Sokyo

Oh Sokyo, I write this review with mixed feelings. Years ago I used to love this restaurant. It was an establishment that offered a high end dining experience with delicious high quality food. I recently went for my birthday after 8+ years and my memory of Sokyo wasn't the reality. The food came out really quickly and most of it was luke warm. It felt like everything had been precooked so they could push dishes out. While all of the dishes were still nice, it did feel like the dishes were of lower quality and there wasnt any love and pride put into the food. The ambience also felt more "fast food" like with the speed of the dishes being taken and placed on the table. We got all our dishes within 30mins. It was still a good experience but definitely not a 5/5 high end establishment like it used to be.

Truly magical Japanese food experience. Staff were brilliant and exceptionally accommodating. Atmosphere in the restaurant was intimate, cozy and quiet. It's a large restaurant but the acoustics around us to have quiet conversations without being disturbed. The food and wine was sensational. I highly recommend this restaurant for special intimate occasions.

Excellent food, tasty binochtan grill beef. The sushi came warm which was weird. Don't recommend the mocktails but the atmosphere was great. Staff very knowledgeable but did forget me for a little bit. A good experience and more affordable than some other restaurant in the building.

I called in at Sokyo for dinner with my partner and her mother (who have been several times and swear by the place!). The team are welcoming and attentive, with a superb wine menu and a wonderful variety of options. Everything we ordered was utterly delicious (the tempura prawns were better than many I’ve had in many high-end places in Japan), and I’ll happily be returning again!

Went there for lunch, menu was very limited (only 2 types of sushi). Only the smallest sushi roll at splurge prices with very ordinary qylualiy and taste, it did not even serve the eye and I was very disappointed when it landed on our table. Overall experience was very disappointing with a big bill. Had to spend $130 for one appetizer, 2 beers and two small rolls. Will never go back.

the food was outstanding, especially the cuttlefish and sweet potato tempura, plus the lamb was cooked to perfection. Salmon and sushi were yum too. The service was just just great with staff who were friendly and helpfull. A bit on the pricey side but worth going back to

Food was great but think the bar/music was alittle to loud. Thinking it was more of a fine dining place but ended up more of a bar and DJ session right next to the ones dining in at the tables.

Made a reservation for the omakase course which is only available Monday to Thursday with only six seats at the counter. The course has about twenty dishes using premium ingredients such as truffle, caviar, sea urchin, abalone, fatty tuna, wagyu, snow crab and king crab. There were a few rich dishes such as the chawanmushi and the miso glazed toothfish with shaved truffle but most of the seafood were prepared in a way which highlights the freshness and natural taste of the ingredients. The course progressively got better with each dish, favourites were the sea urchin and alfonsino sushi hand roll; and the all in one sushi roll. Overall a delicious omakase spanning a little over two hours; chef was friendly and service was good.

We made the mistake of ordering the Omakase at this nice looking trendy restaurant in the Star Casino. Most of the dishes were passable, although I personally don't care for mussels. However, the big disappointment was the wagyu filet, which had a tough rubbery texture, like it had been cut incorrectly. We sent it back and they brought out another cut which was marginally better, but not even close in quality to the A5 wagyu I've had elsewhere. The few pieces of sushi we were served were okay, but for the price, there should have been more. Overall, a fairly big disappointment for our big night out in Sydney at what is supposedly one of the premiere Japanese restaurants in the city.

I came here again because I have been told time and time again that this place is the best Japanese in Sydney...but if this is the case this is pathetically sad. In my last visit...the problem was the service and the service really defined how poorly the food was for me this time. We had plates of food that were given to us with 0 explanation (particularly the sushi) and the flavors of the tasting menu was so standard. On instagram, this place exudes a great vibe and perhaps the experience is different for those who are friends with the chefs....but this restaurant is really like a random midtown Japanese restaurant in New York that would go bankrupt in 1 month. I really don't understand the hype of this restaurant (chaco bar is way better even tho they do not do sushi). But in a day and age where placing a few truffles on dishes and saying that this dish has toro in it is a personality and lifestyle....I can see why this restaurant is great with certain people. But for those who want that extra enjoyment...a restaurant that does not just rely on the laurels of good ingredients.....find another place.

I was looking for breakfast so decided to try out Sokyo. It was just ok, chose the 'onigiri with chicken yakitori' option. It did have real crab in it but otherwise it was ok.

Sokyo is excellent for special occasion, so I decided to have our last dinner in Sydney here. Booking is easy and fast using Opentable. I do like the ambience and the atmosphere here. Perfect for a date or better if you are on a business account or if you just hit a jackpot in the casino. But sadly I was not that lucky. We shared, or I am not sure we should be sharing as that's just enough food for myself: Sashimi Plate ($60) + 2 pc of Abalone ($19) Queensland ($22) Spanner Crab, Spicy Aioli, Avocado, Soy Paper Mochi Ice Cream ($9) Glass of Villa Maria ($12) Sashimi Plate was nicely presented. The dramatic dry ice will make you go wow! The fish/seafood selection is good. They do have some non traditional dipping sauce for the sashimi! Love the tuna! But I did regret the additional 2 pc order of Abalone at close to $10 each! Queensland Roll was another disappointment. Hardly any crab meat or the taste of crab. At least we ended with a happy note. House made Mochi Ice Cream was good! Sokyo located inside The Sky Casino Complex can really charge a premium price but the experience as a whole was meh. Would not recommend unless you have money to burnt!

Great service - need to book before attending as it gets really busy. Hugeee selection of sake and beverages ! Food was good quality - really fresh but everything felt heavy on the stomach and each dish has a lot of either chilli/ wasabi/ pepper or thick sauces! Needed a fresh dish and when we ordered a salad - even this had chilli through it ! The water is $9 a bottle so beware and ask for tap water to save some $$$. Duck dish shown was $52!! Hefty price for such a small portion. Great experience overall!

Fresh fish and expertly prepared sushi, but comes as a premium. The sashimi platter is fancy schmancy with a cup of dry ice that serves no other purpose than to look pretty. The sashimi is no doubt fresh, as are the fish in the rolls. The rice is well cooked, seasoned and formed. Convenient location at the Star, and the service is excellent.

Came here on a Friday night, before the lunar new New yEar-with a booking of course. The place was crowded and a little noisy, especially with the music. The lighting is dim, but as is expected with such high class restaurants. The waiters and waitresses were plentiful and very helpful in taking orders, recommendations, and questions. The indoor decor was minimalistic, but tasteful. A sushi bar is also located in the restaurant, so you get to see the sushi made right in front of your eyes. I ordered a spicy tuna sushi roll (8 pcs), and it came in around 7 minutes. It tasted great and fresh. Will come again most probably, but the menu has limited options aside from the sushi.

Had a nice dinner here at Sokyo after a long day of cruising harbour bay on a catered boat. Definitely on the fancier side of Sydney's Japanese Cuisine but nothing close in comparison to Nobu. I have to say that Sydney in general wins with their tender Wagyu beef dishes (and lamb). The Uni was not fresh at all and was the most disappointing part of dinner. However, their sashimi was fresh and their presentation was beautiful.

Solid tasting menu, terrible service. Forgot our aperitifs (needed a reminder after 15 mins), rushed courses (we asked specifically if they could let us finish our wine pairings - just a few minutes, nothing crazy!) and then at precisely 1 hr 40 minutes asked us to finish eating our dessert course. I'm happy to drop $600 on food and wine pairings but it would have been nice to have service that aligned :/

We had been hearing many good things for a long time about Sokyo at the Star, not only their Japanese dinner, but also their buffet breakfast. As we began 2018, we decided it was finally time to visit. Do make sure you book ahead of time as it can be hard to secure a spot. In attendance were our insta foodie friends and contributor Sakinav and one of the best food bloggers in Sydney: Spooning Australia, as acclaimed by the Good Food Guide. We all met at Sokyo, a modern restaurant with floral displays, neatly set tables and an inviting buffet. The place very much had a hotel feel. We are all seated, scoped out the offerings on display at the buffet and also perused the menu. We were in two minds regarding out choice for the menu and whether to get al a carte or buffet. $22.50 for a la carte or $28 for buffet. From the ala carte menu are a range of Japanese inspired dishes. However, you can also go for the $38 for an a la carte option, buffet, tea and coffee, that is the choice! What could be better? All of us ordered something different from the al a carte menu. Whilst we wait for the ala carte dish, we start a conga line back and forth from the buffet, shuffling around like busy little worker ants. Everyone has a hand in arranging food at the table. You'd have think there was a small army eating, not just 5. The coffee then arrived at the table, however, with so many good boutique coffees out there, it was a little bit of a let down that they were using a large commercial brand, but I guess it will appeal to the masses. Be mindful though, some of the drinks cost extra, like the matcha or turmeric lattes. The buffet was quite simple with a range of cakes some with a hint of Japanese flavour including yuzu or matcha. All very nice and beautifully prepared. There was fruit and yogurt as well as an allotment of beautiful cheese and meat. In typical Asian buffet style, somethings that we always love like some soba noodles, with your choice of toppings. There was also the congee, a savoury rice pudding. With this pudding, were an array of savoury condiments to add flavour, be it fried challots, spring onion, soy sauce, ginger battons or pickled plum. The buffet was nice but paled in comparison to the a la carte menu. When the food we ordered started to arrive at the table there was much food envy. The match lamington, very Japanese was nicely presented with a yuzu curd and red bean inside. It was extremely beautiful and overall a lovely dish, despite the cake being a little dense. The Sokyo seafood bowl was not your typical Austalian breakfast. A bowl of rice topped with an assortment of fresh seafood and an onsen egg. It started out a little standard and improved ten fold once all mixed together and flavours combining them together. The taditional choushoku breakfast was impressive a set including miso soup, rice, fish of the day, edamame, nori, Japanese pickle and onsen tomago. The star of the day, at the Star on this occasion appeared to be the spicy salmon udon ordered by Spooning. As a whole, the breakfast at Sokyo was very enjoyable. The price is reasonable and the service is very good. Combining the a la carte and buffet options together is thoroughly recommended.

Eh. I wasn't that impressed. The fish was fresh and sushi was good. We sat at the sushi bar which I had read was omakase only but that wasn't the case. We were able to order whatever we wanted. The disappointing part was the sushi chefs basically ignored you. They didn't engage. They made your sushi in front if you but then handed it off to the side and it was delivered by someone else. Instead of just handing it to us. I didn't expect them to be my bff but they never asked how anything was or if we wanted more. We were excited they had aburi style sushi and it was good but missing something. We did like the uni toro truffle special they had. I did see some dishes that looked really good so maybe we just didn't order very well. The bar chairs were uncomfortable too.

I've been here for breakfast more than 5 times but haven't tried their dinner yet! Something to look forward too! But I love their breakfast. Starts at 7am and finishes at 1030am. $28 gets you the buffet, add $10 and you get to order an a la carte dish as well. The a la carte menus are yummy and you can order that by itself without the buffet (individual prices). However if you're not a big eater, either the a la carte or the buffet will do. Have them together and you won't sample much of the buffet. Favourite selection front the buffet is the Japanese congee with the condiments. Those fried donuts and preserved plums and mushrooms are delish! Oh and you get coffee with the buffet I think. Recommend the black sesame latte if you love Asian flavours (its caffeine free).

Have been to Sokyo 3 times, impressive Japanese cuisines. Great atmosphere, huge selection of Japanese food, nice menu, wonderful drink list. However, with all those nice options on menu, my favorite always been the Spicy Ramen...my Japanese girlfriend said it is very authentic...

Well, I've been to different Nobu's, and know their menus already. When I heard the executive chef Chase was from Nobu, I thought - maybe they have the similar dishes...? But after reading good and solid reviews, I decided to try. When I got there, I noticed they have recruited so many familiar faces (both chefs and servers) from other good/famous restaurants. Anyhow, we were seated in front of Chase at the sushi bar. Since it was the first visit, I wanted to do omakase, but more of sharing style so that I could taste different dishes. And the course started... We started with sashimi/cold dishes, then moved to cooked/hot dishes. Each was designed to share by two and they were all unique. All of them looked different from Nobu's for sure. I could definitely tell all the ingredients were extremely fresh and some of them were very rare to get - especially in Australia. Then, when Chase served saba (mackerel) oshi-sushi, I was so happy, and that was the moment that I knew I HAD to come back again. I really wanted to continue to go onto more sushi items, but I was full by that time. In fact, I could have only one of two bites of the dishes later in the course and asked my friend to finish for me. Please see the photos what we had. All the dishes were accompanied by junmai daiginjo sake which was the perfect combination! A few days later, it's my return match (!?) - so that I could have more sushi this time. Chase served some cooked dishes but more focused on sushi. He served us sushi one by one - every single one of them was really good, and three of us were speechless. Later Chase told us that we missed George Clooney who dined here earlier in the same evening! I have to add that I like the bar area as well. I will go back.

Let me start off by saying both the food and the restaurant itself are quite lovely. Everything we ate was 5 star. So why the 3 stars. If you care about customer service and not being ripped off, you'll understand. For starters, the restaurant has absolutely no allocation for walk-ins. Look, you have a hip restaurant with good food. Calm the hell down. You're not so cool and exclusive you can't leave room for 5-10% walk-in space. I was happy to wait. We were then directed to the bar area where we could eat. Trouble is at the actual bar which is comfortable you can't eat. Instead, you are forced to sit at these crappy low lounge tables clearly not made for eating at (see picture). Now, about those damn beers. See the picture. WTF is this. My beer is as big as the water glass for $9!!!! Give me a break! The rest of the food was equally overpriced. Pork skewers where you have to buy 2 at $10 each. Come on. Uni nigiri at $13 a piece!!! Sorry, you're good, but nowhere near that good.

Sydney's Japanese food game is strong, with the likes of Tets, Sake, Toko, Masuya...and the list goes on. So when I finally booked Sokyo, which my friend described as 'seriously freakin amazeballs' I had my doubts. It's certainly not cheap! I almost called my mortgage broker when I saw the menu. But delicious and 'amazeballs' it certainly was. There were 3 big eaters at dinner and we ordered heaps to share...for the purpose of this review I will mention the 3 standouts that blew my mind...short rib tataki, the caramelised miso cod and the ooma premium toro (warning, it is seriously premium, but also seriously delicious). Common theme with these 3 is the high fat content, instead of shying away from fat the chefs at sokyo embraces it and use it for its flavour. The tataki and the otoro were rich, tasty and melts in your mouth. The cod was so bloody good, our eyes rolled to the back of our head...it's flakey, melty and bitey all at the same time, the salty miso is well balanced by the caramelised sugar. Wash it down with any of the long list of sakes and you have yourself an unforgettable meal. As for the atmosphere, it's modern, trendy and lively. The lighting is dim enough for a date, but it's not exactly romantic due to the large groups and general buzz in the restaurant. Great for groups, friends or couples with 'it's complicated' relationship statuses.

2 tables seated when we arrived on a Saturday 12 pm lunch hour. I think we must have been invisible but I guess expectations for an "upper class" restaurant were in play as well. Made eye contact with workers in suits which I assume are all hosts about 3 times before one of them finally came to greet us. To take us to our reserved table. Again, only 2 tables were here and it took a little longer than necessary for a waitstaff to come check on us to see if we were ready to order. Time to order! We'll get an order of Hokkaido Scallop sashimi, tempura mushroom, robata chicken and pork belly skewers... ... so far so good... now onto the real Japanese stuff I came for. The fresh seafood. Can we please order sea Urchin nigiri - sorry no Sea Urchin today, no scampi either Oh bummer.... ummm what is the market price on your Toro today? - sorry no Toro today I'm guessing no chu-toro either? - yes sorry no toro or chu-toro today Hmmm well... Then ok I'll just have king fish belly and crispy tuna sushi. Verdict: would only be back for the robata

Get the tuna. Aged tuna on crispy rice and tuna roll. It melts in your mouth. I don't even like tuna but I loved these. When I left Sokyo all I could wonder was if they do take out so I could do drive bys of tuna. I hope they don't because I'd like to keep my figure as it is. The chicken on the skewer was also really tender, moist and delicious. I'm a sauce gal but I appreciated the minimal flavoring sauce wise, it was a nice balance and very complimentary. Warning! - 2% charge for credit cards when paying the bull. It autocorrected bill to bull because it knows thats bullshit. Don't bother with the asparagus tempura it's nothing special, not worth the cost. I didn't think anything except the tuna and chicken was worth going back for. The green tea cake was cute, it seemed a little bit too happy for us to dive into it (you'll see). My company wasn't keen on this one but I liked the flavor of the green tea without the adornments to sully the flavor. Final note: When I have a wedding the aged tuna roll is the only thing that will be served. No water, I want everyone's glasses filled with these rolls.

Having done lunch/dinner here, time to hit them for breakfast. Walked in with no reservation one early weekend and were seated promptly with 1 hour allocated to us. Service was attentive, efficient as with other times. Should have snapped their latest breakfast a la carte Recommend: seasonal white fish with chawanmushi, seafood bowl, spicy salmon udon.

I was staying at the Star Casino and had the buffet breakfast. Tons of Japanese cuisines and you're also able to order from a menu with the buffet. Key winners from the buffet section was the juices (comes in a sale pourer), smoked salmon, and congi (Asian rice porridge). Would I come back? At least once every time I visit Sydney and staying at the star

Walked in and was offered a table for 5:30 if we could be finished by 7pm. Which was not a problem! The service was very good. We asked about Omakase, but that was not available. The sashimi platter was presented with the fog/smoky dry ice. Pretty cool for the kids. The fish was so fresh and delicious. The other items we tried included duck, miso cod, salmon roll, crunchy tuna roll and the tempura white fish was excellent. Pricey, but you're paying for the decor, sushi bar, hotel location, etc.

Busy little place located at the exit of the Star Casino. Make sure you book well in advance. Fresh produce and some terrific combinations. The service was terrific so all in all a pretty good experience. Love the Kirin Lager off the tap. After 6 Kirin's even I started to say Sokyo instead of Tokyo :) #ResearchAndTravelServices #facxual_events

This place was on my list so when my boss offered to take me out when my contract ended AKA they wouldn't sponsor me and I think she felt bad....I had only a handful of suggestions and this was at the top. Go here....the food is fricking amazing! I even got the hipster cocktail cause I was wondering what the hell quinoa vodka tasted like and why someone would make such a thing and well it was pink and delicious. We started with kingfish and salmon sashimi. The kingfish was amazing. Then we had the cuttlefish tempura which had the most amazing dipping sauce. Next we shared two mains, the miso cod and the salmon. The fish just fell apart and melted in my mouth....it was unreal. For desert we had the pineapple mascarpone with ice cream which actually comes as 3 doughnuts with a sauce. The server was very helpful and made recommendations when explaining the menu. We tried a few of these suggestions and they were probably some of the better things we ordered so go with what the server suggests. We also had not 1 but 2 sommeliers come over and the 2nd one, who actually made the wine list suggested an amazing wine that we loved. All in all this is one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to. The ambiance was great, the service was great and the food was amazing!

So I came back again for the seasonal truffle menu. I don't know if I'm being melodramatic by saying that the Toro Toro sushi is my favorite food, period. For $15 a sushi, I didn't see myself having more than one - I ended up getting three. If money grew on trees, I know it wouldn't have ended there. The a la carte menu left as big an impression on me as the Omakase session I came for last month. Unexpectedly, I loved the uni sushi. Usually repulsed by the look and texture of sea urchin, this really changed my mind. It had an almost buttery and silky quality which literally melted in your mouth. We also ordered the snapper sushi, king mushrooms, and aged tuna (with crunchy rice bottom), and spanner crab sushi (the Queenslander). Everything was extraordinary. Dessert comprised of tofu cheese cake and the classic mochi - I am still in awe of how amazing this mochi is. And just when I thought Sokyo could not impress me any further.

Best Japanese I've had in Sydney. By a long shot. Came here twice within a month, one for my fiancee's birthday and again for friends visiting from overseas to do their omakase. The first time we picked a la carte, and you know what the Beef Robata is pretty much heaven on a stick. We also got the Pork Belly Robata; don't even think about getting that or any other Robata if the Beef Robata is available...unless you eat it second. Eating the Pork Belly Robata after eating the Beef Robata is like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth. It's just wrong. The Green Bean Tempura and Sea Scallops...fantastic and packed with flavour. They were sold out of the Bluefin Toro for a la carte so we ordered Salmon Belly Aburi and Queensland Roll. The aburi was good, but the Queensland Roll was FIRE. If you come a la carte you must get this. In regards to their omakase, you need to book it at least a week in advance and you must book via e-mail. It'll run around $125pp and you can't call or make bookings online, so just call them and ask for the e-mail to book the omakase because it is an AMAZING omakase that changes all the time. I thought it would just be sushi but it is 10 courses from their meticulously designed and delicious Japanese/Australian food, and the sushi comes at the end. I cannot praise this omakase anymore as it has the best sushi I've ever had. Chase Kojima (of Nobu fame) is a wizard. Dishes include: Kingfish miso ceviche Tuna tataki Black cod tempura Green bean tempura Tenderloin Scallops Roast Duck 8 pieces of different sushi, including Bluefin Toro (which you need to eat last) When you get sushi here the wasabi is already wrapped in, so don't be confused if you don't see any offered. Every dish was good, standouts were obviously the sushi, then the tenderloin, scallops, roast duck, and green bean tempura. Amazing omakase, you will leave happy...I still have dreams about that Bluefin Toro.

My cousin and her partner always visit here when they come to Sydney. I have never been here so what better opportunity than now. Waking up at the crack of dawn I headed off to The Star as they needed to fit an early breakfast before their flight. The breakfast they serve here is Japanese inspired and reflects greatly in the variety of food they serve here. The service is phenomenal. They always made sure you needed for nothing and always so polite. They cleared the plates promptly and always made sure if we ever needed more coffees. The atmosphere of the restaurant is calm and soothing as well. It has a nice vibe to it. They offer a choice of three types of combinations of breakfast. They offer an a la carte dish with tea or coffee, a full continental buffet with tea or coffee, or a full continental buffet with an a la carte dish with tea or coffee. The a la carte dishes are wonderfully Japanese and they have twists on classics like eggs benedict and a full american breakfast and the like. All the packages come with serve yourself juices (orange and apple on offer today). Being my first time I went for the buffet and an a la carte dish. I went for the Eggs Benedict. My cousin and her partner with a la carte only. She went for the Traditional 'Choushoku' Breakfast, and he went for a Sumo Breakfast. The buffet has such a delicious and fresh range of foods. I was impressed with the choice and the Japanese element to many of the dishes. If you want a different type of breakfast that is not your traditional type of dishes or buffet, I highly recommend you give this place a try.

It is said in the Holy Bible that Adam ate of the Apple which was taken from the tree of knowledge. And by this action he gained wisdom and was cast out from the garden of Eden. Eden was lost forever but a shard remains preserved in Sokyo. A garden of delights, a paradise of experiences and flavours. Without compromise or indifference, this is a high point of simple food made elegant. You will have several emotions at Sokyo. One of great satisfaction at the first mouthful. Inbetween you will visit a far away place disconnected from the city around it. And finally one of great remorse at the realisation that the meal has ended. You will be cast out at the end of the night, hoping to return again. But you will return.

This place was out of this world. The most freshest seafood you could ever get. Service.... Wow!!! There was nothing that wasn't nice it's quite addictive... Just a reminder book way ahead as there always booked out...

Meh. Do people actually like this restaurant? Is pretty much what I said to myself when leaving here. In essence, I'd describe this restaurant as a place where it's overpriced and filled with people who like to spend money on poor quality food and dining. I love Japanese food and Japanese fusion cuisine. I also love eating out and trying new restaurants. I can go for cheap eats or something more high end. Usually, the food and the quality of food is reflected in the pricing and obviously the bill you happily for (if you're satisfied). Unfortunately I was not. Firstly, we made a booking for 10 people at 9.30pm. When making the booking we weren't told that the kitchen closes at 10:30. So arriving a little late we were told only on arrival that we had 50 minutes to order everything. However we were also notified that usually people order as they go here. But we didn't have the time to do that (our fault). So we were ordering as much as we could all together. The staff weren't helpful with explaining meal sizes so everything was a guess. This brings me to my second point. Portion sizes. If you would happily pay $12.00 for literally a piece of salmon that doesn't taste all that well, come here. Everything was so over priced for the amount that you actually got. I had more fun and fulfilment eating edamame than 90% of the things that came out. The waiters were too pre-occupied with relaxing than helping us. We were waiting to order more but never had the opportunity because they didn't want to come near us. Drinks took 40 minutes to come out and the waiter got confused with which wine was what. As all the plates were starting to be cleared one of the dishes still hadn't come. By this time it was 11:00pm (kitchen closed). I had to pull over the waiter and ask where one of the dishes were. He had to check the kitchen, and then apologise to me because the chefs forgot to make it. Then when the bill came we nearly had a heart attack as to what we had just eaten came to nearly $900? I mean a Japanese omelette for $40? Really? Overall, the decor is nice and quite elegant but unfortunately the food and service does not meet that standard. I've come to the conclusion that people only come here because they assume that as the restaurant is associated with the Star Casino, it must be good. Sadly, I don't believe so.

Sydney Syders are raving about the Soyko breakfast and I had food envy so I promptly make a booking and check it out. Sometimes MW and I like to go all out buffet style for breakfast. It makes for such a nice way to start the day. Sokyo is located in Pyrmont, near the Star casino. I suggest heading in early at 7am for street parking. Sokyo has a few options when it comes to breakfast. You can choose 1. One hot main for $22.5 2. Full buffet for $28 3. One hot main and full buffet for $38 After reading so many blogs about how delicious the eggs benedict is, I choose that one immediately. The dish arrives and it looks beautiful. I don't really want to touch this piece of art but out of hunger and practicality I break into that egg (ooh). The egg is perfectly poached and is coated in hollandaise sauce. The dish is is a bit sweet with the brioche bread and hollandaise however it's easily balanced out with some fruit from the buffet. Lovely. There's also tonnes of fruit, pastries, congee, cereal, smoked salmon, soba noodles and cheese/crackers to choose from. What makes Sokyo different is probably the high quality and variety of Asian fusion pastries.

Outstanding Japanese food - one of the best I have had in Sydney. Loved everything that came out. We ordered a lot of sashimis, tempuras and Sushis highly recommend. The spicy tuna crispy rice is outright perfection. Would 1000% come back! Drinks were well balanced. Desserts were innovative and tasty. Nice that you can go to the casino after!

I've wanted to visit Sokyo since the opening a couple of years ago, and finally went for a birthday dinner. I'm happy to report that it didn't disappoint! Food: the stand out was the beef tataki and kingfish carpaccio. From the desserts list, the soufflé was great - everything else looked beautiful but didn't meet expectations. The restaurant is noisy - so this may not be the right place if you want an intimate dining experience.

I really loved this restaurant Most modern Japanese food I ever tried First of all staff was attended and fast on services Food is delicious but mind of it's small size serve we get each order I like sashimi plater so fresh and beautiful They are in the star was convenient

My favorite Japanese restaurant in all of sydney! So classy and posh. The rope walls give you that fresh from the fancy sea feel. The music is upbeat. It's a great atmosphere before a night out. You can't go wrong with any item on the menu. The tempura calamari is delicately crisp with the best sauce. The crispy rice tuna is a winner for everyone I know who has tried it! Lobster sashimi shined because of its side of fat. Thee best part that gave flavor to every bite. Pungent and creamy, quite the delicacy in my book! The steak is served with the fun onion shavings is it? They wiggle and move like it's alive. Everyone absolutely raved about the Mochi sorbet. Thin and gummy Mochi folded over a small filling of fruit sorbet. Everyone fought for the last bit. Top quality seafood.

This is really 3.5 star but I am rounding up. The service was very average for a restaurant in this price range. The sushi is good but not remarkable. The wait staff did not know much about their own menus. The decor is beautiful. The ambiance is nice, if a little loud. It is not easy having a conversation sitting across the oversized tables. Overall I was a little disappointed.

One of my favourite places for Japanese food - premium quality food, good service, and great ambience. It is on the more expensive side of things but nonetheless it's absolutely delicious. The sashimi platter is still the best, without fail, served with theatrics plus extremely fresh cuts of sashimi. I'm seriously keen to try out their breakfast.

This review is for the breakfast. Went for the Full continental buffet with tea/coffee and one Full continental buffet ($28), an a la carte dish with tea/coffee ($38). For the a la carte dish had the Sumo Breakfast. It was pretty good but probably an overkill, the continental buffet is enough or just go for a la carte instead. Everything is fresh but I think there's not that many options compared to other buffet breakfasts I've tried. Cost is ok, but would expect more selection. Lot of sweet treats but could do with more savoury dishes. I think next time would go for a la carte. Total $66.

I came here to meet up with a friend for a drink and catch up on life. I can tell that the people that come here mean serious business, all dressed up and very fancy. The cocktails here were made to order and very on point with what you expect. The service was very attentive, but not in the way that would ruin the mood or atmosphere. I would like to come back and try the sushi, but unfortunately that will have to wait until I decide to make another trip out to Australia.

Very very good. I was annoyed with certain things on the menu namely that they list the robatas as one price but you have to get two which obviously doubles the price and you have to get two of the same things. Same goes for the sashimi. I'd rather less smoke and mirrors to Make the menu appear more reasonably priced but whatever. We had he tuna appetizer w edible flowers. Everyone raves abt this it was beautiful but lacking in flavor completely. It was our least favorite dish -beef robata very good - cod is an absolute must. One of the best pieces of fish I have ever eaten it literally melted in your mouth. Can't not say enough this cod was unreal -spider roll was whatever imo. You cannot taste any crab all you taste is avocado w crab texture -spicy tuna roll- very good very fresh and delicate -crispy rice tuna was good. The crispy rice was overly fried and just dry but the tuna was so incredible it didn't matter Overall it was really good but I think you should Play to the restaurants strengths and only get sushi or sashimi and definitely the cod.

This is o-fish-ally my favorite restaurant in Australia! My absolute MUST HAVE dishes when I go: Kingfish Miso Ceviche - i love the little green jalapenos in this dish because it gives it a little spice and the crispy potatoes give it a little crunch. Usuzukuri - beautiful presentation. Everything in this dish just goes really well together. Hokkaido Scallop Yuzu - the presentation for this dish is so pretty. The yuzu gives it a light citrousy taste which makes it refreshing. Snapper Tempura - the tempura batter wasn't to thick and it gives it a nice crispy texture Wagyu Ribeye - get this only when you're with a party of 4 or more because its a huge portion. Dengakuman - caramelized miso cod, japanese salsa, cucumber salad Tai Ceviche - it's a sushi taco!! cuttlefish, shio konbu, lime salsa wrapped by a crispy nori. Toro - it's $16 per piece but soooo worth it! If you don't have reservations you can always dine at the lounge/bar area. However, the service in the dining room area is definitely way better than in the lounge area.

Easily some of the best Japanese cuisine I have had! Each dish was presented beautifully and full of flavour. Great service and atmosphere. Will be back!

If you want top notch Japanese dining, this restaurant really sets the bar. Every time I've been here, it's always delicious, classy and fresh. The service is bang on time, the staff don't linger like they're assessing your every bite but they're easy to find when you want something. The food is consistently sensational. You have choices of entrees, mains and desserts, however the best option is to carouse their sushi roll & nigiri, sashimi, tempura and robata selections. Choose at least one from each to get a whole range of the menu. If you're going to try fresh sushi nigiri and sashimi done at their best, do it here. This time we went with the kingfish miso ceviche for entree, beef robata, queensland sushi roll, japanese bbq sushi roll for main, as well as additional spicy tuna crispy rice & kingfish furikake sushi nigiri. Also extra traditional style tuna, toro & alfonsino sushi nigiri. That's alot trust me. Especially because the robata was fricken filling. Being November its the crayfish season for them, so they had more lobster related menu options, unfortunately would've loved to have got the whole lobster sashimi but it was sold out...by 7.45pm! They serve the food in a timely fashion so you're not sitting there hungrily waiting for the next delectable dish. Interior wise its follows classy inspiration from the Star's name, also this restaurant is embedded into The Darling hotel, so its all upscale from here. You don't go here by mistake thinking it'll be cheap chow because it isn't and you need to make reservations in advance. Far in advance. If you're lucky, request the more private and intimate downstairs sitting as the upper stair section gets quite noisy. But you'll have a view of the kitchen so you can see what's cooking. I've never had a bad experience here, even on an anniversary they wrote 'Happy Anniversary' in icing on the dessert platter plate. I'd say if you had a bad moment here you were particularly unlucky, don't like Japanese food or cheapsake and can't recognise quality food when served to you. I love this restaurant and will be returning again for sure.

I really have to concur with other reviews. The staff here are incredible. They are super friendly and so attentive. They have a massive menu and we ended up accepting the offer of the waitress to just pick dishes for us - best idea. They had a great wine list as well with a good range of wines I actually liked, and the sommelier actually knew what they were talking about. It's rare I'm impressed by a restaurant - and rarer that I would give five stars, but its worth the visit. Yes, its horribly expensive ($120/head for us) but if you want a great meal and fantastic service, this has been the best in Sydney for me.

The idea of the Sokyo Dining Room is that you tell your server your budget and any dietary restrictions and they create a personalised tasting menu so that you get to experience all that ex-Nobu chef Chase Kojima has to offer.It should be noted that I didn't eat in the Sokyo Dining Room, rather I ate at Sokyo Lounge, the slightly more casual but no less mind-blowing entree to the main meal. The lounge is cruisey and chilled, with a huge bar down the middle, quirky blythe doll artwork on the walls and ceiling, and an impressive cocktail menu. They also serve 'bar food' off the main menu, and it is Japanese food heaven - spicy tuna mini rolls, ocean trout nigiri, lamb in maple miso, sashimi, green tea ice cream with red bean paste, oh my! I didn't sample the cocktail menu on my visit (I visited in the middle of the work day) but I did enjoy a Karate Kid from the mocktail menu - watermelon, pineapple, agave, tonic, and a cucumber slice. Possibly the most refreshing summer drink ever. The mocktails were $9, and the regular cocktails run around the $18 mark - fairly standard fare for a nice Sydney establishment. This isn't quite as wanky (or expensive) as the other eateries in The Darling (Momofuku, Black et al) but it's still amazing food, so definitely the pick if you want a nice night out without the douchebag factor.

Yeah, not digging this place. Overrated, overpriced, mediocre food, mediocre service. Not really sure what the hype with this place is. Ordered corn-fed chick robata which was some of the driest chicken I've had. Mizuya does this better and at a much more reasonable price. Kingfish miso ceviche and spicy sashimi salad were fine, but nothing to rave about.

First time but in love with the bar area already, nice to have jap food sitting by the bar with amazing service

I need to admit something up front - I was taken to Sokyo by a Star Senior Manager, so I didn't even see the menu. I have no idea what the prices were or what exactly the menu choices were. The gentleman hosting us asked my colleague and I what our food preferences were, then the plates just started arriving! I am a big fan of Nobu, so with Chase Kojima coming from that stable, the expectation was pretty high. The feel of the dishes were very similar in style, in both quality and flavours. That isn't a bad thing .. it was still a place that was unique to itself. The service was impressive and the attention was that right balance of subtle presence. You feel like you are Dining (with a capital D) and having something Special (Capital S) but with funk rather than stuffiness I will return for a special occasion (or an expense account) the next time I travel to Sydney.

Walked into the restaurant expecting to get Omakase after one of the reviews I read. After I asked the waiter about it, she immediately said they didn't offer that. I thought to myself, that's strange, I read all over the internet how great the Omakase was and I immediately pulled out my phone to make sure I didn't have the wrong venue. To my discovery, I WAS at the correct place so I decided to ask the sushi chef at the counter about it. He had no idea and asked the head chef, Sano-San, and Sano mentioned that it was only available 6 months out and for repeat customers? WTF? I have never experienced anything like this before at a Japanese restaurant. If I want to order Omakase, I should be able to get this on the spot without being a repeat customer or needing to book 6 months out. To my surprise, there were a group of ladies who were sitting right next to us at the bar who were eating the Omakase menu and were there for the very first time. Strike one. The service there wasn't very good either. A colleague that I was dining with order a glass of plum wine and it took literally 10 minutes to get to us. How long does it take to pour a glass of plum wine? At the end of the meal, we also asked for the check and it took another 10 minutes. We were sitting there wondering where it was and I had to flag the waitress down again to ask her why it was taking to so long. Strike two. As for the food, it was decent. We had a sashimi platter, kingfish furikake, and scallops that were ok but nothing to rave about. The food saved the meal but the initial feeling that I couldn't get Omakase was a HUGE letdown. I shouldn't have to read countless reviews or scour the internet to realize that their Omakase is reservation only and booked out for months. A huge disappointment for a tourist.

Decided to catch the Pop up before it is too late. Service is excellent. Their price is a bit on the high side not to mention the 2 pct credit card surcharge. Portion is also medium. You will feel hungry an hour or so after the meal but the good thing is unlike other Japanese treat out there you won't have the MSG overdose syndrome. Ordered Umami Tonkotsu 2.0 Ramen. You can easily taste the well prepared pork based stock which is very balanced. The black fungus and bamboo shoot is nice but we found the pork backfat is a bit too much and sort of overtake the seafood and chicken dashi. Overall this dish is really memorable and I got a feeling this won't be our last. Spicy Miso Tantanmen is a bit different compared to what we had in mind. The tomato, broccolini doesn't help much in combating the domineering pork dashi. If not because of the presence of seafood dashi, talkative chili flakes (added upon request) and wise sesame seeds, this is not much different to the Tonkotsu Ramen. In a nutshell we prefer the Tonkotsu over Tantanmen. If you nreally have to eat Spicy Ramen would suggest you go for the Korean one instead. Yuzu Pop Soda is highly recommended if you are into passionfruit and soda ilike we are

Overrated wrapped in a crunchy rice roll smelling of week old tapwater. Cocktails were excellent, and the snapper tataki was to die for. The rest was, to be frank, poor. Sushi trains have better flavour than many of the dishes we had. We asked the waiter to put together the dishes, and it was a massive fail. The rice was starchy, the wagyu beef was over-powered by what tasted like cereal. Oh, and the spicy tuna roll was crunchy and had no eat. Toko in Surry Hills destroys this place. As typical with The Star, style over substance.