Review Kokoroya Japanese Sushi - Maroubra

Love the food here especially the eggplant! We tried a wide variety of dishes for birthday celebration and they didn’t disappoint. Would come back to dine in again!

Lovely staff and decor. Order via iPad, sanitiser on the table. We got tempura prawn, karage chicken, aburi salmon, spicy tuna uramaki, yuzu soda and grape calpis. The tempura was more crunchy than crispy, a bit overdone, same goes for the karage! The aburi was not very charred although I don’t know what is the authentic standard? The sodas were overly sweet and needed diluting. Average lunch

You guys delivered well! Great food, atmosphere, presentation of the restaurant, customer service. Kudos whoever did the presentation of the platters!

We come here regularly when feeling eat out. It became our favorite Japanese restaurant in Sydney after we tried other similar menu set in other places. They are best values, always friendly and quick service. Once you booked here your name will be remembered when you called next time. We ordered takeaway during lockdown from their website, it’s very convenient and user friendly, the meal will be ready in 15mins after ordered. And the quality is always good!! Superb!!!

Kokoroya is not only my favourite Japanese restaurant, but overall my favourite restaurant in Sydney! The food is AMAZING, every time. Staff are wonderful. iPad ordering is easy and quick. Fit-out and atmosphere trendy and fun with a small play area for young children. I have been going to this restaurant regularly for 10 years and I’ll be devastated if they ever close. See you soon!

By far the best restaurant in maroubra! Amazing food! But I’m sat here a little tipsy and yes the food is amazing but the soft shell crab is less than half the size it used to be… is there a crab shortage?? Should we be worried about the crab population as a whole?? I don’t have the answer… Kokoroya bring back the old soft shell crab portions!! It used to be crab central here.

Love it here. It's a great local Japanese restaurant a couple blocks away from the Junction. It's just near the Bowen Library. It's great for kids and even has a little play area where you can let the kids run wild while you're waiting for your food. The best part of this place is the quality of the food. Its own and run by an authentic Japanese and one of the few places in the area that hasn't sold out to someone else after becoming successful. As a result food is authentic and consistent quality that was good enough to satisfy people familiar with Japanese food. It has a computerized ordering system like most Japanese places have now, and one of the only complaint is that it doesn't have as many options as most izakaya have. It's great because it also has a kids menu and is generally pretty friendly with kids. But if you live Japanese food and know what it should taste like, not the sold out Chinese versions, then this is the place for you.

Ive been here only a few times on special occasions, and this is definitely one of the best places to go to for one, such as a date, birthday, or a small celebration The staff here are quite fantastic, and usually do their best to make customers leave with a smile on their faces. The chefs should also be commended, because the food here is absolutely amazing. Knocked my socks right off. I wanted to come here with my partner as she’s never been to this place, and I’ve grown up living practically next to it. I recall it was a fantastic place and that she should experience it too. We were excited to try it out again after a long time, and it was a fantastic experience. We ordered a lot of food on this day, probably overkill for two people, but it was so delightful. They use an iPad for customers to place orders and look through their menu, and they usually have a wide range of dishes and sides, though some may occasionally be unavailable. In total we had a salmon lover roll, salmon miso yaki, takoyaki, karaage bun, tempura California roll, pan fried gyoza, squid tempura, and a small udon bowl. Everything was fantastic. The aburi salmon lover and the tempura California rolls were one of the best rolls I’ve had, and I can confidently say that. Both rolls were freshly made, and the blend of flavours in each bite was wonderful. The salmon miso yaki was average at best, as we weren’t entire,y sure what it was. It was very little in size, though the flavours did pack a punch. Unfortunately it was probably the least favourite of the night. Takoyaki was fantastic, better than average, and was generously topped with bonito flakes. The karaage bun was definitely the sleeper hit of the night. Judging by its name, it doesn’t sound that appetising, but when it comes to taste, it excelled well beyond our expectations. Although little, it packed some serious flavour and the bun was there to balance it all out. It was my partners favourite meal that night. Pan fried gyozas: timeless and essential, couldn’t go wrong with it, tasted just as good as we expected, with the sauce to compliment it further. Squid tempura was decent, it lacked quite a bit of flavour and mostly tasted of batter from the crumbed parts, but it was a lot tastier after dipping it with the provided sauce. The udon noodles were delightful, and my partner had finished most of it before I could have seconds. She had already entered a food coma halfway inti the night, so I had eaten most of the food, no regrets though. Definitely a night to remember, not only because of the absurd amount of food we ordered, but also because of how delectable everything had tasted. Scrumptious.

A fantastic Japanese dining experience with fresh seafood and a touch of elegance to give you that fine dining feel. The nigiri and spicy tuna rolls were absolute winners for me and I’m keen to return to try more of the menu here at Kokoroya.<br/><br/>If you'd like to read more of my reviews, please check out my Zomato page and visit @cynthiaeats_ on Instagram for more photos!

So great. Loved the chirashi don. Make sure to book beforehand.

I love the concept of ordering your meal off a iPad. This restaurant has a great system, which makes it a lot easier for the waiters/waitresses, taking your order.<br/><br/>Food was fantastic and decor was great.<br/><br/>Unfortunately the noise levels were a bit high.<br/><br/>Overall, I will recommend and return.

Consistently delicious, The service is great and fast. Food is always to the highest standard. You order your food on an iPad so there is no confusion.

Better to book a table before you go because they’re always very busy. Friendly staff and good service. The food was delicious and sashimi was so fresh. Would definitely go back.

So this might be a bit of a skewed review since I only tried the dessert but I went in hoping to try their Shiratama Anmitsu which is more of a well thought out assortment of food than a dish in and of itself. So considering they essentially only needed to scoop some ice cream and slice up some fruit, I was quite frustrated that the wait time was upwards of 30 minutes. The dessert itself was middle of the road and nothing atrocious but no where near good enough for how long they'd made the wait.<br/><br/>I don't generally consider something like service into a review but the wait time for a single dessert here was just far too long to not think about.

Pretty good Japanese restaurant, being able to order with the iPad was very convenient and the service was great. Definitely would come back for the curry udon!

Not too bad of a restaurant. It's quite dark in there which made it hard to see the meals. Average prices and good service, staff were nice. Bit of competition nearby but this place is much better imo. Would visit again.

Recommended by my sister in law, we came here for dinner. It was packed as usual we were told. All the choices on the menu are interesting we wanted to try all of them. And we ordered using the tab on the table. All the food are great and fresh.<br/><br/>Coming back for second time this holiday this time for lunch. Still big portion and nice food all the way.

I have been to Kokoroya a few times since my days living in Maroubra. However, I only got to write about it based on my recent visit to this Japanese restaurant. Just like any high-end Japanese restaurants, Kokoroya utilises a touch screen menu where you can just click and order. You can also check how much you have spent so far. So far, I have always enjoyed restaurants that adopted this kind of menu system.

The staff here is kind. I ordered Sushi Chirashi large size and wasn't aware that there is a combo version for cheaper which is lunch only. I was notified by the staff and changed it.<br/><br/>I also ordered a Sashimi set which consists of Scampi, Salmon, and Scallop. The sashimi was very nice and fresh. There's a kids playground section in the restaurant which customers who like quietness may want to avoid.<br/><br/>Note: I hold copyright to my photos. Please do not reproduce them elsewhere. Photos taken with DSLR and processed to my taste. It may not reflect what one sees with their own eyes. You can find me at Macro Cosmos on Flickr.

Fresh fish, vegetables. The recommended side dish are delicious. Fresh mussels covered by spicy cheese and grilled from top makes it beautiful. Tofu dish also very good, different to the tofu in lunch box, has more strong flavour.

My favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. Ppl there are so nice and friendly. Food is fresh and well-flavored. I can't remember how many times I've been here.

FOOD TYPE<br/><br/>Japanese<br/><br/>FOOD QUALITY<br/><br/>Three of us dined on a busy Sunday night in early spring. We ordered a selection of dishes to share, including a seaweed salad ($14), two serves of mini sushi rolls ($5 each serve), a chicken teriyaki ($19), a beef teriyaki ($19), grilled salmon ($25); and a couple of bowls of miso soup ($3 each). Serving sizes aren’t huge for the price, which is why we had to ratchet up the number of dishes. Apart from that, the quality of the offerings is first class. Everything was fresh and tasty and infused with those subtle and fragrant Japanese aromas and flavours. The chicken and beef were tender, but well-cooked just the way we like it, cut into finely sliced pieces for easy handling and digestion and accompanied by a serve of wholesome garden salad. Sushi rolls were carefully prepared in that unique Japanese way and I loved the firm chewy texture of the seaweed in the seaweed salad. Stand-out dish of the night was the grilled salmon. Again, a smallish dish for the price but the salmon was succulent and juicy. Presentation of the dishes is neat and stylish in colourful round stoneware. A delicious meal all round; it’s just a pity that there wasn’t more of it.<br/><br/>ATMOSPHERE <br/>Kokoroya has built up a well-deserved reputation for high quality food and service and it’s usually busy. The night that we dined was no exception; the place being almost full. There were plenty of large groups enjoying a night out on a warm spring eve, making the atmosphere energetic, fun and lively. There’s even a little playpen for the kiddies to amuse themselves in, so as not to distract the adults from the important task of eating. It all adds up to a family-friendly, casual and relaxed environment, although some may find it a tad too family friendly for their liking. Décor is mainly wood and stone with an interesting display unit with bottles and glasses, just above the front counter. <br/><br/>SERVICE<br/><br/>The electronic ordering system is swift and efficient via a tablet placed on every table. No-one comes to take your order; you just make a selection, hit the button and within a few minutes your drink or meal will be on the table. The staff who bring out the food are all helpful, friendly and polite and the whole operation runs like a well-oiled machine.<br/><br/>COMFORT<br/><br/>The wooden chairs are firm and comfy and the table is large enough to easily fit all the dishes. I found the lighting though too dim, making it a strain to read the tablet.<br/><br/>MENU<br/><br/>The tablet-style menu is a great idea, all restaurants should use it. You’ll be able to see your bill accumulating as you progress through the various courses, so you won’t get a nasty shock at the end – this also allows you to monitor your spend so you don’t blow the budget. But despite all that we still got a shock and we still blew the budget!<br/><br/>TOILETS<br/><br/>Toilets are in the corridor outside the restaurant, so you’ll need to grab a key off the back door first. There are two toilets and they’re both large, well provisioned and reasonably clean, although the door and door handles are grubby and unappetising and I didn’t like the fact that the string holder for the key was dripping wet. Given the popularity of the place, I can’t see why they can’t smarten up the toilets a bit with a lick of paint and provide decent, clean key holders.<br/><br/>ACOUSTICS<br/><br/>Being so busy, it wasn’t surprising that acoustics were a bit of a challenge especially as the tables are packed fairly close together. Still, most diners were well behaved, so it wasn’t quite as bad as one might have thought, and things improved as the evening wore on and the place emptied out.<br/><br/>COST<br/><br/>Kokoroya doesn’t feature in the Ent Book and, as far as I can see, it doesn’t offer any discount deals via sites like Groupon. I guess being so popular they’ve figured that they can live without it. Which is a bit of a drawback for discount addicts like myself and we ended up paying a hefty $116 for three of us, and that included a single beer, two glasses of wine, three main course, three bowls of miso soup, two plates of mini sushi rolls and a salad. That may sound like a lot, but serving sizes are modest and it wasn’t a huge amount of food for that price.<br/><br/>BOOKING<br/><br/>Recommended especially for weekend dining.<br/><br/>PARKING/ACCESS<br/><br/>You’ll find Kokoroya on that bleak, dreary and neglected strip of Anzac Parade in Maroubra, a few metres north of the Bowen Library and near the corner of Shepherd Street. There’s masses of free parking in the council car parks just across the road in the middle of Anzac Parade. <br/><br/>SUMMARY<br/><br/>We had a pleasant evening here and everything went off smoothly. Food is first class, ordering is quick and efficient via a tablet and staff are friendly and polite. Ambience is lively and fun and parking is a breeze. The high cost though, small portions and lack of discount deals would make me think twice before going back.<br/><br/>RECOMMENDATION<br/><br/>Grilled salmon for fish-lovers is a must.

I have eaten here a few times, although it had been a while. I came here for a work lunch this time. There were plenty lunch sets to choose from, under $20 too. I had the chirashi set, an assortment of sashimi served on rice.The meal was a decent size and was served with agedeshi tofu and miso soup. The sashimi was fresh the agedeshi was nice enough and miso soup is pretty much miso soup.<br/>They had some good whisky including tamazaki and hibiki and asahi super dry black on tap. I will be back for lunch and to try more of the menu. A great lunch spot serving quality food for a decent price.

Went there today for lunch and had a good time. They give you iPad for self ordering, quick service and turn around at lunch. Obviously with an iPad I over ordered. All the items we had, mostly sushi rolls, were great. Green tea with free refill was nice as well.

Horrible management. Worked there for 1 month, starting pay was 12.50, 4 dollars under minimum wage. <br/>Initially told me training wage was 12.50 and salary would increase as a learn more dishes to cook. One month later on to my third section, no increase in wage. Asked the manager and changed the story saying, salary depends on the hours I put into work.<br/>Quit immediately.

Waiting time to be seated 😐<br/><br/>Waiting time to order food ☺<br/><br/>Waiting for food to arrive 😐<br/><br/>Service provided 😐<br/><br/>Quality/taste of food 😐<br/><br/>Value for money 😐<br/><br/>Would I come back? 😐<br/><br/>Ordered a simple bowl of plain rice but took way too long to bring it out (10 mins). Spicy Miso beef was not spicy at all but very salty. Fried zucchini was OK but nothing too spectacular.<br/>

I’ve been here a few times over the years and twice recently. It’s a very popular restaurant in the local area and perhaps the most well-known Japanese outlet in the immediate area. The quality of the fare is superior to the other competitors. <br/><br/>I’ve recently tried the Ten and Wagyu bento boxes. The Ten included tempura as well as sashimi. The tempura was nicely cooked and crispy. The sashimi and tempura were both very fresh which is probably one of the main reasons that this restaurant has become popular. The wagyu beef was nicely cooked and tender with good flavour. I have also recently tried the sashimi mix and tempura on their own and it’s the same story as regards good taste and freshness. The chicken teriyaki don has been a favourite in the past. <br/><br/>Orders are also quite convenient, made on an iPad device which immediately sends the order to the kitchen and the food comes out quite quickly most of the time, especially if the restaurant’s not busy. <br/><br/>The ambience inside is nice and mostly relaxed, although sometimes there are a few children around given that it’s a child-friendly place. The service is mostly warm and polite. Sometimes balloons are folded into various shapes and presented to children. There is a fair amount of parking outside, particularly across the busy street. <br/><br/>The value is quite fair considering the dishes are a lot fresher and better prepared than is the case with many others. Overall, it’s a good authentic option in the area.

Nice environment and food are delicious. We ordered beef hot pot noodle,rainbow sushi, teriyaki chicken and a bowl of rice . Just that the bowl of price a bit pricy . Other than that staff were friendly and everything's good

Great food and service. Delicious food and great service. A little pricey but worth it. Will be back

Great Find!!. Excellent service, attentive staff, awesome food & very reasonably priced. Will definitely be back. So glad to have found this place!

Love this place! Great for family and friends. Best japanese place in Maroubra!

Might be pretty expensive for a local restaurant but def worth a try in some occasion. not to mention they serve a deliciouss Green tea ice cream and tiramisu!!

A very child friendly Japanese restaurant in the wastelands of Anzac Parade with high tech ordering for big kids and a play pen for little kids. <br/><br/>I had heard Kokoroya was kid friendly and when I went to investigate the first time, I arrived between lunch and dinner and disappointingly it was closed. I peered through the windows at the staff resting on their break and I could see no overt signs of kid friendliness. The décor looked modern and dramatic, exposed concrete, long wooden communal tables, shelves of Japanese ceramics and saki bottles set against dark walls. I left puzzled, but on my return the following week, the place was full of families with children of all ages. But best of all the staff were incredibly smiley and welcoming and were very at ease with their younger customers. And near the doorway I found the large playpen  style area for small ones to play in while weary pare

Japanese food, good quality Japanese food in the suburbs, I’m really lucky to be living in Maroubra that’s for sure. Never had to worry about food. Kokoroya is one of my favs. It has a good variety of Japanese food to keep everyone happy. Today, I’m shying a away from the usual udon.

When the food came out, he was up in his highchair quietly popping edamame out of pods as well as tucking into agedashi tofu like the adults around him. Now that’s one civilised 16-month old!

It's a really nice restaurant. Great treatment, nice people, GREAT food!!!

Fantastic!. It took us back to japan!!! food and service was great will be back for sure.......

Worst food ever. Went their with frens the most awful service by waitstaff.....not good food nothing to enjoy can get in cheap and fresh food from different other location.

Worst experience ever. They have an indoor children's play area and asked my son to leave the play area as a lady wasn't happy obviously doesn't understand children and the waiter made my son cry. Would never recommend this place NOT Family Friendly at all. Other customers even made comments about how awful it was to treat a 4 year old that way! Won't be back!

Love this place. Very high tech, good food, friendly staff.

Modern Japanese restaurant. Ordering on an iPad is great fun. All good was great. Duck was slightly overcooked but the restaurant was so busy it did not bother my friend and I. Sashimi (served on ice) was absolutely delicious and fresh. Chicken katsu and wagyu beef were also great. Had a few other dishes as well which we also delicious and well presented. Staff were friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend this place and would return.

Miso soup $2.50 6 cooked tuna + avo $6.00, beef teriyaki $17.80 great meal, quite expensive, nice atmosphere and VERY quick service! We order on iPads, and 2 mins later our food was served. 7/10

Awesome Japanese restaurant, hi tech real time touchscreen ordering<br/>Extremely family friendly with a kids play zone, $5 kids menu<br/>Highly recommended!

We really loved our experience here. The food was delicious (we had sushi, sashimi salad, edamame beans, chicken nanban and mocktails) and the portions were generous. The hot food took a while to cook though but despite that it was great. Definitely would come back again!

We eat here often with the kids, it's close to home and we can anyways count on the food being fresh and waiters attentive. All the sashimi and sushi platters are great, salmon Nigiri we always order 3 plates of, hand rolls, dumplings etc. we have been coming here regularly for a year. <br/>Book over the phone for dinner to avoid disappointment, it gets busy. It's very family friendly too. <br/>Highly recommended.

Very nice Japanese eatery! The sashimi is very fresh and melts in your mouth. The beef and vegetables hotpot is perfect when it's cooler outside! The staff is very friendly and lovely. One downside is that the mains rarely arrive together.

Awesome! We were a little concerned after reading the previous review but we loved it. It's not cheap but the food, staff and ambience were great. Very kid friendly as well.

Disappointing. Pricey, small portions. some places are hit and miss, but there were no hits and alot of misses. the chicken karage was tasteless, the miso eggplant was swimming in a pool of oil - it took several serviettes to soak up each portion of egg plant that I had. agedashi was another disappointment. tasteless broth and the texture of the tofu wasn't great. it lacked that crunch. never going back.