John Dory's Pavilion — Restaurant in KwaZulu-Natal

John Dory’s Pavilion never disappoints when it comes to great seafood and good vibes. We recently visited for dinner and took full advantage of their Wednesday half-price special — and it was absolutely worth it! The atmosphere was lively but relaxed, and the service was attentive without being intrusive, making for a really enjoyable evening out.

The food was outstanding. The sushi was incredibly fresh and beautifully presented — every bite was full of flavour and perfectly balanced. The chicken bao buns were a delightful surprise, soft and fluffy with the perfect mix of sweetness and savoury flavour. It’s not something you’d expect to find at a seafood restaurant, but John Dory’s really nailed it.

Of course, being a seafood restaurant, the fish was the real highlight. Tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection — it practically melted in your mouth. Each dish was well-seasoned and came out hot, showing the kitchen’s attention to detail and quality.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, checking in regularly without being overbearing. They seemed genuinely happy to be there, which added to the positive experience. Pricing-wise, the specials make it an excellent value for money, especially considering the generous portions and the quality of the dishes.

Overall, John Dory’s Pavilion offers a well-rounded dining experience — great food, warm service, and a cheerful atmosphere. Whether you’re a sushi lover, seafood enthusiast, or simply looking for a midweek treat, this spot delivers on all fronts. I’d definitely recommend visiting on a Wednesday to enjoy their special, but honestly, it’s a place that’s worth a visit any day...

Hands down the best sushi I have ever had!

This has made it a bit of a problem for me as every other place I have had sushi at is now horrible in comparison. I have had sushi at John Dorys Cornubia (disgusting sushi, no flavour and spot the salmon and win a prize), Suncoast Casino (not bad but tasteless) and Ushaka Marine World (not bad but nothing to write home about) branches and none of them can even try to compare with John Dorys Pavillion! Each time I want to eat sushi, I have to book an uber all the way from Umhlanga to Pavillion because no other place is good enough.

There is the perfect ratio of salmon to avo and you can smell and actually taste the salmon! I know it seems like a silly thing to say but it's true. At every other place I have tried including Ocean Basket Ushaka (streaky salmon that gets stuck in your teeth), you can see the salmon but taste nothing except for Cornubia branch where you can't even find the salmon.

The Salmon Rainbow Roll and Salmon Roses are my favorite items to order. They give me goosebumps with the rich flavour of the obviously high quality salmon they are using.

• And they do not drop the quality on Half Price Sushi Wednesdays! * It would be great if they would add Spicy Tuna Rainbow rolls (not seared) but this is one for future planning.

I can honestly guarantee you 💯 that if you eat at John Dorys Pavilion, you will not be disappointed, you will leave needing a wheelchair because the sushi is so good that you won't want to stop eating!

Well Done John Dorys Pavillion

👍 BEST SUSHI EVER!!!

#sushidurban #johndorys #pavillionmall #thingstodoindurban...

Visited the Pavilion branch this past Friday and honestly it was thee most disappointing and distasteful experience. On Friday they run a Friday grill special of which we ordered two Dory’s platter having everything grilled not fried. Once the food arrived first thing I went for was the calamari tubes… When I say it tasted as if I just licked an unclean flattop I mean exactly that!!! It tasted extremely bitter and that instantly put me off. The hake? Was grey and gave off the exact same tastes. The prawns were drenched in sauce with zero flavour. Tools down I asked the waitress for the bill and explained how disgusting the food was. Duty manager came through but at that point I was over eating. On our way out the waitress came after us saying they’ve prepared a portion of prawns for us as a take away. Did we take it no… Because obviously now that will be prepared up to standard but should that not apply for every meal? Regardless of it being a special that does not mean prepare your meals with no effort .

Definitely will never go back and would not recommend it to the next person. How much more for people who bring in children and they’re being fed food prepared on surfaces that aren’t cleaned or food that is not prepared accordingly. Playing around with seafood is...