japanese bistro zen 禅

industry zen, is an amazing experience where the food is art and service second to none. the servers are just brilliant and every dish is part of the entertainment. if you are there celebrating a special occasion, be sure to tell the staff. simply love this place. will return again and again....and again

visited industry zen for the first time  at friend's birthday lunch. was absolutely awe-struck by the presentation of the food. i ordered $21 grilled-eel box and loved the way it was in a temple-shaped box. the food was stacked in 3 layers and each layer (part of the temple) can be taken off. i was a little bit disappointed by the variety within the lunch box as my main dish was just eel and rice and nothing else (i.e. salad etc.) had 2 sushi rolls and 2 small fried potato/chicken as side dishes. i would prefer if the fried food was warm/hot and there are a little more to the main dish other than eel and rice. however, i understood that's probably due to the price of the lunch box, as my friend who ordered the teppan fillet lunch box had an amazing range of food including the beef fillet, sashimi and fried chicken pieces. overall satisfied with the quality of the food, but more amazed with the presentation. it's definitely a place to go if you want to impress your guests!

time and date: weekend dinner

food and beverages ordered: large warm sake, renkon chips, toro tasting platter, soft shell crab wrap, beef tataki, chicken skewers

environment: vibrant, modern and entertaining

service: friendly and exceptional

costs: $50 per person 

will i return: definately

comment: while i do love the traditional japanese cusine, industry zen mix of innovative and traditional flavor did add an extra "wow" factor. the otoro or "fatty tuna" is a must try, and the chicken skewers are awesome.

came to the zen on thursday for dinner with some customers and we had a most enjoyable time. i love coming here, they make my time here avery memorable time, love this place!!!

industry zen offers up the best lunch bento boxes. i got the ju bento which came in a japanese carriage with little compartments that housed each dish separately. i felt like a little kid opening up the doors, pulling out draws to see what was hidden - it was soooo cool. lunch had never been so exciting. the teriyaki chicken was so delicious with a hint of char which gave the chicken a slight smoke flavour! sushi was fresh, tempura yummy, however i get a little sick after the deep fry - but still really good. i was extremely excited to find out they sell the saki jelly shots. its a must try - just imagine, liquid/jelly/fizzy/alcoholic goodness. its just a little can of fun to finish off eating a fun meal. the decor is oriental & dark with a lot mood lighting. the staff were lovely and i look forward to returning.

i haven't been here for about 3 years, and it was pleasantly, better than i remembered.  my partner and i decided to choose our own selection of dishes rather than opting for the standard 'set menu'.  
the oysters were spectacular with a lovely array of dressings that surprisingly, really bought out the natural salty oyster flavours.  

the sashimi entree set was fresh became quite a memorable experience to eat.  think melt in your mouth fish, scallops, octopus, and prawns, all presently beautifully and delivered in interesting serving dishes.
the teriyaki chicken plate was very tasty.  the alaskan crab robata delicious, and the yum yum prawns and scallops devine.
a great japanese venue if you don't mind spending a bit extra to get the full experience.  service was good, although i would've liked a little more attention to keeping my wine glass full.

been here a few times with different friends and feedback is unanimous that this place is awesome. service is always excellent with staff who serve diners well, know their offerings and are very friendly and accommodating. food is presented very nicely and food quality is great and high quality. atmosphere is really nice and quite unique. every hour they have drums banging as a tradition which could be mildly annoying for some but would highly recommend. slightly pricey but would say it's very fairly priced.

go at least once a month. delicious food. good friendly service. great reliable restaurant. i always start with beans & lotus chips. then the must haves of the spicy tuna roll and the fried rice.

great entertainment 
each night we have been here they do a little announcement for people's birthdays, anniversaries etc, it adds a little fun to the night. you can also see the food being prepared through a window to the kitchen.
food is really good too, i especially like the lotus root chips!
karage chicken is also one of the best around, and the other staples are very good too

food looks very interesting here, they really put a lot of effort into the presentation of the food. however, if you are coming here for a meal, you won't be full after it. service was great though, overall experience was good. just not full from all that we had.

had dinner here for my birthday. nicely decorated japanese atmosphere & crafty food decorations. we ordered many different dishes - seafood robata was average, yum yum prawns were very nice only there was egg shell in the egg.. which wasn't too pleasant to discover after a bite. sashimi was good and other diners liked their food and also said they wouldn't return..

twice in two weeks - must have enjoyed our experience. the food is fresh and delicious and beautifully presented in a variety of ways - lacquered rickshaw boxes reveal sushi and dumplings, porcelain pots contain homemade marshmellow and chocolate fondue. interesting and eclectic interior - japanese dolls and fake sushi in the bar. a huge drum gets beaten during the course of the evening to introduce the chef and all his kitchen staff - bizarre, but fun. only bum note was delivery of food a bit haphazard and a few dishes forgotten.

this is the first time that i didn't feel ripped off after having japanese food. my expectations were not very high considering previous experiences with the price vs value of japanese food.
i loved every dish i had but especially liked the sushi. $9 for 3 pieces seemed a bit steep but for example the soft shell crab sushi came with 2 big pieces of soft shell crab on the side. i can't wait to go back, everything was outstanding including presentation, atmosphere and service.

great food with unparalleled presentation. staff are very accommodating and helpful. best japanese i've ever had. very cool layout and added bonus of kitchen show shortly after 8pm.

i love industry zen! safe to say it's one of the best japanese restaurants in auckland. the food is so delicious and beautifully presented. my personal favorites are the tepanyaki with five sauces, the chicken is always tender and the sauces so full of flavor, the yum yum prawns, the title of the yum yum sauce speaks for itself really, the renkon chips, which are a deliciously crispy lotus chip covered in a yummy salt like flavoring, and the beef robata, i love that you get to choose between three different types of rock salts. highly recommend, it's great for groups of friends or family dinners, or just for a couple.