Review Wabi Sabi - Palmerston North

Very yum, super friendly fast service, fresh sashimi and the dragon roll is amazing!!!

OVERALL: 10 / 10. VALUE: fair portions, average price range. SERVICE: friendly and prompt. FOOD: excellent, good flavour, fresh ingredients, slightly salty. AMBIENCE: very relaxing, quiet, good for a date. *Reviewed dine-in ramen and sushi.

The experience and the food were brilliant, and my girlfriend and I ordered an entree each and the same main each, the Japanese beer was superb and the meal was very tasty and fresh! The staff were very friendly and were always very happy and smiling authentically. Well done to Wabi Sabi!

We came in today with our two babies for lunch. Staff were very helpful. Very fresh sushi we ordered scallops, salmon and shrimp tempuras. Kids loved chicken katsu. Thank you highly recommend!

This is a really nice Japanese restaurant. The food was great that I ate some before taking the picture 😋 Their service was lovely as well. Went here for my girlfriend's mum's birthday

We booked here to eat after our late flight got in. It ended up running late, but staff were so understanding and served us anyway, even though they were about to close the kitchen. We loved it so much, we went back for lunch the next day. Vegetable Tempura, Ramen and bento boxes, particularly delicious 😁

Very tasty, very fresh. Big menu. Very friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Superbly presented, and great tasting. Add to that friendly service with a smile, what more could you ask for? We've been a few times, and we'll definitely be back.

The ramen was good but we didn't like the gyoza and they have no meat option, just the vegetarian one. Overall the food was great though.

Having dined at Wabi Sabi many times, I can say that the service is efficient and the food is delicious, authentic and always fresh. I had dinner there tonight. The yakisoba chicken noodle dish was tasty and generous in portion. Same with the bento box, and the fruit bubble fizzy was so good that we ordered another! There's something for everyone at Wabi Sabi. I'd definitely recommend it for dates, family outings or just for a quick meal anytime. Thank you, Wabi Sabi manager and staff!

Really nice quality, authentic Japanese restaurant. The okonomiyaki and unagi maki sushi are a must to try. Staff are friendly and attentive and the restaurant itself has a sleek yet casual vibe. The food is also great value for money and great for sharing.

Amazing food and atmosphere, value for money and EXCEPTIONAL service!

Wonderful food, ramen was great, gyoza too, nice presentation, friendly service. We wanted to get dinner on the way to Wellington and were very happy we found this restaurant.

The food was amazing 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌 especially the salmon . Staff were very welcoming and friendly . A very cozy place to sit and eat . Definitely recommended.

Friendly service and a tasty affordable menu. Enjoyed my dinner, but dessert was a let down. I ordered the green tea ice cream with the red bean but wasn't told that the kitchen had run out of red beans. The ice cream was also very icy and sticky like it had thawed and refrozen. It also had a weird aftertaste. They discounted my ice cream slightly because of this.

Very nice fresh Japanese food. Loved the drinks too, including matcha milk tea and a various flavours of blooming tea served in wine glass.

Our favourite restaurant, love the staff! Great food, great presentation, super friendly service, they know our order as soon as we walk in the door!

1st time there. My granddaughter wanted to go as it looked nice. Service excellent. Happy to return. Thank-you.

We had a delicious meal here served by friendly helpful staff. The place has a lovely calm vibe. The meals are plentiful and reasonable priced. We also had a tasting platter of Sake. We loved the fruit sake.

Definitely a must try type of place have been a couple times, really enjoyed their fries, their salmon roll aswell, Dragon roll was ok and Rainbow roll was ok, both missing something, unsure what though

Sorry I don’t know about other dish... but the RAMEN was the WORST ... me and my boyfriend went to the restaurant last night and we order the duck ramen and miso ramen, and what on earth made them put plenty of sugar in the ramen ... that was the worst ramen experience I’ve ever had... pls stopping ruining ramen in my life, I’ll be really appreciated.

We always enjoy our meals here. The dragon rolls were to die for and the karaage chicken was delicious. The sashimi could have been a bit fresher but all in all, another good experience.

I had the octopus balls, takoyaki if I remember correctly. And they were good. <br/><br/>I had a beer, an Asahi. It was also good. <br/><br/>And I finished with honey chicken with spicy sauce. Or spicy chicken with honey sauce. Quite possibly chicken with spicy honey sauce. Either way it was good. Not too spicy, sweet and decent sized chunks of chicken. <br/><br/>I dined alone and I was out the door for thirty something dollars. The staff were neat and tidy and polite. <br/><br/>I’d happily go back.

Food not bad but not the best Japanese food I've had. Service friendly and relatively fast a little bit expensive on the flip side compared to what other Japanese restaurants serve and offer but okay for palmy the sushi on the square next to coffee club is a lot better if not similar price

It seems to have new owners and the bento boxes are nothing compared to what they were.<br/>They are more expensive and have shrunk in size. I used to get them all the time but won't go back.

Pretty good. Nice Decor. Not a lot of pickled ginger given.<br/><br/>Food was above average. Service was very good.  The dragon roll was good. I particularly liked it.<br/><br/>The salmon sashimi was very nice as well.

Came here to get some Japanese for lunch- there were very few Japanese places to choose from in Palmy and this one looked promising. <br/>I ordered a salmon and avocado maki shushi to takeaway- cost $12.50 for pack of 8 pieces. The wait was only about 5-10 minutes and I could smell it even when it was still inside the packet. <br/>When I got back I was pleasantly surprised to find it was made fresh, you know it's freshly made to order because the seaweed was still crispy. <br/>The fish was delicious and fresh and the avocado was a decent amount. <br/>Overall a good lunch, even though it's on the pricier side but at least they deliver on quality.

Always good taste and quick delivery. Good atmosphere and plenty of selection. not particularly authentic Japanese but good taste regardless.

After reading the reviews of late, I went there and tried it.  The ramen or udon wasn't nice, I give the ramen a 3 out of 5 for texture but flavour/taste wise it's very lacking.<br/><br/>[Hey Ramen] on Willis street in Wellington is gourmet when compare to Wabi Sabi.<br/><br/>I can't comment on the other items on the menu. but the ramen, udon and soup base really needs a lot of work.<br/><br/>FYI, I've had Japanese ramen and udon in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and UK.  This in terms of flavour is the least likeable.

I've eaten here three times and wanted to give it a fair crack before I reviewed - with so many positive reviews I didn't want to rush it. <br/><br/>To be frank I can't add that much to the other reviews, it's good, consistent, but a tad over priced on some dishes. <br/><br/>Be a little careful with some of the Bento boxes, I got one that had three very chewy things in it, which I'm not a fan of (like Octopus). <br/><br/>The Tuna Salsa while to die for is a bit pricy, but wow it does taste great. The sushi is generally very good. I've also had a few soups and they were good also, however I was not a fan of their Tom Yum, not my style, I prefer Thai style and hot (spicy hot).<br/><br/>Good food, give it a go, you'd could do a lot worse in Palmy. Bit $$ for every day lunch or dinner, e.g. for us a family of four (two adults, two under 6's it's easy $50 to $60 for a good feed).

Went here for a late dinner tonight , was still quite buzy but service was still great. Ordering was done at the counter. There was a new dessert dish (either green tea or raspberry panna cotta) which I had to try. The setting was slightly dim lighting plus soft music which made it a great place to be able to still talk without yelling or whispering. <br/>It wasn't long for my Bento Set A to come out, it doesn't look a lot but was pretty filling. Taste was good, salad could have done with a bit more sauce. Partner had a Tom Yum Chicken Ramen in mild, was still pretty spicy for us though but the flavor was just too good and ended finishing it. <br/>Had about a 10 minutes wait before they brought out our Green Tea Panna Cotta which was the new dessert item they had. It was really amazing, the green tea flavor was strong which i loveeee!! but for the price of 9.50 didn't feel like it was worth it, but maybe its a hard dish to make so costs more? who knows? :D but overall I was very satisfied with my meal of the night.

My favorite japanese place in palmy! They absolutely nail their tempura! Fast service and its always a satisfying meal! For a relatively cheap Japanese meal, I'd say wabisabi is the place to go

Has always served consistently good quality food with reasonable prices. This is my favourite Japanese restaurant in town! Very good service, clean environment and efficient in bringing their dishes up. I'm sure they will continue to do well 😃

Fantastic Japanese restaurant. I'm a big fan of their bento box style meals but everything else I have had is wonderful. They are very polite and the food is always freshly cooked and served pretty quickly. The worst thing is having to look at the Thai restaurant next to it as it is just as good.

Really good fresh food which will never disappoint. I come here every time I'm back in palmy. I like the sauce katsudon with chicken and the edemame but everything is nice. Great service too

Recently moved to Auckland and we miss this place so much!! Great prices, great service, amazing food and a beautiful atmosphere. We've tried a variety of things off the menu and none disappointed!

I like coming to this Japanese restaurant for lunch or dinner. Their food quality is very nice and fresh. Some of their sushi dishes are quite expensive. But I love their sushi cos the portions are actually a good serving size. One thing which I personally think is quite not worth the money is the salsa tuna. Just 5 slices of tuna with salsa on top for like $9

Very nice. Great portion sizes and lots of different dishes you can try. Fast service too. I have had sushi here which was delicious, and also a Chicken Teriyaki set that was very good. Have been here twice and will probably go back again (definitely for the sushi at least - large portions for great price).

Wabi Sabi is a great little spot in the central city. Recommended to us by a friend to try for dinner while staying in Palmerston North we headed along with no real level of expectation.<br/><br/>It's a BYO and order at the counter restaurant, this (to me) different dynamic to most Japanese Restaurants - not a bad thing, just casual. The décor is much the same, casual and actually quite modern.<br/><br/>When arriving, we loitered for a bit by the door, hoping to catch a waiters eye, we ended up moving up closer to the counter and got seated right away. After looking over their menu - it's large and there are a lot of things to choose from! - we got a starter and a main each.  I opted for the spicy salmon to start and steak dry ramen for my main. My friend got the vege gyoza to start and their tofu steak for main. <br/><br/>The starters were really good, plenty of each of them (I think 6), the gyoza were very large and more dumpling like, inside they did seem a bit overcooked/soggy, though.  The spicy salmon was really really fresh and the sauce was delicious. The actual salmon 'rolls' were a bit larger than bite-sized and were made up of veges (cucumber etc) wrapped in a fresh slice of salmon. While not spicy themselves the sauce that came with it had a little bit of a kick. Yum.<br/><br/>I didn't get to sample the tofu dish, but it looked and smelt amazing. It was a silky tofu which looked like it was cooked perfectly on a bed of vegetables and rice with sauce.  My dry ramen dish: The steak was cooked perfectly that it almost melted in my mouth and the noodles + vegetables were tasty. It could've been nicer with more vegetables and sauce though.<br/><br/>We both got a Iced Green Tea with dinner, and I didn't really like mine to be honest, I bought it hoping it wouldn't be super green-tea flavoured but it was, I guess I had that coming! <br/><br/>Overall, a really good experience, good food, easy atmosphere and good service.

Been there a couple of times. The meals were pretty nice and I absolutely love their iced green tea! I would definitely dine in again next time.

Incredibly reasonable prices, 10/10 presentation, fantastic menu, incredible service. Top 2 places in Palmerston North. I can trust to always receive great quality meals and have a lovely experience. Recommend to all :)

Given that real sushi can't be found in Palmy, this is as good as it gets. I am surprised that you will find chicken in maki rolls here. That is not sushi. But in any case, the portions of fish on the nigiri are ample, if limited in selection. I have also tried the donburi and tonkatsu. In every case the food is tasty, fresh and filling. <br/><br/>Whenever I want "fast food" that is relatively healthy I choose Wabi Sabi. It is a nice option with decent ambience if you want to eat there. Just note, if you MUST have alcohol, they do not serve it there.

The food and drinks were amazing, loved<br/>The iced teas. Thanks Miho for<br/>The pleasant and fast service. Loved the<br/>Lay out of the resteraunt and how<br/>Simple the menus where<br/>To read. <br/>Thanks again, can't wait<br/>To dine here again soon

This is a definite highlight must-go-to eat out on Broadway. If I were to recommend a place to anyone visiting Palmy, this is THE place to go to. Excellent food, that is delivered in a timely and friendly manner. We have eaten there loads since moving to Palmy in Feb 2013. It's got everything that makes Japanese food a cuisine! They're also great at take out too. The Chicken Teriyaki salad is healthy and delicious. I highly recommend the Spicy Salmon Tartare and the sets. Great value for money. Awesomely prepared and presented Japanese food that is authentic.

We love this place! fast, tasty, clean and good value for money!!!!<br/><br/>We are regulars here and always guaranteed to buy the sushi as well as other menu items as well, my favs would have to be the bento boxes or the salmon fried rice!!!<br/><br/>Top work guys :D

Wow food was both authentic and delicious. Went there on Good Friday, no surcharge. Meal was cheap for Japanese and came out really fast.<br/><br/>Highly recommend the Seared Tuna Salsa for an entree, it is boarding on fine dining.<br/><br/>Wish you would open up a store in Wellington City!

Fantastic food, great variety, lovely service...what more can a customer ask for. There's more - reasonable price!!! <br/>Love this place, my friends, colleagues and I love coming to this place. The ambience is warm and relaxing with soft jazzy music in the background. Loud enough to listen to but not too loud that we can't have a conversation.<br/>Their ice teas is a must try, from ice lemon green tea to peach passionfruit tea.....absolutely delicious!

Went to this restaurant with two others. The environment was tidy and modern, and a polite young man at the counter was very helpful and patient with all our questions about the exciting food range available.<br/><br/>We were then given a table with a jug of water and were waited on with great service. The staff, environment and music was lovely. <br/><br/>Very impressed with the food platters and the unique creamy green tea! Good prices for great quality. Affordable yet classy. Was a relaxing lunch break and wouldn't hesitate to go back.

I really can't fault the food or the service ... both are equally fantastic and the restaurant itself is so welcoming that it's become a weekly 'haven' for my sister and I to catch up, whether we're having a full on meal or just an iced green tea.<br/>Well worth 5 stars

Very yum! Like someone else has written, Wabi Sabi is not the most impressive Japanese restaurant in town, but it is still top notch. It is affordable (perfect for lunch), with nice decor and friendly staff. The vegetarian sushi is wonderful, with lots of veges in it. This is a great place to eat when you want something nice that is good value!

I've been twice in the past few weeks. I was really surprised the first time to get such good service and tasty food at a place that looked simple (clean and sharp though) with such low prices. Very flexible for gluten-free people (example- they make GF tempura) and vegetarians (the tofu steak was great!). Thanks so much Wabi Sabi.

We've been here a few times and tried different items on the menu. We've always been very happy with the quality and quantity of food, and the price is extremely reasonable. The service is very good too. I like the fact that there is a good selection of vegetarian items to choose from. And if we are not very hungry, we can also get a few different types of sushi rather than getting a big meal. Would definitely return to Wabi Sabi.

Great food, reasonably priced and a favourite with the family.

The food here is delicious and tasty, the service is always polite. Come here a bit as the food is reasonably priced

great food, great value, great atmosphere. very quick service too.

I go about once a week for lunch and it's pretty good, not as amazing as Yatai or Hana Mizu Ki but its still pretty good and way way cheaper.

Hi again, <br/>I visited Wabi sabi again this time I got tofu steak yum. My friends had yummy bento set and californinan roll all was yum . So I decided to write a update with 5 stars. You can't go wrong when everyone's says 'YUMM' and again service was incredibly fast and friendly( all on table in 10 min). I ended up having doggy bag again. Gr8 food for little price. My flatmates have been their few times now. And this review is from all of us :) :) :) :) Our 4 smiley faces <br/><br/>Lovee, Kirsty, Cat, Bec<br/><br/>1st review on 23/12/2010<br/>Me and my flatties was trying to do our Xmas doo and New years party. 4 of us can not decide where to go as 1 is vegetarian, 1 is Gluten free. We went to Broadway Ave saw this little place. The pictures looks interesting on door. Decided to try it. And a surprise our food was on the table in 10 minutes all dishes with Miso soup. The guy who helped us in choosing was really good.<br/><br/>All the meals were awesome and so much food for the price we paid. Very reasonably priced meals ranges from $6- $18. Avocado roll must try. We had to take doggy bags in the end. Bento set vegetarian was yum they even replaced my seaweed salad with vegetarian sushi without any extra charge. My other flatties had rice meals and they liked them too. except one of the meal was bit oily but it was still tasty... I think it is just the way that dish might be. But we all will go back again there. Highly recommended.....Good on you guys..... ;)