Mr Tanaka's is a Japanese izakaya-style bar and restaurant on Main Highway in the heart of Ellerslie, Auckland. Opened in June 2020, it trades on a simple promise — booze, food and fun — serving izakaya-style dining with a modern twist: yakitori skewers cooked over coals, fresh sashimi, sushi and mains from the robata grill, and share plates designed to bring people together.
The drinks list matches the kitchen, with a line-up of sake, Japanese spirits and cocktails. The setting is colourful and rustic — a Japanese-style bar and restaurant with a Kiwi twist that guests say feels a world away from the street outside, as though you've stepped off the streets of Japan.
Mr Tanaka's is also one of Auckland's most gluten-free friendly restaurants, with plenty of allergen-friendly options and a general focus on dairy- and gluten-free dishes. Families are well looked after thanks to a dedicated kids' menu — and kids eat free on weekends, public holidays and during school holidays. There are also spaces and set menus for group bookings, birthday dinners and corporate functions, and gift vouchers can be bought and sent online for any amount.
Step off Main Highway in Ellerslie and you'll find one of Auckland's livelier dining rooms. Mr Tanaka's opened its doors in June 2020 and has been feeding the neighbourhood ever since, built around a simple motto: booze, food and fun. It's an izakaya-style restaurant with a modern twist — the kind of place where yakitori skewers come off the coals, sashimi arrives fresh, and the plates are made to be passed around the table.
Mr Tanaka's describes itself as a vibrant Japanese-style bar and restaurant with a Kiwi twist. The menu is built on Japanese sharing plates and drinks, served in a colourful, rustic setting the owners say will make you feel as though you've stepped off the streets of Japan — and one reviewer puts it another way: the decor makes it feel like stepping back in time. Either way, the vibe is anything but formal. Dinner here is social, lively and built for lingering.
The kitchen cooks across a robata grill, turning out skewers and mains alongside sashimi and sushi. Yakitori skewers cooked over coals are a house signature, and the share-plate format is deliberate — menus are designed for sharing so you can try a little of everything.
A few dishes come up again and again in guest reviews. The beef brisket steam buns are a favourite, with one diner calling the bao among the best they've tried. Karaage chicken — Japanese-style fried chicken — earns loyal fans of all ages; it appears on the kids' menu too, with broccoli and rice. The tempura soft shell crab and pork belly sticks are regular requests, and the sashimi platter is praised for being fresh and beautifully presented.
The pace suits a long dinner: order a few plates at a time, add skewers as you go, and let the table decide what to repeat.
The 'booze' half of the motto is well represented. The bar pours a line-up of sake and Japanese spirits alongside cocktails — enough of a draw that many guests come as much for the drinks as the food.
Mr Tanaka's is proud to be one of Auckland's most gluten-free friendly restaurants, with plenty of allergen-friendly options and a general focus on dairy- and gluten-free cooking, so guests with dietary needs can order with confidence.
Families are welcome too. There's a dedicated kids' menu — karaage chicken or tofu, both with broccoli and rice — and kids eat free on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and throughout the school holidays (each child must be accompanied by one full-paying adult, and the offer can't be combined with other deals).
This is a place built for celebration. Group bookings, big birthday dinners and corporate functions are all part of the routine, with spaces and set menus that make organising easy. Bookings of 12 or fewer can reserve a table online; larger groups and functions can enquire through the contact form. If you'd rather let someone else choose, gift vouchers can be bought and sent online for any amount.
Mr Tanaka's is at 120 Main Highway, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051. Doors open at 11:30am daily: Monday to Wednesday and Sunday run until 10pm, while Thursday to Saturday go until late. Reviews consistently mention friendly, efficient staff, a buzzing atmosphere, and a room that fills up fast — so booking ahead, especially for a weekend table, is a smart move.
Whether it's a first date, an anniversary dinner, a long overdue catch-up or a full-blown party, the Mr Tanaka's recipe holds: coals, fresh fish, good drinks and a room full of noise. As the reviews keep saying — people come once and plan to come back, usually with friends in tow.