Review Takara Japanese Restaurant - Tauranga

Takara is one of the places that me and my wife appreciate greatly. we live 150km away from this restaurant but we would visit this place without any hesitation. we were surprised that they changed their menu recently as compared to their old menu that we were fond and always loved the most. truth be told, their menu got above our expwctations greatly. everything has more love in it and we can taste the effort the that they put in on each dish. when you are in Tauranga looking for an awesome professional, and high class experience, drop by their place and you will not be disappointed. love the new vibe and menu! keep it up guys!

Food was tasty but was not exceptional. Had the chicken katsu. Wish the katsu sauce would’ve been on the chicken instead of on the side. It was a little bit pricey as well. Overall it was a good experience, but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to come back again. Everyone at our table seemed to enjoy their food, so I think it’s a pretty safe place for Japanese food.

Exquisite &fresh meal , beautifully cooked well presented and great atmosphere with excellent service, very caring !! They made us feel special They've got a great menu well worth the price Made our dinner out even more enjoyable Highly recommend

Amazing food, restaurant itself is beautiful and great staff. My aunty and I had a wonderful time, thanks so much. Overall a Great restaurant. Really do recommend 👍

Really nice and fresh food.The owner lady is really friendly.Probably the service a little bit rush.But i enjoy the food.Thank you

Fresh fish fresh air fresh service right price too. Been 5 times in 12 months lov new menu. Enjoyed every time

The food was terrific, the presentation of the gyoza was a real surprise, the staff were kind and thoughtful and made the evening a wonderful experience. If you don't try the pistachio icecream at the end of your meal you will miss something special.

Just had the rib eye steak … and it was amazing. Perfect mix of quality and volume. Perfect winter comfort food and at $34 really good value. I forgot to take a photo but here’s my empty plate 😁

Returning customer for many times during last 7 years and I have to say the atmosphere is still warm and welcoming...welldone 👍

Great place to eat. Nice atmosphere, staff very friendly and food was great.

Awesome!! I left home looking to eat something different, I walked over the street, and I only found the tipical kiwi style manu, with burgers for $25 and fish and chips....... So I walked in Takara, people, music and the place itself are really nice, and I found a delicious dish, well done and presented for the same price you pay a burger next door. I would recommend this place to everyone who is tired of NZ food manu. Well done guys :)

Good food and quick to come out. Chicken Katsu was my fav and sushimi. Table service ok. No umeshu (plum wine) available

Enjoyed the food. Great place to dine. Would consider it a cosy place. Price is in middle to high bracket.

Order a Pork kimchi through Uber eats and Wow the flavours and texture especially with the mozzarella cheese goes so well together and the portion is crazy big love love everything definitely ordering again.

This place was absolutely amazing. Lovely kind staff so friendly and awesome food

Went here with a group of 7 for dinner. It was packed with people and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Ordered the 7 course meal, amazing value for $55! Every single course was delicious, small and packed with flavour and we were stuffed at the end. Will definitely be going back if I'm in the area again.

Took my Daughter here for dinner on the weekend <br/>Wow what can I say everything was awesome!!!<br/>We ordered a few dishes and they were all delicious <br/>Super happy with the experience we had here from the staff and food <br/>We will definitely be back next time we are visiting Tauranga <br/>Thanks 😊

Food is actually ok but the service definitely spoiled it all. The indian lady working there was so aggressive and rude. No smiles, no thank you, no welcome. Her tone was just so unwelcoming; the way she spoke to us was as if we are at her beck and call.

First trip to Tauranga and came here to dine because of the high rating and the taste of the food was absolute disappointment. Ordered Shio ramen and chicken breast katsu and takoyaki. All were mediocre considering such high price. i dont understand why people would settle such high ratings....

Must be the best Japanese restraunt!<br/>Went there for lunch and back to dinner again!<br/>Almost everywhere closed during rainy Xmas. They comfort our heart😁😁<br/>Our dinner had some delay, they gave us free tea and fried chicken wings for apology. Very nice hospitality!<br/>The food tastes very well, not mention the beautiful display.<br/>People celebrated birthday there, very great atmosphere~

1/5 Taste<br/>4/5 Display <br/>2/5 Quantity <br/>2/5 Customer Service<br/><br/>Average semi fine dining Japanese fusion Restaurant in Tauranga.<br/><br/>I noticed that this place was run by Koreans and felt welcomed as soon as I sat down.<br/>Seemed to be in prime location with great seatings and interior designs which is probably why the prices were higher than expected. <br/>Food came out fast, I was excited to see the pink Aioli sauce that came out with the sweet potato samosa, then the mains rolled in and thats when I was shocked.<br/>If I remember correctly I think the Pork belly meal was about $25, for a small piece of pork belly, one stem of broccoli on cheese sauce. The pork was really really hard and chewy, like cutting it with my knife was a mission even just boiled pork belly wouldn’t be that hard. <br/>Just making wild assumptions here, i think the pork belly might have been precooked and warmed up in microwave, tossed in sauce before they are served. (Most likely kept frozen after precook too) <br/>Chicken noodle soup was a disaster.<br/>Even in the photo you can clearly tell that the chicken is not cooked. Its bloody pink.<br/>If the owners were wondering why we didnt eat the noodle and left without saying anything its cus im introvert Korean who cant say bad things to Korean business owners directly. <br/><br/>So much for highest rated Restaurant in Tauranga.

Amazing food and wonderful service. Staff were so pleasant and we felt welcome the moment came in their restaurant. Will definitely come back! 😊

Came to Takara with my wife and three kids. The kids meals were simple but good value for money, and better than the usual nuggets and chips. Kids had chicken katsu on rice. I had the eel bento set and tokoyaki. Both were delicious and I'd gladly have it again. The service was good, although the waitress initially seemed a little inexperienced. Probably her first day, but still polite and tried to be helpful.

Came here for a family dinner with the kids. The entrees of takoyaki, sashimi and gyoza were all nice and I'd recommend any of them. For a main I had the tempura prawns and they were excellent. 8 large prawns so a generous serving size. The kids both had chicken katsu, which was huge for kids portions, very impressed. Which is why we were a little surprised that my wife's dish was disappointingly small. I can't remember the specific name of the dish but it was self-cook style over a little hot plate. It was $32 or $38 I think and much smaller portion size than mine. <br/><br/>Overall, it was a nice atmosphere and friendly staff. The quality of the food was solid but short of special.

Great place for families. It's across the wharf and the playground and a block away from the shops. The chicken karaage was yum. Also if you're wanting something new, try their plum tea!

Great location on Tauranga's waterfront. Only shame is that the view is currently blocked by shipping containers.<br/>Seating is inside & outside but still sheltered from the road.<br/>Menu has big & small dishes - ordered the surf & turf which was delicious. Steak was perfectly cooked, and prawns weren't over cooked despite being on a sizzling platter. Veges were mushrooms, onions & kumara? Not broccoli like the picture. Still well cooked & very tasty.<br/>Drinks menu is good & they have a happy hour offer on drinks for early diners.<br/>Service was good - friendly & efficient. Only thing was that it got a bit annoying being asked for the 3rd time (before my meal arrived) if I needed a knife & fork. I'm very confident with chopsticks so asking once (or not at all) is enough thanks! Will remain PC, so will only say not to judge a book by its cover.<br/>Despite this annoyance will visit again as the food is worth it.

Took my daughter and my friend out for his birthday dinner. The entree was ok, but there was something seriously wrong with the meal, tasted like old oil. Tempura was disgusting. Not going again.

Nice place in Tauranga. They offer customer great service and fresh food. <br/><br/>I came here wiz my boyfriend on Thursday afternoon after viewing Zomato app. We ordered sashimi set, Takara lunch bento and dumplings~ we recommend you to try sashimi set as they taste delightful and fresh. Other dishes are normal. However, they offer u great customer service, it should be a great place for chilled out wiz friends

We arrived at night in Tauranga during the holidays and we were looking for a place to have a dinner. We were quite hungry this time and we definitely didn't want to waste our time.<br/><br/>We had a look on Zomato the best places on the surround and we end up on this Japanese restaurant located on the CDB. We were welcome with the famous Japanese welcome and after few minutes, we were placing our orders.<br/><br/>We had tofu with salad and rice, teriyaki chicken, takoyaki, tiger prawns, squid and plum wine. To finish we had a home-made waffle with vanilla ice cream and donnuts. yeah...we were quite hungry this time...<br/><br/>The meal was really delicious, tasteful and flavoured. The services didn't disappoint and the dessert was to die for.<br/><br/>We string recommend this place if you are into Japanese food and is passing around or live in Tauranga

Delicious tenpan yaki chicken, well worth every penny. Couldn't even eat it all it was so big! Got rice, chicken, sushi, cabbage and sliced orange. Was a great lunch!

Came here for lunch on mothers day after hearing good reviews. But our beef was dry and tough and the pork didn't have much flavour either. The dumplings were really good though. Also we all got our mains at different times so one of us finished before the other even got theirs.

I heard this was the most popular restaurant in Tauranga so where we went. Really really busy place, with good well organized service. The kebab was little under cooked but I didn't make a big fuss about that. The beef was so tender and juicy. However, it's not my favorite place so far, I think the ingredients are actually on the cheap side but the price was a lot not really worse what you are paying.

i went to the restaurant bacause of the rating it received from others. however, i am quite diappointed witht the taste. Ordered T-bay roll and teriyaki chicken. the roll is wrapped with too much rice and less tempura prawn. i am quite a saucy person for rice dish. the chicken is just not juicy enough and sauce is not rich. <br/><br/>in the other way, the dinning environment is quite nice. staff is friendly. quite much options on the menu to choose from.

We read the reviews and decided to give it a go. The reviews were right the food is great and the service friendly by a bit erratic. We had the Edame, sashimi, eel bento and a cross section of deserts (the homemade green tea was fantastic). We would have given them a higher score but the food came out of the kitchen in a random order, so some of us had to start and almost finish our meals before the other meals arrived - I suspect they need more support in the kitchen.

One of the best Japanese Restaurants I have ever been to. The service was great and very attentive. The food was terrific and very tasty. Couldn't fault it. Would recommend to all to try it out.

Definitely get your money worth. Large portion size, friendly customer service. Always checking up on you making sure everything is ok. Food delicious

Fantastic service, great location. The food cooked here is clean and tasty! It is my Japanese go to. You always know what to expect and can't beat the view on a good day as it across from the harbour!

It was really nice dinner at Takara! Sushi set just amazing fresh and score! Sukiyaki also delicious like wow!! Great view and nice cozy place for family, service is great too! Highly recommend!

Good food, the teriyaki beef set was really yummy. However we were surprised by the terrible services. We waited 15mins before staff came to clean the table.

We were so impressed with the food but even more impressed with the service, we were catered to immediately and our waiter had great knowledge of the menu and suggested personal favourites. Our meals were faultless, piping hot and delicious. The location boasts great harbour views and a social vibe.

A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.  A MUST TO DO.Great food and presentation. Lovely, warm people. Genuinely friendly, all of them. Beautiful and clean decor.  What else could you ask for!

The restaurant is situated nicely at a strip of restaurants. Although they had no parking allocated for their customers, there were street parking a couple of hundreds of metres away which was good. <br/><br/>Food was really nice, close to perfect actually. All of us enjoyed what we ordered. I had the steak grill which you cook yourself. Good experience and the sauce was wonderful. They also had good-sized servings so good value. <br/><br/>Service was great. Although I wouldn't mind being asked less on how we are going, it was good of their staff to check on us if everything was good. We didn't have to wait long for our food, as well. <br/><br/>Ambiance - could use a bit more light but it didn't bother us. <br/><br/>Overall, my best Japanese restaurant in trms of value, service and food.

Came here tonight as some one had recommended this had the tuna salad, beef salad, squid balls and x2 wines my goodness so yummy. Would come back here in a heart beat. Was one of the yummiest Japanese Iv had. Would recommend to anyone coming from near or far 👍🏻

I went to Takara last week and it was great! I got a tofu steak which was really filling and amazing. Since I'm celiac I always ask for gluten-free options on the menu and in Takara, there are plenty. The staff was really nice and they got me a gluten-free soy sauce as well, which was very thoughtful. I loved it there and I would definitely recommend it:)

One of the best Japanese restaurants in Tauranga I would say. The staff are all so welcoming and nice, and the food never disappoints. I love the vibe in this restaurant because the staff are so nice it creates an amazing atmosphere. I would highly recommend this place.

Second visit here. The food still as good as my first visit. The variety of food in the menu wa<br/>s more than many Japanese restaurants. I had read about the restaurant was busy so I suggest you to get there early for dinner. Overall the food and service were above average.

Quality Japanese Cuisine. After a recommendation from a friend, I was looking forward to my weekly sushi fix and I wasn't disappointed. The vegetarian sushi platter is great value for $2, perfect for one hungry person or great to share. The teriyaki salmon was the real winner, great value with a large fresh salmon fillet and decent servings of rice and veggies. Would like to see a few more vegetarian starters and sides but this place really out runs lots of the sushi places in the bay region.

The second of three restaurants my partner and I visited to celebrate my birthday last 5th March. Initially we wanted to stay longer here but since there was a bagpipe band practicing just across the restaurant, we decided to just order an entree of mixed sushi of seafood and meat. It was lovely, though more bento and noodle options would have been made available. Staff were really lovely, even when we only stayed for few minutes. Overall, a great restaurant to enjoy dinner.

Dined here last night. Busy restaurant. Service was good, a little erratic however. Food was OK but could have been better. Beef tetaki was obviously prepared well, well in advance as it was so cold to the point you figured it had been at the back of fridge for a day. Gyoza's were unusual - instead of lightly fried dumplings they were 2 large baked sausage roll looking things. They were OK but this was not a traditional Japanese style I had seen before. Skewers were good, as was the squid. All in all OK for a quick meal.

Another great evening out at Tekara. Great authentic Japanese meals. Different meal each time we visit, even kids are trying different options.<br/>Great staff and atmosphere.<br/>Thanks to the team at Tekara.<br/>Simon

Tonight was a busy Easter evening and the Tauranga Jazz Festival had been on. The restaurant was full and despite all of this our meals were served very quickly and were of excellent quality. The staff were very helpful and polite. There were three adults in our group and one baby. The restaurant had high chairs for infants. The restaurant provided amazing service and great food on a very busy evening. Great work by the owners and staff!

After reading the reviews for this restaurant my husband and I decided to try it out. The experience couldn't be further from the actual experience for us tonight.<br/><br/>Firstly we arrived at 7pm and ordered not long after being seated. I ordered the teriyaki salmon dish and was told they were out of salmon. That early in the evening !! Was very disappointed as nothing on the menu really appealed but the salmon dish. Anyway.. I then tried to change the fries with kumara fries but was told that was not possible. We ordered our meals and my entree came out 10 mins before my husbands. <br/><br/>Then our mains arrived (with approx 5 min wait between each meal arriving) and one of my chicken skewers were basically all fat. I told the waitress and she smile politely and said "Yes - some people like chicken skin"! Was floored! <br/><br/>I will say the service was fine and the waitresses all very pleasant.<br/><br/>Meal was expensive for the quality of food. Most disappointing.<br/><br/>Sorry to post such a negative review, but it is a true account of our experience this evening.

Cannot rate this place highly enough! Staff are sooo friendly, right down to the kitchen staff. You walk in the door and are instantly created by literally every staff member that works there, promptly seated. The food is absolutely to die for, generous portions at a very reasonable price! Would have to say that this is probably my most favourite place to fine. Have never been let down from an evening here. Will continue to go back here

Have eaten at Takara Restaurant twice and will definitely go again. Service was very friendly and good, food was great and it has a great location on The Strand, so a good view of water front. Well recommended:)

My favourite Japanese place ever. The food is outstanding and the service is great. I think there could be a little more variety for people who don't like fish. The service at Takara was unbelievable, the staff were roundly and considerate and were on hand to fill up my water. My family arrived to try it out without a reservation and we were shown to a table without any trouble. Amazing food and incredible service, a very well deserved 5 stars!

I eat here on regular basis usually enjoying each meal. My recent experience has left a sour taste in my mouth. To keep a long story short we waited over an hour for the first dish to arrive, we were told there was no sushi, apart from the sushi we had already received in various dishes and the 2 platters of sushi offered as an apology for the lateness of everything One meal, a selection of sushi funnily enough arrived for a very disgruntled 5 year old approx 10 mins after everyone else had finished. All in all a restaurant that is usually great was let down by, at times, totally bizarre communication.

We recently had my daughter's 18th Birthday dinner at Takara, the staff and service were outstanding, they really made my daughters birthday very special by bringing out her cake and singing a great birthday song to her, all the waiting staff joined in. Our daughter was also given a group photo to keep. The food was outstanding and very good value, my daughter had spent time in Japan earlier last year and she thought the food was great and it reminded her of her special time spent in Japan. The rest of our party had never tried Japanese food and we all found it very tasty. Thank you to all the staff for making our night so enjoyable.

Absolutely wonderful.<br/>Exquisite food.<br/>Fabulous service.<br/>Great atmosphere and Decor.<br/>Most importantly, all the above is consistent so you know that you will come away feeling satisfied every-time.<br/>Thank you.

We recently took a party of 30 to the restaurant. I explained that we needed to have the group all together which was achieved by having two long tables joined with a gap in the middle. Herein lay a problem for some reason.<br/>One half of the tables were served well before the other half, meaning that by the time the second group had their orders taken, the first were well into eating their meals. The restaurant was so packed that going to the toilet was almost embarrassing. It required almost forcibly "squeezing" against other diners on the way, which was virtually impossible to avoid!<br/>Apart from that, the food was excellent and I guess the wait staff did their best. But the environment was hardly relaxing - too crowded. The majority of our party doubt that they would return, which is a pity!

Excellent! Friendly and helpful staff, wonderful food beautifully presented, great atmosphere. We were there for a birthday dinner and brought our own cake. While there was a "cakeage" fee, it was well worth it as we had brought cake, sauce and garnish separately. They plated, assembled and presented everything beautifully and even provided candles and a souvenir photo. Fantastic service - we will definitely be back!

07/11/2013. TRULY OUTSTANDING! Enquiring from London I booked in a birthday dinner for my Dad and family at Takara and from all accounts was an amazing, enjoyable experience. Top food, service with a smile and entertaining to top it off. The restuarant even called me in London to confirm. How great is that? I cant say enough about your professionalism. I will certainly recommend to all my friends over here to visit whenever they pass through Tauranga. Thankyou very much. Cheers :)

Amazing, we have been going there for years through all the separate owners and it just keeps getting better, food is always fresh can't go past the Karage lunch box or the massive Sashimi plate for dinner, love the new digs so nice &amp; open much nicer than where it has been for years, can't wait to sit outside over the summer &amp; enjoy some great food and always bubbly amazing service, apart from the birthday song, don't mention it's your birthday!

Just wonderful,from the friendly greeting, the amazing food,to saying goodbye. Particular thanks to The staff for their rendition of 'Happy Birthday' for my Daughter, fabulous, we will definitely visit again

I ordered a takeaway meal and am very disappointed. This is what it said in the menu for Teriyaki Chicken:<br/><br/>"Pan fried teriyaki chicken with broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum, spring onion, carrots, deep fried vermicelli with steamed rice"<br/><br/>When I got the meal there was no broccoli or cauliflower, 1 small piece of spring onion and 2 bits of red capsicum. Most of it was cabbage and chicken (where the chicken had no flavour).<br/>Worst Japanese food I have ever had.

We were welcomed with a warm friendly atmosphere. Our waitress "Yoshiko" was friendly, polite &amp; exceptionally accurate with our orders and this amazing service was evident with the additional wait staff that served us throughout the entire night!! Our meals were delivered in record time as every single dish was presented &amp; tasted absolutely amazing!!! My compliments to the chef and his/her team for the wonderful food, each dish was phenomenal!!! I would definitely recommend to any and all "you must dine at Takara" you will not be disappointed! Arigato Takara xxx

The best Japanese restaurant around. I've eaten here plenty of times with the family as well as socially, it's top notch. Food is always excellent, service is just as good, and it's great value too.

Went to Takara for the first time last night with my wife and our Japanese english exchange student. The atmosphere was excellent - especially the welcome. The staff were very efficient &amp; friendly and the meals came out in record time. The entree and mains were absolutely fantastic! We will be definitely coming back here again and will recommend Takara to family/friends.

All I can say is AMAZING!!! <br/>I was unsure about coming here, but the atmosphere was so welcoming and the food was amazing.<br/>If you are unsure, give it a chance!! This restaurant will amaze you!!!!<br/>Since it was also my birthday dinner they surprised me (I won't tell you the surprise, but it was so cool!) <br/>The staff go above and beyond expectations and will make it worth your while. BEST RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER BEEN TOO.

What a fantastic Japanese Restaurant. Great menu, fantastic friendly and efficient staff tasty food all at a great price.<br/>This restaurant has to be one of the best eating places in town.<br/>Many other waiting staff could learn alot from Takara.

We used to have a favourite Japanese restaurant in Auckland &amp; couldn't find anywhere as good in BOP until we dined at Takara. This place exceeds expectations with the delicious food, staff are always welcoming, super friendly &amp; go out of their way to celebrate an event if they know about it (birthday + wedding anniversary for us) and we are thrilled it is local. THANK YOU. Totally recommend.

All my Japanese friends say they have the best raamen in NZ...however I have found out it's not the noodle itself that's the star...it is the soup...the soup with the raamen has 100% authentic Japanese taste to it..I would give it 5/5, however it's just so far away and I have to drive a good 20 mins from Auckland to get there each time :(

What can we say. The whole experience was fantastic. Exceptional customer service, not just from front of house, but also waitresses and chefs. The food was outstanding. We can't wait to come back. By far the best restaurant in Tauranga. Thanks guys!

We dined at Takara on the 15th and I'd have to say that this is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to with the combination of atmosphere, service, food and the staff. I was amazed with how fast the food came out, the staff were always there when you needed something, but not in an annoying way. The food was great and presented beautifully. They noticed it was my birthday and I had the best surprise ever! I cannot fault anything at this restaurant and I can honestly say we will be back. This is now my local favourite. Thank you very much for an enjoyable dining experience.

Can't think of any restaurant I'd rather go to than Takara. Food the best, service the friendliest, atmosphere great. Everyone looks like they are happy, staff and guests alike. Three cheers for Rachael and her staff, not forgetting the wonderful chef !

We love Takara, we are actually from Auckland and every time we come down to Tauranga we always make a point of having lunch there at least once or twice. Great food and service, we'll be back in a couple of weeks.

First time to this restaurant and we will be back! Service is awesome ....food is really great - highly recommended!<br/>We had a lovely time - a fabulous dining experience.<br/>From the moment you walk through the door you feel welcome and special. The menu is clearly laid out with photographs of the dishes and great descriptions. The food is beautifully presented and they are using the freshest of ingredients. A special mention must be made of our waitress Rachel who was so friendly and helpful.

Third time there, and yet again loved it. Food is delish, staff are really attentive and the birthday song is hilarious as long as it's not your birthday!!!<br/><br/>Will keep coming back as often as I can....

From the moment you walk in you receive the best customer service!This is the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to.<br/>The staff are very friendly and tend to your every need.<br/>It's not hard to see why you need to book a reservation and if the service doesn't impress you, the food sure will.<br/>I highly recommend Takara to anyone.<br/>If you're in Tauranga, ring and book your table or you will miss out.<br/>We'll be back<br/>Joe and Jen

went on monday the 24th September with my wife and the<br/>place was bussing everything I'd read in the reviews were<br/>true.The staff were friendly and the meals were amongst the best weve ever had. Will certainly go again and recommend<br/>the "Takara" to friends and family .<br/>John and gloria

Awesome friendly staff, very welcoming. Food is lovely and well presented. Always something nice to choose from. Service is prompt. Will be recommending Takara to people for sure. Will surely be going back for more lovely food.

From the moment we entered I was impressed. The staff were very friendly and ensured we had what we needed. The food was amazing!!! Something to suit everyone. This is a place I would definitely recommend and encourage people to try. I will be going back :)

I was taken here for lunch with my family. It was my first experience of Japanese food and I was impressed. Everything was great and would definitely go back there.

We had a very enjoyable night here recently, the food was lovely, very tasty and fresh, and the customer service is great, really made to feel welcome by our waiter and waitress.

Takara - Tauranga - I am absolutely "over-the-moon" about Takara!<br/><br/>The food, the ambience, the customer service are second to none - not to mention the special surprise I received.........<br/><br/>My partner and I booked in for dinner last week (11 July) and had a fantastic meal! After paying the bill, the host chatted with us and asked if we were out celebrating something - as it happened we were - it was my 70th birthday!! He said "OH, please take a seat and I'll bring you some ice-cream". How nice, I thought. After a while, suddenly the music stopped and over the speaker came "Happy Birthday" - just as he came up behind me and produced a lovely assortment of ice-creams complete with lighted candle! Everybody sang and clapped and I was totally amazed!! <br/><br/>What a delightful surprise Takara - I will never forget you!!

This is by far the best Japanese food outside of Japan, having lived there for a time, I should know!<br/>I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough, my boyfriend and I are always very excited to eat here as we know we are going to have a good time.<br/>The staff are always very attentive and courteous, the meals are prompt and the chefs never falter in deliciousness and quality. <br/>Literally one of the only high-quality places to dine in Tauranga, don't waste your money anywhere else!!

Beautiful fresh food that melts in your mouth,friendly service with a smile...other restaurants in town could learn from this place! This has to be Taurangas No1 Japanese restaurant, look forward to returning soon!

We went to Takara for our anniversary dinner last night, it was amazing. The food was absolutely delicious, it all practically melted in my mouth. The service was brilliant, they were very pleasant and helpful, and the atmosphere is lovely. This is my new favourite restaurant, I don't think I would go dine anywhere else. I would highly recommend this restaurant to everyone. Well done guys!

it was stunning, really enjoyed the meal, was value for money and all very fresh. waiters were very friendly and attentive. <br/>A Mirror above the kitchen facing down to the work bench would be a cool thing so the customers can see how the chefs prepare the meals just abit of theartre eating.

Have dined here on numerous occasions now and every time has been a fantastic experience! Love the food and the staff.

A group of friends and I went for lunch at Takara. None of us had been there before so we were excited to try the place out. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal. It was a great experience trying something totally different. I am vegetarian and they were very accommodating to my needs.<br/><br/>I can't wait to go back with my friends. My plan is to eventually try everything on the menu :) Friendly staff, good food...what more do you want!

Went on a busy saturday night. The service was good and cheerful but the food is over priced for what is being servied. I had chicken Katsu which is a good size but for $25.00 and when having drinks and entree is over the top.

Enjoyable meal served by friendly and efficient staff. Like the menu which has photos of the various dishes available.<br/>Staff are flexible as to what is on offer and the meals are good value and not very expensive.<br/>Will definitely go there again.

Wonderful relaxed friendly atmosphere. Decor dated but new owners are gradually making improvements. Wonderful food, great prices and beautifully presented. Have introduced family and friends to this establishment and they are now all regulars. However, Takara, please have iced water, the last few times I have been the water has been warm, but this is just a minor problem, can't fault the rest of it.Well done.

Often have a relaxed dinner or lunch with friends and family at Takara. Nice friendly service and usually pretty quick. FOOD IS DEVINE! Tried most of the menu and all has been full of flavour and most of all fresh! This is reflected through made to order sushi that is always yummy! Decent prices and always busy, this reflects great food, good price, friendly staff! =)

I often go to Takara with my family and Japanese friends for both lunch and dinner. Great service, and not to mention food! Delicious, fresh authentic Japanese food with a variety of flavours. The sushi here is premium – the freshest in Tauranga in my opinion, as they make it to order. My favourite meals are the sashimi, unagi-don, teriyaki chicken and green tea ice cream (which I thought would be incredibly strange but proved to be sweet creamy and just amazing!) great service – fast and friendly. Food is absolutely great (menus are a little pricey, but very filling and worth it). The busiest times are Saturday lunchtimes and dinners (around 7pm onwards). Will keep coming here for great Japanese food!

Dinner January 2020Sashimi Platter, Sushi Platter, Chicken Katsu, Apple juice and 2 x Jim Beam approx $120Good service, very clean and tidy environment, delicious food. Will be back !<br/>Lunch December 2019 Sashimi Boat and 6 Asahi - great location in the sun, beautiful delicious sashimi boat and good service. $131<br/><br/>This place is GREAT !  Good value for money, wonderful service, always clean and tidy with a lovely location !