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Kazuya
Review
About
We are a unique European Japanese fusion fine dining in Auckland.
Features
CUISINES
Japanese, International, Contemporary, Healthy
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Full Bar
Private Dining
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Wheelchair Accessible
Is this restaurant good for lunch?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Closes in 41 min
Sunday
Closed
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Wednesday
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
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4.8
428 reviews
Excellent
372
Very good
46
Average
8
Poor
1
Terrible
1
jalofts
Auckland11 contributions
May 2024 • couples
Over a number of years we have greatly enjoyed degustation dinners at Kazuya. However we were unaware they offered lunch dining or takeout. Today we enjoyed a fantastic lunch dining quite early at midday. I had the Japanese Wagyu beef rice box (seared both sides), miso soup & thrice-cooked chips with truffled mayo. My partner enjoyed the vegetable Chirashi.
We cannot fault the menu & the service. We also had a Burgundian style NZ pinot noir Clos Marguerite from Marlborough - one of the best house glasses of wine I have tasted.
Kazuya restaurant is a treasure box - it is such a surprise to find this gastronomic marvel on upper Symonds St. The seating is very well thought out and often you feel as if you are the only people dining there. I was impressed that they remembered my name as I hadn’t made a booking and Chef/Owner Kazuya came out of the kitchen with his beautiful smile to say goodbye. This is an outstanding restaurant and I look forward to eating there again. Top marks!!
Written 23 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yamauchi Kazuya
Thank you so much for your great review! We look forward to seeing you again at KAZUYA.
Written 26 May 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dackson Lam
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • none
Kazuya restaurant is the absolute best restaurant. Although the winner of Metro top restaurants changes every year, for me, Kazuya is always number 1.
Many great restaurants are great because of the quality of their food, but but Kazuya stands out because of their creativity on top of the great food. Some restaurants are too creative and ended up with some weird tasting dishes. Kazuya has the right balance, so every dish gives you surprise and joy.
Service is perfect as well, as you would expect from Japanese.
I'm lucky enough to go to Kazuya three times over these years (twice paid by others too!) and their quality is always consistently 5-star. Fancy restaurants are pricey for sure, but it's not just the ingredients themselves. It's the effort the chef put in. Just like a Van Gogh's painting costs more than the paint and the canvas, Kazuya's dishes is the best art your tongue can taste.
(Have posted my review on Google, but I've got to post it here too so more people will get to know about how great the restaurant is.)
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Acineto
Auckland Central24266 contributions
May 2022 • none
We booked a table for their premium course (since it was only $20 more than the standard 7 courses). We opted for the 7 courses since it included their signature dish "textures". Booking online was easy and just had to confirm it the day before through email.
The place was very cosy and comfortable. It had a nice ambience and it was easy to sit and chat. The place did have a nice sophisticated feeling to it but it wasn't pretentious, just welcoming. The hostesses had the right amount of awareness and friendliness so it was relaxing. The hardest part was trying to decide on the drinks for the evening.
We started with the sparkling sake and moved on to the yuzu martini during the course of the dinner. Both were quite nice. The food was amazing. They had really incredible textures and flavours. Everything was delicious. The presentation was stunning and the fragrances coming from the plate were divine.
The amuse bouche with the "chicken soup" was so flavourful while the brioche had a nice crunchy crust with an airy interior. The duck was cooked so well and paired nicely with the cauliflower veloute and the crispy parmesan crisp. The rice cake was very interesting for me since it was very chewy, almost like gum, which was paired with beautifully cooked scallops and prawns. Textures was a really fun plate since each bite had different flavours and textures. It was a really fancy salad. The wagyu was very tender and tasty with the yuzu sauce. the lamb rack was well cooked and rendered. Dessert started with a yuzu sorbet as a palette cleanser before the tiramisu with roasted tea ice cream. The final item was the petite fours and one of them was a white chocolate popping candy orb which was just fun to eat.
Although the degustation took about 2.5 hours, the time just went by smoothly and quickly and didn't feel rushed or out of pace. It was definitely an experience and quite worthwhile. Really good service paired with really good food.
Written 19 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth D
Half Moon Bay38 contributions
Nov 2022 • couples
What a treat! Food that was delicious tasting, beautifully presented, with surprises! We aren’t really degustation people as you end up eating too much rich food. BUT, this was good in that it wasn’t super rich so we were able to enjoy it all. We did the wine matching which was superb.
It is a little restaurant that is hard to find, upper Symonds St. So worth it. Perhaps my favourite restaurant.
Written 19 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael Kromvel
68 contributions
Dec 2023 • couples
If Michelin would be in NZ Kazuya would definitely be on their list with two or three stars. Every dish out of the seven course menu was thoroughly thought out and cooked to perfection. The service is also very attentive and friendly. Overall, for NZ it is a unique place and by far the best we have tried.
Written 30 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amie
Minsterley12 contributions
Jul 2022 • couples
This restaurant is truly a unique place to dine. The interior is minimalistic yet warm and the food is complex and bursting with flavor.
The hosts here are very pleasant. They explained each course to me and my husband and were very attentive and polite.
The food here is so incredibly experimental in flavor and texture. The courses may seem small but over all at the end of your evening you will feel satisfied. Each dish has a feel of quality over quantity and they are presented like art.
If you are looking for a truly special evening then start here. You wont be disappointed if you are looking for a unique experience where the food is far from boring.
Thank you to all the staff that made my anniversary so lovely!
Written 16 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gilles R
Papeete18 contributions
Feb 2023 • none
Saturday night we have a dinner here with my wife. That was the fifth time I came here. It's better at each time. Kazuya, the chief, is a wonderful artist who imagine and create new plates and new tastes. That's alaways thin, tasty and great. The service is perfect, friendly but professionnal. There are many great restaurants in Auckland, I think Kazuya is the best.
Written 5 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JayEm66
Auckland139 contributions
Sept 2022 • family
This was our second visit to Kazuya and you just couldn’t fault it. Amazing service, you’re made to feel very welcome and special. The food was gorgeous, to look at and sublime to experience. We enjoyed every dish and the five of us found it very hard to come away with a favourite as they were all faves. If only we could dine here once a week, thank you so much.
Written 21 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
246nicolay
Auckland10 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
We celebrated a special birthday meal at Kazuya last week. We chose the seven course option. The service is excellent, food delicious, attention to detail extraordinary. The chef made a personal appearance two times and staff were really pleasant ans attentive without being 'in your face'.
The restaurant is quiet and set out so booths are private.
Highly recommend Kazuya and the dining experience.
Written 25 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kileman
10 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
The last time I visited Kazuya was a few years ago and it was amazing - one of the best meals I have ever had. This time round both my wife and I felt the food was good, but not great. We had the 10 course degustation and both felt there was nothing overly memorable about the courses and it didnt have the same burst of flavours we had experienced previously.
When spending over $400 on a meal and bottle of wine, we had hoped for excellence. Having recently visited both Sidart and Cassia, Kazuya has unfortunately slipped down a few pegs in our Auckland's top restaurant list.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oakley
7 contributions
Jul 2020 • couples
One of the best restaurants we’ve tried and highly recommended.
Superb food comprising the best of any chefs skills with tastes & flavours you won’t forget.
An extensive menu which offers any diner something very different and truely demonstrates the best of Kazuyas chefs skills
Exceptional service with the staff going out of their way to ensure near perfection
Accomodating and relaxed environment with the restaurant organising a special 10year wedding anniversary chocolate display and flowers.
Planning another visit
Written 17 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
anfrankel
66 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
Our visit to Kazuya provided oneof the best dining experiences ever. The restaurant is cozy with low ambient noise especially if you are seated upstairs. The five or seven course tasting menu is sensational; beautiful to behold and deli ious to taste. The subtlety of the flavors and textures are incomparable. I would highly recommend Kazuya ifyou are visiting Auckland
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kam C
Auckland Central9 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
My wife and I had the 7-course degustation set for dinner. The splendid quality of the cuisine was matched by the level of service provided except for the fish course which we found was not as fresh as we would expect and somewhat marred an otherwise wonderful dining experience. The other courses were innovative and had amazing flavours. Would go back again.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JoLloyd
Auckland94 contributions
May 2021 • family
Exceeded all expectations! We loved everything ... the setting, individualised menus, exceptional service, wine pairing, cocktails. Every one of the seven courses were heavenly... absolutely wonderful way to celebrate our beautiful Mum’s 70th birthday. Thank you so much for a memorable experience.
Written 1 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
seadragon99
Harstad814 contributions
Mar 2023 • family
We came here for an early five course dinner late last month. Beautiful service and food from Kazuya and his team in the kitchen and front of house. We’ll definitely come back to experience more of your food creations.
Written 10 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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