Valentine’s Day dinner reservations in Sydney are a battlefield. Everyone’s fighting for the same candlelit corner, the same overpriced roses on the table, the same predictable menu. So this year, we’re skipping the script entirely and heading somewhere that actually knows how to do romance right: The Star Sydney.
The diamond of Pyrmont, The Star is pulling out all the stops with bespoke set menus across their signature restaurants. for the day for the romantics, 14th February. We’re zeroing in on two that genuinely had us swooning: Sokyo and BLACK Bar & Grill. Whether you’re after refined Japanese elegance or bold, smoky steakhouse drama, there’s a menu here that’ll make your date night genuinely unforgettable.
Sokyo: “Love in Bloom” — Romance, Refined
If your idea of the perfect Valentine’s is soft lighting, impeccable plating, and a meal that feels like a slow exhale of luxury, Sokyo is calling your name.
Already one of Sydney’s most coveted Japanese restaurants — think dark, moody interiors, the hum of an open kitchen, and a reputation that books out weeks in advance — Sokyo is raising the bar even further this February with Love in Bloom: A Night of Elegant Intimacy.
Executive Chef Daniel Kwak has designed a five-to-six course tasting menu ($180pp) that reads less like a restaurant menu and more like a love letter written in seasonal produce. The evening unfolds course by course — delicate seasonal seafood, premium wagyu, and exquisite desserts — all crafted to be shared. And sharing, as any great date night knows, is where the real connection happens.
The standout? A beautifully rendered unagi tempura, served alongside Sokyo’s signature tempura sauce. It’s the kind of dish that makes you set your phone down and just be present — crispy, sweet, perfectly balanced, and utterly memorable. Whatever you choose though, Sokyo’s delicately layers flavours to rousing fanfare and may be the reason your heart skips a beat.
This is Valentine’s Day for who are looking for beautifully executed Japanese cuisine in one of Sydney’s most atmospheric dining rooms.
Set menu is $180 per person.
BLACK Bar & Grill: “Flame & Elegance” — Romance with Sizzle
If your Valentine’s energy is less quiet contemplation and more let’s make some noise — BLACK Bar & Grill is for you.
With its floor-to-ceiling harbour views, a wood-fired grill that practically puts on a show, and an atmosphere that’s equal parts sleek bar and serious steakhouse, BLACK is the kind of place where date night feels a elevated. It’s broody yet wise – the perfect venue for those that want to do something for Valentine’s Day but are actively avoiding like they are doing something for Valentine’s Day.
Executive Chef Insup Kim has put together Flame & Elegance ($180pp) — a four-course menu that balances bold, confident flavours with genuine steakhouse indulgence. It’s for the couple who wants substance and spectacle on the same plate. There’s a hint of Asian flavours throughout.
First up, prepare to be charmed by the Berkshire pork donut — yes, a donut — drizzled with peach and plum vinaigrette. It’s playful, it’s unexpected, and it’s the perfect conversation starter. Then things get serious with the Wagyu flank 9+, richly marbled and finished with café de paris butter. This is the kind of steak that makes you close your eyes mid-bite. Paired with seafood courses and a decadent dessert to close, it’s a menu that builds beautifully from start to finish.
BLACK is Valentine’s Day for the couple who wants to soak up the view and dive into the sensuous depths of all that Black has to offer.
Whichever you choose, you’re in good hands. The Star Sydney knows how to set the scene — and this Valentine’s Day, the only thing you need to worry about is making the reservation before someone else does.
Both restaurants are located at The Star Sydney,
80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009.
Book via The Star website or call 1800 700 700.