🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The Rick Stein lesson: the more difficult a restaurant is to find, the more it attracts clients! Best Japanese style restaurant in New Zealand. Without parallel. This is an exceptional and cosy treasure. The tasting menu will wow you Quite one of the most memorable dining experiences. OK. It has a secret location, I know that this iss part of it's charm. Super staff. Try this restaurant with 6 of your friends. You will have a true memory experience. The entrance is modest and it's very easy to miss Kazuya. Where is the parking? Always book a few days ahead for the special menu.

One of the best fine dining experience I've ever had in Auckland. All the flavors in the dishes are very well balanced with amazing mixture of textures. Service was top notch and an excellent wine selective. Good price for the quality of food. Highly recommend

We got the 10 course degustation menu and it was wonderful. The food was great and so was the service. We left satisfied and would come back to eat here again.

Well deserved 5 stars. Fine dining that actually is worth the money. Kazuya really impressed us with their delicious courses and attention to detail. Full of flavour with every bite. Endulge in wonderful surprises to the pallette! We left very full and happy. Highly recommended!

Always a pleasure eating here the service is exceptional and the food exquisite. They were very accomodating for pregnancies and changed the menu accordingly. There was also a lovely supreme for our birthday girl.

A magnificent experience. Proust, in "À la recherche du temps perdu", talk about "Madeleine " and how a bite takes him to his memories. It was the same for me in Kazuya, when I was eating the "Texture". It had about 20 different vegetables that with each bite, I went to a different place and to a different memory. I had not tastes some of those greens in a long time. And one after another, they become a taste explosion in your mouth. That's definitely my favorite in Kazuya 's menu. Very detail oriented.

Exceptional food, presentation and service! Very inconspicuous little place with such beautiful dishes — customised to your needs. The waitresses were so polite and friendly and the food was simply delicious. Would absolutely recommend.

Amazing 7 course degustation. We are big foodies but this food was something weve never experienced before. Thank so much foe a great night!

The food is outstanding. Probably the best Japanese fusion around town. Beautifully executed and you will savour every single mouthful. One or two might be a trifle too rich (and therefore affects the overall balance) but still cooked extremely well. I won't say we loved every single plate as 2 didn't wow us; hence the 4 stars. Eg we didn't think the 30 seasonal veg was worth the hype (sorry). Service was impeccable. Nothing to fault there. The major fault was that the restaurant is too small and therefore there isn't an area to seat such groups seperately from the other diners. We had a group of 10 during our dinner and the noise made by these slightly drunk diners spoilt the entire atmosphere. Not condusive to an intimate night out if you are unlucky to have such a boisterous bunch dining together. We could hardly hear ourselves talk and had to strained our ears when our wait staff informed us of the dishes. So in spite of all the low light, plush seating, etc, our romantic date night was thoroughly affected by diners who weren't too comsiderate of other.

Kazuya takeaway lunch options are impressive. Some of the best Japanese lunch for anyone on the go. With takeaway this good, I am definitely going to book in for dinner here soon.

One of the best meals I have had in a very long time! The service is immaculate. The food is amazing and the environment is perfect. I even noticed the chef keeps his steak knives shap by stone. Keep up the good work. I will be back as often as I can. Thank you very much for the enjoyable dining experience. I look forward to next time.

We had a wonderful dinner at this restaurant. Staff were pleasant, attentive and friendly. We chose the 7 course tasting menu. All dishes were a work of art. Delicious, made with fresh ingredients, and beautifully presented. Each course complemented the next. Textures, colors and aromas were in perfect harmony. Service was excellent. Staff made sure our water was refilled. Each dish was clearly explained. Timing between courses was just right. We did not feel rushed. An awesome dining experience.

Whenever in Auckland, this is the place if you love Japanese food, always spectacular 10/10!

I went for a 7 course degustation and I wholeheartedly agree with others who gave three out of five ratings. Service was top notch and friendly. However the food looked disappointing and tasted average. I have been to several degustations at other restaurants in Auckland. The signature texture dish does not have a cohesive taste that works well together. It was bitter at times and did not taste pleasant. The desserts were awesome, inventive and had great flavours. The photo taking by staff and service saved the lacklustre experience.

Kazuya is one of the finest restaurants I have been to in Auckland. The seating is segmented allowing a level of privacy and conversation. The mood is romantic, pleasant with overtones of Japanese culture. The staff were professional, helpful and knowledgeable. Wide rang if wines to choose from too. The food and dishes were nothing I have ever experienced before, the fusion is very unique. This was seriously next level, incorporating an array of flavours across the pallets blended with different textures. Overall such a wide range of tastes to enjoy in a pleasant setting. Be prepared to spend $$

Kazuya is right up there with our favourite restaurants. The food was amazing, they have a great wine list and the service was great. Overall an outstanding experience and we will definitely be back :)

Fantastic! The food was delicious and the presentation immaculate. Second time I've eaten here and again it didn't fail to impress. Would highly recommend.

Took the 7 course menu. Every dish has its unique taste and we trully enjoyed everything from starter to dessert. Chef is very friendly by the way so as the staff. Will definitely come bach.

One of the best fine dining experience I've ever had in new zealand and Australia. All the flavors in the dishes are very well balanced with amazing mixture of textures. The most memorable dishes for me was the prawn scallop entrees and the wagyu with consomme. Service was top notch and an excellent wine selective. Good price for the quality as well. Highly recommend

Is a spectacular food and wonderful dining I have. Good service and experience here.

Kazuya is such an experience. 10 courses of amazing and incredibly diverse flavours later, you will feel like you’ve been on an epic journey (the 3 hour runtime will definitely add to that feeling). Highlights for me were the Venison Tataki, Snapper broth, and the Wagyu. The courses are very well curated down to the increased wait between courses as the dishes get heavier and the use of sharp flavours to reset the palate.

The best place place to eat Japanese dining fusion. They have every condiment differently and also fresh. The taste was really nice, you can choice between 5 course or 7 course. Any dietaries or allergies can be change in here. They also have menu for vegan. They have really good service also. The price is depends of your choice, but it's worth for the food. 😄

Have always been and still is one of the best fine dining experiences in Auckland. They’ve kept the same standard of food quality and service all these years, still serving delicious food with outstanding presentation delivering an outstanding experience. Quite a stand out compared to the move to bistro styled dining in most other restaurants. A real MUST try if you love food.

Great place. Amazing food. Nice staff

An incredible takeaway lunch! Beautifully presented and exceptionally tasty. Loved it

The best restaurant in Auckland- possibly only second to Hiakai across the whole country. Each menu is customized and vibrant and experimental! Delicious. A wonderful intimate atmosphere.

Had a birthday 7-course dinner last week on Wednesday. Overall a nice experience but going into details, definitely needs improvement. First of all, the food was really delicate and tasty. Really exquisite. I wasn't keen on the spanner crab starter. Texture was missing but all other courses were stunning. Chef Kazuya even came to the table to complete the dish with sauce before it was handed to us. Now, the service let the whole package down. When I entered the restaurant, barely a hello came my way and the lady just walked away, didn't even say, Welcome to Kazuya or asked me to follow her to the table. After a few seconds I realized to follow her. At the very back of the restaurant, rather cool, dark atmosphere and kind of cut off from the rest of the restaurant. Almost impossible to make eye contact with waiting staff because of the high dividers between tables. After an initial drink, I asked the lady what wine she could recommend with the upcoming courses. She just left and came back with a bottle and mentioned its Spanish wine. She poured me a full glass and left. I was surprised!! She could have given me a choice of two or three wine and certainly give me a taster first. No, without asking she just poured. I don't think this is professional/ fine dining. We constantly had to make eye contact when we wanted something. No friendly conversation was initiated, like, what is the reason you are here?....... or something like that. Also no up-selling at all towards the end of the meal. No digestives nor coffee was offered. The restaurant was not busy, 10 people or so, so I wonder why they not put us in a more open area of the restaurant. Hope, front of house can improve their conversation skills and get more wine knowledge so they can recommend a choice of wine.

Great place, great service, really nice food

I personally didn't feel the venue is for fine dinning. Maybe it used to be, given the previous good reviews. The service polite and good but again not what you would expect from fine dinning where the staff wear professional outfit rather than casual. The food is good especially the beef and the dessert. However, it could've been better experience if the above points addressed.

This was a really nice dinner experience with superb food. I realized that Japanese wagyu is different than New Zealand wagyu. Their wagyu almost melted in my mouth. Last plate was lamb cutlets. Plates were very artistic.

Just finished my second meal at this excellent restaurant, and they are now 2/2 in exceptional experiences for me. The odd storefront on Symonds St hides a wonderfully friendly restaurant, with very attentive service, and a tasting menu that rivals the best this Yankee has had in NYC, LA, and Austin, TX. I HIGHLY recommend Kazuya.

An awesome restaurant. The food, ambience, and service are fantastic. Their menu now also includes an a la carte selection of dishes (available Wednesdays and Thursdays). This is a fantastic option for a change from the set menu options (which are also amazing!). Both choices are extremely enjoyable!

Kazuya restaurant is the absolute best restaurant. Although the winner of Metro top restaurants changes every year, for me, Kazuya is always number 1. Many great restaurants are great because of the quality of their food, but but Kazuya stands out because of their creativity on top of the great food. Some restaurants are too creative and ended up with some weird tasting dishes. Kazuya has the right balance, so every dish gives you surprise and joy. Service is perfect as well, as you would expect from Japanese. I'm lucky enough to go to Kazuya three times over these years (twice paid by others too!) and their quality is always consistently 5-star. Fancy restaurants are pricey for sure, but it's not just the ingredients themselves. It's the effort the chef put in. Just like a Van Gogh's painting costs more than the paint and the canvas, Kazuya's dishes is the best art your tongue can taste.

The best Japanese food experience we've ever had in Auckland. Delicate, beautiful presentation and amazing flavours to boot. Service is meticulous and friendly. Very reasonable pricing for such a wonderful experience.

Our experience at Kazuya for a specials birthday was a visual symphony with colours, textures, tastes and the sparkling sake was a total treat. The 30 textured vegetables has to be seen and tasted to be appreciated. Loved it!

Absolutely perfect food: subtle, nuanced combinations, a unique menu. I can't see how it could be better. Stunning every time.

My best fine dining in Auckland, I highly recommend it. They serve Japanese-inspired cuisines with high-sense dishes the beautiful presentation of the food is excellent. All the menus are of course very tasty, but the level of detail in the bread and garnishes is truly astonishing. First-timers should order the seven-course menu.

One of the best dining experiences Ive had in NZ. The food tasted great but what made it really special was the whole experience and the detail put into the course. You can tell that the chef is very passionate about what he is doing. Food great, service great, interior/environment is clean and honestly the detail put into making the experience really special was really memorable. Thanks Kazuya team.

This is easily one of the top fine dining restaurants in Auckland. Every dish was fresh, mostly made with local produce, flavour profiles were so on point. We had the premium 7 course and the extra add on (scampi, paua and wagyu) was definitely worth the money. Their signature ‘Texture’ dish was phenomenal and so beautiful to look at. They paced the whole dining experience really well. We never felt like we were waiting too long for the next dish, nor rushed to finish. Service was great, the chef even greeted us out and gave us mini cookies as we headed out. Such a cute finish!

Kazuya was one of the finest dining experiences I’ve ever had. Although the Michelin Guide has not made it’s way to New Zealand/Australia yet, I have no doubt that this would be a contender for one or more stars. The service was outstanding and staff was very attentive. The food was delicious and the courses were delivered at an excellent pace. The portion sizes varied, felt appropriate for each dish, and together made for a meal that did not leave you hungry or overly full, as some prex fixe menus can. Of particular note, the wagyu dish was simple yet elegant and may be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I would definitely recommend this as a must-try stop in Auckland!

World class restaurant right here in Auckland. Definitely one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. A bit on the pricey side but completely worth it. Amazing staff and food. You can see that a lot of thought and expertise goes into each dish. Thank you to the chef and staff.

Amazing restaurant in Auckland taking Japanese cusine to the next level!

Amazing as always thank you :-)

Mouth watering flavors, great value for your money, warm customer service, fantastic ambience. Fine dining to a T! Great job!

Superb di ing experience. Excellent service. Hard to find.

Great meal

Delicious! Worth booking and enjoying a meal there.

Upmarket decor and moody ambience made this a somewhat strange experience. The lunch sets had some really delicious options but as per its upmarket placement were very restrained in size. Not sure the value was here favouring dish complexity over the simple deliciousness of fewer ingredients in contrast to traditional Japanese cuisine. The meal was good but I think with the pricetag it garnered something was a little missing. Maybe even if that was soul.

Amazing experience every time. This is art. Great atmosphere and service and perfect for special moments.

(Translated by Google) A very nice restaurant! Recommended for everyday use as well as for special occasions! ! The taste is perfect! ! Lamb is number one in NZ! ! ! The price does not regret the quality and taste paid. I feel hospitality in responding to Japanese waitresses. This is a great restaurant !! Would definitely recommend this restaurant for any occasion, including special events. The taste is excellent, and the lamb meat they serve here is essentially the best in New Zealand. Price is well suited for its value. The service of these Japanese waiters are phenomenal. (Original) とても素敵なレストラン！普段使いはもちろん、特別な日にもオススメ！！ 味は完璧！！ラムはNZでは1番！！！ 価格は、払った質と味に後悔しない。 日本人ウェイトレスさん達の対応に、おもてなしを感じる。 This is a great restaurant!! Would definitely recommend this restaurant for any occasion, including special events. The taste is excellent, and the lamb meat they serve here is essentially the best in New Zealand. Price is well suited for its value. The service of these Japanese waiters are phenomenal.

10 course degustation was executed perfectly for 13 people last Friday night. Courses were served in coordination and explained well. Kazuya and team worked tirelessly to serve us through out the night. Dishes were presented and tasted marvellous! We talked about that meal for days afterwards.

Simply incredible - amazing tastes, welcoming staff. Best baked cheesecake ever!

Proposed to my fiance here. Staff were awesome. Food was delicious.

good place to go out

The food is just... Mama miaaaa.

Love Love Love Why i haven't visited this place sooner is beyond me??? The food is to die for, the flavours, freshness, and service is outstanding. Would highly reccomend

Amazing food great time 👍

Outstanding 7 course tasting menu. A must visit. Food was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented

My partner and I decided on the 7 course degustation dinner and to say that we were highly impressed is an understatement. From the first note to the last, it was pure perfection. The cuisine is innovative and the courses flowed seamlessly from one to the next. We were wowed, delighted, surprised and in heaven. On top of that the service is such that you’re made to feel special and appreciated. We loved every dish and will definitely return. If we had to pick a favourite it would be ‘texture’...oh, and the alfonsino in the mushroom and leek broth, heavenly. Domo arigato!

Japanese fine dining at it's finest! We had the 10 course degustation at Kazuya and every dish was top notch. Made with fresh ingredients and beautifully presented, no wonder Kazuya is so popular!

Amazing food. Loved the signature dish of 30 plus veggies and herbs. Loved the ambience - small and intimate. If you have the chance go visit. We had the 7 course degustation and they happily accommodated a dairy/gluten free guest. Best courses (for us other than the signature dish) were the steak and cheesecake and palate cleansers (they deserve a mention) but all were good.

Great place

One of the best fine dining experience in Auckland. Cosy place, nice staff and great food. Highly recommend the vegetarian !

Fabulous service and attention to detail.

It’s been a couple of years since I last dined here. Why have I waited so long? Another fabulous meal. My daughter and I had the 7 course menu, her the vegetarian option and me with meat and fish. It was superb. Many great courses from amuse bouche , the taro and rosemary foam starter through to the most Devine chocolate and salted caramel desert via onion ice-cream and 30 vegetables. We loved it all.

So creative restaurant

We had an awesome experience of our first ever degustation menu. Lovely atmosphere and food

Why oh why did I wait for almost 5 years until I went back to see Kazuya and his team for dinner? This restaurant is offering an end-to-end experience like few others do here in Auckland. From the carefully curated drinks lists via the impeccable service to the astoundingly creative dishes, this place ticks all the boxes. You owe it to yourself to experience dinner here - even if (like in our case) you only get ready for dinner at close to 9pm and can only make the 5 course. Full points, and certainly one of my favourite restaurants in this town!

(Translated by Google) One word: delightful The food is delicious and tasty. A recommended address if you are looking for an upscale Japanese restaurant in Auckland The staff: kind Japanese in traditional costumes welcome you with the delicacy and courtesy of Japanese culture The setting: modern, clean and comfortable (Original) Un seul mot : ravissant Les mets sont délicieux et savoureux. Une adresse recommandée si vous recherchez un restaurant japonais haut de gamme à Auckland Le personnel : d’aimables japonaises en costumes traditionnels vous accueillent avec la délicatesse et la courtoisie propres à la culture nippone Le cadre : moderne, propre et confortable

Amazing food. Works of art..

Excellent dishes, you will be moved by the cooking art.