Review Izu - Auckland

Top notch, food was delicious and amazing. Be mindful they are more shearing size portions, on the leaner side but delicious nevertheless. Food came out quick and the service was good.

This is our favourite restaurant in Auckland. And it's in Papakura. Don't let the location be a factor. The atmosphere, food and service are worth the drive out. EVERYTHING tastes great. This is the only restaurant where you can't go wrong... you could order any dish on the menu, and it'll be a winner. Everything on the menu is delicious. We can't pick a favourite dish because they are all soooo good.

It was by luck we ended up here. The place we originally wanted to try said they didnt have any available tables. So we searched up restaurants nearby and this one caught our eye the most esp with the yummy menu. We parked up and from outside it looks very quiet and empty. We opened the door and the atmosphere was awesome it was actually pretty full and the waiter was awesome and allowed us to sit at a table even though we had no booking. First glimpse of the place, very warm and the ambience is lovely. We ordered the tasting platter as we wanted to try a bit of everything and my gosh was that one great platter. Everything cooked perfectly. Even the raw items were top notch. My partner went on to order the wagyu and one of the seafood dishes and he absolutely loved it. We also tried the cheesecake and that was very yum too. Money well spent. Great food and even better service! We will definitely be back. I would probably recommend to go without the kids though lol.

Pleasantly surprised, great Japanese food in South Auckland. The food rivals the taste and quality of Japanese restaurants in the CBD. Tasting plater for two is highly recommended, a nice way to to see and taste the skill of the chefs at Izu.

Been several times to this place - book in advance as it is popular. Fantastic food - order the platters for two. This is a fantastic business and good atmosphere. Don’t forget to book or you may miss out ( like I have three other times) - only open 5-10pm.

This place will always be a winner in my book, the food us always fresh, delicious & is presented beautifully (the sashimi, brocolini and karaage chicken is 🔥👌). The service is speedy, friendly & informative. Everytime I've been it's consistently hit the spot. Definitely a hidden gem of South Auckland. My pics don't do the food justice either, my phones quality sucks lol

We had heard good things about this place but that did not prepare us for how amazing it was. The atmosphere is lovely and the staff a super friendly yet professional. The food was well priced and made with high quality ingredients. Even their dessert menu was not an after thought with two amazing dishes. We loved our dining experience and will definitely be back!

first time dining at IZU and I was super impressed! .. The food was amazing! Great staff and fast service. For the price it is a bit expensive but it's worth it. We ordered a pineapple sunset ( very refreshing) and Ramune for our drinks. Grilled tiger prawns (small serving) , teriyaki chicken sushi rolls were delicious and the best one was the eye fillet (it melts in your mouth). We had a single scoop of sesame and matcha ice cream for dessert. 2 thumbs up and a 5 star 🌟 rating. A must try restaurant in Papakura Central. 04.05.23 came back to celebrate my husband's birthday we ordered his favourite Eye fillet together with other dishes like Karaage Chicken ( so soft and juicy) Beef tataki ( so good) and Pork belly ( omggg! So soft and tasty the fat melts in your mouth). For our drinks we had lemon lime bitters and Passion fruit inspired drink (I forgot the name 😁) so refreshing! We had chocolate mousse for dessert so yum! 🥹

We booked a table for 5 people for 7pm and I mentioned to the lady that we may run a bit late on the phone as we were coming from the Shore. We got there around 7.30 and were told to put our orders through ASAP as the kitchen was closing. Not something good expect when closing time states 9pm. However, the rest of the evening ran smooth. And the food was amazing. I'd definitely go back.

have to say that they got one of the best sushi in town. and the platter was just perfect. we have everything we want, and ll taste great. Staff here are very nice and helpful.

Papakura has been crying out for something like this. Superfresh ingredients, beautiful plating, sophisticated decor! 5 star.

My husband and I ate here tonight after a recommendation from a friend. Excellent service, beautiful presentation, delicious food and lovely decor. We will be back! Thank you for the great meal.

reasonably priced. beautifully decorated, fresh, high quality food�

Just had a delicious ,beautifully presented and wonderful service at Izu We will be back and so pleased to see a full restaurant with happy customers

Exquisite food. Really thoughtful, delicious flavour combinations, top quality

Who knew there was such an amazing Japanese Restaurant here hidden in Papakura. You would never know walking past the frosted windows. The frosted windows provide a really private and fine dining atmosphere.<br/><br/>The food is exception. It's beautifully plated and the ingredients like the sashimi is so fresh and exciting. The marinades and the seasonings are on point and full of flavour.

Went there this evening. Beef tataki was amazingggggg!!! Presentation of the food was outstanding. Staff was so friendly and polite. I have to say best Japanese I've been to in years.

Absolutely love this restaurant. Went last night and had the tasting platter for two. The food was light and satisfying. The decor was modern and staff were amazing. Thank you for the great service. Food was well presented. Will be coming back!

The food was excellent! Not many places can make us all happy but even the fries are amazing. I’d say this is one of the best restaurants in Papakura and me and my wife are fussy in our own different ways. Highly recommended. I’ve never written a review before but this restaurant deserved praise. Well done.

Very nice restaurant, prompt service, well priced.  <br/>Food was  all delicious, good portion sizes.  <br/>We will be back and will definitely recommend to others.

We went here for dinner last night and were so impressed we booked a table for my mums birthday a few days later. We didn't order any mains but instead ordered 5 entree's to share. Favourites would be the soft shell crab, snapper carppaticco and pork dumplings (we had to order a second plate of these!). The plating is amazing, very pretty. Flavour combinations are very good (snapper carppaticco favourite for this).<br/>Looking forward to going back with a bigger group so we can try more dishes!<br/>Service is excellent with all dishes coming out at the perfect time.<br/>On our second visit our party ordered entrees of dumplings, scallops, prawns, octopus, soft shell crab and snapper carppaticco. Really hard to pick a favourite here as all really good. I still have to go with snapper carppaticco or soft shell crab delicious!<br/>For main we had the lamb and the beef. Although i just ordered a combination on entrees in place of a main i did try both of these. The lamb was incredibly tender and so was the beef. Very good quality meats used here.<br/>For dessert we had creme brulee which was the best I've had. The top was the perfect thickness with the sugar just burnt enough to provide a slight tartness. The custard was smooth and delicious.<br/>We will be back!

Wow what a great place. Beautiful food lovely staff and chef. Keep it up IZU we need a nice restaurant in Papakura. The food was lovely and nice tidy place.<br/>

My favourite Japanese restaurant! Everything was so tasty and beautifully presented 😋 Service are always nice and friendly. I recommend ordering their signature Izu platter to share, definitely worth it. Hope they do open again for lunch I miss their lunch box🤤

The food is always very good. The quality of decoration and taste are on the par with the very best of Auckland Japanese cuisine. It is on the pricier side but the quality makes up for it. The wait time is long and I suggest you to choose an option of getting food as it is being served rather than insisting on the entree first. Gem in Papakura.

Me and my friends made reservation for 4people, we went there and stand at the door for 10min. After long time guy came and told us we do not have reservation. He just went back without any solution. More than 50% tables were empty. Bad experience..

Best contemporary Japanese cuisine you can find in whole South Auckland area. Try the platter with someone. You won't regret it! Dessert is delicious too.

Came here for our anniversary. I thought the service was good and everything came out at a reasonable time. For entree I had the dumplings, they were nice, very crispy and a good flavour. For main I had the lamb. It was nice, cooked perfectly and everything with it was cooked well. My husband and I just both felt that everything lacked flavour quite a lot and seasoning. It wasn't what I expected. Overall I thought presentation was great, and everything was cooked perfectly but flavour wise it was all very average. I do want to come back and give it another try though

First time going to Izu and it was great! Delicious food, lovely atmosphere and good service from the staff. My main arrived slightly later than the other people I was with and they gave me free fries to say sorry. Will be back!

We enjoyed a rare night out, so headed here as all the locals talk about it. Service was a little slow (food arrived before the beer). We had the Izu platter, which had a great selection of beautifully presented, fresh food.

Very clean and tidy. It is a nice place to dine in to relax. Bathrooms are also very clean. Food was fresh but average to my taste. I think the edamame could use some more rock salt to balance out the flavour.

We had eye fillet and fried tofu lunch set. Ideal place for your insta pix :P Sushi set was awesome, loved the salmon sushi! The portion is quite small though

Hubby and I really enjoyed this place. The staff were awesome and the food was really tasty! We came mainly for the fresh seafood and it did not disappoint 👌

Excellent menu, great food and good value. Table of seven, tried all the platters and nothing disappointed. Will go again, a welcome addition.

Very quite and clean atmosphere. So nice to have a place like this in papakura. Very excited to try the dinner menu if this is what lunch is like. Very good value for the high quality of food.

The best Japanese you will ever have!! It was so amazing!! <br/>Love Love Love! Defiantly Coming back every week 😍😍 Thank you for coming to Papakura!

I really cannot comment on the quality of food here as I haven't got a chance to try it. They have double-booked and we ended up with no table! No apology from the waitress. A better way to communicate will be better.<br/>

Great sharing platters, delicious food, fresh high quality ingredients and decent prices. We have been for dinner and lunch and enjoyed both visits. We’ve been craving a good quality Japanese restaurant like this out south and we’re so glad it’s here! Will be regulars.

Izu's reviews have been very impressive. There weren't many customers on Sunday. We ordered its signature lunch set - an eye fillet & a market fish (Snapper) which came with sashimi, sushi, nigiri, edamame, green salad & miso soup. The size of the sashimi & sushi was small; the beef was a bit tough; the fish was cooked nicely but salted unevenly. The cauliflower, green bean, etc., were hard to pick up with the chop-sticks from the box which was rather deep - a spoon was needed, or a plate would have served the purpose.<br/>(Food - 3/5; Service - 3.5/5; Ambience - 3.5/5)<br/>Visited on 30 September 2018

This place is amazing, such a mint experience! The seafood was so fresh and the food is presented beautifully. Make sure to ring in prior to book a table as there’s not much seating. The food came out pretty quick and the staff were very attentive. We ordered a couple of platters and entrees to share between four which seems to be enough.

Izu is refreshing. The plum sangria is just as divine as the food.<br/><br/>The seafood platters are amazing, and is great for a small group of people. The entrees are to die for, I had the prawns and the pork belly.<br/><br/>Will 100% be eating here again and recommending it to everyone I know.<br/>

Amazing food, you wouldn’t think you were in papakura being inside! Windows block out the Main Street. Highly recommend, staff were very attentive

The food at Izu is amazing. I went here on a Friday night, service was great and the ambiance was just right. I had a Plum sangria sake cocktail - it was delicious. We ordered the Snapper Carpaccio and Chargrilled Ocotpus for entrees - both delicious and really well balanced. The wasabi cream on the snapper was so good. The lamb and mushroom mains were next, both equally delicious and beautifully presented. For dessert we had the Chocolate mousse and the Creme Brulee. The chocolate mousse is perfectly decadent and the Creme Brulee had a great taste and the perfectly caramelized for an awesome crack. We really enjoyed this restaurant and hope it sticks around in Papakura. We'll definitely be back soon to try the platters!