chaco ramen

this tiny restaurant isn't the easiest of places to get by public transport or to drive (very limited parking around). we trekked here after work and had a table booked, but when we go there, the only table they had available was quite literally a small wooden box a top a metal stool and 2 tiny stools wedged into a corner (not so bad for me being asian, but my friend who is over 5"7", not so great). theyakitoriwas delicious, but pricey for the size.

this place is tiny. the service could be improved. the prices are pretty fair for the main meals but for theyakitorietc. it's a bit pricey. staff seemed kind of rude.

will be back for:
+ egg custard
+ chef’s 6 skewers

this is an intimate little bar that will not be out of place inyakitorilane in tokyo. yakitori’s were well grilled, and had great charcoal flavours. i particularly liked the chicken wing, lamb shoulder and chicken crackling. the egg custard was smooth, the fish perfectly moist, and had a great truffle essence through the dish - delicious. a hot green tea in this case, rounded off the meal well on a cold winters night. service was great and polite but a little slow on a packed night - understandable in this case. will be back to try the ramens!

an authentic japanese izakaya, remember to book in advance, or u won't have a sear for sure in a weekend evening. the place is not too big, but that makes u feel more in the real japan. theyakitoriis a must try here. the wagyu uni truffle is not plating the way we thought it will be and maybe the truffle oil is too strong for me. anyway, it's a good place to hang out with friend and enjoy a japanese style evening.
wanna try their ramen, but they don't serve it the time we went there😭

this is a secret ramen/yakitori gem! they serve ramen during the day and by night it will transform into a happyyakitoribar. the ramen is authentic and very delicious. the limited edition cold prawn ramen is absolutely superb!👍 the only downside is the place is really tiny, so wait time is expected. otherwise a good eating spot. i wonder how long is the wait for theyakitoriat night?

chaco bar is that tiny hipsteryakitoribar which is featured in virtually every food guide and stamped as one of the “best japanese restaurants” in sydney. australians’ adoration for japanese cuisine is understandable but the standard of japanese dining in sydney is at most rudimentary and pale in comparison to other cities like melbourne, singapore, hong kong or taipei.

i ordered three yakitoris (chicken skin, thigh and pork belly). the yakitoris were considerably cheaper than tokyo bird’s but still expensive at $5-6. the skewered meats were “grilled over charcoal” but did not have any crunchy texture nor develop any fragrant aromas. the meats were hard and dry.

the texture of the chawanmushi was probably the best in town. the silky and soft texture does not disintegrate (like sushi e’s) or tastes like a salt mine (like shiki). however, the chawanmushi does not have a ginkgo nut to break the monotonous flavour and tastes dreadfully eggy.

chaco bar didn't really meet my expectations. firstly the place was quite small, so we waited about 15 mins or so for a table, which i didn't mind. i'm quite used to lining up for some decent ramen. but what was sort of a let down was how fast things sold out. i wanted the special wagyu ramen & karaage chicken. both were sold out, so i settled for the yuzu salt while my partner got the pork cha shu. the dishes came out looking delicious! another let down was how small the portions were... i have never gone to a ramen restaurant where i finished all my noodles and was still starving. usually i'm stuffed and unable to finish all the noodles. the ramen was delicious but my partner and i can both agree that it was nothing special.
aside from all that, the restaurant is very cosy and has some beautiful artwork and decor, giving it a very nice vibe and atmosphere. i'll like to come back here and try theyakitorisome time, so until then.

chaco bar is an ambient, modern yakitori-ya in a quieter part of darlinghurst that also specialises in ramen for lunch.

ramen: their ramen is nothing short of amazing, and always the one i recommend when asked about good ramen in sydney. the selection is limited, which, if you know your ramen, is a sign of authenticity. all the choices are quite unique and clearly handcrafted, down to their toppings including the delicious john dory wonton. their menu changes always improves on previous iterations subtly. their latest yuzu scallop has become a personal favourite, with a great balance of buttery richness and zestiness of yuzu in the broth. abit heavier than the famous afuri yuzu ramen in japan, but very similar. i also always go around opening time and have never had to wait for a seat.

yakitori: selection ofyakitoriis limited but executed decently. they have a great variety of other izakaya style dishes, especially in their specials which usually feature some unique seafood. the specials can be hit or miss but some of the good ones have been very very good. decent variety in whiskey and japanese craft beer also.

tldr: amazing ramen, decent yakitori

boo. too much effort to get ramen. the first time we tried to eat here we were told it would be a 2 hour wait. the second time we did book we were give the world's tiniest bench facing the wall. the menu didn't even fit on that bench. and of course they didn't serve ramen on a saturday night. this i don't get. we tried theyakitorimenu and the meat was ok. but probably not worth the $5-7 price tag. i did like the prawn slider but again...overpriced. i really didn't enjoy their famous meatball either - it's quite sweet. you can get better grilled meat on sticks at plenty of other places that don't come with the hipster exploiting price tag. sorry hipsters you have been punk'd.

the food is tasty but it's just too expensive. spent over $100 for two onyakitori(japanese bbq) and we were still hungry. 
overall, it was a good experience, but we wont be rushing back.

i’m a bit late to the party, but chaco bar is indubitably excellent foryakitoriand other delicious japanese dishes in a cozy, homely crown street space.  taro chips with aonori are mixed with what we think are potato chips. half a dozen plump gyoza are served in the pan – they get quite sticky to the point of exploding chaos. they’re without a doubt the best gyoza i’ve eaten in sydney. tsukune is paired with a perfect 62-degree egg. deep fried calamari is matched with squid ink aioli. we get overexcited and order too much food: especially the two serves of the grilled rice ball with black cod moromi was way too much.

amazing decor, food, atmosphere and service! i doubt you can go wrong with this place. its not your usualyakitoribar found in the streets of japan but i don't think that matters!

firstyakitoriexperience and i loved it. i love how the place is small but still had a good vibe. the service was impeccable. everything that came out was delicious but favourite were the meatballs!

chaco bar is a little japaneseyakitoridining place in darlinghurst. more recently, chaco bar have also been opening during lunch times, with the promise of delicious bowls of ramen. the menu is kept simple, with two choices of ramen; extra topping options, and a handful of side dishes. it's a cash only affair for lunch.â

was not planning on eating out, let alone going to ayakitoribar for ramen, but as i was in the area..

for starters, the guy making it is from fukuoka, also known as hakatta, where pork bone soup is da bomb! the ramen i ordered was the stock standard (with kata-men of course), which was served with half an egg and a couple of thick and juicy slices of chashu. and so it began..

the first mouthful had the delicious balance of pork fat and something light and fresh. kind of like a leek soup mixed up with the best filling from a 551 butaman (tokyo ppl may need to research this). it was delicious.

the ramen was the perfect thickness and cooked very well. and as i devoured it all, the @very last swig from the bowl, the fresh taste of black pepper (though not an ordinary one) left me almost needing to order another one.

if you like ramen as much as i do, pony up the $13, and get yourself here for lunch. it was well worth it. 😆🍲👍