Surry Hills Favourite RK San Relocates to Stylish New Venue in Redfern

Rk san
Photo credit: RK San Japanese Restaurant/Google Maps

After nearly seven years of serving contemporary Japanese cuisine in Surry Hills, RK San has moved to its new, bigger and better digs in Redfern.


Read: Now Open: Mr Charlie’s Redfern Brings Plant-Based Twist to Classic Burgers & Fries


The restaurant, led by veteran chef RK Matang, has relocated from its modest Cleveland Street space to a larger, sleek new home at Bourke Street’s bustling food scene. 

The new location marks an exciting chapter for RK San, doubling its seating capacity in a modern, airy venue filled with Japanese artwork. 

Photo credit: Phing Phing/Google Maps 

The Japanese restaurant has built a strong following thanks to its contemporary twist on traditional Japanese cuisine, showcasing high-quality ingredients like fatty tuna toro in its popular sashimi platters.

Chef RK Matang (Photo credit: rksan.com.au)

Trained in Japan since age 15 before moving to Australia, Chef RK brings over three decades of experience preparing traditional yet inventive Japanese food. Stints at luxury resorts and high-end Sydney restaurants like Flying Fish preceded the opening of his modest but now-bustling establishment bearing his name.

One signature bite that demonstrates RK San’s inventive approach is the tuna cigar – a crispy pastry rolled into a cigar shape and filled with silky sashimi-grade salmon tartare. Another standout is their pan-seared Hokkaido scallops, a consistent best-seller.

Photo credit: Minh Phan/Google Maps

Beyond seafood, the menu retains customer favourites like the Peruvian Nikkei-inspired cooked dishes and premium wagyu robata skewers from the charcoal grill.


Read: New Chapter for Redfern’s La Salut, But Same Authentic Flavours


RK San’s move signals an exciting new era for Chef RK Matang to fully bring his contemporary Japanese vision to life. The big, welcoming space and expanded kitchen are a fitting backdrop for his slickest creations yet, from the Instagram-famous tuna cigar to the expertly seared Hokkaido scallops.

Visit them at their new location at 648 Bourke Street, Redfern.

Published 18-December-2023