>Every time a dish was served, the waitress explained to us how each item was made and the ingredients used to make it.<br/><br/>Food: 10/10<br/>We ordered the ebi mayo roll, rainbow roll, traditional assorted nigiri, miso eggplant, tonkatsu cup and seared duck breast.<br/>The ebi mayo roll was definitely the highlight. The light mayonnaise didn’t overpower the flavour of other ingredients. The rockmelon added a fruity juicy flavour. The shrimp on top was also very tender.<br/>The rainbow roll was a variety of fresh seafoods placed on top of sushi rice with salmon rolled inside.<br/>The different types of seafood meant you never had the same thing twice.<br/>The nigiri was also a bunch of different types of seafood plated beautifully like a work of art. My favourite one was the scallop.<br/>The miso eggplant was cooked to perfection so it was soft but still had structure overall. The miso flavour was marinated deeply throughout the eggplant. <br/>The seared duck breast was tender and the skin was super juicy. The matcha salt and the pear on the side added some contrasting flavours to the dish.<br/>The tonkatsu cup was crispy on the outside and filled with pork in the inside. Even though it was fried, the meat wasn’t chewy or dry.<br/><br/>Ambiance: 10/10<br/>The restaurant is super modern and has a very formal high class vibe.<br/>The restaurant is quite large but it’s divided up into sections by dividers to make your dining experience more private.<br/>The dark tones and low key lighting throughout the restaurant create a romantic atmosphere, perfect for a dinner date. <br/><br/>This is definitely the best Japanese restaurant I’ve been to in nz so far. It’s not super authentic but the taste and quality outshines the other Japanese restaurants.
Jenny Kim
The customer service was very good! - also the nigiri & beef tataki are both really good. Ebisu serve very fresh sashimi as well. Will be back to try other dishes soon!
Lucyeatsakld
Loved this dining experience! $85 is very decent price for the number of dishes. We also added the glazed miso eggplant. The seafood dishes really stood out for me, sashimi was super fresh and the salmon was cooked perfectly. The beef was a bit dry for me and the fried chicken was a bit average. The broccolini was surprisingly my favourite because there was so much flavour in it. The sorbet at the end of the meal was way too sour to be in that quantity. Cocktails were delicious too.
Littlenoodley
Quite like the eggplant, taste a bit sweet with miso sauce. kids menu is perfect, a scoop of vanilla ice cream come with the kids order! my boy almost finished everything!
P Chen
We went there as a group of 7 for a celebration. We were well looked after by the friendly staff member there. Great food. We all ordered the set menu, small portions but lots of different dishes. It was filling.
Jenny @ga.eats
This has got to be the best bento box I’ve ever had. Steak was grilled to perfection. Karage chicken was both juicy and crunchy. Mesclun salad was pimped out with fresh tuna pieces. Rice was seasoned with furikake, so good I could eat buckets by itself.
888
Amaaazzzing food. MUST get the tooth fish. I know it’s 25dollars for a piece of fish but you will regret your life and your soul if you don’t try the tooth fish. It just melts in your mouth. also the EBi Mayo roll.
Asianfoodratedbyasian
My family dined here in November 2018. We decided to visit for a celebration and because this place was reputed to be a high-end Japanese restaurant in Auckland.<br/><br/>I was annoyed from the start from the fact that even if a set menu had a 'min of 2 people', we couldn't order a set menu for the 2 people and then order a la carte for the other 2. They had absolutely zero flexibility - if we had decided to separate into 2 groups, then would they serve us differently?<br/><br/>We ordered the set menu at $85 per person for 4 people. Decided not to go with sake match or with wagyu beef addition and we're glad we didn't from the pictures and reviews of many other customers/friends. <br/>The food quality was definitely good. At that price, we were expecting the best and sure we were not disappointed, but it did not blow us away. All the dishes were indeed very delicious and I'm sure everyone would at least enjoy the dishes here. My one comment would be that the dishes did not taste 'Japanese' - the flavours were too salty, too, too intense, too sour etc for an authentic Japanese feel. They reminded me a lot of Korean-owned Japanese restaurants where sure the food tastes great but the flavour is definitely not authentic Japanese. <br/><br/>The restaurant was very large and full of customers. The waiters took a while to get your attention but their service was very quick once the menu started rolling in and we were impressed. Ambience is hard to comment on. Your typically dimly lit, 'fancy' restaurant but way to overcrowded and loud to have a proper conversation or enjoy a nice dinner out for interaction. I would describe the atmosphere as a cocktail bar mood for a date with someone kind-of-feel?<br/><br/>Overall an expensive restaurant that serves delicious food, albeit it not being true Japanese flavours. Too loud for extended conversations, no flexibility in menu, but good waiter service.<br/><br/>Food: 8/10<br/>Service: 6/10 (points taken off for no flexibility in menu)<br/>Ambience: 5/10<br/>Value for money: 3.5/10
LuNa The TuNa
Nice environment and view. Friendly staffs, delicious food and Japanese alcohol. Presentation is 5/5. Quality also 5/5. Sashimi always fresh
Gian Carlo Pascual
When asking my friends what their top restaurants in Auckland are, Ebisu is on everybody's list.<br/><br/>Legit have the best oysters in town - they come covered in some citrus ice (but with a fancier name) and blow your taste buds away. I'm not even a big seafood person but they are a total highlight. Come them with the Beef Tataki with truffle paste and your meal will be off to a 10/10 start. Never had a bad dish here, everything is perfect. They even manage to make a boring Chicken Teriyaki dish mind-blowing because the quality of the meat is so high.<br/> <br/><br/>BONUS: They have a lunch bento box menu, so you get to try their awesome food on the cheap. The Scotch Fillet option is the best of the 4 in my opinion.
Restaurant Assassin
Service 2/5<br/>Food 1/5<br/>Value 1/5<br/>Ambience 3/5<br/><br/>This is marketed as a high end Japanese restaurant.<br/><br/>We were greeted by the manager at our table to tell us our waiter was on a break and would return in 5min. 5min later he arrived.<br/><br/>Paper napkins and disposable chopsticks. Really?<br/><br/>My wife is vegetarian. It was originally explained to us that the set or tasting menu required a min of 2 people. But the vege set menu was ok for 1. So that meant I would have to order al a carte if she order the veges set. So I proceeded to do so.<br/><br/>Then I was told I couldn't order al a carte if the other person was on a set menu.<br/><br/>In the end I ordered the Wagyu steak medium rare. To be fair I am picky about my steak. But at $96 for 100g I was expecting a lot. I will let you judge from the photos(just to give a guide one piece was medium and the rest was well). I asked the waiter if he thought it was medium rare. He said he didn't eat steak so had no idea. Quite thin and the fat wasn't rendered. I have been to Tokyo quite a bit so have quite high expectations around Japanese food. Normally I will give restaurants a little bit of slack, but if you charge $96 for a steak, it better be extraordinary.<br/><br/>My wife's vegetarian starter was served at the same time as my main. Enough said...<br/><br/>My wife's vege courses were generally good.<br/><br/>I asked what Japanese beer they had. The answer was steinlager? and kirin. I chose the kirin<br/><br/>A glass of champagne was nearly $30. It was served flat, presumably the bottle had been left open for several hours rather than opening a fresh bottle. They did replace it on request. I am somewhat sceptical it was a 150ml pour.<br/><br/>They redeemed themselves somewhat at payment dealing with a troublesome voucher. I tried to explain what happened, and while they were sympathetic it would have taken too long to explain why I was disappointed.<br/><br/>We were seated near the door. The ambiance in the main section was good, but by the door not so good.<br/><br/>Our bill was just under $300 for the 2 of us. We have had a lot better Japanese in Auckland for a lot less. There was a Japanese waitress but she was the only Japanese person I saw. Not sure if Fredrick Wong was there that night but I assume from his last name that he is chinese.<br/><br/>Will not return.<br/><br/>
Mel De Pater
Had dinner here with my mum last night. Great service. Noah was super friendly and had great knowledge about their food and drinks. I have the Miss Wednesday cocktail. So yummy. The food was amazing. We shared a few small things. Sticky pork belly. Prawn dumplings. Tempura vege and tempura prawn. Couldn't fault this place. Thank you Noah for making our experience a great one.
Eugenia Nam
Better for Dinner than Lunch<br/>. Came here for my birthday dinner and ordered the Set Dinner. Everything was delicious so can't really go wrong. The only small let downs were the Karaage Chicken that was soggy and bland, and the Teriyaki Chicken which was very sweet. We came back and tried both these dishes another day for lunch and was exactly the same. The rest of the amazing dishes make up for this though. Service is excellent.
Kathryn Ruth
We had the set menu and loved it. Highlights were the beef tataki, karaage, salmon, the vegetables and the teriyaki chicken. Only kept it at 4 stars because it was so packed and loud, I prefer a quiet restaurant and I could barely hear my partner speak. Otherwise a lovely meal.
Ari Kim
Went for the first time and found it didn’t meet to what we had expected. <br/>Nigiri sushi reasonably good and Tuna tartare was fresh and delicious. Truffle roll was average and the sashimi was not that fresh. The beef rib was really dry and we ended up not being able to finish the dish. <br/>We were served a small bowl of lotus chips to compliment our drinks, which we found yummy. We asked really nicely for a second portion which the waiter happily gave us. And towards 3/4 of our evening, we politely asked once again for a refill whilst ordering more food, commenting that it was really good. Again, the waiter happily gave it to us. The surprise was at the end when we realised they had charged us $5 each for the second and third portion. Not once had any of yhe waiters mentioned we would be charged. We were quite surprised as the portions were quite small so we had never guessed it was a charged dish? Was very disappointed with the principle of it all, had any one of the three waiters mentioned they would be added to the bill, we would have had no problems with it. <br/>Ambience is nice, but thats about it. Don’t think we’ll be returning for a while.
888bing888
We had an excellent dining experience. Great ambiance and staff. Shout out to Kyle who was a gracious and informative host. We tried the Set Dinner - The food was well presented and boasts with wonderful flavours. The beef tataki were perfectly seared and thinly sliced. The sashimi with scallops and cucumber was delicate and fresh. The Salmon with skin crackling was just how I would want it, very tasty and perfectly cooked. The Char-grilled scotch was juicy and tender and out of the 3 dipping sauces - the wafu sauce was my favourite dip. We finished off with Yuzu Sorbet which was just refreshing to the palate after eating scrumptious food. Will definitely come back again. We just love the place.
JoĂŁo PlĂĄcido
Very well localized with a great atmosphere (the low intensity lights just works!!!) and extremely helpful and kind staff.<br/>We ordered the dinner set and it was an awesome experience. From the king salmon to the scotch, everyrlthing pretty dann good.<br/>A place I recommend for an informal dinner or a friends dinner.
Lulu
This place is amazing! The food is so beautifully presented and delicious. The staff are really friendly and attentive. The décor is great. It's great to eat somewhere that takes such pride in the food/ service they provide. My only critique is that the serving sizes (even for their large dishes) are quite small so be prepared to spend around $150 for 2 people - but it is totally worth it!
David Thompson
I have been here 4 times so far this year without reviewing so its about time I share my thoughts <br/>Ebisu is by far the best Japanese Resturant in Auckland <br/>The service is outstanding and the menu is great my only negative would be it does get really loud at nights as it is so busy but this wouldn’t put me off at all<br/>The sushi rolls are exceptional especially the Ebi Roll<br/>It is not a cheap night out but worth every penny as I have never been disappointed.<br/>
Brizzle
I have been here a few times. Food is ok. <br/>Chicken Teriyaki Bento box $25, swap the rice out for avocado and salmon sushi, add an extra $5. It also comes with Tuna sashimi salad. I picked out 6 very small cubes of tuna....disappointing. It becomes expensive for what you get when you compare other bento boxes from other Auckland Japanese restaurants. <br/>Karaage chicken below average. Some where piping hot, others where warm. It wasn’t crunchy, so it makes me think they cooked it earlier then use a microwave to reheat. Wasn’t worth $19.<br/>Dessert was a chocolate fondant which was the highlight of the lunch........You would want the bento box being the highlight wouldn’t you?<br/><br/>
Winney Hsieh
Book the 15 people on 17th of August, they force us to book the set menu so we end up have testing menu which is $120 per head, terrible service, not enough food for us , and every 4 people have to share one small plate, the duty manager was so rude to us , very bad experience , will never go again.
Ccc
Lunch box was so amazing...my boyfriend and I were so full... We will come again. And service aslo perfect.i ordered chicken and market fiah. It was really good.
Wendy
Me and my partner are big fan of Japanese food , so we’re really fussy about Japanese food . The food are really yummy 😋 . We love them really much 😍 .
#fatlyfe
We did the restaurant month menu which was a set menu. Great food with great service! The only thing was the food was on a sharing basis which would have been good to know before we went there. Nevertheless would definitely go back
Sola
Had a set dinner for the first try and the dishes were great! 😋<br/><br/>The sashimi and sushi are the best I've ever tried, will pay another visit next time. Besides, the tempura is worth trying.<br/>
Evelyn Chen
Me and my hubby love Japanese cuisine and we are quite picky when it comes to Japanese food (fusion or not). We had an awesome dinning experience with friends there. The dish - beef tataki holds a special place in my heart - it may seem like a simple dish but it could be just easily overcook or undercook, or wasn’t sliced thin enough or the citrus and ginger infused vinegar sauce could be overpowered. Well, the dishes were as pleasing to the eyes as they are to the palate. Their beef tataki was the best I ever had in Auckland, and the tuna tartare was pretty good too. Great service and staffs have good knowledge of food and sake. Pretty stoked with the sake recommendations made by staff of the night. Will go back for sure.
Aggarwalhemant8111
I came here with a group of friends and wanted to try different options on the menu. Delicious japenese fusion ,good service. I booked in for a set time but had to push back the time as the friends were late but the restraunt made it sure they have table available for us which is a big plusđŸ‘đŸŒ. I loved the taste of cuisine also . Great experience❀
Ezzz
Late review but I honestly had the BEST experience at Ebisu on Valentine's Day witht the special set menus. It covered everything from sashimi, sushi to lobster dumplings, tempura and wagyu. The dessert (can't remember the name) with a chocolate ball sitting on crumbs with dry ice ... was amazing, the hot chocolate poured down and melted the ball. It was delicious and super fun just watching it. Staff was very attentive and introduced every dish to us as she/ he brought it out, thanks a lot for that. The set menus was decent priced and with the food coming slowly one after the other, it gave us room to breath and refresh.. ease through the night. Thank you so much for the amazing experience, will definitely come back to try all the other dishes. <br/><br/>P.S: the interior is very modern not very Japanese-y but still elegant and relaxing to be in.
Warren
Was invited for a year end business lunch, I was in for a real treat. The place was packed and the waiter (after we asked) recommended the Express Lunch. I'm really glad he did, it was awesome!!!<br/><br/>Lots of little meals that just seemed to continue arriving which was awesome. The taste, textures, presentation all awesome. Simple dishes though with punch.<br/><br/>As an extra we had the matcha ice cream, yes please... a stunning way to end an awesome meal.<br/><br/>Food: 90%<br/>Ambience: 88%<br/>Service: 80%
Kelly Wu
Quite expensive, average $100 per person. And the service is average, I was told the sake I wish to order has a hot version so I said please give me the hot sake later on the waitress gives me a different volume which is much larger than I was ordering but she explains because they do their hot sake in a large bottle, no return no refund no prior notice of the larger bottle size until I find out myself! <br/>The menu is out dated in this website, what shows as $25 for beef is now $40 in the new menu. I am surprised they don't do degustation menu. Very limited choice.<br/>The serloin steak is half medium half medium well done somehow not very even texture.<br/>Overall I don't recommend this restaurant.<br/>
Belle
way too sweet, especially the miso eggplant and teriyaki tofu, couldn’t even finish it because of the sweetness. Waiter was too fast on taking away plates, the food was not even finished and we had been asked twice if they can take the plate away and it felt like they were rushing us when we had booked a table.
Selene Nguyen 🌾
I came here with a group of friends and wanted to try different options on the menu! Delicious japanese fusion, good service. I booked in for a set time but had to push back the time as our friends were late but the restaurant made sure they have a table availabal for us, which was a big plus! Overall, very happy with the experience 👍👍
ChRis Leonard
Brilliant Food took the mrs for her birthday, recommend the APA on tap, Karage chicken & scallops got a major thumbs up from the mrs, downside we got a little forgotten by our server when it got really busy, a floor manager seemed to pick up on this, watching us aimlessly look around for a desert menu and sorted us rite out, beautiful japanease !!!!!!
Ms Food Adventurer
Really delicious fusion japanese, am not usually a fan of fushion but they do it so well. The scallop dumplings were a standout and the presentation was beautiful
Carol
We had the vegan set menu for two and paid $146 including our drinks. Really great value for money considering the quality of food, presentation, service and ambience. I was surprised by the amount of food too- as have left a few fusion type places hungry. In this case, I left with a bag of leftovers that I enjoyed for lunch the next day! Only small thing is that at times sauce on some veges was slightly overpowering. But overall food & experience awesome. Recommend for special occasions.
Dxlche
We came here for dinner and ordered two of the Sake Set menus and a few separate dishes. The amount of sake is more than generous so beware of you aren’t much of a drinker. <br/>The highlights of the night were definitely the soft shell crab, salmon sashimi and scallops. <br/>All the seafood was sweet and delicate and paired perfectly with their sauces and accompaniments. <br/>Altogether the night came to just over $400 which is not bad for a celebration night with 4 people. <br/>The presentation of the dishes and the presentation of the restaurant also entices me to go back. <br/>
Allan Ong
Went for dinner with 3 others on a Sunday night and it was packed. interesting approach to Japanese dining - all dishes were shared. Ordered edamame and the sushi plate to share as a starter, and the Wakanui 90-day aged Scotch fillet, the pork belly and karaage chicken. We felt it was a little under for 4 persons but the waiter said that it was enough. Had to order another karaage chicken. Portions were alright. The food was delicious and well presented. interesting was the rare beef sushi. The pork belly and the Karaage chicken were the star of the night. service was a bit disappointing for such a premium outlet... out refill of beer never made it. overall a 4 star and mainly for the food.
Jessica Halim
Been here twice now, one last night (with thirteen others for our work social event) and others few years ago (with lovely husband) Amazingly still as good (or not better) compared to what I can remember.<br/><br/>Food was amazing!! Very smart and delicious combination of ingredients/flavours. We had set menu last night. My highlight was new style mixed sashimi (super fresh, combination with tartar sauce was quite interestingly delicious), tempura (batter is one of the best I tried ever! Light and crunchy), salmon dish with beautiful puree, beef main was melted in your mouth, oh no I actually love everything. Dessert was sadly a little too tart for most people. <br/><br/>Service was great!! You never see empty glass as someone will always ensure your water get topped up. Table get cleaned often and politely by kind staffs. <br/><br/>The space and atmosphere are intimate and relaxing. I throughly enjoyed my time. Thank you Ebisu<br/><br/>Ps: photos from good old time :)
Ayesha :)
I love trying new places and ebisu was such a lavish place, the food was great loved there rainbow roll sushi which the waiter recommended, we also got some classics teriyaki chicken and soft shell crab which is always a favourite. I recommend this place if wanting not to big of a meal and yet wanting to try something new a different
Vegan Wanderer
We just love this place. Has a great selection for all dietary requirements and caters well with mouthwatering dishes. Staff are always attentive and service is very good.
Stephy_NakiGirl
One of the really great Japanese (more fine dining) restaurants in Auckland. It does pay to book.<br/>Menu is full of popular & innovative options. Always fresh produce as you’d expect <br/>Service is good, but the restaurant can be noisy because of the high ceilings<br/>Have never had a bad dish here, but faves include the pork belly & steak from the large plates menu. The small plates have lots of variety too so well worth trying a few dishes
Tashee
One of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Auckland. Ordered their signature platters and other sashimi last time we went there. Hokkaido scallops and beef tataki were my favorites. White choc miso fondant was a sweet way to end the meal. Fresh and delicious. Couldn’t fault anything.
Kai Luv
Delicious meal at Ebisu, miso eggplant and agedashi tofu to die for and really tasty tangy pickles. Great atmosphere and service also ... would definitely go again
Shima
Great place to celebrate Christmas Eve, <br/>a fabulous Japanese restaurant. We were treated to rainbow sushi roll, teriyaki chicken, salmon, duck breast and pork belly with yummy edamame<br/>The waitresses were very polite, gracious and helpful.<br/>I am a fan favourite of Japanese cuisine &<br/>If you love Japanese food this is a must visit.đŸ‘đŸ»
Michelle Moth
I absolutely loved the food here. Their lobster dumplings were devine and we wanted to lick the plate clean! Food presentation.. just.. WOW. It cost us over $200 for two people. It is a bit pricey but so worth it!
Oksana Zhang
We were very fortunate to get a table without making reservations for a Saturday evening. <br/><br/>We got the Mixed Sashimi 16pc Platter, Soft Shell Crab, Sticky Pork Belly, Ora King Salmon and Scallop and Salmon Roll to share between two (plates are designed for sharing). <br/>The mixed sashimi platter was a work of art, it was beautiful! The first thing you see is a magical cloud of icy mist, on to reveal intricately placed sashimi pieces of Salmon, Tuna, Kingfish and Scallops. Sashimi were thick cut and generously sized and very fresh! <br/>The soft shell crab and sushi roll came next; sushi was soooo good, probably one of the best I’ve had! Topped on each piece were 2 fish eggs, crispy salmon skin and salmon sashimi. Rice was soft and mildly warm, and the scallop was tender and not dry at all. It was a burst of flavour and texture on the palate. <br/>Soft shell crab wasn’t as good though; lots of soup dripped when biting into it. But the lemon wasabi mayo pulled it together, and it was also fried to a decent standard. <br/>The sticky pork belly probably won the “best presentation” award for me! 5 generous squares of glistening Pork Belly, drizzled with a rich warm brown glaze of sweet and salty sauce, dotted with white sesame seeds. The pickled purple radish garnish at the top made them look like flowers. Pork belly was cooked to absolute perfection; the fatty part was soft and melted without being too greasy. The meat was soft and didn’t feel dry or chewy. THE SAUCE IS AMAZING and the tanginess of the radish was equally as good, explosion of flavour in the mouth. I would highly recommend this! <br/>The salmon was divine! Flawlessly cooked, salmon pieces laid delicately on a bed of yolk sauce. A small forest of broccoli were plated so nicely, finished with crispy salmon skin. Lacked a little flavour but was a enjoyable dish nevertheless. <br/><br/>Service was good, albeit a tad rushed. Our waitress came to fill our glasses quite regularly though, thumbs up to that. A smile on her face would have been nice though. The bill came to $195 for the 5 dishes.<br/><br/>Food: 9/10<br/>Price: 8/10<br/>Ambience: 10/10<br/>Service: 7/10
Rachel Seowon
1. Ambience- 4.0/5.0. Good place for quite drinks and a fancy night out :) !<br/><br/>2. Food - to be honest, I wouldn’t ever give more than 4.0 for flavour and its authenticity of Japanese sashimi.. Especially nigiri could haven put more effort into the rice. <br/>Having said this most of ingredients were market fresh (apart from wasabi). <br/><br/>3. Service - 4.5/5.0. Very friendly and precessional.<br/><br/>Overall, I it was generally merely “alright” experience for me personally as I am not too keen of fusion style. I would recommend for you to try at least try once for a Friday night but frankly I wouldn’t go there more than once.
Becks Fielding
I had the enjoyment of dining at this establishment this evening and may I just say firstly, there honestly wasn't anything we could have faulted!<br/>Secondly please excuse my pics as I am not used to taking photos of my food upon arriving at the table so yes there is at least one piece missing from each dish.<br/>We ordered the always a winner starter - edamame beans, followed closely by the emi mayo roll; a very sophisticated (yes, I just called sushi sophisticated) looking dish and wonderfully flavoursome to boot. We also had the tuna ceviche, mixed platter of beautifully fresh sashimi, delicate steamed prawn dumplings and of course the absolutely amazing teriyaki chicken which literally melted in your mouth!<br/>Service was outstanding and the decor was chik yet slightly industrial and the low lighting made for a welcoming yet secluded feel at your table.<br/>Please experience this place for yourself, you won't be disappointed.<br/>Thank you for a lovely evening Ebisu we'll see you again.
Sammy D
The best modern Japanese in town! Ambiance is excellent with onsite DJ playing. Fresh sashimi presented beautifully and such wonderful flavours in the beef tataki, prawn dumplings and scotch fillet. The dressing on the shredded cabbage salad - Yum! Dessert platter to finish, everything all so good.
Foodie_1110
Absolutely love all the food! There was too much on the menu so we went for the set dinner which gave you a huge variety of things off the menu! Definitely would go again! Definitely was not a cheap eats place but 100% worth your buck. Would not recommend the cabbage dish though, was a bit weird tasting for me! The sashimi was so fresh and some of the best I've possibly ever had! Definitely recommend if you're up for a good night out
Coz I Can
Thank you so much for an AMAZING Dinner.<br/><br/>We had the Vegan Set Menu for Date night which was reasonably priced and so much tasty food.<br/><br/>Left fulfilled with happy Tummys and a good start to the res of the night.<br/><br/>Eggplant , Tofu , Pickle and Miso was DELICIOUS 😍
Bala
Ordered the set meal for 6pax. The variety of dishes and quality of the dishes was good value for money. Table Service by Shane was excellent - suggested good ranges of wines that complemented dishes like a glove!
Vicky Wu
it was my first time dine at Ebisui ,the food is delicious. but the services is really poor! the waitress kept asked about the bill? it really make us felt uncomfortable.Anyone have the same experience?
Bella Luv Food
I would give 5/5 for the atmosphere, decorations and the food here. The place looks amazing. We had the Wakanui Scoth, Seared Duck and 9 pieces mixed sashimi. Every thing was beautiful. The beef was very soft, sashimi was super fresh and the duck was cooked to perfection. If there's anything I didn't like it was maybe the sake that we were suggested, way too strong. Definitely not a cheap-eat destination but worth the money.
Amanda Dunn
Stunning food and impeccable service. The salmon sashimi and duck main were highlights. Perfect for groups as meals come out to share. I've wanted to visit for awhile and definitely didn't disappoint. My favourite Japanese spot to date.
TP
The ambiance is amazing, really great set up (fancy).<br/>Food was delish and fresh! The sashimi was amazing. <br/>Overall service was very good. With an attentive waiter.
Debin Sabu
My friends were travelling to Japan and me here in new Zealand. I have been craving for Japanese food ever since. I decided to try this restaurant for some fine dinning. <br/>It did not disappoint me. I was impressed by the service in the restaurant they made sure that we were not lost with all the new foods. <br/>We had a set dinner for 65 dollars that included starters mains and a dessert. They did serve dumplings work a twist. The prawns dumplings with their unique sauce was perfect. The lamb bbq cooked the perfect way and the sushi was work to die for. <br/>Okie you don't get huge quantities but it does for you up and you can try different things and not just one big meal
Missk Khan
Finally a date night with the special one, just the 2 of us. How romantic and he wanted us to come here. Very good pick! I was a bit nostalgic about my trip to Japan last year and following on from the mastercheffies trip to Japan, this place definitely hit the spot.<br/>The ambience was amazing, very hip and moody with the lights being turned low soon after we got there, then a dj started playing!! 👍<br/>Food was very well presented and delicious. Best tempura ever! The prawns were spot on. <br/>Mains, we ordered salmon and scotch fillet and both were amazing.<br/>Dessert while it looked great, wasn't quite the best. We got the tasting platter and the fondant and cheesecake were a bit of a letdown. The brĂ»lĂ©e was great though.<br/>Would definitely go back here!
Hriday Shah
The restaurant has such an amazing atmosphere, with great music and even better food. The staff were always on hand and looked after any and all needs. Special shout out to Marc for being such a gracious host. Highly recommend.
Hasini Ratnasekera
Excellent Japanese food. Love the ambience. Recommend the eggplant if you visit there. Works great to get shared dishes for the table. One of the best Japanese places I've tried.
Christina Hibbard
Ordered a big selection of small plates and a few large plates too. The dumpling were tasty and with such delicate wrappers yum. Tempura oysters yum but the real stand out was the miso eggplant. Love it.
Gnxsta23
Went for my birthday dinner here with my wife on Friday night , we love this place!! Food was on point as always , but we felt that the waitress were waiting for us to finish the last mouth full of food then come over & clear our plates we thought that was a lil annoying and watching us eat from a distance other then that was a enjoyable night
Sylvester Kuo
I don't think I can rate this place properly since I am too povo to eat here in the first place. My 2 friends and I came here and we all nearly cried after the meal and still felt hungry. The friendly servers kept asking us if we want more food, which was nice, but we were poor.<br/><br/>I could tell the seafood was obviously fresh but it did not warrant for the price. It's way overrated when I could get similar quality sushi elsewhere for much cheaper.
Frank
Amateur diners rejoice! Another faultless and beautifully resplendent restaurant in Britomart to wow us with amazing dishes and exemplary service.... We were quickly seated, had some fantastic cocktails (the Kuroni is simply sublime), and kids and our sharing plates came quickly and looked fantastic. Prawn dumplings, pork belly and the sushi were some of the best I ever tried. The overall experience is one of chilled relaxation and class. I don't know why it's taken me so long to visit, but this is definitely one of the highlights in the Britomart precinct!
Tt_akl
I loved this place. The ingredients are fresh, the taste is layered and awesome :) especially the fish dish in the first picture, the fish was tender, silky and beautifully seasoned. The dumplings too the flavour was layered and just beautifully made (though I think it's seasonal). I say one of the best jap restaurants you'll come to in Auckland.
ScoopScoop
Friday night and time to dine out! I wanted to try ebisu for a long time and here we go. First thing I noticed was it was very loud. Yes it was a Friday evening and there was a DJ but I really struggled to understand my friends. It's quite a huge place and when we arrived it was very busy. The interior looks stylish and nice, you won't find any bright lights (which can be a good thing or not ;) )<br/>Service was very friendly and attentive, food got delivered quite quickly.<br/>We ordered miso glazed eggplant, teriyaki chicken, truffle beef rolled sushi, miso glazed tooth fish, Edamame and seared duck breast. The food was delicious, portions alright. Most of the dishes had a sweet touch which was a bit unexpected in some dishes. But it was still great. Besides the presentation, what I really liked was the combination of different flavours on one plate, sweet/sour/fruity/spicy/creamy/salty. This made the dishes interesting.<br/>I think my favourite was the eggplant and the fish.
Miss Kiki
Ebisu has been on my list of "have to try" places for ages. I wanted to book for lunch but their website says they do not take bookings and operate on a walk in basis. I wasn't too concerned as we were planning to go on a monday.<br/>When we walked in and asked for a table for 2 it struck me as odd that they asked if we have booked a table, seeing that they say they don't take bookings. There seems to be an odd process because after that I saw that other reviews complained about a similar thing (not that this bothered me but maybe they should decide to either take bookings or not).<br/>Service was very good. Attentive but not overbearing, just how I like it.<br/>We ordered beek tataki, sticky pork belly, tuna ceviche sushi and soft shell crab.<br/>I have had these dishes at many different restaurants in Auckland and in other parts of the world, I usually try something new but this day we felt like our go-to favourites.<br/>The beef tataki was probably the worst I have had, I can't really say why but it tasted like there were missing ingredients, as if the quality of the beef was not good enough to have it as pure as what it was. The tuna ceviche sushi roll really was not bad - it was ok but for the price I felt like it was just lacking something, as if I was paying twice the price for sushi only 20% better than St Pierre's. I thought it couldn't get worse but it did - the supposed "sticky" pork belly. Not only was it far away from sticky the pork belly was so dry, I felt like the sauce was blobbed on to hide the fact that it was super dry. I am not sure how they cook this but if I had to guess I would say they braise it in some salt ridden stock which draws out all the moisture it could possibly have had.<br/>The soft shell crab was actually the best and it was delicious with a very light batter. I can't fault it, but I would not have expected something as simple as deep fried soft shell crab to have been a challenge to make.<br/>Overall the price for the food is ridiculous - I don't mind paying that price if the food is truly good. If it wasn't for the beautiful decor, good service, lovely ambience and amazing presentation of their dishes I would have rated them lower.<br/>
Pointblank
Service - Excellent<br/>Presentation - Excellent<br/><br/>YES<br/>Sticky Pork Belly<br/><br/>MAYBE <br/>Ramen Roll <br/>Miso Glazed Eggplant <br/>Oro King Salmon <br/><br/>NO<br/>White Chocolate Miso Fondant
Whiskyncigars
First and foremost, I cannot fathom how and why this is in some sort of top 50 list in Auckland. <br/>This restaurant is quite average.<br/><br/>I ordered the tataki, pork belly, Ceviche Tuna sushi and soft shell crab. <br/>The crab was good, not excellent but good, The best of the lot, Even that was not really spectacular. <br/>The sushi roll was bland, the rice was not the right consistency and flavourless. <br/>The tataki just lacked flavour, the meat quality was great but the flavour was lacking, it was 2 dimensional and frankly disappointing and even more so the pork belly. <br/>This dish was the most disappointing of all - dry and stringy at the bottom and the flavour was not even Japanese. I don't know what this dish was supposed to be, poorly executed and the meat was so dry. <br/>Everything was well presented - but the flavours were not well presented.<br/><br/>The problem with this restaurant is that it was so expensive. All of the above cost me $117 (incl a ginger beer).<br/><br/>I have been to hundreds of restaurants in NZ and around the world and this one just does not warrant the price, hype and reputation.
Sasha McCormick
One of my favourite restaurants in Auckland!! Love this place. The food, the service and the ambiance is all excellent. I have been here many a time and it never fails to impress, which in itself is impressive because consistency is key! Would recommend Ebisu to anyone looking for a delicious meal.
Roxanne Sarkari
Not your average Japanese restaurant. The food is so innovative and I love how they are always changing up the menu to keep it interesting. <br/><br/>There is so much care and attention put into each dish and the quality of the food is always consistent. These chefs really know how to make textures and flavours work. <br/><br/>The menu is designed for sharing so don't be surprised when you get a smaller than expected dish - the whole point is that you get to try a lot of different things without getting full after your first plate - and I love that. <br/><br/>The Ebi Mayo roll is an absolute must as are the crayfish dumplings which were a special not listed on the menu - ask your waiter! <br/><br/>I remember the first time I ever went to Ebisu they had a sesame ice cream dessert which was to die for -I'm hoping they bring it back but given the fact that I've loved every dish I've ever eaten here, I can't complain. <br/><br/>This is one of those places I just can't seem to get sick of.
Sophia Egan-Reid
Ebisu is my favourite restaurant in Auckland. The food, service, cocktails, ambiance and space are all top notch. I can not recommend highly enough.
Glenn Town
Two of us had a long lunch here yesterday<br/>The food was impressive<br/>Miso Soup<br/>12 Bluff Oysters<br/>Karaage Chicken<br/>Pickles<br/>Teriyaki Chicken<br/>And Sticky Pork Belly<br/>Kirin and Tokyo Dry Beers<br/>Finished off with Hot Sake<br/>Excellent experience<br/>The service was a real mixture<br/>A novice waitress who tried hard<br/>Go if you have not been
Try_something_new
AMAZING food with a twist in taste with every dish!! <br/>Ordered : agedashi tofu, sticky pork belly, rainbow roll sushi, ebi mayo sushi.<br/>The crispy coating of the tofu gave it an amazing kick! The pork belly was cooked perfectly with a delicious sweet/salty sauce which complemented the pickle on top. The mayo sushi was the highlight~ the rockmelon brought out the taste of the prawn and mayo. Perfect for a date tonight ~ would come back again and again!
Good Food, Good Mood
Accommodated to a table for 5 very quickly without a booking which was nice because it rather full house. Got assigned a waiter who was attentive. Food came out really quick. They forgot the karaage chicken but rectified it quickly. 100% would come back. Stand out dish was the black truffle seared beef rolled sushi.
El La
We have been coming here for years and it has always been a pleasant experience. The last time we went the service was so appalling, we won't be going back, nor will we recommend it to friends. We have emailed them 6 days ago and wrote to them on trip advisor and haven't even had a response (the icing on top of the cake for bad service!)
Jenny Da
I absolutely love Ebisu and it's selection of Japanese fusion food. We usually get sashimi and duck however my mother was in the mood for red meat so we ordered the grain fed beef. The dish was cooked to perfection and not a piece was left on the plate. Their agedashi tofu is also one of my favourites. Must try!<br/><br/>Quite pricey dishes though. Be prepared to spend at least $60 per person
Saif Nouri
Our favourate dinner place, amazing food, excellend staff service, we love everything about their menu(old menu), recently changed the menu slightly and which we are not as happy about in comparision to the older menu nevertheless the food is still amazing. Parking is a little bit of mission but you'll sort it out
임상
Wonderful environment and service. But disappointed with the quantity of each dish. Especially the new style sashimi! Prawn tempura was good.
Alienbabe
Eating Local and supporting restaurants during restaurant month.<br/>We ate out 4 times this week to spend money with the industry severely hot by Covid.<br/>We'd booked our table in advance and Uber'd down to Quay St. The maitre D asked me my name, called the waiter and told him our table number, there was <br/> no Welcome to Ebisu, xxxxx insert my name, I hope you'll enjoy dining with us or any other recognition<br/>/greeting, it felt abit rude. Later he wandered around talking to diners, but still ignored us, <br/><br/>The waiter fave us our menus, we couldn't find the restaurant month deal $65 pp for 4 courses and had to ask for the menu for that. He did apologise for not giving us that particular menu, <br/>The food was excellent beautifully presented and lovely flavours. <br/>The food here is fantastic, the service needs some improvement. <br/><br/><br/><br/>
Bella Qian
This place definitely lives up to its hype! Although a bit overpriced the food tastes very good. You must try the sashimi as they do a modern take on it, it is flavourful and well presented. The duck was absolutely delicious, the smell is enough to get your mouth watering. The scallops were okay, it was a tad overlooked and not as flavourful as I expected. It was the dessert that blew me away, the buttermilk icecream was out of this world and they make the lava cake fresh. All the components worked perfectly and i would probably go back just for dessert.
Bridgee
Went here a couple of weeks ago with a girlfriend for lunch, having not been here for a couple of years.  Forgot how good it was.  We both got the Bento lunchbox, but upgraded to the crab - everything was excellent and went well with the white wine that the bartender recommended for us.  My friend is a hospo person, so we were a bit spoilt and given complimentary top shelf sake as well.  Not something I would necessarily order, but again excellent.  Overall, the food, service and atmosphere were excellent - won't be leaving it so long to go back..........
Zoe Bowker
Despite being a stalwart on the Metro Top 50 scene since it’s opening, the Ebisu menu had never been able to lure me to it’s waterfront location, even though I’ve dined all around it over the years. This time however, some delicious sounding dishes and multiple mentions of truffle oil managed to get me over the line.
Hungry Auckland
August in Auckland means one thing – Restaurant Month. For the whole of August participating restaurants feature special menus and there are numerous foodie events happening around the city. We took the opportunity to sample Ebisu’s Restaurant Month menu. For $55 we received four exquisite courses combined with top notch service in a beautiful, serene environment.
Seamus M.
Very fancy place, deco is modern and elegant. Loved the food was delicious. The crispy tofu was the best, loved the texture and the flavours were not overpowering I could taste the tofu. The pork belly was nice too. Eggplant was on point 😏<br/>Service was phenomenal, Our waitress was very nice 😁overall had a fab time here.<br/>It is expensive but Yolo! It was worth the experience and wouldn't mind coming back.
Hungry Auckland
August in Auckland means one thing – Restaurant Month. For the whole of August participating restaurants feature special menus and there are numerous foodie events happening around the city.<br/><br/>We took the opportunity to sample Ebisu’s Restaurant Month menu. For $55 we received four exquisite courses combined with top notch service in a beautiful, serene environment.<br/><br/>Combining both Japanese and European techniques, Ebisu is based on the traditional Izakaya method of dining. Izakaya is a type of informal Japanese gastro pub and Ebisu have combined this with an elegant design full of clean lines and symmetry.<br/><br/>We began with some sparkling Sake and the Angus Beef Tataki with black truffle, soy dressing and spring onion. This was our favourite dish of the night as the meat was fall apart tender and delicate with the soy dressing and spring onion providing acidity and contrast.<br/><br/>The other option for the first course was the Ora King Salmon Tataki with jalapeno dressing and paper thin vegetables. Also delicate, the fish was exceptionally fresh and the jalapeno dressing provided a nice kick.<br/><br/>The second course was Free Range Karaage Chicken with onion pepper dressing. Karaage is a Japanese cooking technique which means food is deep fried in oil. The chicken was moist and the crunch of the batter was just perfect.<br/><br/>The third course was Wakanui Scotch Fillet with ponzu , wafu dressing and sesame sauce. Cooked to a perfect medium consistency, the fillet wasn’t as tender as the first course’s beef but was still beautifully cooked. It was also really nice to have the option of the three different sauces.<br/><br/>The other option for the third course was the Miso Glazed Warehou with cauliflower puree, pickles and daikon.<br/><br/>We ended the meal with a lovely little serving of Vanilla Ice Cream. We thought this menu was outstanding value for the quality of the food and the ambiance of this fantastic restaurant. There is also the option to do a wine pairing with the Restaurant Month menu.
Ali Levana
My partner and I dined at Ebisu during Restaurant Month in August.<br/>We selected the vegetarian set menu with wine match.<br/>This was not our first time dining at Ebisu, from our other experiences here our expectations were high. Ebisu did not disappoint!<br/>The food was perfectly matched with wine, what a lovely faultless experience. The flavours are surprising and creative - excellent for vegetarians as they know how to celebrate vegetarian eating!<br/>Service here is of extremely high standard!<br/>We will be back Ebisu!
Wanderlazed
Ebisu definitely caught my curiosity that it gave me a good excuse to have a lunch date in the city. I give the food and food presentation a 3.5. No doubt, the selection was YUMAZZING! BUT, unless the restaurant is a take away place, I have to rate it as an overall experience and for that matter, I give it a 3. I understand that the place is trying to create a soft and dimmed atmosphere but this was not achieved at daytime. The natural light is too bright that if you are seated facing outside, it makes you uncomfortable you can barely see the person in front of you. The acoustic of the room needs more work as the "Zen" ambience was lost, it was too loud for a peaceful lunch. It was quite busy but i've been to busier places and the lady missed to serve one of our orders. As we exited for payment, the man enquired which table we came from, now this might be a very minor detail to some, but for the price i'm paying I expect quality service. On a positive note, I thought the orchid accent in the toilet was beautiful.
Justine Weake
Had the set menu ($55) as part of Auckland restaurant month. Everything was delicious, especially the chicken karage. Portions were just a bit small for what we paid for
Eric Lee
Fantastic atmosphere, really enjoyed our dinner at Ebisu! The oysters were awesome and sashimi, one of the best I've ever had. Not to mention the top notch service. Can't wait to be back, we wanna try all of the dishes on the menu!
Eli A
Went last Sunday for the restaurant month special with some friends- and it was good! We all had the salmon tataki, then the chicken karaage. For the main all of us had the fillet, just one of us had the warehou. Chicken karaage was the clear stand-out for everyone. The vanilla ice cream for dessert was much better than expected- really delicious :-) Cons: tiny portions for big prices, and my steak had lots of fat so that I could only actually eat half of it- but it was beautifully charred on the outside and perfectly medium rare on the inside. Decor was lovely and the housite white wine was lovely too!
Natalie
We've been to Ebisu quite a few times and have always enjoyed the experience. Dishes are more on the expensive side for Japanese dining, but we would still recommend it. On this most recent occasion we ordered the Beef Tataki, Steamed Prawn Dumplings, Sticky Pork Belly and Free Range Teriyaki Chicken. I particularly loved the prawn dumplings which were so light and yummy. The Teriyaki Chicken had been more enjoyable on previous occasions- this time round there was not much truffle oil. We always enjoy the furikake rice rolls that are served with the chicken. Sticky Pork Belly was delicious, however it is incredibly rich and probably best to share with five or four people (one piece per person). The atmosphere of the restaurant is great and suitable for young adults and even families. We've never had bad service here. Overall would recommend this restaurant for a casual dinner or even a special occasion.
Jo
Good Service, nice atmosphere and tasty food. But overpriced for what you get. Have had better Japanese is less fancy restaurants in Auckland.
Tiana Meintjes
I recommend this place to anyone who asks "where should I go for date night?" The food is absolutely delicious, the flavours are spot on, and the staff are super friendly. We have been here about 5 times now and each time I want to personally walk up to the chef and thank him. Sometimes it can be a little busy and you have to wait for your table but there is a big enough bar to have a few drinks while you wait.
Samantha Gemmell
Had a great time at ebisu. Quality of the food was great! I particularly enjoyed the beef tataki and the kingfish. Can't wait to come back to try some more dishes :-)
NCC1701
This place is not getting a 5 only due to staff who I found to be a little forgetful and not very helpful with requests for saki recommendations. Other than that this place is awesome! Cool vibe and absolutely delicious food. We had pretty much everything on their small hot plate menu and it was all good. I'd particularly recommend the karaage chicken here as well as the tempura. A lot of japanese places don't get tempura quite right but these guys knock it out of the park!
Monique Roberts
Really enjoyed the atmosphere of this restaurant.  The location is great being in downtown Auckland. The service was pleasant and the food nice but quite pricey.  Really good for a night out.
Eduardo Dias
We went out for a late lunch this place Friday afternoon. The place is quite spacious with nice sofas and a contemporary decoration.<br/><br/>We ordered Dumplings, Teriyaki Chicken and Tofu. The service was excellent and the meals were very balanced, flavoured and extremely well presented.<br/><br/>We are definitely getting back and we strong recommend this place to anyone looking for a lunch or dinner in a Japanese restaurant.
Sarah S
Dined here to celebrate a graduation with a group of seven, the decor is beautiful & the place had nice ambience. It was a Monday night but it was packed & there were no free tables. I would defo recommend booking ahead. I had read such good reviews about the service but we must have had an off night as I was rather disappointed in it. The wait too order was rather long, we had a bottle of rose which was just left on the counter out in the warm, I would usually expect this in an ice bucket at your table so it was kept chilled & could be drunk at your leisure especially in such a busy place. This was also a $70 bottle of wine which they charged us $160 for, but luckily the error was discovered & promptly rectified. My uncle was drinking a Japanese beer which he described as the best beer he had ever had & he went online & purchased some for delivery from the dinner table, so if you are a beer drinker defo check out their selection. I would also recommend asking for the cocktail menu. There were so many delicious sounding options. I had a blossom which was delicious & fruity. The food came extremely fast & was all very tasty. My partner & I shared the meat platter which is absolutely awesome if your a big meat eater like my partner is. The presentation of food was also beautiful. Again with the service there were a few flaws like my Mum was served her rice after she had almost finished all her other food. It would have been nice to mix it together & not separated. We wanted to try dessert but were not offered a menu for a long time, we were happy to wait as we were gathering for a celebration so it was a bit of a catch up but in normal circumstances this would have been frustrating. We couldn't decide on one dish so we ordered the platter which was great to nibble on & try a bit of everything. The fondant was my personal fav. Overall we enjoyed our evening. The food & atmosphere was lovely & I think unfortunately the staff were run off there feet & we had an off night with service.
Claudia
I was so excited to try this place and after leaving I'm not sure whether I was satisfied or not. I ordered the duck breast which arrived with some flavoured salts to dip in to. The duck breast was so tiny and the fat not rendered properly (also no crispy skin!) which was a let down. I finished this meal in two minutes which was a record for me since I'm a slow eater. My friend however ordered the bento and received a lot of different tasty compartments. The chicken was so moist and marinated perfectly. For dessert we decided to split the creme brûlée, which to say the least, was small.. Very small. In a little Japanese tea cup small. Apart from the size, it was delicious and had some interesting flavours. Hard to say I'd order it again due to its price and lack of portion. <br/><br/>I would probably return but only after doing extensive research to see what meals will actually fill me up since they are indeed tasty!
ShoRt
Would definitely recommend people to try this place - more for the great service, great food, great presentation and great atmosphere but also more on the expensive side of town.<br/><br/>Definitely worth it if you're feeling like classy asian food.
Victorianchester
We just Zomatoed the restraunt and went there. At first, we did not order the oyster, but it looked so delicious on our neighbouring table. Thus we ordered, OMGIt was soooooooooo amazingEven better than those of DepothaaaaIt tasted a little bit sweet and fresh and fresh and freshOther food were yummy as wellthe stuff were very friendly and comsiderateWe would like to go there again for my birthday
Brian
Just overpriced nonsense. Seemingly inexperience staff - designated waiter nowhere to be seen. DJ music so loud it was hard to speak. This place is for a younger, less discerning crowd, who are not used to good restaurants and good service.
NanaKo
We had dinner here for our wedding anniversary. It was a lovely Sunday evening and this place was packed with people. Lovely atmosphere and exceptional service from everyone in the restaurant. Food was super fresh and of very very high quality. We had a dedicated waiter attending to us the whole night and can tell from how we were served that the waiters were all very professional.<br/>Although the prices do lean on the more expensive side but it is definitely worth it. Would highly recommend this place for a nice fancy night out.
James T. Raukete
Great service. Amazing food! The Beef Tataki and Chicken Karage were so good I had to order it again! A vast variety of drinks that would keep any disconcerting diner happy. Cocktails are spot on đŸ‘ŒđŸœ highly recommend if you are a keen Japanese foodie or just a foodie in general
JT92
Made a reservation for 2 on a Saturday night. The ambience of the place was great for a date. It wasn't too loud to the point you couldn't hear the person sitting across you. Dim lighting and candles were placed on every table. When we went the place was fully booked yet waitress were attentive and made sure there was always water in our glass.<br/>I ordered 1 small plates cold (Beef Tataki Seared Angus), 2 small hot plates (Agedashi Tofu, Steamed Prawn Dumplings), 1 sushi roll (Tempura King Prawn Roll), 1 signature dish (Hamachi Kingfish Sashimi), and 1 Large Plate (Duck?[forgot name to it]). Out of all these dishes I must say that the Hamachi Kingfish Sashimi most struck out to me. It's the first time I have tried such a dish and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the restaurant. The dishes we ordered was enough to make us somewhat full (could be possible that we have not digested the food from earlier in the day).<br/><br/>Overall, the experience was a more than satisfactory one and the night went great. Highly recommended place for a date if you want to treat yourself a little. Would definitely return to try other menus.<br/><br/>Service: 9/10<br/>Food: 9/10<br/>Ambience: 8/10<br/>Value for money: 6/10<br/>Overall: 8/10
Karren
Called in earlier to make a booking, the Voicemail said that they have a STRICT walk-in policy and only take bookings for 5 or more people. Came in 30 minutes after to get a table for three and was asked if we have made a booking. We were told that since it's Valentine's day, their table for 2 has became popular and so a booking was necessary. We told the person in the counter that their voicemail said otherwise, but still, no apology was made. We were just told that unfortunately they were fully booked. Was really disappointed when I looked around and saw a lot of empty tables. <br/><br/>We waited 'til the next booking available which was for 7.30pm. We were told that they only hold tables for 15mins until they give it to someone else. We came back at 6.30pm to check if someone has cancelled out or did not show up, but again, was surprised to find out that they've given a table to someone else who did not make a booking at all. The person in charge was also surprised when he saw us see what happened. Talked to him but he just said we have to wait until 7.30pm. I looked around again and the restaurant was still not full. Honestly, this was by far the worst service ever. I felt that he just didn't want us to eat there. We were tempted to just go home and order a takeaway. <br/><br/>7:30pm. Finally got our seats. I won't lie, the food is worth the wait. We ordered soft shell crabs, seared Hokkaido scallops, Chicken Teriyaki, Tempura King Prawn roll (absolutely amazing!) and spiced Apple doughnuts. <br/><br/>Would still probably come back again because the food is great. <br/><br/><br/><br/>
BrianWilliams
Really good Authentic Japanese food. Beautifully presented and packed full of flavours. Awesome atmosphere in the restaurant too. Not a cheap eat but worth every penny
Sushmitha D
Japanese food is one of my least explored cuisines by far so going to Ebisu wasn't my first choice. But the staff truly made the whole experience so pleasant and easy. Our waiter explained how everything worked and even customised my choice of bento box to fit my vegetarian requirements! The food itself was delicious, especially loved the miso soup and the tempura root vegetables. The flavours were delicately balanced and just right. Will definitely be going back here!
Thegreeats
Went here for a friend's 21st and food was fabulous! <br/>We ordered the big sashimi platter and everything was so fresh it tasted alive ;)<br/>The atmosphere is dark and moody<br/>Perfect for a date night if you have $$<br/>Expensive Japanese, but I mean for its location, quality of food and service it's not all that bad<br/>Definitely recommend!
Cindy Ong
We dropped in today for simple and fast lunch.<br/>We ordered a bento box, a bowl of miso soup and a tempura King prawn sushi roll.<br/>The food was served very quickly. Within half an hour we had everything served and finished eating.<br/><br/>The restaurant has very big space which can easily accommodate up to may be 50 people or more. But it was filled up quickly within very short time.<br/><br/>The bento box is $25 and we were served with 3 pieces karaage chicken (fried chicken), 3 pieces raw fish with heaps of greens on top plus vinegar like sauce, a slice of may be 50gm beef plus steam rice. You have the options to upgrade your steam rice to sushi roll or upgrade your chicken to soft shell crab.<br/>I like the karaage chicken and beef. I don't know I still prefer the ordinary sashimi instead of adding veggies on the sashimi and with sauce on the veggies and fish.<br/><br/>I would like to praise the tempura prawn sushi roll that the sour taste of the vinegar rice plus the crispy prawn, crunchy spring onion and some mayo plus fish roes served on top of the sushi make the whole sushi taste so perfect matched and so yummy! A plate of tempura prawn sushi is $22 and comes with 8 small pieces (not the normal NZ size sushi, they are much smaller than the normal size). <br/><br/>Miso soup is $4 and taste like normal miso soup.<br/><br/>I rank it as an expansive Japanese restaurant but the food was good.<br/>
Richie Chewy
Been here a few times a few years ago as was working in britomart and one of the better Japanese restaurants around and this time we went over as a group of 11 as a farewell dinner for friends from overseas . They accommodated us to a bigger table just outside the main dining area with the stools and long table. Most of us had the set menu at $75 each excl drinks which was nice and very filling as it was over 5 courses with dessert / ice cream ! Check the set menu out as its easy and has a good selection and also accommodated us with no prawns on a few dishes as some of the guests were allergic, other yummy dishes include the sashimi platter which was well presented, chicken , beef , Veges , sushi and lots more . it took awhile to kick off and had to chase the waiter for drinks and food occasionally but it was just in time after the 3rd dish onwards due to the size of the group. Nonetheless a great experience and food as from prior visits with its nice ambience so check it out when at britomart next !
Francis Lockwood
have been there twice last year. Some of the dishes are already in Michelin star level. <br/><br/>Service: 4.5/5<br/><br/>Wait time: 4/5<br/><br/>Environment: 4.5/5<br/><br/>Food Quality: 4.5/5<br/><br/>Food Quantity: 3.5/5<br/><br/>Price: 3.5/5<br/><br/>Overall: 24.5/30
Flora
Lots of good restaurants in Britomart, and Ebisu is one of them. Tidy and simple decoration matches its dishes and culture well. It's always fully booked on Friday noon, so I choose to come on Tuesday instead this time. I can feel completely welcomed. I tried seared beef roll and tempera prawn, and my friend tried bento box. All yummy!
Luxuryloverxxx
Yeah ok where can I start - we parked in the britomart carpark building $15 for 3 hours - then walked across the road to Ebisu ...first of all buy the Blossom Cocktail I ordered two of these they make you feel wide awake but it's also got alcohol was super delicious!! All the food was cooked to perfection I can't fault any of the food we ordered. The staff both friendly and prompt. $175 for 2 persons
Cathy Chen
Highly recommended! The derive there was fabulous! I went there with my friend on a Saturday night. We arrived pretty late at night and the wait staff there were very nice. Tasty food and great environment. There house made sake was the best sake I've ever had. Definitely go there again. Good place for catch up with friends.
Lena Guo
Awesome service as soon as we walked in. The atmosphere was great. We ordered the Kingfish, Beef tataki, Softshell Crab and Prawn Gyoza. It was all very fresh and full of flavour. Would definitely go there more often.
EpiCurious
Simply amazing. We had the Japanese banquet with friends which features several different dishes, and each was just delicious. The service was outstanding, and the food was varied and well thought out. Will definitely be back.
L.E.N.S
I enjoy Ebisu for nights out where I feel like Japanese, but also feel like dressing up a little, and not getting take away or going somewhere casual. Located on Quay St, this restaurant is a large, elegant Japanese restaurant. <br/><br/>Wait times aren't very long and staff are very friendly, introducing patrons to a little bit of Japanese hospitality (greetings in Japanese etc). The food is good, with all the main culprits available - a variety of sushi, sashimi, tempura, hot plates. I would say however, nothing particularly out of the ordinary from other Japanese restaurants (except maybe better presentation).. and I do think it is overly costly (miso soup/bowl of rice $4 each, 8 piece sushi rolls around $25) in comparison to other Japanese restaurants that serve the same thing. I really enjoyed the spiced apple donuts for dessert however, very tasty!<br/><br/>Overall, I would recommend going to Ebisu if you are looking for an up-market Japanese restaurant where you don't mind paying a bit more for the atmosphere (but not necessarily the food).
Dave Son
Really great place to walk into an some of the most amazing staff. The food was good but I kinda feel like it's over priced Japanese food. Had the bulgogi skewers which where great and the mixed sashimi platter was fresh and tasty and karage chicken which was the norm. I would go back but only if I wanted to impress a person cause it was a "cool" place to take someone
HJ
Great ambience, stunning dĂ©cor and an all round good experience! Have been here several times with friends, and also organised a surprised birthday dinner for my partner. The staff here are friendly and really informative with the menu options. The food is served reasonably quick considering how busy they are. <br/><br/>Top dishes – Soft shell crab, both Tofu dishes, Chicken karaage and Miso glazed eggplant. The only photo I managed to snap before it was all gone was the Spiced apple donuts, which were delicious but not enough when your sharing between two! <br/><br/>I would highly recommend this place for special occasions or for those that don't mind paying a little extra when dining out. Get a group together and have a few great cocktails while you wait for your friends to arrive at there bar. Be ready to try an assortment of dishes – they have plenty on offer, you'll be spoilt for choice!
James
Great food, I have eaten plenty of Japanese over the years and this is one of the best eateries I have experience. The agedashi tofu is not to be missed. We will be back.
Fancy Face
I have dined at Ebisu over 10 times and every time receive great service, drinks are out to the table quickly, assistance with the menu is simply the best dietary  requirements are not an issue and when the food arrives its outstanding and I will keep going back.<br/><br/>Soft Shell Crab is amazing, sticky pork belly melted in your mouth, love the rainbow sushin and the, chicken karaage is simply yum!<br/><br/>I highly recommend it !!
Al Kumar
I am totally amazed by this place. Went on an extremely busy Friday night last month. We were on the waiting list so had a few drinks at the bar,  only 15mins later we were taken to our table. The food was truly out of this world. Amazing Amazing!. question is how do they do it? Very friendly and attentive staff at all times, fast service and love your wine. You guys have nailed it. Keep up the great work.
Donna&Shane
WOW.... What a great experience this was for dinner .... Service was excellent... Food came out quickly but only as you finished each dish... The Tonkatsu was just scrummy!! Soft shell crab devine as was the mixed tempura and both Nigiri a very pleasant surprise so fresh.... Snapper one was my favourite .... All in all can't wait to come back and try more.... Definitely a must to try!
Rona Dalgleish
Best Japanese restaurant I've been to. Great variety of Japanese drinks from teas and sake to beer and wines. The menu was so hard to choose from but went for the tuna sashimi, mixed seafood salad, karaage chicken pieces and mixed tempura. Couldn't fault a single dish. The Sashimi even had gold leaf on it 😍 Drops some points for the awkward waiter we had and it's a little pricey but that's cause I'm cheap. Will be back again đŸ±
Gidz Khalifa
Top quality restaurant with great great food! slightly pricey and essentially on the high end of the scale in terms of Japanese food! highly recommended to try as much as you can as long as your pocket can afford it
Marina S
The evening began with what was clearly an understaffed restaurant not having a proper maitre d available to seat the influx of people on a Tuesday night. Once taken to our table, the waiter then moved the chair away before we could sit, making another waiter apologise and give us another table. Bizarre start. Once seated, we witnessed two larger tables having to actually get up and walk to a waiter in order to get drinks/order their mains as the floor staff was all over the place. Then we ourselves had to ask for menus, for drinks and for mains. The service was abysmal for a so called exclusive restaurant. Food was great but for the price the portions were minuscule - if you have a decent appetite you will be left disappointed. An attempted apology and weak explanation about not being able to handle the tables was given at the end. If there were too many tables, hire more staff, this is a restaurant in a prime location in Britomart with prices to match and service that doesn't scratch the surface.
A
Came here tonight and had some tasty tofu. We were guttered the mushroom bowl is no longer on the menu! Bring it back please. Place was packed but our food still came out quick. Pictured are tofu, pork and prawns- look too good to eat đŸ‘đŸœ
GideonMarisa MasterchefNz2015
The food here is amazing but I have a slight feeling its paying off for the interior of the restaurant as opposed to its worth! Japanese cuisine doesnt reach such astronomical pricing anywhere in the universe apart from Ebisu! besides this the atmosphere is to die for , service is upto standard and you do feel like you are being elevated to a new level of gastronomy #g2
Caroline Zhang
Great atmosphere and services. Delish food as well. Had mixed sashimi, beef tataki, pork belly and king prawn sushi. Enough calories for two people but our stomachs were not quite full. Next time if I go there probably I will have some big plates instead of the delicate small dishes.
Bubut
If there is ever a food heaven, this could be it. The place is cosy and service is definitely A+++. <br/><br/>I can say that we got to taste a whole lot and every morsel was savoured and delightfully taken in with much gusto. We had the tonkatsu cups, the amazing tofu, soft shell crab, rainbow sushi, chicken karage, vegetable tempura, sticky pork belly that melted in our mouths, chicken teriyaki with rolled rice. To cap the meal we had the dessert platter. Need I say more, the pictures speak for themselves<br/><br/>We're all very happy when we left the place.
Two Dark Coffees
Located on Auckland's Quay Street, just meters from the waitemata harbour is Ebisu.<br/><br/>Offering contemporary Japanese cuisine, Ebisu makes for the perfect restaurant to enjoy quality Japanese at an affordable price. <br/><br/>With seating options that range from two seaters to large tables, Ebisu can accommodate many group sizes.<br/><br/>Staff are polite and knowledgable about the menu. I ordered a degustation and each dish was explained to me as they arrived.<br/><br/>Overall I was impressed with the order of service and the menu's price range is very reasonable.
Paul Evans
Ebisu is always solid. Perhaps not spectacular, but better than most. <br/><br/>We went on a Monday night, they had a special "trust the Chef" style menu.<br/><br/>Some of the dishes were phenomenally good...the Alaskan crab legs were out of this world. While a couple of others (particularly the rice balls) were only just ok. <br/><br/>Service is polite, if a little apologetic at times. <br/><br/>But on balance a great night out, well worth a try...but just a couple of notches below Masu (my favourite Japanese place).
Maye Elle
Love this place ! <br/><br/>We had the Restaurant Month deal which was four courses for $60 <br/><br/><br/>beef tataki and salmon tataki was sooooo good jalapeño sauce with the salmon was sooooo good I needed more in my life. 5/5 appetiser <br/>Service was very good <br/>Entree Ebi Mayo <br/>Bed of fresh cabbage fried batter? Slightly over / roe and chives on top very yummy v good portion wish it were crunchy not so covered in Mayo / covered in Mayo so got soggy / one was definitely over <br/><br/>Hapuka fish and scotch fillet <br/>Fish - eggplant yummy and creamy ( highlight) fish surprisingly sweet well cooked <br/>Meat was cooked to a medium -medium rare chewy have had it before and know it's better normally was rare on the ends <br/><br/>Yuzu brûlée <br/>Raspberry sorbet as well sugar was very hard to crack through very thick had everything together and it was interesting didn't really get the brûlée and raspberry sorbet ( would have preferred a lime sorbet - was nice to cut the richness though )being together but they were nice separate and okay together sorbet and sesame cracker / sliver was surprisingly good. Like how it was in a jap tea cup and was served warm <br/>5/5 <br/><br/>Even cleaned the table for dessert and cleared everything off from there <br/><br/>Japanese waiter was so cute! Very attentive and straight after we finished eating she would always take the plates : our waiter always refilled our water when it needed to be.
Amber McIver
Love Ebisu. Always fresh and great food. The atmosphere is pretty awesome. Fairly pricey, however it's worth every cent. Staff are always attentive and on to it. Great place.
Shirley Yu
Had a pleasant lunch with two of my friends in Ebisu. Best Japanese restaurant I've had! The waiters and waitresses were friendly and nice and the environment was beyond description. We had two special sashimi. One of them was fantastic ( I just forgot it's name haha). We also grabbed rainbow rolls which are highly recommended and they were nice as well. <br/>Hope to come along again next time!
Julia Adams
Ebisu is an upmarket Japanese restaurant with beautiful decor, a sizeable cocktail menu and all the usual Japanese favourites. I got the Vegetarian Bento, and my company got the Chicken bento as well. Everyone was very full and very satisfied with their meals. I got the Jasmine Daiquiri cocktail and unfortunately I cannot remember what my sister's drink was with the cool leaf, but I think it was a mojito of some sort.
Simone Halstead
Had a late dinner here last week on a Saturday night, as predicted we had to wait for a table however the wait was only around 15 mins. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful with a industrial vibe and the servers were very informative on what to order. Between the four of us we settled on the seared duck, karagee chicken, soft shell crab, and the teriyaki tofu. Because this restaurant encourages you to share the dishes were small but it allowed me to try dishes I wouldn't have normally therefore I think I found my love for duck. The duck was cooked perfectly and all the components on the plate in one bite was harmonious. The soft shell crab was alright felt like more coating then actual meat. The karagee chicken was also lovely and moist and so was the tofu. However if you plan on visiting I would order more adventurous dishes as you can get good karagee chicken and tofu at many other places.<br/><br/>To finish we ordered the dessert platter the server told us you start from one side of the platter and work your way down. This was an experience in itself as it satisfied sugar cravings on almost any level. The chocolate fondant was my absolute favourite so rich I wish it was larger. I also enjoyed the pannacota but really appreciated the sorbet at the end as it was refreshing and really cleansed my palate.<br/><br/>Oh and the plates presented really were works of art. Very photogenic despite the dim lighting.
Josh Law
We came here for dessert only. We had the Creme Brulee and the Chocolate Fondant. The Creme Brulee was probably the best I've had in NZ. Smooth and creamy with a crispy sugar shell. The chocolate fondant was rich and goey but a little dry on the outside. The berry coulis was a good match with the chcolate and the ice cream though. They were around $14 each which is pretty good for the quality of dessert. The waitress was very friendly (and i mean extremely friendly..was a little much). Would love to come back here for main courses and such.
MommyYummy
Trendy Restaurant contemporary Japanese.<br/>Clearly you can see investment in the Interior design and concept in general. Good and professional service, great location, good selection of wines and cocktails. Food is mothern Japanese, small portions and we'll presented.<br/>Great for : Lunch and dinner with important clients, dinner with friends, dates.<br/>Mommy friendly :? No. I don't think is the correct place to go with kids. Is not space for trolley as is quite crowd. Maybe at lunch. I didn't see changing room. Perfect for a kids day off with partner 😁👍 2 people : entree and 2 mains + 2 drinks and dessert $170 +/-<br/>Enjoy.
Jay
Interesting touch. One of the unique places at Britomart. Their meals are a tad expensive but are great. The wait staff are great and the drinks are really good too.
Wanderlust
Ebisu was absolutely phenomenal. <br/><br/>We got the beef tataki, prawn dumplings (the most popular thing on the menu), karage chicken, miso egg plant, teriyaki chicken and sticky pork belly. <br/><br/>I can't choose a stand out dish because they were all impressive. The food was beautifully presented and was again phenomenal.<br/><br/>The plates came smoothly and I don't think we were ever without a plate.The service was amazing, extremely attentive, good flow and professional.<br/><br/>I will certainly come again to taste the other dishes.
Kp Food Reviewer 2000
if ive just been paid or its someones shout this is my favourite place to go. <br/><br/>the food here is bloody exceptional - just thinking about that seared cambridge duck breast makes me not want to pay this weeks phone bill and head on over. i feel like no matter what you order you will be impressed.<br/><br/>i always just order different stuff (But ALWAYS GET THE DUCK) and i just sit there with a big smile on my face and are like yep.... this is why i work minimum wage for moments like this.<br/><br/>OH YEP and before i forget if youre getting desert which you 100% should get YOU NEED THE SPICED APPLE DOUGHNUTS' these will ruin your life in the BEST WAY.
Jamie-Leigh Turk
Wow! Just wow. We were just walking past and saw this place and decided to dine there for dinner. Everything was amazing. The food was to die for and the service was flawless. Will be back here for sure next time am in Auckland.
Jaya
Went here for a quick snack. I had the soft-shelled crab and it was perfect! The tempura was nice and light and the crab was perfectly cooked. I also tried their Japanese carbonated milk drink which was a sweet treat! Will definitely come back.
Johann*
Wow! Ebisu you've taken my love for Japanese food to another level!<br/><br/>Located in Auckland's Britomart means that you can expect to pay well for your meal and at Ebisu it's all worth it!<br/><br/>Japanese food lovers need to know that this is not 'your usual' traditional Japanese restaurant where a diner can go and get their Ramen fix, no, Ebisu offers a modern style of Japanese cuisine and this is quite evident from when you first step into the establishment. (From the decor to the menu; these subtle aspects sets the diner up to expect quite a different and unique Japanese dining experience.)<br/><br/>The menu is set up so that you order a selection of dishes to share and the portions are quite generous.<br/><br/>While you do get your Sashimi, Sushi, Karage Chicken etc. on the menu these dishes are presented with a slight twist. We ordered the Prawn Tempura sushi - which can be pretty plain but this came with a Japanese mayo and caviar mixture (don't quote me on this I'm sure it's more technical than mayo and fish eggs), which was placed on top of the sushi and was slightly charred. This just made the sushi that more delicious - it was a very unique mix of flavours!<br/>I could go on about the other dishes we ordered but I won't - I don’t think I'd do the dishes justice.<br/><br/>In terms of the restaurant, service, food presentation and ambience - absolutely fantastic and we'll definitely be going back!<br/><br/>Rating out of 5 (5 being the highest):<br/>Food – 5<br/>Ambience – 4.5<br/>Presentation – 5<br/>Service – 4<br/>Environment – 4.5
KP
Amazing Japanese food. We tried there new menu and have to say the prawn dumplings were superb. Lovely tempura and karage, matched by the great service. Definitely recommended and will revisit soon.
Rebecca Webb
The food was amazing! I was really impressed with the service and we got lots of small portions which was great. I really want to go back again.
Captain Underpants
Came here for a business lunch and was blown away by how good everything was! The staff were great and service was impeccable and the food was bloody good. I'll be back even if work isn't paying!
Hungry_akl_bro
it was ok food i guess. food was good, the service from waiter staff was also good.<br/><br/>I wasn't blown away, however. (good food but nothing new or different)<br/><br/>The host was a bit of a douchebag and almost made us not want to eat there. (very rude and pretentious for whatever reason lol - almost ruined the eating part of our evening)<br/><br/>The waiter staff was great, very helpful in choosing food to order, very professional and made us feel comfortable and welcome.
Sophia
Nestled between Ostro and Fukuko, Ebisu is one of the exquisite fine dining restaurants in Britomart. Ebisu is a contemporary Japanese restaurant, presenting an abundance of variety in Japanese cuisine. My partner and I visited Ebisu for the first time last night, and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience.<br/><br/>Entering Ebisu, I was blown away by the absolutely gorgeous decor. The mix of black wood, brick tiles, and brown leather couches made for such an eclectic and modern vibe. It is such a spacious restaurant, with a generous variety of seating. My partner and I were seated just in front of a glass panel separating the main restaurant from the outdoor area, one that had cherry blossom trees adorning the window. I loved the touch of traditional Japanese flowers in the decor. Overall, I thought the ambience was very elegant and classy.<br/><br/>We started with cocktails Miss Wednesday and A Mexican Ninja in Auckland. My Miss Wednesday consisted of Takara Shochu and rose & lychee liqueurs with fresh lime and a touch of vanilla, while my partner’s Mexican Ninja consisted of Cuervo Tradicional tequila, Choya Umeshu, yuzu juice, with manuka honey & ginger.<br/><br/>I absolutely loved Miss Wednesday; I could taste both the rose and lychee, two of my favourite flavours, and the cocktail as a whole was sweet and very refreshing. My partner’s Mexican Ninja was also very pleasant; it was fruity, tangy, and a tiny hint of spicy from the ginger.<br/><br/>We shared three plates of food: Ebi Mayo Tempura Battered Prawn, Tonkatsu Cup, and Free Range Teriyaki Chicken. The Ebi Mayo Tempura Battered Prawns was an extremely delicious, phenomenal dish. The six large prawns were very creamy, succulent, and fresh, while the flavour was perfectly cooked and incredibly satisfying. If anything, it was how juicy the texture of the prawns were combined with the flavour that blew us away.<br/><br/>Our Pork Belly Tonkatsu Cups arrived shortly after, a dish I didn’t particularly like or dislike. There were four tonkatsu cups of well cooked pork belly in a crisp lettuce cup with Japanese BBQ sauce & mayo, and maybe it’s because pork belly has never really been a favourite of mine, but I enjoyed this dish without being overly thrilled about it.<br/><br/>Our last dish was the Free Range Teriyaki Chicken, which came with pickled red cabbage, furikake rice rolls & truffle oil. I enjoyed everything about this dish – not only the tasty, tender chicken but the furikake rice rolls that complimented it. The chicken had amazing flavour and crispy skin while I enjoyed the subtle flavour of the furikake rice rolls, including the sesame seeds and seaweed.<br/><br/>Overall, we loved our first experience at Ebisu. I personally thought the contemporary decor, unique cocktails, flawlessly cooked food, and friendly customer service were perfection. My highlights were definitely the rose & lychee cocktail and creamy tempura prawns. A highly recommended choice if you love incredible Japanese cuisine!<br/><br/>Miss Wednesday cocktail $18 <br/>A Mexican Ninja in Auckland cocktail $18 <br/>Pork Belly Tonkatsu Cup $22 <br/>Ebi Mayo Tempura Battered Prawns $24 <br/>Free Range Teriyaki Chicken $34
Gentlepig
Excellent spot for a first date - spotless service, great food and generally an immaculate establishment. Everything is very well executed and there were no disappointments throughout the night - of note is the sashimi and nigiri sushi, which are amongst the best our city has to offer.The only gripe is trivial and may not be to everyone's taste; I find that the restaurant shares a similar trait with many other 'fine' Japanese establishments that cater to the wider audience - the menu is 'safe'. For this price tag, I generally like to see some more creativity in each dish.
The Mean As Potato
I went there for dinner with my friend. The staff was very helpful and friendly and they treated us like very important people. The food was disappointed, it was presented well but when I looked at it again, I feel ripped off. we ordered 3 dishes which cost us $80 and we weren't full but we decided not to order anymore, it's just not worth it. I've been to many Japanese and fine dining restaurants in Auckland and Ebisu didn't impress me at all. I will not come back.<br/><br/>Overall rating: <br/><br/>Staff : 5/5<br/>Food: 3/5<br/>Price: 2/5<br/>Presentation: 4/5<br/>Environment: 4.5/5
Gianina Castro
The best Japanese Restaurant I have ever been to.<br/><br/>The ambiance, the service, the food and the presentation are all excellent. I order the same thing every time I visit and have never been disappointed. The food is always cooked to perfection. This is where I go when I just want something that will surely be amazing.
House Of Eats
TOP 10 PICK - This super slick restaurant is one of my favs. The soft shelled crab is to die for! The seared beef and tuna tataki are my all time favourites, seriously outstanding. The sushi isnt just your ordinary sushi, but trust me when I say you will feel like you have died and gone to heaven with the most amazing Japanese. Presentation is on flick! The staff are welcoming and friendly. Beware thou this place isnt cheap, but one doesnt mind, when the food is good - dont forget to try a saki jelly shot for fun - its delicious!!!!
WeiTing Ashley Shyu
After reading all the reviews, I expected fine dining especially for the price tag. I'm disappointed to say that our 5 dishes were not worth the $140 we paid. Our first dish the sashimi salad was divine, the prawn dumplings were also lovely but our other three items: miso eggplant (THICK LAYERS OF MISO WERE WAY TOO OVERPOWERING AND SWEET... tasted more like a dessert), teriyaki chicken (meh! - the rice was hard and not fluffy) and tuna ceviche sushi (ginger overpowers all the flavours) were actually bad. I wouldn't eat them for free. I feel cheated, I WANT A REFUND.<br/><br/>I would not recommend this place at all. I thought it would find its way into my top favourite eats.... But a $10 donburi bowl from your local japanese restaurant would have topped the teriyaki chicken that cost three times the price. Yes, the chicken was tender with a light crispy skin, but the flavours just did not match up. Every dish seemed to lack an important element that usually brings it together. Flavours were either overpowering or missing. I'm so disappointed!!!!!<br/><br/>Would not come back here. Even told the lady at the cashier that the food was just not that great (probably due to black x black being held there that night? But still an event in 3 hours doesn't mean quality of the food degrades). The staff just assured me that they try to give everyone the same dining experience and said if I come back she will personally take care of me herself. WHY WOULD I COME BACK? I WAS RIPPED OFF. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY HAVE WON AWARDS? I can flavour my food better and definitely cook rice better, blindfolded.
Epicurious Nomad
I always go to Ebisu when in Auckland. Even if just for nibbles. I love the freshness of the food. I have NEVER been disappointed. The plum wine here is better than any other place I've been in Auckland. The rest of the wine list is good. The prices seem very appropriate for what is delivered. The location is perfect.
Aniva Huang
We came here on New Year's Eve and even though it was so busy the service was still up to standard. <br/><br/>The kingfish sashimi was amazing. The sauce was so good that I didn't need soy sauce! And I usually have to have soy sauce with any raw fish I have!!<br/><br/>Would not recommend the pork belly though. It came cold and quite tough
Darryn Bell
Dined her on a Monday, first time here the food was fantastic flavours were so very well out together - service was really good humorous light easy to talk to . All round I had an awesome evening. Thank you Ebisu
Rohan
We visited with a big group. Food is really nice and very well presented. Most amezing lamb I ever had with wonderful asian flavours. Wonderful food with good service.
Duncan Galletly
Saturday evening: The plan had been for the three of us to turn up early and go to the unbookable Depot. Unfortunately we were detained by a crayfish martini at the Langham (yes you heard right) and by the time we arrived, at 6.40, we were told that it would be at least a two hour wait for a table. Ok so forget that. After flicking through "metro eats" I rang Ebisu and was told the wait would be 45 minute but I had to show up first before my name would be taken. So a quick walk to Britomart and into Ebisu - it seemed kind of unpleasant - an industrial, concrete walled, noisy, chaotic scene, with no relief from an incessant reverberating base din of "teenage clothes shop music" - topped by folk shouting to make conversation. - this I guessed was auckland at 7pm on a Saturday. With no seats at the bar we left to have a drink elsewhere and wondered whether Ebisu was the right choice. A walk around the local food / bar scene - Hanoi, Mexico, Tyler st garage, ortolana, a burger place and a pub - confirmed that anyone without a booking on Saturday night in brittomart would be destined either for disappointment or Sodom and Gomorrah. Eventually however we found a small Japanese fusion bar where a glass of shochu thankfully calmed nerves and a following sake completely numbed them. As the wait approached one and a half hours we eventually got the nod from Ebisu.<br/>On returning, and after the preceding drinks, Ebisu didn't seem quite as bad. It was still noisy but the air of chaos had diminished as the bar area had emptied out a bit. It almost seemed sophisticated - almost.<br/>The service was quick, friendly and attentive. Our table was dim and poorly lit - in contrast to other tables where one poor guy with a perfectly bald head was shining under a spotlight. <br/>The Japanese fusion menu was a little confusing to navigate - it was probably just me and the sake though - a degustation was on offer but this seemed pricey -$120 per head, so we opted for a lesser number of shared plates. <br/>The wine list was good - a blend of wines, sakes, beers etc from which we ordered a Takatu Pinot Gris. This arrived quickly - in a tumbler rather than stemmed glass - fashionable but hopefully a short lasting one -the absence of a tapered bowl made the quantity look minuscule, colour look absent and the wine rapidly reached room temperature.<br/>We ordered five plates: Seared Cambridge duck was perfectly tender and flavoursome: Prawn dumplings were good: The deep fried chicken's coating I thought too dry to be accompanied by a thick mayonnaise - my partner disagreed: Soft shell crab had a good flavour but seemed more shell than crab: Miso egg plant - Aubergine - was delicious ... my favourite main course: Pork belly - maybe just a wee bit too much fat: pickles wonderful - I'd go just for these. Wavering over dessert we opted for three sorbets to share - plum wine/yuzu/raspberry. Imagining three small frosted balls in a stainless steel coupe it showed the mistake of making assumptions. Three perfectly presented, huge balls of sorbet arrived. All were delicious, the flavours intense, and all of perfect texture and temperature. The plum was probably my favourite. <br/>Overall our choice gave us dishes with very punchy flavours - populist plates that were delicious but which lacked much subtlety. Maybe if we had ordered sashimi that might have been different but basically this is a successful, populist restaurant and, at 7pm on a Saturday night you'd have to be thick, desperate or a Wellingtonian not to have booked beforehand. Lesson learned.
Ariane Nuttall
Dinner on a Friday night .<br/>Started with snapper and hamachi sashimi<br/>It was amazing - I enjoyed the snapper the most , and was beautifully presented<br/>Prawn dumplings - were absolutely amazing! I would go back just for the dumplings <br/>Scallops with shiitake mushroom - well cooked and tasted amazing. <br/>The pork belly was amazing . <br/>The sake was amazing !<br/>My fav night out in Auckland City . The food was amazing . Worth the $200
Andy Thomson
Great authentic Japanese food great service choose the sake with your meal ask the sake waiter, he is superb. What we do here is ask the waiters to select a few dishes and tell him what we like and we have yet to be disappointed. Excellent a must try if you like Japanese food.
Kellie Lee
My family of four including myself came here on a Saturday night at around 7pm ( yes i know, peak hour) and unfortunately, due to the inability to BOOK a table for such few people, we were told that the wait would be around 40 minutes. THANK GOD WE WAITED! hahah. After 45 minutes of siting at the bar looking over the menu, the waiter took us to an available table. We were given our menus and wow, can I just say I'd never had such an enthusiastic waiter ( He said he was Italian hahaha). He ran us through the menu and gave many reccomendations of what would be the right amount and best to order, resulting in us ordering the beef tataki and crispy soft shell crab to start with, and then the mixed sushi, nigiri and sashimi platter for six ( yes I know we were only four, we're big eaters!!) It was only around 5 minutes later that our entrees were received.<br/><br/>Crispy soft shell crab: Words cannot describe how amazing this dish was. THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION! with four pieces of crab deep fried in a thin layer of batter served on a bed of wasabi tartar, I cried with joy with every bite! The crab itself was delicious and fresh and the batter didnt leave any oily gluggy feels at all, every bite was a delight! and that wasabi tartar oh my goodness a match made in heaven!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS DISH!!<br/><br/>Beef Tataki: After trying the crab, I set high expectations for everything that would come into contact with my taste buds from that point on, and boy this dish did not disappoint! The thinly sliced beef was melt in your mouth and paired with a little spring onion served alongside with it, just wow! beef tataki at its finest! Also another dish that I would highly recommend.<br/><br/>Mixed sushi, sashimi and nigiri: Okay this was when the REAL fun began. When the platter came out, literally every person in the restaurant had their eyes on our table ( IT WAS FABULOUS!) Every little piece on the platter was made to perfection! It consisted of a wide variety of sashimi ( inc. salmon , kingfish, tuna, EVEN SCAMPI which was my favourite of the platter), around 8 pieces of nigiri and many variances of sushi rolls ( my favourite being the seared beef one). It also came with two oysters in which I was lucky to have one of ( DELICIOUS!!). The platter was devoured in no time by my family and I, every bite delivering absolute freshness and prefection. The only complaint I would make for this is that It wouldnt fill 6 people up, but it was perfect for 4.<br/><br/>Overall, Ebisu impressed me greatly with both it's service and food!! I can see why Metro had named it as one Aucklands Top 50. Highly recommended for special occassions and if you have a little bit of EXTRA MONEY lying around you dont mind spending. Cant wait to return to try everything on their menu!!! YUM
申氏èżȘ
Their sashimi and sushi platter are awesome, i have been their a few times, soft shell crab are really tasty. This is a high cost japanese restaurant so please prepare for it.
Kirk Sweeney
Meant to be one of the premier eating places in Auckland. Turned out to be lacklustre.<br/><br/>On arrival there were no tables available as they don't take bookings, so we were informed there would be a half an hour wait. One hour later they finally have a table ready for us.... Right beside the front door.<br/><br/>We ordered 3 small dishes.<br/><br/>The karaage chicken, it looked good but was chewy and lacked taste. Also the Mayo could've been store bought for it was nothing special, not what you would expect from a place of this prestige.<br/><br/>The duck spring rolls, these were actually the best item of the night. Decent flavour and texture, still below expectations.<br/><br/>The panko coated pork belly, this sounded like a perfect dish. While what arrived looked good, it had too much mayo and not enough of the pork flavour come through. They were also inconsistent, some melted in your mouth whilst others were chewy. <br/><br/>For main we ordered:<br/><br/>Beef rib with burnt aubergine, this was a terrible course. The beef was stringy and flavourless, my partner and myself both couldn't finish it. Even worse than the beef was burnt aubergine purée, it was burnt alright and not in a good way.<br/><br/>All in all we were disappointed with our experience at Ebisu, the food was very much lacking in compared to the reviews. It definitely isn't worth what they charge, by a long shot.<br/><br/>The manager was nice enough to not charge us for the beef rib, he hadn't tried the beef rib since the new chef had started.<br/>
Paris
Manage to get in here on a Friday night early. Well worth it didn't have much time so was only able to order mains, Italian waitor was rather pushy which was a little uncomfortable when ordering but nevertheless I got the grilled snapper with miso sake an shiitake which was very flavoursome. My friends got the teriyaki chicken which she enjoyed also. Lovely meals came out very prompt, next time would love to try the miso glazed Hapuka.
JoJo
Such amazing food every time!! The duck spring rolls and prawn dumplings were amazing! I've not yet had a bad food experience at Ebisu!! Such fresh flavours!
Iamcii
We decided last minute to come here and eat on a Saturday night. Thought we would try to make last minute reservations cause we knew itl be busy. Unfortunately they told us they didn't do reservations, but we were wonderfully surprised when we arrived and was able to be seated immediately. <br/><br/>Decor is very nice and modern with a hint of kwirkiness with their indoor cherry blossom display and exposed timber bearings. They way they have set out their dinning tables means they can fit a lot of seating but yet you still feel spacious. <br/><br/>Food is amazing on the pallette. My only complaint would be the fish was over cooked a bit. But every element of the dish was their own heroes. My favorite was the shiitake mushrooms that came with the fish dish. The flavours danced in my mouth, despite it being a mushroom it tasted like a nice bowl of bake lasagne (we're still trying to how they infused the flavour). <br/><br/>Now you need a be aware thia isn't a place thats gonna be nice on the wallet. The dish portions are small and tapa sized. So you may need to order many dishes to fill yourself up. The prices on the dishes are not cheap either. So if you're willing to spend on good food and don't have a big appetite this would be a good place.<br/><br/>Food: 4.8/5 <br/>Service: 4/5 ( we found the waitress to eagered to take our dishes away)<br/>Atmosphere: 5/5<br/>Value for money: 2/5 <br/>
Tami T
Beautiful presentation. Beautiful taste. Beautiful service. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! The food is so pure and absolutely refreshing! I love everything about this place! However, the reason why this is not a 5.0 for me, is because the food is not especially "WOW!" Or anything. Still really delicious, but perhaps misses that unique, authentic Japanese flavour. Otherwise, definitely a great restaurant!
Where.iate
First time we went here, it was a Friday night and it was fully booked. So unfortunately, we could not experience Ebisu that night.<br/><br/>Some time later, my boyfriend took me here for my birthday. It was a Sunday night so it was much more quiet (and we could get a table!!).<br/><br/>The place is sophistically decorated, and the service was excellent. <br/><br/>The food was amazing. Beautifully presented and full of flavour. We had the Ebisu tasting menu, so I would highly recommend that!
PiggyBear
Came here with my Gf for our anniversary <br/>We got warmly welcomed and escorted to our table <br/>Staff was friendly <br/>Food was nice <br/>Environment was superb <br/>Highly recommend as Ebisu reflects fine dining
Rachel
Everything is able to be shared so dining with around 4 people will allow you try many dishes. The menu is expected but some dishes are very nice.
Jeremy W
The best Japanese restaurant in town. Good Japanese food but very pricey. The soft shell crab was stunning. I had it as part of the Tasting Menu which was $98 per person.
Ninjunkie
We were passing by Britomart and by accident we decided to eat here at Ebisu for an afternoon snack. The place is very nice,mix of industrial and oriental look. Would be romantic for dinner dates with love ones or with family. I ordered the crisp soft shell crab. It was not as I expected it to be though. It looked really yummy but a bit too salty  for me and the crab did not have much meat on it too. It seemed expensive to dine here and not worth the price.  <br/><br/>Although I haven't tried their other dishes but I'm not sure if I'd spend this much again to try the rest of the menu. Overall, didn't enjoy much the dining experience here at Ebisu.
Chris Wallace
Great dining experience, helped immensely by the friendly and extremely knowledgeable maitre'de Wayne. He wasn't afraid to steer us towards or away from certain dishes, and as a result wr loved every bite. The black cod and kingfish sashimi were especially good and we would highly recommend them, as well as the melt in your mouth pork belly. It won't be the cheapest meal you'll ever have but worth a visit. Make sure to finish with a combo of plum wine and yazu sorbet - we loved it!
Kwan-Lyn
I've only been here for lunch but they do a superb lunch bento box. I rarely take notice and comment on rice but it was cooked to perfection. The beef was delicious too. It's on the pricey side for a bento box but works well as a treat.  Would recommend the scallop sushi too for a lighter lunch.
Grace N Latoa
Dinner here is great, cocktails, entree's, mains and dessert's for 6 worked out about $80 a head. Delish Jasmine Cocktail n Vanilla Butter Espresso Cocktail. Servers attentive and food was out quickly. Nothing to fault.
Sarah
this place is overrated.. I'd rather go to Kura or Tanuki cave instead.<br/><br/>Way too expensive for the quality and amount of food you get, the food isn't all that special, I can't really say anything good about this place.
Jason
Had the pleasure of dining at Ebisu when my parents were in town a while back. I am a big fan of sushi (proper sushi), and in terms of what you will find in New Zealand, Ebisu is definitely up there. This is by no means a traditional sushi restaurant, and even the nigiri we ordered had a decidedly modern twist to it, but even though there were plenty of items on the menu that catered to local tastes (California-style rolls and teriyaki chicken are available for less adventurous palates), I was glad to see that the chefs still exercised a degree of restraint in 'westernising' their menu. Their nigiri selection far exceeded the usual salmon-tuna repertoire you find in so many sub-par 'japanese' restaurants, and the temperature and acidity of the sushi rice that so many get wrong was spot on. Definitely looking forward to returning for another meal.
Bobby Jones
everything was superb except for the food and price. really the food should be what makes a restaurant good and i was really hoping that the fantastic atmosphere and service would make up for the quality of the food, but unfortunately it couldn't. would not recommend, as its too expensive just for the atmosphere
Charissa
Visited this place on a Tuesday in July! No booking but it was not a problem! Seated promptly and menus were handed out. Orders taken promptly and food came promptly! <br/>Place and ambience is great<br/>Lighting a bit dark had to use my cellphone torch to read menu (old age for me)<br/>Food melt in your mouth! Lamb skewers and beef tataki was divine! And the soft shell crab was devoured fast! <br/>Highly Recommended although abit expensive for the small portion-servings <br/>Still a must try place! <br/>
J.T547
This place is amazing, fantastic food, service and atmosphere. If you're looking for a bit of a splurge I highly recommend.
Courtney @ A Food Awakening
This is how you do Japanese food! Ebisu is a top place to eat at! I was nervous to try here as originally I thought it looked pretentious and suited a more corporate clientele. However a friend of mine and I came before a concert one evening. From the pics you can see we ordered a Mixed Tempura, Crab and Mango roll, the Wagyu Dumplings and the Sticky Pork Belly - which I've seamed to lost the pic of. <br/><br/>Everything was displayed beautifully and tasted as good as it looks. They don't try to hard to be too modern or fusion. The food speaks for itself. The crab and mango roll was different. I tend to order menu items you don't find elsewhere. Great place for sharing plates and all great value for your money. <br/><br/>The restaurant is modern and spacious and very inviting. Food and staff are efficient. <br/><br/>I definitely recommend this eatery! Nothing to fault! <br/><br/>Rating:<br/>Food: 9/10<br/>Service: 7.5/10<br/>Value for money: Good
Monica
Lovely Japanese food, lovely service, lovely atmosphere/decour, though a little bit decadent for Japanese. All the dishes I tried were yum - delicious, however one may expect more oomph relative to the price of these Japanese dishes, as you can find much cheaper Japanese all over the city for a fraction less of the quality. Overall pretty good experience.
Vang Ly
Great Japanese food. We eat out a lot and can usually judge with accuracy the food is any good or not. The service was just ok and could be better. Environment and seating is comfortable.
Ryan & Cherie .
Wanted to try Ebisu, and so I did with my companion. <br/>We'd ordered a few small plates and a large plate. <br/>The oysters we ordered were fresh, delish, and a nice way to start. The chicken karaage came out looking nothing but "small" and i was pleasantly surprised, i mean, it was good fried chicken.. What's not to love? And then, the prawn dumplings.. Oh yeah, they never came. Don't know why.. But we waited, and got nothing. (Except for it being taken off the bill. ha.) The duck was tasty though, well cooked and married well with the pear, you just had to wish there was more in a "large plate". <br/>Was asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu.. We hummed and hawed.. Then said yes. But the waiter instead came back with the bill, apologizing for the missing dumplings earlier.. Ooookay?.. We left to pay and in search of dessert elsewhere, but upon leaving i asked for my jacket back which they had kept aside, and the lady at the desk gave me the stink eye. Maybe the jacket was so cool she wanted to keep it? I dunno. <br/>We're cool. Ebisu was cool. Just maybe not as wowing as it should've been.
Samantha
Went for dinner Sunday night... so disappointed. service was patchy and the food was ok but not that tasty and really overpriced... the scallop entree was $25 and when it arrived we thought it must be joke.. 3 scallops... what happened to the rest! The bluff oysters were cheaper than that! The duck spring rolls were ok, but the description on the menu did not match up to what we got and again the portion was small... really skinny little cigar rolls with a slither of duck in each. When we asked for the bill the manager (assuming she was the manager) asked how everything was and before we could answer had walked off. Not sure how this restaurant is rated so highly in the Metro magazine... maybe they get special treatment&gt; Needless to say we will not be returning.
Claire Harvey
My best friend had her 25th birthday dinner at Ebisu during the weekend for which I had bought along a cake for after dinner. Getting to the restaurant I asked the wait staff to put the cake in the refrigerator, which they kindly did. The 5 of us waited at the bar for a table for no longer than 35 minutes which, despite it being very busy, I thought this was a great wait time for a table of 6. Looking at the menu, my first thought was wow this place is expensive, however after receiving our food, I was blown away by the quality of the food, and the taste was amazing, everything I tried was to perfection. Their jelly sake was also amazing! After dinner, the wait staff were amazing to co-ordinate time with bringing out the cake as the birthday girl decided she wanted to go to the bar next door to get some drinks so we had to get them to quickly clear the table while she popped to the toilet, after the cake was bought out (with candles the restaurant provided) the wait staff cut the cake in the kitchen and added a lovely strawberry sauce and chocolate pieces to each plate which was amazing as I didnt even ask them to do that. I highly recommend this place if you have some extra money and want a amazing dinner/night out, even for special events they will look after you to the best of their ability.
Chris Fitzgerald
Service – 10/10. Atmosphere – 10/10. Menu – 10/10. Taste – 2/10. Ouch! Walking past Ebisu we decided the menu looked so good we had to stop in later for dinner, and the wait staff were all friendly so we really enjoyed the service. The appearance of the food matched what our taste buds expected after reading the menu – mixed tempura, “new style” sashimi had a lovely mix of salmon, snapper and tuna, the lamb skewers had colour and volume, the karaage chi ken had just the right dusty look and accompanied by fresh lemon to squeeze, a dish of mayonnaise, and a lovely-looking pile of cabbage salad. So why 2/10? Because it all tasted soooo bland! Even the wasabi mayo with the sashimi lacked any taste, and the sauce with the lamb was soooo sweet that we were wiping the sauce OFF the lamb to try and enjoy it! There are so many great Japanese-style restaurants around Auckland, we will need to hear that the chef has changed before we cross the portal at Ebisu again.
Leslie Carroll
So very disappointed. After recommendations from friends my daughter and went before a concert on Saturday night. The restaurant was not very busy and we were seated straight away. Our water glasses were filled immediately but it took a further 15 to 20 minutes before in desperation I went to the desk to ask when we would receive some service. The girl I spoke to said she would now be looking after us. Excellent I thought, she would now ensure we had an enjoyable meal. Our order was taken and the food arrived. The food was OK but very mediocre for what is a Metro top 50. During our dining experience not one of the staff smiled or asked us if we were enjoying our food. My cocktail glass (with a sprig of mint that looked like it had been out of water for a few days) remained empty for about 15min while my water glass was continually filled. Finally realising our experience was not going to improve we decided to leave before viewing the dessert menu. I was handed the bill and again was not asked if we enjoyed our meal...how was the food? After paying the bill I told the maitre de that I usually tip staff but on this occasion the service was so inattentive I wouldn't be. I received a bland look and "really, I'm sorry" and that was it. We eat out regularly and I have never written a review before, but felt compelled to as this in all honesty would be the worst service I have ever received.
Holly
We dined at Ebisu on a busy Wednesday night and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our visit - service, food and atmosphere.<br/><br/>The standout of our evening was the service we received from a young waiter - Paul. He was exceptionally impressive: dynamic, attentive and charismatic. We felt that Paul truly enhanced the experience we had at Ebisu - thank you. <br/><br/>We are looking forward to returning to Ebisu and will not hesitate to recommend it to others.
Tony Ma
If you are a not Japanese and like to go out and party on Friday evenings, you will love this place.<br/><br/>Fusion of Euro and Japanese.<br/>Beautiful interior design.<br/><br/>Tapa size meals with a nice bar. Mains are overprices by at least $10-$20 per dish. Especially the Sashimi...considering it was Japanese, it's quite disappointing.<br/><br/>They asked to hang my jacket on arrival, (that gave it the extra star).<br/><br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Wait time: 4/5<br/>Environment: 4/5<br/>Food Quality: 3/5<br/>Food Quantity: 2/5<br/>Price range: $45+ pp
Garyn Hayes
This place is one of our favourite restaurants! We went again last night and place was buzzing so made a booking and had a wine in their back bar and were seated in about 15 minutes. The service is fine but the food is always fantastic and again they delivered so thank you Ebisu you never let us down.
Shalini Singh
After getting the keys to a new home and all the hectic moving, time to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary and we chose Ebisu AGAIN as last year since we had a great time. Had few drinks at Fukuko the new found hip bar seconds from once upon a time favourite restaurant. Having almost coming to an end of out dinner with the champagne, since the most expensive and our favourite was out of stock, my husband decides to go to the bathroom. Whilst sipping on my champagne and looking forward to another bottle and more food, I saw security coming to my husband as if he was criminal. Stunned and asking for answers later found out the chef of such a distinguished restaurant stopped my husband from using the bathroom and asked the security to boot him out. Such an insult having travelled the world and my husband running a multi million dollar company had to deal with such low grade chef with no demeanor. Staff and even security upon knowing we were diners there were apologetic and didn't know what to do. Went to chef to come and apologise but he refused. His answer was chef cannot come outside his kitchen to say sorry but a guy with no respect for his own customers he cooks meal for can block their way to the restrooms and treat them like criminals. I'm going to take this whole thing further and will make sure this arrogant chef says sorry and respects all other citizens with dignity and respect and not judge people of their colour or appearance. My friends and I will never ever step into any of their establishments. Thank you Ebisu for ruining my wedding anniversary today on 13/12/13.
Gus
This was a seriously good meal. The dining room is very cool but inviting, the service good not outstanding. But the food was off the chart. We started with sashimi and Stewart Island oysters. The tuna was as good as anything I've had in Auckland. We had soft shell crab, they had a lovely crunchy texture served with mayonnaise and soy dipping sauce. Next came the egg custard with king prawns shitake and salmon roe, which was the best dish of the evening. The karaage chicken was the best I've eaten, light crunchy batter and succulent meat. The black cod completed the feast; subtle and sweet with pickled daikon as a tart counterpoint. All in all one of the best meals I've had in the last 12 months, I would have no hesitation going back
Cathy Lam
This is definitely my favourite Japanese place in Auckland. Have been here on numerous occasions with different people and the food has been excellent every time.<br/><br/>They manage to give Japanese food a modern spin without compromising on flavour.<br/><br/>Favourites are the sashimi, seared beef roll, rainbow roll, beef tataki, prawn tempura, pork belly.<br/><br/>Service is good, not outstanding but food makes up for really good overall experience.
Thai Qn
Yea was quite loud but this place is like amazing I got a yellowfin tuna salad the sauce used was bloody AMAZING I mainly wanted to drink hence the light meal... but us two persons were celebrating big°°° Soo coming here again.. get in around 9/9:30 ..Thursday was a good time as a couple of tables were available.
Sarah Marshall
Came here with a group of friends, luckily we booked a table because there was a bit of a line up to be seated! Anyway the music was a bit too loud, I am not old, it was hard to hear my friends talk at the table, the space we had for a table of 9 people was small, as for the food!! Don't be fooled by the term big plates! Yes big plate all right but the food was a small handful, half a duck breast sliced on a big plate and silly garnishes, to me $30 and over for that is a total rip off!! Not to mention the other dishes that says big plate - it was not worth $30 - still left hungry, had to go some where else to fill up again that was Asian food but cost half the price and what do you know I had the best Asian food some where else that had more than half a duck breast, it was half the duck itself and it was yummy!! Will not be coming here again, disappointed and the bill at the end of the night was even worse, thanks for nothing Ebisu!!
Frank White
My favourite Japanese restaurant in Auckland. Food &amp; service are outstanding and has a great atmosphere. I highly recommend dining here. The sashimi tacos w/ skae are a must try as well as the karrage (the best in town)
Jennifer Thompson
We are very lucky that where we live in Sydney has arguably the best sushi bar in that city. In Ebisu, in Auckland, I feel we found the equivalent, in a night-time dining venue.<br/><br/>The service was quick and attentive. The waitress noticed us looking at a serving on the adjacent table, quickly guessed we were wondering what menu item it was, and quietly pointed it out for us. <br/><br/>The menu was well laid out and and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming on a cold winter night.<br/><br/>We enjoyed our meal immensely (karaage chicken, wagyu dumplings, tuna sushi, soft-shelled crab and pork belly followed by black sesame ice-cream with cherry macarons) and I'm sure we will talk of it often.
Jay
The food is no doubt good and this is reflected in the prices paid for each dish however some were a bit overpriced but I guess it is what is expected for a fine-dining Japanese restaurant. I highly suggest ordering the mixed tempura and twice cooked pork. Delicious! I was a bit disappointed with the welcoming as they saw us walk in and directed us to nowhere until we looked a bit lost which is when we were seated. Apart from that, the staff were very friendly and helpful with the menu throughout the night. What I didn't expect is the glasses used to serve still wine..not entirely appropriate for the otherwise classy establishment. All in all, we had an enjoyable time here and would recommend if you're feeling a little bit fancy.
Cindy Ong
I've been to a few Japanese restaurants as I have travelled a lot. First of all I've looked at the top 50 places to eat in Auckland and Ebisu is one of them. The prices look like normal in a fine dining restaurant. After looking at the menu online, I thought to give it a go so I decided to order the seared scallops, the tempura oysters, the mixed sashimi and the Wagyu (Medium Rare). <br/><br/>The waitress gave me 2 options for the oysters, I told her to pick one for me. (she just told me that they were from different region instead what I was looking for was the taste and did not inform me of whether there was a price difference) The oysters came and she told me they were from the South Island. It was alright but the waitress did now bother to ask whether it was enjoyable!!! <br/><br/>The seared scallops and mixed sashimi came as quick as possible, it looked like as if they wanted to finish their job. Service was pretty much poor compared to all the other four to five dinning restaurants here. <br/><br/>Lastly the Wagyu came and it was not medium rare at all, it was so close to well done that it was chewy and fatty. Really really disappointed especially with the price you're paying for! To make our dinning experience worst there were files flying around table. Again waitress did not seem to care if we had enjoy our dining experience. Very unhappy! <br/><br/>My advice is to please check out other restaurants as you don't want to leave a place still feeling hungry and ruin your expectations.
Kate
Went with work for Christmas party. The food is so tasty and it has great fit out as you would you expect for a top end restaurant. I am just happy that work paid for it as it is quite pricey for what you get. But in saying that the food is pretty good and worth it for a special occasion.
Josie B
I took my partner here for their birthday and it was a good choice. Great friendly service and always delicious food. The birthday cake was put onto plates really nicely presented and they wrote happy birthday in chocolate on my partners plate. Small but nice touch. Would definitely recommend.
Ben Sheehan
Three visits to Ebisu and I am constantly impressed. First of all, the service is fantastic - we are always well looked after, the waiters attentive, well presented and knowledgable of the food and drink. Secondly, the food is just beautiful. Sashimi is incredibly fresh, and I absolutely fell in love with the cabbage salad, to the point where I have tried to replicate it at home (no luck!).
Margaret
Food exquiste and the waiter was amazing his knowlege of the food and wine list was the best we had encountered as we have travelled to many countries.Will definitely return and has been highly recommended to all we meet
Louise
The decor and ambiance are very low-key, urban grey feel. <br/>Had lunch there with a friend to catch up. <br/><br/>What struck me first was that the staff were not Japanese, so was a little taken aback when I first arrived, but they have excellent manners and good service.<br/><br/>Chefs in kitchen are Japanese, made me laugh a little by their way of reassuring customers visibly by having a open slot so we can see the chefs working. <br/><br/>Took up the set lunch. Presentation of the food impeccable. Sashimi entree was quite fresh. <br/><br/>I ordered green tea for my drink. Very nice green tea, bitter enough for my taste as it comes in my very own small jug. Only minus was that they did not offer to refill the jug. <br/><br/>Everyone raves about the soft shell crab... with good reason. It is quite savory. Other than that... the usual Japanese fare isn't very memorable. Acceptable would be the key word. <br/><br/>Dessert I tried was the apple cinnamon donut dipped in chocolate sauce and ice cream. Shared with friend. Good idea, since I could feel it clogging up my arteries! But it tasted very nice indeed. <br/><br/>I think this is a place where one goes once in a while for the service, atmosphere and presentation of food. As for the food taste itself, it is okay. Not something spectacular, but not bad either. There are other set bento menu lunches with better prices, better quality and variety.
Nicola
Went to Ebisu last night with a group of 12 and were told we would have to wait an hour for a table which was fine. Two and half hours later (!!) and with half the restaurant empty we were finally seated. Some people had to leave soon after seating and were told their sushi would be ready in 5-10 minutes...their dishes arrived after everyone else got their meals. If it wasn't for the fact we were there for our friends birthday there would have been more of a fuss made with the poor service, however it is unlikely we will be back.
Alex Young
The free bar snacks sold me on this place; OMG - Wasabi Tempura Nori?!?! Amazing! Asked for 2 helpings which was met with no hesitation (I know I was pushing my luck) so bless the awesome waiter!<br/><br/>Meal: Dinner<br/>Food: We all shared the soft shell crab, and the large mixed sashimi for starters - the sashimi was so fresh (tuna, salmon, snapper)! Then we had a duck main served with pear which was delicious. Also had the pork belly which I normally love but this particular serving was way too rich for me. Even though it was very tasty, I could only stomach one piece. Meal sizes were ok - Japanese servings are small anyhow, but I left feeling like I'd had enough.<br/>Service: Fantastic. Ebisu doesn't take bookings for small tables, so we walked in at peak hour (7:30pm on a Saturday) and were told we had an hour wait to be seated, but if we wanted to go somewhere else in Britomart for a drink first they would call me when the table was ready - which they did within the hour. During our meal, we had 2 waiters doting on us. Great service.<br/>Cost: $180 for 3 people including drinks which I didn't think was too bad at all considering the calibre of the place. Did I mention Ali Williams was sitting at the next table? :)<br/>Stand out features: They took my coat when I walked in, which was nice :) Plus they didn't shy away from decent servings of the mayonnaise NOM!<br/>Will I go back? Most definitely.
Alice Pan
With a low-key entrance and minimalistic décor Ebisu is all class. The Ebisu no Osashimi, a modern sashimi platter was certainly the highlight of the evening for me. And the yuzu brulee was comfortingly creamy with zesty citrus overtones although it came in miniature proportions. Service was swift. Not cheap but worth it. Read full review at http://notanotherquarterlifecrisis.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/ebisu-the-god-of-food-and-fishermen/
Gael Orr
Fantastic food &amp; excellent service but due to all the hard surfaces is quite noisy.
M
Delicious soft shell crab.. lovely hot sake and a pleasantly buzzing atmosphere!
Claire
Nom nom nom. <br/>I've been to most Japanese restaurants and I rate this one one of Auckland's best. Good for a date or a fancy occasion; not everyday Japanese.<br/>Great atmosphere and the food is delicious. Try the a selection of "small platters" between a few of you, they're not that small at all!
Deborah Gallop
Went last night, outstanding food from beginning to end, the only slightly off dish was the soft shell crab, it was a little greasy. Sahsimi was fantastic as was the tofu dish. Not too pricy, and good staff.
Richard Sharpe
Ended up here with friends one night. We were at a charity event fund raising for cancer kids so had a set menu. Lack of choice was no bad thing. Had soft shelled crab for the first time. Divine! Service was excellent, all of the staff took great care of us. The selection of food was delicious. Looking forward to going back.
Lou
Went to Ebisu on Saturday night, loved it. Its a large area that was almost full by 7pm - great service and fantastic food. Loved the scotch fillet with 3 sauces.<br/>There is a DJ in the corner for the music, which i really enjoyed - totally added to the atmosphere - especially since it wasn't too loud to stop conversation.
Kevin Kantono
Simply put. Amazing food, nice atmosphere expensive price though
Amy @ My Dining Journey
2013 has been a great year, so we decided to end our year with a BANG by celebrating New Years Eve with a degustation at Ebisu.<br/><br/>Our meal started with a serving of steamed Edamame, seasoned nicely with smoked sea salt. We nibbled on this while we waited for everyone to show up. The Spicy Prawn Miso was a nice change from the regular miso. This version had a fiery kick with thin juliennes of red chilli, bean spouts and big juicy prawns. The Hamachi Sashimi was refreshing and was perfectly paired with the pickled daikon which countered the richness of the fish. This was lightly seasoned with yuzu soy. The Hokkaido Scallop Sashimi were sweet and succulent; this was garnished with slices of cucumber and radish, seasoned with a tangy citrus vinegar.<br/><br/>Our meal then moved on to my favourite dish of the night. The Seared Beef Roll was utterly delightful. Thin strips of rare beef wrapped around sticky white rice, goats cheese and avocado. Topped off with a small dollop of black truffle and chives. I love the taste of truffles and this small garnish made all the difference. It intensified the flavours of the beef and we really enjoyed it! The Tempura Oyster was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, delectable with the wasabi tartare sauce. The Seared Scallop were much-loved around the table. They were plump and perfectly cooked. It was garnished with oyster mushroom, pickles and a creamy yuzu hollandaise, which worked outstandingly well with the scallop. The Miso Glazed Black Cod served with Japanese eggplant and pickles could have done with less cooking. The texture of the fish was drier than what it should be, but the eggplant was sweet and moist.<br/><br/>As a palate cleanser, we enjoyed a refreshing and tart Yuzu Sorbet.<br/><br/>Our meal then moved on to the protein section which was complimented by grilled baby asparagus, mixed leaf salad and steamed rice. The Grilled Wakanui Scotch Fillet was a tad overcooked by my preference and this came with wasabi ponzu, sesame soy and wafu sauce. Slight tough to chew, the meat could have been better. The Teriyaki Chicken was the best meat dish out of the three, the meat was tender, flawlessly cooked and the combination of black vinegar, teriyaki sauce and truffle oil gave intense flavours and we happily soaked up the sauce with grilled rice rolls. By the time they served the Yakitori Lamb Fillet, we were stuffed. Although the taste and seasoning was good, we were too well fed to fully enjoy this dish.<br/><br/>Our last dish, the Buttermilk Panna Cotta with strawberry-sake granita, was thankfully small in portion. The panna cotta had a silky smooth consistency and with the diced strawberry and granita, it was an excellent way to end our meal.<br/><br/>What a lovely degustation meal! Despite being slightly expensive for Japanese food ($98 per person), we were all glad that we opted for this sixteen dish feast! We managed to try a bit of everything and it could have easily costed us much more if we were to order the items separately. We had attentive and friendly service despite it being New Years Eve and the kitchen was able to tailor the menu for my friend who does not eat meat.<br/><br/>For more reviews, please check out my blog - http://mydiningjourney.wordpress.com
Danny
If there is one thing Ebisu does exceptionally well, it is presentation. The restaurant is elegant and sophisticated, and the dishes are presented with attention to detail and style. <br/><br/>The food itself was good but overpriced. We ordered an assortment of platters, which came to just under $50 per person. Similar quality Japanese cuisine is available for a lot less in the city, which made me feel like I was just paying extra for a nicer looking plate.<br/><br/>We ordered the Wagyu scotch fillet, the Tuna Sushi and the mixed Sashimi platter with a few sides. All three were presented really well. The sushi was excellent, but the sashimi and beef fillet were somewhat disappointing. For dessert, we ordered the dessert platter and the Black Sesame ice cream. The dessert platter was delicious. But we found we were allergic to the ice cream - my flatmate literally, and the rest of us just disliked the taste.
Two Honest Truths
My last time at this hip Japanese restaurant was earlier on in the year for dinner. I recall the dinner menu was delicious and fresh. It had excellent atmosphere and was buzzing with people. Lunch however I thought wasn’t worth its price. For $29 I had the ‘Special Bento Box’ which aside from the soft shell crab and tiger prawns wasn’t particularly astounding. The sushi was made with very wet rice making the seaweed soggy. It was unappetising and very unexpected for the supposed quality of the restaurant. The soft shell crabs were great, I would definitely order it as a solo dish.<br/><br/>Read more on http://twohonesttruths.com/2013/09/20/a-week-long-food-journey/
Chai Ang
This contemporary, fusion japanese restaurant is awesome! I really enjoyed their different and interesting take on Japanese cuisine. With a variety of dishes, it simply makes you wish you could go through the whole menu! Now the quality of the food is even more outstanding. Usually when I eat sushi/sashimi/ the likes, I don't tend to get very full. However, this restaurant gives you generous portions and your stomach will definitely be satisfied. <br/><br/>Highly recommended for good food and pleasant environment, parking can be a bit busy sometimes but thankfully there is a parking building right across the road (albeit a bit expensive...).
Kate W
Very classy resturant, at the heart of Britomart. The sashimi is very fresh and the presentation of food is outstanding - you almost don't want to eat it! The sushi platter for groups is amazing as are the spring rolls and beef tataki. The service is very good and quick which is perfect for a quick dinner or if you want to keep ordering more and more bits until you're stuffed, it's also great.
Agnolotti Antipasti Arancini Bagels baklawa Bangers And Mash Beef Bento (Lunch Box) Bruschette Burger Burrito Cakes Calamares Calamari Cannelloni Carbonara carne Catfish Ceviche Cheeseburger Cheesecake Cheesecakes Chili Chocolate mousse Chowder Clams Confit Corned Beef Crab Crawfish Crepes Croque Monsieur Cupcakes Curry Donuts Duck Duck Confit Dumplings Eggplant Eggs Benedict Fajitas Falafel Fattoush Fish Fish & Chips French Toast Fried rice Fried Roach on Rice Frozen Yogurt Gelato Gingerbread Green Curry Halloumi Hamburgers Hummus Ice Cream Juice & Smoothies Lamb Lamb Shoulder Large Latte Lasagne Mandarin Duck Meatballs Meatloaf Mussels Nachos Noodle Octopus Omelette Oyster Pad Thai Pancakes Parfait Pasta Peking Duck Pesto Pho Pizza Polenta Pork Prawns Prosciutto Quiche Ramen Red Curry Ribs Risotto Salad Salmon Sandwiches Sashimi Scallops Schnitzel Seafood Platters Shrimp Tacos Tapas Tataki Tempura Tikka Masala Tiramisu Toasts Tortellini Tortelloni Tortillas Tuna Waffles Welsh rarebit Wings
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