the jitsu

this is my favourite place to eat in dunedin.
amazing food and friendly staff. i have been there with two japanse students and they loved it too.
never tried the take out - always eat in for lunch and dinner.

we had not been to the jitsu for about a year and we remembered it being enjoyable. so we went last week and ordered take away.....we were quite disappointed.

we had two entree and 3 mains. the tataki salad entree we ordered was by far, the worst tataki we ever had. the beef was cooked all the way through and was very dry and seemed to have been boiled.

for the mains we had a pork bento and two donburi. the mains were very average but filling. also the sashimi in the bento wasn't very fresh.

as for service, we couldn't really say as we had takeaway, but the service from the cashier could be better.

overall, although it was good value for money, i was quite disappointed with the quality of the dishes, (especially the overcooked tataki ) and it didn't taste very authentic.

pretty good food, service should be better but we usually get takeaway now. the reason we keep going back is consistency, i've been to many dunedin restaurants, none have been consistent like jitsu. never had a bad meal here (1 or 2 were average) and tried many different things.

probably the best japanese in town. very tasty sushi, sashimi, and dons. like most japanese places in town, the jitsu is filipino-owned, but puts considerable attention into producing authentic food. the central location, range of seating options, and friendly staff are also big pluses.

value for money. we come to this place everytime we are in dunedin.

definitely recommend this place over some other japanese restaurants esp the one across the road.

dishes are moderately priced and tasty. well recommended.

the down side is that the resturant closes between 2-5pm

i have to agree with georgina.

my husband and i went to this place for our date night after a friend had recommended it repeatedly. the interior and atmosphere felt more like a takeaway lunch place than a licensed restaurant. there are no barriers between each table, and it's a family restaurant, so you can hear all the children screaming.

i have been to a lot of japanese restaurants. and i would rather pay a few dollars more for better quality. miso soup was too salty and the seaweed was in clumps. my husband ordered one of the specials spicy chicken katsu, which was average. it wasn't very crunchy, but for $12, it was ok. i ordered pork jitsu. the meat was way overcooked and tough - never experienced tough meat at a japanese restaurant. the salad on it was overflowing and the waitress had to clear a few leaves while serving it to me. the vegetable kebab looked more like a sad plastic display ornament.
all the food (including sake) came out of the kitchen way too hot.

overall, it felt more like a casual chinese restaurant. pretty disappointed. but i guess you get what you pay for.

went to this place last night with family members. i am a little bewildered by the overwhelmingly positive feedback on here.

first of all, i did not think that the food was authentically japanese. it tasted like chinese -style takeaway food. the flavours and textures were not delicate and delicious, as japanese food should be. we ordered 3 different mains - the prawn kebabs, fish bento and chicken curry rice. the chicken curry rice was absolutely awful - the chicken was so overcooked, chewy and fatty that i almost didn't recognise it as chicken. my prawns were ok, but were covered in some kind of sweet, sticky sauce, which was just overly sweet and not pleasant at all. the side salads were bland and boring and didn't have enough dressing on them. the fish dish was very average. the restaurant does not have much ambience - it has booth style seats, it feels like being in an american diner. i would have given it two stars - but it is reasonably inexpensive and the service was friendly, fast and efficient. overall, i would not recommend this place or be back - particularly to people who appreciate authentic japanese food.

excellent value for money. the place is cosy but can be very noisy too.

good menu selection, great value for money. food and service are good too.

awesome restaurant! great service, they even made me a meal that i was keen for all day that wasn't on the menu! good food and good vibe. definitely among the top japanese food in dunedin. (there is a lot!) i'm making another booking right away.

our favourite restaurant in dunedin!!!
we go there regularly and take all our friends there too and really love it.mostly we order bentos which are really delicious and great value but we have liked everything we tried! the staff are really friendly, sometimes a bit overwhelmed by the many people wanting to dine there but that is understandable as it is such a great place to eat out.

i went in not knowing what to expect but the place looked great and the food was even better. it was very cheap i bought the bento which was only a $15.90 and it came with heaps in it. overall a pleasant experience and would definitely go back.

my absolute favourite japanese restaurant. fantastic menu, lots of choice, great prices (my wellington friends couldn't believe what good value their meal was!) and friendly staff. sometimes they struggle when they are busy, but we forgive.

the jitsu is an all round wonderful dining experience. we have been going there regularly for 3 years and the food is consistently delicious and reasonably priced, with something for the whole family - which includes a fussy 12 year old, a seafood addict and a vegetarian. apparently this "something for everyone" approach resonates for all, as businessmen and ladies-who-lunch mingle daily with students and families at the jitsu. the staff are efficient, polite and helpful. they are very tolerant of our often restless toddler! how many restaurants can you take your baby to and not feel like the record is grinding to a halt and everyone is staring and mumbling "bad parents" as she repeatedly drops her toys on the floor and wails like a banshee?! at jitsu they simply smile, tell us how adorable she is and bring her some paper and crayons (no baby-girl that isn't an entree). the jitsu's owners george and bernadette take the time to get to know their regulars and make them feel special. they once surprised us with a free glass of bubbly when they found out it was our anniversary. the ambience is delightfully relaxed with soothing music, a large floor-seated dining area for groups, and a selection of tables and private booths. recently we showed up on a whim when they were full and they bought in a table from outside so we didn't miss out. the jitsu has a loyalty card system to reward their frequent flyers and can also arrange out-catering. i ordered some for my 30th and it was delicious! if you are looking for the ideal japanese meal in dunedin look no further than the jitsu on lower stuart street. a+++

p.s if you're a vegetarian i suggest you try their agadashi tofu as a starter. they also have wonderful sushi and nigiri platters. yum!

amazing. i am from dunedin and it is my favourite restaurant. prawn jitsu plate is excellent. speedy service, friendly, a must for a dinner meal with friends