I have been coming to Hayashi for many years. It is the place to go for more traditional japanese but with all the creativity of new flavours. Always lovely service and never have to wait long for the food. Highly recommend coming here with a few friends and sharing some different plates!

I’m not usually one to write a review, but after the experience I had at this gem last night, it would be a crime not to!
A wintry Tuesday night can sometimes be somewhat substandard, dining-wise, in Auckland, but Hayashi, on all fronts, was flawless.
Birkenhead is not normally a place I would expect a restaurant of such calibre, but, even upon walking in, I realised the importance of not judging a book by it’s cover. The actual restaurant is very clean and tastefully fitted, with an intimate and welcoming feel. The waitress was very polite and attentive, and came with menus and water while I waited for my dining partner. Upon asking for recommendations, she was knowledgeable, and offered alternatives for someone with a wheat intolerance. We both loved her!
Now, the food – out of this world! I’m a pretty picky eater, and am not big on rice (I know, why go to a Japanese restaurant if you don’t eat rice?), but i love seafood, and i can honestly say, i have never eaten sashimi so tasty and fresh, and cooked tuna steaks so delectable! I’ve eaten ALOT of seafood, all over the world, and I can, without a doubt, say this was THE BEST i have tasted! The special tuna steak with vegetables was incredibly generous, and melted in your mouth – it was cooked to perfection, not too raw, and defintely not remotely overdone (no mean feat when it comes to tuna)… I will be dreaming about it for a long time to come.
Honestly, I cannot speak more highly of this restaurant. I am thanking my lucky stars it is not only so local to me, but also not tainted by Auckland CBD prices and practices!
I will DEFINITELY be visiting many more times

We went here for dinner and found the food outstanding! the sashimi platter as a main was the best I have seen, it had more than your standard salmon and tuna, with prawns and scallops and snapper too. and the fried squid main we had was delicious too.
The atmosphere is pretty stark ,but I would definitely recommend it for the food.