If you’re after an amazing Teppanyaki restaurant in Sydney, we’ve got the perfect list for you. To get the most out of this list, it helps to be a devotee of Teppanyaki, one of the world’s most distinctive and delicious cuisines. But before we get into the specifics, let’s delve right into this fine type of Japanese cooking.
Traditional Teppanyaki cooking is an artform that’s steeped in history and tradition. To put it simply, Teppanyaki cooking is a type of Japanese cooking where the food is cooked on an iron plate, usually right in front of you. The other crucial element of Teppanyaki restaurants is personalisation. There’s a chef at each table dedicated to making your experience unique. What could be better than seeing gorgeous food being elegantly prepared right in front of your eyes?
Despite its sheer tastiness, however, it’s only really started to hit the Australian scene over the last couple of decades. Since then, though, it’s really exploded around the country.
With its incredible array of Teppanyaki restaurants, Sydney’s at the epicentre. Not all Teppenyaki restaurants are created equal, so we’ve scoured all areas of Sydney to bring you the finest examples of this uniquely intensive cuisine.
One thing defines Teppanyaki above everything else – that sizzling plate, which makes it just about the most dramatic form of cooking around.
That blazing hot piece of iron is so important, in fact, that it actually forms the first half of the word ‘Teppanyaki’. (The second half means ‘plate’).
Now, let’s fire up that hot plate and embark on our quest for Sydney’s most exquisite Teppanyaki!
Teppanyaki means everything at Hisshou, where the chefs have decades of experience in perfecting the art. Hisshou has a huge space available for group entertaining – and with a chef at every table, Hisshou offers a night to remember!
One of Hissou’s main attractions is the unrivalled banquet selection, filled with mouth-watering concoctions. To get a sense of the vibe, consider the Okii (‘Absolutely stuffed’) menu, which kicks things off with the zesty one-two punch of sesame salad and miso soup, before moving on through to a virtuosic trio of red meat dishes – tenderloin steak, kangaroo steak, and lamb with onion.
For a more sea-based combination, the Joou menu may be more to your taste. Here, you’ll find seafood highlights including soft shell crab, king prawn, and scallop in shell – all a prelude to that classic Teppanyaki duo, teriyaki chicken and Wagyu beef. (And remember, Hisshou caters for all needs. Vegetarian? Under 12? Hisshou’s got you covered.)
Of course, if you’re not up for one of the banquets, you’re welcome to order a stand-alone dish, like takoyaki (deep-fried octopus balls) or ika (cuttlefish). And when you’ve finished, head down to Veriu Central, just minutes away, for a well-earned night’s sleep.
Billed as ‘an Authentic Taste of Japan with an Added Dash of Theatre’, Ichiban is a much-loved Sydney institution that gets the basics exactly right – with style.
There are two main options available here – the combination set menu, and the set menu with single main. The first is divided into meat, deluxe, vegetarian and kids’ menu, with the deluxe (to name just one amazing option) featuring a true selection of Ichiban’s selection – deep-fried crumbed prawn, king prawn, scallops, Misoyaki steak, and teriyaki chicken. It’s a ‘greatest hits’ of the entire cuisine, all in a single dish!
And if you’re a vegetarian, Ichiban offers a sumptuous Vegetarian set, which includes vegetarian spring rolls, edamame, and vegetable Teppanyaki. Kids under 10 can sample their very own delicious menu, with vegetarian spring rolls, fish fillet, and Teriyaki chicken. It’s all you could possibly want from a family-friendly Teppanyaki haven. It’s located right between Veriu Broadway and Veriu Central too, for when you’re ready to rest for the night.
Address: 355 Sussex Street, Haymarket, NSW 2000
Website: https://ichibanTeppanyaki.com.au/about
Nestled in the heart of one of Sydney’s most historically significant districts, The Rocks Teppanyaki proves that great food goes even better with a timeless setting.
So, what distinguishes the Rocks Teppanyaki? Let us count the ways. It’s all about the seafood here, which is one highlight in a packed menu. The beautifully curated selection includes Patagonian toothfish and baby lobster tail, offering a beautifully hand-picked vibe. If you’re overwhelmed by the choices available, let the restaurant do the choosing – for example, the Deluxe Seafood selection, including prawns, scallops, salmon, calamari, and more.
Wagyu beef is this restaurant’s passion, and they take it ultra-seriously. As well as serving ‘Japanese Grade 5, the world’s best Wagyu’, the dedicated chefs at The Rocks Teppanyaki have scoured Australia to find our own gem – the Australian Fullblood Wagyu Tenderloin.
The Rocks Teppanyaki really shines in the set menus, with enticing options ranging from the ‘Beef lover’ to the ‘Ultimate Wagyu experience’. There’s nothing like finding a place that lives and breathes delicacy and flavour … and this is it.
Address: 176 Cumberland St, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000
Website: https://www.kobejones.com.au/the-rocks-Teppanyaki/
Here’s a set menu star which does all the big things beautifully, surrounded by lots of gorgeous side dishes. The Kyoto menu offers up delights including tempura, scallops, and gyuniku misoyaki steak (eye fillet with miso sauces). And if you’re craving more, it’s followed by a sizzling plate of tori teriyaki chicken.
One of the other great points about Kyoto Teppanyaki is how much thought they put into their kids’ menu. The young ones will love the gyuniku misoyaki (grilled beef with miso), tori teriyaki (chicken fillet in soy sauce with ginger and sesame seeds), and yakimeshi (Japanese fried rice). This one’s quite far from Sydney, but definitely worth the trip!
Address: Shop B2, Carlingford Village Shopping Centre, 372 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford NSW 2118
Website: https://www.kyotoTeppanyaki.com.au/
Here’s a place that bills itself as ‘an entertaining and affordable dining experience that is both theatrical and culinary’, and Ichioku doesn’t disappoint. It’s all about the set menu here, with highlights including Banquet B, featuring Japanese-style salad and gyoza & spring rolls (and that’s just the entree). The mains will spoil you for choice, with king prawn and Misoyaki steak just two of the many glorious options.
Selections from the set menus include scallop, king prawn, and fish fillet – all served sizzling at your table. Or what about the children’s experience, with delicacies including Japanese-style salad, gyoza (dumpling) for starters, and a perfect main menu including vegetable tempura and fried vegetables with tofu. Kids get an unrivalled selection of everything this cuisine has to offer, with a sample of each flavour and texture to help them experience the depth and deliciousness of Japanese cuisine. Afterwards, head down to Veriu Green Square, just a short taxi ride away.
Address: 467 King Street Newtown, Sydney, 2042
Website: http://www.ichioku.com.au/
The delicate tastes of the ocean get a modern update in this inventive and flavoursome restaurant. Front and centre is the Teppanyaki A menu, including such delicacies as tuna halloumi salad, baby lobster tail bao bun, beef tenderloin, and grilled mushroom, not to mention scallops and salmon. Offering customers a taste of everything they’ll remember, the Degustation B menu features such enduring Teppanyaki stars as grilled king prawn, scallops, and beef scotch fillet steak.
There’s also some seriously creative tastes in the junior menu, including halloumi cheese salad, grilled salmon sushi, grilled prawn, and teriyaki chicken. What better way to get a sense of Japanese cuisine’s versatility and inventiveness?
Address: 88 Majors Bay Road, Concord NSW 2137
Website: https://daikoku-Teppanyaki-restaurants.business.site/
With over 100 seats, this restaurant specialises in fresh seafood and choice cuts of meat – all expertly sizzled on the cast-iron grill, bringing out the succulent flavours. Teppanyaki is a place that excels in communal dining, and this one’s definitely all about the banquet experience.
Featuring five sumptuous set menus for adults, there’s plenty at play here for those looking for the thrill of unexpected flavours. The Kobe menu’s a prime example, featuring chicken teriyaki, fillet steak, and lamb backstrap butayaki (beef roll). Or choose the Fuuki set menu for a uniquely Teppenyaki spin on surf n’ turf, which adds prawns and scallops to the red meat selection.
One much-appreciated aspect at Osaka is their willingness to treat each ingredient with the care it deserves … which is heaven for vegetarians. There’s a selection of searingly intense vegetable options, including baby corn, mushroom, tofu, eggplant, and zucchini, all delivered in the signature Teppanyaki style. It’s definitely a restaurant worth crossing the bridge for!
Address: Shop 4&5, 38–46 Albany St, St Leonards NSW 2065
Website: https://www.osakaTeppanyaki.com.au/
Some serious love has gone into Fujiya Teppanyaki’s seafood menu, which includes some unique selections including deep perch fillet and whole eel fillet. These flavours simply jump off the plate, intensifying your Teppanyaki experience.
And while the restaurant does some lovely versions of classics such as beef tenderloin and chicken Teppanyaki, why not branch out and try something you might not think about sampling every day – duck? This meat’s rich, gamey flavour seems custom-made for the Teppanyaki grill, with every aspect of the flavour intensified by the brief, searing heat.
As well as sampling each of these individually, you can incorporate these into set menus, covering all bases of the Teppanyaki experience. It’s a night you’ll always remember – and though it’s about 30 minutes’ drive from Sydney CBD, it’s definitely worth it!
Address: 785 Pacific Highway, Gordon, NSW, Australia 2072
Website: https://m.facebook.com/FujiyaJapaneseTeppanyaki/
Offering a ‘fun experience for all ages’, Asahi is one of the great family-friendly Teppanyaki places in Sydney’s South West. From seafood to red meat to cocktails, they’ve covered every aspect of this cuisine.
The set menu is a great place to start, because it offers you a generous selection of what makes this cuisine so beloved. Two highlights are the Wagyu set, with a main course featuring sakana fish, ika calamari, tori teriyaki chicken, and wagyu striploin; and the appropriately luxurious Emperor’s set menu, featuring ebi prawns, hotate scallops, tori teriyaki chicken, and misoyaki beef.
Or, if you’d prefer to choose your favourite Teppanyaki dish yourself, get into the a la carte menu, where you can make the choice between seafood (try the unagi, or BBQ eel), the poultry (we recommend the kamo rosu, or marinated duck breast), and beef (the batayaki’s a great choice, which is sliced striploin roll with alfalfa and garlic).
Address: 459 King Georges Rd, Beverly Hills, NSW, 2209
Website: https://www.asahiteppanyaki.com.au/
With this rough yet invaluable guide to Sydney’s Teppanyaki surprises and old favourites, the city’s your (grilled) oyster!
Teppanyaki’s great for parties, because it’s such a visually intense, entertaining food that’s guaranteed to please. Several Teppanyaki restaurants around Sydney are ideal for big parties, due to their size. Osaka Teppanyaki is famous for its birthday focus, and it’s perfectly set up for group enjoyment. And with its big group tables, Hisshou Teppanyaki’s also a prime spot for unforgettable birthday celebrations.
While this is the case in some Teppanyaki restaurants, it’s definitely not ubiquitous. With Teppanyaki increasingly part of Australia’s food culture, and less of a ‘novelty’, there’s been a shift away from the ‘throwing’ routine as a core part of Teppanyaki. (And even if you go to a restaurant which does throw food, it’s OK to tell them it’s not your thing.)
You’ll often get both in the same restaurant, but they work differently. With Teppanyaki, it’s all about small delicacies. A Teppanyaki grill’s quite small in surface area, making it suitable for smaller food items (e.g. rice, small pieces of meat, veggies). On the other hand, a Hibachi grill is round and quite a lot more substantial – so if you’ve ordered something larger, e.g. a whole fish, chances are it’ll be cooked on a Hibachi grill instead. One thing’s for sure, though – each of these offer a gorgeously juicy, crisp and flavoursome taste experience.
