Gyuniku: Sydney’s Premium All-You-Can-Eat Japanese BBQ
Words: Emma Wilson, Photo credits: Johnny Norris
The Vibe & Location
Gyuniku is Sydney’s All-you-can-eat premium Japanese BBQ and will take you right back to the urban streets of Osaka, Tokyo or Kobe. This venue is family-friendly as well as date-worthy and definitely don’t miss the fro-yo dessert. Located in Dixon Street, Haymarket, Sydney, this understated street is squeezed between China Town and the shopping precincts of Town Hall and Sussex Street and Gyuniku neighbours with K-Pop dressups and Korean eateries. The surroundings may be understated, but once the grills are fired up at Gyuniku, and you set your eyes on the premium wagyu and cuts of striploin, Angus Bone in Rib, Angus LA Bone Rib, you will forget everything else.
Packages & Pricing
The all-you-can-eat menu is impressive and good value for hungry meat-lovers. Guests can choose from a Sushi, Sashimi and Hot Food Buffet from $48.99 per adult, step up to the Superior Wagyu J-BBQ Buffet for $58.99, or indulge in the Premium Wagyu J-BBQ Buffet from $78.99, featuring premium MB9+ Wagyu alongside kingfish, king prawns, Japanese scallops and an extensive selection of sushi, sashimi, hot dishes and desserts. With children’s pricing available across all packages and a generous 90-minute dining session, Gyuniku is lively and worth a visit. If you prefer a quieter time to eat, go early for lunch at noon or if you’re with a large group it’s best to book ahead.
Atmosphere & Dining Experience
There are 30 stations that have sizzling tabletop grills for that Japanese style experience, and the music is J-pop and decor Japanese casual dining with izakaya hanging banners, Japanese food garlands and mini noren banners. Diners can enjoy favourites such as yaki pork gyoza and Nagoya-style chicken wings before finishing with unlimited frozen yoghurt topped with mochi, tapioca pearls, crushed Oreos and seasonal fruit. The sushi is delicious if you lean more that way and there are vegetarian options available. Parking available in the street below at the Number 1 Dixon Street parking station in Harbour Street.
Key information:
- Address: 34/1 Dixon Street, Sydney NSW 2000
- Hours: Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 10pm
- Website & Socials: www.gyuniku.com.au | Instagram
Bar Hanami & Bottomless Dumplings
Words and images: Emma Wilson
Tokyo Backstreet Aesthetics & Craftsmanship
There’s a newly reimagined venue in Bar Hanami that reopened in January 2026 and somehow manages to feel like your last trip to Japan and a cool whisky bar rolled into one.
Spread across three levels, the 98-seat space blends subtle Japanese styling with playful warmth – cherry blossom motifs, kimono-print cushions, warm timber finishes and glowing pink-red lighting creating the kind of atmosphere you stumble across down a Tokyo or Osaka side street.
The pièce de résistance or medama (Japanese for main attraction) is the extraordinary handcrafted floral ceiling. Inspired by Japan’s spring cherry blossom season and the tradition of picnicking beneath the blooms, it creates the illusion of an entire sky covered in flowers. It’s worth dropping in for a drink just to see it.
A World-Class Whisky & Cocktail Sanctuary
Downstairs, owner Adam Tremont has realised a long-held dream: a dedicated Japanese-inspired whisky bar unlike anything else nearby. The basement space feels intimate and relaxed, but the whisky collection is serious. Hanami houses one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest collections of Glenmorangie, with rare pours from Tremont’s private collection sitting alongside new and limited releases, including the latest Harrison Ford collaboration that had only just arrived when we visited.
For true enthusiasts, there’s Glenmorangie Pride 1984 at $1,495 a pour, though the venue never feels intimidating or overly formal. Instead, the energy remains approachable and fun, helped along by playful cocktails including the Fairy Floss Tingle and Lychee Sau Wau.
Food, Drinks & Bottomless Offers
The drinks menu leans heavily Japanese, from icy Sapporo pints to craft beers like Hitachino Nest IPA, whose softer, less bitter profile pairs beautifully with the food. The menu itself moves comfortably between Japanese comfort dishes and broader Asian flavours, think keema beef noodles, skewers, wok-fried vegetables and dumplings with most dishes sitting between $14 and $30.
- Bottomless dumplings for $40pp, imagine 90 minutes of unlimited steamed, fried and saucy bites, available: Tuesday to Thursday from 5pm–8pm, plus Fridays and Saturdays 12pm – 3pm and the menu includes gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. For further information please see here. Bookings essential: Link here
- Happy Hour runs Tuesday to Saturday from 4pm–6pm with house wines from $9, Sapporo beers from $10 and selected cocktails for $16. Conveniently located near Central Station and just one stop from Moore Park, Bar Hanami feels like a hidden Japanese backstreet bar tucked quietly into Sydney – playful, atmospheric and very easy to settle into for the night.
Key information:
- Address: 403 Crown Street, Surry Hills
- Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 4pm – 12am | Friday – Saturday 12pm – 2am
- Website & Socials: barhanami.com.au | Instagram: @bar_hanami
