NAKANO DARLING TURNS 5!! SPECIAL MERCH AVAILABLE!

We’re stoked that we made it to 5 years!! We’ve been through it all. Opening just before covid, going through lockdowns, going from about 8 staff to now close to 40!

To celebrate we have these awesome limited 5th anniversary t-shirts and caps for sale. Designed by Shodai Nakano in Tokyo. Available now in our online shop!

CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN 2024 WITH US!

Get spooky with us this year! You know you wanna!

THE PREMIUM MALT’S HOUSE X NAKANO DARLING ‘23 (July 21 - August 6)

We’re thrilled to be selected as the Australian venue for Suntory’s Premium Malt’s House! Taking place between July 21st and August 6th. Expect lots of prizes and goodies to be won!

A flagship beer bar “The PREMIUM MALT'S HOUSE” opened in February in Tokyo Japan, where you can enjoy the “Kami-Awa” quality of The Premium Malt’s. “Kami-Awa” meaning “Super Fine Creamy Foam” is an original term to express the creaminess of the foam.

The Premium Malt’s is a premium beer brewed only in Japan by its dedicated craftmanship using carefully selected ingredients including high-quality groundwater, Diamond Malt and European Aroma Hops.

This time, “The PREMIUM MALT'S HOUSE” will be opening in 9 cities around the world, with the aim to offer consumers overseas to experience the value of The Premium Malt's.

CHECK OUT OUR WINTER MENU!!

Winter has come and we’ve got four food specials you’ll bound to love!

We have Kakuni (Japanese braised pork)
Cheese Isobe-age (fried fish cake stuffed with cheese)
Doria (Japansese gratin with rice)
Nakano’s original Oden (its back!)

SUMMER MENU!

Summer is here and we’ve added some delicious new dishes just in time for the warmer weeks ahead! Check them out!

Negi Shio Ggyutan (grilled wagyu tongue with salty leek sauce)
Pork Shabu Salad (with creamy sesame dressing)
Doteni (miso beef stew)
Grilled Corn (served with soy butter)
Spicy Quali Eggs + Orion Beer Set (spicy-rich flavoured qual eggs with Orion beer)

NAKANO COMEDY PRESENTS TAKASHI WAKASUGI (JAPAN)

We’re thrilled to have all the way from Japan Takashi Wakasugi performing his stand up set “Stay Home Stay” on Saturday November 19th! All tickets includes food and a drink. Available now here!!

OPENING TILL 2AM ON THURSDAYS NOW!

With spring here and summer not far off we’ve decided to extend our opening hours on Thursday’s now till 2am!! That’s right take your Friday’s off and start your weekend early with us at Nakano!!

NEW FOOD AND DRINKS ITEMS!!

Japanese Kransky with ketchup & mustard sauce pack (exclusive to Nakano)! Yuzu Cheesecake! Cassis Orange, Cassis Oolong and Cassis Soda! If they’re popular they’ll stay on our menu so come and try soon!

AUGUST IS SAKE MONTH!!

All throughout August we’re presenting a matching Sake & Otsumami Set. Enjoy a new sake each week with a matching bar snack from our new executive chef Hide!

WE’RE OPEN ON TUESDAYS NOW!

We’re beyond excited that finally we’re opening on Tuesday nights! That means we’re finally 7 nights a week!!!

HERE COMES THE WINTER! HERE COMES OUR ODEN!

Well winter has definitely arrived but no worries! We have added Japanese Oden to our menu just in time for the colder months. It includes wagyu brisket, yam cakes, boiled egg, rice cake in tofu skin, daikon radish and fish cakes with a dash of Japanese mustard. You can’t have a more wintery dish! Come and get it!

NAKANO DARLING INVITES!

Its happening! Across five nights and every day for breakfast too. April 17 - 21. Tickets on sale now!

For all the info go onto our Events page!

NEW GYOZA FLAVOURS

We have added Kimchi Pork, Negi Shio and Cheese Gyozas! Give them a try!

XMAS & NEW YEAR BREAK

We’ll be closed from December 25th and reopening on January 5th for our Christmas and New Year break.

Online bookings are now available for all of January and February!

NEW DISHES NEW DRINKS!!!

During the lockdown we decided to work on some new dishes.

For the first time we have desserts! Matcha Tiramisu, Matcha Pudding and Sweet Potato Gyoza!

Also we’ve added two very popular Izakaya favourites to the menu…. Takoyaki and French Fries!!

On the drinks side of things we bought a Slushy machine and so over summer will be serving Frozen Yuzu Margarita!. It’s bound to be a crowd pleaser!!

NO MORE WEEKEND LUNCHES!

We’re taking a little break from doing weekend lunches. It’ll be back no doubt in the new year!

WE ARE REOPENING FOR DINE-IN ON OCTOBER 18

That’s right! We’re re-opening on October 18. Book now!

During the lockdown we worked on a new menu so there’ll be new Gyoza flavours, some new hot dishes and for the first time Desserts!!

NAKANO SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS

Did you know we started creating Spotify playlists during the Sydney lockdown? Check them all out here!

SUBURBAN DELIVERIES

We are coming to you! Missing us during the lockdown? We’re now doing daily deliveries to different parts of Sydney.

To find out where we’re off to check our Instagram for regular posts. Spread the word!!

NAKANO DARLING THE BOOK

OUR BOOK IS AVAIALBLE!!

Released through Somekind Press you can now purchase it here!

Go beyond the wooden benches and beer crates out front of Nakano Darling’s ever-changing façade and you’d be forgiven for feeling you’d stepped smack through a Tokyo warphole – one where the Suntory whiskey, sake, sochu, umeshu and beer flow as freely as the nihongo and the kind of place in which anyone with a love of good booze and delicious food could lose themselves quite happily for entire nights… if not days. Ebullient, eclectic and insanely entertaining (whether you hit up the karaoke room or not), Nakano Darling stands for everything that makes the izakaya – or humble ‘stay-drink-place’ – such a central and beloved part of Japanese culture, and in this little book the team behind the Sydney favourite invite you to take the leap Tokyo-wards with them, sharing not only what makes the place tick but also, courtesy of the inimitable Ebony Bizys (aka Hello Sandwich), a stunning photographic guide to the izakayas of the suburb from which they take their name. Yup, all the food and drink favourites are here (homemade gyoza, karaage chicken and whisky cocktails, anyone?) but really, that’s just a small part of the picture – it’s all about the JOURNEY here. So, who’s up for taking this particular ride with us? Tokyo, here we come!