Kazu Yakitori & Sake Bar is a Japanese izakaya at Level 1, 43 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, upstairs in the historic Stewarts Building in the heart of the Courtenay Place dining precinct. It is operated by the FPCNZ Group, which runs several Japanese venues across New Zealand.
### Cuisine and menu
Charcoal-grilled, bite-sized yakitori skewers anchor the menu. Alongside them the kitchen serves tsukune balls, donburi bowls, katsu curry and seasonal hotpots, all working within izakaya tradition. The sake list is a stated specialism, served warm or chilled and available in measures from a taste through to a full bottle. The restaurant is a licensed bar as well as a dining room.
### The room
The space is a raw, industrial-style room with Japanese detailing: exposed ceiling beams strung with paper lanterns above polished concrete floors, cement walls hung with retro Japanese beer posters and ornamental fans, and a blue noren curtain announcing the yakitori specialty. The focal point is a long counter running alongside an open kitchen, where chefs work in view of diners. Tables line the opposite wall and extend onto a balcony. Being on the first floor, the room sits away from street-level noise.
### Groups and bookings
Neat Places tags Kazu as good for large groups, noting that the wall tables and balcony seating accommodate larger parties while the counter suits solo diners and pairs. Booking is recommended, as space is limited. Online table reservations are available through the operator's site, which takes bookings for up to ten people through its web form; larger parties should contact the restaurant directly. No formal private dining room or published function capacity is stated.
### Hours
Monday to Thursday the restaurant trades 11.30am to 3pm and 5pm to 10.30pm, Friday and Saturday 11.30am to 11pm, and Sunday 11.30am to 10.30pm, with last orders roughly an hour before close.
### MICE suitability
Kazu suits informal delegate dinners, small-team meals and post-conference groups looking for something with more character than a standard restaurant booking. Its Courtenay Place address puts it within walking distance of most central Wellington hotels and the Michael Fowler Centre and TSB Arena precinct. The shared-plate skewer format works well for groups eating together, and the depth of the sake list gives an incentive or hosted group a talking point. Organisers planning anything above about ten covers should confirm arrangements by phone. See more Wellington restaurants for comparison.
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