Genzo — Restaurant in Sydney

Came here in March for the newly introduced bento lunch special ($25) - it was incredibly valued, and the quality and taste was superb! For the lunch special, there was a choice between the sashimi & nigiri set or the salmon miso yaki set which came served with three sides (tempura mushrooms, seasoned eggplant and Japanese pickles). It came out beautifully presented and tasted just as good as it looked. We also chose to share the raw scallops which was nicely paired with wasabi and whipped roe. As it was International Women's Day, it was very lovely that they offered a free drink to each diner (both women and men). The only let down was the service. I would like to suggest that one waits for the diners to be seated before distributing the menus. However, as the waitress was standing over my chair, I had no room to do so until she left. As I was settling into my seat she promptly returned saying, "excuse me, water behind you." I felt that was completely unnecessary if she had just waited a few more seconds. Despite this, I would still recommend this restaurant for the great food. Next time, I would like to try their grilled skewers as this is what they appear to be known for.

Edit (revised from 4 to 5 stars): We came back in July and ordered their sashimi and some mains (Murray cod, Wagyu striploin and pork tonkatsu). We enjoyed all the dishes especially the Murray cod. The food was high quality, cooked to perfection and presented beautifully. The service was a significant improvement from my last visit and I could tell they had made some adjustments to it. We were happy with our waitress on the day. The only minor point that I would make is that because we were sharing our dishes, some cutlery for serving would have been nice without having to ask. This may not have been necessary for all the dishes but at least for the Murray cod which was one piece wrapped in cabbage. I'm still yet to try their robata, so will definitely be back...

This place was a huge let down, sure the venue is beautiful and has a great vibe but the food and service was below average. As for the food alot was bland and flavourless and the small amount of flavours that were there were not good, I was genuinely surprised that skewers could be that underwhelming considering they are so simple and straightforward but alas. We ordered a total of 15 dishes , the lamb was unedible and many other dishes were could barely eat as they were just unappetising. The table service was abit of a mess we sat there for two and a half hours and we had to ask them two times where is our food as it took so long to come out, four dishes coming out the last 30 minutes that we were there after waiting two hours. We could barely get someone to order a drink and our table was stacked up with plates that we were finished with for so long and multiple waiters walked past looked at it but did not clear it, i could not help but laugh.. we asked two waiters could they please clear the table , the first one saying yes but did not come back after 30 minutes we asked someone else and they thankfully came back and cleaned half of it. One of our meals came out and the waiters asked "did you order two waygu skewers?" I said yes grabbing the plate he was handing out in front of my face and he would not let go of the plate 😅 and he said "are you sure?" still not letting go of the plate and I said yes and he scuffed under his breath and let go. Me and my partner realised when we got home we had paid for two chicken thigh skewers that we ordered and wanted but we did not receive.. Honestly I have never had an experience like this and it was valentines day .. it was really sad to go somewhere and be that...

My recent dining experience featured a blend of commendable dishes and notable shortcomings.

The yakitori skewers, while expertly presented, fell short of expectations, lacking the depth of flavor one anticipates. The chicken skin skewers were undercooked. The tsukune skewers were similarly disappointing; the accompanying sauce did not harmonize with the traditional Japanese flavor profile, and the meat offered an unusual taste that, while intriguing, felt out of place.

The sashimi course stood out as a highlight, showcasing freshness and quality, though it was unfortunately marred by an absence of wasabi, which would have enhanced the experience.

I also tried an onigiri dish served with tuna. While the flavors were enjoyable, the overall texture of the dish was a tad mushy.

The wagyu steak was a significant letdown. It arrived overcooked and slightly burnt, detracting from the rich qualities of the meat. Additionally, the accompanying cabbage lacked the expected brightness, perhaps a touch of citrus could have provided a refreshing contrast to the dish.

In summary, while there were moments of promise, the overall meal would benefit from a more thoughtful balance of flavors and textures, particularly with the inclusion of citrus to cut through richer dishes. I really like the design of the place. Gave an extra star for the...