Taiko Ponsonby — Restaurant in Waitematā

Ok I don’t wana be a Karen but this was just the most bizzare experience I have had at any restaurant and have been here before for dinner but was I disappointed today at lunch.

It was my sisters birthday and we made an online reservation for 1.30pm.. (have attached screenshot for proof lol) so at 1.31pm the restaurant calls asking where we were as the chefs would like to close the kitchen.. I mentioned we were 5 mins or so late and they said ok see you soon.

At 1.39 I get another call as I am literally running into the restaurant, front of house seems panicked. I said I’m here now sorry

Keep in mind we made the online booking for 1.30pm and yes we are 9 mins late but there should be some allowance given for people to be able to sit down take their time and order and there should be give or take 5 or so minutes for people to arrive as sometimes traffic etc or parking can hold people up.

It seems so bizzare to me at this point the restaurant was acting like we were holding the kitchen up? How are people meant to order properly when the kitchen wants to close 10 minutes after the time you made the reservation??

Even though I’m only 1 of 5 people at the table , she rushes over with her pen and pad to my table and asks me to order as the chefs want to close the kitchen.. my elderly mum and family were walking 1 minute behind me. It was a strange feeling having someone sort of demand you to order when your reservation literally was 10 minutes ago .. the waitress was really sweet however and I could tell she was given instructions by the chefs.

Because of the pressure of her standing right beside me to order as soon as I sat down I like ordered like 7 random things and to be honest I wouldn’t have ordered what I did if I had more time.. the food was good , sushi average - but the vibes really stressed us out, we felt unwelcome, rushed and sort of like a nuisance, I felt bad for my sister, weird birthday lunch.. Sort of felt like we were on a ticking clock and having to shovel everything down.

Taiko, why do you allow 1.30pm reservations to be made online if you expect the kitchen to close at 1.40pm? Perhaps take off the 1.30pm slot if you can’t service this time it’s unrealistic to expect a table of 5 people to all arrive at the same time and order in a 10 minute...

I cannot say enough good things about Taiko! The atmosphere is fantastic, modest and comfortable but also elegant. I felt at ease despite probably being a bit underdressed, largely due to how friendly and kind the staff were to me!

And then there's the food, this food is made with love and passion! I had the udon gozen and was not at all prepared for how well presented the meal was, the plating was honestly a piece of art and it seems like every dish is made with the same attention to visual detail.

The meal came with several pieces of nigiri and honestly before tonight I'd never understood why some people love nigiri so much. Now I do understand: the tuna and salmon were both buttery soft and had a gentle sweet sea flavor accented perfectly with a touch of lemon and Cilantro. The nigiri were honestly the highlight of the meal for me despite being just a small part of it.

The udon itself was SO well balanced, I could really taste the sweet, earthy flavors of the noodles and appreciate the different textures and subtle flavors of the different components. Most udon I've had used very salty broths that kind of overwhelms the dish, but the broth in this udon was very mild and really allowed the rest of the components to shine through with their own subtle flavors.

I could go on and on about how fantastic the food was, but honestly I can't do it justice with my words. I highly recommend visiting Taiko and trying it...

We recently had lunch at Taiko Ponsonby, and it was an outstanding dining experience from start to finish. Known for its authentic Japanese cuisine, Taiko exceeded our expectations—not just in flavour but also in presentation, portion size, and overall value.

We opted for two double-size eel sets along with two mains-zen from the chef’s choice menu. The eel was perfectly grilled—tender, rich, and subtly sweet, served with a generous portion of rice. The mains were equally impressive, with each dish showing clear attention to detail and a real understanding of traditional Japanese flavours.

What really stood out was the portion size—each course was far more generous than we anticipated, but without any compromise on quality. Even the smaller touches, like the fresh salad and the delicate dessert at the end, were prepared with the same care and precision as the mains.

Taiko delivers exceptional quality at a very reasonable price, making it a great find for anyone who appreciates Japanese food. Whether you're after a casual lunch or something more refined, I’d strongly recommend giving this...