After eating a great meal here a few years we went on thursday night to celebrate a birthday. We were after sukiyaki but there was nothing about this on the menu. We decided on shabu shabu which is similar. We ordered 2 sashimi platters and salad to start followed by the shabu shabu, however, the shabu shabu was only shabu shabu style meat not the dish. We complained and said we wanted something along the lines of sukiyaki which they then brought out a separate menu for sukiyaki!
Why we weren't given this to start with they couldn't quite tell us. Anyway, we ended getting 4 serves (there were 6 of us) of sukiyaki ($70 per person) which was enough for 6. The food was very average and very overpriced. Sashimi was not great and expensive compared to other Japanese restaurants I have been to. Sukiyaki is a very cheap dish to make and to charge $70 per person is outrageous.
1 scoop of icecream for $9! Per person it ended up costing about $80 each.
Will never be going back here again. Very disappointed.
We went there on Saturday night at late notice around peak time and got a table for 2. Service was amazing. Food came out quickly and we were given time to eat our entrée meals before the mains came out. Stone pot dish was fantastic. Plum wine with soda was great. We highly recommend this restaurant.
After reading the reviews I was worried that this place would cost an arm and a leg, but actually it was ok value and great food. We just free styled about 7 orders from the menu, not the set order. We got loads of dishes including great sashimi, some of the expensive wagu (real good) and then a few of the cheaper beefs (OK).
Also the duck was a pleasant surprise. We left totally stuffed full of meat. With a large hot sake and plumb wine it was $170, ok, so thats not exactly cheap but ok for a great meal, cooking experience and quality ingredients. Also good, polite service.
Overrated. Expensive. $30 for what is 6 thinly sliced pieces of wagyu. You wouldn't leave this place feeling satisfied and full without spending $100 per person. Only positive thing I can say about this place is that you get a slight sense exclusivity as you get free parking in their carpark and they actually get one of the waiters to open the gates for you. But that's not saying much, and you could get 2 or 3 dinners at other places for the price you pay here. Avoid.
I've got to say, Rengayas lunch menu I find extremely good value for money. The food is always fresh and delicious and the service is pretty good to. Always a winner in my books.
Food: While the food is good, I must admit, it is a tad overrated. But who cares when the food is this good. Avocado and Salmon Salad - One of my favourite salads of all time. Always fresh, the combination of avocado, salmon and sundried tomatoes is perfect and the dressing is light and tangy. For the wagyu steaks, you should ask the waiter for today's specials and they'll point out a few which are more beautifully marbled than normal. I recommend that you order it marinated in their special house BBQ sauce. The extra $6 for premium is not really worth it, but then again you dont come to Rengaya on a budget. If you splash out, you may as well do it properly. Stone pot rice I normally order so you don’t simply fill up on steak. The chilli miso (?) sauce that goes with it brings it to a whole new dimension. After all, without it, it's just a bowl of rice. I would not recommend the creme brulee (overpriced for an above average creme brulee) or the coffee dessert but it does provide a nice end to the meal
Service: Cute Asian waiters with language barriers. However they are so patient and cheery with you and you feel obliged to extend the same courtesy
Value: I honestly don't think the gripe about value is justified. I think a lot of the reviewers mistake price with value. Yes it is expensive, but is it value for money? I would say yes. Firstly, the non BBQ dishes are of reasonable price (around $8-14). Secondly, the steak dishes are ~$30 only because Wagyu is expensive stuff. Their premium steaks would cost close to $200/kg (though the restaurant should receive discounts) so really $30 is a fair price to pay. If you compare it to steakhouses, you get an Angus for $50, which is nowhere near as tender as Wagyu.
Overall, definitely up there with the best KBBQ places if you're not on a tight budget. I wouldn't come too often though as the steaks are quite heavy (you must work it off over the next week). Make sure you balance it well with the salads and rice/noodles.
Bit pricey. Not complaining about the quality of the food, but portions are very small. However, the taste is good and the barbeque meat very fresh. Love the salads. Will go again but not that frequently as it is a bit on the high side.
Absolutely delicious! The food came out so fast, and was so fresh. The waitstaff were friendly and helpful. The beef was amazing, we also had calamari and vegetables which we cooked ourselves, so as long as you are handy on the grill then you will be fine! (if it's burnt, you only have yourself to blame). The ice cold Asahi draught goes down pretty well too.