the jitsu

absolutely loved the food and the people were so considerate and suggested vegetarian options as we were a big vegetarian group. the service was awesome and we all really enjoyed the food! possibly the bestjapanesevegetarian food i’ve ever eaten! highly recommend

bestjapanesein dunedin i always recommend this place to people - great vegetarian options and a massive menu to choose from. they also do takeaways!

i love love their chicken katsu curry! taste very similar to thejapanesecurry i had in japan, and their portions are good too! have some really good sushi too.

bestjapaneserestaurant in town with fair price
enjoy the sashimi and bento the most
will definitely recommend it to anyone who lovesjapanesefood!

one thing about this place- the food is really reasonably priced for the amount that you get! it's not gourmet dining but it's some decentjapanesefood!

we ordered a large variety off the menu with the intention to share. the miso they have is a favourite of mine. the takoyaki was really nice, no complaints. grilled salmon don needed some more sauce, and the vegetable kebab was very undercooked- the onion was practically raw. the spicy katsu chicken was yummy- crispy batter and the sauce was flavoursome. really enjoyed the tofu salad- probably one of the favourites, surprisingly! curry was perhaps a bit too sweet and there wasn't a lot of meat in it, mostly potato. the bento box had all the different elements and was very enjoyable.

good for a casual dinner, but don't expect much in the way of service. our table was on a slight angle and one half was a bit wobbly! it was a nice meal but not going back in a rush.

if you're looking for value for your hard earned money - this is the place.

great honest goodjapanesefood, good selection and drinks. it's great how they offerjapanesebeer, it compliments the meal well. the pricing is fantastic.
i recommend a scoop of green tea ice cream to finish the meal off - tasty and cheap.

my experience with service is that they are usually slow coming to your table to take orders. i've had to go up to the counter myself most of the time. but again, i'm not too worried. but once your order has been taken, food arrives quickly and the staff are polite.

for great tasting food and value - i'm not expecting super decor. it's comfortable. sometimes a little unclean... but hey, i come here for a casual outing, nothing more. i've gone to many overpricedjapaneserestaurants that may be nicer in decor, but they don't come close to the price and quality of food.

i always walk away satisfied.

came here for dinner on a thursday. great to have byo option. good location and friendly staff. food was pretty good, the deep fried tofu was yummy. not a bad option for cheapjapanesein dunners, though is morejapanesefusion.

consistently good every time means i am never let down with the high level of customer service and great tasting food. the bentos are amazing and the chicken katsu curry is to die for.

very goodjapaneserestaurant and maybe best in dunedin?

also very good value for money!!

probably the bestjapanesein town. very tasty sushi, sashimi, and dons. like mostjapaneseplaces 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 otherjapaneserestaurants 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 ofjapaneserestaurants. 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 ajapaneserestaurant. 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, asjapanesefood 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 authenticjapanesefood.

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 topjapanesefood in dunedin. (there is a lot!) i'm making another booking right away.

my absolute favouritejapaneserestaurant. 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 idealjapanesemeal 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!