Kinoko Japanese Restaurant

My partner and I have had nothing but fantastic experiences at Kinoko every time we visit Byron Bay. While the food is consistently great, what truly sets this place apart and makes it a memorable stop for us is the exceptional service. We've found that waitstaff at other local restaurants can sometimes be less attentive and slow to action requests, which is why Cal's service truly stood out. He was incredibly attentive on every visit, consistently going the extra mile to ensure we were happy with our meals. His dedication really ties the whole dining experience together, something rarely found in restaurants these days. I truly hope the owner reads this and values staff like Cal, who transform a good restaurant into a fantastic one. If you're looking for a restaurant in Byron Bay with delicious food and outstanding service, you absolutely have to visit Kinoko! #kakilang

We had a lovely salmon rice dish (the special) and although it tasted delicious, as soon as I got home I vomited it all. It was definitely the fish. I tried ringing them twice to let them know privately so they make sure to store the fish in a cold place but it rang out twice so I have to leave this review

Very limited choice and that's fine so long as the limited choice is top notch, but it isn't. Very ordinary, and a top price is paid for 'ordinary.' I naively assumed if you were there for dinner and ordered from the menu it would be prepared fresh. I was a bit confused when the waitress advised me I could go inside and get more if I wanted more. Then, even though I'd ordered from the menu I was delivered plates from the train. Surely, if you're not going to prepare freshly, you could take the items off all the little plates and serve them, nicely arranged. If I'd wanted a sushi train I would've sat at it, or better still gone elsewhere with more choice. The chicken teriyaki main wasn't great, and the chicken was dry. The tobiko ship was very light on with roe. The spicy tuna nagiri was probably the highlight, but maybe just because it was a suitable helping for the money. The small spring rolls were mainly crispy pastry with a tasteless gloop inside. Staff were very friendly and accommodating.

The staff was so amazing every second during our late dinner! Thanks you so much to create such a wonderful place🧡🧡

Be warned: meals may be around twice the size you are used to expecting! We suggest order in several small stages, or bring takeout boxes 🥡 Delicious 😋 and great value. Excellent friendly service.

very pretty sushi place with delicious food :) although the menu is limited, everything is done expertly and you get great portion sizes. Can be on the expensive side if youre looking for a cheaper dinner, but it's definitely worth it if youre willing, my favourite sushi place for 7 years. Not to mention, the staff are fantastic and attentive and you won't be left with a question or order for long at all despite how busy it can be.

We visited on July 10th at 7pm. I ordered the sesame salmon, which came with mushroom risotto and salad. The dish was good in terms of taste and met my expectations. However, the restaurant's decor was a bit cold and uncomfortable. The staff seemed understaffed and stressed, which caused the food to be served a bit late. Nevertheless, a recommended restaurant for a delicious meal.

We came for a quick visit to Byron again last weekend before school holiday finished. Spot this nice Japanese bar and from the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and the manager’s knowledge of the menu was impressive. His recommendations were spot on ! The mixed sashimi was incredibly fresh with each bite melting in our mouths. The dragon roll was an absolute standout - beautifully presented and bursting with flavour. To top of off we tried the Yuzu Gin cocktail and wow, it was one of a kind! Incredibly refreshing especially on a hot summer day. Sake was a good recommendation paired well with the sushi. Train was colourful and filled with large varieties of sushi. Throughout our dinner, the service was attentive ensuring we were being taken care. Carl checked in on us regularly making sure we were comfortable and enjoying our food. Very funny guy great sense of humour too. Overall, it exceeded our expectations and we can’t wait to come back again. Highly recommend for sushi lovers.

Location is fantastic. Easy to get to. Parking everywhere but might have to search for a bit because this place is so popular for tourist destination. The restarting itself is hip and service is fast. Now to the sushi part... Oh My GOD! The fish is high quality. You can TASTE the difference comparing to many other business around the area. It has a train that delivers the sushi and you could also order from the chefs. There is also a menu that you can order from. I got their salmon sashimi and it just salivated in my mouth. I also ordered a salmon and tuna hand roll and it was spot on. If you are looking for a quick sit down with GREAT quality sushi. This is the place to go.

I was practically ready to reroute that sushi train directly into my mouth the moment we walked into Kinoko, but I restrained myself. Being back in civilisation after a weekend of gumbooting my way around Splendour In The Mud had nearly broken me. Nearly. Enter Kinoko. Five of us were able to sit down, pick up some immediate necessities from the train (wakame salad - check. Salmon sashimi - check.) as well as order a few specialities from the made-to-order menu like agedashi eggplant, udon and gourmet rolls. Definitely a spot I'd visit again if in the area - hopefully next time in a much less savage mood. Any restaurant that can gracefully feed five feral festival-goers and somehow manage to please each and every one of us is definitely worth repeating.

we ate all the Japanese street food staples...karage, tataki, yakitori, gyoza and Ebi teppan... All really good. Washed down with a Kirin, and great service, pretty damn good! Also has a a good selection of sushi on the train (but we didn't have any)

The best sushi I've had in a while. A small Japanese restaurant on main drag. It has a sushi train and great variety of dishes on menu. The dishes on the train were innovative and freshly made. I ordered the assorted sashimi and it was divine. From the sushi train I had the salmon nigiri and it was the perfect size and made to perfection. Also had the crunchy cooked salmon sushi for the first time and it was so good! Will definitely come back!

Our dinner last night was a serious of no big deals that worked together to create a bad (expensive) taste in our mouths. We (party of 4) booked a table for 7pm. Arrived a few minutes early to find there had been a mistake with our reservation and we had to wait for a table to clear. No big deal; we were seated about 7.15. Asked about the assorted sashimi and we're told they had run out of the tuna, and actually, the kingfish too. So the assorted sashimi would be the salmon, the salmon, and the salmon. This also meant the dishes that requires tuna etc also were unavailable. That constituted a lot of the menu, especially the sushi roll selection which was now limited to tempuras or tofu. We ordered a lot of salmon, and a lot of tempura, and the agedashi tofu. The tofu dish was described as "cubes of silken tofu in a miso sauce", as expected. What was unexpected was that it was actually 2 pieces of tofu and a huge hunk of zucchini tempura -- a problem because my dining companion, who ordered that specifically, hates zucchini. When we asked the waitress about it, though, we were told "that's how we do it here". The evening was topped off with a nearly $200 Bill and the innocuous "how was everything"? Meh.

Excellent quality fresh authentic Japanese food. Would definitely recommend the gyoza and the udon. Warm sake to finish off with local buskers and helpful friendly staff. Definite five star restaurant