Uchi Lounge

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

We came here after reading about it on food blogs and through word of mouth. It's a cosy and intimate place with dim lighting. It was not too busy when we came so service was great, though clearing the table only occurred when the empty dishes started to pile up on one another and there was no room for new dishes.

Food overall was nice and tasty, but I felt they were uninspiring and something I could get elsewhere for cheaper prices. Presentation was lovely and I loved their flavoured sake.

Jan 10, 2012 

6.5 Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  6     

Last went to the Uchi Lounge 5 years ago and was pleased to hear it was still open. I always remember it was Japanese food with a twist, fusion before fusion became fashionable. The atmosphere is pleasant enough, and the service was reasonably good. The major disappointment was the food. For some reason the chef thinks French cheese and Japanese food are a good combination. I disagree.

Our party of 6 had garlic camembert, parmesan spring rolls and eggplant with parmesan, amongst other dishes. None of these combinations worked! How much better to have classic Japanese food without the fusion flavours. Our local Japanese restaurant has better food, at a lot cheaper price.

Jul 03, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  7     

Pleasant restaurant upstairs. Not too noisy, so can have a conversation. Food was quite acceptable, nothing really exciting or disappointing. We ordered quite a number of dishes, and the order that they came out in was a bit strange. It was Ok since we were sharing the dishes, but would have been quite unpleasant otherwise.

Dec 01, 2010 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

We came on a Saturday night with a prior booking and was shown promptly to our table. The ambience is welcoming, intimate with soft warm lighting. The service was friendly, food was promptly served and, to put simply, extraordinaire. Leave that bottle of soy sauce, you won't need it. Everything from the sashimi up to the last main is superbly seasoned. This has to be the best secret dining experience in town.

Of all the dishes we had, the kingfish sashimi which came with a delicious umeboshi dressing was exceptionally delicious while the fish and prawn balls with green tea salt were an original hit. The food is reasonably priced and for that quality of food, service and experience I will be back again and again for more!

Nov 14, 2010 

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  7      Value  4     

It's not the best restaurant in the area nor does it represent the best value for money but there's something about Uchi that always impresses me. I often return here and always enjoy my meal and the atmosphere of the restaurant. Certainly not one of my regulars but well worth a visit or two!

Aug 12, 2010 

5.5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  7      Value  5     

Went there for a birthday party with a group of people. We were straight away told to order something to share because it wasn't possible to get 10 different dishes. Pretty annoying but fair enough, we want to eat all the same time, and if we ordered individually we would finish at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Food was pretty average. Fish was fresh, but little tasty, rice wasn't cooked properly and was impossible to pick the roll without it breaking up. As everyone who goes there knows there is a big selection of sake, this has been the interesting side of the dinner, though I am usually not a big drinker. Bill came up to $600, with a surcharge for the number of people at the table (it is becoming a fashion in Sydney, and it is something that I really can not understand). Drinks made a big part, but it is not a cheap place anyway.

This place has failed to charm me this time, everything has been average, from the food to the service. I will probably still give it another go, maybe not a Friday night, and for something a more intimate, 2-4 people, in order to choose what I really would like to eat.

Nov 17, 2009 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

My partner and I visited on a Thursday night for a quiet celebration. We ordered the banquet and found it to be filling and satisfying. The value for the banquet is pretty good.

Of the highlights, the prawn and fish balls were very good, the kingfish sashimi came with a very interesting combination of dressings, the eggplant (while very rich, would be a bit too much for one person as a main) had a tasty sauce, and the seared tuna was delicious. It was a pity that many of the tuna pieces were cooked through as the seared pieces had a much more satisfying combination of textures.

The rice cakes were slightly burned, and the miso soup and salad were, perhaps, slightly uninspired. The sushi was fresh but the rice was maybe not sticky enough so promptly fell apart once dipped in the wasabi soy.

For dessert, the green tea creme brulee was an absolute hit for my partner, creamy and not too sweet, but with a crackly sugar top. My lounge coffee dessert cocktail really packed a punch but was all the better for it, a great alternative to an after dinner coffee.

Service was a little bit too fast in some parts and a bit slow in others. Some attention to timing would have been beneficial. I would call the decor appropriate, nothing special but no real issues. I personally like a bit more space to the neighbouring diners but that's the way it's set up.

For two the night came up to $120, given a full stomach after a banquet menu I was happy with this and was pleased with trying some new flavours. I'd really like to come back for cocktails and sake in the bar, it looks like a great place to have an intimate few drinks with friends and experiment with some different drinks.

Oct 23, 2009 

4.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  2     

I thought the place was very average, there is certainly better Japanese food elsewhere, both in price and in quality. The problem is with the lack of flavour, it makes the dinner a poor value.

While the place itself was rather authentic (Japanese-themed interior, simple decor), it got very noisy and it was very hard to hold any kind of conversation. The food was OK, nothing spectacular or interesting. The sashimi plate was disappointing, 9 pieces of thickly sliced sashimi (salmon was very stringy due to incorrect cut), 2 pieces of scallop and 2 prawns, for $25. A vegetarian platter for $22 consisted of a plate with marinated eggplant next to slices of fresh tomato (huh?), 2 small potato skewers, 3 tofu dumplings and a roll of cold soba noodles with seaweed.

Wouldn't have minded the price if at least I got some good flavour but that was missing, very average. Will also recommend against ordering agedashi tofu its unremarkable. The service was slow and while the restaurant was full, it took way too long to bring out our dishes, 15 minutes to take the order, another 15 to bring our drinks, rice was the last dish to arriv.

Will not be back, too expensive for what it is.

Oct 03, 2009 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  10     

Fantastic Japanese food with an authentic twist. Service was great, the recommendations were very good! The restaurant very quaint and a lot like Melbourne, places that we need more of in Sydney! Only set-back is they don't do Gyoza or Ramen.

Mar 11, 2009 

4.5 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  2     

Food was awful, the fish came out dry and the other dishes very mediocre. The portions are small so you would expect something of great taste but it wasn't. The menu selection is not your traditional japanese food but rather a fusion. In summary Unanthentic and tasteless.

Feb 15, 2009