Sodewa Sake Bar
★ 4.9 · 81 reviews Adelaide Opened 2026
Adelaide's sake-first bar on Pirie Street
Sodewa flips the usual script: this is a sake bar that happens to have a kitchen, not a Japanese restaurant with a sake list bolted on. Staff talk you through the pours without the usual ceremony, and the food is built to sit alongside whatever's in your glass.
It's a short walk from the East End, and it's picked up plenty of attention since opening in 2026. Book ahead for Friday and Saturday.
What guests say
Reviews by Google-
V L 54 reviews · Local Guide 4 September 2026
Such an incredible experience at Sodewa! The service was exceptionally attentive, and the staff provided wonderfully detailed introductions to the dishes. The ingredients are remarkably fresh and expertly prepared—even the rice was cooked to perfection. I really appreciated the thoughtful touch of offering two types of soy sauce: one for dipping and another in a spray bottle. They also use freshly grated wasabi rather than the powdered alternative, which elevates the whole meal. You simply must try the Aburi Salmon Nigiri. They select cuts with a fantastic fat distribution, and after being torched, the salmon has zero clumping or heavy texture—it just melts in your mouth with an amazingly smooth finish. Easily the best aburi salmon I’ve ever had in Adelaide. My friend and I are huge fans of Japanese cuisine, and we left completely satisfied. We will definitely be coming back!
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Tina L 11 reviews · Local Guide 26 July 2026
Absolutely loved my experience at Sodewa. I love sushi and have tried almost every Japanese restaurant in Adelaide, and this is easily my new favourite!! I’ve been waiting for a place like this to open - it’s the closest I’ve come to the sushi I had in Japan! The quality of the fish was outstanding - super fresh, sweet, buttery, and not fishy at all! Every piece was cut well and with no sinew, just very soft and melt-in-your-mouth. You can immediately tell they don’t compromise on quality. The service was also great! Even with just one person running the floor, everything felt relaxed and well-paced. The dishes were staggered which gave us time to enjoy our drinks, chat, and appreciate + properly digest our food without ever feeling rushed. I also appreciated the attention to detail. From the tableware and atmosphere to the presentation and quality of the food, it’s obvious a lot of thought has gone into it. I can’t wait to go back again! I’ll be recommending it to all my friends. If you’re looking for authentic, premium Japanese food, this place is absolutely worth visiting.
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Adam Nance 8 reviews 26 July 2026
One of the best sushi experiences you can have in Adelaide. The Chutoro was rich, buttery, and the rice was spot on. Delicious as it should be! The Hakatanomori Junmai sake paired perfectly with everything and made the whole meal. I’ll be thinking about this dinner for a long time and can’t wait to come back!
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Schtevie 117 reviews · Local Guide 20 July 2026
A great spot for a romantic date. Very fancy high end Japanese food. Great selection of tasty sake. We were a fan of sparkling sake! Oysters as starters definitely recommended. Tuna belly was more-ish! Pork belly was melt-in-mouth delicious. Service was unstated perfection.
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Sho Ko 113 reviews · Local Guide 19 July 2026
Authentic Japanese in Adelaide CBD! Great tasting with beautiful services. I should have taken more photos for dishes but too busy eating to do that 👍 Ask for the restaurant favourites if Japanese name of dishes confuse you. You’ll get honest recommendations
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