Izakai Bar & Eatery — Restaurant in North Island

Izakai is a fascinating restaurant that offers a delightful fusion of New Zealand and Japanese flavours, resulting in a unique and satisfying dining experience. The menu is a thoughtful blend of both cuisines, showcasing dishes like 'Hāngi-style Pork Belly and watercress,' 'Kaitaia Fire Karaage Chicken,' and even a 'Kumara Pie.' This creative combination of flavours works remarkably well, and the result is a menu that covers all the delicious Japanese favourites with a touch of New Zealand inspiration.

The service at Izakai is brisk and efficient, ensuring that you receive your food promptly. The restaurant itself is well designed, boasting a modern and sleek aesthetic. The open kitchen allows you to observe the skilled chefs as they prepare your meals, adding to the overall experience. The easy access to meals being served up creates a sense of anticipation and excitement.

The atmosphere at Izakai is great, thanks to the warm and inviting lighting. The ample space between tables provides a comfortable and relaxed dining environment, allowing for conversation without feeling crowded. For larger groups, there are booth seating options available, accommodating everyone's needs.

The highlight of the dining experience at Izakai is undoubtedly the flavorful and innovative dishes. The fusion of New Zealand and Japanese flavours is executed with precision, resulting in a menu that offers something for everyone. Whether you're a fan of traditional Japanese cuisine or looking to try something new, Izakai's thoughtful and quirky menu will surely satisfy your taste buds.

In conclusion, Izakai is a restaurant worth visiting for its intriguing blend of New Zealand and Japanese flavors. The brisk and efficient service ensures a seamless dining experience, and the well-designed restaurant with its open kitchen adds to the overall ambiance. The great atmosphere, with its pleasant lighting and ample space between tables, contributes to a comfortable and enjoyable dining experience. If you're looking for a restaurant that offers a creative and delicious take on Japanese cuisine, Izakai is a...

we had a wonderful experience at izakai tonight. stumbled across this place as i was searching for restaurants in tauranga during our visit and did not disappoint whatsoever! the ambiance, service was amazing and the food was absolutely delicious. they are also doing a free edamame promo if you sign up to the izakai newsletters which is a bonus! we ordered beef tataki, wakame salad, chicken karaage, lamb ribs and ika mata. everything was so delicious, but the highlight of our dinner goes to ika mata (sashimi) 100%. every bite of the ika mata was so fresh, flavourful and just divine. we are going to crave the ika mata and come back to tauranga just for this. wakame salad was a pleasant surprise as the seaweed texture really amplified a basic salad. the lamb ribs were the softest lamb i’ve tasted. the batter was a bit powdery for my liking but don’t let the dim lighting of the lamb ribs fool you, it is eye opening with so much flavour. beef tataki was perfect. chicken karaage was juicy soft but defs our least fav from the night. the prices aren’t the cheapest but you are paying for high quality food. all the ingredients were extremely fresh, even the salads. no stale, old greens were used. we haven’t had good quality food like this in a long time so thank you izakai for giving us an awesome experience in tauranga and making us leave the door very full...

When I got in touch with Tourism Bay of a Plenty to help me plan my trip around, they recommended me this precise restaurant, which I then knew I could trust right away When they mentioned it was a Māori-Japanese restaurant, I was even more excited Having now eaten here, I can confirm it did deliver Location is convenient in Bayfair shopping mall, by Arataki beach, and on the way to Mount Maunganui summit when coming from Rotorua (from which you can get beautiful views around the lovely Bay of Plenty after a short and easy hike, recommended) There are lots of seats, and you can book you get your favorite one eventually Good atmosphere with chill music, and rather dim lights Menu is wide enough, with meat, fish, and vegan options, plus a few desserts I was recommended 3 meals in particular, hāngi-style pork belly & watercress ramen (noodles), creamed paua & prawn gyoza (dumplings), and octopus takoyaki balls I went for the 2 first, along with a fresh apple spritz mocktail, and ended my lunch with a kumara pie The noodles could totally have been enough for a whole meal, while the gyoza would more be of a starter/side unless you're not very hungry Everything had great flavors, so yummy, I was full but still wanted more 😋 Definitely...