Mate's Table
Subscribe
Create
Share with the community

What would you like to make?

Add a recommendationShare a place worth gathering around.Create a guideBuild a useful list for your city.
For business

Restaurant

MATKIM

shop CQT7/180 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

Recommended by 77 people

Updated

Find MATKIM

shop CQT7/180 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 401 471 248
HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 6:00 – 9:00 PM Thursday: 6:00 – 9:00 PM Friday: 6:00 – 9:00 PM Saturday: 6:00 – 9:00 PM Sunday: 6:00 – 9:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

Book Now

About MATKIM

Eight seats, one nightly service, and an open kitchen staging a modern Korean omakase. Chef Jacob moves past standard barbecue archetypes, building a multi-course progression around regional ingredients and thoughtful pacing. Plating happens right across the counter—accompanied by origin cards, stories from Korea's provinces, and pours of chilled cheongju. Meticulous service catches the small stuff, from mid-meal utensil resets to off-menu kimchi served after a passing comment. The evening rolls through fifteen or more dishes, finishing on toasty nurungji ice cream that leaves diners comfortably full.

  • Eight-Seat Counter: An eight-seat open kitchen running a single seating per night, plating every course directly before diners.
  • Story-Driven Tasting: Chef Jacob pairs multi-course dishes with regional backstories, origin cards, and curated cheongju pours.
  • Generous Multi-Course Format: A generous progression spanning up to 18 courses leaves guests completely satisfied.
RestaurantRestaurant

What's On at MATKIM

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

The MATKIM Experience

Why diners choose MATKIM's intimate Korean omakase counter

  • Front-Row 8-Seat Counter Theater

    Every course is cooked, plated, and presented directly before guests in an intimate 8-seat open kitchen format that functions like live culinary theater.

    You get to watch the chefs prepare everything right in front of you while they explain the story behind each dish — it felt like a live cooking show!

    Veronica Indrawan

  • Story-Driven Heritage Tasting

    Chefs accompany each course with deep narratives and informative cards exploring Korean cultural history, regional heritage, and key ingredients.

    Jacob, articulates a story of Korean food that goes beyond ingredients - there is heritage, nostalgia and education embedded in every dish.

    Daniel Phu

  • Generously Satiating Multi-Course Progression

    Unlike degustations that leave guests wanting more, this multi-course progression delivers 14 to 18 generous dishes ensuring diners leave completely full and satisfied.

    I also left the restaurant completely full and satisfied , which is a rare occasion for Omakase!

    bbusagi

  • Single Evening Seating with Dedicated Pacing

    Service operates with a single unified seating per night that requires advance reservations, ensuring the kitchen devotes uninterrupted focus to one dining cohort.

    One seating per night only and takes 4 weeks in advance booking to secure a seat so plan on it earlier .

    Karver C (A . Gent . K)

  • Unpretentious, House-Party Warmth

    The intimate counter setting and personalized hospitality dismantle traditional fine dining stiffness, welcoming guests with warm, unhurried ease.

    Once you entered the restaurant, Jacob greeted us like we entered to a party at his house. Made us feel comfortable, broke the ice and distance between chef and patrons.

    Sammi TL

  • Intellectually Stimulating Cultural Connection

    Guests walk away intellectually enriched and culturally connected, having experienced a heartfelt window into Korean food traditions and regional culinary roots.

    This is a truly unique and intellectual dining adventure that stands out from anything else. I was thoroughly impressed and surprised by the entire experience.

    Isabela Cheung

Standout highlights from Chef Jacob's story-driven counter dining experience

  • Korean omakase tasting menu

    Tried Korean omakase for the first time at Matkim and it was such a unique experience! 🍽️ The 15-course menu ($279) was thoughtfully crafted with great ingredients, and I left feeling comfortably full.

    Veronica Indrawan

  • Sotbap Jungsik lunch

    We had the Sotbap Jungsik lunch and it was comfort food pushed to the next level. The flavours, the stories, the thought and soul behind all the experience. I left with a happy belly and a full soul.

    Patricia G Solana

  • Dry aged steaks

    Loved the dry aged steaks and Moreton bay big dishes.

    Ly Do

  • Nurungji dessert

    I especially loved the starters inspired by Korean street snacks and the nurungji dessert — the creamy, toasty “scored ice cream” was a perfect ending.

    Veronica Indrawan

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful touches and attentive hospitality across an 8-seat counter

  • Attentive Counter Service and Cutlery Resets

    Between courses, cutlery rests are cleaned and resets handled attentively, with impromptu kitchen accommodations like fresh-sliced kimchi brought out upon request.

  • Story Cards and Ingredient Guides

    Chefs provide dish-by-dish verbal commentary alongside English cards and pamphlets that detail regional Korean ingredients, heritage, and techniques.

  • Warm, Unpretentious Host Welcome

    Guests are greeted like old friends entering a home kitchen, breaking down traditional fine dining distance in an intimate counter setting.

  • Holding Service for Late Arrivals

    Because service runs as a coordinated single seating for just eight diners, the team will hold dinner start times if traffic delays a guest.

Before you head over

Practical advice for planning your counter dining experience at MATKIM

  • Book Several Weeks Ahead

    With only eight seats around the kitchen and a single seating per evening, secure your reservation several weeks to a month ahead.

  • Allow 2 to 3 Hours on an Empty Stomach

    The multi-course tasting menu spans roughly 14 to 18 courses over two to three hours, so arrive with a healthy appetite and plan an open evening.

  • Embrace the Narrative Pace

    Courses are served sequentially with live cooking and storytelling cards, so settle in for an unhurried, narrative-driven counter experience.

Explore more places in Sydney

Find familiar flavours, neighbourhood favourites and somewhere new in Sydney.

Discover more in Sydney

Explore another side of the city's food and drink.

Browse all Sydney venues