Overpriced for an average Japanese meal in Auckland! Our teriyaki chicken for the main was pink. When we asked for it to be redone, not only was it still pink, they also burned the chicken. At this point my partner had become very worried about possible food poisoning and asked for the main to be changed to the tempura. Overall we did enjoy the drinks and entree, but it was the over priced and average tasting mains which have let this diner down. Due to the pink chicken, our mains were not served at the same time and dinner took over an hour. Due to time constraint we chose to cancel dessert. Tatsumi’s staff were very apologetic for the disruption caused to our meals, however no price discount was offered for the inconvenience caused. Although the staff did offer us a voucher for our next visit. However I am sad to say we will not return to Tatsumi.

Reply to Tatsumi’s comment:

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I don’t think raw chicken or chicken blood is ever acceptable to be served on a plate. Especially at a gourmet restaurant who charge over $30 for a main (without any side dishes).

I am very sorry we did not accept your free dessert offer, but please do understand that due to delay with the main we did not have time. The fact that your staff tried to explain the raw and bloody chicken (which you have repeated online) did make us feel uncomfortable and aside from being short on time we lost our appetite for dessert.

I go to a variety of japanese restaurants. Some down market some up market. I would class Tatsumi as up market. Good up market but not cheap. Well worth a visit if you like japanese food. The service is as you’d expect – impeccable

Service: 5/5
Wait time: 4/5
Environment: 5/5
Food Quality and taste: 5/5
Price range: $100+ pp
[Great for dates, somewhere quiet and very classy, food is special and abnormal]

What a truly magical, delightful and tasty experience.

Ambiance 10/10
Staff 10/10
Service 10/10
Food 10/10
Price 10/10 – great value!

Everything about this restaurant is fantastic – my only regret is that I wish I had found it sooner….. I will certainly be back – my tastebuds are still dancing.

Well done and Thank you!

Tatsumi is amazing. The food is fresh, delicious and presented beautifully. I’ve been there twice for lunch and I only discovered the restaurant a couple of weeks ago. In addition, the decor was stylish but comfortable. It’s a place where you wanted to linger just a bit longer that you had planned because you feel so at home. The service was also five star. The front of house were friendly, attentive, informative…..hey, I just couldn’t fault the service and I’m extremely fussy. What’s more, I said I’d never submit a restaurant review. I guess, never say never because the place is so good that I just had to do it.

Myself and my partner ate here a few nights ago and it was incredible.

The food was amazing (HIGHLY reccomend the crispy teriyaki salmon), the service was classy and very friendly and the atmosphere was very peaceful.

The zodiac themed cocktails are very tasty and a cool addition to an already brilliant little restaurant.

Thank you for a great evening Tatsumi

You must try this place.

Came here last week for a business lunch and could not fault any aspect of it. Elegant and professional service, lovely surroundings and exceptional food.

You just feel totally at home here and want to linger for a while. They’ve absolutely nailed it in every respect.

Don’t be put off by the fact that you can’t see inside – behind the door is an absolute gem of a restaurant.

What a lucky find TATSUMI is! I love Japanese food and this restaurant won’t disappoint you. From first arriving you get an overall feel of the cosy ambience the multi layers of mixed earthy elements, soft lighting and gentle background music provides. The front of house person is immediately welcoming and quietly ushers guests to their table. The food is presented in a clean, creative and appealing manner. Portion sizes are great and allows the diner to easily enjoy three courses and finish feeling satisfied. The food itself is delicious! An array of flavours to stimulate and pleasure your tastebuds. Waiting staff are discreet and know the menu very well. I love the Zodiac cocktails. An unique way of complimenting their restaurant name. TATSUMI means Dragon and Snake – two creatures from the zodiac. A delightful dining experience that is reasonably priced and easy to get to. Don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself. You’ll be pleased you did!

I was recently invited (as Founder of JapanNewZealand facebook community) to attend a memorial “Pray for Christchurch” event at Tatsumi.

Tatsumi used to be located in Christchurch, but after the February 22 earthquake in 2011, it was unfortunately red zoned. So, owners Yoko & Koichi Kigami plucked up enough courage and relocated their restaurant to Auckland late last year.

On Feb 22, to mark the 1 year anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake, they opened their hearts and Tatsumi’s doors and welcomed other Cantabrians that, like them, made the extremely difficult decision to move to Auckland.

After watching highlights of the memorial event on the big screen and a couple of heart-warming speeches, Yoko and Koichi treated everyone to an amazing (and complimentary!) buffet of delicious European-inspired Japanese fusion style cuisine and fine wines.

While Yoko & Koichi will never forget Christchurch, they hope to rebuild their business and lives here in Auckland and I encourage you all to dine at Tatsumi if you haven’t yet – the food is amazing; the setting and atmosphere takes you right back to Japan, as does the service…

10 out of 10 from us – and a very warm welcome to Auckland!