Review Niji Restaurant & Bar - Woollahra

Set in the middle of Double Bay a great place to enjoy Japanese food while sipping on cocktails. The Japanese food was well made and presented beautifully. Cocktails were good with a range suitable for all palates. Service was good and did well, however slightly on the pricier side at the final bill.

Great Japanese Restaurant, they now have a new manager and chefs which is even better then before. Whole new menus with flaming sushi.

The new bartender is amazing. The cocktails taste so much better than few months ago. If you wan't to experience a taste explosion go to niji and order a drink!

This place used to be amazing, and I came here multiple times. However, I went back recently and it has completely changed... ambience was not as good, many yummy food items were not on the menu anymore, was unreasonably expensive, and the place seemed empty unlike before. Sadly won't be coming back here now.

Niji has taken over the previous site occupied by Dietmar Sawyer's Ad Lib in Double Bay. The launch event included a obligatory sake drum smashing ceremony, ice carving and a selection of choice sushi and sashimi. Read more on our blog ChopinandMysaucepan.

my Bench mark is Sake so Niji is a poor second, food is average you can get anywhere, surrounds average, bill was more than average probably wont go back unless someone else is paying,

Great guys, Sapporo beer on tap is good. Food is goid

Yum! Interesting menu full of tasty goodies.

So bad :( our meal took an hour to arrive. We ordered edamame ($5) scampi nigiri ($12), chicken and mushroom starter ($20) and pork katsu curry bao ($29). The scampi was fridge-cold, the chicken and mushroom was crazy salty and drenched in sauce, and the pork was so tough/overlooked I couldn't bite through the bao! The best part of the meal was the free nuts we were given while we waited for our food...

The food and service are terrible. The food on their menu is ridiculous expensive. The service is NONE, no smile, very bad attitude . Ordered 21 pieces sashimi, they didn't give me scallop and scampi as described on the menu. After talked to them, they cut 1 scampi into 3 pieces and 1 scallop sliced into 3 pieces to make up to 21 pieces to me. Other dishes are very small portion too, the plate is BIG, but the size of sushi roll like a small dice. It's nightmare to dine there. Even it's 50% off, I definitely won't go again!!!

This venue is terrible, and a poor excuse. The food is way too expensive for what is represented on their menu. The service should be a -5 starts. There was not a warmth feeling from any of the staff or management. I came here last year and it was great but sad to say that they do no longer have the same staffs, or the quality dishes that was available. Was told that there is a change of ownership; and current owners are not paying their bills. Avoid this place, Sake down the road is a lot better.

Vanessa:  Double Bay is generally not high on my radar for places to dine out but the more I go there, the more I discover that the dining scene is one worth exploring.  Case in point, myself, Bianca and Alex were recently invited to sample the winter menu at Niji Restaurant & Bar in the heart of Double Bay and to say we were impressed is an understatement.

Sear your appetite with the fresh tuna tartare complimented with salty and crunchy lotus chips. Continue to tenderize with the wagyu beef carpaccio followed by selections from the Niji signature nigiri sushi. Sprinkle the favourable seasoning of the quail karaage (below), which was rather quite juicy. Flambe with the impressive flaming salmon maki (below) and the rich texture of foie gras. Finish with the miso cream crunch, a plate filled with an array of refreshingly creamy flavours and textures.

FOOD TYPE<br/>Japanese<br/><br/>FOOD QUALITY<br/>My wife and I dined here on a cold July evening. We ordered a goma spinach salad ($12), teriyaki salmon ($28), karaage chicken ($18), a bowl of white rice ($6) and a bottle of Asahi beer ($9). It was all fresh, wholesome and tasty and we enjoyed our meals. Dishes are carefully prepared with skill and attention to detail, using clearly premium grade ingredients. The spinach salad was neatly presented as a round mound of the nutritious green stuff, laced with onions and sprinkled with sesame seeds in a tangy soy dressing. The salmon was melt-in-your-mouth tender and came accompanied by crunchy vegetables and smothered in a tart teriyaki sauce. But the winning dish on the night was the karaage chicken, the best I’ve tasted in Sydney. A decent serving it was too, and the chicken was plump, juicy and tender. It was coated in a crispy batter, marinated in soy, ginger and garlic sauce and served with a slice of lemon and bowl of Japanese-style “yuzu” mayonnaise, a smoother and creamier version of the standard Aussie mayo. There wasn’t much else on the plate, but in this case, the simplicity worked well, to allow you to savour, without distraction, the flavours and aroma of this excellent dish. The salmon, at $28 was quite stingy though, just a few mouthfuls really. We complained about it and were given an extra slice of salmon without any cost, so that helped to fill us up and we left feeling full and satisfied. <br/><br/>ATMOSPHERE<br/>The décor is modern and stylish, with oriental lamps, attractive wooden latticework, wooden floors and furniture and low, mood lighting in a spacious and comfortable environment. When we arrived at 7pm, however, there were only two other occupied tables with two diners each, so it had a slightly dreary ambience. It did fill up somewhat as the evening wore on, but it was never more than half full at its peak. Oddly, though, despite the size of the place, tables are placed almost right on top of each other, which I always find a bit disconcerting, being forced to listen to our neighbours’ conversation. There’s a sushi bar at the far end, although it was empty the night we dined I also noticed a disused upstairs section as well, which you’ll see when you visit the conveniences. <br/><br/>SERVICE<br/>We could not have asked for better service. Wait staff are neatly turned out in black uniforms and they’re attentive, efficient and polite. Ordering was done promptly and dishes came out quickly. <br/><br/>COMFORT<br/>This isn’t an ideal venue for a chilly winter’s eve. There are no heaters or carpets, so there’s nothing really to keep you warm, and my wife especially was uncomfortably cold. But given its airiness and generally cool vibe, this could be a perfect venue for spring or summer dining. The upholstered chairs are firm and comfy and the table just the right size to fit everything on it with ease. <br/><br/>MENU<br/>The small menu is well laid out and easy to follow, except the rather dim lighting made reading it a bit of a struggle.<br/><br/>TOILETS<br/>Toilets are on the upper level. They have a 1980s style hand dryer but no hand towels, which I would have preferred, rather than waiting an hour for my hands to dry. Apart from that, they’re clean and adequate but freezing cold with the open windows.<br/><br/>ACOUSTICS<br/>Given that it was fairly quiet, we had no trouble conversing even though the interior is all wood, with not a carpet or noise absorber in sight. I assume, though, that if it got full, acoustics could be a problem.<br/><br/>COST<br/>We had a modest meal as mentioned, just a salad, two mains, rice and single Asahi beer. We also had our Ent Book card, which gave us a 25% discount up to a generous max of $40, and that kept our bill down to a manageable $55. Can’t complain about that. But generally, prices are a bit on the high side e.g. $6 for a bowl of rice which most neighbourhood Thai or Chinese restaurants will only charge you $3 for. The karaage chicken at $18 was solid value for money but $28 for a very small piece of salmon was a tad pricey in my book.<br/><br/>BOOKING<br/>We took the precaution of booking ahead for a Friday night but it really wasn’t necessary. <br/><br/>PARKING/ACCESS<br/>You’ll find Niji at the top of Bay Street, not far from new South Head Rd. We found easy parking about 0.5km away in Cross Street, where it bisects Bay Street and where restrictions end at 6.00pm. We generally find, that when dining in D.B., that’s the easiest place to find a parking.<br/><br/>SUMMARY<br/>We had a pleasant and relaxed, if brief, evening at Niji and everything went off smoothly. The food is of the highest quality although serving sizes could be bigger. We did find it a tad chilly, so it’s not ideal for winter dining. Still, I’m prepared to give it another go next year if they’re still in the Ent Book, but we’ll go in spring or summer rather than mid-winter.<br/><br/>RECOMMENDATION<br/>The karaage chicken is well worth trying. Even though it’s deep fried, it’s so carefully prepared you won’t suffer any ill effects afterwards.<br/><br/>MEMO<br/>Don’t confuse Niji Restaurant and Bar, with Niji Sushi Bar of Kingsford. Perhaps they have the same owner or there’s some other proprietary connection or maybe they just share the same name, but they’re quite different. The Kingsford Niji is a cheap and cheerful joint that’s always packed with students and workers, whereas Niji D.B. is more exclusive and seems to cater to a higher end clientele.

Sad excuse for a Japanese Restaurant. They have had so many bad reviews on their Facebook page recently so they have deleted the page instead of choosing to fix the mistakes they have made. Terrible food, service and atmosphere.

Love this space. I came here after dinner just for a couple of cocktails - their espresso martini is the best I've had. I'm definitely returning to try out their food

I love their sister restaurant in Kingsford and I have wanted to try this location for a long time so when we were celebrating Mother's Day (day early) we came here for dinner. When we stepped in it was empty but the restaurant started filling up and we heard that tonight was booked out. <br/><br/>We ordered their duck skin roll, soft shell crab roll, spicy tuna hand roll, eggplant, pork belly skewers, popcorn prawn and their garden salad. Highlight being their popcorn prawn and soft shell crab roll.<br/><br/>Romantic ambience at night with the dimmed lights and good service.

My family and I were treated like 2nd classed citizens here. Made a reservation for 4 people. Waitress made my family sit at the OUTSIDE table next to a van even though there was no reservation sign on that table. Had to go through 4 waitstaffs about not wanting to sit outside even though we clearly made a reservation. Working in a restaurant even I knew better myself that for someone to make a reservation you put a reserved sign on the table and there was clearly none on ours. So unorganised. They agreed to give us free cocktails but never kept their word because in the end we still had to pay $45 worth of drinks. Ordered 1 drink and it NEVER came. Food was super slow, it was dish after dish. Food was nothing special doesn't taste authentic Japanese. You pay for the presentation more than the food. Dessert was like something you'll be able to get at an all you can eat buffet. Service was absolutely appalling, although the restaurant looks professional, the service was one of the worst I've ever been to. Wait staff are not alert to customers, took us about 20 minutes just to get soy sauce. How ridiculous!!!!!! WORST WORST RESTAURANT. Please DO NOT EVER COME HERE! You'll only experience horrible service, snobby waitresses who think they're superior.

Highly recommend - food and customer service 5/5<br/><br/>Visited this restaurant on a Saturday night at 7ish and it started brilliantly by being greeted by a funny and friendly waiter to seat us at the sushi bar, which was even better because he introduced us to the sushi chefs who we could chat to about the food. The chefs were extremely friendly and had lots of suggestions for us and even gave us a sample of Eel on the house because he heard us mention it.<br/>Not only were the initial waiter and the chefs fab, our table waitress was so attentive topping up wine and removing empty plates without us even noticing. Customer service was top notch!<br/><br/>Along with the customer service the menu was up there too. We had the following:<br/>Edame beans (we tried spicy AND the salty ones, both great but I preferred spicy).<br/>Salmon, tuna and kingfisher sashimi - never had king fisher and it was actually beautiful even though I'm not a huge seafood person.<br/>Tuna belly nigiri - this was a special and was amazing! Quite pricey but it was worth it!<br/>Pork belly skewers - pork belly is always good.<br/>Karage chicken - so yummy but feel needed more Asian flavour to the crumbs as tasted more American than Japanese.<br/>Wagyu gyoza - so flavoursome!<br/>We then enjoyed the coffee/chocolate/whiskey dessert and the miso cream/ brandysnap dessert - we were already so full but how can you resist dessert, the brandysnap/miso cream won that round.<br/><br/>Between 3 of us it was $140 (excluding alcohol) which is a bargain for the amount of high quality food, excellent customer service and beautifully presented dishes we enjoyed.

I have just had the best dinner experience here. Service was exceptional. Ponzu oysters were mind blowing - sushi / sashimi was excellent, dessert tasting platter was awesome and the service was second to none. Add this to the value proposition compared to sake and its a absolute no brainer. Highly recommended. Thanks.

Great Customer service with a great atmosphere. Sol our host was excellent ordering for us and he knew exactly what we would like. Bossman Pre is great and he ensures everyone is well looked after in the restaurant. The menu has lots of elements so you wont leave wanting more. I highly recommend the scallops and the lamb cutlets!

Niji is one of those brilliant little restaurants you find in your local village, beautifully presented and Oh, so welcoming. <br/>Now, I'm not a food critic (nor a chef) so details about how a sauce was right or wrong for a dish is certainly not my thing. What I do know, however, is what makes a great dining experience. The knowledge of the staff, their attentiveness, the smiles, their understanding of the menu and the intent of the chefs (not just the delivery). <br/>Niji does this all so well. My experience has always been awesome. I highly recommend it.

Last night I went to Niji and it exceeded my expectations.The Sashimi is very fresh and the salmon Tatar melts in your mouth- a must get dish! The service is also impeccable, would highly recommend.

I went here for a business meeting yesterday and was incredibly disappointed. For starters, food was bland and my colleague's meal came out nearly 15 minutes after mine, meaning that mine was cold by the time I started eating (there were only about 4 other tables full in the restaurant).<br/>Worse than this- the toilet facilities were absolutely disgusting- one toilet filthy with a dead cockaroach floating in it and the other with blood splatter on the back of the toilet cover. I was actually shocked that I was expected to pay $40+ for lunch, in a high class restaurant with such unclean facilities. It certainly made me nervous about ordering raw seafood.

My husband and I went for degustation option at $75pp.<br/>First course was Ponzu oyster, salmon tartare and edamame – Ponzu oyster was refreshing but the yuzu granita sauce completely over powered Oyster flavor. Salmon tartare accompanied with Taro chips were really flavorful. Second course was assorted Sashimi and nigiri – this was average tasting at best, nothing special in freshness, cuts or taste.  Third course was Squid tempura and Waygu and I had prawn popcorn instead of Waygu.<br/>This course was pretty decent, loved the squid tempura, it was done beautifully and especially loved Yuzu flavored mayo. My hubby liked Waygu, good quality meat and was cooked well. My dish was popcorn prawn, which tasted nice with slightly spicy seasoning.<br/>The 4th course was dessert which is chef’s selection of dessert platter which includes Ice creams, Rhubarb custard and passionfruit granita.  I have to say I didn’t enjoy one little bit of these desserts, it was overly sweet and just not very delicately flavored. I actually felt little yucky after I ate them due to the sugar overload.<br/>All in all although they had couple of amicable dishes, aside from the low quality sake as a fatal flaw the average score of the dishes is 3 at best.  <br/>A little advice expect to double pay at the double bay.

Outstanding Japanese in the heart of Double Bay. Service and food was incredible. Try the rhubarb desert for something really special. Great vibe and open until late.

There are better value Japanese restaurants around Sydney, but I'll still recommend this place if you're looking for a restaurant with good ambience and don't mind paying a premium price for the food. The popcorn prawns were a favourite around the table, and I found the scallop nigiri incredibly fresh. We paid $390 for 8 people and all of us were full at the end of it. Will recommend if you're ever in the Double Bay area!

This is not your average Japanese eatery. This restaurant tucked away in Bay Street in double bay is the perfect mid week dinner spot but not a cheap one. The interiors are gorgeous and very modern. The sashimi platter is delicious and the chicken skewers were incredible, so fresh and such good flavouring.

Went to Niji Double Bay for my birthday to start the night, ended up staying for hours longer. The Bar Tender Abs had us in awe all night at his skills making cocktails, easily the best I've had in Sydney. The food was to die for but the cocktails, they're next level. Staff wearing bow tie's and vests...all around funky place with a great atmosphere. I'll definitely be back.

Great little spot, love this place, always has the best atmosphere. Fantastic Japanese cuisine and a splendid representation of the Izakaya style, always want to keep shared plates to myself. Bar is awesome for unwinding after work and the staff are always accommodating. Recommend Niji Double Bay to everyone I can. A+++

Niji means rainbow in Japanese after the diverse colour and taste associated with traditional Izakaya cuisine. The fusion of Australian ingredients with this traditional Japanese style dining is what Niji want to showcase their diners. A stellar wine pairing is made with each course that’s determined by manager, who owns one of the finest palates, Preshanth Pillay. Every week Pre will work out wine pairings with head chef Shekhar Aryal.

Amazing restaurant with a cool bar as well! Delicious food and the cocktails are just incredible! Definitely recommend this place to everyone for a true Japanese fine dining experience

Great food, amazing cocktails. Best place to begin your night out at double bay! Big ups to all the staff members who work there. Will definitely be back.

AMAZING! This restaurant has the best Japanese food I have ever had the privilege to taste. The bar staff really know how to make a sensational cocktail also. The wait staff bend over backwards to please my guests and I every time i visit. I highly recommend this restaurant for dinner parties, a few drinks and laughs with friends or even a casual lunch. 5/5

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. The food presentation is the best I have seen. The Ponzu Oysters and with the Stone Cold Sour Cocktail is the best way to start. We had the Sashimi next was just so amazed with the way it was presented. The dry ice used in the pots for the Sashimi is a feature. We proceeded with the hot dishes and everything that came on our table hit the spot until I started licking my plate. Definitely recommend the Waygu and Pork Belly. Its was just the best. The staff are very switched on and friendly. Great to see this place humming. Nice decor, looks very cool. Will be my new hang out in Double Bay.

Went there last sat with my family its was very busy, had to wait for 15 min but it was worth waiting, Great ambience, friendly staff and most important great food. Definitely going back. Thank you Niji, keep up with the same love and passion. Cheers.

We been there last week, Great service , delicious food and charming environment, that was a wonderful experience, scallop and miso cod was the best , worth to go there. Fully satisfied 5/5

I will start with the service. One of our party has to follow a strict diet for health reasons, the wait staff went above and beyond to be as helpful to her as possible which was great. Thank you.<br/><br/>Food was great.. Loved the miso to start (can't go wrong), fresh sashimi & sushi. Then we ordered the popcorn prawns (this was the thing on the menu we saw someone eating and HAD to have!!)<br/><br/>Great little Japanese restaurant. Service was good and the food was simple yet delicious. Can't ask for much more than that!

Disappointing overall experience. Great sushi/nigiri except the crab in the California roll which did not taste fresh. Service was non existent and rude. Refused to provide an order of 3 pieces of nigri for 3 people, required additional orders. Far too expensive, $175 for 3 people with only 2 drinks. Had the nerve to charge a Sunday surcharge. Would not go back and would NOT recommend to anyone.

BEST Japanese food I've ever had!!!<br/>If you order anything, make sure you order the Aburi Maki! AMAZING!!<br/>The food is awesome, the restaurant is very nicely decorated, staff were on point with customer service 👌<br/>Definitely going back here again and HIGHLY recommend it! 5/5

Arigatou gozaimasu!. So pleased to have a delicious jap option so close to home! So the service is a little subpar AND I was almost semi uncomfortable being served by non Japanese wait staff. But that's more my issue than theirs. This aside, the food here is hard to fault. The chilli edamame were great. I know it's a basic dish but the number of cold and overcooked beans I have eaten lately would suggest otherwise. The dynamite sushi roll was so fresh and tasty. Miso eggplant (Nasu dengaku) killed it. We also had the popcorn prawn which was delish and a much more generous serving than places like Sake or Tokkuri. Make sure you order a plate of pan fried (yes - you have the choice between steamed or pan fried) wagyu gyoza. Delish. Cost two of us $75 per head with a bottle of wine to share. Already excited for my next visit.

Beautiful date night!. My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on a Thursday evening and we loved it! When we came in the restaurant was fairly busy but the staff were happy to accommodate us upstairs, which turned out to be beautiful! The staff were very friendly and attentive and helped to recommend pretty much everything that we ate. All of it was so good! We had a few of the signature cocktails and they were really interesting and tasty. Overall a great experience. We will be back!!!

A great new addition to the Double Bay food scene!. I had lunch here today with my parents. Everything was lovely - the food is great quality and really creative (I had a hard time choosing!), the service is impeccable, and the decor is elegant. I'll definitely be back. Highly recommended!

We ate dinner here and loved every dish and the chocolate lava cake was a great finish. The service was impeccable. The portions were on the smaller side which made it a little pricey for what it was. We will be back.

Fresh and tasty sushi. The sushi platter at the launch party was pretty good, especially the tobiko and unagi nigiri. <br/><br/>Ditmar Sawyer's bright Ad Lib restaurant has now been transformed into a dim and more seductive space. The sushi bar would be a nice place for a romantic interlude while watching the sushi chefs wield their knives.

My first & last visit .... Arrived here at 6.20 on a Saturday night and ordered wine and edamame beans to enjoy whilst we waited for our friends to arrive. The wine and edamame arrived about 20 mins after our party at 6.50pm, this was despite at least three attempts to get the staff to fulfil the order. This was the blueprint for the service for the entire evening. The decor: like the inside of a designer garden shed with dimmed lighting. The food: Tuna Martini was absolutely delicious, the eggplant with miso was undercooked, the wagyu beef was overcooked; the lamb cutlets had an awful texture and tasted very game-y - obviously very old "lamb". All in all a very under-whelming experience.

Simon Food Favourites review. Enjoyable launch party with nice food and good service. Definitely keen to revisit on a normal day and try more of the dishes and see how the decor and seating is. Cocktails sampled were very good as well.