Review Daruma Ramen - Wellington

The atmosphere is cool. Spacious, tatilami mats and chill music in the background. I ordered a chicken katsu curry. It came in a hotpot which is quite different. I do think the portion of meat was a bit on the small side but the food was good!

Great staff and relaxed atmosphere, with the option to sit on tatami mats or at a table. Huge menu, we left full with our shared gyoza and ramen (mine with extra noodles). Drinks were nice, we tried some sake cocktails which were refreshing. Will definitely return.

Best Japanese restaurant in town! Love the spicy ramen so much! Tempura is crispy and yummy. Very friendly staff.

Quite happy with the ramen and the place has a fairly authentic feel. A good spot for a quiet lunch.

Ordered spicy ramen, seafood nigiri and soft crab. The food was good, friendly service, restaurant atmosphere was a bit stark

Fantastic value! Above is the Tonkosu Ramen with level 2 spice. Below is the same but with no spice. Added on dumplings and got extra bowl of small noodles with a student id. The ramen was very filling and absolutely delicious. The broth was so rich and the noodles were perfect. The dumplings were crispy and very flavorful. Service was fast and very good. I have come back so many times. Daruma Ramen is my go to and I always recommend it to family and friends. It's a must try, you won't regret it.

Excellent food, Very good customer service. Good price for two of us for dinner. Will be going back there next time I'm in Wellington.

Great restaurant for sharing a number of small plates with a friend or (in my case) spouse. Staff were super friendly and the food was delicious. Get out of your comfort zone and order outside of the sushi! You won't be disappointed. I recommend their takoyaki and edamame if you've never had them!

A nice restaurant in Wellington, they have delicious foods and drinks.

Food was some of the best Japanese food I've ever had, was extremely delicious. Price was very affordable. Only thing was that the staff, they were very friendly, but they weren't really attentive to customers, waited at the counter for 5-10 minutes to pay my bill at the end with no staff in sight. Was a very quiet time though and I think maybee 1 or 2 people on trying to cook and serve everyone together. Overall, delicious and would definitely eat here again.

. (01/2018) An authentic Japanese restaurant. Easily approachable via Courtney place. Great ambiance and the interior is amazing. Spacious seating arrangement. There are good food options for vegans and vegetarians clearly marked on the menu. Reservation is recommended and it can be made online. Food is delicious, authentic and freshly prepared. Well presented. The portions can be comparatively small for mains. Staff is friendly, efficient and helpful. The service was cordial and well timed. Table service. Outdoor seating is not available. For some reason there is only one receipt allowed per table although the bill can be split. Good place for groups, kids and families. Can get busy during late evening. There is no dedicated parking area available for this restaurant although ample street parking can be found around the entrance. There is wheelchair accessible entrance.

Reasonably priced yet authentic Japanese tucker. Our group of 6 all ordered different meals and everyone was super happy with what was presented. There's a choice between western and Japanese style seating.

Update: They refunded us the difference, obviously realizing a mistake was made! Great food and atmosphere, absolutely delicious. WATCH OUT: this company charges you for extra meals that you never ordered! We went last night and discovered that we had to pay the bill as a whole, so we had on person pay the whole thing. An hour later we checked the receipt and wondered why it was so expensive, we found they had added on nearly $40 of items we never ordered! Fantastic food, but what you are doing is VERY illegal! We will be coming back to reclaim the extra charges and telling everyone to watch out for you guys overcharging customers!

Amazing food and such good service! They do BYO, you can sit on that tatami mats, AND of course the food is delicious. Andrew was our server and was very funny and amazing at his job. Thanks everyone!

The staffs were very attentive and service was really quick. Loved all the food that we ordered. From the home made gyoza to the awesome ramen, everything was just amazing! Will definitely be back if ever were in Wellington again

Friendly staff who were friendly and polite. We ordered a chashu tonkatsu ramen, a spicy tofu miso ramen, hot pot teriyaki chicken, pork gyoza with wasabi mayo and soicy pork gyoza. <br/><br/>The food was flavourful and portion sizes were more than enough. The ramen portion seemed smaller than usual (for NZ), but it prevented wastage. The Ramen could have been hotter (temperature wise). The gyoza’s - I would go back again for this. Beautiful. Both varieties tasted different from each other. <br/><br/>Clean and pleasant ambience, and quick service.

Great atmosphere. I tried the beef tongue dish because "when in Rome" its a lil chewy but interesting none-the-less! I love how they bang on the drum when they arrive and leave! Love a bit of sake too!

One of the best authentic Japanese eatery in Welly. Haven't been to Kazu for a while but wow, love the freshness of the sashimi and we had over 10 in total. Soft shell crabs very absolute brilliant amongst other dishes.

Went as part of a group of 12. The food was average and the customer service appalling. I complained about the service only for them to mock me. I've never been treated so rudely by wait staff in my life. I will never be coming back to Kazu.

Visited here 2 weeks ago. We were seated immediately and didn't have a booking. The place was packed - it's quite tight for space. We ordered a wide range of food - all arrived promptly. It was good, not the best I've had but still good. Service was a touch confusing but overall I liked the evening we had.

Great friendly service. Nice crazy izakaya atmosphere. Most of what we ordered were good, but nothing to rave about. Beef yakiniku was a bit tough and the sauce was thin. Gyoza, ebi tempura, yum yum sushi were average. Spicy chicken karage and sashimi were nice.

We went to Kazu at 13 Tory St for lunch planning to order the recommended Tonkotsu Ramen Black. However we were told by the staff that this outlet doesn't serve ramen during lunch but the other outlet at Te Aro does. She graciously offered to show us the way to the other outlet but as we were already seated and would not want to walk any further, we decided to stay and try what's on their menu. <br/>All in all we were satisfied with the food. Even my youngest son who is a picky eater liked his Beef Combo. I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken and Sushi Combo. The chicken was flavorful and it was good value for money. Staff people are very friendly and although the food took around 15-20 minutes to come out, we were advised beforehand as to the waiting time.

Going to Kazu was a terrible experience.  I ordered the teriyaki tofu, which did not have much of a description, but the waitress told me the tofu would be fried.  After almost an hour of waiting, my meal arrived and it was certainly not worth the wait.  I received four haphazardly sliced pieces of tofu (without any rice or veggies -- a single floret of broccoli, uncooked entirely, was on my plate), which were not cooked at all and there was absolutely no flavour whatsoever, not even the slightest hint of teriyaki.  The food was absolutely inedible, I felt sick after just one bite.  The staff, who had previously been attentive, noticed that I was not eating my meal and for the next 45 minutes pointedly avoided my table despite the fact that I moved my plate off to the side.  Eventually my friend (who's meal was also terrible) and I got up to pay and the woman at the register was incredibly rude and did not even bother asking us how the meal was.  You couldn't pay me to go back.

My partner and I recently had dinner at Kazu for the first time, and the last time.<br/><br/>The initial service was very good but it went downhill once our food arrived (after waiting for 40 minutes).<br/><br/>The dish was flavourless, oily and improperly cooked and service became non-existent. The sushi was loose and fell apart instantly after being picked up. Staff never came by to check up on us and we had to leave the restaurant because the food was inedible (coming from people who love authentic Japanese Cusine).<br/><br/>When we went to pay the bill a rude staff member was confused and angry because she didn't no where we were sitting. And there was no politeness or follow-up to see how our meal went.<br/><br/>To make matters worse a fly landed in one of our Sake's and the table we were sitting at wasn't cleaned properly or prepared after the last guest.<br/><br/>This was the first time in my life I had to go to a second restaurant in one night just to get some food, and it was completely embarrasing for my partner.<br/><br/>You should really look at improving the quality of your food and service if you ever want to see repeat customers again.

Not the best Japanese in Wellington but not the worst either. Plus lunch is pretty good value for money. My towering chicken teriyaki and sushi was extremely filling. The teriyaki sauce is sweet and salty and just the right level of sticky.

In my opinion this is the best Japanese in Wellington. The sashimi plate is always fresh and never fails to impress. The dumpling trio is unbelievably well priced and super yummy. I would say this place is a little pricey but that's only because we get so much each time! You could do this on the cheap if you wanted to. All I can say is they could do a few more sharey plates and a nice bento wouldn't go astray :) Another definite visit for any Japanese lovers.

Kazu have redesigned the menu! However the multitude of combo deals you can make can no longer be found, it is easier to read through and the meals really do exceed expectations. We even got to sit at the traditional tables along the front and received great service right upon entry.

As I was uploading my latest batch of reviews I noticed I hadn't done one for Kazu. Suffice to say this place isn't very memorable. We shared a selection of morsels that were presented in a boat-style dish. I really liked the presentation of the food but as we all know, looks can be deceiving. The salmon was over-cooked, the chicken tasted odd and the tempura was doughy. The sashimi and beef were very good, however. Our waitress was friendly but the service was very slow. I wouldn't come back here when there are much better Japanese places in town.

Just had lunch today with my family, really like the presentation, and enjoy their set lunch menu. Teriyaki salmon was the best. They have a very good range of Sake and Japanese beer, we had the pink lady bubbly sake, was really good.

Went for ramen the soup was tasty the meat was good but the noodles were completely wrong just basic egg noodles a long way from the thin long ramen noodles I'm used to.

Such a nice place to dine in. Great variety of Japanese foods to choose from. Foods are real great here and they have good customer services.

Great spot for a bite - especially if you love the complete Japanese eating experience with traditional seating (don't forget to remove your shoes) - if that's not for you, Western style seating is available. <br/><br/>I've eaten here a number of times and it's always great. Very authentic and prompt service.<br/>Tonight's selection included Agadashi tofu, king fish sushi, soft shell crab, spicy gyoza, tofu Don buri, simple udon, steamed rice, chicken karaange, seaweed salad and washed down with green tea. <br/>Absolutely recommend the Agadashi tofu. It's slightly crisp on the outside with soft creamy centre and a umami yet sweet sauce. This, the soft shell crab with it sweet yummy goodness and spicy condiment, and lastly spicy gyoza are recommended. The gyoza was a tad on the crisp side for me. I prefer a grilled bottom and steamed top but still satisfying. <br/><br/>My least favourite was the seaweed salad as it lacked crunch and was room temperature. I have a personal preference for it to be cool and crisp.<br/><br/>Kingfish sushi had great texture, however the fish was slightly fishy and lacked flavour. <br/><br/>All in all there are a great selection of dishes from hotpots to udon dishes, sushi and noodles. <br/>If you love Japanese, this and one other restaurant are my choice for top Japanese cuisine. <br/><br/>

Very lovely helpful staff, provide a high chair and then a second one when the first didnt work. Very responsible price for food and drink, great selection of Saki. The chef made me tuna sushi on request wish was impressively made. Would dine again for sure. Would love to try everything

pic1 is dinner tonkotsu ramen，7 slices tonkotsu and i'm full. pic2 is lunch tonkotsu ramen, which has only 2 slices of meat and less veggie. It's just $3 difference. I would rather have the dinner one.

Finally I have found a restaurant that sells an authentic Japanese Ramen. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen with black sauce. The broth was great, just like anything in Japan, the noodles were perfect Ramen noodles and the wakame, pork and nori was also the perfect touch. I will be back again for sure.<br/><br/>This was a lunch menu so not sure if they offer it on their dinner menu.

Love the service and a great place to practice speaking japanese. The menu had recently changed and I missed the old kazu set menu. Not a big fan of udon soups. The food here is fresh and tasty. Volcano roll, california roll and sashimi are my favourites along with oysters with ponzu sauce.

Love how there is a sashimi boat. Really delicious salmon and good for a BYO . Would recommend the salmon avocado salad and sushi dishes are delicious. Would not recommend green tea or sesame ice cream, tasted very strange

Great Japanese food and good service. The sushi and sashimi was fresh and delicious, the chicken teriyaki udon very nice, and the wasabi beef set was superb. All finished off with cheesecake and raspberry ice cream. And with Asahi and Sapporo on tap too. Great dinner sitting at the Japanese tables.

Great food only downside is the price but other than that the food is delicious. Service varies, some of the waiters/waitresses are polite and courteous and some not so much. Atmosphere and general vibe is positive and enjoyable. Would go back and have been back

Freshness at its best. Forget the Sushi Train, this is your real Mccoy. Plum liquor was devine. Seafood Okonomiyaki for entree was superb and Kazu Sushi and Sushimi set was delicate, delicious and generous(perfect for sharing). Staff were delightful and couldn't be faulted. Quality dining experience in an authentic japanese setting.

took my girlfriend for dinner, great atmosphere, great service, very friendly staff, would give more than 5 if I could :)

I took my LB (little brother) here for his 10th birthday. He has ADHD, so I needed it to be visually stimulating. <br/>Things got off to a rocky start when LB yelled over me to the waiter that he wanted a coke (NOT on his 'ok to have' list) then badgered me into getting oysters. They come in 1, 6 or 12 and I relented to a 1/2doz even after I explained how pricey they are. The waiter also came back to tell me that I had over-ordered for 2ppl and may get too full. I said "it's his birthday - we're fine". <br/>This is where the service really went up a notch. The waiter, perhaps sensing the power-struggle at my table, brought over 3 oysters and placed the coke next to me so I could ration it out over the evening. They treated LB like a little king, which was very sweet seeing he was bordering on Yoga and couldn't keep his hands off the chopstick pile. I recommend anything in a hot-pot as there's something very calming about having a little fire and a pot bubbling at your table.<br/>The bill was $140 for a child &amp; adult, but I did over-order. I'm glad I did - we left behind only 3 pieces of sushi! It was a fun night out with gracious and intuitive staff. At least 1 of us has vowed to go back: Sir Chat-a-lot told me through mouthfuls of Salmon that when he finally gets a girlfriend, he's taking her to Kazu.

I love Japanese food and this is some of the best I've had. Great to see a wide vegetarian offering and my whole family really enjoyed the authentic Japanese seating.

Best Japanese in Wellington. Cool atmosphere, authentically Japanese, good beer and sake selection. Udon the best that I have had in NZ, good sushi and the seafood is fresh and well prepared. Great place for a small group, I have had 3 out of my last 4 birthday meals here! My most recent visit in October just confirms that it is still one of the top restaurants in Wellington.

Yay, authentic Japanese food. Love the atmosphere and the food. Some of the best Japanese food I've had... even better than some of the meals I've had in Tokyo. <br/>Can't wait to try the yakatori bay upstairs.

I've been here twice now and both times were spectacular. Nice authentic Japanese with a distinct atmosphere. Saki went down a treat with the seafood udon while the sushi was put together with care. Great response and service from the staff on both occasions. The on street parking is hard and normally full on Tory especially during dinner time so I would advise planning. The bill was a little expensive but worth it.

It is the third time I have been here now and the food is always fab! The service is very prompt and efficient and the standard is excellent. The only disappointment on my last visit, was that the restaurant ran out of tofu and I couldn't order the dishes that I wanted, and being a vegetarian, I was a little disappointed. Despite the tofu unavailability, I ordered a vegetable dumpling dish, vege rolls and miso soup and was really happy with my dishes. Would really recommend!

Was in Wellington for few days so we thought we would try Kazu. The food was amazing and service was just as good, the soft shell crab was great and rest of meal was just as good will be returning every time we are in Wellington from now on. Superb!

Kazu is one of the very few places in Wellington that, in my view, could do no wrong, simply because it is very difficult to fault them of the many times we have visited them. Granted they are not always perfect - in one of our many visits, a dish was undercooked and the staff promptly addressed this.<br/><br/>Staff are genuine, attentive and very polite at all times, the ambience is pleasing and well arranged. The menu selection is extensive to the danger of being indecisive, as most selections are very signature to the place. Don't forget to try the sake or the Ramune for a non alcoholic option. <br/><br/>It is also a good opportunity to practice your Japanese. Expect a high standard of service and a unique experience from this establishment right from the first greeting to the warm farewell.

I had a great birthday party here with 6 friends, and we were all happy. I lived in Japan 16 years, and must say the food tasted just like back in Japan. And of course, it is tough to match the Japanese level of service and attention, so they have Japanese staff in front and back in the kitchen, making this izakaya a great little transplant from Japan.

Despite some issues about booking times (I tried to book for 6:50pm, but they heard 6:15pm) they got us a table for two on a busy Saturday night. The waiter we had was superb, attentive and genuine.<br/><br/>The drinks and food were great, and with the option of sitting on mats or on a table and a wide range of authentic beverage options it was a superb Japanese experience.<br/><br/>The atmosphere was excellent and I would strongly recommend it to any group or couple!

I'll be straight to the point on this one:<br/>When I order a tataki I expect it to come with a proper tataki sauce suitable for the choice of meat.<br/>When I order a sashimi I expect it to come with a proper sashimi sauce suitable for the choice of fish.<br/>Main dish worth $28 should come with rice.<br/>Spending $125 on a 6 mains meal for two people and leaving the restaurant still hungry only to go home and cook a meal is ridiculous. And one of those two is a woman, neither of us are American or fat. I guess what I am trying to say - portions have very little meat in them, but a paradise for a vega.<br/>I have read some reviews saying "best Japanese restaurant in Wellington"- wtf? This place is not comparable to most of second grade small Japanese places I've been to. <br/>Will not come back.

Mostly great food, although sometimes the appetisers are hit and miss<br/><br/>Staff are usually very prompt with their service

Upon Finding Kazu a while ago, I was intrigued by the suggestion that it was Wellington's best Japanese.<br/><br/>I have to say, on the occasions I have been there since discovering it, the staff and food and service has been a little mixed, although there is a really nice measure of down to earth service alongside traditional respect and promptness, such as when you are greeted at the door.<br/><br/>I am very pleased to have found this restaurant just a short distance off the main entertainment street here in Wellington, it's a very well suited location; a quiet gem.<br/><br/>I like the fact that it has quality and consistency with the food, and the warm feeling the staff express towards the customer's needs.<br/><br/>I especially like how the staff have no problem explaining elements of presentation and prep of the food if you don't initially understand how it works.<br/><br/>A very nice selection of both Drinks and Food, and a very well designed atmosphere and setting.<br/><br/>I am hoping to make this a definitive weekly visit.<br/><br/>- Courtesy.

Simply stunning. Being a vegetarian who does not eat rice, I thought my options would be limited. My friend and I had a beautiful meal and I would go back in a heartbeat. The food was simply stunning, topped off by great, unobtrusive service. I'm a definite fan!!

I've been here two times, and had quite different experiences. The first time, I dined with my partner and had an awesome experience - food, service, prices etc. I was so impressed that I recommended Kazu for my workmate's birthday celebration. We were a group of nine. The service was slow for us, though I saw couples and groups come in after us who finished dining before we even got served. I accepted that, since we were a larger group. What I found unacceptable was the fact that once most of our table's orders have arrived, two people at our table sat for almost an hour with no food. Once the waiter was called over and advised of this, he checked what the missing items were, then went to the kitchen. He came back a few minutes later and told us the food would be ready in five minutes. Five minutes passed and he returned to the table with two incorrect orders. As we had further plans for the evening, and seven of the people in the group had finished their meals more than twenty minutes earlier, we ate what we were given. <br/>Granted, the food was great, but the whole experience was lacking.<br/>To top it off, when the bill arrived, we were charged for $40 worth of extra items that we hadn't ordered, or received.<br/><br/>I'm not prepared to give up on Kazu yet, but I will not be returning with a group.

Excellant.<br/><br/>I am a vege and the choices here are good. Try the tofu with Japanese mustard. I was not left hungry and the sake was great. Good atmosphere.<br/><br/>Staff were very attentive and friendly. <br/><br/>My only negative comment, they should get rid of the cobwebs in the corner.

Friendly and polite team of staff. Food are very good and tasty. Good range of dishes and drinks in their menu - I just wished they have more selections on their fruit juices. Very nice atmosphere. I really like dining-in at Kazu.

This place is amazing! Consistent tasty and quirky new recipes, fantastic service and a nice comfortable atmosphere. Japanese food with a new twist, try their ever-changing specials.

This is a very good Japanese restaurant on Tory st. We were there on a Thursday night and it was bustling, a mixed crowd enjoying the varied menu. Our agedashi tofu was perfect - crispy on the outside and a melt in the mouth center. It was a cold night so we eagerly awaited our little hot pot as it hubbled and bubbled in front of us - fun and well worth the wait for a more-ish chicken, vegie and rice mix. We finished with a small salad which was tasty, fresh and light. Great food and refreshingly healthy as well...<br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Ambience: 4/5<br/>Food: 4/5<br/>Value for Money: 4/5

Where do you take three generations of family members that's both fun and delivers tasty food? Kazu on Tory never fails to please whenever I have family visiting from out of town. It's always a thrill being welcomed by a hearty cheer from the kitchen when entering the venue and the staff are attentive and helpful. Bookings are recommended, but use the phone, not their online booking form (which failed us miserably last visit). Having said that, the Kazu crew always seem to find a place for you when you haven't booked.<br/><br/>We usually try to score a table up near the business end of the restaurant. The open plan kitchen is highly entertaining and the kids are enthralled by all the activity. Some may enjoy the Japanese low tables and cushions (which add a dash of authenticity) but I squirm in my seat a lot and prefer to be able to stretch my legs. Both types of seating are available.<br/><br/>My favourite dish at Kazu is (of course) their famous teriyaki chicken which usually arrives spitting angrily at you from an iron hot plate. A close second are the deep fried crabs that look like baby aliens critters, but are divine when eaten whole. Give the salads a miss and get your greens with a fresh vege stir fry instead. All dishes are illustrated on the menu, which not only helps your decision making but also adds a hilarious touch of kitsch.