Gold Class Daruma in Sydney

Fine dining at its finest. I went here with my team for the Xmas party. I had the Wagyu Tuna Course and absolutely enjoyed it. The food was gold class, well presented by friendly, professional staff. I had the Suntory premium malt to go with it. I was late for a bit and the staff who brought out the last two dishes even said sorry for rushing. I would certainly come back here again. Parking: Secureparking on York Street is the best bet

Best bang for buck omakase in the area! We got the wagyu and tuna course for $100 and let me tell you that this is such great value in comparison to the others. The presentation of the food is amazing and it s such a well designed set menu. From the taster to the entree and the mains and dessert, I thought I was living in heaven. You should really look forward to the tuna dishes as they taste so fresh while it contrasts with the wagyu which has just the right amount of fat and tenderness to it. I plan to try out the sushi omakase next time. The staff are friendly and proactive with drinks and helps with any requests (I asked for extra ice to go with my water). They have plenty of seating options and they do same pairings which I recommend if you don t know your sake or don t want to order a bottle. Fantastic decor and atmosphere so it s a great place for a date.

Very busy joint, make sure you book in advance. Portion is on the small side, I ordered the teriyaki salmon set. Love their dessert , a delicate mochi type of dessert with sesame peanut butter sprinkle that just melts in your mouth Food

We love this place. Always having lunch here, you can have the express lunch or order from the menu and regardless the food is always fresh and amazing. Staff are attentive and the atmosphere is peaceful where you do not need to shout to speak.

What a lovely little hidden gem. Food, service and atmosphere were amazing. We definitely will go back again. Thank you so much for having us.

What a great little find tucked inside the Grace hotel Had the biggest beer ever ! We ordered two Chefs tasting menu - it was expensive (Japanese can be) but really good ! I have taken lots of photos of the food - the staff were very kind and helpful The restaurant was not at all noisy and quite nice for a quite catch up dinner although there were many people in the restaurant Everything was good staff were very good and I would highly recommend a visit I will say however it was a little hard to find - but certainly worth the effort Vegetarian options: Lots of options if vegetarian- and really good menu !

The food is delicious and the service is amazing!!! The chef who looks after us is so professional and warm!!! Great vibe and will totally come back again

Loved the omakase

Had a lovely birthday lunch here going for the Omakase experience. Amazing and authentic taste coupled with a vintage atmosphere provided by the decor of the hotel. Looking forward to coming back again.

Went for omakase and there a bunch of drunk Japanese people being extremely loud. Could barely hear my family members next to me every bite would get drowned out by sudden applause or laughter. Really ruined the mood and atmosphere of what would ve otherwise been a great night. Expected better from a japanese restaurant Great food and service though- chef definitely knew what he was doing.

We had omakase dinner and such a great experience! The food is terrific prepared by Mori-san and he has excellent knowledge about all food he prepared for us. A big hand to him!

Sensational ... 5 gold stars for Gold Class Daruma. Excellent date at the bar set menu. Fresh and succulent sashimi ship, umami beef sukiyaki and tangy yuzu sorbet were stand out. Snow beauty sake was savoury ... and delicately sweet. Service was timely, elegant and unobtrusive. Just perfect.

The most authentic Japanese dining experience I ve had outside of Japan and truly one of the most delicious Japanese meals I ve had anywhere. This may be my new favourite restaurant in Australia. Highly recommend.

Food is great, amazing service

All that is required to say here is extraordinary food. The sushi is simply outstanding. The lunch eating is a must. Take that special person here and they will absolutely thank you.

Highly recommend the chef omakase!

Food was ok Japanese but not best I ve had - some of the dishes were disappointing (Wagyu) and especially the miniature dessert. Miso fish was probably the highlight. Service was the main let down. Ordered courses didn t appear (maybe write them down next time and don t rely on memory). Plus they had no idea how to pace courses (or serve in the proper Japanese order). Everything seemed to materialise more or less right after each other. Could we have a minute to wait between dishes rather than fill the table up completely? Finally, got overcharged when paying the bill and spent another five minutes trying to resolve the issue.

Excellent value and experience. Would definitely visit again.

Beautiful place, beautiful atmosphere and delicious food.

Best Japanese lunch spot in Sydney. Good quality food.

I had an amazing experience at Gold class daruma The omakase sushi was fresh and delicious, with each piece crafted to perfection. The chefs skill and dedication were evident in every bite. The ambiance was cozy, and the staff were friendly and attentive.

Amazing experience. Will be back!

Authentic Japanese lunch set, reasonably priced. Excellent & friendly staff services. Highly recommended this restaurant if you are looking for lunch in CBD.

Amazing fooooooood :) Dietary restrictions: Tell them in advance and they will cater for any dietary restrictions Food : 5/5 |

What a beautiful experience Gold Class Daruma gifts us at this omakase. The quality of the dishes are amazing and I am so happy to have chosen this place for my birthday dinner. Special thanks to the staff on this day, wonderful service. I will definitely visit again soon! Dietary restrictions: They will accomodate for your dietary restrictions where possible.

Had the sushi omakase during dinner. Chef Yuta was at the counter. Watching him prepare and explain the dishes was a delight. Highlights for me were the scallops from the entree, chawanmushi, alfonsino, prawn and the final sushi roll. Thank you to the front of house as well. You provided excellent service. Really enjoyed the food and service. Already planning to come again.

Amazing dinner

Fantastic food and service!!! We will certainly be back! Food

The staffs are very friendly Good value of Japanese food and drinks. Highly recommended, won t be disappointed!

The best Japanese restaurant in Sydney!!!!!

The best Japanese restaurant in Sydney and Atmosphere is same Japan

Very Japanese style restaurant! The clam chowder tastes so delicious! Japanese eel is highly recognized by friends and mothers!

Delicious!

The seafood tasted fresh, but not as good as other omakase. The sushi rice really put us off because it was really warm and steaming hot which doesnt taste great in a sushi.

Had a great time here for their Vivid tasting menu. We enjoyed their sake flights (good deal). Thank you for accommodating my gluten intolerance, even making a tempura with a different batter. We ll be back soon for a full omakase and for more! Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free options available

Wonderful girls night out! We had the Vivid promotion chef tasting menu special. Food was delicious. The sake flight was yummy and fun. Great place for a special occasion. Service was attentive without hovering or being overbearing. Parking: We parked at QVB and walked over.

We booked a lunch omakase at Gold Class Daruma for my partner s birthday, and we couldnt be happier with our experience. The food was absolutely delicious, with each dish beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. The service was exceptional as well, with the staff going out of their way to ensure we had a memorable meal. From the warm welcome to the attentive care throughout our visit, everything was perfect. My favorite dish is the Chawanmushi. The sushis are also tasty. Thank you for making my partner s birthday so special!

Wonderful dining experience at Gold Class Daruma. Started with sashimi, prawn tempura, chawanmushi, then lots of sushi, and finished with miso soup and dessert. Super delicious and high quality food, excellent service and great value. Would love to visit again.

Visited Gold Class Daruma on the back of how much I enjoy eating at the original Daruma in Chinatown. Unfortunately I don t think it hit the spot when compared to the original outlet, when you order A La Carte anyway. To start we ordered the beer and fried chicken special, unfortunately the staff got the order wrong and we only received one piece of fried chicken instead of the 3 that was advertised, we told the waiter and this was cleared up. We ordered the miso eggplant, which was quite tasty and is standard for this dish. The ox tongue was ok without being great, probably a bit lacklustre and too much salad/western plating. Sushi roll spicy aburi salmon again was ok, without standing out. Probably would ve liked to have seen more sushi roll options, the variety wasn t great. The standout dish had to be the miso cod by far, the sauce was great and fish grilled to perfection, if you came here for one dish only, this would be the dish. Ordered the pork belly special, unfortunately this wasn t very special though, didn t seem like the belly as there wasn t much of the fat and meat was quite tough. Sauce was nice, but just wasn t as expected. Overall wasn t a bad experience, but from a gold class perspective and how good the original Daruma is, it wasn t as expected or advertised. Maybe the omakase experience might have been better.

Best value for money

I had omakase here and it was great time with nice chef :) Uni Toro hand roll was the best !!

They get better and better. Great service, fresh ingredients, authentic Japanese food. Also a perfect spot for a business meetings.

I love this place. Food is simple and clean. If you Luke Japanese food must try it.

I have been here before, and the previous experience was lovely. However, this time I took my family here to celebrate 2 birthdays, and whilst the food and service at the time was great, we went home with stomach issues and vomiting, suspected food poisoning(?) Just slightly concerned about the handling and preparation of the food, I am sure the fish were high quality and fresh, but something didn t go quite right this time :(

Good omakase experience. Food was good. Service was good. Chef Yuta was great Food

Somebody s forgotten to let the owners know we re not in Japan, that s how authentic and amazing this dining experience is! You have to hunt to find this place which is also quite cool, go into the Grace Hotel and go up two flights of escalators, and then you ll find this gem of a Japanese restaurant. I love Japanese food and have been to multiple trips to Japan and this rates as good as the best of the best of fine dining from Japan. All the other customers when I ate there were all Japanese which speaks to how legitimate the dishes are at this place. We were served by Mao, and Daruma is her family s business, her service was absolutely charming! The food was out of this world. The place has amazing ambience, transporting you to Japan for an amazing dining experience for the night. You are paying for exceptional quality so it all does add up a bit if you re eating a lot but it is really amazing as a dining experience. I m not going to list the dishes that were great because you can see from the photos but also you can t go wrong all their dishes are freaking amazing. The place to save up to go to for a special occasion or for an exceptional experience. Parking: I recommend parking at QVB pretty close by and walking over for ease of parking. There s a really close Wilson parking also, but the parking lot there is tight and spots are hard to get into.

Indeed a very disappointing experience dining here for the omakase course, although the food is alright but the restaurant has decided to surprised us mid course with a cockroach running around the dining table. Despite the occurrence, the staff did not apologise or even wipe down the table before serving for the next dish. Following with the issue, we had decided to leave the restaurant halfway before finishing the course. Truly disappointing with such good review.

Overall: 4/7 In terms of an omakase experience this was definitely very poor. If you are coming here expecting omakase, reconsider. The only aspect of this experience that resembles omakase is having the option to sit at the bar and watch the chef prepare each bit of sushi. However, there s no real interaction between the chefs and the guests, no theatre, no explanation of the fishes or where they re sourced from they didn t even have a menu for the day. The plum sauce for the oyster came from a Tupperware container that was so close to being empty that we watched the chef scrape the last bits together for our oysters. Every bit of sushi is prepared pretty much the same way - just nigiri with a brush of the same soy sauce every time. It also looks as if the distribution of soy sauce and wasabi was quite uneven. Now if you consider going here just for some decent sushi then you ll certainly be less disappointed, as the ingredients are still quite quality. Though it would be pricey for what it is still. Overall, this place feels like they source decent ingredients but the chefs lack effort and will to really make them shine as you d expect from omakase.

Great food and amazing service! Staff are very lovely. Fresh and premium sashimi, and a widerange of hot food as well. Perfect for families (although there aren t any highchairs)

They provide various taste in Lunch box. Reservation is recommendable

I gave you 4 stars instead of 5,as all perfect but as when we booked. We dis say, celebrating my partner birthday coming, but nothing surprises like a candle with dessert SAD for him tonight.

We were captivated by Gold Class Daruma, making two visits in a month. Located within the Grace Hotel, a brief stroll from Town Hall station, this gem requires a two-flight trek up escalators for discovery. Inside, the ambiance is expansive, adorned with sophisticated Japanese decor. The 500-year-old Akita cedar counter, stretching along one side, adds a touch of history to the room, where two chef serving stations stand out. Our first venture involved the tasting menu, an 8-course delight at $84, with an optional $10 scampi upgrade and a 5% Saturday surcharge. The dishes showcased seafood in diverse forms sashimi, grilled, steamed, miso glazed, tempura, nigiri, and in soup, concluding with a simple yet delectable brownie dessert. Personal favorites included the subtly intense miso glazed cod, the luscious egg custard with seafood, and a flavorful miso soup elevated by the addition of scampi head. Intrigued by the patrons at the chefs bench, we returned less than a month later to celebrate my birthday with their omakase experience. Priced at $120 plus a 10% surcharge for Sunday lunch, this unique culinary journey offers a personalized, chef-curated menu. The exclusive setting, with just seven patrons, one chef, and two waiters, added a VIP touch to the occasion. Each dish, from truffle-infused egg custard with 7 types of seafood to premium seafood selections bought that morning, elevated Japanese cuisine to new heights. Even a Brussels sprout salad surprised with its rich flavor and crunch. Notably, Gold Class Daruma is among the best-value fine dining Japanese restaurants, delivering exceptional food and service. Chef Mori, in particular, demonstrated skill, good humor, and warmth with each presentation. Booking is advised, and while the website might initially pose a challenge, the effort pays off for this outstanding culinary experience. The omakase option only appears at specific times, currently at 12:30 pm for lunch, and 5:30 pm & 7:30 pm for dinner.

Really enjoyed our dinner - our waitress was great and she really helped us with our choices off the menu - very relaxed atmosphere - could have done without the techno music - however you can t have everything - loved it

Wow! A truly authentic Japanese restaurant. The food was amazing. Sashimi was so so fresh and the sauce for the agadashi tofu was unbelievably tasty. The service was out of this world. Mao was so lovely, personable and warm. We felt genuinely welcomed. What a lovely experience from start to finish.

Located up two escalators in the Grace Hotel, Gold Class Daruma is really a great place for high-quality and affordable omakase. We got seated at the bar, which was slightly tight, especially with other patrons on each side. The restaurant does get bustling and loud, so not recommended for those who are looking for a more intimate experience. Nevertheless, the chef welcomed us warmly and prepared absolutely phenomenal dishes over the span of 2 hours. Personal favourites include the otoro nigiri, aburi salmon belly nigiri and chirashizushi. An overall enjoyable and delectable experience; highly recommend!!

Big night out with genuine Japanese food. Omakase Sushi done properly, excellent quality seafood prepared to the chefs personal choices which he purchased that morning at Sydney fish markets. Started with an oyster and then large variation of fresh fish. Very good quality sushi rice. Only 6 people had booked for this session at the counter and the chef easily handled this number. Part theatre it was very well done. There are many so called Omakase now in Sydney and much more expensive than this. Highly recommend.

We enjoyed our Daruma Lunch Bento and Sushi Sashimi Simmered Fish set. Service was lovely and attentive. Highly recommend this Japanese restaurant. Great food!

I used to frequent here when it first opened and it was quite good value for money. I stopped dining here after I got really bad food poisoning from the omakase. Very disappointed as I have never gotten that sick from any other sushi or omakase before.

Had a reservation for 12:45pm (45 minutes after opening); was looking forward to trying their signature Daruma Lunch Bento but the waitress advised us that it had been sold out. Do you believe a sushi restaurant would run out of sashimi 45 minutes after opening on a Thursday? The restaurant either has terrible inventory planning or was lying to us. Bad experience overall

Not worth the price

Great service, very solid omakase at very reasonable price with high-quality sushi - Would highly recommend!

The food was top class, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We had a great time

Great Sushi Omakase dinner

Friendly staff and delicious food. The sushi is always so fresh.

Authentic Japanese restaurant tucked away inside The Grace Hotel. We stumbled across this restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We ordered from the a la carte menu the sashimi boat, some karage chicken and also sushi plates. The sashimi and sushi tasted fresh, particularly the oysters and scallops. The karage chicken had a nice crunch on the outside and was steamy hot and juicy on the inside. We also enjoyed good spacing between tables and other guest. A great experience.

We had an amazing time here with Chef Daigo. The food was delicious and fresh. We were extremely full afterwards, great value for the food and experience. Will be coming back for sure!

Personally would prefer a higher level of satiation or to feel more full given the spend.

I left a comment 3 years ago: One of the best Japanese restaurants with an affordable price range Sorry it s not true now. The place is pricy and no longer impressive.

Had an amazing experience of sake omakase pairing with seasonal chefs degustation at Gold Class Daruma. The service was friendly and attentive. Recommended!

Sushi Omakase was so good. Amazing dining experience as you get very specialised service and best quality sushi.

A little story time.. When I visited Sydney last month, I took myself on an impromptu omakase solo date to @goldclassdaruma. It was the closest restaurant to my hotel, and I thought Id just come in for a quick dinner, maybe order a bento box and head back to the room. However, I asked for a table for 1 and was seated at the bar, where Chef @sushidaigo kindly offered me to join his omakase session. At first I hesitated, my first time eating alone and I m having omakase? Mm.. maybe not. But he asked me what my favourite fish was and I told him salmon, not thinking too much of it. He then prepared a small plate of salmon sashimi for me and after tasting it (so fresh and buttery ) of course, it d be rude to say no. So I shuffled down the bar to the Chefs table, joining the other four guests. And that was how I got baited but seriously, the best bait I ve taken! It was my favourite restaurant on the Sydney trip Chef Daigo was very welcoming, and you could see how passionate he was talking about each dish. Although I was there by myself, I was engaged throughout the night and he made the whole experience very enjoyable. The Omakase came with 19 courses, starting with an appetiser with your favourite fish (in my case, the bait), then a sashimi plate of bite-size pieces. Next is something grilled, but because I was a last minute add on, I dont think there was any extra wagyu, so I had kingfish and uni (yum, no complaints here). Next, I had an abalone soup (I think this was also to make up for the missing grilled dish), followed by a reverse handroll with salmon roe, tuna nakaochi and uni - delicious! Then I had chawanmushi with uni and salmon roe, yum again! Next was the VIP experience, the 14 pieces of nigiri, all delicately assembled and delectable. Finally, I had another soup (scampi maybe? I cant remember) and some fresh fruits paired with ice cream for dessert to end the night. All of the ingredients used were incredibly fresh and of top-class quality. For $130, its such great value! I d strongly recommend a visit! Thanks for making my first solo omakase experience unforgettable! Follow me on insta @ evelineeats for more food content and reviews x

We booked the omakase for a dinner at Gold Class Daruma. The food was tasty and represents excellent value relative to other omakase experiences in Sydney. Both the chef and waitstaff were friendly and provided exceptional service however it did feel a bit cramped with minimal space between other diners at the sushi bar.

We love the friendly service , atmosphere, choice of Japanese beers and wide range of white and red wine with reasonable price. Comparatively food standard could not match service and drink. We will go back and try again.

We had a great omakase experience! Fantastic sushi chef with plenty to talk about. Sushi dishes were also nice and fresh. Plenty of food for two!

Came here and ordered the lunch special X2 ($30.80 each). Pleasantly surprised at the generosity of the whole course. King prawn tempura was large and fresh. Chawanmushi knocked it out of the park! Underrated!

I was staying at The Grace when I saw the lunch sushi set promotion at the lobby. Made a reservation and requested for a bar counter seat. Got there slightly earlier and was shown to my seat shortly. The staff were very attentive and had good recommendations on the type of sake. The 12 pc sushi set was very worth the price paid (48++) and would totally recommend anyone looking for a nice sushi experience in the city.

Delicious omakase experience at a very fair price point. The chef was entertaining and kept us informed of each dish. All high quality ingredients and a punch of flavours with every bite. Would highly recommend this place.

Excellent Omakaze, wonderful service from the staff, great attention to detail by the chef, and most of all, really amazing food, both in taste and presentation

Really good value. Great entry level to omakase kind of place. Recommend chef Daigo. There is a surcharge for weekends. So check before you go. The sake tastings is only half a small sake glass per tasting. So you wont need to Uber home.

Friend s, fresh sashimi, sushi, tempura & cocktails is my kind of night I found this nice elegant restaurant @goldclassdaruma located inside @thegracehotel It was just perfect The food and cocktails were amazing & the service was outstanding @goldclassdaruma thanks for having us! Love the Cherry Blossom cocktails & peach Sake Highly recommended For more nom noms follow my food account @misspiggyexplores

Thoroughly enjoyed our Japanese seafood hot pot with some sashimi and chawan mushi to start! The miso tonkotsu broth was really tasty and went really well with the seafood and veggies! Service was attentive and friendly too! The only improvement would be the size of the sashimi cuts which was a wee bit small.

Great omakase dinner !!

Recently went there for my birthday dinner with my partner. We went for the omakase dinner and enjoyed it thoroughly. For the price you pay, the quality of the the nigiri is excellent and you can tell that the chef is very experienced based on the cuts he made. Every nigiri was flavourful and a joy to savour. My personal favourite is the uniagi nigiri. Will definitely be recommending it to my colleagues. Will be back for more.

Great spot for lunch.

Always a great time at GCDs. In particular, their tasting menu is great! Only downside is their AC is currently not working, but thats the hotels fault (restaurant is inside hotel).

Amazing

it was great Omakase experience, food nice, mood nice, staff kind. price reasonable. recommend.

Definitely pay these guys a visit. Food is delicious, we ordered the set menu and felt like the food came out really fast and at the right temperature. Service is fantastic. Recommend booking!

Delicious food. We tried the chefs tasting menu and were so full afterwards! Could not fault a single dish. Absolutely loved the tempura prawn and sashimi. Great value for money and I will definitely be back for the omakase.

It was delicious

Omakase Set Menu Price: ~$150/pp Value: 5/10 Food aesthetic/presentation: 8/10 Taste: 8/10 Ambience: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Bucket List Bite: Taco Sashimi Roll & Scampi Nigiri Overall: 7/10

Stunning lunch special! . Exquisite japanese dining, theyve been our go to takeaway and cant wait to try their omakase soon!.

Great fine dining Japanese restaurant in Sydney, AUS @goldclassdaruma . My Omakase experience was amazing. Chef Yuta san @chef_yuta_nakamura was a delight to chat with even while he was making delicous . I loved the sashimi cocktail, cuttlefish nigiri, scallop nigiri, otoro nigiri and otoro uni hand roll. The dessert was super impressive. Interesting sake/wine pairing. A must try!

I tried Gold Class Daruma Chef Tasting Menu, and I have to say every dishes are so tasty. For $84 P/P it is really worth it. As I just got back from Japan recently, their sushi is as good as those I tried in Japan. I want to go back to try their other menu.

Dined in at Gold Class Daruma for Omakase. We had amazing service from Chef Daigo, he was very friendly, informative and skillful. We enjoyed all the nigiri and other dishes he crafted for us. It was really interesting to see all the fresh produce being prepared in front of us, it was a very intimate experience. I particularly enjoyed the chawanmushi. Everything was delicious, and I would highly recommend dining here.

Opted for the Omakase experience, enjoyed it. Chef was fun, happy and talkative! Good food.

The atmosphere is calm and makes you feel like you are in Japan. Although the quantity is small, it is delicious.

This is a seriously good restaurant deserving a serious review. I had the chef s tasting menu with a small bottle of sake to share. The sushi and sashimi are very good. My favourite dish was the chanwanmushi, full of deep umami flavours. The miso glazed cod was also excellent, with the right amount of glazing and cooked to perfection. I was a bit disappointed by the tempura, but maybe it is just me not being fond of it. The miso soup could have been memorable, but it wasn t. Service was really good. The restaurant was full and a bit noisy, not a cozy atmosphere.

Whilst visiting Sydney for a weekend from Melbourne, the wife had a craving for sushi. The otoro with uni was amazing and a decent value. Enjoyed all the food we ordered. The tempura squid was a little chewy.. but delicious. Recommend making a booking. Full of Japanese customers which is a good sign. Owned and run by a Japanese family. I will recommend and return. Service while very friendly was a little sporadic and took a while to get water to table etc.

Support authentic Japanese. Family owned and operated. Sensational sake selection and chefs selection dinner with sake pairing was amazing. Thanks Mou our server

Omakase was perfect

Excellent omakase experience. Especially vip on Sunday as the rest of the restaurant is not open. Great price for sale flight too. Omakase had so much food we were very very full by the end of it. Our waitress was just the loveliest! Great energy Food : 4/5

Great omakase experience with variety of food including fresh seafood.

Excellent omakase experience from Chef Daigo. We came to celebrate a friends birthday and were taken back by the superb quality and wide variety offered. The fresh nigiri and seafood were my highlights!

Gold Class Daruma never disappoint. Good quality of sushi bento lunch set meal with great lunch deal.

It was my first visit to Gold Class Daruma. There were 7 in my group for the Wild Bluefin Tuna 9 course dinner and exhibition held 29th Aug 2023. It is a night that I will talk about for the rest of my life. It was a culinary experience that cannot be surpassed. We arrived to see a 58kg whole Bluefin caught in Tasmanian waters the prior Sunday. The chef shared his vast knowledge of the species and the artistry of preparing the various cuts of the fish. The staff were fantastic and engaging led by the wonderful Ms Mao Shizuka.

A Disappointing Omakase Experience - Missed Promises My recent visit to this restaurant for an omakase experience left me quite disappointed, and it was marred by several shortcomings. From delayed bookings to cramped seating, the evening was far from the exceptional dining experience I had hoped for. Firstly, my reservations were changed and delayed not once, but twice, citing a shortage of chefs. This lack of coordination between the reservation staff and the serving team was evident and lessened the anticipation for the meal. The restaurants ambiance was far from impressive, given its location within a hotel. It felt somewhat tacky and uninviting. The tightly packed seating arrangement left no room for privacy, making it challenging to enjoy a meal comfortably. While the chef was friendly, the pacing of the meal was frustratingly slow. Lengthy gaps between courses left me feeling hungry and impatient. The climax of the evening was a rushed handroll with four different toppings all served at once, deviating from the expected omakase experience. Additionally, the portion sizes were disappointingly small, and the overall dining experience stretched over two hours without delivering the desired satisfaction. To make matters worse, the restaurant failed to deliver on its promise of a complimentary take-home sake. It appears there was a significant lapse in communication between the staff, as this oversight further added to the disappointment of the evening. In conclusion, I cannot recommend this restaurant for an omakase experience. There are plenty of other Japanese restaurants in the area that offer better value and a more enjoyable dining experience without the issues I encountered.

Excellent authentic Japanese experience

Great Japanese restaurant. Wagyu steak was one of the tastiest steaks I have had in my life

Delicious, authentic food in a nice restaurant setting. I really enjoy their sashimi which is super fresh. The egg custard (chawanmushi) was also delicious

Great japanese food at an inviting venue

Excellent omakase experience. Went on a Sunday and pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. Chef and waitress were so lovely. Sake tasting was absolute value.

I love this place! The service is always friendly. The food is amazing. My favourite is karaaga chicken and green tea ice cream. I would recommend this place to everyone. Vegetarian options: Vegetarian tempura or cucumber or avocado rolls or edamame.

Great authentic Japanese located on the 1st floor of Grace hotel, we were seated right away for lunch, they have set lunch menu ranging from sushi sashimi to cooked food, tried the sushi and chirasi all delicious, will definitely come back

Omakase review : Love the heart put into the many courses we enjoyed ! Fresh sashimi prepared in creative and impressive manner - definitely recommend this

An excellent place for lunch - high quality food, friendly hospitable staff, great value for money. Unpretentious and delicious. Lovely themed decor with bar seating to watch sushi being made before you, or high grade tuna and salmon being skillfully sliced. Would recommend the $30 limited (10 made a day only) Bento Box for lunch, and the omakase experience. They also have happy hour $2 oysters and cheap drinks that I would love to return for! Wheelchair accessibility: Hotel lift available to reach restaurant

Food good, service was great. Chef nice he explained all the ingredients and answers all the questions. Drink they have a lot of choices. Convenient to come.

Took my wife here for my wedding anniversary we were delighted with the experience here. The omakase chef was a master at his craft. Every dish was carefully curated in front of us and it was like we were at the theatre watching a show. He took the time to answer questions and was very approachable. The quality of the food was exceptional and the freshness of the ingredients was on a different level. Whilst it was not a cheap experience but we felt it was still value for money as we had a total of 16 courses and walked away incredibly full.

Would say the price is affordable with impeccable quality of food

Had a lunch set (and a Suntory Premium Malt) with a work colleague in between meetings. The service was prompt and friendly and the food was very nice. I will return soon.

booked table for two , inside grace hotel need to get elevator to level one . Environmental was good, omkasa at the high table , menu at middle. Service was rush and waiter was busy so can not take care for details. Had mix plates and vegetables tempura, fish was fresh but need to eat fast otherwise very dry . Sushi nothing outstanding. There is no particularly amazing food, and I am half full. The average per person is about 65$. If you want to drink, it will be 100$.

The restaurant itself is very well decorated and gives a nice traditional Japanese feeling. The sashimi was high quality and the meal is a good portion with some nice side dishes. Overall the prices are very reasonable taking these into account.

Great vibes, service and of course amazing food! Cozy ambience is great for business and private. A set meal, izakaya restaurant that is often used by Japanese people for private/business purposes. Pre-mortap available.

Great Omakase. Everything was fresh and flavors were amazing! Cocktails are also good. Will definitely come back.

Been here twice, both times food was great, drink menu is a bit limited. Overall great sushi, appetizer and cooked foods. Food : 5/5

Some a la carte food are good taste but assorted Sushi 10pcs $50 is Very disappointed. Such a small piece of nigiri sushi I never seen before. Also sashimi are dry and not fresh. Shari (sushi rice) was not good either. If you want to try delicious Sushi, unfortunately NOT here.

Third time repeat customer and omakase fan. Chefs are fantastic and watching them work is like watching art unfold. You eat with all your senses here: look, feel, smell and taste. Always a repeat customer and happy to send along friends and family if they need a recommendation!

Omakase with Chef Yuta! Absolutely delicious. I waited six weeks for my appointment and it s absolutely worth it!

If you like a bit of Japanese on the medium-expensive side of price this place is good to eat usually during evening time. As Ill always see many office people go just get a quick bite or quick drinks.

Sydney is currently having a wave of sushi Omakase restaurants pop up and whilst some are 1) incredibly difficult to book and 2) on the pricey side, Gold Class is thankfully non of those things and is a great all round experience. When booking you can select from a menu of chefs and for my pick I was lucky to be hosted by Chef Daigo for an intimate Monday night dinner with only 6 patrons for my seating. The small group setting means you get time to make conversation with the chef and watch them in their element, something you may not be able to get elsewhere. What GC lacks in terms of modern and refined decor is made up by the delicious omakase experience. Its fantastic value for money ($130pp vs others which are $200pp+) and I would not hesitate to come back!

I had such a wonderful evening in celebrating my graduation with my parents thanks to Yuichi Kanamaru. We got the 5 Sake tasting menu with the seasonal degustation and some extra special O-Toro sushi. Yuichi was very thoughtful in his choices to pair with the food and explained in detail the differences between each. Each was delicious but all very different choices so we got to encounter a wider range of Sakes from different regions. The food was also very high quality and service was smooth. We look forward to going back.

Delicious. Yum

It takes too long to cook the food, have you ever waited 30 minutes for one side dish of a course? The people here ignore you completely until you become raging mad. Very bad experience!!!!

We had an amazing experience, would highly recommend It is mostly nigiri - but the best I ve ever had

Outstanding food. Thanks

Had the omakase menu with chef Daigo. Every course was delicious. I wanted simple edomae sushi with minimal fusion and this was perfect. Just a classic selection of fresh seafood with a small amount of dressing/condiment/sauce depending on the piece to complement. I have a normal to large appetite and I was a comfortable 75% full after this 18 course meal.

Gold class daruma is a gem and honestly one of the best places for Omakase. The seafood is unbelievably fresh and the chefs are incredible at what they do. Highly recommend!

Great food and service. Location and decor is a bit dated however the food makes up for it.

The best Japanese food I ve had in Australia that s close to real Japanese taste by far Excellent service and reasonable price. I really love it and already booked for my next Sydney visit :)

Such a tasty experience! It really bought the essence and feel of a private Japanese dining experience! Compliments to chef Yuta for making the experience unforgettable and the food was on point Best uni that I ve had in Australia!

Food is really good quality and tastes great. Service is superb - friendly staff.

Amazing omakase experience, different experiences with different chefs

Amazing omakase experience with chief Daigo, tasty food with great value, highly recommended!

Very nice fine dining and Omakase.

Worst taste. I was very disappointed.

As a Japanese person, I can tell you that the sushi here is not delicious. Above all, I couldnt stand the fact that the shari (rice) was not white rice, but brown rice.It was hard and tasted like gravel. The neta (fish) was also not fresh, dry and tasteless. I went with high expectations but was disappointed. I think there are many better sushi restaurants in Sydney.

Enjoyed Omakase with reasonable price.

Okay but not much choice for Vegetarians

First chance to return since 2019...it did not disappoint! Great food and spoilt for choice on the Saki menu! Cant wait for my next opportunity to visit.

We wanted to go to an authentic omakase in Sydney and Gold Class Daruma was one of 3 options on our list. Their omakase at $99 per person was very reasonably priced. Even though this was our first omakase, we have a deep appreciation for sushi chefs and their craft. For us, Gold Class Daruma was a great experience. Chef Yuta is skilled and his menu was aesthetically pleasing, delicious and brings forward many complex flavours that you would expect from an omakase. On top of that he was friendly and willing to answer any questions we had. The dishes did not disappoint, you can tell that the fish were delicately prepared, whether it was smoked, dry aged, marinated in kombu or vinegar or soy sauce. The results were some rich, decadent and amazingly textured dishes, some of our favourites include the temaki hand roll with tuna, ikura and sea urchin; the red emperor nigiri; and a little seaweed parcel topped with scallop (I believe). The only thing that could have been improved was the sub par ice cream dessert - but who goes to omakase for dessert anyway?

Came here for dinner and opted for a la carte - the sashimi and sushi were so fresh, the eggplant was tasty, the tempura, gyoza and deep fried oysters were all light and crispy. The waygu steak was tender and cooked just right and the agedashi tofu hit the spot. Would love to come back and try one of their omakase menus next time. Lovely, friendly service from the staff as well.

Walk in on time (as per booking) wait 50mins and leave again with no dinner because you have no more time. I would say the ultimate disappointment. The sake was alright.

Lunch set was great!

Have been here on several occasions for their omakase. Not only is it one of the most affordable in Sydney, but sososo delicious too!

went for tuesday omakase with Taka. great experience, food was excellent and service was nice. the atmosphere is elegant along with an acceptable price tag. will go again 200% i m pretty sure the rice is not brown rice, it s just mixed with soy sauce? like it should be? regardless, the taste was good

Nice place... Great Food and Beer

Takes you to Japan with its spot on interiors and authentic taste. It s 2 landings up from the Grace Hotel s lobby in case you missed it.

Amazing experience worth trying. Its about 2 - 3 hours of fine Japanese dining.

I had quite expectation for gold class Daruma. Maybe I should order tempura bento instead of teriyaki salmon. The salmon teriyaki I had was so so. A bit disappointing. The salmon portions were very generous tho. It was $32 for the bento set which came with salad, miso soup, rice and 2 meat dumplings. I d give 4 stars for the portion but not the taste. The tasting flavour wine was a big let down. It was $18 for 3 glasses choice of plum, peach, apple, mandarin. The plum tasted like it had been diluted with water. Peach and apple wine were even worse, like pulp juice. That was the worse tasting paddle I had ever try. Don t expect any alcohol. Barely felt it. Service was average. Ambiance quite pleasant for dine and peaceful chit chat. Don t expect too much then you wouldn t disappointed.

Great takeaway highly recommend

The omakase at this restaurant is quite interesting as there are three chefs that night. Booking and selection of chef is essential as each chefs omakase is different. Had the pleasure of being able to try Chef Yuta Nakamuras sushi omakase this time. The food was delicious, with the toothfish, Salmon Belly sushi and the Sea Eel sushi being the highlights of the evening! The bar table seating arrangement was very tight, the bar chairs were packed tightly together leaving little room to manoeuvre or adjust which was detrimental to the overall experience. Staff were friendly and polite. Would like to visit this restaurant again and try the other chefs omakase next time!

Gold Class Daruma is located inside the Grace Hotel Sydney and is a little hidden gem for Japanese casual dining or Omakase. Bookings are essential as there is limited seating (especially for omakase). Great Sake tasting and fresh authentic sushi/sashimi. The chefs are all amazing and it is a pleasant experience seating at the bar and watching the chefs make sushi infront of you.

As good as it was

Yutas omakase continues to impress and is definitely the best value for money option out there!

Exceptional omakase experience at very reasonable prices, you absolutely get more than what you pay for here. Chef Daigo was a delight to chat with even while he was making amazing dishes for us. Very highly recommended!

(Apr 2022)

Omakase experience was amazing and at a very reasonable price. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The chef we were assigned was a delight, both friendly and professional. Would definitely go back!

Excellent food, relaxing vibe I highly recommend the omakase :)) My highlights were the sashimi cocktail, cuttlefish nigiri, scallop nigiri, otoro nigiri, otoro+uni hand roll and dessert. The dessert was super impressive with soft silky tofu, sour yuzu sorbet, crunchy granola and sweet red bean paste. The experience could have been improved if they didn t move us (2 ppl) to the side, in order to make room for the party of 8. The large group of people were engrossed in their own loud conversations the whole time, which made it difficult to the prep process and fully enjoy the experience :$ Otherwise, it was great!

Very solid omakase, filling and at great price point. Would definitely recommend

Hidden away in an old hotel, Daruma has nice vibes and decor. Had the omakase for $150pp. Service was quite nice and some interaction with the chef who explained the ingredients. About 14 pieces of nigiri, a small sashimi starter, chawanmushi (which was very good), two pieces of wagyu (have had better), seaweed and miso soup. Eel, marinated tuna and fatty tuna were standouts. Value is not exceptional now that price has been raised from $120. Still probably one of the cheaper ones though but not 5 stars for me

Nice and good people

Omakase experience with variety of sashimi, nigiri, rolls (e.g. hand roll and sushi roll) and cooked dishes (e.g. steamed egg with dashi and eel). You sit at a bar facing your chef with the rest of the restaurant behind you ; something to consider compared to a more intimate omakase experience. Great place for first time omakase experience-goers (price, range of dishes vs only seafood/meat, location, experience). Very friendly, professional and hospitable staff.

An amazing experience, watching the executive chef, slice and serve a variety of delicious sushi. Two hours of rhythmically eating and watching!