Ken Yakitori Bar Anzac

This barbecue restaurant is excellent! I especially love their chicken liver and beef tataki, which pair perfectly with Japanese wine. It’s a great place to hang out with friends. Highly recommended!

An Auckland 5/5 but an Osaka 3.5/5. Grilled by Ken himself, the Shishamo Fish with Roe was grilled perfect, but the yakitori lacked texture from too much sauce. The deep fried squid tentacles were too much batter and the cut size too large. The alcohol selection was good with a lot of imports, but only Orion on draft. The service was excellent but the atmosphere was a bit odd with the music, the entrance having a fenced barrier, and the door being left open with a breeze coming in. I did not get that much of an izakaya vibe other than the decor. The cabbage being free but charging for sauce was also strange. Nonetheless there's few restaurants that can hit this caliber, especially in Auckland.

My favorite yakitori restaurant in Auckland—the flavors take me back to Japan. Umeshu is also my favorite!

Ken’s is still the best in Auckland. Lines out the door at 6 when they open! Udon amazing when’s it’s cold out and chicken heart and beef tongue unrivaled. Go Kens!

Edited review: My second visit to the place. I was a bit disappointed, sorry Ken! Firstly, if you are a single diner, either you get a place which is inclined at the entrance passage or somewhere at the back in a place which looks like a saw mill museum, I eventually landed up there. The crew was prompt to take my order and deliver my drinks. But the food was forgotten, I had to remind them to bring it. I had ordered Gyoza, Pork belly Yakitori done two ways plain and with Okra, and Prawn with Pork. All the pork belly was quite tough and not melting in the mouth, I could see there was no flaw with the BBQ, but it was the quality of the meat itself. I was not happy at all. And for two pieces of skewer, the charge is fairly steep. I usually eat usually 5 times the amount I had ordered, in Japan, and I pay less. The only thing I actually liked was the Gyoza and that was from the kitchen. NZ has fantastic food, loads of better options, but for people who never eaten Yakitori before, it's fine. Can't fool me!

Used to really like this place but not as much anymore. The portions are small for the price, the service a bit cold and not that welcoming. If I lived in Tokyo again, I wouldn't be going to this shop. As it stands, I won't go to this shop again in New Zealand either. It's tasty but not big enough and not made up for by great service or anything else. Better around. Anyone who's been to Japan wouldn't come back.

Came here late night snacks with a friend. Feels like a very authentic Japanese yakitori restaurant. The fried chicken is amazing and deep fried chicken skin is very interesting. I will definitely come back again and would recommend it to everyone.