Populairste Izakaya in Shelly Beach

The Umami is a favourite of ours. The staff are so attentive and friendly and the food is always fresh. The selection of dishes has reduced from its Busharri days which we miss but the quality remains. The school prawns were a little too large for our liking so please get them back to their original size! Overall a quality restaurant.

Absolute favourite restaurant for authentic Japanese food. Food is full of flavour, and ambience is phenomenal. Love the variety of food and drinks! Very extensive menu! Only issue is parking sadly, but that is out of the venues control.

The restaurant Iki was easy to find - 200-300m from Kingscross station, offers a few outdoor tables, a bar area, and additional seating at the back. We were looking for a quiet place to catch up with friends, and the cozy, stylish setting at the rear of the restaurant was perfect. As the restaurant describes itself as a ramen bar and izakaya, the menu is designed around smaller share plates rather than full-sized meals. We ended up ordering almost everything on the menu. The dishes were Japanese-inspired with a modern fusion twist, and every plate was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavour. It felt like the menu reflected the creativity and high standards you would expect from Yomoda-san, a Michelin-starred chef. Our favourites included the kingfish, eggplant, chicken tsukune yakitori, Wagyu steak with sashimi, and duck. After enjoying many dishes, we were full but we had to try their ramen. The pork and miso ramen were slightly on the expensive side, but both were very delicious. Well poured Suntory draft beer before exploring the nice selection of sake. A fun touch was that each sake was served in its own cup shaped container, which guests could take home as a souvenir. Every container had its own distinctive label and character, making the experience more memorable. Our server, Tara, was outstanding. She was warm, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable, answering all of our questions about the food and drinks with confidence, and well handled our silly ojijsan (old men) jokes. She regularly checked in to make sure we had everything we needed and made us feel genuinely welcome throughout the evening. Both the food and drinks arrived promptly, and we never felt like we were waiting for long. Overall, this is a fantastic spot for enjoying quality Japanese food, drinks, and great company. Whether you’re meeting friends for a casual catch-up or looking for a relaxed night out, it’s a place I would highly recommend.