Review Sake Bar Nipon - Epsom

First time here, had a blast enjoyed the food. Food arrived fast but reordering more dishes took a long time. Got packed quite quickly. Would eat here again. Different ordering method writing ur order down by numbers. Different but good.

I’ve been here a couple of times. The place is so popular I still haven’t sat at the main venue. I shall go back and sit by the grille! The food is lovely, but I would prefer to have more selection for BBQ skewers. How come they only have 9 options! Remember to book a seat before you come.

One of the rainy dark evening, The moment 🪵you open the heavy, dark old wooden door of the bar, 🏮 you'll find the joy of their beautiful Japanese food. It seems like some of a bar in the back alley way in Osaka.😃 Enjoy your meal and take your time👊🏻👀

Perfect dinner to have before a movie at The Lido. Great food, great atmosphere, and friendly staff. Yummy vegetarian/vegan options too, they bring a seperate menu on request (I added a photo below!)

The food was fab. Loved the atmosphere so much. There's also karaoke available if you're keen. Steve was a nice gentle guy who was serving us. Quite happy with their service. Also it's great if you're going there in a group of friens or family

Food was so delicious. Portions were a bit small compared to the price. Sashimi was okay, a little expensive for a small dish with 9 pieces. Staff were friendly and helpful. She kept smiling on her face even though she was busy and tired. Female toilet is downstairs and clean. I recommend to try their squid.

Loved the drum roll I got when I entered. It instantly lifted up my mood. The wine list has good range of sake, wines and beers. The food was delicious and service was quick and efficient. They had great vegetarian options too.

First time trying. Nice ambiance here and the staff there are all friendly. Food here is not bad, more pricey than you would spend for similar food but they were done well. The takoyaki was creamy inside with chunky squid, the prawn sushi was very nice but portion a bit small. The kingfish was nice, especially with a little bit of lemon juice and soy sauce. Will definitely come back again to try the yakisoba and the grilled squid.

Absolutely 5 stars! I enjoyed the atmosphere heaps! The music selection, the Taiko drum, the staff yelling いらしゃいませ! Making me feel like I'm exactly in one of the Izakaya in Japan ❤️ Love it! Chefs were performing their magic at the open working station. Only by seeing that you knew there's nothing to worry about in terms of the food. I love everything I had last night, I praise their service quality, 100% will be back again.

Absolutely the best experience dining in here! Always looked after and always great tasting Japanese food. The sashimi is fresh and has the best cuts from a good selection of fish. The grilled food you know has been grilled with enthusiasm and genuine japanese service. I'd be back here more often if I lived locally. Don't sleep on this one guys!

Wonderful dishes, best place for beers and skewers. One of the Best Japanese place in Auckland. Thank you miyu ,Steven and the team for a great service for our table. Will definitely go back soon

Had the best meal there with great food, service, atmosphere and drinks. Really made me feel like I was back in Japan!!!! 😊

Food was beautiful. Bit costly for us two full time students, but you're paying for quality! Amazing atmosphere. Took us a while to get served but in their defense, the place was packed. Popular place. Loved our time there..definitely going back.

Stumbled upon this place on a rainy night with almost no one on the streets. Walked inside and it was PACKED! Amazing vibe, energy, people chatting, happy staff. It truly made my day! We sat at the bar and it was perfect for a date night. The food was great, the Sapporo was ice cold, I could’ve ordered all night.

Traditional Sake Bar that really does introduce you to the flavours of Japan. Absolutely loved trying an array of dishes. Great price, amazing ramen and quick service. Lines are out the door but you aren't waiting too long. Definitely worth waiting!

Fun spot for dinner. We sat at the bar and my daughter enjoyed watching the chefs cooking on the hot plate. Quite noisy in that spot but there's quite a few different table areas that are probably quieter. The service was great!! We'll be back

Love this place! Food is good and the waiter in the hat is the sweetest and liveliest waiter I’ve ever met. 😊

This place is so over rated.... super noisy , I can’t even hear what my friend was saying ! Service was good, but food is not what I expected. We ordered different types of skewers, all of them were soaked in oil, doesn’t have any crispness like the ones we tasted in Japan! Very disappointed......<br/>

Nice environment. Good food quality. Great place for drinks.

Great Japanese izakaya feel to the place! Friendly staff, some of them aren't as fluent in English & took a couple of tries to get the correct order through but understandable as they are authentic Japanese. Food was what you would expect from a izakaya in Japan, the whole squid was great! Some dishes could do with a bit more seasoning but thats just me. Love the taiko drums & staff greetings when you enter & leave the restaurant, definitely recommend for friends & family catch-ups in a casual but fun setting.

Open in lockdown and just great. Had all our favourites: sashimi, yum yum prawns and scallops. They did the sakuro steak without sauce so it would be gluten free. Fabulous. So glad they are looking after us in lockdown.

Irasshaimase! Love it, great environment with the Japanese drums playing etc also when you leave - although, I try to slip out quietly to test my stealth (post payment of course). Recommend the spicy tuna avo sushi and fried rice mmmm.

Really enjoyable atmosphere and amazing friendly staff!<br/>One of our favourite places to visit, but more recently we ordered takeaways due to covid! <br/>Food travels well and was just as delicious as always!!

Great place to go in a group. Plates are small, so it is great to share. Good variety of sake and other japanese spirits. Super friendly staff! Definitely returning.

A staple in casual Japanese Izakaya dining! Very down to earth & authentic atmosphere & always genuine service from all staff. Grilled whole squid is a must try!

We hadn't been here for a few years, but found the place just as it used to be. Staff are friendly and helpful, service is great and the food is delicious. Interior decore and the ambience instantly transforms you to Japan. Love the selection of seating from tables, booths to the bar. Great place for a good night out.

Best kaarage chicken I've ever had! The crumbed camenbert, gyoza dumplings and teriyaki chicken are also delicious! Not to mention the fantastic service and very authentic Japanese vibe of the restaurant, one of my favourite spots in Auckland!

I do not recommend the menu set if you are in group. We did not have enough food, and they served not enough of each plate to everybody. We could not try, for example, the fish carpaccio. I have asked for more to the waitress, and he said: it is gone. We paid $40 each one for this menu set, and I really feel the food we had did not worth more than $20. I really wished I have ordered any individual meal.

Pretty good. We tried a couple of dishes: ie. sushi, karaage. The food were pretty authentic. The spicy avocado sushi was the only one that didn’t taste good. The green tea was a bit too watery for us. Overall, great place for japanese food. We don’t mind coming here again in the future. Costs around 30$ per person.

Food took a while to come, we had mussels n it was disappointing n it smelled bad a lil- not worth it. Deep fried octopus was nicely fried but the meat was a bit tough n hard to chew. Apart from that the tuna salad n sushi was good, friendly staff n nice ambience

Lovely vibrant atmosphere. Customer service was lovely our server he was always smiling. Food was delicious and could eat more then I did the favourite for me was the soft shell crab. Will definitely be back again.

I always go there when craving for sashimi. I love sashimi boat, calamari grill and yumyum scallop. It is a very full during friday and weekends. You should make a booking before the visit.

A great atmosphere and lovely service - I love this place down to the service and the drums you get upon entering and leaving the building. The sushi always tastes beautiful and fresh and the food always arrives promptly. My friends and I love it here and plan to frequent often!

Went here few times, food flavour was pretty good, a lot of kinds of alcohol and non-alcohol can choose,price is good too. Service really nice and friendly.

Been here two time. This time I found out they have my favourite tofu since I came back from Japan trip and my fav Ramune.<br/>13 order and we finish with full tummy.<br/>Friendly staff very good service. It really feel like going back to Japan.<br/><br/>Car park just around the corner.<br/><br/>Food: 10/10<br/>Service: 10/10<br/>Cost: 10/10

Just went to the sushi tunnel there last night and the food was delicious, the service and staff are amazing (especially that guy in the fluffy purple hat who let me whack the drum on the way out). The place was really clean and I wasn't worried about anything like bacteria of anything because there were staff members who made sure every surface was wiped clean (not in an obsessive way though). This might be because of the fact that I hardly ever eat out and that I'm basically obsessed with sushi but this is by far the best restaurant I've been to despite the fact that it was a pretty small place.

We dined last night after the movies. What an amazing place, we had three sharing dishes, chicken, tempura prawns and and pork dumplings. The staff are amazing, service is excellent, quirky decor, but that adds to the atmosphere, highly recommended. We eill be back.

This is my go to Japanese place if I want some Japanese food that feels a little more “special”. It has a great atmosphere and the food is great. Especially cool when you sit up by the grill so you can see all the food being cooked in front of you. Must haves are the renkon chips, scallops with yum yum sauce and the chicken livers. Great Japanese drinks (sake and Japanese beer) selection too.

Was here yesterday with friends. Great restaurant! Beautiful food with amazing fresh fish! Would highly recommend for Japanese cuisine. Staff and service was brilliant. We all really enjoyed and will be back! If you want good clean food and a fun vibe, SakeBar is the place to be!

Many people might think of the dishes as overpriced, but I reckon it’s worth it. Although the mochi and green tea ice cream took quite a while to come, the ice cream was so delicious and creamy. Love it!

This has been our home away from home for a few years now but we were let down on a recent night out. First, prices seem to have sharply risen and a shared portion of sushi, shared scallops, two mussels, chicken Karaage and two non- alcoholic drinks came close to $80. That's steep for nibbles. Some of the items advertised were not available and when we said we were sad about that, the waiter and the cook laughed uproariously 😕 Weird. Crucially though, the food itself seems to have lost its spark - it's not as fresh or tasty as it once was. We'll begin checking out similar places closer to home.

One of the original Japanese eateries that first open in Epsom, i  have driven past em untold times and finally got to dine in.<br/>I came in on a busy Saturday nite  in which the hostess offered me a seat at the counter as long as i finish my meal within a certain time as it was reserved. I had the mushroom skewer and oyster mayo which was nice n juicy, saw the cook  cooking this too. This place is quite  popular and noisy too, where they bang a gong when diners walk in and orders are shouted, reminded me of Genta another Japan restaurant in the CBD. Nice hospitality  too where the hostess welcomes and thanks you, unlike golden jade next door (see my Golden Jade review).

Today, my friend recommends me to the Sake Bar, we order lots of delicious foods, the foods are really good! The Char Unagi and Prawn Tempura Sushi are really nice and soft. Prawn Tempura undo soup is perfect. especially, the dumpling is so yummy. spring rolls are good and crispy. but for my taste, the Yakisoba noodle is just so-so, I don't recommend it. A little accident just happens. A waitress poured the dumpling oil in my coat carelessly, it might because she is busy.BUT! the owner solves my problem quickly and positively, she cleaning my coat by herself, and call me for apologies sincerely and refund me the dinner fees. I feel so touched with the way she handled the problems, thank you so much.<br/>Recommend :1. Every Sushi, especially Char Unagi and Prawn Tempura Sushi 2. Prawn Tempura undo soup 3. Dumpling4. Chicken Karage<br/>Not recommend <br/>1. Yakisoba noodle.2. Spring rolls.

Second time I’ve been here.<br/>First time was great, really enjoyed it.<br/>Yesterday was quite appalling though.<br/>It wasn’t busy but food far too long and was really average at best. But when you pay 50-60 a head, you expect decent quality, right?<br/>The staff were quite offhandish and it took us twenty minutes of ringing the bell and trying to chase people, to finally get served. Btw this was at the sushitrain side of sakebar, maybe that’s the reason why. Regardless, not coming again.

Its so good! It’s so good literally everything is so good. The taste,the flavors,and the food quality is just amazing. This is my last sentence ITS SO GOOD!

Disappointing. Staff are friendly but poor service. One of our orders was not served. Taste of food is average. Too crowded and noisy. Hard to look for a parking space. Very uncomfortable to eat if reservation is for 2 only.

Good local Japanese. Been three times now and always friendly service and good food. Just avoid trying to park when the movies are on. Better still catch a uber and enjoy the saki

Really fast service and delicious food. We stopped in before a movie at the Lido and we are only disappointed that we haven’t come here sooner. Will definitely be back.

Came here after unsuccessfully searching for parking for some yakatori in town. Ordered a nigiri selection, prawn yakatori, char unagi (eel) nigiri, shio yaki saba (fish), tempura soft shell crab and karaage squid legs. Each dish had its own unique level of deliciousness, although it ended up being too much for two people to eat through. Watching diners next to us we saw many people ordering fried rice from the teppan grill, perhaps it would have been better to pick up one of those in exchange for a couple of the meat dishes. Personal favourite is the unagi, which was moreish and melted in the mouth with a sweet teriyaki flavor. The staff are incredibly welcoming and friendly, service is fantastic and it's fun to watch the chefs banging the drum as a meal is prepared.

Went with my 7 year old daughter.  After 2 requests the food still did not show up!  Left hungry and very unhappy with no apology.  Won't be back again.

So good I had to make another booking for the following week!!<br/>Chicken karaghe OMG! 5/5<br/>Been a long time since I had some decent fried rice it comes in small portion but tasted great! 5/5.<br/>Takoyaki just explodes in your mouth with flavors 5/5.<br/>Prawns were juicy, served on skewers 5/5.<br/>Soft shell crab wasn't much to my liking as it was just crunchy with a bit of kick I was probabaly wrong to expect meat chunks ha! 3/5<br/><br/>All in all the price matches the food.<br/>Friendly and quick service.<br/>Would highly recommend.

Dined in last Saturday with booking and was greeted with all smiles and a cheerful manner. We had a few guests running late so ordered about 30mins into our sitting which felt a little rushed by one waiter. Once ordered the food came out in drips and drab. 1 guest got all her small dishes before any of ours and had finished eating by the time we got ours. And I had to ask for my last dish which didn't come until we were about to leave. The food was nice but I have had better Japanese else where. It's very noisy with drums st random times and for such a small space the sound can not escape.lol so if your after a quieter surrounding I wouldn't advise this place or for someone that gets costrofobic. However if you don't mind the sound it's fine. All staff are very friendly.

Was taking a mate out who loves Japanese food and seeing some good stuff on here, I thought we would pop by.<br/>Service is standard and friendly, a little slow though considering there was only 3 tables with people eating at that time. Ambience is nice and cosy.<br/>We both had green tea, toko wasabi, spicy seaweed, renkon chips, beef tataki, whole squid, pork gyoza, vegetable tempura, tsukune & pork skewers, various sushi from the train and a creme brulee (forgot the picture sorry).<br/>Everything was pretty good, at the very least not bad but nothing amazing. All of it came out in good time but again most of our food came out when the other tables were leaving.<br/>Overall not a bad place but there isn't really anything that makes me want to come back.

Went to Sakebar on a Sunday evening, welcomed by drums and a friendly waitress. We were seated promptly by the bar and was given our menus. <br/><br/>We ordered the sake tasting which came first, however no water was brought to us until we asked for it. <br/><br/>The food is always nice at sakebar and served in a timely manner. Portions are good for sharing between two so you’ll need to order a variety (excuse to try everything). I also love how the sashimi is fresh!

Unfortunately very poor service. Order did not come until 40mins later. My daughters order came after 1 hour 10mins. Very disappointed. I will not come again . We tried to call the waiters but no one responded. All they said that they are so busy

Sakebar Nippon has a great atmosphere with authentic dishes and friendly staff. They have a range of dishes that are reasonably priced, and freshly delivered. Parking is easy nearby so makes it a great spot for a casual catch up.

This restaurant is very Japanese, ive never been in Japan but i think Japanese restaurants would feel like this. They are really welcoming, kind and polite! 5 for customer service. You can watch them cook, which is very amusing. I think the price is abit over priced for what they serve, Good food but not overwhelming great.

Went for a friend's birthday dinner last year.<br/>Fried rice was flavourful. Sushi was amazing and well presented. Yakisoba was delicious. Loved the grilled prawn sauce. Had my first okonomiyaki here and was not disappointed.

I feel the dishes are slightly overpriced. Always end up spending well over $80 per person and I’m type of guy who doesn’t eat that much and would spend average $50. Food is served blazing quick regardless of how many customers there are which Ken bar failed to do. Great customer service, great sashimi. Average tap beers, great sake.

This restaurant has very friendly staff who are attentive and polite. The menu has a whole bunch of different meats, veges, rice, noodles and other dishes. The food came out at a decent pace and was hot and fresh.

I rate it mostly based on the food, and I am totally confused with the high scores that were previously rated. <br/>The sushi is not fresh, probably cos they keep going round and round for a long time and hardly anyone pick up anything. <br/>I doubt my eyes when i see the size and the stingy few pieces in the sashimi don. I’m comparing it with other Japanese restaurants at similar price range and even cheaper. <br/>The bbqs were ok, some peices were black and overcooked / overly chargrilled though.<br/>Overall, would suggest to either improve and focus on the sushi go round, or have the sushi made for order. Price also need to be fairer, it is way overprice for the quality.

Would come back again, food on the menu looks the same when on the table. Clean and friendly environment. Staff is absolutely lovely. Would recommend to try this place out!

Staff are lovely, ambience is warm and bustling, especially if you're sitting downstairs. You can see the chefs cooking, and they greet you with drums when you walk in, or leave, which is a fun, cultural touch! Definitely call or text ahead to book! They get SO busy. <br/><br/>The food is expensive for portion size but tasty! Quality of the food can be hit and miss depending how busy they are, we came when it was quiet and it was delicious. But we've also been here when it's busy, and the wait times are long and food was okay. <br/><br/>My favourites are the steak (medium rare), the agadashi eggplant, the pork gyoza, the okonomiyaki (japanese omlette) and the Nippon special for dessert (green tea ice cream, sesame ice cream, a pocky stick and a small mochi).

Always love Sake Bar. Been going here for years and the food, service and ambience are always impeccable. Tonight we ordered the sashimi trio, tuna and avocado salad, chicken karaage, broccoli and a sushi roll. All were absolutely delicious and came out within 10 minutes of ordering. My kind of dining 😁 thank you Sake Bar

Yesterday is my wife's birthday, so I booked the diner in Sake Bar Nippon. there are two rooms, one is quiet and other is lively, most kiwis in the lively room, the waitress arranged us to the quite room, and there are all Asian maybe all Chinese. The room as quiet as repressed. my wife is unhappy because all are so simple and the service is bad. <br/>I don't know the Sake Bar Nippon is unlike Chinese or racial discrimination, anyway I don't go there anymore. I wish more and more Chinese to read this. Be clear thinking.<br/>If you are kiwi, they will serve you very well, but if you are Chinese or Asian, You'd better choose another one.

I love the food here! The dishes however are a little small so you may need to order more than one. It tastes very good and I recommend the Yum Yum prawns!

Held a private function here, communication beforehand was great. Arrived and the hostess was warm and welcoming, The atmosphere was lovely and service was great. Loved the food, yummy and fresh. Our leftovers were packed away nicely for us to take home. Highly recommended. Thank you Nippon Sake Bar, Epsom.

Holy crapola!!! Just finished a really reaalllllyyyy good meal here just now and by heck, amazing!!!!!!!! As you can tell from me plate that I thoroughly enjoyed myself!!!!!!! 420 x 1000 swagggyyyyy points for shizzzzlllleeee Ma dizzzzzllleeeeeeeee 🦁💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

This is an awesome place.<br/><br/>When you walk in the door one of the chefs taps on the drums hanging from the ceiling to announce your arrival. Very cool.<br/><br/>The menu selection is wide and varied, and it is all delicious. We were there on a Friday night and the place was jumping.<br/><br/>We didn't have a reservation and there was space at the counter by the chefs work stations. Those guys are so fast at turning out delicious food.<br/><br/>The people after us who tried to get in without a reservation were turned away.<br/><br/>A full house is a great sign.<br/><br/>Go through the menu and try the sake.<br/>You won't be disappointed.<br/>🍱🍣🍜

Super fun restaurant with a crazy, busy, always on the move vibe. With welcoming drums sounding as you enter and biding your farewell when you leave with a happy tummy, the servicing staff are quick to attend you and always around when you're in need of service or help for the whole duration of your dining experience. The food is flavour packed and the prices are affordable. There's seating everywhere you look, down stairs with seating surrounding the hot plates with delicious meals being prepared right before you, or upstairs for a less hectic, semi-quieter dining area. Some dishes are on the under seasoned side but overall pretty decent. <br/><br/>Staff and service: 5/5<br/>Atmosphere: 4/5 if you're into the busy, noise environment kind of dining. <br/>Food: 3.5/5<br/>Price: $80-$100 on average for two people including beverages.

A really good local Japanese restaurant with room for large or small groups. Service is super friendly. Their skewers are really yum - not as big a menu of them as other places but all the good options are covered such as chicken & mushrooms. Their Gyoza are tasty too. Sushi is well made although I tend to choose the hot options when dining here.

This Japanese restaurant is amazing! The service from staff is lovely and they are so friendly and attentive. However the highlight for me is definitely the freshness of the ingredients! The quality of the seafood made it the best Japanese I've ever had. My favourite is the salmon sashimi and the chicken katsu. We even ordered desserts which I enjoyed even though I'm not a huge fan of Matcha. As you can see we ate alot 😆<br/><br/>Can't wait to come back!

It is many years since we were last here and it certainly won't be that long before we return.  A spontaneous decision to give it a go last night was rewarded with a fantastic meal.  They respond to their on line booking promptly - including make sure you aware that they are not BYO.  The greeting was warm and friendly.  We were a touch early and a table was cleared and wiped for us...(and this is where they could improve and get a full 5 from me) a small cup was left; and no wine list was on the table.  We were only given two menus...there were three of us.  Drinks took some time to arrive - it all seemed a little chaotic in the bar staff area (which meant that it was too hard to order a second wine when we wanted one) .  Those less than positives over...the food was fantastic.  Tempura beautifully light and fresh; sushi that was well made and very tasty sashimi.  The nigiri was a delight. The steak....maybe a touch overdone and not top quality meat - but for the price point is pretty well met expectations.  The atmosphere is fun and noisy.  Can"t wait for the next time.

Sorry I don't mean to be mean. However, this Japanese place is not my favor.<br/>One thing you can tell whether a restaurant is good or not, is from the customers. You should see local people enjoying , and also with people from the origin country. For instance, a Chinese restaurant here should attract both Chinese people and kiwis. But in Nippon, I see most of the guests are kiwi, not from Japan, or even from Asian countries.<br/><br/>So here comes the confusion. A Japanese restaurant should be decent, quiet in a certain way, clean, cozy. It should leave some privacy space with the customers, not that loud and full of quirky music that piled up your stomach.<br/><br/>Maybe people find it funny to get a drum hit once coming a new customer, however, I don't quite fancy this idea. Then the menu is a bit confusing, seats a bit narrow, the grilled beef tongue is way too salty, Ginger slices of roasted pork is too thick for chewing, and the whole presentation is not Japan delicate. Of all the dishes we ordered, perhaps the roast vegetable is the best.<br/><br/>In our mind, Tokyo Bay in Takapuna is really a good example of what a proper Japanese restaurant should be. Sorry Nippon, I just don't feel you are the right cake for me.

Nice food and really friendly waiters/waitresses. The environment is very comfy. It's my second time here already. They serve various food. I have to remark the drums- love it! Cute~

Really fun atmosphere. I love the way they greet you when you walk in. Always busy so you need to book. Great food. Very authentic. One of my favs.

Now this is the best ever customer service I've experienced in all of Auckland ! <br/>Super friendly and polite ! <br/>Just amazing atmosphere. <br/>Love the food . Sushi and shashimi very very fresh ! Just loved it . Highly recommend this plce .

ate here two nights ago with a couple of friends. Didn't have much time before the movie next door started, so was a little worried. The service was brilliant - friendly, cheerful and the food came really quickly. The steak dish was to die for, as were the stir-fried veges and chicken teriyaki. And all for $16 each!! Will definitely be back :)

Went here on a Sunday evening without booking. We were catered to quickly but the waitress kept forgetting details like what we ordered and also what she's already given us. Not sure but she could be new. Easy to forgive. The food is amazing though. Really yummy Japanese food. We ordered the tofu, karaage chicken, udon and also a selection of skewers. Will definitely come back here!

Awesome place! Agedashi eggplant is phenomenal! I always get it when I get here. The layout is traditional Japanese style and is a really fun environment. Very very busy almost all of the time. The food is light and delicious. They have quite a big menu to choose from. This is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants.

I chose this particular based on the very high score on Zomato for a catch up with an old friend. My actual experience was a mixed-bag however. <br/><br/>The experience I feel is best summarised with a few bullets points both positive and negative.<br/><br/>Positives:<br/><br/>1 - The food was very fresh, tasty, and of a high quality. <br/>2 - The service was generally nice and friendly.<br/>3 - The dishes came out in reasonably quick time, although we did have to wait a little bit for the last dish of Steak Saikoro.<br/><br/>Negatives<br/><br/>1 - We made a booking for 2 people for dinner. When we arrived and confirmed our booking, the waitress tried to sit us down at the bar which had tiny stools and very little place for dishes,  drinks etc... The seats were of course all facing the same way so it was not at all ideal for talking with your companion. We requested a proper table instead and it took them a little time to decide to sit us at a table upstairs, despite the restaurant being fairly empty at the time. I must say I was very annoyed by this, particularly as we have made a booking which would indicate that it was clearly our intention to sit down and have a proper meal.<br/><br/>2 - The menu despite having a good number of choices lacked anything substantial. There were almost no noodle options available and your only choice if you wanted some substantial carbohydrates would be to have the rice with the hot dishes. You are mainly limited to small dishes which aren't exactly cheap hence racking up the bill very quickly.<br/><br/>3 - Following from point #2 above. Despite the quality of the food being very good the cost of the dishes were definitely on the high side considering the portions sizes. <br/><br/>Summing my experience up I would be hesitant to return. I've had better experiences in lower rated Japanese restaurants. The decision to seat us at the bar upon entry I felt was particularly unacceptable.

Excellent food and experience.<br/><br/>I have been to Sakebar numerous times in the last 5 years and it remains one of my most enjoyable dining experiences.<br/>I have been to Japan and the food served at Sakebar is just as good if not better than the food I had in Japan.<br/>It has all the classic dishes from; Sushimi, sushi, tempura, karage, takoyaki, etc and has a good range of Japanese Sake and beer.<br/>The best part about Sakebar is the setting and general vibe of the place. It is buzzing with activity and you can either get a table and enjoy the surroundings, or eat dinner at the bar and watch the chef cook up the food.<br/>You can end up spending a bit here however if you are careful you can get a cheaper meal.<br/>

This place gives you the warmest welcome. My bf and I was craving for some japanese. We got the spicy tuna roll, the yaki soba noodles, grilled scallop rice and chicken katsu. We originally wanted the grilled pork and octopus karage but unfortunately they sold out that night. The food was really yummy, we were a little disappointed that they didnt have the grilled pork and octopus. The service was great and fast. The atmosphere is very chill.

Nippon is usually my go too place for Japanese, but last night I was encouraged to try Hokkaido instead. It was pretty good but definitely not as good as you Nippon! I missed your food and felt bad for cheating on you haha!! Never again! Im so sorry haha!

Good Japanese food in Epsom! <br/><br/>We ordered the sesame beans, grilled zucchini and mushroom, Katsu chicken and tuna sashimi. The sesame beans were served cold, with a sweet sesame sauce and was really tasty, the beans were nice and crunchy too. The grilled zucchini and mushroom was served with Japanese mayo, this was tasty too however the zucchini was a tad under cooked. The Katsu chicken was delicious and the tuna sashimi was fresh. <br/><br/>For desert we ordered the sticky date pudding, this was good however you can tell it was just microwaved and in my opinion not really worth $12. <br/><br/>Overall a sweet spot to grab some dinner, but the portions are quite small for what you pay.

Good welcome and warm busy atmosphere. Food was fine but dishes are small. I went there with my husband and baby. Ordered a sashimi boat, a few dishes of yakitori, soft shell crabs and karaage chicken, a beer and a green tea. Costs $107! I know good japanese food costs a bit but we left without feeling full unfortunately. Not rushing to go back just yet.

Love this place. We've lived in the area for over ten years but I only discovered it a month ago. Since that first visit, I've been back twice more.<br/><br/>All three of our visits have been great. The service is top notch, the food is fresh and tasty, the atmosphere is one of a kind and it keeps us (and you too should you visit) coming back for more. The first time I visited was with a group - we ordered the $40 set menu and sang karaoke upstairs in the traditional setting until 11PM (awesome song selection btw - loads of english hits). The second visit was with my husband and two preschoolers - they loved the yakitori and the banging of the drums to welcome and farewell customers. The third visit was with a good friend and she loved the ambience also.<br/><br/>I cannot wait to come back and try the sushi train next door - it's my next venture here!<br/><br/>EDIT: Make sure you try the sashimi. Melt. In. Your. Mouth!

Real good! Food matched menu description and came fast. Very quickly served, high quality food, my favourite being the pork belly skewers. Although a bit pricey, if you have the coin the definitely come on through!

It's probably typical of Japanese restaurants to have tiny tables cramped ingeniously in small spaces and still attain a sense of privacy. :-)<br/><br/>This restaurant, however, is the first I've been in where guests are welcomed with drum beats. It's pretty novel and interesting, but can be irritating on a busy night when one is trying to enjoy a meal.<br/><br/>The food is great, but the portions are small--I think one is either being encouraged to eat healthy or to order more. <br/><br/>What I appreciate most about the place is that the staff were very helpful (we needed some things taken out of a dish due to dietary restrictions). Not only did they oblige, but they also answered questions about the menu that we did not understand.

Have been here many times times for some yummy, fast food. I love the drums when you enter and the waitresses are always very friendly and helpful. Favourite dishes would have to be pork skewers, takoyaki and fish wontons.

Once I've already tried to have dinner here before. But this place is very popular so there were not available tables. This time I was lucky! I was sitting on the bar and was able to see how chief was making my meals. That's very exciting idea to have an open kitchen. Had grilled squid as an appetiser and steak as a main. Both meals were very well done and had great taste. Staff is very positive and friendly. Highly recommend to visit.

This place is a hidden gem, once inside, you will be pleasantly surprised. This place is generally busy! They have a reasonable amount of seating - the booths are good if your in a group. The staff are friendly and attentive. The menu offers all the traditional japanese dishes.<br/><br/>We ordered the Karaage chicken, Vegetable tempura and the Agedashi tofu. The star fish of the night was the chicken - succulent and crispy! And with Kewpie (japanese mayo) - its always a hit!

If oyu're looking for a fun place for dinner with a couple of mates,  Sakebar Nippon is DEFINITELY the place to be and parking is not a problem as theres lots of spaces on the side streets nearby :D <br/><br/>This Japanese eatery offers an extensive menu with lots of delicious options suitable for seafood, meat or even vege lovers. It's great to come with more people so you can order more of their menu as it's mostly designed to be shared. I cannot rave enough about how friendly and entertaining the staff were ( Think wigs, traditional japanese outfits and loud welcome drumming upon your entrance), and the food itself were AMAZINGGGG.<br/><br/>Between the three of us.<br/><br/>1) Tuna Tataki (10/10) : My favourite dish of the night D: I've even many tuna tatakis in my 22 years of living but this was probably the nicest Ive tried. Served with fish roe and the most amazing sauce, highly reccomend this as an entree!<br/><br/>2) Kaarage Chicken: (7.5/10): Im a big fan of all types of fried chicken, and this was pretty decent. Crispy on the outside, well seasoned skin, tender and moist on the inside; a decent plate of fried chicken but nothing to rave about for this dish. <br/><br/>3) Okonomiyaki with extra prawns for $2 (9/10): 100x better than the okonomiyakis you find in the nightmarkets; full of flavour and served in a generous portion.<br/><br/>4) Grilled Squid (8/10) : Cooked extremely well and served with mayo; deliciousss.<br/><br/>5) Scallop yakitori (10/10): A MUST TRY FOR SCALLOP LOVERS! <br/><br/>6) Tsukune (10/10): ALSO A MUST TRY!! I know they look like your everday meatballs on a stick, but just..try them . I can assure you wont regret it :D<br/><br/>Overall, the bill for the three of us came up to $88 including a japanese cocktail. Slightly pricey for the quantity, BUT 100% worth it for the quality and service. Definitely returning soon to try everything else on their menu.<br/><br/>Must Try: Tuna tataki, tsukune and Scallop yakitori.

This restaurant has a serious pulse!<br/>It reminded me what eating out should be about, there's no pretentiousness here, it's all about fun!  For starters there is a Japanese drum that gets hit each time a customer enters the restaurant.  The staff are dressed in kimonos, full of smiles and character.  Smoke and aromas fill the restaurant from the open kitchen, it's all go from the moment you step through the door.  It reminded me of stepping out of a taxi in the middle of Ho Chi Minh city for the first time, surrounded by craziness!<br/><br/>We were a table of 9 that shared multiple plates, I can't recall exactly what I ate, I do remember the  Yakisoba Noodles, Okonomiyaki pancake and Chicken Karage all being amazing!!!  Everything else I sampled was a delight to eat and I was left wanting more!!  There aren't too many restaurants I've visited lately that have left this impression on me.  A bonus, they have Pepper Jacks Shiraz on the menu which I love!  I'd recommend visiting this place on a Friday or Saturday night so you can get a few vino's down ya and become one with the craziness!!<br/><br/>There's a reason I used so many exclamation points in this review, this place is just so !

Perfect sake bar for me!.  The karage chicken, soft shell crab and crispy squid all tasted very good.  A good place to stop by if you're just looking for something light to eat.   Pricing is quite reasonable. <br/>This restaurant is very busy but wait staff  were all very  helpful.  They will try their best to accommodate you even without a reservation.

My favourite Japanese place in Auckland.<br/><br/>No need for any dramatic descriptions.<br/><br/>Perfect Food<br/>Fresh ingredients<br/>Perfect Staff<br/>Good Pricing<br/>Good portions<br/>Nice Ambiance<br/>= 5/5 Restaurant.<br/><br/>Highly recommend the <br/>1. Tuna Avocado Salad<br/>2. Any of the Charcoal-Nigiris <br/>3. Prawn Mayo (omg)

Absolutely fantastic!  The best customer service ever.  Their plum wine is outstanding.  It's the freshest seafood I've ever had.  Absolutely love trying new things because I know it's going to be delicious.

Love atmosphere great service and fun for night out. Delicious Japanese beer's like Orion and the best tuna salad. Price is reasonable and a place to return to many times.

Do visit this fun place with a group of friends & enjoy their hospitality & friendly charm & character. You can tell this place has great vibes from the clientale dining there, everyone is having a great time. The Chefs liked like a happy bunch of professionals doing what they do best : turning out Japanese culinary delights one after another, we ordered quite a few dishes so we could sample a good variety of their cooking. The sake is a must & I can spell Okonomiyaki so that was lovely too. Then try the Tagoyaki & also their omelette, I might be pushing my luck, spelling Tamagoyaki. (i hope, else pl. forgive me) The fish is cooked whole & served, it was quite tasty too. All in all a very fun dining experience ordering a  variety of dishes to suit all our friends, we all liked one or the other & the sake helped those who were alcoholically inclined. Very nice atmosphere & Japanese ambience is very authentic. Its only when you re enter the street you realise you are standing in Epsom Auckland not Tokyo/Yokohama in Japan! Very good & friendly staff deserve fullest praise, got our orders accurately & correctly cooked & meticulously well prepared, love to visit them more often. Great place.

On a busy main road a great slice of what feels like an authentic sake bar any where in Tokyo. Great for catching up with anyone and a worthwhile experience. Food doesn't live up to the authenticity but your not coming for that. $9 500ml beer cans help and all sorts of sake.

If you're looking for a quiet place for some Japanese and conversation, then this really isn't the place for you. It's loud (you're greeted as you walk in by the chef banging on a drum - I have warned you!), a little bit ostentatious, but most importantly, it's a whole lot of fun! Food is hot, fresh and delicious. Service is attentive, loud, friendly and loud. Enjoyed the okonomiyaki, steak and karaage, all tasty, although it took a little while for the food to arrive. Parts of the restaurant are a little cramped, but if you're lucky enough to get a booth, then you'll be set!Will definitely be back, if not just for the funky atmosphere!

We have been past this place many times in the pass, as we go to golden jade restaurant next door..sakebar looks like one of the more establish Japanese restaurant around and looks to have a descent rapt going by the reviews and pictures on Zomato ,so recently we heard though the grapevine this place had add a sushi train go round to its menu ,so it was immediately on our must try list ..... the place it self is not much to look@ from the outside but once inside ,it has the "wow"Factor..a small but intimate setting a friendly welcome...good vibes thinking you could be @ any outlet in Japan ,fantastic ambience,but the sushi train itself was a let down not to much product been produced on the go around and what was on offer was snapped up before it got to us..maybe opening blues???....On the up side the dishes we ordered off the menu where A:1 well presented and tasty which more than makes up for one down side.....<br/><br/>

Absolutely amazing food. A bit on the noisy side which makes it all the more better! Its usually very busy and sometimes a bit tough to get service but its all worth it for the food.

Went here last night (group of 6) and it was really good. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The food and drinks arrived promptly, our server was lovely and was happy to explain anything we didn't understand to those of our party who had questions. Food was excellent and well presented; we ordered 10 dishes including the sashimi boat. Overall happy with our night here.

This is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Auckland. Serve good food- more on the rustic home-cooked dishes rather than degustation that you get from some fine Japanese eating places. The staff are very friendly and we always have a good experience there. It's not very cheap though (we normally spend $150 for two) but worth the money in my view.

Very nice place to go as a group. Food was really delicious and very well presented. Staff were very friendly! Plates are shared and very affordable - we spend $38 each as a group of five and were completely stuffed.

We actually went to the opening of the sushi train store right next door as they did a trial opening on Sat. and Sun. afternoons. The atmosphere is as authentic as it gets, even down to old enka music playing on the background.<br/><br/>The burgers are very nice, but the portions of sushi is quite small.

Had a very enjoyable meal here this evening with excellent company. Great food, great service, we will be back!! Would recommend the sushi!!

In terms of authentic Japanese that is close to the real thing...this is it!! Amazing restaurant with absolutely delicious food. Such a vibrant atmosphere! Greeted with hosts yelling "Irasshaimase!" A welcoming in Japanese to show respect while they boom the drums. Best Kaarage chicken in town! Have been here plenty of times with friends for special occasions and everytime it's a treat. The family who run this place ensure you have the best experience 👌

Always have a great experience here! Came here to celebrate graduating and the staff were extremely patient and friendly as we waited to order. I do recommend reserving a table ahead of time as they have rush hours- even during weekdays. We ordered a lot of dishes and every on of them was well executed, good presentation and flavours. Overall highly recommend this place for its atmosphere and great range of food and lovely staff!

We love everything about this restaurant, service, food and food! We came for their sushi train, opening special $3.50 for all!!! Fried chicken, welk she'll, char scallop, gyoza, squid ALL superb fresh and sweet! Rule #1 grab everything that coming to you! 🙋👍 we also ordered yakisoba, OM it's the BEST in the town!👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 forgot to take photo of our sushi plate tower, really tall ! Beautiful night! Big thank you!

I'm in love with this place for authentic Japanese food in Epsom. I first came here when attending a birthday party and have been revisiting ever since. They have a menu of a lot of small plates, ranging from assorted sushi to noodles and more. This makes it perfect for a cosy dinner with friends sharing assorted dishes, and the low light and friendly ambiance here just adds to the feel. I particularly like any of  the salmon selections on the menu, and also never fail to get a creme brulee whenever I visit. It's my favourite dessert, and it's always nice when someone gets them perfect every time. Did I mention you're greeted by a gong?

Came here a few nights ago and i was pleasantly surprised by this quaint Japanese restaurant. The first thing you notice is the sushi train which runs in the middle of the space and posters of sushi and Japanese themed ornaments adorning the walls. <br/><br/>We sat down at the sushi train and decided to also order a few drinks and a fish won ton dish. The waitress was very nice answered all questions we had with a smile. <br/>As the train moved passed us we were tempted by so many different sushi. Each plate has 2 sushi for $3.  A chicken sushi with salmon roe on the top was delicious so we grabbed a few of these. <br/>All the sushi was great except the Welk which i tried for the first time. It was very bland. Our drinks arrived, a rum and coke and a Japanese peach drink, both were great. I was happy with the strength of the rum and coke. Something a lot of restaurants and bars get wrong. <br/>Our fish won tons were delicious! small crispy morsels of tender flavorful fish. <br/><br/>I highly recommend this place. Perfect for dates.

Been coming here for years. Probably my favourite place for Japanese! There are so many different plates to choose from on the menu and all of them are as equally amazing and fresh! Atmosphere is great and staff always lovely. Some of my favourites dishes are the takoyaki, yakisoba, fried rice, whole squid and broccoli.

The food at Sakebar Nippon provides authentic Japanese cuisine made by Japanese chefs. It was quite a busy night too! The food was rather delicious but nothing special, I did enjoy the creme brûlée, I even ordered another one! However I don't really go to a Japanese restaurant expecting a wonderful French dessert. <br/><br/>That's where the good ended. The variety of food on the sushi conveyor belt was very limited and the chefs kept putting plates on that we're pretty much the same thing as there already was. So in the end we decided to order from the menu, after an incredibly long wait for our food it finally came and boy was it not worth it. The food itself was good, but waiting that long for something that was a little above average was quite disappointing. <br/>Waiters were polite, but some of the chefs were giving off a bit of attitude, which we could see as they were preparing food right in front of us!<br/>Nonetheless, I would return one day for lunch perhaps but dinner wasn't worth the money or the time.

Love coming here right from the gong when you enter to the gong when you leave. I have had the fish dumplings and the teriyaki chicken which are by far my favorite. The salmon tail is quite delicious too. Have the plum wine it is delish

Came here on a date night with hubby, for a change. <br/>Was so cute. Loved the setting was very busy but it was a Friday! Had the typical style Japanese in menu, found the fresh Tuna quite tough. Broccoli was cooked perfect and the sauces they used were yummy.

Excellent food served in a fun atmosphere.  Good for either a full meal or plates to share.  Very handy to the Lido cinema, so we'll be back for sure.

This is one of my favourites - the moment you step through the door, you could be in some tiny, extremely busy corner of Japan.  <br/><br/>The drums sound and everyone stops to shout a welcome to you - and this continues on throughout the evening to everyone, as the arrive, and leave.  Forget an quiet conversation here - this is a bustling, very busy little spot.  <br/><br/>The menu is best ordered with sharing in mind - (of what would otherwise be known as) 'tapas'.  Lots of different styles, flavours and size dishes, so order a beer and order lots of different things to share.  Noisy, busy and fun.

We went to Sake Bar Nippon on 26/3/2015 and were really impressed with the great atmosphere, amazing food and awesome service.  We had kara-age chicken, sushi, tuna & avocado salad, prawn and chicken and scallop skewers.  All of the food was excellent, and for atmosphere there is nothing else like it in Auckland. Sake Bar Nippon reminds me of my favourite izakaya-style restaurant from my days of living in Tokyo.  We can't wait to go there again.  Special thanks to Mako, Tama and Mika who all served our table. Hope to see you again soon.

Have been here twice and has been delicious each time with friendly service! Lots of choice on the menu and everything is pretty well priced

Without doubt one of Aucklands best genuine Japanese Sake Bars . The food is excellent , great fun & service . Prepare yourself for a good evening out . . Good selection of Sake etc . Should book as its busy .

Happened to walk past here while looking for a place to have dinner with a friend and my partner. Saw "sushi train" and we decided to go in. Super friendly staff there. Nice atmosphere. <br/><br/>The sushi there was ok. Tried the beef tataki first from the sushi train and the beef wasn't very soft, was pretty chewy which is a shame. Our favourite sushi/nigiri was definitely the Char Scallop and the Ikura. Scallops and the rice were so nice and soft. Spicy tuna roll was nice but the spicy sauce they put on top was too over powering. <br/><br/>They served proper meals as well so me and my friend ordered a shrimp tempura udon noodle soup each as well. It was pretty good. Batter was very nice, soup base was good too. <br/><br/>

The Sashimi we had was amazing, fresh and good variety in the sashimi boat. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful, however the low rating is due to how they dealt with a mistake they made with our reservation. I booked at about 3pm, hearing that it gets crowded, and made one for two people at 7. On arrival they were confused and it turned out our table had been given to a different group, and the solution to this was to seat us at the end of a table of 8, with a makeshift screen separating us from a family with 4 kids. Not my idea of the nice night out with BF that I was expecting here. <br/><br/>At the end of the night I commented that the food was great but the service wasn't regarding our seating; to which I was informed that I should only book reservations with the manager to make sure details are correct (or something along those lines). <br/><br/>I'm sorry but if it's the customers mistake that a reservation was not dealt with correctly, without any real apology or compensation, I'd rather go somewhere just as good with better service.

Everything is absolutely beautiful and tasty, great service great venue. You can't go wrong at this place. <br/>Big Thanks to maku San for great service every time we visit . <br/><br/>Keep the good work sake bar Nippon .

This place is almost always packed so make sure you book. We arrived just before 6 and happily Sat in the sister sushi bar next for until the restaurant opened on time. Love the welcome when you arrive, smiles and happiness for all. We had a small group of 4 and decided on the $28 banquet. Everything was tasty and fresh, they missed a dish by accident but not long after it was pointed out they had it to us with a thousand apologies. Go here for some fun fresh good, sometimes can get crowded and noisy but that's part of having the chefs cooking in front of you right?

Went there tonight, always drive past and wanted to checked it out due to the authentic looking Fitout.<br/><br/>The Fitout and environment were nice, quite an authentic feel. I got the chicken katsu and she got the spicy tuna roll, food took ages to come out so we got some items from the sushi train while we were waiting. Got the takoyaki but it had lost temperature from spinning around a few times.. So was average.<br/><br/>Food came and the portions looked quite small compared to the photos, but they always do I suppose. It wasn't bad but value wise we thought they'd be bigger.. Spent $54 between the 2 of us and we didn't get drinks, had to grab a burger from BK afterwards because I was still hungry!

Im a regular... good food and always quick to say lets go. Had one bad memory though watched the guy on the grill drop a whole squid on the floor then wash it and pop it back on the grill. Glad I had eaten mine and watched it be cooked. To be honest i'd probably do the same if at home!<br/><br/>You make your call. Still a 4 in my book.

Fantastic meal for 9 after the movies . Fast &amp; efficient. Staff super friendly ! Well priced including a basic wine and beer list .Booking essential. We booked through menu mania and the restaurant confirmed our booking by email the next morning. A yummy tasty meal. Perfect for sharing. We will be back. !!

Loved this place. We booked for a party of 20 people and they were very accommodating. No one had been there before and everyone absolutely loved it. Very few people in our party had even tried Japanese cuisine (except for sushi) so this was a great experience. Great lively atmosphere. We love the drum that announces arrivals and departures. The staff were so lovely. Very tasty food. My only constructive feed-back is that we were seated in an area where our shoes had to be removed. Some of the guys had come straight from work so their feet smelled rather funky. Perhaps an option to wash feet if seated in this area? Also, portions are rather small and I'm not a big eater so be prepared to order 4 - 5 dishes. Can't wait to go back again.

Absolute favourite of mine from when I lived in Epsom a few years back. Was always a fab place to go with a group of friends to drink, eat and chat (and sing, if we drink too much). Moved out of town 18months ago but excited to be going back with 2 friends (who haven't been before) tomorrow night. Will adjust rating accordingly soon :)<br/><br/>Food &amp; service are both great! I cant wait to go back

Excellent food, excellent atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff. Good venue for big groups and parties.<br/>I can always rely on this restaurant for quality authentic Japanese food and service. Prices are reasonable as well. <br/>Strongly recommended!!!!

My husband and I like the food offered. We have tried most of the items on the menu. It is always good and consistent, plus attentive service. <br/>I have rated 4 stars as I believe there is always room for improvement.

Wow!!!!! My partner and I were really impressed with this place, food came out quickly, service was amazing, the friendliest I have had in a long time, can not speak highly enough of this place, this is our new local!

Terrible. We were in a large group. Service was terrible. Food cold and oily. We were there for an hour waiting for first course of a set menu. Drinks didn't arrive, portions were badly estimated. We left hungry. Will not be back!

This is an amazing restaurant with a menu to suit any taste. We went with our kids and it's a great family occasion. The Teriyaki Chicken is to die for! It's a consistently good dining experience and great prices. The service is friendly and fast.

I love this place. The restaurant has a lovely cosy feel, my favourite spot is on the counter where you can watch the magic being made. The sushi and sashimi are decent but the real stars are the grilled dishes. Some edamame to start then into favourites such as the grilled Hapuka wings, prawn mayo, pork skewers all washed down with sake or cold Japanese beer. Run don't walk, you won't be disappointed. I never am ;)

I have been to quite a few Japanese restaurants in and around Auckland and I can honestly say the food doesn't quite measure up to the taste and presentation of what I have experienced at both Sake Bar Epsom and Sake Bar Takapuna. I don't drink alcohol but they have a great selection of Japanese beers &amp; Sake (everybody's favourite), red &amp; white wine and also non alcoholic drinks for people like me...<br/>My favourite dishes are Oyster &amp; Mussell Mayo, all Tempura, Chicken Teriyaki, Chicken Karage to name a few... and for the vegetarian you can't go past the steamed broccoli with their special mouth watering sauce. All I can say is you have to try it out for yourself....

Casual and welcoming ambience (they bang on the drums and call out when you come in and out too), large menu, and it's always entertaining watching the chefs at the teppanyaki, especially when they need to adjust the heat partway through by pulling out pliers. Sushi possibly not the freshest, but most dishes we tried had good flavours.

Part I- You may make all sorts of friends in Auckland but a denizen of it soon realizes that the weather will never be his pal. It is more fickle than most chicks in this land. At the height of this year's particularly intemperate winter, when I was searching for a stalwart bar, I came upon Sakebar Nippon in Epsom. And a batch of warm tidings soon came into my receipt.Their drinks menu has eclectic variety and economical prices- both hot and cold sake are presented in mild,medium and very dry varieties. Shochu (Japanese vodka at 25% alcohol) ,plum wine and various fruit-based non-alcoholic drinks round out the quaffing section.<br/><br/>The food menu has commendable variety, listing dozens of both meat-based and vegetarian dishes that comprise mostly entrees and mains, and a much smaller dessert section. <br/>For my first "sauced" meal, I sought privacy at a corner table tucked into the far end of this joint, but soon realized that the counter-side seats were the the hub of a hubbub which was steadily proving to be rather appealing. However, I was solaced by the fact that most of the dishes I ordered during that visit were above average.<br/>A roasted whole Mackerel for $12 was seasoned with restraint and keenly revealed its piscine edge- it is better suited for serious seafood aficionados. Deep fried chunks of chicken (Karaage) were excellent bite-size morsels- delightfully crisp, not overly oily ,with its finely spiced coating that ensconced soft meat. As that evening and crowd were drawing to an ebb, and the previously hassled waitresses now had much more leisure, my service did not suffer.<br/>The Pork skewers at $7 for a duo were a excellent deal -2 snappily rendered pieces of these were a pleasure to chew on and savour as they spunkily released their carnal flavours and slid down the palate. The same accolades cannot however be bestowed on their ginger-stirfried counterparts which slipped more into the category of regulation bar-food that calls little attention to itself.<br/><br/>150ml of hot sake (it was winter) at $12 ably manages to massage your cockles and whet the appetite. It has a fermented tinge to it,which many people soon get used to. When you're seated counter-side, it is more interesting to watch the preparation of the Fried Rice - an omelette created and chopped into the rice,prawns and veg-gobbets which are all tossed and coaxed into a snug boat-shaped hillock -rather than eat it. A famished mouth might wolf that Asian archetype down here, but more watchful palates will likely employ considerably less gusto .My dessert ,served with two slices of that Japanese meal-ending favorite -grapefruit- was green tea ice-cream whose flavours spoke in whispers that did not inveigle..But on the whole, I was satisfied on finding this robustly run bar that provides good kick for money.And then there are the goofy frills- Many a time, whenever customers enter or leave this joint, the staff ,time and inclination permitting, will yell in Japanese while pounding on a drum to express a kind of jolly primal appreciation for your patronship. It's a welcome atavistic send-off compared to 'see ya later mate'...;)<br/><br/>Part II - (There is no provision here for a separate review of the same place from the same author)- Visits after the first one were sobering,despite the Shochu and counter-side seating. Familiarity and proximity often breed attenuation if not contempt. My full-time hostess this time was the pretty rarely glimpsed girl from the last visit- she still exuded dulcet appeal but the throb in my gaze was gone. For first course,I ordered whole squid. Right in front of me, the chef fished out a specimen from the supplies and placed it on the grill. The length-wise body,crested by the fanned-out fin, along with a separate cut of tentacles was patiently roasted,then diced spiffily and presented with mayo and a wedge of lemon. The squid's flavour alas was undiscernible; most of the marine seductive innocence had been grilled right out of it.It was flecked by a caramelized broth which oozed notes of little consequence.<br/><br/> More entertaining again was the field of my vision beyond the plate,rather than the sensation on my tongue. The night for the restaurant was petering to a close, but I still got to witness interesting sights like the chef using a blow torch to scorch scallops topped with melting dollops of mayonnaise, before easing them onto a plate for the scallop mayo appetizer. Umpteen orders for "saikoro beef", were coolly executed- the orange of the carrots contrasted against the green of the beans as classic Nipppon accompaniments to a hunk of beef neatly roasted &amp; steadily chopped into chunks. I was most fascinated on seeing a big roasting skillet that had hemispherical hollows in which seafood-stuffed dumplings were sizzling. These are called Takoyaki- from a distance at least,they bear identical resemblance to Appo -rice cakes that are roasted in similar vessels and served in South Karnataka cuisine to great effect with chutneys. I ordered prawn Takoyaki- half a dozen of these dumplings were tucked snugly onto a compact plate, drizzled with laces of mayo-soy and finally sprinkled with bonito flakes that did a enchanted dance as steam tickled them from underneath. The interior of these steamed spheres however is semi-liquid and thus stays frustratingly extra-hot for a long time. Anyway,these mimicked a savoury custard that is softly ripe with umami- upon biting into these orbs, the mouth fills with a moist savoury fullness that eventually peaks with the crisp succulence of prawns.'Twas worth ordering. Prawn tempura was middling- flavourful pizazz eluded it. The date pudding - a sphere straddling the texture between custard and cake- was served with ice-cream and fruits -it will make a student pass but will condemn a super-chef to flunk his last-quarter exams.<br/><br/>As a experience-concluding order, I asked for roasted Eel hoping that an elite rendition of this Japanese special would enable me to slip away with happy memories in the end,but I was informed that supplies of this had slid away from the kitchen's stores.But who knew- perhaps a snappy spiffy Gyoza might honourable round out the day so this became the final order. A surfeit of salt proved to be the final spoiler -the gentle equilibrium between the roasted encasing and the filling of shredded chicken-'n'-cabbage was undone by overdone seasoning. The seasons of my multifarious meal here thus assumed a sobering rise and fall of taste,notwithstanding the constant companionship of hot sake. Service - when the place has few patrons (which is not often) you may expect reasonable vigilance but when the place is packed to the gills (which is often) the two waitresses swim about busily trying to mitigate the tide of orders while attention to customers is shot to bits. Long waits can consequently ensue. But an unexpected advantage of counter-side seating is that while you wait for the waitresses ,the chef unexpectedly reaches across the partition and directly presents you the dish you were waiting for! Flavours- ajinomoto is freely relied on, and mayonnaise and soy sauce are slipped in wherever possible.<br/><br/>Ambience - Red spherical lanterns, plenty of inscribed Japanese alphabets, a Japanese TV channel (that nobody cares to watch, mute as it is),ethnic vocals and oriental instruments piped in through the speakers, wood which comprises the seats tables walls and even partitions betweens the booths all assiduously build a native quiddity that is persuasive in its far-away appeal. This redolent detailed ambience and the immediacy of the counter-side seating enhance the appeal of this Izakaya's wide roster of dishes that are steadily despatched to cater to its abundant clientile.What it lacks in excellence it makes up for by way of workmanlike competence in banging out 80 different dishes listed on its menu - a refreshing alternative compared to so many conventional NZ bars in which the menu is a restricted stock set often run over by fried items. Besides, if you still want your senses to be blown away here,you can always count on the back-to-back bottoms-up of half a dozen Shochu shots. <br/>

Service: 4/5<br/>Wait time: 4/5<br/>Environment: 4/5<br/>Food Quality and taste: 4/5<br/>Price range: $50+ pp<br/>[Very close to where I live but usually go for beers, food isn't bad but doesn't make me crave for it afterwards]

I've been to Japan and this place brought me back there instantly. If you want a Japanese experience go here! Food was exceptional, and being able to watch it be cooked right in front of you is good! Great for a small group/a few friends. Not extremely romantic place but would be cool for a fun casual date

A great fun place to head to if you are a small group. The food is all good and generally the service is quick unless they are really busy. Its not a place for a romantic meal.<br/><br/>You may have to wait, but it is worth it.

I have been going to this restaurant for a while now and took two friends with me. We all loved it and I think that the service has become speedier and the waiting staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The food, as usual, fabulous and the atmosphere superb. A real asset for Auckland.<br/>Annalisa

The place was okay my main complaint was the lack of understanding (language barrier) I had to reorder and repeat my order 3 times. I do understand it is a Japanese sake bar but most of the customers were not and would've been better to have a mix of wait staff that understood english. The food was good and the beverages were good but we got given food we did'nt ask for but we were just got tired of going no you got it wrong again.....I think I would've enjoyed it if the wait staff just got the orders correct.

Have been to Sake Bar Nippon several times and it never disappoints. The first time was 4 years ago and every time since the food has been lovely. I really enjoy the tapas style of getting loads of dishes for every one to try. The service is quick and there is always a great atmosphere. Great place to catch up with friends.

I celebrate my birthday here and i would definitely do it again. The food was very good, very authentic and great variety.<br/><br/>Arigatou!

I came here with my friend who's a regular and it was amazing. My first time having authentic Japanese and I was very impressed!! We ordered a couple of dishes including the squid balls, yakisobu, tataki, seaweed salad and a couple of other things which were ALL delicious. Oh and the plum wine is a must try, along with sake! The atmosphere is so nice and the staff are all very welcoming, I'm definitely going to go back!!

This is our regular for great casual Japanese food. Very genuine, very busy, very noisy. Always full of patrons from the Lido theatre next door, either before or after sessions; also popular with locals and staff from businesses in the area. Service is not traditional european style with entrees followed by a main dish. It is a tapas style service - lots of entree sized plates arrive as they are prepared, to be shared if desired. Can be chaotic but always fun. Try the warm spinach &amp; bacon salad with the teppan grilled steak. Delicious!

Yum Yum Yum food and such a great experience...banging of gongs and sitting on pillows to eat. Felt authentic and tasted great. Our food took a little while to arrive but seeing as there was a large group of us this was understandable. Good Stuff

We had a joint birthday celebration here on a Sat night and it was awesome! We were a party of 19 and they put us in the room upstairs where we did a $35 set menu and had karaoke for free! The food just kept coming and coming, and was all really yummy. They had a fantastic tab system for people to allocate their drinks too i.e. John and Paula = 1, so you just said '1' when you wanted to order, and so your bill was just for what you had. Then a man came up and set up the karaoke and we had a hilarious time singing until about 11:30pm!! Will be back to eat the food as a smaller group, and also recommend this to anyone wanting a fab and unique birthday/celebration out.

We went on a cold, rainy, Thursday night, and still it was booked out !!! they kindly fitted us in as long as we could be out by a certain time. Moral of this story is, always book. It is definitely geared up for the Asian customer, with language being a slight problem, however, we managed to fumble our way through, until a female staff member spent some time with us and explained the menu.<br/>Having said all of the above, the atmosphere and the food was just great, rushed, but great.<br/>We have been to many Japanese Restaurants overseas,but this one is unique, you must experience it yourself.<br/>They could do with a better extractor fan, the cooking smells seem to linger.<br/>Would we go again ???? yes ! just need to brush up on our Japanese LOL

I have lived in Japan and this is about as close to authentic Japanese cuisine I have found in Auckland. Ichi-ban! Number one!

a wonderful way to enter japan in the middle of auckland. fantastic service and atmosphere, perfect authentic food at a very reasonable price, always a favourite!! only downside is no byo but that is my only complaint!!

You know sometimes you find a jewel and the world needs to hear about it. Drum beats welcomed my 7 yr old and I in to the restaurant, and we were seated at the "bar" which basically overlooks the kitchen. Watching your own food cook is a treat in itself, but watching the chef's artistry was a pleasure and my son thought it was amazing. On to the food, we had a bit of everything, too numerous to mention, but from the Daikon to the Karage, it was just perfection. The bill made me laugh it was so light, and we were farewelled with more drums. We'll be back soon, and so should you.

Fantastic little Japanese eatery. Great atmosphere, competent service and very reasonable value for money - we ate there Saturday night and had a range of dishes (including edamame, chicken karage, steak, noodles, yakatori and I particularly recommend the okonomyaki - only place I've found in Auckland that does it) plus a drink each, all for $98.50 for four. It's always seems to be busy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday so pays to book ahead on these days.

My go to place for nice, authentic Japanese dinner. The ambience is very Japanese, with flags, wooden tables, big rocks texture on the floor surface with happy, cheerful and helpful staff (in Japanese clothing) that are very accommodating. They're always busy; so expect to wait for a table or just simply book a table beforehand especially on weekends. They have function tables for larger groups upstairs, complete with free karaoke. <br/><br/>Food is fresh and exceptional. If you come in a group of 4 or more, I highly recommend their set menus; either $28 or $38. It's very filling and worth the money. I love their sashimi boat, it's so fresh and delicious I keep wanting more. Their deep fried squid leg is very succulent, crispy and juicy--definitely my favorite compared to their karaage, which is actually very good as well. Basically you can't go wrong with ordering anything on their menu. They have an extensive list of drinks menu, including the all time favorite Hakaissan cold sake, and of course Sapporo beer on tap.<br/><br/>Too bad place is not BYO and it can be a bit noisy on their busiest days, but hey it's definitely worth the visit!

My family and I recently celebrated my mum's birthday at Sake Bar Nippon on a Sunday night, which we managed to make a group booking last minute. The tradition when entering Sake Bar Nippon is a warm greeting from the staff where you are welcomed in with a beating of a drum and a cheerful shout. It might be a gimmick but it creates a lively atmosphere and at times, the diners will shout along with them (probably after a few sakes!!) For the past several years, I've eaten here during numerous occasions. Back before the abundance of new Japanese eateries, this was the place to be. But because of new addition to the Auckland dining scene, it's been a while since I've been here. <br/><br/>We ordered a good variety of dishes. The portion of the sushi rolls (Californian and Tempura Prawns) were decent, but the tempura coating of the prawns had soften by the time it was served to us. Likely due to the moisture from the rice. The sashimi boat had a good variety of different seafood including squid, salmon, snapper and scampi. The prawn takoyaki was delicious, it was dressed with a tasty takoyaki sauce, a drizzle of mayonnaise and topped with bonito flakes. The lightly fried karaage chicken had a thin layer of crispy batter which helped retain the moisture of the chicken pieces and it was scrumptious. We also ordered a few types of skewers, tako wasabi, prawn and vegetable tempura. <br/><br/>The taste of the food hasn't changed and it is still a great standard but the decrease in menu selection was a huge disappointment. Some of the dishes are also covered up with stickers, indicating that it is no longer available. The portion has also gone down in size. The vegetable tempura ($14) had only five small pieces which was rather ridiculous for the price and the skewers ($8) was expensive for what it is. <br/><br/>Sake Bar Nippon is overall more expensive compared to the likes of Keni Yakitori Bar and Nishiki.<br/><br/>For more reviews, please check out my blog - http://mydiningjourney.wordpress.com

A long time favourite of our whole family, there's probably not too many dishes on the menu we haven't tried! Can highly recommend - sushi and sashimi boat, scallops, tuna or beef tataki, chicken karoage ,teriyaki chicken , spinach salad, chicken livers(some of us have ordered them instead of dessert !) okonomayake,squid..........<br/>Go here for a great experience! Joy and her family welcome you with drum rolls, serve you great food and a good selection of Japanese and local beers, a fair wine list and lots of fun and enthusiasm!

The first time I was taken to this restaurant, I was taken by a girl who told me that 'all her previous relationships had ended shortly after going for a meal here'. Now if there's ever a statement to give you an indication about what the rest of the experience would be like, then I was ready to be horrified by the place!<br/><br/>Fortunately, two years on, and I'm still with the same lovely girl and we've both been back to Sake Bar Nippon several times, because it's so darn good! It's a true sake bar in the Japanese sense of the experience. You enter the restaurant and the chef bangs on his drum and greets his new guests. <br/><br/>Honestly, everything on the menu here is awesome. I've tried some things that I thought I wouldn't like, and they are still great. Chicken Teriyaki is still a favourite of mine from 'Nippon, simply because they execute such a simple dish so well.<br/><br/>To be honest, the food is a little on the pricey side, and most times I've not come away with change of a hundy for two folks with a few drinks thrown in for decent 'extra lubricative' measure, but hell, if that's the cost of a successful relationship, fellas, she's worth it ;)

Wonderful restaurant, great slightly cheaper alternative to more expenisve japanese restaurants. Especially delicious miso soup. I would definitely recommend their spinach salad, with generous bacon, tomato and a great dressing. Great atmosphere, on every entrance and exit the chef's will bang on drums and chant! Very welcoming, great food, generally fast service