Arashi Kushiyaki Bar sits on Courtenay Place in the heart of Wellington's CBD and holds a small piece of the city's dining history: it was the first kushiyaki (skewer-grilled) bar to open in Wellington. Today it is known as one of the best Japanese restaurants in the CBD, pairing its skewer-grill roots with a menu of rice bowls, tempura, noodles and fresh seafood. The kitchen works to a simple philosophy — fresh, non-greasy, healthy food at reasonable prices. Crowd favourites include the Teriyaki Chicken Don of pan-fried crispy chicken thighs glazed in teriyaki over rice, the deep-fried marinated chicken karaage, and the King Prawn Tempura. Rice bowls like the Spicy Salmon Don and Sashimi Don, along with takoyaki, gyutataki and chicken udon, round out the menu. Arashi is a genuinely child-friendly venue and caters for specific dietary requirements, with vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free options available. Beyond the dining room, the team caters office parties, events and functions, offers online ordering through Easy Eats for delivery, and runs a popular birthday deal for groups. Dinner is served from 4:00 PM, later on Friday and Saturday nights — an easy stop for after-work meals, family dinners and celebrations on Courtenay Place.
On Courtenay Place — the Wellington CBD street where the city goes out to eat — Arashi Kushiyaki Bar holds a small piece of local dining history: it was the first kushiyaki (skewer-grilled) bar to open in Wellington. The name speaks to the Japanese art of grilling on skewers, and while that craft sits at the heart of the kitchen, the menu stretches well beyond the grill, taking in rice bowls, tempura, noodles, sushi and sashimi. It's one of the reasons Arashi has become known as one of the best Japanese restaurants in the Wellington CBD.
The kitchen works to a simple, stated philosophy: fresh, non-greasy and healthy food at reasonable prices. Nothing here is heavy or oil-laden; plates are built to leave you feeling good. That lightness, paired with generous Japanese comfort classics, keeps locals coming back — and it shows in the steady stream of happy customer reviews the team proudly points to.
Start with the most popular dishes, the ones regulars order on repeat. The Teriyaki Chicken Don stacks pan-fried crispy chicken thighs, glazed in teriyaki sauce, over steamed rice. Prefer the full treatment? The Teriyaki Set serves the same pan-fried, teriyaki-topped favourite as a complete meal with rice, salad and miso soup. Karaage — deep-fried marinated chicken thigh pieces served with mayonnaise — is juicy inside, crisp outside, and reliably the first plate to empty. The King Prawn Tempura, six king prawns in delicate batter, brings that satisfying tempura snap.
Around those favourites, the menu opens up. Rice bowls include the Spicy Salmon Don and the Sashimi Don, both letting fresh fish do the talking over rice. The Gyutataki showcases beef prepared tataki style, while takoyaki — the much-loved battered octopus balls of Japanese street food — makes a perfect shared plate. For something warming, there's a comforting chicken udon for noodle lovers.
Arashi is a genuinely child-friendly venue, a rare and welcome find on Courtenay Place. The kitchen also takes dietary requirements seriously, with vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free options available — so a group with mixed needs can order without stress. Combined with reasonable prices, it's an easy pick for family dinners, team outings and catch-ups with friends. And true to its name, it's a bar as well as a restaurant: the team's own motto invites you to grab a drink and relax.
There's a celebratory streak running through the place. Catering is a dedicated service here: Arashi caters office parties, events and functions around Wellington, sending out sumptuous dishes like sushi, sashimi and a range of other delicious appetizers and meals. Arranging one is simple — pop into 41 Courtenay Place or call 04 801 9818 to plan your next function.
Birthdays get special treatment too. Celebrate during your birthday week, bring at least five friends, dine Sunday to Thursday with a minimum spend of $150, and the birthday meal is free — up to $25 in value. Just remember to show proof of ID before dining. It's a generous gesture that has made Arashi a go-to venue for group birthdays.
Prefer to stay in? Arashi takes orders online through Easy Eats, so the taste of Japan can be delivered straight to your doorstep.
Arashi keeps dinner hours: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM Monday to Thursday and on Sunday, with a later 11:00 PM close on Friday and Saturday — handy for pre-show dinners and long weekend nights on Courtenay Place. Tables can be reserved online ahead of time, which is worth doing for larger groups.
However you arrive, the invitation is the same one the team extends to every guest: "Eat delicious food. Grab a drink. But most of all, relax!"