Sydney is an amazing city with many authentic and diverse cuisines. We wanted to try a Japanese Izakaya and this one was reported to be the most authentic! Reservations made! The open air restaurant offers a few tables on the sidewalk and one long table to be shared inside. I’m 6’ 5” and this setup was clearly for much smaller people. No worries! I sat in the miniature chair and squeezed by folks and totally enjoyed the authentic atmosphere and incredible food. Everything is to be shared but the portions are small / manageable. No need for takeaway! We were encouraged to order 6-7 items to share which we did! Plus, dairy free selections were available! The service was helpful, welcoming and relaxed but not rushed. We were asked to limit our stay to 90 minutes to make room for then next party. No problem! Everything we ate was special and spectacular! Our favorite was the duck and the yuzu spiced stew. We could look in the kitchen and enjoy seeing perfectionist craftspeople at work. Life is good with an excellent, authentic Japanese Izakaya.

Feels like Japan (I've been 14 times and been to Honshu, kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku). The onigiri are exactly what you would expect from an izakaya, I liked the bonito the most The agadashi tofu is homely and satisfying. The salmon sashimi is buttery and smooth, could have some freshly grated wasabi though! We loved the prawns and enjoy the aji (yellowtail) fry. Great selection of sake. Would gladly come back

Close, cosy, attentive staff and the best food. Dined on the 7/11/25 and was not disappointed at all. Had wanted to dine here for quite some time and a booking is essential. Greeted with smiles and a welcoming guide through the menu. Which has a wide variety of house specialties plus additional daily features. Being a Kokushu/Nihonshu/Sake specialist you are not disappointed for selections or the presentation of the menu.😉 The Orion beer on tap was very refreshing and a great and only option. Stand out dishes : Fire fly squid The duck The house miso pickled vegetables And The clams. If you haven’t been…. You should!!!!!

(4.5 stars) Some restaurants leave you feeling warmly toward them. Tumbling out of a tiny, hole-in-the-wall on Liverpool Street in Darlinghurst, Nomidokoro Indigo is one such place. We stumbled upon this small collection of mismatched tables set under a retractable canvas awning a few weeks back after an event at the National Art School. We marvelled at the tiny interior, where twelve guests can sit facing a counter that concludes in a kitchen separated only by noren curtains. We resolved to come back and try it, and last night we left feeling very glad that we did. The izakaya’s menu revolves around sake. Fittingly, you’ll spin the bottle to make your selection, or rely upon friendly and knowledgeable staff. Ichinokura Enyu tokubetsu junmai ($27/180ml) suits kingfish sashimi ($19) fanned out over washed onion. It’s plucked from a daily selection of snacks, like eggplant and quail eggs ($8.50) and corn and onion fritters ($8.50). Both are served cold, designed to take the edge off your hunger as you neck that first important beverage and forget about your day. Sake steamed baby clams ($19) are like diving into the ocean. The seductive blend of butter, sake and clam juice warrants a sake upgrade to the umami-rich Kozaemon Bizen Omachi kimoto junmai ($38/180ml). Salty sea water stays with me through chawanmushi ($19). Here creamy hunks of king prawn and briny bubbles of salmon roe burst over warm, perfectly textured custard. The food here is effortless and simple, like the slightly-too-firm torched jacket potato ($16.50) topped with squid fermented in its own funky juices. Scallops ($22.50), painted with soy butter, only wanted for their adductor muscles to be cut to release them from their shells. We ended our night eating roast duck slices glazed in soy and chilli yuzu ($25), wondering if we had just teleported to Tokyo.

I’ve been here twice in the past two months, and every visit feels like a little trip to Japan. The space is good for smaller groups of two to four, due to the seating setup—any bigger and it’s a bit tricky to chat with everyone. The menu changes regularly, which keeps things exciting, and there are some standout dishes like the school prawns, cheese paired with pickles, and the agedashi tofu. The sake list is also extensive, so there’s plenty to explore.