Toko

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  10      Service  7      Value  6     

I had a great evening at this place. We started with cocktails in the bar area until a table was available, didn't have to wait too long and we were more than happy to work our way through the cocktail menu. I liked the casual long tables and the option to sit at a bar overlooking the sushi chefs at work. The food was beautifully presented. I would recommend the soft shell crab, very yummy. Will definitely be going back.

May 16, 2009 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  7     

If you love theh ambience of Surry Hills you'll love this place. Great food - we let the waiter order for and we certainly weren't disappointed.

May 06, 2009 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

CiaoCiao and I ate here in early March. CiaoCiao had heard from a friend that it was great, but, as you can see below, Toko gets mixed reviews, especially for service, we chose to go anyway.

We were there on a Friday (obviously one of their busiest nights) didn't have a booking and arrived about 6 pm. Cocktails are (as mentioned by others) interesting and delicious. We ended up (by choice) hanging out in the cocktail lounge section for about an hour. We had salt and pepper squid for a bar snack, which was crisp, light and al dente, exactly as it should be. Cocktails are about standard price to expensive, say $15-30.

We were politely informed that we could move through whenever we wanted to and when we did, the previously empty restaurant was packed. A note to diners: there is a gorgeous private room for large groups and the toilets are worth visiting just for the decor.

We were seated in front of the zushi chefs, and it was of course fascinating to watch high level zushi chefs about their business. All the service was fantastic. Staff were efficient, friendly and even charming, we have only great things to say about the service we received.

Food was superb. Everything we ordered (which was loads) was outstanding. Delicious sashimi, with a decent serve and beautifully presented on freshly chipped ice. It's great touches like that which can stand a restaurant apart from it's competition.

Also, had a well presented sole dish, the fish was moist and tender and was arranged to curve like wings. We can particularly recommend the Crispy Soft-shell Crab with Wasabi mayonaise. Utterly delicious, crispy (yes), with all the flavour of the crab preserved and then accentuated by the hint of wasabi. That rated a 10.

In the end, the desserts sounded fantastic, but we elected to got to El Bulli for Churros but that's another story. Final bill for two of us was high, but not astonishing, at $170. Would absolutely eat there again, and plan to soon.

Hm, btw, although it's busy and packed, we managed to have a very romantic evening, so if it's just two of you and not a small or large group, don't let the bustle put you off. Thanks for inviting me CiaoCiao.

Apr 25, 2009 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

Yummy food! Exceptional staff! Amazing cocktails! What more could you ask for?

Apr 23, 2009 

4 Below Average

Food  1      Ambience  9      Service  1      Value  5     

Went with a group of 10 on Thursday night (Easter long weekend), most arrived at 7 with the last by 7:30 to take a group of friends from Melbourne to dinner. They have a no booking policy which is fine as there is a nice bar area. We were told approx 1 hour wait which was also fine. We sat and chatted and enjoyed some cocktails wine and beer all at typical prices for such an establishment-expensive but expected.

Anyway, no table despite numerous polite checks until by 9:40 we'd had enough. The lady dealing with us had been efficient and polite enough and had earlier told us a table was coming up. The table that seemed to have been for us was given to another group. The waitress then told us we would have to wait as they needed to give the table to another group from the restaurants marketing company!

Definitely the last straw! We were then passed on to another waiter-an english gentleman who by then accused me of being rude to the waitress and that we may not have a table at all for us. I certainly had not been rude but by then our group had enough and were happy to leave.

We also suggested we should not pay the bar bill which we had no intention of doing and of course had a credit card securing it-by then the bill had totalled over $500-we did ask for a discount and eventually a small one was provided (after initially being threatened with the police!) but it did not come close to compensating for the debacle and disappointment in what should have been a great celebration with out of town friends.

When informing him we were happy to leave the waiter changed his tune and informed us we could be seated immediately. By then it was 9:50 and birra e pizza were happy to look after us and there was no way Toko was gaining our patronage.

Disappointing but it's nice to see that in this time of credit crunch crisis, Toko is doing so well to treat large groups like this.

Apr 13, 2009 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

We went to Toko for lunch after my brother's graduation and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. By the sound of some of the other reviews, lunch time is obviously the best time to go. As first-timers in this restaurant, we were a little unsure what dishes and quantities would suit our party, our waitress was exceedingly helpful in this regard and very patient while we ummed and ahhed about our choices.

She was knowledgeable and gave good advice. We were worried that our stomachs would not be fully satisfied with the amount we ordered but she assured us and suggested extras and alternatives. The decor was very cool, very "now". The whole place had a great ambience and I liked the casual bench tables and movable lamps!

The price is a little over the top but I guess you pay for the whole experience. The food was delicious however. We had the Spider Maki (mmmm so good!), sushi, tempura and chicken kebabs. The seared beef and the spicy squid were the definite winners though. The wasabi was nowhere near as hot as expected so don't be afraid!

My brother had this restaurant on his "Restaurant Wish List" and I know he was not disappointed.

Apr 03, 2009 

6.3 Average

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  4      Value  6     

Service is not up to the standard for a one-hatted restaurant. There is no one addressed us for drinks after 10min of sitting down. Then when the drinks arrive, my beer gone missing. Nigiri sushi (Prawns, Scallop and Seared Salmon) are pretty ordinary, definitely had better somewhere else. Then it is the spicy tuna roll, which is ok. And also the thin slice snapper which is nice too but i think there are only 8 pieces or sth.After the entree, we ordered some grilled stuff, chicken wings, pork belly and beef fillet. All are ok but not too special. Maybe we are ordering the wrong stuff but for a one hat restaurant, i think they can do better.

Mar 17, 2009 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  6      Value  9     

Awesome restaurant hey. The chicken skewers are the best I have had hey. Service is disappointing, but don't let it spoil your night. This is a top restaurant hey!

Mar 03, 2009 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Love, love LOVE this place! This hands down is my favourite restaurant in Sydney.

It's a no-reservations place so be prepared to hang out by the cocktail area for awhile. But it is worth the pit stop. Try out the shots (can't remember what they're called) that are in large Japanese jars. Try the one supposedly an aphrodisiac - not sure it works but it sure is yummy! The cocktail selection is really very creative. And pair it with their edamame beans and you wouldn't want to move even when a table has freed up for you.

Dinner is another adventure all together. Big favourite of mine is the miso-marinated baby chicken - it's superb! The sashimi (tuna and salmon) have always been fresh in all my visits. The vegetable sushi rolls, the spider maki and the garlic tiger prawns are all regular staples when I go there. The crispy lemon sole is another favourite though it is quite oily.

The service is actually what makes me go back. From Sunny the sommelier to Veronica the waitress, they have all been very attentive and very helpful. Highly recommend this to everyone who's looking for a classy place and great food.

Feb 17, 2009 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  2      Value  1     

Oh what a disappointment!!! Having seen and heard good things about this place we were so keen to try it. Never again I vow - what a rip off. One of the only times we have paid money for food and left completely starving. We asked the waiter if we had ordered enough (we love our food) and he assured us that it was plenty...suffice it to say, the food arrived, was promptly inhaled and we were left sitting there thinking "was that it?"

The serving portions are far too small for the price, we ordered the wagyu beef at $50 and we got one small steak cut into finger sized pieces, I actually got to try ONE piece. The soft shell crab was nice, but nothing special. The rolls were nice but I have had much better at half the price.

Toko is a place to be seen and the food is just average. Maybe they should call themselves a Japanese tapas bar because it is far from a restaurant, more like a very pricey snack bar. On the plus side the cocktails are very nice, the decor was very striking and we didn't have to wait too long for a table, but when I walk out of a restaurant, I like to feel like I ate something for the privilege of paying for a meal.

Feb 16, 2009