The sushi is artfully presented and sublimely fresh and tasty at Yaruki…read more The last time we ate at Yaruki was with a large group and yet another fantastic meal was had in an ambient setting. I suggest you order a Japanese set meal like Tensin platter for two which gives you a good variety of items off the menu including sushi, sashimi, chicken teri, and gyoza, tempura and daily special. The dinner box meal has additions of tonkatsu and choice of beef, chicken or fish teriyaki. Many of the customers are locals and will tell you that, hands down, this is THE best Japanese in town. Not just me but every member in our large party agreed.

As always the food at Yaruki is astounding! Nice to have a…read moremenu that isn't the traditional "NZ Japanese fare" This is one of those restaurants frequented by locals so can be difficult to get into. however on our most recent visit it was no problem, Interestingly I felt the experience on my last visit last week was not up to the previous standard hence the 4/5 rating, but this restaurant is always worth every cent you pay and more! The seafood here is always top notch, you are unlikely to go away disappointed in the Sashimi or prawns! Most definitely a recommended restaurant!

This sushi is among the best I've had in Auckland, which may surprise some, based on its location:…read morein the middle of a decidedly average mall. However, the sushi's great - always fresh and tastes as though it's just been made, as opposed to that stuff that's been sitting around so long it's gone hard. They are hugely popular and there can be a bit of a line at lunch, but it's worth queuing for. They also do a range of menu items that you can order, but I haven't tried them, as the sushi is so good!

Despite the lack of reviews - yes, yelpers, I'm talking to you;) - this place is gaining a quick…read morefollowing. Even on weeknights the place is packed (and they told us we would be fine on a Thurs evening with a large group, but not a seat left in the house as the night wore on). The food is tasty but expect small portions, so eat before hand, or after if need be! I even got to cook my own fish dish at the table with bunsen burner and timer. Tasted pretty good chef. Service was ok, but seemed a bit unsure of themselves at times, could have been new staff perhaps? Well worth trying out if you are in the area or a local. Hefty price tag but worth the occasional splurge. Enjoy!

Can't go wrong coming here, except for getting a table if you haven't pre-booked. Make sure you do…read morebook , else you may never get a table or be " left out in the cold " for a while. This particular night we came we could not get a booking until at least an hour or so later, so we popped in when passing by to see if maybe they could maybe squeeze us in somehow. Luckily, yes, they could give us a table as long as we were finished in an hour. Thank you! We gratefully took it. The service is pretty quick here so did not have to wait long for the orders to be taken. I had the Pork Katsuni with rice ( it can be ordered without rice ) , and my other half had the Pork Miso Katsu. My order came out in the little pot still cooking above a flame and a timer placed next to it for 10 minutes. When it beeps at 10 minutes then it is fully cooked. Worth the ten minutes wait as is pretty good .. Of all the Pork Katsuni i've had this rates up amongst the best. Pork well cooked and all. So overall, service is great, food too, ambience very good, it's clean...and i really like how the split long tables into seperate seatings for 2, 4 or however many. And the price is as expected..not too bad. Well worthy of 5 stars!

Wide range of Japanese food including traditional, fresh and clean with great service. This is the…read morekind of Japanese we were looking for and finally found. Highly recommend :)

Great place for Japanese food. Very nice and cosy, love the cute little details. Everything was…read morewell thought out. Plus, I love that they are so kid-friendly. They gave my 3-year-old her own set of cute utensils and Hello Kitty plastic cup which she really loved. The food is really good and affordable. I always order tonkatsu from Japanese restaurants and this one did not fail to delivery the authentic taste and crunch you'd find in a really well done dish. My husband had the steak donburi while my mom had the salmon with avocado donburi, both excellent dishes. They have a menu of just $10 donburi, which is really money well spent. This place is worth revisiting when you're in Birkenhead.

Absolutely perfect experience! Everything that we ordered was timely, homemade, fresh and layers of…read moreasian flavours!!! Staff friendly and quick. You get a strong feel of the locals filling up the dining room for dinner.

I have only ever gone here once, and while the food was really nice, they need to do some…read moreimprovements. The whole place is so unwelcoming they must lose so much business. Even from the outside, the windows are black, the door is often shut, I always think it is closed, or at least I am too scared to open the door in case I am interrupting. I did get a really nice salmon dish from here which I would really like to go back and have again, but they need to make you want to walk through the door first.

Best little sushi shop in Auckland. Run by a lovely, friendly couple. Great value for money. My go…read moreto when I forget my lunch.

There is a new kid on the block and lets hope they stay! I recently had lunch with hubby and…read morefriends at Sushi Bee Japanese Takeaway in Avondale, across from Salvation Kitchen. We are big Japanese food fans and were happy to see the new place arrive, although I was a little nervous about their credibility due to the cartoon-ish looking characters on the signs out the front. Inside is a little comical as well but in a cool way; the sushi is set up really well in sealed transparent cabinets that allow for easy selection and self service. Also, the food is super cheap, they have the brightest looking wasabi and ginger that I have ever seen, they offered friendly, helpful service and the food was fresh and delicious! They also have a food hygiene sign of A, despite the fact that they have only opened within the month, which makes me suspicious of my dinner nearby a few nights ago in Avondale at a takeaway shop ('All Wrapped Up') that have been open for almost six months and have a sign that reads "grade pending due to new business".... hmmmm....

We came here for lunch and found it to be quite average. Prices were reasonable, but there are so…read moremany other sushi places where you'd pay the same price for so much more, both in taste and in volume. Service was kind and attentive, and the decor was nice. I enjoyed the really solid tables and benches, and everything was clean and well-kept. The food just was really unexceptional.

Average sushi. Be very wary of overcharging. Happened to me more than once. Nothing more to add…read more Just filling in space so I can post.