Review Kazu Yakitori & Sake Bar - Wellington

Very good food. Lots of choices and real japanese theme feels. Good place for yakitori and some beers. Would 100% recommend

The food is excellent, traditional Japanese food and the staff are always welcoming as soon as you enter.

I came here for a late dinner and to be honest, it was awesome. We shared several different things at our table so I got to try a wide variety of food, and each dish was amazing! Possibly the tastiest thing was the prawns wrapped in bacon. Really enjoyed this experience and would recommend it to anyone who asked. Also got to sit out on the balcony in the twilight, which was really nice.

So glad we found this place! Everything we ordered was so delicious, and I have eaten a lot of yakitori in Auckland and overseas. The Yakitori was sooo good and probably the yummiest grilled sweetcorn I have ever had in my life! 🌽 We ordered 7-8 small dishes including a half sized tonkotsu garlic ramen and left so full and so happy, will definitely return anytime we're back in Wellington. Nice range of drinks, including sake and wine and beer, chu-hi and cocktails. The staff were really cute and nice, very good service. Highly recommended.

Perfect little spot, even eating solo as I just did this Saturday night. Atmosphere is mean, food is mean, they put a lot of care into what they do. Highly recommended

The food was amazing. We kept ordering one after the other. Authentic Japanese vibes. Must visit with a group of friends.

Have been here twice and am looking forward to more. Great vibe with a warm welcoming and welcoming felling. Bang drumbs when you arrive or leave. Staff are friendly and work hard to make the experience even better. Small place but full of life. I recommend plum wine on the rocks. Nice and sweet for thoughs who like sweet achahol.

Had fun here! Walked in with a friend and shared a couple of dishes. Love their sochu cocktails for under $10. Keen to come again for a full meal!

Authentic Japanese food that was delicious, with great service. Felt very much like being in an Izakaya. Highly recommend if you are in Wellington and love Japanese food.

Great atmosphere and food, would 100% recommend if you're craving some japanese food!

The best garlic tonkatsu ramen <3 the pork is thinly-sliced tender and have a smokey feel to it <3 Love the broth and the perfectly soft boiled egg! I also love the grill dango! Higly recommended it, the longer you leave it on grilled, the better <3

Good food at good prices. Service was quick. Atmosphere was very good. Keep an eye out for the daily lunch specials. Students get a free upgrade to large when ordering ramen.

Very good service, polite and well mannered staff. The food is delicious. The lunch specials (Monday to Friday) are a fantastic deal. If you like Japanese style curry Tuesday is your lucky say, it’s just too good to pass.

One of the few restaurants open at 9pm. Ordered curry Katsu set and Salmon salad with Karaage. Order came pretty quickly. Salmon salad was not really that much. Karaage was a bit over fried, but still okay. Only downside was they used a very sour mayonnaise, which a bit overruled the taste of the Karaage itself. A Kewpie mayo would be a better choice. For the salad as well. But apart from that, all good.

One of the few places in Wellington for Ramen. This place is alright and the food isn't too bad. Ramen noodles were a little soft for me but the soft boiled egg is perfect. The tempura was also good. Overall, it did taste great but the only downside is their portion. I do think it could be a little bigger for its price otherwise I'm pretty content with everything else. <br/><br/>The interior decor is themed nicely. The lanterns, stools and wall detailing fits well with the cuisine. <br/>8/10

Really efficient and polite service. The soft shell crab, karaage chicken and the crumbed cheese were our favourites. The gyozas we got with garlic sauce are always an easy choice and finishing off with the mochi makes it all worth it. Definitely coming back for more.

We have been told that they out of Tuna today and they will replace with Beef Tataki and we were quite happy, but when we got the Sashimi ship, we were shock. The portion size is tiny, the beef doesn't even looks like Beef Tataki, taste awful as well. Prawn is not fresh. Chicken Karaage, tiny portion for $16, importantly that taste like flour dough, not crispy at all but taste alright.<br/><br/>Friendly staff but the food is just awful, would not come back.

Probably one of the few places that do relatively traditional tasting Japanese food since it’s one of the few actually owned and run by a Japanese person but a little tired of the mark up on Japanese food in New Zealand. They seem to have raised their prices even more now and it’s just not really worth it any more. I’d rather eat a healthy meal of Vietnamese food at this point.

The food was okay, nothing special. Was very small portion size and over priced for what it was, $15 for 6 small pieces of karaage that were soggy. And you can’t pay seperatly which they refrained to tell us at the door. Overall food was average and could use a lot of improvements on pricing and portion size.

Visited Kazu yesterday (second time) for a friend's birthday - a total of 12 of us. Everyone's orders looked good and from what they said, tasted good too! I ordered the Premium Wagyu beef and avocado on rice ($14).<br/>Smaller portion than most other items on the menu, but tasted great! I added some chilli oil to spice it up and enjoyed every bit.<br/>A relaxing ambience with helpful and friendly staff 👍🏼😊

Had teriyaki chicken on rice today which was 1 of 2 $10 Friday lunch specials on offer - I added the sesame seeds. It was a good portion, was super tasty. Would have liked a bit more mayo but that comes down to preference. Will be back to try some sake & yakitori.

Had high expectations of this Japanese eatery. The yakatori is great, prawn & bacon amazing. But much of the rest is a bit underwhelming. A tad overpriced I would say also. It is enjoyable place to visit, but once is enough

Ramen broth was quite nice. The Pork Belly, Steak, Prawn with garlic Mayo Yakitori sticks were pretty good too. Great place for a snack with friends. Can be quite pricey though as they all accumulate. Service was excellent, maître d made a real effort to welcome us and attend to us despite her limited English.

Came here for lunch, nice and quiet. A few people inside, and outside enjoying the sun. Food arrived pretty quick. We ordered the chicken chilli udon, katsu chicken curry, pork dumplings and two mini donburis. All delicious and reasonable portions.

Come here pretty often with friends and each time we always enjoy it! Such an amazing Restuarant and such good prices. Highly recommend this restaurant because it’s very underrated. Love it so much! And also such amazing service and love the friendly staff!!

Good vibe, good food but price was a bit higher than I have expected. The deco is basic and could be improved to provide a warm feeling. Dishes were not very big so need to order a few to share.

Nice n cute little bar...warm n cozy. There's a balcony so you can enjoy the view. Food ok but the portion quite small n only heap of rice n we ordered lunch Spicy chicken, chicken hot pot n salmon hot pot. They should slice the chicken more thin n smaller not chunky bit make it hard to chew n dry.

Good food here. Fairly reasonable apart from the yakitori. Yakitori is small and a bit undercooked. Sashimi tastes fresh. Ramen is good. Overall it was ok but prefer to go to the Kazu on Tory.

I love this place, because it has the quirky vibe and they have student deal which is awesome!<br/><br/>Yakitori is nice but pricey and tiny portion.<br/>They have different menu for lunch and dinner, where dinner they have less choice on ramen and mostly everything. <br/>Definitely would recommend their black ramen which full of garlic if you are into garlic and they do 2 size: half and normal size. I will say it is more worth the money to order the normal size, since the half size doesn't look like a "half" size of the normal size.<br/>Also, if you are coming with a group, it'll be a bit tricky since they don't do separate payment, which can be a hassle.

We've been going here on and off for years, we were big fans. But after last night's dinner, it's doubtful we'll return. Staff is nice, room is warm, location is good. But the food is not as flavorful as it was previously. Fewer choices for mains. Portions are smaller and more expensive. For example, the rice balls used to be served in pairs and were quite large. Now it is sold as a single and is half the size. You're paying the same price for one quarter the old portion. And that was just the rice. Imagine the rest of the menu pricing and drop in quality. Pity really - I love the room and location with its balcony above Courtenay Place.

So much love for the service and the food. Wonderful izakaya dishes. Had okonomiyaki, takoyaki, sushi, rice balls... And more. All of it excellent and promptly served. Delicious drinks. Everything was great! Will be back, of course.

Good atmosphere and good food.<br/><br/>This was my first time back at Kazu in years. I remember great skewers and cold beer. I used to love it here.<br/><br/>This time I decided to come for a full dinner. I was surprised to see a change to the menu, but was hoping for some new favourites.<br/><br/>The beer was still cold but the skewers didn't taste fresh (seemed reheated). The meat was dry and lacked flavour. Slightly disappointing for a place that used to make the best skewers in Wellington. Perhaps it was because it was a Sunday, but I expect consistency any day of the week.<br/><br/>The sashimi salad was full of flavour with just the right amount of dressing. The sashimi tasted fresh and they didnt skimp on the avocado. My favourite dish of the night.<br/><br/>The agadashi tofu was standard but I have no complaints. The tofu was nicely fried and the spring onions added a nice freshness to the dish.<br/><br/>The pork bun is a new menu item. I think its a fad because pork buns are also now on the menu everywhere. The bun here is acceptable but the pork was slightly chewy and lacked sauce. I think the buns are store bought. <br/><br/>Overall a pleasant dining experience but nothing special. I miss the old menu but will likely come back and give this old favourite another chance.<br/>

Tried their new lunch menu of Ramen. They let you chose thin or thick egg noodles in it. When the dish came out, it was a big bowl with very tasty soup base, sliced pork, half egg and elastic noodles. Everything was good except for the sliced pork. It was rather rough and dry to eat. Had been to some of the nicer places (including oversea) which handled the meat better than yakitori. But for now, I shall go back and try the other Ramen options.

First time coming here! The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was good! Lots of choices on the menu and was super excited to find ramen there too! <br/>Ramen was delish and the seared California roll is to die for! Would totally come back again!!

Kazu would be my favourite Japanese restaurant in town, especially the yakitori bar. The staff are very polite and amicable, and the food is amazing! Being a bar, it offers smaller dishes as a tapas style. The takowasabi is to die for, as is the seafood and avocado salad. I understand the range of Japanese beer is limited, however I'd like to see a wider beer range on tap!

Went there last week and ordered takoyaki for entree and chicken karage don for main.<br/><br/>The takoyaki is a bit overpriced and we had just a few. <br/>Chicken karage don was good and suitable for cold winter wellington. The portion was just enough and the price was okay for the portion.<br/><br/>They recently just changed the menu and it looked a bit confusing. Some of the seafood options were gone and that was disappointing.<br/><br/>Staff were very nice and the place was warm and comfortable.

they changed their menu, no soba no ramen no mussel pot in the night. Almost everything is like starters or tapas. Not suit for people who want to have a dinner plate. My BF and I had different hot pots and Japanese buns, which were very small and served very slow. The buns come so late that my bf and I have finished our hot pots.

This place is absolutely fantastic. Amazing food, excellent service and a great atmosphere. I came here last night with my family and had a great time, although, I have been here several times before. We ordered a bunch of things to share: the sashimi boat, kingfish, salmon skewer, beef skewer, sashimi and avocado salad and some tempura. Everything was fresh and delicious, the kingfish was exceptional. My only issue with the food was the tempura was slightly over-cooked. The service here is friendly and efficient and the staff make a real effort to make sure you have a great experience. I would come back here again and again. This is the best Japanese in Wellington, any runners up are lagging behind.

l have been here about three times for lunch, and every time I have been extremely pleased with the food and the service. The ramen they serve during lunch is absolutely fantastic. Definitely the best in Wellington by far. My partner and I have tried them all, and we both agree all of them are awesome, although the shoyu ramen is our favorite.  The servings are a great size for their price. I would recommend this place wholeheartedly and will definitely have to try their dinner menu out. :)

Nice view!all the food are delicious..the staff very friendly！lunch for Reman and Don both are nice..a good place for a little party with girls！

We went for dinner as a family. I really like the japanese hospitality and especially japanese food. It is quite easy for me to spend quite a lot on japanese food as the portions are small. I love the sashimi salad, gyoza, mussels with yum yum sauce and sashimi. make sure to order rice if you want to get full.

Oh finally someone has filled the gap in Wellington for some good most authentic ramen in Wellington.<br/><br/>Recently opened for lunch serving ramen since the end of January, in which I had only found out when I was walking past over the weekend.<br/><br/>Offers a good selection of your usual ramen broth from the complex tonkotsu to miso, shio and shoyu broths.<br/><br/>Please visit my website for an indepth review.

A true wee gem! Loved the service and atmosphere, and the food was simply devine! Rie, the chef was chirpy and cheerful and happy to help my partner choose a japanese beer. We arrived about 10pm, after struggling to find many restaurants open at that time of night on a Thursday. Would definitely go back.

Love this place.<br/><br/>Very authentic. Love the way the staff communicate with each other, periodically shouting out in unison (something Japanese) - not sure what they were saying or why, but added to the fun and made me smile with delight every time.<br/><br/>Tucker is brilliant, Japanese Beer awesome - and the Sake an experience worth trying.<br/><br/>I liked the Sake hot best.

We've eaten here regularly and this cosy bar is always lively and pleasant. It feels very authentic and we'd recommend diving in headfirst trying a range of the smaller meals with hot Sake.<br/><br/>These guys have the best Takoyaki balls in Wellington. If you want a light bar-style meal and love Japanese they are consistently good.

Now this is a funky place. Great location with a good range of flavorsome Japanese dishes and Bento. <br/><br/>Place is a little tight though, we could barely get out of our chairs to go use the bathroom. Other than that...perfect

Nice fun busy little place.<br/>Food is well priced, very nicely presented and fresh. They have all the classics plus a few slightly more adventurous dishes.<br/>Great selection of Japanese sake and beer.<br/>Good efficient service. Only slight gripe was they were a little tight on the water. Would've been nice to have a carafe on the table rather than for each diner to have to ask individually for a glass.

Had heard plenty about this place, so my partner and myself decided to check it out. It had great service, but we were very disappointed with the quality of some of the food. The skewers were very nice, however the seafood hot pot was bland. It contained 8 pieces of tofu, 1 scallop, 1 squid ring and 1 prawn, and was full of cabbage. Sadly this left us feeling unsatisfied with the entire experience.

Excellent atmosphere and great place to eat<br/><br/>The Sake and Japanese beer on offer is also good.<br/><br/>Food was delivered promptly and tasted great<br/><br/>Would definitely recommend to others and will be returning again soon

Love this restaurant good service good food and atmosphere!

I love this resturant!! After coming back from living in Japan I had been searching for a resturant that captured what I was missing. Kazu does that. Good Food, Perfect atmosphere, a little piece of Japan in Wellington

This place is awesome, went there with two great friends of mine, and had an awesome Japanese experience...It does get quite full, so get in quick =)

You can watch your food be grilled as skillful, cheerful chefs coax flames higher just metres from your face. <br/>The food is top notch and the atmosphere is lively yet intimate, with polite, prompt staff who always seem to be smiling. <br/>The dashi chazuke is a dish that those in the know will seek out regularly, for it's balance of flavours and total perfection.