Review Honto - Brisbane

Hidden in Valley this restaurant will surprise you. The ambience is nice and casual chic, a bit darker which makes everything look interesting. The service is friendly and attentive. The food was great we really enjoyed every single dish👍 Well done guys!!

We had a really good night. The only stink thing was we arrived an hour early to have drinks at the bar before our reservation and it was closed. They didn't say why, but it would have been good to know the bar was closed before we got there. Other than that everything was great. We had a seat at the counter and could watch the chefs work their magic. The food was delicious. My favourites were the croquettes and the sushi. The wine list was good and I was pleased to see they had some interesting wines BTG. I was surprised the price to dine there wasn't crazy expensive. It was just over $200 for the two of us which included wine and we had to doggy bag the last meal as we were so full. We will definitely be back. Just remember to ask if the bar will be open before you make any plans to go there early for a pre-drink.

Amazing experience, great Japanese flavours with modern twists on the food. It was fresh, rich and memorable all around. The staff were relaxed, friendly and it had a great atmosphere.

A lovely experience dining with a scrumptious meal of Japanese cuisine. The sashimi were very fresh and we love the soya sauce. One of our favourite dish was the prawn roll, it was so delicious that we ate within 5 minutes. The cocktail is also tasty. The ambiance is welcoming, though it can be noisy as this place is popular. It's a must to book for this restaurant as it gets full very quickly

Excellent service, very nice modern take on Japanese food. Loved the open kitchens. Chefs choice menu was a great way to experience dishes Ruby out server was very nice and helpful the whole time. Only downside is its very dark inside so you may need abit more light to read the menus.

Best Japanese fusion spot in Brisbane - hands down. The decor and ambiance felt like you were swept away into another city such as New York, or Tokyo itself. It's dimly lit, with candles and music. The air is alive with voices and energy. The staff were so friendly and helpful with the menu too! We ordered the banquet menu and added oysters. The oysters were some of the best I'd had! Flavours were divine. We had the coral trout, prawn tacos, potato crisp, chicken karaage burger, green peppers, pork gyoza, sashimi and then for dessert, toasted rice cake. Honestly, everything was exceptional. The prawn tacos were divine and crunchy. The potato crisp was a nice twist and definite surprise! The beef tartare with the lemon cream was truly mouth watering. The chicken karaage burger was the best karaage I've had. It was crispy without being chewy. The dessert was the biggest surprise! So light and tasty, bouncy in the mouth and full of flavour. It was tempting to almost order another! We paired the meal with some prosecco and sake to top it all off. Cannot wait to go back! New favourite Japanese joint in town.

I ordered banquet for two. Every dishes are very nice and fresh. I really loved it and my friend is also happy for foods. Very friendly staff and nice atmosphere:)

Wonderful experience. The food was delicious, service was great. Couldn't fault a thing. Notable mentions are the Coral trout with ginger, the corn and peach skewers.

Eventually arranged the time to have dinner at this sibling of the Longtime. Since it has been trading in 2018, reputation is good. <br/>The same as the Longtime, this contemporary Japanese restaurant located with a low profile entrance. However, it will give you a surprise when you arrived the main dining area. <br/>The whole restaurant was done up with black color as the main theme. Dinning area is composed with three different sections of food and beverage production. Lay-out embedded with clever innovation.<br/>We ordered the $65 Omakase, which provides ten different courses.<br/>Although the raw materials are not high-end produces, the chefs cleverly present them with well balanced taste and nice presentation.<br/>Heroes are the tuna drumsticks and the smoked chicken skewers. The former deserves the appreciation due to the presentation with diced tuna and avocado filled in a black color waffle cone. The latter is due to the taste and tenderized of the chicken breast. If you only eat the wagyu short rib only, it may be too filling. However, if you take the English mustard to go with the salad that was mixed up with avocado and wasabi, you will find that this combination is so amazing.<br/>The exciting news here is the availability of the “Monkey” Jin. I remember the first time to have it was the dinner at the Gaggan of Bangkok. It just makes the whole dinner up to another level.<br/>👍😋👍

Food was consistently amazing! We had grilled greens, shiitake dumplings, lobster sandwhich, smoked chicken skewers and the highlight was the rib. Omggg.. service was also top notch

I really don’t get the hype, ordered banquet to try more variety of their menu, but most of them are very average, fusion and lost identity. Some are just a little portion in big plate, but actually nothing better than cheap street food, lack of flavour and cooking. The price is premium, lighting is very dark, enjoy watching chef cook live. But the whole experience does not justify the price paid.

Ever since opening, I had been keen to check out Honto, the Japanese sibling restaurant of well established favourite Longtime, which has since relocated and rebranded as sAme sAme. A short while ago we decided to finally check it out at the end of the week just because we couldn't come up with an excuse and wanted to anyway. Extremely well hidden in the small alleyway that is Alden Street in the Valley, it is definitely easy to miss if you didn't know what you were looking for.

My Hôntô review:<br/><br/>Much ‘honto’ about lacking depth and flavour food. Maybe I went on a ‘bad’ night.. after being told up to 2.5 hour wait on three weeks occasions, was forced to book at 5.30 on a week night. Scallops were cold on the middle, ramen soup accompanying dumplings lacked depth of flavour- maybe more ‘dashi’ required and Mooloolaba prawns over cooked and dry. I so wanted to give a great review and was very excited to experience.. the decor is sublime moody and dark, but unfortunately again the acceptance of ‘average’ food is praised and pleases mediocre palates.

Fantastic service by Paris. Loved fusion Japanese food!

Went there for my birthday dinner. Very classy restaurant. The service was great, the waiters were very accommodating in providing enough servings for our table, filling our water and checking in on us. Every single dish we ordered was unique delicious, my favourite were the scallops. They do seafood very well.

Beautiful atmosphere, and food was impeccable. Staff very friendly. Highly recommend

Sometimes you see five star ratings and immediately go “it can’t be that great”. But it was. It was a fantastic experience with friendly wait staff who didn’t even judge when I wasn’t sure what a dish was or how to tackle it. The manager himself was very receptive to feedback and made me feel heard. Most importantly, the food was delicious. It was perfected balanced for the palette. I went with the banquet option and in my opinion, despite a few weak dishes, it was worth every cent. The hôntô drumstick, Lobster katsu sando, and whole snapper karaage are a must have.

Moody and ambient with quality food executed well. I had the Wagyu tartare with lotus chips and the lobster katsu sando which were both enjoyable, albeit forgettable. The location behind the Wickham and next to its bins doesn't make for a fantastic entrance but I'm guessing they are playing the whole basement restaurant theme adding to the cool vibe of the place. My friends ordered the Wagyu main which looked delicious and the iconic tuna nori cones which were a hit. I think Honto is worth a revisit and will remain a fixture for the fashionable set for a while.

Recently dined at Honto after its no.1 rating in the recent top 100 tasty restaurants in Brisbane. The well hidden entrance behind the Wickham Hotel was a little daunting. Once inside the ambiance is quite pleasing. We started with the Aburi Scallops and they were delish, followed by the Mooloolaba King Prawns ( only 2 per plate so seemed overpriced) but once again very well cooked as I like them slightly above translucent, then onto the Roast pork belly which in contrast to the prawns was a very generous portion and cooked beautifully ( the pork however was upstaged by the Devine compressed watermelon side dish- awesome). <br/>Overall a very pleasurable experience and will def be back but not sure how it popped longtime in the top 100

I have been twice now, and I love this place. Had the set menu twice and loved everything save the Brussel sprouts. Service is perfect, drinks are strong. Tyron produces another win !

4.5<br/>There’s Japanese, and then there’s Honto. Slick yet inviting, it delivers in both style & substance. This sibling to our beloved Longtime resides down a nasty back alley, behind a plain doorway which (after a few bends) opens up to an opulent black interior accented with chandeliers, moody candlelight & bustling open kitchens. Drama totally befitting our special occasion dinner. Like Longtime, bookings are taken up to 6.30pm, then it’s walk-ins only. <br/><br/>Bravely eschewing the popular banquets, we were expertly guided through the dishes on offer & how much to order. Cocktail & sake recommendations were also confidently on point. Can’t praise our welcoming, profeshe server enough. <br/><br/>‘Bites’ section contained the on-trend, Insta-popular prawn donuts & lobster katsu I’d already set my heart on. ‘Bigs’ selection delivered hearty helpings of pork belly & wagyu beef. Good as these dishes (& others) were, surprisingly they weren’t the main event IMHO. The ‘raw’ plates entirely stole the show & were transcendent (even rating a ‘sublime’ from the usually uninpressed nephew). We chose the aburi scallops & tuna ceviche but OMG the yellowtail dish elevated everything & kept us on a high. So glad our server insisted we have it. We’d forego everything else for more of these. Clearly nothing but the freshest produce, married with the best possible accompaniments.<br/><br/>Recommend the whole experience that is Honto. Always high risk choosing a fav sibling, but for reasons I can’t quite rationalise, Longtime still remains my preferred spirit animal. Maybe just adopt me into this golden family lineage though pleeease!

4.5 stars - unsurprising food but high quality and well executed dishes. Main dishes are good size, starters are the more exciting part of the menu. Including the yellowtail sashimi which has flavour for days, and the large sashimi platter is very fresh and abundant in comparison to the likes of Sake. Mains are reasonably priced. Restaurant is very dark but has a good vibe. Good date spot.

Had the banquet - every plate was delicious, the flavours interesting and more-ish. The restaurant has a dark, modern feel that's gorgeous. Service was friendly and helpful. Definitely coming back!

Amazing food with a beautiful ambiance. The kingfish and pork belly are highlights with an absolutely standout list of cocktails! The venue might be a bit too dark and gothic for everyone’s liking but certainly a unique experience for Brisbane.

Just dined at Honto this evening, an error made by myself ( wrong booking day! ) and the Front of the house manager , was more than accomodating ...( helps if you get there by 6pm ! ) . <br/><br/>The four of us opted for the $65 banquet menu and it was certainly a treat ! I dined at Nobu in Dallas recently and this place is almost on par . Fantastic & VERY attentive service but not over the top . Well done Honto & thank you Mauro for your service......we will be back ! :)

Went with a group. Waited at the bar for our table. The bar had some strange rule where you couldn’t buy a drink, it had to be put on table tab. “Only one eftpos machine in the restaurant”. We had the banquet, but two courses arrived before the wine...$65 a bottle... had 2 glasses and woke up with a banging headache. Companion was needing help choosing between 2 bottles of wine. Waiter told her “I’ll come back when you’ve figured it out”. At $100 a bottle I would have expected exceptional sommelier expertise, not arrogant rudeness. The dessert was awful. Meringue and melted ice cream with pumpkin seeds? Really? Won’t hurry back.

Found out this hidden gem by chance while browsing restaurants and decided to pay it a visit.<br/><br/>Arriving on a Thursday night I find the restaurant fully seated and a wait of about an hour for a table for 2.<br/><br/>I'm quickly seated at the bar which is separated from the restaurant.<br/><br/>Checking their drink menu I must say I had never seen so many options of Japanese alcohol and even though I'm an avid customer of Japanese restaurants and bars I hadn't heard about at least half of the drinks available.<br/><br/>After about an hour I was seated in front of the sashimi bar where I was entertained watching the chefs preparing the entrees.<br/><br/>After pondering for a while although they did not have many vegan options available on the menu the waiter informed me that they could make some dishes that weren't on the menu if I wished so.<br/><br/>From the dishes I tried I couldn't find anything to fault at it and must say I find myself oftenly craving for their twice cooked Brussels sprouts.

I went with my girlfriend to check out Honto on Sat night for dinner after hearing some great things about it from friends.<br/><br/>We tried to book in advance but were told they only do early bookings, 5:30 and 6:30. When we finally go there around 8:30 we were told that there nothing will be available until 10:30pm! No alternative was offered. It was basically take it or leave it.<br/><br/>Now I’ve lived in Melb and Syd and I know the ‘hipster’ thing to do these days is not to take bookings on the premise that it allows for more walk ins but a 2 hour wait is ridiculous especially when half the restaurant was empty. You close at 11:30pm, how do expect people to eat comfortably before being kicked out in one hour?<br/><br/>I don’t have an issue with being told we can’t be catered for politely but to have the lady at the door tell us that there is nothing available for another 2 hours in such a dry, rude and arrogant manner was unacceptable. There was no need for the attitude.<br/><br/>It makes sense now that its owned by the same owners as LongTime. Same issue there, thats why we stopped going there because you simply can’t get a table, weekday or weekends. <br/><br/>No food will ever make us for bad service. And you guys need to seriously think about how you treat your potential new customers. I know I’m not coming back and will tell my friends to stay clear. There are many restaurants that offer the same cusine, so you’re not special. Be humble, there’s no need for the arrogance and the attitude

I first heard of Honto when I saw someone I follow on Instagram there. The place looked appealing and with further research I found out that it was in fact owned by the same people as Rick Shores and LONgTIME – two of my favourite restaurants. Immediately, I knew I had to go. I heard many comments about how hidden it was with little-to-no signage. So, on Thursday 13th of September we decided to go. <br/><br/>The restaurant only takes bookings for 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm and after these times it is walk-in only. We arrived at about 6:40pm to Alden Street in Fortitude Valley and were extremely excited. We looked around the quiet street and saw a group of people walking towards a black door. I thought instantly – this is it. When we walked closer there was a tiny sign on the wall and a black door that was shut...<br/><br/>Please read my full review at: foodspaceaus.com/blog/dinner-honto

We went twice last week and both times were perfect. The dumplings, wagyu beef, lamb shoulder, honeycomb dessert... all amazing. Great waiter staff that were attentive and helpful. Will be back and can’t keep my mouth shut about this place.

Honto by the owners of Longtime has been open for a few days. We rocked up without booking on Saturday evening around seven. There is an awesome cocktail bar room while you wait for a table. Friendly front of house had us seated well within an hour. I think our timing was fortunate though as the place was bustling and got even busier later into the evening.<br/><br/>The interior design of Honto is comfortable and stylish. The whole fitout is dark with charred wood, black paint, dim ambient lighting and black tiles. The cocktail area and main dining room both have dramatic light fittings. It just feels cool. The cocktail area and is so dark you can barely read the menu! Great choice of Japanese whiskey and wines - but if you need to wait for a while for a table grab a cocktail, fairly extensive menu of Japanese inspired cocktails (subtle not garish) and classics.<br/><br/>Our group of four ordered a “chef chooses” special so we could sample as much of the menu as possible. They are still ironing out some logistics of service but everyone was friendly and prompt. Great wine recommendation from our waiter.<br/><br/>First courses were Sashimi. Pretty dishes with delicious fresh salmon, kingfish, scallop, prawn, and tuna. Served with house made wasabi and house made soy sauce. Great flavours, pretty fish. Beef tartare on fried lotus root to close. Delicious!<br/><br/>Next dish was a highlight for us, fish tartare in a sweet mini cone with avocado. Awesome! Lobster katsu sandwhich with dill slaw was also light and great.<br/><br/>A “prawn donut” served like a bagel was rich in flavour and decadent. The serving size was spot on and made it a fun and delicious hit.<br/><br/>The heavier mains were twice cooked brussell sprouts, pork belly with citrus chilli jam (?) and fried squire fish with pickles and a mild chilli sauce. Everything was great, serving size good for four. We had a side of eggplant with white miso and sesame which was also delicious, beautiful texture.<br/><br/>There was additional pork dumplings and chicken karage - probably too much food for us in total but solid all round. A light refreshing dessert to finish. <br/><br/>Our group had a great time, the food was terrific for us, and the service was top notch. I hope the standard stays high - this restaurant makes an awesome addition to the Valley. <br/><br/>Perfect for a date or with good company.