Miji Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Sydney

• Wagyu Skewer (gf, df) with wasabi – $9.00 each When served, it wasn’t hot enough. Since it’s wagyu, being not hot reduced the overall impression a little.

• Chicken Thigh (gf, df) with tare – $5.50 each Also not hot enough when served, but still quite tasty.

• Abalone Steamed abalone with abalone liver sauce, kombu jelly, and pickled radish – $13.50 each It was on the dry side. First time trying abalone liver—it felt a bit like eating crab roe.

• Grilled Oyster with miso cream sauce and panko crumble – $6.50 each The oyster was topped with something crunchy, which is different from other restaurants. Worth a try.

• Grilled Scallop Hokkaido scallop with yuzu butter, panko crumble, and micro coriander – $8.50 each The scallop also had crunchy bits on top. Combined with the creamy butter, it was delicious.

• Seasonal Crudo (gf, df) Seasonal fish with plum, fennel, radish, and honey ponzu – $19.00 The sashimi slices were really big. The plum sauce gave it a slight sourness, making it very refreshing.

• Kanimiso Okonomi (df) Alaskan king crab meat, Hokkaido scallop, salmon roe, raw egg yolk, crab innards paste, served with mixed rice – $39.00 Just by looking at it you know it’s going to taste great, but once you eat it, it’s absolutely amazing. A must-order!

• Prawn Bisque Udon ★Must Try★ Bisque, black tiger prawn, shallot – $30.00 Very rich prawn flavor, really tasty, though the prawns felt a bit small.

Almost 90% of the dishes I ordered were very delicious. I especially loved the Kanimiso Okonomi, and I will definitely order it again next time—it’s really, really good! The portion was a bit small though.

For skewers, I hope the restaurant can serve them immediately after grilling so they stay hot, which would improve the taste.

Staff are so nice and the environment is great for gathering.

Overall, I’d rate it 4.5 stars. Highly recommended! Will definitely...

Disappointing Experience

I recently dined at a restaurant in a commercial building in North Sydney, and it didn’t meet my expectations.

Atmosphere The atmosphere was okay, with a colorful feel like a Japanese izakaya. However, being in a commercial area made it feel a bit dull. On a Tuesday night, it was quiet with only a few tables occupied. We were initially seated next to a noisy music area, but after we requested a change, the seating was rearranged.

Food Quality We ordered 8 dishes and surprisingly they all arrived in just 10 minutes. Finally we know why because the food was only warm not hot. It seems like many items were pre-cooked and just reheated. That’s why can be so quick like fast food.

Edamame: Served in warm water with cold beans inside. Grilled Dishes( scallops, king prawn, baby octopus): All were warm but not hot. Prawn Bisque Udon: Watery and tasteless.

We asked the waitress for recommendations and she suggested the prawn bisque udon and grilled king prawn, but they tasted very similar.

Drinks The sake selection was limited and were not cold enough and it was produced in 2024.

The only good parts were the fresh oysters and grilled eggplant. Overall, we felt ripped off and the bill was $190. Given the positive reviews, we had high hopes, especially since we traveled from overseas. I really hope the restaurant can improve its food and with...

One of the most disappointing dining experiences I’ve had in Sydney.

We went to Miji Bar through First Table (thankfully at half price), but even that couldn’t justify what followed.

Red Flag #1: All the dishes came out in just over 10 minutes — including yakitori (grilled skewers). That raised eyebrows immediately, and sure enough, they were dry, tough, and clearly not freshly grilled. The flavors were either overwhelmingly salty or just completely unbalanced.

Red Flag #2: A middle-aged staff member came to clear our plates without even asking if we were finished. I had to literally pick my chopsticks back up before she paused and muttered a half-hearted “sorry.”

The worst part: When it came time to pay, they charged us the full amount instead of the discounted First Table rate. When we pointed it out, the same woman first looked panicked, then confused, and finally just stood there while we recalculated the bill together multiple times. After all that, she had the nerve to say “You should’ve told me before tapping your card.” Excuse me? You made the mistake, wasted our time, and now you're blaming the customer?

The only thing I’m grateful for is not having paid full price. I’ve been to a lot of places in Sydney, and this one’s unfortunately memorable for all the wrong reasons. Good luck —...