Review Tobikiri Japanese Restaurant - Neutral Bay

Such a funky Japanese restaurant! Ambience is relaxed and open. Street parking available. Delicious food, loved every dish. Every dish was carefully made and so super fresh. I can't wait to come back and try more dishes.

Cozy family vibe, vintage decoration. The food is so delicately prepared by the owners, appreciate there hard work for this busy restaurant. Their sushi and tempuras are freshly prepared on order. The tempura prawn is so crunchy. The mackerel grilled is fat and juicy, matched well with the salad. The plates and bowls are aesthetic yet very cute.

Very small and cozy joint run by a single Japanese chef - hence all the food was fresh and made to order. The sashimi was very well prepared and super fresh! All the other dishes were extremely delicious as well. Tobikiri provides top quality Japanese food in a relaxed setting at an affordable price.

A severely disappointing visit at Tobikiri left a bad taste in my mouth. The biggest problem was that it took an hour for two bento boxes to come out. While I can sympathise that there was only one cook and one wait staff, it was still unacceptable, especially when it was after 8pm on a Tuesday night. The bento box lacked flavours and left me questioning my sense of taste. The food was lukewarm and not filling considering the long wait time. The sashimi wasn't fresh, which was a huge let down. The service was cold and despite a gentle query about the whereabouts of the food (after 30 minutes of waiting), the staff responded with "We aren't superman". Lastly, $28.50 for a Bento Box is very expensive and considering the small portion, it was not worth it. Don't be fooled by the glowing reviews. Not even the charming interiors can make me recommend this place to anyone.

Fantastic restaurant with only the freshest food and local produce. The main chef is also the owner and he cares about serving food that he also would love to eat and you can definitely tell when you are eating. I would recommend this place to everyone and go back regularly. I saw some reviews below referring to a lack of customer service. Let’s be realistic here, this is a small restaurant with 2-3 staff and the owner is managing every bit by himself. This is what makes it so special ! If you are expecting top quality service then go to Merivale and spend your top dollar, but if you want authentic cooking paired with top level produce at an incredibly reasonable price and a meal you will not forget if you truly appreciate Japanese food then don’t miss out on this absolute gem.

Favourite Japanese restaurant in Sydney. Authentic, spectacular presentation and excellent lunch deals providing quality and value.

Good local restaurant. Sushi was excellent with good fish and for a decent price. Staff were friendly and accomodating.

This Man (the chef?) Wouldn't let us sit in a near empty restaurant because we didn't book before. There is no website to book, nor any indication you need to book. He just shrugs and says oh well. horrible horrible customer service. Will make it clear to everyone in the area not to give business to this establishment.

One of my favourites! Deluxe sushi platter and scallop roll never cease to impress!

Rude. Rude. Rude!!! Poor poor poor!! Booked for a table of only four people and they couldn't even get that right. Couldn't give us a table. Told us to sit on a tiny table with stools which barely fits two people for a family of four and told us we had 45mins to scoff down our dinner. The manager was there but did not want to take any responsibilities or wanted to get involved to resolve the situation. We got so angry we decided to walk out but they didn't even look up so I had to make a point and ask for the manager. He blamed his staff that "it was the staff fault" and didn't even apologize. People make mistakes, that can be tolerated but it's the way these people handled the situation and how they treated us. The manager was rude and arrogant about it all. Worst place ever. Never going anywhere near the place ever again. Ruined our entire night out.

These review which made by the other customers are truly trustworthy. I'd never walked off from this restaurant with a bit of unsatisfactions. Always superb fresh and great authentic Japanese food.

Food is even better than in Japan. Very fresh and very tasty...highly recommend it.

いつもサラダ、食材が新鮮で美味しいお寿司が最高です！ ランチメニューの量もお値段もいいですねぇ～、満足してます。

By far our favourite Jap restaurant! Great value for money

Cosy atmosphere. Food is good.

Super fresh food, excellent service, one of my favourite Japanese place. Best to book especially on Saturday night.

OMG the most delicious Japanese food YUM

Really enjoyed my meal last night with three friends, a very authentic meal, nice ambience, friendly service and your prices are extremely reasonable - nice to see a new restaurant off to a great start - congratulations!!!

Good wholesome food. I enjoyed my dinner. I cant believe you were that busy at 6:30pm, there are room for improvement. so keep it up.

love the variety they have on their menu and great selection of sake :) we always look forward to coming here for dinner!

Food is good. But they can work on their service, time management. If you don't mind their far from desire service you can give it a try.

Quality, variety, price, environment - Best ever.

Great local Japanese restaurant with delicious teriyaki chicken lunch set and sashimi. Cute setting and friendly staff. Will definitely be back.

Tobikiri reminds me the time that I visited Japan, the vibe of the place is so similar to the restaurant where we ate in Osaka. The Karage chilcken is so good, the owner makes it so fresh, crunchy and moist at the same time. The sashimi was so fresh, the tuna just melts in your mouth. (To be continued)

Another husband & wife team (I think...), the man does the cooking & the lady does the service. This means that service might be a little slower when the place is busy. It a small restaurant, but uniquely decked out with knick knacks. I stopped by for lunch, not full but a healthy crowd. Got the sashimi lunch set, the quality of the sashimi was ok, there were enough other side bits to make the plate interesting. Nice local eat.

Food was okay. But to be honest. Worst table service ever.<br/>We were sitting at the table outside, the inside tables were all booked out, and there was only one waitress. She didn’t even gave us chopsticks and plates after the first dish was served. We were looking at the tofu without eating it for pretty long time. And the waiting gap between dishes is unacceptably long as well. We’ve been to this place many time cuz it’s close to home, but the service is getting worse and worse. So not going anymore.

It’s not bad, good lunch place. Amateur sushi but acceptable. Not favor of putting altogether on a plate since salad dressing was drenched steamed rice. Sashimi has quality and freshness.

I'm from Melbourne. Oh my gosh!! Their sushi was amazing! It worths $100+ in Melbourne for the quality of the sushi dish. As my Japanese friends strongly recommended this restaurant, I really wanted to go there and luckily I got a 6pm spot on Thursday. If you love authentic Japanese sushi chef's sushi, this is a place for you. If you don't eat sushi, you should go to neighbourhood Japanese restaurants as you can't tell how much they are great.

Tobikiri is a small and cosy Japanese restaurant with cute interior decor. I have never eaten at the restaurant but have gotten takeaway a few times. With the abundance of Japanese restaurants in the area, I have to say that Tobikiri wouldn’t be one of my top preferences. The food is pretty standard and the biggest disappointment is their capparcio. It feels like they just threw thick pieces of onions together with chives and soy sauce. There was nothing really there to tie in the flavours and the chunky pieces of onion really made it difficult to eat the dish. I usually only come here now when I’m desperate for some bbq squid and other neighbouring Japanese restaurants are closed. The food is reasonably priced which makes the trip worth while. (Especially if I’m craving!!)

Worst customer service ever. <br/><br/>They made a mistake with our reservation therefore weren't able to give us a table. People make mistakes, so I was able to tolerate that but it's how they handled the situation. They didn't try to resolve the situation and had no common sense. They told us to sit down at a tiny table which barely fits two people (we were a family of four) with tiny stools and said we had 45mins to eat. Was not apologetic at all and the manager just tried to avoid all responsibilities by blaming his staff saying that it was "all his fault" and he wasn't sorry. The manager was Very arrogant and rude about the whole situation. That's not customer service. Ruined our entire night out. Worst Japanese restaurant ever. Never ever going near that place ever again.

Definitely a sushi first restaurant second Japanese affair here...and most importantly one that doesn't use Salmon like it's a crutch...white fish all day everyday :) <br/><br/>The cooked dish also have a strong local following and the shogayaki "ginger Pork" was very on point along with the questionable agedashi "snapper"...? The crab claw was very cute with the crab stick filling that made us almost question for a second...you almost fooled us....<br/><br/>But here comes the low....Pasta Salad....belongs no where....it does no justice to Pasta or Salad nor even the "divine" kewpie mayo....please just chopped cabbage and yuzu dressing and we might have seen a four here...?<br/><br/>We'll be back...and you better have uni for us!!!!!<br/><br/>Oh they had uni this time and nom nom nom!!!!<br/><br/>New favourite Japanese restaurant...you've done well!

Good sashimi and chicken katsu, and not too expensive. Does alright in the very competitive Japanese restaurant scene in Neutral Bay. However, they don't do a chicken katsu don for takeaway 😔

Well, what can you say about Tobikri, other than it's good honest Japanese food. The sashimi is as fresh as you'll find it - a highlight. Don't look any further than Tobikiri if you're after some quality Japanese on the lower north shore.

One of the best Japanese restaurants in the Neutral Bay area.  Small, so advance booking is wise.  Had a salmon bento box for dinner. It was fantastic... even the miso soup was a highlight.  The seafood was very fresh, just as it should be...  I'll return.

I ordered the sashimi set on this visit and was pretty disappointed with the quality of the fish. It didn't look very fresh and the mushy texture pointed to poor freezing technique or possibly refrozen fish. This set was $18 but other restaurants offer much better sashimi lunch sets for just a few quid more. However, many reviews compliment the sashimi so perhaps this was an unfortunate exception. My friend ordered the spicy pork stir-fry which turned out to be pork slices stir fried with kimchi. She said it felt more like a Korean dish. The karaage chicken set was the best option at the table, the golden nuggets of chicken were crisp.<br/>---Previous visit---<br/>Tobikiri is a small Japanese cafe tucked a short distance away from Military Road. Despite stiff competition from about a dozen other Japanese eateries nearby, it was never short of customers while we were there. The excellent value lunch set might be a major factor: for $10, you select a protein (eg teriyaki chicken, katsu, karaage, ginger pork) which is served with rice, a small salad, a small tamago and miso soup. Other mains are available for just a few dollars more. I found my teriyaki chicken set to be a simple, home-style meal. The chicken was moist and not overly sweet. Nothing spectacular but for $10, no complaints at all. Service is polite and welcoming. We never once felt rushed to finish our meal (we didn't linger but that was on our own accord). On the flip side, it means that booking is highly recommended especially for weekend lunch. A couple of walk-ins were turned away as all tables were full. It wouldn't be ideal for large groups due to the limited space and incredibly cosy seating.

Yum yum and yum. I have walked by numerous times and always see Tobikiri buzzing with energy. A friend of mine took us for dinner and it didn't disappoint. The sashimi was fresh and the tempura prawns crunchy and delicious. Definitely will be back.

I love Tobikiri! The food is delicious, the service is wonderful and the ambience is perfect. Just don't forget to book because it's hard to get a table otherwise!

This place is pretty amazing. Pricey but worth every penny!!!! The sushi and sushimi are so fresh, they taste how Japanese should taste. <br/>Highly recommend making a reservation here as it can get quite busy.

OHHH. Myyy. Godddd. I never say that about sashimi!! Soooo good. And the salmon belly on rice entree was excellent. Just don't get raw octopus, I learned that.. So FRESH!!! Really local affordable and delish. It was yoshii standard fresh.

Some of the best Japanese food in Sydney! First time here was turned away (somewhat rudely though) as this is a petite restaurant and always super busy - this was on a Tues night too, make sure you have a booking. Decided to return due to all the positive reviews and so glad I did. Every dish was so perfectly executed. The gyozas were crispy tasty juicy and the addition of salad atop gave the dish freshness. Also ordered a couple of bento boxes which were such great value! A mistake was made with my order - I ordered the sashimi but out came a teriyaki salmon. Staff soon realised the mistake and let me keep the teriyaki and brought out a sashimi soon after. Great service! Not to mention the sashimi was super fresh including snapper and mackerel, intriguing and so good! If you can't already tell.. love this place! :)

Yes tobikiri is the epitome of Japan. From the cutest furniture to the chabby chic decor, the presentations of meals, everything is neat & tidy. Great for a quick lunch solo or with a friend, not for group of more than 4 as the place is very cramped. The $10 lunch set deals are amazing value for money and the various sides (rice, corn, pasta, salad) it comes with makes it a very satisfying meal indeed. Consistently fresh and typical Japanese friendly service with smile. Highly recommend.

Amazing Japanese cuisine!!! Very friendly staff and not too expensive menu. Perfect for Saturday lunch. Chicken katsu is amazing. Would go back to try other stuff on the menu.

I have to say Tobikiri is probably my favourite Japanese restaurant in Sydney. Ignore the suspiciously vague negative reviews and try it yourself. That being said, some things do have to be conceded. <br/>Yes the restaurant is small, very small in fact. Tables are eclectic and the space is somewhat cramped, but this is how the restaurant is, more in line with the establishments you'll actually find in Japan so take it as it is or don't go. Secondly service can be slow during peak times but this is consistent with just about any other restaurant.The positive aspects of Tobikiri are vast. Food is amazing, varied, always fresh and well priced. Favourites are the soy butter edamame, mochi dengaku and dengaku eggplant. It's also great just asking what sashimi/sushi they have and making up a mixed platter. If you don't have much experience with Japanese food there are a number of "tamer" options for you to choose from, and there are photos and english descriptions of everything on the menu to make your choice easier. <br/>Don't be afraid to be adventurous though, as this restaurant has a number of very uncommon items you won't see in most other Japanese restaurants, which is why Tobikiri is so terrific.

This restaurant cutely furnished, cosy and friendly. Don't come without a reservation though because it is truly tiny! The wait staff are friendly and the menu is in Japanese and English for ease of navigation but you will probably get more out of your visit if you bring along someone who can speak Japanese. Make sure that you try the soy endamame and miso eggplant. The mixed sushi tray is also good value if you're in a group. Will definitely be going back here.

Instantly I knew we had stumbled upon a little gem. As each dish came out I was again and again impressed by the quality and taste. The moochi dish we ordered was definitely a highlight – I had expected a sweet dessert like dish but what came out instead was a soft rice cake base topped with a sauce similar to the miso which covered our dengaku dish. Each rice cake was wrapped in a sheet of nori, sprinkled with sesame seeds and topped with shallots. What a special dish, like no other sushi i’ve had before – I’ll definitely be going back for seconds next time 🙂

Tucked away in quiet Yeo Street this relative newcomer is bustling during our visit on a wet and bitterly cold Saturday night in Sydney. It's a very clever use of the tiny space which had previously enjoyed a short but "sweet" stint as The Crepe Gallery,  and a welcome addition to the local dining scene. Tobikiri's Kitchen staff hard at work The interior is a mish mash of colourful/rustic chic with packed in tables and the chefs busily working away in their compact kitchen. The beaming smile of our host as he showed us to our table set the scene for a lovely evening. Suntory "The Premuim Malt's"  $7 Corkage is only $2/pp however we decide not to brave the elements for a quick dash to the bottle shop.  The menu lists a decent selection of Japanese beers and Sake and we decide to start with a couple of Suntory beers, fully imported from Japan.  Pan fried soy batter edamame  $4.50 First up it's pan fried soy batter edamame. It's an interesting twist on the classic starter - salty crumbs o

Chicken karakre is very good but sashimi & sushi -> the fish not fresh at all.

This place is absolutely fantastic. A hidden gem. It's always busy and hard to get a table so best to book ahead. The food is outstanding and very reasonably priced. I no longer live in the area and drive 40mins just to get there. When I lived locally I was a frequent diner. They do take away too. Highly recommended

Awful service bad food. $10 is not worth it. <br/>Service is awful and slow. Food is cold and less than ordinary. <br/>Will never go back there!!!!