Bar Yoku — Restaurant in Christchurch

I very rarely ever write reviews and don't really believe in them but after my experience at Bar Yoku I felt really compelled to share. My partner and I were visiting Christchurch from Auckland and stumbled across this Japanese restaurant and we saw that they had some vegetarian/vegan options on the menu. Japanese is our favorite, so we called up and booked a reservation, which was answered by Juliana who was just the most loving human being I've ever spoken to! I've worked in customer service my whole life and you could really tell the voice on the other end really loves what they do. She's a star!

Anyways, long story short we had the perfect dining experience at Bar Yoku and felt that it was incomparable to anywhere we've ever eaten. Delicious Japanese food with a really cool and interesting twist. Definitely order the vege skewers, but the even bigger highlight for us was the sushi tacos! We've never ordered extra food after finishing our dinners before, but the sushi tacos were so beautiful we needed to have seconds!

We were seated at the stools by the kitchen, so we could watch everyone's meals being cooked and got to chatting with Shawn who is not only the chef but also the owner. He was one of the kindest and most genuine people I've met in such a long time, it honestly felt like we were talking to an old friend. His story just really stuck with me and I truly admired the environment that he's created with Bar Yoku and also the family dynamic that his team shares. It takes really good food just up another notch, because the entire show is run by just really good people.

Shawn also later mentioned that Juliana (the incredible star that answered my reservation call was his partner and co-owner)! So if you ever in Christchurch and are looking for fantastic and unique food with plenty of vegan options, a warm atmosphere, owned and managed by great/down to earth/humble humans...look no further...

This is my absolute favorite spot for group dinners. Every time I come here, I order the karaage mushrooms and cabbage. My guests are usually skeptical as to why I'm ordering vegetables when dining out as opposed to meat. But without fail, they end up loving the mushrooms the most. The cabbage is also light, refreshing, and surprisingly delicious.

This is a great place for sharing, with plenty of dishes to try, and splitting the cost makes it very cheap. The sushi tacos are another highlight—I’ve tried three fish-based ones so far, and they’ve all been fantastic. I usually struggle to enjoy raw fish in New Zealand after experiencing better quality in the islands, but Bar Yoku is one of the few places I trust for consistently good seafood.

I’ve never left disappointed. If you visit, definitely request a sunken table. They’re super comfortable and turn it into an experience rather than just a meal.

I've come here multiple times with people who have allergies, eg. gluten, nuts, and vegan diet requirements. This has never been an issue, and the food still remains delicious!

A special mention to the staff, too—every server I’ve had here knows the menu inside and out, is aware of any changes, and is always professional and friendly. They create a welcoming atmosphere with zero awkwardness or judgment, which, unfortunately, isn’t always the case at...

We visited with family on a Saturday.. quite busy and luckily had booked before.

We had kaaraga chicken. 16$ this was fried chicken with Mayo sauce. About 8-10 pieces in total. This was basically fried chicken. Nothin special about it.

We also had kaaraga chicken taco 13$ which was the same gird chicken on a taco. (X2) This was also ok.

Then had momo 7$ . Chicken skewers. Which was tasty.

Tebasaki 9 . Chicken wings on a hot plate. This was ok too.

Tempura prawn taco 13$. This was also ok in taste.. the fried batter was quite over powering. Usually in Japanese food the batter is paper thin. Not like fish & Chips thick batter. Which it was.

Salmon skewers 12$. Which was nice in taste.. and recommended..

Salmon nigiri 7. Which was ok. I do have to say that there was too much rice.. but certainly recommended..

Salmon taco 13$. This was nice. Also recommended.

Wagyu beef on skewers 18$. Nothing special. Won’t suggest.

Wagyu nigiri which was good. Is recommend it. 7$.

Lastly crab tacos. The fried batter was also very overpowering. 13$. (X3)

The drinks were very expensive. Karma cola 6.5$? And it was non alcoholic. And the lemon cola 6.5$ as wells avoid at all costs.

Overall 195$ for 4 adults and 2 kids. Aged 10yrs. 33$ approx is expensive for the quality and quantity of food. ok. overall I have had better...